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THE

YOUTH'S INSTRUCTER

AND

GUARDIAN.

APRIL, 1852.

FERNANDO DE MAGALHAENS.

(With a Portrait.)

COLUMBUS, after he had discovered a part of America, went again for further discoveries, sailed from island to island of the Caribbean Archipelago, and traced new lines of continental coast. But the great continent of the West did not afford precious cargoes like those brought home from the East; and the true India, source of wealth for ages, and newly-opening field for maritime commerce, was not there. Still he followed the trending of the eastern coasts of South America, hoping that, as Vasco de Gama found a passage to India, eastward, by the Cape of Good Hope, he might meet the fleets of Portugal in China by a western passage. The Gulf of Mexico seemed, at first, to be part of a continued ocean, and he went into it, hoping to sail away, without obstruction, to lands of aromatic drugs, and pearls, and gold, and slaves. But the Isthmus of Darien stopped him, and he returned to the Atlantic, not imagining that the Pacific lay so near on the other side. It was not until seven years after the death of Columbus that Vasco Nuñez de Balboa, daring to climb the elevated lands, and traverse the wilderness, first saw the horizon on the Pacific Ocean on the 15th day of September, 1513. This discovery having quickened the zeal of Spain, Ferdinand "the Catholic" equipped two ships, and placed them under the command of an experienced seaman, Juan Diaz de Solís, VOL. XVI. Second Series. G

with instructions to seek a passage southward, by a strait, or at the termination of the continent. De Solís prosecuted the search with great diligence, and, on reaching the mouth of the river Plate, thought that that sea-like river could be none other than the strait desired, and was making his way along one of the banks, frequently landing to examine the country, when he fell into the hands of savages, who killed and ate him. His companions were so terrified that they hastened on board, hoisted sail, and returned to Spain without setting foot on land again in America.

In the fleet of the first Portuguese Viceroy of India, Francisco de Almeyda, was a daring young sailor, whom no disappointment had disheartened, nor any peril deterred from enterprise. This was Fernando de Magalhaens, whose name was already associated with the chief events of the naval history of Portugal, wherein members of his family had taken a conspicuous part. Fernando himself became known by many acts of courage and generosity. For example: amidst the confusion and dangers of a wreck, when the ship was going to pieces on a sand-bank, he refused to leave her, until a friend of his, whom no one regarded as of sufficient importance to make any great effort to save, had been rescued by a boat. And, already, for many days and nights, he had kept a large crew in order, until a vessel discovered them, and came to their deliverance. He was in many fights, by sea and land, always foremost; and at length, having received a severe wound in a battle with the Moors, in consequence of which he went lame all the rest of his life, he returned to Lisbon, bringing with him eight hundred prisoners of war, and two thousand head of cattle from Azamor, on the coast of Fez.

In compensation for many years' hard service, he only asked an additional half-cruzade to his monthly pay; but instead of granting it, or any other mark of consideration, King Manuel sent him back to Azamor again, to obtain justificatory evidence against a charge of malversation of some money on account of booty taken from the Moors. He obeyed. But after bringing back proof of his integrity, he renounced, juridically, his privileges as a subject of Portugal,

left his country in disgust, and, joining with another mariner of reputation, offered himself at the Court of Madrid, to undertake the discovery of a western passage to the Indies. The Emperor Charles V., King of Spain, was then away in Flanders, Cardinal Cisneros being Regent in his absence; and although the Cardinal received Magalhaens kindly, he could not offer him immediate encouragement. As for a western passage, it seemed less desirable, since ships might be built on the western shore of Darien, or Peru, to traverse the newly-discovered ocean; and the report that there were precious metals in that part of the new continent so invited the cupidity of the Spaniards, that they thought more of sinking mines than of making voyages of discovery on a remote sea: and when Magalhaens and his friends tried to arouse a favourable feeling in the courtiers, they were coldly reminded that Solís had been killed and eaten by savages, perhaps at the entrance of the strait that they fain would navigate.

Yet this noble sailor persevered. Carrying on an active correspondence with men of enterprise in India, he constantly received letters full of wonders, and suggesting speculations concerning regions that were thought to lie within reach, and calculations concerning the relative positions of lands that were, as yet, but rudely marked in imperfect chorographies, constructed half on observation, and half on conjecture. At length a fresh enthusiasm sprang up at Court, the Council of Castile reported favourably on his project, and the Emperor bestowed on Magalhaens and his intended companion in enterprise, Ruy Farelo, the habit of St. James, and the title of Captains, entered into a stipulation with them as to the fruit of such discoveries as might be made, and commanded five vessels to be built at Seville for their expedition.

Success now seemed to be all but accomplished. He had honour, title, commission, and means. Yet three years elapsed before the ships could be floated down the Guadalquivír; and, meanwhile, Ruy Farelo, overpowered by excesses of anxiety, lost his reason, and Magalhaens remained alone in an undertaking which had been marked, at every stage, with

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