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
Port Plentie before we were quiet in the new-found Road which we had but newly entred when our two Men and the former Troope of Simerons with twelve other whom they had met in the Mountaines came in sight over against our Ship on the Maine whence we fet them all aboard to their great comfort and our content they rejoycing that they should have some fit opportunity to wreake their wrongs on the Spaniards we hoping that now our Voyage should be bettered At our first meeting when our Captaine had moved them to shew him the meanes which they had to furnish him with Gold and Silver they answered plainly that had they knowne Gold had been his desire they could have satisfied him with store which for the present they could not doe because the Rivers in which they had suncke great store which they had taken from the Spaniards rather to despite them then for love of Gold were now so high that they could not get it out of such depths for him and because the Spaniards in these rainy Moneth doe not use to carry their Treasure by Land This answer although it were somewhat unlooked for yet nothing discontented us but rather perswaded us farther of their honest and faithfull meaning towards us Therefore our Captaine to entertaine these five Moneths commanded all our Ordnance and Artillery a shoare with all our other Provisions sending his Pinnaces to the Maine to bring over great Trees to make a Fort upon the same Iland for the planting of all our Ordnance therein and for our safeguard if the Enemy in all this time should chance to come Our Symerons cut downe Palmito boughes and branches and with wonderfull speed raised up two large Houses for all our Company Our Fort was then made by reason of the place triangle wise with maine Timber and Earth of which the Trench yeelded us good store so that we made it thirteen foot in height But after we had continued upon this Iland fourteen dayes our Captain having determined with three Pinnaces to goe for Carthagene left his Brother John Drake to govern these who remained behinde with the Symerons to finish the Fort which he had begun for which he appointed him to fetch Boords and Plancks as many as his Pinnace would carry from the Prize which we tooke at Rio Grand and left at the Cativaas where she drave a shore and wracked in our absence but now she might serve very commodiously to supply our uses in making Platformes for our Ordnance Thus our Captaine and his Brother tooke their leave the one to the Eastward and the other to the Cativaas That night we came to an I le which hee called Spuâ—kite Iland because we found there great store of such a kinde a Bird in shape but very delicate of which we killed and rosted many staying there till the next day midnoone when we departed thence and about foure a clocke recovered a big Iland in our way where we staying all night by reason that there was great store of Fish and especially of a great kinde of Shel-fish of a foot long we called them Whelkes The next morning we were cleere of these Ilands and Shoales and haled off into the Sea About foure dayes after neere the Ilands of Saint Bernards we chased two Frigates a shore and recovering one of the Ilands made our abode there some two dayes to wash our Pinnaces and rake off the Fish Thence we went towards Tolou and that day landed neer the Town in a Garden where we found certaine Indians who delivered us their Bowes and Arrowes and gathered for us such Fruit as the Garden did veeld being many sorts of dainty Fruits and Roots still contenting them for that we received our Captains principall intent in taking this and other places by the way not being for any other cause but onely to learne true intelligences of the state of the Countrey and of the Fleets Hence we departed presently and rowed towards Charesha the Iland of Carthagene and entred in at Bocha Chica and having the winde large we sailed in towards the Citie and let fall our Grappers betwixt the Iland and the Maine right over against the goodly Garden Iland In which our Captaine would not suffer us to land notwithstanding our importunate desire because he knew it might be dangerous for that they are wont to send Souldiers thither when they know any Men of Warre upon the Coast which we found accordingly for vvithin three houres after passing by the point of the Iland vve had a volley of an hundred shot from them and yet there was but one of our men hurt This evening we departed to Sea and the day following being some two leagues off the Harbour we tooke a Barke and found that the Captaine and his wife with the better sort of the passengers had forsaken her and were gone a shoare in their Guâ—delow by occasion whereof we boorded without resistance though they were very well provided with Swords and Targets and some small shot besides foure Iron Bases She was about fifty tunne having ten Marrines five or six Negroes great store of Sope and Sweet-meates bound from Saint Domingo to Carthagene This Captaine left behind him a silke Ancient with his Armes as might be thought in hasty departing The next day we sent all the Company a shoare to seek their Masters saving a young Negrito of three or foure yeeres old which we brought away but kept the Barke and in her bore into the mouth of Carthagene Harbour where we anchored That afternoone certaine horse-men came downe to the point by the Wood side and with the Scrivano forementioned came towards our Barke with a Flag of Truce desiring of our Captaine safe conduct for his comming and going the which being granted he came aboord us giving our Captaine great thankes for his manifold favours c. promising that night before day break to bring as much victuall as they would desire what shift soever he made or what danger soever he incurred of Law and punishment But this fell out to be nothing but a device of the Governour forced upon the Scrivano to delay time til they might provide themselves of sufficient strength to entrap us for which this fellow by his smooth speech was thought a fit meane So by Sunne rising when we perceived his words but words we put to Sea to the Westward of the Iland some three Leagues off where we lay at Hull the rest of all that day and night The next day in the afternoone there came out of Carthagene two Frigates bound for Saint Domingo the one of fifty the other of twelve Tunne having nothing in them but Ballast we tooke them with in a League of the Towne and came to Anchor with them within Saker shot of the East Bulwarke there vvere in those Frigates some twelve or thirteene common Marriners which intreated to be set a shoare to them our
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
