The little ship continued northward. Hoping for a northeast passage to the Atlantic, Drake sailed along the coast as far as what was afterward known as the Oregon country. But the increasing cold and fog and the strong northwest winds made him turn southward again. Sailing close inshore, he found a small harbor, just north of the great bay of San Francisco. Here his stout little ship came to anchor. The natives believed that Drake and his men were gods, and begged them to remain with them always. Drake named the country New Albion and took possession in the name of the queen, Elizabeth. When he had refitted his ship for the long voyage home, Drake set sail, to the great sorrow of the natives. [Sidenote: =Drake crosses the Pacific and Indian oceans=] Week after week went by, until he saw the very islands where Magellan had been. He made his way among the islands and across the Indian Ocean until the Cape of Good Hope was rounded, and the _Golden Hind_ spread her sails northward toward England. [Sidenote: =Drake given a title by Queen Elizabeth=] Drake reached home in 1580, the first Englishman to sail around the world. The people, who had given him up as lost, shouted for joy when they heard he was safe. Queen Elizabeth visited his ship in person, and there gave him a title, so that now he was Sir Francis Drake. Years after, a chair was made from the timbers of the famous _Golden Hind_ and presented to Oxford University, where it can now be seen. [Illustration: QUEEN ELIZABETH MAKING DRAKE A NOBLEMAN _After the drawing by Sir John Gilbert. It pictures the scene that took place on board the "Golden Hind" at the close of the great voyage. Queen Elizabeth visited Drake in his ship and conferred knighthood on him for his great services to England_] [Sidenote: =He goes to find the Gold Fleet=] =26. Drake Again Goes to Fight the Spaniards.= Drake soon took command of a fleet of twenty-five vessels and two thousand five hundred men, all eager to fight the Spaniards (1585). He sailed boldly for the coast of Spain, frightened the people, and then went in search of the Gold Fleet, which was bringing shipload after shipload of treasure from America to the King of Spain. [Illustration: THE SPANISH ARMADA _More than one hundred twenty-five vessels sailed from Lisbon to conquer England, but only about fifty returned to the home port_] [Sidenote: =In the West Indies=] No sooner had Drake missed the fleet than he made direct for the West Indies, where he spread terror among the islands. The Spaniards had heard of Drake, the "Dragon." He attacked and destroyed three important towns, and intended to seize Panama itself, but the yellow fever began to cut down his men, so he sailed to Roanoke Island, and carried back to England the starving and homesick colony which Raleigh had planted there. [Sidenote: =Singeing the King of Spain's beard=]