The first voyage made by Master William Towrson
Marchant of London, to the coast of Guinea, with
two Ships, in the yeere 1555.
UPON Munday the thirtieth day of September wee departed
from the
Isle of Wight, out of the haven of Neuport
with two good shippes, the one called the Hart, the other
the Hinde, both of London, and the Masters of them were
John Ralph, and William Carter, for a voyage to bee
made unto the
River de Sestos in Guinea, and to other
havens thereabout.
It fell out by the varietie of windes, that it was the
foureteenth day of October before wee coulde fetch Dartmouth
: and being there arrived wee continued in that
roade sixe dayes, and the 20. of October we warpt out
of the haven, and set saile, directing our course towards
the Southwest, and the next morning we were runne by
estimation thirty leagues.
The first of November we found ourselves to be in 31.
degrees of latitude by the reckoning of our Master. This
day we ranne about 40. leagues also.
The second day we ranne 36. leagues.
The third day we had sight of Porto Santo, which is
a small Island lying in the sea, about three leagues long,
and a league & a halfe broad, & is possessed by Portugals. It riseth as we came from the Northnorthwest like
two small hilles neere together. The East end of the
same Island is a high land like a saddle with a valley,
which makes it to beare that forme. The West ende
of it is lower with certaine small round hillocks. This
Island lyeth in thirty and three degrees. The same day
at 11. of the clocke we raysed the
Isle of Madera, which
lieth 12. leagues from Porto Santo, towards the Southwest: that Island is a faire Island and fruitfull, and is
inhabited by Portugals, it riseth afarre off like a great
whole land and high. By three of the clocke this day
at after noone we were thwart of Porto Santo, and we
set our course Southwest, to leave the
Isle of Madera
to the Eastward, as we did Porto Santo. These two
Islands were the first land that we saw since wee left
the coast of England. About three of the clocke after
midnight wee were thwart of Madera, within three leagues
of the West ende of it, and by meanes of the high hilles
there, we were becalmed : We suppose we ranne this day
and night 30. leagues.
The fourth day wee lay becalmed under the
Isle of
Madera, untill one of the clocke at afternoone, and then,
the winde comming into the East, wee went our course,
and ranne that day fifteene leagues.
The 5. day we ranne 15. leagues more.
The 6. day in the morning we raysed the
Isle of Tenerif,
otherwise called the Pike, because it is a very high Island,
with a pike upon the top like a loafe of suger. The
same night we raised the
Isle of Palma, which is a
high land also, and to the Westward of the
Isle of
Tenerif.
The 7. day we perceived the
Isle of Gomera, which
is an Island standing betwixt Tenerif and Palma, about
12. leagues Eastward from Palma, and 8. leagues Westward from Tenerif : and for feare of being becalmed with
the
Isle of Tenerif, we left both it, and Gomera to the
Eastward of us, and went betwixt Palma and Gomera.
We ranne this day and night 30. leagues.
Note that these Islands be 60. leagues from Madera,
and that there are 3. Islands more to the Westward of
Tenerif, named the Grand Canaria, Forte-ventura, &
Lancerot, of which Islands we came not in sight: they
be inhabited by Spaniards.
This day also we had sight of the
Isle of Ferro, which
is to the Southwards 13. leagues from the other Islands,
and is possessed by Spaniards. All this day and night
by reason of the winde we could not double the point
of the
Isle of Ferro, except we would have gone to the
Westward of it, which had bene much out of our course:
therefore we kept about, and ranne backe five houres
Eastnortheast to the ende we might double it upon the
next boord, the winde continuing Southeast, which hath
not bene often seene upon that coast by any travailers:
for the winde continueth there for the most part Northeast,
& East Northeast: so upon the other boord by the next
morning we were in a maner with the Island, and had
roome ynough to double the same.
The 8. day we kept our course as neere the winde as
wee could, because that our due course to fetch the coast
of Barbary was Southeast and by East, but by the scant
winde wee could not goe our due course, but went as
neere it as we could, and ranne this day and night 25.
leagues.
The 9. day we ranne 30. leagues, the 10. 25. leagues,
the 12. 24.
The 12. day we sawe a saile under our Lee, which
was as we thought a fisherman, so that wee went roome
to have spoken with him, but within one houre there
fell such a fogge, that wee could not see the shippe nor
one of us the other: we shot off divers pieces to the
Hinde, but she heard them not: at after noone she shot
off a piece which wee heard, and made her answere with
another: and within one halfe houre after the fogge brake
up, and we were within 4. leagues of the shoare upon
the coast of Barbary, and wee sounded and had 14. fadom
water. The Barke also came roome with us and there
ankered by reason of the contrary winde. When we fell
with the land, we could not judge justly what part of
the land it was, because the most part of that coast is
lowe land, and no part to be judged of it but the forepart
of the shoare, which is white like chalke or sand, and
very deepe unto the hard shoare: there immediatly we
began to fish, and found great store of a kinde of fish
which the Portugals commonly fish for upon that coast,
which they cal Pergosses, the Frenchmen call them
Saders, and our men salt-water breames. Before the
clearing up of the fogge, the shippe which we followed
shaped us such a course that we could see her no more,
by reason of our shooting off to finde the Hinde againe.
This part of the coast of Barbary, by our Pilots reckoning, is about 16. leagues to the Eastwards of the river
del Oro.
The 13. day in the afternoone wee spyed a saile comming towards us, which wee judged to be the saile that
wee sawe the day before, and as soone as we spied him,
wee caused the Hinde to way her ancre and to goe
towardes him, and manned out our Skiffe in like case to
lay him aboorde, or to discerne what hee was, and wee
our selves within halfe an houre after wayed also: but
after the saile had espied us, hee kept about, and turned
backe againe, and shortly after there fell such another
fogge, that wee coulde not see him: which fogges continued all that night, so that we were constrained to leave
the chase. This afternoone the winde came about, and
wee went our course Southwest and by West, to goe
cleare off the coast, wee ranne that night sixteene leagues.
The foureteenth day in the morning was very foggie:
but about twelve a clocke wee espied a Carvell of 60.
tunne which was fishing, and we sent our Skiffe to him
with five men, and all without any weapon saving their
Oares. The Carvell for haste let slippe her ancre, and
set saile; and they seeing that, fearing that they should
not fetch her, would tary for no weapons, and in the
ende overtooke the Carvell, and made her to strike saile,
and brought her away, although they had foureteene or
fifteene men aboord, & every man his weapon, but they
had not the hearts to resist our men. After they were
come to us, they let fall their ancre, for wee had cast
ancre because the winde was not good: I caused then
the Skiffe to come for mee, and I went aboorde of them
to see that no harme should bee done to them, nor to
take any thing but that which they might spare us for
our money. So we tooke of them 3. Tapnets of figges,
two small pots of oyle, two pipes of water, foure hogsheads of saltfish which they had taken upon the coast,
and certaine fresh fish which they did not esteeme,
because there is such store upon that coast, that in an
houre and sometime lesse, a man may take as much fish
as will serve twentie men a day. For these things, and
for some wine which wee dranke aboorde of them, and
three or foure great Cannes
which they sent aboord of
our shippes, I payed them twentie and seven Pistolets,
which was twise as much as they willingly would have
taken: and so let them goe to their ancre and cable which
they had let slippe, and got it againe by our helpe. After
this wee set saile, but the winde caused us to ancre againe
about twelve leagues off the river del Oro, as the Portugals tolde us. There were five Carvels more in this place,
but when they sawe us, they made all away for feare
of us.
