Timeline of Francis Drake's circumnavigation facts for kids

The ships carried four smaller boats called pinnaces, ready to be put together. There were 164 men and boys on board, including sailors, skilled workers, and gentlemen. Francis Fletcher, the chaplain, kept the most complete diary of the trip. The crew thought they were sailing to Alexandria, Egypt. Different social classes on board would cause problems later on.

A crewman named John Fry was kidnapped on the island. Drake tried to rescue him but failed. Fry was later released and found his way home on another English ship.

The English released all captured ships except one, which they exchanged for their small ship Benedict. The new ship was named Christopher. After six days, the expedition sailed for the Cape Verde Islands.

After leaving Cape Verde, Fletcher wrote about the journey ahead, thanking God for keeping them safe to see new parts of the world. While sailing west, a problem arose. Drake had to step in when Doughty argued with his sailors. Drake removed Doughty from command and took over the Mary himself.

Fletcher recorded their first landing at 33 ½° south latitude on the same day. He said the land looked good for repairing the ships. However, a thick fog stopped them from doing so.

The sailors restocked by hunting for meat, taking on water, and gathering wood. The Christopher rejoined the fleet here after being lost in the storm. Drake named the cape "Cape Joy" to celebrate this reunion. The fleet anchored at different spots within the bay.

Since the land lacked water and wood, the fleet left the harbor on May 15. They sailed slowly, hoping the Mary would catch up.

Drake built friendly relationships with the local people using patience and gifts. The two groups met daily, sharing music and dancing. One local person took Drake's red hat. A sailor wanted to shoot him, but Drake said, "not to kill a man for a cap." Drake found it funny and didn't try to get the hat back. On June 3, they sailed south.

Here, Drake heard about growing unhappiness. Doughty had argued with John Saracold. Tensions also grew because the gentlemen didn't work as hard as the common sailors. Doughty and a sailor named Gregory had a bitter fight. Doughty then spoke disrespectfully to Captain John Chester.

Later, Thomas Doughty and his brother John were ordered onto the Christopher. Thomas refused, so Drake had him forcibly moved. Drake calmed a small protest and returned to the Pelican. The Swan, which was badly damaged, was left behind to keep the fleet together.

Because the Mary was still missing, Drake believed if he entered the Strait of Magellan without her, they might never see her again. So, he sailed north instead of heading for the strait.

Relations with the local Patagonian people started well but turned tragic. Robert Winterhey, a gentleman, was showing his bow when the string broke. One Patagonian shot an arrow into Winterhey, and another shot a sailor named Oliver. Drake and the other men protected themselves with shields as a general attack began. Drake eventually used a gun and severely wounded the Patagonian who started the violence. This scattered the attackers. Drake did not allow revenge for the two Englishmen's deaths, and the Patagonians did not return. For safety, Drake set up his crew's camp on a small island in the bay.

On June 30, all crew members were called to the island. Drake addressed the problems with Doughty by holding a trial for serious crimes. Drake presented the case, and Doughty defended himself. The jury found Doughty guilty and sentenced him to death. On July 2, Doughty was beheaded with dignity. Just before, Drake and Doughty even ate and took communion together. Doughty, Winterhey, and Oliver were all buried on the island, their graves marked with an engraved stone. On another stone, Drake's name was carved in Latin to record his presence. The exact location of the island is not known.

Drake then offered the Marigold to anyone who wanted to return to England. Everyone refused. During a Sunday church service, Drake gave a speech, urging the common sailors to stop looking down on the gentlemen, and the gentlemen to work alongside the sailors. Morale slowly improved through July as the men prepared the fleet for the Strait of Magellan. On August 17, the fleet sailed with the three remaining ships: Marigold, Elizabeth, and Pelican.

In July 1578, Drake sent Wynter ashore. He learned from the local people that they ate the bark of the Drimys winteri tree. This bark would likely help the Golden Hind and Elizabeth crews avoid scurvy, a disease caused by lack of vitamin C.

Information about the fleet's passage is mostly from da Silva's and John Drake's accounts. No one in the fleet, not even the Portuguese pilot da Silva, had sailed through these waters before. Anchoring would be difficult. If the ships got separated, all captains knew to meet at 30° south latitude. While currents were helpful, winds changed, and hidden rocks were dangerous.

On August 24, they found the islands Isabel, Marta, and Magdalena. Drake and some crew went ashore, claimed the land, and named one Elizabeth Island. Today, it's known as Isabel Island. This was the first time England claimed land overseas for Queen Elizabeth. The fleet anchored five miles west of this claim. At Magdalena, the crew hunted 3,000 penguins. As they continued, anchoring spots remained uncertain.

