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FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS*Ver.04.07.00*END* + + + + + +Etext prepared by Dagny, dagnyj@hotmail.com +and John Bickers, jbickers@ihug.co.nz + + + + + +SIR FRANCIS DRAKE REVIVED + +Editor: Philip Nichols + + + + +PREPARER'S NOTE + + This text was originally prepared from a 1910 edition, published by P F + Collier & Son Company, New York. It included this note: + + Faithfully taken out of the report of Master Christopher Ceely, + Ellis Hixom, and others, who were in the same Voyage with him + By Philip Nichols, Preacher + Reviewed by Sir Francis Drake himself + Set forth by Sir Francis Drake, Baronet (his nephew) + + + + +SIR FRANCIS DRAKE REVIVED + + + +INTRODUCTORY NOTE + +Sir Francis Drake, the greatest of the naval adventurers of England of +the time of Elizabeth, was born in Devonshire about 1540. He went to +sea early, was sailing to the Spanish Main by 1565, and commanded a +ship under Hawkins in an expedition that was overwhelmed by the +Spaniards in 1567. In order to recompense himself for the loss +suffered in this disaster, he equipped the expedition against the +Spanish treasure-house at Nombre de Dios in 1572, the fortunes of +which are described in the first of the two following narratives. It +was on this voyage that he was led by native guides to "that goodly +and great high tree" on the isthmus of Darien, from which, first of +Englishmen, he looked on the Pacific, and "besought Almighty God of +His goodness to give him life and leave to sail once in an English +ship in that sea." + +The fulfilment of this prayer is described in the second of the +voyages here printed, in which it is told how, in 1578, Drake passed +through the Straits of Magellan into waters never before sailed by his +countrymen, and with a single ship rifled the Spanish settlements on +the west coast of South America and plundered the Spanish treasure- +ships; how, considering it unsafe to go back the way he came lest the +enemy should seek revenge, he went as far north as the Golden Gate, +then passed across the Pacific and round by the Cape of Good Hope, and +so home, the first Englishman to circumnavigate the globe. Only +Magellan's ship had preceded him in the feat, and Magellan had died on +the voyage. The Queen visited the ship, "The Golden Hind," as she lay +at Deptford and knighted the commander on board. + +Drake's further adventures were of almost equal interest. Returning +from a raid on the Spaniards in 1586, he brought home the despairing +Virginian colony, and is said at the same time to have introduced from +America tobacco and potatoes. Two years later he led the English fleet +in the decisive engagement with the Great Armada. In 1595 he set out +on another voyage to the Spanish Main; and in the January of the +following year died off Porto Bello and was buried in the waters where +he had made his name as the greatest seaman of his day and nation. + + + + TO THE HIGH AND MIGHTY + CHARLES THE FIRST, OF + GREAT BRITAIN, FRANCE, and IRELAND, + KING, all the blessings of this, and a better life. + + + MOST GRACIOUS SOVEREIGN, + + That this brief Treatise is yours, both by right and by + succession, will appear by the Author's and Actor's ensuing + /Dedication/. To praise either the Mistress or the Servant, might + justly incur the censure of /Quis eos unquam sanus vituperavit/; + either's worth having sufficiently blazed their fame. + + This Present loseth nothing, by glancing on former actions; and + the observation of passed adventures may probably advantage future + employments. Caesar wrote his own Commentaries; and this Doer was + partly the Indictor. + + Neither is there wanting living testimony to confirm its truth. + For his sake, then, cherish what is good! and I shall willingly + entertain check for what is amiss. Your favourable acceptance may + encourage my collecting of more neglected notes! However, though + Virtue, as Lands, be not inheritable; yet hath he left of his + Name, one that resolves, and therein joys to approve himself. + +Your most humble and loyal subject, + +FRANCIS DRAKE [BART.] + + + + The Dedicatory Epistle, Intended To + QUEEN ELIZABETH + Written By SIR FRANCIS DRAKE, Deceased. + + To The Queen's Most Excellent Majesty, + my most dread Sovereign. + + + Madam, + + Seeing divers have diversely reported and written of these Voyages + and Actions which I have attempted and made, every one + endeavouring to bring to light whatsoever inklings or conjectures + they have had; whereby many untruths have been published, and the + certain truth concealed: as [so] I have thought it necessary + myself, as in a Card [chart] to prick the principal points of the + counsels taken, attempts made, and success had, during the whole + course of my employment in these services against the Spaniard. + Not as setting sail for maintaining my reputation in men's + judgment, but only as sitting at helm, if occasion shall be, for + conducting the like actions hereafter. So I have accounted it my + duty, to present this Discourse to Your Majesty, as of right; + either for itself being the first fruits of your Servant's pen, or + for the matter, being service done to Your Majesty by your poor + vassal, against your great Enemy: at times, in such places, and + after such sort as may seem strange to those that are not + acquainted with the whole carriage thereof; but will be a pleasing + remembrance to Your Highness, who take the apparent height of the + Almighty's favour towards you, by these events, as truest + instruments. + + Humbly submitting myself to Your gracious censure, both in writing + and presenting; that Posterity be not deprived of such help as may + happily be gained hereby, and our present Age, at least, may be + satisfied, in the rightfulness of these actions, which hitherto + have been silenced: and Your Servant's labour not seem altogether + lost, not only in travels by sea and land, but also in writing the + Report thereof (a work to him no less troublesome) yet made + pleasant and sweet, in that it hath been, is, and shall be for + Your Majesty's content; to whom I have devoted myself [and] live + or die. + +FRANCIS DRAKE [Knight]. + +January 1, 1592 [i.e., 1593]. + + + + +TO THE COURTEOUS READER + + + HONEST READER, + + Without apology, I desire thee, in this ensuing Discourse, to + observe, with me, the power and justice of the LORD of Hosts, Who + could enable so mean a person to right himself upon so mighty a + Prince; together with the goodness and providence of GOD very + observable in that it pleased Him to raise this man, not only from + a low condition, but even from the state of persecution. His + father suffered in it, being forced to fly from his house, near + South Tavistock in Devon, into Kent: and there to inhabit in the + hull of a ship, wherein many of his younger sons were born. He had + twelve in all: and as it pleased GOD to give most of them a being + upon the water, so the greatest part of them died at sea. The + youngest, who though he was [went] as far as any, yet died at + home; whose posterity inherits that, which by himself and this + noble Gentleman the eldest brother, was hardly, yet worthily + gotten. + + I could more largely acquaint thee, that this voyage was his Third + he made into the West Indies; after that [of] his excellent + service, both by sea and land, in Ireland, under WALTER, Earl of + ESSEX; his next, about the World; another, wherein he took St. + Jago, Cartagena, St. Domingo, St. Augustino; his doings at Cadiz; + besides the first Carrack taught by him to sail into England; his + stirrings in Eighty-seven; his remarkable actions in Eighty-eight; + his endeavours in the Portugal employment; his last enterprise, + determined by death; and his filling Plymouth with a plentiful + stream of fresh water: but I pass by all these. I had rather thou + shouldest inquire of others! then to seem myself a vainglorious + man. + + I intend not his praise! I strive only to set out the praise of + his and our good GOD! that guided him in his truth! and protected + him in his courses! My ends are to stir thee up to the worship of + GOD, and service of our King and Country, by his example! If + anything be worth thy consideration; conclude with me, that the + LORD only, can do great things! + +FRANCIS DRAKE [Bart.] + + + + + +SIR FRANCIS DRAKE REVIVED + +Calling upon this dull or effeminate Age, to follow his noble +steps for gold and silver. + + + +As there is a general Vengeance which secretly pursueth the doers of +wrong, and suffereth them not to prosper, albeit no man of purpose +empeach them: so is there a particular Indignation, engrafted in the +bosom of all that are wronged, which ceaseth not seeking, by all means +possible, to redress or remedy the wrong received. Insomuch as those +great and mighty men, in whom their prosperous estate hath bred such +an overweening of themselves, but they do not only wrong their +inferiors, but despise them being injured, seem to take a very unfit +course for their own safety, and far unfitter for their rest. For as +ESOP teacheth, even the fly hath her spleen, and the emmet [ant] is +not without her choler; and both together many times find means +whereby, though the eagle lays her eggs in JUPITER'S lap, yet by one +way or other, she escapeth not requital of her wrong done [to] the +emmet. + +Among the manifold examples hereof, which former Ages have committed +to memory, or our Time yielded to sight: I suppose, there hath not +been any more notable then this in hand; either in respect of the +greatness of the person in whom the first injury was offered, or the +meanness of him who righted himself. The one being, in his own +conceit, the mightiest Monarch of all the world! The other, an English +Captain, a mean subject of her Majesty's! Who (besides the wrongs +received at Rio de [la] Hacha with Captain JOHN LOVELL in the years +[15]65 and [15]66) having been grievously endamaged at San Juan de +Ulua in the Bay of Mexico, with captain JOHN HAWKINS, in the years +[15]67 and [15]68, not only in the loss of his goods of some value, +but also of his kinsmen and friends, and that by the falsehood of DON +MARTIN HENRIQUEZ then the Viceroy of Mexico; and finding that no +recompense could be recovered out of Spain, by any of his own means, +or by Her Majesty's letters; he used such helps as he might, by two +several voyages into the West Indies (the first with two ships, the +one called the /Dragon/, the other the /Swan/, in the year [15]70: the +other in the /Swan/ alone in the year [15]71), to gain such +intelligences as might further him, to get some amends for his loss. + + + +On Whitsunday Eve, being the 24th of May, in the year 1572, Captain +DRAKE in the /Pascha/ of Plymouth of 70 tons, his admiral [flag-ship]; +with the /Swan/ of the same port, of 25 tons, his vice-admiral, in +which his brother JOHN DRAKE was Captain (having in both of them, of +men and boys seventy-three, all voluntarily assembled; of which the +eldest was fifty, all the rest under thirty: so divided that there +were forty-seven in the one ship, and twenty-six in the other. Both +richly furnished with victuals and apparel for a whole year; and no +less heedfully provided of all manner of munition, artillery, +artificers, stuff and tools, that were requisite for such a Man-of-war +in such an attempt: but especially having three dainty pinnaces made +in Plymouth, taken asunder in all pieces, and stowed aboard, to be set +up as occasion served), set sail, from out of the Sound of Plymouth, +with intent to land at Nombre de Dios. + +The wind continued prosperous and favourable at northeast, and gave us +a very good passage, without any alteration or change: so that albeit +we had sight (3rd June) of Porto Santo, one of the Madeiras, and of +the Canaries also within twelve days of our setting forth: yet we +never struck sail nor came to anchor, nor made any stay for any cause, +neither there nor elsewhere, until twenty-five days after; when (28th +June) we had sight of the island Guadaloupe, one of the islands of the +West Indies, goodly high land. + +The next morning (29th June), we entered between Dominica and +Guadaloupe, where we descried two canoes coming from a rocky island, +three leagues off Dominica; which usually repair thither to fish, by +reason of the great plenty thereof, which is there continually to be +found. + +We landed on the south side of it, remaining there three days to +refresh our men; and to water our ships out of one of those goodly +rivers, which fall down off the mountain. There we saw certain poor +cottages; built with Palmito boughs and branches; but no inhabitants, +at that time, civil or savage: the cottages it may be (for we could +know no certain cause of the solitariness we found there) serving, not +for continual inhabitation, but only for their uses, that came to that +place at certain seasons to fish. + +The third day after (1st July), about three in the afternoon, we set +sail from thence, toward the continent of /Terra firma/. + +And the fifth day after (6th July), we had sight of the high land of +Santa Marta; but came not near the shore by ten leagues. + +But thence directed our course, for a place called by us, Port +Pheasant; for that our Captain had so named it in his former voyage, +by reason of the great store of those goodly fowls, which he and his +company did then daily kill and feed on, in that place. In this course +notwithstanding we had two days calm, yet within six days after we +arrived (12th July) at Port Pheasant, which is a fine round bay, of +very safe harbour for all winds, lying between two high points, not +past half a cable's length over at the mouth, but within, eight or ten +cables' length every way, having ten or twelve fathoms of water more +or less, full of good fish; the soil also very fruitful, which may +appear by this, that our Captain having been in this place, within a +year and few days before [i. e., in July, 1571] and having rid the +place with many alleys and paths made; yet now all was so overgrown +again, as that we doubted, at first, whether this was the same place +or not. + +At our entrance into this bay, our Captain having given order to his +brother what to do, if any occasion should happen in his absence, was +on his way, with intent to have gone aland with some few only in his +company, because he knew there dwelt no Spaniards within thirty-five +leagues of that place. [Santiago de] Tolou being the nearest to the +eastwards, and Nombre de Dios to the westwards, where any of that +nation dwelt. + +But as we were rowing ashore, we saw a smoke in the woods, even near +the place where our Captain had aforetime frequented; therefore +thinking it fit to take more strength with us, he caused his other +boat also to be manned, with certain muskets and other weapons, +suspecting some enemy had been ashore. + +When we landed, we found by evident marks, that there had been lately +there, a certain Englishman of Plymouth, called JOHN GARRET, who had +been conducted thither by certain English mariners which had been +there with our Captain, in some of his former voyages. He had now left +a plate of lead, nailed fast to a mighty great tree (greater than any +four men joining hands could fathom about) on which were engraven +these words, directed to our Captain. + + +CAPTAIN DRAKE + + If you fortune to come to this Port, make haste away! For the + Spaniards which you had with you here, the last year, have bewrayed + this place, and taken away all that you left here. + + I depart from hence, this present 7th of July, 1572. + +Your very loving friend, +John Garret. + + +The smoke which we saw, was occasioned by a fire, which the said +Garret and his company had made, before their departure, in a very +great tree, not far from this which had the lead nailed on it, which +had continued burning at least five days before our arrival. + +This advertisement notwithstanding, our Captain meant not to depart +before he had built his pinnaces; which were yet aboard in pieces: for +which purpose he knew this port to be a most convenient place. + +And therefore as soon as we had moored our ships, our Captain +commanded his pinnaces to be brought ashore for the carpenters to set +up; himself employing all his other company in fortifying a place +(which he had chosen out, as a most fit plot) of three-quarters of an +acre of ground, to make some strength or safety for the present, as +sufficiently as the means he had would afford. Which was performed by +felling of great trees; bowsing and hauling them together, with great +pulleys and hawsers, until they were enclosed to the water; and then +letting others fall upon them, until they had raised with trees and +boughs thirty feet in height round about, leaving only one gate to +issue at, near the water side; which every night, that we might sleep +in more safety and security, was shut up, with a great tree drawn +athwart it. + +The whole plot was built in pentagonal form, to wit, of five equal +sides and angles, of which angles two were toward the sea, and that +side between them was left open, for the easy launching of our +pinnaces: the other four equal sides were wholly, excepting the gate +before mentioned, firmly closed up. + +Without, instead of a trench, the ground was rid [laid bare] for fifty +feet space, round about. The rest was very thick with trees, of which +many were of those kinds which are never without green leaves, till +they are dead at the root: excepting only one kind of tree amongst +them, much like to our Ash, which when the sun cometh right over them, +causing great rains, suddenly casteth all its leaves, viz., within +three days, and yet within six days after becomes all green again. The +leaves of the other trees do also in part fall away, but so as the +trees continue still green notwithstanding: being of a marvellous +height, and supported as it were with five or six natural buttresses +growing out of their bodies so far, that three men may so be hidden in +each of them, that they which shall stand in the very next buttress +shall not be able to see them. One of them specially was marked to +have had seven of those stays or buttresses, for the supporting of his +greatness and height, which being measured with a line close by the +bark and near to the ground, as it was indented or extant, was found +to be above thirty-nine yards about. The wood of those trees is as +heavy or heavier than Brazil or /Lignum vitae/; and is in colour +white. + +The next day after we had arrived (13th July), there came also into +that bay, an English bark of the Isle of Wight, of Sir EDWARD +HORSEY'S; wherein JAMES RANSE was Captain and JOHN OVERY, Master, with +thirty men: of which, some had been with our Captain in the same +place, the year before. They brought in with them a Spanish caravel of +Seville, which he had taken the day before, athwart of that place; +being a Caravel of /Adviso/ [Despatch boat] bound for Nombre de Dios; +and also one shallop with oars, which he had taken at Cape Blanc. This +Captain RANSE understanding our Captain's purpose, was desirous to +join in consort with him; and was received upon conditions agreed on +between them. + +Within seven days after his coming, having set up our pinnaces, and +despatched all our business, in providing all things necessary, out of +our ships into our pinnaces: we departed (20th July) from that +harbour, setting sail in the morning towards Nombre de Dios, +continuing our course till we came to the Isles of Pinos: where, being +within three days arrived, we found (22nd July) two frigates of Nombre +de Dios lading plank and timber from thence. + +The Negroes which were in those frigates, gave us some particular +understanding of the present state of the town; and besides, told us +that they had heard a report, that certain soldiers should come +thither shortly, and were daily looked for, from the Governor of +Panama, and the country thereabout, to defend the town against the +Cimaroons (a black people, which about eighty years past [i.e., 1512] +fled from the Spaniards their masters, by reason of their cruelty, and +are since grown to a Nation, under two Kings of their own: the one +inhabiteth to the West, and the other to the East of the Way from +Nombre de Dios to Panama) which had nearly surprised it [i.e., Nombre +de Dios], about six weeks before [i.e., about 