Indoda Eyasivula Amehlo Ngomhlaba

NGUMLOBELI WE-PHAPHAMA! E-AUSTRALIA

LAPHO abantu beya enyangeni ngokokuqala, ngokusebenzisa ukubala okunembile babazi ukuthi baya kuphi futhi bazofika kanjani. Futhi babekwazi ukuxhumana nabantu abasemhlabeni. Kodwa lapho imikhumbi yokhuni kaFerdinand Magellana emincane emihlanu—iningi layo elicishe libe ngamamitha angu-21 ubude, obulingana nenqola encane yosuku lwethu—isuka eSpain ngo-1519, yayilibhekise endaweni engaziwa. Futhi yayizihambela yodwa.

Phakathi kwezenzakalo zokuhamba ngomkhumbi ezibonisa isibindi nezibaluleke kakhulu kwezake zaba khona, uhambo lukaMagellan luyisikhumbuzo seNkathi Yokuhlola Okukhulu—inkathi yesibindi nokwesaba, yokujabula nenhlekelele, kaNkulunkulu noMamona. Khona-ke, ake sibuyele emuva, cishe ngo-1480, lapho uFerdinand Magellan ezalwa enyakatho yePortugal, futhi sibheke lendoda ephawulekayo eyathombulula umhlaba nohambo lwayo oluyingqophamlando.

Ukusuka Ekubeni Inceku Endlini Yenkosi Kuya Ekubeni Itilosi Elinesibindi

Umkhaya wakwaMagellan ungamalungu asebukhosini, ngakho njengoba kuyinkambiso, lapho uFerdinand esewumfanyana, uyabizwa ukuba azoba inceku endlini yenkosi. Lapha, ngaphandle kwemfundo ayeyithola, wazifundela mathupha ngezenzo zobuqhawe zamadoda afana noChristopher Columbus, owayesanda kubuya emazweni aseMelika ngemva kokufuna indlela yasolwandle esentshonalanga eya eSpice Islands (Indonesia) yodumo. Ngokushesha uFerdinand osemncane usephupha ngosuku lapho naye eyozwa ukubhakuza koseyili futhi afafazwe ebusweni amanzi olwandle okungakahanjwa kulo ngenjongo yokuhlola.

Ngokudabukisayo, ngo-1495 umeluleki wakhe, iNkosi uJohn, uyabulawa futhi uMbusi uManuel, oshisekela umnotho kunokuhlola amazwe, uthatha isihlalo sobukhosi. Ngenxa yesizathu esithile, uManuel akamthandi uFerdinand oneminyaka engu-15 ubudala, futhi kuphela iminyaka engasinaki isicelo sakhe sokuthatha uhambo ngomkhumbi. Kodwa lapho uVasco da Gama ebuya eNdiya, ethwele izinongo, uManuel ubona ingcebo enkulu. Ekugcineni, ngo-1505, unika uMagellan imvume yokuba athathe uhambo ngomkhumbi. UMagellan ulibangisa eMpumalanga Afrika naseNdiya ehambisana nemikhumbi yamaPutukezi awasize athathe izintambo zokulawula ukuhwebelana ngezinongo kubahwebi bamaSulumane. Ngemva kwalokho, uqhubekela phambili nempumalanga elibangise eMalacca kolunye uhambo lwezempi.

Phakathi nesiwombe sempi eMorocco ngo-1513, uMagellan ulimala kabi edolweni. Ngenxa yalokho, uxhuga ukuphila kwakhe konke. Ucela uManuel ukuba amenyusele impesheni. Kodwa uhambo lukaMagellan lwakamuva, ukuzidela, nesibindi sakhe, akuyinciphisi inzondo kaManuel. Uyamxosha angamniki nokuncane kokuba aphile njengesikhulu esimpofu.

Ekulesi simo esidabukisa kakhulu ekuphileni kwakhe, uMagellan uvakashelwa umngane wakhe omdala, umqondisi wemikhumbi odumile uJoão de Lisboa. Laba ababili baxoxa ngezindlela zokuya eSpice Islands ngokuhamba ngaseningizimu yentshonalanga, benqamula i-el paso—insungubezi okwakuthiwa inqamula phakathi kweNingizimu Melika—bese benqamula ulwandle olwalusanda kutholwa uBalboa lapho edabula emdweshwini wezwe wasePanama. Babekholelwa ukuthi ohlangothini olukude lwalolu lwandle kwakuneSpice Islands.

