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McKEW PARR COLLECTION

MAGELLAN

and the AGE of DISCOVERY

PRESENTED TO BRANDEIS UNIVERSITY • 1961

~\

WORKS ISSUED BY

C|^f Hafelugt ^ofiftg.

THE

OBSERVATIONS OF

SIR RICHARD HAWKINS.

ivT.flCCC.XLVII.

t^^7

THE

OBSERyATIONS

OF

SIR RICHARD HAWKINS, K^

IN HIS

VOYAGE INTO

THE SOUTH SEA

IN THE YEAR 15 9 3.

RRPBINTED FROM THE EDITION OF 1622

EDITED BY

C. R. DRINKWATER BETHUNE,

CAPTAIN R.N.

LONDON :

PRINTED FOR THE HAKLUYT SOCIETY.

M.DCCC.XLVII.

RrCHARDS, 100, ST. MARTIN's LANE.

THE HAKLUYT SOCIETY.

Cottncll.

SIR RODERICK IMPEY MURCHISON, G.C.St.S , F.R.S, Coir. Mem. Inst. Fr. Hon. Mem. Imp. Acad. Sc. vSt. Petersburg, &c. &c., President.

Vice-Admieal sir CHARLES MALCOLM, Kt )

„ „ „ „ ,,.,,,,.», ,, . (■ Vice Prfsidents.

The Rev. H. H. MILMAN, M.A. |

CHARLES T. BEKE, ESQ., PHIL. D., F.S.A.

CAPTAIN C. R. DRINKWATER BETHUNE, R.N,, C B

MAJOR-GENERAL J. BRIGGS, F.R.S.

CAPTAIN F. BULLOCK, R.N.

BOLTON CORNEY. ESQ., M.R.S.L.

CHARLES DARWIN, ESQ., F.R.S.

SIR HENRY ELLIS, K.H., F.R.S.

JOHN FORSTER, ESQ.

J. E. GRAY, ESQ,, F.R.S.

W. R. HAMILTON, ESQ., F.R.S.

T. HODGKIN, ESQ., MD,

SIR JAMES M'GRIGOR, BARONET, M.D., FR S.

R. H. MAJOR, ESQ.

R. MONCKTON MILNES, ESQ., M.P.

SIR J. RICHARDSON, M.D., F.R.S.

ANDREW SMITH, ESQ.. M.D.

SIR GEORGE T, STAUNTON, BARONET, M.P., F.R.S.

WILLIAM DESBOROUGH COOLEY, Esq.. F.R.G.S , Secretahy.

EDITOR'S PREFACE.

Many of the early voyages to the Spanish posses- sions in South America, are open to the charge of having been conducted more upon buccaneering principles, than on those that should guide nations in their intercourse with each other.

Even Sir Francis Drake, on his return from one of the most memorable, endured the mortification of being considered little better than a pirate, and it required all the honors conferred on him by Queen Elizabeth, to set him right in public opinion.

This is not the proper place to discuss the question, whether England was justified in allow- ing such expeditions to leave her shores ; it is sufficient to state, that our author is not liable to any animadversion, as his voyage was undertaken under the authority of the Queen's commission ; and

VIU EDITORS PREFACE.

his conduct was marked throughout by humanity and benevolence.

We can hardly appreciate too highly the ad- venturous daring of these early navigators ; but while we give due credit to them for attempting such long voyages into almost unknown seas, in vessels of small burthen, we must not imagine that they were utterly unprovided for the nature of the expected service : on the contrary, great care seems have been taken both in selecting proper crews, and in providing them with everything needful.

Sir Richard Hawkins, at page 12, alludes generally to his own preparations ; and we read in the ac- counts of Sir Francis Drake's expedition, "that his vessels were plentifully furnished with all manner of provisions and necessaries for so long and danger- ous a voyage ; and such as served only for ornament and delight were likewise not forgotten. For this purpose he took with him very expert musicians for several instruments. His furniture of all kinds was rich and sumptuous ; all the vessels for his table, and many in the cook-room, being of pure silver, curiously wrought, and many other things whereby the magnificence of his native .country might be displayed."

editor's preface. ix

We find even more detail in the North West Fox, or Fox from the North-west passage, London, 1635 : a work professing to give an account of all Northern voyagers, commencing with King Arthur, and ending with Captain Luke Fox. We quote from the preface to the latter voyage : —

" The ship of his Majesties, was (of my own chusing, and the best for condition and quality, especially for this voyage, that the world could afford), of burthen eighty tonnes, the number of men twenty, and two boyes, and by all our cares was sheathed, cordaged, builded, and repaired ; all things being made exactly ready against an appointed time. My greatest care was to have my men of godly conversation, and such as their years, of time not exceeding thirty-five, had gained good experi- ence, that I might thereby be the better assisted, especially by such as had been upon those frost- biting voyages, by which they were hardened for indurance, and could not so soone be dismayed at the sight of the ice. For beardless younkers, I knew as many as could man the boate was enough ; and for all our dependances was upon God alone, for I had neither private ambition or vaine glory.

"And all these things I had con tractedly done by

h

X EDITOR S PREFACE.

the master, wardens, and assistants of the Trinity House. For a lieutenant I had no use ; but it grieved me much that I could not get one man that had been on the same voyage before, by whose counsaile or discourse I might better have shunned the ice. I was victualled compleatly for eighteene months; but whether the baker, brewer, butcher, and other, were master of their arts, or professors or no, I know not ; but this I am sure of, I had excellent fat beefe, strong beere, good wheaten bread, good Iceland ling, butter and cheese of the best, admirable sacke and aqua-vita3, pease, oat- meale, wheat-meale, oyle, spice, sugar, fruit, and rice; with chyrugerie, as sirrups, julips, condits, trechisses, antidotes, balsoms, gummes, unguents, implaisters, oyles, potions, suppositors, and purging pills ; and if I wanted instruments, my chyrugion had enough. My carpenter was fitted from the thickest bolt to the jDumpe nayle, or tacket. The gunner, from the sacor to the pistol. The boat- swaine, from the cable to the sayle twine. The steward and cooke, from the caldron to the spoone. " And for books, if I wanted any I was to blame, being bountifully furnisht from the treasurer with money to provide me, especially for those of study

EDITOR S PREFACE. XI

there would be no leisure, nor was there, for I found work enough."

Besides this abundant preparation of all things needful for the body, rules for good discipline were not wanting, which we also transcribe, considering they have some relation to the matter in hand.

" May 7, anno 1681. — The voyage of Captaine Luke Fox, in his Majesties pinnace the Charles^ burthen seventy tonnes, twenty men, and two boyes, victuals for eighteen months, young Sir John Wolstenholme being treasurer.

" Orders and articles for civill government, to be duly observed amongst us in this voyage.

" Forasmuch as the good successe and prosperity of every action doth consist in the due service and glorifying of God, knowing that not only our being and preservation, but the prosperity of all our actions and enterprizes doe immediately depend upon His Almighty goodness and mercy ; of which this being none of the least, eyther of nature or quality. For the better governing and managing of this present voyage, in his Majesties ship the OA^r/es, bound for the North-west Passage, towards the South Sea, May 7, 1631, as followeth: —

"1. That all the whole company, as well officers

Xll EDITOR S PREFACE.

as others, shall duly repaire every day twice, at the call of the bell, to heare publike prayers to be read (such as are authorized by the Church), and that in a godly and devout manner, as good Christians ought.

" 2. That no man shall swear by the name of God, nor use any prophane oath, or blaspheme his holy name, upon pain of severe punishment.

"3. That no man shall speak any vile or unbe- seeming word, against the honour of his Majestic, our dread soveraigne, his lawes or ordinances, or the religion established and authorized by him here in England, but as good subjects shall duly pray for him.

