316 THE SEA. 



Humphrey to associate with him in so commendable an enterprise." But divisions and 

 feuds arose, and Gilbert went to sea only to become involved in a " dangerous sea-light, 

 in which many of his company were slain, and his ships were battered and disabled.-" He 

 was compelled to put back " with the loss of a tall ship." The records of this encounter 

 are meagre, but the disaster retarded for the time his attempt at colonisation, besides 

 impairing his estate. 



Sir Humphrey's patent was only for six years, unless he succeeded in his project, 

 and in 1583 he found means to equip a second expedition, to which Raleigh contributed 

 a bark of 200 tons, named after him, the little fleet numbering in all five vessels. The 

 queen had always favoured Gilbert, and before he departed on this voyage, sent him a 

 golden anchor with a large pearl on it, by the hands of Raleigh. In the letter accompanying 

 it, Raleigh wrote, " Brother, I have sent you a token from her Majesty an anchor 

 guided by a lady, as you see. And, further, her highness willed me to send you word, 

 that she wished you as great a good hap and safety to your ship, as if she herself were 

 there in person, desiring you to have care of yourself as of that which she tendereth ; 

 and, therefore, for her sake you must provide for it accordingly. Further she commandeth 

 that you leave your picture with me." Elizabeth's direct interest in the rapidly increasing 

 maritime and commercial interests of the day was very apparent in all her actions. 



Bark Raleigh was the largest vessel of the expedition, two of the others being of 

 forty, and one of twenty tons only. The number of those who embarked was about 260, 

 and the list included carpenters, shipwrights, masons, and smiths ; also " mineral men 

 and refiners." It is admitted that among them there were many " who had been taken 

 as pirates in the narrow seas, instead of being hanged according to their deserts." " For 

 solace of our people," says one of the captains under Gilbert, "and allurement of the 

 savages, we were provided of music in good variety, not omitting the least toys, as 

 morris-dancers, hobby-horse, and May-like conceits to delight the savage people, whom we 

 intended to win by all fair means possible." The period of starting being somewhat late 

 in the season, it was determined to sail first for Newfoundland instead of Cape Florida, as 

 at the former Gilbert knew that he could obtain abundant supplies from the numerous 

 ships employed in the abundant cod-fisheries. The voyage was to commence in disaster. 

 They saile.1 on June llth, and two days later the men of the Bark Raleigh hailed their 

 companions with the information that their captain and many on board were grievously 

 sick. She left them that night and put back to Plymouth, where, it is stated, she arrived 

 with a number of the crew prostrated by a contagious disease. Some mystery attaches 

 to this defection; "the others proceeded on their way, not a little grieved with the loss 

 of the most puissant ship in their fleet." "Two of the fleet parted company in a fog; one 

 of them was found in the Bay of Conception, her men in new apparel and particularly well 

 provided, the secret being that they had boarded an unfortunate Newfoundland ship on the 

 way, and had pretty well rified it, not even stopping at torture where the wretched sailors 

 had objected to be stripped of their possessions. The other vessel was found lying off the 

 harbour of St. John's, where at first the English merchants objected to Gilbert's entry, till 

 he assured them that he came with a commission from her Majesty, and had no ill-intent. 

 On the way in, his vessel struck on a rock, whereupon the other captains sent to the rescue, 



