Storms And Mutiny

Crossing the line of demarcation
They took a passage to the west
Dead reckoning they doubled back
Into the north they anchored for bad weather
San Martin and Magellan almost lost sight of the flagship

The Santiago and Victoria led
No sign of land altered the course
Why not return for winter?
No violation of direct royal orders
The men, the officers, all cried "return"
No captains that had discipline-
rode the high seas in storms and mutiny (with the enemy)
Desperately they sought a haven in an age of discovery...

Extra precautions, setting anchor as they did
Terrified, the crews made pledges back to Spain for pilgrimage
Lighting fires at night to signal shipmates-at last deliverance
from the fury of this godforsaken place they named the "bay
of travail"-

Ride the high seas in storms and mutiny (with the enemy)
Desperately they sought a haven in an age of discovery...

Genius or madman? So elusive were the straits
Battered were the ships and men
A stop for repairs in St. Julian
The crew wanted to know the route they'd begun
despite stirring exhortations for loyalty from Magellan

Onboard Concepcion there was mutiny in demand
And they moved to take the fleet at night
with the knowledge there was blood on their hands
But the tables turned-the remaining crew blocked the exit
to the sea
A sudden advantage for the general using ruthless strategy...

Target chosen shrewdly of three vessels controlled by the
mutineers
High numbers of neutral foreigners on Victoria would not
rise up against him.

Pulling hard against an ebb
Rebellion muted the message read:
"No mistreatment, I'll do what's right"
No heavy hand will rule the night

On the mainmast high, we'll raise his flag
court martial pending on Trinidad
Condemned to death were forty more
Mendoza "quartered" upon the shore

Poetic justice coming swift and severe
But how could he lose so many men?
Commute the sentence for the sin
Confined to quarters and distasteful labor
Convicted conspirators fallen in his disfavor

Philosophers and scholars began to challenge
The true dimensions of the earth (new evidence uncovered)
Finding the straits Magellan died triumphant
but no vindication came in time
No statesman, no royalty-

Rode the high seas in storms and mutiny (with the enemy)
Desperately they sailed the globe in a voyage of treachery

Circumnavigation returning Victoria with twenty-one
Determined by storms and mutiny
he conquered the sea
Though honor followed, a witness he would not be......