August.
ON the first of August the winde scanted, and from
thence forward we had very fowle weather with much
raine, thundering, and great spouts, which fell round
about us nigh unto our ships.
The 3 we stoode againe in for the shore, and at midday
we tooke the height of the same. The height of that
place we found to be 34 degrees of latitude. Towards
night we were within three leagues of the Low sandie
Ilands West of Wokokon. But the weather continued
so exceeding foule, that we could not come to an anker
nye the coast: wherefore we stood off againe to Sea
untill Monday the 9 of August.
On munday the storme ceased, and we had very great
likelihood of faire weather: therefore we stood in againe
for the shore: & came to an anker at 11 fadome in 35
degrees of latitude, within a mile of the shore, where
we went on land on the narrow sandy Iland, being one
of the Ilandes West of Wokokon: in this Iland we tooke
in some fresh water and caught great store of fish in
the shallow water. Betweene the maine (as we supposed)
and that Iland it was but a mile over and three or foure
foote deepe in most places.
On the 12 in the morning we departed from thence
and toward night we came to an anker at the Northeast
end of the
Iland of Croatoan, by reason of a breach
which we perceived to lie out two or three leagues into
the Sea: here we road all that night.
The 13 in the morning before we wayed our ankers,
our boates were sent to sound over this breach: our
ships riding on the side thereof at 5 fadome; and a ships
length from us we found but 4 and a quarter, and then
deeping and shallowing for the space of two miles, so
that sometimes we found 5 fadome, and by & by 7, and
within two casts with the lead 9, & then 8, next cast 5,
& then 6, & then 4, & then 9 againe, and deeper; but
3 fadome was the last, 2 leagues off from the shore.
This breach is in 35 degr. & a halfe, & lyeth at the very
Northeast point of Croatoan, wheras goeth a fret out
of the maine Sea into the inner waters, which part the
Ilandes and the maine land.
The 15 of August towards Evening we came to an
anker at Hatorask, in 36 degr. and one third, in five
fadom water, three leagues from the shore. At our first
comming to anker on this shore we saw a great smoke
rise in the
Ile Raonoak neere the place where I left our
Colony in the yeere 1587, which smoake put us in good
hope that some of the Colony were there expecting my
returne out of England
.
The 16 and next morning our 2 boates went a shore,
& Captaine Cooke, & Cap. Spicer, & their company with
me, with intent to passe to the place at
Raonoak where
our countreymen were left. At our putting from the ship
we commanded our Master gunner to make readie 2
Minions and a Falkon well loden, and to shoot them off
with reasonable space betweene every shot, to the ende
that their reportes might bee heard to the place where
wee hoped to finde some of our people. This was accordingly performed, & our twoe boats put off unto the shore,
in the Admirals boat we sounded all the way and found
from our shippe untill we came within a mile of the
shore nine, eight, and seven fadome: but before we were
halfe way betweene our ships and the shore we saw
another great smoke to the Southwest of Kindrikers
mountes: we therefore thought good to goe to that
second smoke first: but it was much further from the
harbour where we landed, then we supposed it to be,
so that we were very sore tired before wee came to the
smoke. But that which grieved us more was that when
we came to the smoke, we found no man nor signe that
any had bene there lately, nor yet any fresh water in all
this way to drinke. Being thus wearied with this journey
we returned to the harbour where we left our boates,
who in our absence had brought their caske a shore for
fresh water, so we deferred our going to Roanoak
untill
the next morning, and caused some of those saylers to
digge in those sandie hills for fresh water whereof we
found very sufficient. That night wee returned aboord
with our boates and our whole company in safety.
The next morning being the 17 of August, our boates
and company were prepared againe to goe up to Roanoak
,
but Captaine Spicer had then sent his boat ashore for
fresh water, by meanes whereof it was ten of the clocke
aforenoone before we put from our ships which were then
come to an anker within two miles of the shore. The
Admirals boat was halfe way toward the shore, when
Captaine Spicer put off from his ship. The Admirals
boat first passed the breach, but not without some danger
of sinking, for we had a sea brake into our boat which
filled us halfe full of water, but by the will of God and
carefull styrage of Captaine Cooke we came safe ashore,
saving onely that our furniture, victuals, match and
powder were much wet and spoyled. For at this time
the winde blue at Northeast and direct into the harbour
so great a gale, that the Sea brake extremely on the
barre, and the tide went very forcibly at the entrance.
