centre it was rather high, and thence its slopes extended in all
directions to the sea, so that its form was a massive round with only the
parts towards the south, broken with ravines.

There were many palm trees, plantains, verdure, abundant water, and the
land was thickly inhabited. The circumference was about 50 leagues,
though some gave it much more and thought that it would support about
200,000 inhabitants. Its latitude was 14° 30'. Owing to its great beauty,
it was named _Virgen Maria_; it is the modern Gaua, in the Banks' group.

Four canoes with unarmed natives came to the Almiranta, and made signs to
offer to take him into port. Seeing that the Spaniards did not wish it,
they made presents of cocoanuts and other fruits. Having received a good
return, they went back to their island. As the disposition of the natives
seemed to be good, the captain sent a party in the launch and one boat,
to examine the coast and find a port. The party was under the command of
Pedro Lopez de Soto. They found to the S. and S.E. clean bottom at 20
fathoms or less, where the ships might have anchored if the weather to be
experienced had been known. They saw a great number of people on the
island, who came out to see and call to them. They followed the boat
without passing certain boundaries, and by this they supposed that there
were partitions of property between the people not on good terms.

Among them there were two distinct colours. While the natives were
looking at each other and talking by signs, a man rushed down from behind
some rocks. He was well made, of a clear mulatto colour, the hairs of his
beard and head brown and crisp, and rather long. He was robust and
vigorous. With a jump he got into the boat, and, according to the signs
he made, he appeared to ask: "Where do you come from? What do you want?
What do you seek?" Assuming that these were the questions asked, some of