15, 1719. | June, 1722.
Clapperton, | | |
13. George | Plymouth, | Feb. 15, 1719. | Aug. 1, 1722.
Shelvocke | | |
14. Roggewein, | Texel, | July 17, 1721. | July 11, 1723.
15. George | St Helens, | Sept. 18, 1740. | June 15, 1744.
Anson, | | |
[Footnote A: These two are conjoined in Chap. VIII. of this book, for
reasons which will appear there sufficiently obvious. - E.]
* * * * *
CHAPTER I.
VOYAGE OF FERDINAND MAGELLAN ROUND THE WORLD, IN 1519 - 1522.[1]
SECTION I.
Some Account of Magellan, precious to the Commencement of his Voyage.
Owing to the discoveries made under the authority of the sovereign of
Castile, the Portuguese were excessively jealous of the safety of their
possessions in the East Indies. At length, after various negociations,
the authority of the pope was interposed, then considered as supreme
among the princes of Europe who were in communion with the church of
Rome. By a bull or papal decree, all countries discovered, or to be
discovered, in the East, were declared to belong to the crown of
Portugal, and all that were found in the west were to be the property of
Spain. Yet this measure rather smothered than extinguished the flames of
contention; as both courts readily listened to any proposals that tended
to aggrandise the one at the expence of the other. This spirit of
contention between the courts of Spain and Portugal, gave occasion to
several men of enterprise, who happened to be dissatisfied by the delays
or refusal of either of these courts, in countenancing their projects,
to apply themselves for employment to the other. Among those who took
this method of advancing their fortunes, was Ferdinand Magalhaens, now
generally known by the name of Magellan. He was a gentleman of good
family in Portugal, who had addicted himself from his youth to maritime
affairs, and had acquired great skill both in the theory and practice of
navigation. He seemed formed by nature for the achievement of great
exploits, having all the qualities requisite to compose the character of
a truly great man. With a courage which no danger could appal, he
possessed the utmost calmness of temper and sweetness of disposition, by
which all who conversed with him were engaged to love and esteem his
character. He was naturally eloquent, both in illustrating and proving
the reasonableness of his own opinions, and in converting others from
their erroneous preconceived notions. Above all, he possessed that
steady and persevering resolution, which not only enabled him to
vanquish the greatest difficulties, but gave such appearance of success
to every thing be promised or undertook, as secured the confidence of
all who were under his command. As these extraordinary qualities would
have distinguished him in any station of life, so they were remarkably
useful in the present enterprise, by which he gained immortal
reputation, although he lost his life before its completion.
[Footnote 1: Harris' Collection, I. 6. The utmost pains have been taken
to narrate this expedition in the clearest manner, by comparing all the
different relations of the Spanish and Portuguese writers. We regret
much, however, the loss of a large history of this voyage, by P. Martyr,
which was burnt in the sack of Rome, when taken by the Constable de
Bourbon. - Harris.]
Don Ferdinand Magellan had served with much credit in India, under the
famous Albuquerque, and thought that he merited some recompence for his
services; but all his applications were treated with coldness and
contempt by the great, which was intolerable to a person of his spirit.
He associated, therefore, with men of like fortunes, whose merits had
been similarly neglected, and particularly with one Ray Falero, a great
astronomer, whom the Portuguese represented as a conjuror, retiring
along with him to the Spanish court, where be made propositions for new
discoveries to Cardinal Ximenes, who was then prime minister of Spain.
The Portuguese ambassador used all imaginable pains to counteract these
designs, and solicited the court to deliver up Magellan and his
companion as deserters, even representing Magellan as a bold talkative
person, ready to undertake any thing, yet wanting capacity and courage
for the performance of his projects. He even made secret proposals to
Magellan, offering him pardon and great rewards to desist from his
present purpose, and to return to the service of his own sovereign. All
these arts were unavailing, as the Spanish ministry, now competent
judges of these matters, were satisfied of the probability of the
discoveries proposed by Magellan and his coadjutor Falero, who were both
received into favour, made knights of the order of St Jago, and had
their own terms granted to them.
The grounds on which this expedition was founded were as follow. The
opinion advanced by Columbus, of the possibility of reaching the East
Indies by sailing to the west, was assumed as certainly well founded,
though he had not been able to accomplish it; and it was asserted, that
it could not be attended with any insuperable difficulty to sail from
the South Sea, then recently discovered, to the Molucca Islands. The
grand desideratum was to find a passage westwards, from the Atlantic
Ocean into the new-found South Sea, which they expected might be met
with through the Rio de la Plata, or by some other opening on that
eastern coast of South America. Should this succeed, Spain might then
reap the benefit of both the Indies; since, if this discovery were made
by way of the west, it would then fall expressly within the grant of
the papal bull to Spain.
In consequence of these proposals, it was agreed that Magellan and the
other adventurers were to be furnished by the crown of Spain with five
ships, manned by 234 men, with provisions for two years; and that the
adventurers should reap a twentieth part of the clear profit, the
government of any islands they might discover to be vested in them and
their heirs for ever, with the title of Adelantado. The agreed, fleet of
five ships was accordingly fitted out for the expedition at Seville,
consisting of the Trinidada, in which Magellan sailed as admiral, and
having a Portuguese pilot named Stephen Gomez; the Santa Vittoria,
commanded by Don Luis de Mendoza; the St Antonio, Don Juan de
Carthagena; the St Jago, Don Juan Serrano; and the Conception, Don
Gaspar de Quixada.
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