off vve stayed there all day vvatering and vvooding and providing things necessary by giving content and satisfaction to the Indians But â—owards night our Captaine called all of us aboord only leaving the Spaniards lately taken in the Prize ashoare according to our promise made them to their great content who acknowledged that our Captaine did them a farre greater favour in setting them freely at liberty then he had done them displeasure in taking their Ship and so set saile The sicknesse which had begun to kindle amongst us two or three dayes before did this day shew it selfe in Charles Gluâ— one of our Quarter-masters a very tall man and a right good Mariner taken away to the great griefe both of Captaine and Company What the cause of this malady was we knew not of certainty we imputed it to the cold which our men had taken lying without succour in the Pinnaces But howsoever it was thus it pleased God to visit us and yet in favour to restore unto health all the rest of our Company that were touched with this disease which were not a few The next morning being faire weather though the winde continued contrary our Captaine commanded the Minion his lesser Pinnace to hasten away before him towards his Ships at Fort Diego within the Cabezas to carry newes of his comming and to put all things in a readinesse for our Land journey if they heare any thing of the Fleets arrivall by the Symerons giving the Minion charge if they wanted Wine to take Saint Bernards in their way and there take in some such portion as they thought good of the Wines which we had there hidden in the sand We plyed to windwards as neere as we could so that within a seven night after the Minion departed from us we came to Saint Bernards where vve staied many houres finding but twelve Botijos of Wine of all the store we left which had escaped the curious search of the Enemy who had beene there for that they were deepe in the ground Within foure or five dayes after we came to our Ship where we found all other things in good order but received very heavie newes of the death of John Drake our Captains Brother and another young man called Richard Allen which were both slaine at one time as they attempted the boording of a Frigate within two dayes after our departing from them The manner of it a we learned by examination of the Company vvas this vvhen they saw this Frigate at Sea as they were going towards their Fort with Plancks to make the Platformes the Company were very importunate on him to give chase and set upon this Frigate which they deemed had beene a fit booty for them But he told them that they vvanted vveapons to assaile they knew not how the Frigate was provided they had their boat loaden with plancks to finish that his Broter had commanded But when this would not satisfie them but that still they urged him with vvords and supposals If you will needs said he adventure it shall never be said that I will be hindermost neither shall you report to my Brother that you lost your Voyage by any cowardise you found in me Thereupon every man shifted as they might for the time and heaving their plankes over board tooke them such poore vveapons as they had viz. a broken pointed Rapier one old Visgee and a rusty Caliver John Drake tooke the Rapier and made a Gantlet of his Pillow Richard Allen the Visegee both standing in the head of the Pinnace called the Eâ—on Roâ—ert tooke the Caliver and so boarded But they found the Frigate armed round about with a close fight of Hides full of Pikes and Calivers which vvere discharged in their faceâ— and deadly wounded those that were in the Foâ—e ship Jâ—hn Drake in the belly and Richard Allen in the head But notwithstanding their wounds they with Oares shifted off the Pinnace got cleare of the Frigate and with all haste recovered their Ship where vvithin an houre after this young man of great hope ended his dayes greatly lamented of all the Company Thus having moared our Ships fast our Captaine resolved to keepe himselfe close without being descried untill he might heare of the comming of the Spanish Fleet and therefore set no more to Sea but supplyed his vvants both for his owne Company and the Symerons out of his aforesaid Magazine besides dayly out of the woods with wild Hogges Phesants and Guanas continuing in health God be praised all the meane time which was a Moneth at least till at length about the beginning of January halfe a score of our Company fell downe sicke altogether and the most of them died within two or three dayes so long that we had thirty at a a time sicke of the Calenture which attached our men either by reason of the sudden change from cold to heat or by reason of brakish water which had beene taken in by one Pinnace through the sloth of their men in the mouth of the River not rowing further in where the water was good Among the rest Joseph Drake another of his Brethren died in our Captains Armes of the same disease of which that the cause might be the better discerned and consequently remedied to the reliefe of others by our Captaines appointment he was ript open by the Surgeon who found his liver swoln his heart as it were sodden and his guts all faire This was the first and last experiment that our Captaine made of Anatomy in this Voyage The Surgeon that cut him up over lived him not past foure dayes although he were not toucht with that sicknesse of which he had been recovered above a moneth before but onely of an over-bold practise which he would needs make upon himselfe by receiving an over-strong Purgation of his owne device after which taken he never spake nor his Boy recovered the health which he lost by tasting it till he saw England The Symerons who as is beforesaid had beene entertained by our Captaine in September last and usually repaired to our Ship during all the time of our absence ranged the Country up and downe betweene Nombre de Dios and us to learne what they might for us whereof they gave our Captaine advertisement from time to time as now particularly certaine of them let him understand that the Fleet was certainly arrived at Nombre de Dios. Therefore he sent the Lyon to the seamost Iland of the Cativaas to descry the truth of the report by reason it must needs be that if the Fleet were in Nombre de Dios all the Frigates of the Countrey would repaire thitherwards with Victuall The Lyon within few dayes descried that she was sent for espying a Frigate which she presently boorded and tooke laden with Maiz Hens and Pompions from Tolou who assured us of the whole truth of the arrivall of the Fleet in this Frigate were taken one Woman and twelve Men of whom one was
the Dragon the other the Swan in the year 70. the other in the Swan alone in the yeare 71. to gaine such intelligences as might further him to get some amends for his losse And having in those two Voyages gotten such certaine notice of the persons places aymed at as he thought requisite and thereupon with good deliberation resolved on a third Voyage the Description wherof we have now in hand he accordingly prepared his Ships Company and then taking the first opportunity of a good wind had such succes in his proceedings as now followes further to be declared On Whitsunday Eve being the 24. of May in the year 1572. Captain Drake in the Pascha of Plimoth of 70. tons his Admirall with the Swan of the same Port of 25 tons his Vice-Admirall in which his brother Iohn Drake was Captain having in both of them of men and boyes seventy three all voluntarily assembled of which the eldest was fifty all the rest under thirty so divided that there were forty seven in one ship twenty six in the other both richly furnished with victuals and apparell for a whole year and no lesse heedfully provided of all manner of Munition Artillery Artificers stuffe and tooles that were requisite for such a Man of war in such an attempt but especially having three dainty Pinnases made in Plimouth taken asunder all in peices and stowed aboard to be set up as occasion served set sayl from out of the Sound of Plimouth with intent to land at Nombre de dios The wind continued prosperous favorable at Northeast and gave us a very good passage without any alteration of change so that albeit we had sight of Porto Santo one of the Maderas of the Canaries also within twelve dayes of our setting forth yet we never strook sayle nor came to anchor nor made any stay for any cause neither there or else where untill 25. dayes after When we had sight of the Island of Guadalupe one of the Islands of the West Indies goodly high land The next morning we entred between Dominica Guadalupe where we descried two canoas coming from a rocky Iland three leagues off Dominica which usually repair thither to fish by reason the great plenty thereof which is there continually to be found We landed on the South side of it remaining there three days to refresh our men water our ships out of one of those goodly rivers which fall down off the mountain There we saw certain poore cottages built with Palmito boughs and branches but no inhabitants at that time civill nor savage the cottages it may be for we could know no certaine cause of the solitarinesse we found there serving not for continuall inhabitation but only for their uses that came to that place at certaine seasons to fish The third day after about three in the after-noon we set sail from thence towards the continent of Terra firma And the fifth day after we had sight of the high land of Santa Martha but came not neer the shoar by ten leagues But thence directed our course for a place called by us Port Phesant for that our Captain had so named it in his former voyage by reason of the great store of those goodly Fowls which he and his Company did then dayly kill and feed on in that place In this course notwithstanding we had two dayes calme yet within six dayes we arived at our Port Phesant which is a fine round Bay of very safe harbour for all winds lying betweene two high points not past halfe a cables length over at the mouth but within eight or ten cables length every way having ten or twelve fadome water more or lesse full of good fish the soile also very fruitfull which may appear by this that our Captain having been in this place within a year and few dayes before and having rid the place with many alleyes and paths made yet now all was so overgrowne againe as that we doubted at first whether this were the same place or no. At our entrance into this Bay our Captaine having given order to his brother what to do if any occasion shoud happen in his absence was on his way with intent to have gone a land with some few only in his company because he knew there dwelt no Spaniards within thirty five leagues of that place Tolou being the neerest to the Eastwards and Nombâ—e de dios to the westwards where any of