The 15. day we ridde still because of the winde.
The 16. day we set saile and ranne our course 40.
leagues. This day, by the reckoning of our Pilots, we
were right under the Tropike of Cancer. The 17. day
we ranne 25. leagues within sight for the most part of
the coast of Barbary.
The 18. day wee ranne thirtie leagues, and at twelve
of the clocke by the reckoning of our Pilots we were
thwart of
Cape Blanke.
The 22. day our Pilots reckoned us to be thwart
Cape
Verde.
The 12. day of December we had sight of land of
Guinea, which as soone as we saw we halled into the
land Northeast, and about 12. of the clocke at night we
were neere the shoare within lesse then 2. leagues: and
then we kept about and sounded, and found 18. fadom
water. Afterwards we saw a light towards the shoare,
which we thought to have bene a ship, and thereby judged
it to be the
river de Sestos, which light as soone as we
espied, we came to an anker & armed our tops, and made
all things ready to fight, because we doubted that it might
be some Portugal
or French man: this night we remained
at an anker, but in the morning we saw no man, only
we espied 4. rockes about 2. English miles from us, one
great rocke, and the 3. other smal ones, which when we
sawe, we supposed that the light came from the shore,
and so wayed and set saile East Southeast along the
shoare, because the Master did not well know the place,
but thought that we were not so farre to the East as
the
river de Sestos.
This land all a long is a low land, and full of very
high trees all along the shoare, so that it is not possible
to know the place that a man doth fall withall, except
it be by the latitude: In these 24. houres I thinke we
ran 16. leagues, for all the night we had a great gale
as we were under saile, and had withall store of thunder
and lightnings.
The 13. day for the most part we ran East Southeast
all along the shoare, within two leagues alwayes of the
same, and found the land all as at the first, ful of woods
and great rocks hard aboord the shoare, and the billow
beating so sore, that the seas brake upon the shoare as
white as snow, and the water mounted so high that a
man might easily discerne it 4. leagues off, in such wise
that no boate could land there. Thus we ran until 12.
of the clocke, and then they tooke the Sunne and after
judged themselves to be 24. leagues past the river de
Sestos
to the Eastwards, by reason whereof we halled
into the shoare within two English miles, and there ancred
and found fifteene fadom water, and all off from the
shoare the sea so smooth, that we might wel have rid
by an Hawser. All that after-noone we trimmed our
boate and made her a saile, to the ende that she might
go along by the shoore to seeke some place to water in:
for wee could not goe backe againe to the
river de Sestos,
because the winde blowes alwayes contrary, and the
Currant runneth alwayes to the Eastwards, which was
also against us.
The 14. day we set saile & went back againe along
the coast, and sent our boats hard aboord the shoare to
seeke a watering place, which they found about 12. of
the clock, and we being farre into the sea, met with divers
boats of the Countrey, small, long and narrow, & in every
boate one man and no more: we gave them bread which
they did eat, & were very glad of it. About 4 of the
clocke our boats came to us with fresh water: and this
night we ankered against a River.
The 15. day we wayed and set saile to goe neere the
shoare, and with our leade wee sounded all the way,
and found sometimes rockes, and sometimes faire ground,
and at the shallowest found 7. fadoms alwayes at the
least. So in fine we found 7. fadom and a halfe within
an English mile of the shoare, and there we ankered in
a maner before the mouth of the River, and then wee
sent our boats into the River for water, which went about
a mile within the River, where they had very good water.
This River lieth by estimation 8. leagues beyond the
River
de Sestos, and is called in the
Carde River S. Vincent,
but it is so hard to finde, that a boat being within halfe
a mile of it shall not be able to discerne that it is a River:
by reason that directly before the mouth of it there lyeth
a ledge of rockes, which is much broader then the River,
so that a boate must runne in along the shoare a good
way betwixt the rockes and the shoare before it come
to the mouth of the River, and being within it, it is a
great River and divers other Rivers fall into it: The
going into it is somewhat ill, because that at the entring
the seas do goe somewhat high, but being once within it,
it is as calme as the Thames
.
There are neere to the Sea upon this River divers
inhabitants, which are mighty bigge men and go al naked
except some thing before their privie parts, which is
like a clout about a quarter of a yard long made of the
barke of trees, and yet it is like a cloth: for the barke
is of that nature, that it will spin small after the maner
of linnen. Some of them also weare the like upon their
heades being painted with divers colours, but the most
part of them go bare headed, and their heads are clipped
and shorne of divers sorts, and the most part of them
have their skin of their bodies raced with divers workes,
in maner of a leather Jerkin. The men and women goe
so alike, that one cannot know a man from a woman but
by their breastes, which in the most part be very foule
and long, hanging downe low like the udder of a goate.
The same morning we went into the River with our
Skiffe, and caried certaine basons, manels, &c. And there
we tooke that day one hogs-head and 100. li. waight of
Graines, and two Elephants teeth at a reasonable good
reckoning. Wee solde them both basons, and Manelios,
and Margarits, but they desired most to have basons:
For the most part of our basons wee had by estimation
about 30. li. for a piece, and for an Elephants tooth of
30. li. waight, we gave them 6.
The 16. day in the morning we went into the river
with our Skiffe, and tooke some of every sort of our
marchandize with us, and shewed it to the Negroes, but
they esteemed it not, but made light of it, and also of
the basons, Manellios and Margarits, which yesterday
they did buy: howbeit for the basons they would have
given us some graines, but to no purpose, so that this
day wee tooke not by estimation above one hundreth
pound waight of Graines, by meanes of their Captaine,
who would suffer no man to sell any thing but through
his hands, and at his price: he was so subtile, that for
a bason hee would not give 15. pound waight of Graines,
and sometimes would offer us small dishfuls, whereas
before wee had baskets full, and when he saw that wee
would not take them in contentment, the Captaine departed, and caused all the rest of the boates to depart,
thinking belike that wee would have followed them, and
have given them their owne askings. But after that wee
perceived their fetch, wee wayed our Grapnel and went
away, and then wee went on land into a small Towne to
see the fashions of the Countrey, and there came a three
score of them about us, and at the first they were afraid
of us, but in the ende perceiving that wee did no hurt,
they would come to us and take us by the hand and be
familiar with us, and then we went into their Townes,
which were like to twentie small hovels, all covered over
with great leaves and baggage, and all the sides open,
and a scaffolde under the house about a yard high, where
they worke many pretie things of the barkes of trees,
and there they lye also. In some of their houses they
worke yron and make faire dartes, and divers other things
to worke their boates, and other things withall, and the
women worke as well as the men. But when wee were
there divers of the women to shew us pleasure danced
and sung after their maner, full ill to our eares. Their
song was thus:
“ Sakere, sakere, ho, ho. Sakere, sakere, ho, ho.”
