d an altar in
the Christian fashion, and divine service was duly performed. The
chief and a large crowd of Indians came up, and seemed much pleased
with these religious rites They brought the admiral and some of the
officers into the chief's cabin, and set before them what food they
had. The bread was made of sago, which is obtained from the trunk of a
tree not much unlike the palm. This is chopped up small, and fried in
oil, and used as bread, a specimen of which I send to your lordship;
their drink was a liquor which flows from the branches of palm-trees
when cut, some birds also were served up at this meal; and also some
of the fruit of the country. Magellan having noticed in the chief's
house a sick person in a very wasted condition, asked who he was and
from what disease he was suffering. He was told that it was the chief's
grandson, and that he had been suffering for two years from a violent
fever. Magellan exhorted him to be of good courage, that if he would
devote himself to Christ, he would immediately recover his former
health and strength. The Indian consented and adored the cross, and
received baptism, and the next day declared that he was well again,
rose from his bed, and walked about, and took his meals like the
others. What visions he may have told to his friends I cannot say;
but the chief and over twenty-two hundred Indians were baptized and
professed the name and faith of Christ. Magellan seeing that this
island was rich in gold and ginger, and that it was so conveniently
situated with respect to the neighboring islands, that it would be
easy, making this his headquarters, to explore their resources and
natural productions, he therefore went to the chief of Subuth and
suggested to him, that since he had turned away from the foolish and
impious worship of false gods to the Christian religion, it would be
proper that the chiefs of the neighboring islands should obey his rule;
that he had determined to send envoys for this purpose, and if any of
the chiefs should refuse to obey this summons, to compel them to do
so by force of arms. The proposal pleased the savage, and the envoys
were sent: the chiefs came in one by one and did homage to the chief
of Subuth in the manner adopted in those countries. But the nearest
island to Subuth is called Mauthan [Matan], and its king was superior
in military force to the other chiefs; and he declined to do homage
to one whom he had been accustomed to command for so lon