" 4. That no man shall speake any doubtfull or despairing words against the good successe of the voyage, or make any doubt thereof, eyther in pub- lique or private, at his messe, or to his watch-mate, or shall make any question of the skill and know- ledge eyther of superiour or inferior officer, or of the undertakings ; nor shall offer to combine against the authority thereof, upon the paine of severe punishment, as well to him that shall first heare and conceale the same, as to the first beginner.'

"5. That no man do offer to filch or steale any

EDITOES PREFACE. Xlll

of the goods of the ship or company, or doe offer to breake into hould, there to take his pleasure of such provisions as are layd in generall for the whole company of the ship ; nor that any officer appointed for the charge and oversight thereof, doe other wayes than shall be appointed him, but shall every man bee carefull for the necessary preservation of the victuall and fuell conteyned in the hould ; and that also every officer be so carefull of his store, as hee must not be found (upon examination) to deserve punishment.

" 6. That no man doe grumble at his allowance of victuall, or steale any from others, nor shall give cross language, eyther to superior or equal, in re- viling words or daring s^Dceches, which do tend to the inflaming of blood or inraging of choller; remembering this also, that a stroke or a blow is the breach of his Majesties peace, and may not want his punishment therefore, as for other reasons.

" 7. That at the boatswaine's call, all the whole company shall appeare above decke, or else that his mate fetch up presently all such sloathfull persons, eyther with rope or cudgell, as in such cases deserves the same. The quarter-masters shall look into the steeridge, while the captains, masters, and mates are at dinner, or at supper.

XIV EDITOR S PREFACE.

"8. That all men duely observe the watch, as well at anchor as under sayle, and at the discharge thereof, the boatswaine or his mate shall call up the other ; all praising God together, with psalme and prayer. And so committing our selves, both soules and bodies, ship and goods, to God's mercifull pre- servation, wee beseech him to steere, direct, and guide us, from the beginning to the end of our voyage: which hee make prosperous unto us. Amen."

Sir Richard Hawkins followed the profession of a seaman from an early age. Brought up in stir- ring times, under the eye of his father, one of the most experienced naval commanders of his time, he appears to have inherited a knowledge of sound principles of discipline, and to have become imbued with that indomitable courage, tempered with pru- dence, essential to the character of a good sea officer. In 1588, Captain Hawkins commanded the Swallow^ a Queen's ship of three hundred and sixty tons, and assisted in her at the destruction of the Spanish armada. He appears at that period to have attained a certain consideration, as he was employed as Queen's Commissioner, to settle some prize claims. He next undertook the voyage the

EDITOR S PREFACE. XV

history of which is recounted in the following pages. After his return from his detention in the South Seas, we find him, in 1620, in the Vanguard^ of six hundred and sixty tons, vice-admirall of Sir Robert Hansel's expedition against the Algerines. He died suddenly shortly afterwards.

Admiral Burney, in his History of Voyages and Discoveries in the South Seas, alluding to this work, says, " it might with propriety have been entitled a book of good counsel; many of his observations being unconnected with the voyage he is relating, but his digressions are ingenious and entertaining, and they frequently contain useful or curious in- formation" : and Mr. Barrow, in his Memoirs of the Naval Worthies of Queen Elizabeth, thinks that the " Observations must take their station in the very first rank of our old sea voyages."

Similar considerations led the council of the Hakluyt Society to select it, though not exactly a rare work, for early publication; and it is sub- mitted to the Members, with a confident hope that it will repay an attentive perusal.

The editor has confined his labours to repro- ducing the text of the original, with only such slight alterations as were necessary where the sense

XVI EDITOR S PREFACE.

of the author had been obviously marred by a mis- print; giving such explanations of obsolete words and technical terms as might embarrass an unpro- fessional reader; identifying the places visited with their modern appellation, where practicable ; and adding such remarks as occurred to him while correcting the proof sheets.

C. R. D. B.

Nov. 1847.

THE

OBSERVATIONS

OF

8'^ RICHARD HAW

KINS KNIGHT, IN HIS VOIAGE INTO THE

South Sea,

Anno Domini, iSgS.

vM^

Per varios Casus, Artem E.vperientia fecit, Exemplo monsti'ante viam. — Manil, 11. i.

^><

LONDON

Printed by I. D^ for Iohn Iaggard, and are to be

sold at his shop at the Hand and Starre in Fleete-streete, neere the Temple Gate. ') 6 2 2.

TO THE MOST ILLUSTRIOUS AND MOST EXCELLENT

PRINCE CHARLES, PRINCE OF WALES,

DUKE OF COENEWALL, EARLE OF CHESTER, ETC.

MONGST other neglects prejudicial! to this state, I have observed, that many the worthy and heroyque acts of our nation, have been bui'ied and forgotten : the actors themselves being desirous to sliunne emulation in publishing them, and those which overhved them, fearefull to adde, or to diminish from the actors worth, judgement, and valour, have forborne to wTite them ; by which succeeding ages have been deprived of the fruits which might have beene gathered out of their experience, had they beene committed to record. To avoyd this neglect, and for the good of my country, I have thought it my duty to publish the observations of my South Sea Voyage; and for that unto your highnesse, your heires, and successors, it is most likely to be advan- tagious (having brought on me nothing but losse and misery), I am bold to use your name, a protection unto it, and to offer it with all humblenes and duty to yoiu' high- nesse approbation, which if it purchase, I have attained my desire, which shall ever ayme to performe dutie.

Yoiu" Highnesse humble

And devoted servant,

RICHARD HAWKINS.

TO THE READER.

AD that worthie knight, the author, lived to have seen this his Treatise published, he would perhaps himself e have given the account there- of: for by his owne directions it was put to the presse, though it pleased God to take him to his mercy during the time of the impression. His purpose was to have recommended both it and himselfe unto our most excellent Prince Charles, and himselfe wrote the Dedication, which being imparted unto me, I conceited that it stood not ivith my dutie to suppresse it.

Touching the discourse it selfe, as it is out of my element to judge, so it is out of my purpose to say much of it. This onely I may boldly promise, that you shall heere find an expert seamati, in his owne dialect, deliver a true relation of an unfortunat voyage ; ivhich howsoever it proved lamentable and fatall to the actors, may yet prove pleasing to the readers : it being an itch in our natures to delight in newnes and varietie, be the subject fiever so grievous. This (if there were no more) were yet worthy your perusall; and is as much as others have ivith good acceptance afforded in relations of this nature. Hoiobeit besides the bare series and context of the storie, you shall heere finde interweaved.

VI TO THJO READER.

sundry exact descriptions of Countries, Townes, Capes, Promontories, Rivers, Creeks, Harbours, and the like, not un- pjrofitahle for navigators ; besides many notable obset^vations, the fruites of a long experience, that may give light touching marine accidents, even to the best captaines and commaund- ers : who if they desire to learn by precepts, shall here find store : but if examples jjrevaile more with them, here are also alieiia pericula. If you believe mee not, reade and judge. Farewell.

THE OBSERVATIONS

OF

SIR RICHARD HAWKINS, KNIGHT,

IN HIS

VOYAGE INTO THE SOUTH SEA.

SECTION I.

WITH the counsels consent, and lielpe of my father, Sir John Hawkins,^ knight, I resolved a voyage to be made for the Hands of Japan, of the Phillippinas, and Molucas, the kingdomes of China, and East Indies, by the way of the Straites of Magelan, and the South Sea.

