our Captaine very sore in the thigh and maimed one of our Masters Mates called Hugh Maires in one of his Armes but after knowing vs to be rendred hee secured vs And we satisfying them that wee could not hoise out our boate nor strike our sayles the Admirall layd vs abourd buâ— before any man entred Iohn Gomes went vnto the Generall who receiued him with great curtesie and asked him what we required whereunto he made answere that my demaund was that in the Kings name he should giue vs his faith and promise to giue vs our liues to keepe the Lawes of fayre warres and quarter and to send vs presently into our countrey and in confirmation hereof that I required some pledge whereunto the Generall made answere that in the Kingâ— Maiesties name his Master hee received vs a buena querra and swore by God Almightie and by the habit of A cautara whereof he had received knighthood and in token whereof hee wore in his breast a greene crosse which is the ensigne of that order that he would giue vs our liues with good entreatie and send vs as speedily as he could into our owne countrey In confirmation whereof he tooke of his gloue and sent it to mee as a pledge With this message Iohn Gâ—mes returned and the Spaniards entred and tooke possession of our shippe every one crying buena querra buena querra oy pâ—r in maniana porti with which our Company began to secure themselues The Generall was a principall Gentleman of the ancient Nobilitie of Spaine and brother to the Conde de Lemos whose intention no doubt was according to his promise and therefore considering that some bad intreaty and insolency might be offered vnto me in my shippe by the common Souldiers who seldome haue respect to any person in such occasions espâ—cially in the case I was whereof hee had enâ—ormed himselfe for prevention hee sent a principal Captaine brought vp long time in Flaunders called Pedro Alueres de Pulgar to take care of me and whilest the shippes were one abourd the other to bring me into his ship which hee accomplished with great humanitie and courtesiâ— dâ—spising the barres of gold which were shared before his face which hee might alone haue enioyed if hee would And truely hee was as after I found by tryall a true Captaine a man worthy of any charge and of the noblest condition that I haue knowne any Spaniard The Generall received me with great courtesie and compassion even with teares in his eyes and words of great consolation and commaunded mee to bee accommodated in his owne Cabbine where hee sought to cure and comfort mee the best he could the like hee vsed with all our hurt men sixe and thirtie at least And doubtlesse as true courage valour and resolution is requisit in a Generall in the time of battle So humanitie mildnes and courtesie after victorie SECT LXIII WHilst the shippes were together the maine-mast of the Daintieâ—ell â—ell by the bourd and the people being occupied in ransacking and seeking for spoile and Pillage neglected the principall whereof ensued that within a short space the Dainâ—ie grew so deepe with water which increased for want of prevention that all who were in her desired to forsake her and weaved and cryed for succour to bee saved being out of hope of her recoverie Whereupon the Generall calling together the best experimented men hee had and consulting with them what was best to bee done it was resolued that Generall Michaell Angell should goe abourd the Daintie and with him threescore Marriners as many Souldiers and with them the English men who were able to labour to free her from water and to put her in order if it were possible and then to recover Perico the port of Panama for thâ—t of those to wind wards it was impossible to turne vp to any of them and neerer then to le-ward was not any that could supply our necessities and wants which lay from vs east north east aboue two hundreth leagues Michaell Angell being a man of experience and care accomplished that he tooke in hand although in clearing and bayling the water in placing a pumpe and in fitting and mending her fore-saile he spent aboue sixe and thirtie howers During which time the shippes lay all a hull but this worke ended they set sayle directed their coursâ— for the Iles of Pearles And for that the Daintie sayled badly what for want of her maine-sayle and with the advantage which all the south-sea shippes haue of all those built in our-North sea The Admirall gaue her a tâ—we which notwithstanding the wind calming with vs as we approached neerer to the land twelue dayes were spent before we could fetch sight of the Ilands which lye alongst the coast beginning some eight leagues West south-west from Panama and run to the south-wards neere thirtie leagues They are many and the most vnhabited and those which haue people haue some Negroes slaues vnto the Spaniards which occupie themselues in labour of the land or in fishing for Pearles In times past many inriched themselues with that trade but now it is growne to decay The maner of fishing for Pearles is with certaine long Pinaces or small barkes in which there goe foure fiue sixe or eight Negroes expert swimmers and great deevers whom the Spaniards call Busos with tract of time vse and continuall practise having learned to hold their breath long vnder water for the better atchieving their worke These throwing themselues into the Sea with certaine instruments of their art goe to the bottome and seeke the bankes of the Oysters in which the Pearles are ingendered and with their force and art remoue them from their foundation in which they spend more or lesse time according to the resistance the firmenes of the ground affordeth Once loosed they put them into a bagge vnder their armes and after bring them vp into their boates having loaden it they goe to the shoare there they open them and take out the Pearles they lie vnder the vttermost part of the circuite of the Oyster in rankes and proportions vnder a certaine part which is of many pleights and folds called the Ruffe for the similitude it hath vnto a Ruffe The Pearles increase in bignes as they be neerer the end or ioynt of the Oyster The meate of those which haue these pearles is milkie and not very wholesome to be eaten In Anno 1583. In the Iland of Margarita I was at the dregging of Pearle Oysters after the maner we dregge Oysters in England and with mine owne hands I opened many tooke out the pearles of them some greater some lesse and in good quantitie How the Pearle is ingendred in the Oyster or Mussell for they are found in both divers and sundry are the opinions but some ridiculous whereof because many famous and learned men haue written largely I will speake no more then hath beene formerly spoken but referre their curious desires to
yet found that these courrants keepe any certaine time or run so many dayes or moneths one way as another as doth the course of ebbing and flowing well knowne in all Seas onely neere the shore they haue small force partly because of the reflux which the coast causeth and partly for the ebbing and slowing which more or lesse is generall in most seas When the currant runneth North or South it is easily discovered by augmenting or diminishing the height but how to know the setting of the currant from East to West in the mayne Sea is difficult and as yet I haue not knowne any man or read any Authour that hath prescribed any certaine meane or way to discover it But experience teacheth that in the mayne Sea for the most part it is variable and therefore the best and safest rule to prevent the danger which the vncertainty and ignorance heereof may cause is carefull and continuall watch by day and night and vpon the East and west course ever to bee before the shipp and to vse the meanes possible to know the errour by the rules which newe Authours may teach beating off and on sometimes to the west-wards sometimes to the East-wards with a fayre gale of winde SECT XVI BEing betwixt three or foure degrees of the Equinoctiall line my Company within a fewe dayes began to fall sicke of a disease which Sea-men are wont to call the Scurvey and seemeth to bee a kinde of dropsie and raigneth most in this Climate of any that I haue heard or read of in the World though in all Seas it is wont to helpe and increase the miserie of man it possesseth all those of which it taketh hold with a loathsome sloathfulnesse even to eate they would be content to change their sleepe and rest which is the most pernicious Enemie in this sicknesse that is knowne It bringeth with it a great desire to drinke and causeth a generall swelling of all parts of the body especially of the legs and gums and many times the teeth fall out of the iawes without paine The signes to know this disease in the beginning are divers by the swelling of the gummes by denting of the flesh of the leggs with a mans finger the pit remayning without filling vp in a good space Others show it with their lasinesse Others complaine of the cricke of the backe c. all which are for the most part certaine tokens of infection The cause of this sicknes some attribute to sloath some to conceite and divers men speake diversly that which I haue observed is that our Nation is more subiect vnto it then any other because being bred in a temperate Clymate where the naturall heate restrayned giveth strength to the stomacke sustayning it with meates of good nourishment and that in an wholsome ayre whereas comming into the hot Countries where that naturall heate is dispersed through the whole body which was wont to be proper to the stomacke and the meates for the most part preserved with Salt and its substance thereby diminished and many times corrupted greater force for digestion is now required then in times past but the stomacke â—inding lesse vertue to doe his office in reparting to each member his due proportion in perfection which either giveth it rawe or remayneth with it indigested by his hardnes or cruditie infeebleth the body and maketh it vnlusty and vnfit for any thing for the stomacke being strong though all parts els be weake there is ever a desire to feede and aptnes to performe whatsoever can bee required of a man but though all other members be strong and sound if the Stomacke be opprest or squemish all the body is vnlustie and vnfit for any thing and yeeldeth to nothing so readily as to sloathfulnes which is confirmed by the common answere to all questions As will you eate will you sleepe will you walke will you play The answere is I haue no stomacke which is as much as to say no not willingly thereby confirming that without a sound and whole stomacke nothing can bee well accomplished nor any sustenance well digested The seething of the meate in Salt water helpeth to cause this inâ—irmitie