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in the year 1 çig, let fail from the port of Sevil, in order to carry
this enterprize into execution. He had with him a confiderable
force, confiding of five (hips and two hundred and thirty-four
men, with which he flood for the coaft of South America, and
ranging along (hore, he at length, towards the end of OSlober, 15 20,
had the good fortune to difcover thofe ftraits, which have fince
been denominated from him, and which opened him a paffage into
the South-Seas. This, which was the firft part of his fcheme, being
thus happily accomplifhed, he, after fome flay on the coaft of
Peru, fet fail again to the'weftward, with a view of falling in with
the fpice Hands. In this extenfive run acrofs the Pacific ocean,
he firft difcovered the Ladrones or Marian Hands ; and continuing
on his courfe, he at length reached the Philippine Hands, which
are the moft eaftern part of Afta, where, venturing on (hore in an,
hoftile manner, and ikirmifhing with the Indians, he was flain.
By the death of Magellan, his original project of fecuring fome
of the fpice Hands was defeated ; for thofe who were left in command
contented themfelves with ranging through them, and pur-
chafing fome fpices from the natives ; after which they returned
home round the Cape of Good Hope, being the firft (hips which had
ever furrounded this terraqueous globe; and thereby demonftrated,
by a palpable experiment, obvious to the grolfeft and moft vulgar
capacity, the reality of its long difputed fpherical figure.
But though Spain did not hereby acquire the property of any of
the fpice Hands, yet the difcovery of the Philippines, made in this
expedition, was thought too confiderable to be. negledted ; fince
thefe were not far diftant from thofe places which produced fpices,
and were very well fituated for the Chinefe trade, and for the commerce
of other parts of India. A communication therefore was.
foon eftabliihed, and carefully fupported between thefe Hands and
the Spanijh colonies on the coaft o f Peru : Whence the city of
Manila, (which was built on the Hand of Lucania, the chief of
the Philippines) became in a (hort time the mart for all Indian
commodities, which were brought up by the inhabitants, and were
annually
annually fent to the South-Seas to be there vended on their account:
And the returns of this commerce to Manila being principally
made in filver, the place by degrees grew extremely opulent, and
its trade fo far increafed, as to engage the attention of the Court
of Spain, and to be frequently controlled and regulated by royal
edidts.
In the infancy of this trade, it was carried on from the port o f
Calao to the city of Manila, in which navigation the trade-wind
continually favoured them; fo that notwithftanding thefe places
were diftant between three and four thoufand leagues, yet the
voyage was often made in little more than two months : But then
the return from Manila was extremely troublefome and tedious,
and is faid to have fometimes lafted above a twelve-month ; which,
i f they pretended to ply up within the limits of the trade-wind, is
not at all to be wondered at. Indeed though it is aflerted, that in
their firft voyages they were fo imprudent and unfldlful as to attempt
this courfe; yet that route was foon laid afide by the advice,
as it is faid, of a Jefuit, who perfuaded them to fteer to the northward
till they got clear of the trade-winds, and then by the favour
o f the wefterly winds, which generally prevail in high latitudes, to
ftretch away for the coaft of California. This we know hath
been the practice for at leaft a hundred and fixty years paft ; as Sir
Phonics Cavendifi, in the year 1586, engaged off the fouth end of
California, a veffel bound from Manila to the American coaft.
And it was in compliance, with this new plan of navigation, and
to (horten the run both backwards and forwards, that the ftaple
o f this commerce to and from Manila was removed from Callao on
the coaft of Peru, to the port of Acapulco on the coaft of Mexico,
where it continues fixed to this time.
Such was the commencement, and fuch were the early regulations
of this commerce; but its prefent condition being a much
more interefting fubjedt, I muft beg leave to dwell longer on this
head, and to be indulged in a more particular narration, beginning
H h 2 with