Sea-Dogs All!
Page 30
Chapter XXX.
HO! FOR THE SPANISH MAIN.
With a brisk nor'easterly breeze behind her, the _Golden Boar_ slippedthrough the sunlit waters of Plymouth Sound as gracefully as a fairswan might cleave the bosom of a lake. Somewhat narrow in build,moderately low in the waist, with bow and poop not too high-pitched,masts tall and sails ample, she was built with an eye to speed. Andwith carved posts and rails for her bulwarks, many-windowed cabins inthe after part, tapering, artistic prow with the gilded boar rampant,her designer had had an eye to beauty also. Hull and decks were ofseasoned English oak, and masts of straight Scots pine. The Knight ofSherborne had found her building in Plymouth dockyard, and had temptedher would-be owner to part with her for a price he could not resist.Captain John Drake had tested her in the Channel from the Goodwinsround to Lundy in fair weather and in foul, and had found no fault inher. The critical crowd that stood on the Hoe and watched her as shedipped below the horizon were of opinion that no better-found ship hadleft the harbour to brave the perils of the Spanish Main. She was of ahundred and fifty tons burthen--a goodly tonnage in those venturesomedays--and she carried a captain and crew of twenty men, an equal numberof skilled archers, six gunners, and some dozen and a half of gentlemenadventurers, who for the most part could handle rope, sail, sword, bow,pike, or gun as well as any captain might wish. As far as the voyagewas concerned, the expedition was under the absolute command of theadmiral's brother; on land he was bound to take council with thegentlemen adventurers, all of whom had put some money into theundertaking. Raleigh himself risked the greatest stake, and in orderafter him came Morgan, Captain Dawe (who did not participate in thevoyage itself), the admiral, his brother the skipper, a certain SirJohn Trelawny, and Master Timothy Jeffreys, who had secretly speculatedhis own savings and some of those of Mistress Stowe of Wood Street offChepe. There was no lack of money in the venture, and the ship waswell-found, well-manned, well-armed, and generously provisioned. DanPengelly's papers were in the cabin; Dan himself was taking first spellat the helm. Hope was high in every heart, and many a lusty voicejoined in the chorus of the helmsman's song:--
"Then ho! for the Spanish Main, And ha! for the Spanish gold; King Philip's ships are riding deep With the weight of wealth untold. They're prey for the saucy lads Who dance on the Plymouth Hoe; They'll all sail home thro' the fleecy foam, With a rich galleon in tow-tow-tow, With a rich galleon in tow!"
Johnnie Morgan was leaning against the stern bulwarks, watching theheave and fall of the vessel and listening to the sailor's song."Hardly to the text, Dan, is it? We are to capture a city and spoilits treasure houses, and have no idea of hitching a line of galleonsbehind us."
"Sir," replied Dan, "as chief helmsman I know we shall go south to theAzores and follow the Spanish track across the ocean. Ships of KingPhilip's we must meet, and maybe, at first, we shall bid them agood-morrow and kiss our hands to them. But Dons are Dons, and we arewhat our forefathers have made us. Ale and beef must fight salt fishand thin Canary. I have cut ox meat, drunk October, and ploughed thedeep. I know the effect of all on a man's heart and head. I can drinkwith a Dutchman and dance with a Frenchman, but, St. George, his sword!steel springs from scabbard at the sight of a Spanish face. 'Tis thebreed of us, and nature will out."
"And I am the last man to quarrel with my breeding. Well, we are setforth, and no man can say what may hap ere we see yonder line of cliffsagain."
"True," mused Dan; "but if we break not faith with God and our captain,nought will happen for which a true man may grieve."
"Amen to that!" said Johnnie, and he fell to watching the sea once more.
Nothing could have been more propitious than the first part of thevoyage. The course was south-west, and for days the wind blew steadilyfrom the east or north-east. A low, misty line to larboard--the lineof the French coast--was the last sight of Europe the adventurers had.For fifteen days after this the heaving sea met the whole circle of thegray-blue horizon. The days grew warmer and the winds softer as theyvoyaged south; the good ship was bearing them into the arms of summer.For some few days there was plenty of bustle aboard. Captain and crewoverhauled the stores and stowed them more securely and handily; theycritically studied the behaviour of their trim little craft as goodseamen should; and the gentlemen adventurers became better acquaintedwith one another, and got their sea-legs and sea-stomachs. When thetime came that heads and eyes were no longer turned backwards for aglimpse of familiar landmarks, but were strained forward towards theland of their hopes, then those aboard the _Golden Boar_ had settleddown, each in his own place, to form a happy brotherly community,linked by common hopes, aims, and interests. Sailors, soldiers, andmen of gentle breeding fraternized freely together, each prepared tostand by the other in the last extremity of danger, or to share loyallyin the fruits of good fortune. Harmony was complete, yet disciplinewas perfect; for the skipper was worthy of his name, and that name wasthe glorious one of "Drake."
It was an easy matter in those brave old times to get together anexcellent ship's company. Men of all ranks and stations were wild foradventure, and bold sailors literally trod upon one another in theireagerness to be berthed aboard a ship chartered for a voyage to themagic New World. Captain Drake had picked and chosen at his leisure,and a man needed to be many-sided in his accomplishments to get hisname inscribed on the ship's books. Take Dan Pengelly. He was anexcellent sailor, as bold as a lion, and had sailed the western oceanbefore. But a hundred men in Plymouth could claim so much as that.Dan's precious packet and his skill as a singer were the decidingpoints in his favour. A capable band of musicians could be musteredfrom amongst the crew and the archers. Life aboard the _Golden Boar_was jolly enough, and no man in the whole company wished to beotherwhere. Glorious days! heroic hearts! and happy, happy, land thatbred them!
The Azores were readied without accident, almost without incident, andCaptain Drake sailed boldly into the harbour of Flores and sent ashorefor fresh fruits and water. There were two Spanish vessels in theharbour, one a heavily-armed galleon of about six hundred tons. Likethe English ship, she was going westwards, her destination being VeraCruz, from which port she was to escort a treasure-ship filled with theproduce of the Mexican mines. When the English captain heard this heresolved, other things failing him, to bear King Philip's treasure toEurope himself. His company was eager to be away, so a night and a daycompleted his stay at Flores.
And now for a full month, with varying winds and under changing skies,through storm and shine, the _Golden Boar_ ploughed her ocean furrow inthe path of the sun; and on the twenty-fourth of May she cast anchor inthe bay of San Joseph, Trinidad. West and north of her lay themultitudinous islands of the fertile Indies. Southwards stretched thecontinuation of the great American continent, the land of so manydreams and hopes and desires. Johnnie Morgan stood with MasterJeffreys and gazed at the long-sought land--at its waving palms, itsgleaming sands, the native huts, and the white houses of the Spaniards.A native boat shot out from the shore. Two dusky, pleasant-facedfellows stepped aboard. Johnnie went forward. He put out his hand andtouched them with trembling fingers. Wonderful, new creatures!