layed on soakt into the inner part thereof doth fill up the pores so close that no aire or cold can enter or make them once to shrink They have clean comely and strong bodies they are swift of foot and seem very active Neither is any thing more lamentable in my judgment then that so goodly a people and so lively creatures of God should be ignorant of the true and living God And so much the more is this to be lamented by how much they are more tractable and easie to be brought to the sheepfold of Christ having in truth a land sufficient to recompence any christian Prine in the world for the whole travell and labour cost and charges bestowed in that behalf with a wonderfull enlarging of a kingdome besides the glory of God by encreasing of the Church of Cstrist It s wonderfull to hear being never known to Christians before this time how familiar they became in short space with us thinking themselves to be joyned with such a people as they ought rather to serve then offer any wrong or injury unto presuming that they might be bold with our generall as with a father with us as with brethren their neer friends neither seemed their love lesse towards us One of the chiefest among them having on a time received a cap off our generals head which he did daily weare removing himself but a little from us with an arrow pierced his legge deeply causing the bloud to stream out upon the ground signifying thereby how unfainedly he loved him and giving therein a covenant of peace the number of men which here did frequent our company were about fiftie persons Within in the Southermost part of this bay there is a river of fresh water with a great many profitable Islands of which some have alwaies such store of seales or sea-wolves as were able to maintain a huge army of men Other Islands being many and great are so replenished with birds and foule as if there were no other victuals a wonderfull multitude of people might be nourished by the increase of them for many posterities Of these we killed some with shot and some with staves and took some with our hands from mens heads and shoulders upon which they lighted We could not perceive that the people of the country had had any sort of boat or canow to come to these Islands Their own provision which they eat for ought we could perceive was commonly raw For we should sometimes find the remnants of Seales all bloudy which they had gnawn with their teeth like dogs They go all of them armed with a short bow of about an ell in length in their hands with arrows of reeds and headed with a flint stone very cunningly cut and fastned This bay by reason of the plenty of Seals therein found insomuch that we killed two hundred in the space of one hour we called Seale bay And having now made sufficient provision of victuals and other necessaries as also happily finished all our businesses June 3. we set saile from thence and coasting along towards the pole Antartick June 12. we fell with a little bay in which we anchored for the space of two dayes spent in the discharging of our Caunter the Christopher which we here layed up The 14. day we waighed again and kept on our course southward till the 17. and then cast anchor in another bay in 50. d. 20. min. lacking but little more then one degree of the mouth of the Straights through which lay our so much desired passage into the south sea Here our generall on good advice determined to alter his course and turn his stern to the Northward again if happily God would grant we might finde our ship and friends whom we lost in the great storm as is beforesaid Forasmuch as if we should enter into the Straight without them into our company it must needs go hard with them and we also in the mean time as well by their absence as by the uncertainty of their state must needs receive no small discomfort And therefore June 18. in the morning putting to sea again with harty and often prayers we joined watchfull industry to serve Gods good providence and held on our purpose to run back toward the line into the same height in which they were first dissevered from us The 19. day of June toward night having sailed within a few leagues of port St. Julian we had our ship in sight for which we gave God thanks with most joyfull minds And forasmuch as the ship was far out of order and very leake by reason of extremity of weather which she had endured aswell before her loosing company as in her absence our Generall thought good to bear into St. Julian with his fleet because it was so nigh at hand and so convenient a place intending there to refresh his wearied men and cherish them which had in their absence tasted such bitternesse of discomfort besides the want of many things which they sustained Thus the next day the 20. of June we entred port Saint Julian which standeth in 49. deg 30. mi. and hath on the South side of the harbor picked rocks like towers and within the harbor many Islands which you may ride hard aboard off but in going in you must borrow of the North shoare Being now come to anchor and all things fitted and made safe aboard our Generall with certain of his company viz. Thomas Drake his brother John Thomas Robert Winter Oliver the Master Gunner John Brewer and Thomes Hood June 22. rowed further in with a boate to find out some convenient place which might yeild us fresh water during the time of our abode there furnish us with supply for provision to take to sea with us at our departure Which work as it was of great necessity and therefore carefully to be performed so did not he think himself discharged of his duty if he himself bestowed not the first travell therein as his use was at all times in all other things belonging to the relieving of our wants and the maintenance of our good estate by the supplying of what was needfull Presantly upon his landing he was visited by two of the inhabitants of the place whom Magellane named Patagous or rather Pentagours from their huge stature and strength proportionable these as they seemed greatly to rejoyce at his arivall so did they shew themselves very familiar receiving at our generals hands whatsoever he gave them and taking great pleasure in seeing Master Oliver the master Gunner of the Admirall to shoot an English arrow trying with him to shoot at at length but came nothing neere him Not long after came one more of the same laste but of a sowrer sort for he misliking of the familiarity which his fellows had used seemed very angey with them and strove earnestly to withdraw them and turn them to become our enemies Which our generall with his men not suspecting
death being much more honorable by it then blameable for any other of his actions fully blotted out what ever stain his fault might seem to bring upon him he left unto our fleet a lamentable example of a goodly Gentleman who in seeking advancement unfit for him cast away himself and unto posterity a monument of I know not what fatal calamity incident to that port and such like actions which might happily afford a new pair of parallels to be added to Plutarchs in that the same place neere about the same time of the year witnessed the execution of 2. gentlemen suffring both for the like cause imployed both in like service entertained both in great place endued both with excellent qualities the one 58. year after the other For on the main our men found a gibbet fallen down made of a spruce mast with mens bones underneath it which they conjectured to be the same gibbet which Magellane commanded to be erected in the yeare 1520. for the execution of John Carthagene the Bishop of Burgos Cosen who by the Kings order was joyned with Magellane in commission and made his Vice-Admirall In the Island as we digged to bury this gentleman we found a great grinding-stone broken in two parts which we took and set fast in the ground the one part at the head the other at the feet building up the middle space with other stones and turfes of earth and engraved in the stones the names of the parties buried there with the time of their departure and a memoriall of our Generals name in Latine that it might the better be understood of all that should come after us These things thus ended and set in order our generall discharging the Mary viz. our Portugal prise beause she was leake and troublesome defaced her and then left