Under Drake's Flag

Contents

Chapter 1: The Wreck on the Devon Coast.
Chapter 2: Friends and Foes.
Chapter 3: On the Spanish Main.
Chapter 4: An Unsuccessful Attack.
Chapter 5: Cast Ashore.
Chapter 6: In the Woods.
Chapter 7: An Attack in Force.
Chapter 8: The Forest Fastness.
Chapter 9: Baffled.
Chapter 10: Southward Ho!
Chapter 11: The Marvel of Fire.
Chapter 12: Across a Continent.
Chapter 13: Through the Cordilleras.
Chapter 14: On the Pacific Coast.
Chapter 15: The Prison of the Inquisition.
Chapter 16: The Rescue.
Chapter 17: The Golden Hind.
Chapter 18: San Francisco Bay.
Chapter 19: South Sea Idols.
Chapter 20: A Portuguese Settlement.
Chapter 21: Wholesale Conversion.
Chapter 22: Home.



Chapter 1: The Wreck on the Devon Coast.



It was a Stormy morning in the month of May, 1572; and the
fishermen of the little village of Westport, situate about five
miles from Plymouth, clustered in the public house of the place;
and discussed, not the storm, for that was a common topic, but the
fact that Master Francis Drake, whose ships lay now at Plymouth,
was visiting the Squire of Treadwood, had passed through the
village over night, and might go through it again, today. There was
not one of the hardy fishermen there but would gladly have joined
Drake's expedition, for marvellous tales had been told of the great
booty which he, and other well-known captains, had already obtained
from the Dons on the Spanish Main. The number, however, who could
go was limited, and even of these the seafaring men were but a
small proportion; for in those days, although a certain number of
sailors were required to trim the sails and navigate the ship, the
strength of the company were the fighting men, who were soldiers by
trade, and fought on board ship as if on land.