The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques, and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 14: America, Part IIIHakluyt, Richard
History
The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques, and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 14: America, Part III
Hakluyt, Richard
Discoveries in geography -- English; Voyages and travels
Thence we went, bearing for the isle of Tenerif, where in the morning
early we had sight of a saile, which being becalmed vnder the shore, was
towing with their boat a head, hauing one other at her sterne. For this
saile we manned our boat, appointing our men wel for fight, if need
should require. The Spaniards seeing our boat come, entred theirs, and
leauing the ship, sought to saue themselues by flight: but our men
pursued them so fast, that they boorded them, and brought them with
their shippe to our Generall. This ship was laden with 80 tunnes of
Canary-wine, which came not vnto vs before it was welcome. We kept and
manned it, plying that day, and the next night thereabout. The very next
morning we had sight of one other; to whome in like maner wee sent our
boat: but their gunner made a shot at her, and strooke off a propper
yoong mans arme; yet we inforced her to yeeld, and found 40 tunnes of
wine in her. The Spaniards hauing their free passage, and an
acquaintance for the deliuery of their wines, were all set on shore vpon
Tenerif, making a quicke returne of their long voyage intended into the
West Indies.
Hence we departed toward Cape Blank; and before wee came thither, we met
againe with the Virgin our rereadmirall, whose men tolde vs for very
trueth, that the Salomon was returned for England; inforced so to doe,
by spending her mast the second time. Which when our men vnderstood,
they were all in a maze, not knowing what to doe, and saying among
themselues that their force was but small when all our strength were
together, and now we had lost the one halfe of our strength, we were not
able to performe the voyage: and therefore some of them came to the
captain, asking him what he would now do, seeing the Salomon was now
lost, the one halfe of our strength, giuing him counsell to beare vp for
the West Indies, and proue there to make his voyage, because his first
plat for want of strength was cleane ouerthrown. The captaine hearing
this new nouelty, as not vnacquainted with the variable pretenses of
mariners, made them this answere: Sirs, I made knowen to you all at my
comming out of England what I pretended, and that I meant to go to
Fernambuck, and although at the present we want one of our ships, yet
(God willing) I mean to go forward, not doubting but to meet her at the
appointed places, which are either at Cape Blank or the islands of Cape
Verde: for I am assured that M. Barker the captaine is so resolute to
performe this voyage, that his mast being repaired, he will not faile to
meet vs, and it were no wisdome for vs to diuert our course, till we
haue sought him at those places where our appointed meeting is: for the
diuerting of courses is the ouerthrow of most of our actions. And I hope
you will be all contented herewith: for to go any other course then I
haue determined (by Gods helpe) I will not be drawen vnto. With these
reasons and many others shewed, they rested all satisfied: and at our
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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