The Voyage of Magellan - The Pacific 2

Sailing southwest for a week, they arrived at an island in the central Philippines. The islanders provided with coconuts, sweet oranges, chickens and palm wine in exchange for caps, mirrors, combs, and other trinkets. With many sick crewmen having recovered their strength, the squadron got underway. On March 28, they arrived at a small island, Limasawa. The chieftain or rajah of the island greeted them and brought a larger quantity of fruit, rice, and palm wine. As a goodwill gesture, Magellan invited him and his retinue to the ship and took them on a tour of the flagship. He then ordered his gunners to fire some of the ship's artillery. It had the desired effect, for the roar of the cannon both awed and terrified the guests. The Spaniards suddenly became the honored guests of the islanders. March 31, 1521 was the Easter Sunday, and Magellan felt the desire to augment the shock and awe to the islanders with a pompous religious ceremony. In full armor and with an orderly march, the Spaniards landed on the island and walked on the beach to conduct a solemn Easter mass. They were pleased and surprised with the odd ceremony and immediately aspired to take part in the culture of the community. After the ceremony, Magellan asked about spices. The islanders indicated that such commodities could be obtained at Leyte, Cebu, and Mindanao. Magellan decided to go to Cebu. On April 7, the squadron arrived at the bustling port of Cebu. To make a grand impression, Magellan ordered the gunners to fire a salute using all their artillery. The thundering roars of the cannons terrified the inhabitants and made them flee into the hills. Then the three ships slowly entered the harbor.

Magellan and his crew were well received by the local potentate Humabon and his coterie. Magellan established a trading post in the island, and made a commercial treaty with the potentate. With an apparent intent to convert the potentate, his family and relatives, Magellan displayed his prayer in public with his knees dropped and hands on his heart. With little more efforts, he could win his heart. He and forty-some others were baptized in one day. Then, the converters grew in large numbers, and for the next eight days, some 2,200 people on Cebu and from neighboring islands followed Humabon's example. Elated by this great achievement, Magellan decided to make Humabon the undisputed ruler of Cebu and its neighboring islands. Messengers went out with an order to pay homage to Humabon. All but one chieftain paid the tribute. The chieftain of the island of Mactan was defiant. Unwilling to tolerate the defiance, Magellan determined to stage an attack to the island. Humabon opposed the idea. Juan Serrano, Magellan's senior and most experienced captain told him that such a campaign would be foolhardy. But Magellan was not a type of person to be easily dissuaded. With sixty chosen men, he set forth to the village in three shallops at midnight on April 26-27. But the island of Mactan was well fortified with trenches with sharp bamboo stakes, and the village's able bodied warriors were at constant vigil. Upon arriving at the beach, a battle quickly broke out. Without much use of their crossbows the Magellan's troops were met by a shower of spears and poisoned arrows. Magellan refused to pull back. He charged forward alone. He was quickly surrounded by the warriors, and slaughtered. Seven Europeans including Magellan were killed in the battle. Humabon cried like a baby when he was told of Magellan's death, but his confidence in his new allies was shaken. Eventually, he expelled the Spaniards from Cebu.

At the beginning of May, the three ships departed Cebu. The remaining sailors reorganized the command lines. With so many crews perished, the survivors realized that there were not enough men left to operate three ships. They decided to scuttle the Concepcion as it was in the worst condition. The two remaining ships - the Trinidad and the Victoria - set sail again taking a southwesterly course. They reached the northern coast of Borneo. From there, they turned to the east and skirted the southern coast line of Mindano, then turning south, they finally arrived at Moluccas, the principal destination of Magellan's voyage, on November 8, 1521, nearly two years and three months after they departed San Lucar.