tober, when again sailing, they
came off the Cape of Saint Lucar, which greatly resembles the Needles of
the Isle of Wight.

Here, according to the information received from Sancius, they expected
to fall in with the Manilla galleon. The _Desire_ and _Content_,
therefore, beat up and down off the headland of California, a bright
look-out being kept for their expected prize. Soon after seven o'clock
the trumpeter of the _Desire_, who had gone aloft, espied a vessel
bearing in from the offing, on which he cried out, with no small joy to
himself and the whole company, "A sail! a sail!"

On this the master and several others hurried aloft, when, convinced
that he was right, Cavendish was informed of the joyful news.

The two small vessels were immediately got ready for the expected fight,
and the sails being trimmed, they gave chase to the galleon. In the
afternoon they got up to her, and without waiting to hail, they each
having given her a broadside and a volley of small shot, laid her
aboard, although she was of seven hundred tons burden and full of men,
whereas their ships' companies had been greatly reduced with those they
had at different times lost. They were at once convinced that she was
the _Santa Anna_, the galleon they were in search of, belonging to the
King of Spain. The tacks had been hauled down, and she was hove to, but
not a man could be seen on her decks. As soon as the English began to
climb up, however, they perceived the Spaniards standing close together,
armed with lances, javelins, rapiers, targets, and vast quantities of
large stones, with which they so warmly attacked the heads of their
assailants that the latter were driven back again into their ships, two
being killed and several wounded. On this, as the two little vessels
sheered off, Cavendish ordered his crews again to fire their great guns,
and to discharge their small arms among the Spaniards, by which the
sides of the galleon were pierced through and through, and many of her
crew killed and wounded.

The Spanish captain, however, like a valiant man, still stood at his
post, refusing to yield. Cavendish on this, ordering the trumpets to
sound, the broadside guns and small arms were again fired, with such
effect that many more Spaniards were killed and wounded; while the shot
striking the huge ship between wind and water, she began to fill. On
this the Spanish captain struck his colours, and holding out a flag of
truce, asked for