appointing the Randevous if any should be severed from the Fleet to be the Island Mogadore And so sailing with favorable winds the first Land that we had sight of was Cape Cantine in Barbary December 25. Christmas day in the morning The shoare is faire white Sand and the inland country very high and mountainous it lyeth in 32. deg 30. min. North latitude and so coasting from hence Southward about 18 leagues we arrived the same day at Mogadore the Island before named This Mogadore lies under the dominion of the King of Fesse in 31. deg 40. m. about a mile of from the shoar by this means making a good harbor between the Land and it It is uninhabited of about a league in circuit not very high Land all overgrowne with a kinde of shrub Brest high not much unlike our privet very full of Doves and therefore much frequented of Gosh â—ukes and such like Birds of prey besides divers sorts of Sea-foul very plenty At the South side of this Island are three hollow Rocks under which are great store of very wholesome but very ugly fish to looke to Lying here about a mile from the mâ—ine a Boat was sent to sound the Harbor and finding it safe and in the very entrance on the north side about five or six fathome water but at the Souther side it is very dangerous we brought in our whole Fleet December 27. and continued there till the last day of the same Month imploying our leasure the meane while in setting up a Pinnace one of the foure brought from home in peeces with us Our abode here was soon perceived by the Inhabitants of the country who coming to the shoar by signes and cries made shew that they desired to be fetched a board to whom our Generall sent a Boat in which two of the chiefest of the Moores were presently received and one man of ours in exchange left a land as a pledge for their returne They that came aboard were right courteously entertained with a dainty banquet and such gifts as they seemed to be most glad of that they might thereby understand that this Fleet came in peace and friendship offering to Traffique with them for such commodities as their country yeilded to their own content This offer they seemed most gladly to accept and promised the next day to resort again with such things as they had to exchange for ours It is a law amongst them to drink no wine notwithstanding by stealth it pleaseth them well to have it abundantly as here was experience At their return ashoare they quietly restored the pledge which they had stayed and the next day at the hour appointed returning again brought with them Camels in shew loaden with wares to be exchanged for our commodities and calling for a boat in hast had one sent them according to order with our Generall being at this present absent had given before his departure to the Island Our boat coming to the place of landing which was among the rocks one of our men called John Fry mistrusting no danger nor fearing any harm pretended by them and therefore intending to become a pledge according to the order used the day before readily stept out of the boat and ran a land which opportunity being that which the Moores did look for they took the advantage of and not only they which were in sight layed hands on him to carry him away with them but a number more which lay secretly hidden did forthwith break forth from behind the rock whether they had conveyed themselves as seemeth the night before forcing our men to leave the rescuing of him that was taken as captive and with speed to shift for themselves The cause of this violence was a desire which the King of Fesse had to understand what this fleet was whether any forerunner of the Kings of Portugall or no and what newes of certainty the fleet might give him And therefore after that he was brought to the K. presence had reported that they were English men bound for the Straights under the conduct of generall Drake he was sent back again with a present to his captain and offer of great courtesie and friendship if he would use his country But in this mean time the generall being grieved with this shew of injury and intending if he might to recover or redeem his man his pinnace being ready landed his company and marched somewhat into the countrey without any resistance made against him neither would the Moores by any meanes come nigh our Men to deale with them any way wherefore having made provision of wood as also visited an old for t built sometime by the King of Portugall but now ruined by the King of Fesse we departed December 31. towards Cape Blank in such sort that when Fry returned he found to his great grief that the fleet was gone but yet by the Kings favor he was sent home into England not long after in an English Merchants ship Shortly after our putting forth of this harbor we were met with contrary winds and foule weather which continued till the fourth of January yet we still held on our course and the third day after fell with cape De Guerre in 30. deg minutes where we lighted on 3. Spanish fishermen called Caunters whom we took with our new pinnace and carried along with us till we came to Rio Del Oro just under the Tropick of Cancer where with our pinnace also we took a carvell From hence till the 15. day we sailed on towards cape Barbas where the Marigold took a carvill more and so onward to cape Blanck till the next day at night This cape lyeth in 20. deg 30. min. sheweth it self upright like the corner of a wall to them that come towards it from the North having between it and cape Barbas low sandy and very white land all the way Here we observed the south Guards called the Crosiers 9. deg 30. min. above the Horizon Wherein the cape we took one Spanish ship more riding at anchor all her men being fled ashoare in the boat save two which with all the rest we have formerly taken we carried into che harbor 3. leagues within the cape Here our Generall determined for certain dayes to make his abode both for that the place afforded plenty of fresh victuals for the present refreshing of our men for their future supply at sea by reason of the infinite store of divers sorts of good fish which are there easie to be taken even within the harbor the like whereof is hardly to be found again in any part of the world as also because it served very fitly for the dispatching of some other businesses that we had During the time of our abode in this place our generall being a shoare was visited by certain of the people of the country who brought down with them a woman a Moore with her little babe hanging upon her dry dug
downe and tooke some six of our Men at the watring place Certaine of our Men were sent in Boats up the South side of the River where we found some more of their Carpenters tools This Harbour is very commodious for Shipping having a good anchoring place and ten or twelve fathome deep in water we landed great store of Spaniards and Negroes at this Island giving the Enemy to understand that he would use our Men well which they tooke prisoners comming from Panama and sent a Messenger not hearing any answer again yet at our departure the Governour was come down with many Souldiers with him who wrote to our Generall The eighth of February we came away from this Harbour of Porta Vella beating up to the height of Cartagena which was ten dayes after we tooke our course for Gemico North North and by West within seventeen or eighteen leagues of Cartagena there lyeth shoales â—en or twelve fathome deepe The second of February being Thursday we descried certaine Islands called the Gourdanes which is distant from Porta Vella two hundred leagues North North East and Gemica beareth from these Islands of Gourdanes towards the East they are very high land and to the West very low even land we sailed all along to the Cape Corenthus towards the West of this low Land is shoales sometimes three fathome which one of our Ships hardly escaped The twenty seventh of this moneth we passed these shoales by reason of a great gale of wind and tooke our course North North East The saturday being the one and thirtieth of February we espyed the Islands of the Pines West North west on the starbordside these Islands are without Inhabitants The first of March we espyed twenty saile of the Kings men of Warre we chased them and about three of the clocke in the afternoone we began to fight with them and continued three hours in fight the Viseadmirall gave us a shot then the Elizabeth Boneventure gave her a shot again then the Boneventure came in and gave him â— bravadoe with all her broad side that she shot through and through then came up our Generall and gave them a brave volley of shot next came the Defiance and she laid on most bravely next the Adventure she laid on that we could see through and through it was a most brave attempt but God be thanked we had the upper hand of them we plying the Viseadmirall so fast that if she had not born up from us she had sunke and another that was near her we drove them into such a puzell that with stopping their leakes as we judged their Powder being loose fired all the Ships as we did behold within two hours after we had done the fight The next day we sailed towards Cape S. Anthony there following us but thirteen of our gallants they kept their course and would not come at us but at length they came somewhat nigh us and the Defiance and the Adventure bore up to them but they made away as soone as ever they were able and so we were rid of our gallants The fourth of March we descried the Cape of S. Anthony it is distant from Cape Corents eighty leagues from thence to the Havana eighty leagues from thence to the Gulfe The same day we descried the Cape Florida which is low Land and did beare from us North West and by North our course being North East the same day we entred the Gulfe the wind being at East South East leaving the land on the larbordside the Gulfe is in length one hundred leagues from the Havano eighty league the next night we passed the Gulfe about twelve of the clocke in the night The ninth of March we passed the Barmothies we had mighty tempestuous weather The eighth of April 1596. we came to the Islands of Flowers and Cores It is inhabited with Potugals and such like where we staied and watred and traffiqued with them for Victuals or what we vvanted using us very kindly vvith fresh Fish Hens and Bacon and such like which refreshed us vvonderfull vvell and in short time after vve gained the English Coast FINIS May 24. 1572. June 3 June 28. June 29. Iuly 1. Iuly 6. Iuly 12. Iuly 13. Iuly 20 Iuly 2â— Iuly 28. July 29 Aug. 1. Aug 7. Aug. 13. Aug. 14. Aug. 15. Aug. 16. Aug. 21. Septem 5 Septem 8 Septe 9. Sept. 10. Sept. 11. Septe 14 Septe 16 Sept. 18. Sept. 19. Sept. 22. Sept. 23. Sept. 24. Octob. 7. Octo. 8. Octo. 9. Octo. 13. Oct. 14.15 Octo. 16. Octo. 17. Octo. 18. Octo. 19. Octo. 20. Octo. 21. Octo. 22. Octo. 27. Nove. 2. Nove. 3. Nove. 5. Nove. 13. Nove. 15. Nove. 22. Nove. 27. Janu. 3. Ianu. 30. Febr. 3. Febr. 7. Febr. 11. Febr. 13. Febr. 14 Febr. 22. Febr. 23. Marc. 20. Marc. 21. Marc. 13. April 1. Apr. 2.3 15â—â— Nov. 15. Nov. 16. Nov. 17 18. Nov. 2â— Dece 13. 1577 Dece 25. Deceâ—b Dec. 31. Ian. 7. Ian. 13. Ian. 15. Ian. 16. Ian 22. Ian. 28. Ian. 29. Ian. 30. Ian. 31. Feb. 1. Feb. 2. Feb. 17. 〈◊〉 Apr. 5. 1577. 1578. April 5. April 7. April 14 Apr. 16. April 1â— April 2â— April 27. April 27. May 13. May 14 May 15. May 17. May 18. Iune 3. Iune 12. Iune 14. Iune 17. Iune 18 Iune 19. Iune 20. June 22 Sept. 6. Sept. 7. Sept. 8 Sept. 30. 〈…〉 Octob. 8. Octo 28 Octo. 30. Nove. 1. Nov. 25 Sept. 30. Octob. 7 Nov. 30 Dece 4. Dece 5. Dece 19. Dece 20. Ian. 19 Ian 22. Ian. 26. Feb â— Feb. 9. Feb. 15. Feb. 16. Feb. 20. Febr. 24. Feb 28. March 1. 1579. March 7. Marc. 16. Marc. 24. April 15 Apr. 16. Iune â— Iune 17. Iune 18. Iâ—â—â— 21. 1578. Iune 26. Iuly 24. Iuly 25. Sept. 30. October 3 Octob. 16. Octob. 21 Octob. 22. Octob. 25. Octob. 30. Novem. 1 Novem. 3 Nov. 9. Nov. 14. Dec. 12. Dec. 16. Jan. 9. Jan. 10 Jan. 12. Jan. 14. Jan. 20. Jan. 26. Feb. 1. 〈…〉 Feb. 6. Feb. 8. Feb. 10. Feb. 12. Feb. 14. Feb. 16. Feb. 18 19 Feb. 22. Mar. 9. Mar. 10. Mar. 11. Mar. 12. Mar. 13. Mar. 14. Mar. 15. 1579. Mar. 21. 1580. Mar. 26. May 21. June 15. July 15. July 22. July 24. Aug. 15. Aug. 16. Sep. 26.
