Magellanica

Sources from old books

1695. A New Body of Geography by A. Sewall & T. Child.

MAGELLANICA takes its name from Ferdinand Magellan, who first Discover'd it in 1519. The Natives call it Chika; others term it the Country of the Patagons. It is the most Southern part of the American Continent, and hath the form of a Point between the 36 degree 30 min. and 54 of Southern Latitude; which shews it to be about 360 Leagues in length, and between 293 and 324 deg. of Latitude, which makes the extent of it from East to West to be about 336 Leagues. It is bounded on the North with Rio de Plata, and a part of Chili; on the West, South and East with the rest of Chili and the Magellanick Sea. The Air is very cold, and the Soil as Fruitful as any other parts, except in Pastures and Forests. The Inhabitants use a Root called Capar for their Bread. They have Foxes, Coneys, Goats, Ostriches and other Creatures. They catch out of the Rivers and Seas, Sea-wolves, Pilchards, Giltheads, Bonito's, Oysters, Albacores. S. Phelippe. and the Nombre de Jesus, which the Spaniards had built upon the Streights, are almost Ruin'd. Our Relations tell us, that the Patagons are 10 or 12 Foot high, and are Couragious, Strong and swift at Runing. They love Dancing and Hunting; they are jealous of their Wives; they live without any care for the future; they eat Man's Flesh raw, they Paint their Faces, cut off their Hair, and Cloath themselves with Beasts Skins. They are Idolaters, and fear the Devil, whom they call Setebos; they dwell in Caves. It is said, that one of these Semi-Giants will carry a Tun of Wine; that three or four of them will row a Vessel at Sea; that they-will run as swift as a Stag; and that 50 Spaniards can hardly bind one of them. Nevertheless, the English who have since made a Descent thither, are not altogether of that Opinion.

In these two Regions, the most remarkable Places and Things are in the following Table.

Magellanica hath

• People,
  • ...Patagons,
  • ...Pulches.
• Rivers,
  • ...Seguadere,
  • ...Camerones,
  • ...Jo. Serrano,
  • Crux, &c.
• Lakes,
  • Seguadere, &c.

It seems to be requisite here to take some notice of the principal Navigators that made Discoveries toward the Southern parts of the Globe, both South-east and South-west. The first of these was Ferdinand Magalianes, or Magellanus, a Portuguese Gentleman; who not being (as he thought) sufficiently encourag'd by his Master King Emanuel, apply'd himself to the Court of Castile, and obtain'd of the Emperor Charles V. five Ships well furnish'd with necessary Provisions, and 250 Men. These set Sail from Sevil, Aug. 10, A. D. 1519. And at first endeavouring to find a Passage through the great River Plata, were oblig'd to Winter in Port S. Julian, but afterward they happily sail'd through that famous Streight call'd the Magellanick, from the Inventer's Name, and so pass'd from the Atlantick into the Pacifick Ocean, as far as the Islands de los Ladrones, or of Thieves, where Magellanus himself was Poyson'd; although others affirm that he perish'd in an Engagement at Maran, one of the Philippine Islands, after he had subdued that of Cebu, in 1520. However, one of his Ships having sail'd round the Globe, came by the Molucco's and Cape of good Hope, and at length arriv'd safe at Sevil, Sept. 8. 1522.

In the year 1525, Garcias de Loyasa, a Spaniard, entred into the same Streight, giving names to several Places; and was follow'd by Simon de Alcazova, in 1534. Afterward three Ships were equipp'd by the order of the Bishop of Placentia, in 1539, and one of them got through the Streight to Arica, a Port of Peru.

On the 13th. of November, 1577, Sir Francis Drake with five Ships, and 164 Seamen, set out from Plimouth, and having sent back two of them as impediments, cross'd the Magellan Streights only with three, and enter'd into the Pacifick Sea, where these Ships were dispers'd by a violent storm, and one of them was never hear'd of since; nevertheless, Drake continu'd sailing along the Coasts of Peru, New Spain, Mexico, California, and other parts of America, and took several Spanish Vessels richly Laden during this famous Voyage round the World, which he finished within the space of three years, returning by the East Indies and Cape of good Hope to the Coasts of England, where he arriv'd on November 3d. 1580. In the mean while Captain John Winter having been separated from Sir Francis, upon their entrance into the South-sea, was driven back again into the Streight of Magellan, which he repass'd, and was the first that sail'd through this passage from the Pacifick into the Atlantick Ocean.

