we might discry the hull of a Ship beaten vpon the Beach It was of the Spanish Fleete that went to inhabite there in Anno 1582. vnder the charge of Pedro Sarmiento who at his returne was taken Prisoner and brought into England In this Bay the Spaniards made their principall habitation and called it the Cittie of Saint Philip and left it peopled But the cold barrennes of the Countrie and the malice of the Indians wiâ—h whom they badly agreed made speedie end of them as also of those whom they left in the middle of the Straites three leagues from Cape Froward to the East-wards in another habitation We continued our course alongst this reach for all the Straites is as a River altering his course sometimes vpon one poynt sometimes vpon another which is some eight Leagues long and lyeth West North-west From this we entred into a goodly Bay which runneth vp into the land Northerly many Leagues and at first entrance a man may see no other thing but as it were a maine Sea From the end of this first reach you must direct your course West South-west and some foureteene or fifteene leagues lyeth one of the narrowest places of all the Straites This leadeth vnto another reach that lyeth west and by north some six leagues Here in the middle of the reach the wind tooke vs by the north-west and so we were forced to anchor some two or three dayes In which time we went a shore with our Boates and found neere the middle of this reach on the Star-boord side a reasonable good place to ground and trimme a small Ship where it higheth some nine or ten foote water Here we saw certaine Hogges but they were so farre from vs that wee could not discerne if they were of those of the Countrie or brought by the Spaniards these were all the Beasts which we saw in all the time we were in the Straites In two tydes we turned through this reach and so recovered the Ilands of Pengwins they lye from this reach foure leagues South-west and by west Till you come to this place care is to be taken of not comming too neere to any poynt of the Land for being for the most part sandie they haue sholding off them and are somewhat what dangerous These Ilands haue beene set forth by some to be three we could discover but two And they are no more except that part of the Mayne which lyeth over against them be an Iland which carrieth little likelihood and I cannot determine it A man may sayle betwixt the two Ilands or betwixt them and the Land on the laâ—boord side from which land to the bigger Iland is as it were a bridge or ledge on which is foure or fiue fathome water and to him that commeth neere it not knowing thereof may iustly cause feare for it sheweth to be shold water with his rypling like vnto a race Betwixt the former reach and these Ilands runneth vp a goodly Bay into the Country to the North-wards It causeth a great indraught and aboue these Ilands runneth a great tide from the mouth of the Straites to these Ilands the land on the larboord-side is low land and sandy for the most part and without doubt Ilands for it hath many openings into the Sea and forcible indraughts by them and that on the starboord side is all high mountaynous land from end to end but no wood on eyther side Before wee passed these Ilands vnder the lee of the bigger Iland we anchored the wind being at North-east with intent to refresh our selues with the fowles of these Ilands They are of divers sorts and in great plentie as Pengwins wilde Ducks Gulles and Gannets of the principall we purposed to make provision and those were the Pengwins which in Welsh as I haue beene enformed signifieth a white head From which derivation and many other Welsh denominations given by the Indians or their predecessors some doe inferre that America was first peopled with Welsh-men and Motezanna King or rather Emperour of Mexico did recount vnto the Spaniards at their first comming that his Auncestors came from a farre Countrie and were white people Which conferred which an auncient Cronicle that I haue read many yeares since may bee coniectured to bee a Prince of Wales who many hundreth yeares since with certaine shippes sayled to the westwards with intent to make new discoveries Hee was never after heard of The Pengwin is in all proportion like vnto a Goose and hath no feathers but a certaine doune vpon all parts of his body and therefore cannot flie but avayleth himselfe in all occasions with his feete running as fast as most men He liveth in the Sea and on the Land feedeth on fish in the Sea and as a Goose on the shore vpon grasse They harbour themselues vnder the ground in burrowes as the Connies and in them hatch their young All parts of the Iland where they haunted were vndermined saue onely one valley which it seemeth they reserved for their foode for it was as green as any Medowe in the moneth of Aprill with a most fine short grasse The flesh of these Pengwins is much of the savour of a certaine fowle taken in the Ilands of Lundey and Silley which wee call Puffins by the tast it is easily discerned that they feede on fish They are very fatt and in dressing must be flead as the Byter they are reasonable meate rosted baked or sodden but best rosted We saltâ—d some dozen or 16. hogsheads which served vs whilest they lasted in steede of powdred beefe The hunting of them as we may well terme it was a great recreation to my Company and worth the sight for in determining to catch them necessarily was required good store of people every one with a cudgell in his hand to compasse them round about to bring them as it were into a ring if they chanced to breake out then was the sport for the ground being vndermined at vnawares it fayled and as they ran after them one fell here another there another offering to strike at one lifting vp his hand sunke vpp to the arme pits in the earth another leaping to avoyd one hole fell into another And after the first slaughter in seeing vs on the shore they shunned vs and procured to recover the Sea yea many times seeing themselues persecuted they would tumble downe from such high rocks mountaines as it seemed impossible to escape with life Yet as soone as they came to the beach presently wee should see them runne into the Sea as though they had no hurt Where one goeth the other followeth like sheepe after the Bel-wether but in getting them once within the ring close together few escaped saue such as by chance hid themselues in the borrowes and ordinarily there was no droue which yeelded vs not a thousand and more the maner of killing them which the hunters vsed being in a cluster together was with their cudgels to
knâ—cke them on the head for though a man gaue them many blowes on the body they diâ—d not Besides the flesh brused is not good to keepe The Massaker ended presently they cut off their heads that they might bleede well such as we determined to keepe for store wee saved in this maner First we split them and then washed them well in sea water then salted them having layne some sixe howres in salt wee put them in presse eight howres and the blood being soaked out we salted them againe in our other caske as is the custome to salt beefe after this maner they continued good some two moneths and served vs in stead of beefe The Gulls and Gannets were not in so great quantitie yet we wanted not young Gulles to eate all the time of our stay about these Ilands It was one of the delicatest foodes that I haue eaten in all my life The Ducks are different to ours and nothing so good meate yet they may serue for necessitie They were many and had a part of the Iland to themselues severall which was the highest hill and more then a Musket shott over In all the dayes of my life I haue not seene greater Art and curiositie in creatures voyd of reason then in the placing and making of their nestes all the hill being so full of them that the greatest Mathematician of the world could not devise how to place one more then there was vpon the hill leaving onely one path-way for a fowle to passe betwixt The hill was all levell as if it had beene smoothed by Art the neâ—tes made onely of earth and seeming to be of the selfe same mould for the nests and the soyle is all one which with water that they bring in their Beakes they make into Clay or a certaine dawbe and after fashion them round as with a Compasse In the bottome they containe the measure of a foote in the height about eight inches and in the toppe the same quantitie over there they are hollowed in somewhat deepe wherein they lay their eggs without other prevention And I am of opinion that the Sunne helpeth them to hatch their young their nests are for many yeares and of one proportion not one exceeding another in bignesse in height nor circumference and in proportionable distance one from another In all this hill nor in any of their nestes was to be found a blade of grasse a straw a sticke a feather a moate no nor the filing oâ— any â—owle but all the nestes and passages betwixt them were so smooth and cleane as if they had beene newly swept and washed All which are motiues to prayse and magnifie the vniversall Creator who so wonderfully manifesteth his wisedome bountie and providence in all his Creatures and especially for his particular loue to ingratefull mankinde for whose contemplation and service he hath made them all SECT XXXI ONe day having ended our hunting of Pengwins one of our Mariners walking about the Iland discovered a great company of Seales or Sea-wolues so called for that they are in the Sea as the Wolues on the Land advising vs that he left them sleeping with their bellies rosting against the Sunne wee provided our selues with staues and other weapons and sought to steale vpon them at vnawares to surprise some of them and comming downe the side of a hill wee were not discovered till we were close vpon them notwithstanding their Sentinell before we could approach with a great howle waked them wee got betwixt the Sea and some of them but they shunned vs not for they came directly vpon vs and though we dealt here and there a blow yet not a man that withstood them escaped the overthrow They reckon not of a Musket shott a sword peirceth not their skinne and to giue a blow with a staffe is as to smite vpon a stone onely in giving the blow vpon his snowt presently he falleth downe dead After they had recovered the water they did as it were scorne vs defie vs and daunced before vs vntill we had shot some Musket shott through them and so they appeared no more This Fish is like vnto a Calfe with foure leggs but not aboue a spanne long his skinne is hayrie like a Calfe but these were different to all that ever I haue seene yet I haue seene of them in many parts for these were greater and in their former parts like vnto Lyons with shagge hayre and mostaches They liue in the Sea and come to sleepe on the Land and they ever haue one that watcheth who adviseth them of any accident They are beneficiall to man in their skinnes for many purposes In their mostaches for Pick-tooths and in their fatt to make Traine-oyle This may suffice for the Seale for that he is well knowne SECT XXXII ONe day our Boates being loaden with Pengwins and comming aboord a sudden storme tooke them which together with the fury of the tyde put them in such great danger that although they threw all their loading into the Sea yet were they forced to goe before the wind and Sea to saue their liues Which we seeing and considering that our welfare depended vpon their safetie being impossible to weigh our Anchor fastned an emptie Barrell well pitched to the end of our Cable in stead of a boy and letting it slip set sayle to succour our Boates which in short space wâ—e recovered and after returned to the place where we ryd before The storme ceasing we vsed our diligence by all meanes to seeke our Cable and Anchor but the tyde being forcible and the weeds as in many partes of the Straites so long that riding in foureteene fathome water many times they streamed three and foure fathomes vpon the ryme of the water these did so inrole our Cable that we could never set eye of our boy and to sweepe for him was but lost labour because of the weeds which put vs out of hope to recover it And so our forcible businesse being ended leaving instructions for the Fancie our Pynace according to appointment where to finde vs we inroled them in many folds of Paper put them into a barrell of an old Musket and stopped it in such manner as no wett could enter then placing it an end vpon one of the highest hills and the most frequented of all the Iland wee imbarked our selues and set sayle with the wind at North-west which could serue vs but to the end of that reach some dozen leagues long and some three or foure leagues broad It lyeth next of any thing till you come to Cape Agreda South-west from this Cape to Cape Froward the coast lyeth West South-west Some foure leagues betwixt them was the second peopling of the Spaniards and this Cape lyeth in fiftie fiue degrees and better Thwart Cape Froward the wind larged with vs and we continued our course towards the Iland of Elizabeth which lyeth from Cape Froward some foureteene leagues West and by South This
