tain Rause was remaining
in charge of the ships. He was mightily glad to see them return, as
were their comrades who had remained; for their long absence had
caused great fear and anxiety, as it was thought that Captain Drake
must have fallen into some ambuscade, and that ill had come to the
party.

Although there was some regret at the thought that the chance of
gaining such vast booty had been missed, yet the joy at the safe
return overpowered this feeling; and, for a day or two, the crews
feasted merrily and held festival. Captain Rause then determined to
continue the adventure no further, but to separate with his ship
and men from Captain Drake. He was of opinion, firmly, that now the
Spaniards had discovered their presence in the island, such
measures of defense would be taken, at every port, as to place
these beyond the hazard of attack by so small a body as those
carried by the three ships. He therefore, receiving full
satisfaction for the use of his men and for guarding the ships,
sailed away on the 7th August, leaving the Swanne and the Pacha to
proceed upon the adventure, alone.

Captain Drake sent his brother and Ellis Hickson to examine the
river Chagres; and on their return Captain Drake, with his two
ships and three pinnaces, sailed for Carthagena, where he arrived
on the 13th day of August. While on the voyage thither he captured
two Spanish ships, each of 240 tons, with rich cargoes, neither of
them striking so much as a blow in resistance.

At evening he anchored between the Island of Cara and Saint
Bernardo, and the three pinnaces entered the harbor of Carthagena.

Lying at the entrance they found a frigate, which in those days
meant a very small craft, not much larger than a rowing boat. She
had but one old man on board, who said that the rest of the company
had gone ashore, to fight a duel about a quarrel which they had had
overnight. He said, too, what was much more important to the
English--that, an hour before nightfall, a pinnace had passed him,
and that the man who was steering had shouted out that the English
were at hand, and that he had better up anchor and go into the
port. He said, moreover, that when the pinnace reached Carthagena
guns were fired, and he could see that all the shipping hauled in
under shelter of the castle.

This was bad news indeed, and there was much hard language among
the sailors, when they heard it. It was clear that the castle of
Carthagena, if prepared, was