They began at once to build a brigantine which had been taken out in
pieces; in fifty-four days it was put together with the help of fresh
timber obtained on the island.

Sarmiento then conducted a reconnoitering expedition inland, but met with
hostility from the natives.

In the meanwhile, Gallego and Ortega, the camp-master, examined the coast
on board the brigantine and discovered several other islands.*

[* Very little gold, if any, was found in the Solomon group.]

An expedition in search of the Great Southern Continent, or _Java Maior_,
was also projected with the brigantine, but soon abandoned, as they found
the little ship unsuitable for open sea work.

All the islands discovered were supposed to belong to the outlying
islands situated to the east of New Guinea, and the inference, as we
know, was not, far from the truth; it led, however, to a curious mistake,
which I shall explain when describing the earliest map of the Solomon
Islands, towards the end of next chapter.

In May, the expedition left _Santa Ysabel_, and after sighting many more
islands of the group, they cast anchor off the coast of a large island
which Gallego named _Guadalcanal_, after his own native place near
Seville.

On the 19th and 22nd, Sarmiento and Mendana, accompanied by Ortega, made
excursions into the interior, ascending a high mountain and enjoying a