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ten years since these islands had been discovered by the Portuguese, who kept the discovery secret from us. He then related to us that a year, less fifteen days, had lapsed since a large ship had come hither proceeding from Ma- lacca, had gone away laden with cloves."

From this it is evident that direct trade between the Portuguese of Malacca and the Molucca islands began with the expedition sent to the group by Dalboquerque, and was carried on with more or less regularity from that time forward. It was not, however, until after the coming of the Spaniards had threatened the Portuguese monopoly of trade with the Moluccas that any portion of the group was annexed by Portugal. This was formerly done after the appointment of Lopo Vas de Sampayo to the post of Portuguese Governor of the Indies in 1526.

The enormous importance which was attached to the establishment of trade with this little archipelago by the nations of Europe is proved by the fact that, while the Portuguese kept the discovery of the Moluccas a close secret, the great voyage of Magellan had for its real and principal object, not the circumnavigation of the globe, but the opening up of a new sea-route to these precious islands. Pigafetta tells us that Francisco Serrano was a personal friend of Magellan, and that he had been instru- mental in instigating him to attempt a voyage to the Moluccas viâ the western route. It was because Magel- lan was himself a Portuguese who, having served in the East, was in the possession of what we should call "trade secrets,"—among the most prized of which was a knowl- edge of the exact locality of the Moluccas—that his tak-