276 HISTORY OF THE SEA. 



some, was broken up, the fleet being thus reduced to three. 

 On the 21st of August, Drake entered Magellan's Strait, — 

 being the second commander who ever performed the voyage 

 through it. He cleared the channel in sixteen days, and entered 

 the South Sea on the 6th of September. Here the Marygold 

 was lost in a terrible storm, and the Elizabeth, being separated 

 from Drake's Vessel, wandered about in search of him for a time 

 and then sailed for England, where her captain was disgraced 

 for having abandoned his commander. Drake was driven from 

 the Bay of Parting of Friends, as he named the spot in which 

 he lost sight of the Elizabeth, and was swept southward to the 

 coast of Terra del Fuego, where he was forced from his anchor- 

 age and obliged to abandon the pinnace, with eight men in it 

 and one day's provisions, to the mercy of the winds. 



The miseries endured by these eight men are hardly equalled 

 in the annals of maritime disaster. They gained the shore, 

 salted and dried penguins for food, and coasted on till they 

 reached the Plata. Six of them landed, and, of these six, four 

 were taken prisoners by the Indians. The other two were 

 wounded in attempting to escape to the boat, as were the two 

 who were left in charge. These four succeeded in reaching an 

 island nine miles from the coast, where two of them died of 

 their wounds. The other two lived for two months upon crabs 

 and eels, and a fruit resembling an orange, which was the only 

 means they had of quenching their thirst. One night their boat 

 was dashed to pieces against the rocks. Unable longer to en- 

 dure the want of water, they attempted to paddle to land upon 

 a plank ten feet long. This was the laborious work of three 

 days and two nights. They found a rivulet of fresh water ; and 

 one of them, William Pitcher, unable to resist the temptation 

 of drinking to excess, died of its effects in half an hour. His 

 companion was held in captivity for nine years by the Indians, 

 when he was permitted to return to England. 



Drake, after the loss of the pinnace, was driven again to the 



