text or another, the treacherous Spaniard had the English
sailors arrested and put in prison, until Whiddon found his crew so small
that he was obliged to go back to England without seeing the Orinoco.

Whiddon's report made Raleigh more eager than ever. He believed that
Berreo was getting ready to go back to Guiana himself, and was seeking to
rid himself of rivals. He hastened his preparations accordingly, and in
February, 1595, set sail from Plymouth with a fleet of five well-supplied
vessels, taking with him about one hundred gentlemen adventurers in
addition to the crews. A number of small and light boats were also taken
for use on the rivers of Guiana. Many of their friends came to see the
voyagers off, flags floated on all the vessels in the harbor, and Raleigh
and his companions, dressed in their best array, stood on the decks, as,
with set sails and flying pennons, the stout ships moved slowly away on
their voyage of chance and hope.

Raleigh followed the example of the sea-rovers of his day, committing what
would now be called piracy on the high seas. Not long had the fleet left
the Canary Islands before a Spanish ship was seen and captured. It was
quickly emptied of its cargo,--a welcome one, as it consisted of fire-arms.
Very soon after a second ship was captured. This was a Flemish vessel,
laden with wines. These were taken also, twenty hogsheads of them. About
two months out from Plymouth the hills of Trinidad were sighted, and
Raleigh's eyes rested for the first time on the shores of that New World
in which he had so long taken a warm interest.

Governor Berreo tried to treat Raleigh as he had done his agent,
forbidding any of the Indians to go on his ships on peril of death. But
they went on board, for all that, and were delighted with the kind
treatment they received. They told Raleigh that several of their chiefs
had been seized and imprisoned in the town of St. Joseph, and begged him
to rescue them. No Englishman of that day hesitated when the chance came
to deal the Spaniards a blow, and a vigorous attack was soon made on the
town, it being captured, the chiefs set free, and the governor himself
made a prisoner.

[Illustration: A TROPICAL BUNGALOW AND PALMS.]

A TROPICAL BUNGALOW AND PALMS.

Raleigh, while holding the Spaniard as a captive on his flag-ship, treated
him with every courtesy, and had him to eat at his own table. Here Berreo,
who did not suspect