x's land-attack on the town. He could not, however, bear to be left
behind, and in a litter he was carried into Cadiz. He could only stay an
hour on shore, however, for the agony in his leg was intolerable, and in
the tumultuous disorder of the soldiers, who were sacking the town,
there was danger of his being rudely pushed and shouldered. He went back
to the 'War Sprite' to have his wound dressed and to sleep, and found
that in the general rush on shore his presence in the fleet was highly
desirable.

Early next morning, feeling eased by a night's rest, he sent on shore to
ask leave to follow the fleet of forty carracks bound for the Indies,
which had escaped down the Puerto Real river; this navy was said to be
worth twelve millions. In the confusion, however, there came back no
answer from Essex or Howard. A ransom of two millions had meanwhile been
offered for them, but this also, in the absence of his chiefs, Raleigh
had no power to accept. While he was thus uncertain, the Duke of Medina
Sidonia solved the difficulty on June 23, by setting the whole flock of
helpless and treasure-laden carracks on fire. From the deck of the 'War
Sprite' Raleigh had the mortification of seeing the smoke of this
priceless argosy go up to heaven. The waste had been great, for of all
the galleons, carracks, and frigates of which the great Spanish navy had
consisted, only the 'St. Matthew' and the 'St. Andrew' had come intact
into the hands of the English. The Dutch sailors, who held back until
the fight was decided, sprang upon the blazing 'St. Philip,' and saved a
great part of her famous store of ordnance; while, as Raleigh pleasantly
puts it, 'the two Apostles aforesaid' were richly furnished, and made
an agreeable prize to bring back to England.

The English generals, engaged in sacking the palaces and razing the
fortifications of Cadiz, were strangely indifferent to the anxieties of
their friends at home. In England the wildest rumours passed from mouth
to mouth, but it was a fortnight before anyone on the spot thought it
necessary to communicate with the Home Government. It is said that
Raleigh's letter to Cecil, written ten leagues to the west of Cadiz, on
July 7, and carried to England by Sir Anthony Ashley, contained the
first intimation of the victory. In this letter Raleigh is careful to do
himself justice with the Queen, and to claim a complete pardon on the
score of services so signal, for it was already patent to him that