that Nation dwelt But as we were rowing a shoar we saw a smoak in the woods even neer the place which our Captain had aforetime frequented therefore thinking it fit to take more strength with us he caused his other boat also to be manned with certain muskets and other weapons suspecting some enemy had been a shoar When we landed we found by evident markes that there had been lately there a certaine English man of Plimouth called Iohn Garret who been conducted thither by certain English Mariners which had been there with our Captain in some of his former voyages He had now left a plate of Lead nailed fast to a mighty great tree greater hen any four men joyning hands could fathom about on which were engraven these words directed to our Captaine CAptain Drake if you fortune to come to this Port make hast away For the Spanyards which you had with you here the last year have bewrayed this place and taken away all that you left here I departed from hence this present 7. of Iuly 1572. Your very loving friend IOHN GARRET The smoake which we saw was occasioned by a fire which the said Garret and his Company had made before their departure in a very great tree not farre from this which had the Lead nayled on it which had continued burning at least five dayes before our arrivall This advertisement notwithstanding our Captain ment not to depart before he had built his Pinnaces which were yet aboard in pieces for which purpose he knew this Port a most convenient place And therefore so soon as we had mored our ships our Captain commanded his Pinnaces to be brought ashore for the Carpenters to set up himself employing al his other company in fortifying a place which he had chosen out as a most fit plot of three quarters of an acre of ground to make some strength or safety for the present as sufficiently as the meanes he had would affoord which was performed by felling of great trees bowsing and haling them together with great Pulleis and halfers untill they were inclosed to the waters and then letting others fall upon them untill they had raised with trees and boughs thirty foot in height round about leaving only one gate to issue at neet the waters side which every night that we might sleepe in more safety and security was shut up with a great tree drawn a'rthwart it The whole plot was built in a Pentagonall form to wit of five equall sides
by way of traffique and exchange of Merchandise wherof he had store of divers sorts of such things as he wanted Which he thought he might be the bolder to require at his hands both for that the thing was lawfull and that he offered him no prejudice or wrong therein as also because he was entreated â—o repaire to that place by his Viceroy at Mutir who assured him of necessary provision in such manner as now he required the same Before this the Viceroy according to his promise had been with the King signifying unto him what a mighty Prince and Kingdome we belonged unto what good things the King might receive from us not onely now but for hereafter by way of traffique yea what honour and benefit it might be to him to be in league and friendship with so noble and famous a Prince as we served And farther what a discouragement it would be to the Portugals his Enemies to hear and see it In hearing wherof the King was so presently moved to the well liking of the matter that before our Messenger could come half the way he had sent the Viceroy with divers others of his Nobles and Councellors to our Generall with speciall message that he should not only have what things he needed or would require with peace and friendship but that he would willingly entertaine amity with so famous and renowned a Prince as was ours and that if it seemed good in her eyes to accept of it he would sequester the commodities and traffique of his whole Island from others especially from his enemies the Portugals from whom he had nothing but by the Sword and reserve it to the entercourse of our Nation if we would embrace it In token whereof he had now sent to our Generall his Signet and would within short time after come in his owne person with his brethren and Nobles with Boates or Canows into our Ship and be a meanes of bringing her into a safer Harbour While they were delivering their message to us our Messenger was come unto the Court who being met by the way by certaine noble personages was with great solemnity conveyed into the Kings presence at whose hands he was most friendly and graciously entertained and having delivered his errand together with his present unto the King the King seemed to him to judge himselfe blame-worthy that he had not sooner hasted in person to present himselfe to our Generall who came so far and from so great a Prince And presently with all expedition he made ready himselfe with the chiefest of all his States and Councellors to make repair unto us The manner of his coming as it was Princely so truly it seemed to us very strange and marvelous serving at the present not so much to set out his owne royall and kingly state vvhich vvas great as to do honour to her Highnesse to vvhom vve belonged vvherein hovv vvillingly he imployed himselfe the Sequel vvill make manifest First therefore before his coming did he send off three great and large Canovves in each vvhereof vvere certain of the greatest personaegs that vvere about him attired all of them in vvhite Lavvn or cloth of Calecut having over their heads from one end of the Canovv to the other a covering of thin and fine mats born up by a frame made of Reeds under vvhich every man sat in order according to his dignity the hoary heads of many of them set forth the greater reverence due to their persons and manifestly shewed that the King used the advise of a grave and prudent Counsell in his affaires Besides these were divers others young and comely men a great number attired in white as were the other but with manifest differences having their places also under the same covering but in inferior order as their calling required The rest of the men were Souldiers who stood in comely order round about on both sides on the outside of whom againe did sit the rowers in certain galleries which being three on each side all alongst the Canow did lie off from the side therof some three or four Yards one being orderly builded lower then the other in every of vvhich Galleries vvas an equall number of Baâ—cks vvhereon did sit the Rowers about the number of fourscore in one Canow In the forepart of each Canow sat two men the one holding a Tabret the other a peece of Brasse whereon they both at once stroke and observing a due time and reasonable space betweene each stroke by the sound thereof directed the Rowers to keepe their stroke with their Oares as on the contrary the Rowers ending their stroke with a song gave warning to the others to strike againe and so continued they their way with marvelous swiftnesse neither were their Canows naked or unfurnished of warlike munition they had each of them at least one small cast piece of about a yard in length mounted upon a stock which was set upright besids every man except the Rowers had his Sword Dagger and Target and some of them some other weapons as Lances Callivers Bowes Arrows and many Darts These Canowes comming neere our Ship in order rowed round about us one after another and the men as they passe by us did us a kind of homage with great solemnity the greatest Personages beginning first with reverend countenance and behaviour to bow their bodies even to the ground which done they put our owne messenger aboard us againe and signified to us that their King who himselfe was comming had sent them before him to conduct our Ship into a better roade desiring a Halfer to be given them forth that they might employ their service as their King commanded in towing our Ship therewith to the place assigned The King himselfe was not far behind but he also with six grave and ancient Fathers in his Canow approching did at once together with them yeeld us a reverend kind of obeysance in far more humble manner then was to be expected he was of a tall stature very corpulent and well set together of a very Princely and gratious countenance his respect amongst his owne was such that neither his Viceroy of Mutir aforenamed nor any other of his Counsellors durst speake unto him but upon their knees not rising againe till they were licenced Whose comming as it was to our Generall no small cause of good liking so was he received in the best manner we could answerable unto his state our Ordnance thundred which we mixed with great store of small shot among which sounding our trumpets and other instruments of musick both of still and loud noise wherwith he was so much delighted that requesting our musick to come into the Boat he joyned his Canow to the same was towed at least a whole hour together with the boat at the sterne of our Ship Besides this our Generall sent him such presents as he thought might both requite his courtesie already received and worke a farther confirmation of that good liking and friendship
threw downe the gates and spardecks to prevent the Spaniards from annoying us with their close fights who then perceiving that we were possessed of their Ship stowed themselves all in hold with their weapons except two or three yonkers who were found afore the beetes when having light out of our Pinnaces vve found no danger of the enemy remaining we cut their Cables at halfe and with our three Pinnaces towed her without the Iland into the sound right afore the Towne without danger of their great shot Meane while the Towne having intelligence hereof by their Watch tooke th' alarme rung out their Bels shot off about thirty Peeces of great Ordinance put all their Men in a readinesse Horse and Foot came down to the very point of the Wood and discharged their Calivers to impeach us if they might in going forth The next morning our Ships tooke two Frigates in vvhich vvere two vvho called themselves the Kings Scrivanos the one of Carthagene th' other of Veragua vvith seven Mariners and two Negroes vvho had beene at Nombre de dios and vvere now bound for Carthagene vvith double Letters of Advice to certifie them that Captaine Drake had beene at Nombre de Dios had taken it and had it not beene that He was hurt with some blessed shot by all likelihold he had saâ—kt it he was yet still upon the Coast they should therefore carefully prepare for him After that our Captaine had brought all his Fleet together at the Scrivanos entreaties he vvas content to doe them all 〈◊〉 in setting them and all their Companies 〈◊〉 and so 〈◊〉 thence vvith the Ilands of Saint Bernards about three leagues off the â—own vvhere vve found great store of Fish for our refreshing Here our Captaine considering that he vvas now discovered upon two of the