The voyage truely discoursed, made by sir Francis Drake,
and sir John Hawkins, chiefly pretended for some
speciall service on the Islands and maine of the West
Indies, with sixe of the Queenes ships, and 21 other
shippes and barkes, containing 2500 men and boyes, in
the yeere 1595. In which voyage both the foresayd
knights died by sicknesse.
WEE brake ground out of the sound of Plimmouth on
Thursday the 28 of August, and that night ankored
againe in
Causon bay, where we rode till Friday. Then
we set sayle and stoode Southwest: and about three of
the clocke the next morning the Hope, wherein sir Thomas
Baskervil went, strake upon the Edy stone, and shot off
a piece, but after cleared herselfe wel enough.
On Munday at sixe of the clocke in the morning the
landes end bare Northwest and by North, and then we
stoode away Southwest and by South for the coast of
Spaine.
The 8 of September we tooke two small Flemish fliboats
bound for Barbary; which we caried a while with us and
afterward dismissed them without doing them any harme:
only wee learned newes of them, and stayed them from
discrying our fleete to the enemie.
The 26 we saw Forteventura, being one of the
Islands
of the Canaries.
The 27 being Saturday by breake of day we had overshot the chiefe towne of Grand Canaria to the Northeast,
and then stood about for it againe, and by nine of the
clocke were at anker fayre before the fort to the Eastward
of the towne some league. At one of the clocke wee
offred to land one thousand and foure hundreth men in
the sandie bay betwixt the fort and the towne: But by our
detracting of the time they had made a bulwarke in the
sandie bay and planted Ordinance: so that by reason
thereof, and the great breach of the sea that went then on
shore we were not able to land without endangering our
whole forces, which our General would not doe. There
were of Spaniards horsemen and footmen some 900, which
played upon us out of their trenches, most of them being
shot. At the time of our landing there went by commandement of our Generals within musket shot of the
shore, & rode there at ankor some three hours, the Salomon, the Bonaventure
, the Elizabeth Constance, the
Phenix
, the Juell, the Little John, the Delight, the Pegasus, the Exchange, the Francis, the caravell, and the two
catches: But when the Generall sir Francis Drake gave
over the landing being in his barge, the ships weighed
being in some danger, and stoode off againe to the great
ships. Then we went to the West end of the Island and
there watered: where captaine Grimston
going up the hill
with 6 or 7 in his company was set upon by the herdmen,
who with their dogs and staves killed the captaine and
three or foure of his company: the rest were sore
wounded: the Salomons Chirurgian taken prisoner, who
disclosed our pretended voyage as much as in him lay:
so as the Viceroy sent a caravel of adviso into the Indies,
unto all such places as wee did pretend to goe to. Howbeit they had intelligence from the king of all our voyage
the eight of August, which was three weekes before we
set foorth of England
: as also by a Fleming
that had
seene all our provision at London
.
The 28 being Sunday at ten of the clocke at night wee
set saile, and stood away Southwest and Southsouthwest
some 200 leagues, untill we came in the height of the
Islands of Cape Verde, and then more Westerly for
Martinino, one of the
Islands of the West Indies, which
we saw the 27 of October: but the night before we had
a storme, in which sir Francis with foure or five other
ships bearing on head of the fleete was separated. Then
we stood for Dominica
, an Island full of inhabitants of
the race of the Canibals, not past ten leagues distant from
Martinino. In it groweth great store of Tabacco: where
most of our English and French men barter knives,
hatchets, sawes, and such like yron tooles in trucke of
Tabacco.
Before we came to Dominica
our Generall Sir Francis
Drake altered his course, and went for Marigalante, which
we had sight of the 28 day, and came to an anker on the
Northeast side a saker shot off the shore in 13 fathomes
water faire sholding. There the Generall went on shore
in his barge, and by chance met a Canoa of Dominicans,
to the people whereof he gave a yellow wastcoate of flanell
and an hankerchiefe; and they gave him such fruits as
they had, and the Dominicanes rowed to Dominica
againe.
They came thither to fetch some fruits which they sowe
and plant in divers places of that Island, which they keepe
like gardens.