And with these words they leape and dance and clap
their hands. Beastes we could see none that they had,
but two goates, small dogges, and small hennes: other
beastes we saw none. After that we had well marked
all things we departed and went aboord our ships: which
thing the Captaine of the other towne perceiving, sent
two of his servants in a boat with a basket of Graines,
and made us signes that if when we had slept wee would
come againe into their river, wee should have store of
Graines, and so shewed us his Graines and departed.
The 17. day in the morning because we thought that
the Negroes would have done something because the
Captaine sent for us, I required the Master to goe on
shoare, and sent the rest of our Marchants with him,
and taried aboord my selfe by reason that the last day he
esteemed our things so litle: so when the Master and the
rest came into the river, the captaine with divers others
came to them, and brought Graines with them, & after
that he saw that I was not there, he made signes to know
where I was, and they made signes to him againe that
I was in the ships: and then hee made signes to know
who was Captaine by the name of Diago, for so they call
their Captaine, & they pointed to the master of the ship:
then he began to shew his Graines, but he held them
so unreasonably, that there was no profit to be made of
them: which things the Master perceiving, and seeing
that they had no store of Graines, came away, and tooke
not above 50. pound waight of Graines. Then he went
a shoare to the litle Towne where we were the day before,
& one of them plucked a Gourd, wherewith the Negroes
were offended, & came many of them to our men with
their darts and great targets, and made signes to them
to depart: which our men did, having but one bow and
two or three swords, and went aboord the boate and
came away from them: and assoone as they were come
aboord we wayed and set saile, but the winde was off the
Sea, so that we could not get out cleare of certaine rocks,
and therefore we came to an ancre againe.
This river is called
River S. Vincent, standing in 4.
degrees and a halfe, and it ebbeth and floweth there every
12. houres, but not much water when it ebbeth the most:
while wee were there, it ebbed one fadome and a halfe
water.
This countrey as farre as we could perceive is altogether
woody, and al strange trees, whereof wee knewe none,
and they were of many sorts, with great leaves like great
dockes, which bee higher then any man is able to reach
the top of them.
There are certaine peason by the Sea side, which grow
upon great and very long stalkes, one of the stalkes I
measured and found it 27. paces long, and they grow
upon the sand like to trees, and that so neere the Sea,
that sometimes the Sea floweth into the woods as we
might perceive by the water markes. The trees and all
things in this place grow continually greene. Divers of
the women have such exceeding long breasts, that some
of them wil lay the same upon the ground and lie downe
by them, but all the women have not such breasts.
At this place all the day the winde bloweth off the
Sea, and all the night off the land, but wee found it to
differ sometimes, which our Master marvelled at.
This night at 9. of the clocke the winde came up at
the East, which ordinarily about that time was wont to
come out of the North Northwest off the shoare: yet we
wayed and hailed off South with that winde all night into
the Sea, but the next morning we hailed in againe to the
lande, and tooke in 6. Tunnes of water for our ship, and
I thinke the Hinde tooke in as much.
I could not perceive that here was any gold, or any
other good thing: for the people be so wilde and idle,
that they give themselves to seeke out nothing : if they
would takes paines they might gather great store of
graines, but in this place I could not perceive two Tunne.
There are many foules in the Countrey, but the people
wil not take the paines to take them.
I observed some of their words of speach, which I
thought good here to set downe.
| Bezow, bezow, | Is their salutation. |
| Manegete afoye, | Graines ynough. |
| Crocow afoye, | Hennes ynough. |
| Zeramme afoye, | Have you ynough? |
| Begge sacke, | Give me a knife. |
| Begge come, | Give me bread. |
| Borke, | Holde your peace. |
| Coutrecke, | Ye lye. |
| Veede, | Put foorth, or emptie. |
| Brekeke, | Rowe. |
| Diago, | Their Captaine, and some call him Dabo
. |
These and other wordes they speake
very thicke, and oftentimes recite one word three times
together, and at the last time longer then at the two
first.
The 18. day towards night, as we were sailing along
the coast, we met with certaine boats in the sea, & the
men shewed us that there was a river thwart of us, where
there were Graines to be sold, but we thought it not good
to tary there, least the other ships should get before us.
This river hath lying before it three great rockes, and
5. small rocks, one great tree, and a litle tree right by
the river, which in height exceeded all the rest: we
halled this night along the coast 10. leagues.
The 19. day as we coasted the shoare, about twelve of
the clocke there came out to us 3. boates to tell us that
they had graines, & brought some with them for a shew,
but we could not tary there. We proceeded along the
coast, & ancred by the shore all the night, and ran this
day 10. leagues.
The 20. day the Hinde having ankered by us amongst
rockes, and foule ground, lost a small anker. At noone,
as we passed along the coast, there came forth a Negro
to us, making signes, that if we would goe a shoare, wee
should have Graines, and where wee ankered at night,
there came another to us, and brought Graines, and
shewed us them, and made signes that wee should tary,
and made a fire upon the land in the night, meaning
thereby to tell us where we should land, and so they did
in divers other places upon the coast, where they saw us
to anker.
In al the places where we have ancred, since we came
from our watring place, we have found the tide alwayes
running to the Westwards, and all along the coast many
rockes hard aboord the shoare, and many of them a
league off the shoare or more, we ran this day 12. leagues.
The 21. day, although we ranne all day with a good
gale of winde, yet the tides came so sore out of the coast,
that we were not able to runne above sixe leagues: and
this day there came some Negroes to us, as there had
done other times.
The 22. wee ranne all day and night to double a point,
called Das palmas, and ranne sixteene leagues.
The 23. day about 3. of the clocke we were thwart of
the point, & before we came to the Westermost part of
it, we saw a great ledge of rocks, which lie West from
the Cape about 3. leagues and a league or more from the
land. Shortly after we had sight of the Eastermost part
of the Cape, which lieth 4. leagues from the Westermost
part, and upon the very corner thereof lie two greene
places, as it were closes, and to the Westwards of the
Cape the land parted from the Cape, as it were a Bay,
whereby it may well be knowen. Foure leagues more
beyonde that there lieth a head-land in the sea, and about
two leagues beyond the head-land there goeth in a great
Bay, as it were a river, before which place we ankered
all that night, which wee did, least in the night wee
should overrunne a river, where the last yeere they had
all their Elephants teeth.
This
Cape Das palmas lieth under foure degrees and a
halfe, and betwixt the said Cape, and the
river de Sestos
is the greatest store of Graines to be had, and being past
the said Cape, there is no great store else where.
Where we ankered this night, we found that the tide,
which before ran alwayes to the Westward, from this
Cape runneth all to the Eastward: this day we ranne
some 16. leagues.