Manje uMagellan uba nelukuluku lokwenza lokho uColumbus ahluleka ukukwenza—ukuthola indlela eya emazweni aseMpumalanga ehamba ngasentshonalanga, akholelwa ukuthi imfushane kunaleyo ehamba ngasempumalanga. Kodwa udinga ukusekelwa ngokwezimali. Khona-ke, esadunyazwe ukusabela kukaManuel ngolaka, wenza lokho okwenziwa uColumbus eminyakeni ethile ngaphambili—ucela inkosi yaseSpain ukuba imxhase.

Ingabe Inkosi YaseSpain Yayiyolalela?

Evule amabalazwe, uMagellan wethula udaba lwakhe kumbusi wendawo osemncane waseSpain, uCharles I, onesithakazelo esikhulu endleleni kaMagellan ehamba ngasentshonalanga eya eSpice Islands ngoba lokhu kwakuyokwenza bangahambi emizileni yemikhumbi yamaPutukezi ngokungemthetho. Ngaphezu kwalokho, uMagellan umtshela ukuthi kungenzeka ukuba empeleni iSpice Islands isemngceleni waseSpain, hhayi kweyamaPutukezi!—Bheka ibhokisi elithi “Isivumelwano SaseTordesillas.”

UCharles uyathonyeka. Unika uMagellan imikhumbi emihlanu emidala ukuze ilungiselelwe uhambo, umenza ukaputeni walemikhumbi, futhi umthembisa ingxenye yenzuzo eyotholakala ngezinongo ayobuyela nazo ekhaya. Ngokushesha uMagellan uqala umsebenzi. Kodwa ngenxa yemizamo yobuqili yeNkosi uManuel yokuphazamisa lomsebenzi, kuthatha isikhathi esingaphezu konyaka ngaphambi kokuba leli viyo lemikhumbi lilungele uhambo lwalo oluyingqopha-mlando.

“Isenzakalo Sokuhamba Ngomkhumbi Esikhulu Kunazo Zonke Emlandweni”

Ngo-September 20, 1519, imikhumbi i-San Antonio, i-Concepción, i-Victoria ne-Santiago—ngokulandelana kwayo ngobukhulu—ilandela umkhumbi kaMagellan oholayo, ongowesibili ngobukhulu, i-Trinidad, njengoba ilibangise eNingizimu Melika. Ngo-December 13, bafika eBrazil, futhi bebhekene nePão de Açúcar enhle, noma iSugarloaf Mountain, bangena ethekwini elihle laseRio de Janeiro ukuze balungise bathole nomphako. Baqhubekela eningizimu ezweni manje eselaziwa ngokuthi i-Argentina, belokhu beyicinge njalo i-el paso, indlela ecashile ewelela kolunye ulwandle. Ngaso leso sikhathi, kuqala ukubanda futhi kuvele izinguzunga zeqhwa. Ekugcineni, ngo-March 31, 1520, uMagellan unquma ukuchitha ubusika kuleli theku elibandayo laseSan Julián.

Manje uhambo seluthathe isikhathi eside ngokuphindwe izikhathi eziyisithupha kunohambo lukaColumbus lokuqala lokuwela i-Atlantic—futhi indlela ayibonakali! Intshiseko seyehle njengezinga lokubanda laseSan Julián, futhi amadoda, ahlanganisa okaputeni nezinye izikhulu, alangazelela ukubuyela emakhaya. Akumangalisi ukuthi kuqubuka ukuvukela. Kodwa ngenxa yokuthatha kukaMagellan isinyathelo esisheshayo esiwujuqu, lokhu kuvukela kuyabhuntsha, futhi abaholi abavelele ababili bayabulawa.

Ngokulindelekile ukuba khona kwemikhumbi engajwayelekile kuleli theku kuvusa ilukuluku kubantu bendawo abayizidlakela—nabakhulu. Zizizwa njengezichwe eduze kwalemidondoshiya, izivakashi zibiza leyo ndawo ngelithi Patagonia—elisuselwa egameni leSpanishi elisho “izinyawo ezinkulu”—okuseyigama layo nanamuhla. Futhi zibona ‘izimpisi zasolwandle ezilingana namankonyane, namahansi anombala omnyama nomhlophe abhukuda ngaphansi kwamanzi, edla izinhlanzi, futhi anemilomo efana neyamagwababa.’ Yebo, uqagele ngakho—izimvu zamanzi nama-penguin!

