Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 11.djvu/140

 124 REIGN OF ELIZABETH. [CH. 64. mercy shown the Indies would never be at peace. 1 Drake well knew the fate which awaited him if he was taken. His small vessels were swift sailers, and he trusted to his skill and speed. It was lucky for him how- ever that Mendoza's counsels were neglected, and that the officers of the New World were allowed to sleep on in security. On the I5th of November, 2 the expedition sailed from Plymouth Sound. It was encountered imme- diately by a storm, in which the Pelican lost her main- mast. She ran with her consorts into Falmouth, put back to Plymouth to refit, when the weather moderated, and cleared away once more on the I3th of December. The second time all went well. A rapid run of twelve days brought them down to Mogador, and after staying four weeks at the Cape de Yerde Islands, trading with the natives, and picking up and rifling a few vessels from Spain and Portugal, they struck across the Atlantic and made the coast of South America on the 5th of April in latitude 33 soufh. Thence following the shore they entered the Plate Biver, finding fresh water to their astonishment at the ship's side in 54 fathoms. Not caring to waste time in exploring, they put to sea again, and immediately after one of the barques disappeared. It has been mentioned that the officer second in com- mand was a Mr Thomas Doughty. Whenever the veil 1 ' Con vendria que mandaseV.M* rcsolutamente que cualquier navio que se tomase se eclie a fondo sin escapar cosa viviente ; porque si se usa de nrisericordia con ellos, jamas dexaran de inteniarle, y las fuenjas que van no son tan grandes que no se puede hacer esto.' Descifrada de Don Bernardino, Julio 20, 1578: MSS. Simancas. - The 25111, as we at present reckon