The next morning by breake of day we weyed and
stoode betweene the Todos Santos, which are 4 or 5 little
Islands betweene Guadalupe
and Dominica
. There is
nothing upon these Islands but wood. We came to the
Southeast side of Guadalupe
and there ankered hard
aboord the shore: the Southwest side of the Island is
deepe water and good ankorage: where that day sir John
Hawkins came to us againe standing up from the South
side of Dominica
. There we watered, washed our ships,
set up our pinnesses, and refreshed our souldiers on
shore.
The 30 captaine Wignol in the Francis, a barke of 35
tunnes, being the sternmost of sir John Hawkins fleete
was chased by five of the king of Spaines frigats or
Zabras being ships of 200 tunnes a piece, which came of
purpose with 3. other Zabras for the treasure of S. Juan
de Puerto rico: The Francis going roome with them,
supposing they had bene our owne fleete, was by them
taken in sight of our caravel. They left the Francis driving in the sea with 3 or 4 hurt and sicke men, and tooke
the rest of our men into their ships, as the prisoners which
wee tooke at S. Juan de Puerto rico told us.
The 4 of November we began to unlade the Richard,
one of our victuallers, which was by the next day unladen,
unrigged and then sunken. Then we stood Northwest &
by North: and the next morning saw the
Ilands of Monserrata, Redonda
, Estazia, S. Christopher and Saba
. The
biggest of these Islands is not past 8 leagues long. There
is good ankorage in 8, 7, and 5 fadomes water faire white
sand. Then we stood away Southwest, and on the 8 in
the morning being Saturday came to an anker some 7 or
8 leagues off within certain broken Ilands called Las
Virgines, which have bene accounted dangerous: but we
found there a very good rode, had it bene for a 1000 sails
of ships in 14, 12, and 8 fadomes faire sand and good
ankorage, high Islands on either side, but no fresh water
that we could find: here is much fish to be taken with
hookes and nets: also we stayed on shore and fowled.
Here sir John Hawkins was extreme sicke; which his
sicknes began upon newes of the taking of the Francis.
The 18 day wee weyed and stoode North and by East into
a lesser sound, which sir Francis in his barge discovered
the night before, and ankored in 13 fadoms, having hie
steepe hils on either side, some league distant from our
first riding.
The 12 in the morning we weied and set sayle into the
sea due South through a small streit but without danger,
and then stode West and by North for S. Juan de Puerto
rico, and in the after noone left the 3 small Islands called
The passages to the Southward of us, and that night came
up to the Eastermost end of S. John, where sir John
Hawkins departed this life: upon whose decease sir
Thomas Baskervil presently went into the Garland. At
2 of the clocke we came to anker at the estermost side of
the chiefe towne called Puerto rico in a sandie bay 2 miles
off : where we received from their forts and places where
they planted Ordinance some 28 great shot, the last of
which strake the admirall through the misen, and the last
but one strake through her quarter into the sterage, the
Generall being there at supper, and strake the stoole from
under him, but hurt him not, but hurt at the same table
sir Nicholas Clifford, M. Browne, captaine Stratford
, with
one or two more. Sir Nicholas Clifford and master
Browne died of their hurts.
Then wee set sayle and stood to the Eastward, and at
midnight tacked about to the West, and in the morning
came to an anker before the point without the towne, a
little to the Westwards by the 3 Islands.
The 13 we rode still untill night, when in the beginning
with twenty five pinnesses, boats and shallops manned and
furnished with fire-workes and small shot wee went into
the rode within the great castels, and in despite of them
fired the five Zabras of frigats, all ships of two hundreth
tunnes the piece or more, quite burning the Rere-admirall
downe to the water, which was the greatest shippe of
them all, and also mightily spoiled the admirall and viceadmirall, notwithstanding the castles and ships gave us a
hundreth eighty and five great shot, besides small shot
abundance. They had also sunke a great shippe in the
mouth of the chanell and rafted it over with her mastes
almost to the very fortes and castles, so as they thought
it impregnable. The frigats had in each of them twenty
pieces of brasse, and a hundreth barrels of powder. Their
chiefe lading that they brought thither was silke, oyle, and
wine. The treasure which they went to fetch, which was
brought thither in a ship called the Vigonia, was conveyed into the strongest and surest castell of defence;
being, as one of the prisoners confessed, three millions of
ducats or five and thirty tunnes of silver. Also they had
sent all the women, children, and unable persons into the
woods, and left none but souldiers and fighting men in
the towne. The fight on our side was resolute, hote, and
dangerous: wherein wee lost some forty or fifty men, and
so many were hurt. There was also great death of the
Spaniards aboord the frigats, with burning, drowning,
and killing, and besides some taken prisoners.