The 24. day running our course, about eight of the
clock there came forth to us certaine boats, which brought
with them small egges, which were soft without shels,
and they made us signes, that there was within the land
fresh water, and Goates: and the Master thinking that
it was the river which we sought, cast ancker and sent
the boate on shoare, with one that knew the river, and
comming neere the shoare, hee perceived that it was not
the river, and so came backe againe, and went along the
shoare, with their oares and saile, and wee weyed and
ranne along the shoare also: and being thirteene leagues
beyond the Cape, the Master perceived a place which he
judged to be the river, when wee were in deede two
miles shot past it: yet the boate came from the shoare,
and they that were in her saide, that there was no river:
notwithstanding wee came to an ancker, and the Master
and I tooke five men with us in the boat, and when hee
came neere the shoare, hee perceived that it was the same
river which hee did seeke: so we rowed in, and found
the entrance very ill, by reason that the sea goeth so
high: and being entred, divers boates came to us, and
shewed us that they had Elephants teeth, and they
brought us one of about eight pound, & a little one of a
pound, which we bought: then they brought certaine
teeth to the river side, making signes, that if the next
day we would come againe, they would sell us them: so
we gave unto two Captaines, to either of them a manillio,
and so we departed, and came aboord, and sent out the
other boate to another place, where certaine boates that
came into the sea, made us signes that there was fresh
water: and being come thither, they found a towne, but
no river, yet the people brought them fresh water, and
shewed them an Elephants tooth, making signes that the
next day they would sel them teeth, and so they came
aboord.
This river lieth by the Carde thirteene leagues from
the
Cape Das palmas, and there lieth to the Westwards
of the same a rocke about a league in the sea, and the
river it selfe hath a point of lande comming out into the
Sea, whereupon grow five trees, which may well bee discerned two or three leagues off, comming from the
Westward, but the river cannot bee perceived untill such
time as a man be hard by it, and then a man may perceive
a litle Towne on ech side the river, and to ech Towne
there belongeth a Captaine. The river is but small, but
the water is good and fresh.
Two miles beyond the river, where the other towne
is, there lieth another point into the Sea, which is greene
like a close, and not above sixe trees upon it, which
growe one of them from the other, whereby the coast
may well be knowen: for along all the coast that we
have hitherto sailed by, I have not seene so much bare
land.
In this place, and three or foure leagues to the Westward of it, al along the shoare, there grow many Palme
trees, whereof they make their wine de Palma. These
trees may easily be knowen almost two leagues off, for
they be very high and white bodied, and streight, and be
biggest in the midst: they have no boughes, but onely a
round bush in the top of them: and at the top of the
same trees they boare a hole, and there they hang a
bottell, and the juyce of the tree runneth out of the said
hole into the bottle, and that is their wine.
From the
Cape das Palmas, to the
Cape Tres puntas,
there are 100. leagues: and to the port where we purpose
to make sales of our cloth beyond the
Cape Tres puntas
40. leagues.
Note, that betwixt the
river De Sestos, and the
Cape
Das palmas, is the place where all the graines be
gathered.
The language of the people of this place, as far as I
could perceive, differeth not much from the language of
those which dwel where we watred before: but the people
of this place be more gentle in nature then the other,
and goodlier men: their building & apparel is all one
with the others.
Their desire in this place was most of all to have
Manillios and Margarites: as for the rest of our things,
they did litle esteeme them.
About nine of the clocke there came boates to us foorth,
from both of the places aforesaid, and brought with them
certaine teeth, and after they had caused me to sweare
by the water of the Sea that I would not hurt them, they
came aboord our ship three or foure of them, and we
gave them to eate of all such things as we had, and they
did eate and drinke of all things, as well as we our selves.
Afterwards we bought all their teeth, which were in
number 14. and of those 14. there were 10. small: afterwards they departed, making us signes that the next day
we should come to their Townes.
The 26. day because we would not trifle long at this
place I required the Master to goe unto one of the townes,
and to take two of our merchants with him, & I my selfe
went to the other, and tooke one with me, because these
two townes stand three miles asunder. To these places
we caried somewhat of every kinde of marchandize that
we had: and hee had at the one Towne, nine teeth, which
were but small, and at the other towne where I was, I
had eleven, which were also not bigge, and we left aboord
with the Master certaine Manillios, wherewith he bought
12. teeth aboord the ship, in our absence: and having
bought these of them, wee perceived that they had no
more teeth: so in that place where I was one brought
to me a small goat, which I bought, and to the Master
at the other place they brought five small hennes, which
be bought also, and after that we saw there was nothing
else to be had, we departed, and by one of the clocke we
met aboord, and then wayed, and went East our course
18. leagues still within sight of land.
The 28. the wind varied, and we ranne into the sea,
and the winde comming againe off the sea, wee fell with
the land againe, and the first of the land which we raised
shewed as a great red cliffe round, but not very high,
and to the Eastward of that another smaller red cliffe,
and right above that into the land a round hummoke and
greene, which we tooke to be trees. We ranne in these
24. houres, not above foure leagues.
The 29. day comming neere to the shoare, we perceived
the red cliffe aforesaide to have right upon the top of it
a great heape of trees, and all to the Westwards of it
ful of red cliffes as farre as we could see, and all along
the shoare, as well upon the cliffes, as otherwise, full of
wood: within a mile of the said great cliffe there is a
river to the Eastwards, and no cliffes that we could see,
except one small cliffe, which is hard by it. We ran this
day and night 12. leagues.
The windes that wee had in this place by the reports
of the people and of those that have bene there, have
not bene usuall, but in the night, at North off the lande,
and in the day South off the sea, and most commonly
Northwest, and Southwest.
The 31. day we went our course by the shoare Northwards: this land is al along a low shoare, and full of
wood, as all the coast is for the most part, and no rockes.
This morning came out many boates which went a fishing,
which bee greater boates then those which we sawe
before, so that in some of them there sate 5. men, but
the fashion of the boats is all one. In the afternoone
about three of the clocke wee had sight of a Towne by
the sea side, which our Pilots judged to be 25. leagues
to the Westwards of the
Cape Tres puntas.
The third of January in the morning we fell with the
Cape Tres puntas, and in the night passed, as our Pilots
saide, by one of the Portugals castles, which is 8. leagues
to the Westwards of the Cape: upon the first sight of the
Cape wee discerned it a very high land, and all growen
over with trees, and comming neere to it, we perceived
two head lands, as it were two Bayes betwixt them, which
opened right to the Westward, and the uttermost of them
is the
Easterne Cape, there we perceived the middle Cape,
and the
Eastermost Cape: the middle Cape standeth not
above a league from the
West Cape, although the Card
sheweth them to be 3. leagues one from the other: and
that middle Cape hath right before the point of it a small
rocke so neere to it, that it cannot be discerned from the
Cape, except a man be neere to the shoare, and upon the
same Cape standeth a great heape of trees, and when a
man is thwart the same Cape to the Eastward, there
riseth hard by it a round greene hommoke, which commeth out of the maine.
The thirde Cape is about a league beyond the middle
Cape, and is a high land like to the other Capes, and
betwixt the middle, and the thirde commeth out a litle
head or point of a land out of the maine, and divers rocks
hard aboord the shoare.
Before we came to the Capes, being about 8. leagues
off them, wee had the land Southeast, and by East, and
being past the Capes, the land runneth in againe East
Northeast.
About two leagues beyond the farthest Cape there is
a lowe glade about two miles long, and then the land
riseth high againe, and divers head-lands rise one beyond
another, and divers rockes lie at the point of the first
head-land. The middest of these Capes is the neerest
to the Southwards, I meane, further into the sea then
any of the other, so that being to the Eastward of it, it
may be discerned farre off, and being so to the Eastward
it riseth with two small rockes.
This day we ankered for feare of overshooting a towne
called S. Johns. Wee ran this day not above 8. leagues.