The principal! end of our designements, was, to make a The neces-

•T i o -> ' gary use of

perfect discovery of all those parts where I should arrive, '''^coveiies. as well knowne as unknowne, wdtli their longitudes, and latitudes ; the lying of thek coasts ; their head-lands ; oi" t> avaiie. their ports, and bayes; their cities, townes, andpeoplings; their manner of government ; with the commodities which the countries yeelded, and of which they have want, and are in necessitie.

For this piu-pose in the end of anno 1588, retui-ning or shipping. from the journey against the Spanish Armado, I caused a

1 Sir John Hawkins was one of the most distinguished men of his period. IJe was a noted commander at sea forty-eight years, and treasurer of the navy for twenty-two years ; and it was generally owned that he was the author of more useful inventions, and intro- duced into the navy better regulations, than any officer before his time.

8 HAWKINS' VOYAGE INTO

Sect. 1. ship to be builded in the river of Thames, betwixt three and foiire hundred tunnes, which was finished in that per- fection as could be required ; for shee was pleasing to the eye, profitable for stowage, good of sayle, and well condi- tioned.

The day of her lanching being appoynted, the Lady Hawkins (my mother-in-law) craved the naming of the ship, which was easily granted her : who knowing what voyage was pretended to be undertaken, named her the Repentance : what her thoughts were, was kept secret to her selfe ; and although many times I expostulated with her, to declare the reason for giving her that uncouth name, I could never have any other satisfaction, then that re- pentance was the safest ship we could sayle in, to purchase the haven of Heaven. Well, I know, shee was no pro- phetesse, though a religious and most vertuous lady, and of a very good understanding.^

Yet too propheticall it fell out by Gods secrete judge- mentes, which in his wisdome was pleased to reveale unto us by so unknowne a way, and was sufiicient for the present, to cause me to desist from the enterprise, and to leave the ship to my father, who willingly tooke her, and paid the entire charge of the budding and fm'nishing of her, which I had concorted- or paid. And tliis I did not for any superstition I have in names, or for that I thinke them able to further or hinder any thing ; for that all immediately dependeth upon the Providence of Almightie God, and is disposed by him alone. Improper Yct advisc I all persons ever (as neere as they can) by

names for

shipping, all meanes, and in all occasions, to presage unto them-

^ Possibly her ladyship's thoughts may be explained by the con- sideration that she compared the objects of the proposed voyage with those followed out by her husband. He was the first Englishman who engaged in the inhuman traffic of slaves, and was granted the rmenviablc addition to his arms : " a demi moor proper ; bound."

^ Incurred ?

THE SOUTH SEA. 9

selves the good they can, and in giving names to terestriall sect. i.

workes (especially to ships), not to give snch as meerly represent the celestial character ; for few have I knowne, or seen, come to a good end, which have had such attri- butes. As was plainely scene in the Revenge, which was TheiJemi^e ever the unfortunatest ship the late queenes majestic had during her raigne; for coming out of Ireland, with Sir John Parrot, shee was like to be cast away upon the Kentish coast. After, in the voyage of Sii* John Hawkins, my father, anno 1586, shee strucke aground coming into Plimouth, before her going to sea. Upon the coast of Spaine, shee left her fleete, readie to sinke with a great leake : at her returne into the harbour of Plimouth, shee beate upon Winter stone ; and after, in the same voyage, going out of Portsmouth haven, shee ranne twice aground; and in the latter of them, lay twentie-two houres beating upon the shore, and at length, with eight foote of water in hold, shee was forced off, and presently ranne upon the Oose : and was cause that shee remained there (with other three ships of her majesties) six months, till the spring of the yeare; when coming about to "bee decked,^ entring the river of Thames, her old leake breaking upon her, had like to have drowned all those wliich were in her. In anno 1591, with a storme of wind and weather, riding at her moorings in the river of Rochester, nothing but her bare masts over head, shee was turned topse-turvie, her kele uppermost : and the cost and losse shee wrought, I have too good cause to remember, in her last voyage, in which shee was lost, when shee gave England and Spain just cause to remember her. For the Spaniards themselves confesse, that three of their ships sunke by her side, and was the death of above 1500 of their men, with the losse ^';« , Master

Haeluits Re-

of a great part of their fleete, by a storme Avhich suddainly '"t'o"s. tooke them the next day. What English died in her,

1 Docked?

10 Hawkins' voyage into

_f^'_'^ many living are witnesses : amongst wliicli was Sir Richard Greenfeild/ a noble and valiant gentleman, vice-admirall in her of her majesties fleete. So that, well considered, shee was even a ship loaden, and fnll franght with ill successe.

The Tkun. The like wee might behold in the Thunderbolt, of Lon-

Loudon. (Jqj^^ who, in one voyage (as I remember), had her mast cleft with a thunderbolt, upon the coast of Barbary. After in Dartmouth, going for admirall of the Whaftage,- and guard of the fleete for the river of Bourdieux, had also her poope blown up with fire sodainly, and unto this day, never could be knowne the cause, or manner how : and lastly, shee was burned with her whole companie in the river of Bourdieux, and Master Edward Wilson, generall in her, slaine by his enemies, having escaped the fire.

The Jesus oi The succcsso of the Jesus of Lubecke, in Saint John de

Lubeck.

aifce^'^''"" ^l^if^j in the Nova Spania, infamous to the Spaniardes ;' with my Repentance, in the South Sea, taken by force, hath utterly impoverished, and overthrowne our house.

o(^s faine"'^^ Tlic Joumey of Spaine, pretended for England, anno 1587, called the Journey of Revenge, left .the principall of their men and ships on the rocks of Cape Finister, and the rest made a lamentable end, for the most part in the Groyne.* No more for this poynt, but to our pui'pose.

' The brave defence of Sir Richard Greenfeild, or Greenville, against nearly the whole Spanish fleet, merits being here recorded : himself severely wounded and his ship a complete wreck, he ordered her to be sunk, but to this his officers would not consent, so she surrendered on terms. Out of one hundred men fit to bear arms, near sixty survived this glorious action ; but hardly a man but carried oiF some wounds as memorials of their courage.

* Convoy % Whafter. A term applied to ships of war, — probably from their carrying flags or whafts.

^ This alludes to a base attack made on Sir John Hawkins, after he had entered into a friendly agreement with the Viceroy.,

* Corogne (F.) Coruua (S.).

THE SOUTH SEA. 11

SECTION II.

The Repentance being put in perfection, and riding at Detford, the queenes majestie passing by her, to her pal- lace of Greenwych, commanded her bargemen to row round about her, and viewing her from post to stemme, disliked nothing but her name, and said, that sliee would chi'isten her anew, and that henceforth shee shoidd be called the Daintie ; which name she brooked as well for her proportion and grace, as for the many happie voyages shee made in her majesties service ; having taken (for her majestie) a great Bysten,^ of five hundred tunnes, loaden with iron and other commodities, under the conduct of Sir Martin Furbusher; a caracke bound for the East Indies, under my fathers charge, and the principall cause of taking the great caracke, brought to Dartmouth by Sii* John Borrow, and the Earl of Cumberlands shippes, anno 1592, with others of moment in her other voyages.- To us, shee never brought but cost, trouble, and care. Therefore

1 Probably an abbreviation or misprint for Biscayan. Lediard relates, that in 1592, an expedition, fitted out against the Spaniards, took a great Biscayan shipp of six hundred tunnes, laden with all sorts of small iron-work.