her ribs and keel upon the Island where for two moneths together we had pitched our tents And so having wooded watred trimmed our ships dispatched all our other businesses and brought our fleet into the smalest number even 3. only besides our pinnaces that we might the easier keep our selves together be the better furnished with necessaries and be the stronger mand against whatsoever need should be Agust 17. we departed out of this port and being now in great hope of a happy issue to our enterprise which Almighty God hitherto had so blest prospered we set our course for the Straights southwest August 20. we fell with the Cape neere which lies the entrance into the Sraight called by the Spaniards Capo virgin Maria appearing 4. leagues before you come to it with high and steep gray cliffs full of black stars against which the sea beating sheweth as it were the spoutings of Whales having the highest of the cape like cape Vincent in Portugal at this cape our Generall caused his fleet in homage to our soveraign lady the Queens Majesty to strike their top-sailes upon the bunt as a token of his willing and glad mind to shew his dutiful obedience to her highnes whom he acknowledged to have ful interest and right in that new discovery and withall in remembrance of his most honourable friend Sir Christopher Hatton he changed the name of the ship which himself went in from the Pellican to be called the golden Hind which ceremonies being ended together with a sermon teaching true obedience with prayers and giving of thanks for her Majesty and most honorable counsel with the whole body of the commonweale and church of God we continued our course on into the said frete where passing with land in sight on both sides we shortly fell with so narrow a strait as carrying with it much wind often turnings and many dangers-requireth an expert judgment in him that shall passe the same it lyeth W.N.W. and E. south East but having left his strait a stern we seemed to become out of a river of two leagues broade into a large and main sea having the night following an Iland in sight which being in height nothing inferior to the Island â—ogo before spoken of burning like it also aloft in the aire in a wonderfull sort without intermission It hath formerly been received as an undoubted truth that the seas following the course of the first mover from the east to west have a continuall current through this straite but our experience found the contrary the ebbings and flowings here being as orderly in which the water rises and fals more then 5. fathoms upright as on other coasts The 24. of August being Bartholomew day we fell with 3. Islands bearing trianglewise one from another one of them was very faire and large and of a fruitful soile upon which being next unto us and the weather very calm our Generall with his Gentlemen and certain of his Marriners then landed taking possession thereof in her Majesties name and to her use and called the same Elizabeth Island The other two though they were not so large nor so fair to the eye yet were they to us exceeding usefull for in them we found great store of strange birds which could not fly at all nor yet run so fast as that they could escape us with their lives in body they are less then a goose and bigger then a mallard short and thick set together having no feathers but insteed thereof a certain hard and matted down their beakes are not much unlike the bils of crows they lodg and breed upon the land where making earths as the conies do in the ground they lay their egs and bring up their young their feeding and provision to live on is in the sea where they swim in such sort as nature may seem to have granted them no small prerogative in swiftness both to prey upon others and themselves to escape from any others that seek to cease upon them such was the infinite resort of these birds to these Ilands that in the space of 1. day we killed no les then 3000. if the increase be according to the number it is not to be thought that the world hath brought forth a greater blessing in one kind of creature in so small a circuit so necessarily and plentifully serving the use of man they are a very good and wholesome victuall our Generall named these Islands the one Bartholomew according to the day the other Saint Georges in honour of England according to the ancient custome there observed In the Island of Saint George we found the body of a man so long dead before that his bones would not hold together being moved out of the place whereon they lay From these Islands to the entrance into the south sea the frete is very crooked having many turnings as it were shutings up as if there were no passage at al by means whereof we were often troubled with contrary winds so that some of our ships recovering a cape of land entring another reach the rest were forced to alter their course and come to anchor where they might It is true which
any Wars between Spaine and England The second why our Merchants with their Goods were imbarred or arrested Thus departed Captain Sampson with the said Messenger to the City where he found the Governour and People much amazed of such a sudden accident The Generall with the advice and counsell of Master Carleill his Lievtenant generall who was in the Galley with him thought not good to make any stand till such time as they were within the shot of the City where they might be ready upon the return of Captaine Sampson to make a sudden attempt if cause did require before it was darke Captaine Sampson returned with his Message in this sort First touching Peace or Wars the Governour said he knew of no Wars and that it lay not in him to make any he being so mean a Subject as he was And as for the stay of the Merchants with their Goods it was the Kings pleasure but not with intent to endammage any man and that the Kings counter-mand was which had been received in that place some seven nights before that English Merchants vvith their Goods should be dsicharged for the more verifying vvhereof he sent such Merchants as vvere in the Town of our Nation vvho trafficked in those parts vvhich being at large declared to our Generall by them counsell vvas taken vvhat might best be done and for that the night approached it vvas thought needfull to land our Force vvhich vvas done in the shutting up of the day and having quartered our selves to our most advantage vvith sufficient gard upon every streight vve thought to rest our selves for that night there The Governour sent us some refreshing as Bread Wine Oyle Apples Grapes Marmalad and such like About midnight the vveather begins to overcast insomuch that it vvas thought meeter to repair aboord then to make any longer abode on land and before vve could recover the Fleet a great tempest arose vvhich caused many of our Ships to drive from their ancour hold and some were forced to Sea in great perill as the Barke Talbot the Barke Hawkins and the Speedwell vvhich Speedwell onely vvas driven into England the others recovered us again the extremity of the storme lasted three dayes which no sooner began to asswage but Master Carleill our Lieutenant Generall was sent with his owne Ship and three others as also with the Galley and with diverse Pinnaces to see what he might do above Vigo where he tooke many Boates and some Carvels diuersly laden with things of small value but chiefly with househould stuffe running into the high Country and amongst the rest he found one Boat laden with the principall Church-stuffe of the