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The Worlds of Gilbert and Sullivan

Chapter XVIII: In the Doldrums!

The call of the deep seas soon caught up with Francis, and although he and Mary were reluctant to part, the newly-wedded couple accepted it as a fact of life. He organised and achieved the finance for two ships. The Pasco and the Swan were two small sailing vessels financed largely by John Hawkins. Francis captained the Pascoe, and his brother John was captain of the Swan, together with 73 men and boys as crew. They set sail for the Spanish Main. Here Francis was determined to give the hated Spaniards a bloody nose; and of course make his fortune out of their ill-gotten gains. The plan was for the two ships - containing the parts for two finely made pinnaces¹: the Bear and the Minion, to navigate rivers and shallow coastal waters - to sail from Plymouth and meet up in the bay of Nombre de Dios, in Panama. Here we were to reconnoitre the islands and coast for safe harbours and hiding places. At this point perhaps you would like to hear (and sing) our MusicSmiles arrangement of Wilfred Sanderson's famous song: Drake Goes West. (Click link < < < to hear - Then Back-button top left to return) It reflects the growing fervour of the time and is a splendid rousing piece of music.

On one occasion we were becalmed for days and days in the Mid-Atlantic weather-system called the Doldrums. Francis, however, had read about this discovery by Christopher Columbus. Now, all his knowledge and skills came to the fore. He instructed the longboat to be manned, coupled it to the ship's bow, and ordered the boatswain (bosun) to gently haul the ship in the manner of a tug, the coxswain (pronounced cox'n, or simply cox) assisting in steering the ship. Francis then set the crew to repair all the ship's sails and equipment, and scrub the decks until they were white and gleaming. 

Also, to dispel boredom, relax our hard-worked bodies, and ward off idleness (the Devil's ally), he cleared the deck and the rigging and organised martial sports, and horizontal and vertical team races between sections of the crew; and concerts led by Sam on drum and Caulkie on his recorder (Including lots of sea shanties  of course). {Click link < < < to visit our MusicSmiles portfolio of Sea Shanties} These concerts were a great success and helped to make time pass in a very demanding situation. 

During the races I remember that Sam was one of the leaders in climbing up to the Crow's Nest at the top of the main mast, placing a baton and returning; the next team member collected the baton and returned it to deck level. I was also among the leaders ascending, but suffered the ignominy of being rescued by Sam when, once again, I found I couldn't easily descend on my own! (I concede these may be advantages of being human).

It was while I was waiting petrified in the Crow's Nest, that I went through one of my experiences (call it intuition, sixth sense if you like). I felt that I detected the faintest whiff of a breeze and change of air quality. Sam noticed my transformations of mood from fear to elation, then to caution, and immediately analysed my perception. This he communicated to the Cap'n much better than I could. Francis gave me credit for my alertness and immediately ordered a readiness in the ship. He traversed round the vessel in the longboat and noted the way it lay in the water. On return he instructed the Coxswain to reorganise the cargo, trim the sails, batten down hatches, and make the ship ready for any eventuality. 

The following afternoon Sam was in the Crow's Nest when the sky darkened and a gale blew up which tested all our ingenuity. Almost imperceptibly he perceived an unbelievably enormous dark spiral coming towards us out of the West (Click thumbnail < < < to see picture of tornado - Then Back-button top left to return). He called down to the deck, warning us of the danger. But we were as prepared for it as was possible. The tornado passed by us within a mile or two. Too close for comfort. Terrifying though it was, buffeted and bruised we rode the mayhem of the maelstrom to escape to safer waters!

The first few months were spent exploring the terrain. The deep, dark, rain forest and adjoining coasts and rivers were carefully and systematically investigated and charted for safe navigation, natural harbours, and hiding and attacking places. It was on one such expedition that Sam stumbled into a treacherously disguised bog. He struggled and called for help but the mud was sucking him down and the murky, weed-covered water was soon up to his chest. The more he struggled the lower he sank. The men strove to free him and Francis lassoed a rope to him which he placed round his chest under his armpits. Francis then quickly scaled a nearby overhanging tree and tied the rope round a stout branch. In spite of all this Sam continued to sink in the mire, and soon the water was up to his chin. 