- This great caracke was taken, after a sharp engagement, by six ships, part of the expedition alluded to in note 1 ; which was dis- patched expressly to the Azores, to lie in wait for the East India carackes. This expedition left under the command of Sir Walter Raleigh and Sir John Borrough. Sir Walter was, however, superseded by Sir Martin Forbisher. She was called the " J/arfre de Dios,^^ a seven- decked ship of one hundred and sixty-five feet from stem to stern, manned with six hundred men. The burthen of this caracke was six- teen hundred tons, and she carried thirty-two brass guns. Her cai'go, besides jewels, ivhich never came to light, was as follows : spices, drugs, silks, and calicoes, besides other wares, many in number, but less in value, as elephant's teeth, china, cocoa-nuts, hides, ebony, and cloth made from rinds of trees. All which being appraised, was reckoned to amount to at least one hundred and fifty thousand pounds. The car- racke, or Carraca, was a lai'ge vessel of two masts, used in the India and Brazilian trade.

12 Hawkins' voyage into

'^'-'^^"- my father resolved to sell her, though with some losse, which he imparted with me : and for that I had ever a particular love unto her, and a desire shee should continue ours, I offered to ease him of the charge and care of her, and to take her, with all her furniture at the price he had before taken her of me ; with resolution to put in execu- tion the voyage for which shee was first builded ; although it lay six months and more in suspence, partly, upon the pretended voyage for Nombrededios and Panama, which then was fresh a foote ; and partly, upon the caracke at Dartmouth, in which I was imployed as a commissioner ; but this businesse being ended, and the other pretence waxing colde, the fift of March I resolved, and beganne to goe forward with the journey, so often talked of, and so much desired. cousiderati- And liaAdug madc an estimate of the charge of victualls,

ons for pre- " o ■>

tended voy. ni^mitiou, imprests,^ sea-store, and necessaries for the sayd ship ; consorting another of an hundred tunnes, which I waited for daily from the Straites of Giberalter, A^dtli a pynace of sixtie tunnes, all mine owne : and for a com- petent number of men for them; as also of all sorts of marchandises for trade and traffique in all places where wee should come ; I began to wage men, to buy all man- ner of victualls and proAdsions, and to lade her with them, and with all sorts of commodities (which I could call to minde) fitting; and dispatched order to my servant in Plimouth, to put in a readinesse my pj' nace ;^ as also to take

Provisions uu ccrtainc pro\isions, which are better cheape in those

better pro- ^ ^

momh'\ben V^^^^ ^^^^^ ^^ Loudou, as bccfc, porke, bisket, and sider.

at London, ^^^.j ^,j^|^ ^|^g diligcuce I uscd, and my fathers furtherance, at the end of one moneth, I was ready to set sayle for Plimouth, to joyne with the rest of my shippes and pro- visions. But the expecting of the coming of the lord high

1 Bounty 1 or perhaps wages paid in advance.

2 A small vessel fitted with sails and oars.

THE SOUTH SEA. 13

admirall, Sir Robert Cecill, principall secretary to her ^"''- "• majestie, and Sir Walter Rawley, witli others, to honoui- my sliippe and me with their presence and farewell, de- tayned me some dayes ; and the rayne and untemperate weather deprived me of the favour, which I was in hope to have received at their hands. WTiereupon, being loath to loose more time, and the winde ser\ing according to my wish, the eight of April, 1593, I caused the pilot to set sayle from Blackwall, and to vayle^ down to Gravesend, whether that night I purposed to come.

Having taken my unhappy last leave of my father Sir John Hawkins, I tooke my barge, and rowed doAvn the river, and coming to Barking, wee might see my ship at an anchor in the midst of the channell, where ships are not Avont to more themselves : this bred in me some alter- ation. And coming aboord her, one and other began to recount the perill they had past of losse of ship and goods, which was not little ; for the winde being at east north- east, when they set sayle, and vered out southerly, it forced them for the doubling of a point to bring their tacke aboard, and looffing up ; the winde freshing, sodenly the shipp began to make a little hele ; and for that shee was very deepe loaden, and her ports open, the water be- gan to enter in at them, which no bodie having regard unto, thinking themselves safe in the river, it augmented Note. in such maner as the waight of the water began to presse downe the side, more then the winde : at length when it was scene and the shete flowne, shee could hardly be brought upright. But God was pleased that with the di- ligence and travell of the company, shee was freed of that danger ; which may be a gentle warning^ to all such as

' Drop down.

^ We ought to profit by the experience of those who precede us. Had this " gentle warning" been attended to, probably the loss of the Royal George might have been prevented. She went down at her

Sect. II.

14 HAWKINS^ VOYAGE INTO

take charge of shipping, even before they set sayle, eyther in river or harboiu', or other part, to have an eye to then' ports, and to see those shut and callked, which may cause danger; for avoyding the many mishaps which dayly chance for the neglect thereof, and have beene most la- mentable spectacles and examples unto us : experiments in the Great Harry, admiralP of England, which was over- set and suncke at Portsmouth, with her captaine, Carew, and the most part of his company drowned in a goodly summers day, with a little flawe of winde; for that her ports were all open, and making a small hele, by them entred their destruction ; where if they had beene shut, no wind could have hurt her, especially in that place.

In the river of Thames, Master Thomas Candish had a small ship over-set through the same negligence. And one of the fleete of Syr Francis Drake, in Santo Domingo har- bour, turned her keele upward likewise, upon the same occasion; with many others, which we never have know- ledge of.

And when this commeth to passe, many times negli- gence is cloaked with the fary of the winde : which is a double fault ; for the truth being knowne, others would bee warned to shun the hke neglects ; for it is a very bad ship whose masts crackt not asimder, whose sayles and tackling flie not in peeces, before she over-set, especially if shee be English built. And that which over-setteth the

anchors while lying at Spithead, the 29th of August, 1782, having been struck by a squall, while her lower ports were open.

^ The term admirall, appears formerly to have been applied as well to the principal ship in a fleet, as to the superior officer. To cite one among many instances, in an expedition under the Earl of Cumber- land, in 1594, we find the Royal Exchange, Admiral, two hundred and fifty tons, commanded by Captain George Cave. The May-floiver, two hundred and fifty tons, Vice-Admu-al, commanded by Captain W. Anthony. The Samson Rear-Admiral, by Captain Nicholas Downton, together with a caravel and pinnace.

THE SOUTH SEA. 15

ship is tlie waight of tlie water that presseth down the side, ^'"'^- "• which as it entreth more and more, increaseth the waight, and the impossibihtie of the remedie : for, the water not entring, with easing of the sheate, or striking the sayles, or putting the sliip before the winde or sea, or other dili- gences, as occasion is offered (and all expert mariners know) remedie is easily found.'

With this mischaunce the mariners were so daunted, that they would not proceede with the ship way further, except shee was lighted, which indeede was needelesse, for many reasons which I gave : but mariners are like to a stiffe necked horse, which taking the bridle betwixt his teeth, forceth his rider to what him list, mauger his will ; so they having once concluded, and resolved, are Avith great diffi- cultie brought to yeelde to the raynes of reason ; and to colour their negligence, they added cost, trouble, and de- lay. In fine, seeing no other remedie, I dispatched that night a servant of mine to give account to my father of that which had past, and to bring mee presently some barke of London, to goe along with me to Plimouth; which not finding, he brought me a hoye, in which I loaded some sixe or eight tunnes, to give content to the company ; and so set sayle the 13th of Aprill, and the next day wee put in at Harwich, for that the winde was con- trary, and from thence departed the 18th of the sayd moneth in the morning.

When wee were cleere of the sands, the winde veered to the south-west, and so we were forced to put into Margat Roade, whether came presently after us a fleete of Hol- landers of above an hundreth sayle, bound for Rochell, to loade salt; and in their companie a dozen shippes of

' A remarkable instance of carelessness occurred in 1801. The Dutch Frigate Ambuscade, went down by the head half an hour after leaving her moorings in Sheerness harbour. This arose from the hawse holes being unusually large, and the plugs not in.

