Part 5 (2/2)

There was in Spain at this time a Portuguese adventurer and navigator by the name of Estevan or Esteban Gormez--Stephen Gormez.

He was a student of navigation, and was restless to follow the examples of Columbus and Vasco da Gama. He had applied to the court of Spain--probably to Cardinal Ximenes, for a commission to go on a voyage of discovery and he had received a favorable answer, and was preparing to embark, when Magellan appeared at court and promised to find the Spice Islands by way of South America.

Magellan's scheme was so much larger and definite than that of Gormez that the court canceled its favors to the lesser plans, and Gormez had to abandon his prospects of sailing under the royal favors of Spain.

The eyes of Spain were now fixed on Magellan.

”I will find a way to the Spice Islands by South America or by the West,” said Magellan to the ministers of the King, ”or you may have my head.”

These were bold words. Magellan had not only been to the Spice Islands, but he had gone out on the very voyage that discovered some of them. He had behaved heroically on the voyage. So his application to the court superseded the plan of Gormez and the latter sunk out of sight.

In his despondency at the failure of his plans, Gormez came to Magellan.

”My countryman,” said Gormez, ”your schemes have supplanted mine and turned my s.h.i.+ps into air. I was the first to plan a voyage to the Moluccas out of the wake of hurricanes and monsoons. I do not feel that I have been treated rightly. Something surely is due to me.”

Magellan was a man of generous impulses. He saw that Gormez had a case for moral appeal.

”My friend,” said he, ”you shall have a place in my expedition.”

He could but think that the inspiration and knowledge of navigation of his countryman would be useful to him, and he pitied him for his disappointment, knowing how he himself would feel were his plans to be set aside.

So Gormez, the Portuguese, was made the pilot of the Antonio.

Magellan, had he reflected, must have seen that this man would carry with him envy and jealousy, pa.s.sions that are poisons. But Estefano, or Esteban, or Stephen Gormez, took his place at the pilot house of the Antonio to follow the lantern of Magellan, but the hurt in his heart at being superseded never healed.

On the s.h.i.+ps also was one Juan de Carthagena, captain of the Concepcion, a spy, and one of the ”malapots” of the expedition. He was called the _veedor_, or inspector. He inspected Magellan, and Magellan inspected him, as we shall see.

And now the flags arose in the clear air, and the joyful fleet cleared the Guadalquivir and leaped into the arms of the open sea, amid the acclamations of gay grandees and a happy people.

It was September 20th when the anchors were lifted, of which probably one was destined to come back in triumph after an immortal voyage that encompa.s.sed the earth, and gave to Spain a new ocean.

And the King of Portugal ordered the coat of arms to be torn down from the house of Magellan, as we have pictured at the beginning of our narrative.

CHAPTER VII.

”MAROONED.”

The expedition moved down its western way, over the track of Columbus.

It had left poor Ruy Faleiro behind--he who had seen the progress of it all in the fitful light of a disordered vision. He had not relinquished his own high aims. He hoped to follow Magellan with an expedition of his own.

The s.h.i.+ps were furnished with ”castles,” fore and aft; they carried gay pennons and were richly stored. The artillery comprised sixty-two culverins and smaller ordnance. Five thousand or more pounds of powder were shut up in the magazines, and a large provision was made for trading with the natives--looking gla.s.ses for women, velvets, knives, and ivory ornaments, and twenty thousand bells.

Magellan's s.h.i.+p bore a lantern, swung high in the air amid the thickly corded rigging, which the other s.h.i.+ps were to keep in view in the night.

What a history had this lantern! It gleamed out on the night track of a new world, a pillar of fire that encompa.s.sed the earth as in the orbit of a star.

The fleet had fifteen days of good weather and pa.s.sed Cape Verde Islands, running along the African coast.

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