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Francis Drake's Story! :-

Chapter VI: Hugging the Coastline!

We anchored off Plymouth, a small but rapidly developing coastal town with a population of about 1,800 in order to hopefully take on more provisions and maybe recruit extra sailors for the crew. But first we called on Francis' Uncle William and cousins, the famous seagoing Hawkins family who lived in the town. However we were wary of being associated with relatives for too long, possibly endangering their lives and property. 

On the matter of supplies and deck-hands we were fairly lucky and remained at anchor in Plymouth Sound for several days. One day Francis and Liz climbed to the top of Plymouth Hoe and gazed out to sea. They could see their ship anchored out in the bay. Francis confided his inner feelings to Liz: "This is a very special place", he told her, "and one day in the not-too-distant future this will be the starting and ending point for even greater adventures".

It was in Plymouth that we first met Adam, a Yeoman farmer. He was a huge man whose Jewish family had been forced to convert to Christianity to save their lives when he was a boy. Recently he had lost his wife and children and all his family and possessions to the Catholic rebels and now asked if he could join our expedition to Calais, where he had a married sister and other English friends.

Here also we discovered Sam, a wandering young boy (In fact he discovered us). Sam sought out Francis on the Hoe and asked if we were from Tavistock. "Why?" queried Francis cautiously. "Because a horseman has just ridden in to say that a Protestant priest and his family have escaped", replied Sam. "And he was keen on knowing more about that ship anchored in the bay".

Sam, like ourselves we discovered, had escaped from the Catholics. He had lost his family, killed by the rebels, and he pleaded to join the ship's compliment. We all hurried down to the waterfront and explained the danger to Walt and Papa. Walt thanked Sam for the warning, took pity on him and engaged him as cabin boy. He also warmly welcomed Adam as a member of crew. They were thrilled and promised to work as hard as they could for their passages. Sam and Adam soon became, and remained, firm friends. Now, still short of some crew we made haste back to the ship in the longboat.

Next came the urgent task of organising the ship's company in readiness for setting out to sea. With Walt as captain, we each had our tasks speedily allotted. Papa had some previous sailing experience so was a valuable member of the crew. Francis and Sam helped with the cooking and other general tasks. They soon became adept at the dangerous art of climbing up the rigging to help with lookout duties (Where young pairs of eyes were important). They became expert at tying several sorts of knot in ropes of various thickness (For different purposes we were told) and tested each other assiduously. They also assisted with pumping the bilges and hoisting the sails, when short-handed (Which we certainly were at the time!). Adam's skill and great strength was a godsend in all sorts of ways. Liz helped Mama in the galley, and rapidly became a proficient cook. In addition both helped to mend sails, plait ropes, and keep the vessel clean and 'shipshape'. 

There were special drills that Walt had devised called 'Battle Stations'. These were a kind of war game. Walt explained that they were necessary in case we were attacked at sea. Although we couldn't really see the point of some of the 'games' Francis seemed to enjoy them immensely, and taught Sam to use the sling as a weapon. Walt got the ship underway without more ado, and everyone learned their roles very quickly.

During our first day at sea we ventured only a couple of miles from land. The new sights, ship's movement, and the sounds and smells quickly captivated Francis. However, the rest of the family needed a little time to adjust to this challenging environment, particularly the pitching and rolling motion. 

After a few hours we sighted some seals on a small offshore island. There was great excitement on our first view of this wonder, as we  watched their shambling antics on land giving way to a fluent swimming ability in the water. Francis and Liz spent a happy hour sketching these marvellous creatures, watched by captivated members of the crew. Liz's drawings brought smiles to everyone's faces (However, I think you'll agree that although the umbrella wasn't a recent invention, the design of her umbrella was probably 300 years in advance of its time!)¹.

The sea was calm, and we learned to maintain careful lookouts in the crow's nest at the top of the main mast. The land slid slowly into the distance and Plymouth Hoe and the backdrop of Dartmoor gave way first to rolling hills, then to a misty haze. As we increased sail and scythed through the water a school of porpoises (Small dolphins) escorted the ship; bouncing along the waves and leaping in and out of the water in a spectacular teamwork display of aquatic gymnastics. Again, this was a first experience for most of us and the performance was enthusiastically applauded by all on board.