Izindawo ezibandayo zithambekele ekubeni neziphepho ezinamandla kungazelelwe, futhi ngaphambi kokuba ubusika buphele, leli viyo lemikhumbi lilahlekelwa omunye walo—i-Santiago encane. Nokho, ngenhlanhla, amatilosi ayahlengwa lapho lomkhumbi uphuka. Ngemva kwalokho, imikhumbi emine esele, eyayinjengenundu emaphikwana ashaywe iziphepho ezibandayo, iyaphikelela ilibhekise eningizimu emanzini abanda nakakhulu—kuze kube u-October 21. Benqamula emaconsini amanzi nasemvuleni eneqhwa, wonke amehlo athe njó ngasentshonalanga. I-el paso? Yebo! Ekugcineni, bayaphambuka bangene kulensungubezi kamuva eyaziwa ngokuthi iStrait of Magellan! Kodwa, ngisho nalomzuzu wokunqoba uyonakala. Ngamabomu i-San Antonio iyanyamalala emizileni edidayo yalensungubezi futhi iphindela eSpain.

Imikhumbi emithathu esele, ekakwe imingenela yolwandle ebandayo neziqongo ezembozwe yiqhwa, ngokuphikelela iyadlula kulensungubezi emagwincigwinci. Ngaseningizimu babona imililo eminingi, ngokunokwenzeka esuka ezinkanjini zamaNdiya, ngakho leyo ndawo bayibiza ngeTierra del Fuego, “Izwe Lomlilo.”

Usizi LwasePacific

Ngemva kwamasonto amahlanu abangela umunyu, bangena olwandle oluzole kangangokuthi uMagellan uluqamba ngelithi Pacific. Amadoda ayakhuleka, acule izingoma, futhi ahloniphe ukunqoba kwawo ngombayimbayi bawo. Kodwa leyo njabulo isheshe iphele. Ukukhala okungaphezu kwalokho ayeke abhekana nakho kwakuwalindele, ngoba lolu lwandle lwalungeluncane njengoba babelindele—lubonakala luqhubeka ngokungenamkhawulo, futhi amadoda abulawa indlala abe buthakathaka ngokwengeziwe futhi aqale ukugula.

U-Antonio Pigafetta, umNtaliyane onamandla, obhala izenzakalo zansuku zonke. Uyaloba: “ULwesithathu, zingamashumi amabili nesishiyagalombili ku-November, ngo-1520, . . . sangena olwandle iPacific, sahlala lapho izinyanga ezintathu nezinsuku ezingamashumi amabili ngaphandle kokudla . . . Sadla amakhekhe nje kuphela ayesemadala eyizimvuthu, ayesebolile, futhi esenephunga elibi ngenxa yemisimbane yamagundane . . . , futhi sasiphuza amanzi ayesenombala ophuzi futhi enuka. Sasidla nezikhumba zezinkomo . . . , imvuthuluka yamapulangwe, namagundane ayetholakala kanzima, kanti nawo ayembalwa kakhulu ayetholakala.” Ngakho, njengoba umoya wawuphephezelisa oseyili futhi amanzi acwebile engena ngaphansi kwesiqu somkhumbi, ngenxa yokuhlaselwa isifo sotwayi nokuwohloka kwempilo, amadoda ayebangwa nezibi. Lapho befika eMariana Islands, ngo-March 6, 1521, kwase kufe abangu-19.

Kodwa nalapha, ngenxa yobutha babantu bakulesi siqhingi, kuncane kakhulu ukudla abakuthola ngaphambi kokuba baqhubeke nohambo. Ekugcineni, ngo-March 16, babona iPhilippines. Ekugcineni, wonke amadoda adla kahle, aphumule, futhi abuye abe yimiqemane athole namandla.

Usizi—Iphupho Liyashabalala

UMagellan indoda ekholwayo, lapho, uguqulela abantu abaningi basesiqhingini nababusi babo enkolweni yobuKatolika. Kodwa futhi intshiseko yakhe ibangela umonakalo. Uhileleka embangweni wesizwe, enamadoda angu-60 kuphela, uhlasela abantu bendawo abacishe babe ngu-1500, ekholelwa ukuthi umcibisholo, isibhamu (musket), noNkulunkulu kuzomenza anqobe nakanjani. Kunalokho, yena nedlanzana lamadoda akanye nawo bayabulawa. Cishe uMagellan useneminyaka engu-41 ubudala. UPigafetta othembekile uyabalisa: ‘Babulale isibuko sethu, ukukhanya, induduzo, nesiqondiso seqiniso.’ Ngemva kwezinsuku ezimbalwa kamuva, izikhulu ezilinganiselwa ku-27 ezazibukela zilondekile emikhunjini yazo zibulawa amakhosi ayekade enobungane.