Magellane reporteth of this passage namely that there be many faire harbours and store of fresh water but some ships had need to be fraughted with nothing else besides anchors and cables to find ground in most of them to come to anchor which when any extreame gusts or contrary winds do come whereunto the place is altogether subject is a great hindrance to the passage and carryeth with it no small danger The land on both sides is very high and mountainous having on the North and west side the continent of America and on the south and East part nothing but Islands among which lye innumerable fretes or passages into the south sea The mountains arise with such tops and spires into the aire of so rare a height as they may wel be accounted amogst the wonders of the world environed as it were with many regions of congealed clouds and frozen meteors whereby they are continually fed and increased both in the height and bigness from time to time retaining that which they have once received being little again diminished by the heat of the sun as being so farre from reflexion and so nigh the cold and frozen Region But notwithstanding all this yet are the low and plaine grounds very fruitfull the grasse green and naturall the heards that are of very strange sorts good and many the trees for the most part of them alwaies green the aire of the temperature of our countrey the water most pleasant and the soile agreeing to any grain which we have growing in our country a place no doubt that lacketh nothing but a people to use the same to the Creators glory and the encreasing of the Church the people inhabiting these parts made fires as we passed by in divers places Drawing nigh the entrance of the south sea we had such a shutting up to the northward and such large and open fretes toward the south that it was wonderful which way we should passe without further discovery for which cause our Generall having brought his fleet to anchor under an Island himself with certain of his Gentlemen rowed in a boat to descry the passage who having discovered a sufficient way towards the North in their return to their ships met a Cannow under the same Island where we rode then at anchor having in her divers persons This Cannow or Foate was made of the barke of divers trees having a prow and a stern standing up and semicirclewise yeelding inward of one form and fashion the body whereof was a most dainty mould bearing in it most comely proportion and excellent workmanship insomuch as to our Generall and us it seemed never to have been done without the cunning and expert judgment of art and that not for the use of so rude and barbarous a people but for the pleasure of some great and noble personage yea of some Prince It had no other closing up or caulking in the seames but the stichin with thongs made of Sealeskins or other such beast and yet so close that it received very little or no water at all The people are of a meane stature but well set and compact in all their parts and lims they have great pleasure in painting their faces as the others have of whom we have spoken before Within the said Island they had a house of mean building of certain poles and covered with skins of beasts having therein fire water and such meat as commonly they can come by as Seales Mussels and such like The vessels wherein they kept their water and their cups in which they drink are made of barks of trees as was their canow and that with no lesse skill for the bignesse of the thing being of a very formal shape and good fashion Their working tools which they use in cutting these things and such other are knives made of most huge and monstrous mussel shels the like whereof have not been seen or heard of lightly by any travellers the meat thereof being very savoury and good in eating which after they have broken off the thinne and brittle substance of the edge they rub and grinde them upon stones had for the purpose til they have tempered and set such an edg upon them that no wood is so hard but they will cut it at pleasure with the same whereof we our selves had experience Yea they cut therewith bones of a marvellous hardnesse making of them fisgies to kill fish wherein they have a most pleasant exercise with great dexterity The sixth of September we had left astern us all these troublesome Islands and were entred into the south sea or Mare del zur at the cape whereof our generall had determined with his whole company to have gone a shoare and there after a sermon to have left a monument of her Majesty ingraven in mettal for a perpetuall remembrance which he had in a readiness for that end prepared but neither was there any anchoring neither did the wind suffer us to make a stay Only this by all our mens observations was concluded that the entrance by which we came into this strait was in 52. deg the middest in 53. deg 15. m. and the going out in 52. d. 30. m. being 150. leagues in length at the very entry supposed also to be about 10. leagues in bredth After we were entred ten leagues within it it was found not past a league in breadth farther within in some places very large in some very narrow in the end found to be no strait at all but all Islands Now when our Generall perceived that the nipping cold under so cruel a frowning winter had impaired the health of some of his men he meant to have made the more hast again toward the line and not to sayle any farther towards the pole Antartick lest being farther from the Sun and neerer the cold we might happily be overtaken with some greater danger of sicknesse But God giving men leave to purpose reserveth to himself the disposition of all things making their intents of none effect or changing their meanings oft times clean into the contrary as may best serve for his own glory and their profit For September 7. the second day after our entrance into the South sea called by some Mare pacificum but proving to us rather to be Mare furiosum God by a contrary wind and intollerable tempest seemed to set himself against us forcing us not only to alter our course and determination but with great trouble long time many dangers hard escapes and final separating of our fleet to yeild our selves unto his will Yea such was the extremity of the tempest that it appeared to us as if he had pronounced a sentence not to stay his hand nor to withdraw his judgment till he had buried our bodies and ships also in the bottomlesse depth of the raging sea In the time of this incredible storm the 15. of September the Moon was eclipsed in Aries and darkned about three points for the space
reasonable quantity in bignesse forme and huske much like a bay-berry hard in substance but pleasant in tast which being sod becometh soft and is a most profitable and nourishing meat of each of these we received of them whatsoever we desired for our need insomuch that such was Gods gracious goodnesse to us the old Proverbe was verified with us After a storme commeth a calme after warre peace after scarcity followeth plenty so that in all our Voyage Terenate onely excepted from our departure out of our owne Country hitherto we found not any where greater comfort and refreshing then we did it this time in this place in refreshing and furnishing our selves here we spent two dayes and departed hence February 10. When we were come into the height of 8. deg 4. min. Feb. 12. in the morning we espied a green Island to the Southward not long after two other Islands on the same side and a great one more towards the North they seemed all to be well inhabited but we had neither need nor desire to goe to visit them and so we past by them The 14. day we saw some other reasonable big Islands and February 16. we past betweene foure or five big Islands more which lay in the height 9. deg 40. min. The 18. we cast anchor under a little Island whence we departed againe the day following we wooded here but other relief except two Turtles we received none The 22. day we lost sight of three Islands on our Starboard side which lay in ten deg and some odde minutes After this we past on to the Westward without stay or any thing to be taken notice of till the ninth of March when in the morning we espyed land some part therof very high in 8. d. 20. m. South latitude here we anchored that night the next day weighed againe and bearing farther North and neerer the shoar we came to anchor the second time The eleventh of March we first tooke in water and after sent our Boat againe to shoare where we had Traffique with the people of the Country whereupon the same day we brought our Ship more neere the Towne and having setled our selves there that night the next day our General sent his man a shoar to preset the King with certain Cloth both Linnen and Woollen besides some Silkes which he gladly and thankfully received and rerurned Rice Cocoes Hennes and other Victuals in way of recompence This Island we found to be the Island Java the middle whereof stands in 7. deg and 30. min. beyond the Equator The 13 of March our General himself with many of his gentlemen and others went to shoare and presented the King of whom he was joyfully and lovingly received with his musicke and shewed him the manner of our use of Arms by training his men with their Pikes and other weapons which they had before him for the present we were entertained as we desired and at last dismissed with a promise of more Victuals to be shortly sent us In this Island there is one chiefe but many under-governors or petty kings whom they call Raias who live in great familiarity and friendship one with another The 14. day we received Victuals from two of them and the day after that to wit the 15 three of these Kings in their owne Persons came aboard to see our Generall and to view our ship and warlike munition They were well pleased with what they saw and with the entertainment which we gave them And after these had been with us and on their returne had as it seemes related what they found Raia Donan the chief King of the whole land bringing Victuals with him for our relief he also the next day after came aboard us Few were the dayes that one or more of these kings did misse to visit us insomuch that we grew acquainted with the names of many of them as of Raia Pataira Raia Cabocapalla Raia Mangbango Raia Bocabarra Raia Timbanton whom our Generall alwayes entertained with the best cheere that we could make and shewed them all the commodities of our Ship with our Ordnance and other Arms and Weapons and the severall furnitures belonging to each and the uses for which they served His musick also and all things else whereby he might doe them pleasure wherin they tooke exceeding great delight with admiration One day amongst the rest viz. March 21. Raia Donan comming aboard us in requitall of our musicke which was made to him presented our Generall with his Country musicke which though it were of a very strange kind yet the sound was pleasant and delightfull the same day he caused an Oxe also to be brought to the waters side and delivered to us for which he was to his content rewarded by our Generall with divers sorts of very costly Silkes which he held in great esteeme Though our often giving entertainment in this manner did hinder us much in the speedy dispatching of our businesses and made us spend the more dayes about them yet here we found all such convenient helpes that to our contents we at last ended them the matter of great Importance which we did besides Victualling was the new trimming and washing of our Ship which by reason of our long Voyage was so overgrowne with a kind of a shell-fish sticking fast unto her that it hindred exceedingly and was a great trouble to her sayling The People as are their Kings are a loving a very true and just dealing People We traffiqued with them for Hens Goats Cocoes Plantons and other kind of Victuals which they offered us in such plenty that we might have laden our Ship if we had needed We tooke our leaves and departed from them the 26. of March and set our course West South West directly towards the cape of good hope or Bon Esperance and continued without touch of ought but aire and water till the 21. of May when we espied land to wit a part of the maine Africa in some places very high under the latitude of 31. deg and halfe We coasted along till June 15. on which day having very faire weather and the Wind at Southeast we past the Cape it selfe so neere in sight that we had beene able with our pieces to have shot to land July 15. we fell with the land againe about Rio de sesto where we saw many Negroes in their Boats a fishing wherof two came very neer us but we cared not to stay nor had any talke or dealing with them The 22. of the same moneth we came to Sierra Leona and spent two dayes for watering in the mouth of Tagoine and then put to Sea again here also we had Oisters and plenty of Lemmons which gave us good refreshing We found our selves under the Tropick of Cancer August 15. having the winde at Northeast and we 50 leagues off from the neerest land The 22. day we were in the
