274 



HISTORY OF THE SKA. 



it seemed, of supplanting Drake by exciting a mutiny, and of 

 sailing off in one of the ships upon his own account. The com. 

 pany were called together and made acquainted with the parti- 

 culars; Doughty was tried for attempting to foment a mutiny, 

 found guilty, and condemned to death by forty commissaries 

 chosen from among the various crews. Doughty partook of 



DRAKE CONDEMNING DOUGHTY. 



the communion with Drake and several of his officers, dined at 

 the same table with them, and, in the last glass of wine he ever 

 raised to his lips, drank their healths and wished them farewell. 

 He walked to the place of execution without displaying unusual 

 emotion, embraced the general, took leave of the company, 

 offered up a prayer for the queen and her realm, and was then 

 beheaded near Magellan's gibbet. Drake addressed the com- 

 pany, exhorting them to unity and obedience, and ordered them 

 to prepare to receive the holy communion on the following Sab- 

 bath, the first Sunday in the month. 



This tragedy has been embellished by many fanciful ad- 

 ditions on the part of Drake's apologists, and upon the part 

 of his calumniators by many false statements. It is said by 

 the former that Drake, after Doughty's condemnation, offered 

 him the choice of three alternatives, — either to be executed in 

 Patagonia, to be set ashore and left, or to be sent back to Eng- 

 land, there to answer for his acts before the Lords of her Ma- 

 jesty's Council ; and that Doughty replied that he would not 



