Drake had not only acquired vengeance and wealth for himself; he had opened a road for thousands of spirits as daring as his own. He had shown them the real El Dorado. As he told his men at Nombre de Dios, he had now brought them to the mouth of the treasure-house of the world; which, if they did 'not gain, none but themselves were to be blamed.'

Drake was a Cornishman, or next door to it. There is a vein of imagination which runs through the character of that old Celtic race; not, however, poetic imagination, for Cornwall has not a single poetical tradition, nor ever produced a versifier of a higher order than Peter Pindar; but rather that which displays itself in a warm belief in the marvellous, so often the companion of great and flexible talents; and when so united, enabling its possessor to sway the imaginations of others. Something may be ascribed to the peculiar industry of that corner of the world, in mines and fisheries, which makes every man a speculator, and a dreamer of day-dreams. There is scarcely, we have heard it said, a farmer or tradesman in the west of Cornwall, who has not a most potent belief in two things ;-one, that he is heir to some great property, if he could only prove his pedigree; the other, that he will some day or other make his fortune by mining. Sometimes the temperament thus engendered is combined with genius; sometimes with shrewdness and thriftiness: sometimes it runs out into a wild and contagious enthusiasm; and the false Sir William Courtenay, Thom the Cornish prophet, who led the credulous peasants of Kent against the musketry of the soldiers, was only a somewhat extravagant type of a not uncommon class among his countrymen. It is, and always has been, a land of practical visionaries-inventors, projectors, natural philosophers, and founders of sects. In Elizabeth's age of golden dreams, the sanguine disposition of a projector was almost a necessary ingredient in the character of those who were to cut their way to eminence. The adventurer had to create the materials of his own expedition, not to assume the command of a force ready made. In this way the somewhat vaunting and hyperbolical tendency of Drake's disposition, which has been often made a reproach to him, was not only serviceable, but essential to his position. A man of less ostentatious courage might have overrun the Indies, and circumnavigated the world; but could not have called together as easily, and inspired with the like enthusiasm, the spirits who were to be his ministers.

The first follower and victim of Drake's example, was a gallant seaman of the name of Oxenham, of Plymouth. He waited two years after Drake's return, being anxious to accompany him wherever he might lead; but finding that the designs of his chief

were impenetrable, he set out to conquer fortune for himself; anticipated his leader by performing the first English cruise on the South Sea; but, falling into the hands of the Spaniards, was hanged, it must be owned justly, as a pirate.

Drake, meanwhile, was preparing in secret for the fulfilment of his cherished scheme of visiting the shores of the Pacific. But there occurs just at this period a hiatus in the accounts of his life, which Mr Barrow has, we must presume, found himself unable to fill up; for certainly the attempt ought to have been made. We know that about 1573, Drake served in Ireland, under the first Devereux, Earl of Essex. But what connexion he had with that nobleman, or what cause led him as a volunteer-for he held at that time no post in the Queen's service-into an engagement so remote from his ordinary pursuits, and which would seem at first sight to interfere so seriously with the prospects of his great undertaking, it seems difficult to conjecture. In the absence of all authentic information, perhaps it may be worth while to have recourse to what we admit to be a very questionable source-the recitals of Thomas Doughty-the officer whom Drake afterwards executed at Port St Julian's, on his voyage round the world-a very noted and mysterious passage in his life. There is, in the British Museum, a fragment of a Manuscript, purporting to contain part of the Evidence adduced against Doughty on that occasion. Strange to say, it has escaped the researches of Mr Barrow, as well as all former writers, though very important towards elucidating that transaction. Doughty's story, according to this Evidence, was, that Drake, after his return from the West Indies, fell under the displeasure of the Crown-a thing exceedingly likely in itself, from the ambiguous policy of Eliza. eth at that period, who, still at peace with Spain, professed high disapproval of the piratical proceedings of her subjects -(but Doughty hints darkly at more mysterious causes of disgrace ;)-that Drake, in consequence, fled into Ireland,' and sought to acquire the protection of Essex, by serving under him until the cloud had passed over; that while in Ireland Drake made acquaintance with him, Doughty, also a volunteer under Essex, and high in his favour;-disclosed to him his scheme for an expedition to the South Sea, and prevailed on him to engage for an advance of £1000 for the purpose; and that, long afterwards, when the Irish service was at an end, Drake called on him unexpectedly at his lodgings in the Temple, and claimed performance of his promise. Doughty goes on to say, that he thereupon mentioned the project to Walsingham, introduced Drake to Hatton and the Council, and laid the foundation of that change of favour with the Queen, which ended in her taking Drake into her service.

