[1] See Appendix V, pp. 392–396, to De Morga’s Philippine Islands, Hakluyt Society, with respect to the negotiations about the Moluccas.

[2] This opinion may be recommended to those who war on “pious founders”.

[3] Thus Hazelrigg, Hampden, Cromwell, and Pym, are said to have been prevented by the Government from emigrating to New England in 1638. See Palfrey’s Hist. of New England, vol. i, pp. 502, 503.

[4] “Escoras.”

[5] “Perdeo sua pobreza.”

[6] “Moradia.”

[7] Albuquerque did not arrive before Goa till the 24th November. Correa, tom. ii, p. 145.

[8] A facsimile of this signature is given in the plate.

[9] This document has been abridged here; it is taken from a copy in the Torre do Tombo, made from another copy, which is very illegible. The Spanish is rather antiquated, and much debased, apparently by Portuguese copyists, who have mixed up their own orthography. The Secretary’s name was Francisco, not Fernan.

[10] From this it appears that Magellan anticipated that America would end like Africa.

[11] D. Jorge of Portugal, Bishop of Siguenza.

[12] The date of the year is not given; however, as the despatch mentions this year as the year of the marriage, it must be assumed to have been written in 1518. D. Manuel married the daughter of Philip I, Da. Leonor, in Villa do Crato, 24th November, 1518. The treaty of the marriage was made at Saragossa 22nd May, 1518, and ratified in Saragossa 16th July, 1518.

[13] Literally, the road to Coimbra.

[14] Meaning, he could become a hermit.

[15] This contemporary document confirms Osorio as to the cause of Magellan’s being disgusted with the King of Portugal; some historians have represented the quarrel as arising from a distribution of plundered cattle. Gaspar Correa uses a similar phrase to that in this despatch, “a hundred reis, more or less”.

[16] Compare this statement with that in the second line of the fifth paragraph of this despatch.

[17] Diego Ribeiro was, later, the cosmographer of Charles V, and, with Martin Centurion in 1524, he translated into Spanish the Book of Duarte Barbosa and Magellan on the coasts of the Indian Ocean.

[18] Id est, never be heard of again. See Major’s Pce. Henry, p. 374.

[19] The fame of Vasco da Gama.

[20] The nymphs of the Ilha namorada, or Fame.

[21] From the rather free translation of Mickle.

[22] A fuller treatise of navigation, as then practised, is contained in a book written by Francisco Faleiro, probably a brother of Ruy Faleiro, thus described by Barbosa Machado, in his Biblioteca Lusitana:—“Francisco Faleiro, who was equally well versed in astronomy and navigation, gave a clear statement of his science in those arts in the following work: Tratado de la Esfera y del Arte de Marear, con el Regimento de las Alturas. Sevilla, por Juan Cronberger, 1535. 4to.” This book is very rare; there is a copy in the Hydrographer’s office at Madrid.

[23] This name is omitted in the prologue of the edition of 1536.

[24] Greswell, A View of the Early Parisian Greek Press, vol. i, p. 94.

[25] The 10th of August was a Wednesday, and Monday was the 8th of August: all the other dates of the week and month agree and are consistent with each other.

[26] According to Albo’s Log-Book; according to Pigafetta, May 6.

[27] These dates are according to the ship’s time, which differed by a day from the time at the Cape Verde Islands and Seville.

[28] Pigafetta says the fleet went out of Seville on the 10th of August, 1519; that it sailed from S. Lucar on the 20th of September, and reached Tenerife on the 26th, and continued its voyage thence on the 3rd of October, navigating to the South. Lisbon Academy note.

[29] The Paris MS. has “south-west.” This must be the true reading. Lisbon Ac. note. The Madrid MS. also has south-west.

[30] Pigafetta mentions this river, which is the Plata, in 34 deg. 20 min. Lisbon Ac. note.

[31] Paris MS. “And they found themselves amongst some shoals.” Lisbon Ac. note. The Madrid MS. is the same.

[32] Paris MS. “is in 24 degrees,” which seems clearly an error of the copyists. Lisbon Ac. note. The Madrid MS. is in this case similar to the Paris MS.

[33] Paris MS. “the bay.” Lisbon Ac. note. Madrid MS. “the bay.”

[34] We have not found mention of this name of “Bahia dos trabalhos” in any other writer. Lisbon Ac. note.