16 Hawkins' voyage into

warre ; their wafters very good ships and Avell appointed in all respects. All which came alongst by our ship, and sa- luted us, as is the custome of the sea, some with three, others with five, others with more peeces of ordinance.

The next morning the winde vering easterly, I set sayle, and the Hollanders with me, and they with the flood in hand, went out at the North-sands-head, and I through the Gulls to shorten my way, and to set my pilate ashore.

Comming neere the South-fore-land, the winde began to vere to the south-east and by south, so as we could not double the point of the land, and being close abourd the shore, and puting oiu" ship to stay, what with the chapping sea, and what with the tide upon the bowe, shee mist stay- ing, and put us in some danger, before we could flatt about ; therefore for doubling the point of any land better is ever a short bourd, then to put all in perill.^

Being tacked about, wee thought to anchor in the Downes, but the sayles set, we made a small bourd, and after casting about agayne, doubled the foreland, and ran alongst the coast till we came to the Isle of Wight : where being becalmed, wee sent ashore Master Thomson, of Har- wich, our pilot, not being able before to set him on shore for the perversnes of the winde.

Being cleere of the Wight, the winde vered southerly, and before we came to Port-land, to the west, south-west, but with the helpe of the ebbe wee recovered Port-land- roade, where we anchored all that night j and the next morning with the ebbe, wee set sayle againe, the winde at west south-west ; purposing to beare it up, all the ebbe, and to stop the flood being under sayle.

1 This is sound advice and good seamanship. In turning to wind- ward, it is wise to keep in the fair way, so that in case of missing stays, you have not a danger under your lee.

THE SOFTH SEA. 17

SECTIOX I IT.

The fleete of Flemings which had beene in otu* company ^ecm.

before, came toAnino- into the road, Avhich certainly was a The piovi- thing worth the noting, to behold the good order the Dutch. masters observed in guard of tlieir fleete.

The admirall headmost^ and the rest of the men of warre, spread alongst to wind-ward, all saving the vice- admii'all and her consort, which were lee-most and stern- most of all ; and except the admirall, which Avas the first, that came to an anchor, none of the other men of warre anchored, before all the fleete was in safetie ; and then they placed themselves round about the fleete ; the ^ice- admirall seamost and leemost ; wliich Ave have taught unto most nations, and they obserAe it noAV a dayes better then we, to our shame, that being the authors and reformers of auth^s^d'/'' the best discipline and laAves in sea causes, are become plf„e!'"" those Avhich doe noAV Avorst execute them.

And I cannot gather whence this contempt hath growne, except of the neglect of disciphne, or rather in giving By them

'- ° ^ <j •_' againe ne-

commauds for favour to those, which want experience of s'«"<=te''- what is committed to their charge : or that there hath beene little cm-iositie in our countrey in writing of the discipline of the sea; Avhich is not lesse necessary for us, then that of the law ; and I am of opinion, that the want of experience is much more toUerable in a generall by land, then in a governoiu" by sea : for in the field, the lieutenant generall, the sergeant major, and the coronels supply Avhat is wanting in the generall, for that they all command, and ever there is place for counsell, AA'hich in the sea by many accidents is denied ; and the head is he that raanageth all, in whom alone if there be defect, all is badly governed, for, by ignorance how can errors be judged or reformed? And therefore I wish all to take

B

18 IIAWKINS' VOYAGE INTO

J^^^^_ upon tliem that which tliey understand^ and refuse the

contrary. The modes- ^g Sip Heurv Palmer, a wise and vahant e-entleman, a

ty of Sir ,/ ^ o '

Henry Pal- g^gr^^ commauder, and of much experience in sea causes, being appoynted by the queens majesties counsel!, to goe for generall of a fleete for the coast of Spaine, anno 1583, submitting himselfe to their lordships pleasure, excused the charge, saying, that his trayning up had beene in the narrow seas ; and that of the other he had little experience : and therefore was in dutie bound to intreate their honours to make choice of some other person, that was better ac- quainted and experimented in those seas ; that her majestic and their lordships might be the better served. His modestie and discretion is doubtlesse to be had in re- membrance and great estimation; for the ambition of many which covet the command of fleetes, and places of government (not knoAving their compasse, nor how, nor what to command) doe purchase to themselves shame; and losse to those that employ them : being required in a quiredTn a commauder at sea, a sharpe wit, a good understanding, at™ a.''" ^' experience in shipping, practise in management of sea business, knowledge in navigation, and in command. I hold it much better to deserve it, and not to have it, then to have it not deservine: it.

SECTION IV.

The fruits and inconveniences of the latter we daily par- take of, to our losse and dishonor. As in the fleete that The losse of wcnt for Bm'dicux, anno 1593, which had six gallant ships dieux fleete for waftcrs. At thcu' going out of Plimeuth, the vice-

annol59a. ^ ®

admirall, that should have beene starnmost of all, was the headmost, and the admirall the last, and he that did exe-

THE SOUTH SEA. 19

cute the office of the vice-admirall; lanching off into the ^eet.ji^ sea, drew after him the greater part of the fleete, and night coniining on, and iDoth bearing lights, caused a separa- tion : so that the head had a quarter of the bodie, and the fleete three quarters, and he that should goe before, came behinde. Whereof ensued, that the three parts meeting with a few Spanish men of warre, wanting their head, were a prey unto them. For the vice-admirall, and o'ther wafters, that should be the shepheards to guard and keepe theii' flocke, and to carry them in safetie before them, were headmost, and they the men who made most hast to flie from the wolfe. ^^Tiereas if they had done as xhc cause. they ought, in place of losse and infamie, they had gained honor and reward.

This I have beene enformed of by the Spanish and English, which Avere present in the occasion. And a ship of mine, being one of the starnmost, freed her selfc, for that shee was in warhke manner, with her false netting, many pendents and streamers, and at least sixteen or eight- teen peeces of artillery ; the enemie thinking her to be a wafter, or ship of warre, not one of them durst lay her aboord : and this the master and company vaunted of at their returne.

In the same voyage, in the river of Burdieux (as is

credibly reported), if the six wafters had kept together,

they had not onely not received domage, but gotten much

honour and reputation. For the admirall of the Spanish The weak- ness of the armado, was a Flemish shippe of not above 130 tunnes, enemy.

and the rest flie-boates' and small shij)ping, for the most

part.

And although there Avere twenty-two sayle in all, Avhat

manner of sliips they were, and Iioav fui-nished and ap-

poynted, is Avell knowne, Avith the difference.

1 Boats built for speed (1) or perhaps from the Dutch Filihote.

b2

20 IIAAVKINS' VOYAGE INTO

^''"^- "'• lu the fleete of her majestic, under the charge of my '^'^|.^7age father Sir John Hawkins, anno 1590, upon the coast of

o( Sir John ' ' ^

a^no^i59o. Spaiuc, the ^dce-admirall being a head one morning, where his place was to be a sterne, lost us the taking of eight men of warre loaden with munition, victuals, and provisions, for the supplie of the souldiers in Brittaine : and although they were seven or eight leagues from the shore, when our vice-admirall began to fight with them, yet for that the rest of our fleete were some foui*, some five leagues, and some more distant from them, when we beganne to give chase, the Spaniards recovered into the harbour of Monge, before our admirall could come up to give direction; yet well beaten, with losse of above tAvo hundreth men, as they themselves confessed to me after.

And doubtlesse, if the wind had not over-blowne, and that to folloAv them I was forced to shut all my lower ports, the ship I undertooke doubtles had never endured to come to the port ; but being doubble fli-boates, and all of good sajde, they bare for their lives, and we what we could to follow and fetch them up.

