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]
INTRODUCTION.
It was the constant policy, during the reign of queen Elizabeth, to
encourage, as much as possible, the flame of public spirit in private
individuals, by shewing the utmost readiness on all occasions to honour
all who performed any remarkable service to their country, though
sparing of such marks of favour on other occasions. By this wise
conduct, and by her frequent public discourses on the glory resulting
from an active life, she excited many of the young nobility, and
gentlemen of easy fortunes, to hazard their persons and estates in the
public service, exciting a desire of fame even among the wealthy, and by
this means uniting the rich, who desired to purchase honour, and the
indigent, who sought to procure the means of living, in the same
pursuits. It thus happened in her reign, that such men were of most use
to their country, as are scarcely of any utility in other reigns; for,
merit being then the only recommendation at court, those were most
forward to expose themselves in generous undertakings, who would at any
other time have thought themselves excused from such dangers and
fatigues.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 53 of 431
Words from 27140 to 27684
of 224764
