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captain-general of the expedition but was quite unfit for command,
as even Magellan could now see. Magellan must also have had some
concern for his family. For the first time in his life he would be de-
parting on a long and dangerous journey, leaving behind a wife and
child. Over and above all this was the anxiety about money.
The basic realities of life have changed little in five and a half
centuries. Talk to any modern pioneer venturer and he will tell you
that the toughest part of any expedition is getting it off the ground.
One reason why circumnavigators, polar explorers, Himalayan
climbers and their like are a race apart is that they possess, not only
total dedication and bottomless self-confidence, but the thick skin
acquired from selling themselves to potential backers. Whether it is
kings and courtiers or bankers and international corporations who
must be approached, the business of raising cash is never easy. That
was as true for Francis Chichester in 1966 as it was in 1518 for
Ferdinand Magellan:
. . . to raise the money we were still short of I had to approach
all the suppliers, and ask if they would contribute in return for advert-
isement. Most firms refused, but some rallied round . . . All these busi-
ness dealings not only caused me immense worry but also prevented
me from carrying out the offshore sailing and the much-needed sailing
drill which I had planned. As a result it was not till I was on the ocean
that I discovered Gipsy Moth IV's three major vices, which spoiled my
plan for the project and nearly wrecked the voyage. 4
Eventually, the great international banking house of Fugger
came to Magellan's aid, prepared to back his highly speculative ven-
ture in the hope that the immediate profits of the voyage and the
long-term income derived from trade with the Spice Islands would
handsomely repay their investment. Gradually, the leader's other
problems were sorted out. Faleiro decided to stay at home because
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