month he died. When he felt
the hand of death upon him, he rose, dressed himself, and endeavoured to
make a farewell speech to those around him. Exhausted by the effort, he
was lifted to his berth, and within an hour breathed his last. Hawkins
had died off Puerto Rico six weeks previously.

The following narrative is in the main the composition of Walter Biggs,
who commanded a company of musketeers under Carlile. Biggs was one of
the five hundred and odd men who succumbed to the fever. He died shortly
after the fleet sailed from Carthagena; and the narrative was completed
by some comrade. The story of this expedition, which had inflicted such
damaging blows on the Spaniards in America, was eminently calculated to
inspire courage among those who were resisting them in Europe. Cates,
one of Carlile's lieutenants, obtained the manuscript and prepared
it for the press, accompanied by illustrative maps and plans. The
publication was delayed by the Spanish Armada; but a copy found its way
to Holland, where it was translated into Latin, and appeared at Leyden,
in a slightly abridged form, in 1588. The original English narrative
duly appeared in London in the next year. The document called the
'Resolution of the Land-Captains' was inserted by Hakluyt when he
reprinted the narrative in 1600.

DRAKE'S GREAT ARMADA

NARRATIVE MAINLY BY CAPTAIN WALTER BIGGS

_A Summary and True Discourse of Sir Francis Drake's West Indian Voyage,
begun in the year 1585. Wherein were taken the cities of Santiago,
Santo Domingo, Carthagena, and the town of St. Augustine, in Florida.
Published by Master Thomas Cates._

This worthy knight, for the service of his prince and country,
having prepared his whole fleet, and gotten them down to Plymouth, in
Devonshire, to the number of five and twenty sail of ships and pinnaces,
and having assembled of soldiers and mariners to the number of 2,300 in
the whole, embarked them and himself at Plymouth aforesaid, the 12th day
of September, 1585, being accompanied with these men of name and charge
which hereafter follow: Master Christopher Carlile, Lieutenant-General,
a man of long experience in the wars as well by sea as land, who had
formerly carried high offices in both kinds in many fights, which he
discharged always very happily, and with great good reputation; Anthony
Powell, Sergeant-Major; Captain Matthew Morgan, and Captain John
Sampson, Corporals of the Field. These officers had comma