"Here," says Fletcher, "it pleased God on this 17th
day of June, 1579, to send us, in latitude 38i, a convenient fit
harbor." This is now supposed to be Drakes Bay, which lies thirty miles
northwest of San Francisco, in Marin county.
"In this bay we anchored, and the people of the country having their
houses close to the waterside showed themselves unto us and sent
presents to our general. He, in return, courteously treated them and
liberally bestowed upon them things necessary to cover their nakedness.
"Their houses are digged around about with earth and have for the brim
of that circle, clefts of wood set upon the ground and joined closely
together at the top like the spire of a steeple, which by reason of this
closeness are very warm. The men go naked, but the women make themselves
loose garments knit about the middle, while over their shoulders they
wear the skin of a deer."
These people brought presents and seemed to want to offer sacrifices to
the strangers as gods, but Drake, hastily calling his men together, held
divine services, "To which, especially the prayers and music," says
Fletcher, "they were most attentive and seemed to be greatly affected.
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