Our Boat Found A Fit Place For Us, But The Wind Would
Not Suffer Us To Get To It; And
Besides, if we had anchored there, it
was more likely that they would have run their ships on shore, to
Save
their lives and liberties and some of their goods, than have resigned
all to us by coming out. We therefore discharged a few guns at them, but
our shot fell far short; upon which we departed, as it was not likely
they would come out while we watched before the mouth of the harbour, or
remained within sight. We accordingly put to sea, where we cruized for
five days, sending a pinnace to watch them close in shore but out of
sight, to bring us word when they set sail. After some time the pinnace
brought us notice that all the ships had taken down their sails and
struck their top-masts, so that we concluded they would remain till sure
of our departure. Wherefore, having heard there were some Scots ships at
St Michael, we sailed thither on the 20th October, and found there one
Scots _roader_, and two or three more at Villa-franca, the next road, a
league or two east from St Michaels. From these we received five or six
butts of wine and some fresh water, but by no means sufficient to serve
our wants. The 21st October, we sent our long-boat on shore to procure
fresh water at a brook a short way west from Villa-franca; but the
inhabitants came down with about 150 armed men, having two ensigns
displayed, and our boat was forced to return without water, having spent
all its powder in vain, and being unable to prevail against such great
odds.
Learning that the island of St Mary was a place of no great strength, we
made sail for that place, intending to take in water there, and to go
thence to the coast of Spain. On the Friday following, my lord sent
captain Lister and captain Amias Preston, afterwards Sir Amias, with our
long-boat and pinnace, with between 60 and 70 arquebusiers, carrying a
friendly letter to the islanders, desiring leave to procure water, in
exchange for which he engaged to do them no harm. Captain Preston had
come on board the Victory not long before from his own ship, which lost
company with us in the night, so that he was under the necessity of
remaining with us. We departed from the Victory in our boats about nine
in the morning, rowing for the land, and by three in the afternoon had
got within a league or two of the shore, being then four or five leagues
from the Victory, and our men sore spent with hard rowing. At this time
we perceived, to our great joy, two ships at anchor close under the
town; upon which we shifted six or seven of our men into the boat
belonging to captain Davis, being too much crowded, and retaining about
20 arquebusiers in the pinnace, we made towards these two ships with all
possible haste.
While proceeding towards them, we saw several boats passing between the
_roaders_[366] and the shore, and many men in their shirts swimming and
wading on shore, who, as we afterwards learnt, were endeavouring to get
the ships fast aground; and the inhabitants were at the same time busied
in preparing to defend the ships and themselves against us. On coming
near them, captain Lister commanded the trumpets to be sounded, but
prohibited any firing till farther orders; yet some of the people,
either not hearing, or disregardful of these orders, began firing as
soon as the trumpets sounded, though with small injury to the islanders,
who mostly lay under the cover of trenches or other means of defence.
Captain Lister then urged on the rowers, who began to shrink at the shot
from the enemy which flew thick about their ears, and was himself the
first to board one of the ships which lay farther from shore than the
other, while we speedily followed, still plying the enemy with our shot,
and having cut her cables and hawsers, we towed her out to sea. In the
mean time, captain Davis came up in his boat, and boarded the other
ship, both having been abandoned by their crews; but, as she was quite
fast aground, he was under the necessity of quitting her, exposed to
shot and stones even from the shore. At this time, the towns-people made
an attempt to capture captain Davis and his boats crew, which were but
few in number; but they joined us, and we jointly towed off our prize,
which was a ship from Brazil laden with sugar. In this exploit we had
two men slain and sixteen wounded, while it is probable that the enemy
suffered small loss, as they were mostly sheltered behind stone walls,
many of which were built above one another on the end of the hill on
which the town stands, between two vallies. On the top of the hill they
had some large cannon, from which they fired leaden bullets, one only
of which went through the side of our prize, but did no other injury.
[Footnote 366: This uncommon word seems merely to signify, ships lying
at anchor in an open road. - E.]
Next day we made another attempt to get fresh water at this island, but
as we were ignorant of the landing-place, where we found many
inconveniences and disadvantages, we were unable to effect our purpose.
Wherefore we departed on the night of the 25th October for the island of
St George, in quest of fresh water, and got there on the 27th. Observing
a stream of water running down into the sea, the pinnace, and long-boat
were sent under captains Preston and Manson, by whom a letter was sent
by my lord to the islanders, desiring leave to take water quietly, and
no farther injury should be done them.
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