Map & Territory
The Constant: A History of Getting Things Wrong
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The Adventures of Pedro Sarmiento De Gamboa
Pedro Sarmiento de Gamboa began exploring in 1555, when he was 23 years old. He joined the Royal Navy when he was 18 before leaving for Mexico, then called New Spain. His mother was Basque, which the Inquisition figured meant he was a secret witch and maybe a secret Jew. When he proved this all at trial, his reputation went from secret witch to steamed sailor and navigator. In 1578, he was named an admiral and given command of the Pacific against Francis Drake.
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