SIR FRANCIS DRAKE.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1707, 26 March 1913, Page 8

SIR FRANCIS DRAKE.

There has beon a crowing interest in recent years in Sir Francis Drake,,and much ha.s beon unearthed that has added to tho admiration for his career. Lady Elliott Drake, authoress of "Tho Family and Heirs of Sir Francis' Drake," in wi'iting to Archdeacon lioyco, of Sydney, says of papers lately found:—"Sinco I wrote my book an American lady has discovered somo most interesting documents in Mexico. Amongst old Inquisition depositions tlierd is ono mado by Nuno de Silva, Sir Francis's pilot, who on return to his own country was tried for heresy. He describes the daily life of the seamen on boai'd the Golden Hind, how Sir Francis read them every day a portion of Scripture (wo have tho actual Biblo that he took round tho world), and how they sang hymns, etc. Ho is also very emphatic that a.t Doughty's trial Sir Francis showed tho commission lie had from Queen Elizabeth, and that his going through tho Straits of Magellan was! not a fortunate accident, but was what he had undertaken io do, and was commissioned to. do, before ho left England. These papers are to be published in the spring by tho nacklyt Society, and are awaited with much interest."