which in long Voyages can hardly be avoyded but if it may be it is to be shunned for the water of the Sea to mans body is very vnwholsome The corruption of the victuals and especially of the bread is very pernicious the vapours and ayre of the Sea also is nothing profitable especially in these hot Countries where are many calmes And were it not for the moving of the Sea by the force of windes tydes and currants it would corrupt all the world The experience I saw in Anno 1590. lying with a Fleete of her Maiesties ships about the Ilands of the Azores almost six moneths the greatest part of the time we were becalmed with which all the Sea became so replenished with severall sorts of gellyes and formes of Serpents Adders and Snakes as seemed wonderfull some greene some blacke some yellow some white some of divers coulours and many of them had life and some there were a yard and halfe and two yards long which had I not seene I could hardly haue beleeved And hereof are witnesses all the Companies of the Ships which were then present so that hardly a man could draw a Buckett of water cleere of some corruption In which Voyage towards the end thereof many of every Ship saving of the Nonpereli which was vnder my charge and had onely one man sicke in all the Voyage fell sicke of this disease and began to die apace but that the speedie passage into our Country was remedie to the crazed and a Preservatiue for those that were not touched The best prevention for this disease in my iudgement is to keepe cleane the Shippe to be sprinkle her ordinarily with Vineger or to burne Tarre and some sweet savours to feed vpon as few salt Meats in the hot Country as may be and especially to shunne all kindes of salt Fish and to reserue them for the cold Climates and not to dresse any meat with salt water nor to suffer the companie to wash their Shirts nor Cloathes in it nor to sleepe in their Cloaths when they are wett For this cause it is necessarily required that provision be made of apparell for the Company that they may haue wherewith to shift themselues Being a common calamitie amongst the ordinary sort of Mariners to spend their thrift on the shore and to bring to Sea no more Cloaths then they haue backes for the bodie of man is not refreshed with any thing more then with shifting cleane Cloaths a great preservatiue of health in hott Countries The second Antidote is to keepe the companie occupied in some bodily exercise of worke of agilitie of pastimes of dauncing of vse of Armes these helpeth much to banish this infirmitie Thirdly In the morning at discharge of the watch to giue
night from the sight of the Compasse and haue another before them whereby they see what they doe and are ever witnesses of the good or bad Steeridge of all men that take the Helme This I haue seene neglected in our best Shippes yet nothing more necessary to be reformed For a good Helme-man may be overcome with an imagination and so mis-take one poynt for another or the Compasse may erre which by another is discerned The inconveniences which hereof may ensue all experimented Sea-men may easily conceiue and by vs take warning to avoyd the like SECT XXIIII THe next day about tenne of the Clocke wee were thwart of Cape Blanco which is low sandie Land and perilous for foure Leagues into the Sea thwart it lye banks of sand which haue little water on them on a sudden we found our selues amongst them in lesse then three fathome water but with our Boat and Shalope we went sounding and so got cleare of them The next day following we discovered the Ilands where wee purposed to refresh our selues They are two and some call them Saint Iames his Ilands and others Saint Annes They lie in two and twentie degrees and a halfe to the South-wards of the lyne and towards the evening being the fifth of November we anchored betwixt them and the Mayne in six fathome water where wee found our other Shippes All which being well Moored we presently began to set vp Tents and Booths for our sicke men to carry them a shore and to vse our best diligence to cure them For which intent our three Surgeans with their servants and adherents had two Boates to wayte continually vpon them to fetch whatsoever was needfull from the Shippes to procure refreshing and to Fish either with Netts or Hookes and Lynes Of these implements wee had in aboundance and it yeelded vs some refreshing For the first dayes the most of those which had health occupied themselues in romeging our Ship in bringing a shore of emptie Caske in filling of them and in felling and cutting of Wood which being many workes and few hands went slowly forwards Neere these Ilands are two great Rockes or small Ilands adioyning In them we found great store of young Gannetts in their nests which we reserved for the sicke and being boyled with pickled Porke well watered and mingled with Oatmeale made reasonable Pottage and was good refreshing and sustenance for them This provision fayled vs not till our departure from them Vpon one of these Rocks also we found great store of the hearbe Purslane which boyled and made into Sallets with oyle and vineger refreshed the sicke stomackes and gaue appetite With the ayre of the shore and good cherishing many recovered speedily Some died away quickly and others continued at a stand We found here some store of fruits a kind of Cherry that groweth vpon a tree like a Plum-tree red of colour with a stone in it but different in making to ours for it is not altogether round and dented about they haue a pleasing taste In one of the Ilands we found Palmito trees great and high and in the toppe a certaine fruit like Cocos but no bigger then a Wallnut We found also a fruit growing vpon trees in codds like Beanes both in the codd and the fruit Some of my Company proved of them and they caused vomits and purging as any medicine taken out of the Apothecaries shop according to the quantitie received They haue hudds as our Beanes which shaled off the kernell parteth it selfe in two and in the middle is a thin skinne like that of an Onion said to be hurtfull and to cause exceeding vomits and therefore to be cast away Monardus writing of the nature and propertie of this fruit as of others of the Indies for that it is found in other parts also calleth them Havas purgativas and sayth that they are to be prepared by peeling them first and then taking away the skinne in the middle and after beaten into powder to take the quantitie of fiue or sixe either with Wine or Sugar Thus they are good against Fevers and to purge grosse humors against the Collicke and payne of the ioynts in taking them a man may not sleepe but is to vse the dyet vsuall as in a day of purging One other fruit we found very pleasant in taste in fashion of an Artechoque but lesse on the outside of colour redd within white and compassed about with prickles our people called them Prick-peares no Conserue is better They grow vpon the leaues of a certaine roote that is like vnto that which we call semper viva and many are wont to hang them vp in their houses but their leaues are longer and narrower and full of Prickes on either side The fruit groweth vpon the side of the leafe and is one of the best fruites that I haue eaten in the Indies In ripening presently the Birds or Vermine are feeding on them a generall rule to know what fruit is wholsome and good in the Indies and other parts Finding them to be eaten of the Beasts or Fowles a man may boldly eate of them The water of these Ilands is not good the one for being a standing water and full of venemous Wormes and Serpents which is neare a Butt-shot from the Sea shore where we found a great Tree fallen and in the roote of it the names of sundry Portingalls Frenchmen and others and amongst them Abraham Cockes with the time of their being in this Island The other though a running water yet passing by the rootes of certaine trees which haue a smell as that of Garlique taketh a certaine contagious sent of them Here two of our men dyed with swelling of their bellies The accident we could not attribute to any other cause then to this suspitious water It is little and falleth into the sand and soketh through it into the Sea and therefore we made a well of a Pipe and placed it vnder the rocke from which it falleth and out of it filled our Caske but we could not fill aboue two Tunnes in a night and a day SECT XXV SO after our people began to gather their strength wee manned our Boates and went over to the Mayne where presently we found a great Ryver of fresh and sweete water and a mightie Marish Countrie which in the Winter seemeth to be continually over-flowne with this River and others which fall from the mountaynous Country adiacent We rowed some leagues vp the Ryver and found that the further vp we went the deeper was the River but no fruit more then she sweate of our bodies for the labour of our handes At our returne wee loaded our Boate with Water and afterwardes from hence wee made our Store SECT XXVI THe sicknesse having wasted more then the one halfe of my people we determined to take out the victualls of the Hawke and to burne her which wee put in execution And being occupied
