The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 06: Madiera, the Canaries, Ancient Asia, Africa, etc.Hakluyt, Richard
History
The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 06: Madiera, the Canaries, Ancient Asia, Africa, etc.
Hakluyt, Richard
Discoveries in geography -- English; Voyages and travels
The 12. day of Iuly sailing thus with great variety of wind, vnder the
great Iland Teneriffa, the day appearing, we had the wind more certain,
filling our topsailes with a full gale from the Northwest: And when it was
faire day light we saw our fleet scattered far one from another, by meanes
of the foresaid mutable windes. Some ships lay driuing by reason of the
calme, and other some had a little gale, but the most part of our fleet
were West of vs, towards whom with all speed, we with the rest of the ships
made. Being al come together, wee endeuored to reach the Ilande Gomera,
wherein is a little towne: towardes the euening many of our ships were
neere the Iland, but the most part were to the lee ward; so that before it
grew toward the euening none of vs could come neere the towne.
Notwithstanding in the twilight and shutting vp of the euening: Ian
Garbrantson Admirall of the white flag, his vize Admirall, and a Pinnace
following, were come neere the town. Thus the Admirall sayling so neere to
the Iland, they of Gomera discharged 2. pieces at him, but touched him not.
The saide Admirall seeing this, passed on a little farther with the other
ships which were neere him, and then tooke in their sailes, and cast their
anchors. The other ships which were behinde, laboured all they might to
come also vnder the Iland to them.
The 13. of Iuly, the Admirall of the white flag lying thus at anchor neere
to Gomera, the greatest part of the fleete were yet in the morning betweene
the Iland of Teneriffa and Gomera, so that parte of the ships were beyonde
the towne, and must sometimes cast about to conducte the others in, which
were in the lee of vs. When wee had nowe for the most part passed the hight
of the Iland, the Generall gaue a signe to all captaines to come aboorde
him, being vnder saile, directing his course to the Iland of Gomera, and
the other ships did their endeuour to follow him and anchored about the
necke of the valley, lying North North East off the towne. The ships being
all come to anchor, the captaines entered presently into the long boates,
and aboorde the Generall to know his minde: and after they had beene a
while in the Generals ship, they returned to their ships, and 4. companies
of souldiours were chosen out, and landed in the valley. Which done, al the
ships waied their anchors, and sailed directly toward the towne, and then
came to anchor againe. After that all our ships lay thus together in the
road neere the valley, before the town: we discharged certaine peeces
against the town, but they made no shewe at all of resistaunce, for they
had buried foure brasse peeces as soone as they had sight of vs, which lay
on the strond neere vnto a small castle; the other sixe companies were also
set on land in the long boates, without any resistance: for the Spaniardes
with their wiues, children, and all their goods whiche they coulde carry
with them were fled into the mountains. [Sidenote: The towne of Gomera
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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