The strait became narrow at Pasa Largo and stayed that way for 40 nautical miles before opening into the Pacific. The three ships left the strait on September 6. Their fourteen-day passage was the fastest of the 16th century.

After the Golden Hinde and Elizabeth were separated, Wynter returned to the Strait of Magellan instead of the Pacific meeting point. He left the fleet, entered the strait on October 8, and eventually anchored in England on June 2, 1579. Fletcher believed Wynter's abandonment was partly due to his commanders' carelessness and partly because the crew wanted to escape the difficult conditions.

Eight crew members, who were in a small boat (pinnace) serving the Golden Hinde, couldn't follow the ship. They eventually sailed back through the strait to the Atlantic. After much hardship, only Peter Carder survived. He eventually returned to England in 1586 and told his story to the Queen.

Drake explored the island on foot and took measurements at the southernmost part of the island, two miles from the Golden Hinde’s anchorage. Drake named the island Elizabeth Island, even though he had already used that name for a different island in the Strait of Magellan.

The crew understood the importance of this anchorage: despite common belief that a large landmass extended from the south of the Strait of Magellan, it was actually a series of islands. They also learned that no strong current stopped ships from sailing east through the strait or where the two oceans met. This discovery went against popular ideas of the time.

With good winds, Drake set sail on October 28. Fifty days had passed since the crew first faced storms and violent seas.

The local people had been aggressive with Spaniards before, so the English should have been careful. But the first day's interactions made Drake less cautious. He returned the next day with 10 men for water, without guns or bows. They only had shields and swords. When they landed, two men got out. The crew was attacked by at least 100 armed Aruacanians. The two sailors, Tom Brewer and Tom Flood, were captured and killed. The boat escaped by cutting its rope, but every Englishman was wounded at least once, and two of them soon died. Drake was shot in the face under his right eye. The death of Diego several months later was blamed on the wounds he got at Mocha Island.

Aboard the Golden Hinde, Drake's crew urged him to fire the ship's guns at the Aruacanians. Drake refused. He explained that the Aruacanians were hostile because they mistook the Englishmen for Spaniards, who had treated them badly. Drake wanted his country to avoid such a reputation. Later that day, Drake sailed the Golden Hinde north.

In the attack, Richard Minivy was killed before Drake could arrive with a boat and rescue the others. The crew later returned and buried the body. When they returned to the ship and prepared to sail, Spaniards came back to shore with a flag of truce. Drake did not trust this gesture and left.

Da Silva's log places this anchorage on the 21st. No other record from that time mentions it.

During this break, the crew unloaded wood from their ship to build a pinnace, which was launched on January 9. The next day, Drake sailed the pinnace south, trying to find the Elizabeth, but it was useless. Fletcher wrote that the pinnace was forced back to harbor after only one day because of "the winde being contrary." Da Silva recorded the pinnace returned on January 12 after being forced back "because natives came from the shore."

Fletcher recorded their arrival at this anchorage on December 20, while da Silva recorded December 22. Both recorded January 19 as the day Drake sailed north from this location.

Here, the crew anchored near an island close to the mainland. This possible location is about 30 miles north of Copiapó, Chile, today. They met four Camanchaca fishermen, invited them aboard the Golden Hinde, and gave them food and gifts. The fishermen said water wasn't easy to find ashore, so Drake continued sailing with the good southerly wind.

While looking for water, the crew landed again nearby. Here they found a Spanish man with a local boy. They took more silver from the Spaniard.

In Arica, Drake learned that a ship in the nearby port of Chule, Peru, was carrying 800 bars of silver.

Drake sailed away with some fresh water and the Spanish ship. While still close to shore, Drake set the ship adrift with its sails set. He had lost the element of surprise. Drake took two more pilots.

He learned about a ship anchored at Callao, belonging to Miguel Angel, which was taking silver to Panama. Drake was also told that another ship, Nuestra Señora de la Concepción, also known as Cacafuego, had recently left the port. She was a 120-ton ship commanded by Captain San Juan de Antón, who knew nothing about English ships. Since the Spanish ship was heavily loaded with silver and would stop at other ports, Drake believed he could catch her.

Drake took two men from the ship and let it go.

The harbor held many ships, from nine to 30, but almost all were empty of crew. As the Golden Hinde was in the harbor, the San Cristobol arrived from Panama and sailed in. A fight for the ship began as Drake's men swarmed aboard. One of Drake's men was shot, and the Spaniards fled to shore in a boat.

Drake's crew left the harbor on both ships, the Golden Hinde and the San Cristobol. They carried eight prisoners. Da Silva recorded they left Callao on the 15th, and Fletcher recorded the 16th as their departure day.

After this failure, the viceroy prepared two more ships and a launch to chase the Golden Hinde again. Although ordered to chase as far as Nicaragua, the ships with 120 soldiers, commanded by Pedro Sarmiento de Gamboa, only went to Panama before returning without catching Drake.