10th June, 1572]. + +Our Captain willing to use those Negroes well (not hurting himself) +set them ashore upon the Main, that they might perhaps join themselves +to their countrymen the Cimaroons, and gain their liberty, if they +would; or if they would not, yet by reason of the length and +troublesomeness of the way by land to Nombre de Dios, he might prevent +any notice of his coming, which they should be able to give. For he +was loath to put the town to too much charge (which he knew they would +willingly bestow) in providing beforehand for his entertainment; and +therefore he hastened his going thither, with as much speed and +secrecy as possibly he could. + +To this end, disposing of all his companies, according as they +inclined most; he left the three ships and the caravel with Captain +RANSE; and chose into his four pinnaces (Captain RANSE'S shallop made +the fourth) beside fifty-three of our men, twenty more of Captain +RANSE'S company; with which he seemed competently furnished, to +achieve what he intended; especially having proportioned, according to +his own purpose, and our men's disposition, their several arms, viz., +six targets, six firepikes, twelve pikes, twenty-four muskets and +calivers, sixteen bows, and six partisans, two drums, and two +trumpets. + +Thus having parted (23rd July) from our company: we arrived at the +island of Cativaas, being twenty-five leagues distant, about five days +afterward (28th July). There we landed all in the morning betimes: and +our Captain trained his men, delivering them their several weapons and +arms which hitherto he had kept very fair and safe in good caske +[casks]: and exhorting them after his manner, he declared "the +greatness of the hope of good things that was there! the weakness of +the town, being unwalled! and the hope he had of prevailing to +recompense his wrongs! especially now that he should come with such a +crew, who were like-minded with himself; and at such a time, as he +should be utterly undiscovered." + +Therefore, even that afternoon, he causeth us to set sail for Nombre +de Dios, so that before sunset we were as far as Rio Francisco. +Thence, he led us hard aboard the shore, that we might not be descried +of the Watch House, until that being come within two leagues of the +point of the bay, he caused us to strike a hull, and cast our grappers +[grappling irons], riding so until it was dark night. + +Then we weighed again, and set sail, rowing hard aboard the shore, +with as much silence as we could, till we recovered the point of the +harbour under the high land. There, we stayed, all silent; purposing +to attempt the town in the dawning of the day: after that we had +reposed ourselves, for a while. + +But our captain with some other of his best men, finding that our +people were talking of the greatness of the town, and what their +strength might be; especially by the report of the Negroes that we +took at the Isle of Pinos: thought it best to put these conceits out +of their heads, and therefore to take the opportunity of the rising of +the moon that night, persuading them that "it was the day dawning." By +this occasion we were at the town a large hour sooner than first was +purposed. For we arrived there by three of the clock after midnight. +At that time it fortuned that a ship of Spain, of 60 tons, laden with +Canary wines and other commodities, which had but lately come into the +bay; and had not yet furled her spirit-sail (espying our four +pinnaces, being an extraordinary number, and those rowing with many +oars) sent away her gundeloe [? gondola] towards the town, to give +warning. But our Captain perceiving it, cut betwixt her and the town, +forcing her to go to the other side of the bay: whereby we landed +without impeachment, although we found one gunner upon the Platform +[battery] in the very place where we landed; being a sandy place and +no key [quay] at all, not past twenty yards from the houses. + +There we found six great pieces of brass ordinance, mounted upon their +carriages, some Demy, some Whole-Culvering. + +We presently dismounted them. The gunner fled. The town took alarm +(being very ready thereto, by reason of their often disquieting by +their near neighbours the Cimaroons); as we perceived, not only by the +noise and cries of the people, but by the bell ringing out, and drums +running up and down the town. + +Our captain, according to the directions which he had given over +night, to such as he had made choice of for the purpose, left twelve +to keep the pinnaces; that we might be sure of a safe retreat, if the +worst befell. And having made sure work of the Platform before he +would enter the town, he thought best, first to view the Mount on the +east side of the town: where he was informed, by sundry intelligences +the year before, they had an intent to plant ordnance, which might +scour round about the town. + +Therefore, leaving one half of his company to make a stand at the foot +of the Mount, he marched up presently unto the top of it, with all +speed to try the truth of the report, for the more safety. There we +found no piece of ordnance, but only a very fit place prepared for +such use, and therefore we left it without any of our men, and with +all celerity returned now down the Mount. + +Then our Captain appointed his brother, with JOHN OXNAM [or OXENHAM] +and sixteen other of his men, to go about, behind the King's Treasure +House, and enter near the eastern end of the Market Place: himself +with the rest, would pass up the broad street into the Market Place, +with sound of drum and trumpet. The Firepikes, divided half to the +one, and half to the other company, served no less for fright to the +enemy than light of our men, who by this means might discern every +place very well, as if it were near day: whereas the inhabitants stood +amazed at so strange a sight, marvelling what the matter might be, and +imagining, by reason of our drums and trumpets sounding in so sundry +places, that we had been a far greater number then we were. + +Yet, by means of the soldiers of which were in the town, and by reason +of the time which we spent in marching up and down the Mount, the +soldiers and inhabitants had put themselves in arms, and brought their +companies in some order, at the south-east end of the Market Place, +near the Governor's House, and not far from the gate of the town, +which is the only one, leading towards Panama: having (as it seems) +gathered themselves thither, either that in the Governor's sight they +might shew their valour, if it might prevail; or else, that by the +gate they might best take their /Vale/, and escape readiest. + +And to make a shew of far greater numbers of shot, or else of a custom +they had, by the like device to terrify the Cimaroons; they had hung +lines with matches lighted, overthwart the western end of the Market +Place, between the Church and the Cross; as though there had been in a +readiness some company of shot, whereas indeed there were not past two +or three that taught these lines to dance, till they themselves ran +away, as soon as they perceived they were discovered. + +But the soldiers and such as were joined with them, presented us with +a jolly hot volley of shot, beating full upon the full egress of that +street, in which we marched; and levelling very low, so as their +bullets ofttimes grazed on the sand. + +We stood not to answer them in like terms; but having discharged our +first volley of shot, and feathered them with our arrows (which our +Captain had caused to be made of purpose in England; not great sheaf +arrows, but fine roving shafts, very carefully reserved for the +service) we came to the push of pike, so that our firepikes being well +armed and made of purpose, did us very great service. + +For our men with their pikes and short weapons, in short time took +such order among these gallants (some using the butt-end of their +pieces instead of other weapons), that partly by reason of our arrows +which did us there notable service, partly by occasion of this strange +and sudden closing with them in this manner unlooked for, and the +rather for that at the very instant, our Captain's brother, with the +other company, with their firepikes, entered the Market Place by the +eastern street: they casting down their weapons, fled all out of the +town by the gate aforesaid, which had been built for a bar to keep out +of the town the Cimaroons, who had often assailed it; but now served +for a gap for the Spaniards to fly at. + +In following, and returning; divers of our men were hurt with the +weapons which the enemy had let fall as he fled; somewhat, for that we +marched with such speed, but more for that they lay so thick and cross +one on the other. + +Being returned, we made our stand near the midst of the Market Place, +where a tree groweth hard by the Cross; whence our Captain sent some +of our men to stay the ringing of the alarm bell, which had continued +all this while: but the church being very strongly built and fast +shut, they could not without firing (which our Captain forbade) get +into the steeple where the bell rung. + +In the meantime, our Captain having taken two or three Spaniards in +their flight, commanded them to shew him the Governor's House, where +he understood was the ordinary place of unlading the moiles [mules] of +all the treasure which came from Panama by the King's appointment. +Although the silver only was kept there; the gold, pearl, and jewels +(being there once entered by the King's officer) was carried from +thence to the King's Treasure House not far off, being a house very +strongly built of lime and alone, for the safe keeping thereof. + +At our coming to the Governor's House we found the great door where +the mules do usually unlade, even then opened, a candle lighted upon +the top of the stairs; and a fair gennet ready saddled, either for the +Governor himself, or some other of his household to carry it after +him. By means of this light we saw a huge heap of silver in that +nether [lower] room; being a pile of bars of silver of, as near as we +could guess, seventy feet in length, of ten feet in breadth, and +twelve feet in height, piled up against the wall, each bar was between +thirty-five and forty pounds in weight. + +At sight hereof, our Captain commanded straightly that none of us +should touch a bar of silver; but stand upon our weapons, because the +town was full of people, and there was in the King's Treasure House +near the water side, more gold and jewels than all our four pinnaces +could carry: which we should presently set some in hand to break open, +notwithstanding the Spaniards report the strength of it. + +We were no sooner returned to our strength, but there was a report +brought by some of our men that our pinnaces were in danger to be +taken; and that if we ourselves got not aboard before day, we should +be oppressed with multitude both of soldiers and towns-people. This +report had his ground from one DIEGO a Negro, who, in the time of the +first conflict, came and called to our pinnaces, to know "whether they +were Captain DRAKE'S?" And upon answer received, continued entreating +to be taken aboard, though he had first three or four shot made at +him, until at length they fetched him; and learned by him, that, not +past eight days before our arrival, the King had sent thither some 150 +soldiers to guard the town against the Cimaroons, and the town at this +time was full of people beside: which all the rather believed, because +it agreed with the report of the Negroes, which we took before at the +Isle of Pinos. And therefore our Captain sent his brother and JOHN +OXNAM to understand the truth thereof. + +They found our men which we left in our pinnaces much frightened, by +reason that they saw great troops and companies running up and down, +with matches lighted, some with other weapons, crying /Que gente? Que +gente?/ which not having been at the first conflict, but coming from +the utter ends of the town (being at least as big as Plymouth), came +many times near us; and understanding that we were English, discharged +their pieces and ran away. + +Presently after this, a mighty shower of rain, with a terrible storm +of thunder and lightning, fell, which poured down so vehemently (as it +usually doth in those countries) that before we could recover the +shelter of a certain shade or penthouse at the western end of the +King's Treasure House, (which seemeth to have been built there of +purpose to avoid sun and rain) some of our bow-strings were wet, and +some of our match and powder hurt! Which while we were careful of, to +refurnish and supply; divers of our men harping on the reports lately +brought us, were muttering of the forces of the town, which our +Captain perceiving, told them, that "He had brought them to the mouth +of the Treasure of the World, if they would want it, they might +henceforth blame nobody but themselves!" + +And therefore as soon as the storm began to assuage of his fury (which +was a long half hour) willing to give his men no longer leisure to +demur of those doubts, nor yet allow the enemy farther respite to +gather themselves together, he stept forward commanding his brother, +with JOHN OXNAM and the company appointed them, to break the King's +Treasure House: the rest to follow him to keep the strength of the +Market Place, till they had despatched the business for which they +came. + +But as he stepped forward, his strength and sight and speech failed +him, and he began to faint for want of blood, which, as then we +perceived, had, in great quantity, issued upon the sand, out of a +wound received in his leg in the first encounter, whereby though he +felt some pain, yet (for that he perceived divers of the company, +having already gotten many good things, to be very ready to take all +occasions, of winding themselves out of that conceited danger) would +he not have it known to any, till this his fainting, against his will, +bewrayed it: the blood having first filled the very prints which our +footsteps made, to the great dismay of all our company, who thought it +not credible that one man should be able to spare so much blood and +live. + +And therefore even they, which were willing to have ventured the most +for so fair a booty, would in no case hazard their Captain's life; but +(having given him somewhat to drink wherewith he recovered himself, +and having bound his scarf about his leg, for the stopping of the +blood) entreated him to be content to go with them aboard, there to +have his wound searched and dressed, and then to return on shore again +if he thought good. + +This when they could not persuade him unto (as who knew it to be +utterly impossible, at least very unlikely, that ever they should, for +that time, return again, to recover the state in which they now were: +and was of opinion, that it were more honourable for himself, to +jeopard his life for so great a benefit, than to leave off so high an +enterprise unperformed), they joined altogether and with force mingled +with fair entreaty, they bare him aboard his pinnace, and so abandoned +a most rich spoil for the present, only to preserve their Captain's +life: and being resolved of him, that while they enjoyed his presence, +and had him to command them, they might recover wealth sufficient; but +if once they lost him, they should hardly be able to recover home. No, +not with that which they had gotten already. + +Thus we embarked by break of day (29th July), having besides our +Captain, many of our men wounded, though none slain but one Trumpeter: +whereupon though our surgeons were busily employed, in providing +remedies and salves for their wounds: yet the main care of our Captain +was respected by all the rest; so that before we departed out of the +harbour for the more comfort of our company, we took the aforesaid +ship of wines without great resistance. + +But before we had her free of the haven, they of the town had made +means to bring one of their culverins, which we had dismounted, so as +they made a shot at us, but hindered us not from carrying forth the +prize to the Isle of /Bastimentos/, or the Isle of Victuals: which is +an island that lieth without the bay to the westward, about a league +off the town, where we stayed the two next days, to cure our wounded +men, and refresh ourselves, in the goodly gardens which we there found +abounding with great store of all dainty roots and fruits; besides +great plenty of poultry and other fowls, no less strange then +delicate. + +Shortly upon our first arrival in this island, the Governor and the +rest of his Assistants in the town, as we afterwards understood, sent +unto our Captain, a proper gentleman, of mean stature, good +complexion, and a fair spoken, a principal soldier of the late sent +garrison, to view in what state we were. At his coming he protested +"He came to us, of mere good will, for that we had attempted so great +and incredible a matter with so few men: and that, at the first, they +feared that we had been French, at whose hands they knew they should +find no mercy: but after they perceived by our arrows, that we were +Englishmen, their fears were the less, for that they knew, that though +we took the treasure of the place, yet we would not use cruelty toward +their persons. But albeit this his affection gave him cause enough, to +come aboard such, whose virtue he so honoured: yet the Governor also +had not only consented to his coming, but directly sent him, upon +occasion that divers of the town affirmed, said he, 'that they knew +our Captain, who the last two years had been often on our coast, and +had always used their persons very well.' And therefore desired to +know, first, Whether our Captain was the same Captain DRAKE or not? +and next, Because many of their men were wounded with our arrows, +whether they were poisoned or not? and how their wounds might best be +cured? lastly, What victuals we wanted, or other necessaries? of which +the Governor promised by him to supply and furnish us, as largely as +he durst." + +Our Captain, although he thought this soldier but a spy: yet used him +very courteously, and answered him to his Governor's demands: that "He +was the same DRAKE whom they meant! It was never his manner to poison +his arrows! They might cure their wounded by ordinary surgery! As for +wants, he knew the Island of /Bastimentos/ has sufficient, and could +furnish him if he listed! But he wanted nothing but some of that +special commodity which that country yielded, to content himself and +his company." And therefore he advised the Governor "to hold open his +eyes! for before he departed, if GOD lent him life and leave, he meant +to reap some of their harvest, which they get out of the earth, and +sent into Spain to trouble all the earth!" + +To this answer unlooked for, this gentleman replied, "If he might, +without offence, move such a question, what should then be the cause +of our departing from that town at this time, where was above 360 tons +of silver ready for the Fleet, and much more gold in value, resting in +iron chests in the King's Treasure House?" + +But when our Captain had shewed him the true cause of his unwilling +retreat aboard, he acknowledged that "we had no less reason in +departing, than courage in attempting": and no doubt did easily see, +that it was not for the town to seek revenge of us, by manning forth +such frigates or other vessels as they had; but better to content +themselves and provide for their own defence. + +Thus, with great favour and courteous entertainment, besides such +gifts from our Captain as most contented him, after dinner, he was in +such sort dismissed, to make report of what he had seen, that he +protested, "he was never so much honoured of any in his life." + +After his departure, the Negro formentioned, being examined more +fully, confirmed this report of the gold and the silver; with many +other intelligences of importance: especially how we might have gold +and silver enough, if we would by means of the Cimaroons, whom though +he had betrayed divers times (being used thereto by his Masters) so +that he knew they would kill him, if they got him: yet if our Captain +would undertake his protection, he durst adventure his life, because +he knew our Captain's name was most precious and highly honoured by +them. + +This report ministered occasion to further consultation: for which, +because this