chiefest places of all the Coast and yet not meaning to leave it till he had found the Simerons and made his Voyage as he had conceived which would require some length of time and sure manning of his Pinnaces he determined with himselfe to buâ—ne one of his Ships and make of the other a Store-house that his Pinnaces which could not otherwise might be throughly Manned and so he might be able to abide any time But knowing the affection of his Company how loath they vvere to leave either of their Ships being both so good Saylers and so vvell furnished he purposed in himselfe by some Policy to make them most vvilling to effect that he intended And therefore sent for one Thomas Moone vvho vvas Carpenter in the Swanne and taking him into his Cabin chargeth him to conceale for a time a piece of service vvhich he must in any case consent to doe aboord his owne Ship that was in the middle of the second Watch to goe downe secretly into the Well of the Ship and with a great spike-gimlet to boâ—re three hoales as neere the Keele as he could and lay something against it that the force of the Water entring might make no great noyse nor be discovered by boyling up Thomas Moone at the hearing hereof being utterly dismayed desired to know what cause there might be to move him to sincke so good a Barke of his owne new and strong and that by his meanes who had beene in two so rich and gainfull Voyages in her with himselfe heretofore If his Brother the Master and the rest of the Company should know of such his fact he thought verily they would kill him But when our Captaine had imparted to him his causes and had perswaded him with promise that it should not be knowne till all of them should be glad of it he undertooke it and did it accordingly The next morning our Captaine tooke his Pinnace very early purposing to goe a fishing for that there is very great store in all the Coast and falling a board the Swanne calleth for his Brother to goe with him who rising suddenly answereth that he would follow presently or if it would please him to stay a very little he would attend him Our Captaine perceiving the feat wrought would not hasten him but in rowing away demanded of them why their Barke was so deepe as making no account of it but by occasion of this demand his Brother sent one downe to the Steward to know whether there were any water in the ship or what other cause might be The Steward hastily stepping downe at his usuall skuttle was wet up to the waste and shifting with more haste to come up againe as if the water had followed him cryed out that the Ship was full of water There was no need to hasten the Company some to Pumpe others to search for the Leake which the Captaine of the Barke seeing they did on all hands very willingly he followed his Brother and certified him of the strange chance befaln them that night that whereas they had not Pumpt twice in six weekes before now they had six foote water in hold therefore he desireth leave from attending him in fishing to intend the search and remedy of the leake and when our Captaine with his Company profered to go to helpe them he answered they had men enough aboard and prayed him to continue his fishing that they might have some part of it for their dinner Thus returning he found his Company had taken great paines but had freed the water very little yet such was their love to the Barke as our Captaine well knew that they ceased not but to the utmost of their strength laboured all that they might till three in the afternoone by which time the Company perceiving that though they had beene relieved by our Captaine himselfe and many of his Company yet they were not able to free above a foot and a halfe of water and could have no likelihood of finding the Leake had now a lesse liking of her then before and greater content to hear of some means for remedy whereupon our Captain consulting with them what they thought best to be done found that they had more desire to have all as he thought fit then judgement to conceive any meanes of remedy And therefore he propounded that himselfe would goe into the Pinnace till he could provide some handsome Frigate and that his Brother should be Captaine in the Admirall and the Master should also be there placed with him instead of this which seeing they could not save he would have fired that the Enemy might never recover her but first all the Pinnaces should be brought aboard her that every one might take out of her whatsoever they lackt or liked This though the company at the first marveiled at yet presently it was put in execution and performed that night our Captaine had his desire and men enough for his Pinnaces The next morning we resolved to seek out some fit place in the sound of Dorrienne where we might safely leave our ship at Anchor not discoverable by the Enemy who thereby might imagine us quite departed from the Coast
Rio Francisco Having thus agreed with Captaine Tetu we sent for the Symerians as before was decreed two of them were brought aboard our Ships to give the French assurance of this agreement As soone as we could furnish our selues and refresh the French Company which was within five or six dayes by bringing them to the Magazine which was the neerest where they were supplyed by us in such sort as they protested they were beholding to us for all their lives taking twenty of the French and fifteene of ours with our Symerons leaving both our Ships in safe Roade we Mand our Frigate and two Pinnaces we had formerly sunke our Lyon shortly after our returne from Panama because we had not Men sufficient to Man her and went towards Rio Francisco which because it had not water enough for our Frigate caused us to leave her at the Cabezas Mand with English and French in the charge of Robert Dohle to stay there without attempting any chase untill the returne of our Pinnaces And then beare to Rio Francisco where our Captaines landed with such Force as aforesaid and charged them that had the charge of the Pinnaces to be there the fourth day next following without any saile And thus knowing that the Cariages went now daily from Panama to Nombre de Dios we proceeded in covert through the Woods towards the High-way that leadeth betweene them It is five leagues accounted by Sea betweene Rio Francisco and Nombre de Dios but that way which we marched by land we found it above seaven league We marched as in our former journey to Panama both for order and silence to the great wonder of the French Captaine and Company who protested they knew not by any meanes how to recover the Pinnaces if the Symerons to whom what our Captaine commanded was a law though they little regarded the French as having no trust in them should leave us our Captain assured him there was no cause of doubt of them of whom he had had such former tryall When we were come vvithin an English mile of the Way vve stayed all night refreshing our selves in great stilnesse in a most convenient place vvhere vve heard the Carpenters being many in number vvorking upon their Ships as they usually doe by reason of the great heat of the day in Nombre de Dios and might heare the Moyles comming from Panama by reason of the advantage of the ground The next morning upon hearing of that great number of Bels the Symerons rejoyced exceedingly as though there could not have befallen them a more joyful accident chiefly having been disappointed before Now they all assured us vve should have more Gold and Silver then all of us could beare away as in truth it fell out For there came three Recoes one of fifty Moyles the other two of seventy each every of vvhich caryed three hundred pound vvaight of Silver vvhich in all amounted to neer thirty Tun. We putting our selus in readinesse vvent down neer the Way to hear the Bels vvhere vve stayed not long but vve saw of vvhat Mettall they vvere made and tooke such hold on the heads of the foremost and hindmost Moyles that all the rest stayed and lay down as their manner is These three Recoes were guarded with forty five Souldiers or thereabouts fifteene to each Reco which caused some exchange of Bullets and Arrowes for a time in which conflict the French Captaine was sore wounded with Hayle shot in the Belly and one Symeron slain But in the end these Souldiers thought it the best way to leave their Moyles with us and to seeke for more helpe abroad in which meane time we tooke some paine to ease some of the Moyles which were heaviest loaden of their carriages And being weary we were content with a few bars and quoits of Gold as we could well carry burying about fifteene tun of Silver partly in the Boroughs which the great Land-crabs had made in the earth and parrly under old trees which are fallen thereabout and partly in the Sand and Gravell of a River not very deepe of water Thus when about this businesse we had spent some two houres and had disposed of all our matters and were ready to March backe the very selfe same way that we came we heard both Horse and Foot comming as it seemed to the Moyles for they never followed us after we were once entred the Woods where the French Captaine by reason of his wound not able to travell farther stayed in hope that some rest would recover him better strength But after we had marched some two leagues upon the French Souldiers complaint that they missed one of their Men also examination being made whether he were slaine or no it was found that he had drunke much Wine and over-lading himselfe with Pillage and hasting to goe before us had lost himselfe in the Woods And as we afterwards knew he was taken by the Spaniards that evening and upon torture discovered unto them where we had hidden our Treasure We continued our March all that and the next day towards Rio Francisco in hope to meet our Pinnaces but when we came thither looking out to Sea we saw seven Spanish Pinnaces which had beene searching all the Coasts thereabout Whereupon we mightily suspected that they had taken or spoyled our Pinnaces for that our Captaine had given so straight charge that they should repaire to this place this after-noone from the Cabezas where they rode whence to our sight these Spaniards Pinnaces did come But the night before there had fallen very much raine with much Westerly Winde vvhich as it enforced the Spaniards to returne home the sooner by reason of the Storme so it kept our Pinnaces that they could not keepe the appointment because the Winde was contrary and blew so strong that with their Oares they could all that day get but halfe the way Notwithstanding if they had followed our Captaines direction in setting forth over night while the wind served they had arrived at the place appointed with farre lesse labour but with farre more danger because that very day at noone the Spanish Shallops mand out of purpose from Nombre de Dios were come to this place to take our Pinnaces imagining where we were after they had heard of our intercepting of the Treasure Our Captaine seeing the Shallops feared least having taken our Pinnaces they had compelled our men by torture to confesse where his Frigate and Ships were Therefore in this distresse and perplexity the Company misdoubting that all meanes of returne to their Country were cut off and that their Treasure then served them to small purpose our Captaine comforted and incouraged us all saying We should venter no farther then he did it was no time now to feare but rather to haste to prevent that which was feared if the Enemy have prevailed against our Pinnaces which God forbid yet they must have time to search them time to examine the Mariners time to
