near Port Julian, difcovered their affociates, whofe ship was now grown leaky, having fuffered much, both in the firft ftorm by which they were difperfed, and afterwards in fruitless attempts to regain the fleet.

Drake therefore, being defirous to relieve their fatigues, entered Port Julian, and, as it was his custom always to attend in person when any important business was in hand, went afhore with fome of the chief of his company, to feek for water, where he was immediately accofted by two natives, of whom Magellan left a very terrible account, having defcribed them as a nation of giants and monsters; nor is his narrative entirely without foundation, for they are of the largest fize, though not taller than fome Englishmen; their ftrength is proportioned to their bulk, and their voice loud, boisterous, and terrible. What were their manners before the arrival of the Spaniards, it is not poffible to discover; but the flaughter made of their countrymen, perhaps without provocation, by thefe cruel intruders, and the general maffacre with which that part of the world had been depopulated, might have raised in them a fufpicion of all ftrangers, and by confequence made them inhofpitable, treacherous, and bloody.

The two who affociated themselves with the English appeared much pleased with their new guests, received willingly what was given them, and very exactly observed every thing that paffed, feeming more particularly delighted with feeing Oliver, the mafter-gunner, fhoot an English arrow. They fhot themselves likewife in emulation, but their arrows always fell to the ground far fhort of his.

Soon after this friendly conteft came another, who obferving the familiarity of his countrymen with the

strangers,

strangers, appeared much displeased, and, as the Englifhmen perceived, endeavoured to diffuade them from fuch an intercourfe. What effect his arguments had was foon after apparent, for another of Drake's companions, being defirous to show the third Indian a specimen of the English valour and dexterity, attempted likewise to shoot an arrow, but drawing it with his full force burft the bow-ftring; upon which the Indians, who were unacquainted with their other weapons, imagined him difarmed, followed the company, as they were walking negligently down towards their boat, and let fly their arrows, aiming particu larly at Winter, who had the bow in his hand. He, finding himself wounded in the fhoulder, endeavoured to refit his bow, and turning about was pierced with a second arrow in the breaft. Oliver, the gunner, immediately prefented his piece at the infidious affailants, which failing to take fire gave them time to level another flight of arrows, by which he was killed; nor, perhaps, had any of them efcaped, furprized and perplexed as they were, had not Drake, with his usual presence of mind, animated their courage, and directed their motions, ordering them, by perpetually changing their places, to elude, as much as they could, the aim of their enemies, and to defend their bodies with their targets; and inftructing them, by his own example, to pick up, and break the arrows as they fell; which they did with fo much diligence, that the Indians were foon in danger of being difarmed. Then Drake himself taking the gun, which Oliver had fo unfuccefsfully attempted to make use of, discharged it at the Indian that first began the fray, and had killed the gunner, aiming it fo happily, that the hail fhot, with which it

was

was loaded, tore open his belly, and forced him to fuch terrible outcries, that the Indians, though their num bers increased, and many of their countrymen showed themselves from different parts of the adjoining wood, were too much terrified to renew the affault, and fuffered Drake, without moleftation, to withdraw his wounded friend, who, being hurt in his lungs, languished two days, and then dying was interred with his companion, with the ufual ceremony of a military funeral.

They ftayed here two months afterwards, without receiving any other injuries from the natives, who, finding the danger to which they expofed themselves by open hoftilities, and not being able any more to surprise the vigilance of Drake, preferred their safety

to revenge.

But Drake had other enemies to conquer or escape, far more formidable than these Barbarians, and infidious practices to obviate, more artful and dangerous than the ambushes of the Indians; for in this place was laid open a design formed by one of the gentlemen of the fleet, not only to defeat the voyage, but to murder the general.

This tranfaction is related in fo obfcure and confused a manner, that it is difficult to form any judgment upon it. The writer, who gives the largest account of it, has fuppreffed the name of the criminal, which we learn, from a more fuccinct narrative, publifhed in a collection of travels near that time, to have been Thomas Doughtie. What were his inducements to attempt the destruction of his leader, and the ruin of the expedition, or what were his views if his designs had fucceeded, what meafures he had

hitherto

hitherto taken, whom he had endeavoured to corrupt, with what arts, or what fuccefs, we are no where told.

The plot, as the narrative affures us, was laid before their departure from England, and difcovered, in its whole extent, to Drake himself in his garden at Plymouth, who nevertheless not only entertained the perfon fo accufed as one of his company, but, this writer very particularly relates, treated him with remarkable kindness and regard, fetting him always at his own table, and lodging him in the fame cabbin with himfelf. Nor did he ever difcover the leaft fufpicion of his intentions, till they arrived at this place, but appeared, by the authority with which he invefted him, to confider him as one to whom, in his abfence, he could moft fecurely intruft the direction of his affairs. At length, in this remote corner of the world, he found out a defign formed against his life, called together all his officers, laid before them the evidence on which he grounded the accufation, and fummoned the criminal, who, full of all the horrors of guilt, and confounded at fo clear a detection of his whole scheme, immediately confeffed his crimes, and acknowledged himself unworthy of longer life: upon which the whole affembly, confifting of thirty perfons, after having confidered the affair with the attention which it required, and heard all that could be urged in extenuation of his offence, unanimoufly figned the fentence by which he was condemned to fuffer death. Drake, however, unwilling, as it feemed, to proceed to extreme feverities, offered him his choice, either of being executed on the ifland, or fet afhore on the main land, or being fent to England to be tried before

the

the council; of which, after a day's confideration, he chose the first, alledging the improbability of perfuading any to leave the expedition for the fake of tranfporting a criminal to England, and the danger of his future ftate among favages and infidels. His choice, I believe, few will approve: to be fet afhore on the main land, was indeed only to be executed in a differ ent manner; for what mercy could be expected from the natives fo incenfed, but the most cruel and lingering death? But why he should not rather have requefted to be sent to England it is not easy to conceive. In fo long a voyage he might have found a thoufand opportunities of escaping, perhaps with the connivance of his keepers, whofe refentment must probably in time have given way to compaffion, or at least by their negligence, as it is eafy to believe they would in times of eafe and refreshment have remitted their vigilance: at least he would have gained longer life; and to make death defirable feems not one of the effects of guilt. However, he was, as it is related, obftinately deaf to all perfuafions, and adhering to his first choice, after having received the communion, and dined chearfully with the general, was executed in the afternoon, with many proofs of remorfe, but none of fear.

How far it is probable that Drake, after having been acquainted with this man's defigns, fhould admit him into his fleet, and afterwards carefs, refpect, and trust him; or that Doughtie, who is reprefented as a man of eminent abilities, fhould engage in fo long and hazardous a voyage with no other view than that of defeating it; is left to the determination of the reader. What defigns he could have formed with any hope of fuccefs,