10 Gardiner' G. Hubbard — Discoverers of America. 



of great reputation, sailing in the service of Portugal. In 1497 

 he sailed around the gulf" of Mexico, Honduras, Mexico and 

 Florida, and thence along the coast of North America nearly 

 to Chesapeake bay. 



On another voyage he sailed to South America, reaching it a 

 little north of cape Saint Roque. He followed the coast nearly 

 to the mouth of the Rio de la Plata, taking possession of the 

 country for the king of Portugal. 



Vespucius knew that this country was south of every part of 

 Asia, and therefore could not be a part of the world as then 

 known ; he realized that he had discovered a " new world." An 

 account of this voyage was published in German, Italian and 

 French, with the title in the French edition, '"'' Novus Mundusy 

 In a map published in 1514 it was called "America." Thus the 

 name of Americus Vespucius was given to the ncAV world, and he 

 received the honor due to Columbus. It was said that " Colum- 

 bus had discovered new islands, Vespucius a new world " — that 

 world already discovered b}^ the Northmen, then by Columbus, 

 the third time by Cabot, and now by Americus Vespucius. 



After Columbus, Magellan was the greatest of the discoverers 

 of America. Born of a noble Portuguese family, he early en- 

 tered the naval service and sailed to India, where for seven 

 years he was employed on land and on sea in laying the foun- 

 dation of the Portuguese empire. He gained a gre^it reputa- 

 tion for his services, and returned to Lisbon. Disappointed in 

 an application to the king of Portugal, he went to Spain, where 

 Charles V gladly received him and gave him the command of a 

 fleet of five vessels, in which he set sail for India and the Spice 

 islands. Magellan, like Columbus and Vespucius, hoped to find 

 a way to India through some strait dividing South America, or, 

 failing in that, by sailing around the mainland. 



He left Spain in 1518 for Brazil, sailing then southwardly along 

 the coast to about 50° south, where he spent the winter. Three 

 of his captains became discouraged, mutinied and determined 

 to return. Magellan heard of their treachery. He summoned the 

 leader to his vessel. On his refusal to obey, the officer bearing 

 the summons plunged a dagger into the heart of the mutineer; at 

 the same moment a boat's crew from Magellan's vessel mounted 

 the deck, and the mutin}^ Avas over. , The other mutineers were 

 either hung or left to perish on the coast of Patagonia. 



Early in the spring of 1519 the fleet set out again, one vessel 