place seemed not the safest; as being neither the +healthiest nor quietest; the next day, in the morning, we all set our +course for the Isle of /Pinos/ or Port Plenty, where we had left our +ships, continuing all that day, and the next till towards night, +before we recovered it. + +We were the longer in this course, for that our Captain sent away his +brother and ELLIS HIXOM to the westward, in search of the River of +Chagres, where himself had been the year before, and yet was careful +to gain more notice of; it being a river which trendeth to the +southward, within six leagues of Panama, where is a little town called +Venta Cruz [Venta de Cruzes], whence all the treasure, that was +usually brought thither from Panama by mules, was embarked in frigates +[sailing] down that river into the North sea, and so to Nombre de +Dios. + +It ebbeth and floweth not far into the land, and therefore it asketh +three days' rowing with a fine pinnace to pass [up] from the mouth to +Venta Cruz; but one day and a night serveth to return down the river. + +At our return to our ships (1st August), in our consultation, Captain +RANSE (forecasting divers doubts of our safe continuance upon that +coast, being now discovered) was willing to depart; and our Captain no +less willing to dismiss him: and therefore as soon as our pinnaces +returned from Chagres (7th August) with such advertisement as they +were sent for, about eight days before; Captain RANSE took his leave, +leaving us at the isle aforesaid, where we had remained five or six +days. + +In which meantime, having put all things in a readiness, our captain +resolved, with his two ships and three pinnaces to go to Cartagena; +whither in sailing, we spent some six days by reason of the calms +which came often upon us: but all this time we attempted nothing that +we might have done by the way, neither at [Santiago de] Tolou nor +otherwhere, because we would not be discovered. + +We came to anchor with our two ships in the evening [13th August], in +seven fathom water, between the island of Charesha and St. Bernards +[San Bernardo]. + +Our Captain led the three pinnaces about the island, into the harbour +of Cartagena; where at the very entry, he found a frigate at anchor, +aboard which was only one old man; who being demanded, "Where the rest +of his company was?" answered, "That they were gone ashore in their +gundeloe [? gondola or ship's boat], that evening, to fight about a +mistress": and voluntarily related to our Captain that, "two hours +before night, there past by them a pinnace, with sail and oars, as +fast as ever they could row, calling to him 'Whether there had not +been any English or Frenchmen there lately?' and upon answer that, +'There had been none!' they bid them 'look to themselves!' That, +within an hour that this pinnace was come to the utterside [outside] +of Cartagena, there were many great pieces shot off, whereupon one +going to top, to descry what might be the cause? espied, over the +land, divers frigates and small shipping bringing themselves within +the Castle." + +This report our Captain credited, the rather for that himself had +heard the report of the ordnance at sea; and perceived sufficiently, +that he was now descried. Notwithstanding in farther examination of +this old mariner, having understood, that there was, within the next +point, a great ship of Seville, which had here discharged her loading, +and rid now with her yards across, being bound the next morning for +Santo Domingo: our Captain took this old man into his pinnace to +verify that which he had informed, and rowed towards this ship, which +as we came near it, hailed us, asking, "Whence our shallops were?" + +We answered, "From Nombre de Dios!" + +Straightway they railed and reviled! We gave no heed to their words, +but every pinnace, according to our Captain's order, one on the +starboard bow, the other on the starboard quarter, and the Captain in +the midship on the larboard side, forthwith boarded her; though we had +some difficulty to enter by reason of her height, being of 240 tons. +But as soon as we entered upon the decks, we threw down the grates and +spardecks, to prevent the Spaniards form annoying us with their close +fights: who then perceiving that we were possessed of their ship, +stowed themselves all in hold with their weapons, except two or three +yonkers, which were found afore the beetes: when having light out of +our pinnaces, we found no danger of the enemy remaining, we cut their +cables at halse, and with our three pinnaces, towed her without the +island into the sound right afore the down, without [beyond the] +danger of their great shot. + +Meanwhile, the town, having intelligence hereof, or by their watch, +took the alarm, rang out their bells, shot off about thirty pieces of +great ordnance, put all their men in a readiness, horse and foot, came +down to the very point of the wood, and discharged their calivers, to +impeach us if they might, in going forth. + +The next morning (14th August) our ships took two frigates, in which +there were two, who called themselves King's /Scrivanos/, the one of +Cartagena, the other of Veragua, with seven mariners and two Negroes; +who had been at Nombre de Dios and were now bound for Cartagena with +double [? duplicate] letters of advice, to certify them that Captain +DRAKE had been at Nombre de Dios, had taken it; and had it not been +that he was hurt with some blessed shot, by all likelihood he had +sacked it. He was yet still upon the coast; they should therefore +carefully prepare for him! + +After that our Captain had brought out all his fleet together, at the +/Scrivanos'/ entreaties, he was content to do them all favour, in +setting them and all their companies on shore; and so bare thence with +the islands of St. Bernards, about three leagues of the town: where we +found great store of fish for our refreshing. + +Here, our Captain considering that he was now discovered upon the +chieftest places of all the coast, and yet not meaning to leave it +till he had found the Cimaroons, and "made" his voyage, as he had +conceived; which would require some length of time, and sure manning +of his pinnaces: he determined with himself, to burn one of the ships, +and make the other a Storehouse; that his pinnaces (which could not +otherwise) might be thoroughly manned, and so he might be able to +abide any time. + +But knowing the affection of his company, how loath they were to leave +either of their ships, being both so good sailers and so well +furnished; he purposed in himself by some policy, to make them most +willing to effect that he intended. And therefore sent for one THOMAS +MOONE, who was Carpenter in the /Swan/, and asking him into his cabin, +chargeth him to conceal for a time, a piece of service, which he must +in any case consent to do aboard his own ship: that was, in the middle +of the second watch, to go down secretly into the well of the ship, +and with a spike-gimlet, to bore three holes, as near the keel as he +could, and lay something against it, that the force of the water +entering, might make no great noise, nor be discovered by a boiling +up. + +THOMAS MOONE at the hearing hereof, being utterly dismayed, desired to +know "What cause there might be, to move him to sink so good a bark of +his own, new and strong; and that, by /his/ means, who had been in two +so rich and gainful voyages in her with himself heretofore: If his +brother, the Master, and the rest of the company [numbering 26] should +know of such his fact, he thought verily they would kill him." + +But when our Captain had imparted to him his cause, and had persuaded +him with promise that it should not be known, till all of them should +be glad of it: he understood it, and did it accordingly. + +The next morning [15th August] our Captain took his pinnace very +early, purposing to go a fishing, for that there is very great store +on the coast; and falling aboard the /Swan/, calleth for his brother +to go with him, who rising suddenly, answereth that "He would follow +presently, or if it would please him to stay a very little, he would +attend him." + +Our Captain perceiving the feat wrought, would not hasten him; but in +rowing away, demanded of them, "Why their bark was so deep?" as making +no great account of it. But, by occasion of this demand, his brother +sent one down to the Steward, to know "Whether there were any water in +the ship? Or what other cause might be?" + +The Steward, hastily stepping down at his usual scuttle, was wet up to +his waist, and shifting with more haste to come up again as if the +water had followed him, cried out that "The ship was full of water!" +There was no need to hasten the company, some to the pump, others to +search for the leak, which the Captain of the bark seeing they did, on +all hands, very willingly; he followed his brother, and certified him +of "the strange chance befallen them that night; that whereas they had +not pumped twice in six weeks before, now they had six feet of water +in hold: and therefore he desireth leave from attending him in +fishing, to intend the search and remedy of the leak." And when our +Captain with his company preferred [offered] to go to help them; he +answered, "They had men enough aboard, and prayed him to continue his +fishing, that they might have some part of it for their dinner." Thus +returning, he found his company had taken great pain, but had freed +the water very little: yet such was their love to the bark, as our +Captain well knew, that they ceased not, but to the utmost of their +strength, laboured all that they might till three in the afternoon; by +which time, the company perceiving, that (though they had been +relieved by our Captain himself and many of his company) yet they were +not able to free above a foot and a half of water, and could have no +likelihood of finding the leak, had now a less liking of her than +before, and greater content to hear of some means for remedy. + +Whereupon our Captain (consulting them what they thought best to be +done) found that they had more desire to have all as he thought fit, +than judgement to conceive any means of remedy. And therefore he +propounded, that himself would go in the pinnace, till he could +provide him some handsome frigate; and that his brother should be +Captain in the admiral [flag-ship] and the Master should also be there +placed with him, instead of this: which seeing they could not save, he +would have fired that the enemy might never recover her: but first all +the pinnaces should be brought aboard her, that every one might take +out of her whatever they lacked or liked. + +This, though the company at first marvelled at; yet presently it was +put in execution and performed that night. + +Our Captain had his desire, and men enough for his pinnaces. + +The next morning (16th August) we resolved to seek out some fit place, +in the Sound of Darien, where we might safely leave our ship at +anchor, not discoverable by the enemy, who thereby might imagine us +quite departed from the coast, and we the meantime better follow our +purposes with our pinnaces; of which our Captain would himself take +two to Rio Grande [Magdalena], and the third leave with his brother to +seek the Cimaroons. + +Upon this resolution, we set sail presently for the said Sound; which +within five days [21st August), we recovered: abstaining of purpose +from all such occasion, as might hinder our determination, or bewray +[betray] our being upon the coast. + +As soon as we arrived where our Captain intended, and had chosen a fit +and convenient road out of all trade [to or from any Mart] for our +purpose; we reposed ourselves there, for some fifteen days, keeping +ourselves close, that the bruit of our being upon the coast might +cease. + +But in the meantime, we were not idle: for beside such ordinary works, +as our Captain, every month did usually inure us to, about the +trimming and setting of his pinnaces, for their better sailing and +rowing: he caused us to rid a large plot of ground, both of trees and +brakes, and to build us houses sufficient for all our lodging, and one +especially for all our public meetings; wherein the Negro which fled +to us before, did us great service, as being well acquainted with the +country, and their means of building. Our archers made themselves +butts to shoot at, because we had many that delighted in that +exercise, and wanted not a fletcher to keep our bows and arrows in +order. The rest of the company, every one as he liked best, made his +disport at bowls, quoits, keiles, etc. For our Captain allowed one +half of the company to pass their time thus, every other day +interchangeable; the other half being enjoined to the necessary works, +about our ship and pinnaces, and the providing of fresh victuals, +fish, fowl, hogs, deer, conies, etc., whereof there is great plenty. +Here our smiths set up their forge, as they used, being furnished out +of England, with anvil, iron, coals, and all manner of necessaries, +which stood us in great stead. + + + +At the end of these fifteen days (5th September), our Captain leaving +his ship in his brother's charge, to keep all things in order; himself +took with him, according to his former determination, two pinnaces for +Rio Grande, and passing by Cartagena but out of sight, when we were +within two leagues of the river, we landed (8th September), to the +westward on the Main, where we saw great store of cattle. There we +found some Indians, who asking us in friendly sort, in broken Spanish, +"What we would have?" and understanding that we desired fresh victuals +in traffic; they took such cattle for us as we needed, with ease and +so readily, as if they had a special commandment over them, whereas +they would not abide us to come near them. And this also they did +willingly, because our Captain, according to his custom, contented +them for their pains, with such things as they account greatly of; in +such sort that they promised, we should have there, of them at any +time what we would. + +The same day, we departed thence to Rio Grande [Magdalena], where we +entered about three of the clock in the afternoon. There are two +entries into this river, of which we entered the western most called +/Boca Chica/. The freshet [current] is so great, that we being half a +league from the mouth of it, filled fresh water for our beverage. + +From three o'clock till dark at night, we rowed up the stream; but the +current was so strong downwards, that we got but two leagues, all that +time. We moored our pinnaces to a tree that night: for that presently, +with the closing of the evening, there fell a monstrous shower of +rain, with such strange and terrible claps of thunder, and flashes of +lightning, as made us not a little to marvel at, although our Captain +had been acquainted with such like in that country, and told us that +they continue seldom longer than three-quarters of an hour. + +This storm was no sooner ceast, but it became very calm, and therewith +there came such an innumerable multitude of a kind of flies of that +country, called mosquitoes, like our gnats, which bit so spitefully, +that we could not rest all that night, nor find means to defend +ourselves from them, by reason of the heat of the country. The best +remedy we then found against them, was the juice of lemons. + +At the break of day (9th September), we departed, rowing in the eddy, +and hauling up by the trees where the eddy failed, with great labour, +by spells, without ceasing, each company their half-hour glass: +without meeting any, till about three o'clock in the afternoon, by +which time we could get but five leagues ahead. + +Then we espied a canoe, with two Indians fishing in the river; but we +spake not to them, lest so we might be descried: nor they to us, as +taking us to be Spaniards. But within an hour after, we espied certain +houses, on the other side of the river, whose channel is twenty-five +fathom deep, and its breadth so great, that a man can scantly be +discerned from side to side. Yet a Spaniard which kept those houses, +had espied our pinnaces; and thinking we had been his countrymen, made +a smoke, for a signal to turn that way, as being desirous to speak +with us. After that, we espying this smoke, had made with it, and were +half the river over, he wheaved [waved] to us, with his hat and his +long hanging sleeves, to come ashore. + +But as we drew nearer to him, and he discerned that we were not those +he looked for: he took his heels, and fled from his houses, which we +found to be, five in number, all full of white rusk, dried bacon, that +country cheese (like Holland cheese in fashion, but far more delicate +in taste, of which they send into Spain as special presents) many +sorts of sweetmeats, and conserves; with great store of sugar: being +provided to serve the Fleet returning to Spain. + +With this store of victuals, we loaded our pinnaces; by the shutting +in of the day, we were ready to depart; for that we hastened the +rather, by reason of an intelligence given us by certain Indian women +which we found in those houses: that the frigates (these are +ordinarily thirty, or upwards, which usually transport the +merchandise, sent out of Spain to Cartagena from thence to these +houses, and so in great canoes up hence into Nuevo Reyno, for which +the river running many hundred of leagues within the land serveth very +fitly: and return in exchange, the gold and treasure, silver, +victuals, and commodities, which that kingdom yields abundantly) were +not yet returned from Cartagena, since the first alarm they took of +our being there. + +As we were going aboard our pinnaces from these Storehouses (10th +September), the Indians of a great town called Villa del Rey, some two +miles distant from the water's side where we landed, were brought down +by the Spaniards into the bushes, and shot arrows; but we rowed down +the stream with the current (for that the wind was against us) only +one league; and because it was night, anchored till the morning, when +we rowed down to the mouth of the river, where we unloaded all our +provisions, and cleansed our pinnaces, according to our Captain's +custom, and took it in again, and the same day went to the Westward. + +In this return, we descried a ship, a barque, and a frigate, of which +the ship and frigate went for Cartagena, but for the Barque was bound +to the Northwards, with the wind easterly, so that we imagined she had +some gold or treasure going for Spain: therefore we gave her chase, +but taking her, and finding nothing of importance in her, +understanding that she was bound for sugar and hides, we let her go; +and having a good gale of wind, continued our former course to our +ship and company. + +In the way between Cartagena and Tolou, we took [11th September] five +or six frigates, which were laden from Tolou, with live hogs, hens, +and maize which we call Guinea wheat. Of these, having gotten what +intelligence they could give, of their preparations for us, and divers +opinions of us, we dismissed all the men; only staying two frigates +with us, because they were so well stored with good victuals. + + + +Within three days after, we arrived at the place which our Captain +chose, at first, to leave his ship in, which was called by our +Captain, Port Plenty; by reason we brought to thither continually all +manner store of good victuals, which we took, going that way by sea, +for the victualling of Cartagena and Nombre de Dios as also the Fleets +going and coming out of Spain. So that if we had been two thousand, +yea three thousand persons, we might with our pinnaces easily have +provided them sufficient victuals of wine, meal, rusk; /cassavi/ (a +kind of bread made of a root called Yucca, whose juice is poison, but +the substance good and wholesome), dried beef, dried fish, live sheep, +live hogs, abundance of hens, besides the infinite store of dainty +fresh fish, very easily to be taken every day: insomuch that we were +forced to build four several magazines or storehouses, some ten, some +twenty leagues asunder; some in islands, some in the Main, providing +ourselves in divers places, that though the enemy should, with force, +surprise any one, yet we might be sufficiently furnished, till we had +"made" our voyage as we did hope. In building of these, our Negro's +help was very much, as having a special skill, in the speedy erection +of such houses. + +This