...the Moluccas. Here he is well received…

...the Moluccas.

Here he is well received by a local sultan, becomes involved in some intrigues with the Portuguese, and succeeds in buying spices.

Drake's deep-sea navigation and pilotage have always been excellent, but in these totally uncharted waters his ship strikes a reef.

After three days of waiting for expedient tides and dumping cargo, the bark is miraculously freed without any great damage, and, ...