there present meaning to sell their wares at Brasilia so that both the goods and Marchant were found good prize and the Captaine with his shippe and thirtie Pipes of wine for his necessarie prouision let depart because hee was a Venetian balasing his shippe with certaine pipes of salt-water The same day they sent out a Pinnace with a man of warre beeing of Zealand to chase a shippe that they espied which shippe beeing taken was found to bee a Portingall laden in Porta Port with wine oyle linnen-cloath Silkes and Veluets which amounted vnto as the Captaine of the saide shippe testified vnto them 20000 duckets The tenth of August they put to sea againe to meete the Portingall with their two shippes that went to chase him for that the prize was so euill of sayle that it could not make to them but by night both shee and their two shippes came among the fleet and at that time also brother Iansens shippe which had beene missing thirteene dayes came likewise to the fleete The 11. of August they returned again vnto the rode from whence the day before they had departed where they began to vnlade their prize which by their Marshal court was foūd lawfull the ship and goods both being forfeit the ship had in it eight Iron peeces The 12. of August there boorded thē foure men out of the Island de Maio shewing them that in the Island there dwelt no more but foure Moores fiue white men in the Island were very faire horses that ranne about the country and great hennes that went as fast as a dog and being weary with going flew away they are commonly taken by night in the trees and thousands of goates The 15. of August the blacke dog Albert Ians returned again vnto them as they lay at anker bringing with them two Spanish barkes each hauing three bases in them the one vnladen wherein they put diuers prisoners and let them sayle to Saint Iacobs the other was laden with cotten wooll and came from Ciuill they brought likewise a ship of Marsellis of 100. tunnes laden with wine and oyle The same day there came vnto them two Netherland ships which set sayle out of the Weelings hauing bene fiue weekes and a halfe vpon their viage they brought them newes that the enemie was gone to lie three miles from Bommel and that being vnder Goutstrat they spake with three of the ships that went for the East Indies and with them was a pinnace all being of Amsterdam very richly Iaden the two Netherland ships were sayling to the west Indies for salt The same day they put to sayle and departed from the Island de Maio holding their course South South-east the winde Northeast with a good gale of winde The same night the barke taken by the blacke dogge lost both her maine mast and her forke mast The 21. of August holding their course South-east with a good gale of wind in the night time they lost one of their Pursers he was sick but no mā knew what was become of him The 31. of August in the morning they fell close vpon the land of Gommera by a high peece of ground reaching into the sea which is called Cape de Monta where they ankered about three small miles from the land at sixteene fadome water where vpō the one side of the ship they foūd the water to be fresh on the other side salt East and by south from them they saw a great riuer all the coast of the land being full of trees the riuer was called Rio Noua The 1. of Septēber they fetched fresh water out of the riuer The fift of September the Generall entered into a Riuer called Rio de Puntes where they found about thirtie wilde men most of them naked and amongst them was their kings sonne who stayed alone with them in the Generalles pinnace for the space of an houre hee brought them a tinne vessell full of sodden rice with two sodden hennes and the Generall gaue him a potte of twelue gallons of wine and a boxe of Marmalade The 6. of September they put to sea and that day eight Cannoes of wilde men made towards their ships some with three and some with foure men in a Cannoe whereof some boorded their shippes they held their course that day South south-east The tenth of September in the morning they discryed the Cape de los Palmos The 11. of September to the 19. they draue vpon the sea with calme weather in the which time all the Captains masters consulted with the Generall about the landing of the Island of Saint Thomas with 1400. men The 22. of September in the morning they discried the Island of S. Thomas being South and by west from them The 23. of September they held their course Eastward not to be discouered by those of the Island being of opinion that they could not enter into the roade so that after noone they sailed by the shore determining to lād to the Cape de Loupes Gonsalues and so to come againe on the South side of Saint Thomas for that the roade was on the South side but they could hardly sayle from the North side because of the calmenesse vnder the land The 24. of September they discryed the land called Isola de Prince distant Northeast The 25. of Septēber