After This
Event, Which Gave Much Vexation To Magellan, He Continued His Voyage
Through The Straits Much Against The Inclination Of His People, And At
Length Got Out Into The Southern Pacific Ocean With Three Ships, That
Commanded By Juan Serrano Having Been Wrecked And The Men Saved With
Much Difficulty.
[Footnote 157:
Though not directly so expressed in the text, Magellan
appears to have wintered at Port St Julian. - E.]
[Footnote 158: Now called the Straits of Magellan from its
discoverer. - E.]
To escape from the excessive cold of the southern extremity of America,
Magellan now shaped his course W.N.W. and when about 1500 leagues from
the straits, he found an island in lat. 18 deg. S. and another 200 leagues
further on. Having lost his computation for the Moluccas, he discovered
several islands in lat. 15 deg. 30' N. and at length came to the island of
Subo in lat. 10 deg. N. being about 12 leagues in circumference. He was
hospitably received here, and found the natives of so tractable a
disposition, that the king and queen of the island, with their children
and above 800 of the inhabitants were baptised. This prince was at war
with a neighbour, and was assisted by Magellan. After two victories,
Magellan was slain in a third battle on the 27th of April 1521, together
with his astrologer and some others. The baptised king now entered into
an agreement with his enemies, and poisoned all the Christians who were
on shore. Those who remained on board, being too few in number to
navigate the three ships, burnt one, and set sail with the other two,
one of which was the famous Victory, commanded by Juan Sebastian
Cano, being the first ship that circumnavigated the globe. They
arrived at the Moluccas, where they were well received by the king of
Tidore, who was much dissatisfied by the Portuguese having given the
preference to Ternate in forming their establishment. At this place they
took in a loading of spice, and went thence to Banda, where they
completed their cargo by the assistance of a Portuguese named Juan de
Lourosa. One of the Spanish ships returned to Ternate, many of the crew
having died of a contagious disease, and the small remnant being unable
to continue the voyage. They were hospitably received by Antonio de
Brito, who relieved and sent them to India, whence they returned to
Europe in the Portuguese ships.
The famous ship Victory returned in triumph to Spain, after performing
that wonderful Voyage round the World. Her arrival occasioned new
contests between the courts of Spain and Portugal, Charles V. and John
III. then reigning, because the Molucca islands were considered as
belonging to Portugal, according to the former agreement respecting the
discoveries of the globe. In the year 1524, a congress of civilians and
geographers was held to determine this affair, at a place between
Badajos and Elvas; but it was not settled till the year 1526.[159]
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