the mouth of the Strait of Magellan was reached. At the entrance, Drake,
as another chronicler recorded, caused the fleet, in homage to the queen
of England, to “strike their topsails upon the bunt as a token of his
willing and glad mind to shew his dutiful obedience to her highness,
whom he acknowledged to have full interest and right” in his
discoveries; and he formally changed the name of his own ship from the
“Pelican” to the “Golden Hind,” in remembrance of his “honourable friend
and favourer,” Sir Christopher Hatton, whose crest bore this design.
Then the chaplain delivered a sermon and the ceremonies closed.
The passage of the strait was successfully made in the remarkable time
of sixteen days, and on the sixth of September the little fleet emerged
in the sea of their desire on the “backside” of America.
Instead, however, of the tranquil ocean that Magelhaens had named the
Pacific, because of its serenity when he first saw it, they encountered
a rough and turbulent water; and no sooner had they cleared the strait
than a great storm arose by which they were driven some two hundred
leagues westward, and separated. The “Golden Hind” was struggling
against the almost continuous tempest for full fifty-three days. From
the west she was carried south as far as fifty-seven degrees, and Drake
was enabled to see the union of the Atlantic and the Pacific, and by
chance to discover Cape Horn. He sighted numerous islands, and gave the
name of the “Elizabethides” to the whole group of Tierra del Fuego.
While beating about west and south the fleet came together again, but
only soon to be parted forever. In the middle of September a harbour was
temporarily made in a bay which Drake called the “Bay of Severing
Friends.” Working northward again they stood in a bay near the strait.
The next day the cable of the “Golden Hind” parted and she drove out to
sea. Thus she lost sight of the “Elizabeth,” and never saw her more. It
was supposed that she had been put by the storm into the strait again,
and that she would ultimately be met somewhere above. The first part of
this supposition was correct. She had recovered the strait. But instead
of returning to the Pacific course Captain Winter made the passage back
to the Atlantic, and so continued his voyage homeward, reaching England
on the first of November. Captain Winter prepared an account of his
companionship with Drake from the start, and of his experiences after
parting with him, which Hakluyt reproduced. On the second of October the
“Marigold,” in trying to regain lost ground, fell away from the “Golden
Hind” and afterward (though Drake was not aware of her fate) foundered
with all on board.
Now the “Golden Hind” was left alone with a single pinnace. Subsequently
the pinnace with eight men in her separated from him and was seen no
more. Her crew, as was some years after related by the single survivor,
had marvellous adventures, which included the return passage through the
strait; a voyage to the River La Plata; fights with Indians in woods on
the shore; escape of those left alive to a lone island, where the
pinnace was dashed to pieces on the rocks; two months on this island by
the survivors, now only two, who subsisted on crabs, eels, and fruits
with no water to drink; and final escape to the mainland by means of a
raft of plank, where one of the two died from over-indulgence in the
sweet water of a rivulet.
At length after her wanderings southward the “Golden Hind” with a
favourable wind got fairly off on a northwestern course. Again coming to
the height of the strait she coasted upward, Drake always hoping to meet
or hear of his missing consorts. Through the inaccuracy of his charts he
was carried more to the westward than he intended, and on the
twenty-ninth of November fell in with an island called la Mocha. Here he
came to anchor in the hope of obtaining water and fresh provisions, and
of recuperating. Taking ten of his men he rowed ashore. The inhabitants
were found to be Patagonians, who had been compelled by the “cruell and
extreme dealings of the Spaniards” to flee from the mainland and fortify
themselves on this island. They thronged down to the water side with
“shew of great courtesie,” and offered potatoes, roots, and two fat
sheep, Drake in return giving them trinkets. A supply of water was also
promised by them. But the next day when the same party rowed to the
shore and two men were put on land with barrels to be filled, the
people, mistaking these men for Spaniards, seized and slew them. Another
account says that in attempting to rescue their comrades the party were
assailed, and Drake was wounded in the face by arrows. The ship then at
once weighed anchor and got off.