By that time our Admirals boate was halled ashore, and
most of our things taken out to dry, Captaine Spicer
came to the entrance of the breach with his mast standing
up, and was halfe passed over, but by the rash and
undiscreet styrage of Ralph Skinner his Masters mate, a
very dangerous Sea brake into their boate and overset
them quite, the men kept the boat some in it, and some
hanging on it, but the next sea set the boat on ground,
where it beat so, that some of them were forced to let
goe their hold, hoping to wade ashore; but the Sea still
beat them downe, so that they could neither stand nor
swimme, and the boat twise or thrise was turned the
keele upward, whereon Captaine Spicer and Skinner hung
untill they sunke, & were seene no more. But foure that
could swimme a litle kept themselves in deeper water and
were saved by Captain Cookes meanes, who so soone
as he saw their oversetting, stripped himselfe, and foure
other that could swimme very well, & with all haste
possible rowed unto them, & saved foure. They were
a 11 in all, & 7 of the chiefest were drowned, whose
names were Edward Spicer, Ralph Skinner, Edward
Kelley, Thomas Bevis, Hance the Surgion, Edward
Kelborne, Robert Coleman. This mischance did so much
discomfort the saylers, that they were all of one mind
not to goe any further to seeke the planters. But in
the end by the commandement & perswasion of me and
Captaine Cooke, they prepared the boates: and seeing
the Captaine and me so resolute, they seemed much more
willing. Our boates and all things fitted againe, we put
off from Hatorask, being the number of 19 persons in
both boates : but before we could get to the place, where
our planters were left, it was so exceeding darke, that
we overshot the place a quarter of a mile: there we
espied towards the North end of the Iland ye light of
a great fire thorow the woods, to the which we presently
rowed: when wee came right over against it, we let fall
our Grapnel neere the shore, & sounded with a trumpet
a Call, & afterwardes many familiar English tunes of
Songs, and called to them friendly; but we had no
answere, we therefore landed at day-breake, and comming to the fire, we found the grasse & sundry rotten
trees burning about the place. From hence we went
thorow the woods to that part of the Iland directly over
against Dasamongwepeuk, & from thence we returned
by the water side, round about the North point of the
Iland, untill we came to the place where I left our Colony
in the yeere 1586. In all this way we saw in the sand
the print of the Salvages feet of 2 or 3 sorts troaden
ye night, and as we entred up the sandy banke upon a
tree, in the very browe thereof were curiously carved
these faire Romane letters C R 0: which letters presently
we knew to signifie the place, where I should find the
planters seated, according to a secret token agreed upon
betweene them & me at my last departure from them,
which was, that in any wayes they should not faile to
write or carve on the trees or posts of the dores the
name of the place where they should be seated; for at
my comming away they were prepared to remove from
Roanoak
50 miles into the maine. Therefore at my
departure from them in An. 1587 I willed them, that if
they should happen to be distressed in any of those
places, that then they should carve over the letters or
name, a Crosse in this forme, but we found no such
signe of distresse. And having well considered of this,
we passed toward the place where they were left in
sundry houses, but we found the houses taken downe,
and the place very strongly enclosed with a high palisado
of great trees, with cortynes and flankers very Fort-like,
and one of the chiefe trees or postes at the right side of
the entrance had the barke taken off, and 5 foote from the
ground in fayre Capitall letters was graven CROATOAN
without any crosse or signe of distresse; this done, we
entred into the palisado, where we found many barres
of Iron, two pigges of Lead, foure yron fowlers, Iron
sacker-shotte, and such like heavie things, throwen here
and there, almost overgrowen with grasse and weedes.
From thence wee went along by the water side, towards
the poynt of the Creeke to see if we could find any of
their botes or Pinnisse, but we could perceive no signe
of them, nor any of the last Falkons and small Ordinance
which were left with them, at my departure from them.