The 14 we rode stil, being within shot of the uttermost
castell: but they fearing the next night we would come
in againe, began to warpe up the other 4 frigats, beginning first with the Admirall: which whether by chance or
their owne willes wee saw to sinke; and as wee suppose
so did they with all the rest, or else by stealth got up
farther within their chiefest forces.
The 15 also we rode still, and at afternoone wee espied
a caravell comming from the castell point: but before our
pinnesses could fetch her up, she ranne on shore, where
our boates could not come at her because of the breach,
and also many of the Islanders came downe to guard her
with shot. The beginning of this night we weyed, and
stoode one houre to the East, and then tacked about to
the West.
The 16 being Sunday, and the 17 also we were becalmed.
The 18 we ankered a little to the Southward of the
Southwest point of the Island, giving the point a birth
because of a shoald of sand that lieth some two cables
length off: there we rode in foure, five, and sixe fadomes
faire white sand, where wee set up more pinnesses, washed
our ships, and refreshed our men on shore. Here the
Generall tooke a pinnesse of Hispaniola with divers letters,
signifying that two Englishmen of warre had done great
hurt along their Island.
The 20 the Generall rowed to the Phenix
, the Delight
and the caravell, and caused them to wey and anker right
against the mouth of a fresh river in two fadomes water
in ozie sand to the Southward of the other ships some
league or more. The Generall went into this river three
or foure leagues up, and tooke horses in the countrey.
Sir Thomas Baskervil rowed up the river, and stayed there
all night, and went up into the land three or foure leagues.
The 23 wee discharged a barke called the Pulpit and
burnt her: and at three of the clocke that afternoone,
when we were ready to set saile, there came aboord the
Defiance our Admiral, a Spaniard with his wife, who
feared some great torment for not having repaired to the
towne according to the Generals commandement of that
Island, who had commanded that all able men of the fleete
should repaire to the towne to defend it against us. Then
we stood againe West and by North because of a ledge
of rocks that lie sunke 4 or 5 leagues off the
Southside of
the Island.
The 25 we stood away southwest, and saw Mona
being
a lowe flat Island betweene Hispaniola and S. Juan de
Puerto rico. That day the Exchange of captaine Winter
spent her boult-sprite; and in the beginning of the night
the Phenix
was sent backe to seeke her: which by Gods
help that night met with her, and kept her company until
the next morning, then taking in a small cable from her
for a towe: but by 9 that morning she spent her maine
mast and split her foreyard, breaking also her tow: so as
they were faine to save some trifles out of her and the
men, and to sinke the hull. Then we stood away South
and South and by West after the fleete: and the 26 in
the morning had sight of the fleete againe.
The 29 we had sight of the Island called Curazao within
eight leagues of the maine, and on the Northwest side
came to an anker in very deepe water hard aboord the
shore without any danger: but the Generall weyed presently and stoode away Northwest and by West, and
Northnorthwest for the maine, and that night saw Aruba
,
being somewhat a lesse Island then the other: we left it
some three leagues to the Southward of us.
