HALCYON DAYS.
These were indeed days of joy. The glory of them grew. All the
inhabitants of the island came to be baptized. Magellan went on shore
daily to hear mass.
It was Pigafetta who gave to the Queen the image of the infant Christ,
which became historical.
On one of the occasions that Magellan went on shore to hear mass he met
the Queen, who appeared in a veil of silk and gold. He sprinkled over
her some rose water and musk, and noticed that she cherished the image
of the infant Christ.
"You do well," said he. "Put it in the place where your idols were; it
will keep in your mind the Son of God."
"I will cherish it forever," said the veiled Queen.
She seems to have kept her word.
The joy of these scenes reached their height, when the King of Seba
swore fealty to the King of Spain.
The scene of the conclusion of this ceremony was knightly indeed, and
again reveals the heart of Magellan.
He, seeing a good spirit, of the King of Seba, resolved to swear fealty
of eternal friendship to him. Only a Christian Knight would have dreamed
of such a thing.
"I swear," he said, "by the image of our Lady, the Virgin, by the love
of my Emperor, and by the insignia, on my heart, that I will ever be
faithful to you, O King of Seba!"
Here the true character of the statesman as well as teacher appeared.
History records few acts more noble. Magellan sought the good of
mankind.
There was one officer on the ships whose soul, like that of Pigafetta's,
must have been in all these benevolent efforts.
The expedition was tarrying long, seeking the glory of the Cross rather
than the gold and spices. There were impatient hearts in Seville.
Mesquita in his still prison, with the world against him, dreamed of
Magellan, Del Cano, and the Italian historian. The half world separated
them now.
In his dreams Mesquita saw the fleet coming back again, and he heard the
shouting of the people and the ringing of the bells. The star of hope in
his heart did not fail.
"Padre," he said, "the day of my vindication will come."
But the seasons came and went, and the light changed color in the window
of his cell, and the birds sang their notes in the trees in spring and
left their empty nests to silence in the retreating summer. The great
Cathedral grew, and the achievement of Charles had begun to excite the
world.
We now come to the tragedy of this wonderful expedition; to the tempest
that rose out of the calm. The transition from these ideal scenes to
what is to follow is sudden indeed.