[35] Pigafetta puts this port in 49 deg. 30 min. The Transylvan in 49 and 1⁄3; Barros in 50 deg., and says they arrived there on the 2nd of April. Lisbon Ac. note.

[36] Paris MS. “eight hours.” Lisbon Ac. note. The Madrid MS. has “seven hours.”

[37] The ship Victoria.

[38] The ship Conception.

[39] Alvaro de Mesquita was a cousin of Magellan.

[40] The ship which was here lost was the Santiago, the captain of which was Joāo Serrāo. Lisbon Ac. note.

[41] There seems to be some mistake here or transcriber’s error. It is seen by the narrative that the navigators, having arrived at Port St. Julian at the end of March, or beginning of April, and going out of it on the 24th of August, they wintered there for the space of four months and twenty-four days, and this is what Pigafetta says: “they passed there nearly five months.” Lisbon Ac. note.

[42] “E havia delles ao sull 73 gr. menos 10 minutos.” It has been impossible for us to understand the calculations of the writer in this place. Lisbon Ac. note. A possible explanation of this passage may be found in a passage of Castanheda, lib. 6, cap. 13, which describes St. Julian as distant from Seville 71 deg. from North to South, and this calculation would refer to the distance from Seville.

[43] The anonymous Portuguese, the companion of Duarte Barbosa, says they gave it the name of “Santa Cruz,” because they arrived there the 14th of September, the day of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. Lisbon Ac. note.

[44] In the Illustrated News of March 27th, 1869, there is a drawing of some Patagonians: these are represented almost exactly as they are described in the text, for some of them have their shoulders bare, and the skins let down below the waist as here described.

[45] Probably in the ship which fled away, as will be mentioned later. Lisbon Ac. note.

[46] Amoretti, the editor of Pigafetta, observes, that whilst the fleet was in the river of Santa Cruz, between 50 deg. and 40 deg. South latitude, there was, on the 11th of October, an eclipse of the Sun, “which (he says) the Portuguese and Spanish writers mention, and which is registered in the astronomical tables:” and he judges it to be an error of Castanheda putting this phenomenon on the 17th of April, and his attributing to Magellan the calculation of longitude of which he speaks. Barros also mentions an eclipse of the sun in April. It is noteworthy that neither our pilot’s narrative nor Pigafetta mentions a phenomenon which still in those times did not happen without causing some impression on men’s minds, or at least without exciting public curiosity. Lisbon Ac. note.

I am indebted to the courtesy of the Astronomer Royal, Mr. G. B. Airy, for the following information, which confirms Castanheda and Barros: “1520, April 17. There was certainly (from our own calculations) a total solar eclipse about 1.20 p.m. Greenwich time. But in the Art de verifier les dates, in which the extreme Southern eclipses are not included, none is mentioned for April 17: consequently the eclipse was a Southern eclipse, crossing the South Atlantic.”

[47] This is the famous strait which till this day is named the Strait of Magellan, for the eternal and glorious memory of the famous Portuguese who discovered it. Castanheda says that Magellan, on account of arriving there on the 1st of November, gave it the name of All Saints’ bay, and in the answer which André de S. Martin gave to the inquiries made to him about that navigation, he also names the channel that of All Saints’ (Barros, Dec. 3, liv. 5, cap. 9). The anonymous Portuguese, the companion of Duarte Barbosa, whom we have quoted above, and who sailed in the “Victoria,” says that at first the navigators called it the Strait of the Victoria, because that ship was the first which sighted it. (Ramusio, 3rd edition, tom. i. page 370). Lisbon Ac. note.

[48] Alvaro de Mesquita, a Portuguese, and cousin of Magellan, was captain of this ship which went to explore the passages of the Straits, and did not return, and its pilot was Estevan Gomes, also a Portuguese. This Estevan Gomes had been requesting the Emperor Charles V. to confide to him a few caravels to go and discover new lands; but as the proposal and enterprise of Mazellan then interposed itself, and was preferred and accepted, Estevan Gomes continued after that to be a great enemy of the illustrious captain, and now profited by the opportunity to revenge himself on him, and to give vent to his rabid envy. He conspired, therefore, with others against the captain of his ship, Alvaro de Mesquita; they put him in irons, and brought him thus to Spain with the ship, telling the Emperor that Magellan was crazy, and had lied to His Majesty, because he did not know where Banda was, nor Maluco. Besides this, they brought accusations against Mesquita of having counselled and persuaded Magellan to use the severity and cruelty with which he punished the first conspirators, etc. (V. the Letter of Transylvanus and Castanheda, liv. 6, cap. 8). Lisbon Ac. note.

