one of his masts had fallen by the board, and he himself
was wounded. Then, finding further resistance useless, he hauled
down his flag.

The booty taken was even greater than had been expected. Of gold
and silver, alone, there was on board her to the value of 750,000
pounds, equal to a vastly larger sum in these days; besides immense
quantities of precious stones, silver vessels, and other valuables.
For six days they lay alongside the Cacafuego, transferring her
cargo to the Golden Hind; and at parting, Captain Drake was
considerate enough to give the captain a letter to Captain Winter,
or any of the other captains of the fleet, should they come north
and meet her, begging that she should be allowed to pass without
interruption; or that, should they have need of any of the few
articles left on board her, they would pay double the value. He
also, in exchange for the valuables transferred, was good enough to
bestow upon the master a little linen, and some other commodities.

As it was now certain that the whole coast would be thoroughly
alarmed, and the Governor General at Panama would be prepared, with
a powerful fleet, to resist the Golden Hind should she stir in that
direction, Captain Francis determined to sail boldly out to sea,
and then to shape his course so as to strike the coast again, far
north of the Spanish possessions. His object, in thus undertaking a
voyage which would seem likely to yield but little profit, was that
he hoped he might find a passage round the north of America, and so
not only shorten his own return journey home, but open a most
valuable country for trade, for his own countrymen.

On the 7th of March, before putting out to sea, he touched at the
Island of Cano, off the coast of Nicaragua. Here they had an alarm
which startled even the boldest. As they lay at anchor they felt
the shock of a terrible earthquake, which almost brought down the
masts of the ship; and for a moment all thought that she had been
struck by some hostile machine, or had fallen down on a rock. The
pumps were manned, and it was happily found that she made no water.

Here they made their last prize on the American coast--a ship which
had come across from China. She was laden with linen, China silk,
and China dishes. Among the spoil is enumerated a falcon made of
gold, with a great emerald set in his breast.

It was not until the 15th of April that they again touched the
land, and landed at Guatulco; whence, after