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.
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