468 THE PROGRESS OF MARITIME DISCOVERY, 
adventurer, and returning directly to Spain. This dangerous 
insurrection Magellan suppressed by an effort of courage no less 
prompt than intrepid, and inflicted exemplary punishment on 
the ringleaders. 
He now continued his journey to the south, and reached, near 
53° south lat., the celebrated straits which bear his name. Here 
again he had to exert his full authority to induce his reluctant 
followers to accompany him into the unknown channel that was 
to lead taem to an equally unknown ocean. One of his ships 
immediately deserted him and returned to Europe, but the 
others remained true to their commander, and, after having 
spent twenty days in winding through those dangerous straits, 
they at last, on the 27th of November, 1521, emerged into the 
open ocean, the sight of which amply repaid Magellan for all 
the anxieties and troubles he had undergone. ‘They now pur- 
sued their way across the wide expanse of waters, of whose enor- 
mous extent they had no conception, and soon had to endure 
all the miseries of hunger and disease. But the continuous 
beauty of the weather, and the steady easterly wind, which, swell- 
ing the sails of Magellan, drove him straight onwards to the 
goal, kept up his courage; and induced him to give to the 
ocean which greeted him with such a friendly welcome the name 
of the Pacific, which it still, though undeservedly, retains. Dur- 
ing three months and twenty days he sailed to the north-west, 
and, by a singular mischance, without seeing any land in those 
isle-teeming seas, except only two uninhabited rocks which he 
called the “ Desventuradas,” or the “ Wretched.” At last, after 
the longest journey ever made by man through the deserts of 
the ocean, he discovered the small but fruitful group of the 
Ladrones (March 6, 1521), which afforded him refreshments in 
such abundance, that the vigour and health of his emanciated 
crew was soon reestablished. From these isles, to which his 
gratitude might have given a more friendly name, he proceeded 
on his voyage, and soon made the more important discovery of 
the islands now known as the Philippines. In one of these he 
got into an unfortunate quarrel with the natives, who attacked 
him in great numbers and well-armed; and, while he fought at 
the head of his men with his usual valour, he fell by the hands of 
those barbarians, together with several of his principal officers. 
Thus Magellan Jost the glory of accomplishing the frst cir- 
