CHAPTER X

THE COMING OF THE BUCCANEERS, 1570-1700

IN the second half of the sixteenth century, England, even when nominally at peace with Spain, did not hesitate to wink at the fitting out of expeditions by her mariners to prey upon the Spanish settlements in the Gulf of Mexico, and to capture the galleons bringing treasure from the New World. In one sense it was a struggle between Protestantism and Catholicism; and it was largely to avenge and put a stop to these depredations that Philip II sent out the Invincible Armada, which made so great a fiasco on the coast of England in 1588.

Already, however, in 1570, Francis Drake had received from Elizabeth letters of marque to cruise in the West Indies. This commander is sometimes spoken of as a pirate or corsair, and doubtless he was so regarded by the Spaniards. But he deserves a better name. He was a typical English mariner of the sixteenth century, warring on the Spaniards with the tacit consent of his queen. Instead of being "the common enemy of mankind," as the pirate is justly termed, he was a patriotic subject of her majesty, intent on sharing the wealth of the Spaniards, but highly esteemed by the queen, and when the crisis of invasion came, ready to sacrifice all to the defence of his country. The son of a Protestant minister, he became a romantic adventurer, and was the first of English mariners to sail around the globe.

He had a special grievance against the Spaniards, dating from the year 1567, when he was serving under Sir John Hawkins. The two captains had undertaken several slavetrading expeditions to the West Indies, this being regarded at the time as an honorable occupation, and had been well received by the colonists, who were eager to obtain the blacks. But in 1567 Hawkins's vessels were attacked, as he believed, by an act of treachery, and three of them were captured. Drake, having lost all his property in this illfated expedition, swore vengeance against the Spaniards and spent the rest of his life in doing them what damage he could.

Under his letters of marque he now made two voyages to the West Indies, and in 1572, without any commission, fitted out a small fleet for the capture of Nombre de Dios on the Isthmus, at that time the usual place of deposit for the treasure of Peru before it was transported to Europe.

When he reached Nombre de Dios, he managed to slip into the town under cover of the darkness, and marched through the streets to the sound of drum and trumpet. When, however, he attempted to seize the governor's treasure house, reported to be full of gold and pearls, a company of soldiers offered defence and fired upon the intruders. Nothing daunted, Drake was preparing to lead the attack himself, when he fell to the ground, fainting from a wound in the leg. Fearing that their ships might be seized, his men carried him on board, and the capture of Nombre de Dios had to be abandoned for a more favorable opportunity.

The English now sailed about in the North or Caribbean Sea, capturing Spanish vessels and threatening the towns along the coast. Finally they learned of the arrival of a Spanish fleet at Nombre de Dios, intended for the transportation to Spain of the gold and pearls that would soon come across the Isthmus. This treasure, they determined, must be seized before it reached Nombre de Dios.

The Cimarrones or runaway slaves, who harbored bitter enmity against the Spaniards, willingly joined the English,

and eager in the pursuit of plunder, they proved themselves not only useful carriers of burdens, but also skilful providers of food. With thirty of these slaves, some of whom he may himself have sold into slavery a few years before, Drake set out on an overland expedition to seize the treasure at the city of Panama.

After travelling for four days, he and his men ascended a high mountain, whence he could behold, like a second Balboa, the southern sea. Here the English commander, moved by the spectacle and inspired by a vision of what he was to accomplish in later years, "besought the Almighty God of His goodness, to give him life and leave to sail an English vessel on that sea.'

He then pressed on to the neighborhood of Panama, where he learned through a spy that eight mules loaded with gold and others with pearls and jewels were to start that very night across the Isthmus. Marching back some distance, Drake ambushed his force on both sides of the route and waited for the approaching train. But again disappointment awaited him. One of his soldiers was drunk, and starting up too soon, was seen by a Spaniard, who gave the alarm. The treasure mules were turned aside into the forest, and Drake, fearing an attack from Panama, had to make his way back empty-handed to his ships.

Another than he would have been utterly discouraged. Since he left England he had lost two brothers, and by losses in battle and by the calentura, his available force was reduced to eighteen men. Yet he lingered about the coast until he met with a French vessel bound on the same mission as himself. He and the captain quickly came to an agreement to make a descent upon the coast with a company of thirty-five men and to divide any spoils they might secure. Leaving their ships they ascended the river Francisco in boats and then marched across country to a point just back of Nombre de Dios. Here they chanced upon another treasure train, said to have contained thirty tons of gold and silver loaded on mule back.

This time acting happened n mar the pans of Drake. The gari was put a fet me trasure sexed, and for fear of immediate pursuit part or I was rei mi te st of it carred s When my raced ne ver, the boats were nowhere to be seen: but they built a rat set up a rude ul. and segan the descent Before long the boats were seen approaching All the men were taken on board and as had been agreed, the treasure was divided—even the Cimarrones receiving their share in handsome presents. Determined not to lose anything Drake even sent a party of men back to the scene of the battle, where they dug up and brought away what of the buried gold and silver the Spaniards had failed to discover.

The ships, filled with rich booty, now sailed away to England, reaching that country in August 1573. It was on Sunday that they sailed into harbor, but the news of the arrival of the fleet laden with gold emptied the churches. All the people flocked to the shore to welcome the despoilers of the Spaniards.

A few years later Drake realized his dream of sailing around the world. The Golden Hind with rich plunder derived from the towns and shipping of the western coast of South America and Central America, completed the voyage in 1580. In the following year, her captain became Sir Francis Drake.

In his later years, after he had aided in the defeat of the Great Armada, Drake received a special order from Queen Elizabeth to make an expedition to the coast of Central America. In the course of this, his last voyage, he swooped down on Nombre de Dios, and had the grim satisfaction of destroying that town, though an attempt of one of his captains to capture the city of Panama, ended in failure. While he was devising other schemes for securing Spanish gold, he died in the harbor of Portobello, and was buried at sea. The Spaniards must have learned with no little satisfaction of the death of this terrible "Dragon," as they used to call him.