[49] The ships S. Antonio and Conception were sent on this exploration of the Straits; they were with difficulty able to double the Cape Possession, named thus in Bougainville’s map, and in others. They at length entered a narrow opening, which in the maps is named the first gut, and they proceeded thence to another bay, which is named Boucant bay, or Boucam. At the end of this they entered into another strait, named the second gut, and having passed that, they came out into another bay larger than the former ones. Then, seeing that the strait was prolonged and offered an outlet to the ships, they returned with the good news to Magellan, who was waiting for them, and on seeing him, they fired off all their artillery and shouted for joy. The fleet then sailed together as far as the third bay, and as they found two channels, Magellan despatched the two vessels, S. Antonio and Conception, to examine whether the channel, which took the S.W. direction, would issue into the Pacific sea. Here it was that the ship S. Antonio deserted, going ahead of its companion for that purpose. The other two ships, Victoria and Trinity, meanwhile entered the third channel, where they waited four days for the explorers. During this interval, Magellan despatched a well equipped boat to discover the cape with which the strait ought to terminate: this having been sighted, and the boat returning with the news, all shed tears of consolation, and they gave to this cape the name of Cape Desire; it is that which is at the outlet of the strait on the South side. They then turned back to seek for the ships Conception and S. Antonio, and leaving marks by which this one might steer, in case of its having lost the way (for they were still ignorant of its desertion), they sailed forward until they came out into the Pacific Ocean. Lisbon Ac. note.

[50] The Paris Manuscript has “fully in 52 degrees.” Lisbon Ac. note.

[51] Pigafetta remarks: In the strait in which they were, in the month of October, the night was only of three hours; and Transylvan says that, in November the navigators found the night of little more than five hours; and that on one night they saw to the left hand many fires. It is from this that that country came to be called Terra do fogo. Lisbon Ac. note.

[52] The Paris MS. has, and also others which were, &c. Pigafetta places these two islands in 15 deg. and 9 deg. South latitude. See Amoretti’s note, p. 45, upon their situation, in which he supposes them to be in the archipelago of the Society Islands. In some maps they are designated by the name of Infortunadas. Lisbon Ac. note.

[53] Some writers remark that Magellan gave to these islands the name of Ilhas das velas, on account of the many vessels with sails which he observed in that neighbourhood. But they continued to be commonly called Ladrones; later they took the name of Mariannas, in honour of the Queen D. Marianna of Austria, widow of Philip IV, and Regent during the minority of D. Carlos II. of Castile. Lisbon Ac. note.

[54] Parós: so our manuscripts always write it. In the edition of Pigafetta it is constantly written praós. It is the same kind of vessel that our writers of the affairs of Asia name paraó, which is of various sizes, and is much used in the South Sea Islands. Pigafetta says it is a kind of fusta or galliot. Lisbon Ac. note.

[55] The Paris manuscript has “much refreshments of fruit.” Lisbon Ac. note.

[56] “A primeira;” the Paris manuscript has “da primeira;” this means, which was first sighted. See the Relation of Pigafetta, Amoretti, p. 54, March 16, 1521. Lisbon Ac. note.

[57] Pigafetta says: “We named the watering place of Good Signs, because here we found two springs of excellent water, and the first signs of there being gold in the country.” Lisbon Ac. note.

[58] Paris MS. Guoroos. Lisbon Ac. note.

[59] Paris, “Chinas.”

[60] Paris MS.: “To which they gave the name of Archipelago of St. Lazarus.” We suspect there is some error of the copyist here in our text, not only on account of the novelty of the name Vall Sem Periguo, but also on account of its impropriety. The Paris MS. says simply Archipelago of St. Lazarus. Pigafetta also says, “They gave the name of Archipelago of St. Lazarus,” as they arrived there on the 5th Sunday of Lent, which is named of Lazarus. Now, these islands are named Philippines, which was given them in the year 1542, in honour of D. Philip of Austria, son of Charles V, and afterwards King of Castile. They are between 225 deg. and 235 deg. W. long. of Ferro, consequently between 195 deg. and 205 deg. from the line of demarcation. Lisbon Ac. note.

[61] Paris MS.; “They ran a matter of 25 leagues from that.”