the aire being very thick and darke as if some great tempest would haue followed as the aire vseth to be so darke about the line which neuer could be found otherwise by any sayler but where they perceiue a darke cloude in the aire presently they take in all their sayles for that there commeth a sodaine and terrible blast of wind thundering and lightning which continueth for the space of 2. or 3. houres and by saylers is called Trauades which gone it is presently faire weather again but God be thanked they had all faire weather not hauing any Trauades all the way vnto the Cape The 27. of September all the Captaines went aboord the Admirall who gaue thē their charge to follow him if the next day they might land in the Island of Saint Thomas The 30. of September all the Captaines were againe called aboord the Admirall to appoynt good order to be holden being on land halfe that day they sayled before the wind that they might reach the slowest ships and the same day there was such a number of fishes about the Admirals ship that no man could number them whereby they tooke them in with baskets being as bigge as Smelts and after them followed 2. or 3. hundred great fishes to deuoure them whereby there rose such a noyse in the water as if it had beene a tempest yet was the weather very faire and calme but there ordinarily the sea is ful of fish One of the saylers had hanged a paire of breeches ouer-boord for the space of an houre and when hee drew them vp againe he found in them at the least 700. fishes The same day as diuers boates lay on
companies that were sent ouer the hilles came vnto them who had sent 20. muskettiers out of each cōpany to see if the Spaniards would make any resistance who descending downe the hill perceiued certaine Asses laden by the Spaniards which they made after thinking to get a good prize to be the lighter left all their muskets which the Spaniards that lay hidden in the vineyards perceiuing left their ambustadoes and comming forth slewe them all in this ouerthrow there were 58. slaine who being dead the Spaniards stripped off all their clothes went away with the pray In the meane time the three companies hauing lost 60. or at the least 58 men entered into the towne The 14. of Iuly by great labour paines taken in digging the Hollanders found 8. pipes of wine within the groūd which were presently laden in the Captaines ships that were appointed for the longer viage the pipe valued at 7. pound Flemish meane time many of the saylers brought fresh water aboord the better to be prouided in their viage The 15. of Iuly being yet busied to lade water and other balast they found two Demy cannons which the Spaniards had buried in the earth The 16. of Iuly in the morning the Generall put forth his accustomed tokens to call the Captaines Masters aboord his ship where it was agreed that the ships appointed for the longer viage should be prouided as need required and that they should take out of the ships appointed to returne againe into Holland as much victuals as the said shippes could well spare which was done and presently thereupon laded all the wheat and rie out of the one ships into the others against they should haue neede to bake it for the preseruation of their liues if the viage happened to be long It was also concluded that all the companies of souldiers should marche vp the hilles to chase the enemy meane time the saylers should stay within the towne So vpō the 17. of Iuly in the morning about 2. houres before day with a still drum they marched vp hauing very cold and fine weather but returned againe the same day not doing any exployt which done the saylers were sent on board the ships The 18. of Iuly vsing great diligence in digging they found another demy cannon and two belles The 19. of Iuly all the souldiours being shipped the Generall gaue commandement to sette the towne on fire and at that present the souldiours were deuided and placed in the ships that should goe the longer viage The 20. of Iuly the Generall put foorth his accustomed signes to call all the Captains and masters aboord his shippe where the shippes that should goe the longer viage were appoynted separated and made readie to set sayle The 21. of Iuly all the Nauie put to sayle from Gommera hauing the winde North-weast and being somewhat off from the land departed from each other the shippes for the long viage being in all 34. The ships appoynted to returne to Holland vsed all the meanes they could to passe betweene Teneriffa and Gommera being in number 37. shippes great and small but perceiuing it to bee impossible to passe betweene the Islandes for that beeing there it blue so stiffe that they could hardly beare any sayle they stroue to passe betweene Palma and Gommera which they likewise could not passe so that the 22.23 and 24. dayes of Iuly they kept thereabouts at that time the Admirall Iohn Garbrits the Vice-admirall Logier Petersen and the scout Cornelis Clausen with most of the