A month later he sailed away with a good bill of health, saving for six who were not yet well. A few days later they gave chase to a Portuguese ship and overhauled her. An old gentleman was on board who was going out to be Governor of Angola, with his wife and daughter and fifty soldiers. The poor old Don moved Hawkins' compassion by his sad story, for all his fortune lay in that vessel; so, after taking out of their prize some meal and chests of sugar, they disarmed them and let them go. Hawkins' men were delighted with the unlooked-for supply, the Portuguese Governor and his people were astonished at the generosity of the English captain, and they were all happy and praising God for His bounty and grace. But when the _Dainty_ and her consort were off La Plata, a storm came on from the south which lasted forty-eight hours. By sundown Hawkins saw with amazement that Tharlton, the master of the pinnace, was bearing off before the wind, without making any sign of distress. The _Dainty_ followed, and as darkness fell carried a light, but no answering light was put up by the pinnace. Thus Tharlton kept his course for England, and shamelessly deserted his commander. --------------------------------------------------------------------- [Illustration: ANGLING FOR ALBATROSS] When Hawkins' ship, the _Dainty_, was in the South Seas making her way to the Straits of Magellan, the crew saw certain big fowl as large as swans, and secured several by baiting fishing-lines with pilchard. They were not, however, captured without great difficulty, for they buffeted the men with their powerful wings until they were black and blue. --------------------------------------------------------------------- "I was worthy to be deceived," wrote Hawkins, "in that I trusted my ship in the hands of a hypocrite, and a man which had left his general before on the like occasion, and in the self-same place." For Tharlton had deserted Cavendish in the night-time and sailed home; and Hawkins laments that such offenders were seldom brought to trial, because their superiors were often not able to wade through with the burden of the suit, which in Spain is prosecuted by the King's attorney. They had noticed during the gale certain great fowls as big as swans, and throwing out a fishing-line baited with pilchard caught enough to feed the crew for that day. These must have been the albatross, for Hawkins relates how when they had hooked one of these creatures and pulled him to the stern of the ship, two mariners went down by the ladders of the poop and seized on his neck and wings; but such were the blows he gave them with his pinions, that both left their hold of him, being beaten black and blue.