Treasurer contributed in no small
degree.

In fact, in the face of the great peril which confronted it, all Cuba
arose to the occasion with a unity of public spirit never before known
in its history, and wholly admirable. All the officials, civil and
military, insular and royal, were in accord, and all classes of the
population, Spaniards, Indians and negro slaves were loyal and devoted
in their support. In these circumstances it is of fascinating interest
to speculate upon what might have happened had Drake made the expected
descent upon Havana. It is well within the limit not only of possibility
but of probability that he would have been decisively defeated. It is
even possible that in the conflict with more than a thousand well-armed,
well trained and resolute Spaniards, than whom there were then no braver
or better fighting men in all the world, he would himself have been
captured or slain. And such a disposition of Francis Drake in the summer
of 1586, only two years before the descent of the Invincible Armada upon
the shores of England, might well have changed the history of the world.

But this was not to be. Some say that Drake did not intend to attack
Havana at that time, preferring to raid Carthagena, as he did. Some say
that by means of spies he ascertained the strength of Havana's defenses
and deemed it, therefore, prudent not to meddle with that place. Some
say that there was an interposition of Providence to dissuade him from
what might have been a disastrous fiasco. We have also, as we shall
presently see, the testimony of some Spanish fugitives, which is
entirely plausible, though not certainly correct. Conjecture is
inconclusive. Only the fact remains that Drake passed by and left Cuba
unassailed.

From the latter part of February until the beginning of May no word of
his doings came to Havana; anxiety meanwhile prevailing and preparations
for his anticipated arrival being unabated. At last word came, most
ominous. A vessel from Spain, a heavily armed frigate, had been
searching for Drake. It had tracked him from Santo Domingo to
Carthagena, and had found him in full possession of the latter place.
There apparently, after two months' occupancy, he was preparing for some
fresh adventure. This information convinced the Cuban authorities that
the great struggle was at hand, and that the approach of the enemy would
be from the westward by way of Cape San Antonio. After despoiling
Carthagena Drake's logica