On September 26, 1580, Francis Drake returned triumphantly to England after an epic three-year voyage, his ship, the Golden Hinde carrying a huge haul of plunder. Long given up for lost, he had passed through the dreaded Strait of Magellan to raid Spanish treasure galleons on the coast of Peru, and then had become the first captain to sail completely around the globe. But there was much more to the expedition than he was allowed to tell.

Queen Elizabeth I immediately imposed a shroud of secrecy around Drake's travels, creating a mystery that has endured for 400 years. Piecing together the evidence in contemporary accounts and maps, author Samuel Bawlf retraces Drake's remarkable voyage and uncovers compelling proof of an astonishing feat of exploration. With only crude navigational instruments to guide him through vast, uncharted oceans, Drake covered more than 40,000 miles, sailing all the way to Alaska on a secret mission to discover the Pacific outlet of the fabled Northwest Passage. Then, probing the labyrinthine coast, he landed among the Indians to proclaim England's first colony -- New England -- on Canada's western shores. Part swashbuckling adventure, part fascinating detective story, The Secret Voyage of Sir Francis Drake completely rewrites the history of exploration in North America and brings to life the greatest navigator in history.