The poop behind rose like a stately house, illumined with its swinging lanthorns.

Now and again there flitted past me a long-robed priest, to whom all bowed, and after him boys with swaying censers.
There was a neighing of horses amidships, and a tolling of bells in the forecastle.

The great bellying sails glittered with painted dragons and eagles and sun-bursts.

And the men who lined the crosstrees and crowded the tops shouted and answered in a tongue that was new to me.

Above all, higher than the helmsman's house or the standard on the poop, shone out a gilded cross, which looked over all the ship.
Little wonder if, as I slowly looked round me and rubbed my eyes, I knew not where I was.
But Ludar, standing near me, steadying himself with the cordage, called me to myself.
"This must be a Spaniard," said he, faintly.
"A Spaniard!" gasped I, "an enemy to our Queen and--" "Look yonder," said he, stopping me and pointing seaward, where the mist was lifting apace.
There I could discern, as far as my eyes could reach, a great curved line of vessels, many of them like that on which I stood; some larger and grander, some smaller and propelled by oars; all with flags flying and signals waving, and their course pointed all one way.
Not even I, landsman as I was, could mistake what I saw.