large number of galley-slaves. The ships carried provisions
enough for six months' consumption; and the supply of ammunition
was enormous.

On the other side was the small English fleet under Hawkins and
Drake. The Royal ships were only thirteen in number. The rest
were contributed by private enterprize, there being only
thirty-eight vessels of all sorts and sizes, including cutters
and pinnaces, carrying the Queen's flag. The principal armed
merchant ships were provided by London, Southampton, Bristol, and
the other southern ports. Drake was followed by some privateers;
Hawkins had four or five ships, and Howard of Effingham two. The
fleet was, however, very badly found in provisions and
ammunition. There was only a week's provisions on board, and
scarcely enough ammunition for one day's hard fighting. But the
ships, small though they were, were in good condition. They
could sail, whether in pursuit or in flight, for the men who
navigated them were thorough sailors.

The success of the defence was due to tact, courage, and
seamanship. At the first contact of the fleets, the Spanish
towering galleons wished to close, to grapple with their
contemptuous enemies, and crush them to death. "Come on!" said
Medina Sidonia. Lord Howard came on with the Ark and three other
ships, and fired with immense rapidity into the great floating
castles. The Sam Mateo luffed, and wanted them to board. "No!
not yet!" The English tacked, returned, fired again, riddled the
Spaniards, and shot away in the eye of the wind. To the
astonishment of the Spanish Admiral, the English ships approached
him or left him just as they chose. "The enemy pursue me," wrote