Sir Francis Drake's Famous Voyage Round the World

"Sir Francis Drake's Famous Voyage Round the World" by Francis Pretty is a historical account that recounts the remarkable journey of Sir Francis Drake and his crew as they circumnavigate the globe. Written in the early 20th century, it offers a narrative perspective from Pretty, one of Drake's gentlemen at arms, providing firsthand insight into the challenges and adventures faced during this significant maritime expedition in the late 16th century. The book chronicles the expedition, beginning with Drake's departure from Plymouth in 1577 with five ships and 164 men. It details various encounters the crew has with different peoples, including the indigenous populations of the lands they visit, as well as their interactions with Spanish ships and settlements. Over the course of their journey, the crew endures fierce storms, navigates treacherous waters, engages in battles, and makes discoveries of valuable resources and rich lands, including the acquisition of silver and gold from Spanish ships. The narrative not only highlights the physical trials of the voyage but also delves into the political and cultural dynamics between the English crew and the local inhabitants they encounter along the way. Ultimately, it culminates with the successful return to England in 1580, marking a significant chapter in maritime history and exploration. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Francis Pretty was a Suffolk gentleman, diarist, sailor, and man-at-arms, who wrote a detailed account of the circumnavigation of the globe with Thomas Cavendish (1588). Due to the dubious legality of the expedition, accounts were officially suppressed; the earliest unofficial accounts were published in Dutch by Emanuel van Meteren who purchased the diary. Excerpts of the diary were also included in Richard Hakluyt's 1582 and 1589 treatises on British explorations of North America, before he published the Cavendish diary in its entirety in 1600.