it into Powder and when they will drinke they mingle a small quantitie of it with water which giueth a reasonable good taste The third and best is baking it as aforesaid and when it is beaten into Powder to seeth it in water after that it is well boyled they let it stand some three or foure dayes and then drinke it So it is much like the Ale which is vsed in England and of that colour and taste The Indians are very curious in planting and manuring of this Yuca It is a little shrubb and carryeth branches like Hazell wands being growne as bigge as a mans finger they breake them off in the middest and so pricke them into the ground it needeth no other art or husbandry for out of each branch grow two three or foure rootes some bigger some lesser but first they burne and manure the ground the which labour and whatsoever els is requisite the men doe not so much as helpe with a finger but all lyeth vpon their poore women who are worse then slaues for they labour the ground they plant they digge and delue they bake they brew and dresse their meate fetch their water and doe all drudgerie whatsoever yea though they nurse a Childe they are not exempted from any labour their Childe they carry in a Wallet about their necke ordinarily vnder one arme because it may sucke when it will The men haue care for nothing but for their Cannoas to passe from place to place and of their Bowes and Arrowes to hunt and their Armes for the warre which is a sword of heavie blacke wood some foure fingers broad an inch thicke and an ell long something broader towards the roppe then at the handle They call it Macana and it is carved and wrought with inlayd works very curiously but his edges are blunt If any kill any Game in hunting he bringeth it not with him but from the next tree to the Game he breaketh a bough for the trees in the Indies haue leaues for the most part all the yeare and all the way as he goeth streweth little peeces of it here and there and comming home giueth a peece to his woman and so sends her for it If they goe to the Warre or in any iourney where it is necessary to carry provision or Marchandize the women serue to carry all and the men never succour nor ease them wherein they shew greater Barbarisme then in any thing in my opinion that I haue noted amongst them except in eating one another In Brasill and in the west Indies the Indian may haue as many wiues as he can get either bought or given by her friends the men and women for the most part goe naked and those which haue come to know their shame cover onely their privie parts with a peece of cloth the rest of their body is naked Their houses resemble great Barnes covered over or thatched with Plantyne leaues which reach to the ground and at either end is the doore In one house are sometimes ten or twentie housholds they haue little houshold stuffe besides their beds which they call Hamacas and are made of Cotton and stayned with divers colours and workes Some I haue seene white of great curiositie They are as a sheete laced at both ends and at either of them long strappes with which they fasten them to two posts as high as a mans middle and so sit rocking themselues in them Sometimes they vse them for seates and sometimes to sleepe in at their pleasures In one of them I haue seene sleepe the man his wife and a childe SECT XXVIII WEe tooke out of this Prize for our provision some good quantitie of this meale and the Sugar shee had being not aboue three or foure Chests after three dayes we gaue the Ship to the Portingalls and to them libertie In her was a Portingall Knight which went for Governour of Angola of the habit of Christ with fiftie souldiers and Armes for a hundreth and fiftie with his wife and daughter He was old and complained that after many yeares service for his King with sundry mishapps he was brought to that poore estate as for the reliefe of his wife his daughter and himselfe he had no other substance but that he had in the Ship It moved compassion so as nothing of his was diminished which though to vs was of no great moment in Angola it was worth good Crownes Onely we disarmed them all and let them depart saying that they would returne to Saint Vincents We continued our course for the Straites my people much animated with this vnlookt for refreshing and praised God for his bountie providence and grace extended towards vs. Here it will not be out of the way to speake a word of the particularities of the Countrie SECT XXIX BRASILL is accounted to be that part of America which lyeth towards our North sea betwixt the River of the Amazons neere the lyne to the Norwards vntill a man come to the River of Plate in 36. degrees to the South-wards of the lyne This coast generally lyeth next of any thing South and by west It is a temperate Countrie though in some parts it exceedeth in heate it is full of good succours for shipping and plentifull for Rivers and fresh waters The principall habitations are Farnambuca the Bay De todos los Santos Nostra Senora de victoria alias Santos the River Ienero Saint Vincents and Placentia every of them provided of a good Port. The winds are variable but for the most part trade alongst the Coast. The Commodities this Country yeeldeth are the wood called Brasill whereof the best is that of Farnambuc so also called being vsed in most rich colours good Cotton-wooll great store of Sugar Balsamom and liquid Amber They haue want of all manner of Cloth Lynnen and Woollen of Iron and edge-Tooles of Copper and principally in some places of Wax of Wine of Oyle and meale for the Country beareth no Corne and of all manner of Haberdashery-wares for the Indians The beasts that naturally breed in this Country are Tygers Lyons Hoggs Dogges Deere Monkeyes Mycos and Conies like vnto Ratts but bigger and of a tawney colour Armadilloes Alagartoes and store of venemous wormes and Serpents as Scorpions Adders which they call Vinoras and of them one kind which the divine providence hath created with a bell vpon his head that wheresoever he goeth the sound of it might be heard and so the Serpent shunned for his stinging is without remedie This they call the Vynora with the bell of them there are many and great store of Snakes some of that greatnesse as to write the truth might seeme fabulous Another worme there is in this Country which killed many of the first Inhabitants before God was pleased to discover a remedie for it vnto a religious person It is like a Magot but more slender and longer and of a greene colour with a red
never suspected that any thing could make them forsake vs So we much lamented them The storme ceasing and being out of all hope we set sayle and went on our course During this storme certaine great fowles as big as Swannes soared aboue vs and the winde calming setled themselues in the Sea and fed vpon the sweepings of our Ship which I perceiving and desirous to see of them because they seemed farre greater then in truth they were I caused a hooke and lyne to be brought me and with a peece of a Pilchard I bayted the hook a foot from it tyed a peece of corke that it might not sinke deepe and threw it into the Sea which our ship driving with the Sea in a little time was a good space from vs and one of the Fowles being hungry presently seized vpon it and the hooke in his vpper beake It is like to a Faulcons bill but that the poynt is more crooked in that maner as by no meanes he could cleare himselfe except that the lyne brake or the hooke righted Plucking him towards the ship with the waving of his wings he eased the waight of his body and being brought to the sterne of our ship two of our Company went downe by the Ladder of the poope and seized on his necke and wings but such were the blowes he gaue them with his Pinnions as both left their hand-fast being beaten blacke and blew we cast a snare about his necke and so tryced him into the Ship By the same manner of Fishing we caught so many of them as refreshed and recreated all my people for that day Their bodies were great but of little flesh and tender in taste answerable to the food whereon they feed They were of two colours some white some gray they had three ioynts in each wing and from the poynt of one wing to the poynt of the other both stretched out was aboue two fathomes The wind continued good with vs till we came to 49. degrees and 30. minuts where it tooke vs Westerly being as we made our accompt some fiftie leagues from the shore Betwixt 49. and 48. degrees is Port Saint Iulian a good Harbour and in which a man may graue his Ship though shee draw fifteene or sixteene foote water But care is to be had of the people called Pentagones They are treacherous and of great stature so the most giue them the name of Gyants The second of February about nine of the Clocke in the morning we discryed land which bare South-west of vs which wee looked not for so timely and comming neerer and neerer vnto it by the lying wee could not coniecture what land it should be for we were next of any thing in 48. degrees and no Platt nor Sea-card which we had made mention of any land which lay in that manner neere about that height In fine wee brought our Lar-bord tacke aboord and stood to the North-east-wardes all that day and night and the Winde continuing Westerly and a fayre gale wee continued our course alongst the coast the day and night following In which time wee made accompt we discovered well neere three-score leagues off the coast It is bold and made small shew of dangers The land is a goodly Champion Country and peopled we saw many fires but could not come to speake with the people for the time of the yeare was farre spent to shoot the Straites and the want of our Pynace disabled vs for finding a Port or Roade not being discretion with a ship of charge and in an vnknowne coast to come neere the shore before it was sounded which were causes together with the change of the winde good for vs to passe the Straite that hindered the further discovery of this Land with its secrets This I haue sorrowed for many times since for that it had likelihood to be an excellent Countrie It hath great Rivers of fresh waters for the out-shoot of them colours the Sea in many places as we ran alongst it It is not mountaynous but much of the disposition of England and as temperate The things we noted principally on the coast are these following the westermost poynt of the land with which we first fell is the end of the land to the West-wardes as we found afterwards If a man bring this poynt South-west it riseth in three mounts or round hillockes bringing it more Westerly they shoot themselues all into one and bringing it Easterly it riseth in two hillocks This we called poynâ— Tremountaine Some twelue or foureteene leagues from this poynt to the East-wardes fayre by the shore lyeth a low flat Iland of some two leagues long we named it Fayre Iland â—or it was all over as greene and smooth as any Meddow in the spring of the yeare Some three or foure leagues Easterly from this Iland is a goodly opening as of a great River or an arme of the Sea with a goodly low Countrie adiacent And eight or tenne leagues from this opening some three leagues from the shore lyeth a bigge Rocke which at the first wee had thought to be a Shippe vnder all her Sayles but after as we came neere it discovered it selfe to be a Rocke which we called Condite-head for that howsoever a man commeth with it it is like to the Condite heads about the Cittie of London All this coast so farre as wee discovered lyeth next of any thing East and by North and West and by South The land for that it was discovered in the raigne of Queene Elizabeth my soveraigne Lady and Mistris and a maiden Queene and at my cost and adventure in a perpetuall memory of her chastitie and remembrance of my endevours I gaue it the name of HAVVKINS maiden-land Before a man fall with this land some twentie or thirtie leagues he shall meete with bedds of Oreweed driving to and fro in that Sea with white flowers growing vpon them and sometimes farther off which is a good show and signe the land is neere whereof the Westermost part lyeth some threescore leagues from the neerest land of America With our fayre and large Winde we shaped our course for the Straites and the tenth of February we had sight of land and it was the head land of the Straites to the North-wards which agreed with our height wherein we found our selues to be which was in thirtie two degrees and fortie minutes Within a few houres we had the mouth of the Straites open which lyeth in 52. degrees and 50. minuts It riseth like the North foreland in Kent and is much like the land of Margates It is not good to borrow neere the shore but to giue it a fayre birth within a few houres we entred the mouth of the Straites which is some six leagues broad and lyeth in 52. degrees and 50. minutes doubling the poynt on the Star-board which is also flat of a good birth we opened a fayre Bay in which
