armed
force was sent ashore to raid the town, whose people fled hurriedly to the
fields when they saw the hostile strangers approaching. In the deserted
houses and the church a fair supply of gold and silver spoil was found,
and what was equally welcome, an abundant addition to their scanty store
of provisions. Greatly the richer for her raid, the "Golden Hind" set sail
again up the coast, putting the native pilot ashore at the place where he
wished to land, and enriching him in a way that drew from him eager
protestations of joy and gratitude.

Good and bad fortune attended the adventurers in this voyage up the South
American coast. One of the examples of good fortune came at a place called
Tarapaza, where a boatload of men, who had gone ashore, came upon a
Spaniard lying fast asleep on the bank of a small stream. By his side, to
their surprise, were thirteen heavy bars of solid silver. The sleepy
treasure-bearer and his silver were speedily secured. Farther inland the
party met with another Spaniard and an Indian boy, who were driving some
sheep, with bulging bags upon their backs. On opening those they were
found also to contain silver bars. It was a joyous party that returned to
the "Golden Hind" with the treasure thus unexpectedly obtained, and it
began to look almost as if the country grew silver.

The next raid of the adventurers was at a place called Arica, a small
seaport town at the output of a beautiful and fertile valley. Here lay two
or three Spanish vessels which were quickly captured and searched for
goods of value. The town was not taken, for a native whom Drake met here
told him of a Spanish galleon, heavily laden with a valuable cargo, which
had recently passed up the coast. Here was better hope for spoil than in a
small coastwise town, and the "Golden Hind" was speedily under sail again.

"A great galleon is ahead of us," said Drake to his men. "I am told she is
richly laden. The first man of you who sets eyes on her will win my hearty
thanks and a heavy gold chain into the bargain."

It may well be imagined that the eyes of the sailors were kept wide open
in the days that followed. The man to win the golden chain was John Drake,
the admiral's brother, who rushed to him one morning, as he came on deck,
with the glad tidings,--

"Yonder is the galleon!"

He pointed to the far northern horizon, where the sails of a great ship
were just becoming visible through the morning haze. "Make all sail!" was