high Church of Vigo where also was their great Crosse of Silver of very faire embossed worke and double gilt all over having cost them a great Masse of money They complained to have lost in all kind of Goods above thirty thousand Duckets in this place The next day the Generall with his whole Fleete went up from the Isles of Bayon to a very good harbour above Vigo where Master Carleill stayed his comming as well for the more quiet tiding of his Ships as also for the good commodity of fresh watering which the place there did affoord full well In the meane time the Governour of Gallisia had reared such forces as he might his numbers by estimate were some two thousand foot and three hundred horse and marched from Bayon to this part of the Countrey which lay in sight of our Fleet where making stand he sent to parle with our Generall which was granted by our Generall so it might be in boates upon the water and for safety of their persons there were pledges delivered on both sides which done the Governour of Gallisia put himselfe with two others into our Vice-Admirals Skiffe the same having been sent to the shoare for him And in like sort our Generall in his owne Skiffe where by them it was agreed we should furnish our selves with fresh water to be taken by our owne people quietly on the land and have all other such necessaries paying for the same as the place would affoord When all our businesse was ended we departed and tooke our way by the Islands of Canaria which are esteemed some three hundred leagues from this part of Spain and falling purposely with Palma with intention to have taken our pleasure of that place for the full digesting of many things in order and the better furnishing our store with such severall good things as that affoorded very abundantly we were forced by the vile Seâ— gate which at that present fell out and by the naughtinesse of the landing place being but one and that under the favor of many Platformes well furnished with great Ordinance to depart with the receipt of many their Canon-shot some into our Ships and some besides some of them being in very deed full Canon high But the onely or chiefe mischiefe was the dangerous sea surge which at shore all alongest plainly threatned the overthrow of as many Pinnaces and Boates as for that time should have attempted any landing at all Now seeing the expectation of this attempt frustrated by the causes aforesaid we though it meeter to fall with the Isle Ferro to see if we could find any better fortune and comming to the Island we landed a thousand men in a valley under a high Mountaine where we stayed some two or three houres in which time the Inhabitants accompanied with a young fellow borne in England who dwelt there with them came unto us shewing their state to be so poore that they were all ready to starve which was not untrue and therefore without any thing gotten we were all commanded presently to imbarke so as that night we put off to Sea South South-east along towards the coast of Barbarie Vpon Saturday in the morning being the thirteenth of November we fell with Cape Blancke which is a low land and shallow water where we catched store of fish and doubling the Cape we put into the Bay where we found certaine French Ships of Warre whom we entertained with great courtesie and there left them The afternoone the whole Fleet assembled which was a little scattered about their fishing and put from thence to the Isles of Cape Verde sayling till the sixteenth of the same Moneth in the morning on which day we descried the Island of Saint Jago and in the evening we anchored the Fleet between the Towne called the Plaie or Praie and Saint Jago where we put on shore a thousand men or more under the leading of Master Christopher Carleill Lieuetenant Generall who directed the service most like a wise Commander The place where we had first to March did affoord no good order for the ground was Mountaines and full of Dales being a marvelous stony and troublesome passage but such was his industrious disposition as he would never leave untill we had gotten up to a faire Plaine where we made stand for the assembling of the army And
twentieth of November the Generall commanded all the Pinnaces with the Boates to use all diligence to imbarke the Army into such Ships as every man belonged The Lieuetenant Generall in like sort commanded Captaine Goring and Lievetenant Tucker with one hundred shot to make a stand in the Market-place untill our Forces were wholly imbarked the Vice-Admirall making stay with his Pinnace and certain Boats in the harbour to bring the said last company aboord the Ships Also the General willed forthwith the Gallie with two Pinnaces to take into them the company of Captaine Barton and the Company of Captaine Bigs under the leading of Captaine Sampson to seeke out such Munition as was hidden in the ground at the Towne of Pray or Play having been promised to be shewed it by a prisoner which was taken the day before The Captaines aforesaid comming to the Play landed their men and having placed the Troope in their best strength Captaine Sampson tooke the Prisoner and willed him to shew that he had promised the which he could not or at least would not but they searching all suspected places found two peeces of Ordinance one of Iron and another of Brasse In the afternoone the General anchored the rest of the Fleet before the Play comming himselfe ashoare willing us to burne the Towne and make all haste aboord the which was done by six of the clocke the same day and our selves imbarked againe the same night and so we put off to Sea Southwest But before our departure from the Towne of Saint Jago we established Orders for the better government of the Army every man Mustered to his Captaine and oaths ministred to acknowledge her Majestie supreame Governour as also every man to doe his uttermost endeavour to advance the service of the Action and to yeeld due obedience unto the directions of the Generall and his Officers By this provident councell and laying downe this good foundation beforehand all things went forward in a due course to the atchieving of our happy enterprise In all the time of our being here neither the Governour for the King of Spaine which is a Portugall neither the Bishop whose authority is great neither any of the Inhabitants of the Town or Island ever came at us which we expected they should have done to intreat us to leave them some part of their needful provisions or at the least to spare the ruining of their Town at our going away The cause of this their unreasonable distrust as I doe take it was the fresh remembrance of the great wrongs they had done to old Master William Haukins of Plimouth in the Voyage he made foure or five yeares before when as they did both breake their promise and murthered many of his Men whereof I judge you have understood and therefore needlesse to be repeated But since they came not at us we left written in sundry places as also in the Spittle-house which building vvas only appointed to be spared the great discontentment and scorne we tooke at this their refraining to come unto us as also at the rude manner of killing and savage kind of handling the dead body of one of our Boyes found by them stragling all alone from whom they had taken his head and heart and had stragled the other bowels about the place in a most â—â—â—itish and beastly manner In revenge whereof at our departing we consumed with Fire all the houses as well in the Country which we saw as in