It might be well to show Philip that on one
element at least she could still be dangerous. She had lost nothing by
the bold actions of Drake and the privateers. With half a heart she
allowed Drake to fit them out again, take the _Buonaventura_, a ship of
her own, to carry his flag, and go down to the coast of Spain and see
what was going on. He was not to do too much. She sent a vice-admiral
with him, in the _Lion_, to be a check on over-audacity. Drake knew how
to deal with embarrassing vice-admirals. His own adventurers would sail,
if he ordered, to the Mountains of the Moon, and be quite certain that
it was the right place to go to. Once under way and on the blue water he
would go his own course and run his own risks. Cadiz Harbour was
thronged with transports, provision ships, powder vessels--a hundred
sail of them--many of a thousand tons and over, loading with stores for
the Armada. There were thirty sail of adventurers, the smartest ships
afloat on the ocean, and sailed by the smartest seamen that ever handled
rope or tiller. Something might be done at Cadiz if he did not say too
much about it. The leave had been given to him to go, but he knew by
experience, and Burghley again warned him, that it might, and probably
would, be revoked if he waited too long.
Pages:
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205