Sir nichavd In this poynt, at the He of Flores, Sir Richard Green-

Grpenfifld v j ' j

at Flores. fjgijj got etcruall liouour and reputation of great valoiu", and of an experimented souldier, chusing rather to sacri- fice his life, and to passe all danger whatsoever, then to fayle in his obligation, by gathering together those Avhich had remained a shore in that place, though with the hazard of his ship and companie ; and rather we ought to imbrace an honom-able death, then to live with infamie and dis- honour, by fay ling in dutie ; and I account, that he and his country got much honor in that occasion; for one ship, and of the second sort of her majesties, sustained the force of all the fleete of Spain, and gave them to understand, that they be impregnible, for having bou'ght deerely the boording of her, divers and sundry times, and with many

TJIE SOUTH SKA. 21

joyntly, and with a continuall figlit of fourteen or sixteen '^'"'^- ^''■

houres, at length leaving her without any mast standing, and like a logge in the seas, shee made, notwithstanding, a most honourable composition of life and libertie for above two hundreth and sixtie men, as by the pay-booke appeareth : which her majestie of her free grace, commanded, in re- compence of their ser\dce, to be given to every one his six moneths wages. All Avhich may worthily be written in our jchronicles in letters of gold, in memory for all posterities, some to bcAvare, and others, by their example in the like occasions, to imitate the true valour of our nation in these ages.

In poynt of Providence, which captaine Vavisor, in the Capiaine

Vavisor.

Foi'esight,^ gave also good proofe of his valour, in casting about upon the whole fleete, notwithstanding the great- nesse and multitude of the Spanish armado, to yeeld that succour which he was able ; although some doe say, and I consent with them, that the best valour is to obey, and to follow the head, seeme that good or bad which is com- manded. For God himselfe telleth us, that obedience is better than sacrifice. Yet in some occasions, where there is difficultie or impossibilitie to know what is commanded,

1 In the list of seven ships composing Lord Thomas Howard's fleet, we find the Foresight, Captain Vavasour. He deserves great credit for attempting to yield what succour he Avas able to the gallant Sir R. Greenville, whose brave defence has been already alluded to in page 10. One other vessel followed, or perhaps set, the example : the George Nohle, of London, falling under the lee of the Revenge, asked Sir Richard if he had anything to command him ; but as he was one of the victuallers and but of small force, Sir Pdchard bid him shift for him- self, and leave him to his fortune. Lediard adds in a note, that it is more than probable had all the other vessels behaved with the same vigour and resolution as Sir Richard and his company, they might have given a good account of the Spanish fleet. It is to be regretted the name of the commander of the George Noble is not recorded. We know not which to admire most, his bravery in fully acting up to the principle of " succouring a known friend in view," or the magnanimity of Sir Richard in dismissing him from an unequal contest.

Sect. V.

22 HAWKINS^ VOYAGE INTO

many times it is great discretion and obligation, judiciously to take hold of the occasion to yeeld succour to his as- sociats, without jiutting himselfc in manifest danger. But to our voyage.

SECTION V.

Being cleare of the race of Portland, the wind began to suffle^ with fogge and misling rayne, and forced us to a short sayle, which continued with us three dayes; the Avind never veering one poynt, nor the fogge suffering us to see the coast.

The third day in the fogge, we met with a barke of Dartmouth, which came from Rochell, and demanding of them if they had made any land, answered, that they had onely scene the Edie stone that morning, which lyeth th^vart of the sound of Plimouth, and that Dartmouth (as they thought) bare off us north north-east : which seemed strange unto us; for we made account that we were thwart of Exmouth. Within two hoiu'es after, the weather beganne to cleare up, and we found oui'selves thwart of the Berry, and might see tlie small Ijarke bearing into Torbay, having over-shot her port; which error often happeneth to those that make the land in foggie weather, and use not good diligence by sound, by lying off the land, and other circumstances, to search the truth ; and is cause of the losse of many a ship, and the sweet lives of multitudes of men."

That evening we anchored in the range of Dartmouth, till the floud was spent ; and the ebbe come, wee set sajde

1 Souffler— to blow. '

2 It is still unfortunately too much the custom to risk the loss of ship and " sweet lives," by neglecting the use of the lead.

THE SOUTH SEA. 23

agaiue. And the next morning early, being the 26th of ^'''''- ''• Aprillj wee harboured our selves in Plimouth.

My ship at an anchor, and I ashore, I presently dis- patched a messenger to London, to ad'sdse my father. Sir John Hawkins, what had past : which, not onely to him, but to all others, that understood what it was, seemed strange ; that the wind contrary, and the weather such as it had beene, wee could be able to gaine Plimoiith; but doubtlesse, the Daintie was a A'ery good sea ship, and ex- cellent by the winde ; Avhich with the neap streames, and our diligence to benefit our selves of all advantages, made fezible that which almost Avas not to be beleeved.

And in this occasion, I found by experience, that one of ^^gY„^*'^JJ,'j the principall parts required in a mariner that frequenteth '"'*""^' ■ oiu* coastes of England, is to cast his tydes, and to know how they set from poynt to poynt, with the difference of those in the channell from those of the shore.'

SECTION VI.

Now presently I began to pi-epare for my dispatch, and to hasten my departm-e ; and finding that my ship which T expected from the Straites, came not, and that shee was to goe to London to discharge, and uncertaine how long shee might stay, I resolved to take another of mine owne in her place, though lesser, called the Haivke, onely for a victualler; purposing in the coast of Brasill, or in the Straites,^ to take out her men and victualls, and to cast her off.

^ The tide runs two or three hours later in the offing than in shore ; by attending to this, a vessel working down channel may gain great advantage.

^ Of Magellan.

24 HAWKINS^ VOYAGE INTO

SECTION VII.

Sect. VII. With my continiiall travell^ the lielpe of my good friends,

and excessive charge (which none can easily beleeve, but those which have prooved it), towardes the end of May, I was readie to set sa^de with my three ships, drawne out into the sound, and began to gather my company aboord.

The 28th of May (as I remember) began a storme of winde, westerly; the two lesser shippes presently har- boured themselves, and I gave order to the master of the Daintie (called Hugh Cornish), one of the most sufficientest men of his coate, to bring her also into Catt-water, which he laboured to doe; but being neere the mouth of the harbour, and doubting least the anchor being weighed, the ship might cast the contrary way, and so run on some perill, entertained himselfe a while in laying out a warpe, and in the meane time, the Avind freshing, and the ship riding by one anchor, brake the flooke of it, and so forced them to let fall another ; by which, and by the warpe they A crueii }^^([ \^y([ out, tlicv rvdd. Tlic storme was such, as being

slorme. . ^ »' -' ' o

within hearing of those upon the shore, we were not able by any meanes to send them succour, and the second day of the storme, desiring much to goe aboord, there joined Avith me captaine AVilliam Anthony, captaine John Ellis, And tiieipin aud uiastcr Henrv Coiu-ton, in a light horsman^ which I

the effects of "

courase aud had : all mcu exercised in charge, and of valour and suffi-

advice. °

ciencie, and from then' youth bred up in businesse of the sea : which notwithstanding, and that wee laboured what we could, for the space of two hoiu'cs against Avaves and wind, we could finde no possibilitie to accomplish our desire; which scene, we Avent aboord the other shippes,

^ Probably what is uow called a " gig"; a last-pulling boat.

THE SOUTH SEA. 35

and put them in the best secui'itie Avee could. Thus busied^ •'^'''■'- ''"• we might see come driving by us the mayne mast of the Daintie, which made me to feare the worst, and so hasted a shore, to satisfie my longing.

