The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1884-07-18
Freebooter, Of the spanish Main.

Freebooters OF the spanish Main.
The kingdom Of Ferdinand and Isa-
bella approached lis zenith in the six
teenth century. Wealth flowed in q
golden stream from the New World to
I'LL the Golfers of their Successors upon
the throne of Arragon and CASTLE, the
powerful Charles and naughty Philip.
The ancient throne of the Montezumas
was overturned in blood and the king
dom of the Incas plundered Of its
boarded treasure. The South Sea was
crossed, the Philippine Islands were
subdued, and Spain gained foothold
in the Indies, whose long sought treas
ures of porcelain, silk and spices were
conveyed to Europe to aid 10 holding
up the power and magnificence of the
Castilian throne. No flag but that of
Spain waved over Pacific waters.
Spanish galleons loaded with rich car
goes from the Indies reached the west
ern coast of Central America, where
the precious freight was landed and
transported across to ships waiting on
the other side to convey it to the mother
country. In vain England, eager to
share this rich harvest with her rival,
sought for some entrance into the South
Sea other than the dangerous one by
the Straits of Magellan. To use this
involved a voyage too long and too full
of dangers 10 render it practicable for
the purp lses of commerce in those
days. England and Spain were fire.
quently at war, and the discovery of a
means by which English ships of war
could easily enter the Pacific and prey
upon the commerce of Spain was as
much desired by the one Nation IS it
was feared by the other.
Even were this passage not discov-
cred, exemption from interference with
her Pacific commerce Spain could not
hope to enjoy forever. The monarch
of that powerful Nation was the person.
ification of arrogance. Over all lands
even technically discovered by his SUBJ
jects he claimed dominion and the eX-
elusive right of trade, even if no settle
ment of any kind had been attempted.
Foreigners of all Nations were prohib-
tied, under pain of death. from having
any intercourse whatever with such ter
ritories, or navigating the adjacent
waters. The result of such presump-
ton was most disastrous to Spain.
English, Dutch and French '.free-trad-
ers" made sad havoc with the Spanish
shipping on the Atlantic Coast of Amer
lea; and though these ravages were
continued in times of peace, they were
winked at by the rival sovereigns, who
often directly, and always indirectly,
received their share of the booty, and
one Of these robbers, Captain Francis
Drake. was knighted by his queen for
being the most daring and successful of
them all. And why not? Many peer
of England has been created for less
services to his country than were rem
dered by Sir Francis Drake in leading
the a: sault upon the great avenue of
wealth through which came the means
of putting atioat that wonderful Span
ish Armada, from whose power England
was saved only by the valor of her sea-
men and the winds of Heaven.
These rowing marauders made great
exertions to discover northern route
into the Pacific. urged on by reports of
the wonderful richness of the East
Indian commerce of Spain. Unsuccess-
full in this. they finally invaded the
South Sea by the passage of Magellan's
tempestuous straits. The pioneer of
these was Drake. In 1873 he thus
passed. into the South Sea, and spread
terror and devastation along the coast.
He captured the East Indian Galleon,
IoyioJ contributions on tho SnapiSh
ports, and finally with his only remain
ing vessel freighted with plumber,
sailed north with the purpose of reach
ing TIE Atlantic through the Straits of
Anian. In this he was thwarted, and
to avoid the Spanish fleet awaiting him
at the Straits of Magellan, he returned
to England by way of the Cape of
Good Hope. Other english freeboot-
ers, enco ragged by the dazzling success
of Drake, followed his example, and
for years Spain's commerce in the Pa
cfic suffered many ravages at their
hands. Especially did the Dutch thus
plumber their Spanish enemies at the
time when the Netherlands were strug-
Cling TO throw off the oppressive yoke
of the Duke of Alva. They discovered
the OPEN sea around Cape Horn, and
swarmed into the Pacific. Their rem
dezvo1s was the Bay of Pichilingue, in
the Calf of California. from which the
Spaniards were unable to dislodge
them. From this fact they were called
"Pichilingues,' a name which spread
terror along the Spanish Main for a
centufy.-Portiand (Or.) West Shore.