Ferdinand Magellan was by birth a Portuguese, decended from a good
family, and born towards the end of the fifteenth century. In
consequence of certain services in the Indian Seas, he applied to the
government for some recompense; but being treated with neglect, he
left his own country to seek employment in a foreign land. In company
with Ruy Falero, an eminent astronomer, and one of his associates, he
traveled into Spain, and explained to Charles V, the reigning monarch,
his project of making discoveries in distant seas. The court listened
to the adventurer with favor, and consented to fit out an expedition.
Magellan’s little squadron consisted of five ships, manned with 237
men, and supplied with provisions, ammunition and stores, for two
years. On the 1st of August, 1519, they left Seville, and on the 27th
of September sailed from Sanlucar, steering for the Canaries. They
refreshed at Teneriffe, and early in October passed the Cape de Verd
Islands. Holding on their course, they bore along the coast of Africa,
till they crossed the line, seventy days after their departure. In the
beginning of December, they came to that part of Brazil which is now
called the Bay of St. Lucia. They subsequently anchored at the mouth
of a large river, supposed to be the Rio Janeiro, where they continued
a fortnight. On their first landing, the inhabitants flocked to the
beach in great numbers, beholding, as they imagined, five sea-monsters
approaching the shore. When the boats put out from the ships, the
natives set up a great shout, conceiving them to be young
sea-monsters, the offspring of the others.
Proceeding along the South American Coast, the squadron arrived in
April, 1520, at a large bay, now called by the name of St. Julian.
Here they saw a wild, gigantic race, of great size and fierceness, who
made a roaring not unlike that of bulls. One of them came on board the
admiral’s ship, and was well pleased with his reception; but happening
to cast his eyes on a looking-glass, he was so terrified, that
starting backwards, he beat to the ground two men who stood behind
him. Others subsequently came on board, and their behavior afforded
great entertainment to the officers. One of these savages ate a basket
full of ship-biscuits, and drank a cask of water at a meal. They wore
sandals, or a kind of shoes, made of skins, and this caused their feet
to appear like those of an animal. Magellan named them Patagonians,
from the Spanish word _pata_, signifying a hoof, or paw.
Magellan determined to continue here till the return of spring, as it
is winter in the southern hemisphere during our summer. He had ordered
the allowance of provisions to be shortened, to meet this exigence,
which caused much discontent among the crews. A mutiny soon followed,
which was not quelled till one of the officers was hanged, and some
others were sent on shore to be left among the Patagonians. Five
dreary months were passed in the harbor of St. Julian, during which,
every exertion was made to insure the successful prosecution of the
voyage. On the 24th of August, the squadron again set sail, the
weather being fine, and proceeded southward, till a violent gale from
the east drove one of the vessels on shore, but the crew was happily
saved. Coasting south with the four remaining ships, they approached a
cape, near which an opening was discovered which was found afterwards
to be a strait. Upon this, Magellan gave orders that all other ships
should carefully examine the strait, promising to wait for them a
certain number of days. While the three vessels were employed in this
expedition, one of them was driven out of the strait by the reflux of
the tide, when the crew, dissatisfied with their situation, rose on
their captain, made him prisoner, and again set sail for Europe. After
waiting several days beyond the time he had fixed, Magellan entered
the strait or arm of the sea, which has ever since retained his name.
The entrance lies in 52 degrees south latitude, and the strait, which
is about 110 leagues in length, is very wide in some places, and in
others not more than half a league from shore to shore. On both sides
the land was high, and the mountains were covered with snow, on
advancing about 50 leagues west from the entrance.
In about six weeks they found themselves again in an open sea, the
coast terminating westward in a cape, and the shore of the continent
taking a northerly direction. The sight of the Pacific Ocean gave
Magellan the utmost joy, he being the first European who sailed upon
it. Proceeding W.N.W. he arrived at the Ladrone Islands, to which he
gave that name on account of the thievish disposition of the natives.
They sailed from the Ladrones on the 10th of March, 1521, and after
visiting a number of islands, entered the port of Lebu on the 7th of
April. From Lebu they sailed to the island of Mathan, which being
governed by two kings, and one of them refusing to pay tribute to the
king of Spain, Magellan prepared to reduce him. He marched into the
interior of the island, accompanied by sixty Europeans. Here he was
attacked by three distinct bodies of the islanders, whose united force
amounted to upwards of six thousand. The battle was for some time
doubtful, till Magellan’s impetuosity carrying him too far, he was
killed by being wounded in the leg with a poisoned arrow, and stabbed
through the body by a spear. Eight or nine of the Spaniards and
fifteen of the Indians were also slain. After the death of the
admiral, new commanders were chosen from among the surviving officers,
and as the ships were now in a very bad condition, it was found
necessary to make use of one to repair the other two.
Sailing W.S.W. they came to the rich island of Borneo. From this place
they sailed to Cimbubon, where they were detained forty days in
repairing their ships and taking in wood and water. Bending their
course hence S.E. for the Moluccas, they came to anchor in the port of
Tidore on the 8th of November. After remaining here some time, they
set sail in one ship alone and with fifty-nine persons on board, for
Europe. To double the Cape of Good Hope with the greater safety, they
sailed as low as 42 degrees S. latitude, where they were obliged to
wait seven weeks for a wind. On doubling the cape they were much
distressed by hunger and sickness. For two months they held on their
course to the N.W. without touching at any port, during which time
they lost twenty-one persons, and the rest were on the point of
starving.
In this situation they arrived at St. Jago, one of the Cape de Verd
Islands. Finally on the 7th of September, they entered St. Lucar in
Spain, with their number reduced to about eighteen persons. According
to their reckoning, they had sailed 14,000 leagues, and crossed the
equator six times, having been absent three years wanting fourteen
days. This was the FIRST VOYAGE ROUND THE WORLD that had ever been
made.