t ravages among them. First died Charles Clift, one of the
quartermasters.

Then one day, when the pinnace in which Ned always sailed returned,
they were met with the sad news that Captain John Drake was also
dead. He had fallen, however, not by the fever, but by the ball of
the Spaniards. He had gone out with one of the pinnaces, and had
engaged a great Spanish ship; but the latter had shot more straight
and faster than usual, and the captain himself and Richard Allen,
one of his men, had been slain in an unsuccessful attempt to
capture the ship. His sad end was not the result of any rashness on
his part; for he, indeed, had told the men that the vessel carried
many guns, and that it was too rash an enterprise. The sailors,
however, had by this time become so accustomed to victory as to
despise the Dons altogether, and insisted upon going forward.

It was with bitter lamentation and regret that they returned,
bringing the body of the admiral's brother. They were now at the
end of the year, and in this week no less than six of the company
died, among whom was Joseph Drake, another of the admiral's
brothers. These losses saddened the crew greatly, and even the
treasures which they had amassed now seemed to them small, and of
little account. Even those who did not take the fever were much
cast down, and Captain Drake determined, without any further loss,
to attempt the expedition on which he had set his mind.

On February 3rd, being Shrove Tuesday, he started with eighteen
English and thirteen Simeroons for Panama. He had now, since he
sailed, lost no less than twenty-eight of the party which set out
from Plymouth.

In a few days they reached Venta Cruz, but one of the men, who had
taken too much strong liquor, made a noise; and the alarm being
given, much of the treasure was carried out of the place, before
they could effect a landing. They followed, however, one of the
treasure parties out of the town, and pursued them for some
distance. On their way they came across another large convoy, with
gold. This they easily took and, having sent the Spaniards away,
unloaded the mules and buried the gold, desiring to press on
further.

As they went, one of the chief Simeroons took the admiral apart
from the road they were traversing, and led him to the foot of a
lofty tree. Upon this steps had been cut, and the Indian told the
admiral to ascend, and see what he could observe from the top. Upon
reaching the summit, the ad