our store was much, as thereby we relieved not only ourselves and +the Cimaroons while they were with us; but also two French ships in +extreme want. + +For in our absence, Captain JOHN DRAKE, having one of our pinnaces, as +was appointed, went in with the Main, and as he rowed aloof the shore, +where he was directed by DIEGO the Negro aforesaid, which willingly +came unto us at Nombre de Dios, he espied certain of the Cimaroons; +with whom he dealt so effectually, that in conclusion he left two of +our men with their leader, and brought aboard two of theirs: agreeing +that they should meet him again the next day, at a river midway +between the Cabecas [Cabeza is Spanish for Headland] and our ships; +which they named Rio Diego. + +These two being very sensible men, chosen out by their commander +[chief], did, with all reverence and respect, declare unto our +Captain, that their nation conceited great joy of his arrival, because +they knew him to be an enemy to the Spaniards, not only by his late +being in Nombre de Dios, but also by his former voyages; and therefore +were ready to assist and favour his enterprises against his and their +enemies to the uttermost: and to that end their captain and company +did stay at this present near the mouth of Rio Diego, to attend what +answer and order should be given them; that they would have marched by +land, even to this place, but that the way is very long, and more +troublesome, by reason of many steep mountains, deep rivers, and thick +brakes: desiring therefore, that it might please our Captain to take +some order, as he thought best, with all convenient speed in this +behalf. + +Our Captain considering the speech of these persons, and weighing it +with his former intelligences had not only Negroes, but Spaniards +also, whereof he was always very careful: as also conferring it with +his brother's informations of the great kindness that they shewed him, +being lately with them: after he had heard the opinions of those of +best service with him, "what were fittest to be done presently?" +resolved himself with his brother, and the two Cimaroons, in his two +pinnaces, to go toward this river. As he did the same evening, giving +order, that the ship and the rest of his fleet should the next morning +follow him, because there was a place of as great safety and +sufficiency, which his brother had found out near the river. The +safety of it consisted, not only in that which is common all along +that coast from Tolou to Nombre de Dios, being above sixty leagues, +that it is a most goodly and plentiful country, and yet inhabited not +with one Spaniard, or any for the Spaniards: but especially in that it +lieth among a great many of goodly islands full of trees. Where, +though there be channels, yet there are such rocks and shoals, that no +man can enter by night without great danger; nor by day without +discovery, whereas our ships might be hidden within the trees. + +The next day (14th September) we arrived at this river appointed, +where we found the Cimaroons according to promise: the rest of their +number were a mile up, in a wood by the river's side. There after we +had given them entertainment, and received good testimonies of their +joy and good will towards us, we took two more of them into our +pinnace, leaving our two men with the rest of theirs, to march by +land, to another river called Rio Guana, with intent there to meet +with another company of Cimaroons which were now in the mountains. + +So we departed that day from Rio Diego, with our pinnaces, towards our +ship, as marvelling that she followed us not as was appointed. + +But two days after (16th September), we found her in the place where +we left her; but in far other state, being much spoiled and in great +danger, by reason of a tempest she had in our absence. + +As soon as we could trim our ship, being some two days, our Captain +sent away (18th September) one of his pinnaces, towards the bottom of +the bay, amongst the shoals and sandy islands, to sound out the +channel, for the bringing in of our ship nearer the Main. + +The next day (19th September) we followed, and were with wary +pilotage, directed safely into the best channel, with much ado to +recover the road, among so many flats and shoals. It was near about +five leagues from the Cativaas, betwixt an island and the Main, where +we moored our ship. The island was not above four cables in length +from the Main, being in quantity some three acres of ground, flat and +very full of trees and bushes. + +We were forced to spend the best part of three days, after our +departure from our Port Plenty, before we were quiet in this new found +road, which we had but newly entered, when our two men and the former +troop of Cimaroons, with twelve others whom they had met in the +mountains, came (23rd September) in sight over against our ship, on +the Main. Whence we fetched them all aboard, to their great comfort +and our content: they rejoicing that they should have some fit +opportunity to wreak their wrongs on the Spaniards; we hoping that now +our voyage should be bettered. + +At our first meeting, when our Captain had moved them, to shew him the +means which they had to furnish him with gold and silver; they +answered plainly, that "had they known gold had been his desire; they +would have satisfied him with store, which, for the present, they +could not do: because the rivers, in which they sunk great store +(which they had taken from the Spaniards, rather to despite them than +for love of gold) were now so high, that they could not get it out of +such depths for him; and because the Spaniards, in these rainy months, +do not use [are not accustomed] to carry their treasure by land." + +This answer although it were somewhat unlooked for, yet nothing +discontented us, but rather persuaded us farther of their honest and +faithful meaning toward us. Therefore our Captain to entertain these +five months, commanded all our ordnance and artillery ashore, with all +our other provisions: sending his pinnaces to the Main, to bring over +great trees, to make a fort upon the same island, for the planting of +all our ordnance therein, and for our safeguard, if the enemy, in all +this time, should chance to come. + +Our Cimaroons (24th September) cut down Palmito boughs and branches, +and with wonderful speed raised up two large houses for all our +company. Our fort was then made, by reason of the place, triangle- +wise, with main timber, and earth of which the trench yielded us good +store, so that we made it thirteen feet in height. [Fort Diego.] + + + +But after we had continued upon this island fourteen days, our Captain +having determined, with three pinnaces, to go for Cartagena left (7th +October), his brother, JOHN DRAKE, to govern these who remained behind +with the Cimaroons to finish the fort which he had begun: for which he +appointed him to fetch boards and planks, as many as his pinnaces +would carry, from the prize we took at Rio Grande, and left at the +Cativaas, where she drove ashore and wrecked in our absence: but now +she might serve commodiously, to supply our use, in making platforms +for our ordnance. Thus our Captain and his brother took their leave; +the one to the Eastward, and the other to the Cativaas. + +That night, we came to an isle, which he called Spur-kite land, +because we found there great store of such a kind of bird in shape, +but very delicate, of which we killed and roasted many; staying there +till the next day midnoon (8th October), when we departed thence. And +about four o'clock recovered a big island in our way, where we stayed +all night, by reason that there was great store of fish, and +especially of a great kind of shell-fish of a foot long. We called +them whelks. + +The next morning (9th October), we were clear of these islands and +shoals, and hauled off into the sea. About four days after (13th +October), near the island of St. Bernards, we chased two frigates +ashore; and recovering one of these islands, made our abode there some +two days (14th-15th October) to wash our pinnaces and to take of the +fish. + +Thence we went towards Tolou, and that day (16th October) landed near +the town in a garden, where we found certain Indians, who delivered us +their bows and arrows, and gathered for us such fruit as the garden +did yield, being many sorts of dainty fruits and roots, [we] still +contenting them for what we received. Our Captain's principal intent +in taking this and other places by the way, not being for any other +cause, but only to learn true intelligence of the state of the country +and of the Fleets. + +Hence we departed presently, and rowed towards Charesha, the island of +Cartagena; and entered in at Bocha Chica, and having the wind large, +we sailed in towards the city, and let fall our grappers betwixt the +island and the Main, right over against the goodly Garden Island. In +which, our Captain would not suffer us to land, notwithstanding our +importunate desire, because he knew, it might be dangerous: for that +they are wont to send soldiers thither, when they know of any Men-of- +war on the coast; which we found accordingly. For within three hours +after, passing by the point of the island, we had a volley of a +hundred shot from them, and yet there was but one of our men hurt. + +This evening (16th October) we departed to sea; and the day following +(17th October), being some two leagues off the harbour, we took a +bark, and found that the Captain and his wife with the better sort of +passengers, had forsaken her, and were gone ashore in the Gundeloe: by +occasion whereof we boarded without resistance, though they were well +provided with swords and targets and some small shot, besides four +iron bases. She was 50 tons, having ten mariners, five or six Negroes, +great store of soap and sweet meat, bound from St. Domingo to +Cartagena. This Captain left behind him a silk ancient [flag] with his +arms; as might be thought, in hasty departing. + +The next day (18th October), we sent all the company ashore to seek +their masters, saving a young Negro two or three years old, which we +brought away; but kept the bark, and in her, bore into the mouth of +Cartagena harbour, where we anchored. + +That afternoon, certain horsemen came down to the point by the wood +side, and with the /Scrivano/ fore-mentioned, came towards our bark +with a flag of truce, desiring of our Captain's safe conduct for his +coming and going; the which being granted, he came aboard us, giving +our Captain "great thanks for his manifold favours, etc., promising +that night before daybreak, to bring as much victuals as they would +desire, what shift so ever he made, or what danger so ever incurred of +law and punishment." But this fell out to be nothing but a device of +the Governor forced upon the /Scrivano/, to delay time, till they +might provide themselves of sufficient strength to entrap us: for +which this fellow, by his smooth speech, was thought a fit means. So +by sun rising, (19th October), when we perceived his words but words, +we put to sea to the westward of the island, some three leagues off, +where we lay at hull the rest of all that day and night. + +The next day (20th October), in the afternoon, there came out of +Cartagena, two frigates bound for St. Domingo, the one of 58, the +other of 12 tons, having nothing in them but ballast. We took them +within a league of the town, and came to anchor with them within sacre +shot of the east Bulwark. There were in those frigates some twelve or +thirteen common mariners, which entreated to be set ashore. To them +our Captain gave the greater frigate's gundeloe, and dismissed them. + +The next morning (21st October) when they came down to the western +point with a flag of truce, our Captain manned one of his pinnaces and +rowed ashore. When we were within a cable's length of the shore, the +Spaniards fled, hiding themselves in the woods, as being afraid of our +ordnance; but indeed to draw us on to land confidently, and to presume +of our strength. Our Captain commanding the grapnell to be cast out of +the stern, veered the pinnace ashore, and as soon as she touched the +sand, he alone leapt ashore in their sight, to declare that he durst +set his foot aland: but stayed not among them, to let them know, that +though he had not sufficient forces to conquer them, yet he had +sufficient judgment to take heed of them. + +And therefore perceiving their intent, as soon as our Captain was +aboard, we hauled off upon our grapner and rid awhile. + +They presently came forth upon the sand, and sent a youth, as with a +message from the Governor, to know, "What our intent was, to stay upon +the coast?" + +Our Captain answered: "He meant to traffic with them; for he had tin, +pewter, cloth, and other merchandise that they needed." + +The youth swam back again with this answer, and was presently +returned, with another message: that, "The King had forbidden to +traffic with any foreign nation for any commodities, except powder and +shot; of which, if he had any store, they would be his merchants." + +He answered, that "He was come from his country, to exchange his +commodities for gold and silver, and is not purposed to return without +his errand. They are like, in his opinion, to have little rest, if +that, by fair means, they would not traffic with him." + +He gave this messenger a fair shirt for a reward, and so returned him: +who rolled his shirt about his head and swam very speedily. + +We heard no answer all that day; and therefore toward night we went +aboard our frigates and reposed ourselves, setting and keeping very +orderly all that night our watch, with great and small shot. + +The next morning (22nd October) the wind, which had been westerly in +the evening, altered to the Eastward. + +About the dawning of the day, we espied two sails turning towards us, +whereupon our Captain weighed with his pinnaces, leaving the two +frigates unmanned. But when we were come somewhat nigh them, the wind +calmed, and we were fain to row towards them, till that approaching +very nigh, we saw many heads peering over board. For, as we perceived, +these two frigates were manned and set forth out of Cartagena, to +fight with us, and, at least, to impeach or busy us; whilst by some +means or other they might recover the frigates from us. + +But our Captain prevented both their drifts. For commanding JOHN OXNAM +to stay with the one pinnace, to entertain these two Men-of-war; +himself in the other made much speed, that he got to his frigates +which he had left at anchor; and caused the Spaniards, (who in the +meantime had gotten aboard in a small canoe, thinking to have towed +them within the danger of their shot) to make the greater haste +thence, than they did thither. + +For he found that in shifting thence, some of them were fain to swim +aland (the canoe not being able to receive them) and had left their +apparel, some their rapiers and targets, some their flasks and +calivers behind them; although they were towing away of one of them. + +Therefore considering that we could not man them, we sunk the one, and +burnt the other, giving them to understand by this, that we perceived +their secret practices. + +This being done, he returned to JOHN OXNAM; who all this while lay by +the Men-of-war without proffering to fight. And as soon as our Captain +was come up to these frigates, the wind blew much for the sea, so +that, we being betwixt the shore and them, were to a manner forced to +bear room into the harbour before them, to the great joy of the +Spaniards; who beheld it; in supposing, that we would still have fled +before them. But as soon as we were in the harbour, and felt smooth +water, our pinnaces, as we were assured of, getting the wind, we +sought, with them upon the advantage, so that after a few shot +exchanged, and a storm rising, they were contented to press no nearer. +Therefore as they let fall their anchors, we presently let drop our +grapner in the wind of them; which the Spanish soldiers seeing, +considering the disadvantage of the wind, the likelihood of the storm +to continue, and small hope of doing any good, they were glad to +retire themselves to the town. + +But by reason of the foul and tempestuous weather, we rode therein +four days, feeling great cold, by reason we had such sore rains with +westerly wind, and so little succour in our pinnaces. + +The fifth day (27th October) there came in a frigate from the sea, +which seeing us make towards her, ran herself ashore, unhanging her +rudder and taking away her sails, that she might not easily be carried +away. But when we were come up to her, we perceived about a hundred +horse and foot, with their furniture, come down to the point of the +Main, where we interchanged some shot with them. One of our great shot +passed so near a brave cavalier of theirs, that thereby they were +occasioned to advise themselves, and retreat into the woods: where +they might sufficiently defend and rescue the frigate from us, and +annoy us also, if we stayed long about her. + +Therefore we concluded to go to sea again, putting forth through /Boca +Chica/, with intent to take down our masts, upon hope of fair weather, +and to ride under the rocks called /Las Serenas/, which are two +leagues off at sea, as we had usually done aforetime, so that they +could not discern us from the rocks. But, there, the sea was mightily +grown, that we were forced to take the harbour again; where we +remained six days, notwithstanding the Spaniards grieved greatly at +our abode there so long. + +They put (2nd November) another device in practice to endanger us. + +For they sent forth a great shallop, a fine gundeloe, and a great +canoe, with certain Spaniards with shot, and many Indians with +poisoned arrows, as it seemed, with intent to begin some fight, and +then to fly. For as soon as we rowed toward them and interchanged +shot, they presently retired and went ashore into the woods, where an +ambush of some sixty shot were laid for us: besides two pinnaces and a +frigate warping towards us, which were manned as the rest. They +attempted us very boldly, being assisted by those others, which from +out of the wood, had gotten aboard the gundeloe and canoe, and seeing +us bearing from them (which we did in respect of the /ambuscado/), +they encouraged themselves and assured their fellows of the day. + +But our Captain weighing this their attempt, and being out of danger +of their shot from the land, commanding his other pinnace to be +brought ahead of him, and to let fall their grapners each ahead of the +other, environed both the pinnaces with bonnets, as for a close fight, +and then wheaved [waved] them aboard him. + +They kept themselves upon their oars at caliver-shot distance, +spending powder apace; as we did some two or three hours. We had only +one of our men wounded in that fight. What they had is unknown to us, +but we saw their pinnaces shot through in divers places, and the +powder of one of them took fire; whereupon we weighed, intending to +bear room to overrun them: which they perceiving, and thinking that we +would have boarded them, rowed away amain to the defence they had in +the wood, the rather because they were disappointed of their help that +they expected from the frigate; which was warping towards us, but by +reason of the much wind that blew, could not come to offend us or +succour them. + +Thus seeing that we were still molested, and no hope remained of any +purchase to be had in this place any longer; because we were now so +notably made known in those parts, and because our victuals grew +scant: as soon as the weather waxed somewhat better (the wind +continuing always westerly, so that we could not return to our ships) +our Captain thought best to go (3rd November) to the Eastward, towards +/Rio Grande/ [Magdalena] long the coast, where we had been before, and +found great store of victuals. + +But when after two days' sailing, we were arrived (5th November) at +the villages of store, where before we had furnished ourselves with +abundance of hens, sheep, calves, hogs, etc.; now we found bare +nothing, not so much as any people left: for that they, by the +Spaniards' commandments, had fled to the mountains, and had driven +away all their cattle, that we might not be relieved by them. Herewith +being very sorry, because much of our victuals in our pinnaces was +spoilt by the foul weather