others as Hargabushes of crocke and Muskets and such like which played at us on both sides most valiantly in the time of this Incounter They had planted on this plot of great Ordnance one hundred and three score besides small shott as were to be numbred This assault although it brought unto us no great profit in respect of the losse of one of our Ships called the Little Francis which was taken by them before our approach which gave them intelligence of our comming also the losse of some of our Men at that time the which was a most valiant attempt and worthy to be Chronicled There was of the Enemy burned and slaine and drowned all the men in the great Ship but some three or foure that we tooke up out of the water to the intent that they should reveale somewhat unto us they informed us that they having intelligence of our comming by our Ship that was taken by them our end and intent was frustrated This Towne was of great force to the Spaniards and had in it three millions of Treasure of the King of Spaines which those five men of War came of purpose for it and they told us also that they kept our men at Portricho the which they tooke in the Ship called the Little Francis whereupon our Generall wrote unto the chiefe Governour of the Towne â—o be good unto our men and to deale with them as he should doe the like with their men and to send them for England again in safety Also we understood that there was three hundred Souldiers in this Towne of Saint John de Portrizo This towne standeth on a very small Island and is compassed with the Sea on the one side and a great River on the other side we could not come nigh the towne to view the proportion of it because it standeth in a Valley and hath a great Fort new built betwixt us and it We could not come within the sight of the maine Island which joyneth to the Towne so farre as we could discerne it seemeth to be of a vast longitude and latitude The fifteenth of November being saturday Sir John Hawkins and Sir Nicholas Clifford were throwne over-boord the same day we espyed a Spanish Carvill coming towards Saint John de Portricho but from what place we knew not our Generall sent with all speed and imbarked some Men in Pinnaces with all haste to meet with him but when the men in the Castle of Portricho espied it they shot off a great peece of Ordnance as a warning to them not to approach any neerer the Carvill perceiving ran himselfe on the breach and ashore and saved their men which fled away into the Mountaines so that we could not come to them The sixteenth being Sunday we departed from Saint John de Portricho at which place we Mustered all our Men and every Captaine knew his Men in more ample manner then they did before The same day we imbarked our selves in our Ships againe and with all speed we sailed to a place called Saint John Jermans Bay there we landed it is distant from Portricho thirty six leagues there we landed certain of our Companies to guard our Carpenters that did build our Pinnaces not far from this place is a House called an Ingeneroide where is great store of Sugar made it is inhabited with Spaniards The same day Master Brut Browne dyed On Saturday the three and tvventieth of November our Generall held a Court Marshall to which John Standley was called to answer to some matters objected against him The two and twentieth Sir Thomas Baskerfield tooke two men of this Island a Negroe and a Clemeronne The twenty fourth day being Munday the Ship called John of Trollony of Plimmouth was burned in the same Bay of Saint John Jermans the same day we sailed to another Island called Crusao The five and twentieth being Tuesday vve sailed South and by East and South and by West on Wednesday the twentieth six vve sailed South and by West in which course standeth Hispaniola and an Island called Mono did beare from us West and by North. The twenty seven being thursday vve sailed South and by West The twenty ninth being Saturday vve came to the Island called Crusao which is distant from the Bay of Saint Jermans about one hundered and fifty leagues from Portricho we sayled South South East at this place we stayed three or foure houres because we could get no good Harbour to anchor at by reason we were constrained to depart Our Generall did suppose this Island to be another Island called Arewha The twenty ninth of November on the Larbordside it beareth South South East it is distant some eight or nine leagues the same day we espyed the maine land called the West Indies which bore from us North North East and it is a very high land vve sailed along this Coast to a certaine towne called River Della Hatch the same day at night we anchored within nine or ten leagues of the â—owne of River Della Hatch The second of December being Munday all our Soldiers being imbarked in Boats and Pinnaces we sailed to the towne all that day about one of the clocke in the night vve entred the towne the Enemy fled into the Country before leaving some of their Soldiers in the towne to the number of ten or twelve which gave us a volley of shot and two of them were taken prisoners the rest fled away We found nothing in the towne of any account they had carried all away into the Woods and hid them there neither was there any Victuals but what we went into the Country for our selves for they had droven all their Cattle away because they heard of our commming a weeke before we came thither December the third being tuesday the Spaniards came to parley with us for a certain sum of Treasure for ransome for the said towne The fourth of December they brought Pearle c. but lesse in value then was compounded for which our Generall Sir Francis Drake refused and thereupon ordered that it should be set on Fire and burned which accordingly was done at our departure The fifteenth of December being Friday the Enemy made faire promises to our Generall which was onely to have us to stay as we supposed till they had sent word to other places as afterwards the Governour confessed The sixteenth of December the Governour came to parley and to tell us his determined purpose of his delay which was as aforesaid our companies marched divers times for Victuals and so met with the Governour We tooke some more of their men prisoners and found some of their Goods afterward which we carried away But when we saw that they would not come to any faire correspondence or agreement our Generall commanded us to burne all places where ever we came The day before our departure we left the towne of a light Fire unlesse it was a new Religious house not finished and another house that they use to bring
comming but directly sent him upon occasion that diverse of the Towne affirmed said he that they knew our Captaine who the last two yeares had beene often on their Coast and had alwayes used their persons very well And therefore desired to know first whether our Captaine were the same Captaine Drake or no and next because many of their men were wounded with our Arrowes whether they were poysoned or no And how their wounds might best be cured Lastly what victuals we wanted or other necessaries Of which the Governour promised by him to supply and furnish us as largely as he durst Our Captaine although he thought this Souldier but a Spy yet used him very courteously and answered him to his Governours demands That he was the same Drake whom they meant it was never his manner to poyson his Arrowes they might cure their wounded by ordinary Chyrurgery as for wants he knew the Iland of Bastimientos had sufficient and could furnish him if he listed but he wanted nothing but some of that speciall commodity which that Countrey yeelded to content himselfe and his Company And therefore he advised the Governour to hold open his eyes for before he departed if God lent him life and leave he meant to reape some of their Harvest which they get out of the Earth and send into Spaine to trouble all the Earth To this answer unlooked for this Gentleman replyed If he might without offence move such a question what should then be the cause of our departing from that Towne at this time where was above three hundred and sixty Tun of silver ready for the Fleet and much more Gold in value resting in Iron Chests in the Kings Treasure-house But when our Captaine had shewed him the true cause of his unwilling retreat aboard he acknowledged that we had no lesse reason in departing then courage in attempting and no doubt did easily see that it was not for the Towne to seeke revenge of us by manning forth such Frigates or other vessels as they had but better to content themselves and provide for their owne defence Thus with great favour and courteous entertainment besides such gifts from our Captaine as most contented him after dinner he was in such sort dismissed to make report of that he had seen that he protested he was never so much honoured of any in his life After his departure the Negroe fore-mentioned being examined more fully confirmed this report of the Gold and Silver with many other intelligences of importance especially how we might have Gold and Silver enough if we would by meanes of the Symerons whom though he had betrayed diverse times being used thereto by his Masters so that he knew they would kill him if they gat him yet if our Captaine would undertake his protexion he durst adventure his life because he knew our Captaines name was most precious and highly honoured of them This report ministred occasion to further consultation for which because this place seemed not the safest as being neither the healthiest nor quietest The next day in the morning we all set our course for the Isle of Pinos or Port Plentie where we had left our Ships continuing all that day and the next till towards night before we recovered it We were the longer in this course for that our Captaine sent away his Brother and Ellis Hixon to the westward to search the river Chagro where himselfe had been the yeare before and yet was carefull to gaine more notice of it being a River which tendeth to the Southward within six leagues of Panamah where is a little Town called Venta Cruz whence all the treasure that was usually brought thither from Panamah by Moyles was imbarqued in Frigates downe the River into the North Sea and so to Nombre de dios It eâ—beth and floweth not farre into the land and therefore 〈◊〉 asketh three dayes rowing with a fine Pinnace to passe from the mouth to Venta Cruz but one day and a night serveth to returne downe the River At our returne to our Ships in our consultation Captaine Rause forecasting divers doubts of our safe continuance upon that Coast being now discovered was willing to depart and our Captaine no lesse willing to dismisse him and therefore as soone as our Pinnaces returned from Chagro with such advertisements as they were sent for about eight dayes before Captaine Rause tooke his leave leaving us in the Isle aforesaid where we had remained five or six dayes In which meane time having put all things in a readinesse our Captaine resolved with his two Ships and three Pinnaces to goe to Carthagene whither in sayling we spent some six dayes by reason of the calmes which came often upon us but all this time we attempted nothing that we might have done by the way neither at Tolou nor otherwhere because we would not be discovered We came to anchor with our two Ships in the evening in seven fadome water betweene the Ilands of Charesha and Saint Barnards Our Captaine led the three Pinnaces about the Iland into the Harbour of Carthagene where at the very entry he found a Frigate at anchor aboard which was onely one old Man who being demanded where the rest of his company was answered that they were gone ashoare in their Gundeloe that evening to fight about a Mistris and voluntarily related to our Captaine that two houres before night there past by them a Pinnace with Sayle and Oares as fast as ever they could row calling to him whether there had not beene any English or Frenchmen there lately And upon answer that there had been none they bid them looke to themselves that within an houre that this Pinnace was come to the utter-side of Carthagene there were many great Peeces shot off whereupon one going to top to descry what might be the cause Espyed over the Land divers Frigates and small shipping bringing themselves within the Castle This report our Captaine credited the rather for that himselfe had heard the report of the Ordnance at Sea and perceived sufficiently that hee was now descryed notwithstanding in farther examination of this old Mariner having understood that there was within the next Point a great Ship of Sivell which had here discharged her loding and rid now with her yards acrosse being bound the next morning for Saint Domingo our Captaine tooke this old Man into his Pinnace to verifie that which he had informed and rowed towards this Ship which as we came neere it hailed us asking whence our Shallops were We answered from Nombre de dios straight way they railed and reviled We gave no heed to their words but every Pinnace according to our Captaines order one on the starboord bough the other on the starboord quarter and the Captaine in the midship on the starboord side forthwith boarded her though we had some difficulty to enter by reason of her height being of two hundred forty Tun. But as soone as we entred upon the Decks we
and we the meane time better follow our purposes with our Pinnaces of which our Captaine would himselfe take two to Rio Grande and the third leave with his Brother to seeke the Symerons Upon this resolution we set saile presently for the said Sound which within five dayes we recovered absteining of purpose from all such occasion as might hinder our determination or bewray our being upon the Coast As soone as we arrived where our Captaine intended and had chosen a fit and convenient road out of all trade for our purpose we reposed our selves there for some fifteene dayes keeping our selves close that the bruit of our being upon the Coast might cease But in the meane time we were not idle for besides such ordinary workes as our Captaine every Moneth did usually inure us to about the trimming and fitting of his Pinnaces for their better sailing and rowing he caused us to rid a large plot of ground both of Trees and Brakes and to build us Houses sufficient for all our lodging and one especially for all our publique meetings wherein the Negro which fled to us before did us great service as being well acquainted with the Countrey and their meanes of Building Our Archers made themselves Butts to shoot at because we had many that delighted in that Exercise and wanted not a Fletcher to keepe our Bowes and Arrowes in order The rest of the Company every one as he liked best made his disport at Bowles Quoits Keiles c. For our Captaine allowed one halfe of their Company to passe their time thus every other day interchangeably the other halfe being enjoyned to the necessary workes about our Ship and Pinnaces and the providing of fresh Victuals Fish Fowle Hogs Deere Conies c. whereof there is great plenty Here our Smiths set up their Forge as they used being furnished out of England with Anvill Iron Coales and all manner of necessaries which stood us in great stead At the end of these fifteene dayes our Captaine leaving his Ship in his Brothers charge to keepe all things in order himselfe tooke with him according to his former determination two Pinnaces for Rio Grand and passing by Carthagene but out of sight when we were within two leagues of the River we landed to the Westwards on the Maine where we saw great store of Cattle There we found some Indians who asking us in friendly sort in broken Spanish what we would have and understanding that we desired fresh Victuals in Traffique they tooke such Cattle for us as we needed with ease and so readily as if they had a speciall commandment over them whereas they would not abide us to come neere them And this also they did willingly because our Captaine according to his custome contented them for their paines with such things as they account greatly of in such sort that they promised we should have there of them at any time what we would The same day we departed thence to Rio Grand where we entred about three of the clocke in the after-noone There are two entrings into this River of which we entred the Westermost called Boca Chica The freshet of this River is so great that vve being halfe a league from the mouth of it filled fresh water for our Beverage From three a clocke till darke night we rowed up the streame but the current was so strong downwards that we got but two leagues all that time We moared our Pinnaces to a tree that night for that presently with the closing of the evening there fell a monstrous shower of raine vvith such strange and terrible claps of thunder and flashes of lightning as made us not a little to marvell at although our Captaine had been acquainted with such like in that Countrey and told us that they continue seldome longer then three quarters of an houre This storme was no sooner ceast but it became very calme and therewith there came such an innumerable multitude of a kind of flies of that Country called Muskitos like our Gnats which bite so