our light horseman for with haling her vp to step into her out of the boate he split her asunder and so wee were forced to cut her off which was no small heartes griefe vnto me â—or that I knew and all my company felt and many times lamented the losse of her The storme tooke end and wee shaped our course for the Iland of Saint Maries which lyeth in thirtie seaven Degrees and forty minuts and before you come vnto the Iland some two leagues in the trade way lyeth a rocke which a farre off seemeth to be a Shippe vnder sayle This Iland is little and low but fertill and well peopled with Indians and some fewe Spaniards in it Some ten leagues to the North-wards of this Iland lyeth the Citty Conception with a good Port from this wee coasted alongst till wee came in thirty three degrees and forty minutes In which height lay the Ilands of Ivan Fernandes betwixt threescore and fourescore Leagues from the shore plentifull of fish and good for refreshing I purposed for many reasons not to discover my selfe vpon this coast till wee were past Lyma otherwise called Cividad de los Reyes for that it was entered by the Spaniard the day of the three Kings but my Company vrged me so farre that except I should seeme in all things to over-beare them in not condiscending to that which in the opinion of all but my selfe seemed profitable and best I could not but yeelde vnto though it carried a false colour as the ende prooued for it was our perdition This all my Company knoweth to be true whereof some are yet living and can giue testimonie But the Mariner is ordinarily so carried away with the desire of Pillage as sometimes for very appearances of small moment hee looseth his voyage and many times himselfe And so the greedines of spoyle onely hoped for in shippes of trade which goe too and fro in this coast blinded them from forecasting the perill whereinto wee exposed our voyage in discovering our selues before wee past the coast of Callaâ— which is the Port of Lyma To be short wee haled the coast aboord and that Evening we discovered the Port of Balparizo which serveth the Citty of Saint Iago standing some twenty leagues into the Countrey when presently we descried foure shippes at an Anchor wherevpon wee manned and armed our boate which rowed towards the Shippes they seeing vs turning in and fearing that which was ran a shore with that little they could saue and leaft vs the rest whereof we were Masters in a moment and had the rifling of all the storâ—houses on the shoare This night I set a good guard in all the shippes longing to see the light of the next morning to put all things in order which appearing I began to survay them and found nothing of moment saue fiue hundreth Botozios of Wine two or three thousand of Hennes and some refreshing of Bread Bacon dried Beefe Waxe Candles and other necessaries The rest of their lading was plankes Spares and Tymber for Lyma and the valleyes which is a rich trade for it hath no Tymber but that which is brought to it from other places They had also many Packes of Indian Mantles but of no value vnto vs with much Tallow and Manteca de Puerco and aboundance of great new Chests in which wee had thought to be some great masse of wealth but opening them found nothing but Apples therein all which was good Marchandize in Lyma but to vs of small accompt The Marchandize on shore in their Store-houses was the like and therefore in the same predicament The owners of the Shippes gaue vs to vnderstand that at a reasonable price they would redeeme their Shippes and loading which I harkened vnto and so admitted certaine persons which might treat of the matter and concluded with them for a small price rather then to burne them saving for the greatest which I carryed with me more to giue satisfaction to my people then for any other respect because they would not be perswaded but that there was much Gold hidden in her otherwise shee would haue yeelded vs more then the other three Being in this treatie one morning at the breake of day came another Shippe touring into the Harbour and standing into the shore but was becalmed Against her we manned a couple of Boates and tooke her before many houres In this Shippe we had some good quantitie of Gold which shee had gathered in Baldivia and the Conception from whence shee came Of this Shippe was Pilot and part owner Alonso Perezbueno whom we kept for our Pilot on this coast till moved with compassion for that he was a man charged with wife and children we set him a shore betwixt Santa and Truxillo Out of this Shippe we had also store of good Bacon and some provision of Bread Hennes and other Victuall And for that shee had brought vs so good a portion and her owner continued with vs the better to animate him to play the honest man though we trusted him no further then we saw him for we presently discovered him to be a cunning fellow and for that his other partner had lost the greatest part of Gold and seemed to be an honest man as after he prooved by his thankefulnesse in Lyma we gaue them the ship and the greatest part of her loading freely Here we supplied our want of Anchors though not according to that which was requisite in regard of the burden of our Shippe for in the South Sea the greatest Anchor for a Shippe of sixe or eight hundreth Tunnes is not a thousand waight partly because it is little subiect to stormes and partly because those they had till our comming were all brought out of the North sea by land for they make no Anchors in those Countries And the first Artillerie they had was also brought over land which was small the carriage and passage â—â—om Nombre de Bios or Porto Velo to Panama being most difficult and steepe vp hill and downe hill they are all carried vpon Negroes backes But some yeares beâ—ore my imprisonment they fell to making of Artillery and since they forge Anchors also Wee furnished our Shippe also with a shift of Sayles of Cotton cloth which are farre better in that Sea then any of our double Sayles for that in all the Navigation of that Sea they haue little rayne and few stormes but where rayne and stormes are ordinary they are not good for with the wett they grow so stiffe that they cannot be handled SECT XLIII I Concluded the ransome of the Shippes with an auncient Captaine and of Noble blood who had his daughter there ready to be imbarked to goe to Lyma to serue Donia Teruza de Castro the Vice-royes wife and sister to Don Beliran de Castro Her apparell and his with divers other things which they had imbarked in the greatest Shippe we restored for the good office
necessary for our provision and fired her Thwart of Truxille wee set the companie of her a shoare with the Pilot which wee had taken in Balparizo reserving the Pilot of the burnt shippe and a Greeke who chose rather to continue with vs then to hazard their liues in going a shore for that they had departed out of the Port of Santa which is in eight Degrees being required by the iustice not to weigh anchor before the Coast was knowne to be 〈◊〉 It is a thing worthy to be noted and almost incredible with how few men they vse to sayle a shippe in the south Sea for in this prise which was aboue an hundred Tuns were but eight persons and in a shippe of three hundreth Tuns they vse not to put aboue foureteene or fifteene persons yea I haue beene credibly enformed that with foureteene persons a shippe of fiue hundreth Tuns hath beene carried from Guayaquil to Lyma deepe loaden which is aboue two hundreth Leagues and are forced ever to gaine their Voyage by turning to wind-wards which is the greatest toyle and labour that tâ—e Marriners haue and slow sometimes in this voyage foure or fiue moneths which is generall in all the navigations of this coast But the security from stormes and certainty of the Brese with the desire to make their gaine the greater is the cause that every man forceth himselfe to the vttermost to doe the labour of two men SECT L. IN the height of this Port of Santa some seaven hundreth and fiftie leagues to the west-wards lie the Ilands of Salomon of late yeares discovered At my being in Lyma a Fleete of foure sayle was sent from thence to people them which through the emulation and discord that arose amongst them being landed and setled in the Countrey was vtterly overthrowne onely one shippe with some few of the people after much misery got to the Philippines This I came to the knowledge of by a large relation written from a person of credit and sent from the Philippines to Panama I saw it at my being there in my voyage towards Spaine Having edged neere the coast to put the Spaniards on shore a thicke fogge tooke vs so that wee could not see the Land but recovering our Pinnace and Boate wee sayled on our course till we came thwart of the Port called Malabrigo It lieth in seaven Degrees In all this coast the currant runneth with great force but never keepeth any certaine course saving that it runneth alongst the coast sometimes to the South-wards sometimes to the North-wards which now running to the North-wards forced vs so farre into the Bay which a point of the land causeth that they call Punta de Augussa as thinking to cleere our selues by roving North-west wee could not double this point making our way North North-west Therefore speciall care is ever to bee had of the current and doubtlesse if the providence of Almighty God had not freede vs wee had runne ashore vpon the Land without seeing or suspecting any such danger His name bee ever exalted and magnified for delivering vs from the vnknowne daunger by calming the winde all night the Sunnes rising manifested vnto vs our errour and peril by discovering vnto vs the Land within 2 leagues right a head The current had caried vs without any wind at the least 4. leagues which seene and the winde beginning to blow wee brought our tackes abourd and in short time cleared our selues Thwart of this point of Augussa lie two desert Ilandes they call them Illas de Lobos for the the multitude of Seales which accustome to haunt the shore In the bigger is very good harbour