[62] Madrid MS., 9 degrees.

[63] Paris MS., Maçaguoa. Madrid MS., Maquamguoa.

[63] It appears this cross was set up in the island of Massaua, where Mass was celebrated on the last day of March, which in this year was Easter Sunday. The island is set down by Pigafetta in 9 deg. 40 min., and the editor puts it in 192 deg. W. long. from the line of demarcation.

[65] This island, which is named and written Cabo in both MSS., is the island Zebu, one of the Philippines, which others write Çabu, Zabu, Subsuth, Zubut, Cubo, Subo, and Zubo, for it is found in all these forms in different writings. Lisbon Ac. note.

[66] Paris MS.: “And burned a village of those who would not yield the said obedience.” The narrative of Pigafetta states: “He burned twenty or thirty houses of the village.” Lisbon Ac. note.

[67] Pigafetta says: “We were 60 armed men, 48 went on shore with Magellan; the 11 remained to guard the boats.” Lisbon Ac. note.

[68] Paris MS.: “And went against the said place, and it was on the 27th day of April.” Pigafetta also places this event on the 27th of April, and observes that it was on Saturday, which in truth took place that year on the 27th, and not on the 28th of April. Lisbon Ac. note.

[69] Pigafetta says: “With eight of our men there perished four Indians of those who had become Christians, and we had many wounded, I being one of them; of the enemy there fell only fifteen men.” Lisbon Ac. note.

[70] Pigafetta says: “We then chose instead of the captain, Duarte Barbosa, a Portuguese, his relation, and John Serrano, a Spaniard. The first commanded the flagship.”

[71] Paris MS.: “They killed the two captains, and also 26 men with them.” It was on this occasion that Duarte Barbosa, a Portuguese, and brother-in-law of Magellan, was killed. He was one of the captains here mentioned. Some of our writers have said, or conjectured, that Duarte Barbosa was killed by poison; but this is a mistake. The barbarians, indeed, drew the Castilians ashore under the pretext of giving them a banquet, but it does not follow from that that they poisoned them. The Transylvan says: inter epulandum, ab iis, qui in insidiis collocati fuerant, opprimuntur. Fit clamor undique: nuntiatur protinus in navibus nostros occisos. See Barros, 3, 5, 10. The other captain, who was John Serrano, was not killed, but remained alive in the hands of the barbarians at the time the boats made off, because, notwithstanding the most mournful supplications which he made from the shore for rescue, Joan Lopes de Carvalho feared further treachery, and ordered the anchor to be weighed. Lisbon Ac. note.

[72] Paris MS.: “One Yoam Lopez de Carvalho.” Lisbon Ac. note.

[73] Paris MS.: “Gonzalo Gomez Despinosa.” Lisbon Ac. note.

[74] Barros says 180 men, and this seems more probable, considering the number of the men who sailed in the fleet and of those who might then have been lost, and those who were lost later, and also of those who at last reached Ternate and Europe. Lisbon Ac. note. The Madrid MS. has 180 men, written in full, “Semte he oytēta homēs.”

[75] Pigafetta says they burned the ship Conception.

[76] Paris MS., “Quype.” Lisbon Ac. note.

[77] Paris MS. has “two islets.” Lisbon Ac. note.

[78] Paris MS.: “which is named Cagujam, and is in seven degrees; from this they went on further to the West North-west.” Lisbon Ac. note. Madrid MS. seven degrees.

[79] Paris MS., “to the North-east.” Madrid MS., “North-east.” The Lisbon Academy copyist has North-west, and has mistaken the Paris MS. on this point.

[80] This position seems to indicate the island of Palavan, which Pigafetta places in 9 deg. 20 min. Lisbon Ac. note.

[81] Paris MS., “Degameāo.” Lisbon Ac. note. Madrid MS., “Dygamçam.”

[82] Paris MS., “ypalajra cara canāo.” Lisbon Ac. note. I read this, “y palay cu cara canāo:” the Madrid MS. has “fulay cucara cabam.” The word palay, Tagal for rice, and the next sentence in the text seem to indicate that an offer to trade was mistaken for the name of this island.

[83] Paris MS., “one hundredweight and fourteen pounds.” Lisbon Ac. note.

[84] Paris MS., “Digaçāo;” it is also written Digamcā and Digāçā. Lisbon Ac. note.

[85] Paris MS., “21st day of June.” Lisbon Ac. note. Madrid MS., “21st day of June.”

