Magellan’s Voyage
by Antonio Pigafetta
, in the 1400’s, most people still thought the world was flat, and
understanding of geography was so poor that the best map of the world
was over one thousand years old, having been made not long after the
time of Christ
But, by the end of the 1400’s, as new ideas took hold, knowledge of
the world and its people improved rapidly as more and more ships set
out from European ports to explore unknown regions of the earth dur-
ing the Great Age of Exploration
TRADE WITH THE FAR EAST
It should come as no surprise that it was the idea of getting richer that
originally got the Europeans interested in World
The trade in Asian goods had long followed very definite routes. Goods
were transported from the Far East either by Moslem caravans thou-
sands of miles overland to Mediterranean ports
small Moslem ships from India that sailed across the Indian Oceaninto the Red Sea
From Red Sea ports, Asian goods usually were carried across the desert
to the Nile River, where they went by ship down the river to the Medi-
terranean Sea
Once the goods reached the Mediterranean ports, the Moslem traders
would sell them only to merchants from the Italian city states of Genoa
and Venice.
Of the two, Venice was the most powerful, for not only did it have the
greatest marketplace in the western world, it also had special trading
privileges in five important Moslem cities
Other European nations had never been successful in changing the
strict trading arrangements between the Italians and the Moslems, so
in the early 1400’s, Spain and Portugal started to look for ways of
bypassing the Moslem territories so they could trade directly with Asia,
but it was clear that to do this new sea routes to the East would have to
be found at that time, this was a very extreme notion, because Portu-
guese and Spanish ships had never ventured more than 800 miles from
their shores, and they realized that if they were to find a new sea route
to Asia, they would have to learn a lot more about navigation, the
method by which sailors learn the positions of their ships at sea, or
they could get hopelessly lost
To overcome these problems, this man, a Portuguese prince named
Henry the Navigator, founded a school of navigation here at Sagres
near the rocky windswept tip of the European continent where he even
built this house for himself in a place near the school where he could
study the sea and watch ships passing by.
rince Henry gathered together experts to teach Portuguese sea cap-
tains new methods of seafaring based on science.
The Portuguese explorations of the west coast of Africa continued
throughout the lifetime of Henry the Navigator, and as they moved
down the coast, the explorers put up carved stone markers like this
one showing that Portugal claimed these lands by right of discovery
THE VOYAGES OF CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS
n the 1480’s, over ten years before the Portuguese reached India, this
man, an Italian named Christopher Columbus, had the idea that Asia
could be reached not by heading east around the tip of Africa, but by
sailing west all the way around the world
In an era when most people thought the earth was flat, this seemed
like a ridiculous idea, but Columbus, an educated and experienced
seaman, had used the best available information to calculate that only
4000 miles of ocean lay between Asia and the west coast of Africa
And it was while living at this monastery in Spain that Columbus was
able to convince the Spanish rulers, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella,
to support his bold scheme.
Fernão de Magalhães (Portuguese) Hernando de
Magallanes (Spanish) was born in Portugal in the year
1516. He was a member of the Portuguese nobility and
served as a minor functionary in the king's Court.
He is never mentioned in the Portuguese records until 1505
when he signed on as a soldier under Dom Francisco d
'Almeida who was leading a 21 ship expedition of plunder to
India.
In 1512, he returned to Lisbon still undistinguished having
never commanded or piloted a ship.
In 1514, he applied to his sovereign, King Manuel I of
Portugal, for a command of ships to visit the Spice Islands
in the Pacific Ocean. The king rudely refused and told him
very impolitely to "get lost."
At the king's rebuke, Magellan decided to get revenge and
to offer his services to Portugal's bitter rival: Spain. He
arrived in Spain on Oct. 20, 1517, and was welcomed as a
hero!!
Columbus and Magellan
There is a remarkable similarity between the careers of the so-called Christopher Columbus
and Ferdinand Magellan!!
Both applied for . . . and were rejected for command of ships by the Portuguese
king.
Both left Portugal with TOP SECRET maps.
Both were welcomed with great enthusiasm by the Spanish Court.
Both were given titles: Magellan was made a Knight of Santiago and Columbus was
given the title: Admiral of the Ocean Sea.
