In the month of September, 1522, a few weeks over three years after Magellan’s proud fleet sailed from San Lucar de Barrameda, in Spain, a single ship put into that port. She was seaworn and battered, with torn sails, and timbers warped and scarred by many a storm. The people hailed her with joy, and everywhere in Spain men were glad when they heard of her safe home-coming. This ship was the Victoria, commanded by Captain Juan Sebastian del Cano (sā bäs´tē än del kä´nō), a statue of whom now stands in the main hall of the Palacio in Manila. She was the only one left of the five ships that had gone out with Magellan three years before.
But battered and scarred as she was, the Victoria was a ship to be proud of. She had sailed clear around the world, and at that time no other ship had ever done such a thing. No wonder, then, that everybody was glad to see her, and was proud of her. The people were sorry when they learned of the sad fate of Magellan, but there were still brave captains and clever seamen in Spain, and these at once began making plans to go to the new-found San Lazarus Isles.
One of the expeditions that were fitted out was lost; but in 1542 a second company left the city of Navidad (nä vē däth´) in Mexico, or New Spain, as that country was often called. This one was commanded by a Spanish nobleman named Ruy Lopez de Villalobos (rē lō peth´dā vēl yä lō’bos). After a long, hard journey the expedition reached the island now called Samar. The Spanish did not try to settle there, but Ruy Lopez named this island Isla Filipina, in honor of Prince Philip of Spain.
That one little fact is of interest to us, because about a year later a certain Spanish gentleman who was writing a letter home from Mexico spoke of the whole group of islands as Las Islas Filipinas. This name was at once taken up in Spain. No one remembered that Magellan had named the islands San Lazarus, but every one called them Islas Filipinas; and so these Philippine Islands received a name which they have ever since kept.
The Spanish gentleman who wrote that letter was Don Miguel Lopez de Legaspi. He was a nobleman of Spain, but for many years he lived in Mexico. He was one of the many great men who, in early times, made Spain’s name a proud one. He was a young man when he went to New Spain and began to practice law. He was an honest gentleman and an able statesman, and before many years he was made mayor of the City of Mexico. He seems to have been a truly religious man, wise and just; a man to trust, and one well able to lead other men. For such men there are always high places in the world. Legaspi was, moreover, a brave soldier and a skillful sailor.
STATUE OF SEBASTIAN DEL CANO.
In the Palacio, Manila.
It is not strange, therefore, that the king of Spain should have known about him. The king at this time was Philip II., for whom, when he was prince, these islands were named. He came to the throne in 1555, and soon after was minded to send out an expedition to settle in the country named for him. He looked about for a man to command this expedition, and his choice fell upon Legaspi. So he made him general of the whole force.
There were four ships and a frigate in the new fleet, and all were strongly armed and well stocked for the journey. The force of men numbered 400 soldiers and sailors, carefully chosen, and fit for the brave adventure before them.
With the fleet there were also six friars of the Order of St. Augustine, and the leader of these was a man after Legaspi’s own heart. His name was Andres de Urdaneta (än´drās dā ur´dä nā´tä). He had been at one time a captain in King Charles’s navy, and had long wanted King Charles I. to send him on an expedition to the Pacific. But the king was weary of wars and longed for rest. Of his own accord he left the throne, to retire into private life; and Urdaneta took holy orders.