the Towne of Saint Jago From hence putting over to the West-Indies vve vvere not many dayes at Sea but there began amongst our people such mortality as in few dayes there were dead above two or three hundred men And untill some seven or eight dayes after our comming from Saint Jago there had not dyed any one man of sicknesse in all the Fleet the sicknesse shewed not his infection wherewith so many were stroken untill we were departed thence and then seazed our people with extreame hot burning and continuall ague whereof some very few escaped with life and yet those for the most part not without great alteration and decay of their wits and strength for a long time after In some that dyed were plainly shewed the small sports which are often found upon those that be infective with the Plague we were not above eighteene dayes in passage between the sight of Saint Jago aforesaid and the Island of Dominica being the first Island of the West-Indies that we fell withal the same being inhabited with Savage People which goe all naked their skin coloured with some painting of a reddish tawney very personable and handsome strong men who doe admit little conversation with the Spaniards for as some of our people might understand them they had a Spaniard or twaine prisoners with them neither doe I thinke that there is any safety for any of our Nation or any other to be within the limits of their commandment albeit they used us very kindly for those few houres of time which we spent with them helping our folkes to fill and carry on their bare shoulders fresh Water from the River to our Ships Boats and fetching from their houses great store of Tobacco as also a kind of Bread which they fed on called Cassado very vvhite and savery made of the roots of Cassania In recompence whereof we bestowed liberall rewards of Glasse coloured Beads and other things which we had found at Saint Jago wherewith as it seemed they rested very greatly satisfied and shewing some sorrowfull countenance when they perceived that we would depart From hence we went to another Island Westward of it called Saint Christophers Island wherin we spent some dayes of Christmas to refresh our sicke People and to cleanse and ayre our Ships In which Island were not any People at all that we could hear of In which time by the Generall it was advised and resolved with the consent of the Lievtenant generall the Vice-Admiral and all the rest of the Captains to proceed to the great Island of Hispaniola as well for that we knew our selus then to be in our best strength as also the rather allured thereunto by the glorious fame of the City of Saint Domingo being the ancientest and chiefe inhabited place in all the tract of Countrey there abouts And to proceed in this determination by the way we met a small Frigot bound for the same place the which the Vice-Admirall took and having duly examined the Men that were in her there was one found by whom we were advertized the Haven to be a barred Haven and the shore or Land thereof to be well fortified having a Castle thereupon furnished with great store of Artillery without the danger whereof was no convenient landing place within ten English miles of the City to which the said Pilot tooke upon him to conduct us All things being thus considered on the whole Forces were commanded in the evening to embarke themselves into Pinnaces Boats and other small Barks
appointed for this service Our Souldiers being thus imbarked the Generall put himselfe into the Barke Francis as Admirall and all this night we lay on the Sea bearing small sayle untill our arrivall to the Landing place which was about the breaking of the day and so we landed being New-years day nine or ten miles to the Westwards of that brave City of Saint Domingo for at that time not yet is knowne to us any landing place where the Sea surge doth not threaten to overset a Pinnace or Boat Our Generall having seene us all landed in safety returned to his Fleet bequeathing us to God and the good conduct of Mr. Carliell our Lievtenant Generall at which time being about eight of the clocke we began to March and abovt noone-time or towards one of the clocke we approached the Towne where the Gentlemen and those of the better sort being some hundred and fifty brave Horses or rather more began to present themselves but our small shot played upon them which were so sustained with good proportion of Pikes in all parts as they finding no part of our Troope unprepared to receive them for you must understand they viewed all round about they were thus driven to give us leave to proceed towards the two Gates of the Towne which were the next to the Sea-ward They had manned them both and planted their Ordnance for that present and sudden alarum without the Gate and also some Troops of small shot in Ambuscado upon the hye-way side We divided our whole Force being some thousand or twelve hundred Men into two parts to enterprize both the Gates at one instant the Lievtenant Generall having openly vowed to Captaine Powell who led the Troope that entered the other Gate that with Gods good favour he would not rest untill our meeting in the Market-place Their Ordnance had no sooner discharged upon our neere approach and made some execution amongst us though not much but the Lievtenant Generall began forthwith to advance both his voyce of encouragement and pace of Marching the first Man that was slaine with the Ordnance being very neer unto himselfe and thereupon hasted all that he might to keepe them from recharging of the Ordinance And notwithstanding their Ambuscadoes we marched or rather ran so roundly into them as pell mell we entered the Gates and gave them more care every Man to save himselfe by flight then reason to stand any longer to their broken fight we forthwith repaired to the Market-place but to be more truly understood a place of very faire spacious square ground before the great Church whether also came as had been agreed Captaine Powell with the other Troope which place with some part next unto it we strengthened with Barricadoes and there as the most convenient place assured our selves the City being farre too spacious for so small and weary a Troope to undertake to guard Somewhat after midnight they vvho had the guard of the Castle hearing us busie about the Gates of the said Castle abandoned the same some being taken prisoners and some flying away by the helpe of Boats to the other side of the Haven and so into the Country The next day we quartered a little more at large but not into the halfe part of the Town and so making substantiall trenches and planting all the Ordnance that each part was correspondent to other we held this Town the space of one Moneth In the which time happened some accidents more then are well remembred for the present but amongst other things it chanced that the Generall sent on his Message to the Spaniards a Negro Boy with a Flag of vvhite signifying truce as is the Spaniards ordinary manner to doe there vvhen they approach to speake to us vvhich Boy unhappily was first met with by some of those who had beene belonging as Officers for the King in the Spanish Galley which with the Towne was lately fallen into our hands who without all order or reason and contrary to that good usage wherewith we had entertained their Messengers furiously strooke the poore Boy through the body with one of their Horsemens staves with which wound the Boy returned to the Generall and after he had declared the manner of this wrongfull