8. That way, he considered, lay across the Pacific, and around the Cape of Good Hope. But before starting on his journey across the fifteen thousand miles of unknown water that lay between him and the Cape, it was necessary to repair his ship and scour her keel; for before the days of copper sheathing, the ships' bottoms grew foul with sea-weed, barnacles formed in clusters, and the sea-worms bored holes in the planking. Finding a suitable harbour Drake beached his ship, and setting up forge and workshop, refitted her, with a month's labour, from stem to stern.
9. After passing across the chartless waters of the Pacific, they arrived at the end of three months at the Moluccas, or Spice Islands. The ship was again beached, scraped, and patched. The crew found refreshment in the fruits and turtles that abounded, and great delight in the countless fire-flies that lit up the tropical forests at night. At the end of their stay, the fifty-six men who survived were all as sound and hearty as the day they left England.
10. On putting to sea again, and while threading their unknown way between the numerous islands they chanced to strike on a sand-bank. All seemed lost. The crew were mustered, and to every man the chaplain administered the Sacrament. The captain then cheerily called to his men to hearten up, and having done the best they could for their souls to have a thought for their bodies. All their efforts to get the ship off failed, but the wind happily changing, "we hoisted our sails and were lifted off into the sea again, for which we gave God thanks." Without further adventures, the Pelican sailed in triumph into Plymouth harbour in October, 1580, after an absence of three years, and after completing the circuit of the globe.
(10) "SINGEING THE KING OF SPAIN'S BEARD."
1. Drake had safely returned from his voyage round the world, but how would his royal mistress receive him? He knew that the queen secretly approved of all that he had done, but would she sacrifice him in order to keep at peace with Spain? At length a message came from Elizabeth, summoning him to London, and assuring him of her protection. With a lightened heart Drake set out for London, taking with him all his most precious jewels as a present for the queen. She received him graciously, accepted his magnificent present, and made no secret of her royal favour.
2. Elizabeth ordered the Golden Hind, as Drake's ship was now called, to be anchored off Greenwich for all the world to see. And in honour of her great mariner, she went in state to dine on board his ship, wearing in her crown the rich jewels he had given her. Here in the presence of a vast concourse of people she gave open defiance to King Philip of Spain. He had demanded Drake's head. Making the culprit kneel before her, she took a sword as if to strike it off, and giving him a gentle stroke bade him rise Sir Francis Drake. And instead of restoring the plunder to the king, she ordered it into safe keeping in the Tower. Such was the response Elizabeth made, having at last thrown off all disguise, to the King of Spain's demand.
3. The Spanish ambassador thus writes to his sovereign respecting an interview he had now with the queen: "I complained that I had been able to obtain no redress, either from her Council or herself, for any wrong that had been done. 'Your Majesty, I said, 'will not hear words, so we must come to the cannon, and see if you will hear them.' Quietly, in her most natural voice, she replied, that if I used threats of that kind she would fling me into a dungeon."
4. It was now quite plain that the queen thought war with Spain inevitable. But strange to say open war did not break out till four years later, although the two peoples wanted but a word from their sovereigns to fly like bull-dogs at each other's throats. That word Philip was in no haste to speak. He was content to nurse his wrath and meditate revenge. He had but recently annexed Portugal, and was fully occupied in securing his new dominions. The possession of Lisbon gave Philip one of the finest and most powerfully-defended seaports in the world. Lisbon was also most conveniently placed for the head-quarters of the Spanish fleet in the event of war with England.
5. Philip began the war by the seizure of every English ship in his ports (1585). Sir Francis Drake was ordered to repair to the various ports and demand the release of the arrested ships. On hearing that the famous "corsair" was on the coast, all Spain became alarmed. Drake did not linger long on the coast of Spain. He suddenly disappeared, no one knew whither. When next heard of, he was on the other side of the Atlantic, playing great havoc among the Spanish towns of the Indies. This was easily done, for his name had become a terror and bore victory before it. "The daring of the attempt," wrote the king, "was even greater than the damage done."
6. The chief result of Drake's achievements was to set the world talking of the great Sea Power that England bade fair to become. It is very difficult for us now-a-days—when little England has grown into a mighty empire, and great Spain has dwindled to her natural size—to realise the wonder which opened men's eyes, at the daring exploits of the English navy. The blows dealt by Drake aroused the indignation of Spain. The English, said Philip, were running up a long score which he would call upon them to pay to the uttermost farthing. But he was in no hurry to present his bill. He was determined to make such preparations for the invasion of England as to insure success.