And comming upon Catt-downe, wee might see the ship heave and sett, which manifestly shewed the losse of the mast oneh^, which Avas well imployed ; for it saved the ship, men, and goods. For had shee driven a ships length 'more, shee had (no doubt) beene cast away ; and the men in that place could not cliuse but run into danger.

Comming to mv house to shift me (for that we were all J'"" '°"''"' "^

~ ^ \ the pjoace.

Avett to the skinne), I had not Avell changed my clothes, when a servant of mine, Avho was in the pynace at my comming ashore, enters almost out of breath, with newes, that shee was beating upon the rocks, which though I knew to be remedilesse, I put my selfe in place Avhere I might see her, and in a little time after shee sunk downe right. These losses and mischances troubled and grieved, but nothing daunted me ; for common experience taught me, that all honourable enterprises are accompanied with difficulties and daungers ; Si fortuna me tormenta ; Es- peranga me contenta .-^ of hard beginnings, many times come prosperous and happy events. And although, a well- willing friend Avisely foretold me them to be presages of future bad successe, and so disswaded me what lay in him Avith effectual reasons, from my pretence, yet the hazard of my credite, and danger of disreputation, to take in hand that which I should not prosecute by all meanes possible, Avas more poAverfuU to cause me to goe forwardes, then his grave good counsell to make me desist. And so the storme ceasing, I beganne to get in the Daintie, to mast her a-new, and to recover the Fancy, my pynace, Avhicli,

^ Obviously a phrase of the period. Ancient Pistol is made to say " 8i fortuna me contenta, spero me contenta."

26 Hawkins' voyage into

^^"^^ ^"' with the helpe and furtherance of my wives father, who supplyed all my wants, together Avith my credit (which I thanke God was unspotted), in ten dayes put all in his former estate, or better. And so once againe, in Gods name, I brought my shippes out into the sound, the wind being easterly, and beganne to take my leave of my friends, and of my dearest friend, my second selfe, whose unfeyned teares had wrought me into irresolution, and sent some other in my roome, had I not considered that he that is in the daunce, must needs daunce on, though he doe but hopp, except he will be a laughing stocke to all the lookers on : so remembering that many had their eyes set upon me, with diverse affections, as also the hope of good suc- cesse (my intention being honest and good), I shut the doore to all impediments, and mine eare to all contrary counsell, and gave place to voluntary banishment from all that I loved and esteemed in this life, with hope thereby better to serve my God, my prince, and countrie, then to encrease my tallent any way.^ Abuses of And so bcgaii to gather mv companie aboord, which

some sea- o o ., x

farms men. occupicd my good fricuds and the justices of the towne two dayes, and forced us to search all lodgings, tavernes, and ale-houses. (For some would be ever taking their leave and never depart) :^ some di-inke themselves so drunke, that except they were carried aboord, they of themselves were not able to goe one steppe : others, knowing the necessity of the time, fayned themselves sicke : others, to be indebted to their hostes, and forced me to ransome them; one, his chest; another, his sword; another, his

2 Familiar as we are with the present resources of the dockyard at Ply- mouth, we can hardly estimate the firmness that could bear up against such mischances ; of this stuff were the founders of the British naval power composed.

^ Now fitted the halter, now traversed the cart. And often took leave yet was loath to deixirt.

The Thief and the Cordelier. — Prior.

THE SOUTH SEA. :17

shii'ts; another, his carde4 and instruments for sea: and '^'''^'•^'i- others, to benefit themselves of the imprest given them, absented themselves, making a lewd li^dng in deceiving all, whose money they could lay hold of; which is a scandall too rife amongst our sea-men ; by it they com- mitting three great offences : 1, Robbery of the goods of another person; 2, breach of their faith and promise; 3, and hinderance (with losse of time) unto the voyage ; all being a common injui'y to the owners, \dctuallers, and company ; which many times hath beene an utter over- throw and undoing to all in generall. An abuse in our common-wealth necessarily to be reformed ; and as a per- son that hath both scene, and felt by experience, these inconveniences, I wish it to be remedied ; for, I can but wonder, that the late lord high admirall of England, the late Earle of Cumberland ; and the Lord Thomas Howard, now Earle of SuflPolke, being of so great authoritie, haAang to their cost and losse so often made experience of the in- conveniences of these lewd proceedings, liave not united their goodnesses and wdsedomes to redress this dis-loyall and base absurditie of the Aailgar.^

Master Thomas Candish,^ in his last voyage, in the Tifomas sound of Plimmouth, being readie to set sayle, complained ^''"'''*^- unto me, that persons which had absented themselves in

■" Chart, or jjerhaps card for reducing the courses and distances : —

Second Witch. I will give thee a wind.

First Witch. Thou art kind.

Third Witch. And I another.

First Witch. I myself have all the other,

And the very ports they blow,

All the quarters that they know ;

I' the shij^mau's card. — Macbeth.

5 The seaman of 1600 appears to have differed very little from the seaman of 1800. Let us hope that the present race will discountenance such " lewd proceedings."

6 Thomas Cavendish, one of the earlv circumuavia;ators.

28 HAWKIXS' VOYAGE INTO

Sect. VII.

imprests^ had cost him above a thousand and five hun- dred pounds : these varlets, within a few dayes after his departm-Oj I saw walking the streets of Plimouth, whom the justice had before sought for with great diligence; and without punishment. And therefore it is no wonder that others presume to doe the like. Impunitas jjeccandi iUecebra. Master Tlic Hkc complaiut made master George Reymond ; and

Keymond. in what sort tlicy dealt with me is notorious, and was such, that if I had not beene provident to have had a third part more of men then I had need of, I had beene forced to goe to the sea unmanned ; or to give over my voyage. And many of my companj^, at sea, vaunted how they had cosoned the Earle of Cumberland, master Candish, master Reymond, and others ; some of five poundes, some of ten, some of more, and some of lesse. And truely, I think e, my voyage prospered the worse, for theirs and other lewd persons company, which were in my ship ; which, I thinke, might be redressed by some extraordinary, severe, and present justice, to be executed on the oftenders by the justice in that place where they should be found. And for finding them, it were good that all captaines, and masters of shippes, at theii" departure out of the port, should give unto the head justice, the names and signes of all their runnawayes, and they presently to dispatch to the nigher ports the advise agreeable, where meeting with them, without further delay or processe, to use martial law upon them. Without doubt, seeing the law once put in execution, they and all others would be terrified from such \dllanies. The incon- j^ mie;ht be remedied also by utter taking away of all

venience or ~ »; o .-

imprests, imprests, whicli is a thing lately crept into our common- wealth, and in my opinion, of much more hurt then good unto all ; and although my opinion seeme harsh, it being a deed of charitie to helpe the needy (which I wish ever to

THE SOUTH SEA. 29

be exercised, aucl by no meanes will contradict) , yet for S'^'='- ■^■"• that such as goe to the sea (for the most part) consume that money lewdly before they depart (as common experi- ence teacheth us) : and when they come from sea, many times come more beggerly home then when they went forth, ha\dng received and spent their portion before they imbarked themselves ; and having neither rent nor main- tenance more then their travell, to sustaine themselves, are forced to theeve, to cozen, or to runne away in debt. Besides, many times it is an occasion to some to lye upon a voyage a long time ; whereas, if they had not that im- prest, they might perhaps have gayned more in another imployment, and have beene at home agayne, to save that which they waite for. For these, and many more Aveightie reasons, I am still bold, to maintaine my former assertions.

