The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 07: England's Naval Exploits Against SpainHakluyt, Richard
History
The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 07: England's Naval Exploits Against Spain
Hakluyt, Richard
Discoveries in geography -- English; Voyages and travels
About this time and in this place it was, that first in all my life time I
did see the flying fishes, who when they are hardly pinched and chased by
the Bonitoes and other great fishes, then to auoyde the daunger, they
presently mount vp, and forsake the water, and betake themselues to the
benefite of their winges and make their flight, which commonly is not aboue
fiue or sixe score, or there about, and then they are constrayned to fall
downe into the water againe, and it is the Mariners opinion that they can
fly no longer then their wings be wet. The fish it selfe is about the
bignesse of a Mackrell or a great white Hearing, and much of that colour
and making, with two large wings shaped of nature very cunningly, and with
great delight to behold, in all the world much like to our Gentlewomens
dutch Fans, that, are made either of paper, parchment, or silke, or other
stuffe, which will with certaine pleights easily runne and fold themselues
together. One of these flying fishes was presented to my L. Admirall by a
fisher man, and newly taken in his L. returne from Cadiz, and then I [had]
good leisure and opportunitie to view it. ['had' missing in source
text--KTH]
The 18. day early in the morning wee tooke an Irish man, and he came
directly from Cadiz, hauing beene there but the day before at twelue of the
clocke at high noone. This man being examined, told truely that there was
now great store of shipping at Cadiz, and with them xviii. or xix. gallies
in a readinesse, and that among those ships there were diuers of the kings
best: and namely, that the Philip of Spaine was amongst them, but what
their intent was, hee could not tell. This man was commanded also to giue
his attendance.
The 20. of Iune being Sunday, we came before Cadiz very early in the
morning, and in all this time as yet, the whole Nauy had not lost either by
sicknesse or by any other maner of wayes sixe men to my knowledge: as for
the Dutch company, I am not able precisely to say what happened there, for
that they were no part of our charge to be looked vnto, but were a regiment
entire of themselues, and by themselues to be prouided for, either for
their diet, or for the preservation of their healths by phisicke.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account