CHAPTER IV.

CONTINUATION OF VOYAGE ROUND THE WORLD.

1577-1580.

Drake proceeds to the Northward-A North-East Passage round America suggested-Intense cold-Interview with the natives of the west coast of North America-Drake takes possession of New Albion in the Queen's name-Crosses the Pacific to the Moluccas-Calls at Java-Voyage home. WHILE Drake's little bark of 100 tons, which had sustained so many perils, was undergoing a complete refit at Aguapulca, he was anxiously revolving in his mind what course it would best behove him to pursue. His ship was already nearly laden with treasure alone. In addition to this, he was about to take in stores and provisions for a voyage of uncertain duration, but which in its extent, whatever track he might pursue, was nearly equal to half the circumference of the globe. If he returned by the way he had advanced, he would have to repass Magelhaens' Strait; for Cape Horn, which is now the usual route, had never yet been doubled; and the Spaniards had industriously given it out that a return by the strait from the westward was next to impossible. Little did he then suppose that one of his own inferior ships had actually repassed it. Besides, he wisely considered that his voyage, and the fame of his exploits, must have reached Spain, or at all events be well known throughout her Indian colonies; and that the natural consequence would be the sending a fleet to guard the entrance of the Strait, preparations for which purpose were indeed actually made.

What then was to be done? The people began to manifest signs of uneasiness: they had lost all hopes of finding their associates, and having become rich beyond their expectations, it was natural they should begin to desire ease and pleasure, and be anxious speedily to return home. Drake did not require much time to make up his mind. He had seen the two great oceans

united at the southern extremity of America: why then should they not be also united at the northern?

This conjecture was supported by the opinion of some of the most learned cosmographers of the day, who had written to prove that a communication existed between the Northern Atlantic and the Pacific; and Martin Frobisher, the friend, and subsequently the colleague, of Drake, had actually attempted the voyage, and returned at the end of 1576, a whole year before Drake left England

"highly commended," says the historian of his voyage, "of all men for his greate and notable attempt, but specially famous for the greate hope he brought of the passage to Cathaia."

Drake boldly resolved to try whether he could not reach home by proceeding in a contrary direction-that is to say, by the North-East. He failed in the attempt, as did Cook, or rather the survivors of Cook, in after times; nevertheless his anticipations may sooner or later be realized.

It has now been proved, beyond a doubt, that there is a clear water communication between the Northern Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, with the partial intervention of patches of ice in some parts of the mid-sea, and perhaps not much there. The openings at the two extremities in Baffin's Bay and Behring's Strait have been passed; and the remaining parts consist, there is every reason to believe, of sea unbroken by any land.

It is probable that the attention of Drake, even before he set sail from England, had been directed to the question of an eastern passage from the northern part of the Pacific, by which his return voyage would be greatly shortened. But even if the existence of such a communication had been actually ascertained, the attempt, under his circumstances, would have been a bold and daring undertaking. With a single small vessel, a diminished and feeble crew, destitute of medical aid, and cut off from all communication with civilized countries, and that ship too containing a mine of wealth, such an attempt must be considered as one of the most daring and courageous undertakings in the records of navigation: the more so as, up to that time, it appears never to have been contemplated that such a passage should be searched for on that side of America, though it is most likely that by taking that course it may be found. Now

that we know that a sure and certain open passage exists through Lancaster Sound into Baffin's Bay, the attempt would be justifiable; but without such knowledge it would have been madness to have entered Behring's Strait, without knowing what course to steer, or whether there was any opening at all, and in what quarter, to the eastward. But that it will be done from one side or the other may still be confidently hoped; and among many individuals in the British navy well qualified for the task, there is one whose long-continued and most meritorious exertions in these regions would especially point him out as the fittest explorer of the North-West Passage.

The endeavour which Drake made to effect this object was singularly thwarted by the unexpected and very unusual severity of the weather at a comparatively low latitude. Fletcher's account of this is as follows:

"From Guatulco we departed the day following, namely, April the 16th, setting our course directly into the sea; whereupon we sailed 500 leagues in longitude to get a wind, and between that and June 3rd, 1400 leagues in all, till we came in 42 degrees of north latitude, wherein the night following we found such an alteration of heat into extreme and nipping cold, that our men in general did grievously complain thereof; some of them feeling their healths much impaired thereby; neither was it that this chanced in the night alone, but the day following carried with it not only the marks, but the stings and force of the night going before, to the great admiration of us all; for besides that the pinching and biting air was nothing altered, the very ropes of our ship were stiff, and the rain which fell was an unnatural and frozen substance: so that we seemed rather to be in the frozen zone than anyway so near unto the sun, or these hotter climates.

"Neither did this happen for the time only, or by some sudden accident, but rather seemed indeed to proceed from some ordinary cause, against the which the heat of the sun prevails not; for it came to that extremity, in sailing but two degrees further to the northward in our course, that though seamen lack not good stomachs, yet it seemed a question to many amongst us, whether their hands should feed their mouths, or rather keep themselves within coverts from the pinching cold that did benumb them.

