some stragglers. But when no Armada is to be found at the Azores,
Essex has after all to ask Raleigh what he shall do next. Conquer
the Azores, says Raleigh, and the thing is agreed on. Raleigh and
Essex are to attack Fayal. Essex sails away before Raleigh has
watered. Raleigh follows as fast as he can, and at Fayal finds no
Essex. He must water there, then and at once. His own veterans want
him to attack forthwith, for the Spaniards are fortifying fast: but
he will wait for Essex. Still no Essex comes. Raleigh attempts to
water, is defied, finds himself 'in for it,' and takes the island out
of hand in the most masterly fashion, to the infuriation of Essex.
Good Lord Howard patches up the matter, and the hot-headed coxcomb is
once more pacified. They go on to Graciosa, where Essex's weakness
of will again comes out, and he does not take the island. Three rich
Caracks, however, are picked up. 'Though we shall be little the
better for them,' says Raleigh privately to Sir Arthur Gorges, his
faithful captain, 'yet I am heartily glad for our General's sake;
because they will in great measure give content to her Majesty, so
that there may be no repining against this poor Lord for the expense
of the voyage.'

Raleigh begins to see that Essex is only to be pitied; that the
voyage is not over likely to end well: but he takes it, in spite of
ill-usage, as a kind-hearted man should. Again Essex makes a fool of
himself. They are to steer one way in order to intercept the Plate-
fleet. Essex having agreed to the course pointed out, alters his
course on a fancy; then alters it a second time, though the hapless
Monson, with the whole Plate-fleet in sight, is hanging out lights,
firing guns, and shrieking vainly for the General, who is gone on a
new course, in which he might have caught the fleet after all, in
spite of his two mistakes, but that he chooses to go a roundabout way