companie separated themselues from the rest of the shippes The 25. of Iuly holding their course South and by west they were vnder 21. degrees The 26. of Iuly they held their course South and by west with little winde the wind being North-east and by east with a good pleasing gale The 27. of Iuly the allowance of bread among the souldiours was abated because they supposed the viage would be longer then it fell out The 28.29 and 30. of Iuly their course beeing South-west and by West the wind North-west the Captaines and Masters went all aboord the Generals ship which dayes they mist the shippes of Brother Iansen because it had sayled forward and the rest of the ships changed their course and the same day likewise they discryed the Island of Saint Nicholas being from them South-west and by west The 31. of Iuly in the morning they were right vnder the Island and had almost sayled round about it because they could finde no anker ground so that they lette their boates sayle close vnder the Island to seeke a road where they found two roades wherein all the shippes might lie about a Coluerin shot distant from the land and twelue fadome water and there stood three houses The first of August they discryed the Island of Saint Luce distant from them West north-west all that day they stayed by the Island of Saint Nicholas and with their Pinnaces went on land to see if they might finde fresh water for their Nauie but they found not any There they saw verie great Torteauxes whereof they tooke one that weighed almost three hundred pound The same day all the Captaines and Masters met on boord the Generall to take counsell whether they should sayle to get fresh water at last it was concluded to sayle to Isola de Maio where certain of their shalops went on land for fresh water but by reason of the vnseasonable heate of the ground they lost seuenteene men and certaine of their shalops ouerturned The second of August they helde their course South-east and by east with a calme all the day long The third of August in the morning they discryed the Island of Saint Iames and the same day they took a Torteaux hauing at the least fiue hundred egges in her belly a hundred and fiftie of them hauing shelles the rest without shelles as hennes vse to haue in their bodies beeing very great as big as a ball of a stiuer with the which egges they made tanseyes which tasted very well of the flesh of the Torteaux they made hodge-podge and it tasted like bacon The egges that were shelled had shelles like winde-egges wherewith they played at tennis aboord the ships which rebounded like a tennis ball and you must strike very hard with them before they would breake The fourth of August in the morning they made towardes the land and about noone ankered vnder the Island de Maio where Generall went on shore and there stayed till the next day at noone The fift of August there came a shippe vnto them that had beene vnder fiue degrees Northward of the Equinoctiall line to sayle to Brasilia and was constrayned hauing a leake to put to the shore with them beeing a Venetian The Captaines name was Antonie Bolorio the shippe was laden at Calis Malis with wine oyle and other goods which shippe and goods hee auouched to bee his but it was found to bee contrarie for that the Marchant beeing a Spaniard was
boord the Admirall one of them had the rother broken off by a fish diuers of the fishes leapt into the boates The first of October at noone they were about a mile from the land that is three miles sayling from the Cape of Loupes Gonsalues The third of October they sayled with a good gale of winde The fift of October in the morning they set sayle and by night lay vnder the land The same day they let a prize driue vpon the sea hauing set it on fire but first vnladē al her goods The sixt of October they sayled with a South-wind The tenth of October they ankered vnder the land hard by the Cape where they found a ship of Amsterdam beeing the ship which they before had discried The same day the Admirall sent his pinnace to a riuer about foure miles from the Cape de Loupes Gonsalues for fresh water where they sayled about foure miles vp into the Riuer whereon there stood a great village which with their pinnace they could not approach by reason that the trees stood so thicke vpon the shore and as the Pinnace sayled forward great numbers of Monkies leaped in and about it at the last they shotte off a musket whereupon presently there came diuers wilde men in Cannoes of sixe foote long that brought them hauing a little Iron and linnen-cloth which they had taken with them to prouide some fruite egges and flesh for the Admirall to the village where they found a companie of wilde men standing with their Captaine the Captaine hauing a rustie sword vpon his shoulder with an olde cappe vpon his head which brought them presently into the village and to their kings house whome they found sitting making money of mother of Pearle which money as they sayd he