Pelican, The,
the ship in which Sir Francis Drake made his voyage around the world. He left Plymouth with four ships besides the "Pelican," Nov. 15, 1577, and completed the journey Sept. 15, 1580. The "Pelican" was the only ship he brought back with him, and it was for a long time carefully preserved by order of Queen Elizabeth. When finally broken up a chair was made from its timbers by John Davis, the Arctic navigator, which is now in the Bodleian Library.
Entry from Everybody's Cyclopedia, 1912.