At our returne from the Creeke, some of our Saylers
meeting us, tolde us that they had found where divers
chests had bene hidden, and long sithence digged up
againe and broken up, and much of the goods in them
spoyled and scattered about, but nothing left, of such
things as the Savages knew any use of, undefaced. Presently Captaine Cooke and I went to the place, which
was in the ende of an olde trench, made two yeeres past
by Captaine Amadas: wheere wee found five Chests,
that had bene carefully hidden of the Planters, and of
the same chests three were my owne, and about the place
many of my things spoyled and broken, and my bookes
torne from the covers, the frames of some of my pictures
and Mappes rotten and spoyled with rayne, and my
armour almost eaten through with rust; this could bee
no other but the deede of the Savages our enemies at
Dasamongwepeuk, who had watched the departure of
our men to Croatoan; and assoone as they were departed,
digged up every place where they suspected any thing
to be buried: but although it much grieved me to see
such spoyle of my goods, yet on the other side I greatly
joyed that I had safely found a certaine token of their
safe being at
Croatoan, which is the place where Manteo
was borne, and the
Savages of the Iland our friends.
When we had seene in this place so much as we could,
we returned to our Boates, and departed from the shoare
towards our Shippes, with as much speede as wee could:
For the weather beganne to overcast, and very likely
that a foule and stormie night would ensue. Therefore
the same Evening with much danger and labour, we got
our selves aboard, by which time the winde and seas
were so greatly risen, that wee doubted our Cables and
Anchors would scarcely holde untill Morning: wherefore
the Captaine caused the Boate to be manned with five
lusty men, who could swimme all well, and sent them
to the little Iland on the right hand of the Harbour, to
bring aboard sixe of our men, who had filled our caske
with fresh water: the Boate the same night returned
aboard with our men, but all our Caske ready filled they
left behinde, unpossible to bee had aboard without danger
of casting away both men and Boates: for this night
prooved very stormie and foule.
The next Morning it was agreed by the Captaine and
my selfe, with the Master and others, to wey anchor,
and goe for the place at
Croatoan, where our planters
were: for that then the winde was good for that place,
and also to leave that Caske with fresh water on shoare
in the Iland untill our returne. So then they brought
the cable to the Capston, but when the anchor was almost
apecke, the Cable broke, by meanes whereof we lost
another Anchor, wherewith we drove so fast into the
shoare, that wee were forced to let fall a third Anchor:
which came so fast home that the Shippe was almost
aground by Kenricks mounts: so that wee were forced
to let slippe the Cable ende for ende. And if it had not
chanced that wee had fallen into a chanell of deeper
water, closer by the shoare then wee accompted of, wee
could never have gone cleare of the poynt that lyeth to
the Southwardes of Kenricks mounts. Being thus cleare
of some dangers, and gotten into deeper waters, but not
without some losse: for wee had but one Cable and
Anchor left us of foure, and the weather grew to be fouler
and fouler; our victuals scarse, and our caske and fresh
water lost: it was therefore determined that we should
goe for Saint John or some other Iland to the Southward
for fresh water. And it was further purposed, that if
wee could any wayes supply our wants of victuals and
other necessaries, either at Hispaniola, Sant John, or
Trynidiad, that then wee should continue in the Indies
all the Winter following, with hope to make 2. rich
voyages of one, and at our returne to visit our countreymen at Virginia
. The captaine and the whole company
in the Admirall (with my earnest petitions) thereunto
agreed, so that it rested onely to knowe what the Master
of the Moone-light our consort would doe herein. But
when we demanded them if they would accompany us in
that new determination, they alledged that their weake
and leake Shippe was not able to continue it; wherefore
the same night we parted, leaving the Moone-light to
goe directly for England
, and the Admirall set his course
for Trynidad, which course we kept two dayes.
On the 28. the winde changed, and it was sette on
foule weather every way: but this storme brought the
winde West and Northwest, and blewe so forcibly, that
wee were able to beare no sayle, but our fore-course
halfe mast high, wherewith wee ranne upon the winde
perforce, the due course for England
, for that wee were
driven to change our first determination for Trynidad,
and stoode for the
Ilands of Acores, where wee purposed
to take in fresh water, and also there hoped to meete
with some English men of warre about those Ilands, at
whose hands wee might obtaine some supply of our
wants. And thus continuing our course for the Acores
,
sometimes with calmes, and sometimes with very scarce
windes, on the fifteenth of September the winde came
South Southeast, and blew so exceedingly, that wee
were forced to lye atry all that day. At this time by
account we judged our selves to be about twentie leagues
to the West of Cuervo and Flores
, but about night the
storme ceased, and fayre weather ensued.
