Naming
Australia
Incorporated
Naming Australia Incorporated
The Discovery of Australia Del Espiritu Santo
Insatiate for mischief, Prado went
Sowing his hints, a spirit for discerning.
Factions appeared, a smouldering discontent,
As wisps of smoke betray the stifled burning
Of wool or flax close-pent in a dark hold,
Which in the end will blaze forth uncontrolled
Unless put out in time. Men´s hearts were turning
Away from Quiros and the enterprise.
The ban on gaming robbed time of its savour;
Boredom and thirst set in; the ships supplies
Went out for payment or by secret favour
As suited the intrigues of the cabal.
Many who saw this grew quite cynical,
And even the better kind began to waver.
Weakened by sickness, Quiros seemed remote,
Giving his orders without consultation;
If he addressed the company the wrong note
Was sounded on his passionate oration:
Too much of Honour and Fortitude,
When what was needed in the present mood
Was to take treason firmly by the throat.
Compared with the last voyage we seemed to be
A whole month slow. The pilots now conferred;
And as they showed their reckonings all could see
That the Chief Pilot´s calculations erred
Grossly to utter inexperience.
When Quiros showed him how the difference
Between his log and others´ had occurred,
Bilbao abandoned all restraint, and shouted
In such wild terms that his disloyalty
No longer could be overlooked or doubted.
This time the Captain moved decisively,
Deprived him of his office, rank and sword,
And sent him as a prisoner on board
The Almiranta. This man´s contumacy
Set off a wave of murmurs that same morning
Among the malcontents. By Quiros´ order
A block was hoisted in the yard, in warning
Of what might follow any fresh disorder.
In private Admiral Torres spoke his mind
To Quiros: `You persist in being kind
To men who would repay you by suborning
The loyalty of officers and crew.
You should strike terror as Magellan did,
Or as yourself observed Mendaña do
When it became imperative to rid
The expedition of all perfidy.
If you allow these miscreants to slip by,
The true depth of their evil being hid,
They will, as soon as they set foot on shore,
In their own interest give a false report
To ruin all that you have laboured for
And blast your reputation at the Court.
Such secret malice is most difficult
To watch and overtake in its result:
You cannot straighten what they will distort.
Quiros replied: `Good friend, I ask your pardon;
To you, I know, my government seems lax.
Such is my temper, and it will not harden
From mercy to mere justice; nor I will tax
My conscience, even under provocation,
With taking a man’s life and reputation:
I could not be in quiet with such a burden.
I bowed that blood would never stain my sword;
And though this resolution costs me dear,
And will cost more hereafter, yet my word
Is more than life. This great work must rise clear
Of the earths´ dross, refined by heavenly fire.
I am persuaded it is Christ’s desire
That we should drive men on by love, not fear.
Are force and justice banished from Christ’s law?
Does Christian realism come to this,
Said Torres,that we must not overawe
Corrupt men, but return the traitor’s kiss?
Quiros replied: Others have other ways;
Which I do not condemn, but will not praise.
This is my way, he said with emphasis.
But now with freshened hopes the seaman scanned
The water, as new signs appeared denoting
That we were drawing close to fertile land:
Tree-trunks, and coconuts, and turtles floating,
Wild fruits and berries. Land-birds flew above
As welcome for their message as the dove
That bore the olive-twig to Noah´s hand.
I see land to the north-west, high and black.
One afternoon at three the look-out cried.
The sea shoaled under us as we changed out tack.
When we approached, we saw in the north side
Smoke from the forest-patches natives burn
To plant their gardens. Quiros expressed concern
That we should make friends and avoid attack.
This island, which we named Taumaco, lay
Not far from Santa Cruz. Tomai, the Chief,
Made peaceful signs, though not without dismay.
His village stood on stilts on a small reef
Covered by tides. He said that he had heard
Of men like us, and told us what occurred
Ten years before at Graciosa Bay.
Quiros now questioned whether other lands
Lay to the south, and if inhabited.
With speaking gestures of his arms and hands
Tomai began to to point, while Quiros read
The compass and took notes. He named in all
Some sixty scattered islands, large and small,
With distance and direction; then he said
That vast land existed- in his speech
Named Manicolo- very broad and high,
Well-peopled and within a few days´ reach.
Using his notes, the Captain subsequently
Examined others, who corroborated
At every single point what Tomai stated,
Which seemed to prove the Chief´s veracity.
We sailed for the first island, Tikopia
And then, and Tomai´s chart was verified,
Another which we named Virgen Maria.
When asked what course he wished, the Captain cried
In exaltation: `Now let the ships´ heads choose
Whatever course they will; they cannot lose
Their way, for God himself will be their guide.
For the prosaic pilot he allowed
The same course as before, to the south-west.
The vessels bounded towards the horizon cloud,
Their rhythm cheering even the surliest.
So on the first of May the look-out cried:
Land with high mountains, stretching far and wide.
Our hearts were with unspeakable joy possessed.
Naming Australia Incorporated
42 Roebuck Street
Red Hill ACT 2603
Canberra. Australia