at sea and rains in harbour. A frigate +being descried at sea revived us, and put us in some hope for the +time, that in her we should find sufficient; and thereupon it may +easily be guessed, how much we laboured to recover her: but when we +had boarded her, and understood that she had neither meat nor money, +but that she was bound for /Rio Grande/ to take in provision upon +bills, our great hope converted into grief. + +We endured with our allowance seven or eight days more, proceeding to +the Eastward, and bearing room for Santa Marta, upon hope to find some +shipping in the road, or limpets on the rocks, or succour against the +storm in that good harbour. Being arrived; and seeing no shipping; we +anchored under the western point, where is high land, and, as we +thought, free in safety from the town, which is in the bottom of the +bay: not intending to land there, because we knew that it was +fortified, and that they had intelligence of us. + +But the Spaniards (knowing us to be Men-of-war, and misliking that we +should shroud under their rocks without their leave) had conveyed some +thirty or forty shot among the cliffs, which annoyed us so spitefully +and so unrevengedly, for that they lay hidden behind the rocks, but we +lay open to them, that we were soon weary of our harbour, and enforced +(for all the storm without and want within) to put to sea. Which +though these enemies of ours were well contented withal, yet for a +farewell, as we came open of the town, they sent us a culverin shot; +which made a near escape, for it fell between our pinnaces, as we were +upon conference of what was best to be done. + +The company advised that if it pleased him, they might put themselves +aland, some place to the Eastward to get victuals, and rather hope for +courtesy from the country-people, than continue at sea, in so long +cold, and great a storm in so leaky a pinnace. But our Captain would +in no wise like of that advice; he thought it better to bear up +towards Rio de [la] Hacha, or Coricao [Curacao], with hope to have +plenty without great resistance: because he knew, either of the +islands were not very populous, or else it would be very likely that +these would be found ships of victual in a readiness. + +The company of the other pinnace answered, that "They would willingly +follow him through the world; but in this they could not see how +either their pinnaces should live in that sea, without being eaten up +in that storm, or they themselves able to endure so long time, with so +slender provision as they had, viz., only one gammon of bacon and +thirty pounds of biscuit for eighteen men." + +Our Captain replied, that "They were better provided than himself was, +who had but one gammon of bacon, and forty pounds of biscuit for his +twenty-four men; and therefore he doubted not but they would take such +part as he did, and willingly depend upon God's Almighty providence, +which never faileth them that trust in Him." + +With that he hoisted his foresail, and set his course for Coricao; +which the rest perceiving with sorrowful hearts in respect of the weak +pinnace, yet desirous to follow their Captain, consented to take the +same course. + +We had not sailed past three leagues, but we had espied a sail plying +to the Westward, with her two courses, to our great joy: who vowed +together, that we would have her, or else it should cost us dear. + +Bearing with her, we found her to be a Spanish ship of above 90 tons, +which being wheaved [waved] amain by us, despised our summons, and +shot off her ordnance at us. + +The sea went very high, so that it was not for us to attempt to board +her, and therefore we made fit small sail to attend upon her, and keep +her company to her small content, till fairer weather might lay the +sea. We spent not past two hours in our attendance, till it pleased +God, after a great shower, to send us a reasonable calm, so that we +might use our pieces [i. e., bases] and approach her at pleasure, in +such sort that in short time we had taken her; finding her laden with +victuals well powdered [salted] and dried: which at that present we +received as sent us of God's great mercy. + +After all things were set in order, and that the wind increased +towards night, we plied off and on, till day (13th November), at what +time our Captain sent in ELLIS HIXOM, who had then charge of his +pinnace, to search out some harbour along the coast; who having found +out a little one, some ten or twelve leagues to the east of Santa +Marta, where in sounding he had good ground and sufficient water, +presently returned, and our Captain brought in his new prize. Then by +promising liberty, and all the apparel to the Spaniards which we had +taken if they would bring us to water and fresh victuals; the rather +by their means, we obtained of the inhabitants (Indians) what they +had, which was plentiful. These Indians were clothed and governed by a +Spaniard, which dwelt in the next town, not past a league off. We +stayed there all day, watering and wooding, and providing things +necessary, by giving content and satisfaction of the Indians. But +towards night our Captain called all of us aboard (only leaving the +Spaniards lately taken in the prize ashore, according to our promise +made them, to their great content; who acknowledged that our Captain +did them a far greater favour in setting them freely at liberty, than +he had done them displeasure in taking their ship), and so set sail. + +The sickness which had begun to kindle among us, two or three days +before, did this day shew itself, in CHARLES GLUB, one of our Quarter- +Masters, a very tall man, and a right good mariner; taken away, to the +great grief both of Captain and company. What the cause of this malady +was, we knew not of certainty, we imputed it to the cold which our men +had taken, lying without succour in the pinnaces. But however it was, +thus it pleased GOD to visit us, and yet in favour to restore unto +health all the rest of our company, that were touched with this +disease; which were not a few. + +The next morning (15th November) being fair weather, though the wind +continued contrary, our Captain commanded the /Minion/, his lesser +pinnace, to hasten away before him towards his ships at Fort Diego +within the Cabecas [Headlands] to carry news of his coming, and to put +all things in a readiness for our land journey, if they heard anything +of the Fleet's arrival by the Cimaroons; giving the /Minion/ charge if +they wanted wine, to take St. Bernards in their way, and there take in +some such portion as they thought good, of the wines which we had +there hidden in the sand. + +We plied to windwards, as near as we could, so that within seven-night +after the /Minion/ departed from us, we came (22nd November) to St. +Bernards, finding but twelve /botijos/ of wine of all the store we +left, which had escaped the curious search of the enemy, who had been +there; for they were deep in the ground. + +Within four or five days after, we came (27th November) to our ship, +where we found all other things in good order; but received very heavy +news of the death of JOHN DRAKE, our Captain's brother, and another +young man called RICHARD ALLEN, which were both slain at one time (9th +October), as they attempted the boarding of a frigate, within two days +after our departing from them. + + + +The manner of it, as we learned by examination of the company, was +this. When they saw this frigate at sea, as they were going towards +their fort with planks to make the platforms, the company were very +importunate on him, to give chase and set upon this frigate, which +they deemed had been a fit booty for them. But he told them, that they +"wanted weapons to assail; they knew not how the frigate was provided, +they had their boats loaded with planks, to finish that his brother +had commanded." But when this would not satisfy them, but that still +they urged him with words and supposals: "If you will needs," said he, +"adventure! It shall never be said that I will be hindmost, neither +shall you report to my brother, that you lost your voyage by any +cowardice you found in me!" + +Thereupon every man shifted as they might for the time: and heaving +their planks overboard, took them such poor weapons as they had: viz., +a broken pointed rapier, one old visgee, and a rusty caliver: JOHN +DRAKE took the rapier, and made a gauntlet of his pillow, RICHARD +ALLEN the visgee, both standing at the head of the pinnace, called +/Eion/. ROBERT took the caliver and so boarded. But they found the +frigate armed round about with a close fight of hides, full of pikes +and calivers, which were discharged in their faces, and deadly wounded +those that were in the fore-ship, JOHN DRAKE in the belly, and RICHARD +ALLEN in the head. But notwithstanding their wounds, they with oars +shifted off the pinnace, got clear of the frigate, and with all haste +recovered their ship: where within an hour after, this young man of +great hope, ended his days, greatly lamented of all the company. + +Thus having moored our ships fast, our Captain resolved to keep +himself close without being descried, until he might hear of the +coming of the Spanish Fleet; and therefore set no more to sea; but +supplied his wants, both for his own company and the Cimaroons, out of +his aforesaid magazine, beside daily out of the woods, with wild hogs, +pheasants, and guanas: continuing in health (GOD be praised) all the +meantime, which was a month at least; till at length about the +beginning of January, half a score of our company fell down sick +together (3rd January, 1573), and the most of them died within two or +three days. So long that we had thirty at a time sick of this +/calenture/, which attacked our men, either by reason of the sudden +change from cold to heat, or by reason of brackish water which had +been taken in by our pinnace, through the sloth of their men in the +mouth of the river, not rowing further in where the water was good. + +Among the rest, JOSEPH DRAKE, another of his brethren, died in our +Captain's arms, of the same disease: of which, that the cause might be +the better discerned, and consequently remedied, to the relief of +others, by our Captain's appointment he was ripped open by the +surgeon, who found his liver swollen, his heart as it were sodden, and +his guts all fair. This was the first and last experiment that our +Captain made of anatomy in this voyage. + +The Surgeon that cut him open, over-lived him not past four days, +although he was not touched with that sickness, of which he had been +recovered about a month before: but only of an over-bold practice +which he would needs make upon himself, by receiving an over-strong +purgation of his own device, after which taken, he never spake; nor +his Boy recovered the health which he lost by tasting it, till he saw +England. + +The Cimaroons, who, as is before said, had been entertained by our +Captain in September last, and usually repaired to our ship, during +all the time of our absence, ranged the country up and down, between +Nombre de Dios and us, to learn what they might for us; whereof they +gave our Captain advertisement, from time to time; as now particularly +certain of them let him understand, that the Fleet had certainly +arrived in Nombre de Dios. + +Therefore he sent (30th January) the /Lion/, to the seamost islands of +the Cativaas, to descry the truth of the report: by reason it must +needs be, that if the Fleet were in Nombre de Dios, all frigates of +the country would repair thitherward with victuals. + +The /Lion/, within a few days descried that she was sent for, espying +a frigate, which she presently boarded and took, laden with maize, +hens, and pompions from Tolou; who assured us of the whole truth of +the arrival of the Fleet: in this frigate were taken one woman and +twelve men, of whom one was the /Scrivano/ of Tolou. These we used +very courteously, keeping them diligently guarded form the deadly +hatred of the Cimaroons; who sought daily by all means they could, to +get them of our Captain, that they might cut their throats, to revenge +their wrongs and injuries which the Spanish nation had done them; but +our Captain persuaded them not to touch them, or give them ill +countenance, while they were in his charge; and took order for their +safety, not only in his presence, but also in his absence. For when he +had prepared to take his journey for Panama, by land; he gave ELLIS +HIXOM charge of his own ship and company, and especially of those +Spaniards whom he had put into the great prize, which was hauled +ashore to the island, which we termed Slaughter Island (because so +many of our men died there), and used as a storehouse for ourselves, +and a prison for our enemies. + +All things thus ordered, our Captain conferring with his company, and +the chiefest of the Cimaroons, what provisions were to be prepared for +this great and long journey, what kind of weapons, what store of +victuals, and what manner of apparel: was especially advised, to carry +as great store of shoes as possible he might, by reason of so many +rivers with stone and gravel as they were to pass. Which, accordingly +providing, prepared his company for that journey, entering it upon +Shrove-Tuesday (3rd February). At what time, there had died twenty- +eight of our men, and a few whole men were left aboard with ELLIS +HIXOM to keep the ship, and attend the sick, and guard the prisoners. + +At his departure our Captain gave this Master straight charge, in any +case not to trust any messenger, that should come in his name with any +tokens, unless he brought his handwriting: which he knew could not be +counterfeited by the Cimaroons or Spaniards. + + + +We were in all forty-eight, of which eighteen only were English; the +rest were Cimaroons, which beside their arms, bare every one of them, +a great quantity of victuals and provision, supplying our want of +carriage in so long a march, so that we were not troubled with +anything but our furniture. And because they could not carry enough to +suffice us altogether; therefore (as they promised before) so by the +way with their arrows, they provided for us competent store from time +to time. + +They have every one of them two sorts of arrows: the one to defend +himself and offend the enemy, the other to kill his victuals. These +for fight are somewhat like the Scottish arrow; only somewhat longer, +and headed with iron, wood, or fish bones. But the arrows for +provision are of three sorts, the first serveth to kill any great +beast near at hand, as ox, stag, or wild boar: this hath a head of +iron of a pound and a half weight, shaped in form like the head of a +javelin or boar-spear, as sharp as any knife, making so large and deep +a wound as can hardly be believed of him that hath not seen it. The +second serveth for lesser beasts, and hath a head of three-quarters of +a pound: this he most usually shooteth. The third serveth for all +manner of birds: it hath a head of an ounce weight. And these heads +though they be of iron only, yet are they so cunningly tempered, that +they will continue a very good edge a long time: and though they be +turned sometimes, yet they will never or seldom break. The necessity +in which they stand hereof continually causeth them to have iron in +far greater account than gold: and no man among them is of greater +estimation, than he that can most perfectly give this temper unto it. + +Every day we were marching by sun-rising. We continued till ten in the +forenoon: then resting (ever near some river) till past twelve, we +marched till four, and then by some river's side, we reposed ourselves +in such houses, as either we found prepared heretofore by them, when +they travelled through these woods, or they daily built very readily +for us in this manner. + +As soon as we came to the place where we intended to lodge, the +Cimaroons, presently laying down their burdens, fell to cutting of +forks or posts, and poles or rafters, and palmito boughs, or plantain +leaves; and with great speed set up the number of six houses. For +every of which, they first fastened deep into the ground, three or +four great posts with forks: upon them, they laid one transom, which +was commonly about twenty feet, and made the sides, in the manner of +the roofs of our country houses, thatching it close with those +aforesaid leaves, which keep out water a long time: observing always +that in the lower ground, where greater heat was, they left some three +or four feet open unthatched below, and made the houses, or rather +roofs, so many feet the higher. But in the hills, where the air was +more piercing and the nights cold, they made our rooms always lower, +and thatched them close to the ground, leaving only one door to enter +in, and a louvre hole for a vent, in the midst of the roof. In every +of these, they made four several lodgings, and three fires, one in the +midst, and one at each end of every house: so that the room was most +temperately warm, and nothing annoyed with smoke, partly by reason of +the nature of the wood which they use to burn, yielding very little +smoke, partly by reason of their artificial making of it: as firing +the wood cut in length like our billets at the ends, and joining them +together so close, that though no flame or fire did appear, yet the +heat continued without intermission. + +Near many of the rivers where we stayed or lodged, we found sundry +sorts of fruits, which we might use with great pleasure and safety +temperately: Mammeas, Guayvas, Palmitos, Pinos, Oranges, Lemons, and +divers other; from eating of which they dissuaded us in any case, +unless we eat very few of them, and those first dry roasted, as +Plantains, Potatoes, and such like. + +In journeying, as oft as by chance they found any wild swine, of which +those hills and valleys have store, they would ordinarily, six at a +time, deliver their burdens to the rest of their fellows, pursue, kill +and bring away after us, as much as they could carry, and time +permitted. One day as we travelled, the Cimaroons found an otter, and +prepared it to be drest: our Captain marvelling at it, PEDRO, our +chief Cimaroon, asked him, "Are you a man of war, and in want; and yet +doubt whether this be meat, that hath blood?" + +Herewithal our Captain rebuked himself secretly, that he had so +slightly considered of it before. + +The third day of our journey (6th February), they brought us to a town +of their own, seated near a fair river, on the side of a hill, +environed with a dyke of eight feet broad, and a thick mud wall of ten +feet high, sufficient to stop a sudden surpriser. It had one long and +broad street, lying east and west, and two other cross streets of less +breadth and length: there were in it some five or six and fifty +households; which were kept so clean and sweet, that not only the +houses, but the very streets were very pleasant to behold. In this +town we saw they lived very civilly and cleanly. For as soon as we +came thither, they washed themselves in the river; and changed their +apparel, as also their women do wear, which was very fine and fitly +made somewhat after the Spanish fashion, though nothing so costly. +This town is distant thirty-five leagues from Nombre de Dios and +forty-five from Panama. It is plentifully stored with many sorts of +beasts and fowl, with plenty of maize and sundry fruits. + +Touching their affection in religion, they have no kind of priests, +only they held the Cross in great reputation. But at our Captain's +persuasion, they were contented to leave their crosses, and to learn +the /Lord's Prayer/, and to be instructed in some measure concerning +GOD's true worship. They kept a continual watch in four parts, three +miles off their town, to prevent the mischiefs, which the Spaniards +intend against them, by the conducting of some of their own coats +[i.e., Cimaroons], which having been taken by the Spaniards have been +enforced thereunto: wherein, as we learned, sometimes the Spaniards +have prevailed over them, especially when they lived less careful; but +since, they [watch] against the Spaniards, whom they killed like +beasts, as often as they take them in the woods; having aforehand +understood of their coming. + +We stayed with them that night, and the next day (7th February) till +noon; during which time, they related unto us diverse very strange +accidents, that had fallen out between