the native members of the embassy from Japan,[1] and set sail from Acapulco on March 22d with one vessel, the San Francisco.
He arrived in Japan three months later, and was favorably received, whereupon he proceeded to examine the coast and in the following year to seek for the rich isles, though in vain. Meanwhile jealous Hollanders obtained the imperial ear and denounced the Spaniards as seeking to add Japan to their extensive conquests. The result was that Vizcaino's embassy failed at the chief court. He prevailed, however, upon another ruler, called Mazamune, to assist him in fitting out a new vessel, to replace the damaged San Francisco, and to send therein an embassy to New Spain. With this he reached Zacatula in January 1614. During the following years other efforts were made to establish intercourse, and to obtain better treatment for the persecuted missionaries, but without avail.[2]
While explorations in northern latitudes proved failures, or little short of them, expeditions from Peru had opened a new field for enterprise in the southern Pacific, under Mendana in 1595, and more successfully under Pedro Fernandez Quirós, the companion of Mendana, who in 1605-6 made important discoveries in the Australasian groups, and concluded his voyage in New Spain.[3]
- ↑ Their leader was evidently a convert, to judge from his name, Francisco de Velasco, baptized at Mexico probably. They numbered 23 and the crew 50 or more. The names of friars and officers may be found in Vizcaino, Rel., 102.
- ↑ Vizcaino's failure is also attributed to the indiscreet zeal of a friar. Id., 198, etc. This appears to have been Luis Sotelo who proceeded with a Japanese convert to Rome and Madrid and obtained more missionaries, two of whom, Bartolomé de Burguillos and Diego de Santa Catarina, were appointed envoys by Felipe III., and reached Japan in 1616. The feeling against Spaniards had meanwhile grown stronger and the friars were forced to depart without executing their commission. Japanese from a more friendly court accompanied them, and were favorably received at Mexico in 1617, but do not appear to have accomplished anything. Medina, Chron. S. Diego, 148-50. Cavo mentions an embassy in 1615 from I dates, probably identical with one of the above. Tres Siglos, i. 261, 254, 257-8. The rich isles long continued to be an object of search to Philippine navigators and others.
- ↑ Whence he proceeded to Madrid with his report. Id., i. 244. The voyage is fully related in Burney's Hist. Discov. South Sea, ii. 273-317.
