How Portuguese Found New

Route into Pacific

By Philip R. Frith, F.R.E.C., R.G.S.A.

HOW many of us, when travelling on our luxurious modern steamers, stop to consider those who suffered untold hard ships while finding a track into this Pacific Ocean ?

Balboa, a Spanish soldier, was the first to gaze across the Pacific from the Isthmus of Panama.

November 29 is the anniversary of Ma gellan’s entry to the mighty Pacific, in the year 1520, with his four small ships. On that day he passed through the Strait separating Patagonia and Tierra del Puego, the strait which now bears his name.

Ferdinand Magellan was a Portuguese and, like De Quiros, turned in latter years to the Castilian Kings for employment.

Magellan had done good work for Portugal in India and the East, and on his return asked for an increased pension but was refused by Dom Manoel of Portugal. So he turned to the adjoining nation for em ployment in the field of discovery.

The discussion between the two nations as to which hemisphere the Moluccas lay in was at this time proceeding, and it was owing to this that Emperor Charles V. appointed Magellan as commander of the expedition. The fleet set sail from Seville, under the Emperor’s patronage, on Aug ust 10, 1519, on the westward passage to the Spice Islands. One alone out of the five ships was to return.

After calling at the Canary Islands, for water, and Cape Verde Islands, a south westerly course was followed until the coast of Terra Firma (South America) was reached, when it was followed south wards.

By the end of March, 1520, they were near 50 degrees latitude south. Storms, cold, tempests, sickness and poor food all added *o the smouldering fire which soon was to break out into the flame of mutiny.

Murmurings against the “foreign” com mander arose, and Magellan by great severity quelled the mutiny. He executed the ringleaders and severely punished many other Castilians.

In spite of storms, he decided to push on southwards. But in a gale he lost one ship, the “Santiago.”

On November 26 an opening was seen, and he entered it with his four ships. One of the ships, the “San Antonio,” being some distance from the flagship, took the op portunity to desert, and returned to Spam via Africa.

Magellan, on leaving the Pacific side of the Strait, set a course north west, and for a period of forty days sighted no laud whatsoever, until close to the Tropic of Capricorn. Then they anchored at two desolate, uninhabited islands, which were appropriately named the “Unfortunate.”

After sailing a further nine weeks an archipelago was reached. These are the modern Philippine Islands; or, as they were originally called, the St. Lazarus Archipelago.

Whilst here, Magellan befriended one powerful chief, and also assisted with his soldiers in subduing the neighbouring tribes.

It was in one of these skirmishes that Magellan himself was mortally wounded, and also several other Spaniards. The new admiral, Serrano, together with twenty seven senior officers, were treacherously done to death at a banquet given by a chief.

The remaining Spaniards fled to the ships; but one, the “Concepcion,” was abandoned, being unfit for further service.

Leaving the Philippines, the two remain ing ships steered for Borneo, and remained there some time, where they apparently made a good impression. The “Trinidad,” which was now loaded with spices and other delicacies, was in a pitiful condition, and it was decided, after repairs had been effected, that she should sail home via the Philippines, Pacific and Strait of Magellan.

But she was caught in a squall, and the crew was captured and made prisoners by the Portuguese in Molucca.

The remaining ship, the “Victoria,” under the command of Sebastian del Cano, sailed home via Cape of Good Hope. When nearing Santiago, one of the Cape Verde group, she sprung a leak, and del Cano decided to put in to obtain slaves to work the pumps. But the Portuguese arrested

nearly half his crew, and he was forced to leave them there..

After an absence of three years del Cano and his “Victoria” arrived back on the 6th September, 1522, after having circum navigated the world. Of the 280 who left Spain in 1519, over 160 were killed or lost.

To Spain therefore must go the honour of the first circumnavigation, and of open ing a new route into the Pacific.

An account of this voyage, written by Transylvanus to the Cardinal of Saltzburg (translation “Discovery of Australia” by George Collingridge) gives an interesting description of the voyage, natives, customs and plant life.

It is noteworthy that even in those very far off days, “tuba” drinking was known.

In Transylvanus’s letter there occurs the following passage (vide George Colling ridge) : “The bread was obtained from sago, which is obtained from the trunk of a tree not unlike the palm, etc., etc. Their drink was a liquor that flows from the branches of palm trees when cut.”

How very different, probably, would the history of the world have been, if only Dom Manoel of Portugal had acceded to Ferdinand Magellan's request!