Of course this remarkable story labours under a double suspicion. Doughty may have invented it, or the witnesses who speak to his conversations may have misreported it. Yet, in its main outlines (and especially when read, as we have read it, in the details of the original Manuscript) it bears to our minds a semblance of truth, when compared with what we know respecting Doughty from other quarters. At all events, it seems much more probable to us than Mr Barrow's belief, that Drake's sudden appearance and success at court in 1577, was simply owing to Elizabeth being apprized of his adventurous expedition and 'success against her bitterest enemy;' with whom at that period she was still at peace. However this may be, the ever-famous voyage commenced in that year was certainly undertaken under her protection.

This was the expedition, commenced with several ships, but accomplished singly by the Pelican, afterwards called the Golden Hind, in which Drake passed through the Straits of Magellan, coasted America to the fortieth degree of north latitude-plundering at sea and on the mainland as he passed-discovered that questionable region which the Americans call Oregon, and which the English even now claim by virtue of the title he acquired for them; and thereafter, with his single vessel, deeply laden with treasure, boldly struck out across the Pacific, and returned home by the East Indies and the Cape-having thus achieved the glory of being the first commander who turned up a furrow round the circumference of the earth,' and that in a CockBoat of 100 tons! It may be true, as Mr Barrow remarks, that a vessel, however small her size, with a flush deck, and hatches 'well battened down, will cross the Atlantic or any other sea with 'safety.' If it were otherwise, not one of the naval worthies of Elizabeth's age would have returned home to recount his adventures. But this insignificant Bark had not only to encounter the dangers of unknown seas, in the infancy of modern navigation, but to run alongside of the stoutest vessels, and dash into the best guarded harbours of the Spanish Indies. And rich as the annals of England are in maritime adventure, not one of her seamen ever surpassed Sir Francis Drake in the daring, coolness, and conduct, displayed in this most memorable undertaking.

6

We are sorry to notice Mr Barrow's carelessness as to authorities, in this part of the narrative: The popular history of the voyage is to be found in a well-known book, The World Encompassed, published by Sir Francis Drake the nephew; 'carefully collected,' as the preface tells us, out of the notes of Master Francis Fletcher, Preacher in this employment, and 'divers others, his followers in the same.' Besides this book,

6

Mr Barrow has made good use of a MS. narrative by Francis Fletcher himself,* in the Sloane Collection, in the British Museum. Of this narrative, there is only the first part remaining, transcribed by one John Conyers, pharmacopolist, citizen, and 'apothecary of London.' It ends with the arrival of the Golden Hind in latitude 38° south, off the coast of Chili. Yet, throughout the rest of the voyage, we find Mr Barrow, in his foot-notes, citing Fletcher's MS. as a joint authority for the passages which he has incorporated in his text from the World Encompassed. Still more strangely, he copies (p. 139) from this book a passage about the extreme cold experienced by Drake's crew at midsummer, on the coast of California; calling it the absurd and 'utterly incredible account of the Rev. Mr Fletcher, of whose 'intellect,' says he, some delusion must unquestionably have 'taken possession, or he would not have recorded such nonsense, in direct contradiction to the usual ordination of nature, in such a latitude, and at such a period of the year: it may, therefore, be fearlessly pronounced impossible. But, as the World Encompassed is avowedly taken from Fletcher's MS., ' it cannot be wondered at that they should be identically the same.' It is a painful alternative; but some delusion must, we fear, have taken possession either of Mr Barrow's intellect, or our own. We cannot find any MS. of Fletcher's at all relating to this part of the voyage, and we do not think that Mr Barrow has found more than ourselves; because, several pages back (p. 123,) he had already spoken of arriving at the conclusion of the MS. of Fletcher.' The World Encompassed is not avowedly taken from this MS. of Fletcher, as we have seen; nor is it substantially taken from it. They are exceedingly different in many respects; nay, as Mr Barrow himself remarks, even inconsistent. It is rather hard that the poor Preacher should be charged with nonsense not his own. He has sins enough to answer for, as we shall see presently.