them and the Spaniards, namely +one. A gallant gentleman entertained by the Governor of the country, +undertook, the year last past [1572], with 150 soldiers, to put this +town to the sword, men, women, and children. Being conducted to it by +one of them, that had been taken prisoner, and won by great gifts; he +surprised it half an hour before day, by which occasion most of the +men escaped, but many of their women and children were slaughtered, or +taken: but the same morning by sun rising (after that their guide was +slain, in following another man's wife, and that the Cimaroons had +assembled themselves in their strength) they behaved themselves in +such sort, and drove the Spaniards to such extremity, that what with +the disadvantage of the woods (having lost their guide and thereby +their way), what with famine and want, there escaped not past thirty +of them, to return answer to those which sent them. + +Their king [chief] dwelt in a city within sixteen leagues southeast of +Panama; which is able to make 1,700 fighting men. + +They all intreated our Captain very earnestly, to make his abode with +them some two or three days; promising that by that time, they would +double his strength if he thought good. But he thanking them for their +offer, told them, that "He could stay no longer! It was more than time +to prosecute his purposed voyage. As for strength, he would wish no +more than he had, although he might have presently twenty times as +much!" Which they took as proceeding not only from kindness, but also +from magnanimity; and therefore, they marched forth, that afternoon, +with great good will. + +This was the order of our march. Four of those Cimaroons that best +knew the ways, went about a mile distance before us, breaking boughs +as they went, to be a direction to those that followed; but with great +silence, which they also required us to keep. + +Then twelve of them were as it were our Vanguard, other twelve, our +Rearward. We with their two Captains in the midst. + +All the way was through woods very cool and pleasant, by reason of +those goodly and high trees, that grow there so thick, that it is +cooler travelling there under them in that hot region, than it is in +the most parts of England in the summer time. This gave a special +encouragement unto us all, that we understood there was a great Tree +about the midway, from which, we might at once discern the North Sea +from whence we came, and the South Sea whither we were going. + +The fourth day following (11th February) we came to the height of the +desired hill, a very high hill, lying East and West, like a ridge +between the two seas, about ten of the clock: where [PEDRO] the +chiefest of these Cimaroons took our Captain by the hand, and prayed +him to follow him, if he was desirous to see at once the two seas, +which he had so long longed for. + +Here was that goodly and great high Tree, in which they had cut and +made divers steps, to ascend up near unto the top, where they had also +made a convenient bower, wherein ten or twelve men might easily sit: +and from thence we might, without any difficulty, plainly see the +Atlantic Ocean whence now we came, and the South Atlantic [i.e., +Pacific Ocean] so much desired. South and north of this Tree, they had +felled certain trees, that the prospect might be the clearer; and near +about the Tree there were divers strong houses, that had been built +long before, as well by other Cimaroons as by these, which usually +pass that way, as being inhabited in divers places in those waste +countries. + +After our Captain had ascended to this bower, with the chief Cimaroon, +and having, as it pleased God, at that time, by reason of the brize +[breeze], a very fair day, had seen that sea, of which he had heard +such golden reports: he "besought Almighty God of His goodness, to +give him life and leave to sail once in an English ship, in that sea!" +And then calling up all the rest of our [17 English] men, he +acquainted JOHN OXNAM especially with this his petition and purpose, +if it would please God to grant him that happiness. Who understanding +it, presently protested, that "unless our Captain did beat him from +his company, he would follow him, by God's grace!" + +Thus all, thoroughly satisfied with the sight of the seas, descended; +and after our repast, continued our ordinary march through woods, yet +two days more as before: without any great variety. But then (13th +February) we came to march in a champion country, where the grass +groweth, not only in great lengths as the knot grass groweth in many +places, but to such height, that the inhabitants are fain to burn it +thrice in the year, that it may be able to feed the cattle, of which +they have thousands. + +For it is a kind of grass with a stalk, as big as a great wheaten +reed, which hath a blade issuing from the top of it, on which though +the cattle feed, yet it groweth every day higher, until the top be too +high for an ox to reach. Then the inhabitants are wont to put fire to +it, for the space of five or six miles together; which notwithstanding +after it is thus burnt, within three days, springeth up fresh like +green corn. Such is the great fruitfulness of the soil: by reason of +the evenness of the day and night, and the rich dews which fall every +morning. + +In these three last days' march in the champion, as we past over the +hills, we might see Panama five or six times a day; and the last day +(14th February) we saw the ships riding in the road. + +But after that we were come within a day's journey of Panama, our +Captain (understanding by the Cimaroons that the Dames of Panama are +wont to send forth hunters and fowlers for taking of sundry dainty +fowl, which the land yieldeth; by whom if we marched not very +heedfully, we might be descried) caused all his company to march out +of all ordinary way, and that with as great heed, silence, and +secrecy, as possibly they might, to the grove (which was agreed on +four days before) lying within a league of Panama, where we might lie +safely undiscovered near the highway, that leadeth from thence to +Nombre de Dios. + +Thence we sent a chosen Cimaroon, one that had served a master in +Panama before time, in such apparel as the Negroes of Panama do use to +wear, to be our espial, to go into the town, to learn the certain +night, and time of the night, when the carriers laded the Treasure +from the King's Treasure House to Nombre de Dios. For they are wont to +take their journey from Panama to Venta Cruz, which is six leagues, +ever by night; because the country is all champion, and consequently +by day very hot. But from Venta Cruz to Nombre de Dios as oft as they +travel by land with their treasure, they travel always by day and not +by night, because all that way is full of woods, and therefore very +fresh and cool; unless the Cimaroons happily encounter them, and made +them sweat with fear, as sometimes they have done: whereupon they are +glad to guard their /Recoes/ [i.e., Recuas, the Spanish word for a +drove of beasts of burden; meaning here, a mule train] with soldiers +as they pass that way. + +This last day, our Captain did behold and view the most of all that +fair city, discerning the large street which lieth directly from the +sea into the land, South and North. + +By three of the clock, we came to this grove; passing for the more +secrecy alongst a certain river, which at that time was almost dried +up. + +Having disposed of ourselves in the grove, we despatched our spy an +hour before night, so that by the closing in of the evening, he might +be in the city; as he was. Whence presently he returned unto us, that +which very happily he understood by companions of his. That the +Treasurer of Lima intending to pass into Spain in the first /Adviso/ +(which was a ship of 350 tons, a very good sailer), was ready that +night to take his journey towards Nombre de Dios, with his daughter +and family: having fourteen mules in company: of which eight were +laden with gold, and one with jewels. And farther, that there were two +other Recuas, of fifty mules in each, laden with victuals for the most +part, with some little quantity of silver, to come forth that night +after the other. + +There are twenty-eight of these Recuas; the greatest of them is of +seventy mules, the less of fifty; unless some particular man hire for +himself, ten, twenty, or thirty, as he hath need. + +Upon this notice, we forthwith marched four leagues, till we came +within two leagues of Venta Cruz, in which march two of our Cimaroons +which were sent before, by scent of his match, found and brought a +Spaniard, whom they had found asleep by the way, by scent of the said +match, and drawing near thereby, heard him taking his breath as he +slept; and being but one, they fell upon him, stopped his mouth from +crying, put out his match, and bound him so, that they well near +strangled him by that time he was brought unto us. + +By examining him, we found all that to be true, which our spy had +reported to us, and that he was a soldier entertained with others by +the Treasurer, for guard and conduct of this treasure, from Venta Cruz +to Nombre de Dios. + +This soldier having learned who our Captain was, took courage, and was +bold to make two requests unto him. The one that "He would command his +Cimaroons which hated the Spaniards, especially the soldiers +extremely, to spare his life; which he doubted not but they would do +at his charge." The other was, that "seeing he was a soldier, and +assured him, that they should have that night more gold, besides +jewels, and pearls of great price, then all they could carry (if not, +then he was to be dealt with how they would); but if they all found it +so, then it might please our Captain to give unto him, as much as +might suffice for him and his mistress to live upon, as he had heard +our Captain had done to divers others: for which he would make his +name as famous as any of them which had received like favour." + +Being at the place appointed, our Captain with half his men [8 English +and 15 Cimaroons], lay on one side of the way, about fifty paces off +in the long grass; JOHN OXNAM with the Captain of the Cimaroons, and +the other half, lay on the other side of the way, at the like +distance: but so far behind, that as occasion served, the former +company might take the foremost mules by the heads, and the hindmost +because the mules tied together, are always driven one after another; +and especially that if we should have need to use our weapons that +night, we might be sure not to endamage our fellows. We had not lain +thus in ambush much above an hour, but we heard the /Recuas/ coming +both from the city to Venta Cruz, and from Venta Cruz to the city, +which hath a very common and great trade, when the fleets are there. +We heard them by reason they delight much to have deep-sounding bells, +which, in a still night, are heard very far off. + +Now though there were as great charge given as might be, that none of +our men should shew or stir themselves, but let all that came from +Venta Cruz to pass quietly; yea, their /Recuas/ also, because we knew +that they brought nothing but merchandise from thence: yet one of our +men, called ROBERT PIKE, haven drunken too much /aqua vitae/ without +water, forgot himself, and enticing a Cimaroon forth with him was gone +hard to the way, with intent to have shown his forwardness on the +foremost mules. And when a cavalier from Venta Cruz, well mounted, +with his page running at his stirrup, passed by, unadvisedly he rose +up to see what he was: but the Cimaroon of better discretion pulled +him down, and lay upon him, that he might not discover them any more. +Yet by this, the gentleman had taken notice by seeing one half all in +white: for that we had all put our shirts over our other apparel, that +we might be sure to know our own men in the pell mell in the night. By +means of this sight, the cavalier putting spurs to his horse, rode a +false gallop; as desirous not only himself to be free of this doubt +which he imagined, but also to give advertisement to others that they +might avoid it. + +Our Captain who had heard and observed by reason of the hardness of +the ground and stillness of the night, the change of this gentleman's +trot to a gallop, suspected that he was discovered, but could not +imagine by whose fault, neither did the time give him leisure to +search. And therefore considering that it might be, by reason of the +danger of the place, well known to ordinary travellers: we lay still +in expectation of the Treasurer's coming; and he had come forward to +us, but that this horseman meeting him, and (as we afterwards learnt +by the other Recuas) making report to him, what he had seen presently +that night, what he heard of Captain DRAKE this long time, and what he +conjectured to be most likely: viz., that the said Captain DRAKE, or +some for him, disappointed of his expectation, of getting any great +treasure, both at Nombre de Dios and other places, was by some means +or other come by land, in covert through the woods, unto this place, +to speed of his purpose: and thereupon persuaded him to turn his +/Recua/ out of the way, and let the other /Recuas/ which were coming +after to pass on. They were whole /Recuas/, and loaded but with +victuals for the most part, so that the loss of them were far less if +the worst befell, and yet they should serve to discover them as well +as the best. + +Thus by the recklessness of one of our company, and by the carefulness +of this traveller; we were disappointed of a most rich booty: which is +to be thought GOD would not should be taken, for that, by all +likelihood, it was well gotten by that Treasurer. + +The other two /Recuas/ were no sooner come up to us, but being stayed +and seized on. One of the Chief Carriers, a very sensible fellow, told +our Captain by what means we were discovered, and counselled us to +shift for ourselves betimes, unless we were able to encounter the +whole force of the city and country before day would be about us. + +It pleased us but little, that we were defeated of our golden /Recua/, +and that in these we could find not past some two horse-loads of +silver: but it grieved our Captain much more, that he was discovered, +and that by one of his own men. But knowing it bootless to grieve at +things past, and having learned by experience, that all safety in +extremity, consisteth in taking of time [i. e., by the forelock, +making an instant decision]; after no long consultation with PEDRO the +chief of our Cimaroons, who declared that "there were but two ways for +him: the one to travel back again the same secret way they came, for +four leagues space into the woods, or else to march forward, by the +highway to Venta Cruz, being two leagues, and make a way with his +sword through the enemies." He resolved, considering the long and +weary marches that we had taken, and chiefly that last evening and day +before: to take now the shortest and readiest way: as choosing rather +to encounter his enemies while he had strength remaining, than to be +encountered or chased when we should be worn out with weariness: +principally now having the mules to ease them that would, some part of +the way. + +Therefore commanding all to refresh themselves moderately with such +store of victuals as we had here in abundance: he signified his +resolution and reason to them all; asking PEDRO by name, "Whether he +would give his hand not to forsake him?" because he knew that the rest +of the Cimaroons would also then stand fast and firm, so faithful are +they to their captain. He being very glad of his resolution, gave our +Captain his hand, and vowed that "He would rather die at his foot, +than leave him to the enemies, if he held this course." + +So having strengthened ourselves for the time, we took our journey +towards Venta Cruz, with help of the mules till we came within a mile +of the town, where we turned away the /Recuas/, charging the +conductors of them, not to follow us upon pain of their lives. + +There, the way is cut through the woods, above ten or twelve feet +broad, so as two /Recuas/ may pass one by another. The fruitfulness of +the soil, causeth that with often shredding and ridding the way, those +woods grow as thick as our thickest hedges in England that are +oftenest cut. + +To the midst of this wood, a company of soldiers, which continually +lay in that town, to defend it against the Cimaroons, were come forth, +to stop us if they might on the way; if not, to retreat to their +strength, and there to expect us. A Convent [Monastery] of Friars, of +whom one was become a Leader, joined with these soldiers, to take such +part as they did. + +Our Captain understanding by our Cimaroons, which with great +heedfulness and silence, marched now, but about half a flight-shot +before us, that it was time for us to arm and take us to our weapons, +for they knew the enemy was at hand, by smelling of their match and +hearing of a noise: had given us charge, that no one of us should make +any shot, until the Spaniards had first spent their volley: which he +thought they would not do before they had spoken, as indeed fell out. + +For as soon as we were within hearing, a Spanish Captain cried out, +"Hoo!" Our Captain answered him likewise, and being demanded "/Que +gente?/" replied "Englishmen!" But when the said Commander charged +him, "In the name of the King of Spain, his Master, that we should +yield ourselves; promising in the word and faith of a Gentleman +Soldier, that if we would so do, he would use us with all courtesy." +Our Captain drawing somewhat near him said: "That for the honour of +the Queen of England, his Mistress, he must have passage that way," +and therewithal discharged his pistol towards him. + +Upon this, they presently shot off their whole volley; which, though +it lightly wounded our Captain, and divers of our men, yet it caused +death to one only of our company called JOHN HARRIS, who was so +powdered with hail-shot, (which they all used for the most part as it +seemed, or else "quartered," for that our men were hurt with that +kind) that we could not recover his life, though he continued all that +day afterwards with us. + +Presently as our Captain perceived their shot to come slacking, as the +latter drops of a great shower of rain, with his whistle he gave us +his usual signal, to answer them with our shot and arrows, and so +march onwards upon the enemy, with intent to come to handy-strokes, +and to have joined with them; whom when we found retired as to a place +of some better strength, he increased his pace to prevent them if he +might. Which the Cimaroons perceiving, although by terror of the shot +continuing, they were for the time stept aside; yet as soon as they +discerned by hearing that we marched onward, they all rushed forward +one after another, traversing the way, with their arrows ready in +their bows, and their manner of country dance or leap, very singing +/Yo peho! Yo peho/ and so got before us, where they continued their +leap and song, after the manner of their own country wars, till they +and we overtook some of the enemy, who near the town's end, had +conveyed themselves within the woods, to have taken their stand at us, +as before. + +But our Cimaroons now thoroughly encouraged, when they saw our +resolution, brake in through the thickets, on both sides of them, +forcing them to fly, Friars and all!: although divers of our men were +wounded, and one Cimaroon especially was run through with one of their +pikes, whose courage and mind served him so well notwithstanding, that +he revenged his own death ere he died, by killing him that had given +him that deadly wound. + +We, with all speed, following this chase, entered the town of Venta +Cruz, being of about forty or fifty houses, which had both a Governor +and other officers and some fair houses, with many storehouses large +and strong for the wares, which brought thither from Nombre de Dios, +by the river of Chagres, so to be transported by mules to Panama: +beside the Monastery, where we found above a thousand bulls and +pardons, newly sent from Rome. + +In those houses we found three gentlewomen, which had lately been +delivered in Nombre de Dios; because it hath been observed of long +time, as they reported to us, that no Spaniard or white woman could +ever be delivered in Nombre de Dios with safety of their children but +that within two or three days they died; notwithstanding that being +born and brought up in this Venta Cruz or Panama five or six years, +and then brought to Nombre de Dios, if they escaped sickness the first +or second month, they commonly lived in it as healthily as in any +other place: although no stranger (as they say) can endure there any +long time, without great danger of death or extreme sickness. + +Though at our first coming into the town with arms so suddenly, these +ladies were in great fear, yet because our Captain had given straight +charge to all the Cimaroons (that while they were in his company, they +should never hurt any woman nor man that had not a weapon in his hand +to do them hurt; which they earnestly promised, and no less faithfully +performed) they had no wrong offered them, nor any thing taken from +them, to the worth of a garter; wherein, albeit they had indeed +sufficient safety and security, by those of his company, which our +Captain sent unto them, of purpose to comfort them: yet they never +ceased most earnestly entreating, that our Captain would vouchsafe to +come to them himself for their more safety; which when he did, in +their presence reporting the charge he had first been given, and the +assurance of his men, they were comforted. + +While the guards which we had, not without great need, set, as well on +the bridge which we had to pass over, as at the town's end where we +entered (they have no other entrance into the town by land: but from +the water's side there is one other to carry up and down their +merchandise from their frigates) gained us liberty and quiet to stay +in this town some hour and half: we had not only refreshed ourselves, +but our company and Cimaroons had gotten some good pillage, which our +Captain allowed and gave them (being not the thing he looked for) so +that it were not too cumbersome or heavy in respect of our travel, or +defence of ourselves. + +A little before we departed, some ten or twelve horsemen came from +Panama; by all likelihood, supposing that we were gone out of this +town, for that all was so still and quiet, came to enter the town +confidently: but finding their entertainment such as it was; they that +could, rode faster back again for fear than they had ridden forward +for hope. + +Thus we having ended our business in this town, and the day beginning +to spring, we marched over the bridge, observing the same order that +we did before. There we were all safe in our opinion, as if we had +been environed with wall and trench, for that no Spaniard without his +extreme danger could follow us. The rather now, for that our Cimaroons +were grown very valiant. But our Captain considering that he had a +long way to pass, and that he had been now well near a fortnight from +his ship, where he had left his company but weak by reason of their +sickness, hastened his journeys as much as he might, refusing to visit +the other Cimaroon towns (which they earnestly desired him) and +encouraging his own company with such example and speech, that the way +seemed much shorter. For he marched most cheerfully, and assured us +that he doubted not but ere he left that coast, we should all be +bountifully paid and recompensed for all those pains taken: but by +reason of this our Captain's haste, and leaving of their towns, we +marched many days with hungry stomachs, much against the will of our +Cimaroons: who if we would have stayed any day from this continual +journeying, would have killed for us victuals sufficient. + +In our absence, the rest of the Cimaroons had built a little town +within three leagues off the port where our ship lay. There our +Captain was contented, upon their great and earnest entreaties to make +some stay; for that they alleged, it was only built for his sake. And +indeed he consented the rather, that the want of shoes might be +supplied by means of the Cimaroons, who were a great help unto us: all +our men complaining of the tenderness of their feet, whom our Captain +would himself accompany in their complaint, some times without cause, +but some times with cause indeed; which made the rest to bear the +burden the more easily. + +These Cimaroons, during all the time that we were with burden, did us +continually very good service, and in particular in this journey, +being unto us instead of intelligencers, to advertise us; of guides in +our way to direct us; of purveyors, to provide victuals for us; of +house-wrights to build our lodgings; and had indeed able and strong +bodies carrying all our necessaries: yea, many times when some of our +company fainted with sickness of weariness, two Cimaroons would carry +him with ease between them, two miles together, and at other times, +when need was, they would shew themselves no less valiant than +industrious, and of good judgment. + +From this town, at our first entrance in the evening, on Saturday +(22nd February), our Captain despatched a Cimaroon with a token and +certain order to the Master: who had, these three weeks, kept good +watch against the enemy, and shifted in the woods for fresh victual, +for the relief and recovery of our men left aboard. + +As soon as this messenger was come to the shore, calling to our ship, +as bringing some news, he was quickly fet[ched] aboard by those which +longed to hear of our Captain's speeding: but when he showed the +toothpike of gold, which he said our Captain had sent for a token to +ELLIS HIXOM, with charge to meet him at such a river though the Master +knew well the Captain's toothpike: yet by reason of his admonition and +caveat [warning] given him at parting, he (though he bewrayed no sign +of distrusting the Cimaroon) yet stood as amazed, lest something had +befallen our Captain otherwise than well. The Cimaroon perceiving +this, told him, that it was night when he was sent away, so that our +Captain could not send any letter, but yet with the point of his +knife, he wrote something upon the toothpike, "which," he said, +"should be sufficient to gain credit to the messenger." + +Thereupon, the Master looked upon it, and saw written, /By me, FRANCIS +DRAKE/: wherefore he believed, and according to the message, prepared +what provision he could, and repaired to the mouth of the river of +Tortugos, as the Cimaroons that went with him then named it. + +That afternoon towards three a clock, we were come down to that river, +not past half-an-hour before we saw our pinnace ready come to receive +us: which was unto us all a double rejoicing: first that we saw them, +and next, so soon. Our Captain with all our company praised GOD most +heartily, for that we saw our pinnace and fellows again. + +We all seemed to these, who had lived at rest and plenty all this +while aboard, as men strangely changed (our Captain yet not much +changed) in countenance and plight: and indeed our long fasting and +sore travail might somewhat forepine and waste us; but the grief we +drew inwardly, for that we returned without that gold and treasure we +hoped for did no doubt show her print and footsteps in our faces. + +The rest of our men which were then missed, could not travel so well +as our Captain, and therefore were left at the Indian new town: and +the next day (23rd February) we rowed to another river in the bottom +of the bay and took them all aboard. Thus being returned from Panama, +to the great rejoicing of our company, who were thoroughly revived +with the report we brought from thence: especially understanding our +Captain's purpose, that he meant not to leave off thus, but would once +again attempt the same journey, whereof they also might be partakers. + + + +Our Captain would not, in the meantime, suffer this edge and +forwardness of his men to be dulled or rebated, by lying still idly +unemployed, as knowing right well by continual experience, that no +sickness was more noisome to impeach any enterprise than delay and +idleness. + +Therefore considering deeply the intelligences of other places of +importance thereabouts, which he had gotten the former years; and +particularly of Veragua, a rich town lying to the Westward; between +Nombre de Dios and Nicaragua, where is the richest mine of fine gold +that is on this North side: he consulted with his company touching +their opinions, what was to be done in this meantime, and how they +stood affected? + +Some thought, that "It was most necessary to seek supply of victuals, +that we might the better be able to keep our men close and in health +till our time came: and this way easy to be compassed, because the +frigates with victuals went without great defence, whereas the +frigates and barks with treasure, for the most part were wafted with +great ships and store of soldiers." + +Others yet judged, "We might better bestow our time in intercepting +the frigates of treasure; first, for that our magazines and +storehouses of victuals were reasonably furnished, and the country +itself was so plentiful, that every man might provide for himself if +the worst befell: and victuals might hereafter be provided abundantly +as well as now: whereas the treasure never floateth upon the sea, so +ordinarily as at this time of the Fleets being there, which time in no +wise may be neglected." + +The Cimaroons being demanded also their opinion (for that they were +experienced in the particularities of all the towns thereabouts, as in +which some or other of them had served), declared that "by Veragua, +Signior PEZORO (some time their master from whom they fled) dwelt; not +in the town for fear of some surprise, but yet not far off from the +town, for his better relief; in a very strong house of stone, where he +had dwelt nineteen years at least, never travelling from home; unless +happily once a year to Cartagena, or Nombre de Dios when the Fleets +were there. He keepeth a hundred slaves at least in the mines, each +slave being bound to bring in daily, clear gain (all charges deducted) +three Pesos of Gold for himself and two for his women (8s. 3d. the +Peso), amounting in the whole, to above 200 pounds sterling each day: +so that he hath heaped a mighty mass of treasure together, which he +keepeth in certain great chests, of two feet deep, three broad, and +four long: being (notwithstanding all his wealth) bad and cruel not +only to his slaves, but unto all men, and therefore never going abroad +but with a guard of five or six men to defend his person from danger, +which he feareth extraordinarily from all creatures. + +"And as touching means of compassing this purpose, they would conduct +him safely through the woods, by the same ways by which they fled, +that he should not need to enter their havens with danger, but might +come upon their backs altogether unlooked for. And though his house +were of stone, so that it could not be burnt; yet if our Captain would +undertake the attempt, they would undermine and overthrow, or +otherwise break it open, in such sort, as we might have easy access to +his greatest treasure." + +Our Captain having heard all their opinions, concluded so that by +dividing his company, the two first different sentences were both +reconciled, both to be practised and put in use. + +JOHN OXNAM appointed in the /Bear/, to be sent Eastward towards Tolou, +to see what store of victuals would come athwart his half; and himself +would to the Westward in the /Minion/, lie off and on the /Cabecas/, +where was the greatest trade and most ordinary passage of those which +transported treasure from Veragua and Nicaragua to the Fleet; so that +no time might be lost, nor opportunity let slip either for victuals or +treasure. As for the attempt of Veragua, or Signior PEZORO'S house by +land, by marching through the woods; he liked not of, lest it might +overweary his men by continual labour; whom he studied to refresh and +strengthen for his next service forenamed. + +Therefore using our Cimaroons most courteously, dismissing those that +were desirous to their wives, with such gifts and favours as were most +pleasing, and entertaining those still aboard his ship, which were +contented to abide with the company remaining; the pinnaces departed +as we determined: the /Minion/ to the West, the /Bear/ to the East. + +The /Minion/ about the /Cabecas/, met with a frigate of Nicaragua, in +which was some gold, and a Genoese Pilot (of which Nation there are +many in those coasts), which had been at Veragua not past eight days +before. He being very well entreated, certified our Captain of the +state of the town, and of the harbour, and of a frigate that was there +ready to come forth within few days, aboard which there was above a +million of gold, offering to conduct him to it, if we would do him his +right: for that he knew the channel very perfectly, so that he could +enter by night safely without danger of the sands and shallows, though +there be but little water, and utterly undescried; for that the town +is five leagues within the harbour, and the way by land is so far +about and difficult through the woods, that though we should by any +casualty be discovered, about the point of the harbour, yet we might +despatch our business and depart, before the town could have notice of +our coming. + +At his being there, he perceived they had heard of DRAKE'S being on +the coast, which had put them in great fear, as in all other places +(PEZORO purposing to remove himself to the South Sea!): but there was +nothing done to prevent him, their fear being so great, that, as it is +accustomed in such cases, it excluded counsel and bred despair. + +Our Captain, conferring with his own knowledge and former +intelligences, was purposed to have returned to his ship, to have +taken some of those Cimaroons which had dwelt with Signior PEZORO, to +be the more confirmed in this point. + +But when the Genoese Pilot was very earnest, to have the time gained, +and warranted our Captain of good speed, if we delayed not; he +dismissed the frigate, somewhat lighter to hasten her journey! And +with this Pilot's advice, laboured with sail and oars to get this +harbour and to enter it by night accordingly: considering that this +frigate might now be gained, and PEZORO'S house attempted hereafter +notwithstanding. + +But when we were come to the mouth of the harbour, we heard the report +of two Chambers, and farther off about a league within the bay, two +other as it were answering them: whereby the Genoese Pilot conjectured +that we were discovered: for he assured us, that this order had been +taken since his last being there, by reason of the advertisement and +charge, which the Governor of Panama had sent to all the Coasts; which +even in their beds lay in great and continual fear of our Captain, and +therefore by all likelihood, maintained this kind of watch, at the +charge of the rich Gnuffe PEZORO for their security. + +Thus being defeated of this expectation, we found it was not GOD'S +will that we should enter at that time: the rather for that the wind, +which had all this time been Easterly, came up to the Westward, and +invited us to return again to our ship; where, on Sheere Thursday +(19th March), we met, according to appointment, with our /Bear/, and +found that she had bestowed her time to more profit than we had done. + +For she had taken a frigate in which there were ten men (whom they set +ashore) great store of maize, twenty-eight fat hogs, and two hundred +hens. Our Captain discharged (20th March) this frigate of her lading; +and because she was new, strong, and of a good mould, the next day +(21st March) he tallowed her to make her a Man-of-war; disposing all +our ordnance and provisions that were fit for such use, in her. For we +had heard by the Spaniards last taken, that there were two little +galleys built in Nombre de Dios, to waft the Chagres Fleet to and fro, +but were not yet both launched: wherefore he purposed now to adventure +for that Fleet. + +And to hearten his company he feasted them that Easter Day (22nd +March) with great cheer and cheerfulness, setting up his rest upon +that attempt. + +The next day (23rd March) with the new tailored frigate of Tolou, and +his /Bear/, we set sail towards the Cativaas, where about two days +after we landed, and stayed till noon; at what time seeing a sail to +the westward, as we deemed making to the island: we set sail and plied +towards him, who descrying us, bare with us, till he perceived by our +confidence, that we were no Spaniards, and conjectured we were those +Englishmen, of whom he had heard long before. And being in great want, +and desirous to be relieved by us: he bare up under our lee, and in +token of amity, shot off his lee ordnance, which was not unanswered. + +We understood that he was TETU, a French Captain of Newhaven [Havre] a +Man-of-war as we were, desirous to be relieved by us. For at our first +meeting, the French Captain cast abroad his hands, and prayed our +Captain to help him to some water, for that he had nothing but wine +and cider aboard him, which had brought his men into great sickness. +He had sought us ever since he first heard of our being upon the +coast, about this five weeks. Our Captain sent one aboard him with +some relief for the present, willing him to follow us to the next +port, where he should have both water and victuals. + +At our coming to anchor, he sent our Captain a case of pistols, and a +fair gift scimitar (which had been the late King's of France [HENRY +II.], whom Monsieur MONTGOMERY hurt in the eye, and was given him by +Monsieur STROZZE). Our Captain requited him with a chain of gold, and +a tablet which he wore. + +This Captain reported unto us the first news of the Massacre of Paris, +at the King of NAVARRE'S marriage on Saint Bartholomew's Day last, +[24th August, 1572]; of the Admiral of France slain in his chamber, +and divers other murders: so that he "thought those Frenchmen the +happiest which were farthest from France, now no longer France but +Frensy, even as if all Gaul were turned into wormwood and gall: +Italian practices having over-mastered the French simplicity." He +showed what famous and often reports he had heard of our great riches. +He desired to know of our Captain which way he might "compass" his +voyage also. + +Though we had seen him in some jealousy and distrust, for all his +pretence; because we considered more the strength he had than the +good-will he might bear us: yet upon consultation among ourselves, +"Whether it were fit to receive him or not?" we resolved to take him +and twenty of his men, to serve with our Captain for halves. In such +sort as we needed not doubt of their forces, being but twenty; nor be +hurt by their portions, being no greater than ours: and yet gratify +them in their earnest suit, and serve our own purpose, which without +more help we could very hardly have achieved. Indeed, he had 70 men, +and we now but 31; his ship was above 80 tons, and our frigate not 20, +or pinnace nothing near 10 tons. Yet our Captain thought this +proportionable, in consideration that not numbers of men, but quality +of their judgements and knowledge, were to be the principal actors +herein: and the French ship could do not service, or stand in any +stead to this enterprise which we intended, and had agreed upon +before, both touching the time when it should take beginning, and the +place where we should meet, namely, at Rio Francisco. + +Having thus agreed with Captain TETU, we sent for the Cimaroons as +before was decreed. Two of them were brought aboard our ships, to give +the French assurance of this agreement. + + + +And as soon as we could furnish ourselves and refresh the French +company, which was within five or six days (by bringing them to the +magazines which were the nearest, where they were supplied by us in +such sort, as they protested they were beholding to us for all their +lives) taking twenty of the French and fifteen of ours with our +Cimaroons, leaving both our chips in safe road, we manned our frigate +and two pinnaces (we had formerly sunk our /Lion/, shortly after our +return from Panama, because we had not men sufficient to man her), and +went towards Rio Francisco: which because it had not water enough for +our frigate, caused us to leave her at the Cabecas, manned with +English and French, in the charge of ROBERT DOBLE, to stay there +without attempting any chase, until the return of our pinnaces. + +And then bore to Rio Francisco, where both Captains landed (31st +March) with such force as aforesaid, and charged