Nearly 500 years ago, on September 20, 1519, five ships sailed from Spain.
As the ships set out across the Atlantic Ocean only one man knew their
goal. Magellan, a Potruguese sailor, hoped to find a passage from the Alantic
to the Pacific Ocean. If Magellan could find it, her would shorten the journey
to the Spice Islands across the Pacific. European traders wanted to reach these
islands. There they could buy valuable spices. Magellan and his crew were
going to trade for cinnamon and cloves. Nit he was't even sure the passage
existed.
In those days, there was no such thing as radio or GPS devices. There
were no lights except candles and lanterns. And the ships had no source of
power except for wind and rowing. In the dark, the ships communicated with
each other by torchlight. None of the ships had accurate maps or clocks. And
they had no way to tell what weather was coming. With no refrigeration, food
could spoil quickly.
Three hard months passed. Using the stars for guidance, Magellan and
his crews finally made it across the Atlantic to the coast of Brazil.
Then they headed south, along the coast. They were looking for the
passage. But winter had come. For the safety of his men, Magellan decided to
stop the search until spring.
When the worst of the winter had passed, Magellan and his men
sailed south once more. At long last, 13 months after leaving Spain, Nagellan
found the passage he had been looking for. Thirty-eight days later, they
reaced the Pacific, Magellan wept at the sight. He gave this "new" ocean a
name.He called it Pacific, which means calm, Peaceful.
They steered into the Pacific where no European had sailed before.
Without strong winds, they drifted in the heat. Their drinking water went bad.
Without food, the sailors ate rats they caught on the ships. Many men fell ill;
many died.
At last, the ships found land where they could anchor. They had
reached the Philippine Island. They were not far from their destination, the
Spice Islands. Sadly, Magellan was killed there during a battle.
With their leader gone, the sailor's spirits sank. But they sailed on
and finally reached the Spice Islands. The remaining sailors traded cloth for
cinnamon and cloves, Then they began the journey home.
Three years and one month after leaving Spain, only one of the five
ships reached home. Out of more than 200 men who set out, only 18 survived.
Although Magellan didn't live to celebrate, he is rememnered
today as the leader of the first around-the-world joutney in history. Magellan's
voyage not only proved that the world was round, but also that it was possible
to sail all the way around it. Mnay people believe that Magellan's voyage was
the most remarkable in history.