Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1917-02-02

the North sea and the OrkneyS-dLt
the places that figure today IN the
submarine and other navaL netUs of
the tao huge watching sea powers,
figure thriIlingly IN the last and
greatest scene of Charles Kimgsley's
famous sea story, WESTWARD HoP
When Don Guzman Maria Magdale-
IA Sotomayor de Soto won and carried
away from Devon, Rose Salterne, whom
all the young blades called the Rose of
Torridge, Amyas Leigh Of Bideford
swore a great oath. He swore that he
would kill the Spanish grandee, though
he hunted him around the earth's globe
and though thousand times thou
sand salt tides should pass before he
found him.
He sailed his tall ship Rose to the
Spanish Main and failed to meet his
foe. But he left the ships bones there
with those of his brother, and he re-
turned home knowing that Rose was
dead in Venezuela. 1t made his hatred
all the more black, seeing that there
was little left to him except that
hatred.
He prayed often thereafter-an aw-
full prayer. 1t was that Don Guzman
might not die before they met.
A wild joy was his when one day
Sir Richard Grenville stormed into his
house and brought news that great
Armada of Spain was sailing toward
the coast of England to break the
island kingdom forever.
He sailed out Cf Bideford into the
Bristol channel and around Lands
End up the English channel to Plym-
outh, where were gathered ships of
Francis Drake, John Hawkins, Fro
bisher, Raleigh and dozen more OF
Queen Elizabeth's Spain-hating gentle
men-adventurers. None hated Spain
more than did the crew of Amyas
Leigh's ship, the Vengeance.
They waited till the Armada was
spied sweeping up Channel past the
Lizard e In formation half-moon-wise
and full seven miles from wing to
wing.
Then they put out.
They banged and ran away and
banged and fled again, their little ships
hanging to the Spaniard's high sea-
castles as swapping whippets might
hang to herd of Andalusian bulls.
They shuffied the huge fleet past
| p1Umnnfh an1 Inupn ~ tn
mouth. From the Needles poured Eng
fish ship after ship to join the fight
that shook the white chalk cliffs. Past
Brighton cliffs, Beachy head, Hastings
ard Dungeness it roared with clouds
of sulphur smoke and vast painted silk
banners shining high above.
The Vengeance was in the press of
1t. Amyas Leigh was at the helm, and
by his side fierce old Salvation YeO
who had been with John Oxenham al
Panama and had only one wish In all
the world-to pay back the Spaniards
for hanging that beloved captain.
Through smoke and bangings and
battles, now Of single ships, now OF
confused squadronS, these two steered
the Vengeance ever again toward one
Spanish ship, great galleon whose
banners Haunted the bright coat-of
arms of De Soto. And Don GuzmaI
was not remiss. Shining in silvery
mail, his brave figure stood on the
poop, reckoning to Amyas Leigh with
hungry sword.
The sea-fght drove down on Calais
and toward yellow Dunkirk sands, anG
OF sudden nOrthward and out into
the North sea. Then the English fleet
knew that the great Armada was run
ming. Past Yarmouth and the mouth
of the Humber and Marlborough heaG
they drove the fleeing ships. The Scot
fish coast came In sight. My LORD
Thomas Howard hung to them anC
drove them beyond the tempting shell
ter of the Firth of Forth.
Once past there, it was all over. The
avalanche that was to overwhelm
England had melted helplessly ant
pitiably away.
One by one the English ships
dropped off, to pillage prizes or carry
them into port At last only one shlE
remained in chase. 1t was the Ven
geance, and the ship she chased was
the galleon Santa Catherine-shot
torn. gale-battered, her gold furnished
and her bright sllken banners ragged
but unbeaten still and commanded still
by the undaunted Don Guzman.
They raced around Scotland and the
Orkneys. Then the Vengeance forced
him south again, down between the
Hebrides and Scotland and past the
Isle of Skye, whose Wild inhabitants
howled with glee. Into the Irish sea
they raced, and southwark past Holy
head into Cardigan bay. Four time.
they fought. and still Don Guzmar
evaded grapple. So on the sixteenth
day of the chase the two came arounC
st. David's head and into the opening
of Amyas Leigh's own Bristol channel
They turned eastward - toward
home, the home whence the Spaniarc
had taken the Rose of Torridge
| AmV0S Leigh eyultad thot hIs rowan ~,