having scarce life in her selfe much lesse milk to nourish her child to be sould as a horse or a cow and calf by her side in which sort of merchandise our generall would not deale But they had also Amber-greece with certain gums of some estimation which they brought to exchange with our men for water whereof they have great want so that coming with their Allforges they are leathern bags holding liquor to buy water they cared not at what price they bought it so they may have to quench their thirst A very heavy judgement of God upon that coast The circumstances whereof considered our generall would receive nothing of them for water but freely gave it them that came to him yea fed them also ordinarily with our victuals in eating whereof their manner was not uncivill and unsightly to us but even inhumane and loathsome in it self And having washed and trim'd our ships and discharged all our spanish prises excepting one Caunter for which we gave to the owner of our own ships viz. the Christopher and one carvell formerly bound to Saint Jago which we caused to accompany us hither where she also was discharged after six dayes abode here we departed directing our course for the Islands of cape Verde where if any were we were of necessity to store our fleet with fresh water for a long time for that our generall intended from thence to run a long couse even to the coast of Brasill without touch of land And now having the wind constant at North East E. North E. which is usuall about those parts because it bloweth almost continually from the shoare January the 27. we coasted Bonavista and the next day after we came to anchor under the Wester part towards St. Jago of the Island Maio it lyeth in 15. deg 00. high land saving that the North-west part strecheth out into the sea the space of a league very low and is inhabited by subjects to the King of Portugall Here landing in hope of traffique with the inhabitants for water we found a Town not farre from the waters side of a great number of desolate and ruinous houses with a poor naked Chappell or Oratory such as small cost and charge might serve and suffice being to small purpose and as it seemeth only to make a shew and that a false shew contrary to the nature of a scarecrow which feareth birds from coming nigh this entiseth such as passe by to hale in and look for commodity which is not at all to be found there though in the inner parts of the Island it be in great abundance For when we found the Springs and Wells which had been there as appeareth stopped up again and no other water to purpose to be had to serve our need we marched up to seek some more convenient place to supply our want or at least to see whether the people would be dealt withall to help us therein In this travelling we found the soile to be very fruitfull having every where plenty of fig trees with fruit upon most of them But in the vallies and low ground where little low cottages were built were pleasant vineyards planted bearing then ripe and most pleasant grapes There were also trees without any branch till the top which bare the Coco nuts There were also great store of certain lower trees with long and broad leaves bearing the fruit which they call Plantanes in clusters together like puddings a most dainty and wholesome fruit All of these trees were even laden with fruit some ready to be eaten others coming forward others over ripe Neither can this seem strange though about the middest of winter with us for that the Sun doth never withdraw himself farther off from them but that with his lively heat he quickneth and strengthneth the power of the soile and plant neither ever have they any such frost and cold as thereby to loose their green hâ—w and appearance We found very good water in diverse places but so far off from the road that we could not with any reasonable paines enjoy it The people would by no meanes be induced to have any conference with us but keeping in the most sweet fruitfull vallie among the hils where their Towns and places of dwelling were gave us leave without interruption to take our pleasure in survewing the Island as they had some reason not to endanger themselves where they saw they could reape nothing sooner then damage shame if they should have offer'd violence to them which came in peace to do them no wrong at all This Iland yeildeth other great commodities as wonderfull heards of goats infinite store of wilde hens salt without labour only the gathering it together excepted which continually in a marvellous quantity is increased upon the sands by the flowing of the sea and the heate of the Sunne kerning the same So that of the increase thereof they keep a continuall traffique with their neighbours in the other adjacent Islands We set saile thence the 30. day Being departed from Maio the next day we passed by the Island of Sain Jago ten leagues west of Maio in the same latitude inhabited by the Portugals and Moores together The cause whereof is said to have been in the Portugals themselves who continuing long time Lords within themselves in the said Island used that extream and unreasonable cruelty over their slaves that their bondage being intollerable they were forced to seek some means to help themselves and to lighten that so heavy a burden and thereupon chose to flie into the most mountany parts of the Island and at last by continuall escapes increasing to a great number and growing to a set strength do now live with that terror of their oppressors that they now endure no les bondage in mind then the Forcatos did before in body besides the dammage that they daily suffer at their hands in their goods and cattel together with the abridging of their liberties in the use of divers parts of the fruitfull soile of the said Island which is very large marvellous fruitfull a refuge for all such ships as are bound towards Brasill Ginny the East Indies Binny Calecut c. and a place of rare force if it were not for the cause afore-recited which hath much abated the pride and cooled the courage of that people who under pretence of trafique and friendship at first making an entrance ceased not practising upon the poore Islands the ancient remainders of the first planters thereof as it may seem from the coast of Guinea untill they had excluded them from all government and liberty yea almost life On the South-west of this Island we took a Portugall laden the best part with wine and much good cloth both linnen and woollen besides other necessaries bound for Brasill with many Gentlemen and Marchants in her As we passed by with our fleet in sight of 3. of their towns they seemed very joyfull that we touched
death being much more honorable by it then blameable for any other of his actions fully blotted out what ever stain his fault might seem to bring upon him he left unto our fleet a lamentable example of a goodly Gentleman who in seeking advancement unfit for him cast away himself and unto posterity a monument of I know not what fatal calamity incident to that port and such like actions which might happily afford a new pair of parallels to be added to Plutarchs in that the same place neere about the same time of the year witnessed the execution of 2. gentlemen suffring both for the like cause imployed both in like service entertained both in great place endued both with excellent qualities the one 58. year after the other For on the main our men found a gibbet fallen down made of a spruce mast with mens bones underneath it which they conjectured to be the same gibbet which Magellane commanded to be erected in the yeare 1520. for the execution of John Carthagene the Bishop of Burgos Cosen who by the Kings order was joyned with Magellane in commission and made his Vice-Admirall In the Island as we digged to bury this gentleman we found a great grinding-stone broken in two parts which we took and set fast in the ground the one part at the head the other at the feet building up the middle space with other stones and turfes of earth and engraved in the stones the names of the parties buried there with the time of their departure and a memoriall of our Generals name in Latine that it might the better be understood of all that should come after us These things thus ended and set in order our generall discharging the Mary viz. our Portugal prise beause she was leake and troublesome defaced her and then left her ribs and keel upon the Island where for two moneths together we had pitched our tents And so having wooded watred trimmed our ships dispatched all our other businesses and brought our fleet into the smalest number even 3. only besides our pinnaces that we might the easier keep our selves together be the better furnished with necessaries and be the stronger mand against whatsoever need should be Agust 17. we departed out of this port and being now in great hope of a happy issue to our enterprise which Almighty God hitherto had so blest prospered we set our course for the Straights southwest August 20. we fell with the Cape neere which lies the entrance into the Sraight called by the Spaniards Capo virgin Maria appearing 4. leagues before you come to it with high and steep gray cliffs full of black stars against which the sea beating sheweth as it were the spoutings of Whales having the highest of the cape like cape Vincent in Portugal at this cape our Generall caused his fleet in homage to our soveraign lady the Queens Majesty to strike their top-sailes upon the bunt as a token of his willing and glad mind to shew his dutiful obedience to her highnes whom he acknowledged to have ful interest and right in that new discovery and withall in remembrance of his most honourable friend Sir Christopher Hatton he changed the name of the ship which himself went in from the Pellican to be called the golden Hind which ceremonies being ended together with a sermon teaching true obedience with prayers and giving of thanks for her Majesty and most honorable counsel with the whole body of the commonweale and church of God we