cruelty dyed forthwith in his presence wherewith the Generall being greatly passioned commanded the Provost Martiall to cause a couple of Fryers then prisoners to be carried to the same place where the Boy was stroken accompanied with sufficient guard of our Souldiers there presently to be hanged dispatching at the same instant another poore prisoner with this reason wherefore this execution was done and with this Messenger further that untill the party who had thus murthered the Generals Messenger were delivered into our hands to receive condigne punishment there should no day passe wherein there should not two prisoners be hanged untill they were all consumed which were in our hands Whereupon the day following he that had been Captaine of the Kings Galley brought the Offendor to the Towns end offring to deliver him into our hands but it was thought a more honourable revenge to make them there in our fight to performe the execution themselues which was done accordingly During our being in this Town as formerly also at S. Jago there had passed justice upon the life of one of our company for an odious matter so here likewise was there an Irish man hanged for the murthering of his Corporall In this time also passed many Treaties betweene their Commissioners and us for ransome of their Citie but upon disagreements we still spent the early mornings in firing the outmost houses but they being built very magnificently of stone with high lofts gave us no small travel to ruine them And albeit for divers dayes together we ordained each morning by day breake untill the heat began at nine of the Clocke that two hundred Marriners did nought else but labour to fier and burn the said houses vvithout our trenches whilest the Souldiers in like proportion stood forth for their Guard yet did we not or could not in this time consume so much as one third part of the Towne And so in the end what wearied with firing and what hastned by some other respects we vvere contented to accept of five and twenty thousand Duckets of five shilling six pence the peece for the ransome of the rest of the Towne Amongst other things which happened and were found at S. Domingo I may not omit to let the world know one very notable marke and token of the unsatiable ambition of the Spanish King and his Nation vvhich vvas found in the Kings house vvherein the chief Governour of that City and Countrey is appointed alwayes to lodge vvhich vvas this In the comming to the Hall or other roomes of this house you must first ascend up by a faire large paire of stairs at the head of which staires is a handsome spatious place to walk in somewhat like unto a gallery wherein upon one of the
to have taken the Barkes well enough at Sea which they might ful easily have done without any losse at all if they had come in time to the Harbor-mouth before the Spaniards Boats had gotten so near the shore During our abode in this place as also at S. Domingo there passed divets curtesies betweene us and the Spaniards as Feasting and using them with all kindnesse and favour so as amongst others there came to see the Generall the Governor of Cartagena with the Bishop of the same and diverse other Gentlemen of the better sort This Towne of Cartagena we touched in the out parts and consumed much with fire as we had done Saint Domingo upon discontentments and for want of agreeing with us in their first Treaties touching their Ransome which at the last was concluded betweene us should be one hundred and ten thousand Duckets for that which was yet standing the Ducket valued at five shillings six pence sterling This Towne though not halfe so big as S. Domingo gives as you see a farre greater ransome being in very deed of far more importance by reason of the excellency of the Harbor and the situation therof to serve the Trade of Nombre de Dios and other places and is Inhabited with far more richer Merchants The other is chiefly inhabited with Lawyers and brave Gentlemen being the chiefe or highest appeale of their suits in Law of all the Islands about it and of the maine Land coast next unto it And it is of no such account as Cartagena for these and some other like reasons which I could give you over long to be now written The warning which this Towne received of our comming towards them from S. Domingo by the space of twenty dayes before our arrivall hither was cause that they had both fortified and every way prepared for their best defence As also that they had carried and convayed away all their Treasure and principall substance The Ransome of one hundred and ten thousand Duckets thus concluded on as is aforesaid the same being written and expressing for nothing more then the Towne of Cartagena upon the paiment of the said Ransome we left the said Towne and drew some part of our Souldiers into the Priory or Abbey standing a quarter of one English mile below the Towne upon the Harbour water side the same being walled with a wall of stone which we told the Spaniards was yet ours and not redeemed by their Composition whereupon they finding the defect of their Contract were contented to enter into another Ransome for all places but specially for the said House as also the Blocke-house or Castle which is upon the mouth of the inner Harbour And when we asked as much for the one as for the other they yeelded to give one thousand Crownes for the Abbey leaving us to take our pleasure upon the Block-house which they said they were not able to ransome having stretched themselves to the uttermost of their powers and therefore the said Block-house was by us undermined and so wirh Gun-powder blowne up in peeces While this latter Contract was in making our whole Fleet of Ships fell downe towards the Harbour mouth where they Anchored the third time and employed their Men in fetching of fresh Water aboord the Ships for our Voyage homewards which Water was had in a great Well that is in the Island by the Harbour mouth which Island is a very pleasant place as hath been seen having in it many sorts of goodly and very pleasant Fruits as the Orange trees and others being set orderly in Walkes of great length together Insomuch as the whole Island being some two or three miles about is cast into grounds of Gardening and Orchards After six weekes abode in this place we put to Sea the last of March where after two or three dayes a great Ship which we had taken at S Domingo and thereupon was called The new years gift fell into a great leake being laden with Ordnance Hides and other Spoyles in the night she lost the company of our Fleet which being missâ—d the next morning by the Generall he cast about with the whole Fleet fearing some great mischance to be happened unto her as in very deed it so fell out for her leake was so great and her Men were all tyred with Pumping But at the last having found her and the Barke Talbot in her company which stayed by great hap with her was ready to take their Men out of her for the saving of them And so the Generall being fully advertised of their great extremity made saile directly backe againe to Cartagena with the whole Fleet where having stayed eight or ten dayes more about the unlading of this Ship and the bestowing thereof and her Men into other Ships we departed once againe to Sea directing our course towards the Cape S. Anthony being the Eastermost part of Cuba whether we arrived the seven twentieth of Apil But because fresh water could not presently be found we weyed ankor and departed thinking in few dayes to recover the