Drawing toward the coast again, the next day anchor was dropped in a bay
called St. Philip. Here an Indian came out in a canoe, and taking the
“Golden Hind” to be Spanish, told of a great Spanish ship at a place
called “S. Iogo” (Valparaiso), laden from Peru. For this exhilarating
news Drake rewarded the canoeist with divers trifles, and under his
pilotage straightway put off for Valparaiso to seize the prize if there.
True enough, she was found in that harbour riding quietly at anchor,
with only eight Spaniards and three Negroes on board. They also
supposing the new comer to be Spanish, welcomed her with beat of drum
and made ready a “Bottija [a Spanish pot] of wine of Chili to drink” to
her men. So soon, however, as the craft was come up to, one of Drake’s
impatient men began to lay about him, and striking one of the Spaniards
cried “Abaxo Perro, that is in English Goe downe dogge!” This, in modern
parlance, gave the “Golden Hind” away. But not a moment was lost in
parley. “To be short,” says the chronicler, “wee stowed them away under
hatches all save one Spaniard, who suddenly and desperately leapt over
board into the sea, and swamme ashore to the towne ... to give them
warning of our arrival.” There were then in Valparaiso “not above nine
households,” and it was instantly abandoned. Drake proceeded to rifle
the place. A lot of Chili wine was taken from a warehouse, and from a
chapel a silver chalice, two cruets, and an altar cloth were carried
off. All of the pious spoil was generously given by Drake to his
chaplain, Master Fletcher. This business done, all of the prisoners were
freed with one exception, John Griego, a Greek, whom Drake held to serve
him as pilot to the haven of Lima, and the “Golden Hind” set sail again
with the Spanish prize in tow. She was rifled leisurely when at sea, and
produced “good store of the wine of Chili, 25,000 pezoes of very pure
and fine gold of Baldivia, amounting in value to 37,000 ducats of
Spanish money or above.” This was reckoned a pretty fine haul for the
first one on the Pacific coast, but greater were to follow.
The voyagers still kept in with the coast and next arrived at “a place
called Coquinobo” (perhaps Copiapo). Here Drake sent fourteen of his men
to land for fresh water. They were espied and a body of horsemen and
footmen dashed upon and killed one of them. Then the attacking force
quickly disappeared. The Englishmen went ashore again and buried their
comrade. Meanwhile the Spaniards reappeared with a flag of truce. But
they were not trusted, and as soon as his men had returned Drake again
put to sea. He now had a new pinnace, having at this place set up
another of the three brought out ready framed. The next place at which a
landing was made was Tarapaca. On the shore a Spaniard was found lying
asleep with thirteen bars of silver beside him. Drake’s party took the
silver and left the man. Not far from this place a boat’s load going
ashore for water met a Spaniard with an Indian boy driving eight
“llamas,” sheep of Peru, as “big as asses,” each carrying on its back
two leather bags, together containing one hundred pounds’ weight of
silver. They took the sheep with their burdens, and let the man and boy
go. Still coasting along the buccaneering voyagers came next to the port
of Arica. In this haven lay three barks well freighted with silver. They
were instantly boarded and relieved of their cargoes. From one alone
were taken fifty-seven wedges of silver, each of “the bigness of a
brickbat,” and of about twenty pounds’ weight. They were unprotected,
their crews having fled to the town at the approach of the Englishmen.
Drake would have ransacked the town had his company been larger. As it
was, the spoil of the barks so easily taken contented him. Now he was
bound for Lima. Along the way he fell in with a bark which, being
boarded and rifled, produced a good store of linen cloth. When as much
of this stuff as was desired had been taken the bark was cast off.
Callao, the port of Lima, was reached on the thirteenth of February, and
entered without resistance. A dozen or more ships were met in this
haven, lying at anchor, all without their sails, these having been taken
ashore, for the masters and merchants here felt perfectly secure, never
having been assaulted by enemies and fearing the approach of none such
as Drake’s company were. All were held up and rifled. In one were found
fifteen hundred bars of silver; in another a chest of coined money, and
stocks of silks and linen cloth. Drake questioned the crews as to any
knowledge they might have of his lost consorts, for which he had kept up
a continual lookout; but he could learn nothing from them. He learned
something else, however, which hastened his departure. This was that a
very rich Spanish ship, laden with treasure, had sailed out of this port
just before his arrival, bound for Panama. She was the “glory of the
South Sea,” named the “Cacafuego,” in English equivalent the “Spitfire.”