On Sunday morning being the last of November wee
saw three or foure little Islands called the Monjes, betwixt
Aruba
and the next North point of the maine. At 12 of
the clocke we sawe the maine, where we saw a great
current setting to the Westward, and also the water
changing very white. The Phenix
, the caravell, and one
of the catches kept within, and at midnight came under
Cape de la Vela, and made a fire, whereby the rest of the
fleete came to anker under the Cape, where is a very good
rode, faire sholding and sandie ground, fourteene, twelve,
and tenne fadoms neere the shore. The Cape is a bare
land without trees or shrubs, and falleth in eight or ten
leagues Southeast and Northwest: and a saker shot off
the point standeth a little Island like Mewestone neere
Plimmouth, but somewhat bigger. In the morning the
first of December wee imbarked all our souldiers for Rio
de la Hacha, which is a towne twenty leagues to the
Westwards, one of the ancientest in all the maine,
although not very bigge : but it standeth in a most fertile
and pleasant soyle. Our men tooke it by ten of the clocke
in the night. The ships bearing all that night and the
day before in 5 and 6 fadomes, the lesser ships in two
fadomes and an halfe water: the Phenix
went so neere
the shore by the Generals commandement, that shee
strake on ground, but got off againe. There lieth to the
Eastward of the towne a mile or thereabout a shold of
sand: therefore give a birth some halfe league or more
before you come right against the town. There wee came
to anker in two fadomes, but the great ships rode off in
five and sixe fadomes. There is a fresh river about a
bow-shot to the Eastward of the towne; whereinto our
pinnesses could scarse enter by reason of a barre of sand
in the rivers mouth, but within it is navigable for barkes
of twenty or thirty tunnes some sixe or eight leagues up.
The sixth day the Spaniards came in to talke about the
ransome of the towne, but not to the Generall his liking:
and that night Sir Thomas Baskervil marched up into
the countrey to over-runne those parts: and the Generall
the same night with some hundreth and fiftie men went
by water sixe leagues to the Eastward, and tooke the
Rancheria a fisher towne, where they drag for pearle.
The people all fled except some sixteene or twenty
souldiers, which fought a little, but some were taken
prisoners, besides many Negros, with some store of
pearles and other pillage. In the houses we refreshed our
selves, and were all imbarked to come away, and then
had sight of a brigandine or a dredger, which the Generall
tooke within one houres chase with his two barges: she
had in her Indie-wheat, which we call Maiz, and some
silver and pearle, but of small value.
On Saturday the seventh, master Yorke captaine of the
Hope dyed of sicknes, and then master Thomas Drake
the Generals brother was made captaine of the Hope, and
master Jonas Bodenham captaine of the Adventure, and
master Charles Caesar captaine of the Amitie.
The tenth day the Spaniards concluded for the ransome
of the towne for 24000 ducats, and one prisoner promised
to pay for his ransome 4000 ducats.
The fourteenth day they brought in the townes ransome
in pearles, but rated so deare as the Generall after conference with them, misliking it, sent it backe againe,
giving them foure houres respite to cleere themselves with
their treasure.
The sixteenth the governour came into the towne about
dinner, and upon conference with the Generall told him
plainely, that he cared not for the towne, neither would
he ransome it: and that the pearle was brought in without
his command or consent, and that his detracting of time
so long was onely to send the other townes word, that
were not of force to withstand us, whereby they might
convey all their goods, cattell, and wealth into the woods
out of danger. So the General gave the governour leave
to depart according to promise, having two houres to
withdraw himselfe in safety.
The seventeenth Sir Thomas Baskervil with the Elizabeth Constance, the Phenix
, the caravel with foure or five
pinnesses went some five leagues to the Westward, &
landing, marched some foure leagues up into the countrey
to a place called Tapia, which he tooke & burned certain
villages and ferme houses about it. He had some resistance as he passed over a river, but had but one man
hurt, which he brought aboord alive with him: he marched
one league farther and burnt a village called Sallamca,
and so returned with some prisoners, the souldiers having
gotten some pillage.
The 18 the Rancheria, and the towne of Rio de la
Hacha were burnt cleane downe to the ground, the
Churches and a Ladies house onely excepted, which by
her letters written to the Generall was preserved. That
day wee set sayle and fell to lee-ward, to meete with Sir
Thomas Baskervil.
The 19 we weighed and stood to leeward for
Cape de
Aguja, which the twentieth at sunne rising we saw. It
is a Cape subject much to flawes, by reason it is a very
hie land: and within the cape lieth an Island within the
mouth of the sound, which hath a white cliffe or spot in
the Westnorthwest part of the Island. The land all about
the cape riseth all in homocks or broken steepie hils. A
league Southwest within that, (for so falleth the land
thereabout) there standeth on the top of a cliffe a watchhouse: and a little within that a small Island: you may
goe in betweene the maine and it, or to leeward if you
lust: and hard within that is the rode and towne of Santa
Martha, which at 11 of the clocke we tooke, the people
all being fled, except a few Spaniards, Negros & Indians,
which in a bravado at our landing gave us some 30 or 40
shot, & so ran away.