spitefully that we could not rest all that night nor finde meanes to defend our selves from them by reason of the heate of the Country the best remedy we then found against them was the juyce of Lymons At the breake of day we departed rowing in the eddy and haling up by the trees where the eddy failed with great labour by spels without ceasing each company their halfe houre-glasse without meeting any till about three a clock after noone by which time we could get but five leagues a head Then we espied a Canow with two Indians fishing in the River but we spake not to them lest so we might be descryed nor they to us as taking us to be Spanyards But within an houre after we espied certaine houses on the other side of the River whose channell is twenty five fathome deep and his bredth so great that a man can scantly be discerned from side to side Yet a Spanyard which kept those houses had espied our Pinnaces and thinking we had been his country-men made a smoake for a signall to turne that way as being desirous to speake with us After that we espying this smoak had made with it and were halfe the River over he wheaved us with his hat and his long hanging sleeves to come a shoare But as we drew neerer unto him he discerned that we were not those he looked for he took his heels fled from his houses which we found to be five in number all full of white Ruske dryed Bacon that Country Cheese like Holland Cheese in fashion but farre more delicate in taste of which they send into Spain as speciall Presents many sorts of sweet meats and Conserves with great store of sugar being provided to serve the Fleet returning to Spaine With this store of victuals we loaded our Pinnaces and by the shutting in of the day we were ready to depart for that we hastned the rather by reason of an intelligence given us by certaine Indian Women which we found in those houses that the Frigates these are ordinarily thirty or upwards which usually transport the Merchandise sent out of Spaine to Carthagene from thence to these houses and so in great Canoas up hence into Nueva Reyno for which the River running many hundred leagues within the land serveth very fitly and returne in exchange the gold and treasure silver victuals and commodities which that Kingdome yeeldeth abundantly were not yet returned from Carthagene since the first alarum they tooke of our being there As we were going aboord our Pinnaces from these Store-houses the Indians of a great Towne called Villa del Rey some two miles distant from the waters side where we landed were brought downe by the Spaniards into the bushes and shot their arrowes but we rowed downe the streame with the current for that the winde was against uâ— onely one league and because it was night anchored till the morning when we rowed downe
to the mouth of the River where we unladed all our provisions and clensed our Pinnaces according to our Captaines custome and tooke it in againe and the same day went to the Westward In this returne we descried a Ship a Barke and a Frigate of which the Ship and Frigate went for Carthagene but the Barke was bound to the Northwards with the wind Easterly so that we imagined she had some gold or treasure going for Spaine therefore we gave her chase but taking her and finding nothing of importance in her understanding that she was bound for Sugar and Hides we let her goe and having a good gale of winde continued our former course to our Ship and Company In the way between Carthagene and Tolou we tooke five or six Frigates which were laden from Tolou with live Hogs Hens and Maiz which we call Guyâ—ny Wheat of these having gotten what intelligence they could give of their preparations for us and diverse opinions of us was dismissed all the men onely staying two Frigates with us because they were so well stored with good Victuals Within three dayes after we arrived at the place which our Captaine chose at first to leave his ship in which was called by our Company Port-Plenty by reason we brought in thither continually all manner store of good Victuals which we tooke going that way by Sea for the victualling of Carthagene and Nombre de Dios as also the Fleets going and comming out of Spaine so that if we had beene two thousand yea three thousand persons we might with our Pinnaces easily have provided them sufficient victual of Wine Meale Ruske Cassavy a kinde of Bread made of a Root called Yucca whose juyce is poyson but the substance good and wholesome dryed Beefe dryed Fish live Sheepe live Hogs aboundance of Hens besides the infinite store of dainty fresh very easily to be taken every day Insomuch that he were forced to build foure severall Magazines or Store-houses some tenne some twenty Leagues a sunder some in Ilands some in the Maine providing our selves in diverse places that though the Enemie should with force surprise any one yet we might be sufficiently furnished till we had made our Voyage as we did hope In building of these our Negroes helpe was very much as having a speciall skill in the speedy erection of such houses This our store was such as thereby we releeved not only our selves and the Symerons while they were with us but also two French Ships in extreame want For in our absence Captaine John Drake having one of our Pinnaces as was appointed went in with the maine and as he towed a loofe the shoare where he was directed by Diego the Negroe aforesaid which willingly came unto us at Nombre de dios he espyed certaine of the Symerons with whom he dealt so effectually that in conclusion he left two of our men with their Leader and brought aboard two of theirs agreeing that they should meet him againe the next Day at a River mid way betwene the Cabezas and our Ships which they named Rio Diego These two being very sensible men chosen out by their Commander did with all reverence and respect declare unto our Captaine that their Nation conceived great joy of his arrivall because they knew him to be an enemy to the Spaniards not only by his late being in Nombre de dios but also by his former Voyages and therefore were ready to assist and favour his enterprises against his and their Enemies to the uttermost and to that end their Captaine and Company did stay at this present neer the mouth of Rio Diego to attend what answer and order should be given them that they would have marched by land even to this place but that the way is very long and more troublesome by reason of many steepe Mountaines deepe Rivers and thicke brakes desiring therefore that it might please our Captaine to take some order as he thought best with all convenient speed in this behalfe Our Captaine considering the speech of these persons and weighing it with his former intelligences had not onely by Negroes but Spaniards also whereof he was alwayes very carefull as also conferring it with his Brothers informations of the great kindnesse that they shewed him being lately with them after he had heard the opinions of those of best service with him what vvere fittest to be done presently resolved himselfe with his Brother and the two Symerons in his two Pinnaces to goe toward this River as he did the same evening giving order that the Ship and the rest of his Fleet should the next morning follow him because there vvas a place of as great safety and sufficiency vvhich his Brother had found out neer the River The safety of it consisted not onely in that vvhich is common all along that Coast from Tolou to Nombre de Dios being above sixty leagues that it is a most goodly and plentifull Countrey and yet Inhabited not with one Spaniard or any for the Spaniards but especially in that it lyerh among a great many of goodly Ilands full of Trees vvhere though there be Channels yet there are such Rocks and shoales that no Man can enter by night without great danger nor by day vvithout discovery whereas our Ship might lye hidden within the Trees The next day we arrived at this River appointed vvhere we found the Symerons according to promise the rest of their number were a mile up in a Wood by the Rivers side There after vve had given them entertainment and received good testimonies of their joy and good vvill towards us vve tooke two more of them into our Pinnaces leaving our two men vvith the rest of theirs to much by land to another River called Rio Guana vvith intent there to meet vvith another Company of Symerons vvhich vvere now in the Mountains So vve departed that day from Rio Diego vvith our Pinnaces towards our Ship as marvelling that she followed us not as vvas appointed But two dayes after vve found her in the place vvhere we left her but in farre other state being much spoyled and in great danger by reason of a tempest she had in our absence As soone as we could trim our Ship being some two dayes our Captain sent away one of his Pinnaces towards the bottome of the Bay amongst the shoales and sandy Ilands to sound out the Channell for the bring in of our Ship neerer the Maine The next day we followed and were with wary Pilatage directed safely into the best Channell with much adoe to recover the Road among so many flats and shoales It was neere about five leagues from the Cativaas betwixt an Iland and the Maine where we moared our Ship The Iland was not above foure Cables length from the Maine being in quantity some three Acres of ground flat and very full of Trees and Bushes We were forced to spend the best part of three dayes after our departure from our
In these three last dayes march in the Champion as we past over the Hils we might see Panama five or six times a day and the last day we saw the Ships riding in the road But after that we were come within a dayes journey of Panama our Captaine understanding by the Symerons that the Dames of Panama are wont to send forth Hunters and Fowlers for taking of sundry dainty Fowle which the Land yeeldeth by whom if we Marched not very heedfully we might be descryed caused all his Company to March out of all ordinary way and that with as great heed silence and secrecy as possibly they might to the Grove which was agreed on foure dayes before lying within a league of Panama where we might lye safely undiscovered near the High-way that leadeth from thence to Nombre de Dios. Thence we sent a chosen Symeron one that had served a Master in Panamah before time in such Apparell as the Negroes of Panama doe use to Warre to be our Espiall to goe into the Towne to learne the certaine night and time of the night when the Carriers laded the Treasure from the Kings Treasure-house to Nombre de Dios. For they are wont to take their journey from Panama to Venta Cruz which is six leagues ever by night because the Countrey is all Champion and consequently by dâ—y very hot but from Venta Cruz to Nombre de Dios as oft as they travell by Land with their Treasure they travell alwayes by day and not by night because all that way is full of Woods and therefore very fresh and coole unlesse the Symerons happily encounter them and make them sweat with feare as sometimes they have done whereupon they are glad to guard their Recoes with Souldiers as they passe that way This last day our Captain did behold and view the most of all that faire City discerning the large Street which lyeth directly from the Sea into the Land South and North. By three of the clocke we came into this Grove passing for the more secrecy alongst a certaine River which at that time was almost dryed up Having disposed of our selves in the Grove we dispatched our Spye an houre before night so that by the closing in of the evening he might be in the City as he was whence presently he returned unto us that which very happily he understood by Companions of his That the Teasurer of Lima intending to passe into Spaine in the first adviso which was a Ship of three hundred and fifty Tunne a very good Sayler was ready that night to take his journey towards Nombre de Dios with his Daughter and Family having fourteene Moyles in company of which eight was laden with Gold one with Jewels And farther that there were two other Recoes of fifty Moyles in each laden with Victuals for the most part with some little quantity of Silver to come forth that night after the other There are twenty eight of these Recoes the greatest of them is of seventy Moyles the lesse of fifty unlesse some particular Man hyre for himself ten twenty or thirty as he hath need Upon this notice we forthwith Marched foure leagues till we came within two leagues of Venta Cruz in which March two of our Symerons which were sent before by scent of his Match found and brought a Spaniard whom they had found a sleepe by the way by scent of the said Match and drawing neere thereby heard him taking his breath as he slept and being but one they fell upon him stopt his mouth from crying put out his Match and bound him so that they well neare strangled him by that time he was brought unto us By examining him we found all that to be true which our Spye had reported to us and that he was a Souldier entertained with others by the Treasurer for the guard and conduct of this Treasure from Venta Cruz to Nombre de Dios. This Souldier having learned who our Captaine was tooke courage and was bold to make two requests unto him the one that he would command his Symerons which hated the Spaniards especially the Souldiers extreamly to spare his life which he doubted not but they would doe at his charge the other was that seeing he was a Souldier and assured him that they should have that night more Gold besides Jewels and Pearles of great price then all they could carry if not then he was to be dealt with how they would but if they all found it so then it might please our Captaine to give unto him as much as it might suffize for him and his Mistresse to live upon as he had heard our Captaine had done to divers others for which he would make his name so famous as any of them which had received like favour Being at the place appointed our Captaine with halfe of his men lay on one side of the way about fifty paces off in the long grasse Iohn Oxnam with the Captaine of the Symerons and the other halfe lay on the other side of the way at the like distance but so farre behind that as occasion served the former Company might take the foremost Moyles by the heads and the other the hindmost because the Moyles tyed together are alwayes driven one after another and especially that if we should have need to use our weapons that night we might be sure not to endamage our fellows We had not laine thus in ambush much above an houre but we heard the Recoes comming from the City to Venta Cruz and from Venta Cruz to the City vvhich hath a very common and great trade vvhen the Fleetes are there vve heard them by reason they delight much to have deepe sounding Bels which in a still night are heard very far off Now though there vvere as great charge given as might be that none of our men should show or stirre themselves but let all that came from Venta Cruz to passe quieâ—ly yea their Recoes also because vve knew that they brought nothing but Merchandise from thence yet one of our men called Robert Pike having drunken too much Aqua vitae vvithout vvater forgat himselfe and entising a Symeron forth vvith him vvas gone hard to the way vvith intent to have shewne his forwardnesse on the foremost Moyles And when a Cavalier from Venta Cruz vvell mounted with his Page running at his stirrop past by unadvisedly he rose up to see vvhat he vvas but the Semeron of better discretion puld him dovvne and lay upon him that he might not discover them any more Yet by this the Gentleman had taken notice by seeing one all in white for that we had all put our shirts over oâ—r other apparrell that we might be sure to know our owne men in the pell mell in the night By meanes of this sight the Cavalier putting spurs to his horse râ—de a false Gallop as desirous not only himselfe to be free of this doubt which he imagined but also to give advertisement to others that they