[86] Paris MS. “The island to the North is named Bolava, and that to the South Bamdill.” Lisbon Ac. note. Madrid MS., “Bolina and Bamdill.”

[87] Paris MS., “the neighbourhood of the port of Borneo.” Lisbon Ac. note.

[88] Paris MS., “Gonzalo Gomez Despinosa.”

[89] Paris MS., “with seventeen men.” Lisbon Ac. note. I read twenty-seven in the Paris MS.

[90] Sem se aproveitar nada delle, or, without their having made any use of it.

[91] Paris MS. “And so remained a matter of fourteen hours, for it was low water, by which it was clearly seen that the tide was of fourteen hours.” Lisbon Ac. note.

[92] Paris MS., “Cagamja.” Lisbon Ac. note.

[93] Paris MS., “Solloque.” Ibid.

[94] Paris MS., “Tamgyma.” Ibid.

[95] Paris MS., “Sagu.” Ibid.

[96] Paris MS., “Samyns.” Ibid.

[97] Paris MS., “light.” Lisbon Ac. note. The Paris MS. seems to me to have “fresquo,” and not “ffraquo.”

[98] Paris MS., “Calibes.” Lisbon Ac. note.

[99] Paris MS., “five hundred.” Lisbon Ac. note.

[100] Paris MS., “in these discussions.” Lisbon Ac. note.

[101] Paris MS. “of Tidore.” Lisbon Ac. note.

[102] Pigafetta says: “On Friday, 8th of November, 1521, three hours before sunset, we entered the port of an island called Tadore ... 27 months less two days had passed that we had been seeking Maluco.” Lisbon Ac. note.

[103] Pigafetta puts this island in 0 deg. 27 min. Lisbon Ac. note.

[104] In the Paris MS. this word tem is wanting. Lisbon Ac. note.

[105] Paris MS., “another bahar.” Lisbon Ac. note.

[106] Paris MS., “Tarnate.” Lisbon Ac. note.

[107] This clause seems to have been added to the text by the copyist; because the fortress of Ternate was only begun in the year 1522, on St. John’s day, when Antonio de Brito was captain. (Castanheda, 1. 6, cap. 12). Lisbon Ac. note. This clause may belong to the writer, the pilot, since he mentions the fortress and Antonio de Brito later, subsequent to July of 1522.

[108] The Portuguese here mentioned seems to be Pedro Affonso de Lourosa, who betrayed the Portuguese and passed over to the Castilians, according to Pigafetta’s account. Lisbon Ac. note.

[109] Paris MS., “Bargāo.” Lisbon Ac. note. I read this Bachāo; this is the correct spelling.

[110] The flagship was the Trinidade. Lisbon Ac. note.

[111] Pigafetta says the King sent five divers, and afterwards three more, who could not stop the water. Lisbon Ac. note.

[112] Pigafetta sailed in this ship the Victoria. The Trinidade, after refitting, took the opposite course and sailed for Yucatan and the isthmus of Darien, which is here called land of the Antilles; but it found itself obliged to put back to the Moluccas, and whilst about to discharge its cargo at Ternate, was cast on shore. Lisbon Ac. note.

[113] Paris MS., “Tydore.” Lisbon Ac. note. The correct reading.

[114] Paris MS., “North-north-east.” Lisbon Ac. note.

[115] Paris MS., “Domy.” Lisbon Ac. note.

[116] Paris MS. “The large one is named Chāol, and the small one Pyliom.” Lisbon Ac. note.

[117] Paris MS., “Quemarre.” Lisbon Ac. note.

[118] Paris MS., “agoa,” water, but hava or ava is a drink used in those countries. Lisbon Ac. note.

[119] Paris MS., “Camarro.” Lisbon Ac. note.

[120] Paris MS., “25th.” Lisbon Ac. note.

[121] Paris MS., “steered seventeen leagues eastwards.” Lisbon Academy note.

[122] Paris MS., “Chao.” Lisbon Ac. note.

[123] Paris MS., “Batechina.” Lisbon Ac. note.

[124] Paris MS., “West.” Lisbon Ac. note.

[125] Paris MS., “islands of St. John:” it also says they made them on the 6th. Lisbon Ac. note.

[126] Paris MS., “Chyquom.” Lisbon Ac. note.

[127] Paris MS., “11th of June.” Lisbon Ac. note. July will be the correct reading.