After this they gave chase to a tall ship which outsailed them. Two other vessels got away in the same fashion, which made the English sailors swear at the _Dainty_ for being a slow sailer, "a very bad quality for such a ship." On the 10th of June Hawkins put into the bay of Atacames, about 260 leagues from Lima, and supposing the ship free from any more pursuit, he stopped to take in wood and water and to repair the pinnace. Eight days elapsed and they were about to sail, when a ship was seen in the offing. Instantly the love of plunder broke out, and Hawkins had to allow the pinnace to give chase, appointing Cape San Francisco as the place of rendezvous. However, two days went by and no pinnace came, so Hawkins returned to the bay and met her turning in without a mainmast. Two days more were lost in repairing the damage, and when the _Dainty_ and her pinnace at last began to weigh anchor, a man from the masthead said he could descry two large ships and a small barque steering in towards them. "The fleet bound for Panama, laden with treasure! Cut sail and meet them." So shouted the sailors, and ran about in an excited manner. "No, no," replied Hawkins; "no shipping will stir on this coast as long as we are known to be here. Besides, my men, if they be merchantmen, let us wait here for them--they are standing in directly towards us; here we have the weather-gage of them. But if they are sent to fight us, we can prepare our ship for the attack better by remaining where we are." It was done as John Davis would have done it, by gentle appeal to the reason of the men: very different would have been the treatment of Drake, whose men feared him too much to argue with him. On the _Dainty_ the crew were almost insolent in their waywardness; breaking out into reproaches at their commander's want of spirit, some vaunting and bragging what they would do, or wishing they had never left their own country, if they were to refuse such a fight as this. "To mend the matter," says Hawkins, "the gunner assured me that with the first tire of shot he would lay one of them in the suds, and the pinnace should take the other to task. One promised that he would cut down their mainyard, another that he would take their flag. To some I turned the deaf ear; with others I dissembled, soothing and animating them to do that which they promised.... In all these divisions and opinions, our master, Hugh Cornish (who was a most sufficient man for government and valour, and well saw the errors of the multitude), used his office as became him, and so did all those of the best understanding." Yet, in spite of this, Hawkins let the captain go with the pinnace to discover what they were, but on no account to engage with the ships. So the pinnace went, and the mad sailors leaned over the bulwarks, and gaped foolishly when they saw her suddenly go about; but the Spaniards began to chase her, "gunning at her all the way."