Chapter Sixteen.
Voyage of Sir Francis Drake, continued—A.D. 1578.
Squadron at Port Saint Julien—Attacked by the natives—Captain Winter, and Oliver the gunner, killed—Doughty’s conspiracy—Trial—Execution—Squadron sails—Enters the Straits of Magellan—Name of the Dolphin changed to the Golden Hind—Passage through the Straits—Elizabeth Island—Meets natives—Enters the Southern Ocean—Ships driven before a northerly gale—The Marigold lost sight of—After a month’s buffeting, the two ships gain a harbour—The Hind again driven to sea—The Elizabeth deserts her—A pinnace lately set up remains, but is finally lost—The Hind alone regains a harbour—Sails north—Calls off Mucho Island—Boat treacherously attacked by natives—Drake wounded—Refuses to retaliate—Reaches the mainland—Search for provisions—Meets an Indian—Treats him kindly—His friends bring off provisions—He pilots the Hind to Valparaiso—Capture of a richly-laden vessel, and sack of the town—Sail northward—Put into a bay—Boat’s crew attacked by Spaniards—Minjoy killed—The pinnace set up—Drake sails in her—Driven back by foul winds—Booty obtained from an Indian asleep and from a train of llamas—Indians come off on balsas—Two Spaniards, through fear, bring off provisions—Llamas described—Vessels at Arica and Arequipa plundered—A vessel laden with linen captured—Callao reached—Drake hears of the Cacafuego—Plunders several vessels—Sails in pursuit of the Cacafuego—Pursued.
The squadron came to an anchor in Port Saint Julien on the 20th of June, and, having arranged various matters, the next day but one the Admiral, accompanied by his brother, John Thomas, Robert Winter, Oliver the master gunner, John Brewer, and Thomas Hood, rowed up along the shore in search of a good place for watering.
Not far off on the shore was seen the remains of a gibbet, supposed to be that set up by Magalhaens for the execution of one of his rebellious captains. On landing, two huge natives, called by that navigator Patagons, came down and appeared to be friendly, being ready to receive whatever was offered to them. They took especial pleasure at seeing Mr Oliver, the master gunner, shoot with his bow, till they were joined by an ill-tempered-looking savage, who tried to draw them away. At this juncture a number more of big fellows, armed with bows, who had hitherto been concealed, crept up towards the English. While Mr Winter was also shooting with his bow, thinking to amuse them as Mr Oliver had done, the string broke. Not liking their gestures, the Admiral ordered his party to retreat, covering themselves with their targets, and remembering, probably, how Magalhaens had been slain, ordering them to break all the arrows aimed at them.
While Mr Winter was trying to repair his string, an arrow shot by one of the savages pierced his lungs, but he did not fall. On this the master gunner levelled his caliver—a sort of blunderbuss—but it missed fire, and before he could shoot it off two savages, taking sure aim at him, killed him on the spot.
Many other natives had by this time made their appearance, and were coming on with threatening gestures, when the Admiral, taking the gunner’s piece, fired it at the native who had killed him, and as it had been loaded with bullets and small shot, it tore open his belly. The tremendous roars he uttered, equalling that of ten bulls together, so appalled his companions that they took to flight.
Drake, unwilling further to injure them, allowed them to escape, and had Captain Winter, to whom he was greatly attached, conveyed down to the boat, leaving the body of the gunner behind. Mr Winter, however, was too severely injured to recover, and died the following day on board his ship. That night a boat was again sent on shore with a number of men well armed. Here they discovered the body of the gunner lying where he had fallen, with his coat wrapped up to form a pillow, and an English arrow stuck in his right eye, showing, as it was conjectured, that the natives had no wish to be on hostile terms with their visitors. He and Mr Winter were buried together, close to the spot where the Spanish captain was supposed to have died.
Drake was greatly grieved at the loss of his friend Winter and his gunner, but he had a still greater anxiety on his mind from the reports he received of the conduct of one whom he had considered his friend, Mr Thomas Doughty. His conduct in appropriating the gifts made to him by the Portuguese prisoners was reprehensible, but it was now found that he was plotting a mutiny to kill the Admiral or to supersede him in the command, intending to carry off some of the squadron, and to sail on a different venture.
So strong was the evidence brought of the nefarious designs of Doughty, that the Admiral was compelled to summon together forty of the principal officers. By these, he sitting as president, Doughty was found guilty, and was condemned either to suffer death, to be left on shore among the savages, or to be sent home as a prisoner in one of the vessels, with a full statement of his trial, to be dealt with as her Majesty the Queen might think proper: the choice of which punishment he would suffer was offered him.