and close under the shore, the _Cacafuego's_ peculiar sails were
sighted, and the gold chain was claimed. There she was, freighted with
the fruit of Aladdin's garden, going lazily along a few miles ahead.
Care was needed in approaching her. If she guessed the _Pelican's_
character, she would run in upon the land and they would lose her. It
was afternoon. The sun was still above the horizon, and Drake meant to
wait till night, when the breeze would be off the shore, as in the
tropics it always is.

The _Pelican_ sailed two feet to the _Cacafuego's_ one. Drake filled his
empty wine-skins with water and trailed them astern to stop his way. The
chase supposed that she was followed by some heavy-loaded trader, and,
wishing for company on a lonely voyage, she slackened sail and waited
for him to come up. At length the sun went down into the ocean, the rosy
light faded from off the snows of the Andes; and when both ships had
become invisible from the shore, the skins were hauled in, the night
wind rose, and the water began to ripple under the _Pelican's_ bows.
The _Cacafuego_ was swiftly overtaken, and when within a cable's length
a voice hailed her to put her head into the wind. The Spanish commander,
not understanding so strange an order, held on his course. A broadside
brought down his mainyard; and a flight of arrows rattled on his deck.
He was himself wounded. In a few minutes he was a prisoner, and _Our
Lady of the Conception_ and her precious freight were in the corsair's
power. The wreck was cut away; the ship was cleared; a prize crew was
put on board. Both vessels turned their heads to the sea. At daybreak no
land was to be seen, and the examination of the prize began. The full
value was never acknowledged. The invoice, if there was one, was
destroyed. The accurate figures were known only to Drake and Queen
Elizabeth. A published schedule acknowledged to twenty tons of silver
bullion, thirteen chests of silver coins, and a hundredweight of gold,
but there were gold nuggets besides in indefinite quantity, and 'a great
store' of pearls, emeralds, and diamonds. The Spanish Government proved
a loss of a million and a half of ducats, excluding what belonged to
private persons. The total capture was immeasurably greater.

Drake, we are told, was greatly satisfied. He thought it prudent to stay
in the neighbourhood no longer than necessary. He went north with all
sail set, taking his prize along with him. The master, San J