the King
of Luzon Island, who had arrived there to trade, accompanied by 100
men and five women in a large prahu. The prince made a solemn vow to
see that the five Spaniards returned, and left two of his women and
eight chiefs as hostages. Then Caraballo sent a message to the King
of Borneo, intimating that if his people were not liberated he would
seize all the junks and merchandise he might fall in with and kill
their crews. Thereupon two of the retained Spaniards were set free,
but, in spite of the seizure of craft laden with silk and cotton, the
three men remaining had to be abandoned, and the expedition set sail.

For reasons not very clear, Caraballo was deprived of the supreme
command and Espinosa was appointed in his place, whilst Juan Sebastian
Elcano was elected Captain of the _Victoria_. With a native pilot,
captured from a junk which they met on the way, the ships shaped
their course towards the Moluccas Islands, and on November 8, 1521,
they arrived at the Island of Tidor. Thus the essential object of
the expedition was gained--the discovery of a western route to the
Spice Islands.

Years previous the Portuguese had opened up trade and still continued
to traffic with these islands, which were rich in nutmegs, cloves,
cinnamon, ginger, sage, pepper, etc. It is said that Saint Francis
Xavier had propagated his views amongst these islanders, some of whom
professed the Christian faith.

The King, richly attired, went out with his suite to receive and
welcome the Spaniards. He was anxious to barter with them, and
when the _Trinidad_ was consequently laden with valuable spices it
was discovered that she had sprung a leak. Her cargo was therefore
transferred to the sister ship, whilst the _Trinidad_ remained in
Tidor for repairs, and Elcano was deputed to make the voyage home
with the _Victoria_, taking the western route of the Portuguese in
violation of the Treaty of Tordesillas. Elcano's crew consisted of
fifty-three Europeans and a dozen natives of Tidor. The _Victoria_
started for Spain at the beginning of the year 1522; passed through
the Sunda Straits at great risk of being seized by the Portuguese;
experienced violent storms in the Mozambique Channel, and was almost
wrecked rounding the Cape of Good Hope. A few of the crew died--their
only food was a scanty ration of rice--and in their extreme distress
they put in at Santiago Island, 350 miles W. of Cape Verd, to procure
provisions and beg assistance f