That night their Lieutenant generall was taken and
some little pillage brought in out of the woods: for in the
town nothing was left but the houses swept clean. In
all the main is not a richer place for gold: for the hops
were mixt with the earth in every place, and also in the
sand a little to the leewards of the towne. In the bay
wee had a bad rode by reason of a small moone, for every
small moone maketh foule weather all the maine along.
The 21, the Generall caused the towne to be burnt, and
all the ships to wey, and stood out, many of the souldiers
being imbarked where the Generall had appointed, in the
small ships which rode neerest the shore. We lost that
night the company of the Phenix
, captaine Austin
, Peter
Lemond, and the Garlands pinnesse, which stood along
the shore, and being chased off by gallies out of Cartha
gena Peter Lemond with nine of our men was taken, the
rest came safe to our fleete.
The 26 we saw the Ilands some twelve leagues to the
Eastward of Nombre de Dios standing in toward the
shore, but toward night we stood to the offin untill the
next day.
The 27 we came into the mouth of Nombre de Dios,
and by one of the clocke tooke the towne, the people
being all fled except some 100 Spaniards, which kept the
Fort, and played upon us, having in the fort some 3 or 4
small pieces of ordinance, and one of them brake in discharging at us. They gave us also a voley of small shot:
but seeing our resolution in running upon them they all
fled and tooke the woods.
The towne was bigge, having large streetes, houses
very hie, all built of timber, but one Church very faire
and large wrought all of timber likewise. Nothing was
left in the towne of value: there was a shew in their shops
of great store of marchandises that had bene there. There
was a mill above the towne, and upon the toppe of another
hill in the woods stood a little watch-house, where we
tooke twentie sowes of silver, two barres of gold, some
money in coyne, besides other pillage.
The towne was situated in a waterie soile, and subject
much to raine, very unhealthy as any place in the Indies,
having great store of Orenges, plantans, cassavy-roots,
& such other fruits; but very dangerous to be eaten for
breeding of diseases. To the Eastwarde of the towne
within the bay runneth out a fresh river of excellent good
water, with houses, and all about it gardens: halfe a
league from hence due East into the countrey was an
Indian towne, whither as we marched a little before our
comming away with an hundred men they had broken
downe a bridge to hinder our passage, where they lay in
ambush with some twentie or thirtie small shot, and bowes
and arrowes, set upon us, and killed Lieutenant Jones,
hurt three or foure and so fled into the woods, ranne
before us and fired their owne towne, and then fled farther
into the woods: our men fired diverse other houses in
pursuing them, and so returned againe: our Generall with
Sir Thomas being in the Rivers mouth with thirtie or
fortie men filling water about some myle from us.
The road of Nombre de Dios is a faire road: but on
each side, as you come to ride before the towne, lyeth a
ledge of rockes, but there is no danger because they are
in sight. You may ride betweene them in three or foure
fadome water, and without if you will in eight or ten
fadomes, where neither Castle nor Fort can annoy you.
The name of Nombre de Dios was greater then their
strength. For they had no Castle nor Fort, but onely the
little fort aforesaid standing on the top of an hill, although
they might have made it stronger if they would.
The 29 sir Thomas Baskervil with 750 armed men,
besides Chirurgians and provand boyes, went for Panama.
The last of December the Generall burned halfe the
towne, and the first of Januarie burnt the rest, with all
the Frigats, Barks & Galiots, which were in the harbour
and on the beach on shore, having houses built over them
to keepe the pitch from melting.
The second of January sir Thomas returned with his
souldiers both weary and hungry, having marched more
then halfe the way to the
South sea. The Spaniards
played divers times upon us both outward and homeward
in the woods, the way being cut out of the woods & rockes
both very narrow, and full of myre and water. The
march was so sore as never Englishman marched before.
