ake sailing forth
on board the _Judith_ in an expedition over to the Spanish settlements
in America under his kinsman, John Hawkins. Having crossed the
Atlantic and filled his ships with Spanish treasure from "the Spanish
Main," and having narrowly escaped death from the hands of the
Spaniards, Drake had hurried home to tell of the riches of this new
country still closed to all other nations. Two years later Drake was
off again, this time in command himself of two ships with crews of
seventy-three young men, their modest aim being nothing less than to
seize one of the Spanish ports and empty into their holds the "Treasure
House of the World." What if this act of reckless daring was
unsuccessful? The undertaking was crowned with a higher success than
that of riches, for Drake was the first Englishman to see the waters
of the Pacific Ocean. His expedition was not unlike that of Balboa
some sixty years before, as with eighteen chosen companions he climbed
the forest-clad spurs of the ridge dividing the two great oceans.
Arrived at the top, he climbed up a giant tree, and the Golden Sea
of which he had so often heard--the Pacific Ocean of Magellan, the
waters washing the golden shores of Mexico and Peru--all lay below
him. Descending from the heights, he sank upon his knees and "humbly
besought Almighty God of His goodness to give him life and leave to
sail once in an English ship in that sea."

[Illustration: SIR FRANCIS DRAKE. From Holland's _Heroologia_, 1620.]

Jealously had the Spanish guarded this beautiful Southern Sea, now
her secrets were laid bare, for an Englishman had gazed upon it and
he was not likely to remain satisfied with this alone.

In 1573 Drake came home with his wonderful news, and it was not long
before he was eagerly talking over with the Queen a project for a raid
into this very Golden Sea guarded by the Spaniards. Elizabeth promised
help on condition that the object of the expedition should remain a
secret. Ships were bought for "a voyage to Egypt"; there was the
_Pelican_ of one hundred tons, the _Marygold_ of thirty tons, and a
provision ship of fifty tons. A fine new ship of eighty tons, named
the _Elizabeth_, mysteriously added itself to the little fleet, and
the crews numbered in all some one hundred and fifty men. No expense
was spared in the equipment of the ships. Musicians were engaged for
the voyage, the arms and ammunition were of the latest pattern. The
flagship was lavishly furnish