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Welcome to Explorers. This is part four of Ferdinand Magellan and the

circumnavigation of the world.

This will be the final chapter in the Grand Magellan Saga, so buckle up and enjoy.

Last time we left Magellan in the Bloodsoke surf off the island of Mac Tan in the Philippines.

He had been killed after he had got a bit too caught up in the local politics.

And it was not just Magellan who was dead.

In the aftermath of the battle that cost the Captain General

his life, Enrique Magellan's slave had orchestrated a betrayal of his own. He had convinced

the Saboon King Humaban to turn on the Spanish, when all was said and done roughly 30 members of the fleet would be dead.

Unfortunately for the Armada de Malucca, many of the fleet's leadership were amongst those killed, including captains Juan Serrano and Duarte Barbosa.

With only about 115 men left in the fleet, the remaining officers elected to Byrne Concepcion.

The ship was in bad shape, and there were not enough hands to effectively man all three vessels.

Joaoalopez Carvalho, a veteran Portuguese pilot, was named the new Captain General.

The officers decided that the best course of action was really to keep to the mission,

that is fine the Spice Islands.

They knew they were in the region, but they also knew the Spice Islands were just a

handful of distinct islands among thousands.

They had a daunting task ahead of them, but their options were really limited.

Unfortunately, the fleet had exited Sabu in a hurry and thus had not been fully supplied.

Fresh water would not be an issue, but food was a serious problem.

There was no friendly port to stock up on provisions, and Carvalho and the other officers were anxious

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