Both were hated by the Portuguese and considered traitors to their country. The
Portuguese tried desperately to stop Columbus and Magellan!!
JOHNCABOT
The top secret map of Columbus!!
Columbus was living on the island of Madeira in 1486 when a shipwrecked SPANISH sailor
named
Alonso Sanchez arrived at his house. This captain Sanchez was blown by a hurricane
all the way to Santo Domingo. Only 5 survived the return trip and Columbus killed Sanchez and
took his maps. Columbus went to the king of Portugal and offered him his services. The king
refused so Columbus left for Spain.
Magellan had John Cabot's maps!!
The Portuguese were given all lands to the EAST of the Treaty Line and the Spanish to the
West. The Portuguese were very busy monopolizing trade and setting up forts in the Pacific
before the Spanish found out about a passage to the Pacific. When Magellan arrived in Spain,
alarm bells began to ring back in Portugal. They did EVERYTHING they could to sabotage
Gasper Corte-Real
Magellan's fleet Gasper Corte-Real—the man who killed John Cabot!! Gasper Corte-Real
This demonic Portuguese killed the greatest mariner in the entire history of the world. Gasper
Corte-Real left Portugal in May, 1500, heading straight for Newfoundland. Portuguese spies in
Bristol and London kept King Manuel I minutely informed of the voyages of John Cabot.
The Portuguese had plenty of practice in piracy as they raided the entire coast of Africa and
India pillaging, destroying and making slaves of the native peoples.
Everywhere Venetians sailors went, Portuguese pirates were not far behind to attack their ships
and steal their goods. the voyage of Corte-Real from the Venetian ambassador in Portugal
to his brother in Venice:
"And yet thes
"And yet these men have brought from there a piece of broken gilt
sword which certainly seems to have been made in Italy. One of the
boys was wearing in his ears two silver rings which without doubt seem
to have been made in Venice, which makes me think it to be mainland,
because it is not likely that ships would have gone there without their
having been heard of.'?"
The Cantino world map of 1502
This Portuguese map stolen from Cabot is undoubtedly the first map to show the western
continent with the Pacific Ocean. It was the forerunner of the Waldseemuller map of 150
“During the 16th century, Spain and Portugal explored the
world's seas and opened worldwide oceanic trade routes.
Large parts of the New World became Spanish and
Portuguese colonies, and while the Portuguese became
the masters of Asia's and Africa's Indian Ocean trade, the
Spanish opened trade across the Pacific Ocean, linking the
Americas with Asia.”
The Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan led the first voyage around the world,
beginning in 1519. Sailing southward along the coast of South America, Magellan discovered
the strait that today bears his name and became the first European to enter the Pacific Ocean
from the east. Magellan died while exploring the Philippines, but his ships continued west to
complete the circumnavigation of the globe. The following account of the difficult passage
through the Strait of Magellan was written by a member of the crew, Antonio Pigafetta
---------------------------------------------------
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Magellan’s Voyage
1
Magellan’s Voyage
Antonio Pigafetta
1
OVERVIEW
The Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan led the first voyage around the world,
beginning in 1519. Sailing southward along the coast of South America, Magellan discovered
the strait that today bears his name and became the first European to enter the Pacific Ocean
from the east. Magellan died while exploring the Philippines, but his ships continued west to
complete the circumnavigation of the globe. The following account of the difficult passage
through the Strait of Magellan was written by a member of the crew, Antonio Pigafetta.
G
UIDED
R
EADING
As you read, consider the following questions:
•
According to this account, what might have been the primary obstacle to ocean
travel at this time?
•
What seems to be the specific purpose of this voyage?
he captain came to a cape, which he named the Cape of the Eleven
Thousand Virgins. Then he came to the Cape de la Baya. Two ships sent
to find the way out from the said Cape. Of an opening which they found for
leaving the cape, and into which they threw themselves perforce. Then having
discovered the strait they returned to the captain.
CHAPTER X
After going and setting course to the fifty-second degree toward the said
Antarctic Pole, on the festival of the eleven thousand virgins, we found by
miracle a strait which we called the Cape of the Eleven Thousand Virgins.
