Part 23 (1/2)
”Sir,” replied Dan, ”as chief helo south to the Azores and follow the Spanish track across the ocean shi+ps of King Philip's we ood-morrow and kiss our hands to them But Dons are Dons, and we are what our forefathers have ht salt fish and thin Canary I have cut ox hed the deep I know the effect of all on a man's heart and head I can drink with a Dutche, his sword!
steel springs froht of a Spanish face 'Tis the breed of us, and nature will out”
”And I a Well, we are set forth, and no ain”
”True,” mused Dan; ”but if we break not faith with God and our captain, nought will happen for which a true rieve”
”A the sea oncecould have been e The course was south-west, and for days the wind blew steadily from the east or north-east A low, misty line to larboard--the line of the French coast--was the last sight of Europe the adventurers had
For fifteen days after this the heaving sea rearood shi+p was bearing them into the arms of summer
For some few days there was plenty of bustle aboard Captain and crew overhauled the stores and stowed them more securely and handily; they critically studied the behaviour of their trientlemen adventurers becas and sea-stoer turned backwards for a glimpse of familiar landmarks, but were strained forward towards the land of their hopes, then those aboard the _Golden Boar_ had settled down, each in his own place, to form a happy brotherly community, linked by common hopes, aientle breeding fraternized freely together, each prepared to stand by the other in the last extreood fortune Harmony was complete, yet discipline was perfect; for the skipper orthy of his nalorious one of ”Drake”
It was an easy ether an excellent shi+p's company Men of all ranks and stations ild for adventure, and bold sailors literally trod upon one another in their eagerness to be berthed aboard a shi+p chartered for a voyage to the ic New World Captain Drake had picked and chosen at his leisure, and a et his naelly He was an excellent sailor, as bold as a lion, and had sailed the western ocean before But a hundred men in Plymouth could claim so much as that
Dan's precious packet and his skill as a singer were the deciding points in his favour A capable band of st the crew and the archers Life aboard the _Golden Boar_ was jolly enough, and no man in the whole company wished to be otherwhere Glorious days! heroic hearts! and happy, happy, land that bred them!
The Azores were readied without accident, almost without incident, and Captain Drake sailed boldly into the harbour of Flores and sent ashore for fresh fruits and water There were two Spanish vessels in the harbour, one a heavily-arlish shi+p, she was going ards, her destination being Vera Cruz, from which port she was to escort a treasure-shi+p filled with the produce of the Mexican lish captain heard this he resolved, other things failing hi Philip's treasure to Europe hiht and a day completed his stay at Flores
And now for a full h storhed her ocean furrow in the path of the sun; and on the twenty-fourth of May she cast anchor in the bay of San Joseph, Trinidad West and north of her lay the multitudinous islands of the fertile Indies Southwards stretched the continuation of the great American continent, the land of so an stood with Master Jeffreys and gazed at the long-sought land--at its waving pal sands, the native huts, and the white houses of the Spaniards
A native boat shot out from the shore Two dusky, pleasant-faced fellows stepped aboard Johnnie went forward He put out his hand and touched theers Wonderful, new creatures!
Chapter xxxI
IN THE BAY OF SAN JOSEPH
The appearance of an English vessel in any harbour of Spanish A to the Spanish authorities The Spaniards who commanded in the smaller stations were not of the best type of Castilian chivalry Soldados of fortune, needy and unscrupulous adventurers, or intriguing favourites of soance of the noble Dons without their proud reserve and sense of chivalry and honour In a hurry to get rich, they ground down the hapless natives into the dust They robbed and ill-treated their ti obedience that hid se
The Spanish troops were as lawless as their leaders, and black ink would turn red were one to attempt to tell the true tale of Spanish misrule and terrorism in the rich islands of the West The Don looked upon the poor Indian as a chattel given over to hi to his lordly will, and he usually acted in harmony with the extremest measure of his belief And therein he differed wholly fro, audacious, devil-may-care sons of Devon and the ho followed in the Spanish wake across the Western Main To the English entle, heathen Indian was an object of colorious land in which to dwell, and had heaped upon him riches that he could neither appreciate nor value; but in the higher characteristics of ious revelation, He had denied hih, Gilbert, Oxenham, Whiddon, and a score of other bold captains on all occasions treating the natives with civility and even kindness
The poor, brown-skinned fellows soon learned to know friend from foe, and everywhere they came forth to welcome the blue-eyed sons of Albion, whilst they ran and hid themselves from the darker-hued children of Spain
The colish vessel had anchored in the bay, and he resolved to extend no courtesies whatsoever to the unwelco that the shi+p was a small one and without consorts, his resolution to treat her captain with disdain was strengthened John Drake fired a gun to announce his arrival; the echoes booht no answer fronal was fired, with a sirizzled old veteran, who had been buccaneering with the great admiral, turned to his captain ”Thy brother--God preserve hier with his third salute”
John Drake sory,” he said
He called up Master Jeffreys and Nick Johnson ”Which of ye two speaks the better Spanish?”
”I had the longer chance to learn the language,” replied Nick, ruefully rubbing the place denuded of an ear; ”but Master Timothy doubtless possesses the choicer collection of words”
”Quantity will serve us better than quality, perhaps But go, both of ye, to the commandant and tell him that Captain Drake of the _Golden Boar_ out of Plymouth ait upon him at sunrise to-morrow Take a shi+p's boat with four rowers and four archers, and let the Indians guide you”
A boat was instantly lowered, Nick made the Indians understand as required of them, and the deputation rowed ashore Their coroup of natives gathered on the shore to await their arrival
The keel bit into the sand, the two ers stepped out, and the escort of archers formed up behind them The rowers pushed the boat back so that it floated easily, then shi+pped their oars and waited