The Voyages of Pedro Fernandez de Quiros, 1595 to 1606. Volume 1

The listener is invited into an early 17th‑century record of Spanish exploration across the Pacific. Pedro Fernandez de Quiros, first a chief pilot for the ill‑fated Mendaña expedition and later the commander of his own voyage, narrates a world that was still being drawn on maps. The translation, dedicated to a famed Antarctic explorer, retains the raw voice of a sailor‑poet who recorded storms, mutinies and the awe of uncharted islands.

The account begins with Mendaña’s second attempt to colonise the Solomon archipelago, describing the sudden sighting of the Marquesas and the eerie, volcanic island they named Santa Cruz. As the crew grapples with disease, the tragic death of their leader, and a desperate crossing to Manila, the narrative balances meticulous detail with lyrical interludes. Listeners will hear the clash of ambition and nature, a vivid portrait of the age when Europe first reached the far‑flung corners of the Pacific.