reach is foure or fiue leagues broad and in it are many channells or openings into the Sea for all the land on the Souther part of the Straites are Ilands and broken land and from the beginning of this reach to the end of the Straites high mountaynous land on both sides in most parts covered with snow all the yeare long Betwixt the Iland Elizabeth and the Mayne is the narrowest passage of all the Straites it may be some two Musket shott from side to side From this Straite to Elizabeth bay is some foure leagues and the course lyeth North-west and by west This bay is all sandie and cleane ground on the Easter part but before you come at it there lyeth a poynt of the shore a good byrth off which is dangerous And in this reach as in many parts of the Straites runneth a quicke and forcible tyde In the Bay it higheth eight or nine foote water The Norther part of the Bay hath foule ground and rocks vnder water and therefore it is not wholsome borrowing of the mayne One of master Thomas Candish his Pynaces as I haue beene enformed came a-ground vpon one of them and he was in hazard to haue left her there From Elizabeth Bay to the River of Ieronimo is some fiue leagues The course lyeth West and by North and West Here the Wind scanted and forced vs to seeke a place to anchor in Our Boates going alongst the shore found a reasonable Harbour which is right against that which they call River Ieronimo but it is another channell by which a man may disemboake the Straite as by the other which is accustomed for with a storme which tooke vs one night suddenly we were forced into that opening vnwittingly but in the morning seeing our error and the wind larging with two or three bourds wee turned out into the old channell not daring for want of our Pynace to attempt any new discoverie This Harbour we called Blanches Bay for that it was found by William Blanch one of our Masters mates Here having moored our shippe we began to make our provision of wood and water whereof was plentie in this Bay and in all other places from Pengwin Ilands till within a dozen leagues of the mouth of the Straites Now finding our Deckes open with the long lying vnder the lyne and on the coast of Brasill the Sunne having beene in our Zenith many times we calked our ship within bourd and without aboue the Decks And such was the diligence we vsed that at foure dayes end we had aboue threescore Pipes of water and twentie Boats of wood stowed in our Ship no man was idle nor otherwise busied but in necessary workes some in felling and cleaving of wood some in carrying of water some in romaging some in washing others in baking one in heating of pitch another in gathering of Mussells no man was exempted but knew at evening wherevnto he was to betake himselfe the morning following Some man might aske me how we came to haue so many emptie Caske in lesse then two moneths for it seeemeth much that so few men in such short time and in so long a Voyage should waste so much Whereto I answere that it came not of excessiue expence for in health we never exceeded our ordinary but of a mischance which befell vs vnknowne in the Iland of Saint Iames or Saint Anne in the coast of Brasill where we refreshed our selues and according to the custome layd our Caske a shore to trimme it and after to fill it the place being commodious for vs. But with the water a certaine worme called Broma by the Spaniard and by vs Arters entred also which eat it so full of holes that all the water soaked out and made much of our Caske of small vse This we remedied the best wee could and discovered it long before we came to this place Hereof let others take warning in no place to haue Caske on the shore where it may be avoyded for it is one of the provisions which are with greatest care to be preserved in long Voyages and hardest to be supplyed These Arters or Broma in all hot Countries enter into the plankes of Shippes and especially where are Rivers of fresh water for the common opinion is that they are bred in fresh water and with the current of the Rivers are brought into the Sea but experience teacheth that they breed in the great Seas in all hott Clymates especially neere the Equinoctiall lyne for lying so long vnder and neere the lyne and towing a Shalop at our sterne cōming to clense her in Brasil we found her all vnder water covered with these wormes as bigge as the little finger of a man on the outside of the planke not fully covered but halfe the thicknes of their bodie like to a gelly wrought into the planke as with a Gowdge And naturall reason in my iudgement confirmeth this for creatures bread and nourished in the Sea comming into fresh water die as those actually bred in Ponds or fresh Rivers die presently if they come into Salt water But some man may say this fayleth in some Fishes and Beasts Which I must confesse to be true but these eyther are part terrestryall and part aquatile as the Mare-maide Sea-horse and other of that kind or haue their breeding in the fresh and growth or continuall nourishment in the Salt water as the Salmond and others of that kinde In little time if the Shippe be not sheathed they put all in hazzard for they enter in no bigger then a small Spanish Needle and by little and little their holes become ordinarily greater then a mans finger The thicker the planke is the greater he groweth yea I haue seene many Shippes so eaten that the most of their plankes vnder water haue beene like honey combes and especially those betwixt wind and water If they had not beene sheathed it had bin impossible that they could haue swomme The entring of them is hardly to be discerned the most of them being small as the head of a Pinne Which all such as purpose long Voyages are to prevent by sheathing their Shippes And for that I haue seene divers manners of sheathing for the ignorant I will set them downe which by experience I haue found best In Spaine and Portingall some sheath their Shippes with Lead which besides the cost and waight although they vse the thinnest sheet-lead that I haue seene in any place yet it is nothing durable but subiect to many casualties Another manner is vsed with double plankes as thicke without as within after the manner of furring which is little better then that with Lead for besides his waight it dureth little because the worme in small time passeth through the one and the other A third manner of sheathing hath beene vsed amongst some with fine Canvas which is of small continuance and so not to be regarded The fourth prevention which now is most
of ours but one small Pynace nor any man of name saue onely Captaine Cocke who dyed with honour amidst his Company The greatest dammage that as I remember they caused to any of our Shippes was to the Swallow of her Maiestie which I had in that action vnder my Charge with an Arrow of fire shott into her Beake-head which we saw not because of the sayle till it had burned a hole in the Rose as bigge as a mans head the Arrow falling out and driving alongst by the Shippes side made vs doubt of it which after we discovered SECT XL. IN many occasions notwithstanding it is most preiudiciall to dissemble the reprehension and punishment of murmurings and mutterings when they carry a likelihood to grow to a mutenie seeme to leane to a faction or that a person of regard or merite favoureth the intention or contradicteth the Iustice c. and others of like qualitie The prudent Governour is to cut off this Hydra's head in the beginning and by prevention to provide remedie with expedition and this sometimes with absolute authoritie although the best be ever to proceed by Counsell if necessitie and occasion require not the contrary for passion many times over-ruleth but that which is sentenced and executed by consent is iustified although sometimes erronious March 29. 1594. SECT XLI FRom Cape Desire some foure leagues North-west lye foure Ilands which are very small and the middlemost of them is oâ— the fashion of a Sugar-loafe We were no sooner cleare of Cape Desire and his ledge of Rockes which lie a great way off into the Sea but the wind tooke vs contrary by the North-west and so we stood off into the Sea two dayes and two nights to the Westwards In all the Straites it ebbeth and floweth more or lesse and in many places it higheth very little water but in some Bayes where are great indraughts it higheth eight or ten foote and doubtlesse further in more If a man be furnished with wood and water and the winde good he may keepe the mayne Sea and goe round about the Straites to the Southwards and it is the shorter way for besides the experience which we made that all the South part of the Straites is but Ilands many times having the Sea open I remember that Sir Francis Drake told me that having short the Straites a storme tooke him first at North-west and after vered about to the South-west which continued with him many dayes with that extremitie that he could not open any Sayle and that at the end of the storme he found himselfe in fiftie degrees which was sufficient testimony and proofe that he was beaten round about the Straites for the least height of the Straites is in fiftie two degrees and fiftie minutes in which stand the two entrances or mouths And moreover he sayd that standing about when the winde changed he was not well able to double the Southermost Iland and so anchored vnder the lee of it and going a-shore carried a Compasse with him and seeking out the Southermost part of the Iland cast himselfe downe vpon the vttermost poynt groveling and so reached out his bodie over it Presently he imbarked and then recounted vnto his people that he had beene vpon the Southermost knowne land in the world and more â—urther to the Southwards vpon it then any of them yea or any man as yet knowne These testimonies may suffice for this truth vnto all but such as are incredulous will beleeue nothing but what they see for my part I am of opinion that the Straite is navigable all the yeare long although the best time be in November December and Ianuary and then the winds more favourable which other