We Came Out Of This
Harbour On The 1st November, Abandoning Our Voyage By Compulsion Of Mr.
Winter, Sore Against The Will Of The Mariners.
Mr. Winter alleged that
he despaired of having winds to carry him to the coast of Peru, and was
also in fear that Mr. Drake had perished.
So we went back again to the
eastwards through the straits, to St. George's island, where we laid in
a quantity of a certain kind of fowl, very plentiful in that island, the
meat of which is not much unlike that of a fat English goose. They have
no wings, but only short pinions, which serve them in swimming, being of
a black colour, mixed with white spots on their bellies and round their
necks. They walk so upright, that they seem afar like little children;
and when approached they conceal themselves in holes under ground, not
very deep, of which the island is full. To take them, we used sticks
having hooks fastened at one end, with which we pulled them out, while
other men stood by with cudgels to knock them on the head; for they bit
so cruelly with their hooked bills, that we could not handle them when
alive.[42]
[Footnote 42: It is almost unnecessary to remark that these were
penguins. - E.]
Departing from St. George's island, we passed Cape Virgin[43] on the
11th November, going out of the straits into the southern Atlantic
ocean, and directed our course to the N.E. till the last day of that
month, when we arrived at an island in the mouth of the Rio de la
Plata, or River of Silver. On this island there is an incredible number
of seals, some of which are sixteen feet long, not fearing the approach
of men. Most of our men were ashore in this island for fifteen days,
setting up a pinnace; during which time the seals would often come and
sleep beside our men, rather resisting them than giving place, unless
when mortal blows forced them to yield. Having finished our pinnace, we
went to another island, where we watered, and afterwards departed on the
1st January, 1579. We went to the northwards till the 20th of that
month, when we came to an island on the coast of Brazil, near a town
called St Vincent, inhabited by the Portuguese, which is in lat. 24 deg. S.
Here we lost our pinnace in foul weather, together with her crew of
eight men. And here also our ship was in great danger, in consequence of
a strong current, which almost forced her on shore before we were aware,
so that we had to drop anchor in the open sea, broke our cable and lost
our anchor, and had to let fell another, in weighing which afterwards
our men were sore distressed; for, owing to the heaving of the ship with
the sea, the capstan ran round with so much violence as to throw the men
from the bars, dashed out the brains of one man, broke the leg of
another, and severely hurt several more. At length we hove up our
anchor, and ran to a place called Tanay. where we rode under the lee of
an island, whence we had a supply of wood and water.
[Footnote 43: Called Cape Victory by Mr Cliffe. - E.]
While at this place, three Portuguese came aboard in a canoe, desiring
to know who we were and what we wanted. Our captain made answer, that we
were Englishmen, and had brought commodities with us for their country,
if they would trade with us, at which they seemed much surprised, as
they said they had never before heard of any English ship being in that
country. So they went ashore, taking one of our men with them to speak
with the governor of the town, while we detained one of the Portuguese
as a pledge. Soon after there came another canoe on board, in which was
one Portuguese, all the rest being naked natives of the country. From
this man we had two small oxen, a young hog, and several fowls, with
pome-citrons, lemons, oranges, and other fruits, for which our captain
gave them linen cloth, combs, knives, and other articles of small value.
In the mean time, the governor of the town sent word that we should have
nothing, unless the ship was brought into the harbour, to which our
captain would not consent, lest they might betray us.
Receiving back our man, and returning the Portuguese pledge, we went
afterwards to the island of St. Sebastian, where we took fish. At this
place the Portuguese would have betrayed us, had not a Brasilian slave
informed us by signs, that they were coming in canoes to take us, as it
actually fell out: For, next morning, they came on in twelve or fourteen
canoes, some of these having forty men; but being on our guard they
retired. That same night, two of our men carried away our boat,
deserting to the Portuguese. Leaving this place, we had sight of Cape St
Augustine in lat. 8 deg. S. We afterwards had sight of the isle of Fernando
Noronha, within three degrees of the equator. We crossed the line on the
13th of April, and got sight of the north star on the 19th of that
month.
From the 1st to the 5th of May, we sailed about 100 leagues through the
Sea of Weeds, under the tropic of Cancer. Holding our course from
thence to the N.E. till we were in lat. 47 deg. N. we changed our course on
the 22nd May to E.N.E. The 29th of May we had soundings in seventy
fathoms on white ooze, being then in lat. 51 deg. N. The 30th of May we got
sight of St Ives on the north coast of Cornwall, and arrived on the 2nd
of June at Ilfracomb, in Devonshire.
CHAPTER III.
VOYAGE OF SIR THOMAS CANDISH ROUND THE WORLD, IN 1586 - 1588.[44]
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