REVELL Golden Hind Assebly Instructions

ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS FOR YOUR
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The year of 1577 was one of turmoil and anticípation. Antagonism between Spaín's
King Philip and England was growing, Englanďs ambitious captain and explorer, Francis
Drake, was contributing to this unrest by his constant harrassment and raids on Spanish
territories in the new world.
During the time of Englanďs Queen Elizabeth I, the island nation set forth to establish
intemational trade routes of its own. However, these voyages would also attempt to
destroy the Spanish-Portuguese world trade monopoly.
Preparations for Drake's voyage were made in absolute secrecy, Under the guise of a
merchant trade voyage to Alexandria, Egypt, the ships and crew were carefully sele.cted.
The supervision of the project was entrustedto one of Britain's finest and most experi-
enced sailors. Drake himself selected the crewmen, who were not only the finest searnen
England could offer, but were also experts in sail rnaking, carpentering, block making,
and rigging, Among the most important members of the crews were map and chart-
makers, whose jobs would be to record the voyage and chart the new lands.
To complete the ruse, the British govemment requested permission for a trade-visit to
Alexandria from the Sultan.
On December 13, 1577, five ships left Plymouth Harbor, presumably bound for Egypt.
The convoy consisted of Drake's flagship, "Pelican," "Elisabeth," the bark "Marigold,"
the supply ship "Swan," and the "Benedíct," a pinnace. The total crew amounted to 164
seamen.
Only after they were well underway was the crew told the true nature of the voyage:
To sail around the southem-most tip of South America and into the Pacific Ocean to
plunder Spanish shipping and settlements. By the time Drake reached the Strait of Magel-
lan and passed into the Pacífic the "Pelícan" was sailing alone. The "Elisabeth" had
retumed to England and the other three were either sunk or lost. The "Pelican," selected
by Drake for its similarity to a Spanish sailing vessel, was re-painted and its general
appearance changed to look like a Spanish ship, The "Pelican" had ceased to exist! The
now camouflaged ship sailed on as the "Golden Hind."
The surprise attacks against the Spaniards were completely successful and almost
without loss for Drake and his men. The hold of the "Golden Hind" grew fat with jewels,
gold, cannon and other valuables taken from the unfortunate Spanish ships. Drake was
able to replenish his food, clothing, gunpowder, and other necessities as he desired.
Although the confiscation of jewels and other treasure was considered important, some
of the most valuable material obtained from the Spanish trading ships were the secret sea
charts and maps of the Pacific coastal areas. Earlier in the voyage Drake had captured a
Portuguese pilot, Nuňo da Silva, who was forced to translate the Portuguese chárts. The
information gathered from this material, along with paintings of the coastline made by
Drake's own crew, were priceless to the British govemment for future voyages.
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The greatest prize to fall into Drake's hands was the Spanish ship "Casafugo." Loaded
heavily with gold and jewels,she was intercepted by the "Golden Hind" while she was
carrying her precious cargo from Peru to Panama.
Francis Drake and his "pirates" did not restrict their actions to the high seas. Many
coastal towns and villages were plundered and the prizes loaded into the hold of the
durable "Golden Hind." Following the many months of pillaging and raiding, the hold of
his little vessel was filled beyond its normal capacity and showed a draft of thirteen feet,
instead of the usual nine feet.
It was not long before the Spanish govemment placed a price on Drake's head. They
would stop at nothing to capture this ruthless Englishman. Spanish prestige had taken a
heavy blow and Spain's holdings in Ameríca were in complete confusion. Realizing his
position in the eyes of the Spaniards, Drake could not risk retuming to England by the
same
route he had come. He elected to head north and perhaps discover the long sus-
pected North-East passage. However, on arriving at the location of today's Vancouver,
the "Golden Hind" was tumed south and retumed to the area called "Drake's Bay" near
San Francisco. Here the ship was completely overhauled and refinished for the trip to
England.
Drake then decided against retuming via the northem passage and in one of the most
famous decisions in history, chose to retum by way of East India. Setting sail from the
coast of Califomia, the "Golden Hind" crossed the Pacific non-stop, no easy feat today,
but truly remarkable in 1580. Sailing around the Cape of Good Hope and the Coast of
Africa, Drake continued on toward England and became the second captain to sail his
ship around the world. .
On September 26, 1580, the "Golden Hind" sailed into Plymouth Harbor, nearly three
years after her departure as the "Pelican." England was jubilant! Drake had long been
given up as lost. Queen Elizabeth and the nobility who had shares in the venture reaped
a retum of 4,700% on their investment. The total value of treasure in the hold of the
"Golden Hind" has never been disclosed; however, the money gained from the voyage
was sufficient to finance a larger British navy which, under the command of Drake,
destroyed the Spanish Fleet.
Queen Elizabeth I, pleased with the success of the joumey of the "Golden Hind"
knighted Drake on board his ship in Plymouth Harbor.
A remarkable feature of the ship was its excellent construction and durable wood. It
was capable of surviving nearly three years in tropical waters without the protection of
copper sheathing. The ship had been badly damaged by screw worms, however, and so it
was repaired and taken to Deptford on Thames. Here the ship was placed on exhibit as a
permanent museum. Time took its toll of the historie vessel and it fell into disrepair,
eventually collapsing in 1662. Today there remain only two pieces from the "Golden
Hind", a chair at Oxford and a table in the Middle Temple Hall, in England.