Lapho uMagellan efa, ufela endaweni ayejwayele. Uma uqhubekela ngaseningizimu kancane kuneSpice Islands futhi ngasentshonalanga, kuneMalacca, lapho ayelwe khona ngo-1511. Uma, njengoba ezinye izazi-mlando zicabanga, aya ePhilippines ngemva kwempi eyayiseMalacca, khona-ke, ngokuqinisekile, wayizungeza lembulunga—nakuba engakwenzanga ohambweni olulodwa. Wayesefike ePhilippines ngazo zombili izindlela eyasempumalanga neyasentshonalanga.

Inhlekelele Iyahlasela Ohambweni Olubheke Ekhaya

Njengoba manje sekusele amadoda ambalwa, akunakwenzeka ukusebenza emikhunjini emithathu, ngakho bayayizikisa i-Concepción futhi bahambe ngemikhumbi emibili bephokophelele phambili, eSpice Islands. Khona-ke, ngemva kokuyigcwalisa ngezinongo, lemikhumbi emibili iyahlukana. Nokho, amatilosi e-Trinidad ezabalazayo athunjwa amaPutukezi futhi aboshwe.

Kodwa i-Victoria, ngaphansi kokuqondisa kowayeyivukela-mbuso uJuan Sebastián de Elcano, iyaphunyula. Bewagwema wonke amatheku ngaphandle kwelilodwa, bazifaka engozini ngokusebenzisa umzila wamaPutukezi odlula eCape of Good Hope. Abami ukuze bathole ukudla, nakuba lokhu kwakungabangela ukulahlekelwa. Lapho ekugcineni befika eSpain ngo-September 6, 1522—okuyiminyaka emithathu kusukela bahamba—kwakusinde amadoda azacile angu-18 kuphela. Noma kunjalo, ayengabazungezi bomhlaba bokuqala abangenakuphikiswa. Futhi uDe Elcano uyiqhawe. Ngokumangalisayo, amathani angu-26 ezinongo e-Victoria akhokhela zonke izindleko zalolu hambo!

Igama LikaMagellan Lima Njalo

Sekuphele iminyaka uMagellan enganikezwa udumo olumfanele emlandweni. Bethonywe imibiko yokaputeni abangamambuka, abantu baseSpain bayalingcolisa igama lakhe, bethi wayenokhahlo futhi ehlulwa umsebenzi. AmaPutukezi ambiza ngomkhapheli. Ngokudabukisayo, incwadi yakhe ayegcina kuyo yonke imibiko yanyamalala lapho efa, mhlawumbe yadatshulwa yilabo eyayizobembula. Kodwa ngenxa kaPigafetta ongehlulwa yilutho—omunye wabazungezi bomhlaba abangu-18—cishe namanye amalungu ohambo amahlanu, okungenani sinokulandisa okuthile ngalenhlekelele, nakuba kwakuwuhambo olungavamile.

Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, izazi-mlando zabuye zawubukeza kabusha umbono wazo, futhi namuhla uMagellan unikezwa udumo olumfanele. Kunensungubezi enegama lakhe, njengoba kunjalo ngeMagellanic Clouds—imithala emibili elufifi eyachazwa amatilosi akhe—nesipopolo sasemkhathini iMagellan. Futhi, ngokuqinisekile, igama lolwandle olukhulu ukuzedlula zonke—iPacific—salithola ngenxa kaMagellan.

Ngokuqinisekile, “alukho uhambo lomuntu olunokubaluleka okunjalo olwaluyothathwa kuze kube yilapho u-Apollo 11 ehlala eNyangeni eminyakeni engu-447 kamuva,” kuloba uRichard Humble, kwethi The Voyage of Magellan. Kungani lolu hambo lwalubaluleke kangaka? Okokuqala, lwafakazela ukuthi amazwe aseMelika ayengeyona ingxenye ye-Asia futhi engasondelene nayo, njengoba uColumbus ayecabanga kanjalo. Okwesibili, ekupheleni kohambo, umehluko wosuku olulodwa waveza isidingo sokumisa izinsuku zomhlaba wonke. Futhi, ekugcineni, njengoba umlobi wesayensi u-Isaac Asimov asho, lubonisa ukuthi umhlaba uyimbulunga. Yebo, ngokuqondene nalokhu, uMagellan wabonisa ngendlela engokoqobo lokho iBhayibheli ngokwalo ebelilokhu likusho eminyakeni engu-2250. (Isaya 40:22; qhathanisa noJobe 26:7.) Akungatshazwa ukuthi lendoda ekholwayo eyasivula amehlo ngomhlaba yayiyojabula ngalokho.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

