ay at the Spanish galleons with all
their might and main. No sooner had he mounted the poop, than he saw,
with anger, that two vessels of his own squadron had forced themselves
into a position in front of his own; for their commanders wanted to
win first honors in this battle at sea.

Raleigh, himself, wished to have the honor, just like other sea
captains in later battles. But,--that's another story.

So, the gallant seaman ran the _Water Sprite_ between the two other
ships and took up his position as leader. Sir Francis Vere of the
_Rainbow_ was resolved to keep in front as well as Raleigh.

As the _Water Sprite_ passed him he slyly cast a rope to a sailor, who
tied it to her stern, and his own vessel thus kept abreast of the
lumbering galley of his chief. "But," writes Sir Walter, "some of my
company advising me thereof, I caused the rope to be cast off, and so
Vere fell back in his place, where I guarded him--all but his very
prow--from the sight of the enemy. I was very sure that none would
outstart me again for that day."

The guns of the fort appeared to be silent and the big galleons lay
apparently helpless in the face of the valiant enemy. Raleigh moved
on, but, as he was about to clutch his splendid prize, it escaped him,
for the Spaniards--finding that they would be captured--made haste to
run the _Saint Philip_, and several of her sister ships, aground on
the sand.

"Blow them up!" came the order.

The Spanish sailors and soldiers came tumbling out of the ships into
the sea in heaps--"as thick as if coals had been poured out of a sack
into many pots at once." Then a terrific roar boomed forth. The air
was filled with flying splinters, canvas, iron, and lead. The portions
of the galleons were now floating upon the waves and the water was
alive with the struggling bodies of the Spaniards as they desperately
endeavored to save themselves.

The spectacle was lamentable. Many drowned themselves. Many, half
burned, leaped into the water; while others hung by the ropes' ends;
by the ships' sides; under the sea, even to their lips. "If any man
had a desire to see Hell, itself," wrote Sir Walter, "it was there
most lively figured!"

Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah!

The English sailors were cheering, for victory was theirs, and of all
the gallant warriors of that day, Raleigh had been the most
persistently daring and heroic.

"The _Saint Andrew_'s still afloat, good Sire!" cried one of his
sailors at this moment