onely vsed when hee meant to buy himselfe a wife of his enemie and no man might make such money but hee The Hollanders beeing there the King presently layde downe his tooles and sate still in his seate verie stoutly after their maner hauing a long beard with diuers rings paynted about his armes and about his eyes of diuers colours with a hatte vpon his head beeing all stucke round about with great pinnes in maner of a crown in such sort that at the first the Hollanders were abashed for that hee seemed like a diuell behind him sat two of his wiues the one all black the other all red painted and were naked onely that they had certaine cloathes about their priuities Now the Hollanders standing before the King the King spake fiue wordes one before the other which words both they and all the wilde men that were present must speake after him but the Hollanders vnderstood not what they meant and when the words were ended they all together clapt their hands whereupon the Hollanders had free libertie to goe into the village to bartle and buy what they would They brought some of the Hollanders into their Temple where they perceiued a very old blacke leane man with a gray beard sitting as still as if hee had beene dead at whose feete the wilde men fell downe for they held him for a great Prophet it is to be supposed that hee was a south-sayer and that hee dealt with the diuell for there they knew not what God is when it lighteneth thūdereth as there it doth very sore often then they pray vnto their Prophet that it may cease for their opinion is that as then the diuel tempteth them and that hee is supposed to bee a South-sayer the reason was for that one of the Hollanders had lost a peece of linnen about tenne elles long which some of the wilde men had stolen from him there was one of the wilde men that could speak Portingall that as the Hollanders were going out of the village shewed them thereof and went and shewed the Captaine whereupon the Captain went presently backe again into the village to the temple where he vnderstood who had stolen it so that he brought the peece of linnen to them againe In the village you shall not finde any handi-crafts men but onely two Smithes which made nothing else but heades for pikes and darts for there the wilde men make great warres against their neighbours euerie seuen or eight miles they haue a king by the parting of certaine riuers within the land The women of this village seeme to be very desirous of the company of white men as it appeared at the Hollanders departure from them by a Gentelman called Lanscroen who being compassed about by many of the women euery one sought to haue their wil of him but he not being willing thereunto got away from them The 17. of October in the morning they saw the Island of S. Thomas being Northwest from them all that day with little sayle holding Northwest they compassed about the better to know the land The 19. of October in the morning being arriued in the road of S. Thomas presently the Generall landed with all their souldiers and at their landing found no resistance so marching orderly towards the towne they met a cōpany of men cōming from the towne who for the space of an hower shot at them but the Hollanders lost not aboue 2. or 3. men which done they marched forward and they of the towne fled into the moūtaines so that the Hollanders were presently masters of the towne and at their pleasures laded the goods which they found there into their shippes The same day Ellert de Ionghe Captaine of the artillery for the viage in the name of Graue Maurice the states of Holland the General summoned the castell to yeeld their liues saued but they refused the condition whereupon the said Ellert was by the said Generall sent againe to will them to yeeld vp the castle vpon the aforesaid conditions or if they refused would stay the plāting of ordināce which was ready before it that then they should expect nothing but death Which they againe denied saying that they had takē an oth vnto the King so that they could not so lightly yeeld vp such a castle The same night the battery was prepared and by day two peeces of ordinance were planted which they of the castle perceyuing in the morning put forth an Ensigne of peace desiring that two of their men might speake with the Generall to agree with him about the deliuery of the castle which was graunted them each party meeting meane time the Hollanders placed seuen peeces to batter it The 21. of Octob. in the morning by agreement made the castle was yeelded vp the men that were in it being prisoners vpon condition that they should be ransomed euery man according to his ability The 22. of October 200. men being sent to the second castle about an houres going from the towne on the North side they within the castle being afraid fled and forsooke it wherin they found three brasse peeces which castle they presently manned and at their departure threw it downe The 23.
