The Golden Hind chases the Cacafuego—Pursued by the Spaniards—Captures several vessels—The Line crossed—When off Cape Francisco a sail seen ahead—The Cacafuego heaves to—Is captured and plundered—Dismissed with a letter from Drake—The Hind puts into Cano—Other prizes taken—Sails for Guatuico—A council interrupted, and judge and prisoners carried off—Booty obtained—The pilot Da Silva and all prisoners set at liberty—The Hind sails northward—Bitter cold—Driven to the southward—Puts into the bay of San Francisco—A fort built—Natives appear—Friendly behaviour—Strange ceremonies—Visit from the King, who makes his country over to her Majesty—Drake horrified at the attempt of the natives to worship him—They at length take their departure—Drake’s excursion into the country—Sees deer—Coneys—Native huts—Preparations for departure—Grief of the natives—The Golden Hind sails away—The country named Albion.
Onward pressed the Golden Hind, her crew eager to overtake the richly-laden Cacafuego, or the Spitfire, as we will translate her name. Drake considered that she was likely to touch at other ports to take in more cargo, and, trusting to that circumstance and to her being occasionally becalmed, he confidently hoped to overtake her before she could reach Panama and land her cargo.
The sharpest of look-outs was kept ahead, and the seamen were constantly in the fore-top straining their eyes in expectation of catching sight of her white canvas. Every port was narrowly scanned on the chance of her having put in there. When the wind fell, the crew eagerly leapt into the boats to pull ahead. When there was a breeze every inch of canvas the ship could carry was spread to urge her along. The chase would prove a rich prize, for her cargo was worth many times more than that of all the vessels they had hitherto captured.
Drake was not aware all this time that he had enemies following astern, resolved to sink the Golden Hind, and hang the bold rover captain and every one of his pirate crew, for such they considered them, or, should they escape, purposing to lie in wait for them as they should attempt to pass again to the eastward through the Straits of Magellan.
A favouring breeze filling her sails, the Golden Hind pressed on. The ports of Paita, Saint Helena, and Guayaquil were successively passed; but, on the principle that a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush, they hove to some time after leaving Callao to capture a ship they sighted on their way, the one which had before escaped.
Another they took in the port of Paita, partly laden with wine, and a third, laden with ships’ stores, besides eighty pounds weight in gold. They made quick work of it, however, for they had just heard that a vastly superior force was on the look-out for them.
When near the Line they captured another vessel, belonging to Gabriel Alvarez. From him, as well as from the prisoners taken in the other ships, the information they had before received was confirmed, that the Cacafuego was but a short distance ahead of them. Their hopes, therefore, rose higher than ever. Drake, who was not less eager than his men to capture the rich argosy, to sharpen their eyesight promised to the first that should discover her the gold chain he wore round his neck.
It was the ist of March. The Line was passed. Far off, on the starboard bow, the lofty headland of Cape Francisco was seen, though dim and indistinct. All day long the seamen, with eager eyes, had been looking out ahead and on either side, hoping to espy the tiny speck of white just above the horizon. The day was clear, the sun shone brightly down from an unclouded sky, and the Golden Hind in hot haste sped on, her canvas spread wide on either side to catch the breeze. Midday was passed. In spite of the heat every one was on deck, the eyes of most of the ship’s company, whether there or aloft, looking in the direction they were going.
Presently a shout rose from the summit of the highest mast, to which John Drake, a seaman, had climbed—
“A sail, a sail! right ahead!”