Drake was soon in full chase of her, and to prevent himself being
followed from Callao he cut all the cables of the twelve ships, letting
them drive as they would, to sea or ashore.
[Illustration: DRAKE OVERHAULING A SPANISH GALLEON.]
On this run he paused long enough to overhaul and loot a brigantine,
taking out of her eighty pounds’ weight of gold, a gold crucifix studded
with emeralds, and some cordage which would come in handy on his ship.
Drake promised his men that whichever should first sight the “Cacafuego”
should be rewarded with the gold chain he wore. It fortuned that his
brother John, “going up into the top,” spied her at three o’clock one
afternoon, and so won the chain. By six she was reached and ordered to
stand. Three pieces of ordnance were shot off at her and struck down her
mizzen. She was then boarded and easily possessed. Her treasure
comprised jewels, precious stones, eighty pounds of gold, and twenty-six
tons of silver. Among some plate were two gilded silver bowls which
belonged to her pilot, Francisco by name. These particularly took
Drake’s fancy. So with suavity he observed to their owner, “Senor Pilot,
you have here two silver cups, but I must have one of them.” The “Senor
Pilot” responded as affably, and, “because he could not otherwise
chuse,” handed over one to the general and bestowed the other upon the
steward of the “Golden Hind.” As he departed his boy, a lad with a
clever wit, spoke up to Drake, "Captain, our ship shall be called no
more the ‘Cacafuego’ but the ‘Cacaplata,’ and your ship shall be called
the ‘Cacafuego.’" “Which prettie speech of the Pilot’s boy,” the
chronicler records, “ministered matter of laughter to us, both then and
long after.”
The point where this prize was taken is given as some one hundred and
fifty leagues below Panama. She was sailed out into the sea beyond the
sight of land, and there rifled. When this was done Drake cast her off
and continued on his course up the coast, standing out to the westward
to avoid Panama, where he was too well known. On an early April day,
another fine ship was met with. She was taken without resistance. She
was a merchant ship from Acapulco, in Mexico, rich laden with linen
cloth, China silks, and porcelain ware. Her owner was on board, a
Spanish gentleman, Don Francisco de Carate. Drake treated him with great
courtesy, and evidently won his admiration, for we read that he gave his
captor a handsomely wrought falcon of gold with a great emerald set in
the breast. Drake in return gave him a hanger and silver brazier. He
released the merchant after three days when, having finished his
business with the captured ship, he suffered her to continue on her
voyage. The pilot, however, was retained for his service. Afterward
Carate gave a careful account of his experience with Drake in a letter
to the viceroy of New Spain, and to this letter we are indebted for an
engaging description of Drake’s outfit, his characteristics, and his
person.
This intelligent and gracious witness pictures the general as “about
thirty-five, of small size, and reddish beard,” and characterises him as
“one of the greatest sailors that exist both for his skill and for his
power of commanding.” His men were “all in the prime of life and as well
trained for war as if they were old soldiers of Italy.” He treated them
“with affection, and they him with respect.” Among them were “nine or
ten gentlemen, younger sons of leading men in England,” who formed his
council. But he was not bound by their advice, though he might be guided
by it. These young gentlemen all dined with him at his table. The
service was of silver “richly gilt and engraved with his arms.” He dined
and supped to the music of violins. He had “all possible luxuries, even
to perfumes.” He had two draughtsmen, who portrayed the coast “in its
own colours.” His ship carried thirty large guns, and a great quantity
of ammunition, as well as artificers who could execute necessary
repairs.
Carate’s retained pilot directed Drake up to and along the coast of
North America, and about the middle of April had brought him to the
Mexican haven of “Guatulco” (Acapulco). He landed with a few of his men
and went presently to the town, where, in the Town-House, a trial of
three Negroes charged with conspiring to burn the place was proceeding.
Judge, officers, and prisoners were all seized and brought to the ship.
