Part 23 (1/2)

The future of these islands must be one of civilization, education, and development, and we may hope that these will be brought about under the divine law of American inst.i.tutions, that ”all governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed.” Justice alone is the true sword of power, perpetuity, and peace. To lead the natives of these islands to desire to receive all that is best in civilized life, is one of the great missions of the republic of the West; and that republic, governed by the conscience of the people, will be true to the cause of human rights.

Pigafetta? We must let him tell the story of his life on his return.

”Leaving Seville I repaired to Valladolid, where I presented his sacred Majesty, Don Carlos, neither gold nor silver, but other things far more precious in the eyes of so great a sovereign. For I brought to him, among other things, a book written in my own hand, giving an account of all the things which had happened day by day on the voyage.

”Then I went to Portugal, where I related to King John the things that I had seen.

”Returning by the way of Spain, I came to France, where I presented treasures that I had brought home to the regent mother of the most Christian King Don Francis.

”Then I turned my face toward Italy, where I gave myself to the service of the ill.u.s.trious Philip de Villiers l'Isle Adams, the Grand Master of Rhodes.”

The scene of the presentation of the parchment story of Magellan to Charles V is most interesting. That ma.n.u.script was like the return of Magellan himself; it told what the hero of the sea had been and what he had done. It was in itself a work of genius, and the world has never ceased to read it in the spirit of sympathy in which it was written.

We may fancy the scene: the young King surrounded by his court, in his happiest days; the Italian Knight amid the splendors of the audience room, placing in the hands of the new Caesar the roll of the narrative of the voyage around the world! Such a story no pen had ever traced before.

That must have been one of the proudest moments in the life of Charles as he took from the Knight the map of the round world.

To the last Pigafetta was true to the Admiral; and one of the best things that can be said of any man is, ”He is true hearted.”

A wooden statue of Del Cano was found at Cavite on the surrender of that port to Commodore Dewey. It was sent to Was.h.i.+ngton. It should be replaced by some worthy work of art.

The island of Guam, of the Ladrones, which broke the long voyage of Magellan over the Pacific, and which is some fifteen hundred miles from Luzon, was captured by Captain Gla.s.s, of the United States cruiser Charleston, July 21, 1898. It is a connecting link between the West and the Orient. A memorial of Magellan, Del Cano, and Pigafetta might be suitably placed there.

The author of the Songs of the Sierras has described the spirit of Columbus in a poem which has been highly commended. The interpretation applies as well to Magellan. We quote two verses: genius must overcome obstacles, and all obstacles, to be made divine.

THE PORT.

Behind him lay the gray Azores, Behind, the gates of Hercules.

Before him not the ghosts of sh.o.r.es, Before him only sh.o.r.eless seas.

The good mate said: ”Now must we pray, For, lo! the very stars are gone.

Brave Admiral, speak--what shall I say?”

”Why say--Sail on, sail on, sail on!”

They sailed, they sailed. Then spoke the mate: ”This mad sea shows her teeth to-night; She curls her lip and lies in wait With lifted teeth as if to bite.

Brave Admiral, say but one good word, What shall we do when hope is gone?”

The words leaped as a leaping sword-- ”Sail on, sail on, sail on and on!”

SUPPLEMENTAL.

THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS.--LAGASPI.--THE STRUGGLE OF THE NATIVES WITH SPAIN.--STORY OF THE PATRIOT RIZAL.--AGUINALDO.

The Philippine Islands, which promise to become a republic of the seas, and the first republic in Asiatic waters, were for generations held by Spain. These one thousand and more sea gardens, some eleven thousand miles from New York, number about as few islands of importance as there are American States. The government of the more populous islands has been so restrictive that, before the boom of Dewey's guns in the China Sea, little was known about them to the world.

The archipelago consists of some six hundred islands that might find marking on an ordinary map of the world.