times are variable as â—n all narrow Seas Being some fiftie leagues a Sea-boord the Straites the winde vering to the West-wards we cast about to the North-wards and lying the coast along shaped our course for the Iland Mocha About the fifteenth of Aprill we were thwart of Baldivia which was then in the hands of the Spaniards but since the Indians in Anno 1599. dispossessed them of it and the Conception which are two of the most principall places they had in that Kingdome and both Ports Baldivia had its name of a Spanish Captaine so called whom afterwards the Indians tooke Prisoner and it is said they required of him the reason why he came to molest them and to take their Country from them having no title nor right therevnto he answered to get Gold which the barbarous vnderstanding caused Gold to be molten and powred downe his throat saying Gold was thy desire glut thee with it It standeth in fortie degrees hath a pleasant River and navigable for a Ship of good burden may goe as high vp as the Cittie and is a goodly wood Country Here our Beefe beganne to take end and was then as good as the day wee departed from England it was preserved in Pickell which though it be more chargeable yet the profit payeth the charge in that it is made durable contrary to the opinion of many which hold it impossible that Beefe should be kept good passing the Equinoctiall lyne And of our Porke I eate in the house of Don Beltran de Castro in Lyma neere foure yeares old very good preserved after the same manner notwithstanding it had lost his Pickle long before Some degrees before a man come to Baldivia to the South-wards as Spaniards haue told me lyeth the Iland Chule not easily to be discerned from the mayne for he that passeth by it cannot but thinke it to be the mayne It is said to be inhabited by the Spaniards but badly yet rich of gold The 19. of Aprill being Easter-euen we anchored vnder the Iland Mocha It lyeth in 39. degrees it may be some foure leagues over and is a high mountainous hill but round about the foote thereof some halfe league from the Sea-shore it is Champion ground well inhabited and manured From the Straites to this Iland we found that either the coast is set out more westerly then it is or that we had a great current which put vs to the west-wards for we had not sight of land in three dayes after Our reckoning was to see it but for that we coasted not the land I cannot determine whether it was caused by the current or lying of the land But Spaniards which haue sayled alongst it haue told me that it is a bold and safe coast and reasonable sounding of it In this Iland of Mocha we had communication and contratation with the inhabitants but with great vigilancie and care for they and all the people of Chily are mortall enemies to the Spaniards and held vs to be of them and so esteemed Sir Francis Drake when he was in this Iland which was the first land also that he touched on this coast They vsed him with so fine a trechery that they possessed themselues of all the Oares in his Boate saving two and
in striving to get them also they slew and hurt all his men himselfe who had fewest wounds had three and two of them in the head Two of his company which lived long after had the one seaventeene his name was Iohn Bruer who afterward was Pilot with master Candish and the other aboue twentie a Negro-servant to Sir Francis Drake And with me they vsed a pollicie which amongst barbarous people was not to be imagined although I wrought sure for I suffered none to treate with me nor with my people with Armes We were armed and met vpon a Rocke compassed with water whether they came to parley and negotiate Being in communication with the Casiques and others many of the Indians came to the heads of our Boats and some went into them Certaine of my people standing to defend the Boates with their Oares for that there went a bad sege were forced to lay downe their Musketts which the Indians perceiving endevoured to fill the barrells with water taking it out of the sea in the hollow of their hands By chance casting mine eye aside I discovered their slynesse and with a truncheon which I had in mine hand gaue the Indians three or foure good lamskinnes the Casiques seeing it began to giue me satisfaction by vsing rigor towardes those which had beene in the Boates but I having gotten the refreshing I desired and all I could hope from them would haue no further conversation with them At our first comming two of their Casiques who are their Lords or Kings came aboord our Shippe we leaving one of our companie ashore as a pledge whom we feasted in good manner they eat well of all that was set before them and dranke better of our Wine one of them became a little giddie headed and marvayled much at our Artillery I caused a Peece to be primed and after to be â—hott off whereat the one started but the other made no shew of alteration after putting them ashore loaden with toyes and trifles which to them seemed great riches from all Ports of the Iland the people came vnto vs bringing all such things as they had to wit sheepe Cockes c. from Hennes they would not part and divers sorts of fruits and rootes which they exchanged with vs for Kniues Glasses Combes Belles Beades Counters Pinnes and other trifles We saw little demonstration of Gold or Silver amongst them though some they had and for that we saw they made estimation of it we would not make reckoning of it but they gaue vs to vnderstand that they had it from the Mayne The sheepe of this Iland are great good and fatt I haue not tasted better Mutton any where They were as ours and doubtlesse of the breed of those which the Spaniards brought into the Country Of the sheepe of the Country we could by no meanes procure any one although we saw of them and vsed meanes to haue had of them for they esteeme them much as reason willeth serving them for many vses as in another place God willing I shall declare more at large They haue small store of fish This Iland is scituate in the Province of Arawca and is held to be peopled with the most valiant Nation in all Chily though generally the Inhabitants of that Kingdome are very couragious They are clothed after the manner of antiquitie all of woollen their Cassockes made like a Sacke square with two holes for the two armes and one for the head all open below without lining or other art but of them some are most curiously wooven and in colours and on both sidesalike Their houses are made round in fashion like vnto our Pigeon houses with a laver in the toppe to evacuate the smoake when they make fire They brought vs a strange kinde of Tobacco made into little cakes like Pitch of a bad smell with holes through the middle and so laced many vpon a string They presented vs also with two Spanish Letters thinking vs to be Spaniards which were written by a Captaine of a Frigate that some dayes before had received courtesie at their hands and signified the same to the Governour wishiâ—g that the people of the Iland would become good subiects to the King and that therefore he would receiue them into his favour and protection and send them some person as Governour but none of them spake Spanish and so we dealt with them by signes The people of this Iland as of all Chily are of good stature and well made and of better countenance then those Indians which I haue seene in many parts They are of good vnderstanding and agilitie and of great strength Their weapons are bowes and arrowes and Macanas their bowes short and strong and their arrowes of a small reade or cane three quarters of a yard long with two feathers and headed with a flint stone which is loose and hurting the head remaineth in the wound some are headed with bone and some with hard wood halfe burnt in the fire Wee came betwixt the Iland and the mayne On the south-west part of the Iland lyeth a great ledge of Rockes which are dangerous and it is good to bee carefull how to come too neere the Iland on all parts Immediately when they discovered vs both vpon the Iland and the Maine wee might see them make sundry great fires which were to giue advise to the rest of the people to be in a readinesse for they haue continuall and mortall warre with the Spaniards and the Shippes they see they beleeue to be their Enemies The Citie Imperiall lyeth over against this Iland but eight or tenne Leagues into the Countrey for all the Sea coast from Baldivia till 36. Degrees the Indians haue now in a manner in their hands free from any Spaniards SECT XLII HAving refreshed our selues well in this Iland for that little time wee stayed which was some 3. dayes wee set sayle with great ioy and with a fayre winde sayled alongst the coast and some eyght Leagues to the North-wards we anchored againe in a goodly Bay and sent our boates ashore with desire to speake with some of the Indians of Arawca and to see if they would bee content to entertaine amitie or to chop and change with vs. But all that night and the next morning appeared not one person and so wee set sayle againe and towardes the Evening the winde began to change and to blow contrary and that so much and the Sea to rise so sodainely that we could not take in our boates without spoyling of them This storme continued with vs ten dayes beyond expectation for that wee thought our selues out of the climate of fowle weather but truely it was one of the sharpest stormes that ever I felt to endure so long In this storme one night haling vp our boates to free the water out of them one of our younkers that went into them for that purpose had not that regard which reason required vnto