Just then a huge Negro appeared and handed Sam a hollow reed to act as a snorkel to breath through if he was sucked under the surface. The Negro reassured Sam, and the others, saying his name was Diego, an escaped slave, and would save him if he would keep still, cling to hope, and not panic. Diego then scaled the tree with Francis and applied his great strength to the rope. As he strained the rope inched upward - Francis winding the end lapped over a higher branch to grip it. It took a great deal of human effort but Sam, to everybody's horror, still sank below the surface. Then the bog gradually, slowly, very reluctantly, with a terrible sucking and gurgling sound, accompanied by a tremendous stench, started to slacken its grip on the victim just as the water and green slime were reaching Sam's forehead. Diego and Francis persevered and inch by painful inch pulled Sam out of the marsh and the crew then gently pulled him to the edge of the mire where he was safely landed on firm ground. The 'snorkel' was removed from his mouth and his face cleared of the slime. Then he was able to breath again metaphorically and literally. 

Looking back, it was difficult to detect where the bog began - its green slime disguising its presence. But the stench was significant. All this was reinforced by the passing by of an enormous python which negotiated the marsh with ease and slithered on its way - no doubt in search of hapless victims as an easy source of food. (I quickly climbed the adjacent tree, out of its way. Not really a totally sensible reaction, reflecting on the tree-climbing abilities of these snakes). 

Sam was forever grateful to Diego for saving his life. Diego, for his part, attached himself permanently to Sam; and to Francis - who accepted him as a friend, and as his manservant.

The first attempt at an attack on Nombre de Dios was well planned but inconclusively executed when Francis rejected a large stock-pile of Spanish treasure in order to try for greater prizes. But Drake was seriously injured in the leg and the attempt was called off. He was transported safely from the battle to Diego's village for treatment. This swift action by Diego and his Cimarrones saved Francis from further harm and possibly death. Whilst recovering he heard of the death of his brother John, killed in action; and was told about a younger brother, Joseph, who died from the fever which was sweeping through the crew. This appalling news overwhelmed Francis and delayed his own recovery by several weeks. It took a great deal of careful medical attention by Bones, the ship's doctor, and constant nursing by Diego and the village womenfolk before Francis was fit enough for another attempt at robbing the Spaniards of their ill-gotten treasures.

The Cimarrones regarded Drake as an ally in their fight to retain their freedom from their hated previous masters and enemy, the Spaniards. Diego had witnessed Drake's failed attempt on the treasure, and put forward a plan to attack the next mule train from Peru. All was ready and the party was joined by some French privateers who were also keen to capture some of the booty. A suitable spot was identified in the jungle and a well armed group was positioned in hiding to ambush the silver and gold convoy as it passed. However, bad weather delayed the pack-animals' journey through the wet and steamy jungle, and the heavily laden convoy was late. In the meantime Drake's corsairs, dispirited by the hot and humid conditions, began to lose their composure. One of the younger men - Robert Pike - had too much to drink and, inebriated, he attacked too soon and the  premature tell-tale movement by him inadvertently warned the escorting Spanish soldiers of the danger. The resulting fight went the way of the Spaniards and Drake's men had to retreat empty handed. A loss of £35,000 and endangering the crew was attributed to Robert Pike's over-imbibing and miscalculation. Francis was not best pleased and an appropriate lashes punishment was publicly administered when back at the ship. 

