In This Expedition He Acquired Immense Riches For His Owners, And
Considerable Wealth For Himself; And Being Of An Honourable And Generous
Disposition, He Scorned To Avail Himself Of Advantages, Which Most Other
Men Would Have Considered As Their Right.
Of this we have the following
remarkable instance.
Having presented a cutlass to a captain or cacique
of the free Indians inhabiting the isthmus of Darien, the cacique gave
him in return four large ingots of gold, which he immediately threw into
the common stock, saying, "My owners gave me that cutlass, and it is
just they should receive their share of its produce." His return to
England from this successful expedition was equally fortunate, as he
sailed in twenty-three days from Cape Florida to the Scilly islands.
Arriving at Plymouth on Sunday, the 9th August, 1573, during divine
service, the news of his return was carried to church, on which few
persons remained with the preacher, all the congregation running out to
welcome the adventurous Drake, who had been absent fourteen months and
sixteen days in this voyage.
The wealth he gained in this expedition he generously expended in the
service of his country, equipping no less than three frigates at his own
expence, which he commanded in person, and with which he contributed
materially to the reduction of the rebellion in Ireland, under the
supreme command of the earl of Essex. After the death of that nobleman,
he chose Sir Christopher Hatton for his patron, then vice-chamberlain to
the queen, and afterwards lord high-chancellor of England.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 45 of 825
Words from 12002 to 12262
of 224764