THE True and perfect declaration of the mighty army by sea made and prepared by the generall States of the vnited Prouinces purposely sent forth to hinder the proceedings of the King of Spaine vnder the conduct of Peter Vander Does Generall of the said army Together with all whatsoeuer hath bene done by the said army against the Islands Townes Castels and Shippes belonging to the said King of Spaine As also what the said army hath gotten and wonne in the said viage with the whole discourse of the aduentures of the said army both in their going forth and returning againe from the 28. of May 1599. vntill the 6. of March 1600. Collected by Ellert de Ionghe Captayne of the Artillery in the said Viage Printed at London by Iohn Wolfe 1600. The true and perfect declaration of the mighty Nauy by Sea prepared set forth by the States of the vnited Prouinces to hinder the proceedings of the king of Spaine vnder the leading and conduct of Peter Vander Does Generall of the said Nauy shewing what the said army hath done against the Islāds Townes Castels and ships of the said king with the riches and prizes by them taken and gotten during their whole viage as also what the said army hath performed by Sea as wel in their viage outward as homeward From the 28. of May 1599. to the 6. of March 1600. gathered collected by Elbert de Ioughe Captaine of the Artillery in the said Nauy VPon the 28. of May 1599. The States army put to sea out of Zealand being in all 73. shippes holding their course between Calis and Douer the wind being East Northeast The 29. of May hauing past Calis with an East wind cleare weather in the euening they had a calme then the Generall cast ancker vnder Swartnes which done all the nauy did the like The 30. of May hauing hoysed anker they set sayle with a North Northwest wind keeping vpon the coast of England and about twelue of the clock they passed Beueside the wind being East Northeast they holding their course West Southwest being close weather which caused the Generall to sayle Westward the better to haue the coast of Englād in sight but all the day continued close weather yet in the euening they had a sight of Goutstaert and so sayling til night they ankered not farre from Plimmouth The 1. of Iune early in the morning making towards land about sixe of the clocke they arriued at Plimmouth where the Generall sent a Pinace to land to know if any of their ships had arriued there because certaine of them had sailed out of the Tassel not long before which they thought to haue found at Plimmouth but not finding any about noone they set saile departed holding their course South Southwest about euening hauing a side wind they sailed West Southwest with such darke close weather that they could hardly see the lēgth of a ship from them which caused them sometimes to shoot off muskets somtimes slings to let the other ships know that they were not farre frō thē that they should not separate thēselues The 2. of Iune hauing a calme with close weather they met al together and holding their course South southwest hauing the wind East Northeast The 3. of Iune still hauing an East Northeast wind they sailed very slowly sometimes on the lee sometimes in the wind to stay for certaine of their ships that were somewhat behind and in the end being all together the Generall held his course South southwest all the Nauy following him in the night hauing a Southwest wind The 4. of Iune the General put forth 2. flags shot off two peeces for a signe to call all the Captaines Masters to come aboord of his ship there to hold a Marshall assembly which was presently performed each of them putting foorth their boates to boord him hauing as then past Heyssant about ten miles with a Southwest wind running South southeast and in the euening hauing a Southeast wind all the Nauy held their course South southwest The 5. 6. of Iune it was calme with great clappes of thunder sailing then vnder 47. degrees The 7. of Iune they had a West wind whereupō the whole Nauy set their course South southwest after that the wind cōming North they sailed Southwest yet very slowly by reasō that some of the ships were so far behind that they could hardly be discerned whereupon the rest of the ships staied for thē at the same time the Generall made an order for the diuisiō of their meat euery 6. men to haue amōg thē 5. li. of bisquit for a day The 8. of Iune still hauing a West wind they held their course South southwest and about euening the wind falling somewhat sharpe the whole Nauy woond about then the wind cōming West againe they were constrained to abate some of their sayles The ninth of Iune they espied the coast of Galisia as then hauing a North-west wind holding their course South-west and about three of the clocke in the after noone the whole nauie hauing turned about made to sea-ward not lōg after they made towards the land again but being too low from La Corougie the General caused the whole Nauie to put to sea again The tenth of Iune the