entreated certified our Captaine of the State of the Towne and of the Harbour and of a Frigate that was there ready to come forth within few dayes aboard in which there was above a Million of Gold offering to conduct him to it if we would doe him his right for that he knew the Channell very perfectly so that he could enter by night safely without danger of the Sands and Shallowes though there be but little Water and utterly undesâ—ryed for that the Towne is five leagues within the Harbour and the way by Land is so farre about and difficult thorow the Woods that though we should by any casualty be discovered about the point of the Harbour yet we might dispatch our businesse and depart before the Towne could have notice of our comming At his being there he perceived they had heard of Drakes being on the Coast which had put them in great feare as in all other places Pezoro purposing to remove himselfe to the South Sea but there was nothing â—one to prevent him their freare being so great that as it is accustomed in such cases it excluded Counsell and bred despaire Our Captaine conferring with his owne knowledge and former intelligences was purposed to have returned to his Ship to have taken some of those Symerons which had dwelt with Sinior Pezoro to be the more confirmed in this point But when the Genoway Pilot was very earnest to have the time gained and warranted our Captaine of good speed if we delayed not he dismissed the Frigates somewhat lighter to hasten her journey and with this Pilots advice laboured with Sayle and Oares to get this Harbour and to enter it by night accordingly considering that this Frigate might now be gained and Pezoros House attempted hereafter notwithstanding But when we were come to the mouth of the Harbour we heard the report of two Chambers and farther off about a league within the Bay two other as were answering them Whereby our Genowaise Pilot conjectured that we were discovered for he assured us that this order had beene taken since his last being there by reason of the advertisement and charge which the Governour of Panama had sent unto all the Coast which even in their Beds lay in great and continuall fear of our Captaine and therefore by all likelihood maintained this kinde of Watch at the charge of the rich Gnuffe Pezoro for their security Thus being defeated of this expectation we found that it was not Gods will that we should enter at that time the rather for that the Winde which had all this time beene Easterly came up to the Westward and invited us to returne againe to our Ship where on sheere Thursday we met according to appointment with our Beare and found that she had bestowed her time to more profit then we had done For she had taken a Frigate in which there were ten men whom they set a shoare great store of Maiz twenty eight fat Hogs and two hundred Hennes Our Captaine discharged this Frigate of her lading and because she was new strong and of a good mould the next day he tallowed her to make her a Man of Warre disposing all our Ordnance and provisions that were fit for such use in her For we had heard by the Spaniards last taken that there were two little Gallies built in Nombre de Dios to waft the Chagro Fleete to and fro but were not yet both lanched vvherefore he purposed now to adventure for that Fleete And to hearten his Company he feasted them that Easter-day with great cheere and cheerefulnesse setting up his rest upon that attempt The next day with the new tallowed Frigate of Tolou and his Beare we set saile towards the Cativaas where about two dayes after we landed and stayed while noone at what time seeing a sayle to the Westwards as we deemed making to the Iland we set sayle and plyed towards him vvho descrying us bare with us till he perceived by our confidence that vve vvere no Spaniards and conjectured that we were those Englishmen of vvhom they had heard long before And being in great vvant and desired to be releeved by us he bare up under our Lee and in token of amity shot off his Lee Ordnance which was not unanswered We understood that he vvas Tetu a French Captaine of New-haven a Man of Warre as vve vvere desirous to be releeved by us For at our first meeting the French Captaine cast abroad his hands and prayed our Captaine to helpe him to some water for that he had nothing but Wine and Cider aboord him vvhich had brought his Men into great sicknesse He had sought us ever since he first heard of our being upon the Coast about this five vveekes Our Captaine sent one aboord him vvith some releefe for the present vvilling him to follovv us to the next Port vvhere he should have both Water and Victuals At our comming to Anchor he sent our Captaine a Case of Pistols and a faire guilt Symeter vvhich had beene the late Kings of France vvhom Monsieur Mongomery hurt in the eye and vvas given him by Monsieur Stroffe our Captaine requited him vvith a Chaine of Gold and a Tablet vvhich he vvore This Captaine reported unto us the first newes of the Massacre at Paris at the King of Navarres marriage on Saint Bartholomewes day last of the Admirall of France slaine in his Chamber and divers other Murthers so that he thought those Frenchmen the happiest that were farthest from France now no longer France but Frensie even as if all Gaul were turned into Worme-wood and Gall. Italian practises having over-mastered the French simplicity He shewed what famous and often reports he had heard of our great riches He desired to know of our Captain vvhich vvay he might compasse his Voyage also Though we had him in some jealousie and distrust for all his pretence because we considered more the strength he had then the good will he might beare us yet upon consultation among our selues whether it were fit to receive him or no we resolved to take him and twenty of his Men to serve vvith our Captaine for halfes in such sort as vve needed not doubt of their Forces being but twenty nor be hurt by their Portions being no greater then ours and yet gratifie them in their earnest suit and serve our owne purpose which without more helpe we could very hardly have atchieved Indeed he had seventy Men and we now but thirty one his Ship was above eighty tun and our Frigate not past twenty our Pinnace nothing neer ten tun yet our Captaine thought this proportionable in consideration that not number of Men but quality of their judgements and knowledge were to be the principall actors herein and the French Ship could doe no service nor stand in any steed to this enterprise which we intended and had agreed upon long before both touching the time when it should take beginning and the place where we should meet namely at
Rio Francisco Having thus agreed with Captaine Tetu we sent for the Symerians as before was decreed two of them were brought aboard our Ships to give the French assurance of this agreement As soone as we could furnish our selues and refresh the French Company which was within five or six dayes by bringing them to the Magazine which was the neerest where they were supplyed by us in such sort as they protested they were beholding to us for all their lives taking twenty of the French and fifteene of ours with our Symerons leaving both our Ships in safe Roade we Mand our Frigate and two Pinnaces we had formerly sunke our Lyon shortly after our returne from Panama because we had not Men sufficient to Man her and went towards Rio Francisco which because it had not water enough for our Frigate caused us to leave her at the Cabezas Mand with English and French in the charge of Robert Dohle to stay there without attempting any chase untill the returne of our Pinnaces And then beare to Rio Francisco where our Captaines landed with such Force as aforesaid and charged them that had the charge of the Pinnaces to be there the fourth day next following without any saile And thus knowing that the Cariages went now daily from Panama to Nombre de Dios we proceeded in covert through the Woods towards the High-way that leadeth betweene them It is five leagues accounted by Sea betweene Rio Francisco and Nombre de Dios but that way which we marched by land we found it above seaven league We marched as in our former journey to Panama both for order and silence to the great wonder of the French Captaine and Company who protested they knew not by any meanes how to recover the Pinnaces if the Symerons to whom what our Captaine commanded was a law though they little regarded the French as having no trust in them should leave us our Captain assured him there was no cause of doubt of them of whom he had had such former tryall When we were come vvithin an English mile of the Way vve stayed all night refreshing our selves in great stilnesse in a most convenient place vvhere vve heard the Carpenters being many in number vvorking upon their Ships as they usually doe by reason of the great heat of the day in Nombre de Dios and might heare the Moyles comming from Panama by reason of the advantage of the ground The next morning upon hearing of that great number of Bels the Symerons rejoyced exceedingly as though there could not have befallen them a more joyful accident chiefly having been disappointed before Now they all assured us vve should have more Gold and Silver then all of us could beare away as in truth it fell out For there came three Recoes one of fifty Moyles the other two of seventy each every of vvhich caryed three hundred pound vvaight of Silver vvhich in all amounted to neer thirty Tun. We putting our selus in readinesse vvent down neer the Way to hear the Bels vvhere vve stayed not long but vve saw of vvhat Mettall they vvere made and tooke such hold on the heads of the foremost and hindmost Moyles that all the rest stayed and lay down as their manner is These three Recoes were guarded with forty five Souldiers or thereabouts fifteene to each Reco which caused some exchange of Bullets and Arrowes for a time in which conflict the French Captaine was sore wounded with Hayle shot in the Belly and one Symeron slain But in the end these Souldiers thought it the best way to leave their Moyles with us and to seeke for more helpe abroad in which meane time we tooke some paine to ease some of the Moyles which were heaviest loaden of their carriages And being weary we were content with a few bars and quoits of Gold as we could well carry burying about fifteene tun of Silver partly in the Boroughs which the great Land-crabs had made in the earth and parrly under old trees which are fallen thereabout and partly in the Sand and Gravell of a River not very deepe of water Thus when about this businesse we had spent some two houres and had disposed of all our matters and were ready to March backe the very selfe same way that we came we heard both Horse and Foot comming as it seemed to the Moyles for they never followed us after we were once entred the Woods where the French Captaine by reason of his wound not able to travell farther stayed in hope that some rest would recover him better strength But after we had marched some two leagues upon the French Souldiers complaint that they missed one of their Men also examination being made whether he were slaine or no it was found that he had drunke much Wine and over-lading himselfe with Pillage and hasting to goe before us had lost himselfe in the Woods And as we afterwards knew he was taken by the Spaniards that evening and upon torture discovered unto them where we had hidden our Treasure We continued our March all that and the next day towards Rio Francisco in hope to meet our Pinnaces but when we came thither looking out to Sea we saw seven Spanish Pinnaces which had beene searching all the Coasts thereabout Whereupon we mightily suspected that they had taken or spoyled our Pinnaces for that our Captaine had given so straight charge that they should repaire to this place this after-noone from the Cabezas where they rode whence to our sight these Spaniards Pinnaces did come But the night before there had fallen very much raine with much Westerly Winde vvhich as it enforced the Spaniards to returne home the sooner by reason of the Storme so it kept our Pinnaces that they could not keepe the appointment because the Winde was contrary and blew so strong that with their Oares they could all that day get but halfe the way Notwithstanding if they had followed our Captaines direction in setting forth over night while the wind served they had arrived at the place appointed with farre lesse labour but with farre more danger because that very day at noone the Spanish Shallops mand out of purpose from Nombre de Dios were come to this place to take our Pinnaces imagining where we were after they had heard of our intercepting of the Treasure Our Captaine seeing the Shallops feared least having taken our Pinnaces they had compelled our men by torture to confesse where his Frigate and Ships were Therefore in this distresse and perplexity the Company misdoubting that all meanes of returne to their Country were cut off and that their Treasure then served them to small purpose our Captaine comforted and incouraged us all saying We should venter no farther then he did it was no time now to feare but rather to haste to prevent that which was feared if the Enemy have prevailed against our Pinnaces which God forbid yet they must have time to search them time to examine the Mariners time to
