heaven had put it in his power to remedy, or to re pine at poverty while the wealth of his enemies was tồ be gained. But having made two voyages to America for the fake of gaining intelligence of the state of the Spanish fettlements, and acquainted himself with the feas and coafts, he determined on a third expedition of more importance, by which the Spaniards fhould find how imprudently they always act who injure and infult a brave man.

On the 24th of May, 1572, Francis Drake fet, fail from Plymouth in the Pafcha of feventy tons, accom panied by the Swan of twenty-five tons, commanded by his brother John Drake, having in both the veffels feventy three men and boys, with a year's provifion, and fuch artillery and ammunition as was neceffary for his undertaking, which, however incredible it may appear to fuch as confider rather his force than his fortitude, was no less than to make reprifals upon the moft powerful nation in the world.

The wind continuing favourable, they entered June 29, between Guadalupe and Dominica, and on July 6th faw the highland of Santa Martha; then continuing their courfe, after having been becalmed for fome time, they arrived at Port Pheafant, fo named by Drake in a former voyage to the Eaft of Nombre de Dios. Here he propofed to build his pinnaces, which he had brought in pieces ready-framed from Plymouth, and was going afhore with a few men unarmed, but, difcovering a fmoke at a distance, ordered the other boat to follow him with a greater force.

Then marching towards the fire, which was in the top of a high tree, he found a plate of lead nailed to another tree, with an infcription engraved upon it by one Garret an Englishman, who had left that place but

1

five days before, and had taken this method of inform ing him that the Spaniards had been advertised of his intention to anchor at that place, and that it therefore would be prudent to make a very fhort stay there.

But Drake knowing how convenient this place was for his designs, and confidering that the hazard and wafte of time, which could not be avoided in fecking another station, was equivalent to any other danger which was to be apprehended from the Spaniards, determined to follow his firft refolution; only, for his greater fecurity, he ordered a kind of palifade, or fortification, to be made, by felling large trees, and laying the trunks and branches one upon another by the fide of the river.

On July 20, having built their pinnaces, and being joined by one Capt. Raufe, who happened to touch at the fame place with a bark of fifty men, they fet fail towards Nombre de Dios, and, taking two frigates at the ifland of Pines, were informed by the Negroes which they found in them, that the inhabitants of that place were in expectation of fome foldiers, which the governor of Panama had promifed, to defend them from the Symerons, or fugitive Negroes, who, having escaped from the tyranny of their mafters in great numbers, had fettled themselves under two kings, or leaders, on each fide of the way between Nombre de Dios and Panama, and not only afferted their natural right to liberty and independence, but endeavoured to revenge the cruelties they had fuffered, and had lately put the inhabitants of Nombre de Dios into the utmoft confternation.

Thofe Negroes the captain fet on fhore on the main land, fo that they might, by joining the Symerons,

recover

recover their liberty, or at leaft might not have it in their power to give the people of Nombre de Dios any fpeedy information of his intention to invade them.

Then felecting fifty-three men from his own company, and twenty from the crew of his new affociciate captain Raufe, he embarked with them in his pinnaces, and fet fail for Nombre de Dios.

On July the 28th, at night, he approached the town undiscovered, and dropt his anchors under the fhore, intending, after his men were refreshed, to begin the attack; but finding that they were terrifying each other with formidable accounts of the ftrength of the place, and the multitude of the inhabitants, he determined to hinder the panic from fpreading farther, by leading them immediately to action; and therefore ordering them to their oars, he landed without any oppofition, there being only one gunner upon the bay, though it was fecured with fix brafs cannons of the largest fize ready-mounted. But the gunner, while they were throwing the cannons from their carriages, alarmed the town, as they foon discovered by the bell, the drums, and the noise of the people.

Drake, leaving twelve men to guard the pinnaces, marched round the town with no great oppofition, the men being more hurt by treading on the weapons left on the ground by the flying enemy, than by the refistance which they encountered.

At length having taken fome of the Spaniards, Drake commanded them to fhew him the governor's house, where the mules that bring the filver from Panama were unloaded; there they found the door open, and entering the room where the filver was repofited, found it heaped up in bars in fuch quantities as almost

exceed

exceed belief, the pile being, they conjectured, feventy feet in length, ten in breadth, and twelve in height, each bar weighing between thirty and forty-five pounds.

It is eafy to imagine that, at the fight of this treafure, nothing was thought on by the English, but by what means they might beft convey it to their boats; and doubtless it was not eafy for Drake, who, considering their distance from the fhore, and the numbers of their enemies, was afraid of being intercepted in his retreat, to hinder his men from encumbering themfelves with fo much filver as might have retarded their march, and obstructed the use of their weapons; however, by promifing to lead them to the king's treasurehouse, where there was gold and jewels to a far greater value, and where the treasure was not only more portable, but nearer the coast, he perfuaded them to follow him, and rejoin the main body of his men then drawn up under the command of his brother in the marketplace.

Here he found his little troop much difcouraged by the imagination, that if they stayed any longer the enemy would gain poffeffion of their pinnaces, and that they should then, without any means of fafety, be left to stand alone against the whole power of that country. Drake, not indeed eafily terrified, but fufficiently cautious, fent to the coaft to enquire the truth, and fee if the fame terror had taken poffeffion of the men whom he had left to guard his boats; but, finding no foundation for thefe dreadful apprehenfions, he perfifted in his firft defign, and led the troop forward to the treasurehouse. In their way there fell a violent fhower of rain, which wet fome of their bow-ftrings, and extinguished many of their matches; a misfortune which might

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foon

foon have been repaired, and which perhaps the enemy might fuffer in common with them, but which however on this occafion very much embarrassed them, as the delay produced by it repreffed that ardour which fometimes is only to be kept up by continued action, and gave time to the timorous and flothful to spread their infinuations, and propagate their cowardice. Some, whofe fear was their predominant paffion, were continually magnifying the numbers and courage of their enemies, and reprefented whole nations as ready to rush upon them; others, whofe avarice mingled with their concern for their own fafety, were more folicitous to preserve what they had already gained, than to acquire more; and others, brave in themselves, and refolute, began to doubt of fuccefs in an undertaking in which they were affociated with cowardly companions. So that scarcely any man appeared to proceed in their enterprize with that spirit and alacrity which could give Drake a prospect of fuccefs.

This he perceived, and with fome emotion told them, that if, after having had the chief treasure of the world within their reach, they fhould go home and languifh in poverty, they could blame nothing but their own cowardice; that he had performed his part, and was ftill defirous to lead them on to riches and to honour.

Then finding that either thame or conviction made them willing to follow him, he ordered the treasurehoufe to be forced, and commanding his brother, and Oxenham of Plymouth, a man known afterwards for his bold adventures in the fame parts, to take charge of the treasure, he commanded the other body to follow him to the market-place, that he might be

ready