But Queen Bess had her father's spirit in her, and answered the Spanish threat by permitting one of her largest ships, the _Jesus of Lübeck_, to be chartered for a new voyage. The Earls of Leicester and Pembroke joined in raising money for the expedition--this time it was a Court affair; there sailed a hundred and seventy men in five vessels, and they were to meet another Queen's ship, the _Minion_, before they got out of the Channel. Again Hawkins raided the West African coast, "going every day on shore to take the inhabitants, with burning and spoiling of their towns." It is strange how men engaged in such ruthless work could yet believe that they were specially preserved by Providence. For on New Year's Day 1565 they were well-nigh surprised by natives as they were seeking water. But a pious seaman wrote thus in his journal: "God, who worketh all things for the best, would not have it so, and by Him we escaped without danger--His name be praised for it!" Then they set sail for the West Indies with a goodly cargo of miserable slaves; but for eighteen days they were becalmed--"as idle as a painted ship, upon a painted ocean." "And this happened to us very ill, being but reasonably watered for so great a company of negroes and ourselves. This pinched us all: and, that which was worst, put us in such fear that many never thought to have reached the Indies without great dearth of negroes and of themselves; but the Almighty God, which never suffereth His elect to perish, sent us the ordinary breeze." Let us hope that they felt some pity for the poor negroes too, who must have suffered agonies of thirst on that hideous journey. But King Philip had ordered his Christian subjects to have no dealings with heretics; and for some time they could sell no negroes in Dominica. But some heathen Indians presented cakes of maize, hens, and potatoes, which the English crews bought for beads, pewter whistles, knives, and other trifles. "These potatoes be the most delicate roots that may be eaten, and do far exceed our parsnips and carrots." We need to remind ourselves occasionally of some of the luxuries which our ancestors never knew till these old seadogs brought them home--tobacco and potatoes! and later on, tea and coffee! It is difficult to imagine what the want of such things would mean to us now.