In the afternoone this day there came a boate of the
countrey from the shoare, with five men in her, and went
along by us, as we thought, to discerne our flagges, but
they would not come neere us, and when they had well
looked upon us, they departed.
The fourth day in the morning, sailing by the coast,
we espied a ledge of rockes by the shoare, and to the
Westwards of them two great greene hils joyning
together, so that betweene them it was hollow like a
saddle: and within the said rockes the Master thought
the aforenamed Towne had stoode, and therefore we
manned our boates, and tooke with us cloth, and other
marchandize, and rowed ashoare, but going along by the
coast, we sawe that there was no towne, therefore wee
went aboord againe.
From these two hils aforesaid, about two leagues to
the Eastward, lie out into the Sea almost two miles a
ledge of rockes, and beyond that a great Bay, which
runneth into the North Northwestward, and the land in
this place lieth North Northeast along the shoare: but
the uttermost point of land in that place that we could
see, lay Northeast, and by East from us.
After that we were with a small gale of winde runne
past that uttermost head-land, we sawe a great red cliffe,
which the Master againe judged to be the towne of S.
Johns, and then wee tooke our boate with marchandize,
and went thither, and when we came thither, we perceived that there was a towne upon the toppe of the
hill, and so wee went toward it, and when we were hard
by it, the people of the towne came together a great
sort of them, and waved us to come in, with a peece
of cloth, and so we went into a very faire Bay, which
lieth to the Eastward of the cliffe, whereupon the towne
standeth, and being within the cliffe, wee let fall our
grapnell, and after that we had taried there a good space,
they sent a boate aboord of us, to shewe us that they
had golde, and they shewed us a peece about halfe a
crowne weight, and required to know our measure, &
our weight, that they might shewe their Captaine thereof:
and wee gave them a measure of two elles, and a waight
of two Angels to shew unto him, which they tooke, and
went on shoare, and shewed it unto their Captaine, and
then they brought us a measure of two elles, one quarter
and a halfe, and one Crusado-weight of gold, making us
signes that so much they would give for the like measure,
and lesse they would not have. After this, we taried
there about an houre, and when we sawe that they would
doe no otherwise, and withall understood, that all the
best places were before us, wee departed to our shippes
and wayed, and ranne along the shoare, and went before
with our boate, and having sailed about a league, we
came to a point where there lay foorth a ledge of rockes,
like to the others before spoken of, and being past that
people, the Master spied a place which hee saide plainely
was the towne of Don John: and the night was come
upon us, so that we could not well discerne it, but we
ankered as neere unto the place as we could.
The fift day in the morning we perceived it to be the
same towne in deede, and we manned our boates and went
thither, and because that the last yeere the Portugals at
that place tooke away a man from them, and after shot
at them with great bases, and did beate them from the
place, we let fall our grapnel almost a base shot off the
shoare, and there we lay about two houres, and no boats
came to us. Then certaine of our men with the Hindes
boate went into the Bay which lieth to the Eastward of
the towne, and within that Bay they found a goodly fresh
river, and afterwards they came and waved to us also to
come in, because they perceived the Negroes to come
downe to that place, which we did: and immediatly the
Negroes came to us, and made us signes that they had
golde, but none of them would come aboord our boates,
neither could wee perceive any boates that they had to
come withall, so that we judged that the Portugals had
spoiled their boates, because we saw halfe of their towne
destroyed.
Wee having stayed there a good space, and seeing that
they would not come to us, thrust our boates heads a
shoare, being both well appointed, and then the
Captaine
of the Towne came downe being a grave man: and he
came with his dart in his hand, and sixe tall men after
him, every one with his dart & his target, and their darts
were all of yron, faire and sharpe, and there came another
after them which caried the Captaines stoole: wee saluted
him, and put off our caps, and bowed our selves, and hee
like one that thought well of himselfe, did not moove his
cap, nor scant bowed his body, and sate him downe very
solemnly upon his stoole: but all his men put off their
caps to us, and bowed downe themselves.
He was clothed from the loines downe with a cloth of
that Countrey making, wrapped about him, and made
fast about his loynes with a girdle, and his cap of a
certaine cloth of the Countrey also, and bare legged, and
bare footed, and all bare above the loynes, except his head.
His servants, some of them had cloth about their loines,
and some nothing but a cloth betwixt their legges, and
made fast before, and behinde to their girdles, and cappes
of their owne making, some like a basket, and some like
a great wide purse of beasts skinnes.
All their cloth, cordes, girdles, fishing lines, and all
such like things which they have, they make of the bark
of certaine trees, and thereof they can worke things very
pretily, and yron worke they can make very fine, of all
such things as they doe occupy, as darts, fishhookes,
hooking yrons, yron heads, and great daggers, some of
them as long as a woodknife, which be on both sides
exceeding sharpe, and bended after the maner of Turkie
blades, and the most part of them have hanging at their
left side one of those great daggers.
Their targets bee made of such pils as their cloth is
made of, and very closely wrought, and they bee in forme
foure square, and very great, and somewhat longer then
they bee broad, so that kneeling downe, they make their
targets to cover their whole body. Their bowes be short,
and of a pretie strength, as much as a man is able to draw
with one of his fingers, and the string is of the barke of a
tree, made flat, and about a quarter of an inch broad: as
for their arrowes, I have not as yet seene any of them,
for they had wrapped them up close, and because I was
busie I could not stand about it, to have them open them.
Their golde also they worke very well.
When the Captaine was set, I sent him two elles of
cloth, and two basons, and gave them unto him, and hee
sent againe for a waight of the same measure, and I sent
him a weight of two Angels, which he would not take,
nether would hee suffer the towne to buy any thing, but
the basons of brasse: so that wee solde that day 74.
basons unto the men of the towne, for about halfe an
Angel weight, one with another, and nine white basons,
which we solde for a quarter of an Angell a peece, or
thereabouts.
We shewed them all our other things which we had,
but they did not esteeme them.
About two of the clocke, the Captaine who did depart
in the morning from us, came againe, and brought with
him to present mee withall, a henne, and two great rootes,
which I received, and after made me signes that the
countrey would come to his towne that night, and bring
great store of gold, which in deed about 4. of the clocke
they did: for there came about 100. men under 3. Captaines, well appointed with their darts and bowes, and
when they came to us, every man sticked downe his dart
upon the shoare, and the Captaines had stooles brought
them, and they sate downe, and sent a young man aboord
of us, which brought a measure with him of an ell, and
one fourth part, and one sixteenth part, and he would
have that foure times for a waight of one Angell and
twelve graines: I offered him two elles, as I had done
before for two Angels weight, which he esteemed nothing,
but still stucke at his foure measures aforesaid: yet in
the ende, when it grew very late, and I made him signes
that I would depart, he came to foure elles for the weight
abovesaid, and otherwise he would not deale, and so we
departed. This day we tooke for basons sixe ounces and
a halfe and one eight part.