Sam beat the drum for one last attempt, and we achieved success. This time the gold and silver haul was successful and divided between the English and the French; the Cimarrones having no use for such baubles! The booty was then hidden in the jungle in readiness for transportation to the ships. But some Spaniards escaped and went for reinforcements to nearby Nombre de Dios. On the way back to the harbour Drake captured several Spanish vessels loaded with food and water. He also found lots of wild fowl which he killed for food. Better equipped he trapped and captured a large Spanish frigate loaded with provisions and treasure. From all these ships he freed the slaves and protected the surprised but relieved Spanish prisoners from the fierce and vengeful Cimarrones, who were very keen to vent their spleen on these, albeit innocent, people. He even gave them, in exchange, his worn-out ship Pascoe to transport them back to the to safety of their port. The tale of Drake's chivalry and humanitarian kindness to his vanquished foes - even though he was such a dreaded warrior in battle - was swiftly carried back to Spain, and indeed his fame in this respect travelled to England and far abroad.

After several other very hairy adventures and narrow escapes the remaining silver, gold and jewels were eventually loaded on to the waiting pinnaces and thence to the concealed harbour. The Swan (Drake had only enough men to crew one ship) together with the very neat and handy pinnaces, having done their work, were broken up - ensuring room on the captured ship for more treasure - and their iron-work donated to an appreciative village of Cimarrones.

What a victory. Suddenly there was an abundance of treasure to take back in Drake's 'new' ship. Now, enough was transported to make Francis (And the Queen) very rich indeed. It certainly paid for the trip! 

While they were in the Panama peninsula Diego took Francis up a high mountain near to Panama city and invited him to climb a tall tree at the top to see the views. From the canopy Francis was amazed and mesmerised by the sight. To the East he could see the vast tracts of the Caribbean Sea and islands, and beyond the broad Atlantic. And in the opposite direction, to the West he could see another vast expanse of water - what was it? For the first time he gazed on that other great ocean: the Pacific, where the Portuguese East Indian trade was carried out via Cape of Good Hope, South Africa, and the Indian Ocean. So near . . .! (It will be at least three hundred years before man can drive a canal through the Panama peninsular to reach it). He thanked Diego for the introduction to this amazing sight. What a discovery. Francis had to content himself with vowing that one day he would find a westerly route to reach it himself - Is Promise!

But a lot of our crew had been killed, or died during the long voyage, and only 30 of the English sailors made it back to England. Fifteen months later we finally docked in Plymouth on a Sunday.  Drake's wife Mary was there waiting to meet the incoming vessel and her beloved Francis. She was shocked and saddened on learning of his brothers' deaths and tenderly shared his grief at their (and other crew members') loss. However, hearing of the arriving Spanish 'treasure ship' flying an English flag, St Andrew's and the nearby churches disgorged their excited congregations in mid-sermon (to the amazement and total annoyance of their preachers), to welcome us with our 'good news'. What a homecoming!

The now very wealthy Francis Drake (Click thumbnail > > > to see Drake's picture as a wealthy young man - Then Back-button top left to return) was a generous man and made sure that the families of those who had died were given a portion of the treasure. The crew were handsomely rewarded, the Queen and other backers paid their dues (plus a bit [a lot] extra), and friends and relatives given presents. 

Also Francis and Mary visited Francis' lifelong friend Liz and her family in Kent, taking presents. Francis also took with him several unpromising looking tubers of a strange root-vegetable. Diego had introduced them to him in America. "The native Americans call them potatoes", he explained. "Try them" he suggested to Liz. "They can be baked in hot ashes, or you can boil them in water, or well . . . it probably won't come to much but just try them and see what you think. And keep a few for seed". He explained how a potato grew in the Americas when the eyes began to appear on the skin - "Don't forget to keep them covered with earth to stop them going green and becoming poisonous; heap them up with soil as they grow. Experiment. I don't anticipate any ground-breaking or far-reaching results. But, success or failure, I shall be interested to know how you go on . . ." Then, having no children of their own yet, they happily played with Liz's  children. Francis also brought them presents of oranges (what a glorious surprise this fruit was) and small trinkets from foreign lands. Now sadly they had to leave Kent to make their way back home to Devon, where, no doubt further responsibilities and adventures awaited them . . .

Footnote 1    Our dictionary describes a pinnace as a small vessel with oars and sails. It can be a boat with eight oars; a man-of-war's tender boat; or it simply refers to a small boat. Return to story.

Chapter XIX: The Metamorphoses!

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