o his
right. At first taking it for a large island, he soon learned that he had
met the continent again and that America here stretched to the northwest.

He was off the coast of the country now called California, in a new region
which English eyes had never seen, though Spaniards had been there before.
The land seemed well peopled with Indians, very different in character and
degree of civilization from those of Peru. They were simple-minded
savages, but very friendly; fortunately so, since, as they lay in harbor,
the ship sprang a leak, and it became necessary to take measures to repair
the damage.

The ship was anchored in shallow water near the shore, her cargo and
provisions were landed and stored, and steps taken to make the necessary
repairs. While this was going on the mariners were visited by the savages
in large numbers, occasionally with what were thought to be signs of
hostility. But their friendliness never ceased, and when at length their
visitors, with whom they had established very amicable relations, were
ready to depart they manifested the greatest grief, moaning, wringing
their hands, and shedding tears.

The harbor of the "Golden Hind" was in or near what is now called the
Golden Gate, the entrance to the magnificent bay of San Francisco. On the
23d of July, 1579, the ship weighed anchor and sailed out of the harbor.
On the hill-side in the rear was gathered a large body of Indians, some of
them fantastically attired in skins and adorned with feathers, others
naked but for the painted designs which covered their bodies. They built
bonfires in all directions in token of farewell, and Drake and his
officers stood on deck, waving their hats to their new-made friends.
Slowly the hill with its fires of friendship disappeared from view, and
they were on the open ocean again.

From this point the ship sailed northward, skirting the coast. But the
farther they went the colder the weather became, until it grew so bleak
that it was deemed necessary to give up the hope of reaching home by the
northern route. Yet to return by the way they had come would be very
dangerous with their small force, as the Spaniards would probably be
keenly on the lookout for them. Only one course remained, which was to
follow the route taken by Magellan, sixty years before, across the vast
Pacific, through the islands of Asia, and around the Cape of Good Hope.
Drake had with him the narratives and copies of the charts of the firs