On Thursday the seventeenth wee saw Cuervo and
Flores
, but we could not come to anker that night, by
reason the winde shifted. The next Morning being the
eighteenth, standing in againe with Cuervo, we escryed
a sayle ahead us, to whom we gave chase: but when
wee came neere him, we knew him to be a Spanyard,
and hoped to make sure puchase of him: but we understood at our speaking with him, that he was a
prize, and of the Domingo fleete already taken by the
John our consort, in the Indies. We learned also of this
prize, that our Viceadmirall and Pinnesse had fought
with the rest of the Domingo fleete, and had forced them
with their Admirall to flee unto Jamaica
under the Fort
for succour, and some of them ran themselves aground,
whereof one of them they brought away, and tooke out
of some others so much as the time would permit. And
further wee understood of them, that in their returne from
Jamaica
about the Organes neere
Cape Saint Anthony,
our Viceadmirall mette with two Shippes of the mayne
land, come from Mexico
, bound for Havana
, with whom
he fought: in which fight our Viceadmirals Lieutenant
was slaine, and the Captaines right arme strooken off,
with foure other of his men slaine, and sixteene hurt.
But in the ende he entred, and tooke one of the Spanish
shippes, which was so sore shot by us under water, that
before they could take out her treasure she sunke; so
that we lost thirteene Pipes of silver which sunke with
her, besides much other rich marchandize. And in the
meane time the other Spanish shippe being pearced with
nine shotte under water, got away; whom our Viceadmirall intended to pursue: but some of their men in
the toppe made certaine rockes, which they saw above
water neere the shoare, to be Gallies of Havana and
Cartagena
, comming from Havana
to rescue the two
Ships; Wherefore they gave over their chase, and went
for England
. After this intelligence was given us by this
our prize, he departed from us, and went for England
.
On Saturday the 19. of September we came to an
Ancre
neere a small village on the North side of Flores
,
where we found ryding 5. English men of warre, of whom
wee understood that our Viceadmirall and Prize were
gone thence for England
. One of these five was the
Moonelight our consort, who upon the first sight of our
comming into Flores
, set sayle and went for England
, not
taking any leave of us.
On Sunday the 20. the Mary Rose, Admirall of the
Queenes fleete, wherein was Generall Sir John Hawkins,
stood in with Flores
, and divers other of the Queenes
ships, namely the Hope, the Nonpareilia, the Rainebow,
the Swift-sure, the Foresight, with many other good
merchants ships of warre, as the Edward Bonaventure,
the Marchant Royal, the Amitie, the Eagle, the Dainty
of sir John Hawkins, and many other good ships and
pinnesses, all attending to meete with the king of Spaines
fleete, comming from Terra firma of the West Indies.
The 22. of September we went aboard the Raynebow,
and towards night we spake with the Swift-sure, and
gave him 3. pieces. The captaines desired our company;
wherefore we willingly attended on them: who at this
time with 10. other ships stood for Faial
. But the
Generall with the rest of the Fleete were separated from
us, making two fleetes, for the surer meeting with the
Spanish fleete.
On Wednesday the 23. we saw Gratiosa, where the
Admiral and the rest of the Queens fleete were come
together. The Admirall put forth a flag of counsel, in
which was determined that the whole fleete should go
for the mayne, and spred themselves on the coasts of
Spaine and Portugal
, so farre as conveniently they might,
for the surer meeting of the Spanish fleete in those
parts.
The 26. we came to Faial
, where the Admiral with some
other of the fleete ankred, othersome plyed up and downe
betweene that and the Pico
untill midnight, at which
time the Antony shot off a piece and weyed, shewing his
light: after whom the whole fleete stood to the East, the
winde at Northeast by East.
On Sunday the 27. towards Evening wee tooke our
leave of the Admirall and the whole fleete, who stood to
the East. But our shippe accompanied with a Flyboate
stoode in againe with S. George, where we purposed
to take in more fresh water, and some other fresh
victuals.
On Wednesday the 30. of September, seeing the winde
hang so Northerly, that wee could not atteine the Iland
of S. George, we gave over our purpose to water there,
and the next day framed our due course for England
.