and secure they lie in sixe Degrees and thirtie minutes The next day after wee lost sight of those Ilands being thwarâ— of Payta which lyeth in fiue Degrees and having manned our Pinnace and Boate to search the Port wee had sight of a tall shippe which having knowledge of our being on the Coast and thinking her selfe to be more safe at Sea then in the harbour put her selfe then vnder sayle to her wee gaue chase all that night and the next day but in fine being better of sayle then wee shee freed her selfe Thus being too lee-ward of the Harbour and discovered we continued our course alongst the shore That Evening wee were thwart of the River of Guayaquill which hath in the mouth of it two Ilands the Souther-most and biggest called Puma in three Degrees and the other to the North-wards Santa clara Pâ—ma is inhabited and is the place where they build their principall shipping from-his River Lima and all the valleys are furnished with Timber for they haue none but that which is brought from hence or from the kingdome of Chile By this River passeth the principall trade of the Kingdome of Quito it is Navigable some leagues into the Land and hath great abundance of Timber Those of the Peru vse to ground and trim their shippes in Puma or in Panama and in all other partes they are forced to carene their shippes In Puma it higheth and falleth fifteene or sixteene foote water and from this Iland till a man come to Panama in all the coast it ebbeth and floweth more or lesse keeping the ordinarie course which the Tides doe in all Seas The water of this River by experience is medicinable for all aches of the bones for the stone and strangurie the reason which is given is because all the bankes and low land adioyning to this River are replenished with Salsaperillia which lying for the most part soaking in the water it participateth of this vertue and giveth it this force In this River and all the Rivers of this coast are great abundance of Alagartoes and it is sayd that this exceedeth the rest for persons of credit haue certified mee that as small fishes in other Rivers abound in scoales so the Alagartoes in this they doe much hurt to the Indians and Spaniards and are dreadfull to all whom they catch within their clutches SECT LI. SOme fiue or sixe Leagues to the North-wards of Puma is la Punta de Santa Elena vnder which is good anchoring cleane ground and reasonable succour Being thwart of this point wee had sight of a shippe which we chased but being of better saile then we and the night comming on we lost sight of her and so anchored vnder the Isla de plata to recover our Pinnace and Boate which had gone about the other point of the Iland which lyeth in two Degrees and fortie minutes The next day we past in sight of Puerto Viejo in two degrees ten minutes which lying without shipping wee directed our course for Cape Passaos It lyeth directly vnder the Equinoctiall line some fourescore leagues to the west-wards of this Cape lyeth a heape of Ilands the Spaniards call Illas de los Galapagos They are desert and beare no fruite from Cape Passaos wee directed our course to Cape Saint Francisco which lyeth in one degree to the
into obedience till by composition they had a place limmitted them for their freedome where they should liue quietly by themselues At this day they haue a great habitation neere Panama called Saint Iago de los Negros well peopled with all their Officers and Commaunders of their owne saue onely a Spanish Governour By the assistance of these Symarons hee brought to the head of this River by peecemeale and in many iourneyes a small pinnace hee fitted it by time in warlike manner and with the choice of his Company put himselfe into the South Sea where his good haâ— was to meete with a cople of shippes of trade and in the one of them a great quantitie of gold And amongst other things two peeces of speciall estimation the one a Table of massie gold with Emralds sent for a present to the King the other a Lady of singular beautie married and a mother of Children The latter grewe to be his perdition for hee had capitulated with these Symarons that their part of the bootie should be onely the prisoners to the ende to execute their malice vpon them such was the rancor they had conceived against them for that they had beene the Tyrants of their libertie But the Spaniards not contented to haue them their slaues who lately had beene their Lords added to their servitude cruell intreaties And they againe to feede their insatiable revenges accustomed to rost and eate the hearts of all those Spaniards whom at any time they could lay hand vpon Iohn Oxman I say was taken with the loue of this Lady and to winne her good will what through her teares and perswasions and what through feare and detestation of their barbarous inclinations breaking promise with the Symarons yeelded to her request which was to giue the prysoners liberty with their ships for that they were not vsefull for him notwithstanding Oxman kept the Lady who had in one of the restored shippes eyther a Sonne or a Nephew This Nephew with the rest of the Spaniards made all the hast they could to Paâ—amâ— and they vsed such diligence as within fewe howers some were dispatched to seeke those who little thought so quickly to bee overtaken The pursuers approaching the River were doubtfull by which of the afore-remembred three mouths they should take their way In this wavering one of the Souldiers espied certaine feathers of Henns and some boughes of trees which they had cut off to make their way swmming downe one of the Outlets This was light sufficient to guide them in their course they entred the River and followed the tracke as farre as their Frigats had water sufficient and then with part of their Souldiers in their boates and the rest on the bankes on eyther side they marched day and night in pursuite of their enemies and in fine came vppon them vnexpected at the head of the River making good cheare in their Tents and devided in two partialities about the partition and sharing of their gold Thus were they surprised and not one escaped Some say that Iohn Oxman fled to the Symarons but they vtterly denyed to receiue or succour him for that he had broken his promise the onely Obiection they cast in his teeth was that if he had held his word with them hee never had fallen into this extremitie In fine hee was taken and after his shippe also was possessed by the Spaniards which he had hid in a certaine Coue and covered with boughes of trees in the guard and custodie of some foure or fiue of his followers All his Company were conveyed to Panama and there were ymbarked for Lyma where a processe was made against them by the Iustice and all condemned and hanged as Pirates This may be a good example to others in like occasions first to shunne such notorious sinnes which cannot escape punishment in this life nor in the life to come for the breach of faith is reputed amongst the greatest faults which a man can commit Secondly not to abuse another mans wife much lesse to force her both being odious to God and man Thirdly to beware of mutenies which seldome or never are seene to come to better ends for where such trees flourish the fruite of force must eyther bee bitter sweete or very sower And therefore seeing wee vaunt our selues to bee Christians and make profession of his law who forbiddeth all such vanities let vs faithfully shunne them that wee may partake the end of that hope which our profession teacheth and promiseth SECT LXVIII COmming in sight of the Ilands of Pearles the winde began to fresh in with vs and wee profited out selues of it but comming thwart of a small Iland which they call la Pacheta that lyeth within the Pearle Ilands close abourd the mayne and some eight or ten Leagues south and by west from Panama the wind calmed againe This Iland belongeth to a private man it is a round humock conteyning not a league of ground but most fertile Insomuch that by the owners industrie and the labour of some fewe slaues who occupie themselues in manuring it and two barkes which hee imployeth in bringing the fruit it giveth to Panama it is sayd to bee worth him every weeke one with another a barre of silver valued betwixt two hundreth and fiftie or three hundreth pezos which in English money may amount to fiftie or threescore pounds and for that which I saw at my being in Panama touching this I hold to be true In our course to fetch the Port of Panama we pâ—â— our selues betwixt the Ilands and the Maine which is a goodly Chanâ—ell of three foure and fiue leagues broad and without danger except a man come too neare the shoare on any side and that is thought the better course then to goe a sea-boord of the Ilands beâ—ause of the swift running of the tydes and the advantage to stop the ebbe As also for succour if a man should happen to bee becalmed at any time beyond expectation which happeneth sometimes The seaventh of Iuly wee had sight of Perico they are two little Ilands which cause the Port of Panama where all the shippes vse to ride It is some two Leagues west north-west of the Cittie which hath also a Pere in it selfe for small Barkes at full sea it may haue haueÌ„ some sixe or seaven foote water but at low water it is drie The ninth of Iuly we anokored vnder Perico and the Generall presently advised the Audiencia of that which had succeeded in his Journey which vnderstood by them caused bonfires to be made and every man to put luminaries in their houses the fashion is much vsed amongst the Spaniards in their feastes of ioy or for glad tidings placing many lights in their Churches in their windowes and Galleries and corners of their houses which being in the beginning of the night and the Cittie close by the sea shore showed to vs being farre off as
neglect thereof and haue beene most lamentable spectacles and examples vnto vs Experiments in the great Harry Admirall of England which was over-set and suncke at Ports-mouth with her Captaine Carew and the most part of his company drowned in a goodly Summers day with a little flawe of winde for that her ports were all open and making a small hele by them entred their destruction where if they had beene shut no wind could haue hurt her especially in that place In the River of Thames Master Thomas Candish had a small Ship over-set through the same negligence And one of the Fleete of Syr Francis Drake in Santo Domingo Harbour turned her keele vpward likewise vpon the same occasion with many others which wee never haue knowledge of And when this commeth to passe many times negligence is cloaked with the fury of the winde which is a double fault for the truth being knowne others would bee warned to shun the like neglects for it is a very bad Ship whose Masts crackt not asunder whose Sayles and tackling flie not in peeces before shee over-set especially if shee be English built And that which over-setteth the Ship is the waight of the water that presseth downe the side which as it entreth more and more increaseth the waight and the impossibilitie of the remedie For the water not entring with casing of the sheate or striking the sayles or putting the Ship before the winde or Sea or other diligences as occasion is offered and all expert Mariners know remedie is easily found With this mischaunce the Mariners were so daunted that they would not proceede with the Ship any further except shee were lighted which indeede was needelesse for many reasons which I gaue but Mariners are like to a stiffe necked Horse which taking the bridle betwixt his teeth forceth his Rider to what him list maâ—ger