re greatly
struck with the appearance of Goa. It was, indeed, a city of
palaces, most solidly built of stone, and possessing an amount of
magnificence and luxury which surpassed anything they had ever
seen. In the streets a few Portuguese, magnificently dressed and
escorted by guards, moved among a throng of gaily attired natives;
whose slight figures, upright carriage, and intelligent faces
struck the boys as most pleasing, after their experience of the
islanders of the South Seas. The immense variety of turbans and
headgear greatly astonished them, as well as the magnificence of
the dresses of some of these, who appeared to be men of importance
and who were attended by a retinue of armed followers.

The young men were escorted by two officers of the viceroy, who had
come on board ship as soon as she dropped anchor, to conduct them
to his presence. At the sight of these officials the natives
hastily cleared the way, and made every demonstration of respect,
as the party passed through them.

The vice-regal palace was a magnificent building, surpassing any
edifice the boys had ever seen, and they were still more struck by
the luxury of the interior. They were led through several
vestibules, until at last they arrived in a large chamber. At a
table here the viceroy was seated, while around him were a large
number of the councilors and leading men of the place. The viceroy
rose as the young men advanced, and bowed profoundly.

"You are, I hear, Englishmen; and I am told, but I can scarcely
believe it, that you belong to the ship of the Captain Drake whose
exploits in the West Indies, against the Spaniards, have made him
so famous. But how, belonging to him, you came to be cast on an
island in the South Seas is more than we are able to understand."

No news of the expedition had reached the Portuguese, and the
surprise of the viceroy was only natural.

"The Golden Hind, sir, the vessel in which we were gentlemen
adventurers, rounded Cape Horn, sailed up the American coast, and
then, keeping west, crossed through the islands; and has, we trust,
long since rounded the Cape of Good Hope and arrived in England,
having circumnavigated the globe."

An expression of surprise broke from the assembled Portuguese. But
a frown passed over the face of the viceroy.

"What was the object of your captain, in visiting these seas?" he
asked "They are the property of Portugal, and without the
permission of his majesty, no ship of a