Ferdinand+Magellan


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Epic adventures: Stories of endeavour Sydney: WeldonOwen Publishing, 2012 The first chapter of this book of true adventures is entitled "Magellan: The world first circled". It gives a clear and comprehensive account of the voyage in which Ferdinand Magellan's five ships sailed west, looking for the eastern Spice Islands, as they were called. Having staved off mutiny and survived the exhausting passage across the Pacific, Magellan was killed in local fighting in the Philippines, but 18 of the original crews in one ship managed to return to Spain. They were the first people to circumnavigate the world. The quest for spices and eastern riches led other explorers to sail in Magelllan's wake. Sooner or later, some would reach the coast of Australia. The early maps and illustrations in this chapter are excellent, as is the writing. || ||

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