Reflections on Drake's big voyage 5
March 18th 2007 21:16
[SIZE=4]Drake knew that Galleon was slowly making its way up the coast, picking up gold, but mainly silver ingots. Because there was a levy on all metals carried home to Spain to be paid, many mine owners had their loot carried as unspecified cargo to save this tax. I call it loot as the mines were worked by natives, who until recently were free to come and go as they pleased. Now they were slaves in their own land. By sailing out wide from the shore in his ship which he renamed THE GOLDEN HIND and in close to shore with his small pinnace, he covered a lot of ocean. From information he gleaned from local fishermen he found out he was only two days behind the NUESTRA SENORA DE LA CONCEPCION.
Finally the ships found their quarry. With only one man being severely wounded and the mizzen mast shot away the Spaniards were overcome. The Galleon was filled with Silver ingots, chests of silver and gold coin and an unspecified amount of gold bullion. Chests of jewels as well as silver and gold plate. Close to one million pesos of loot. It was not all going to be counted as Drake was also planning to do a little smuggling as well as piracy. What the queen didn’t know about she would not miss.
Eventually Drake turned his route to the fabled spice islands. He kicked Da Silva his enforced pilot off his boat as he was no longer needed. Poor Da Silva spent years in the torturous hands of the inquisition as a result of having helped Drake find his way to the Pacific.
Drake now had charts and rutters belonging to the pilot of the galleon and with these and Magelan’s maps, he intended to sail home. He still had little idea of where he was, only that if he sailed west he would reach Java and the Indian Ocean, Cape of Storms then home.
By the time he left the Spanish territories he had only accidentally killed one Spaniard and wounded several. He had not sunk any ships or burnt any towns or villages. His men had smashed churches, as it was their opinion that the cross and figures of Jesus were idolatrous and so fair game. Drake was very careful actually not to do any property damage and for good reason as it turns out.[/SIZE]
Finally the ships found their quarry. With only one man being severely wounded and the mizzen mast shot away the Spaniards were overcome. The Galleon was filled with Silver ingots, chests of silver and gold coin and an unspecified amount of gold bullion. Chests of jewels as well as silver and gold plate. Close to one million pesos of loot. It was not all going to be counted as Drake was also planning to do a little smuggling as well as piracy. What the queen didn’t know about she would not miss.
Eventually Drake turned his route to the fabled spice islands. He kicked Da Silva his enforced pilot off his boat as he was no longer needed. Poor Da Silva spent years in the torturous hands of the inquisition as a result of having helped Drake find his way to the Pacific.
Drake now had charts and rutters belonging to the pilot of the galleon and with these and Magelan’s maps, he intended to sail home. He still had little idea of where he was, only that if he sailed west he would reach Java and the Indian Ocean, Cape of Storms then home.
By the time he left the Spanish territories he had only accidentally killed one Spaniard and wounded several. He had not sunk any ships or burnt any towns or villages. His men had smashed churches, as it was their opinion that the cross and figures of Jesus were idolatrous and so fair game. Drake was very careful actually not to do any property damage and for good reason as it turns out.[/SIZE]
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