Treasure as being very desirous to return home into their Country and our Captaine as desirous to dismisse them as they vvere to be dismissed for that he foresaw they could not in their Ship avoid the danger of being taken by the Spaniards if they should make out any Men of Warre for them while they lingred on the Coast and having also been then againe releeved vvith Victuals by us Now at our meeting of them againe were very loath to leave us and therefore accompanied us very kindly as far up as Saint Barnards and farther would but that they durst not adventure so great danger for that we had intelligence that the Fleet was ready to set sayle for Spaine riding at the entry of Carthagena Thus we departed from them passing hard by Carthagena in the sight of all the Fleet with a Flag of Saint George in the maine top of our Frigate with silke Streamers and Ancients downe to the water sayling forward with a large wind till we came within two leagues of the River being all low land and darke night where to prevent the over shooting of the River in the night we lay off and on bearing small sayle till that about mid-night the wind veering to the Eastward by two of the Clocke in the morning a Frigate from Rio Grand passed hard by us bearing also but small sayle We saluted them with our shot and Arrowes they answered us vvith Bases but we got aboord them and tooke such order that they were content against their wils to depart a shoar and to leave us this Frigate which was of twenty five Tun loaded with Maiz and Hens and Hogs and some Honey in very good time fit for our use for the Honey especially was a notable releever and preserver of our crased people The next morning as soone as we set those Spaniards a shoare on the maine vve set our course for the Cabezas without any stop whether we came about five dayes after And being at Anchor presently vve hove out all the Maiz aland saving three Buts vvhich vve kept for our store and carrying all our provisions a shoare we brought both our Frigates on the Carine and nevv tallowed them Here we stayed about a seven night trimming and rigging our Frigates boarding and stowing our Provisions tearing abroad and burning our Pinnaces that the Symerons might have the Iron-worke About a day or two before our departure our Captain willed Pedro and three of the chiefest of the Symerons to goe through both his Frigates to see what they liked promising to give it them whatsoever it were so it were not so necessary as that he could not returne into England without it And for their Wives he would himselfe seek out some Silkes or Linnen that might gratifie them which while he was choosing out of his Trunkes the Cymeter which Captaine Tetu had given to our Captaine chanced to be taken forth in Pedroes fight which he seeing grew so much in liking thereof that he accounted of nothing else in respect of it and preferred it before all that could be given him yet imagining that it was no lesse esteemed of our Captaine durst not himselfe open his mouth to crave or commend it but made one Francis Tucker to be his mean to breake his minde promising to give him a fine quoit of Gold which yet he had in store if he would but move our Captaine for it and to our Captaine himselfe he would give foure other great quoits which he had hidden intending to have reserved them till another Voyage Our Captain being accordingly moved by Francis Tucker could have beene content to have made no such exchange but yet desirous to content him that had deserved so well he gave it him with many good words who received it with no little joy affirming that if he should give his Wife and Children which he loved dearly in liev of it he could not sufficiently recompence it for he would present his King with it who he knew would make him a great Man even for this very Gifts sake yet in gratuity and steed of other requitall of this Jewell he desired our Captaine to accept these foure peeces of Gold as a token of his thankfulnesse to him and a pawne of his faithfulnesse during life Our Captaine received it in most kinde sort but tooke it not to his owne benefit but caused it to be cast into the whole Adventure saying If he had not beene set forth to that place he had not attained such a Commodity and therefore it was just that they which bare part with him of his burthen in seting him to Sea should enjoy the proportion of his benefit whatsoever at his returne Thus with good love and liking we tooke our leave of that People setting over to the Ilands of _____ whence the next day after we set sayle towards Cape Saint Anthony by which we past with a large winde but presently being to stand for th' Havana we were faine to ply to the windward some three or foure dayes In which plying we fortuned to take a small Barke in which were two or three hundred Hides and one most necessary thing which stood us in great stead viz. a Pumpe which we set in our Frigate their Barke because it was nothing fit for our service our Captaine gave them to carry them home And so returned to Cape Saint Anthony and landing there we refreshed our Selues and besides great store of Turtles egges found by day in the _____ we tooke two hundred and fifty Turtles by night we powdred and dryed some of them which did us good service the rest continued but a small time There were at this time belonging to Carthagene Nombre de dios Rio granâ— Santa Martha Rio de Hacha Venta Cruz Veragua Nicaragua the Henduras Iamaica c. above two hundred Frigates some of one hundred twenty Tunnes other but of ten or twelve Tun but the most of thirty or forty Tun which all had entercourse between Carthagene and Nombre de dios the most of which during our aboad in those parts we tooke and some of them twice or thrice each yet never burnt or sunck any unlesse they were made out Men of Warre against us or laid as stals to entrap us And of all the men taken in these severall Vessels we never offred any kind of violence to any after they were once come under our power but either presently dismissed them in safety or keeping them vvith us some longer time as some of them we did we alwayes provided for their sustenance as for our selvs secured them from the rage of the Symerons against them till at last the danger of their discovering where our Ships lay being overpast for which onely cause we kept them prisoners vve set them also free Many strange Birds Beasts and Fishes besides Fruits Trees Plants and the like were seen and observed of us in this Journey which willingly we pretermit as hastning to the end of our Voyage
having scarce life in her selfe much lesse milk to nourish her child to be sould as a horse or a cow and calf by her side in which sort of merchandise our generall would not deale But they had also Amber-greece with certain gums of some estimation which they brought to exchange with our men for water whereof they have great want so that coming with their Allforges they are leathern bags holding liquor to buy water they cared not at what price they bought it so they may have to quench their thirst A very heavy judgement of God upon that coast The circumstances whereof considered our generall would receive nothing of them for water but freely gave it them that came to him yea fed them also ordinarily with our victuals in eating whereof their manner was not uncivill and unsightly to us but even inhumane and loathsome in it self And having washed and trim'd our ships and discharged all our spanish prises excepting one Caunter for which we gave to the owner of our own ships viz. the Christopher and one carvell formerly bound to Saint Jago which we caused to accompany us hither where she also was discharged after six dayes abode here we departed directing our course for the Islands of cape Verde where if any were we were of necessity to store our fleet with fresh water for a long time for that our generall intended from thence to run a long couse even to the coast of Brasill without touch of land And now having the wind constant at North East E. North E. which is usuall about those parts because it bloweth almost continually from the shoare January the 27. we coasted Bonavista and the next day after we came to anchor under the Wester part towards St. Jago of the Island Maio it lyeth in 15. deg 00. high land saving that the North-west part strecheth out into the sea the space of a league very low and is inhabited by subjects to the King of Portugall Here landing in hope of traffique with the inhabitants for water we found a Town not farre from the waters side of a great number of desolate and ruinous houses with a poor naked Chappell or Oratory such as small cost and charge might serve and suffice being to small purpose and as it seemeth only to make a shew and that a false shew contrary to the nature of a scarecrow which feareth birds from coming nigh this entiseth such as passe by to hale in and look for commodity which is not at all to be found there though in the inner parts of the Island it be in great abundance For when we found the Springs and Wells which had been there as appeareth stopped up again and no other water to purpose to be had to serve our need we marched up to seek some more convenient place to supply our want or at least to see whether the people would be dealt withall to help us therein In this travelling we found the soile to be very fruitfull having every where plenty of fig trees with fruit upon most of them But in the vallies and low ground where little low cottages were built were pleasant vineyards planted bearing then ripe and most pleasant grapes There were also trees without any branch till the top which bare the Coco nuts There were also great store of certain lower trees with long and broad leaves bearing the fruit which they call Plantanes in clusters together like puddings a most dainty and wholesome fruit All of these trees were even laden with fruit some ready to be eaten others coming forward others over ripe Neither can this seem strange though about the middest of winter with us for that the Sun doth never withdraw himself farther off from them but that with his lively heat he quickneth and strengthneth the power of the soile and plant neither ever have they any such frost and cold as thereby to loose their green hâ—w and appearance We found very good water in diverse places but so far off from the road that we could not with any reasonable paines enjoy it The people would by no meanes be induced to have any conference with us but keeping in the most sweet fruitfull vallie among the hils where their Towns and places of dwelling were gave us leave without interruption to take our pleasure in survewing the Island as they had some reason not to endanger themselves where they saw they could reape nothing sooner then damage shame if they should have offer'd violence to them which came in peace to do them no wrong at all This Iland yeildeth other great commodities as wonderfull heards of goats infinite store of wilde hens salt without labour only the gathering it together excepted which continually in a marvellous quantity is increased upon the sands by the flowing of the sea and the heate of the Sunne kerning the same So that of the increase thereof they keep a continuall traffique with their neighbours in the other adjacent Islands We set saile thence the 30. day Being departed from Maio the next day we passed by the Island of Sain Jago ten leagues west of Maio in the same latitude inhabited by the Portugals and Moores together The cause whereof is said to have been in the Portugals themselves who continuing long time Lords within themselves in the said Island used that extream and unreasonable cruelty over their slaves that their bondage being intollerable they were forced to seek some means to help themselves and to lighten that so heavy a burden and thereupon chose to flie into the most mountany parts of the Island and at last by continuall escapes increasing to a great number and growing to a set strength do now live with that terror of their oppressors that they now endure no les bondage in mind then the Forcatos did before in body besides the dammage that they daily suffer at their hands in their goods and cattel together with the abridging of their liberties in the use of divers parts of the fruitfull soile of the said Island which is very large marvellous fruitfull a refuge for all such ships as are bound towards Brasill Ginny the East Indies Binny Calecut c. and a place of rare force if it were not for the cause afore-recited which hath much abated the pride and cooled the courage of that people who under pretence of trafique and friendship at first making an entrance ceased not practising upon the poore Islands the ancient remainders of the first planters thereof as it may seem from the coast of Guinea untill they had excluded them from all government and liberty yea almost life On the South-west of this Island we took a Portugall laden the best part with wine and much good cloth both linnen and woollen besides other necessaries bound for Brasill with many Gentlemen and Marchants in her As we passed by with our fleet in sight of 3. of their towns they seemed very joyfull that we touched
proportionable and finely set together with a most thinne and dainty film that they might seem to serve for a much longer or higher flight but the dryness of them is such after some 10. or 12. strokes that he must needs into the water again to moisten them which else would grow stiffe and unfit for motion The increase of this little and wonderfull creature is in a manner infinite the fry whereof lyeth upon the upper part of the waters in the heat of the Sun as dust upon the face of the earth which being in bignesse of a wheat straw and in length an inch more or less do continually exercise themselves in both their faculties of nature wherein if the Lord had not made them expert indeed their generation could not have continued being so desired a prey to so many which greedily hunt after them forcing them to escape in the aire by flight when they cannot in the waters live in safety Neither are they always free or without danger in their flying but as they escape one evill by refusing the waters so they sometimes fall into as great a mischief by mounting up into the aire and that by means of a great and ravening foule named of some a Don or Spurkite who feeding chiefly on such fish as he can come by at advantage in their swimming in the brim of the waters or leaping above the same presently ceaseth upon them with great violence making havock especially among these flying fishes though with small profit to himself There is another sort of fish which likewise flyeth in the aire named a Cuttill it s the same whose bones the Goldsmiths commonly use or at least not unlike the sort a multitude of which have at one time in their flight fallen into our ships amongst our men Passing thus in beholding the most excellent works of the eternall God in the seas as if we had been in a garden of pleasure April 5. we fell with the coast of Brazil in 31. deg 30. mi. towards the pole Antartick where the land is low neere the sea but much higher within the countrey having in depth not above 12. fathome 3. leagues off from the shoare and being descried by the inhabitants we saw great and huge fires made by them in sundry places Which order of making fires though it be universall as well among Christians as Heathens yet is it not likely that many do use it to that end which the Brasilians do to wit for a sacrifice to Divels whereat they intermix many and divers ceremonies of conjurations casting up great heaps of sand to this end that if any ships shall go about to stay upon their coasts their ministring spirits may make wrack of them whereof the Portugals by the losse of divers of their ships have had often experience In the reports of Magellanes voyage it is said that this people pray to no manner of thing but live only according to the instinct of nature which if it were true there should seeme to be a wonderfull alteration in them since