The third Compasser of the World was Thomas Candish Esq who set out in 1586, and very fortunately finish'd that Course in two years and two Months; in the carrying on of which, both Magellanus and Sir Francis Drake had spent three whole years. The same renowned Navigator pass'd the Magellanick Streights a second time in 1591, but died in this last Voyage. In 1593. Sir Richard Hawkins sail'd for a long while in sight of Terra Australis, in the Latitude of 50 degrees, run through the Streights of Magellan the next year, and was at last taken by the Spaniards, after a sharp Fight, on the Coasts of Peru.

The fourth Circum-navigation of the Globe, was perform'd by Oliver Noort, or Nordt, a Hollander, his chief Pilot being Captain Melis an English-man, who had accompanied Mr. Candish in his Voyage This Noort steer'd much the same Course with Magellan, Drake, and Candish, and spent three years in encompassing the Earth. About the same time also, the Dutch Fleet under Sir James Mahe, Simon de Cordes, Sebalt de Wert, &c. wherein William Adams was chief Pilot, suffer'd great inconveniencies in these Streights. They discover'd Sebaldi Isles, and a Gulph call'd by them Green Bay, in 54 deg. Lat. In 1614, George Spilberg, Commander in chief of another Dutch Fleet of six Ships, sail'd through the Streights of Magellan, and the South-sea, to the East-Indies, and came back from thence by the Cape of good Hope, to the Texel, after having been out near three years, and finish'd the fifth Circum-navigation of the World.

In 1609 and 1610, Pedro Fernandez Giros, a Portuguese, and Ferdinand de Quir a Spaniard, (as they both affirm) sail'd at several times about 800 Leagues together on the Coasts of a Southern Continent, to the height of 15 deg. south Lat. where they met with a very fruitful, pleasant and populous Country. This vast tract of Land may be perhaps some part of Jansen Tasmen's Land, Van Diemen's Land, New Zealand, New Holland, New Carpentaria and New Guiney, which were coasted and descry'd by the Dutch, who gave names to many Bays, Rivers and Capes hereabouts, in the years 1619, 1622, 1627, 1628, 1642 and 1644, from the Equinoctial Line, as far as the 44th. deg. of south Lat. And indeed the Hollanders have made the greatest Discoveries toward the south Terra incognita, but have publish'd very little concerning their Expeditions in those parts.

In 1615, William Cornelius Schouten of Horn, and Jacob le Maire of Amsterdam, encompass'd the Globe a sixth time, discovering a new Entrance southward from the Streights of Magellan into the South-sea, by Cape Horn, in the 57 deg of south Lat.; which Passage has been ever since known by the name of Le Maire's Streight. Here they impos'd Names on several Islands and Countries; and having spent 2 years and 18 days in this Voyage, return'd by the East-Indies to Holland. Afterward, in 1618, a Spanish Fleet under the Conduct of Bartolomeo Garcias de Nodal, sail'd through Le Maire's Streight. And in 1623, part of Prince Maurice's Fleet steer'd the same Course, discovering some small Islands in their Passage.

In 1642, Abel Jansen Tasman a Hollander, made a very remarkable Voyage toward the south Terra Incognita. And in 1643, Captain Brewer or Brower, found out a new way into the South-sea, by a Passage call'd after his own Name, lying East of Le Maire's Streight. But in 1669, that famous Navigator and valiant Commander Sir John Narborough, having receiv'd a Commission from King Charles II. to make a better discovery of these Parts, more especially of the Country of Chili, set out with two Ships, viz. the Sweep-stakes and Batchelour Pink; the former of 300 Tuns burthen, and the other of 70, and return'd in 1671, after having spent above two years in passing and re-passing the Streight of Magellan, and sailing along the Coasts of Patagonia and Chili, so that his Observations and Draughts are the most judicious and accurate of any hitherto extant.

In 1680 and 1681, Captain Sharp rambl'd over the South-sea, steering one while near 800 Leagues to the Eastward, and at another time as many to the Westward; and beating about many Islands and Coasts: But in his return not being able to recover the Streights of Magellan, or those of Le Maire or Brewer, he was constrain'd to seek for a new Passage further South than by Cape Horn, and sail'd to the 60 degree of South Latitude, where in departing from a small place call'd by him the Duke of York's Island, he met with abundance of Ice, Snow, Frost, and Whales, and saw no Land for three Months together, till his arrival at the Island of Barbadoes. Since these attempts, divers English Ships have pass'd on several occasions into the South-sea, both by the Magellanick Streights and by the South of Cape Horn; but we have no particular Relations of their respective Adventures.