The judge was required to write a letter commanding the townspeople to
“avoid” that the ship might water here. This done, and the captives
released, Drake’s men ransacked the town. In one house they found a pot
of the size of a bushel full of reals of plate. A flying Spanish
gentleman was overtaken and a gold chain and jewels were filched from
him. At this port Nuna da Silva, the Portuguese pilot retained all along
from the time of his capture in the Cape Verde Islands, was discharged
and put aboard a Spanish ship in the harbour. He subsequently made a
written report to the viceroy of New Spain, comprising a circumstantial
account of the voyage as far as he was compelled to make it. This
account passed from that official to the viceroy of the Portugal-Indies,
and some years afterward got to England, when Hakluyt published it. It
follows the narrative of the chronicler of Drake’s company in the
_Principal Navigations_, and well supplements that.
Now, at Acapulco, or at an island below this port which the chronicler
calls “Canno,” while his “Golden Hind” was undergoing a complete
refitting, Drake was pondering his future course. His ship was rich in
treasure, and his company were thinking of home. He now felt himself
“both in respect of his private injuries received from the Spaniards, as
also of the contempts and indignities offered” to his country,
“sufficiently satisfied and revenged”; and he believed that the queen
would be contented with this service. Accordingly he decided no longer
to continue on the coast of New Spain. But whither should he turn? It
was unwise to go back as he had come. It was not well to make return by
the Strait of Magellan for two reasons: “the one, lest the Spaniards
should there waite and attend for him in great number and strength whose
hands, hee being left but one ship, could not possibly escape.” And it
happened that a fleet was actually making ready for this purpose. The
other was the dangerous situation of the Pacific mouth of the strait
with “continuall stormes reigning and blustering, as he had found by
experience, besides the shoalds and sands upon the coast.” Finally,
after consultation with his “council,” he resolved to strike boldly out
into the great sea and make for the Moluccas, the Spice Islands, of the
East Indian Archipelago. He may have been influenced toward this
decision through his capture while at Canno of a prize with two pilots
and a Spanish governor on board bound for the Philippines; or by an
earlier taking from the Spaniards, according to Silva’s account, of some
charts of seas hitherto unknown to the English. At the same time it is
believed that he had serious thoughts of trying for an “upper north”
passage to the Atlantic from the “backside” of America, as Frobisher had
sought the Northwest passage from the east side three and more years
before.
The start on the western course, directly into the Pacific, was made
about the middle of April. But almost immediately, in order to get a
wind, it was necessary to steer somewhat northerly instead of due west.
And thus northward the ship continued to sail, “six hundred leagues at
the least,” for some fifty days, or till the third of June, when she had
come, as the chronicler recorded, “in 43 degrees towards the pole
Arctike.” The air had now grown so cold that the voyagers, coming from a
torrid climate, were “grievously pinched” by it. On the fifth of June,
because of the increasing cold, and of contrary winds, they thought it
best to seek the shore.
The coast they first sighted was “not mountainous but low plaine land.”
It was the lower part of the present great American state of Oregon.
Hakluyt’s chronicler made no mention of a stop here, but a later one
(Drake’s chaplain, Fletcher) told of their dropping anchor in a “bad
bay” in which there was “no abiding” for any length of time. To go
farther north, under all the circumstances, was out of the question, and
if Drake really had thought seriously of seeking a northern strait
between the oceans, that scheme was now abandoned. Again under sail,
with the wind straight from the north, they were carried southward till
they had come “within 38 degrees toward the line.” And now “it pleased
God” to send them “into a faire good Baye with a good winde to enter the
same.” This was on the coast of our present California. Here they came
comfortably to anchor, and looking about them, saw little huts close by
the waterside and strange natives pressing to the shore with welcoming
gestures.
So Drake discovered for the English the coast of Oregon and California.
He was the first European to see the coast of Oregon and to anchor on
its shores. Earlier discovery of the Californian coast was claimed for
Portuguese ships in 1520 and 1542–1543; and for the Spaniards in 1542.