Having marched some ten leagues in a marvellous straite
way, upon the top of an hill, through which we must
needes passe, the Spaniards had set up a Fort and kept
it with some 80 or 90 men, who played upon us as we
came up, before wee were aware of them, and so killed
some twentie or more of us, amongst whom was Captaine
Marchant quarter-master Generall, and Ensigne Sampson,
Maurice Williams one of her Majesties guard, besides
diverse were hurt, as M. Captaine Nicholas Baskervil a
valiant gentleman, with divers others. Then sir Thomas
had perfect knowledge that they must passe two such
Forts more, if he got that, besides Panama to be very
strong, the enemie knowing of our comming long before.
Also our souldiers had no victuals left, nor any meanes
to get more: which considerations caused sir Thomas to
returne and give over his attempt. As he marched thitherward he tooke an Indian and sent him to Nombre de Dios
with letters of his returne and proceeding.
The 5 we set saile at 12 of the clocke, and stood to
the Westward.
The 10 day we saw an Iland lying Westward some 30
leagues called Escudo, where wee came to anker on the
Southside
in 12 fadoms water, faire sand and good ankorage. If you come into the Easterne point, give it a
birth, because of a ledge of rockes, that lyeth out there
from the end of the Island: comming to anker we sawe
a roader, who seeing us, set sayle, but that night with
our Pinnesses we tooke him, he had nothing in him but
a little maiz. The men being examined by the Generall
confessed him to be an Advisor sent from Nombre de
Dios to all the ports along the coast Westward. This Iland lyeth 9 or 10 leagues from the maine, & is not past
two leagues long full of wood, and hath great store of
fresh water in every part of the Iland, and that very good.
It is a sickly climat also, and given to much raine: here
we washed our ships, and set up the rest of our Pinnesses.
The 15 day Captaine Plat died of sicknesse, and then
sir Francis Drake began to keepe his cabin, and to complaine of a scowring or fluxe.
The 23 we set saile and stood up again for Puerto Bello,
which is but 3 leagues to the Westwards of Nombre de
Dios.
The 28 at 4 of the clocke in the morning our Generall
sir Francis Drake departed this life, having bene extremely
sicke of a fluxe, which began the night before to stop on
him. He used some speeches at or a little before his
death, rising and apparelling himselfe, but being brought
to bed againe within one houre died. He made his
brother Thomas Drake and captaine Jonas Bodenham
executors, and M. Thomas Drakes sonne his heire to all
his lands, except one manor which he gave to captaine
Bodenham.
The same day we ankored at Puerto Bello, being the
best harbour we found al along the maine both for great
ships and small. There standeth a saker shot off the
shore at the Easterne point a little Iland: and there is
betwixt the maine & that 5 or 6 fadomes: but the best
comming in is the open mouth betwixt that Iland &
another Iland that lyeth to the westward with a range of
rocks.
In Puerto Bello were but 8 or 10 houses, besides a great
new house which they were in building for the Governour
that should have bene for that place: there was also a
very strong Fort all to the waters side with flankers of
great trees and stones filled with earth betweene: and
had not our comming disappointed their pretence, they
would have made it one of the strongest places in all the
maine. There they ment to have builded a great towne.
We found there three pieces of brasse ordinance sunke
in the sea, which we weighed up, all the people were fled
and their goods carried away.
Up within this bay there was a little village but of no
force, where we found a great fresh river, our men rowing
up some two leagues found pillage, as wine and oyle,
and some small quantitie of yron. After our comming
hither to anker, and the solemne buriall of our Generall
sir Francis in the sea: Sir Thomas Baskervill being
aboord the Defiance, where M. Bride made a sermon,
having to his audience all the captaines in the fleete, sir
Thomas commanded all aboord the Garland, with whom
he held a Councell, & there shewing his Commission was
accepted for General, & captain Bodenham made captaine
of the Defiance, & M. Savill captaine of ye Adventure.
The 27 died captaine Josias of the Delight, and captaine
Egerton
a Gentleman of the Foresight, and James Wood
chiefe chirurgion of the fleete out of the Garland.
The 28 died Abraham Kendall out of the Saker. At
this place we watered againe, washed our ships & made
new sailes, it being by the Generall and all the captaines
agreed, that if we could by any meanes turne up againe
for Santa Martha, we should, if not, to goe directly for
England
. Here also we tooke in some balast as our
neede required.
