Mar Pacifica. March 9, 1521

Does this ocean ever end!

It has been three months since we left the strait and despite the Admiral's belief that the Spice Islands lay only a short distance from the New Continent, we have not found what we seek.

Since we saved the niño, we have sailed west-northwest toward the equator. On January 21, we encountered a head wind that drove us south. When we were able to resume our course, we sighted an island at 15ºS latitude and it was named San Paulo on the charts. It was small and seemed uninhabited. Soundings told us there was no bottom even close to the shore and we could not drop anchor. We might have taken a longboat ashore to explore and look for fresh provisions, but the Captain General didn't believe it was worth the time.

Continuing on our course, we discovered another island at 10ºS. It also appeared unoccupied and had no anchorage although sharks circled us ominously. All of our stores had spoiled and the water had gone sick(1), but again Magellan wouldn't allow us to go ashore as he and the navigators believed we were near our destination. This island was given the name Isla de los Tiburones and we sailed on under clear skies with a steady wind.

We crossed the equator on February 13, 1521 at 160ºW longitude. By this time our stores were nearly depleted and, as if that weren't enough, many in the crew of the three ships began to suffer from a mysterious disease. It causes the gums to swell, bleed and fester. Soon, the teeth of those infected begin to fall out. Sores covered their mouths and they could not eat what little food there was. My old ship, the Victoria, has been the hardest struck by this malady.(2) Nine of her crew have died including Roderigo Gallego, the friend who did not give me away when I escaped the Victoria on the night of the mutiny. The Trinidad has not escaped the plague either. Just today our master gunner, Andrew of Bristol, died and was cast into the sea. And before him, the Indian we brought with us from Patagonia, whom Antonio had befriended, perished.

Although those in the Captain's inner circle have shown no signs of the illness, we were forced to eat whatever we could find including rats and biscuit powder infested with maggots. I would not eat during the day, but waited until after dark so I don't have to look at the creatures crawling over my rations. Some have become so desperate that they eat sawdust and even the leather strips, which cover the main yard.

If we had not had such fine weather, we would all surely have perished at sea. Magellan believes that the boy I rescued has something to do with this and takes better care of him than himself. But still I fear for the niño's health. He is yet too young to survive for long without milk. The Admiral knew this and gave the child the best of his personal store of rations. Fruit preserves, a little cheese, anything to help him stay alive until we found land.

On the morning of February 28, I awoke to a strange sight. Magellan stood at the rail of the Trinidad and was carefully tearing apart the charts he had brought from Spain.

"Is it that bad, Captain?" I asked.

He didn't turn to me, but answered as he continued to destroy his maps. "The world is far larger than anyone in Europe imagined. With the crew in such a weakened condition, I don't dare continue on this latitude although I know it would eventually lead us to the Spice Islands. We might encounter Portuguese vessels and we could not survive a battle with them."

Magellan cast the last fragment of parchment into the sea and watched as they disappeared. "Our only chance is to sail north to 13 N and then change course due west. On that route, we should find the island of Cipanghu that Marco Polo was told of in the court of Cathay so long ago."(3)

We persevered, sailing across the Pacific, but had sighted no more islands. By March 1, the situation was desperate. Some of the men would have gladly turned to cannibalism to satisfy their hunger if not for the resolution of the Admiral. All of the water was gone and even the rats had disappeared. If we didn't find land within three days, we would all die.

Few of us believed we would ever see land again...but luck had not abandoned us yet.

The morning of March 6, an unexpected cry was heard from the masthead. "Land ho!" Those of us that had the strength rushed to the rail, excited and yet fearful lest this land should prove to be another barren rock in the Pacific. As the fleet drew closer, we could see there were actually two islands both very large and covered with lush foliage.