The sixt day in the morning we manned our boates and
the skiffe well, for feare of the Portugals which the last
yeere had taken away a man from the other ships, and
went on shoare, and landed, because they had no boates
to come to us, and so the young man which was with us
the night before was sent aboord, who seemed to have
dealt and bargained before with the Portugals for he
could speake a litle Portuguise, and was perfect in weights
and measures: at his comming he offered us, as he had
done before, one Angell, and twelve graines for foure elles,
and more he would not give, and made signes, that if we
would not take that, we should depart, which we did:
but before we did indeede depart, I offered him of some
rotten cloth three elles for his waight of an Angell and
twelve graines, which he would not take, and then we
departed making signes to him that we would go away,
as indeede we would have done, rather then have given
that measure, although the cloth was ill, seeing we were
so neere to the places, which we judged to be better for
sale. Then we went aboord our ships, which lay about a
league off, and came backe againe to the shoare for sand
and balaste: and then the Captaine perceiving that the
boats had brought no marchandize but came onely for
water and sand, and seeing that we would depart, came
unto them, making signes againe to know whether we
would not give the foure elles, and they made signes
againe, that we would give them but three, and when they
sawe that the boates were ready to depart, they came unto
them and gave them the weight of our Angell and twelve
graines, which we required before and made signes, that
if we would come againe, they would take three elles.
So when the boates came aboord, we layde wares in them
both, and for the speedier dispatch I and John Savill went
in one boat, and the Master John Makeworth, and Richard
Curligin, in the other, and went on shoare, and that night
I tooke for my part fiftie and two ounces, and in the other
boate they tooke eight ounces and a quarter, all by one
weight and measure, and so being very late, we departed
and went aboord, and tooke in all this day three pound.
The seventh day we went a shoare againe, and that day
I tooke in our boate three pound 19 ounces, so that we
dispatched almost all the cloth that we caried with us
before noone, and then many of the people were departed
& those that remained had litle golde, yet they made us
signes to fetch them some latten basons, which I would
not because I purposed not to trifle out ye time, but goe
thence with speede to Don Johns towne. But John Savill
and John Makeworth were desirous to goe againe : and I,
loth to hinder them of any profite, consented, but went not
my selfe: so they tooke eighteene ounces of gold and
came away, seeing that the people at a certaine crie made,
were departed.
While they were at the shoare, there came a young
fellow which could speake a little Portuguise, with three
more with him, and to him I solde 39 basons and two
small white sawcers, for three ounces, &c. which was the
best reckoning that we did make of any basons: and in
the forenoone when I was at the shoare, the Master solde
five basons unto the same fellow, for halfe an ounce of gold.
This fellow, as farre as we could perceive, had bene
taken into the Castle by the Portugales, and was gotten
away from them, for he tolde us that the Portugales were
bad men, and that they made them slaves if they could
take them, and would put yrons upon their legges, and
besides he told us, that as many Frenchmen or Englishmen, as they could take (for he could name these two
very well) they would hang them: he told us further,
that there were 60 men in the castle, and that every yeere
there came thither two shippes, one great, and one small
carvell, and further, that Don John had warres with the
Portugals, which gave mee the better courage to goe to
his towne, which lieth but foure leagues from the Castle,
wherehence our men were beaten the last yeere.
This fellowe came aboord our shippe without feare,
and assoone as he came, he demaunded, why we had not
brought againe their men, which the last yeere we tooke
away, and could tell us that there were five taken away
by Englishmen: we made him answere, that they were in
England well used, and were there kept till they could
speake the language, and then they should be brought
againe to be a helpe to Englishmen in this Countrey: and
then he spake no more of that matter.
Our boates being come aboord, we wayed and set sayle
and a litle after spied a great fire upon the shoare, and
by the light of the fire we might discerne a white thing,
which they tooke to be the Castle, and for feare of overshooting the towne of Don John we there ankered two
leagues off the shoare, for it is hard to fetch up a towne
here, if a ship overshoot it. This day we tooke seven
pound, and five ounces of golde.
This towne lieth in a great Bay, which is very deepe.
The people in this place desired most to have basons
and cloth. They would buy some of them also many
trifles, as knives, horsetailes, hornes: and some of our
men going a shoare, sold a cap, a dagger, a hat, &c.
They showed us a certain course cloth, which I thinke
to be made in France, for it was course wooll, and a small
threed, and as thicke as wosted, and striped with stripes
of greene, white, yellow &c. Divers of the people did
weare about their neckes great beades of glasse of diverse
colours. Here also I learned some of their language, as
followeth:
| Mattea, mattea, | Is their salutation. |
| Dasse, dassee, | I thanke you. |
| Sheke, | Golde. |
| Cowrte, | Cut. |
| Cracca, | Knives. |
| Bassina, | Basons. |
| Foco, foco, | Cloth. |
| Molta, | Much, or great store. |
The eight day in the morning we had sight of the
Castle, but by reason of a miste that then fell we could
not have the perfect sight of it, till we were almost at the
towne of Don John, and then it cleared up, and we saw it
and a white house, as it were a Chappell, upon the hill
about it: then we hailed into the shoare, within two
English miles of Don Johns towne, and there ankered in
seven fadome water. Here, as in many other places
before, we perceived that the currant went with the
winde.
The land here is in some places low and in some high,
and full of wood altogether.
The towne of Don John is but litle, of about twentie
houses, and the most part of the towne is walled in with
a wall of a mans height, made with reede or sedge, or
some such thing. Here we staied two or three houres
after we had ankered, to see if any man would come unto
us : and seeing that none did come, we manned our boates
and put in marchandize, and went and ankered with our
boates neere to the shoare: then they sent out a man to
us who made us signes that that was the towne of Don
John, and that he himselfe was in the Countrey, and would
be at home at the going downe of the Sunne, and when he
had done, he required a reward, as the most part of them
will doe which come first aboord, and I gave him one ell
of cloth and he departed, and that night we heard no more
of him.
The ninth day in the morning we went againe with
our boates to the shoare, and there came foorth a boate
to us, who made signes that Don John was not come
home, but would be at home this day: and to that place
also came another boate from the other towne a mile
from this, which is called Don Devis, and brought with
him gold to shew us, making signes that we should come
thither. I then left in this place John Savill, and John
Makeworth, and tooke the Hinde, and went to the other
towne and there ankered, and tooke cloth and went to
shore with the boate, and by and by the boates came to
us and brought a measure of foure yards long & a halfe,
and shewed us a weight of an angell and twelve graines,
which they would give for so much, and not otherwise:
so I staied and made no bargaine. And all this day the
barke lay at Don Johns towne, and did nothing, having
answere that he was not come home.
