G. A. Henty
The Greatest Adventure Books - G. A. Henty Edition
Historical Novels, Pirate Tales, Thrillers & Action Adventure Novels
Published by
Books
- Advanced Digital Solutions & High-Quality eBook Formatting -
2020 OK Publishing
EAN 4064066386122
Table of Contents
Under Drake's Flag: A Tale of the Spanish Main
Chapter of Adventures: Through the Bombardment of Alexandria
With Cochrane the Dauntless: A Tale of the Exploits of Lord Cochrane
Among Malay Pirates; A Tale of Adventure and Peril
A Roving Commission, or, Through the Black Insurrection at Hayti
By Conduct and Courage: A Story of Nelson's Days
Under Drake's Flag: A Tale of the Spanish Main
Chapter 1: The Wreck on the Devon Coast.
Chapter 3: On the Spanish Main.
Chapter 4: An Unsuccessful Attack.
Chapter 7: An Attack in Force.
Chapter 8: The Forest Fastness.
Chapter 11: The Marvel of Fire.
Chapter 12: Across a Continent.
Chapter 13: Through the Cordilleras.
Chapter 14: On the Pacific Coast.
Chapter 15: The Prison of the Inquisition.
Chapter 18: San Francisco Bay.
Chapter 20: A Portuguese Settlement.
Chapter 21: Wholesale Conversion.
Chapter 1:
The Wreck on the Devon Coast.
It was a Stormy morning in the month of May, 1572; and the fishermen of the little village of Westport, situate about five miles from Plymouth, clustered in the public house of the place; and discussed, not the storm, for that was a common topic, but the fact that Master Francis Drake, whose ships lay now at Plymouth, was visiting the Squire of Treadwood, had passed through the village over night, and might go through it again, today. There was not one of the hardy fishermen there but would gladly have joined Drake's expedition, for marvellous tales had been told of the great booty which he, and other well-known captains, had already obtained from the Dons on the Spanish Main. The number, however, who could go was limited, and even of these the seafaring men were but a small proportion; for in those days, although a certain number of sailors were required to trim the sails and navigate the ship, the strength of the company were the fighting men, who were soldiers by trade, and fought on board ship as if on land.
Captain Drake was accompanied by many men of good Devon blood, for that county was then ahead of all England in its enterprise, and its seamanship; and no captain of name or repute ever had any difficulty in getting together a band of adventurers, from the sturdy population of her shores.
"I went over myself, last week," said a finely-built young sailor, "and I prayed the captain, on my knees, to take me on board; but he said the tale had been full, long ago; and that so many were the applicants that Master Drake and himself had sworn a great oath, that they would take none beyond those already engaged."
"Aye! I would have gone myself," said a grizzly, weatherbeaten old sailor, "if they would have had me. There was Will Trelawney, who went on such another expedition as this, and came back with more bags of Spanish dollars than he could carry. Truly they are a gold mine, these Western seas; but even better than getting gold is the thrashing of those haughty Spaniards, who seem to look upon themselves as gods, and on all others as fit only to clean their worships' boots."
"They cannot fight neither, can they?" asked a young sailor.
"They can fight, boy, and have fought as well as we could; but, somehow, they cannot stand against us, in those seas. Whether it is that the curse of the poor natives, whom they kill, enslave, and ill treat in every way, rises against them, and