ed at the mouth of the Rio de
la Plata, where Solis had lost his life at the hands of the cannibals
some five years before. He had succeeded Vespucci in the service of
Spain, and was exploring the coast when a body of Indians, "with a
terrible cry and most horrible aspect," suddenly rushed out upon them,
killed, roasted, and devoured them.

Through February and March, Magellan led his ships along the shores
of bleak Patagonia seeking for an outlet for the Spice Islands. Winter
was coming on and no straits had yet been found. Storm after storm
now burst over the little ships, often accompanied by thunder and
lightning; poops and forecastles were carried away, and all expected
destruction, when "the holy body of St. Anselm appeared and
immediately the storm ceased."

[Illustration: AN ATLANTIC FLEET OF MAGELLAN'S TIME. From Mercator's
_Mappe Monde_, 1569, where the drawing is spoken of as "Magellan's
ships."]

It was quite impossible to proceed farther to the unknown south, so,
finding a safe and roomy harbour, Magellan decided to winter there.
Port St. Julian he named it, and he knew full well that there they
must remain some four or five months. He put the crew on diminished
rations for fear the food should run short before they achieved their
goal. This was the last straw. Mutiny had long been smouldering. The
hardships of the voyage, the terrific Atlantic storms, the prospect
of a long Antarctic winter of inaction on that wild Patagonian
coast--these alone caused officers and men to grumble and to demand
an immediate return to Spain.

But the "stout heart of Magellan" was undaunted.

On Easter Day the mutiny began. Two of the Spanish captains boarded
the _S. Antonio_, seized the Portuguese captain thereof, and put him
in chains. Then stores were broken open, bread and wine generously
handed round, and a plot hatched to capture the flagship, kill Magellan,
seize his faithful Serrano, and sail home to Spain.

The news reached Magellan's ears. He at once sent a messenger with
five men bearing hidden arms to summon the traitor captain on board
the flagship. Of course he stoutly refused. As he did so, the messenger
sprang upon him and stabbed him dead. As the rebellious captain fell
dead on the deck of his ship, the dazed crew at once surrendered. Thus
Magellan by his prompt measures quelled a mutiny that might have lost
him the whole expedition. No man ever tried to mutiny again while he
lived and commanded.

Th