Ferdinand Magellan and crew establish settlement called Puerto San Julian
On 30 March the crew established a settlement they called Puerto San Julian.
On April 2 a mutiny involving two of the five ship captains broke out, but it was unsuccessful because most of the crew remained loyal. Juan Sebastián Elcano was one of those who were forgiven. Antonio Pigafetta, an Italian from Vicenza who paid to be on the Magellan voyage, related that Gaspar Quesada, the captain of Concepcion, was executed; Juan de Cartagena, the captain of San Antonio, and a priest named Padre Sanchez de la Reina were instead marooned on the coast. Another account states that Luis de Mendoza, the captain of Victoria, was executed along with Quesada. Reportedly those killed were drawn and quartered and impaled on the coast; years later, their bones were found by Sir Francis Drake.
The journey resumed. The Santiago was sent down the coast on a scouting expedition and was wrecked in a sudden storm. All of its crew survived and made it safely to shore. Two of them returned overland to inform Magellan of what had happened, and to bring rescue to their comrades. After this experience, Magellan decided to wait for a few weeks more before again resuming the voyage.
In late March 1520, Magellan's fleet anchored for the winter at Puerto San Julian in what is now southern Argentina. During the winter a storm destroyed the Santiago. In addition, a mutiny broke out shortly after the men set up their winter quarters. Magellan and his crew resumed their voyage on Oct. 18, 1520.
On the beautiful albeit somewhat barren Bahia San Julian some 360 km north of Rio Gallegos is the small historic town of Puerto San Julian, formerly known as Port St Julian. When the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan dropped anchor here in 1520 he came across the indigenous people who donned footwear made from guanaco hides, which made them look like they had very large feet, the Spanish word for which is Patagon (big foot), hence the name Patagonia.
Less than 60 years later the English circumnavigator Francis Drake spent the winter here before heading toward the Strait of Magellan. Captain Robert Fitzroy also anchored the HMS Beagle here on its famous voyage with the young naturalist Charles Darwin. The port of San Julian was in fact founded at the beginning of the 20th century to serve the vast sheep-farming estancias in this part of Santa Cruz province. The Reserva Natural San Julian nearby has one of the largest Magellanic penguin colonies as well as lots more bird and marine life.
On March 30, the crew established a settlement they called Puerto San Julian.
Puerto San Julián, also known historically as Port St Julian, is a natural harbour in Patagonia in the Santa Cruz Province of Argentina located at 49。18′S, 67。43′W. In the days of sailing ships it formed a stopping point, 180 km (110 miles) south of Puerto Deseado (Port Desire).
Nowadays Puerto San Julián is also the name of a small town located on the harbour.
Puerto San Julián, also known historically as Port St Julian, is a natural harbour in Patagonia in the Santa Cruz Province of Argentina located at 49°18′S 67°43′W. In the days of sailing ships it formed a stopping point, 180 km (110 miles) south of Puerto Deseado (Port Desire). Nowadays Puerto San Julián is also the name of a small town (population 6,143 as per the 2001 census [INDEC]) located on the harbour.
It was given its name by the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan who arrived there on 31 March 1520 and overwintered in the harbour. They met the native people who were described by Antonio Pigafetta as giants, and called them Patagonians, meaning "Big Feet", since they wore guanaco hide shoes or boots stuffed with straw. At the start of April, Magellan was faced by a mutiny led by his Spanish captains at midnight on Easter day, but succeeded in overcoming it, executing mutineers including one captain and leaving another behind. He left the port on 21 August 1520 and on 21 October found the eastern entrance to the passageway he was looking for, the strait that now bears his name.
