e present day. In the year 1524 Dom Vasco da Gama
was again sent out as Viceroy of India, being the second person who had
held that important post. He now possessed the title of Conde da
Vidigueira and Admiral of the Indian Seas. He was accompanied by his
two sons, Dom Estevan and Dom Paulo da Gama, on board the _Saint
Catarina_, with numerous officials, and everything calculated to
maintain his state, besides a guard of two hundred men with gilt pikes,
clothed with his livery. He kept also a magnificent table, at which all
his officers dined with him. He ruled the country with a stern and
inflexible justice, which was much required, as abuses of all kinds had
sprung up; and so, although he was much feared, he was greatly
respected. Leaving Goa, he went to Cochin, a city of considerable size,
where many Portuguese had established themselves. Here he was shortly
afterwards seized with a mortal malady, of which he died a few minutes
past midnight on the 24th of December, 1524, when he was succeeded in
his vice-royalty by his son, Dom Estevan.

His remains were sent to Portugal in 1538, and buried in a tomb at
Vidigueira, from which town he took his title. It would have been
fortunate for the honour of Portugal had all her Viceroys of India
possessed the same sense of duty as that which animated the renowned
Vasco da Gama.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN.

VOYAGE OF FERNANDO MAGALHAENS--THE DISCOVERER OF THE STRAITS OF
MAGELLAN--ROUND THE WORLD A.D. 1519-20.

Rivalry between the crowns of Castile and Portugal--Magalhaens, a
Portuguese, offers his services to the Emperor Charles the Fifth of
Spain, to find a passage through America into the Pacific--Associated
with Ruy Falero--Offer accepted--The squadron, consisting of the
_Trinidad_ and four other ships, leaves Seville the 10th of August,
1519--Long detained by calms--Enters harbour in the Brazils--Proceeds
farther south--Winter season--Enters Port Saint Julien--Visited by a
gigantic native dressed in skins--Terror at seeing himself in a mirror--
Brings off a guanaco--Two natives captured--Attempt to take two more
defeated--Natives called Patagons--Possession of the country taken for
the crown of Spain--Mutiny discovered--Ringleaders executed--One of the
squadron wrecked--Squadron sails south--Entrance to the straits
discovered--Ships advance through them--The crews, alarmed, desire to
return--Two ships missing--Smoke seen--Land to south called Tierra del
Fuego--One of