DIGITISED MANUSCRIPTS

( 26 ) Drake then made for Lima; but there the nest was empty,—the bird he was in quest of had flown. It was a huge Spanish galleon, the Caccafuego, and Drake learnt she had only just started, taking with her all the bullion the mines had yielded during the season. She had been literally ballasted with silver, and carried, besides, boxes of gold and jewels. Not a moment was lost. The Pelican sped due north. She encountered and took on her way a vessel, on which were found some gold and a great golden jewel set with emeralds as large as pigeon eges. For eight hundred miles the Pelican flew on- wards on her chase, until at last she fell in with the Caccafuego. The corsair opened her ports and fired a broadside into the Spaniard and cleared her decks with arrows. The commander himself was wounded. In a few minutes more he was made a prisoner, and his ship and all it contained were in the hands of the English. The value of the plunder has never been ac- curately known, and remained a secret between Drake and the Queen; but the Spanish Government con- fessed they had lost upwards of one million and a half of ducats in bullion, which is equivalent to six million and a half of our money, besides a priceless store of pearls, emeralds, and diamonds. I wish I had time to follow Drake during the