Golden Hinde crewmen tested Diaz Bravo's ship to see if it was seaworthy. Drake provided a small boat for Diaz Bravo's crew and told them to move their belongings. Diaz Bravo pleaded with Drake not to take his only property. Drake agreed and returned the ship to its owner.

One of the Black seamen told Drake that the ship's clerk, Francisco Jacome, had hidden treasure. When Drake confronted Jacome, he denied it. Not believing him, Drake put a rope around Jacome's neck to make him talk. Drake briefly lifted the clerk from the deck, dropped him into the sea, and then pulled him back with a boat. At this point, Drake was satisfied Jacome was telling the truth and let him go without further harm.

Before leaving, Drake had several sails removed from Diaz Bravo's ship and threw them into the sea. This stopped the ship from moving quickly and spreading the alarm that the Golden Hinde was nearby.

To avoid alarming the Nuestra Seńora de la Concepción’s crew by approaching quickly, Drake ordered wine jars to be dragged behind his ship. Nine hours later, the Golden Hinde and a pinnace approached. Drake ordered Antón to lower his sails. Antón refused, and Drake responded with a strong volley of arrows and gunshots. Artillery, firing chainballs, brought down the ship's mizzen mast. Eleven Spanish crew and passengers hid below deck, leaving Antón alone against the English threat. The pinnace hooked alongside the treasure ship, and the English swarmed over it.

Antón surrendered and was taken to Drake's cabin, where he was welcomed and treated well. Drake took both ships further out to sea. Over several days, the Spanish treasure was transferred to the Golden Hinde. The haul was huge: 80 pounds of gold, 26 tons of silver, and 13 or 14 chests of reals were taken, along with two casks of water, food, gear, sails, and canvas. This amounted to £126,000, which was half of Queen Elizabeth's yearly income. An additional £4,800 of unregistered cargo was also taken. A young sailor on the ship suggested that the ship should be called Cacaplata (meaning "poop silver") instead of Cacafuego (meaning "poop fire").

Before Antón's passengers and crew were allowed to sail away, Drake personally gave each of them valuable gifts. He gave Antón a safe pass and released the pilot, Jorje. Drake also asked Antón to beg the Viceroy of Peru to spare the lives of the Englishmen captured during John Oxenham's failed expedition.

After telling Antón that he would be back in England within six months, Drake sailed the Golden Hinde north. The large amount of treasure made the problem of her leaking hull worse.

Spanish sailor Pedro Sarmiento de Gamboa noted that even after being cleaned here, the Golden Hinde had a serious leak and needed much sealing.

Since the men needed to repair the Golden Hinde, they cleaned the hull of barnacles and collected food, water, and wood. Fletcher noted that they were hit by an earthquake strong enough to shake the ship. Drake used a scouting pinnace and captured another ship, a bark owned by Rodrigo Tello, off the coast of Nicaragua. He put all the prisoners, except one, into the pinnace and exchanged it for Tello's ship. Along with the prisoner, Alonso Sanchez Colchero, he took maps and messages from the Viceroy and King Philip II that were meant for the Philippine governor. He hoped both would help him for his eventual journey across the Pacific. When Drake left the island, he sailed with both ships.

Along with silk, linen, food, and water, Drake also took four chests of Chinese porcelain. A Black woman, Maria, also left the ship to travel aboard the Golden Hinde. Drake took another pilot, Jaun Pascual, and left Colchero behind. Since Colchero had refused to cooperate, Drake hoped Pascual would be useful.

Later that day, Drake continued north along the coast. Drake was disgusted with the poor condition of Zarate's ship. He threatened to hang the ship's pilot for carrying such a fine gentleman as Zarate on a ruined ship. Before he left Zarate's ship, he gave gifts to each person aboard and gave Zarate a safe pass. Zarate noted the weight and damage the Golden Hind had suffered and thought repairs to the ship were urgent.

While anchored, Drake consulted with da Silva over a map as they considered options for returning to England. Da Silva believed Drake would sail north with his two ships to search for the fabled Strait of Anian. Drake released da Silva here after 15 months of forced service.

While in the harbor, Drake prepared for open sea sailing by taking down his cannons and sealing the gun ports by closing and sealing them.

The crewmen were visited by a large group of Coast Miwok who held a ceremony. They gave speeches and placed a feathered crown on Drake's head. Later, Drake had a brass plate made that named the land Nova Albion (New Albion) and claimed the region for his queen. Drake chose this name for two reasons: first, the white banks and cliffs looked like those on the English coast, and second, because Albion was an old name for Great Britain.

