The weather moderating, they entered into the great South Sea, or
Pacific Ocean, on the 24th February, 1587, observing on the south side
of the entrance a very high cape, with an adjoining low point; while, at
the northern side of the entrance there were four or five islands, six
leagues from the main land, having much broken and sunken ground among
and around them. In the night of the 1st March, there arose a great
storm, in which they lost sight of the Hugh Gallant, being then in lat.
49 deg. S. and forty-five leagues from the land. This storm lasted three or
four days, in which time the Hugh sprung a leak, and was tossed about in
this unknown sea, devoid of all help, being every moment ready to sink.
By great exertions, however, she was kept afloat; and on the 15th, in
the morning, she got in between the island of St Mary and the main,
where she again met the admiral and the Content, which two ships had
secured themselves during two days of the storm, at the island of Mocha,
in lat. 38 deg. S'.[50]
[Footnote 50: Mocha is in lat. 38 deg. 20', and the isles of St Mary in 37 deg.,
both S.]
At this place some of the company went ashore well armed, and were met
by the Indians, who gave them a warm reception with their bows and
arrows. These Indians were of the district in Chili called Araucania, a
country rich in gold, and consequently very tempting to the avaricious
Spaniards, which accordingly they had repeatedly invaded, but to no
purpose, as the natives always defended themselves so valiantly, that
their enemies could never subdue them. On the present occasion,
mistaking the English for Spaniards, these brave and desperate Araucans
gave Candish a hostile welcome. After this skirmish, Candish went with
his ships under the lee of the west side of St Mary's island, where he
found good anchorage in six fathoms. This island, in lat. 37 deg. S. abounds
in hogs, poultry, and various kinds of fruit; but the inhabitants are
held under such absolute slavery by the Spaniards, that they dare not
kill a hog, or even a hen, for their own use; and although the Spaniards
have made them converts to Christianity, they use them more like dogs
than men or Christians.
The admiral went ashore on the 16th March, with seventy or eighty men
well armed, and was met by two Indian chiefs, who conducted him to a
chapel, round which were several store-houses, well filled with wheat
and barley, as clean and fair as any in England. He accordingly provided
his ships with a sufficient store of grain from this place, and laid in
besides an ample supply of hogs, hens, potatoes, dried dog-fish, and
maize or Guinea wheat. The admiral invited the two principal Indians to
an entertainment on board; and the wine having sharpened their wit, to
perceive that the admiral and his men were not Spaniards, as they had
hitherto supposed them, they began to talk very freely about the gold
mines, saying that the English might procure gold to their full content,
by going into the country of the Araucans. But not fully understanding
them, as the information was mostly given by signs, the admiral did not
prosecute this proposed adventure, but proceeded on his voyage.
Leaving the island of St Mary on the 18th in the morning, they sailed
all that day N.N.E. ten leagues. The 19th they steered in with the land,
E.N.E. and anchored under an island in the Bay of Conception, in lat.
36 deg. 36' S. The 30th they came into the Bay of Quintero, in lat. 32 deg. 45'
S. and next day a party of fifty or sixty men, well armed, marched seven
or eight miles into the country. In their march, they saw vast herds of
wild cattle, with horses, dogs, hares, rabbits, partridges, and other
birds, with many fine rivers, well stocked with wild fowl. Having
travelled as far as they conveniently could for the mountains, and
having rested and refreshed on the banks of a pleasant river, they
returned in good order to the ships at night, without meeting any
remarkable adventure; although a party of 200 horse had been abroad all
that day in search of them, upon information of some Spaniards who had
seen them the preceding day, but durst not venture to attack them,
keeping always at a distance on the hills. They had at this time a short
conference with three Spanish horsemen, through the medium of the poor
half-starved Spaniard they took on board in the Straits of Magellan;
but, in spite of his many oaths and protestations never to forsake
Candish, he took the opportunity to mount on horseback behind one of his
countrymen, and got off.
Next day, the 1st April, some of the English being on shore filling
their water-casks, the Spaniards became bolder, and watching an
opportunity when the sailors were hard at work, poured down with their
200 horse from the hills, slew some of them, and made a few prisoners.
But this glorious victory was soon snatched from their hands by the
arrival of a reinforcement of fifteen English, who rescued the
prisoners, killed twenty-four of the Spaniards, and drove the rest back
to the mountains. After this, they continued in the road till the 5th,
and watered there in spite of the Spaniards. On the 5th they weighed
anchor, and went to a small island about a league from the bay, which is
full of penguins and other sea fowl, of which they provided themselves
with what store they wanted; after which they sailed N. and N. by W. in
order to prosecute their voyage.
The 15th April they came to Moro Moreno, in lat. 23 deg. 30' S. under the
tropic of Capricorn, where there is an excellent harbour, made by means
of an island, having an entrance for ships at either end.
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