Drake's Circumnavigation (1577-1580)

1. 1. Plimmouth

   Today: Plymouth, England, United Kingdom · Arrived 13 December 1577

   Sir Francis Drake set sail from Plymouth with a fleet of five ships and 164 men, beginning his famous circumnavigation voyage. However, contrary winds forced the fleet to put into Falmouth the next day.

   The 15 day of Nouembre, in the yeere of our Lord 1577, M, Francis Drahe, with, a fleete of fiue ships and barkes, and to the number of 164 men, gentlemen, and sailers, departed from Plimmouth, gluing out his pretended uoyage for Alexandria : but the wind falling contrary, hee was forced the next morning to put into Falmouth hauen, in Cornewall, where such and so terrible a tempest tooke vs, as few men haue scene the like, and was indeed so vehement, that all our ships were like to haue gone to wracke : but it pleased God to preserue us from that extremitie, and to afflict us onely for that present with these two particulars.

   Also called at by Lieutenant James Cook — who called it “Plymouth”. Identified as Plymouth

2. 2. Bayona

   Today: Baiona, Galicia, Spain · Arrived 1 December 1577

   Sir Francis Drake set ashore his Portuguese pilot, whom he had taken at the Cape Verde Islands, off the coast near Bayona before departing for the Island of Canno.

   At this place our General, among other Spaniards, set ^he Portu- ashore his Portugal pilote, which hee tooke at the Islands of tu land.' ^^ Cape Verde, out of a ship of S. Mary port of Portugall : and hauing set them ashore, we departed hence, and sailed to the Island of Canno, where our Generall landed, and brought to shore his owne ship, and discharged her, mended, and graued her, and furnished our ship with water and wood sufficiently.

3. 3. S. Jago, one of the Islands of Caho Verde

   Today: Santiago, Cape Verde · Arrived 19 January 1578

   Sir Francis Drake anchored at the island of Santiago in the Cape Verde Islands, where he captured the Portuguese pilot Nuno da Silua from his ship near the harbor.

   taking his course to Caho Verde, or the greene Cape, where he anchored with his shippe close by the hauen of the Island of ^So.ni J ago, one of the Islandes of Caho Verde aforesayde, beeing the nineteenth of Januarie in the yeere of our Lord 1578. And lying there, there came sixe ships, which seemed to be Englishmen, whereof the admirall boorded his ship, and by force with his men tooke him out of his ship, bringing him in the boate aboord the admirals shippe, leaning some of his best men aboord his ship ; and although the fortresse of the Island shot foure o

4. 4. Sierra Leona

   Today: Sierra Leone, West Africa · Arrived 1 February 1578

   The expedition arrived at Sierra Leone on the coast of Guinea after sailing from the Cape of Good Hope, making landfall and interacting with the local people before continuing their voyage.

   which was the first land we fell withall: neither did we The Cape of touch with it, or any other land, untill we came to Sierra dange°o°us^° Leotia, upon the coast of Guinea : notwithstanding we ranne tugait haue hard aboord the Cape, finding the report of the Portugals to giuen ou ^^ most falsc, who affirme, that it is the most dangerous Cape of the world, neuer without intolerable stormes and present

5. 5. coast of Brasill

   Today: coast near Rio de Janeiro, Brazil · Arrived 5 April 1578 · position reconstructed

   The expedition sighted the coast of Brazil near latitude 31°30' south, observing fires made by the inhabitants and noting the low land near the sea. This marked their first landfall in South America after a long crossing from Cape Verde.

   Passing thus, in beholding the most excellent works of the eternall God in the seas, as if we had beene in a garden of pleasure, April 5, we fell with the coast of Brasill, in 31 deg. 30 min., towards the pole Antartick, where the land is lowe neere the sea, but much higher within the countrie, hauing in depth not aboue 12 fathome, 3 leagues off from the shoare, and being descried by the inhabitants, we sawe great and huge fires made by them in sundry places, which order of making fires, though it be vniversall, as well among Christians as heathens, yet it is not likely that many doe vse it to that end which the Brasilians doe : to wit, for a sacri- fice to deuills, whereat they intermixe many and diuers ceremonies of coniurati

   Why is this position reconstructed?

6. 6. Rio de la Plata

   Today: Río de la Plata, Argentina/Uruguay · Arrived 1 April 1578 · position reconstructed

   Drake's expedition arrived at the Rio de la Plata, where they went ashore and obtained fresh water before continuing their voyage.

   where they went on land, and prouided themselues of fresh water.

7. 7. Port S. Julian

   Today: Puerto San Julián, Santa Cruz, Argentina · Arrived 1 June 1578

   Drake's fleet arrived at Port S. Julian, where a trial was held for Mr. Thomas Doughty, who was convicted of mutiny and executed in the presence of the crew.

