a stay of a few hours,
they departed; "not forgetting," the chronicler says, "to take with
them a certain pot, of about a bushel in bigness, full of royals of
plate, together with a chain of gold, and some other jewels; which
we entreated a gentleman Spaniard to leave behind him, as he was
flying out of town."

They then steered out to sea, and did not see the land again until,
after sailing 1400 leagues, they came, on June 3rd, in sight of
land in 42 degrees north latitude.

Before going further, the adventures of the fleet must be briefly
related from the day, being the 21st of June, when the attack was
made upon them by the Patagonians, and the boys were driven into
the wood. Captain Francis, and those of the crew on shore with him,
soon beat off the natives; inflicting some loss upon them. These
took to the woods, in which they could not be followed; and Captain
Francis, mourning for the loss of his three adventurers, and of the
gunner killed by his side; and despairing of ever recovering the
bodies of those who were, as he believed, cut off and murdered;
embarked on board ship, and sailed down the coast. A few days later
he put in to another bay, and there remained some time.

Here a strange scene was enacted, which has cast a shadow over the
reputation of the great sea captain. Calling his officers together,
he accused one of them, Captain Doughty, of treachery. He alleged
that the plots against him were commenced before leaving Plymouth;
and yet, as he had promoted Captain Doughty to the command of one
of the ships, when upon the voyage, it is difficult to understand
how he can, at that time, have believed that he was unfaithful.
Nor, again, does it appear in what way his treachery could have
injured the admiral, for as all the officers and crew were devoted
to him, Captain Doughty might have tried, in vain, to lead them
aside from his authority. He professed, indeed, the highest regard
for the man he accused, and spoke to the captains of the great
goodwill and inward affection, even more than brotherly, which he
held towards him. And yet, he averred that it was absolutely
necessary that Captain Doughty should be put upon his trial.

Captain Doughty, it is said, stricken with remorse at his conduct,
acknowledged himself to have deserved death; for that he had
conspired not only for the overthrow of the expedition, but for the
death of the admiral, who was not a stranger, but a dear and true
friend to him; a