that time being fallen from a simple and naturall ereature to make Gods of Divels but I am of the mind that it was with them then as now it is only they lacked then the like occasion to put it in practise which now they have for then they lived as a free people among themselves but now are in most miserable bondage slavery both in body goods wife and children and life it self to the Portugals whose hard and most cruell dealings against them forceth them to fly into the unfruitfull parts of their own land rather there to starve or at least live miserably with liberty then to abide such intollerable hondage as they lay upon them using the aforesaid practises with Divels both for a revenge against their oppressors and also for a defence that they have no further entrance into the country And supposing in deed that no other had used travell by sea in ships but their enemies only they therefore used the same at our coming notwithstrnding our God made their divelish intent of none effect for albeit there lacked not within the space of our falling with this coast forcible storms and tempests yet did we sustain no damage but only the separating of our ships out of shoare but we could find no harbor in many leagues And therefore coasting along the land towards the south April 7. we had a violent storm for the space of 3. houres with thunder lightning and rain in great abundance accompanied with a vehement south wind directly against us which caused a separation of the Christopher viz. the Caunter which we took at cape Blank in exchange for the Christopher whose name she hence forward bore from the rest of the fleet After this we keep on our course sometime to the seaward sometimes toward the shoare but alwaies southward as neere as we could till April 14. in the morning at which time we passed by Cape Saint Mary which lies in 35. deg neere the mouth of the river of Plate and running within it about 6. or 7. leagues along by the maine we came to anchor in a bay under another cape which our Generall afterwards called cape Joy by reason of the second day after our anchoring here the Christopher whom we had lost in the former storm came to us again Among other cares which our Generall took in this action next the main care of effecting the voyage it self these were the principall and chiefly subordinate to keep our whole fleet as neere as possible we could together to get fresh Water which is of continual use to refresh our men wearied vvith long toyls at sea as oft as vve should find any opportunity of effecting the same And for these causes it vvas determined publique notice thereof given at our departure from the Islands of cape Verde that the next randevouze both for the recollecting of our navy if it should be despersed as also vvatering and the like should be the river of Plate vvhether vve vvere all to repaire vvith all the convenient speed that could be made and to stay one for another if it should happen that vve could not arrive there altogether and the effect vve found ansvverable to our expectations for here our severed ship as hath been declared found us again and here vve found those â—ther helps also so much desired The country here about is of a temperate and most svveet aire and pleasant to behold and besides the exceeding fruitfulnesse of the soyle it s stored vvith plenty of large and mighty Deere Notvvithstanding that in this first bay vve found svveet and vvholesome vvater even at pleasure yet the same after the arrivall of Caunter we removed some twelve leages farther up into another where we found a long rock or rather Island of rocks not far from the main making a commodious harâ—â—â— specially against a southerly wind under them we anchored and rode till the
20. day at night in which mean space we killed divers Seales or sea-wolves as the Spaniard calls them which resorted to these rocks in great abundance They are good mâ—at and were an acceptable food to us for the present and a goâ—d supply of our provision for the future Hence April 20. we waighed again and sailed yet further up into the river even till we found but three fadome deep that we roade with our ships in fresh water but we staid not there nor in any other place of the river because that the winds being strong the shoals many and no safe harbor found we could not without our great danger so have done Hailing therefore to seaward again the 27. of the same moneth after that we had spent a just fortnight in that river to the great comfort of the whole fleet we passed by the south side thereof into the main The land here lieth south south W. and N.N.E. with shole water some 3. or 4 leagues off into the sea it s about 36. deg 20. min. and somewhat better south latitude At our very first coming forth to sea again to wit the same night our fly-boat the Swan lost company of us whereupon though our Generall doubted nothing of her happy coming forward again to the rest of the fleet yet because it was grievous to have such often losses and that it was his duty as much as in him lay to prevent all inconveniences besides that might grow he determined to diminish the number of his ships thereby to draw his men unto less room that both the fewer ships might the better keep company that they might also be the better appointed with new and fresh supplies of provision men one to ease the burden of another especially for that he saw the coast it draweth now toward winter here to be subject to many and grievous storms and therefore he continued on his course to find out a convenient harbor for that use searching all that coast from 36. to 47. deg as diligently as contrary winds and sundry storms would permit and yet sound none for the purpose And in the mean time viz. May 8. by another storm the Caunter also was once more severed from us May 12. we had sight of land in 47. deg where we were forced to come to anchor in such roade as we could find for the time Neverthelesse our Generall named the place cape Hope by reason of a bay discovery within the hâ—dland which seem'd to promise a good and commodious harbor But by reason of many rocks lying off from the place we durst not adventure with our ships into it without good and perfect discovery beforehand made Our Generall especially in matters of moment was never wont to rely only on other mens care how trusty or skilfull soever they might seem to be but alwayes contemning danger and refusing no toyle he was wont himself to be one whosoever was a second at every turn where courage skill or industry was to be imployeb neither would he at this time intrust the discovery of these dangers to anothers pains but rather to his own experience in searching out and sounding of them A boat being therefore hoised forth himself with some others the next morning May 13. rowed into the bay and being now very nigh the shorae one of the men of the country shewed himself unto him seeming very pleasant singing and dancing after the noise of a rattle which he shook in his hand expecting earnestly his landing But there was suddenly so great an alteration in the weather into a thick and misty fogge together with an extream storm and tempest that our general being now 3. leagues from his ship thought it be better to return then either to land or make any other stay and yet the fog thickned so mightily that the sight of the ships was bereft them and if Cap. Thomas upon the abundance of his love and service to his generall had not adventured with his ship to enter that bay in this perplexity where good advice would not suffer our ships to beare in while the winds were more tolerable and the aire cleerer we had sustained some great loss or our generall had been further endangered who was now quickly received aboard his ship out of which being within the bay they let fall an anchor and rode there God be praised in safety but our other ships rideing without were so oppressed with the extremity of the storm that they were forced to run off to the sea for their own safegard being in good hope only of the good successe of that ship which was gone in to relieve our generall before this storm arose our Caunter formerly lost was come in the same day unto us in the same roade but was put to sea again the same evening with the rest of the fleet The next day May 14. the weather being faire and the winds moderate but the fleet out of sight our generall determined to go ashoare to this end that he might by making of fires give signes to the dispersed ships to come together again into the roade whereby at last they were all assembled excepting the Swan lost long time before and excepting our Portugal prise called the Mary which waying in this last storm the night before and now lost company and was not found again in a long time after In this place the people being removed up into the country belike for feare of our comming we found neere unto the rocks in houses made for that purpose as also in divers other places great store of Ostriches at least to the number of 50. with much other foule some dried and some in drying for their provision as it seemed to carry with them to the place of their dwellings The Ostriches thighes were in bignesse â—quall to reasonable legs of mutton they cannot flie at all but they run so swiftly and take so long strides that it is not possible for a man in running by any meanes to take them neither yet to come so nigh them as to have any shot at them either with bow or peece whereof our men had often proof on other parts of that coast for all the country is full of them we found there the tools or instruments which the people use in taking them Among other means they use in betraying of these Ostriches they have a great and large plume of feathers orderly compact together upon the end of a staff in the forepart beareing the likness of the head neck and bulk of an Ostrich in the hinder part spreading it self out very large sufficient being holden before him to hide the most part of the body of a man with this it seemeth they staulk driving them into some strait or neck of land close to the sea side where spreading long and strong nets with their dogs which they have in readinesse at all timeâ—â—◠〈◊〉 overthrow them and make a common quarry The
at what time we arrived at a little Island to the Southward of Celebes standing in 1. deg 40. min. towards the pole antarticke which being without Inhabitants gave us the better hope of quiet abode We anchored and finding the place convenient for our purposes there wanting nothing here which we stood in need of but onely water which we were faine to fetch from another Island somewhat farther to the South made our abode here for six and twenty whole dayes together The first thing we did we pitched our Tents and intrenched our selves as strongly as we could upon the shoare least at any time perhaps we might have been disturbed by the Inhabitants of the greater Island which lay not far to the Westward of us after we had provided thus for our security we landed our Goods and had a Smiths Forge set up both for the making of some necessary Shipworke and for the repairing of some Iron-hooped Caskes without which they could not long have served our use and for that our Smiths Coals were all spent long before this time there was order given and followed for the burning of Charcoale by which that want might be supplyed We trimd our Ship and performed our other businesses to our content The place affording us not onely all necessaries which we had not of our owne before thereunto but also wonderfull refreshing to our wearied bodies by the comfortable reliefe and excellent provision that here we found whereby of sickly weake and decayed as many of us seemed to be before our comming hither we in short space grew all of us to be strong lusty and healthfull persons Besides this we had rare experience of Gods wonderfull wisedome in many rare and admirable creatures which here we saw The whole Island is a through grown wood the trees for the most part are of large and high stature very straight and clean without bowes save onely in the very top The leaves whereof are not much unlike our Brooms in England Among these Trees night by night did shew themselves an infinite swarme of Firie-seeming wormes flying in the aire whose bodies no bigger then an ordinary Flye did make a shew and give such light as if every twig on every Tree had been a lighted Candle or as if that place had beene the Starry Sphear To these we may adde the relation of another almost as strange a creature which here we saw and that was an innumerable multitude of huge Bats or Reare-mice equalling or rather exceeding a good Hen in bignesse They flie with marvelous swiftnesse but their flight is very short and when they light they hang onely by the bowes with their backs downeward Neither may we without ingratitude by reason of the special use we made of them omit to speak of the huge multitude of a certaine kind of Crayfish of such a size that one was sufficient to satisfie four hungry men at a dinner being a very good and restorative meat the speciall means as we conceived it of ouâ— increase of health They are as farre as we could perceive utter strangers to the Sea living alwayes on the Land where they worke themselves earths as doe the conies or rather they dig great and huge caves under the rootes of the most huge and monstrous Trees where they lodge themselves by companies together Of the same sort and kind we found in other places about the Iland Celebes some that for want of other refuge when we came to take them did clime up into trees to hide themselves whether we were enforced to climb after them if we would have them which we would not stick to do rather then to be without them this Island we called Crab-Island All necessary causes of our staying longer in this place being at last finished our Generall prepared to be in a readinesse to take the first advantage of the comming of the brize or winde which we expected and having the day before furnished our selves with fresh water from the other Island and taken in provision of Wood and the like December 12. we put to Sea directing our course toward the West the 16. day we had sight of the Island Celebes or Silebis but having a bad wind and being intangled among many Ilands incumbred also with many other difficulties some dangers at last meeting with a deep Bay out of which we could not in three dayes turne out againe we could not by any meanes recover the North of Silebis or continue on our course farther West but were inforced to alter the same toward the South finding that course also to be both difficult and very dangerous by reason of many shoales which lay far off here and there among the Islands insomuch that in all our passages from England hitherto we had never more care to keepe our selves a float and from sticking on them thus were we forced to beat up and downe with extraordinary care and circumspection till January 9. at which time we supposed that we had at last attained a free passage the land turning evidently in our sight about to Westward and the Winde being enlarged followed us as we desired with a reasonable Gale When loe on a sudden when we least suspected no shew or suspition of danger appearing to us and we were now sailing onward with full sails in the beginning of the first watch of the said day at night even in a moment our ship was laid up fast upon a desperate shoal with no other likelihood in appearance but that we with her must there presently perish there being no probability how any thing could be saved or any Person sâ—â—pe alive The unexpectednesse of so extreame a danger presently roused us up to looke about us but the more we looked the lesse hope we had of getting clear of it againe so that nothing now presenting it selfe to our mindes but the ghastly appearance of instant death affording no respite or time pausing called upon us to turne our thoughts another way to renounce the World to deny our selves and to commend our selves into the mercifull hands of our most gracious God to this purpose we presently fell prostrate and with joyned prayers sent up unto the throne of grace humbly be sought Almighty God to extend his mercy unto us in his Son Christ Jesus and so preparing as it were our necks unto the blocke we every minute expected the finall stroke to be given unto us Notwithstanding that we expected nothing but iminent death yet that we might not seeme to tempt God by leaving any second meanes unattempted which he afforded presently as soon as prayers were ended our General exhorting us to have the especiallest care of the better part to wit the Soule and adding many comfortable speeches of the joyes of that other life which we now alone looked for incouraged us all to bestirre our selves shewing us the way thereto by his owne example and first of all the Pump being wel plyed and the ship
