Not Far From Zabut Is The Isle Of Mathan, The Inhabitants Of Which Go
Quite Naked, Except A Slight Covering In Front, All The Males Wearing
Gold-Rings Hanging To The Preputium.
This island was governed by two
kings, one of whom refused to pay tribute to the king of Spain, on which
Magellan determined to reduce him by force of arms.
The Indian had an
army of between six and seven thousand men, armed with bows and arrows,
darts and javelins, which Magellan attacked with sixty men, armed with
coats of mail and helmets. The battle was for a long time doubtful, when
at last Magellan advanced too far among the barbarians, by whom he was
at first wounded by a poisoned arrow, and afterwards thrust into the
head by a lance; which at once closed the life and actions of this noble
commander. About eight or nine of the Christians were slain in this
engagement, besides many wounded. After this disaster the Spaniards
ineffectually attempted to redeem the body of their unfortunate admiral;
and the other king, who had embraced the Christian religion without
understanding its tenets, abandoned it upon this reverse of fortune to
the Spaniards, and made peace with his rival, engaging to put all the
Christians to death. With this view, he invited the Spaniards to a
banquet, when he made them all be cruelly murdered, only reserving Don
Juan Serrano alive, in order to procure a supply of artillery and
ammunition for his ransom.
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