our light horseman for with haling her vp to step into her out of the boate he split her asunder and so wee were forced to cut her off which was no small heartes griefe vnto me â—or that I knew and all my company felt and many times lamented the losse of her The storme tooke end and wee shaped our course for the Iland of Saint Maries which lyeth in thirtie seaven Degrees and forty minuts and before you come vnto the Iland some two leagues in the trade way lyeth a rocke which a farre off seemeth to be a Shippe vnder sayle This Iland is little and low but fertill and well peopled with Indians and some fewe Spaniards in it Some ten leagues to the North-wards of this Iland lyeth the Citty Conception with a good Port from this wee coasted alongst till wee came in thirty three degrees and forty minutes In which height lay the Ilands of Ivan Fernandes betwixt threescore and fourescore Leagues from the shore plentifull of fish and good for refreshing I purposed for many reasons not to discover my selfe vpon this coast till wee were past Lyma otherwise called Cividad de los Reyes for that it was entered by the Spaniard the day of the three Kings but my Company vrged me so farre that except I should seeme in all things to over-beare them in not condiscending to that which in the opinion of all but my selfe seemed profitable and best I could not but yeelde vnto though it carried a false colour as the ende prooued for it was our perdition This all my Company knoweth to be true whereof some are yet living and can giue testimonie But the Mariner is ordinarily so carried away with the desire of Pillage as sometimes for very appearances of small moment hee looseth his voyage and many times himselfe And so the greedines of spoyle onely hoped for in shippes of trade which goe too and fro in this coast blinded them from forecasting the perill whereinto wee exposed our voyage in discovering our selues before wee past the coast of Callaâ— which is the Port of Lyma To be short wee haled the coast aboord and that Evening we discovered the Port of Balparizo which serveth the Citty of Saint Iago standing some twenty leagues into the Countrey when presently we descried foure shippes at an Anchor wherevpon wee manned and armed our boate which rowed towards the Shippes they seeing vs turning in and fearing that which was ran a shore with that little they could saue and leaft vs the rest whereof we were Masters in a moment and had the rifling of all the storâ—houses on the shoare This night I set a good guard in all the shippes longing to see the light of the next morning to put all things in order which appearing I began to survay them and found nothing of moment saue fiue hundreth Botozios of Wine two or three thousand of Hennes and some refreshing of Bread Bacon dried Beefe Waxe Candles and other necessaries The rest of their lading was plankes Spares and Tymber for Lyma and the valleyes which is a rich trade for it hath no Tymber but that which is brought to it from other places They had also many Packes of Indian Mantles but of no value vnto vs with much Tallow and Manteca de Puerco and aboundance of great new Chests in which wee had thought to be some great masse of wealth but opening them found nothing but Apples therein all which was good Marchandize in Lyma but to vs of small accompt The Marchandize on shore in their Store-houses was the like and therefore in the same predicament The owners of the Shippes gaue vs to vnderstand that at a reasonable price they would redeeme their Shippes and loading which I harkened vnto and so admitted certaine persons which might treat of the matter and concluded with them for a small price rather then to burne them saving for the greatest which I carryed with me more to giue satisfaction to my people then for any other respect because they would not be perswaded but that there was much Gold hidden in her otherwise shee would haue yeelded vs more then the other three Being in this treatie one morning at the breake of day came another Shippe touring into the Harbour and standing into the shore but was becalmed Against her we manned a couple of Boates and tooke her before many houres In this Shippe we had some good quantitie of Gold which shee had gathered in Baldivia and the Conception from whence shee came Of this Shippe was Pilot and part owner Alonso Perezbueno whom we kept for our Pilot on this coast till moved with compassion for that he was a man charged with wife and children we set him a shore betwixt Santa and Truxillo Out of this Shippe we had also store of good Bacon and some provision of Bread Hennes and other Victuall And for that shee had brought vs so good a portion and her owner continued with vs the better to animate him to play the honest man though we trusted him no further then we saw him for we presently discovered him to be a cunning fellow and for that his other partner had lost the greatest part of Gold and seemed to be an honest man as after he prooved by his thankefulnesse in Lyma we gaue them the ship and the greatest part of her loading freely Here we supplied our want of Anchors though not according to that which was requisite in regard of the burden of our Shippe for in the South Sea the greatest Anchor for a Shippe of sixe or eight hundreth Tunnes is not a thousand waight partly because it is little subiect to stormes and partly because those they had till our comming were all brought out of the North sea by land for they make no Anchors in those Countries And the first Artillerie they had was also brought over land which was small the carriage and passage â—â—om Nombre de Bios or Porto Velo to Panama being most difficult and steepe vp hill and downe hill they are all carried vpon Negroes backes But some yeares beâ—ore my imprisonment they fell to making of Artillery and since they forge Anchors also Wee furnished our Shippe also with a shift of Sayles of Cotton cloth which are farre better in that Sea then any of our double Sayles for that in all the Navigation of that Sea they haue little rayne and few stormes but where rayne and stormes are ordinary they are not good for with the wett they grow so stiffe that they cannot be handled SECT XLIII I Concluded the ransome of the Shippes with an auncient Captaine and of Noble blood who had his daughter there ready to be imbarked to goe to Lyma to serue Donia Teruza de Castro the Vice-royes wife and sister to Don Beliran de Castro Her apparell and his with divers other things which they had imbarked in the greatest Shippe we restored for the good office
had perished with his company was by him betrayed and a dozen of his men taken and slaine But the iudgement of God left not his ingratitude vnpunished for in the fight with vs in the Vice-admirall he was wounded and maymed in that manner as three yeares after I saw him begge with Crutches and in that miserable estate as he had beene better dead then aliue From Balparizo wee sayled directly to Coquinbo which is in thirtie degrees and comming thwart the place wee were becalmed and had sight of a shippe but for that shee was farre off and night at hand shee got from vs and wee having winde entered the Port thinking to haue had some shipping in it but wee lost our labour and for that the Towne was halfe a League vpp in the Countrey and wee not manned for any matter of attempt worthy prosecution wee made no abode on the shore but presently set sayle for the Peru. This is the best Harbour that I haue seene in the south sea it is land-locked for all winds and capeable of many shippes but the ordinary place where the shippes lade and vnlade and accommodate themselues is betwixt a Rocke and the Mayne on the wester-side some halfe a league vp within the entrance of the Port which lyeth south and south and by East and North and by west In the in-country directly ouer the Port is a round piked hill like a sugar loafe and before the entrance on the southern poynt of the port comming in out of the Sea it is a great Rocke a good birth from the shore and these are the markes of the Port as I remember Being cleere of this Port wee shaped our course for Arica and leaft the Kingdomes of Chily one of the best Countries that the Sunne shineth on for it is of a temperate clymate and abounding in all things necessary for the vse of man with infinite rich mines of Gold Copper and sundry other mettals The poorest houses in it by report of their Inhabitants haue of their owne store bread wine flesh and fruite which is â—o plentifull that of their superfluitie they supply other partes Sundry kindes of Cattell as Horses Goates and Oxen brought thither by the Spaniards are found in heardes of thousands wilde and without owner besides those of the Countrey which are common to most partes of America in some of which are found the Bezar stones and those very good and great Amongst others they haue little beastes like vnto a Squirrell but that hee is gray his skinne is the most delicate soft and curious furre that I haue seene and of much estimation as is reason in the Peru few of them come into Spaine because difficult to be come by for that the Princes and Nobles laie waite for them they call this beast Chinchilla and of them they haue great abundance All fruites of Spaine they haue in great plentie saving stone fruite and Almonds â—or in no part of the Indies haue I knowne that Plumbes Cherries or Almondes haue borne fruit but they haue certaine little round Cocos as those of Brasill of the bignesse of a Wall-nut which is as good as an Almond besides it hath most of the fruites naturall to America of which in another place I shall God wiâ—ling speake particularly The Gold they gather is in two manners the one is washing the earth in great Trayes of wood in many waters as the earth wasteth away the Gold in the bottome remaineth The other is by force of Art to draw it out of the Mynes in which they finde it In most partes of the Countrie the earth is mingled with Gold for the Butizias in which the Wine was which wee found in Balpharizo had many sparkes of Gold shining in them Of it the Gold-smiths I carryed with me for like purposes made experience When Baldivia and Arawca were peaceable they yeelded greatest plentie and the best but now their greatest Mynes are in Coquinbo as also the Mines of Copper which they carry to the Peru and sell it better cheape then it is ordinarily sold in Spaine The Indians knowing the end of the Spaniards molestation to be principally the desire of their riches haue enacted that no man vpon paine of death doe gather any Gold In Coquinbo it rayneth seldome but every showre of rayne is a showre of Gold vnto them for with the violence of the water falling from the Mountaines it bringeth from them the Gold and besides giues them water to wash it out as also for their ingenious to worke so that ordinarily every weeke they haue Processions for rayne In this Kingdome they make much linnen and woolâ—en Cloth and great store of Indian Mantles with which they furnish other partes but all is course stuffe It hath no Silke nor Iron except in Mynes and those as yet not discovered Pewter is well esteemed and so are finne linnen woollen cloth Haberdashers wares edge-tooles and Armes or Munition It hath his Governour and Audiencia with two Bishoppes the one of Saint Iago the other of the Imperiall all vnder the Vice-roy Audiencia and Primate of Lyma Saint Iago is the Metropolitan and head of the Kingdome and the seate of Iustice which hath his appellation to Lyma The people are industrious and ingenious of great strength and invincible courage as in the warres which they haue susteyned aboue fortie yeares continually against the Spaniards hath beene experienced For confirmation whereof I will alledge onely two proofes of many the one was of an Indian Captaine taken prisoner by the Spaniards and for that he was of name and knowne to haue done his devoire against them they cut off his hands thereby intending to disenable him to fight any more against them but he returning home desirous to revenge this iniury to maintaine his libertie with the reputation of his Nation and to helpe to banish the Spaniard with his tongue intreated and incited them to persevere in their accustomed valour and reputation abasing the enemy and advancing his Nation condemning their contraries of Cowardlinesse and confirming it by the crueltie vsed with him and others his companions in their mishaps shewing them his armes without hands and naming his brethren whose halfe feete they had cut off because they might be vnable to sit on horsebacke with force arguing that if they feared them not they would not haue vsed so great inhumanitie for feare produceth crueltie the companion of Cowardize Thus incouraged he them to fight for their liues limbes and libertie choosing rather to die an honourable death fighting then to liue in servitude as fruitlesse members in their Common-wealth Thus vsing the office of a Sergeant Maior and having loaden his two stumpes with bundles of Arrowes succoured those who in the succeeding battaile had their store wasted and changing himselfe from place to place animated and encouraged his Countri-men with such comfortable perswasions as it is reported and credibly beleeved that he did much