It was decided to anchor off Exmouth and travel up river in the ship's longboat to Exeter to obtain provisions and possibly engage more sailors as crew. Whilst in Exeter we visited the ancient cathedral and were concerned at the extent of the damage done to it in the name of King Henry. Liz was particularly upset at the destruction of its works of art. It was a great relief when we were told that some of its treasures, like the figures in the 'Minstrels' Gallery', the choir's lovely misericords, the nave's magnificent Purbeck Marble pillars and gothic vaulting, and the ancient tombs and chantry chapels might still possibly be salvaged for posterity. 'The hatred against the Catholics must have been widespread and intense', she thought, 'this surely wasn't just one King's whim'. (I must admit that I'm surprised at the fuss being made about a few bits of wood and stone, but there you are. The defacement is certainly causing a lot of anger and anxiety . . .) We managed to acquire a couple more sailors and garnered some extra provisions for our voyage; and then Walt re-allocated our duties and we set off again on our journey. 

Walt felt that we ought to continue to keep the coastline in sight and call in at Portsmouth, a small town along the Hampshire coast. There we might recruit some additional sailors {essential if we were to make quicker (And safer) progress in mid-channel)}. It would also enable us to hear any further news about the Catholic uprising. "Our best course", said Walt, "is to sail through the difficult straits between the mainland and the Isle of Wight. Here we will be less vulnerable to any French warships, or other potential enemies". 

We passed through the Solent without mishap and anchored off the coast at Portsmouth, then took the longboat into the town's harbour. Walt pointed out the lantern on St Thomas' Church tower. "It is kept alight to warn shipping about hazards and to welcome seamen home", he told us. Walt also took us to obtain a glimpse of the newly developing Royal Naval dockyard. "Its sister dockyard", he explained, "is being developed on the River Medway at Chatham in Kent." (And St Thomas' Church is destined to become a Cathedral in 400 years time, so although we didn't know it we had an early indication of history in the making!)

In a tavern in the town there was continuous talk of the Mary Rose, a carrack that was the flagship of King Henry VIII's newly formed embryonic 'Royal Navy'. The ship had recently been wrecked off the town's coast. This tragedy was a salutary reminder of the potential dangers of the sea and of our own mission. We managed to persuade one or two sailors to join us but then decided to move on to Chichester, over the county border. We set off and anchored in the bay outside Chichester in the ancient county of West Sussex. The longboat was again launched to ferry us into the town's natural harbour.

On our way to the harbour we suddenly felt a colossal jolt. It was as if we had hit a rock or a sandbank. The skipper yelled "Avast. Ship oars". We immediately discovered we were being followed by a huge underwater creature that had nudged us from beneath. When its large dorsal fin broke the surface near our boat we were extremely alarmed. But Walt and Adam calmed us with the news that it was a non-aggressive basking shark. Its huge gaping mouth, though, did little to help dispel our fears. In order to reassure us of the monster's docility, Adam lowered himself into the water and swam up to the creature, stroking it. As he swam he explained that he had occasionally encountered these leviathans in the bay at Falmouth in Cornwall, where he lived. He had also heard reports of sightings off the coast of North Wales. One interesting account was of the great fish being spotted from the top of the Great Orme near Llandudno, swimming in the water at its base. Our shark didn't seem to object to Adam's presence. 

Eventually, however, with a nonchalant swoosh of its enormous tailfin which almost capsized our boat and had us clutching the vessel's gunwales, it slid noiselessly into deeper water to go in search of more edible morsels. (I suspect that whilst everyone aboard thought whew, what a lucky escape! Francis was thinking: 'That's one that got away'). Another memorable aquatic adventure having been negotiated, Adam clambered back into the boat. And Walt's command "Ready oars; give way together", brought us back from our piscatorial ruminations to continue our course towards the harbour and town.

In Chichester, as in Exeter and Portsmouth, we were again shocked to see the damage done to the ancient Greyfriars Monastery and the Cathedral. This had originally been relocated by the Normans from the Saxon site in Selsey and associated with St Wilfred. Once again we were wary of any catholic retaliations which might result from this destruction. Liz insisted on lighting a tallow candle in the cathedral and having a 'few quiet moments with her deceased family'.

Then we sought out the market and acquired some more fresh meat, fruit, vegetables and water (And essential grog for the sailors!). Here we learned that there was trouble still brewing in the area. Protestants were not looked on at all favourably it seemed and there were widespread battles between opposing religious factions. Captain Walt managed to persuade a couple more sailors to join us and we duly returned to the ship. Here, after another 'Council of Action' and some further training and task re-adjustments, we decided to set out for Calais (Not an altogether easy prospect) with high hopes for a comparatively smooth passage and eventual safe haven.

Click the captain's cabin window in the vessel's stern to make for the open sea in the exciting tale . . .

Francis Drake's Story! :-

Chapter VII: A Channel Crossing!

Footnote 1.  Liz's picture of a seal caused great excitement and hilarity. One deliberate technical error to note is that although umbrellas had been around since the time of the ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans; the modern umbrella with metal struts wasn't in being in her time (not until the late 19th Century). Never mind, Liz (like Francis) was a child ahead of their time! Return to Story.

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