his will so they hauing once concluded and resolved are with great difficultie brought to yeelde to the raynes of reason And to colour their negligence they added cost trouble and delay In fine seeing no other remedie I dispatched that night a servant of mine to giue account to my Father of that which had past and to bring mee presently some Barke of London to goe along with mee to Plymouth which not finding he brought me a Hoye in which I loaded some sixe or eight tunns to giue content to the company and so set sayle the 13. of Aprill and the next day wee put in at Harwich for that the winde was contrary and from thence departed the 18. of the sayd Moneth in the morning When wee were cleere of the Sands the winde vered to the South-west and so we were forced to put into Margat Roade whether came presently after vs a Fleete of Hollanders of aboue an hundreth Sayle bound for Rochell to loade salt and in their companie a dozen ships of Warre their wasters very good ships and well appointed in all respects All which came alongst by our ship and â—â—â—ured vs as is the custome of the Sea some with three others with fiue others with more peeces of Ordinance The next morning the winde vering Easterly I set sayle and the Hollanders with me and they with the flood in hand went out at the North-sands-head and I through the Gulls to shorten my way and to set my Pilates shore Comming neere the south-sore-South-sore-land the winde began to vere to the South-east and by south so as we could not double the point of the Land and being close abourd the shore and putting our ship to slay what with the chapping Sea and what with the Tide vpon the Bowe shee mist staying and put vs in some daunger before wee could flact about therefore for doubling the point of any land better is ever a short bourd then to put all in perill Being tacked about wee thought to anchor in the Downes but the sayles set we made a small bourd and after casting about againe doubled the foreland and ran alongst the Coast till we came to the I le of Wight where being becalmed wee sent a shore Master Thomson of Harwich our Pilot not being able before to set him on shore for the perversnes of the winde Being cleere of the Wight the winde vered Southerly and before wee came to Port-land to the west South-west but with the helpe of the ebbe wee recovered Port-land ronde where we anchored all that night and the next morning with the ebbe wee set sayle againe the winde at west South-west purposing to beare it vp all the ebbe and to stop the flood being vnder sayle SECT III. THe Fleete of Flemings which had beene in our company before came towring into the road which certainly was a thing worth the notiâ—g to behold the good order the Masters observed in guard of their fleete The Admirall headmost the râ—st of the men of Warre spread alongst to wind-ward all saving the vice-Admirall and her consort which were lee-most and stern-most of all and except the Admirall which was the first that came to an Anchor None of the other men of warre anchored before all the Fleete was in safetie and then they placed themselues round about the Fleete the Vice-Admirall Seamost and Leemost which we haue taught vnto most Nations and they obserue it now a dayes better then we to our shame that being the Authors and reformers of the best Discipline and Lawes in Sea causes are become those which doe now worst execute them And I cannot gather whence this contempt hath growne except of the neglect of Discipline or rather in giuing commands for favour to those which want experience of what is committed to their charge Or that there hath beene little curiositie in our countrey in writing of the Discipline of the Sea which is not lesse necessary for vs then that of the Law And I am of opinion that the want of experience is much more tollerable in a Generall by Land then in a Gouernour by Sea For in the field the Lieutenant Generall the Sergeant Maior and the Coronels supply what is wanting in the Generall for that they all command and ever there is place for Counsell which in the Sea by many accidents is denied and the head is he that manageth all in whom alone if there be defect all is badly governed for by ignorance how can errors be iudged or reformed And therefore I wish all to take vpon them that which they vnderstand and refuse the contrary As Sir Henry Palmer a wise and valiant Gentleman a great commander and of much experience in Sea causes being appoynted by the Queenes Maiesties Counsell to goe for Generall of a Fleete for the coast of Spaine Anno 1583. submitting himselfe to their Lordships pleasure excused the charge saying that his trayning vp had beene in the narrow Seas and that of the other he had little experience And therefore was in dutie bound to intreate their Honours to make choice of some other person that was
a-far off with other poynts and circumstances as the occasions shall minister matter different at the discretion of the wise Commander But some one may say vnto me that in all occasions it is not convenient to giue Directions for that if the enemy happen vpon any of the Fleete or that there be any treacherous person in the company their Designements may be discovered and so prevented To this I answere that the prudent Governour by good consideration may avoyde this by publication of that which is good and necessarie for the guide of his Fleete and people by all secret instructions to giue them sealed and not to be opened but comming to a place appoynted after the manner of the Turkish direction to the Bashawes who are their Generalls and in any eminent perill to cast them by the boord or otherwise to make away with them For he that setteth Sayle not giving directions in writing to his Fleete knoweth not if the night or day following he may be separated from his Company which happeneth sometimes and then if a place of meeting be not knowne he runneth in danger not to ioyne them together againe And for places of meeting when seperation happeneth I am of opinion to appoynt the place of meeting in such a height twentie or thirtie or fortie Leagues off the Land or Iland East or West is not so fitting if the place affoord it as some sound betwixt Ilands or some Iland or Harbour It may be alledged in contradiction and with probable reason that it is not fit for a Fleete to stay in a Harbour for one Ship nor at an Anchor at an Iland for being discovered or for hinderance of their Voyage Yet it is the best for when the want is but for one or two ships a Pynace or Ship may wayte the time appoynted and remaine with direction for them But commonly one Ship though but a bad Sayler maketh more hast then a whole Fleete and is at the meeting place first if the accident be not very important The place of meeting if it might be would be able to giue at the least refreshing of water and wood SECT IX LAnching out into the Channell the wind being at East and by South and East South East which blowing hard and a flood in hand caused a chapping Sea and my Vice-admirall bearing a good Sayle made some water and shooting off a peece of Ordinance I edged towardes her to know the cause who answered me that they had sprung a great Leake and that of force they must returne into the sound which seeing to be necessary I cast about where Anchoring and going aboord presently found that betwixt Wind and Water the Calkers had left a seame vncalked which being filled vp with Pitch onely the Sea labouring that out had beene sufficient to haue sunke her in short space if it had not beene discovered in time And truely there is little care vsed now adaies amongst our countrimen in this Profession in respect of that which was vsed in times past and is accustomed in France in Spaine and in other parts Which necessitie will cause to be reformed in time by assigning the portion that every workeman is to Calke that if there bee dammage through his default he may be forced to contribute towards the losse occasioned through his negligence And for more securitie I hold it for a good custome vsed in some parts in making an end of calking and pitching the ship the next tide to fill her with water which will vndoubtedly discover the defect for no pitcht place without calking can suffer the force and peaze of the water In neglect whereof I haue seene great damage and danger to ensue The Arke Royall of his Maiesties may serue for an example which put all in daunger at her first going to the Sea by a trivuell-hole left-open in the post and covered onely with pitch In this point no man can be too circumspect for it is the security of ship men and goods SECT X. THis being remedied I set sayle in the morning and ran South-west till we were cleere of Vsshent and then South south-west till we were some hundred Leagues off where wee met with a great Hulke of some fiue or sixe hundred tunnes well appointed the which my company as is naturall to all Mariners presently would make a prize and loaden with Spaniards goods and without speaking to her wished that the Gunner might shoote at her to cause her to amaine Which is a bad custome received and vsed of many ignorant persons presently to gun at all whatsoever they discover before they speake with them being contrary to all discipline and many times is cause of dissention betwixt friends and the breach of Amitie betwixt Princes the death of many and sometimes losse of Shippes and all making many obstinate if not desperate whereas in vsing common courtesie they would better bethinke themselues and so with ordinarie proceeding iustified by reason and the custome of all well disciplined people might perhaps many times breede an increase of Amitie a succour to necessity and excuse divers inconveniencies and sutes which haue impoverished many for it hath chanced by this errour that two English ships neither carrying flag for their perticular respects to change each with other a dozen payre of shott with hurt to both being after too late to repent their follie Yea a person of credit hath told mee that two English men of Warre in the Night haue layd each other aboord willingly with losse of many men and dammage to both onely for the fault of not speaking one to the other which might seeme to carrie with it some excuse if they had beene neere the shore or that the one had beene a Hull and the other vnder sayle in feare shee should haue escaped not knowing what shee was though in the night it is no wisedome to bourd with any ship but in the maine Sea and both desiring to ioyne was a sufficient declaration that both were seekers and therefore by day or night he that can speake with the Ship hee seeth is bound vpon payne to bee reputed voyd of good Governement to hayle her before hee shoote at her Some man may say that in the meane time shee might gaine the winde in such causes and many others necessity giveth exception to all Lawes and experience teacheth what is fit to bee done Master Thomas Hampton once Generall of a Fleete of Wasters sent to Rochell Anno 1585. with secret instructions considering and as a man of experience wisely vnderstanding his place and affaires in like case shut his Eare to the instigations and provocations of the common sort preferring the publique good of both Kingdomes before his owne reputation with the vulgar people And as another Fabius Maximus cunctando restituit rem non ponendo rumores ante salutem The French Kings Fleete comming where he was and to winde-ward of him all his
