nerally, and that the Spanish authorities would not be
strong enough to meddle with him. His ill star had brought him there at
a time when Alvarez de Bacan, the same officer who had destroyed the
English ships at Gibraltar, was daily expected from Spain--sent by
Philip, as it proved, specially to look for him. Hawkins, when he
appeared outside, had been mistaken for the Spanish admiral, and it was
under this impression that he had been allowed to enter. The error was
quickly discovered on both sides.

Though still ignorant that he was himself De Bacan's particular object,
yet De Bacan was the last officer whom in his crippled condition he
would have cared to encounter. Several Spanish merchantmen were in the
port richly loaded: with these of course he did not meddle, though, if
reinforced, they might perhaps meddle with him. As his best resource he
despatched a courier on the instant to Mexico to inform the Viceroy of
his arrival, to say that he had an English squadron with him; that he
had been driven in by stress of weather and need of repairs; that the
Queen was an ally of the King of Spain; and that, as he understood a
Spanish fleet was likely soon to arrive, he begged the Viceroy to make
arrangements to prevent disputes.

As yet, as I said in the last lecture, there was no Inquisition in
Mexico. It was established there three years later, for the special
benefit of the English. But so far there was no ill-will towards the
English--rather the contrary. Hawkins had hurt no one, and the negro
trading had been eminently popular. The Viceroy might perhaps have
connived at Hawkins's escape, but again by ill-fortune he was himself
under orders of recall, and his successor was coming out in this
particular fleet with De Bacan.

Had he been well disposed and free to act it would still have been too
late, for the very next morning, September 17, De Bacan was off the
harbour mouth with thirteen heavily-armed galleons and frigates. The
smallest of them carried probably 200 men, and the odds were now
tremendous. Hawkins's vessels lay ranged along the inner bank or wall of
the island. He instantly occupied the island itself and mounted guns at
the point covering the way in. He then sent a boat off to De Bacan to
say that he was an Englishman, that he was in possession of the port,
and must forbid the entrance of the Spanish fleet till he was assured
that there was to be no violence. It was a strong measure to shut a
Spanish a