Читать книгу A Beginner's History - William H. Mace - Страница 14
ОглавлениеMAGELLAN, WHO PROVED THAT THE WORLD IS ROUND
FERDINAND MAGELLAN
From the portrait designed and engraved by Ferdinand Selma in 1788
21. Magellan's Task. Columbus died believing that he had discovered a part of India. But he had not proved that the earth is round by sailing around it. This great task was left for Ferdinand Magellan, a Portuguese sailor. Columbus' great voyage had stirred up the Portuguese. One of their boldest sailors, Vasco da Gama, had reached India in 1498 by rounding Africa, and Magellan had made voyages for seven years among the islands of the East.
MAGELLAN'S FIRST VIEW OF THE PACIFIC OCEAN
Beyond the stormy strait he found the waters of the ocean smooth and quiet; hence its name Pacific, meaning peaceful
Magellan, too, goes to Spain
After returning to Portugal, Magellan sought the king's aid, but without success; then, like Columbus, he went to Spain, and in less than two years his fleet of five vessels sailed for the coast of South America (1519). Severe storms tossed the vessels about for nearly a month. Food and water grew scarce. The sailors threatened to kill Magellan, but the brave captain, like Columbus, kept boldly on until he reached cold and stormy Patagonia.
His sailors rebel
It was Easter time, and the long, hard winter was already setting in. Finding a safe harbor and plenty of fish, Magellan decided to winter there. But the captains of three ships refused to obey, and decided to kill Magellan and lead the fleet back to Spain. Magellan was too quick for them. He captured one of the ships, turned the cannon on the others, and soon forced them to surrender.
There were no more outbreaks that winter. One of the ships was wrecked. How glad the sailors were when, late in August, they saw the first signs of spring! But they were not so happy when Magellan commanded the ships to sail still farther south in search of a passage to the westward.
In October, his little fleet entered a wide, deep channel and found rugged, snow-clad mountains rising high on both sides of them. Many of the sailors believed they had at last found the westward passage, and that it was now time to turn homeward.
Magellan's bold resolution
But Magellan declared that he would "eat the leather off the ship's yards" rather than turn back. The sailors on one ship seized and bound the captain and sailed back to Spain. Magellan with but three ships sailed bravely on until a broad, quiet ocean broke upon his sight. He wept for joy, for he believed that now the western route to India had indeed been found. This new ocean, so calm, so smooth and peaceful, he named the Pacific, and all the world now calls the channel he discovered the Strait of Magellan.
The first voyage across the Pacific begins
No man had yet sailed across the Pacific, and no man knew the distance. Magellan was as bold a sailor as ever sailed the main, and he had brave men with him. In November (1520) the three little ships boldly turned their prows toward India. On and on they sailed. Many of the crew, as they looked out upon a little island, saw land for the last time. Many thousand miles had yet to be sailed before land would again be seen. After long weeks their food supply gave out and starvation stared them in the face. Many grew sick and died. The others had to eat leather taken from the ship's yards like so many hungry beasts.
How big the world seemed to these poor, starving sailors! But the captain never lost courage. Finally they beheld land. It was the group of islands now known as the Marianas (Ladrones). Here the sailors rested and feasted to their hearts' content.
Visits the Philippines
Then Magellan pressed on to another group of islands which were afterwards called the Philippines, from King Philip of Spain.
Magellan loses his life for his men
Here in a battle with the inhabitants, while bravely defending his sailors, Magellan was killed. Their great commander was gone and they were still far from Spain. Sadly his sailors continued the voyage, but only one of the vessels, with about twenty men, ever reached home to tell the story of that wonderful first voyage around the world.
MAGELLAN'S ROUTE AROUND THE WORLD
Magellan, the bold Portuguese sailor, discovered the strait that bears his name and planned the first successful trip made around the world
What the voyage proved
Thus Magellan proved that Columbus was right in thinking the world round and that India could be reached by sailing west, while other men like Cortés and Pizarro found rich cities like those Columbus had dreamed of finding.