them that had the +charge of the pinnaces to be there the fourth day next following +without any fail. And thus knowing that the carriages [mule loads] +went now daily from Panama to Nombre de Dios; we proceeded in covert +through the woods, towards the highway that leadeth between them. + +It is five leagues accounted by sea, between Rio Francisco and Nombre +de Dios; but that way which we march by land, we found it above seven +leagues. We marched as in our former journey to Panama, both for order +and silence; to the great wonder of the French Captain and company, +who protested they knew not by any means how to recover the pinnaces, +if the Cimaroons (to whom what our Captain commanded was a law; though +they little regarded the French, as having no trust in them) should +leave us: our Captain assured him, "There was no cause of doubt of +them, of whom he had had such former trial." + +When we were come within an English mile of the way, we stayed all +night, refreshing ourselves, in great stillness, in a most convenient +place: where we heard the carpenters, being many in number, working +upon their ships, as they usually do by reason of the great heat of +the day in Nombre de Dios; and might hear the mules coming from +Panama, by reason of the advantage of the ground. + +The next morning (1st April), upon hearing of that number of bells, +the Cimaroons, rejoiced exceedingly, as though there could not have +befallen them a more joyful accident chiefly having been disappointed +before. Now they all assured us, "We should have more gold and silver +than all of us could bear away": as in truth it fell out. + +For there came three /Recuas/, one of 50 mules, the other two, of 70 +each, every [one] of which carried 300 lbs. weight of silver; which in +all amounted to near thirty tons. + +We putting ourselves in readiness, went down near the way to hear the +bells; where we stayed not long, but we saw of what metal they were +made; and took such hold on the heads of the foremost and hindmost +mules, that all the rest stayed and lay down, as their manner is. + +These three /Recuas/ were guarded with forty-five soldiers or +thereabouts, fifteen to each /Recua/, which caused some exchange of +bullets and arrows for a time; in which conflict the French Captain +was sore wounded with hail-shot in the belly, and one Cimaroon was +slain: but in the end, these soldiers thought it the best way to leave +their mules with us, and to seek for more help abroad. + +In which meantime we took some pain to ease some of the mules which +were heaviest loaden of their carriage. And because we ourselves were +somewhat weary, we were contented with a few bars and quoits of gold, +as we could well carry: burying about fifteen tons of silver, partly +in the burrows which the great land crabs had made in the earth, and +partly under old trees which were fallen thereabout, and partly in the +sand and gravel of a river, not very deep of water. + +Thus when about this business, we had spent some two hours, and had +disposed of all our matters, and were ready to march back the very +self-same way that we came, we heard both horse and foot coming as it +seemed to the mules: for they never followed us, after we were once +entered the woods, where the French Captain by reason of his wound, +not able to travel farther, stayed, in hope that some rest would +recover him better strength. + +But after we had marched some two leagues, upon the French soldiers' +complaint, that they missed one of their men also, examination being +made whether he were slain or not: it was found that he had drunk much +wine, and over-lading himself with pillage, and hasting to go before +us, had lost himself in the woods. And as we afterwards knew, he was +taken by the Spaniards that evening: and upon torture, discovered unto +them where we had hidden our treasure. + +We continued our march all that and the next day (2nd and 3rd April) +towards Rio Francisco, in hope to meet with our pinnaces; but when we +came thither, looking out to sea, we saw seven Spanish pinnaces, which +had been searching all the coast thereabouts: whereupon we mightily +suspected that they had taken or spoiled our pinnaces, for that our +Captain had given so straight charge, that they should repair to this +place this afternoon; from the Cabecas where they rode; whence to our +sight these Spaniards' pinnaces did come. + +But the night before, there had fallen very much rain, with much +westerly wind, which as it enforced the Spaniards to return home the +sooner, by reason of the storm: so it kept our pinnaces, that they +could not keep the appointment; because the wind was contrary, and +blew so strong, that with their oars they could all that day get but +half the way. Notwithstanding, if they had followed our Captain's +direction in setting forth over night, while the wind served, they had +arrived at the place appointed with far less labour, but with far more +danger: because that very day at noon, the shallops manned out, of +purpose, from Nombre de Dios, were come to this place to take our +pinnaces: imagining where we were, after they had heard of our +intercepting of the treasure. + +Our Captain seeing the shallops, feared lest having taken our +pinnaces, they had compelled our men by torture to confess where his +frigate and ships were. Therefore in this distress and perplexity, the +company misdoubting that all means of return to their country were cut +off, and that their treasure then served them to small purpose; our +Captain comforted and encouraged us all, saying, "We should venture no +farther than he did. It was no time now to fear: but rather to hasten +to prevent that which was feared! If the enemy have prevailed against +our pinnaces, which GOD forbid! Yet they must have time to search +them, time to examine the mariners, time to execute their resolution +after it is determined. Before all these times be taken, we may get to +our ships, if ye will! though not possibly by land, because of the +hills, thickets, and rivers, yet by water. Let us, therefore, make a +raft with the trees that are here in readiness, as offering +themselves, being brought down the river, happily this last storm, and +put ourselves to sea! I will be one, who will be the other?" + +JOHN SMITH offered himself, and two Frenchmen that could swim very +well, desired they might accompany our Captain, as did the Cimaroons +likewise (who had been very earnest with our Captain to have marched +by land, though it were sixteen days' journey, and in case the ship +had been surprised, to have abode always with them), especially PEDRO, +who yet was fain to be left behind, because he could not row. + +The raft was fitted and fast bound; a sail of a biscuit sack prepared; +an oar was shaped out of a young tree to serve instead of a rudder, to +direct their course before the wind. + +At his departure he comforted the company, by promising, that "If it +pleased GOD, he should put his foot in safety aboard his frigate, he +would, GOD willing, by one means or other get them all aboard, in +despite of all the Spaniards in the Indies!" + +In this manner pulling off to the sea, he sailed some three leagues, +sitting up to the waist continually in water, and at every surge of +the wave to the arm-pits, for the space of six hours, upon this raft: +what with the parching of the sun and what with the beating of the +salt water, they had all of them their skins much fretted away. + +At length GOD gave them the sight of two pinnaces turning towards them +with much wind; but with far greater joy to them than could easily +conjecture, and did cheerfully declare to those three with him, that +"they were our pinnaces! and that all was safe, so that there was no +cause of fear!" + +But see, the pinnaces not seeing this raft, nor suspecting any such +matter, by reason of the wind and night growing on, were forced to run +into a cover behind the point, to take succour, for that night: which +our Captain seeing, and gathering (because they came not forth again), +that they would anchor there, put his raft ashore, and ran by land +about the point, where he found them; who, upon sight of him, made as +much haste as they could to take him and his company aboard. For our +Captain (of purpose to try what haste they could and would make in +extremity), himself ran in great haste, and so willed the other three +with him; as if they had been chased by the enemy: which they the +rather suspected, because they saw so few with him. + +And after his coming aboard, when they demanding "How all his company +did?" he answered coldly, "Well!" They all doubted that all went +scarce well. But he willing to rid all doubts, and fill them with joy, +took out of his bosom a quoit of gold, thanking GOD that "our voyage +was made!" + +And to the Frenchmen he declared, how their Captain with great pain of +his company, rowed to Rio Francisco; where he took the rest in, and +the treasure which we had brought with us: making such expedition, +that by dawning of the day, we set sail back again to our frigate, and +from thence directly to our ships: where, as soon as we arrived, our +Captain divided by weight, the gold and silver into two even portions, +between the French and the English. + + + +About a fortnight after, when we had set all things to order, and +taking out of our ship [the /Pascha/] all such necessaries as we +needed for our frigate, had left and given her to the Spaniards, whom +we had all this time detained, we put out of that harbour together +with the French ship, riding some few days among the Cabecas. + +In the meantime, our Captain made a secret composition with the +Cimaroons, that twelve of our men and sixteen of theirs, should make +another voyage, to get intelligence in what case the country stood; +and if it might be, recover Monsieur TETU, the French Captain; at +leastwise to bring away that which was hidden in our former surprise, +and could not then be conveniently carried. + +JOHN OXNAM and THOMAS SHERWELL were put in trust for his service, to +the great content of the whole company, who conceived greatest hope of +them next our Captain; whom by no means they would condescend to +suffer to adventure again, this time: yet he himself rowed to set them +ashore at Rio Francisco; finding his labour well employed both +otherwise, and also in saving one of those two Frenchmen that had +remained willingly to accompany their wounded captain. + +For this gentleman, having escaped the rage of the Spaniards, was now +coming towards our pinnace, where he fell down on his knees, blessing +GOD for the time, "that ever our Captain was born; who now, beyond all +his hopes, was become his deliverer." + +He being demanded, "What was become of his Captain and other fellow?" +shewed that within half an hour after our departure, the Spaniards had +overgotten them, and took his Captain and other fellow: he only +escaped by flight, having cast away all his carriage, and among the +rest one box of jewels, that he might fly the swifter from the +pursuers: but his fellow took it up and burdened himself so sore, that +he could make no speed; as easily as he might otherwise, if he would +have cast down his pillage, and laid aside his covetous mind. As for +the silver, which we had hidden thereabout in the earth and the sands, +he thought that it was all gone: for that he thought there had been +near two thousand Spaniards and Negroes there to dig and search for +it. + +This report notwithstanding, our purpose held, and our men were sent +to the said place, where they found that the earth, every way a mile +distant had been digged and turned up in every place of any +likelihood, to have anything hidden in it. + +And yet nevertheless, for all that narrow search, all our men's labour +was not quite lost, but so considered, that the third day after their +departure, they all returned safe and cheerful, with as much silver as +they and all the Cimaroons could find (viz., thirteen bars of silver, +and some few quoits of gold), with which they were presently embarked, +without empeachment, repairing with no less speed than joy to our +frigate. + +Now was it high time to think of homewards, having sped ourselves as +we desired; and therefore our Captain concluded to visit Rio Grande +[Magdalena] once again, to see if he could meet with any sufficient +ship or bark, to carry victuals enough to serve our turn homewards, in +which we might in safety and security embark ourselves. + +The Frenchmen having formerly gone from us, as soon as they had their +shares, at our first return with the treasure; as being very desirous +to return home into their country, and our Captain as desirous to +dismiss them, as they were to be dismissed: for that he foresaw they +could not in their ship avoid the danger of being taken by the +Spaniards, if they should make out any Men-of-war for them, while they +lingered on the coast; and having also been then again relieved with +victuals by us.--Now at our meeting of them again, were very loath to +leave us, and therefore accompanied us very kindly as far up as St. +Bernards; and farther would, but that they durst not adventure so +great danger; for that we had intelligence, that the Fleet was ready +to set sail for Spain, riding at the entry of Cartagena. + + + +Thus we departed from them, passing hard by Cartagena, in the sight of +all the Fleet, with a flag of St. GEORGE in the main top of our +frigate, with silk streamers and ancients down to the water, sailing +forward with a large wind, till we came within two leagues of the +river [Magdalena], being all low land, and dark night: where to +prevent the over shooting of the river in the night, we lay off and on +bearing small sail, till that about midnight the wind veering to the +eastward, by two of the clock in the morning, a frigate from Rio +Grande [Magdalena] passed hard by us, bearing also but small sail. We +saluted them with our shot and arrows, they answered us with bases; +but we got aboard them, and took such order, that they were content +against their wills to depart ashore and to leave us this frigate: +which was of 25 tons, loaded with maize, hens, and hogs, and some +honey, in very good time fit for our use; for the honey especially was +notable reliever and preserver of crazed people. + +The next morning as soon as we set those Spaniards ashore on the Main, +we set our course for the Cabecas without any stop, whither we came +about five days after. And being at anchor, presently we hove out all +the maize a land, saving three butts which we kept for our store: and +carrying all our provisions ashore, we brought both our frigates on +the careen, and new tallowed them. + +Here we stayed about seven nights, trimming and rigging our frigates, +boarding and stowing our provision, tearing abroad and burning our +pinnaces, that the Cimaroons might have the iron-work. + +About a day or two before our departure, our Captain willed PEDRO and +three of the chiefest of the Cimaroons to go through both his +frigates, to see what they liked; promising to give it them, +whatsoever it were, so it were not so necessary as that he could not +return into England without it. And for their wives he would himself +seek out some silks or linen that might gratify them; which while he +was choosing out of his trunks, the scimitar which CAPTAIN TETU had +given to our Captain, chanced to be taken forth in PEDRO'S sight: +which he seeing grew so much in liking thereof, that he accounted of +nothing else in respect of it, and preferred it before all that could +be given him. Yet imagining that it was no less esteemed of our +Captain, durst not himself open his mouth to crave or commend it; but +made one FRANCIS TUCKER to be his mean to break his mind, promising to +give him a fine quoit of gold, which yet he had in store, if he would +but move our Captain for it; and to our Captain himself, he would give +four other great quoits which he had hidden, intending to have +reserved them until another voyage. + +Our Captain being accordingly moved by FRANCES TUCKER, could have been +content to have made no such exchange; but yet desirous to content +him, that had deserved so well, he gave it him with many good words: +who received it with no little joy, affirming that if he should give +his wife and children which he loved dearly in lieu of it, he could +not sufficient recompense it (for he would present his king with it, +who he knew would make him a great man, even for this very gift's +sake); yet in gratuity and stead of other requital of this jewel, he +desired our Captain to accept these four pieces of gold, as a token of +his thankfulness to him, and a pawn of his faithfulness during life. + +Our Captain received it in most kind sort, but took it not to his own +benefit, but caused it to be cast into the whole Adventure, saying, +"If he had not been set forth to take that place, he had not attained +such a commodity, and therefore it was just that they which bare part +with him of his burden in setting him to sea, should enjoy the +proportion of his benefit whatsoever at his return." + +Thus with good love and liking we took our leave of that people, +setting over to the islands of [ ? ], whence the next day after, +we set sail towards Cape St. Antonio; by which we past with a large +wind: but presently being to stand for the Havana, we were fain to ply +to the windward some three or four days; in which plying we fortuned +to take a small bark, in which were two or three hundred hides, and +one most necessary thing, which stood us in great stead, viz., a pump! +which we set in our frigate. Their bark because it was nothing fit for +our service, our Captain gave them to carry them home. + +And so returning to Cape St. Antonio, and landing there, we refreshed +ourselves, and besides great store of turtle eggs, found by day in the +[sand], we took 250 turtles by night. We powdered [salted] and dried +some of them, which did us good service. The rest continued but a +small time. + +There were, at this time, belonging to Cartagena, Nombre de Dios, Rio +Grande, Santa Marta, Rio de la Hacha, Venta Cruz, Veragua, Nicaragua, +the Honduras, Jamaica etc., above 200 frigates; some of a 120 tons, +others but of 10 or 12 tons, but the most of 30 or 40 tons, which all +had intercourse between Cartagena and Nombre de Dios. The most of +which, during our abode in those parts, we took; and one of them, +twice or thrice each: yet never burnt nor sunk any, unless they were +made out Men-of-war against us, or laid as stales to entrap us. + +And of all the men taken in these several vessels, we never offered +any kind of violence to any, after they were once come under our +power; but either presently dismissed them in safety, or keeping them +with us some longer time (as some of them we did), we always provided +for their sustenance as for ourselves, and secured them from the rage +of the Cimaroons against them: till at last, the danger of their +discovering where our ships lay being over past, for which only cause +we kept them prisoners, we set them also free. + +Many strange birds, beasts, and fishes, besides fruits, trees, plants, +and the like, were seen and observed of us in this journey, which +willingly we pretermit as hastening to the end of our voyage: which +from this Cape of St. Antonio, we intended to finish by sailing the +directest and speediest way homeward; and accordingly, even beyond our +own expectation, most happily performed. + +For whereas our Captain had purposed to touch at Newfoundland, and +there to have watered; which would have been some let unto us, though +we stood in great want of water; yet GOD Almighty so provided for us, +by giving us good store of rain water, that we were sufficiently +furnished: and, within twenty-three days, we passed from the Cape of +Florida, to the Isles of Scilly, and so arrived at Plymouth, on +Sunday, about sermon time, August the 9th, 1573. + +At what time, the news of our Captain's return brought unto his, did +so speedily pass over all the church, and surpass their minds with +desire and delight to see him, that very few or none remained with the +Preacher. All hastened to see the evidence of GOD's love and blessing +towards our Gracious Queen and country, by the fruit of our Captain's +labour and success. + +/Soli DEO Gloria./ +FINIS. + + + + + +End of The Project Gutenberg Etext of Sir Francis Drake Revived + |