continued our course on into the said frete where passing with land in sight on both sides we shortly fell with so narrow a strait as carrying with it much wind often turnings and many dangers-requireth an expert judgment in him that shall passe the same it lyeth W.N.W. and E. south East but having left his strait a stern we seemed to become out of a river of two leagues broade into a large and main sea having the night following an Iland in sight which being in height nothing inferior to the Island â—ogo before spoken of burning like it also aloft in the aire in a wonderfull sort without intermission It hath formerly been received as an undoubted truth that the seas following the course of the first mover from the east to west have a continuall current through this straite but our experience found the contrary the ebbings and flowings here being as orderly in which the water rises and fals more then 5. fathoms upright as on other coasts The 24. of August being Bartholomew day we fell with 3. Islands bearing trianglewise one from another one of them was very faire and large and of a fruitful soile upon which being next unto us and the weather very calm our Generall with his Gentlemen and certain of his Marriners then landed taking possession thereof in her Majesties name and to her use and called the same Elizabeth Island The other two though they were not so large nor so fair to the eye yet were they to us exceeding usefull for in them we found great store of strange birds which could not fly at all nor yet run so fast as that they could escape us with their lives in body they are less then a goose and bigger then a mallard short and thick set together having no feathers but insteed thereof a certain hard and matted down their beakes are not much unlike the bils of crows they lodg and breed upon the land where making earths as the conies do in the ground they lay their egs and bring up their young their feeding and provision to live on is in the sea where they swim in such sort as nature may seem to have granted them no small prerogative in swiftness both to prey upon others and themselves to escape from any others that seek to cease upon them such was the infinite resort of these birds to these Ilands that in the space of 1. day we killed no les then 3000. if the increase be according to the number it is not to be thought that the world hath brought forth a greater blessing in one kind of creature in so small a circuit so necessarily and plentifully serving the use of man they are a very good and wholesome victuall our Generall named these Islands the one Bartholomew according to the day the other Saint Georges in honour of England according to the ancient custome there observed In the Island of Saint George we found the body of a man so long dead before that his bones would not hold together being moved out of the place whereon they lay From these Islands to the entrance into the south sea the frete is very crooked having many turnings as it were shutings up as if there were no passage at al by means whereof we were often troubled with contrary winds so that some of our ships recovering a cape of land entring another reach the rest were forced to alter their course and come to anchor where they might It is true which
Jonas out of the Whales belly and heareth all those that call upon him faithfully in their distres looked down from heaven beheld our tears and heard our humble petitions joyned with holy vows Even God whom not the winds and seas alone but even the Divels themselves and powers of hell obey did so wonderfully free us and make our way open before us as it were by his holy Angels stil guiding and conducting us that more then the affright and amaze of this estate we received no part of damage in all the things that belonged unto us But escaping from these straites and miseries as it were through the needlesey that God might have the greater glory in our delivery by the great and effectuall care and travell of our Generall the Lords instrument therein we could now no longer forbeare but must needs find some place of refuge aswell to provide water wood and other necessaries as to comfort our men thus worn and tyred out by so many and so long intollerable toyls the like whereof it to be supposed no traveller hath felt neither hath their ever been such a tempest that any records make mention of so violent and of such continuance since Noahs flood for as hath been said it lasted from September 7. to October 28. full 52. dayes Not many leagues therefore to the southwards of our former anchoring we ran in again among these Islands where we had once more better likelihood to rest in peace and so much the rather for that we found the people of the country travelling for their living from one Island to another in their canows both men women and young infants wrapt in skins and hanging at their mothers backs with whom he had trafique for such things as they had as chains of certain shels and such other trifles here the Lord gave us three days to breath our selves and to provide such things as we wanted albeit the same was with continuall care and troubles to avoid imminent dangers which the troubled seas and blustering winds did every hour threaten unto us But when we seemed to have stayed there too two long we more rigorously assaulted by the not formerly ended but now more violently renewed storm and driven them also with no small danger leaving behind us the greater part of our cable with the anchor being chased along by the winds and buffeted incessantly in each quarter by the seas which our Generall interpreted as though God had sent them of purpose to the end which ensued till at length we fell with the uttermost part of land towards the south pole and had certainly discovered how far the same doth reach southward from the coast of America aforenamed The uttermost Cape or hedland of all these Islands stands neere in the 56. deg without which there is no main nor Iland to be seen to the southwards but that the Atlantick Ocean and the south sea meet in a most large and free scope It hath been a dreame through many ages that these Islands have been a maine and that it hath been terra incognita wherein many strange monsters lived Indeed it might truly before this time be called incognota for howsoever the maps generall descriptions of Cosmographers either upon the deceiveable reports of other men or the deceitfull imaginations of themselves supposing never herein to be corrected have set it down yet it is true that before this time it was never discovered or certainly known by any traveller that we have heard of And here as in a fit place it shall not be a misse to remove that error in opinion which hath been held by many of the impossible return out of Mar del zur into the West Ocean by reason of the supposed Eastern current and leavant winds which say they speedily carry any thither but suffer no return They are herein likewise altogether deceived for neither did we meet with any such current neither had we any such certain winds with any such speed to carry us through but at all times in our passage there we found more opportunity to return back again into the west Ocean then to goe forward into Mar del zur by meanes either of current or winds to hinder us whereof we had experience more then we wished being glad oftentimes to alter our course and to fall a stern again with francke wind without any impediment of any such surmised current farther in one afternoon then we could fetch up or recover again in a whole day with a reasonable gale And in that they allege the narrownesse of the frete and want of sea-rome to be the cause of this violent current they are herein no lesse deceived then they were in the other without reason for besides that it cannot be said that there is one only passage but rather innumerable it is most certain that a sea-board all these Islands there is one large and main sea wherein if any will not be satisfied nor believe the report of our experience and eyesight he should be advised to suspend his judgment till he hath either tryed it himself by his own travell or shall understand by other travellers more particulars to confirm his mind therein Now as we were fallen to the uttermost part of these Ilands October 28. our troubles did make an end the storm ceased and all our calamities only the absence of our friends excepted were removed as if God all this while by his secret providence had led us to make his discouery which being made according to his will he stayed his hand as pleased his majesty therein and refreshed us as his servants At these Southerly parts we found the night in the latter end of October to be but 2. houres long the Sun being yet above 7. degrees distant from the Tropick so that it seemeth being in the Tropick to leave very little or no night at all in that place There be few of all these Islands but have some inhabitants whose manners apparel houses Cannows and meanes of livings is like unto those formerly spoken of a little before our departure out of the Straight To all these Islands did our Generall give one name to wit Elizabethides After two daies stay which we made in and about these Ilands the 30. of October we set saile shaping our course right Northwest to coast along the parts of Peru for so the generall maps set out the land to lie both for that we might wiâ—h convenient speed sal with the height of 30. deg being the place appointed for the rest of our fleet to re-assemble as also that no opportunity might be lost in the mean time to finde them out if it seemed good to God to direct them to us In this course we chanced the next day with two Islands being as it were store-houses of most liberall provision of victuals for us of birds yeiding not only sufficient and plentiful store for us who were present but enough to have served all the rest also which
