Magellan's expedition. Engraving of the discovery of the Strait of Magellan by Ferdinand Magellan in 1520 during his pioneering voyage around the world. Magellan (1480-1521), a Portuguese navigator, can be seen standing in the small boat at lower left. The strait is a channel of water between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, separating the southern tip of the South American mainland and the island of Tierra del Fuego. Magellan's expedition was intended to find a route that went west from Europe to South-East Asia. It was the first voyage to circumnavigate the world, though Magellan died during the journey. Image taken from an 1873 book.