Which strait is in length one hundred and ten leagues, which are four hundred
and forty miles, and in width somewhat less than half a league. And it falls
into another sea called the Pacific Sea. And it is surrounded by very great and
high mountains covered with snow. In this place it was not possible to anchor,
because no bottom was found. Wherefore it was necessary to put cables ashore
of twenty-five or thirty cubits in length. This strait was a circular place
surrounded by mountains (as I have said), and to most of those in the ships it
seemed that there was no way out from it to enter the said Pacific Sea. But the
captain-general said that there was another strait which led out, saying that he
knew it well and had seen it in a marine chart of the King of Portugal, which a
great pilot and sailor named Martin of Bohemia had made. The said captain
sent forward two of his ships, one named Santo Antonio and the other
Concepción, to seek and discover the outlet of the said strait, which was called
the Cape de la Baya. And we with the other two ships (namely the
capitana,
named Trinidade, and the other Victoria) remained awaiting them in the
Baya. And in the night we had a great storm, which lasted until noon of the
next day. Wherefore we were compelled to raise the anchors, and to let the
ships ply hither and thither in the Baya. The other two ships had such a
passage that they could not round a cape forming the Baya, and trying to
return to us they were hard put not to run aground. But approaching the end
of the Baya (thinking themselves lost) they saw a small opening, which did not
seem an opening but a creek. And like desperate men they threw themselves
into it, so that perforce they discovered the strait. Then seeing that it was not a
creek but a strait with land, they went on, and found a bay. Then going
further they found another strait, and another bay larger than the first two.
Very joyful at this, they at once turned back to inform the captain-general. We
thought indeed that they had perished, first because of the great storm, and
then we had not seen them for two days. And while in suspense we saw the
two ships approaching under full sail and flying their banners, coming toward
us. When near us, they suddenly discharged their ordnance, at which we very
joyously greeted them in the same way. And then we all together, thanking
God and the Virgin Mary, went forward.
Two ships, the Santo Antonio and
Concepción, sent to see the two openings
found. The ship Santo Antonio returned to Spain. The river of the Sardines found.
The sea found. Of the Cape of Desire. Of the ship Concepción. Of the products of
this Pacific Sea. And of the catching of fish.
CHAPTER XI
After entering within this strait, we found that there were two openings, one
of them to the southeast, and the other to the southwest. Wherefore the captain
sent back the two aforesaid ships Santo Antonio and
Concepción to see whether
the opening toward the southeast issued forth into the said Pacific Sea. And the
one of these two ships named Santo Antonio would not await the other ship,
because those on board her wished to return to Spain, which they did. And the
principal reason was that the pilot of the said ship had before been displeased
with the said captain-general, because, before this fleet was fitted out, this pilot
had gone to the Emperor to arrange to have some ships for discovering land.
But by the coming of the said captain-general the Emperor did not give them to
the said pilot. Wherefore he conspired with certain Spaniards. And the
following night they seized the captain of his ship, who was the captain-general's
brother, and named Alvaro de Mesquita, whom they wounded and put in irons.
And so they took it back to Spain. In this ship which went away was one of the
aforesaid two giants whom we had taken, but when he felt the heat he died. And
the other ship Concepción (because she could not keep up with the former)
continued to wait for her, plying hither and thither. For the other took the
night course (as they say) in order to return. When this happened by night, the
captain's ship and the other ship went together to discover the other opening to
the southwest, and continuing on we found the same strait. But at length we
came to a river which we called the River of Sardines, because we found great
quantity of them. And so we remained there four days awaiting the other two
ships. Soon after we sent a boat well furnished with men and provisions to
discover the cape of the other sea. They spent three days going and returning,
and told us that they had found the cape and the great and wide sea. Wherefore
the captain, for the joy that he had, began to weep and gave this cape the name
Cape of Desire, as a thing much desired and long sought. This done, we turned
back to find the two ships which had gone to the other side, but we found only
Concepción, of whom we demanded what had become of the other, her
consort. To which the captain of the said ship, named João Serrão (who was
pilot of the first ship that was lost, as has been told), replied that he knew
nothing and that he had never seen her since she entered the opening. But we
sought for her throughout the strait as far as the said opening by which she set
her course for return. And besides this, the captain general sent back the ship
named Victoria to the very entrance of the strait to see whether the said ship was
not there. And he told the men of this ship, if they did not find the other ship
that was missing, to put a flag on the summit of a small mountain, with a letter
in a pot buried at the foot of the staff, to the end that if the said ship perchance
returned she would see this flag and also find the letter, which would inform her
of the course taken by the captain. This arrangement had from the beginning
been ordered by the captain, to cause any ship which was separated to rejoin the
others. So the people of the said ship did what the captain had ordered, and
more. For they set up two flags with letters. One of the flags was set up on a
small mountain at the first bay, the second on an islet in the third bay, where
there were many sea wolves and large birds. The captain general waited for her
with the other ship near the river named Isleo. And he caused a cross to be
erected on a small island near that river. The river flowed between high
mountains covered with snow, and it fell into the sea near the other River of
Sardines
If we had not found this strait, the captain-general had decided to go as far
as seventy-five degrees toward the Antarctic Pole. Now in such a latitude, in
the summertime, there is no night, or very little. And likewise in winter there
is no day, or very little. And that all may believe that this is so, when we were
in the said strait, the night lasted only three hours in the month of October.
