The First Discovery of Australia and New Guinea | Page 7

which I have alluded, is apparent here in the
repetition of the western coast line of Gilolo.
It will be seen that the Spanish map claims Gilolo and the other Spice
Islands, such as Ternate, Tidor, Batchian, etc., since they are set down,
in the western half of the world.
This is wrong, for those islands virtually fell within the Portuguese
sphere. I have purposely drawn your attention to these deceptions and
distortions on this Spanish map because on the first map of Australia,
which we shall consider by and by, we shall see that the Portuguese
made use of similar methods which they, of course, turned to their own
advantage.
For instance, they blocked the sea-way to the south of Java, and, in
other ways, restricted the approach to the Spice Islands to channels
over which they had control. Observe that the smaller islands of the
East Indian Archipelago, from Java to Flores, are not charted, although

they were well-known at the time. There must have been a reason for
this, for these missing islands are precisely those which we shall find
grafted on to the Australian continent (Jave-la-Grande) in the charts
that we are coming to.
Observe also that the south coast of Java is not marked. The reason for
this is obvious, the south coast was not known. Java, indeed, was
believed to be connected with the Great Southern Continent, and was
called Java Major, to distinguish it from Sumatra, which was named
Java Minor.
In proof of the Portuguese belief concerning the connection and size of
Java, I quote here what Camoëns, their immortal poet, says:--
_"Olha a Sunda* tao larger, que huma banda Esconde pare o Sul
difficultuoso." Os Lusiadas._ Java behold, so large that one vast end It,
covers towards the South tempestuous.
[* Another name for Java.]
Towards the year 1570, however, practical Portuguese seamen had
become aware of a more accurate shape for Java, and Diego do Couto,
the Portuguese historian, describes its shape in the following manner:--
"The figure of the island of Java resembles a pig couched on its fore
legs, with its snout to the Channel of Balabero,* and its hind legs
towards the mouth of the Straits of Sunda, which is much frequented by
our ships. The southern coast, [pig's back] is not frequented by us, and
its bays and ports are not known; but the northern coast [pig's stomach]
is much frequented, and has many good ports."
[* Modern Straits of Bali.]
CHAPTER IV.
VILLALOBOS' EXPEDITION AND FURTHER DISCOVERIES IN
PAPUA.

After various treaties, signed at Segovia, Seville and Zaragoza, the
King of Spain renounced at last, his claim to the Spice Islands, for the
sum of 350,000 ducats.
But this agreement did not interfere with other possessions of the
Spanish crown, nor did it prevent the Spaniards from making fresh
conquests within the limits which had been allotted to them.
Meanwhile the Portuguese were more active in their explorations.
Making the Spice Islands the centre of their enterprise, under the
guidance and governorship of Galvano, the "Apostle and historian of
the Moluccas," they sent their caravels in every direction, equipping
also native junks and proas for purposes of trade and discovery. From
Japan in the north, to Timor in the south, and from Java in the west, to
the Carolines and Ladrones in the east, they penetrated everywhere.
The Spaniards on their side continued to lay claim to the islands of the
archipelago of St. Lazarus, discovered by Magellan, and, after
Villalobos expedition, called the Philippine Islands, in honour of
Phillip II. of Spain.
These islands, situated outside the Spanish sphere, had fallen under
Portuguese sway by treaties with the native kings, and by conquests
made after the death of Magellan.
Of these events the Spanish government knew but little, but Magellan's
initiatory work and conquests were not to be abandoned, and Don
Antonio de Mendoza, the Viceroy of New Spain, was ordered to equip
and send out a colonising expedition without delay.
It was entrusted to Ruy Lopez de Villalobos, and set sail from New
Spain on the 1st of November, 1542.
The Armada was composed of six ships and four or five hundred
soldiers. On their way from the west coast of North America to the
Philippines, they discovered many islands in the North Pacific Ocean;
among others the Hawaiian Group, visited many years after by Cook,

and named by him the Sandwich Islands.
In 1543 one of the ships belonging to the fleet, the San Juan,
commanded by Bernardo della Torre, with Gaspar Rico as first pilot,
made an attempt to return to New Spain.
But in their numerous efforts to reach America from the Great Asiatic
Archipelagoes, the Spaniards had not yet found out the proper season
nor latitude to sail in, and through their