commander. He carefully collected all available information, and weighed every argument before deciding upon a line of action. He carried his designs into execution with dauntless courage, but he always remained cool, and his presence of mind never deserted him. He respected the personal property of an enemy. His men felt absolute confidence in his judgment and sense of justice. They knew that he sympathised with them and understood their feelings. They loved him, and would follow him anywhere. Technically the Spaniards were entitled to apply the term "Corsario" to the renowned "Francisco Drague," whom they feared and hated: at least until 1585. But to call him a pirate in the ordinary acceptation of the term conveys an entirely false impression.
The proposal of Francis Drake to navigate the South Sea, in spite of the Spaniards, received the support of several great men at court, especially of Sir Christopher Hatton, who was the renowned sailor's most active friend. Funds were therefore raised for the equipment of five vessels. Drake himself sailed in the Pelican, of 100 tons, as general. He was surrounded with some state, keeping a good table, with music playing during dinner, and having several gentlemen volunteers as his messmates. Among them was his youngest brother and heir, Thomas Drake. He had already lost two other brothers, John and Joseph, in the West Indies. The second ship of 80 tons was the Elizabeth, commanded by John Wynter, with William Markham, a younger son of Markham of Sedgebrook in Lincolnshire, and surnamed the "Otter Hunter," as master. The Marygold, commanded by John Thomas, was a vessel of 30 tons; the Swan, under John Chester, was a fly-boat of 50 tons; and there was a little pinnace of 15 tons called the Christopher. Drake's famous expedition sailed from Plymouth on the 13th of December, 1577.
The fleet shaped a course for the Cape Verde Islands, and, after leaving them, Drake steered southward into a region quite unknown to Englishmen. For fifty-five days they were out of sight of land, and during three weeks in the equatorial calms there was great heat, the line being crossed on the 7th of February, 1578. Drake attended personally to the health of the men, making regular inspections and seeing that they were suitably clothed and fed. He also took the precaution of bleeding them before encountering the great heat of the equator. In all these respects he showed the qualities of a great commander, and in some points he was in
