Unable to proceed further north, Torres coasted southern New Guinea (called Magna Margarita), naming San Juan Batista (Yule Island), entering Orokolo Bay, passing Malandanza (Umuda Island), Isla de Perros (Bristow Island) and sighting Long Reef off Cape York (called Volcan Quernado). He then unknowingly negotiated the Torres Strait (named after him in 1769 by the Scotsman Alexander Dalrymple, who first saw the Manila documents), afterwards coasting New Guinea and doubling Cape San Pablo (= Cape Valsch). After calling at San Juan de Prado and Cape San Lucas (in the region of Kaimana, Irian Jaya), he sailed North to Cinco Hermanas (= Yef Pelee on Misool Island), Ternate and Manila, arriving 12 May 1705.
De Torres spent the rest of his life in Manila. His report of the voyage was not discovered until 1762 (although it is briefly mentioned in a Franciscan document from Peru in 1640), and the journal of Prado was not published until 1930. However, the Ortelius map of 1570 mysteriously shows the Torres Strait, along with Terra Australis. Torres' voyage through the straits (the subject of much recent debate) happened to follow the discoveries of Willem Jansz in the same region by only a few months.
Other Internet Resources
The material on this page was created by Ray Howgego, and publication was allowed by him to Discoverers Web. This page is an excerpt from a large amount of material that Ray has written, concerning voyages of discovery before 1800. He would like to have this work published, any publisher who is interested can contact him through email.