The Spanish ruler, Charles V, grandson of the Isabella who
had supported Columbus, looked with favor upon Magellan's ideas and gave him a
fleet of five vessels for the undertaking. After exploring the east coast of
South America, Magellan came at length to the strait which bears his name.
Through this channel he sailed boldly and found himself upon an ocean which he
called the Pacific, because of its peaceful aspect. Magellan's sailors now
begged him to return, for food was getting scarce, but the navigator replied
that he would go on, "if he had to eat the leather off the rigging."
He did go on, for ninety-eight days, until he reached the Ladrone Islands. [24]
By a curious chance, in all this long trip across the Pacific, Magellan came
upon only two islands, both of them uninhabited. He then proceeded to the
Philippines, where he was killed in a fight with the natives. His men, however,
managed to reach the Spice Islands, the goal of the journey. Afterwards a
single ship, the Victoria, carried back to Spain the few sailors who had
survived the hardships of a voyage lasting nearly three years.
[24] Also known as the Mariannes. Magellan called them the
Ladrones (Spanish ladrón, a robber), because of the thievish
habits of the natives.
MEANING OF THE CIRCUMNAVIGATION Magellan's voyage forms a
landmark in the history of geography. It proved that America, at least on the
south, had no connection with Asia; it showed the enormous extent of the
Pacific Ocean; and it led to the discovery of many large islands in the East
Indies. Henceforth men knew of a certainty that the earth was round and in the
distance covered by Magellan they had a rough estimate of its size. The
circumnavigation of the globe ranks with the discovery of America among the
most significant events in history. In the company of great explorers Magellan
stands beside Columbus.