Mattances a place to the East-ward of Havana After we had sailed some fourteene dayes we were brought to Cape S. Anthony againe thorough lacke of favourable winde but then our scarsity was grown such as need made us looke a little better for water which we found in sufficient quantity being indeede as I judge none other then raine water newly fallen and gathered up by making pits in a plot of marrish ground some three hundred pases from the Sea side I doe wrong if I should forget the good example of the Generall at this place who to encourage others and to hasten the getting of fresh water aboord the Ships tooke no lesse paine himselfe then the meanest as also at S. Domingo Cartagena and all other places having alwayes so vigilant a care and foresight in the good ordering of his Fleet accompanying them as it is said with such wonderfull travell of body as doubtlesse had he beene the meanest person as he was the chiefest he had yet deserved the first place of honour and no lesse happy doe we accompt him for being associated with Master Carleill his Lievtenant Generall by whose experience prudent counsell and gallant performance he atchieved so many and happy enterprises of the War by whom also he was very greatly assisted in setting downe the needfull Orders Lawes and course of Justice and for the due administration of the same upon all occasions After three dayes spent in watering our Ships we departed now the second time from this Cape of S. Anthony the thirteenth of May and proceeding about the Cape of Florida we never touched any where but coasting alongst Florida and keeping the shore still in sight the eight and twentieth of May early in the morning we descried on the shore a place built like a Beacon which was indeed a Scaffold upon foure long Mastes raised on end for men ro discover to the Seaward being in the latitude of thirty
things very necessary for our uses Amongst other things which we had of them the sheep of the country viz. such as we mentioned before bearing the leathern bags were most memorable Their height and length was equal to a pretty cow their strength fully answerable if not by much exceeding their size or stature Upon one of their backs did sit at one time three well grown and tall men and one boy no mans foot touching the ground by a large foot in length the beast nothing at all complaining of his burthen in the mean time These sheep have necks like Camels their heads bearing a reasonable resemblance of another sheep The Spaniards use them to great profit Their wool is exceeding fine their flesh good meat their increase ordinary and besides they supply the room of horses for burthen or travell yea they serve to carry over the mountains marvellous loads for 300. leagues together where no other carriage can be made but by them only Hereabout as also all along and up into the countrey throughout the Province of Cusko the common ground wheresoever it be taken up in every hundred pound weight of earth yeildeth 25. s. of pure silver after the rate of a crown an ounce The next place likely to afford us any newes of our ships for in all this way from the height where we builded our pinnace there was no bay or harbor at all for shipping was the pâ—rt of the town of Arica standing in 20 d. whether we arrived the 7. of February This town seemed to us to stand in the most fruitful soile that we saw all along these coasts both for that it is situate in the mouth of a most pleasant and fertile vally â—â—ounding with all good things as also in that it hath continuall trade of shipping as well from Lyma as from all other partâ— of Peru. It is inhabited by the Spaniards In two barks 〈…〉 of the 〈…〉 about 20. pounds of which we took the burthen on our selves to ease them and so departed towards Chowley with which we fell the second day viz. Feb. 9. and in our way to Lima we met with another Bark Ariquipa which had begun to loade some silver and gold but having had as it seemed from Aâ—ica by land some notice of our coming had unloaden the same again before our arival Yet in this our passage we met another bark loaden with linnen some of which we thought might stand us in some stead and therefore took it with us At Lima we arrived Feb. 15. and notwithstanding the Spaniards forces though they had 30. at that present in harbour there whereof 17. most of them the especiall ships in all the south sea were fully ready wen entred and anchored all night in the middest of them in the Calao and might have made more spoile amongst them in few houres if we had been affected to revenge then the Spaniards could have recovered again in many years But we had more care to get up that company which we had so long mist then to recompence their cruell and hard dealing by an evill requitall which now we might have took This Lima stands in 12. deg 30. minutes south latitude Here albeit no good news of our ships could be had yet got we the news of some things that seemed to comfort if not to countervaile our travels thither as namely that in the ship of one Migkell Angel there there were 1500. bars of plate besides some other things as silks linnen and in one a chest full of Royals of plate which might stand us in some stead in the other ships aboard whom we made somewhat bold to bid our selves welcome Here also we heard the report of some things that had befallen in neer Europe since our departure thence in particular of the death of some great personages as the K. of Portugal and both the Kings of Morocco and â—eâ—e dead all three in one day at one battel the death of the K. of France and the Pope of Rome whose abominations as they are in parâ—â—â— off from sâ—me Chriâ—tian Kingdomes 〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉 is manifest so do his vassals accursed instruments labour by all means possile to repaire that losse by spreading the same the further in these parts where his divelish illusions and damnable deceivings are not known And as his Doctrine takes place any where so doth the manners that necessarily accompany the same insinuate themselvs together with the doctrine For as its true that in all the parts of America where the Spaniards have any government the poysonous infection of Popery hath spread it self so on the otherside it is as true that there is no City as Lima Panama Mezico c. no Town or Village yea no house almost in all these provinces wherein amongst other the like Spanish vertues not only whordome but the filthiness of Sodom not to be named among Christians is not common without repoof the Popes pardons being more rise in these parts then they be in any part of Europe for these filthinesses whereout he sucketh no smal advantage Notwithstanding the Indians who are nothing neerer the true knowledge of God then they were before abhor this most filthy loathsome manner of living shewing themselves in respect of the Spaniards as the Scythians did in respect of the Grecians who in their barbarous ignorance yet in life and behaviour did so far excell the wise and learned Greeks as they were short of them in the gifts of learning and knowledge But as the Pope and Antichristian Bishops labour by their wicked factors with tooth and naile to deface the glory of God and to shut up in darknes the light of the gospel so God doth not suffer his name and religion to be altogether without witnes to the reproving both of his false damnable doctrine as also crying out against his unmeasurable and abominable licentiousness of the flesh even in these parts For in this City of Lima not two moneths before our coming thither there were certain persons to the number of twelve apprehended examined and condemned for the profession of the Gospel and reproâ—ing the doctrines of men with the the filthy manners used in that City of which twelve six were bound to one stake and burnt the rest remained yet in prison to drink of the same cup within few days Lastly here we had intelligence of a certain rich ship which was loaden with gold and silver for Panama that he had set forth of this haven the 2. of February The very next day therefore in the morning viz. the 16. of the said moneth we set sail as long as the wind would serve our turn and towed our ship as soon as the wind failed continuing our course toward Panama making stay no where but hastening all me might to get sight if it were possible of that gallant ship the Cacafuego the great glory of the south sea which was gone from Lima 14. dayes before us We
