Antonio Pigafetta was a Venetian scholar and explorer.

He joined the expedition to the Spice Islands led

by explorer Ferdinand Magellan under the flag of King Charles I of Spain.

Ferdinand Magellan was born on February 3, 1480. He is a Portuguese explorer who organized the
Spanish Expeditions to the East Indies from 1519 to 1522 resulting in the first circumnavigation of the
Earth, which was completed by Juan Sebastián Elcano.

Portuguese explorer who sailed under Spain to reach Mollucas without crossing

Portuguese territory. Proposed route to Mollucas by sailing west and through an Atlantic passage to the
Pacific.

Antonio Pigafetta wrote his first hand observation and general impression of the Far East including their
experiences in the Visayas. Pigafetta's travelogue is one of the most important primary sources in the
study of the precolonial Philippines.

The document reveals insights during the precolonial period. In Pigafetta's account, their fleet reached
what he called the Ladrones Islands or the “Island of the Thieves.” He recounted:

“These people have no arms, but use sticks, which have have a fish bone at the end. They are poor, but
ingenious, and great thieves, and for the sake of that what we called these three islands the Ladrones
Islands.”

Pigafetta reported that 10 days after they reached Ladrones Islands they reached another island called
Zamal (now Samar) but Magellan decided to land in another uninhabited island.

Two days later Pigafetta recounted that nine men came to them showing joy and eagerness. Magellan
welcomed them with food, drinks and gifts. In return the natives gave them fish, palm wine, figs and two

Cochos.
Pigafetta detailed in amazement and fascination the palm tree which bore fruits called cocho, wine. He

also described what seemed like a coconut.

“This palm produces a fruit named cocho, which is as large as the head, or therabouts: its first husk is
green, and two fingers in thickness, in it they find certain threads, with which they make the cords for
fastening their boats. Under this husk there is another very hard, and thicker than that of a walnut. They
burn this second rind, and make it a powder which is useful to them. Under this rind there is a white
marrow of a finger's thickness, which they eat fresh with meat and fish, as we do bread, and it has the
taste of an almond, and if anyone dried it he might make bread of it.

Pigafetta characterized people as “very familiar and friendly”.

They then next dropped anchor at Homonhon, another small island in the province of Eastern Samar.

They went to Humunu Island (Homonhon) which Pigafetta referred to as the “Watering Place of Good
Signs.”

Pigafetta wrote that in this Island they found the first signs of gold and they name the island and nearby
islands as the archipelago of St. Lazarus. They were detected by the boats of Rajah Kolambu who was
visiting Mazaua, who later guided them to Cebu.

After a few days, Magellan was introduced to the king's brother who was also a king of another island
who he described as the most handsome of all men that he saw in this place. Pigafetta wrote that they
went to the other island and they saw mines of gold.

On March 31st, which happened to be Easter Sunday, Magellan ordered chaplain to preside a Mass by
the shore.

After 7 days, Magellan and his men decided to move and look for islands were they could acquire more
supplies and provisions. On the 14th of April, the people gathered with the king and other principal men
of the islands. The king of Cebu was baptized. After eight days, Pigafetta countehat all of the island's
inhabitant were already baptized. On the 26th of April, Zula, a principal man from island of Mactan went
to see Magellan and ask him for a boat full of men so that he would be able to fight the chief named
Silapulapu. Magellan offered three boats and express his desire to go to Mactan himself to fight the said
chief.

Magellan died in that battle. Magellan was specifically targeted because the natives knew that he was
the captain general.Pigafetta recounted the last moments of Magellan:

“Whilst the Indians were thus overpowering him, several times he turned round towards us to see if we
were all in safety, as though his obstinate fight had no other object than to give an opportunity for the

retreat of his men.”