Nauie sailing again towards the land they had a South-west wind and in the euening a Northwest wind wherwith they sayled west being not far from the land The eleuenth of Iune earlie in the morning the whole Nauie making towards the shore being vnder the land perceiuing themselues to be as high as the Corougie they set their course West South-west the wind being East North-east about noone came before the Corougie where being come and staying for three of their ships that were behind which were the ships of Cornelis Claus Captaine Ians and a Pinace In the meane time they made all the preparation they could and about one of the clocke spreading all their sayles they put into the heauen all together casting anker very neere within the shot of the town wherupon those of the Corougie shot diuers great peeces at thē which dangerous ankering the nauie well perceiuing and finding no conuenient place to land their men about 5. a clocke in the euening they hoysed anker which the town perceiuing began to shoot more fiercely but did not any hurt vnto the ships The ankers being vp there fell such a calme that the shippes were in great daunger for that the towne shot vpon them so mightily although they could not reach them and the shippes by reason of the calme not well to be stered that they had much paine and labour to hold them from the land and the towne shot so mightily that in a short space they had shotte at the least aboue two hundred and thirtie shot and yet could they not reach the ships although it seemed vnpossible for that the ships by reason of the calme were driuen so neere vnder the
towne that they might haue shot into them with a musket and the Generals ship was driuen so neere to the towne that Captaine Rem Euarts and brother Ianson with their Pinnaces were forced to go and help him yet in the end with great danger the whole Nauy got to Sea The 12. of Iune in the morning being somewhat distant from the land the ships draue before the calme The 13. of Iune in the morning about 9. of the clocke being at the cape Finisterre they had a Northeast wind The 14. of Iune hauing a stiffe Northwind they held their course South and South by East and the wind continuing in the euening they tooke in all their sayles letting the ships driue before the wind without sailes The 15. of Iune the wind lessening they began to hoyse sailes holding their course Southeast the wind still continuing North about 9. of the clocke in the morning they discried cape Roxent therewith they made towards the land purposing to do some exploit vpon Lisbon but in the euening the whole Nauy woond about holding their course South South-west The 16. of Iune in the morning the wind being North they held their course South Southwest about the same time the Admirall Iohn Garbrants put forth a flagge in his sterne desiring to haue certaine Pinnaces that were vnder his quarter to come on board of his ship but none went aboard but kept with the whole fleet to Leeward The 17. of Iune hauing a West wind they set their course South Southwest and about euening they perceiued among their fleet a straūge ship a barke with three bases wherupon presently the Generall cōmaunded 4. of the best ships of saile in the whole Nauy to make chase after them which ships hauing taken thē brought them before the General who hauing spokē with them in the end they departed friendly from each other for it was an Englishmā About that time Captaine Caters ship lost the fleete by reason that the fleete in the night time changed their course and woond about The 18. of Iune the Nauie driuing before a calme the Generall put forth his accustomed token to call all the captaines and masters aboard his ship there to consult with him The 19. of Iune still hauing a calme with a South-winde order was taken by the Generall for the landing of certaine men whensoeuer they approached any coast The 20. of Iune they had a calme and helde their course South South-west The 21. 22. of Iune hauing a good swift forewind they held their course South South-west at which time the Generall caused the whole Nauie to bee aduertised that euerie man should behaue and rule himselfe according to the Articles in that case prouided and especially following the 41. and 42. Articles the contents whereof do follow NOTA. Whosoeuer without special cause that first made known vnto his officers shal breake out of his array where he shal be appoynted to abide or that shall seeme to flie out of any battaile or enterprise whether it be before a towne or otherwise he shall and may presently bee slaine or stabbed by any man whatsoeuer being takē and imprisoned shal be proclaimed traitour and in that case punished with death without any fauour Any man being placed and set to defend any fort sconse or trench whether hee be captaine or souldiour eyther by water or by land shall defend and keepe the same to the last extremitie both with words and workes not doing any thing to the contrarie whereby