Several pirate ships docked in Plymouth Harbor unharmed, and the pirates were holding sackcloth and diligently cleaning the decks, and the movements were very swift.

In the crowded port, merchants, sailors, tax collectors, and even dock workers all turned a blind eye to the pirate ship and continued to do their job.

As the captain, Drake handed out some gold coins as soon as the ship docked, and some of the sailors looked at the ship and let the others go to be happy.

Prostitutes and gambling, Drake has no interest in them, he pays the berthing fee, then goes to a shipyard to repaint and alter the newly captured merchant ships, and then becomes a member of the Skeleton Pirates.

A five-hundred-ton armed merchant ship, the largest he had ever paid, Drake had high hopes for it to become the flagship of the Skeleton Pirates.

There are many shipyards in Plymouths, and after finding a familiar shipyard, negotiate the price, and after a month, the Skeleton Pirates will grow even stronger.

After this went well, he rented a carriage and came to the Hawkins family mansion.

Since John. Hawkins started the slave trade and became the first to eat crabs in England, and the Hawkins family became more prestigious throughout Plymouth and on the southwest coast.

The slave trade, which not only brought huge benefits to the Hawkins family, but also brought great prestige, becoming the leader of the slave trade in England.

Therefore, John. Hawkins also married Kathleen Gunson, the daughter of Navy treasurer Benjamin Gunson, and became even more powerful.

And it is because of this that Drake once joined Hawkins's fleet, saw the real ocean, and became a real captain.

After that, he left the fleet, bought a clipper with his savings, recruited a few familiar sailors, and started a pirate business.

Drake seems to have been born with the sea, and he has an indescribable talent for naval warfare, robbing merchant ships again and again, reaping batch after batch of loot.

Drake's father was a yeoman farmer in the town of Tavistock on the back side of Plymouth, and in 1549 Cornish Catholics launched the "Prayer Book Rebellion", which led to his exile in Plymouth.

All, at the time of his fame, Drake, who had no background, found a good backer - the Hawkins family.

Although it is said that he is John. Hawkins's cousin, but interests are interests, and they are never delayed because of family affection.

Each time the loot was captured, Drake would sell the loot to the Hawkins family for eight floors of the market price, and he was able to enjoy the protection of the Hawkins family, so that he could not worry about it.

And this time, he just wanted to ask for support.

"Sir, the Hawkins family has arrived!" The groom's voice rang out, disturbing Drake's memories.

"Yes!" Drake reacted and stepped out of the carriage.

"How much?"

"Eightpence, sir!"

Drake handed eight pennies into the groom's hands, and hurried to the Hawkins mansion.

Apparently, the people in the mansion knew his old man's cousin, and after waiting less than five minutes, Drake was invited in by Mr. Hawkins.

He was taken to his usual study, where Mr. Hawkins was sitting in a chair, reading a book.

"Oh? Isn't this the famous Skeleton Captain, congratulations to you on hearing that you have captured a large 500-ton merchant ship! ”

John. Since Hawkins personally led the two slave trades, he no longer went to sea often, but ran the family business, and the whole person looked a little wealthy at this time.

At this time, he saw Francis. Drake came in, a look of surprise on his face, and said in an exaggerated tone.

"John, you are so complimentary, I am just doing some business that jumps between life and death, over the years, I am really scared!" Drake said inappropriately, with a wry smile on his face.

"What? Captain Skeleton is scared, is he ready to do business? Don't worry about this, with your level, you will definitely become a famous businessman! ”

Seeing that Drake didn't look right, Hawkins made a joke, squinting and smiling.

"Of course not, no matter how down-and-out I am, I won't be a businessman covered in the smell of copper, dealing with money all day long!"

"So, come this time, my captain, is there anything you can do?" Sitting back in his chair, Hawkins asked softly to the standing Drake, his cousin.

"John, this time, I hope you can sponsor me, I hope to be like Magellan, to find a new route for the kingdom, the Pacific Ocean is no longer the sea of Spain!"

Since the discovery of the Pacific Ocean by Magellan, the Spaniards who financed him, using the huge sea power, as well as the American colonies, have made a big claim: the Pacific Ocean is the sea of Spain!

Although not many would dare to repeat the dangerous route that Magellan walked, Spain still said so.

In this way, Drake decided to retrace Magellan's path, find that route, and make himself famous.

"You want to cross the Pacific Ocean and complete a round-the-world trip?" Hawkins asked in surprise.

"No, I just want to rediscover that route to the Pacific Ocean and open a new route for the kingdom!" Drake puffed out his chest and said loudly.

"This, this, do you know the danger?" Hawkins asked tremblingly.

"Of course, but I know better how much is at stake! I don't know, John, Mr. Hawkins, the patriarch, can have the courage to gamble! ”

Drake looked into Hawkins' eyes and asked word by word.

"Haha! I'm John. Hawkins has never been afraid of anything, and this time, I took it! After holding back the excitement in his heart and calculating the harvest in detail, Hawkins said firmly.

"It's just, I hope you can come back safe and sound!" Hawkins said deeply.

"Don't worry, I'm not interested in the Pacific!" Drake waved his hand and said indifferently.

Subsequently, Hawkins sponsored a ship to Drake, five thousand pounds, fifty sailors, so that Drake was well prepared.

He prepared butter, bread, biscuits, drinks, and all sorts of supplies, and brought with him a shaver, a priest, a navigator, and a doctor.

The five ships, the largest of which was 500 tons, were named "Pacific" by Drake, followed by 300 tons, which was sponsored by the Hawkins family, and the rest were no more than 100 tons.

In the summer of 1564, Drake sailed from Plymouth with one hundred and ninety sailors and five well-equipped ships to ride the wind and embark on a journey that would go down in history, a voyage extraordinary to England.