were absent Thence having furnished our selves to our content we continued our course November 1. still Northwest as we had formerly done but in going on we soon espied that we might easily have been deceived and therefore casting about and steering upon another point we found that the generall maps did erre from the truth in setting down the coast of Peru for 12. deg at least to the Northward of the supposed strait no lesse then is the Northwest point of the compasse different from the Northeast perceiving hereby that no man had ever by travell discovered any part of these 12. deg and therefore the setters sorth of such descriptions are not to be trusted much lesse honored in their false and fraudulent conjectures which they use not in this alone but in divers other points of no small importance We found this part of Peru all alongst to the height of Lima which is 12. deg South of the line to be mountenous and very barren without water or wood for the most part except in certain places inhabited by the Spaniards and few others which are very fruitfull and commodious After we were once again thus fallen with the land we continually coasted along til we came to the height of 37. deg or thereabout finding no convenient place of abode nor likelihood to hear any news of our ships we ran off again with an Island which lay in sight named of the Spaniards Mucho by reason of the greatnesse and large circuit thereof At this Island coming to anchor Novem. 25. we found it to be a fruitfull place and well stored with sundry sorts of good things as sheep and other cattell maize which is a kinde of grain whereof they make bread potatoes with such other roots besides that it is thought to be wonderful rich in gold and to want no good thing for the use of mans life The inhabitants are such Indians as by the cruel most extream dealing of the Spaniards have been driven to fly from the maine here to relieve and fortifie themselves With this people our Generall thought it meet to have traffique for frew victuals water and for that cause the very same night of our arrivall there himself with divers of his company went a shoare to whom the people with great courtesie came down bringing with them such fruits and other victuals as they had and two very fat sheep which they gave our Generall for a present In recompence whereof we bestowed upon them again many good and necessary things signifying unto them that the end of his coming was for no other cause but by way of exchang to traffique with them for such things as we needed and they could spare and in particular for such as they had alreadie brought down upon us besides fresh water which we desired of them Herein they held themselves well contented and seemed to be not a little joyfull of our coming appointing where we should the next morning have fresh water at pleasure withall signifying that then also they would bring us down such other things as we desired to serve our turns The next day therefore very early in the morning all things being made ready for traffique as also vessels prepar'd to bring the water our generall taking great care for so necessary provision repaired to the shoare again and setting a land two of his men sent with them their Barâ—icoes to the watering place assigned the night before Who having peaceably past on one half of the way were then with no small violence set upon by those traitorous people and suddenly slain and to the end that our generall with the rest of his company should not only be stayed from rescuing them but also might fall if it were possible into their hands in like manner they had layed closely behind the rocks an ambushment of as we guessed about 500 mer armed and wel appointed for such a mischief Who suddenly attempting their purpose the rocks being very dangerous for the boat and the sea-gate exceeding great by shooting their arrows hurt wounded every one of our men before they could free themselves or come to the use of their weapons to do any good The generall himself was shot in the face under his right eye close by his nose the arrow piercing a marvellous way in under basis cerebri with no small danger of his life besides that he was grievously wounded in the head The rest being nine persons in the boat were deadly wounded in divers parts of their bodies if God almost miraculously had not given cure to the same For our chief Surgeon being dead and the other absent by the loss of our vice-admirall and having none left us but a boy whose good will was more then any skil he had we were little better then altogether destitute of such cunning helps as so grievous a state of so many wounded bodies did require Notwithstanding God by the good advice of our Generall and the diligent putting too of every mans help did give such speedy wonderful cure that we had all great comfort thereby and yeilded God the glory thereof The cause of this force and injury by these Ilanders was no other but the deadly hatred which they bear against their civil enemies the Spaniards for the bloudy and most tirannous oppression which they had used towards them And therefore with purpose against them suspecting us to be Spaniards indeed and that the rather by occasion that though command was given to the contrary some of our men in demanding water used the spanish word aqua sought some part of revenge against us Our generall notwithstanding he might have revenged this wrong with little hazard or danger yet more desirous to preserve one of his own men alive then to destroy 100. of his enemies committed the same to God wishing this only punishment to them that they did but know whom they had wronged and that they had done this injury not to an enemy but to a friend not to a Spaniard but to an Englishman who woud rather have been a patron to defend them then any way an instrument of the least wrong that should have beene done unto them The weapons which this people use in their wars are arrows of Reeds with heads of stone very brittle and indented but darts of a great length headed with iron or bone The same day that we receiv'd this dangerous affront in the afternoon we set saile from thence and because we were now nigh the appointed height wherein our ships were to be looked for as also the extremity and crasie state of our hurt men advising us to use expedition to finde some convenient place of repose which might afford them some rest and yeild us necessary supply of fresh victuals for their diet we bent our course as the wind would suffer us directly to run in with the main Where falling with a bay called Philips bay in 32. de or thereabout
their healths much impaired thereby neither was it that this chanced in the night alone but the day following carried with it not only the marks but the stings and force of the night going before to the great admiration of us all for besides that the pinching and biting aire was nothing altered the very ropes of our ship were stiffe and the raine which fell was an unnaturall and frozen substance so that we seemed rather to be in the frozen Zone then any way so neer unto the sun or these hotter climates Neither did this happen for the time only or by some sudden accident but rather seems indeed to proceed from some ordinary cause against the which the heate of the sun prevails not for it came to that extremity in sailing but 2. deg farther to the northward in our course that though sea-men lack not good stomacks yet it seemed a question to many amongst us whether their hands should feed their mouths or rather keep themselves within their coverts from the pinching cold that did benum them Neither could we impute it to the tendernesse of our bodies though we came lately from the extremity of heate by reason whereof we might be more sensible of the present cold insomuch as the dead and senlesse creatures were as well affected with it as our selves our meat as soon as it was removed from the fire would presently in a manner be frozen up and our ropes and tackling in few dayes were grown to that stifnesse that what three men before were able with them to perform now six men with their best strength and uttermost endeavour were hardly able to accomplish whereby a sudden and great discouragement seased upon the minds of our men and they were possessed with a great mislike and doubting of any good to be done that way yet would not our generall be discouraged but as well by comfortable speeches of the divine providence and of Gods loving care over his children out of the scriptures as also by other good and profitable perswasions adding thereto his own cheerfull example he so stirred them up to put on a good courage and to quit themselves like men to endure some short extremity to have the speedier comfort and a little trouble to obtain the greater glory that every man was as throughly armed with willingnesse and resolved to see the uttermost if it were possible of what good was to be done that way The land in that part of America bearing farther out into the west then we before imagined we were neerer on it then we were aware and yet the neerer still we came unto it the more extremity of cold did sease upon us The 5. day of June we were forced by contrary winds to run in with the sâ—â—are which we then first descryed and to cast anchor in a bad bay the best road we could for the present meet with where we were not without some danger by reason of the many extream gusts and flaws that beat upon us which if they ceased and were still at any time immediately upon their intermission there followed most vile thick and stinking fogs against which the sea prevailed nothing till the gust of wind again removed them which brought with them such extremity and violence when they came that there was no dealing or resisting against them In this place was no abiding for us and to go further North the extremity of the cold which had now utterly discouraged 〈◊〉 would not permit us and the winds directly bent against 〈◊〉 having once gotten us under saile againe commanded us to the southward whether we would or no. From the height of 48. de in which now we were to 38. we 〈◊〉 the land by coasting along it to be but low and reasonâ—â—â— plaine every hil whereof we saw many but none very 〈◊〉 though it were in Iune and the Sun in his neerest apprâ—ach unto them being covered with snow In 38. deg 30. min. we fell with a convenient and fit harborough and June 17. came to anchor therein where we continued till the 23. day of July following During all which time notwithstanding it was in the height of Summer and so neere the Sun yet were we continually visited with like nipping colds as we had felt before insomuch that if violent exercises 〈◊〉 â—ur bodies and busie imployment about our necessary labâ—râ— had not somtimes compeld us to the contrary we could very well have been contented to have kept about us still our winter clothes yea had our necessities suffered us to have kept â—â—r beds neither could we at any time in whole foureteen dayes together find the aire so cleare as to be able to take the height of Sun or star And here having so fit occasion notwithstanding it may seem to be besides the purpose of writing the history of this our voyage we will a little more diligently inquire into the causes of the continuance of the extream cold in these parts as also into the probabilities or unlikelihoods of a passage to be found that way Neither was it as hath formerly been touched the tenderness of our bodies coming so lately out of the heat whereby the pores were opened that make us 〈…〉 of the colds we here felt in this respect as in many others we found our God a provident Father and careful physitian to us We lacked no outward helps nor inward comforts to 〈◊〉 Fortifie nature had it been decayed or weakned in us neither was there wanting to us the great experience of our Generall who had often himself proved the 〈◊〉 the burning zone whose advice alwayes prevailed much to the preserving of a moderate temper in our constitutions so that even after our departure from the heat we alwaies found our bodies not as sponges but strong hardned more able to beare out cold though we cam out of excess of heat then a number of chamber companions could have been who lie on their Featherbed till they go to sea or rather whose teeth in a temperate aire do beat in their heads at a cup of cold Sack and sugar by the fire And that is was not our tendernes but the very extremity of the cold it self that caused this sensibleness in us may the rather appear in that the naturall inhabitants of the place with whom we had for along season familiar entercourse as is to be related who had never been acquainted with such heat to whom the country aire climate was proper in whom custome of cold was as it were a second nature yet used to come shivering to us in their warm furs crowding close together body to body to receive hâ—â—t one of another and shelting themselves under a 〈◊〉 bank if it were possible and as often as they could labouring to shroud themselves under our garments also to keep them warm Besides how 〈◊〉 deformed appeared the face of the 〈…〉 trees without leaves and the ground 〈…〉 those moneths of June and July The
