=21. Magellan's Task.= Columbus died believing that he had discovered
a part of India. But he had not proved that the earth is round by
sailing around it. This great task was left for Ferdinand Magellan,
a Portuguese sailor. Columbus' great voyage had stirred up the
Portuguese. One of their boldest sailors, Vasco da Gama, had reached
India in 1498 by rounding Africa, and Magellan had made voyages for
seven years among the islands of the East.
[Illustration: FERDINAND MAGELLAN
_From the portrait designed and engraved by Ferdinand Selma in 1788_]
[Sidenote: =Magellan, too, goes to Spain=]
After returning to Portugal, Magellan sought the king's aid, but
without success; then, like Columbus, he went to Spain, and in less
than two years his fleet of five vessels sailed for the coast of South
America (1519). Severe storms tossed the vessels about for nearly
a month. Food and water grew scarce. The sailors threatened to kill
Magellan, but the brave captain, like Columbus, kept boldly on until he
reached cold and stormy Patagonia.
[Sidenote: =His sailors rebel=]
It was Easter time, and the long, hard winter was already setting in.
Finding a safe harbor and plenty of fish, Magellan decided to winter
there. But the captains of three ships refused to obey, and decided
to kill Magellan and lead the fleet back to Spain. Magellan was too
quick for them. He captured one of the ships, turned the cannon on the
others, and soon forced them to surrender.
There were no more outbreaks that winter. One of the ships was wrecked.
How glad the sailors were when, late in August, they saw the first
signs of spring! But they were not so happy when Magellan commanded
the ships to sail still farther south in search of a passage to the
westward.
[Illustration: MAGELLAN'S FIRST VIEW OF THE PACIFIC OCEAN
_Beyond the stormy strait he found the waters of the ocean smooth and
quiet; hence its name Pacific, meaning peaceful_]
In October, his little fleet entered a wide, deep channel and found
rugged, snow-clad mountains rising high on both sides of them. Many of
the sailors believed they had at last found the westward passage, and
that it was now time to turn homeward.
[Sidenote: =Magellan's bold resolution=]
But Magellan declared that he would "eat the leather off the ship's
yards" rather than turn back. The sailors on one ship seized and bound
the captain and sailed back to Spain. Magellan with but three ships
sailed bravely on until a broad, quiet ocean broke upon his sight. He
wept for joy, for he believed that now the western route to India had
indeed been found. This new ocean, so calm, so smooth and peaceful,
he named the Pacific, and all the world now calls the channel he
discovered the Strait of Magellan.
[Sidenote: =The first voyage across the Pacific begins=]
No man had yet sailed across the Pacific, and no man knew the distance.
Magellan was as bold a sailor as ever sailed the main, and he had brave
men with him. In November (1520) the three little ships boldly turned
their prows toward India. On and on they sailed. Many of the crew, as
they looked out upon a little island, saw land for the last time. Many
thousand miles had yet to be sailed before land would again be seen.
After long weeks their food supply gave out and starvation stared them
in the face. Many grew sick and died. The others had to eat leather
taken from the ship's yards like so many hungry beasts.
How big the world seemed to these poor, starving sailors! But the
captain never lost courage. Finally they beheld land. It was the group
of islands now known as the Marianas (Ladrones). Here the sailors
rested and feasted to their hearts' content.
[Sidenote: =Visits the Philippines=]
Then Magellan pressed on to another group of islands which were
afterwards called the Philippines, from King Philip of Spain.
[Sidenote: =Magellan loses his life for his men=]
Here in a battle with the inhabitants, while bravely defending his
sailors, Magellan was killed. Their great commander was gone and they
were still far from Spain. Sadly his sailors continued the voyage, but
only one of the vessels, with about twenty men, ever reached home to
tell the story of that wonderful first voyage around the world.
[Illustration: MAGELLAN'S ROUTE AROUND THE WORLD
_Magellan, the bold Portuguese sailor, discovered the strait that bears
his name and planned the first successful trip made around the world_]
[Sidenote: =What the voyage proved=]
Thus Magellan proved that Columbus was right in thinking the world
round and that India could be reached by sailing west, while other
men like Cortés and Pizarro found rich cities like those Columbus had
dreamed of finding.