Shipps being all deepe loaden began to feele the Tempest so that wee not able to lye by it neither a hull nor a try and so with an easie Sayle bare vp before the Wind with intent to put into Falmouth but God was pleased that comming within tenne leagues of Sylly the wind vered to the North-east and so we went on in our Voyage Thwart of the Flees of Bayon wee met with a small Ship of Master Waltre of London called the Elizabeth which came out of Plimouth some eyght dayes after vs of whom wee enformed our selues of some particularities and wrote certaine Letters to our Friends making Relation of what had past till that day and so tooke our farewell each of the other The like we did with a small Carvell of Plimouth which wee meet in the height of the Rocke in Portingall From thence wee directed our course to the Ilands of Madera and about the end of Iune in the sight of the Ilands we descryed a Sayle some three leagues to the East-wards and a league to Wind-ward of vs which by her manner of working and making gaue vs to vnderstand that shee was one of the Kings Frigarts For shee was long and snugg and spread a large Clewe and standing to the West-wards and weâ— to the East-wards to recover her Wake when we east about shee beganne to â—eco shete and to goe away lasking and within two glasses iâ— was plainely seene that shee went from vs and so we followed on our course and shee seeing that presently stroke her Topsayles which our Pynace perceiving and being within shot continued the Chase till I shot off a Peece and called her away which fault many runne into thinking to get thereby and sometimes loose themselues by being too bold to venture from their Fleete for it was impossible for vs being to leeward to take her or to succour our owne shee being a Ship of about two hundreth Tunnes And Pynaces to meddle with Ships is to buy Repentance at too deare a rate For their office is to wayte vpon their Fleete in calmes with their Oares to follow a Chase and in occasions to Anchor neere the shore when the greater Ships cannot without perill Aboue all to be readie and obedient at every call Yet will I not that any wrest my meaning neither say I that a Pynace or small Ship armed may not take a great Ship vnarmed for daily experience teacheth vs the contrary The Madera Ilands are two the greater called La madera and the other Porto Santo of great fertilitie and rich in Sugar Conserves Wine and sweet Wood whereof they take their name Other commodities they yeeld but these are the principall The chiefe Towne and Port is on the Souther side of the Madera well fortified they are subiect to the Kingdome of Portingall the Inhabitants and Garrison all Portingalles The third of Iuly we past along the Ilands of Canaria which haue the name of a Kingdome and containe these seaven Ilands Grand Canaria Tenerifa Palma Gomera Lancerota Forteventura and Fierro These Ilands haue abundance of Wine Sugar Conserues Orcall Pitch Iron and other Commodities and store of Cattell and Corne but that a certaine Worme called Gorgoshâ— breedeth in it which eateth out the substance leaving the huske in manner whole The head Iland where the Iustice which they call Audiencia is resident and whither all sutes haue their appealation and finall sentence is the Grand Canaria although the Tenerifa is held for the better and richer Iland and to haue the best Sugar and the Wine of the Palma is reputed for the best The Pitch of these Ilands melteth not with the Sunne and therefore is proper for the higher workes of Shipping Betwixt Forteventura and Lancerota is a goodly found fit for a meeting place for any Fleete Where is good Anchoring and aboundance of many sorts of Fish There is water to be had in most of these Ilands but with great vigilance For the naturalls of them are venturous and hardie and many times clime vp and downe the steepe Rockes and broken hills which seeme impossible which I would hardly haue beleeved had I not seene it and that with the greatest art and agilitie that may be Their Armes for the most part are Launces of nine or ten foote with a head of a foote and halfe long like vnto Boare-Speares saue that the head is somewhat more broad Two things are famous in these Ilands the Pike of Tenerifa which is the highest Land in my iudgement that I haue seene and men of credit haue told they haue seene it more then fortie leagues off It is like vnto a Sugar loafe and continually covered with Snow and placed in the middest of a goodly vallie most fertile and temperate round about it Out of which going vp the pike the colde is so great that it is insufferable and going downe to the Townes of the Iland the heate seemeth most extreame till they approach neere the coast The other is a Tree in the Iland Fierro which some write and affirme with the dropping of his leaues to giue water for the suâ—tenance of the whole Iland which I haue not seene although I haue beene on shoare on the Iland but those which haue seene it haue recounted this misterie differently to that which is written in this maner That this Tree is placed in the bottome of a Valley ever florishing with broad leaues and that round about it are a multitude of goodly high Pynes which over-top it and as it seemeth were planted by the divine providence to preserue it from Sunne and Wind. Out of this Valley ordinarily rise every day great vapours and exhalations which by reason that the Sunne is hindered to worke his operation with the height of the Mountaines towards the South-east convert themselues into moysture and so bedewe all the Trees of the Valley and from those which over-top this Tree drops downe the dewe vpon his leaues and so from his leaues into a round Well of Stone which the Naturals of the land haue made to receiue the water of which the people and cattle haue great releife but sometimes it raineth and then the Inhabitants doe reserue water for many dayes to come in their Cisterns and Tynaxes which is that they drinke of and wherewith they principally sustaine themselues The Citty of the Grand Canaria and chiefe Port is on the west side of the Iland the head Towne and Port of Tenerifa is towards the south part and the Port and Towne of the Palma and Gomera on the East side In Gomera some three Leagues south-ward from the Towne is a great River of water but all these Ilands are perilous to land in for the seege caused by the Ocean sea which alwayes is forcible and requireth great circumspection whosoever hath not vrgent cause is either to goe to the East-wards or to the west-wards of all these Ilands as well to avoyd the calmes which hinder sometimes eight or
continuall thankesgiving for that he hath so extraordinarily compassed and fenced vs from infinite miseries his most vnworthie and vngratefull Creatures Of these Ilands are two pyles the one of them lyeth out of the way of Trade more Westerly and so little frequented the other lyeth some fourescore Leagues from the Mayne and containeth six in number to wit Saint Iago Fuego Mayo Bonavisto Sal and Bravo They are belonging to the Kingdome of Portingall and inhabited by people of that Nation and are of great trade by reason of the neighbour-hood they haue with Guyne and Bynne but the principall is the buying and selling of Negros They haue store of Sugar Salt Rice Cotton-wooll and Cotton-Cloth Amber-greece Cyvit Oliphants teeth Brimstone Pummy stone Spunge and some Gold but little and that from the mayne Saint Iago is the head Iland and hath one Citie and two Townes with their Ports The Cittie called Saint Iago whereof the Iland hath his Name hath a Garrison and two Fortes scituated in the bottome of a pleasant Valley with a running streame of water passing through the middest of it whether the rest of the Ilands come for Iustice being the seat of the Auaiencia with his Bishop The other Townes are Playa some three Leagues to the Eastwards of Saint Iago placed on high with a goodly Bay whereof it hath his name and Saint Domingo a small Towne within the Land They are on the Souther part of the Iland and haue beene sacked sundry times in Anno 1582. by Manuel Serades a Portingall with a Fleete of French-men in Anno 1585. they were both burnt to the ground by the English Sir Francis Drake being Generall and in Anno 1596. Saint Iago was taken and sacked by the English Sir Anthony Shyrley being Generall The second Iland is Fuego so called for that day and night there burneth in it a Vulcan whose flames in the night are seene twentie Leagues off in the Sea It is by nature fortified in that sort as but by one way is any accesse or entrance into it and there cannot goe vp aboue two men a brest The Bread which they spend in these Ilands is brought from Portingall and Spaine saving that which they make of Rice or of Mayes which wee call Guynne-wheate The best watering is in the I le of Bravo on the west part of the Iland where is a great River but foule Anchoring as is in all these Ilands for the most part The fruits are few but substantiall as Palmitos Plantanos Patatos and Coco Nutts The Palmito is like to the Date tree and as I thinke a kinde of it but wilde In all parts of Afrique and America they are found and in some parts of Europe and in divers parts different In Afrique and in the West Indies they are small that a man may cut them with a knife and the lesser the better But in Brasill they are so great that with difficultie a man can fell them with an Axe and the greater the better one foote within the top is profitable the rest is of no value and that which is to be eaten is the pith which in some is better in some worse The Plantane is a tree found in most parts of Afrique and America of which two leaues are sufficient to cover a man from top to toe It beareth fruit but once and then dryeth away and out of his roote sprouteth vp others new In the top of the tree is his fruit which groweth in a great bunch in the forme and fashion of puddings in some more in some lesse I haue seene in one bunch aboue foure hundred Plantanes which haue weighed aboue fourescore pound waight They are of divers proportions some great some lesser some round some square some triangle most ordinarily of a spanne long with a thicke skinne that peeleth easily from the meate which is either white or yellow and very tender like Butter but no Conserue is better nor of a more pleasing taste For I never haue seene any man to whom they haue bred mis-like or done hurt with eating much of them as of other fruites The best are those which ripen naturally on the tree but in most partes they cut them off in braunches and hange them vp in their houses and eate them as they ripe For the Birds and Vermine presently in ripning on the tree are feeding on them The best that I haue seene are in Brasill in an Iland called Placentia which are small and round and greene when they are ripe whereas the others in ripning become yellow Those of the West Indies and Guynne are great and one of them sufficient to satisfie a man the onely fault they haue is that they are windie In some places they eate them in stead of bread as in Panama and other parts of Tierra firme They grow and prosper best when their rootes are ever covered with water they are excellent in Conserue and good sodden in different manners and dried on the tree not inferior to Suckett The Coco nutt is a fruit of the fashion of a Hassell nutt but that it is as bigge as an ordinary Bowle and some are greater It hath two shells the vttermost framed as it were of a multitude of threeds one layd vpon another with a greene skinne over-lapping them which is soft and thicke The innermost is like to the shell of a Hazell nutt in all proportion saving that it is greater and thicker and some more blacker In the toppe of it is the forme of a Munkies face with two eyes his nose and a mouth It containeth in it both meate and drinke the meate white as milke and like to that of the kernell of a Nutt and as good as Almonds blancht and of great quantitie The water is cleare as of the fountaine and pleasing in taste and somewhat answereth that of the water distilled of Milke Some say it hath a singular propertie in Nature for conserving the smoothnesse of the skinne and therefore in Spaine and Portingall the curious Dames doe ordinarily wash their faces and neckes with it If the holes of the shell be kept close they keepe foure or six moneths good and more but if it be opened and the water kept in the shell in few dayes it turneth to Vineger They grow vpon high Trees which haue no boughes onely in the top they haue a great cap of leaues and vnder them groweth the fruite vpon certaine twigs And some affirme that they beare not fruite before they be aboue fortie yeares old they are in all things like to the Palme trees and grow in many partes of Asia Afrique and America The shels of these nuts are much esteemed for drinking cups and much cost and labour is bestowed vpon them in carving graving and garnishing them with silver gold and precious stones In the Kingdome of Chile and in Brosill is another kinde of these which they call Coquillos as wee may interpret little Cocos and are