The 6 of Februarie the Elizabeth of M. Wattes was
discharged and sunke, and that day the Pegasus jolly
was going on shore for water, carying no guarde: The Spaniards perceiving it came downe upon them, killed
two of them, and tooke 2 or 3 prisoners, and so ranne
up into the woods againe.
The seventh the Delight and captaine Edens frigat were
discharged and sunke because they were old and leaked,
and the Queenes ships wanted saylers.
That day our men being mustered we had sicke and
whole 2000. And the next day we set on shore all our
prisoners as Spaniards and Negros. But before at our
first comming to Puerto Bello sir Thomas sent two of
those Spaniards to Nombre de Dios and to Panama to
fetch ransome for some of the chiefest prisoners, but they
never returned againe. As we were setting saile there
came one with a flagge of truce, and told the General that
they had taken 18 of our men, and that they were well
used, adding that if he would stay 8 or 10 dayes longer
they should be brought from Panama. We supposed
this to have bene but a delay to have kept us there while
the kings forces had come about by sea, as they dayly
expected. We set saile the 8 of Februarie, turning up
for Santa Martha, and the 14 day we saw the
Ilands of
Baru some 14 leagues to the Westward of Carthagena:
The Generall that night told us he would stand in for the
towne of Baru in the bay: but that night blew so much
winde and continued that small moone, that the same
night we lost the Foresight, and the next day standing
againe to make the land which we had made, we lost
companie of the Susan Parnel, The Helpe, and the
Pegasus. Then the next day we put over for
Cape S.
Antonie, and gave over Santa Martha.
The 25 we saw the
Iland of Grand Cayman some 30
leagues to the Northwestward of Jamaica, being a low
sandie Iland, having many tortoyses about it.
The 26 we saw the hie land of Cuba
to the Eastward
of the broken Ilands, to the
East of the Iland of Pinos,
and were imbayed in among those dangerous places. But
perceiving it, we stood out againe South-southeast and
so got cleere, and then stood away West and by North
for the
Ile of Pinos, which we saw the first of March.
It is a low land with wood and fresh water to the Western
end. If you come in with the middest of it you shall see
rise up above the rest of the land 8 or 9 round homockes,
and the Westermost hath three in one.
Being shot foorth with the West end, and standing in
for to water we espied 20 sayle of ships about one in the
afternoone. This was a third part of the fleete which the
king sent for Carthagena, the rest of the fleete being gone
for the Honduras
. They were in all 60 sailes sent onely
to meete our fleete, being commanded wheresoever they
heard we were, to come upon us with all their three forces.
This fleete which we met withall came standing for Cape
de los Corrientes, and had bene refreshed at Havana.
As soone as they discried us, they kept close upon a
tacke, thinking to get the winde of us: but we weathered
them. And when our Admirall with all the rest of our
fleet were right in the winds eye of them, sir Thomas
Baskervil putting out the Queenes armes, and all the rest
of our fleete their braverie, bare roome with them, and
commanded the Defiance not to shoot, but to keepe close
by to second him. The Viceadmirall of the Spaniards
being a greater ship than any of ours, and the best sayler
in all their fleete loofed by and gave the Concord the two
first great shot, which she repayed presently againe, thus
the fight began. The Bonaventure
bare full with her,
ringing her such a peale of ordinance and small shot
withall, that he left her with tome sides. The Admirall
also made no spare of powder and shot. But the Defiance
in the middest of the Spanish fleete thundering of her
ordinance and small shot continued the fight to the end.
So that the Viceadmirall with 3 or 4 of her consorts were
forced to tacke about to the Eastward, leaving their
admirall and the rest of the fleete, who came not so hotly
into the fight as they did. The fight continued two houres
& better. At sunne set all the fleete tacked about to the
Eastward, we continued our course to the Westward for
cape de los Corrientes, supposing we should have met
with more of their consorts. In this conflict in the
Defiance we had five men slaine, three English men, a
Greeke and a Negro
. That night some halfe houre after,
their fleete keeping upon their weather quarter, we saw
a mightie smoke rise out of one of their great ships which
stayed behind: which happened by meanes of powder as
we thinke, and presently after she was all on a light fire,
and so was consumed and all burnt, as we might well
perceive.
