"That They Had All Resolved To Have Died Fighting, If They Had
Not Fallen Into His Hands, Whose Valour And
Fortune were so great, that
Mars and Neptune seemed to aid him in all his enterprises." To requite
these Spanish
Compliments with solid English kindness, Sir Francis
lodged Don Valdez in his own cabin, and entertained him at his table.
Drake's crew were recompensed by the plunder of the Spanish ship, in
which were found 55,000 ducats in gold, which they joyfully shared. Sir
Francis performed many other signal services on this memorable occasion
against the Armada, and particularly distinguished himself by advising
the employment of fire-ships, which some have alleged he then invented.
He was next year admiral of a great fleet, sent to Portugal for the
purpose of restoring Don Antonio to the throne of that kingdom. This
expedition, though it did not succeed in its grand object, occasioned
considerable damage to Spain, on which it retorted the compliment of an
invasion, and by which it was rendered unable to repeat another attempt
of the same nature. On the whole, therefore, Sir Francis spoiled no less
than three Spanish invasions. In 1595, he went upon another conjunct
expedition against the Spanish West Indies, in which he performed signal
services; but aiming at still greater, and being unsuccessful, he died
in the harbour of Porto Bello, on the 28th of January, 1596, as is said,
of a broken heart, occasioned by his disappointment. His body, being put
into a leaden coffin, was committed to the deep, under a general
discharge of all the artillery of the fleet. In his person, though of
low stature, Sir Francis Drake was well made, with a fresh and fair
complexion, having large lively eyes, light-brown hair, and an open
cheerful countenance. He was naturally eloquent, gracefully expressing
what he clearly conceived. He was thoroughly versant, not only in the
practical part of his profession, but in all the sciences connected with
it, being able to discharge all the offices necessary in a ship as
occasion required, even that of the surgeon. In his conduct as a naval
commander he was skilful and valiant, just to his owners, kind to his
seamen, loyal to his sovereign, and merciful to his enemies after
victory. His many glorious exploits justly entitle him to high fame; and
he died, at fifty-five, in the ardent pursuit of glory, in the cause of
his queen and country.
* * * * *
The fame of this Voyage round the World, with the wealth brought home by
Sir Francis Drake, and the desire of rivalling him in riches and
reputation, inspired numbers of young men of all ranks with the
inclination of trying their fortunes at sea. Men of rank and fortune
fitted out ships at their own expence, manning them with their
dependants. Others, in lower situations, hazarded their persons as
subaltern officers in these ships, or in men-of-war belonging to the
queen. This spirit grew to such a height, that honest John Stowe informs
us that there were many youths, from eighteen to twenty years of age,
towards the close of Queen Elizabeth's reign, who were capable of taking
charge of any ship, and navigating to most parts of the world.
So alarmed were the Spaniards by the courage and conduct of Sir Francis,
and his maritime skill, that they ordered that no draughts or discourses
should be published of their discoveries in America, lest they might
fall into his hands. What most surprised them was, that he should find
his way so easily through the Straits of Magellan, which they had
hitherto been unable to perform. They therefore resolved immediately to
have these straits completely explored and discovered, by means of ships
fitted out in Peru. For this purpose, Don Pedro Sarmiento, who was
thought the best seaman in the Spanish service, was sent from Lima, and
actually passed from the South Sea into the Atlantic, and thence to
Spain. He there proposed to plant a colony in the straits, and to
fortify them in such a manner as might prevent all other nations from
passing through them. This project was so well relished by Philip II
that a fleet of twenty-three ships was fitted out, with 3,500 men, under
the command of Don Diego Floris de Valdez; and Sarmiento, with 500
veterans, was appointed to form a settlement in the straits.
This fleet was extremely unfortunate, insomuch that it was between two
and three years before Sarmiento arrived with his people in the straits
of Magellan. On the north side, and near the eastern entrance, he built
a town and fort, which he named Nombre de Jesus, and in which he left a
garrison of 150 men. Fifteen leagues farther on, at the narrowest part
of the straits, and in lat. 53 deg. 18' S.[39] he established his principal
settlement, which he named Ciudad del Rey Felippe, or the City of King
Philip. This was a regularly fortified square fortress, having four
bastions; and is said to have been in all respects one of the
best-contrived settlements ever made by the Spaniards in America. At
this place Sarmiento left a garrison of 400 men and thirty women, with
provisions for eight months, and then returned into the Atlantic. These
transactions took place in the years 1584, 5, and 6. Sarmiento, after
several fruitless attempts to succour and relieve his colony, was taken
by an English vessel, and sent prisoner to London.
[Footnote 39: The Narrows of the Hope are eighteen leagues of Castile,
or about forty-eight English miles from Cape Virgin, the northern cape
at the eastern mouth of the straits, in lat. 52 deg. 5' S. long. 69 deg. W. from
Greenwich. - E.]
The Spanish garrison, having consumed all their provisions, died mostly
of hunger, perhaps aided by the scurvy, in their new city. Twenty-three
men quitted it, endeavouring to find their way by land to the Spanish
settlements, but are supposed to have all perished by the way, as they
were never more heard of.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 22 of 221
Words from 21389 to 22406
of 224764
