6 The V O Y 
a riling, he refoived to return back into Spain, in order to 
give their Majefties the belt Account he could of thofe 
Parts, that this Difcovery might be made as advantageous 
to them as poffible. It was towards the latter End of the 
Year 1504. that became, for the laft time, into Spain , 
where the firft News he met with, was that of the Death 
of Queen Ifabella , which ftruck him to the Heart, info- 
much that his Health apparently declined thenceforward. 
He did not, however, fail to apply himfelf to the Court, 
where he met with very indifferent Ufage ; for though he 
was treated with great Refpedt, and had many fair W ords 
given him, yet the Senfe he had of the King’s Coldnefs, 
and of the Ingratitude of the Spanijh Courtiers, made fuch 
an Impreffion upon him, as, after a few Months Illnefs, 
broke his Heart •, this happened on the 20th of May 1 506. 
at Valladolid. As foon as the Court was informed of his 
Death, Orders were given for his being buried with the 
Utmoft Pomp and Splendor. But the Admiral himfelf had 
given fome Diredtions concerning his Internment, which 
ferved to perpetuate the Memory of his ill T reatmdnt \ for 
he ordered the Irons which he had worn, to be put into 
his Coffin with him. 
1 5 . After his Death, that Spirit of Envy in a great meafure 
ceafed, which had purfued him while living, and which he 
had refilled with a generous Refolution. Of this there can- 
not be a nobler Inllance, than in the famous Story of the 
Egg. After it was once perceived at Court, that the King 
was cold towards him, many of the Nobility affedled to 
leffen his Merit, by infmuating that he was rather fortunate 
than wife, and that his Succels was more owing to good 
Stars, than to good Counfels; to which Notions the Pinions 
contributed not a little, by giving out, that it was through 
their Skill and Perfeverance that the Difcovery was made. 
Columbus was one Day given to underlland as much, when 
invited to a public Dinner at Court ; and, after having pa- 
tiently endured this fort of Raillery for a long time without 
a Word of Reply, he at laft ordered an Egg to be brought 
him ; and, fhewing it to the Company, alked, If there was 
any body who would undertake to fet it upright upon its 
leffer End? To which they unanimoufty anfwered. That it 
AGES of Book I. 
was impoffible ^ and that he could not do it himfelf : Upon 
this he gravely cracked the Shell, and, by ftriking it gently 
on the Table, inlarged the fharp End of the Egg, till it 
flood upright : They fell a laughing at this, crying out, 
that any body might have done as much : “ I do not doubt 
“ it, replied he, and yet none of you thought of it ^ and 
“ thus it was that I dilcovered the Indies . I firft conceived. 
“ the Defign of fleering that Courfe, and now every mb 
“ ferable Pilot can find his Way thither as well as 1 . There 
“ are many Things that appear eafy when once performed,, 
<l which before were thought impracticable. You ought 
“ to refledl on the Scoffs I fuflained on the fcore of my 
“ Defign, before I put it in Execution, It was then i 
tc Chimera, a Dream, a Delufion ; and now it is what 
“ any body might have thought of, and put in Execution.” 
The King, when he was told this Story, was extremely 
pleafed, commended Columbus highly, and made no Dif- 
ficulty of declaring, that he admired the Grandeur of that 
Spirit, which, at the fame time, he endeavoured to bring 
down. 
16. This Angular Circumflance of the Egg brings us 
naturally to the Clofe of this SeClion, by inclining us to 
obferve, that what happened to his Difcoveries in his Life- 
time, fell out with refpedl to the Improvement of them 
after his Deceafe : For whereas Columbus always purfued a 
fettled Plan, and, in every one of his Four Y oyages, pro- 
fecuted his original Defign of finding a Pafiage to the In- 
dies by the Weft, the Particulars of which are conftantly 
remarked by Peter Martyr , all thofe who fucceeded him, 
and were employed by their Catholic Majefties to perfect 
his Difcoveries, were led by no other Guide than their Ava- 
rice, and had no other Inftruciions that what they received 
from the Reports of the Indians , who, to be rid of them, 
were continually founding in their Ears the Riches of di- 
ftant Countries ; at laft, however, a Gentleman of Por- 
tugal, who had ftudied as well as praftifed Navigation, re- 
foived to profecute what Columbus had begun, to refume 
his great Defign of furrounding the Globe ; and was fo 
happy as to effect this at his firft Voyage, though he did 
not live to reap the Reward of his Difcovery. 
SECTION III. 
The Voyage of Ferdinand Maglianes, r Magellan, from the South Seas to the. 
Eaft Indies. 
1. The Country and Char after of Ferdinand Maglianes, or Magellan. 2. His Re a fins for quitting the 
King of Portugal^- Service. 3. His Propofals accepted by the Emperor Charles V. Manner of putting 
them in Execution. 4. Arrives on the Coaft of Brafil, and is compelled to winter in Patagonia. . y. An 
Account of the Patagons, their Manners , &c. 6 . Farther Account of them , and the manner in which 
Two of them were made Erifoners. 7. Called by the Admiral Patagons, which Name they . retain. 
8. Magellan fails from Tort St. Julian, and dif covers the Str eights that bear hisName. 5?. Defcription of 
the Ladrbnes, now called the Marian Ifiands, and their Inhabitants. 10. Account of the If and of Za- 
mal, and its Inhabitants. 11. Difcovery of the If and of Buthuan, its Trodufts and People. 12. Va- 
rious Ifands defcribed. 13. They arrive at Zubut, and are kindly entertained. 14. Defcription of the 
If and of Mathan. iy. The unfortunate End of Ferdinand Magellan. 16. The If and of Chippit de- 
fcribed. 17. An Account of the great If and of Borneo. 18. Their Arrival at Cimbubon, and that 
If and defcribed. 19. Dif cover the Frauds of the Portuguefe in relation to this Navigation. 20. De- 
fcription of the If and of Tiridore. 21. Their Arrival and Admifion to trade at Gilolo. 22. Profe- 
cute their Voyage to the Cape of Good Hope. 23. Arrive after many untoward Accidents at Seville. 
24. The Reward of Sebaftian Cano, who brought the Ship Home. 25 . The Importance of the Difco- 
veries made by this Expedition. 26. A Day lofi in the pafing round toe Globe , ana the Reafon of it „ 
27. Many great Seamen attempt pafing the Str eights of Magellan without Succefs. 
ROM the Time of the Difcoveries made under the was, that fuch enterprifing Men as were not gratified at 
|M Catholic King’s Commiffions, the Portuguefe were one Court, immediately thought ot applying themfelves to 
It exceffively jealous of their Poffeffions in the Eaft the other ; which, whether a greater Inconvenience to thefe 
Indies, till at length the Pope interpofed, and by a Bull, which Princes, or Advantage to Europe in general, is not eaiy to 
had a decifive Authority among Princes of his own Com- be refoived, Amongil thole who took this Method or 
munion, decreed all Countries difcovered in the Eaft to Por - raffing their Fortunes, the moft remarkable was the mnoia, 
tugal, and all fuch as were found in the Weft to Spain : Ferdinand Maglianes, commonly called Magellan. He was 
Yet this rather fmothered than extinguifhed the Flames of a Gentleman of a good family in Portugal and, having. 
Contention, both Princes continuing to liften willingly to from his Youth, addieled himfelf to maritime Affairs, le 
any fuch Propofftion, as tended to aggrandize one at the acquired a very great Skill, both in the Theory and Pi at dice 
ether's Expence ; and this begat another Mifchief, which of Navigation, He feemed, indeed, to be formed by i a- 