as big as Wal-nuts but round and smooth and grow in great clusters the trees in forme are all one and the meate in the nut better but they haue no water Another kinde of great Cocos groweth in the Andes of Peru which haue not the delicate meate nor drinke which the others haue but within are full of Almonds which are placed as the graines in the Pomegrannet being three times bigger then those of Europe and are much like them in tast In these Ilands are Cyvet-Cats which are also found in parts of Asia and Afrique esteemed for the Civet they yeelde and carry about them in a cod in their hinder parts which is taken from them by force In them also are store of Monkies and the best proportioned that I haue seene and Parrots but of colour different to those of the west Indies for they are of a russet or gray colour and great speakers SECT XIIII WIth a faire and large winde we continued our course till we came within fiue degrees of the Equinoctiall lyne where the winde tooke vs contrary by the Southwest about the twentie of Iulie but a fayre gale of wind and a smooth Sea so that wee might beare all a taunt and to advantage our selues what wee might wee stoode to the East-wards being able to lye South-east and by South The next day about nine of the Clocke my companie being gathered together to serue God which wee accustomed to doe every morning and evening it seemed vnto me that the coulour of the Sea was different to that of the daies past and which is ordinarily where is deepe water and so calling the Captaine and Master of my Ship I told them that to my seeming the water was become very whitish and that it made shewe of Sholde water Wherevnto they made answere that all the lynes in our Shippes could not fetch ground for wee could not be lesse then threescore and tenne Leagues off the Coast which all that kept reckoning in the Ship agreed vpon and my selfe was of the same opinion And so wee applyed our selues to serue God but all the time that the service endured my heart could not be at rest and still me thought the water began to waxe whiter and whiter Our prayers ended I commanded a lead and a lyne to be brought and having the lead in foureteene fathoms wee had ground which put vs all into a maze and sending men into the toppe presently discovered the land of Guynne some fiue Leagues from vs very low Land I commanded a Peece to be shott and lay by the lee till my other Shippes came vp Which hayling vs wee demanded of them how farre they found themselues off the Land who answered some threescore and tenne or fourescore Leagues when wee told them wee had sounded and found but foureteene Fathomes and that we were in sight of Land they began to wonder But having consulted what was best to be done I caused my Shalop to be manned which I towed at the Sterne of my Ship continually and sent her and my Pynace a head to sound and followed them with an easie Sayle till we came in seaven and six fathome Water and some two Leagues from the shore anchored in hope by the Sea or by the Land to find some refreshing The Sea we found to be barren of Fish and my Boates could not discover any landing place though a whole day they had rowed alongst the Coast with great desire to set foote on shore for that the sedge was exceeding great and dangerous Which experienced wee set sayle notwithstanding the contrarietie of the winde sometimes standing to the West-wards sometime to the East-wards according to the shifting of the wind SECT XV. HEre is to be noted that the error which we fell into in our accompts was such as all men fall into where are currants that set East or West and are not knowne for that there is no certaine rule yet practised for triall of the longitude as there is of the latitude though some curious and experimented of our Nation with whom I haue had conference about this poynt haue shewed me two or three manner of wayes how to know it This some yeares before was the losse of the Edward Cotton bound for the Coast of Brasill which taken with the winde contrary neere the lyne standing to the East-wards and making accompt to be fiftie or sixtie Leagues off the Coast with all her Sayles standing came suddenly a ground vpon the sholes of Madrebombat and so was cast away though the most part of their company saved themselues vpon Raffes But with the contagion of the Countrie and bad entreatie which the Negros gaue them they died so that there returned not to their Country aboue three or â—oure of them But God Almightie dealt more mercifully with vs in shewing vs our error in the day and in time that wee might remedie it to him be evermore glory for all This currant from the line Equinoctiall to twentie degrees Northerly hath grâ—at force and setteth next of any thing East directly vpon the shore which we found by this meanes Standing to the Westwards the wind Southerly when we lay with our Ships head West and by South we gayned in our heith more then if wee had made our way good west south-west for that the currant tooke vs vnder the bow but lying west or west and by north we lost more in twelue houres then the other way we could get in foure and twentie By which plainly we saw that the currant did set East next of any thing Whether this currant runneth ever one way or doth alter and how we could by no meanes vnderstand but tract of time and observation will discover this as it hath done of many others in sundry Seas The currant that setteth betwixt New-found-land and Spaine runneth also East and West and long time deceived many and made some to count the way longer and others shorter according as the passage was speedie or slowe not knowing that the furtherance or hinderance of the currant was cause of the speeding or slowing of the way And in sea Cardes I haue seene difference of aboue thirtie Leagues betwixt the Iland Tercera and the Mayne And others haue recounted vnto me that comming from the India's and looking out for the Ilands of Azores they haue had sight of Spaine And some haue looked out for Spaine and haue discovered the Ilands The selfe same currant is in the Levant Sea but runneth trade betwixt the Maynes and changeable sometimes to the East-wards sometimes to the West-wards In Brasill and the South Sea the currant likewise is changeable but it runneth ever alongst the Coast accompanying the winde and it is an infallible rule that twelue or twentie foure houres before the Wind alters the currant begins to change In the West Indies onely the currant runneth continually one way and setteth alongst the Coast from the Equinoctiall lyne towards the North. No man hath
in this Worke we saw a Shippe turning to Windwards to succour her selfe of the Ilands but having discryed vs put off to Sea-wards Two dayes after the wind changing we saw her againe running alongst the coast and the Daintie not being in case to goe after her for many reasons we manned the Fancie and sent her after her who about the setting of the Sunne â—etched her vp and spake with her when finding her to be a great Fly-boat of at least three or foure hundreth Tunnes with 18. Peeces of Artillery would haue returned but the wind freshing in put her to Leewards and standing in to succour her selfe of the land had sight of another small Barke which after a short chase shee tooke but had nothing of moment in her for that she had bin vpon the great Sholes of Abreoios in 18. degrees and there throwne all they had by the board to saue their liues This and the other chase were the cause that the Fancie could not beat it vp in many dayes but before we had put all in a readinesse the wind changing shee came vnto vs and made Relation of that which had past and how they had given the small Barke to the Portingalls and brought with them onely her Pilot and a Marchant called Pedro de escalante of Potosi SECT XXVII IN this Coast the Portingalls by industrie of the Indians haue wrought many feats At Cape Frio they tooke a great French Ship in the night the most of her company being on the shore with Cannoas which they haue in this Coast so great that they carry seventie and eightie men in one of them And in Isla grand I saw one that was aboue threescore foote long of one tree as are all that I haue seene in Brasill with provisions in them for twentie or thirtie dayes At the Iland of San-sebastian neere Saint Vincent the Indians killed about eightie of master Candish his men and tooke his Boat which was the overthrow of his Voyage There commeth not any Ship vpon this Coast whereof these Cannoas giue not notice presently to every place And wee were certified in Isla grand that they had sent an Indian from the River of Ienero through all the Mountaines and Marishes to take a view of vs and accordingly made a Relation of our Shippes Boates and the number of men which we might haue But to prevent the like danger that might come vpon vs being carelesse and negligent I determined one night in the darkest and quietest of it to see what watch our Company kept on the shore man'd our Light-horsman and Boat armed them with Bowes and Targetts and got a shore some good distance from the places where were our Boothes and sought to come vpon them vndiscovered wee vsed all our best endevours to take them at vnawares yet comming within fortie paces we were discovered the whole and the sicke came forth to oppose themselues against vs. Which wee seeing gaue them the Hubbub after the manner of the Indians and assaulted them and they vs but being a close darke night they could not discerne vs presently vpon the Hubbub From our Shippe the Gunner shott a peece of Ordinance over our heads according to the order given him and thereof we tooke occasion to retyre vnto our Boates and within a little space came to the Boothes and landing places as though wee came from our Shippes to ayde them They began to recount vnto vs how that at the wester poynt of the Iland out of certaine Cannoas had landed a multitude of Indians which with a great out-cry came vpon thâ—m and â—ssaulted them fiercely but finding better resistance then they looked for and seeing themselues discovered by the Shippes tooke themselues to their heeles and returned to their Cannoas in which they imbarked themselues and departed One affirmed he saw the