e reason being that the Spaniards, in their
hurry to get on board, had forgotten to bring with them any provisions,
and, like other men, had no desire to fight on empty stomachs.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN.

VOYAGE OF SIR FRANCIS DRAKE, CONTINUED--A.D. 1579.

The _Golden Hind_ chases the _Cacafuego_--Pursued by the Spaniards--
Captures several vessels--The Line crossed--When off Cape Francisco a
sail seen ahead--The _Cacafuego_ heaves to--Is captured and plundered--
Dismissed with a letter from Drake--The _Hind_ puts into Cano--Other
prizes taken--Sails for Guatuico--A council interrupted, and judge and
prisoners carried off--Booty obtained--The pilot Da Silva and all
prisoners set at liberty--The _Hind_ sails northward--Bitter cold--
Driven to the southward--Puts into the bay of San Francisco--A fort
built--Natives appear--Friendly behaviour--Strange ceremonies--Visit
from the King, who makes his country over to her Majesty--Drake
horrified at the attempt of the natives to worship him--They at length
take their departure--Drake's excursion into the country--Sees deer--
Coneys--Native huts--Preparations for departure--Grief of the natives--
The _Golden Hind_ sails away--The country named Albion.

Onward pressed the _Golden Hind_, her crew eager to overtake the
richly-laden _Cacafuego_, or the _Spitfire_, as we will translate her
name. Drake considered that she was likely to touch at other ports to
take in more cargo, and, trusting to that circumstance and to her being
occasionally becalmed, he confidently hoped to overtake her before she
could reach Panama and land her cargo.

The sharpest of look-outs was kept ahead, and the seamen were constantly
in the fore-top straining their eyes in expectation of catching sight of
her white canvas. Every port was narrowly scanned on the chance of her
having put in there. When the wind fell, the crew eagerly leapt into
the boats to pull ahead. When there was a breeze every inch of canvas
the ship could carry was spread to urge her along. The chase would
prove a rich prize, for her cargo was worth many times more than that of
all the vessels they had hitherto captured.

Drake was not aware all this time that he had enemies following astern,
resolved to sink the _Golden Hind_, and hang the bold rover captain and
every one of his pirate crew, for such they considered them, or, should
they escape, purposing to lie in wait for them as they should attempt to
pass again to the east