The land on the left in the said strait faced toward the
Siroco,
which is the
wind between east and south. And we called it the Pathagonico strait. In it we
found at every half league a good port, and anchorage, good water, and wood all
of cedar, and fish also like sardines,
Missiglioni,
and a very sweet herb called
Appio,
of which there is also some of the same sort that is bitter. And this herb
grows near springs, and (because we found nothing else) we ate of it for several
days. And I think there is in the world no more beautiful country or better place
than that. In that Ocean Sea there is seen a very amusing hunt of fishes, which
are of three sorts, a cubit or more in length, named
Dorades, Albacores,
and
Boniti.
They follow and hunt another kind of fish which flies and is called
Colondriny,
a foot or more in length and very good to eat. And when these three
kinds of fish find in the water some of these flying fish, forthwith they make
them leave the water and fly more than a crossbow’s flight as long as their wings
are wet. And while these fish fly, the other three run after them in the water
seeing and following the shadow of those that fly. And no sooner have they
fallen than they are seized and eaten by those which hunt them. Which is a
marvelous and merry thing to see. And this chase we saw several times....
The captain in the Pacific Sea. The troubles which he and his men suffered
there. Of the malady in their gums. Of the dead and the sick men. Of the Isles of
Misfortune, and in what degree they lie.
CHAPTER XII
On Wednesday the twenty-eighth of November, one thousand five
hundred and twenty, we issued forth from the said strait and entered the
Pacific Sea, where we remained three months and twenty days without taking
on board provisions or any other refreshments, and we ate only old biscuit
turned to powder, all full of worms and stinking of the urine which the rats
had made on it, having eaten the good. And we drank water impure and
yellow. We ate also ox hides which were very hard because of the sun, rain,
and wind. And we left them four or five days in the sea, then laid them for a
short time on embers, and so we ate them. And of the rats, which were sold for
half an écu apiece, some of us could not get enough. Besides the aforesaid
troubles, this malady was the worst, namely that the gums of most part of our
men swelled above and below so that they could not eat. And in this way they
died, inasmuch as twenty-nine of us died, and the other giant died, and an
Indian of the said country of Verzin. But besides those who died, twenty-five
or thirty fell sick of divers maladies, whether of the arms or of the legs and
other parts of the body, so that there remained very few healthy men. Yet by
the grace of our Lord I had no illness. During these three months and twenty
days, we sailed in a gulf where we made a good four thousand leagues across
the Pacific Sea, which was rightly so named. For during this time we had no
storm, and we saw no land except two small uninhabited islands, where we
found only birds and trees. Wherefore we called them the Isles of Misfortune.
And they are two hundred leagues distant one from another. And there is no
place for anchoring because no bottom can be found. And we saw there a very
large kind of fish which they call
Tiburoni.
The first island is in fifteen degrees
of latitude going by the south wind, and the other island is in nine degrees. By
this wind we made each day fifty or sixty leagues or more, sometimes at the
stern, at others at the windward side, or otherwise. And if our Lord and the
Virgin Mother had not aided us by giving good weather to refresh ourselves
with provisions and other things we had died in this very great sea. And I
believe that nevermore will any man undertake to make such a voyage
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