a bad harbour, where the ships could not lie with safety.

_Isla de San Bernardo_, which was the name given to this island, was
found to be very flat, with a lagoon in its centre, and thirty miles in
circumference.

The boats were sent out in hopes of getting water; but they searched in
vain for it, and only met with great quantities of cocoanuts. The fish,
which abounded on the coasts, and the birds, which were also very
numerous, suffered themselves to be caught by hand.

It was supposed to be inhabited; its latitude, by observation, was about
10½° S. From this island they proceeded all night under very little sail,
because the wind blew fresh in their stern, and the great number of birds
that passed them proved that land was near.

On the 2nd of March, land was discovered to the W. It was an island six
leagues round, which offered but a bad anchorage. The boats landed with
difficulty, and one of them was actually overset in one of their visits
and the crew nearly drowned among the breakers.

This natural obstacle was probably not the most obstinate that existed
there; they found the island inhabited by a warlike people, that opposed
them in every enterprise.

In different skirmishes, several natives were killed, and some of the
Spaniards wounded, so that after some unsuccessful attempts to get water
they were obliged to abandon the place.

They speak particularly with enthusiasm of the beauty and studied dress