Don Antonio de Vea journal, 1675-1676
1 volume
The Antonio de Vea journal contains 106 pages (53 folios) of Spanish-language entries, covering September 21, 1675-April 19, 1676. Between folios 34 and 35, the volume contains an inlaid map of the coast of Chile from Isla de Chiloe to Golfo de Trinidad. Also included with the journal is a printed version of the Spanish text.
The journal comprises entries of varying length, describing sailing conditions and major events that occurred during the journey. In late-October and early-November 1675, de Vea recounted a stop at the island of Doña Sebastiana, and a near-shipwreck on rocks. He also noted receiving supplies, the collapse of a church on the island, and the worsening health of several Native Americans on the ship. In December 1675, he described the abandoned island of Santa Barbara, which was overrun with wild dogs that the Chono Indians had left behind (December 4), fishing with nets in the port of Nuestra Señora de la Concepción (December 7), and a hurricane (December 11). Entries on December 27, 1675, and January 2, 1676, document the questioning of several Indians onboard concerning European pirates. On January 30, de Vea described a shipwreck that killed 16 men, 11 of whom were Chono Indians, near the western entrance to the Strait of Magellan.
After the entry of January 30, he did not write again until mid-March. The entries from March and April 1676 are generally very brief and describe the sailing conditions on the return to Peru, some repercussions of the shipwreck (March 30), and their arrival in Callao (April 17).