twentieth of November the Generall commanded all the Pinnaces with the Boates to use all diligence to imbarke the Army into such Ships as every man belonged The Lieuetenant Generall in like sort commanded Captaine Goring and Lievetenant Tucker with one hundred shot to make a stand in the Market-place untill our Forces were wholly imbarked the Vice-Admirall making stay with his Pinnace and certain Boats in the harbour to bring the said last company aboord the Ships Also the General willed forthwith the Gallie with two Pinnaces to take into them the company of Captaine Barton and the Company of Captaine Bigs under the leading of Captaine Sampson to seeke out such Munition as was hidden in the ground at the Towne of Pray or Play having been promised to be shewed it by a prisoner which was taken the day before The Captaines aforesaid comming to the Play landed their men and having placed the Troope in their best strength Captaine Sampson tooke the Prisoner and willed him to shew that he had promised the which he could not or at least would not but they searching all suspected places found two peeces of Ordinance one of Iron and another of Brasse In the afternoone the General anchored the rest of the Fleet before the Play comming himselfe ashoare willing us to burne the Towne and make all haste aboord the which was done by six of the clocke the same day and our selves imbarked againe the same night and so we put off to Sea Southwest But before our departure from the Towne of Saint Jago we established Orders for the better government of the Army every man Mustered to his Captaine and oaths ministred to acknowledge her Majestie supreame Governour as also every man to doe his uttermost endeavour to advance the service of the Action and to yeeld due obedience unto the directions of the Generall and his Officers By this provident councell and laying downe this good foundation beforehand all things went forward in a due course to the atchieving of our happy enterprise In all the time of our being here neither the Governour for the King of Spaine which is a Portugall neither the Bishop whose authority is great neither any of the Inhabitants of the Town or Island ever came at us which we expected they should have done to intreat us to leave them some part of their needful provisions or at the least to spare the ruining of their Town at our going away The cause of this their unreasonable distrust as I doe take it was the fresh remembrance of the great wrongs they had done to old Master William Haukins of Plimouth in the Voyage he made foure or five yeares before when as they did both breake their promise and murthered many of his Men whereof I judge you have understood and therefore needlesse to be repeated But since they came not at us we left written in sundry places as also in the Spittle-house which building vvas only appointed to be spared the great discontentment and scorne we tooke at this their refraining to come unto us as also at the rude manner of killing and savage kind of handling the dead body of one of our Boyes found by them stragling all alone from whom they had taken his head and heart and had stragled the other bowels about the place in a most â—â—â—itish and beastly manner In revenge whereof at our departing we consumed with Fire all the houses as well in the Country which we saw as in the Towne of Saint Jago From hence putting over to the West-Indies vve vvere not many dayes at Sea but there began amongst our people such mortality as in few dayes there were dead above two or three hundred men And untill some seven or eight dayes after our comming from Saint Jago there had not dyed any one man of sicknesse in all the Fleet the sicknesse shewed not his infection wherewith so many were stroken untill we were departed thence and then seazed our people with extreame hot burning and continuall ague whereof some very few escaped with life and yet those for the most part not without great alteration and decay of their wits and strength for a long time after In some that dyed were plainly shewed the small sports which are often found upon those that be infective with the Plague we were not above eighteene dayes in passage between the sight of Saint Jago aforesaid and the Island of Dominica being the first Island of the West-Indies that we fell withal the same being inhabited with Savage People which goe all naked their skin coloured with some painting of a reddish tawney very personable and handsome strong men who doe admit little conversation with the Spaniards for as some of our people might understand them they had a Spaniard or twaine prisoners with them neither doe I thinke that there is any safety for any of our Nation or any other to be within the limits of their commandment albeit they used us very kindly for those few houres of time which we spent with them helping our folkes to fill and carry on their bare shoulders fresh Water from the River to our Ships Boats and fetching from their houses great store of Tobacco as also a kind of Bread which they fed on called Cassado very vvhite and savery made of the roots of Cassania In recompence whereof we bestowed liberall rewards of Glasse coloured Beads and other things which we had found at Saint Jago wherewith as it seemed they rested very greatly satisfied and shewing some sorrowfull countenance when they perceived that we would depart From hence we went to another Island Westward of it called Saint Christophers Island wherin we spent some dayes of Christmas to refresh our sicke People and to cleanse and ayre our Ships In which Island were not any People at all that we could hear of In which time by the Generall it was advised and resolved with the consent of the Lievtenant generall the Vice-Admiral and all the rest of the Captains to proceed to the great Island of Hispaniola as well for that we knew our selus then to be in our best strength as also the rather allured thereunto by the glorious fame of the City of Saint Domingo being the ancientest and chiefe inhabited place in all the tract of Countrey there abouts And to proceed in this determination by the way we met a small Frigot bound for the same place the which the Vice-Admirall took and having duly examined the Men that were in her there was one found by whom we were advertized the Haven to be a barred Haven and the shore or Land thereof to be well fortified having a Castle thereupon furnished with great store of Artillery without the danger whereof was no convenient landing place within ten English miles of the City to which the said Pilot tooke upon him to conduct us All things being thus considered on the whole Forces were commanded in the evening to embarke themselves into Pinnaces Boats and other small Barks
Wals right over against you as you enter the said place so as your eye cannot escape the sight of it there is described and painted in a very large Scutchion the armes of the King of Spaine and in the lower part of the said Scutchion there is likewise described a Globe containing in it the whole circuit of the Sea and the Earth vvhereupon is a Horse standing on his hinder part within the Globe and the oher forepart vvithout the Globe lifting up as it were to leape vvith a scrole painted in his mouth wherein was written these words in Latin Non sufficit orbis which is as much to say as the World sufficeth not vvhereof the meaning vvas required to be knowne of some of those of the better sort that came in Commission to treat upon the ransome of the Town who would shake their heads and turne aside their countenance in some smiling sort without answering any thing as being greatly ashamed thereof For by some of our company it was told them that if the Queen of England vvould resolutely prosecute the Wars against the King of Spaine he should be forced to lay aside that proud and unreasonable reaching vaine of his for he should finde more then enough to do to keepe that which he had already as by the present example of their lost Town they might for a beginning perceive well enough Now to the satisfying of some men who marvell greatly that such a famous and goodly builded City so well inhabited of gallant People very bravely apparelled whereof our Souldiers found good store for their relief should afoord no greater Riches then was found there vvherein it is to be understood that the Indian people which were the naturals of this whole Island of Hispaniola the same being neere hand as great as England vvere many yeares since cleane consumed by the Tyranny of the Spaniards which vvas cause that for lacke of people to worke in the Mines the Gold and Silver Mines of this Island are wholly given over and thereby they are faine in this Island to use Copper money whereof vvas found very great quantity The chiefe trade of this place consisteth of Sugar and Ginger which groweth in the Island and Hides of Oxen and Kine which in this waste Countrey of the Island are bred in infinite numbers the soile being very fertile and the said Beasts are fed up to a very large growth and so killed for nothing so much as for their Hides aforesaid We found here great store of strong Wine sweet Oyle Vinegar Olives and other such like provisions as excellent Wheat-meale packed up in Wine pipes and other caske and other commodities likewise as Wollen