Published 1967
by
N. Israel / Keizersgracht 539 / Amsterdam C.
&
Da Capo Press
-a division of Plenum Publishing Corporation-
270 Madison Ave, New York NY 10016
Transferred to Digital Printing 2006
ISBN 0-7146-1085-2 (hbk)
For the British Commonwealth, except for Australia, New Zealand and Canada,
Frank Cass & Company Ltd / London
Publishers Note
The publisher has gone to great lengths to ensure the quality of this reprint but points out that some imperfections in the original may be apparent
ADVERTISEMENT.
THE Editor of this Journal docs not make himself answerable for all the facts that are related in it. There is certainly some allowance to be made to a man who has circumnavigated the globe oftener perhaps than once. And indeed there are many T ruths in nature, which till our ideas are enlarged by experience, appear to us incredible.
Thus much however the Editor may venture to affirm, that what immediately relates to the object of the Voyage, the places the ships visited, the distresses they met with, and the Discoveries of new Countries, new Inhabitants, new Customs Arts and Manufactures, so far as they could be learnt or apprehended during a short stay among people with whom the Journalist could converse only by signs ; all these particulars are related with the strictest regard to truth, as is likewise the conduct and character of Omai, his reception and consequence at Otaheite, and the envy and jealousy which his riches and the favour shewn him by his patron and friend Capt. Cook excited among the Chiefs of his own country ; these the Journalist seems to have noticed with particular attention.
But the Editor does not take upon him to say, that the Journalist has not upon some occasions exaggerated circumstances, nor that his prejudices have not sometimes prevailed over his candour in representing characters.
The Editor may have his errors too ; but he hopes they are such as may be pardoned. Some have arisen from haste, and some from misunderstanding the Journalists Orthography, who, being at a great distance, could not be consulted without retarding the Press. For these the intelligent Reader, he hopes, will accept of this apology. With respect to language, suffice it to say, that he has affected no ornament. It was a plain tale he had to tell, and he has told it in a plain way.
The Chart that accompanies the Voyage illustrates the course with as much accuracy as is necessary even for Geographers, and it afforded no small pleasure to the Editor, when he found on comparison, the latitudes and longitudes in the Journal corresponded with the observations of the late Spanish Voyagers, sent out on the fame errand.
INTRODUCTION.
TWO illustrious foreigners, Columbus and Magellan, rendered their names immortal, at an early period, by opening an immense field for discovery and the improvement of Navigation ; but it has been reserved for a distinguished native of this country and of this age, to fix the boundaries, and to complete the ne plus ultra of the nautical art. The two last of these memorable Navigators sell in the prosecution of their interesting projectsthe first: survived only to experience the vicissitudes of Fortune, and to feel the resentment of an ungraceful Court.
Columbus, by a perseverance, of which there was then no precedent, very providentially surmounted every obstacle that opposed his progress, and astonished Europe with the production of a new earthy while much about the same time Magellan, inspired by a like spirit of enterprise, and animated by a magnanimity that despised danger while in the pursuit of glory, opened a passage to a N ew S ea .
A brief recapitulation of the attempts made to improve this latter discovery will shew the importance of the present Voyage, and furnish an idea of the vastness of the undertaking no less than to fix the boundaries of the two continents that form the grand divisions, which, tho separated to all human appearance, conned the Globe.
It was on the 6th of November, in the year, 1520 that Magellan entered the Straits, that have ever since born his name, and the 27th of the fame month, when in a transport of joy he beheld the wished-for object: of his pursuit, the G reat S outhern S ea . Elated with success, he proceeded chearfully for several days, with a favouring gale ; but the weather soon changing, and the sea growing boisterous, he altered his course from the high latitude in which he entered that almost boundless ocean, and directed his views to a more moderate climate. For 113 days he continued fleering to the north-west, without seeing land or meeting with other supply except what water the sailors caught in the awnings, when the storms of thunder, which were frequent and dreadful, burst the clouds and let loose the rain. Having in that time crossed the line, he sell in with a range of islands, in the 12th degree of northern latitude, where with great difficulty he procured some refreshment for those of his followers who yet remained alive, most of them having perished by hunger and fatigue in that long run of tiresome navigation. Those who survived had fed some time upon tough hides, the leather of their shoes, and even that which surrounded the ropes, after having softened these dainties by soaking them in sea-water. Add to this, that many of them being attacked by the scurvy, the flesh of their gums had so envelopped their teeth, that unable to eat, they died famished in all the agonies of horror and despair. The thievish disposition of the tropical islanders in this ocean, to which Magellan now gave the name of P acific , being new to the Spaniards, they were not at first apprised, that While they were abroad enjoying the sweetness of the refreshing air at land, the natives were employed in stripping the ships of their iron. and whatever else was portable. It was in vain to punish the delinquents, for where all were culpable those only could be made to suffer, who were taken in the fad ; and such was their dexterity that few were detected.
From these islands, to which he gave the name of Ladrones, Magellan hastened his departure, and proceeding in search of the Maluccas, the chief object of his voyage, he found in his way many little islands, where he was hospitably received, and where a friendly correspondence was established, by which mutual civilities and mutual benefactions were reciprocally interchanged.
These islands were situated between the La-drones, and what are now known by the name of the Philippines, in one of which, named Nathan, Magellan, with 60 men, encountering a whole army, was first wounded with a poisoned arrow, and then pierced with a bearded lance. His little squadron, now reduced to two ships, and not more than 80 men, departed hastily, and after many disasters, in which only one, the Victory, escaped, she singly returned by the Cape of Good Hope, and was the first ship that ever went round the world. It may not be improper here to remark, that the death of our late gallant Commander Cook was not unsimilar to that of Magellan, both originating from an over confidence in their own consequences, which could avail them nothing when overpowered by numbers.