degrees or very neare thereunto Our Pinnaces manned and comming to the shore we marehed up alongst the River side to see what place the Enemie held there for none amongst us had any knowledge thereof at all Here the Generall tooke occasion to march with the companies himselfe in Person the Lieutenant Generall having the Vantguard and going a mile up or somewhat more by the River side we might discerne on the other side of the River over against us a fort which newly had been built by the Spaniards and some mile or three about above the fort was a little Town or village without wals built of woodden houses as this Plot here doth plainly shew we forthwith prepared to have Ordnance for the battery and one Peece was a little before the evening planted and the first shot being made by the Lievtenant Generall himselfe at their Ensigne strake through the Ensigne as we afterwards understood by a Fenchman which came unto us from them One shot more was then made which strake the foot of the fort Wall which was all massive timber of great trees like Mastes The Lievtenant Generall was determined to passe the River this night with foure Companies and there to lodge himselfe intrenched as neare the Fort as that he might play with his Muskets and smallest shot upon any that should appeare and so afterward to bring and plant the battery with him but the helpe of the Marriners for that sudden to make Trenches could not be had which was the cause that this determination was remitted untill the next night In the night the Lievtenant General tooke a little rowing Skiffe and halfe a dozen well armed as Captaine Morgan and Captaine Sampson with some others besides the rowers and went to view what gard the Enemy kept as also to take knowledge of the ground And albeit he went as covertly as might be yet the Enemy taking the Alarum grew fearfull that the whole Force was approaching to the assault and therefore with all speed abandoned the place after the shooting of some of their Peeces They thus gone and he being returned unto us againe but nothing knowing of their flight from their Fort forthwith came a Frenchman being a Phipher who had been prisoner with them in a little Boat playing on his Phiph the tune of the Prince of Orange his song and being called unto by the Guard he told them before he put foot out of the Boat what he was himselfe and how the Spaniards were gone from the Fort offering either to remaine in hands there or else to return to the place with them that would goe Upon this Intelligence the Generall the Lievtenant Generall with some of the Captaines in one Shiffe and the Vice-Admiral with some others in his Skiffe and two or three Pinnaces furnished of Souldiers with them put presently over towards the Fort giving order for the rest of the Pinnaces to follow And in our approach some of the Enemy bolder then the rest having stayed behinde their company shot off two peeces of Ordnance at us but on shore we went and entred the place without finding any man there When the day appeared we found it built all of Timber the Wals being none other but whole Masts or bodies of Trees set upright and close together in manner of a Pale without any Ditch as yet made but who intended with some more time for they had not as yet finished all their work having begun the same some three or foure Moneths before so as to say the truth they had no reason to keepe it being subject both to fire and easie assault The platforme whereon the Ordnance lay was whole bodies of long Pine trees whereof there is great plenty layed a crosse one on another and some little earth amongst There was in it thirteen or fourteen great peeces of brasse Ordnance and a Chest unbroken up having in it the value of some two thousand pounds sterling by estimation of the Kings treasure to pay the Souldiers of that place who were one hundred and fifty Men. The Fort thus won which they called S. John Fort and the day opened we assayed to goe to the Towne but could not by reason of some Rivers and broken ground which was betweene the two places and therefore enforced to imbarke againe into our Pinnaces we went thither upon the great maine River which is called as also the Towne by the name of S. Augustine At our approaching to land there was some that began to shew themselves to bestow some few shot upon us but presently withdrew themselves And in their runing thus away the Serjeant Major finding one of their Horses ready sadled bridled took the same to follow the chase and so overgoing all his Company was by one layed behinde a Bush shot through the head and falling downe therewith was by the same and two or three more stabbed in three or foure places of his body with Swords and Daggers before any could come neere to his reskue His death was much lamented being in very deed an honest wise Gentleman and a Souldier of good experience and of as great courage as any man might be In this place called S. Augustine we understood the King did keepe as is before said one hundred and fifty Souldiers and at another place some dozen leagus beyond to the Northwards called S. Helena he did there likewise keepe one hundred and fifty more serving there for no other purpose then to keepe all other Nations from Inhabiting any part of all that Coast the Government wherof vvas committed to one Pedro Melendez Marquesse Nephew to that Melendez the Admitall vvho had overthrown Master John Hawkins in the Bay of Mexico some fifteen or sixteen years agoe This Governor had charge of both places but vvas at this time in this place and one of the first that left the same Here it vvas resolved in full assembly of Captaines to undertake the enterprize of S. Helena and from thence to seek out the Inhabitation of our English Country-Men in Virginia distant from thence some six degrees Northward When we came thwart of Saint Helena the shols appearing dangerous and we having no Pilot to undertake the entrie it was thought meerest to goe hence alongst For the Admiral had been the same night in four fadome and a halfe three leagues from the shore and yet we understood by the help of a known Pilot there may and doth goe in Ships of greater burthen and draught then any we had in our Fleet. We passed thus alongst the Coast hard aboord the shore which is shallow for a league or two from the shore and the same is low and broken land for the most part The ninth of June upon fight of one speciall great fire which are very ordinary all alongst this coast even from the Cape of Florida hither the Generall sent his Skiffe to the shore where they found some of our English Country men that had been sent thither the year
28 degrees and are distant one from the other 4 or 5 leagues Inhabited only by a savage people These Islands from the Grand Canadoes are distant ten leagues The twenty sixt of September we anchored in the aforesaid port of Canadoes otherwise called S. John Decrus and about ten of the clock in the forenoone we were imbarked into Boats and Pinnaces endeavoring with the greatest celerity to attain to land but were frustrated of our intentions by the Enemies vigilancy who waiting our comming had intrenched themselves in the very place where we should have put to shore who upon our approach plyed us so fast with great and small shot both from the Castle and towne and from the other side of us that we were constrained to retire with the losse of some few men unto our Ships againe The Enemy were in number betweene three or foure hundred strong The same day being all imbarked in our Ships againe we departed to a certaine place where we watered it lyeth West and by North from the towne and was in times past a great and famous River But now it is overgrown with grasse it commeth from the Rocks and runneth to the Sea The people of this Island being a barbarous people and Mountaneers vve had slaine at this watering place by them of our men which stragled into the Countrey amongst whom vvas Captaine Grinston and foure more with him the which were wounded very sore and torne with dogges which they keepe of purpose to destroy our men when any of them come there to water This Iland yeeldeth much Wine as Canadoe Wine and divers kind of graine as Wheat and such like great store of Conies and Partredges and Tresse which have a joyce like Milk but rank poyson This Iland hath many mighty Rocks in it there is about twenty leagues distant from this Island another Island called the Tenereffe or Peak of Tenereffe It is a mighty high land Sunday the twenty eight of September a little before night we departed from the aforesaid watering place towards the Orientall Indies we tooke our course South West and by West Septemb. 29 being Michaelmas day we sayled South west and by South the thirtieth we sayled South vvest the first of October we sayled West and by South the thirteenth we sayled West in the height of sixteenth degr the fourteenth the wind was southernly the five and twentieth of this Moneth the Hope and the Adventure fell foule on one another about ten of the clocke in the night so that they of the Adventure were constrained to cut downe their Nisson Maste and to fling it overboord The night being very darke and there arising a great tempest of Haile and Raine at the same time they were in extream Jeopardy of their lives which caused in them a very great terror The twenty seventh of October we espyed the Island of Martinino which lay from us towards the West This Island is inhabited by a Barbarous people called Canibals We vvere thirty dayes sayling between the Canadoes and Martinino From this Island we sayled towards an Island called Dominica where is great store of Tobacco It is distant from Martinino about ten or twelve of our English miles and beareth West and by North. The people of this Island be not altogether so rude as other peopl are for they would traffick with us for hatched Knives such like Commodities in exchange for their Tobacco which is the chiefest commodity this Island yeeldeth The Weapons used by these people are Bowes and Arrowes made of a Reed with a sharp peece of Braseilon the end thereof they to use wear their haire very long cut round by their shoulders The thirtieth of this instant October we came to another Island called Gordelowpa which is distant from that of Dominica ten leagues we went unto a certaine River of that Island on the West side there be many Rivers issuing out of the Mountaines with great force into the Sea This Island is not inhabited but is a very Wildernesse wherein are many wilde Beasts amongst the rest there is one worthy of your observation in shape of a Serpent We continued there from the thirtieth of October to the fourth of November From thence we sayled towards the River della hatch and struke our course North West and by North. The seventh of November vve descried three Islands of the Trigonies vvhich lyeth between Gordelowpa and Saint John de Portrizo the first is called Mononalla the second Rotmido the third Savoa we sayled within three or four leagues of them vvhere vve found it in depth sometimes five otherwhiles eight fathome the shoal beareth from us North east The eight of November our Generall set on shoar all the Land-men to the end that every Captaine might know his owne men The tenth of November vve departed from that Harbour to another three or four English miles distant vvhere vve continued untill tuesday the eleventh of November and then set sayle for Saint John de Portrizo West and by North. These Islands belonging to Virginia be many in number vve cannot name them because they be without Inhabitants there are many faire Harbours in them in some whereof one thousand Ships may ride at anchor on every side the Mountaines are very high Thence we went to some passages not farre of The twelfth of November being Wednesday we anchored within three or foure English miles of the Towne of Portricho against a great Fort where was placed a great peece of Ordnance which plyed us with shot divers times The same day Sir John Hawkins dyed at the place aforesaid whose death in regard that he was one of our chiefe Commanders a wise discreet and carefull Man for his Company was no little griefâ— unto us all The same day also was Sir Nicholas Clifford Captaine Stratford Master Brutt Browne were wounded with the same peece of Ordnance from the said Fort all at one time sitting at Supper with our Generall Sir Francis Drake and Sir Thomas Baskerfield the stoole that Sir Francis Drake sat on was struke from under him as he was drinking of a cup of Beere yet by Gods providence he escaped with all the rest but onely them three before mentioned the same night Sir Nicholas Clifford dyed of the same wound and the same night we went against the Towne where we anchored The next day which was thursday the 13. of November our Generall called a Councell The night following about nine of the clocke in the night certaine shott being appointed to be imbarked in our Pinnaces and Boats with Gunners and Fire-workes there were to the number of five hundred Men which went within the Harbour to burne the five Men of Warre which rode within the Harbour one of them was of the burthen of foure hundred tunne the rest not so big in this Ship was planted great store of great Ordnance which played upon our Men exceedingly besides great store of small shott likewise great store of great shott from the shore with