[Ibhokisi ekhasini 14]

Isivumelwano SaseTordesillas

Njengoba umhlaba wawuvuleka phambi kwawo, izwe lasePortugal nelaseSpain enza isivumelwano sokuhwebelana namalungelo obubusi emazweni amasha. Ngakho, ngaphansi kokuqondisa kukaPapa u-Alexander VI noJulius II, kwadwetshwa umngcele ezweni namuhla eselaziwa ngeBrazil. Amazwe ayeyotholakala ewela empumalanga yalomngcele kwakuzoba awePortugal; asele, kube awaseSpain. Ngobuwula uMagellan wasikisela enkosini yamaPutukezi uManuel ukuthi lapho lomngcele udwetshwa kusuka emkhawulweni womhlaba kuya ngakolunye uhlangothi lwembulunga, iSpice Islands yayingase iwele engxenyeni yeSpain. Lokhu kuphawula okuqotho, okwakusekelwe emqondweni ovamile woLwandle LwasePacific oluncane, wabangela ukuba aphikiswe kanzima. Ngokumangalisayo, uMagellan ngokwakhe waziveza njengonephutha. Noma kunjalo, inkolelo yakhe yamnikeza isizathu esengeziwe sokufuna ukuxhaswa yinkosi yaseSpain.

[Ibhokisi/Isithombe ekhasini 15]

Usizi Lwetilosi Losuku Lokuqala

Ikakhulukazi ohambweni olude ngomkhumbi lokuhlola amazwe—olwaluthatha iminyaka—ukuphila kwakungelula kumatilosi aphansi. Nazi izibonelo zalokho amatilosi ayebhekana nakho:

• Izindawo zokulala ezidabukisayo nongakwazi ukuba ube wedwa kuzo

• Ukujeziswa okunesihluku, kuye ngendlela ukaputeni acabanga ngayo ngaleso sikhathi

• Utwayi nokufa ngenxa yokuntuleka kuka-vithamini C

• Ukufa ngenxa yokuphuka komkhumbi, indlala, ukoma, ukungavikeleki, abantu bendawo

• Isifo sohudo noma isifo samathumbu ngenxa yokuphuza amanzi asemadala futhi onakele

• Ukudla okunoshevu ovela ekudleni okubolile, nokonakele

• Imfiva ye-rat-bite, etholakala emazinyweni amagundane alambile

• Isifo sezintwala, esivela ezintwaleni ezi-gcwele emizimbeni nasezingutsheni ezi-ngcolile

• Ezimweni eziningi, cishe kwakunamathuba alinganayo okubuyela ekhaya uphila noma okungabuyeli

[Umthombo]

Century Magazine

[Ibalazwe/Izithombe ekhasini 16, 17]

Uhambo LukaMagellan Ngomkhumbi, 1519-22

⇦••• Umzila □ Ukusuka ekuqaleni kuya ekugcineni

I-Strait of Magellan

UMagellan wabulawelwa ePhilippines

Uhambo lokugcina olwathathwa u-Juan Sebastián de Elcano

[Umthombo]

Magellan: Giraudon/Art Resource, NY; world map: Mountain High Maps® Copyright © 1995 Digital Wisdom, Inc.; astrolabe: Courtesy of Adler Planetarium

[Isithombe ekhasini 16]

UFerdinand Magellan

[Isithombe ekhasini 16]

“I-Victoria,” umkhumbi wokuqala ukuzungeza imbulunga. Emikhunjini yakhe eyisihlanu, yayingeyesine ngobukhulu futhi ithwala amadoda angu-45. Lomkhumbi wawungamamitha angu 21 ubude

[Isithombe ekhasini 17]

Amathuluzi okuhamba ngomkhumbi: Ingilazi yokulinganisa isikhathi, kuyilapho i-“astrolabe” iveza ubude bebanga ohlangothini ngalunye lomkhumbi