the same should be lost without extremitie vpon paine of death without fauour or exception No man must giue himselfe to take any spoyle without charge or commission vpon paine of death Hereunto adding that no man should venture or be so bold to defile or deflowre any maide or woman whatsoeuer vpon paine of death It was likewise commaunded by the Generall that no man should kill or murther any woman or children vnlesse they were found in armes to resist vpon paine of death Also it was determined by the Generall and the rest of the Captaines the better to encourage the souldiours as also for other causes and respects that what prisoner soeuer should be taken able to pay a good ransome the tenth part of the said ransome should be giuen to the saylers and souldiours the rest to him that tooke him prisoner Also that when they determined to assaile the first Castle or fort they should cause a pike with a fane to bee set vp vpon the land and as long as the fane stirred with the wind they should cease from shooting out of the ships against the fort or Castle The like token should be set vp before a towne when they would not shoote any more against it The 23. of Iune hauing a good fore-wind out of the North they held their course South South-west sending out a pinnace to seeke for land for that as then they were of opinion not to be farre from it which pinnace about euening returned backe againe The 24. of Iune still hauing a North winde they held their course South south-west and the sunne being South-east they sent out three pinnaces to discrie lād at which time the Vice-admirall of the red flag put forth another flagge desiring certaine captaines to come board his ship whereof some boarded him about six of the clocke in the euening they discried lād wherunto they made holding their course East southeast The 25. of Iune in the morning very earlie they were vnder Lanserottes and then held their course South South-west and by West and in the euening discryed the Island of great Canaria keeping the whole night vnder the Island The 26. of Iune in the morning very early being close vnder the Island they made to the shore meane time making preparation to land their men in small boates approaching neere vnto the Castle yet without danger of their shotte they of the castle began to shoot but the Hollanders esteemed not thereof but to the contrarie went so close vnto the Castle that they might reach it with a musket Vnder the Castle there lay three Spanish ships whereof the greatest was by the Hollanders shot vnder water and sunke The Castle shot hard against the Hollanders and the ships in like sort against the Castle especially out of the Generals ship as also out of many of the other shippes in such sort that the Island seemed to be compassed about with fire during the which shooting the souldiours were put into small boates and so rowed to land The Spaniards vpon the downes neere the shore had certaine bases wherewith they shot hard vpon the Hollanders boates at their entring vpon the land but the Hollanders stayed with their boates being readie to land for it was so appoynted that not any man should seeme to set foote on land but must stay hard by the Generall also that not any of them should spread any colours before hee should bee landed and yet they must
of Octob. the captaine of the Artillery captaine Loe were appointed to march into the Island who riding vpon two horses sent them by the enemy presently set forward for it was the enemies desire and in their places two of the enemy remained as pledges and being in the land they found a troupe of about 600. men all naked with peeces on their shoulders except about 40. Portingales that were among them who notwithstāding shewed to be very weake of complexion In this Island are many slaues some of the Portingales haue 150. and he is but a meane man that hath not at the least 3. or 400. slaues The same day they departed it was on both sides agreed that the next day they should meet againe The 24. of October the said captaines went againe into the Island hauing aduertised the Generall what they had done within 3. houres after returning againe to make report vnto the Generall of their proceedings they found him dead for that when they spake with him before his sicknes was no other but a kind of weaknes which had continued two daies yet did he not leaue walking and standing whereupon hee caused himselfe to be let bloud in the arme which being done feeling himselfe very weake said vnto those that were present by him This sicknes taketh me very sore so laid him downe in his clothes vpō his bed where he had not layne long but presently being striken with death without vttering any words he died The same euening certaine of the Captaines put him in a coffin and gaue it out that the Generals body should be throwne into the Sea because it should not be knowne by the enemy where they meant to bury him wherupon he was presently conueyed into a boate