The tenth day we went againe to the shoare, and there
came out a boat with good store of gold, and having
driven the matter off a long time, and having brought the
measure to a nayle lesse then three elles, and their weight
to an angell and twentie graines, and could not bring
them to more, I did conclude with them and solde, and
within one quarter of an houre I tooke one pound and a
quarter of an ounce of golde: and then they made me
signes to tary, till they had parted their cloth upon the
shoare as their manner is, and they would come againe,
and so they went away, and layde the cloth all abroad
upon the sande peece by peece, and by and by one came
running downe from the towne to them, and spake unto
them, and foorthwith every man made as much haste as
he could away, and went into the woods to hide his golde
and his cloth: we mistrusted some knavery, and being
waved by them to come a shoare, yet we would not, but
went aboorde the Hinde, and perceived upon the hill 30
men which we judged to be Portugals : and they went up
to the toppe of the hill and there mustered and shewed
themselves, having a flagge with them. Then I being
desirous to knowe what the Hart did, tooke the Hindes
boate and went towards her, and when I came neere to
them they shot off two pieces of ordinance which I marveiled at: I made as much haste as I could to her, and
met her boate and skiffe comming from the shoare in all
haste, and we met aboord together. They shewed me
that they had beene a shoare all that day, and had given
to the two sonnes of Don John, to either of them three
yardes and a halfe of cloth, and three basons betwixt
them, and had delivered him 3 yards of cloth more and
the weight of an angell and 12 graines, and being on land
did tarie for his answere, and in the meane time the
Portugals came running from the hill upon them, whereof
the Negroes a litle before had given them warning, and
bad them to go away but they perceived it not. The
sonne of Don John conspired with the Portugales against
them, so that they were almost upon them, but yet they
recovered their boate and set off from the shoare, and the
Portugales shot their calievers at them, but hurt no man,
and then the shippe perceiving it, shot off the two peeces
aforesayde among them. Hereupon we layde bases in
both the boates, and in the Skiffe and manned them well,
and went a shoare againe, but because of the winde we
could not land, but lay off in the sea about ten score and
shot at them, but the hill succoured them, and they from
the rockes and from the hilles shotte at us with their halfe
hakes, and the Negroes more for feare then for love
stoode by them to helpe them, and when we saw that the
Negroes were in such subjection unto them that they
durst not sell us any thing for feare of them we went
aboord, and that night the winde kept at the East, so that
we could not with our ship fetch the Hinde, but I tooke
the boate in the night and went aboord the barke to see
what was there to be done, and in the morning we perceived the towne to be in like case layde with Portugales,
so we wayed and went along the coast. This towne of
John de Viso standeth upon an hill like the towne of Don
John, but it hath beene burned, so that there are not
passing sixe houses in it: the most part of the golde
that comes thither comes out of the countrey, and no
doubt if the people durst for feare of the Portugals bring
forth their gold, there would be had good store: but they
dare not sell any thing, their subjection is so great to
the Portugales. The 11 day running by the shoare we
had sight of a litle towne foure leagues from the last
towne that we came from, and about halfe a league from
that, of another towne upon a hill, and halfe a league
from that also of another great towne upon the shoare:
whither we went to see what could there be done: if we
could doe nothing, then to returne to the other towne,
because we thought that the Portugales would leave the
towne upon our departure. Along from the castle unto
this place are very high hilles which may be scene above
all other hilles, but they are full of wood, and great red
cliffes by the sea side. The boates of these places are
somewhat large and bigge, for one of them will carrie
twelve men, but their forme is alike with the former
boates of the coast. There are about these townes few
rivers: their language differeth not from the language
used at Don Johns towne : but every one can speake three
or foure words of Portuguise, which they used altogether
to us.
We sawe this night about 5 of the clocke 22 boates
running along the shoare to the Westward, whereupon
we suspected some knavery intended against us. The
12 day therefore we set sayle and went further along the
coast, and descried more townes wherein were greater
houses then in the other townes, and the people came out
of the townes to looke upon us, but we could see no
boates. Two mile beyond the Eastermost towne are
blacke rocks, which blacke rockes continue to the uttermost cape of the land, which is about a league off, and
then the land runnes in
Eastnortheast, and a sandy shoare
againe: upon these blacke rockes came downe certaine
Negroes, which waved us with a white flagge, but we
perceiving the principall place to be neere, would not
stay, but bare still along the shoare: and as soone as
we had opened the point of the land, we raysed another
head-land about a league off the point, which had a rocke
lying off it into the sea, and that they thought to be the
place which we sought. When we came thwart the place
they knew it, and we put wares into our boate, and the
ship being within halfe a mile of the place ankered in five
fadome water and faire ground. We went on shoare
with our boate, and ankered about ten of the clocke in the
forenoone: we saw many boates lying upon the shoare,
and divers came by us, but none of them would come
neere us, being as we judged afraid of us: because that
foure men were taken perforce the last yeere from this
place, so that no man came to us, whereupon we went
aboord againe, and thought here to have made no saile:
yet towardes night a great sort came downe to the water
side, and waved us on shoare with a white flagge, and
afterwarde their Captaine came downe and many men
with him, and sate him downe by the shore under a tree:
which when I perceived, I tooke things with me to give
him: at last he sent a boat to call to us, which would not
come neere us, but made us signes to come againe the
next day: but in fine, I got them to come aboord in
offering them things to give to their captaine, which were
two elles of cloth, one latten bason, one white bason, a
bottle, a great piece of beefe, and sixe bisket cakes, which
they received making us signes to come againe the next
day, saying, that their Captain was Grand Capitane as
appeared by those that attended upon him with their darts
and targets, and other weapons.
This towne is very great and stands upon a hill among
trees, so that it cannot well be scene except a man be
neere it: to the Eastward of it upon the hill hard by the
towne stand 2. high trees, which is a good marke to
knowe the towne. And under the towne lieth another
hill lower then it, whereupon the sea beates: and that end
next the sea is all great blacke rockes, and beyonde the
towne in a bay lieth another small towne.
The 13 day in the morning we tooke our boate and
went to shoare, and stayed till ten a clocke and no man
came to us: we went about therefore to returne aboord,
and when the Negroes saw that, they came running downe
with a flagge to wave us againe, so we ankered againe,
and then one shewed us that the Captaine would come
downe by and by: we saw a saile in the meane time passe
by us but it was small, and we regarded it not. Being
on shore we made a tilt with our oares and sayle, and
then there came a boate to us with five men in her, who
brought us againe our bottle, and brought me a hen,
making signes by the sunne, that within two houres
the marchants of the countrey would come downe and
buy all that we had: so I gave them sixe Manillios to
carry to their Captaine, and they made signes to have
a pledge of us, and they would leave us another man:
and we willing to doe so, put one of our men in their
boate, but they would not give us one of theirs, so we
tooke our man againe, and there tarried for the marchants: and shortly after one came downe arrayed like
their Captaine with a great traine after him, who saluted
us friendly, and one of the chiefest of them went and sate
downe under a tree, where the last yere the Captaine was
wont to sit: and at last we perceived a great many of
them to stand at the ende of a hollow way, and behinde
them the Portugales had planted a base, who suddenly
shotte at us but overshot us, and yet we were in a manner
hard by them, and they shot at us againe before we could
ship our oares to get away but did no hurt. Then the
Negroes came to the rocks hard by us, and discharged
calievers at us, and againe the Portugales shot off their
base twise more, and then our ship shot at them, but the
rockes and hilles defended them.
Then we went aboord to goe from this place, seeing
the Negroes bent against us, because that the last yeere
M. Gainsh did take away the Captaines sonne and three
others from this place with their golde, and all that they
had about them: which was the cause that they became
friends with the Portugales, whom before they hated, as
did appeare the last yeere by the courteous intertainement
which the Trinitie had there, when the Captaine came
aboord the shippe, and brought them to his towne, and
offered them ground to build a Castle in, and there they
had good sales.