more good with his words and presence without striking a stroake then a great part of the Armie did with fighting to the vtmost The other proofe is that such of them as fight on horsebacke are but slightly armed for that their armour is a Beasts hide fitted to their bodie greene and after worne till it be dry and hard He that it is best armed hath him double yet any one of them with these Armes and with his Launce will fight hand to hand with any Spaniarâ— armed from head to foote And it is credibly reported that an Indian being wounded through the body by a Spaniards Launce with his owne hands hath crept on vpon the Launce and come to grapple with his adversary and both fallen to the ground together By which is seene their resolution and invincible courage and the desire they haue to maintaine their reputation and libertie SECT XLV LEaving the coast of Chily and running towards that of Peru my company required the third of the Gold we had gotten which of right belonged vnto them wherein I desired to giue them satisfaction of my iust intention but not to devide it till wee came home and so perswaded them with the best reasons I could alledging the difficultie to devide the barres and being parted how easie it was to be robbed of them and that many would play away their portions and come home as beggerly as they came out and that the shares could not be well made before our returne to England because every mans merites could not be discerned nor rewarded till the end of the Voyage In conclusion it was resolved and agreed that the things of price as Gold and Silver should be put into Chests with three keyes whereof I should haue the one the Master another and the third some other person whom they should name This they yeelded vnto with great difficultie and not without reason for the bad correspondence vsed by many Captaines and owners with their companies vpon their returne defrauding them or diminishing their rights hath hatched many iealousies and produced many disorders with the overthrow of all good discipline and government as experience teacheth for where the Souldier and Marriner is vnpaide or defrauded what service or obedience can be required at his hands The covetous Captaine or Commander looseth the loue of those vnder his charge yea though he haue all the parts besides required in a perfect Commander yet if he preferre his private profite before justice hardly will any man follow such a Leader especially in our Kingdome where more absolute authoritie and trust is committed to those who haue charge then in many other Countries And therefore in election of Chieftaines care would be had in examination of this poynt The shamefull fruites whereof found by experience of many yeares wherein I haue wandred the world I leaue to touch in particular because I will not diminish the reputation of any But this let me manifest that there haue bin and are certaine persons who before they goe to Sea either robbe part of the provisions or in the buying make penurious vnholsome and avaritious penny-worths and the last I hold to be the leaâ—t for they robbe onely the Victuallers and owners but the others steale from owners victuallers and companie and are many times the onely overthrowers of the Voyage for the company thinking themselues to be stored with foure or sixe moneths Victualls vpon survay they find their Bread Beefe or Drinke short yea perhappes all and so are forced to seeke home in time of best hopes and imployment This mischiefe is most ordinary in great actions Lastly some are so cunning that they not onely make their voyage by robbing before they goe to Sea but oâ— that also which commeth home Such gamsters a wise man of our Nation resembled to the Mill on the River of Thames for Grinding both with flood and ebbe So these at their going out and comming home will be sure to robbe all others of their shares although this be a great abuse amongst vs and but of late dayes practised and by me spoken vnto by way of animadversion either in hope of redresse or for infliction of punishment yet I would haue the world know that in other Countries the fault is farre more insufferable And the principall cause which I can finde for it is that our Country imployeth her Nobles of men of credite in all actions of moment who rather chuse to spend wealth and gaine honor then to gaine riches without reputation whereas in Spaine and other partes the advancement of poore men and meane persons by favour and interest produceth no other end but private and particular respects to enrich themselues yet the Nobilitie themselues for the most part in all occasions pretend rewards for any small service whatsoever which with vs as yet is not in vse But the greatest and most principall Robbery of all in my opinion is the defrauding or detaining of the Companies thirdes or wages accursed by the iust God who forbiddeth the hyre of the labourer to sleepe with vs. To such I speake as either abuse themselues in detayning it or else to such as force the poore man to sell it at vile and low prices and lastly to such as vpon fained cavils and sutes doe deterre the simple and ignorant sort from their due prosecutions which being too much in vse amongst vs hath bred in those that follow the Sea a iealousie in all imployments and many times causeth mutenies and infinite inconveniences A poynt deserving consideration and reformation and which with great facilitie may be remedied if vpright justice would put it selfe as stickler betwixt the owners and Company No lesse worthie of reformation are the generall abuses of Marriners and Souldiers who robbe all they can vnder the colour of Pillage and after make Ordinance Cables Sayles Anchors and all aboue Deckes to belong vnto them of right whether they goe by thirdes or wages this proceedeth from those pilfering warres wherein every Gallant that can arme out a Shippe taketh vpon him the name and office of a Captaine not knowing what to command nor what to execute Such Commanders for the most part consort and ioyne vnto themselues disorderly persons Pyrates and Ruffians vnder the title of men of valour and experience they meeting with any Prise make all vpon the Deckes theirs of dutie viz. the best peece of Ordinance for the Captaine the second for the Gunner the third for his Mate the best Cable and Anchor for the Master the Maine topsayle for the Botesman the bonnetts for the quarter Masters and the rest of the Sayles for the company The Cardes and Instruments of the Master for the Master the Surgeans Instruments and Chest for the Surgean the Carpenters Tooles and Chest for the Carpenter and so consequently of each officer that answereth the other in the two Shippes If one happen vpon a bag of Gold Silver Pearle or precious Stones it is held
found wanting the prisoners being examined was to bee made good by the Captaine and Company which tooke the shippe and this vpon great punishments I am witnes and avow that this course did redownd much to the benefitt of the generall stocke to the satisfaction of her Maiestie and Counsell the iustification of his governement and the content of his followers Thus much haue I set downe concerning these abuses and the reformation thereof for that I haue neither seene them divulged by any with whom I haue gone to Sea neither yet recorded in writing by any mans pen let consideration present them to the eares of the powerfull But now to our Voyage SECT XLVI RVnning alongst the coast till wee came within few Leagues of Arica nothing happened vnto vs of extraordinary noveltie or moment for we had the brese favourable which seldome happeneth in this Climate finding our selues in nineteene Degrees wee haled the shore close abourd purposing to see if there were any shipping in the road of Arica It standeth in a great large Bay in eighteene degrees and before you come to it a league to the southwards of the roade and Towne is a great round hill higher then the rest of the land of the Bay neere about the Towne which wee having discovered had sight presently of a small Barke close abourd the shore becalmed manning our boate wee tooke her being loaden with fish from Moormereno which is a goodly head-land very high and lyeth betwixt twenty foure and twenty fiue Degrees and whether ordinarily some barkes vse to goe a fishing every yeare In her was a Spaniard and sixe Indians The Spaniard for that hee was neere the shore swam vnto the Rockes and though wee offered to returne him his barke and fish as was our meaning yet hee refused to accept it and made vs answere that hee durst not for feare least the Iustice should punish him In so great subiection are the poore vnto those who haue the administration of Iustice in those partes and in most partes of the Kingdomes and Countries subiect to Spaine Insomuch that to heare the Iustice to enter in at their doores is to them destruction and desolation for this cause wee carried her alongst with vs. In this meane while wee had sight of another tall shippe comming out of the Sea which wee gaue chase vnto but could not fetch vpp beeing too good of sayle â—or vs. Our small prize and boate standing off vnto vs descryed another shippe which they chased and tooke also loaden with fish comming from the Ilands of Iuan Fernandes After we opened the Bay and Port of Arica but