In 1598, I joined my uncle for my first real voyage. Together, we sailed to Spain on the Saint Julien. Spain had more sailors and ships than any other country. My uncle was hired by the Spanish government to be the pilot general of the fleet. He had to guide the Spanish soldiers, that had been in France, back to their homeland. This was a really important moment for me because I was given the chance to take command of the ship and show I was a good leader. I also learned how to speak Spanish to the sailors. Near the end of 1598, I was offered a permanent position on the Saint Julien as either as commander or navigator. I would travel to New Spain and the West Indies to take goods to the colonies and bring back New World goods to Spain. In January of 1599, I went on my first transatlantic journey.
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