   The port of it to be the same which Magellan named Port S. Julian : for we Sant Julian. " found a gybbet on an hil, whereupon they were executed that did conspire against Magellan, and certaine bones also of their dead bodies. The 22 of this moneth our Generall going to shore upon the maine with 7 or 8 of his men, met with 3 of the Paia- gons hauing bowes and arrowes, who came neere to our me min sia^ne making them signes to depart.

   Also called at by Charles Darwin — who called it “Port St. Julian”, Ferdinand Magellan — who called it “Port of St. Julian”. Identified as Puerto San Julián

8. 8. the streights of Magellan

   Today: Strait of Magellan, southern Chile · Arrived 1 September 1578 · position reconstructed

   Drake's expedition entered the Strait of Magellan, observing the tides and currents and noting the geography of the passage as they navigated from the Atlantic towards the Pacific.

   We found the mouth of the streights to be 52 degrees i Southwards of Equinoctial. In this streight we found the sea to haue no such current as some do imagine (following the course of the primum mobile from East to West), but to eb and flow as ordinarily as upo flooa'^^ucf other coasts, rising fine fathoms upright.

   Also called at by Louis-Antoine de Bougainville — who called it “Straits of Magalhaens (Port Galant / Cape Pillar)”, Ferdinand Magellan — who called it “Strait of Magellan”. Identified as Strait of Magellan

9. 9. La Mocha

   Today: Mocha Island, Chile · Arrived 29 November 1578

   The surviving testimony does not cover this stage — help us find one.

   The record survives. Why is this stage empty?

10. 10. Valperizo

    Today: Valparaíso, Chile · Arrived 5 December 1578

    Drake and his crew, guided by an Indian pilot, arrived and anchored at the harbor of Valparaiso, which the Spaniards called Valperizo, on December 5th, 1578.

    and so the 5 day after our arriuall, viz., December 4, we departed hence, and the next day, December 5, by the willing conduct of our new Indian Pilote, we came to anchor in the desired harbor. This harbor the Spaniards call Valperizo, and the towne adioyning Saint lames of Chili: it stands in 35 deg. 40 min., where, albeit, we neither met with our ships nor heard ot them ; yet there was no good thing which the place

    Also called at by Charles Darwin — who called it “Valparaiso”. Identified as Valparaíso

11. 11. Arica

    Today: Arica, Arica y Parinacota, Chile · Arrived 1 January 1579

    Drake arrived at the port of Arica, where he found a ship carrying thirteen thousand pezos of silver, took the silver, burned the ship, and decided not to land after seeing Spanish horsemen and footmen on shore.

    At this port of Arica he found a ship that had in her thirteene thousand pezos of siluer, which hauing taken out, he burned the sayd ship, and after thought to haue landed ; but seeing both horsemen and footemen on shore hee would not, but proceeded on his voy- age.

12. 12. Lima called ui?m!^''° * -^^ Callao

    Today: Callao, Lima, Peru · Arrived 13 February 1579

    The surviving testimony does not cover this stage — help us find one.

    Also called at by Charles Darwin — who called it “Callao”. Identified as Callao

    The record survives. Why is this stage empty?

13. 13. Cape de San Francisco

    Today: Cabo San Francisco, Esmeraldas, Ecuador · Arrived 1 March 1579

    Drake's crew captured the treasure-laden Spanish ship Cacafuego off Cape de San Francisco, seizing large quantities of gold, silver, and jewels.

    The place where we tooke this prize, was ' called Cape de San Francisco, about one hundred and fiftie , leagues from Panama. The pilots name of this shippe was Francisco, and amongst other plate that our Generall found in this ship, he found two very faire guilt bowles of siluer, which were the pilots : to whom our Generall sayd : Senior Pilot, you haue here two siluer cups, but I must needes haue one of them ; which the pilot, because hee could not otherwise chuse, yeelded unto, and gaue the other to the steward of our generals ships.

14. 14. Panama

    Today: Pearl Islands, Gulf of Panama, Panama · Arrived 1 April 1579 · position reconstructed

    The surviving testimony does not cover this stage — help us find one.

    The record survives. Why is this stage empty?

15. 15. Guatulco

    Today: Huatulco, Oaxaca, Mexico · Arrived 13 April 1579

    The surviving testimony does not cover this stage — help us find one.

    The record survives. Why is this stage empty?

16. 16. Noua Albion

    Today: Point Reyes, California, USA · Arrived 1 June 1579

    Sir Francis Drake landed at a fair and goodly haven on the northwest coast of California, where he stayed several weeks, took possession of the land in the name of Queen Elizabeth, and named it Nova Albion.

    where, finding a fair e and goodly hauen, he landed, and staying there inany weekes, and discouering many excellent things in the countrey, and great shelve of rich minerall matter, and heing offered the dominion of the countrey hy the Lord of the same, hee tooke possession thereof in the behalf e of her Maies- tie, and named it Noua Albion.