"Neither could we impute it to the tenderness of our bodies, though we came lately from the extremity of heat, by reason whereof we might be more sensible of the present cold, insomuch that the dead and senseless creatures were as well affected with it as ourselves. Our meat, as soon as it was removed from the fire, would presently in a manner be frozen up; and our ropes and tacklings in a few days were grown to that stiffness, that what three men before were able with them to perform, now six men, with their best strength, and utmost endeavours, were hardly able to accomplish;

whereby a sudden and great discouragement seized upon the minds of our men, and they were possessed with a great mislike and doubting of any good to be done that way: yet would not our General be discouraged; but as well by comfortable speeches of the Divine Providence, and of God's loving care over his children, out of the scriptures, as also by other good and profitable persuasions, adding thereto his own cheerful example, he so stirred them up to put on a good courage, and to acquit themselves like men, to endure some short extremity to have the speedier comfort, and a little trouble to obtain the greater glory; that every man was thoroughly armed with willingness and resolved to see the uttermost, if it were possible, of what good was to be done that way.

"The land in that part of America bearing farther out into the west than we before imagined, we were nearer on it than we were aware, and yet the nearer still we came unto it, the more extremity of cold did seize upon us. The 5th day of June we were forced by contrary winds to run in with the shore, which we then first descried, and to cast anchor in a bad bay, the best road we could for the present meet with, where we were not without some danger by reason of the many extreme gusts and flaws that beat upon us; which if they ceased and were still at any time, immediately upon their intermission there followed most vile, thick, and stinking fogs, against which the sea prevailed nothing, till the gusts of wind again removed them, which brought with them such extremity and violence when they came, that there was no dealing or resisting against them.

"In this place was no abiding for us, and to go further north, the extremity of the cold (which had now utterly discouraged all our men) would not permit us, and the wind being directly against us, having once gotten us under sail again, commanded us to the southward whether we would or no.

"From the height of 48°, in which now we were, to 38°, we found the land, by coasting it, to be but low and reasonably plain; every hill (whereof we saw many, but none very high), though it were in June, and the sun in the nearest approach unto them, being covered with snow."

"The inhabitants of this place," [he is speaking of a harbour in 38° 30′ latitude,] "who had never been acquainted with warmer climates, in whom custom of cold was as it were a second nature, used to come shivering in their warm furs, crowding close together, body to body, to receive heat one from another, and to shelter themselves under lee banks; and afterwards (when they became more familiar with the English) they endeavoured, as often as they could, to shroud themselves for warmth under the garments of the Englishmen."

This account is the more extraordinary, as all our navigators, from Cook and Vancouver downwards, speak of the mildness of the Californian climate.

All the accounts of Drake's voyage state that the natives of the north-west shores of America regarded him and his people as gods.

66

"They returned our presents," says the World Encompassed,' "because they thought themselves sufficiently enriched and happy that they had found so free access to see us. They stood as men ravished with admiration at the sight of such things as they had never before heard of, nor seen, seeming rather to reverence us as deities than mortal men."

Drake having been driven to the southward, and finding a convenient harbour on the 17th of June, in lat. 38° 30′ north-the land inhabited, and the houses of the natives close to the water's side-decided on remaining there to put his ship to rights, and to refresh his crew. At the moment of their arrival, numbers of the natives had been seen on shore, and one man came off to the ship in a canoe. On approaching, he made a long oration; and having finished his harangue, with great show of reverence, returned to the shore. The ship had sprung a leak on her passage, which made it necessary to lighten her, and bring her as close to the shore as could be done with safety. Tents were landed for the men, and something like a fort erected for the protection of the stores and the crew.

The people of the country looked on for a time: when they saw that the strangers were establishing themselves, they came down in great numbers; but on approaching within a small distance, remained perfectly quiet, looking attentively at what was going on, and, though armed, manifested not the least symptom of hostile intentions. Signs were made to them to lay down their bows and arrows, which they at once did. The General, with the view of securing their good will, distributed little presents among them; and they, in return, presented him with feathers, net-work, and skins. In the evening they returned quietly to their village, near a mile distant, where they kept up a loud clamour for some time, the women shrieking fearfully.

"For two days," says the Narrative, "after the night mostly spent in lamentations, none of them came near the tents; but on the third day, a much more numerous assemblage than before appeared on the summit of the hill, which was nearest to the English fort. Here one of them made a loud and long oration, at the end of which they all laid down their bows and arrows, which they left upon the hill, and came down to the tents. The women, however, remained on the hill, 'tormenting themselves lamentably, tearing the flesh from their cheeks, whereby we perceived they were about a sacrifice.' In the meantime our General with his companie went to prayer, and the reading of the Scriptures, at which exercise they were attentive, and seemed to be greatly affected with it: but when they were come unto us,