so rowed from the land and about midnight brought againe to land where being ariued without any noise they buried him in a house within the towne of S. Thomas which house after that with all the houses about it was burnt to ashes Touching the ransoming of the castles the towne and Churches were not cōprehended therein for that their highest offer was not aboue 10. thousand Duckets The 25. of October they made a trench within the towne The 27. of Octob. the peeces appointed for battery being brought thither presently they lodged their mē in the trench The 28. of October in the euening the Spaniards set the towne on fire in three places The 3. of Nouember the Hollanders issued out of the town onely to set the country on fire The 4. of Nouember they shipped their men and set all the towne on fire The great ordinance that they found in the first castle were 21. brasse peeces great and small First two Double cannons each waighing 10000. pound their bullet being 57. pound Ten brasse peeces waighing one with the other 3300. li. Nine basses of brasse being most of them red copper There was likewise 3. basses of brasse and certaine yron peeces found in the towne The goods in the towne were certaine thousand chests of suger and a great number of very great Elephants teeth very much wool and silkes with other wares many other things with all the belles Also in the road they found 2. ships ful laden with suger ech of them being of 180. tunnes in one of the ships there was a broken peece of ordinance of 10000. li. waight red copper which they meant to haue molten in Lisbon The 5. of October they set saile all the prisoners of the castle being ransomed onely the Gouernour of the Island him they tooke with thē which done they made towards the cape de Loupes Gonsalues The 7. of Octob. captaine Cloyer died being Vice Admiral The description of the Island of S. Thomas THe Island of S. Thomas is an Island lying right vnder the Equinoctial line almost round and in compasse 15. Dutch miles In the middle of this Island stādeth a great hill compassed about with many trees aboue betweene the which trees there is continually a dropping clowd which yeeldeth so much water that it maketh all the land about to continew moist and very apt to bring foorth suger by which meanes the whole Island aboūdeth so much in suger the Island is most inhabited by Moores that gather dresse the suger in it there is but one small towne called Poroasan The ayre is very vnwholesome wherby such strangers or their issues as dwell or come thither commonly euery 8. daies are troubled with an ague and lose many of their men In it there groweth not any corne nor wine the principall meate of the inhabitants is a roote called Ignamo their drinke being water or wine of Palme trees in this Island are many trees but fewe that beare fruit they haue many birds of diuers colours and some straunge beasts as muskcats and in the sea an innumerable number of Whales The 8. of October brother Iansen was chosen Vice Admirall The 29. of October in the morning an assembly was made in the fleet and it was determined among them presently to sayle homeward for that in the space of two dayes that they had sayled from S. Thomas there died in their shippes about 1032. or 33. men and had aboue 1000. more sicke in such maner that they could hardly rule their ships being as then one degree Southward from the lyne and from S. Thomas Westward 180. miles holding their course Northwest The 30. of October they draue with a calme vpon the Sea then the Captaines of the ships agreed that 6. of their shippes should saile towards Brasilia to see if they could fetch any ships from thence the ships appointed were captaine Broer of Memelike Admirall captaine Leefhebber of the Maze captaine Cat of Horne captaine Hart of the Maze captaine Albert Iohn Coxe captaine Andreas of the Maze the Pinnace of Peter Verdoes of the Maze which ships the same day departed The 7. of Nouēber the fleet not being able to passe by the salt Islands because they lay too farre Northward from them they were constrayned to saile almost to the Flemish Islands hauing as then the sunne at 13. degrees The same euening as some of them sat eating in their ship the captaine asked if they should haue any fresh fish that night answere was made no but presently God sent them a flying fish aboord and fell close by them as they sat at meat being as great as a common Haddock and because God sent them the fish so miraculously therefore they commaunded the cooke presently to broyle it and before it was washt made cleane God sent them an other which fell against a stoole as they sat at the table The 16. of Nouember the captaines assembled the shippes bearing to Leeward The 20. of Nouember in the morning betimes they discouered a strange ship but could not ouertake it being the first sayle that they had seene in their returne homeward the weather being still and cleere The 20. of Nouember they held to Leeward to