The Spaniards first applied the name of California to an indefinite
territory up the coast above Mexico. Drake named the region which he
visited, “New Albion,” because of the “white bankes and cliffes” lying
toward the sea, which he saw as he approached the place of his
anchorage, and in remembrance of the ancient name of Britain. The
situation of his “faire good Baye” was a mooted question with historical
authorities till near the close of the nineteenth century. The weight of
evidence appeared to point to San Francisco Bay till the exact
identification of Point Reyes Head, a little north of San Francisco Bay,
as Drake’s landfall. This was made in full accordance with the
chroniclers’ descriptions, by Prof. George Davidson, of the United
States Coast and Geodetic Survey, who definitely fixed the disputed port
under the eastern promontory of Point Reyes Head, the haven now called
Drake’s Harbor. The “bad harbor” above, on the Oregon coast, Professor
Davidson identifies in an open roadstead off the mouth of the Chetko
River, protected in part by Cape Ferrelo.
Drake and his companions stayed in this port for thirty-six days and had
wonderful intercourse with the natives. These people greatly marvelled
at the things they brought and the presents they bestowed and thought
their visitors to be gods. The Englishmen pitched their tents and built
a temporary fort about them near the waterside at the foot of a hill,
while from its summit groups of natives gazed, wide-eyed, down upon
their work. Then followed a succession of stately ceremonies.
First, the people, assembled on the hill-top, put forth one of their
number as spokesman, who “wearied himself” with a long oration directed
at the Englishmen mustered below. This over, the men, leaving their bows
and arrows behind them, came down the hill bearing presents to the
Englishmen, feathers and bags of “tobac,” assumed to have been tobacco.
Meanwhile the women, remaining on the hill-top, “tormented themselves
lamentably, tearing their flesh from their cheekes,” which was
understood to be a sacrifice, a pagan performance that distressed the
Englishmen, who expressed their disapproval of it by gestures and
endeavoring to offset it with a service of prayer and scripture reading.
Then the presents were delivered and this ceremony ended. Next the
native king, accompanied by his chief men and a throng of his people,
formally welcomed the newcomers with a great demonstration. Of this
spectacle the chronicler furnished a minute description, warranted by
the novelty of it and the surprising climax:
"The people that inhabited round about came downe and amongst them the
King himselfe, a man of a goodly stature & comely personage, with many
other tall and warlike men: before whose comming were sent two
Ambassadors to our Generall to signifie that their King was comming, in
doing of which message their speach was continued about halfe an houre.
This ended, they by signes requested our Generall to send some thing by
their hand to their King as a token that his comming might be in peace:
wherein our Generall having satisfied them, they returned with glad
tidings to their King, who marched to us with a princely majestie, the
people crying continually after their manner, and as they drew neere
unto us, so did they strive to behave themselves in their actions with
comelinesse. In the forefront was a man of a goodly personage who bare a
scepter or mace before the King, whereupon hanged two crownes, a lesse
and a bigger, with three chaines of a marveilous length: the crownes
were made of knit worke wrought artificially with fethers of divers
colours; the chaines were made of a bonie substance, and few be the
persons among them that are admitted to weare them: and of that number
also the persons are stinted, as some ten, some twelve &c. Next unto him
which bare the scepter, was the King himselfe with his Guard about his
person, clad with Conie skins, & other skins; after them followed the
naked common sort of people, every one having his face painted, some
with white, some with blacke, and other colours, & having in their hands
one thing or another for a present, not so much as their children, but
they also brought their presents.
"In the meane time our Generall gathered his men together, and marched
within his fenced place, making against their approaching a very
warre-like shew. They being trooped together in their order, and a
generall salutation being made, there was presently a generall silence.
Then he that bare the scepter before the King being informed by another,
whom they assigned to that office, with a manly and loftie voyce
proclaymed that which the other spake to him in secrete, continuing
halfe an houre: which ended and a generall Amen as it were given, the
King with the whole number of men and women (the children excepted) came
downe without any weapon, who descending to the foote of the hill set
themselves in order. In comming towards our bulwarks and tents, the
scepter-bearer began a song, observing his measures in a daunce, and
that with a stately countenance, whom the King with his Guarde, and
every degree of persons following, did in like manner sing and daunce,
saving onely the women, who daunced and kept silence.