NEW ALBION. 



283 



with a song and dance of triumph, "because they were not only 

 visited of gods, but the great and chief god was now become 

 their god, their king and patron, and themselves the only happy 

 and blessed people in all the world." Drake named the country 

 New Albion, in honor of Old Albion or England. He set up 

 a monument of the queen's "right and title to the same, namely, 

 a plate nailed upon a fair great post, whereon was engraved her 

 majesty's name, with the day and year of arrival." After 

 remaining five weeks in the harbor, Drake weighed anchor, on 

 the 23d of July, resolved to abandon any further attempt in 

 northern latitudes, and to steer for the Moluccas, after the 

 example of Magellan. 



On the 13th of October he discovered several islands in latitude 

 eight degrees north, and was soon surrounded with canoes laden 

 with cocoanuts and fruit. These canoes were hollowed out of a 

 single log with wonderful art, and were as smooth as polished horn, 

 and decorated throughout with shells thickly set. The ears of 

 the natives hung down considerably from the weight of the 

 ornaments worn in them. Their nails were long and sharp, and 

 were evidently used as a weapon. Their teeth were black as 

 jet, — an effect obtained by the use of the betel-root. These 

 people were friendly and commercially inclined. Drake visited 

 other groups, where the principal occupation of the natives was 

 selling cinnamon to the Portuguese. At Ternate, one of the 

 Moluccas, the king offered the sovereignty of the isles to Drake, 

 and sent him presents of "imperfect and liquid sugar," — 

 molasses, probably, — " rice, poultry, cloves, and meal which they 

 called sagu, or bread made of the tops of certain trees, tasting in 

 the mouth like sour curds, but melting like sugar, whereof they 

 made certain cakes which may be kept the space of ten years, 

 and yet then good to be eaten." Drake stayed here six days, 

 laid in a large stock of cloves, and sailed on the 9th of November. 

 At a small island near Celebes, where he set up his forge and 

 caused the ship to be carefully repaired, he and his men saw 



