ed them with a concert of his national
instruments, which sounded strange in their ears; he likewise sent on
board an ox. Though these visits caused some interruption, the crew,
eager to prosecute their voyage, laboured hard in refitting and cleaning
the bottom of the ship, which was found to be covered with barnacles,
greatly impeding her sailing.

In all their transactions with these people they found them a mild and
gentle race, honest and just in their dealings. Goats, hens,
cocoa-nuts, plantains, and other kinds of fruits were obtained. The
_Golden Hind_ at length set sail from Java on the 26th of March,
steering west-south-west, directly for the Cape of Good Hope.

Thus, as they had passed over the Pacific, the bold mariners steered
their course, day after day the sea and sky alone in sight, until the
21st of May, when high rocky land was seen on the starboard bow, which
they well knew was the southern part of Africa. They coasted along
until the 15th of June, when, with a smooth sea and gentle wind from the
south-east, they passed so near to the Cape that they might have sent a
shot on shore from one of their guns.

Thus their experience differed greatly from that of the Portuguese, who
had always represented it as a cape of storms. The crew of the _Golden
Hind_ suspected that they had done so for the purpose of preventing
other mariners from attempting to pass it. The crew of the _Golden
Hind_ had now proved that the dreaded cape could be rounded and the
Straits of Magellan passed through in safety.

For a whole month they did not again sight land until the 15th of June,
when they passed Rio de Sesto, where they saw some boats of negroes
fishing, but did not communicate with them. On the 22nd of the same
month they came to an anchor off Sierra Leone, where, at the mouth of
the river Tagoine, they spent two days watering. They were not a little
astonished to see countless numbers of oysters clinging to the branches
of the mangrove-trees overhanging the water. These and plenty of
lemons, which they found very wholesome and refreshing, were used as
food.

Once more the _Golden Hind_ was at sea steering northward, the richest
argosy which had ever yet floated on the ocean. The hearts of the
gallant crew beat high as they neared their native shores. No longer
fearing danger, even from revengeful Spaniards, they stood on until,
greatly to their joy, soundings were struck. The well-known Land's End
an