fell with the port of Paita in 4. de 40. in Feb. 20. with port Saint Hellen and the River and part of Guiaquil Feb. 24. we past the line the 28. and first of March we fell with cape Francisco where about midday we descried a saile a head of us with whom after once we had spoken with her we lay still in the same place about six dayes to recover our breath again which we had almost spent with hasty following and to recall to mind what advantages had past us since our late coming from Lima but especially to do John de Anton a kindnesse in freeing him of the care of those things with which his ship was loaden This ship we found to be the same of which we had heard not only in the Calao of Lima but also by divers occasions afterward which now we are at leasure to relate viz. by a ship which we took between Lima and Paita by another which we took loaden with wine in the port of Paita by a third loaden with tackling and implements for ships besides 80. pound weight in gold from Guiaquil And lastly by Gabriel Alâ—arez with whom we talked somewhat nearer the line we found her to be indeed the Catasuego though before we left her she were new named by a boy of her own the Cacaplata We found in her some Fruit conserves sugars meale other victuals that which was the especiallest cause of her heavy and slow sayling a certain quantity of jewels and precious stones 1â— chests of Ryals of plate 80. pound weight in gold 26. tunne of unâ—oyned silver two very faire guilt silver drinking-bouls and the like trifles valued in about 360000. pezoes We gave the Master a little linnen and the like for these commodities and at the end of six dayes we bad farewell and parted He hasting somewhat lighter then before to Panama we plying off to sea that we might with more leasure consider what course hence forward were fittest to be taken And considering that now we were come to the northward of the line Cape Francisco standing in the entrance of the bay Panama in 1. deg of North latitude and that there was no likelihood or hope that our ships should be before us that way by any means seeing that in running so many deg from the southermost Ilands hitherto we could not have any sign or notice of their passage that way notwithstanding that we had made so diligent search and careful enquiry after them in every harbor or creek almost as we had done and considering also that the time of the year now drew on wherein me must attempt or of necessity wholly give off that action which chiefly our General had determined namely the discovery of what passage there was to be found about the northern parts of America from the south sea into our own Ocean which being once discovered and made known to be navigable we should not only do our country good and notable service but we also our selves should have a neerer cut and passage home where otherwise we were to make a very long tedious voyage of it which would hardly agree with our good liking we having been so long from home already and so much of our strength separated from us which could not at all be done if the opportunity of time were now neglected we therefore all of us willingly hearkned and consented to our Generals advice which was first to seek out some convenient place wherein to trim our ship and store our selves with wood and water and other provisions as we could get and thenceforward to hasten on our intended journey for the discovery of the said passage through which we might with joy returne to our longed homes From this cape before we set onward March the 7. shaping our course towards the Island of Caines with which we fell March 16. setling ourselves for certain dayes in a Fresh river between the main and it for the finishing of our needfull businesse as is aforesaid While we abode in this place we felt a very terrible earthquake the force whereof was such that our ship and Pinnace riding very neere an English mile from the shoare were shaken and did quiver as if it had been laid on dry land we found here many good commodities which we wanted as Fish Fresh water Wood c. besides Alagartoes Munckeyes and the like and in our journey hither we met with one ship more the last we met with in all those coasts loaded with Linnen China-silk and China-dishes amongst which we found also a Faulcon of gold handsomely wrought with a great Emerald set in the breast of it From whence we parted the 24. day of the moneth forenamed with full purpose to run the neerest course as the wind would suffer us without touch of land along time and therefore passed by port Papagaia the port of the Vale of the most rich and most excellent balmes of Jericho Quantapico and diverse others as also certain gulphes hereabouts which without intermission send forth such continuall and violent winds that the Spaniards though their ships be good dare not venture themselves too neere the danger of them Notwithstanding having notice that we should be troubled with often calms and contrary winds if we continued neere the coast and did not run off to sea to fetch the wind and that if we did so we could not then fall with land again when we would our Generall thought it needfull that we should run in with some place or other before our departure from the coast to see if happily we could by traffique augmâ—nt our provision of victuals and other necessaries that being at sâ—a we might not be driven to any great want or necessitie albeit we had reasonable store of good things aboard us already The next harbor therefore which we chanced with on Apr. 15. in 15. de 40. min. was Guatulco so named of the Spaniards who inhabited it with whom we had some entercourse to the supply of many things which we desired and chiefly bread c. And now having reasonably as we though provided our selves we departed from the coast of America for the present but not forgetting before we gate a shipboard to take with us also a certain pot of about a bushell in bignesse full of royals of plate which we found in the town together with a chain of gold and some other jewels which we intreated a gentleman Spaniard to leave behind him as he was flying out of town From Guatulco we departed the day following viz. April 16. setting our course directly into the sea whereupon we sailed 500. leagues in longitude to get a wind and between that and June 3. 1400. leagues in all till we came into 42. deg of North latitude where in the night following we found such alteration of heat into extreame and nipping cold that our men in generall did grievously complaine thereof some of them feeling