CIRCUMNAVIGATION OF THE WORLD. Although the efforts to find a route to the Indies had already led to the great voyages of Columbus, the Cabots, Bartholomew Diaz and Vasco da Gama, to Ferdinand Magellan was due the honour of having first sailed round the world (1519-22), although he him self died on the way. The first British circumnavigator was Sir Francis Drake (1577-8o), who was followed by others, English, French and Dutch in the next two centuries, until the celebrated three voyages of Captain James Cook in 1768-7o, 79, practically completed the discovery of the main outlines of the known world. (See individual biographies and the articles