SUGGESTIONS INTENDED TO HELP THE PUPIL
The Leading Facts. 1. Columbus was born near the shores of the Mediterranean and trained for the sea by study and by experience. 2. The people of Europe traded with the Far East, but the Turks destroyed their trade routes. 3. Columbus was drawn to Portugal because of Prince Henry's great work. 4. Columbus thought he could reach the rich cities of the East by sailing west. 5. After many discouragements he won aid from Isabella and discovered the Bahama Islands, Cuba, and Haiti. 6. The king and queen of Spain received Columbus with great ceremony. 7. Columbus made three more voyages, but was disappointed in not finding the rich cities of India. 8. Ponce de Leon sailed from Porto Rico to find a land of which strange stories had been told of riches and of a fountain of eternal youth. 9. He reached Florida on Easter Sunday, 1513. 10. Eight years later he returned to found a settlement. 11. He was attacked by the Indians, wounded, and forced to return to Porto Rico, where he died of his wounds. 12. His is the distinction of being the first white man to plant a settlement in the United States after the discovery of America by Columbus. 13. Cortés marched against a rich city, afterward called Mexico, captured the ruler, and fought great battles with the people. 14. Cortés captured the city and ruled it for several years. 15. From this time on Mexico gradually filled with Spanish settlers. 16. Pizarro invaded Peru, the richest of all countries, and captured and put to death the ruler. 17. Pizarro was killed by his own men. 18. Coronado marched north from Mexico into Arizona and New Mexico, but found no rich cities. 19. He wandered into the great prairies and the rocky country of Colorado but finally turned back in disappointment. 20. De Soto wandered over the country east of the Rocky Mountains in search of rich cities, but found a great river, the Mississippi, and later was buried in its waters. 21. Hence the Spaniards, eager for gold, went to Mexico and South America rather than farther to the north. 22. Columbus thought the world was round, but Magellan proved it. 23. Magellan sailed around South America into the Pacific Ocean, and across this new sea to the Philippine Islands, where he was killed. 24. His ship reached Spain—the first to sail around the world.
Study Questions. 1. Make a list of articles which the caravans (camels and horses) of the East brought to the Black Sea. 2. What studies fitted Columbus for the sea? 3. Why were there so many sailors in Lisbon? 4. How did Columbus get his idea of the earth's shape? 5. What did men in Portugal and Spain think of this idea? 6. Tell the story of Columbus in Spain. 7. What is the meaning of the vow taken by him? 8. Make a picture in your mind of the first voyage of Columbus. Read the poem "Columbus," by Joaquin Miller. 9. Shut your eyes and imagine you see Columbus land and take possession of the country. 10. Why was Columbus so disappointed? 11. How did the people of Palos act when Columbus returned? 12. Picture the reception of Columbus by the people, and by the king and queen. 13. Why was Columbus disappointed in the second expedition? 14. What did Columbus believe he had accomplished? 15. What had he failed to do that he hoped to do? 16. Why did Ponce de Leon go in search of the new land? 17. What was the strange tradition about the country? 18. What did Ponce de Leon set out to do on his second trip? 19. Did he succeed? 20. What is his distinction? 21. Why did Cortés sink his ships? 22. How were Spaniards armed and how were Indians armed? 23. Describe the city of Mexico. 24. Who began the war, and what does that show about the Spaniards? 25. How did Cortés get more soldiers? 26. How did the people and king receive Cortés in Spain? 27. How was he treated on his return to Mexico? 28. What did Pizarro find in Peru? 29. How did he treat the Inca? 30. What was Pizarro's fate? 31. What was Coronado searching for, and why were the Spaniards disappointed? 32. What things did the Spaniards see that they never before had seen? 33. What report did Coronado make? 34. Why were De Soto's Indian guides false? 35. Show that De Soto was a brave man. 36. How far north did the Spaniards go both east and west of the Mississippi? 37. Tell the story of De Soto's death and burial. 38. What proof can you give to show that the Spaniards were more cruel than necessary? 39. What part of the problem of Columbus did Magellan solve? 40. What was Magellan's preparation? 41. Where is Patagonia, and how could there be signs of spring late in August? 42. What did Magellan's voyage prove, and what remained of Columbus' plans yet to be accomplished? 43. Who accomplished this?
Suggested Readings. Columbus: Hart, Colonial Children, 4–6; Pratt, Exploration and Discovery, 17–32; Wright, Children's Stories in American History, 38–60; Higginson, American Explorers, 19–52; Glascock, Stories of Columbia, 10–35; McMurry, Pioneers on Land and Sea, 122–160; Brooks, The True Story of Christopher Columbus, 1–103, 112–172.
Ponce de Leon: Pratt, Explorations and Discoveries, 17–23.
Cortés: McMurry, Pioneers on Land and Sea, 186–225; Hale, Stories of Adventure, 101–126; Ober, Hernando Cortés, 24–80, 82–291.
Pizarro: Hart, Colonial Children, 12–16: Towle, Pizarro, 27–327.
Coronado: Griffis, Romance of Discovery, 168–182; Hale, Stories of Adventure, 136–140.
De Soto: Hart, Colonial Children, 16–19; Higginson, American Explorers, 121–140.
Magellan: McMurry, Pioneers on Land and Sea, 186–225; Butterworth, Story of Magellan, 52–143; Ober, Ferdinand Magellan, 108–244.