And they were populated! A flotilla of small, incredibly swift canoes came out to inspect us. The little vessels were cleverly rigged with lateen sails made of some type of straw. Initially the Admiral named this place the lsla de las Velas Lantinas, but now we have renamed it the Islas de los Ladrones.(4)

We had just anchored in a bay and were about to strike the sails, when a band of the curious natives climbed aboard our ship. Our light-fingered visitors eagerly grabbed up any loose items lying on the deck. This activity, though irritating, would have been excusable, but the nimble thieves made off with the Trinidad's longboat, which had been tied to the stern of our ship. Magellan could not tolerate this robbery. The boat was an irreplaceable and very important piece of equipment in this unknown region.

The Captain General ordered the ships to be cleared of natives, forcibly if necessary and our uninvited guests seemed very offended. Finally, the Admiral ordered the Trinidad's cannon to be fired. The Ladrones quickly scattered, but took the longboat with them.

Night was falling and there was nothing we could do to recover the stolen property that day. But Magellan was resolved to reclaim the boat and to teach the thieves a lesson.

The next day, Magellan chose forty of his healthiest crewmen, armed us, and sent us to repossess the longboat and gather any supplies we could find. Antonio and I were among those chosen but, even had the Admiral not ordered me to take part in the attack, I would have volunteered.

I was aloft in the sails when the visitors first climbed on board, but dropped quickly to the deck when Enrique called to me. He was holding the niño who was wailing at the top of his lungs. "Mendoza," he shouted, "that man took the niño's medallion."

I rushed to the rail in time to see the canoe carrying the thief pull away from the Trinidad. I had to get that medallion back.

We landed near a small village of fifty or sixty houses, where the boats the natives had used to board us were pulled up on the beach. We met with little resistance. What few weapons the natives had were woefully inadequate against our firearms and crossbows. Those who did fight us looked in bewilderment at the crossbow bolts, which passed through them completely. Even the most bloodthirsty among the landing party could not help but feel pity at the sight. In all, seven villagers were slain that morning.

I soon located the one who had taken the crescent part of the medallion as he and his people were fleeing into the jungle. My comrades were more interested in looting and burning the village than helping me recover the child's only possession. My target was fast, but my desire to reclaim the medallion lent me wings. As he bolted into a thick grove of trees, I caught hold of the fleet-footed little thief.

Grabbing his shoulder, I threw him against the wall of a hut, my blade at his throat...and...I stopped. To my disbelief, my thief was only a boy! He struggled like a trapped animal against my hold and I could see the terror in his eyes.

I put up my sword, but this didn't alleviate the boy's fear of me. "Quiet! It's alright," I said calmly. "I won't harm you, but I want the medallion you took from the babe aboard our ship."

His response was to continue fighting me. He obviously didn't understand. I sighed in exasperation and reached out with one hand, tearing open the boy's tunic. The crescent medallion glinted gold against his chest. I quickly pulled it up over his head and stepped back. The boy, surprised by my suddenly releasing him, fell forward. He looked at me in astonishment.

"Go on, join your family. I have no desire to harm you."

This, however, the boy did seem to understand and he quickly disappeared into the jungle.

I wasted no time in rejoining my own companions who were busy ransacking the village. We had become the thieves. I must admit, my mouth watered at the sight of the strange fruits and fish. Locating Antonio quickly, we set about the business of searching for food. We filled casks with fresh water from a nearby stream.

Our mission accomplished, we returned to the ship with our spoils.

We have rested off shore of the Islas de los Ladrones for three days. The fresh fruit, meat and water have helped almost all the crews return to health.

After the battle, if it can be called that, we were surprised when the islanders sailed out to meet us again. They made signs for peace and we have traded with them a bit. If we understand each other's signs correctly, and there is no deception on their part, they have told us there are larger islands somewhere to the west of us. Magellan wishes to hurry on and find a more suitable place to continue the crew's recovery.

Where will we find ourselves next? Will we ever reach our goal? How much more trouble can we survive?

Author's Notes

1) Mariner's term meaning the water was bad.

2) This malady was, of course, scurvy.

3) These were the European names for Japan and China during this period.

4) The first name was Island of the Lateen Sails; the second is the Island of Thieves. We now call these islands Guam.