The next day being the second of March in the morning
by breake of day we were hard aboord Cape de los Corrientes, which is a bare low cape, having a bush of trees
higher than the rest some mile to the Eastward of the
cape. All Cuba
is full of wood on the Southside
. The Spanish fleete which then were but 14 no more than we
were, kept still upon our weather quarter, but dared not
to come roome with us although our Admirall stayed for
them. Assoone as we had cleered our selves of the Cape
3 of their best saylers came roome with the Salomon,
which was so neere the land that she could not double
the Cape, but tacked about to the Eastward, & so was
both a sterne and also to leeward of all our fleete: But
when we saw the Spaniards working, the Defiance tacked
about to rescue her: which the Spaniards seeing, and
having not forgotten the fight which she made the night
before, they loofed up into the middest of their fleete
againe, and then all the fleete stayed untill the Salomon
came up, and so stood along for
Cape S. Antonio, which
wee came in sight of by two in the after noone, being a
low cape also, and to the Southwest a white sandie bay,
where 3 or 4 ships may very well water. There is a good
road for North & Easterly windes: there the Spaniardes
began to fall a sterne. That night wee stood away a
glasse or two Northwest, and Northnorthwest, and Northeast, and in the morning-watch South, and in the morning
had sight of Cuba
about the East part of the Organes,
which are dangerous rocks lying 8 leagues off upon the
North part of Cuba
, presently assoone as you passe
Cape
S. Anthonie: then we stood to the Eastward of the land,
the winde at
Southsouthwest, and at 6 at night had foule
weather, but after were becalmed all night. The 5 the
winde came scant. The 7 we sawe a hie land like a
crowne, which appeareth so 13 or 14 leagues to the Westward of Havana, and another place in Cuba
called The
Table, 8 leagues to the Eastward of the crowne. The
land over Havana maketh two small mountaines like a
womans breasts or paps. Here we found no great current
untill we came to the Gulfe of Bahama.
The 10 we saw the
Cape of Florida being but a reasonable low land and broken Ilands to the Southward of the
Cape. And at two in the afternoone we lost sight of the
land 12 leagues to the Northward of the Cape. After
we had disemboqued, we stood West till midnight, and
were in 28 degrees, and then stood Northeast till the 13
at night, when we were in 31 degrees. And after the
wind scanted with a great storme, in which we lost the
Bonaventure
, and the Little John, they bearing on head.
Then we stood with our larbord tacked Eastsoutheast.
The 19 we were in 29 degrees our course Eastnortheast.
The 21 we had a great stormie gale of winde and much
raine but large. And then all the rest of our fleete fell
a sterne except the Hope, which bare a head: so that
there kept no more with the Admirall, but the Defiance,
the Adventure, and the Phenix
.
The 28 we were in 39 degrees, and stood away for
Flores
, which the 8 of Aprill we saw, and the 9 came to
an anker on the Southside
, where we watered because
the Defiance when we came in had but two buts of water.
We bartered with the Portugals for some fresh victuals,
and set here on shore at our comming away out of the
Admirall our two Portugall Pilots; which sir Francis
Drake caried out of England
with him.
The 10 being Easter-eve at night we set saile the winde
serving us to lie some slent in our course. That night
and Easter day we had much raine: the winde came up
at Northeast, wee beate it up some 30 leagues to the
Eastward, & then about to the West, and so againe to
the East, and tryed, and the next boord to the West.
On Thursday towards night, being the 16 wee had sight
of Corvo
againe, we tryed all that night: and on Friday
towards night we came to an anker to the Westward of
the point of Santa Cruz under Flores
: but before midnight we drave, and set saile the next day standing away
Northeast. About three of the clocke in the afternoone
the winde came up againe at North. On sunday the 19
by two of the clocke in the afternoone we had made 20
leagues an East way: and then the winde came up a
good gale at Northwest, and so Northeast with a flowne
sheete we made the best way we could: but being dispersed by bad weather we arrived about the beginning
of May in the West parts of England
. And the last ships
which came in together to Plimmouth were the Defiance,
the Garland, the Adventure, and the Phenix
.
