In essence there _was_
war, deadly war, between Philip and Elizabeth. Even later, when the
Armada sailed, there had been no formal declaration. The reality is the
important part of the matter. It was but stroke for stroke, and the
English arm proved the stronger.
Still hoping to find Winter in advance of him, Drake went on next to
Tarapaca, where silver from the Andes mines was shipped for Panama. At
Tarapaca there was the same unconsciousness of danger. The silver bars
lay piled on the quay, the muleteers who had brought them were sleeping
peacefully in the sunshine at their side. The muleteers were left to
their slumbers. The bars were lifted into the English boats. A train of
mules or llamas came in at the moment with a second load as rich as the
first. This, too, went into the _Pelican's_ hold. The bullion taken at
Tarapaca was worth near half a million ducats.
Still there were no news of Winter. Drake began to realise that he was
now entirely alone, and had only himself and his own crew to depend on.
There was nothing to do but to go through with it, danger adding to the
interest. Arica was the next point visited. Half a hundred blocks of
silver were picked up at Arica.
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