The 14 day we wayed and plyed backe againe to seeke
the Hinde, which in the morning we met, and so we
turned both backe to the Eastwardes to see what we could
doe at that place where the Trinitie did sell her eight
frises the last yeere. The Hinde had taken eighteene
ounces and a halfe more of golde of other Negroes, the
day after that we left them. This day about one of the
clocke we espied certaine boates upon the sand and men
by them and went to them with marchandizes, and tooke
three ounces of gold for 18 fuffs of cloth, every fuffe three
yards and a halfe after one angell and 12 graines the fuffe,
and then they made me signes that the next day I should
have golde enough: so the Master tooke the Hinde with
John Savill and John Makeworth, and went to seeke the
place aforesaid, & I with Richard Pakeman remained in
this place to see what we could do the next day: and
when the Negroes perceived our ship to go away, they
feared that the other would follow, & so sent forth 2 boats
to us with 4 men in them, requiring us to tary & to give
them one man for a pledge, and 2 of them should tary
with us for him, so Edward M. Morleis servant seeing
these men so earnest therein offered himselfe to be pledge,
and we let him goe for two of them, one whereof had his
waights and scales, and a chaine of golde aboute his necke,
and another about his arme. They did eate of such things as
we had and were well contented. In the night the Negroes
kept a light upon the shoare thwart of us, and about one
of the clocke we heard and saw the light of a base which
shot off twise at the said light, and by and by discharged
two calievers, which in the end we perceived to be the
Portugals brigandine which followed us from place to
place, to give warning to the people of the countrey, that
they should not deale with us.
The 15 day in the morning the Captaine came downe
with 100 men with him, and brought his wife, and many
others brought their wives also, because their towne was
8 miles up in the countrey, and they determined to lie
by the sea side till they had bought what they would.
When he was come he sent our man aboord, and required
to have two men pledges, and he himselfe would come
aboord, and I sent him two, of whom he tooke but one,
and so came aboord us, he and his wife with divers of his
friends, and brought me a goate and two great rootes,
and I gave him againe a latten bason, a white bason, 6
manillios, and a bottell of Malmesie, and to his wife a
small casket. After this we began to make our measure
and weight: and he had a weight of his owne which held
one angell and 14 graines, and required a measure of 4
elles and a halfe. In fine we concluded the 8 part for one
angell and 20 graines, and before we had done, they tooke
mine owne weight and measure.
The 16 day I tooke 8 li. 1 ounce of gold: and since
the departure of the Hinde I heard not of her, but when
our pledge went into the countrey the first night, he said
he saw her cast anker about five leagues from this place.
The 17 day I sold about 17 pieces of cloth, & tooke 4. li.
4 ounces and a halfe of gold. The 18 day the captaine
desired to have some of our wine, and offered halfe a
ducket of gold for a bottell: but I gave it him freely, and
made him and his traine drinke besides. And this day
also I tooke 5 li. 5 ounces of gold. The 19 day we sold
about 18 clothes, and tooke 4 li. 4. ounces and one
quarter of golde.
The 20 day we tooke 3 li. sixe ounces and a quarter of
golde. The 21 we tooke 8. li. 7. ounces and a quarter.
The 22. 3. li. 8. ounces and a quarter. And this night
about 4 of the clocke the Captaine who had layen all this
while upon the shoare, went away with all the rest of the
people with him.
The 23 day we were waved a shoare by other Negroes,
and sold them cloth, caskets, knives, and a dosen of bels,
and tooke 1. li. 10. ounces of gold. The 24 likewise we
sold bels, sheetes, and thimbles, and tooke two li. one
ounce and a quarter of gold. The 25 day we sold 7 dosen
of smal bels and other things, and then perceiving their
gold to be done, we wayed and set sayle & went to leeward
to seeke the Hinde, and about 5 of the clocke at night we
had sight of her, and bare with her, and understood that
shee had made some sales. The 26 day wee received out
of the Hinde 48 li. 3 ounces and one eight part of golde,
which they had taken in the time that we were from them.
And this day upon the request of a Negro
that came
unto us from a captaine, we went to shoare with our
marchandize, and tooke 7 li. and one ounce of gold. At
this place they required no gages of us, but at night they
sent a man aboord us, which lay with us all night, because
we might knowe that they would also come to us the
next day. The 27 day in both our shippes we tooke 8. li.
one ounce, three quarters and halfe a quarter of golde.
The 28 we made sales for the companie, and tooke one
pound and halfe an ounce of gold. The 29 day in the
morning we heard two calievers shot off upon the shore,
which we judged to be either by the Portugales or by the
Negroes of the Portugales: we manned our boates and
armed our selves and went to shoare, but could finde
nothing: for they were gone. The 30 day we made more
sales for the companie and for the Masters.
The 31 we sent our boate to shoare to take in sand
for balast, and there our men met the Negroes, with
whom they had made sale the day before a fishing which
did helpe them to fill sand, and having no gold, sold fish
to our men for their handkerchiefes and nightkerchiefes.
The 1. day of February we wayed and went to another
place, and tooke 1. li. 9. ounces 3 quarters of gold. The
2 day we made more sales: but having viewed our
victuals, we determined to tarie no long time upon the
coast, because the most part of our drinke was spent,
& that which remained grew sowre. The 3 and 4 dayes
we made some sales, though not great, and finding the
wind this 4. day to come off the shoare, we set saile and
ranne along the shoare to the Westwards: upon this
coast we found by experience that ordinarily about 2 of
the clocke in the night the winde comes off the shoare
at
Northnortheast, and so continueth untill eight of the
clocke in the morning: and all the rest of the day and
night it comes out of the Southwest: and as for the tide
or currant upon this shore, it goeth continually with the
winde. The 5 day we continued sayling and thought to
have met with some English ships, but found none.
The sixt day we went our course Southwest to fetch
under the line, and ranne by estimation 24 leagues.
The 13 day wee thought our selves by our reckoning
to be cleare off the
Cape das Palmas, and ranne 12
leagues.
The 22 day we were thwart of the
Cape de Monte,
which is to the Westward of the
River de Sestos, about
30 leagues.
The first day of March in a Ternado we lost the Hinde,
whereupon we set up a light and shot off a piece but could
not heare of her, so that then we strooke our saile and
taried for her, and in the morning had sight of her againe
three leagues a sterne off us.
Upon the 22 day we found our selves to be in the
height of
Cape Verde, which stands in 14. degrees and a
halfe.
From this day till the 29 day we continued our course,
and then we found our selves to be in 22 degrees. This
day one of our men called William King, who had bene
long sicke, died in his sleepe, his apparell was distributed
to those that lackt it, and his money was kept for his
friends to be delivered them at his comming home.
The 30 day we found our selves to be under the
Tropike.
The 31 day we went our course, and made way 18
leagues.
From the first day of Aprill to the 20 we went our
course, and then found our selves to bee in the height of
the Asores.
The seventh day of May we fell with the South part
of Ireland
, and going on shoare with our boate had fresh
drinke, and two sheepe of the countrey people, which
were wilde Kernes, and we gave them golde for them,
and bought further such other victuals as we had neede
of, and thought would serve us till we arrived in
England.
The 14 day with the afternoone tide we went into the
Port of Bristoll called Hungrode, and there ankered in
safetie and gave thankes to God for our safe arrivall.