Cannoas another their long hayre a third their Bowes a fourth that it could not be but that some of them had their payments And it was worth the sight to behold those which had not moved out of their beds in many Moneths vnlesse by the helpe of others gotten some a bow-shoot off into the Woods others into the toppes of Trees and those which had any strength ioyned together to fight for their liues In fine the Booths and Tents were left desolate To colour our businesse the better after we had spent some houre in seeking out and ioyning the Companie together in comforting animating and commending them I left them an extraordinary Guard for that night and so departed to our Shippes with such an opinion of the assault given by the Indians that many so possessed through all the Voyage would not be perswaded to the contrary Which impression wrought such effect in most of my Companie that in all places where the Indians might annoy vs they were after most carefull and vigilant as was convenient In these Ilands it heigheth and falleth some fiue or six foot water and but once in two and twentie houres as in all this Coast and in many parts of the West Indies as also in the coast of Perew and Chely saving where are great Bayes or indraughts and there the tydes keepe their ordinary course of twice in foure and twentie houres In the lesser of these Ilands is a Caue for a small Ship to ride in Land-lockt and shee may moore her selfe to the trees of either side this we called Palmito Iland for the aboundance it hath of the greater sort of Palmito trees the other hath none at all A man may goe betwixt the Ilands with his Ship but the better course is out at one end In these Ilands are many Scorpions Snakes and Adders with other venemous Vermine They haue Parotts and a certaine kinde of fowle like vnto Phesants somewhat bigger and seeme to be of their nature Here we spent aboue a moneth in curing of our sicke men supplying our wants of Wood and Water and in other necessary workes And the tenth of December all things put in order we set sayle for Cape Frio having onely six men sicke with purpose there to set ashore our two Prisoners before named and anchoring vnder the Cape we sent our Boat a shore but they could not finde any convenient place to land them in and so returned the Wind being Southerly and not good to goe on our voyage we succoured our selues within Isla Grand which lyeth some dozen or foureteene Leagues from the Cape betwixt the West and by South and West South-west the rather to set our Prisoners a shore In the mid way betwixt the Cape and this Iland lyeth the River Ienero a very good Harbour fortified with a Garrison and a place well peopled The Isla Grand is some eight or ten Leagues long and causeth a goodly Harbour for Shipping It is full of great sandie Bayes and in the most of them is store of good water within this Iland are many other smaller Ilands which cause divers
of ours but one small Pynace nor any man of name saue onely Captaine Cocke who dyed with honour amidst his Company The greatest dammage that as I remember they caused to any of our Shippes was to the Swallow of her Maiestie which I had in that action vnder my Charge with an Arrow of fire shott into her Beake-head which we saw not because of the sayle till it had burned a hole in the Rose as bigge as a mans head the Arrow falling out and driving alongst by the Shippes side made vs doubt of it which after we discovered SECT XL. IN many occasions notwithstanding it is most preiudiciall to dissemble the reprehension and punishment of murmurings and mutterings when they carry a likelihood to grow to a mutenie seeme to leane to a faction or that a person of regard or merite favoureth the intention or contradicteth the Iustice c. and others of like qualitie The prudent Governour is to cut off this Hydra's head in the beginning and by prevention to provide remedie with expedition and this sometimes with absolute authoritie although the best be ever to proceed by Counsell if necessitie and occasion require not the contrary for passion many times over-ruleth but that which is sentenced and executed by consent is iustified although sometimes erronious March 29. 1594. SECT XLI FRom Cape Desire some foure leagues North-west lye foure Ilands which are very small and the middlemost of them is oâ— the fashion of a Sugar-loafe We were no sooner cleare of Cape Desire and his ledge of Rockes which lie a great way off into the Sea but the wind tooke vs contrary by the North-west and so we stood off into the Sea two dayes and two nights to the Westwards In all the Straites it ebbeth and floweth more or lesse and in many places it higheth very little water but in some Bayes where are great indraughts it higheth eight or ten foote and doubtlesse further in more If a man be furnished with wood and water and the winde good he may keepe the mayne Sea and goe round about the Straites to the Southwards and it is the shorter way for besides the experience which we made that all the South part of the Straites is but Ilands many times having the Sea open I remember that Sir Francis Drake told me that having short the Straites a storme tooke him first at North-west and after vered about to the South-west which continued with him many dayes with that extremitie that he could not open any Sayle and that at the end of the storme he found himselfe in fiftie degrees which was sufficient testimony and proofe that he was beaten round about the Straites for the least height of the Straites is in fiftie two degrees and fiftie minutes in which stand the two entrances or mouths And moreover he sayd that standing about when the winde changed he was not well able to double the Southermost Iland and so anchored vnder the lee of it and going a-shore carried a Compasse with him and seeking out the Southermost part of the Iland cast himselfe downe vpon the vttermost poynt groveling and so reached out his bodie over it Presently he imbarked and then recounted vnto his people that he had beene vpon the Southermost knowne land in the world and more â—urther to the Southwards vpon it then any of them yea or any man as yet knowne These testimonies may suffice for this truth vnto all but such as are incredulous will beleeue nothing but what they see for my part I am of opinion that the Straite is navigable all the yeare long although the best time be in November December and Ianuary and then the winds more favourable which other times are variable as â—n all narrow Seas Being some fiftie leagues a Sea-boord the Straites the winde vering to the West-wards we cast about to the North-wards and lying the coast along shaped our course for the Iland Mocha About the fifteenth of Aprill we were thwart of Baldivia which was then in the hands of the Spaniards but since the Indians in Anno 1599. dispossessed them of it and the Conception which are two of the most principall places they had in that Kingdome and both Ports Baldivia had its name of a Spanish Captaine so called whom afterwards the Indians tooke Prisoner and it is said they required of him the reason why he came to molest them and to take their Country from them having no title nor right therevnto he answered to get Gold which the barbarous vnderstanding caused Gold to be molten and powred downe his throat saying Gold was thy desire glut thee with it It standeth in fortie degrees hath a pleasant River and navigable for a Ship of good burden may goe as high vp as the Cittie and is a goodly wood Country Here our Beefe beganne to take end and was then as good as the day wee departed from England it was preserved in Pickell which though it be more chargeable yet the profit payeth the charge in that it is made durable contrary to the opinion of many which hold it impossible that Beefe should be kept good passing the Equinoctiall lyne And of our Porke I eate in the house of Don Beltran de Castro in Lyma neere foure yeares old very good preserved after the same manner notwithstanding it had lost his Pickle long before Some degrees before a man come to Baldivia to the South-wards as Spaniards haue told me lyeth the Iland Chule not easily to be discerned from the mayne for he that passeth by it cannot but thinke it to be the mayne It is said to be inhabited by the Spaniards but badly yet rich of gold The 19. of Aprill being Easter-euen we anchored vnder the Iland Mocha It lyeth in 39. degrees it may be some foure leagues over and is a high mountainous hill but round about the foote thereof some halfe league from the Sea-shore it is Champion ground well inhabited and manured From the Straites to this Iland we found that either the coast is set out more westerly then it is or that we had a great current which put vs to the west-wards for we had not sight of land in three dayes after Our reckoning was to see it but for that we coasted not the land I cannot determine whether it was caused by the current or lying of the land But Spaniards which haue sayled alongst it haue told me that it is a bold and safe coast and reasonable sounding of it In this Iland of Mocha we had communication and contratation with the inhabitants but with great vigilancie and care for they and all the people of Chily are mortall enemies to the Spaniards and held vs to be of them and so esteemed Sir Francis Drake when he was in this Iland which was the first land also that he touched on this coast They vsed him with so fine a trechery that they possessed themselues of all the Oares in his Boate saving two and
Wast of men Folio 57 Distilling of Salt water Folio 52 Contagious Waters Folio 56 Care of Watches Folio 34 Fruits of good Watch. Folio 58 Concealement of Weakenes Folio 103 Wilfulnesse of Mariners Folio 6 Wine more dangerous then the enemy Folio 103 Spanish Wines and Fevers vnknowne in England Folio 103 Wine consumeth treasure Folio 104 Fight of the Whale Folio 45 With the Sword fish ibid With the Thresher ibid Taking of the Whale Folio 46 By the Indians Folio 47 Warning against Wormes Folio 78 Y YOnkers ever necessary in the top Folio 26 FINIS The necessary vse of Discoveries Of travaile Oâ— Shipping Improper Names for Shipping The Revenge See Mâ—ster Hacâ—uâ—ts Relations The Thunderbolt oâ— London The Iesus of Lubeck The Repentance The Iourney of Spaine Considerations for pretended Voyages Provisions better provided at Plimmouth then at London Note Note The Providence oâ— the Dutch The English Authors of Sea discipline By them againe nâ—glected The modesty of Sir Henry Palmer Parts required in a Commander at Sea The losse of the Burdieux Fleete Anno â—592 The causâ— The weaknes of the enemy The Voyage of Sir Iohn Hawkins Anno 1590. Sir Richard Greenfield at Flores Captaine Vavisor Parts requisite in a good Mariner A cruell Storme And therein the effects of courage and advise The losse of the Pynace Abuses of some Sea-faring men Master Thomas Candish Master George Reymonâ— The inconvenience of Imprests The true vse of Imprests The consequence of Instructions at departure Obiections against meeting in Harbours Answered False Calking For prevention thereof Example Advise for shooting at Sea Sundry mischanâ—es for neglect thereof Obiect Answer Master Thomas Hampto's The French and English Fleete salute one another The English carry vp their flagg in the French Seas The honour of his Maiesties ships Practised at the comming in of Kâ—ng Philip into England And in the passage of Dona Anna de Austria As also in her repasâ—age The dutie of Pynaces The Madera Ilands Canaria Ilands Gorgoshâ— The Description of Tenerif Of a Tree in Fierro The first