ch he had come.

Beyond the batteries the fleet anchored with its prizes, plundering and
scuttling with all its might, till the flood came in again. Then all
that remained were fired, and, by the flare of the blazing hulks as they
drifted clear with the tide, Drake moved the fleet into the mouth of the
Puntal channel, out of range of the batteries. He himself took up a
position seaward of the new anchorage, to engage the guns which the
Spaniards were bringing down from the town and to keep off the galleys;
for as yet the work was but half done. In the inner harbor lay the
splendid galleon of the Marquis de Santa Cruz, and a crowd of great
ships too big to seek the refuge of the shoals about Port Royal, and at
daylight the Merchant Royal went boldly in, with all the tenders in
company. Then, in spite of the labors of the past night, the plundering,
scuttling, and burning began again. Outside, the galleys were making
half-hearted demonstrations against the English anchorage, but they were
easily kept at bay. By noon it was all over, and Drake attempted to make
sail. In the past thirty-six hours he had entirely revictualled his
fleet with wine, oil, biscuit, and dried fruits. He had destroyed some
twelve thousand tons of shipping, including some of the finest vessels
afloat, and four ships laden with provisions were in possession of his
prize crews.[1] It was enough and more than enough. But the wind would
not serve, and all day long he lay where he was, in sight of the troops
that were now pouring along the isthmus into Cadiz.

[1] In the official report the Spaniards admit the loss of
twenty-four ships valued at one hundred seventy-two thousand
ducats. This, it would seem, was all they dared tell the King.

Again and again the galleys attempted to approach, and every time
Drake's broadsides swept them back before they reached their effective
range. Vainly, too, the Spaniards strove to post guns near enough to
annoy the fleet. Nor did the struggle cease till at midnight a land-wind
sprang up, and, brushing from his path the galleys that sought to block
the way, Drake made sail. By two o'clock he had cleared the batteries
and was safe outside without losing a single man. Boldly enough then the
galleys gave chase, but, unfortunately, the wind suddenly shifted
completely round. Drake at once went about, and the galleys fled in most
undignified haste, leaving the English fleet to complete its triumph by
an