AN ASTEOLOGICAL PROPHESY. 



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demanded of the court that he and Falero should be given up 

 as deserters. He even offered Magellan a reward if he would 

 desist from his purpose, or, at least, execute it in the service of 

 Portugal. But the cardinal listened with favor to the plan 

 presented by Magellan, which was briefly as follows: 



Columbus, who started upon his voyage to the west in order 

 to reach the East Indies by a western route, had failed in his 

 object, discovering instead an intermediate continent. Magellan 

 now proposed to seek the Portuguese Moluccas, or Spice Islands, 

 by sailing, if possible, from the Atlantic Ocean into the South 

 Sea, discovered by Balboa five years before. His idea was to 

 attempt to find a passage through the mainland of South Ame- 

 rica by the Rio de la Plata, or some other channel opening upon 

 its eastern coast. Should this succeed, Spain would possess the 

 East Indies as well as the West, since, if the Moluccas were 

 discovered by way of the west, even though situated to the east, 

 they would fall expressly within the allotment made by the late 

 papal bull. Magellan thought the world was round, in defiance 

 of the pontifical declaration that it was flat. 



In accordance with this proposal, the Spanish crown agreed to 

 equip a fleet of five vessels and to give the command of it to 

 Magellan. It was furthermore agreed that he should have a 

 twentieth part of the clear profit of the expedition, and that 

 the government of any islands he might discover should be 

 vested in him and his heirs forever, with the title of Adelantado. 

 The five vessels were accordingly fitted out at Seville, Magellan's 

 flag-ship being named the Trinidada. They were manned by 

 two hundred and thirty-seven men, thirty of whom were able- 

 bodied Portuguese seamen, upon whom Magellan principally 

 relied. The astronomer Falero declined accompanying him. 

 having, in his astrological calculations, foreseen that the voyage 

 would be fatal to him. A certain San Martino, of Seville, who 

 went in his stead, was, as will be seen, assassinated in his place at 

 the island of Zubu. An Italian gentleman, named Pigafetta, wag 



