Junior Cycle History EU/WORLD : Impact of Colonisation: SOURCE F

An edited extract from

Question

SOURCE F

An edited extract from Antonio Pigafetta’s account of Magellan’s voyage around the world.

On Wednesday, 28 November 1520, we entered into the Pacific sea, where we remained three months and twenty days without taking in provisions or other refreshments. We only ate old biscuits reduced to powder and full of grubs, and stinking from the dirt which the rats had made on it in dirty water that was yellow and smirking. We also ate the oxhides which were very hard because of the sun, rain, and wind. We left them for four or five days in the sea and then we put them on the embers, and so the ash would absorb the wood, and this proved to be good to eat.

Besides the above-mentioned evils, this misfortune which I will mention was the worst, it was that we either had lower gums or most of our men grew so much that they could not eat it intestine red. I don’t think the likes of this voyage will not be seen again. Besides those who, died of it, five or thirty fell of their sicknesses, both in the arms and legs, and others places, in such manner that very few remained healthily.

However, thanks be to the Lord, I had no sickness. During those three months and twenty days, we ran fully four thousand leagues in the Pacific sea. This was well named Pacific, for during this same time we met with no storm, and saw no land except two small uninhabited islands, in which we found only birds and trees.

SOURCE F An edited extract from Antonio Pigafetta’s account of Magellan’s voyage around the world - Junior Cycle History - Question 5B - 2015

Worked Solution & Example Answer:SOURCE F An edited extract from Antonio Pigafetta’s account of Magellan’s voyage around the world - Junior Cycle History - Question 5B - 2015

i) Why did the sailors have such a poor diet during their journey across the Pacific Ocean?

ii) How did they try to prepare the oxhides for eating?

iii) According to the writer, what was the worst misfortune?

iv) What do you think the writer meant when he wrote, "I really think the likes of this voyage will never be seen again"?

v) Many of the sailors on Magellan’s voyage died from scurvy. What caused this disease?

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