e they had a good run
in fine weather. Then "the upper air burst into life" and a month of
heavy gales followed. The Italian count, who accompanied the fleet,
writes long accounts of the sufferings of the crew during these
terrific Atlantic storms.

"During these storms," he says, "the body of St. Anselm appeared to
us several times; one night that it was very dark on account of the
bad weather the saint appeared in the form of a fire lighted at the
summit of the mainmast and remained there near two hours and a half,
which comforted us greatly, for we were in tears only expecting the
hour of perishing; and, when that holy light was going away from us,
it gave out so great a brilliancy in the eyes of each, that we were
like people blinded and calling out for mercy. For without any doubt
nobody hoped to escape from that storm."

Two months of incessant rain and diminished rations added to their
miseries. The spirit of mutiny now began to show itself. Already the
Spanish captains had murmured against the Portuguese commander.

"Be they false men or true, I will fear them not; I will do my appointed
work," said the commander firmly.

It was not till November that they made the coast of Brazil in South
America, already sighted by Cabral and explored by Pinzon. But the
disloyal captains were not satisfied, and one day the captain of the
_S. Antonio_ boarded the flagship and openly insulted Magellan. He
must have been a little astonished when the Portuguese commander
seized him by the collar, exclaiming: "You are my prisoner!" giving
him into custody and appointing another in his place.

Food was now procurable, and a quantity of sweet pine-apples must have
had a soothing effect on the discontented crews. The natives traded
on easy terms. For a knife they produced four or five fowls; for a
comb, fish for ten men; for a little bell, a basket full of sweet
potatoes. A long drought had preceded Magellan's visit to these parts,
but rain now began with the advent of the strangers, and the natives
made sure that they had brought it with them. Such an impression once
made there was little difficulty in converting them to the Christian
faith. The natives joined in prayer with the Spaniards, "remaining
on their knees with their hands joined in great reverence so that it
was a pleasure to see them," writes one of the party.

The day after Christmas again found them sailing south by the coast,
and early in the New Year they anchor