In discussing that untoward subject, the execution of Doughty at Port St Julian, above alluded to, Mr Barrow compares the received narrative with that of Fletcher. In the common stories of the voyage, it is represented that Drake made known at this place, that he had long suspected, and finally discovered, a deep-laid scheme of mutiny, planned by Doughty, against his authority and life. The author of the World Encompassed

This MS. had, however, been already referred to, but this is not mentioned by Mr Barrow, in Admiral Burney's History of Discoveries in the South Seas.

adds, that Doughty, on being confronted with the evidence of his own declarations, confessed the fact laid to his charge; that he was found guilty by a kind of irregular tribunal, empanelled by Drake, of the officers of his expedition; that the choice was offered him of being brought home to England to take his trial, of being left ashore on a desolate island, or of being forthwith put to death; that he chose the latter; that he received this self-imposed sentence with deep penitence and humility; partook of the communion with Drake himself, in token of mutual forgiveness; was beheaded, and buried close to the remains of a wooden frame, supposed to have been the gibbet whereon Magellan had executed certain mutineers fifty years before, when coasting the same inhospitable island; whence it was called by the Spaniards, The Island of True Judgment and Justice.'

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Such, no doubt, was the account held orthodox by Drake's personal friends, if not propagated by himself. Fletcher's story is very different indeed, and so singular, as to be worth copying in his own words.

This bloudy Tragedie being ended, another more grievous ensueth. I call it more grievous, because it was among ourselves begun, contrived, and ended; for now Thomas Doubty, our countryman, is called in question, not by giants but by Christians, even ourselves. The original of dislike against him you may read in the storye off the Iland of Cape Verde, upon the coast of Affrick, at the taking of the Portugal prize, by whom he was accused-and for what? But now more dangerous matter, and of greater weight, is layed to his charge, and that by the same persons, namely, for words spoken by him to them, being in England, in the General's garden in Plymouth, long before our departure thence, which had been their parts and dutyes to have discovered them at that tyme, and not to have consealed them for a tyme and place not so fitting; but how true it was wherewith they charged him upon their oathe, I know not; but he utterly denied it, upon his salvation, at the hour of communicating the sacrament of the body and blood of Christ, at the hour and moment of his death, affirming that he was innocent of such things whereof he was accused, judged, and suffered death for. Of whom I must needs testifye the truth for the good things of God I found in him, in the tyme we were conversant, and especially in the time of his afflictions and trouble, till he yielded up the spirit to God-I doubt not to immortality he feared God, he loved his Word, and was always desirous to edify others, and conforme himselfe in the faith of Christ. For his qualityes, in a man of his tyme, they were rare, and his gifts very excellent for his age-a sweet orator, a pregnant philosopher, a good gift for the Greek tongue, and a reasonable taste for Hebrew; a sufficient secretary to a noble personage of great place, and, in Yerland, an aproved soldier, and not behind many in the study of the law for his tyme; and that with it a sufficient argument to prove a good Christian, and of all other things, a most manifest witness of a child of God