INTO THE UNKNOWN

Hokitika Guardian, 12 November 1927, Page 1

INTO THE UNKNOWN

BRAKE’S VOVAGE Aliorxi) THE WORLD. *Sir Francis Di'iikc, the most fammis and intrepid of the grout Elizabethan mariners, was only thirty-two years of age when he started on his memorable voyage around the globe, Jiut ho had already established his reputation as it daring and recourceful seaniiin and had made several voyages to the New World, where he had struck terror into the hearts of the .Spaniards by boldness of his raids upon their possessions and shipping. When Drake sailed away from Enghind on December 13. 157", bo little dreamed that he was destined to circumnavigate the globe before ho again set foot upon his native soil, for lie only intended to make a voyage to the South Soils, which ho proposed to reach through the Straits of Magellan, a route which had not up till then been followed by any English mariner. Tie had under his command a fleet of five small ships, the largest of which was only 100 tons, while the smallest was but fifteen tons, and their united crews numbered 100 men.

Shortly after reaching the coast of Brazil in the following April, ho cast adrift the two smallest of his slops, after dividing their crews and provisions among the oilier three vesssle. and with these he proceeded to the port, of St. Julian’s where ho spent a couple of months, being delayed by tlio necessity of revictualling and refitting the ships, and also owing to trouble caused by a mutiny created by one of bis officers, who was duly tried and put to death. It was on August 21, 1578, that the three ships sailed into the Straits of Magellan, and the perilous passage occupied sixteen days. During a storm the three ships became separated, and two of them returned to England, hut Drake, on hoard The Golden Blind, went on alone and carried the British flag for the first time into the Pacific Ocean. He sailed up the South American coast, where lie encountered and captured several Spanish treasure ships homeward bound with rich cargoes of gold, silver and precious stones. His booty amounted to nearly a million pounds in value, and ho decided that it would ho unwise to take the risk of returning homo via the Straits of Magellan, where he rightly surmised that the infuriated Spaniards would ho lying in wait for him. He accordingly proceeded northwards up the American coast in the hopes of being able to discover some navigable passage through the Arctic seas which would lead him back to England. Drake went as tar north as the coast of Vancouver, where the severity of the cold weather forced him to change his plans, and, aftei o\eihauling his much-battered ship. he turned south-eastward and sailed boldly across the uncharted waters of the Pacific. He anchored off several islands in the South Seas, and nt Celebes bis ship ran upon a rock, hut he succeeded in releasing hei without sustaining any material damage. Crossing the Indian Ocean be doubled the Capo of Good Hope, and then sailed northwards up the Atlantic. He arrived back m English waters safely and anchored in Plymouth Sound after an absence of two years and ten months. ' Shortly after bis return home, Queen Elizabeth, wearing the jewels which Drake had presented to her out of his rich booty, visited The Golden Hind, and upon tlie deck of the sturdy little vessel she conferred the honour of knighthood upon its gallatot <'OtiUo.il pdet';

HONI SEES A SCOT’S JOKE. A controversy is proceeding along the Manawatu, a county just north of Wellington .city, regarding a name. There are two Palmerstons—one in Wellington province and the other in Otago—post officed as Palmerston North and Palmerston South. This is confusing. Therefore an agitation favours renaming Palmerston North as Manawatu. But Fuxton. at the mouth of the Manawatu River, objects, because tlio county is named Manawatu. And thereto tags a story, told by old lloni in Foxton. Tn the early days of the settlement cf Palmerston, which lias just held its jubilee, a meeting was belt! in the bush to give the new settlement a name. •• Te Korero bo no get anywhere,” said Honi. At length, a Scot grew weary of the endless debate, got up, stretched himself and exclaimed to his neighbour, “ Alan. I’m awaV’ Later, a brother Scot, also wearied, followed his leader. Alan. Ah’m awa’, too! ” “By corry!” cried Honi. “Ha te name! Mai! a until I ”