During this stay, Drake hiked inland to visit a Coast Miwok village. Fletcher noted the striking difference between the pleasant inland area and the cold, foggy shoreline where the men's camp was. Fletcher also recorded details about the people, homes, baskets, and language, as well as detailed descriptions of the plants and animals. All interactions between the Coast Miwok and Englishmen were friendly. The Coast Miwok showed sadness as the Golden Hinde sailed into the Pacific over a month after first arriving here. Drake left Tello's bark and Chinese porcelain behind.

Many people arrived in canoes and swarmed the ship. After a short period of trading, they started taking what they wanted and fighting among themselves. Golden Hinde sailors got the people off the ship, but then they were attacked with darts and arrows. After one warning shot that didn't work, Drake reluctantly ordered artillery fire into the group. This damaged canoes and injured people, scattering the survivors. The Englishmen named this the Island of Thieves and sailed on. Fletcher wrote, "Till the third of October wee could not get cleare of these consorts."

They made a serious verbal agreement. Drake promised English ships to the Sultan within two years. The Sultan offered the clove trade to Queen Elizabeth, and the two men exchanged valuable gifts. The Golden Hinde was loaded with six tons of cloves and sailed west.

Even though it was uninhabited, it was a pleasant, wooded place with plenty of water and food. Those who were sick recovered quickly. Again, Fletcher recorded details of the plants and animals. The crew cleaned the Golden Hinde and prepared to leave these waters and cross the Indian Ocean.

In his statement to the Inquisition, John Drake said that Maria and three Black men were left on the island "to found a settlement, leaving them rice, seeds and means of making fire." Another source from that time said the woman was simply left on the island.

Before pumping water from the hold, Drake first called the men to kneel and pray. Soon, it was clear the ship's wooden frame was solid. Drake tried to pull the ship off the reef using anchors. This is when they learned how sharply the reef rose from the sea floor: only a boat length from the ship, sailors measured 300 fathoms (about 1800 feet) and couldn't find the bottom. Pulling the ship off was impossible.

The Englishmen decided to lighten the ship so she could float higher in the water. Cannons, spices, and food were among the items thrown overboard. At 4:00 on the afternoon of January 10, the wind lessened, and the Golden Hinde came free from the reef. The only damage was a small leak.

At one point during the problem, Fletcher preached that their trouble was God's anger because Drake had executed Doughty. After the ship was freed, Drake angrily punished Fletcher, chained him to a hatch, and hung a sign on him that said: "Frances fletcher, ye falseth knave that liveth."

The Englishmen found the island to be rich in metals like gold, silver, copper, and tin, which the people worked into various shapes. There was much fresh food and spices, including nutmeg, pepper, ginger, lemons, figs, and cucumbers. Fletcher was impressed with the inhabitants' good looks, polite behavior, and kindness to strangers. He described the clothing of both the men and women. Other than Ternate, the Golden Hinde’s crew found this to be their most comfortable and refreshing stay.

On the 10th, Drake anchored on a shallow area two miles off the coast. On the 11th, he moved the ship to the island's northeast sheltered shore and into a cove near a town where he anchored and took water. Drake sent a boat ashore to meet the Java inhabitants and moved the Golden Hinde once more, closer to the town.

On the 12th, Drake sent men ashore with gifts of linen, wool, and silk cloth, which the king received well. In return, the king sent rice, hens, and other food. Fletcher wrote about the political leaders and noted the happy visits and exchanges the Englishmen had with the people of Java. Drake happily entertained them, and Fletcher noted that they particularly enjoyed the Golden Hinde’s musicians. Fletcher also wrote that the Java music was "of a very strange kind, yet the sound was pleasant and delightfull."

These visits and exchanges delayed the crew from doing much-needed maintenance on their ship. Her hull had collected so many shellfish that her sailing was greatly slowed. Finally, Drake either grounded or cleaned the ship for repairs. This was a crucial stop for Drake. From here, he would be at sea for months before his next landing.

Here, the Golden Hinde crewmen were able to take aboard the desperately needed water and fresh fruit. Here, too, the Englishmen saw elephants. To clean the ship's hull, the crew tilted her without fully cleaning the vessel. This allowed most, but not all, of the hull to be cleaned.

Being discreet, he anchored on Saint Nicholas Island's seaward side so his ship was hidden from the city. Drake sent John Brewer to Sir Christopher Hatton with the news of the Golden Hinde’s return. Brewer would return three days later with Queen Elizabeth's assurance that Drake had nothing to fear.

Fletcher summarized the voyage at its end as "seeing the wonders of the Lord in the deep, in discouering so many admirable things, in going through with so many strange aduentures, in escaping out of so many dangers, and ouercomming so many difficulties in this our encompassing of this neather globe, and passing round about the world, which we haue related."