Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1884-04-10

I weeks they sailed without one contrary
wind. Therefore they named tne me-
ocean the Pacific. SO different IS u Aroil
| the stormy Atlantic. So.
!, 1.-THE name of the Molucca or spree
/ Islands had long fascinated Spanish ~
! yoyapers, and Magellan was now ~
ouest of these. But the very mlfdness
Of the ocean proved dangerous, for tne
| Sims were becalmed many days. anu
,, the sailors suffered terribly for lack OF
| provisions. At last, however, they
reached a beautiful island, where the
| natives received them very cordiahy,
gave them food and curious presents
Here the Spaniards celebrated the EAST
err festival. and converted the King OF
the island to Christianity.
Proceeding, they came to anotnei
island called Sebu. Here the entire
royal family. and others to the NUMBER
of eight hundred were baptized at one
time. But alas! Ready as these people
were to become Christians they ala nor
remain such; and little image OF
Christ given by Magellan to the Queen
of Sebu. was found by subsequen. voy-
ayers worshipped as a heather deity.
"A glorious thought had taken pos,
session of Magellan since he entered
the Western Ocean. Other sailors nad
seen the Spice Islands, with their clnna-
mon, cloves, nutmegs, ginger; o.ners
had looked on the Pacific. But II ne
should keep right on and so complete
the decentralization of the globe
that would be something never done be-
fore by mortal man. The thougnt
thrilled him, and henceforth he lived
for this object.
81 am sorry to tell you that the brave
voyager was not destined to realize his
wish. The King of Sebu had an enemy
in the King of an adjacent island, ana
Magellan went to war in defence OF his
new friend. He was killed, bravely
fighting to the last.
$50 many of the old voyagers have
left name stained with cruelty and
injustice that we can not admire them
even in their daring, high-spirlted
deeds. But we need not hesitate to
admire and honor Fernan Magellan.
Not inferior in courage to the most
courageous of them, his spirit was kind
as noble. Although firm, he was mild
and generous. and greatly beloved by
his sailors. He was devoted to what
he thought the true faith, and wished to
benefit mankind in his mighty under
takings. You do well, little Ruth, to
remember the hero's Straits-it was
great and good man who first sailed
through them.
..And the ships? They kept on.
From one strange island to another
they went, with many adventures many
pleasures, many perils and hardships.
And three years from the time they set
out they again entered the harbor of
beautiful old Seville-they had made
the circuit of the globe. 1neg--I said;
only one of the fair ships that had sailed
away. The Santiago had grounded on
the rocks of Patagonia; another had
been run away with by the treacherous
pilot, Gomez, who had put back to
Spain and wickedly reported the others
as lost; the Conception had been burned
in the East Indies; the Trinidad had
voluntarily remained at the Spice Is
lands. Only the Victoria came home,
alone and triumphant, to recount the
wonderful things of the voyage. The
sailors walked directly from the ship to
the church, where they offered praise
and thanks for their safe return; and
there was great rejoicing and feasting
in Seville and in all Spain.
''Now I will tell you a curious thing
in arithmetic According to the reck-
oning on board ship it was the 9th of
September when they reached home;
everybody in Spain said it was the 9th.
The voyagers had therefore lost day.
The Emperor Charles V. did not puzzle
his own Uranium with the problem, but
promptly called up learned man who
showed that in going from east to west
they must necessarily lose one day;
while if they had sailed the other way
they would be one day ahead of Seville
time. ~. Y. Examiner.