discoverers of these Ilands Note Exercises vpon the Southwards of the Canaries Cape de Verd. The vnwholsomnesse thereof The heatt The Brezes The remedie The influence of the Moone in hot Countries Saint Iago Sacked by Manuel Serades St. Francis Drake and Sir Anthony Shyrley Fuego Bravo The Palmito The Plantane Platentia The Cocos and â—heir kindes Cyvet-Catts Munkeyes Parrots Note The losse of the Edward Cotton The Scurvey The signes The cause Seething of meat in Salt water Corruption of victuall Vapours of the Sea Azores The remedies By dyet By shift By labour By early eating and drinking By sower Oranges and Lemmons By Doctor Stevens water By oyle of Vitry By the ayre of the land The company sicke and dismayed Brasill Cape S. Augustine Farnambuca Todos Santos De Vitoria Dangers of Fire By heating of Pitch By taking Tobacco By Hooping and Scutling of Caske By natures of waters By Swearing The Dolphin The Bonito The Sharke flying Fishes Alcatrace The fight of the Whale with the Sword-fish and Thresher The taking of the Whale Amber-greece The Beazar stone Amber greece By the Indians Bâ—st times to passe the lyne from the North-wards to the South-ward For prevention of annoyances c. in Harbours The vertue of Oranges Distilling of Salt water Vnskilfulnesse of the Masters Mate Providence of God and the care of the Master Care of Steeridge Exquisit in the Spanyards and Portingalls Cape Blanco Saint Iames Ilands alias Saint Annes Gannets Purslane Cherries Palmitos Purgatiues The vse of Havas purgativas Artechoques or Prick-Peares A good note to take or refuse vnknowne fruits Contagious water Wast and losse of men Industry of the Indians They surprise the French San-sebastian kill the English and discover vs. The events of good watch Palmito Iland Ienero Little Iland Islâ— Grand Shells of mother of pearle Price of Neâ—roes Cassavi meale The preparing thereof for â—ood Agnanapes And for Beveraâ—e The manner of planting Iuca with the labour of the women Polygamy of the Indians Their attire Their manneâ— of housing And sleeping The description of Brasill It s Havens Its Commodities Its wants The bestiall thereof The discommodities Santa Catalina Variation of the Compasse The overthrow of the Voyage The cause Infidelitie Disciplâ—ne of the Spanish the only cause of their prosperities The cunning of Runnawayes and ignoble Captaines verified at their returnes Birds like Swans caught with linâ— and hooke Proue good refreshment Care of the Pentagones A description of the vnknovvne land A caveat for comming suddenly too nere an vnknowne land Poynt Tremountaine Payre Iland Condite head hawkins-maidâ—n-Hawkins-maidâ—n-land Bedds of Oreweed with white flowers Our comming to the Straites Pedro Sarmiâ—nto buâ—ldâ—th San-Philip Note The Ilands of Pengwins Good provision in the Straites The description of the Pengwin Hunting the Pengwin The keeping for store The Gulls Ducks Of Seales or Sea-wolues Devises in sudden accidents The second peopling of the Spaniards Elizabeths Bay The River of Ieronimo Blanches Bay Obiection of wast Answere Warning against wormes Sheathing of Shippes In Spaine and Portugall with double plankes With Canvas With burnt plankes In China with Varnish In England Best manner of sheathing Long Reach Note English Bay Sloth cause of imagination Tobias Cove Setting of the Ship vpon a Rocke The company dismayed Diligence to 〈◊〉 it To the laborious God propitious and thereâ—ore praysed Crabby Cove Voyages â—verthroune by pretences Edward Fâ—nton and master Thomas Candâ—sh Master William Hawkins Danger to hearken vnto reasons of returnâ— The mending of an vnserviceable Anchor Entertainement oâ— time to avoyd idlenesse In gathering of Winterâ— Barke Of Pearles Prevention of Raâ—s The Calamities they bring to a ship Backwardnes in the Companie and the consequences thereof Advertisements â—or Câ—mmanders The advantage of obedience Advertisâ—ments â—or yong Serviâ—ors The patience of the Earle of Nottingham Mutenies not alwayes to be winked at South part of the Straites Ilands Sir Francis Drake imbraceth the Southermost poinâ— of the world Mâ—cha Baldivâ—a Trechery of the Indians Exâ—hanges oâ— tâ—ifles Oâ— Sheepe Their apparell and housing People 〈◊〉 Chily Their weapons Their hate to the Spâ—niards A cruel storme The important losse of a small vessell Saint Maries Citty of Concâ—ption Ivan Fernandes Good to avoâ—d discovery Wilfulnesse of Mariners They seize â—pon 4. Ships And the warehouses They seize vpon another Shippe and some gold Light Anchors brouâ—ht from the North Sâ—a And the first Artillerie Sayles of Cotton câ—oth They depâ—rt from Lyma and concâ—ale their weaknes The noâ—leâ—es of Alonso â—e Soto The enemy lesse dangerous then the Wine Spanish Wines and burning Feavers vnknowne in England And consumeth treasure Description of the Bay A new devise for stopping a Leake without board Spare Rudders Bay of Quintera Nota verum hispanum Coquinbo Arica in Chily much commended For all sorts of fruâ—tes And plenty of Gold The Indians forbid the search of gold Every showre a showre of
reach is foure or fiue leagues broad and in it are many channells or openings into the Sea for all the land on the Souther part of the Straites are Ilands and broken land and from the beginning of this reach to the end of the Straites high mountaynous land on both sides in most parts covered with snow all the yeare long Betwixt the Iland Elizabeth and the Mayne is the narrowest passage of all the Straites it may be some two Musket shott from side to side From this Straite to Elizabeth bay is some foure leagues and the course lyeth North-west and by west This bay is all sandie and cleane ground on the Easter part but before you come at it there lyeth a poynt of the shore a good byrth off which is dangerous And in this reach as in many parts of the Straites runneth a quicke and forcible tyde In the Bay it higheth eight or nine foote water The Norther part of the Bay hath foule ground and rocks vnder water and therefore it is not wholsome borrowing of the mayne One of master Thomas Candish his Pynaces as I haue beene enformed came a-ground vpon one of them and he was in hazard to haue left her there From Elizabeth Bay to the River of Ieronimo is some fiue leagues The course lyeth West and by North and West Here the Wind scanted and forced vs to seeke a place to anchor in Our Boates going alongst the shore found a reasonable Harbour which is right against that which they call River Ieronimo but it is another channell by which a man may disemboake the Straite as by the other which is accustomed for with a storme which tooke vs one night suddenly we were forced into that opening vnwittingly but in the morning seeing our error and the wind larging with two or three bourds wee turned out into the old channell not daring for want of our Pynace to attempt any new discoverie This Harbour we called Blanches Bay for that it was found by William Blanch one of our Masters mates Here having moored our shippe we began to make our provision of wood and water whereof was plentie in this Bay and in all other places from Pengwin Ilands till within a dozen leagues of the mouth of the Straites Now finding our Deckes open with the long lying vnder the lyne and on the coast of Brasill the Sunne having beene in our Zenith many times we calked our ship within bourd and without aboue the Decks And such was the diligence we vsed that at foure dayes end we had aboue threescore Pipes of water and twentie Boats of wood stowed in our Ship no man was idle nor otherwise busied but in necessary workes some in felling and cleaving of wood some in carrying of water some in romaging some in washing others in baking one in heating of pitch another in gathering of Mussells no man was exempted but knew at evening wherevnto he was to betake himselfe the morning following Some man might aske me how we came to haue so many emptie Caske in lesse then two moneths for it seeemeth much that so few men in such short time and in so long a Voyage should waste so much Whereto I answere that it came not of excessiue expence for in health we never exceeded our ordinary but of a mischance which befell vs vnknowne in the Iland of Saint Iames or Saint Anne in the coast of Brasill where we refreshed our selues and according to the custome layd our Caske a shore to trimme it and after to fill it the place being commodious for vs. But with the water a certaine worme called Broma by the Spaniard and by vs Arters entred also which eat it so full of holes that all the water soaked out and made much of our Caske of small vse This we remedied the best wee could and discovered it long before we came to this place Hereof let others take warning in no place to haue Caske on the shore where it may be avoyded for it is one of the provisions which are with greatest care to be preserved in long Voyages and hardest to be supplyed These Arters or Broma in all hot Countries enter into the plankes of Shippes and especially where are Rivers of fresh water for the common opinion is that they are bred in fresh water and with the current of the Rivers are brought into the Sea but experience teacheth that they breed in the great Seas in all hott Clymates especially neere the Equinoctiall lyne for lying so long vnder and neere the lyne and towing a Shalop at our sterne cōming to clense her in Brasil we found her all vnder water covered with these wormes as bigge as the little finger of a man on the outside of the planke not fully covered but halfe the thicknes of their bodie like to a gelly wrought into the planke as with a Gowdge And naturall reason in my iudgement confirmeth this for creatures bread and nourished in the Sea comming into fresh water die as those actually bred in Ponds or fresh Rivers die presently if they come into Salt water But some man may say this fayleth in some Fishes and Beasts Which I must confesse to be true but these eyther are part terrestryall and part aquatile as the Mare-maide Sea-horse and other of that kind or haue their breeding in the fresh and growth or continuall nourishment in the Salt water as the Salmond and others of that kinde In little time if the Shippe be not sheathed they put all in hazzard for they enter in no bigger then a small Spanish Needle and by little and little their holes become ordinarily greater then a mans finger The thicker the planke is the greater he groweth yea I haue seene many Shippes so eaten that the most of their plankes vnder water haue beene like honey combes and especially those betwixt wind and water If they had not beene sheathed it had bin impossible that they could haue swomme The entring of them is hardly to be discerned the most of them being small as the head of a Pinne Which all such as purpose long Voyages are to prevent by sheathing their Shippes And for that I haue seene divers manners of sheathing for the ignorant I will set them downe which by experience I haue found best In Spaine and Portingall some sheath their Shippes with Lead which besides the cost and waight although they vse the thinnest sheet-lead that I haue seene in any place yet it is nothing durable but subiect to many casualties Another manner is vsed with double plankes as thicke without as within after the manner of furring which is little better then that with Lead for besides his waight it dureth little because the worme in small time passeth through the one and the other A third manner of sheathing hath beene vsed amongst some with fine Canvas which is of small continuance and so not to be regarded The fourth prevention which now is most