Drake answered with a question whether England and Spain were at
war, and if not why the English merchants had been arrested. Don Pedro
could but say that he knew of no war, and for the merchants an order had
come for their release. For reply Drake landed part of his force on the
islands, and Don Pedro, not knowing what to make of such visitors, found
it best to propitiate them with cartloads of wine and fruit. The
weather, which had been hitherto fine, showed signs of change. The wind
rose, and the sea with it. The anchorage was exposed, and Drake sent
Christopher Carlile, with one of his ships and a few pinnaces, up the
harbour to look out for better shelter. Their appearance created a panic
in the town. The alarmed inhabitants took to their boats, carrying off
their property and their Church plate. Carlile, who had a Calvinistic
objection to idolatry, took the liberty of detaining part of these
treasures. From one boat he took a massive silver cross belonging to the
High Church at Vigo; from another an image of Our Lady, which the
sailors relieved of her clothes and were said, when she was stripped, to
have treated with some indignity. Carlile's report being satisfactory,
the whole fleet was brought the next day up the harbour and moored above
the town.
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