That ordinarily, about 2 o'clock
in the night[257] the wind came off shore from N.N.E., and continued in
that direction till 8 o'clock in the morning, blowing all the rest of
the day and night at S.W. The tide or current on this shore goes
continually with the wind.[258] We continued our course along shore on
the 5th, expecting to have met some English ships, but found none.
[Footnote 257: It is hard to say whether this means 2 hours after
sunset, or after midnight - E.]
[Footnote 258: Apparently running from the east during the land breeze,
and from the west with the sea breeze - E.]
The 6th February 1556, we altered our course S.W. leaving the coast, to
fetch under the line, and ran 24 leagues by estimation. By the 13th we
reckoned ourselves off Cape Palmas, and by the 22d we were by our
reckoning abreast of Cape Mount, 30 leagues west from the river Sestos
or Sestro. The 1st March we lost sight of the Hind in a tornado; on
which we set up a light and fired a gun, but saw nothing of her,
wherefore we struck sail and lay by for her, and in the morning had
sight of her 3 leagues astern. This day we found ourselves in the
latitude of Cape Verd which is in 14 deg. 30' [14 deg. 50' N.] Continuing our
course till the 29th, we were then in 22 deg., on which day one of our men
named William King died in his sleep, having been long sick. His clothes
were distributed among those of the crew who were in want of such
things, and his money was kept to be delivered to his friends at home.
The 30th we found ourselves under the tropic. On the 1st April we were
in the latitude of the Azores, and on the 7th of May we fell in with the
south of Ireland, where we sent our boat on shore for fresh water, and
where we bought two sheep and such other victuals as we needed from the
country people, who are wild _kernes_. The 14th of the same month we
went into the port of Bristol called Hungrode[259], where we cast anchor
in safety, giving God thanks for our happy arrival.
[Footnote 259: Probably that now called King-road? - E.]
SECTION V.
_Second Voyage to Guinea in 1556, by William Towerson_[260].
On the 14th September 1556, we set sail from Harwich bound for the coast
of Guinea, in the Tiger of London of 120 tons, directing our coarse for
Scilly, where we expected to meet the Hart of London of 60 tons and a
pinnace of 16 tons, both of which had been fitted out and victualled at
Bristol. We arrived at Scilly on the 28th, and having lain to some time
for our consorts to no purpose, we sailed back to Plymouth on the 12th
October. They there joined us, and we sailed together from that port on
the 15th November.
[Footnote 260: Hakluyt, II. 496. Astl. I. 162.
Hitherto we have given these voyages to Guinea at full length, as they
are found in the collection of Hakluyt; but in this and the subsequent
early English voyages to Guinea, we have thought proper to abbreviate
such matters as seemed of small importance. - E.]
We made the coast of Guinea on the 30th December, where we got sight of
three ships and two pinnaces which were to windward of us, on which we
made ourselves ready for action and gave them chase, hauling to the wind
as near as we could to gain the weather-gage. At first they made sail
from us, but having cleared for fighting they put about and came towards
us in brave order, their streamers, pennants and ensigns displayed, and
trumpets, sounding. When we met they still had the weather-gage of us,
yet were we firmly determined to have fought them if they had been
Portuguese, and hailed them to come under our lee, which they stoutly
refused. On demanding whence they were, they said from France; and we
then told them we were from London in England. They then told us there
were certain Portuguese ships gone to Mina to protect that place, and
that they had already burnt a Portuguese ship of 200 tons at the river
Sestro. The captain of the admiral ship and several other Frenchmen came
on board of us in a friendly manner, and proposed that we should join
company because of the Portuguese, and go together to Mina. We told them
that we had not yet watered, having just fallen in with the coast. They
said we were 50 leagues to leeward of Sestro river, but still water
might be had, and they would assist us in watering with their boats for
the sake of our company. They told us farther that they had been six
weeks on the coast, and had only got 3 tons of grains among them
all[261].
[Footnote 261: These ships were the Espoir of Harfleur, the admiral, of
which Denis Blundel was captain; the Levriere of Rouen, vice-admiral,
commanded by Jerome Baudet; and a ship of Houfleur, commanded by Jean de
Orleans. - E.]
After hearing what they had to say, we considered that even if Mina were
clear of Portuguese ships, yet if the Frenchmen went before us they
would spoil our market: That if there were Portuguese ships at Mina, and
they took the French ships, they would learn that we were behind, and
would wait to take us likewise: And finally, if we went along with them
and found the coast clear, we would do as well as they; but if the
Portuguese remained on the coast we should be stronger in their company.
Wherefore, having thus considered their friendly offers, we told them
that we would confer more largely of the matter next day; upon which
they invited me to dine with them next day, and to bring with me the
masters of our ships and such merchants as I thought proper, offering to
supply us with water from their own ships if we would, or else to remain
with us and help us to water with their boats and pinnaces.