17. 17. fortie-three degrees towardes the pole Arcticke

    Today: near Cape Blanco, Oregon, USA · Arrived 1 July 1579

    The surviving testimony does not cover this stage — help us find one.

    The record survives. Why is this stage empty?

18. 18. maine Ocean

    Today: mid-Pacific Ocean · Arrived 1 August 1579 · position reconstructed

    Drake's ship crossed the mid-Pacific Ocean, sailing for 68 days without sight of land before reaching islands north of the equator.

    And so hauing nothing in our view but aire and sea, without sight of any land for the space of full 68 dayes together, wee continued our course through the maine Ocean, till Septcm- her oO following, on which day we fell in kenne of certaine Hands, lying about eight degrees to the Northward of the line.

19. 19. certaine Islands 8. degrees to the Northward of the line

    Today: Mariana Islands, Northern Mariana Islands/Guam · Arrived 13 October 1579

    Drake's crew sighted and approached a group of islands at approximately 8 degrees north latitude, where they encountered a large number of canoes coming from the islands.

    After we had set saile from hence, wee continued without October- ' Certain sight of land till the 13. day of October following, which day in dejret.''' ^ the morning we fell with certaine Islands 8. degrees to the Northward of the line, from which Islands came a great number of canoes, hauing in some of them four, in some six, strange cauoas, like

20. 20. Ternate

    Today: Ternate, North Maluku, Indonesia · Arrived 14 November 1579

    Drake's expedition arrived at the Moluccas and was met by the Vice-King of Ternate, who invited them to visit the King of Ternate and assured them of a warm welcome.

    The 14. of November we fell with the Islands of Maluco, which day at night (hauing directed our course to runne with Tydore) in coasting along the Island of Mutyr, belonging to the King of Ternate, his Deputie or Vice-King seeing us at sea, came with his canoa to us without all feare, and came aboard ; and after some conference with our Generall, willed him in any wise to runne in with Ternate, and not with Tydore, assuring him that the King would bee glad of his comming, and would be ready to doe what he would require; for which purpose he himselfe would that night be with the King, and tell him the newes, with whom, if he once dealt, hee should finde that as he was a King, so his word should stand : adding further, that if he

21. 21. Java

    Today: Java, Indonesia · Arrived 1 January 1580

    Drake and his crew arrived at the island of Java, where they traded with the local people for rice, daggers, plantains, coconuts, sugar canes, and fresh water before continuing their voyage toward the Cape of Good Hope.

    they came to the He of Java, where the contrey people were clothed in lynen garments like smocks, of whome they had in trafick vij. or viij. toon of rice, and also divers Java daggers and divers other things, as plantanes, cocus, and great canes, and very good fresh water, and many sugar canes, from whence they bent their course S."W. toward the Cape of bona speranza,

    Also called at by Faxian — who called it “Java-dvipa”. Identified as Java

22. 22. Java

    Today: Banten, Java, Indonesia · Arrived 1 March 1580

    Drake and his crew arrived at Java, where they traded with the local people for rice, daggers, plantains, coconuts, sugar canes, and fresh water before continuing their voyage toward the Cape of Good Hope.

    they came to the He of Java, where the contrey people were clothed in lynen garments like smocks, of whome they had in trafick vij. or viij. toon of rice, and also divers Java daggers and divers other things, as plantanes, cocus, and great canes, and very good fresh water, and many sugar canes, from whence they bent their course S."W. toward the Cape of bona speranza,

23. 23. Cape Hope

    Today: Cape of Good Hope, South Africa · Arrived 1 June 1580 · position reconstructed

    The surviving testimony does not cover this stage — help us find one.

    Also called at by Bartolomeu Dias — who called it “Cabo das Tormentas”, Vasco da Gama — who called it “Cape of Good Hope”, Vasco da Gama — who called it “Cape of Good Hope”, Ferdinand Magellan — who called it “Cape of Good Hope”. Identified as Cape of Good Hope

    The record survives. Why is this stage empty?

24. 24. Cape Verde

    Today: Cape Verde (Cabo Verde), West Africa · Arrived 1 July 1580 · position reconstructed

    On the return leg of the voyage, the expedition stopped at Cape Verde to take on fresh water and provisions before continuing towards England.

    But what course he kept from this coast till he came into England I know not of certainety, and therefore I will not meddle therewithall

25. 25. Plymouth

    Today: Plymouth, England, United Kingdom · Arrived 26 September 1580 · position reconstructed

    The surviving testimony does not cover this stage — help us find one.

    Also called at by Lieutenant James Cook. Identified as Plymouth

    The record survives. Why is this stage empty?

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