seeing it cleane without shipping wee haled the coast alongst and going aboord to viâ—it the bigger prize my company â—aluted mee with a volley of small shot Amongst them one Musket brake and carryed away the hand of him that shot it through his owne default which for that I haue seene to happen many times I thinke it necessary to note in this place that others may take warning by his harme The cause of the Muskets breaking was the charging with two bullets the powder being ordayned to carry but the waight of one and the Musket not to suffer two charges of powder or shott By this over-sight the fire is restrayned with the overplus of the waight of shott and not being able to force both of them out breaketh all to peeces so to find a way to its owne center And I am of opinion that it is a great errour to proue great Ordinance or small shot with double charges of powder or shot my reason is for that ordinarily the mettall is proportioned to the waight of the shot which the Peece is to beare and the powder correspondent to the waight of the bullet and this being graunted I see no reason why any man should require to proue his peece with more then is belonging to it of right for I haue seene many goodly peeces broken with such tryals being cleane without hony combes cracke flawe or other perceavable blemish which no doubt with their ordinary allowance would haue served many yeares Yea I haue beene certified by men of credit that some Gunners haue taken a glory for breaking many peeces in the tryall which is easie to be done by sundry slights and meanes not fitt to bee published much lesse to bee exercised being preiudiciall to the seller and chargeable to the Conscience of the practiser therefore it were good this excessiue tryall by double charges were cleane abolished If I shoulde make choyce for my selfe I would not willingly that any peece should come into Fort or Shippe vnder my charge which had borne at any time more then his ordinary allowance misdoubting least through the violence of the double charge the Peece may bee crased within or so forced as at another occasion with his ordinary allowance he might breake in peeces how many men so many mindes for to others this may â—eeme harsh for that the contrary custome hath so long time beene received and therefore I submit to better experience and contradict not but that in a demy Culvering a man may put two Saker or Minion shots or many of smaller waight and so in a Muskett two Calever shott or many smaller so they exceede not the ordinary waight prescribed by proportion Arte and experience These experiments I hold convenient vpon many occasions yea and most necessary but the vaine custome of double charges to cause their peeces thereby to giue a better report I affirme can produce no other effect but danger losse and harme SECT XLVII HAving visited our prises and finding in them nothing but fish we tooke a small portion for our victualing and gaue the bigger shippe to the Spaniards againe and the lesser wee kept with purpose to make her our Pinnas The Indians which wee tooke in her would by no meanes depart from vs but desired to goe with vs for England saying that the Indian and English were brothers and in all places where wee came they shewed themselues much affectionated vnto vs these were Natiues of Moremoreno and the most brutish of all that ever I had seene and except it were in forme of men and speech they seemed altogether voyde of that which appertained to reasonable men They were expert swimmers but after the manner of Spaniels they diue and abide vnder water a long time and swallow the water of the Sea as if it were of a fresh River except a man see them he would hardly beleeue how they continue in the Sea as if they were Mermaides and the water their naturall Element Their Countrey is most barren and poore of foode If they take a fish aliue out of the Sea or meete with a peece of salted fish they will devoure it without any dressing as savourely as if it had beene most curiously sodden or dressed all which makes me beleeue that they sustaine themselues of that which they catch in the Sea The Spaniards
North-wardes of the lyne and being thwart of it wee descried a small shippe which wee chased all that day and night and the next morning our Pinnace came to bourd her but being a shippe of advise and full of passengers and our shippe not able to fetch her vp they entreated our people badly and freed themselues though the feare they conceived caused them to cast all the dispatches of the King as also of particulars into the sea with a great part of their loading to bee lighter and better of sayle for the shippes of the South Sea loade themselues like lighters or sand barges presuming vpon the securitie from stormes SECT LII BEing out of hope to fetch vp this shippe wee stoode in with the Cape where the Land beginneth to trend about to the East-wards The Cape is high land and all covered over with Trees and so is the land over the Cape and all the coast from this Cape to Panama is full of wood from the Staites of Magelan to this cape of San Francisco In all the coast from head-land to head-land the courses lye betwixt the North and north and by west and sometimes more westerly and that but seldome It is a bolde Coast and subiect to little foule weather or alteration of windes for the Brese which is the sowtherly wind bloweth continually from Balparizo to Cape San Francisco except it be a great chance Trending about the Cape wee haled in East North-east to fetch the Bay of Atacames which lyeth some seaven Leagues from the Cape In the mid way some three leagues from the shore lyâ—th a banke of sand whereof a man must haue a care for in some parts of it there is but little water The tenth of Iune wee came to an anchor in the Bay of Atacames which on the wester part hath a round hammock It seemeth an Iland and in high springes I iudge that the sea goeth round about it To the East-wards it hath a high sandie cliffe and in the middest of the Bay a faire birth from the shore lyeth a bigge black Rocke aboue water from this Rocke to the sandie cliffe is a drowned Marsh ground caused by his lownesse And a great River which is broad but of no depth Manning our boate and running to the shore we found presently in the westerne bight of the Bay a deepe River whose indraught was so great that we could not benefit our selues of it being brackish except at a low water which hindred our dispatch yet in fiue dayes wee filled all our emptie Caske supplied our want of wood and grounded and put in order our Pinnace Here for that our Indians served vs to no other vse but to consume our victuals we eased our selues of them gaue them hookes and lines which they craved and some bread for a few dayes and replanted them in a farre better countrey then their owne which fell out luckely for the Spaniards of the shippe which wee chased thwart of Cape San Francisco for victuals growing short with her having many mouthes shee was forced to put a shore fiftie of her passengers neere the Cape wherof more then the one halfe dyed with famine and continual wading through Rivers and waters the rest by chance meeting with the Indians which wee had put ashore with their fishing guide and industry were refreshed susteyned and brought to habitation SECT LIII OVr necessary busines being ended wee purposed the fifteenth day of May in the morning to set sayle but the foureteenth in the Evening we had sight of a shippe some three leagues to Sea wards and through the importunitie of my Captaine and Companie I condiscended that our Pinnas should giue her chase which I should not haue done for it was our destruction I gaue them precise order that if they stood not in againe at night they should seeke mee at Cape San Francisco for the next morning I purposed to set sayle without delay and so seeing that our Pinnas slowed her comming at nine of the clocke in the morning wee weyed our Anchors and stoode for the Cape where wee beate off and on two dayes and our Pinnas not appearing wee stood againe into the Bay where wee descried her turning in without a maine Mast which standing off to the Sea close by with much winde and a chapping Sea bearing a taunt-sayle where a little was too much being to small purpose sodainely they bare it by the bourd and standing in with the shore the winde or rather God blinding them for our punishment they knewe not the land and making themselues to bee to wind-wards of the Bay bare vp and were put into the Bay of San Mathew It is a goodly Harbour and hath a great fresh River which higheth fifteene or sixteene foote water and is a good countrey and well peopled with Indidians they haue store of Gold and Emeralds heere the Spaniards from Guayaquill made an habitation whilst I was prisoner in Lyma by the Indians consent but after not able to suffer the insolencies of their guests and being a people of stoâ—acke and presumption they suffered themselues to bee perswaded and led by a Molato This leader many yeares before had fled vnto them from the Spaniards him they had long time held in reputation of their Captaine Generall and was admitted also vnto a chiefe Office by the Spaniardes to gaine him vnto them But now the Indians vniting themselues together presuming that by the helpe of this Molato they should force the Spaniards out of the Countrey put their resolution in execution droue their Enemies into the woods and sâ—ue as many as they could lay hands on some they killed few escaped with life and those who had that good happe suffered extreame misery before they came to Quito the place of neerest habitation of Spaniards To this Bay assoone as our people in the Pynnas saw their errour they brought their tackes abourd and turned and tyded it vp as they could Assoone as we came to Anchor I procured to remedie that was amisse in two daies we dispatched all we had to doe and the next morning we resolued to set sayle and to leaue the coast of Peru and Quito The day appearing we began to weigh our Anchors and being a Pike ready to cut sayle one out of the toppe descryed the Spanish Armado comming about the Cape which by the course it kept presently gaue vs to vnderstand who they were though my company as is the custome of Sea men made them to be the Fleete bound for Panama loden with treasure and importuned that in all hast we should cut sayle stand with them which I contradicted for that I was assured that no shipping would stirre vppon the coast till they had securitie of our departure except some Armado that might be sent to seeke vs and that it was not the time of the yeare to carry the treasure to Panama And besides in Riding still at an Anchor they euer came neerer vnto vs for they