Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1884-11-27
Ialrs aud Sketfhts.
AROUND THE WORLD.
Continued from yesterday. }

Continued from yesterday
No Englishman had as vet passed Ma
gellan's straits, the terrors of Cape Horn
were unknown and the real perils OF the
voyage were now about to begin. No
| guide or warn them. They knew that
Magellan had gone through and reached
the Pacific ocean. nothing more.
! Moreover, it was the widest and coolest
season of the year, and the vessels in
| which they were TO make the passage were
but little more than cockle-shells. How
ever, with wise precaution these vessels
were hauled up on shore and put into
thorough repair, the condition of every
part carefully examined, and everything
possible done to insure safety, and then.
all things being in order, Drake entered
| the strait.
/ Cautiously he felt his way between
the walls of mountains sin extreme cold,
with frost and snow continually" 1t
was the middle of August, answering to
the February of the northern hemisphere.
/ Three weeks they toiled among the
winding ways, the wild and strangely
| inhabited islands. where everything was
so new and wonderful, then it was done,
/ the perilous passage was accomplished.
/ Drake had sailed his English ship on the
broad bosom of the Pacific. But 1t
proved no pacific ocean to them, but the
stormiest they had ever encountered.
! Their vessels were now reduced to three,
one had been burned in order to sup
press mutiny which had arisen among
| the crew, before leaving the Atlantic,
another had been decided not sea-
worthy, when they were preparing to
enter the straits. and now, just as the
| long cherished hopes of their young COM
mander had been fulfilled, fearful gale
| caught the three remaining vessels and
swept them 600 miles to the southwest.
| For six weeks the little shells of ships
were driven hither and thither by bitter
cold winds which seemed to blow forever
in these ATTITUDES. Another one of the
| little squadron went down at last in the
fearful seas carrying her crew with her,
and the other two were separated.
They had agreed, if parted to meet on
the coast of Valparaiso. but one of them
finding itself by accident once more near
the opening to the strait, the captain, be-
lieving Drake and his companions in the
other ship to be lost. called council and
proposed to return to England.
The way home lay temptingly before
them; if lost sight of a second time, it
might never more be recovered. Most of
the men desired to keep the appoint
ment with their comrades, but the captain
everything their opinion, they re-entered
the straits and reached England the next
June. Meanwhile, Drake was not lost.
but finding shelter among the islands of
TERRA del Fuego. he amused himself
studying the habits of the natives, while
waiting for the advanced season to bring
milder weather. Spring came at last and
they spent some time looking for their lost
comrades, but their attention was soon
distracted by news of a rich prize. in the
form of Spanish treasure-ship.
! Up to this time, the Spaniards had held
undisputed possession in these waters, and
expecting only their own countrymen,
! they tell an easy prey to the brave little
| English ship. So it was with all the set
Elements along the shore, and the
Englishmen loaded their small yes
sci with gold, silver and jewels, al
most more than it would cary. The
whole history of this voyage reads like
romancer privateering piracy. we can not
but name it-but unmarried by wilful and
deliberate cruelty.
| Drake was intent upon treasure, but be-
| yond Selling his plumber he did not care
to iniure the people. In most instances,
the ships were restored to their own crews
and set adritt to go whittier they would,
as soon as they had been rified of their
valuables.
| OF course the report of Brakes pro-
ceedings was soon spread abroad by these
ships crews who had been captured and
released; not only that, but the fastest
! vessel at Portobello carried the news from
| New Spain to Cadiz, and all Europe was
soon ringing with the fame of the Eng
| fish freebooter. Yet, no fear of pursuit
seems ever once to have disturbed him,
/ He laid his plans as deliberately and in
dependently as if the seas were his own
and the coasts thereof.
But it was now time for him to think of
returning home
His first idea was to follow the shore
until he found that northern passage cor
responding to Magellan's Straits, which
all English seamen. of that day. believed
in, and which Frobsher imagined he had
found. Eight hundred miles of sailing
along the coast, with many adventures,
which we have not space to tell, brought
Drake and his companions into uncom-
fortablv cold latitudes. and still no signs
appeared of an opening. Not caring to
run risks in exploring with so valuable
cargo, he turned back as tar as San Fran
cisco. Here he landed. made friends with
the Indians. and received from them the
present of California with all its buried
treasures for the use of Her Majesty. the
Queen of England Then he resolved to
try his fortune across the broad Pacific.
Why need we follow him fartherP The
Indian ocean. with its spicy isles and
hidden dangers, and the voyage around
the Cape of Good Hope were an old story
even at that day. and the continuance of
clear. fine weather brought the Pelican,
brakes one remaining sbip.in triumph to
I Plymouth harbor in the beginning of Oc-
tober. having completed a voyage around
the world.
The question of welcome at home
might be somewhat doubtful. for England
and Spain were on the verge of war, and
all on account of his exploits-daring
robberies.a s the Spanish king STYLED them,
perhaps not unjustly. Some politicians
would fain have believed him lost. as IS
months had passed without his being
heard from, and only thus could they es-
cana fran, bo I'D