. He was a sailor, every inch of him.

"Pains, with patience in his youth," says Fuller, "knit the joints of
his soul, and made them more solid and compact." At an early age, when
carrying on a coasting trade, his imagination was inflamed by the
exploits of his protector Hawkins in the New World, and he joined him
in his last unfortunate adventure on the Spanish Main. He was not,
however, discouraged by his first misfortune, but having assembled
about him a number of seamen who believed in him, he made other
adventures to the West Indies, and learnt the navigation of that part
of the ocean. In 1570, he obtained a regular commission from Queen
Elizabeth, though he sailed his own ships, and made his own ventures.
Every Englishman, who had the means, was at liberty to fit out his own
ships; and with tolerable vouchers, he was able to procure a commission
from the Court, and proceed to sea at his own risk and cost. Thus, the
naval enterprise and pioneering of new countries under Elizabeth, was
almost altogether a matter of private enterprise and adventure.

In 1572, the butchery of the Hugnenots took place at Paris and
throughout France; while at the same time the murderous power of Philip
II. reigned supreme in the Netherlands. The sailors knew what they had
to expect from the Spanish king in the event of his obtaining his
threatened revenge upon England; and under their chosen chiefs they
proceeded to make war upon him. In the year of the massacre of St.
Bartholomew, Drake set sail for the Spanish Main in the Pasha, of
seventy tons, accompanied by the Swan, of twenty-five tons; the united
crews of the vessels amounting to seventy-three men and boys. With
this insignificant force, Drake made great havoc amongst the Spanish
shipping at Nombre de Dios. He partially crossed the Isthmus of
Darien, and obtained his first sight of the great Pacific Ocean. He
returned to England in August 1573, with his frail barks crammed with
treasure.

A few years later, in 1577, he made his ever-memorable expedition.
Charnock says it was "an attempt in its nature so bold and
unprecedented, that we should scarcely know whether to applaud it as a
brave, or condemn it as a rash one, but for its success." The squadron
with which he sailed for South America consisted of five vessels, the
largest of which, the Pelican, was only of 100 tons burthen; the next,
the Elizabeth, was of 80; the third, the Swan, a fly-boat, was of 50;
the Mar