and Linnen cloth and some Silkes all which provisions are brought out of Spaine and served us for great relief There vvas but a little Plate or Vessel of Silver in comparison of the great Pride in other things of this Towne because in those hot Countries they use much these earthen Dishes finely painted or varnished which they call Parsellina and is had out of the East India and for their drinking they use Glasses altogether whereof they make excellent good and faire in the same place But yet some Plate we found and many other good things as their houshold garniture very Gallant and Rich which had cost them deere although unto us they were of small importance From S. Domingo we put over to the maine or firme Land and going all alongst the Coast we came at the last in sight of Cartagena standing upon the Sea side so near as some of our Barks in passing alongst approched vvith the reach of their Culverin shot which they had planted upon certaine Platformes The harbour mouth lay some three miles toward the Westward of the Town vvhereinto vve entred about three or foure of the Clocke in the afternoone without any resistance of ordinance or other impeachment planted upon the same In the evening we put our selves on Land towards the Harbour mouth under the leading of Master Carleill our Lievtenant Generall who after he had digested us to march forward about the midnight as easily aâ— foot might fall expresly commanding â—o keepe close by the Sea wâ—sh of the shore for our best and surest way whereby we were like to goe through and not to misse any more of the way vvhich once we had lost within an houre after our first beginning to March through the slender knowledge of him that tooke upon him to be our Guide whereby the night spent on which otherwise must have been done by resting But as we came within some two miles of the Town their Horsemen which were some hundred met us and taking the alaâ—um retired to their towneward againe upon the first Volley of our Shot that was given them for the place vvhere we encountered being Woody and bushy even to the water side was unmeet for their service At this instant we might hear some Peeces of Artillery discharged with diverse small shot towards the Harbour which gave us to understand according to the Order set downe in the evening before by our Generall that the Vice-Admirall accompanied with Captaine Venner Captaine White and Captaine Crosse with other Sea Captaines and with diverse Pinnaces and Boates should give some attempt unto the little Fort standing on the entry of the inner Haven neer adjoyning to the town though to small purpose for that the place was strong and the entry very narrow vvas chained over so as there could be nothing gotten by the attempt more then the giving of them an Alarum on that other side of the Haven being a mile and a halfe from the place where we now vvere In which attempt the Vice-Admirall had the Rudder of his Skiffe stroken through with a Saker-shot and little or no harme received elsewhere The Troops being now in their March halfe a mile be hither the towne or lesse the ground we were on grew to be straight and not above fifty paces over having the maine Sea on the side of it and the Harbour vvater or inner Sea as you may terme it on the other side which in this Plot is plainly shewed This straight was fortified clean over with a stone Wall and a ditch without it the said Wall being as orderly built with flancking in every part as can be set down There was onely so much of this straight unwalled as might serve for the issuing of the Horsemen or the passing of the carriage in time of need but this anwalled part was not without a very good Barricado of Wine Buts or Pipes filled vvith earth full and thicke as they might stand on end one by another some part of them standing even within the maine Sea This place of strength was furnished of six great Peeces demi-Culverins and Sakers which shot directly in front upon us as we approached Now without this vvall upon the inner side of the streight they had brought likevvise two great Gallies with their prowesse to the shore
to have taken the Barkes well enough at Sea which they might ful easily have done without any losse at all if they had come in time to the Harbor-mouth before the Spaniards Boats had gotten so near the shore During our abode in this place as also at S. Domingo there passed divets curtesies betweene us and the Spaniards as Feasting and using them with all kindnesse and favour so as amongst others there came to see the Generall the Governor of Cartagena with the Bishop of the same and diverse other Gentlemen of the better sort This Towne of Cartagena we touched in the out parts and consumed much with fire as we had done Saint Domingo upon discontentments and for want of agreeing with us in their first Treaties touching their Ransome which at the last was concluded betweene us should be one hundred and ten thousand Duckets for that which was yet standing the Ducket valued at five shillings six pence sterling This Towne though not halfe so big as S. Domingo gives as you see a farre greater ransome being in very deed of far more importance by reason of the excellency of the Harbor and the situation therof to serve the Trade of Nombre de Dios and other places and is Inhabited with far more richer Merchants The other is chiefly inhabited with Lawyers and brave Gentlemen being the chiefe or highest appeale of their suits in Law of all the Islands about it and of the maine Land coast next unto it And it is of no such account as Cartagena for these and some other like reasons which I could give you over long to be now written The warning which this Towne received of our comming towards them from S. Domingo by the space of twenty dayes before our arrivall hither was cause that they had both fortified and every way prepared for their best defence As also that they had carried and convayed away all their Treasure and principall substance The Ransome of one hundred and ten thousand Duckets thus concluded on as is aforesaid the same being written and expressing for nothing more then the Towne of Cartagena upon the paiment of the said Ransome we left the said Towne and drew some part of our Souldiers into the Priory or Abbey standing a quarter of one English mile below the Towne upon the Harbour water side the same being walled with a wall of stone which we told the Spaniards was yet ours and not redeemed by their Composition whereupon they finding the defect of their Contract were contented to enter into another Ransome for all places but specially for the said House as also the Blocke-house or Castle which is upon the mouth of the inner Harbour And when we asked as much for the one as for the other they yeelded to give one thousand Crownes for the Abbey leaving us to take our pleasure upon the Block-house which they said they were not able to ransome having stretched themselves to the uttermost of their powers and therefore the said Block-house was by us undermined and so wirh Gun-powder blowne up in peeces While this latter Contract was in making our whole Fleet of Ships fell downe towards the Harbour mouth where they Anchored the third time and employed their Men in fetching of fresh Water aboord the Ships for our Voyage homewards which Water was had in a great Well that is in the Island by the Harbour mouth which Island is a very pleasant place as hath been seen having in it many sorts of goodly and very pleasant Fruits as the Orange trees and others being set orderly in Walkes of great length together Insomuch as the whole Island being some two or three miles about is cast into grounds of Gardening and Orchards After six weekes abode in this place we put to Sea the last of March where after two or three dayes a great Ship which we had taken at S Domingo and thereupon was called The new years gift fell into a great leake being laden with Ordnance Hides and other Spoyles in the night she lost the company of our Fleet which being missâ—d the next morning by the Generall he cast about with the whole Fleet fearing some great mischance to be happened unto her as in very deed it so fell out for her leake was so great and her Men were all tyred with Pumping But at the last having found her and the Barke Talbot in her company which stayed by great hap with her was ready to take their Men out of her for the saving of them And so the Generall being fully advertised of their great extremity made saile directly backe againe to Cartagena with the whole Fleet where having stayed eight or ten dayes more about the unlading of this Ship and the bestowing thereof and her Men into other Ships we departed once againe to Sea directing our course towards the Cape S. Anthony being the Eastermost part of Cuba whether we arrived the seven twentieth of Apil But because fresh water could not presently be found we weyed ankor and departed thinking in few dayes to recover the Mattances a place to the East-ward of Havana After we had sailed some fourteene dayes we were brought to Cape S. Anthony againe thorough lacke of favourable winde but then our scarsity was grown such as need made us looke a little better for water which we found in sufficient quantity being indeede as I judge none other then raine water newly fallen and gathered up by making pits in a plot of marrish ground some three hundred pases from the Sea side I doe wrong if I should forget the good example of the Generall at this place who to encourage others and to hasten the getting of fresh water aboord the Ships tooke no lesse paine himselfe then the meanest as also at S. Domingo Cartagena and all other places having alwayes so vigilant a care and foresight in the good ordering of his Fleet accompanying them as it is said with such wonderfull travell of body as doubtlesse had he beene the meanest person as he was the chiefest he had yet deserved the first place of honour and no lesse happy doe we accompt him for being associated with Master Carleill his Lievtenant Generall by whose experience prudent counsell and gallant performance he atchieved so many and happy enterprises of the War by whom also he was very greatly assisted in setting downe the needfull Orders Lawes and course of Justice and for the due administration of the same upon all occasions After three dayes spent in watering our Ships we departed now the second time from this Cape of S. Anthony the thirteenth of May and proceeding about the Cape of Florida we never touched any where but coasting alongst Florida and keeping the shore still in sight the eight and twentieth of May early in the morning we descried on the shore a place built like a Beacon which was indeed a Scaffold upon foure long Mastes raised on end for men ro discover to the Seaward being in the latitude of thirty