Those onely used in his majesties shippes I comprehend xhetnieusf not in this my opinion : neither the imprests made to ° ""' "^^^ " married men, which would be given to their wives monethly in their absence, for their reliefe. For that is well knoAvne, that all which goe to the sea now a-dayes, are proA-ided of foode, and house-roome, and all things necessary, during the time of their voyage; and, in all long voyages, of apparell also : so that nothing is to be spent during the voyage. That money which is wont to be cast away in imprestes, might be imployed in apparell, and necessaries at the sea, and given to those that have need, at the price it was bought, to be deducted out of their shares or wages at their retm^ne, which is reasonable and charitable. This coui'se taken, if any would runne away, in Gods name fare him well.

Some have a more colourable kinde of cunning to abuse men, and to sustaine themselves. Such will goe to sea with all men, and goe never from the shore. For as long as boord wages last, they are of the company, but those taking end, or the ship in readinesse, they have one ex-

30 ITAWKINS' VOYAGE INTO

^'""^- '''"• cuse or other, and thinke themselves no longer bound, but whilst they receive money, and then plucke their heads out of the coller. An abuse also worthie to be reformed.'^

SECTION VIII.

The greater part of my companie gathered aboord, I set sayle the 12tli of June 1593, about three of the clocke in the afternoon, and made a bourd or two oflF and in, wayting the retiu"ne of my boat, which I had sent a-shore, for dis- patch of some businesse : Avhich being come aboord, and all put in order, I looft^ near the shore, to give my farcAvell to all the inhabitants of the towne, whereof the most part were gathered together upon the Howe, to shew their gratefull correspondency, to the love and zeale which I, my father, and predecessors, have ever borne to that place, as to our naturall and mother tOAvne. And first ^nth my noyse of trumpets, after mtli my waytes," and then Avith my other musicke, and lastly, Avith the artillery of my shippes, I made the best signification I could of a kinde farcAvell. This they ansAvered Avith the Avaytes of the toAvne, and the ordinance on the shore, and Avitli shouting of voyces ; Avhich Avith the fayre evening and silence of the night, were heard a great distance off. All which taking Theconse- gj^j J ggnt iustructions and directions to mA^ other ships.

quence of -^ ^ x

iirdepaJture Wliicli is a poyut of spcciall importance ; for that I have scene commanders of great name and reputation, by ne- glect and omission of such solemnities, to have runne into

7 Some such long-shore fellows are still to be met with. 1 From the Dutch word loeven, to ply to windward. . "^ The " waytes" seem to have been either music played during the setting of the watch, or occasionally, to show that a look-out was kept.

Gvett.er{'^>)

THE SOUTH SEA. 31

many inconveniences, and tliereby have learnt the neces- ^''''^- ^"'"' sitie of it. Whereby I cannot but advise all such as shall have charge committed unto them, ever before they depart out of the port, to give unto theii* whole fleete, not onely directions for ciAdll government, but also where, when, and how to meete, if they should chance to loose company, and the signes how to know one another a-far off, with other poynts and circumstances, as the occasions shall minister ■matter different, at the discretion of the ^ise com- mander.'^

But some may say unto me, that in all occasions it is not convenient to give directions : for that if the enemy happen upon any of the fleete, or that there be any trea- cherous person in the company, their designments may be discovered, and so prevented.

To this I answere, that the prudent governom*, by good consideration may avoyde this, by publication of that which is good and necessarie for the guide of his fleete and people ; by all secret instructions, to give them sealed, and not to be opened, but comming to a place appoynted (after the manner of the Turkisli direction to the Bashawes, who are theii* generalls) ; and in any eminent perill to cast them by the boord, or otherwise to make away with them. For he that setteth sayle, not giving directions in writing to his fleete, knoweth not, if the night or day following, he may be separated from his company; which happeneth sometimes : and then, if a place of meeting be not known e, he runneth in danger not to joyne them together agayne. And for places of meeting, when seperation happeneth, I am of opinion, to appoynt the place of meeting in such a height, twentie, or thirtie, or fortie leagues oft' the land, or iland. East' or west is not so fitting, if the place affoord it, as some sound betwixt ilands, or some iland, or harbour.

3 The use of private signals and the appointment of a place of ren- dezvous, may perhaps date from this period.

32

IIAWKIXS' VOYAGE INTO

Sect. IX

Answered.

It may be alleged in contradiction^ and with probable objertions reason, that it is not fit for a fleete to stay in a harbour "arbou?s!" foi" o^e sliip, nor at an anchor at an iland, for being dis- covered, or for hinderance of their voyage.

Yet it is the best ; for when the want is but for one or two ships, a pynace or ship may w^ayte the time appoynted and remaine with direction for them. But commonly one ship, though but a bad sayler, maketli more haste then a whole fleete, and is at the meeting place fii-st, if the acci- dent be not very important.

The place of meeting, if it might be, would be able to give, at the least, refreshing of water and wood.

SECTION IX.

Lanching out into the channell, the wind being at east and by south, and east south-east, which blowing hard, and a flood in hand, caused a chapping sea, and my ^ice- admirall bearing a good sayle made some Avater, and shooting off" a peece of ordinance, I edged towardes her, to know the cause ; wdio answered me, that they had sprung a great leake, and that of force they must returne into the sound ; Avhicli seeing to be necessary, I cast about, where anchoring, and going aboord, presently found, that be- Faise«aik twixt wiud and water, the calkers had left a seame un- calked, which being filled up with pitch only, the sea labouring that out, had been sufficient to have sunk her in short space, if it had not beene discovered in time.

And truely there is little care used now adaies amongst our countrimen in this profession, in respect of that which was used in times past, and is accustomed inr France, in Spaine, and in other parts. Which necessitie will cause

jiig.

THE SOUTH SEA. 33

to be reformed in time, by assigning the portion that ^^'^^- ^ every workeman is to calke; that if there be damage through his default, he may be forced to contribute towards the losse occasioned through his neghgence.

And for more securitie I hohl it for a good custome used fm- p'even-

° tion thereof.

in some parts, in making an end of calking and pitching the ship, the next tide to fill her with water, which will undoubtedly discoA'^er the defect, for no pitcht place with- out calking, can suffer the force and peaze^ of the water. 'In neglect whereof, I have scene great damage and danger to ensue. The A7'ke Royall of his majesties, may serve Example. for an example : which put all in daunger at her first going to the sea, by a trivuell hole left open in the post,'* and covered only with pitch. In this point no man can be too circumspect, for it is the security of ship, men and goods.*

SECTION X.

This being remedied, I set sayle in the morning, and ran south-west, till we were cleere of Ushent ; and then south south-west, till we were some hundi-ed leagues off, where wee met with a great hulke, of some five or six hundred tunnes, well appointed, the which my company (as is na- turall to all mariners), presently would make a prize, and loadenwith Spaniard's goods; and without speaking to her, wished that the gunner might shoote at her, to cause her to amaine.^ Which is a bad custome received and used of ^/'"i^® •""';

sliooUng at

many ignorant persons, presently to gun at all whatsoever ^®*' they discover, before they speake with them ; being con-

1 Weight — -peso. (Spanish.) 2 Stern-post.

3 A trivial hole left open, or a treenail not driven by a careless workman, may cause the failure of an important expedition ; or at least cause great mischief and discomfort : which neglect still oc- casionally happens.

1 Amener le 2Mvillo7i— to haul down the ensign.

34 HAWKINS^ VOYAGE INTO

Sect. X.

traiy to all discipline, and many times is cause of dissen- tion betwixt friends, and the breach of amitie betwixt princes ; the death of many, and sometimes losse of shippes and all, making many obstinate, if not 'desperate; whereas in using common courtesie, they would better bethinke themselves, and so with ordinarie proceeding (justified by reason, and the custome of all well disciplined people) might perhaps many times breede an increase of amitie, a succour to necessity, and excuse divers inconveniencies and sutes, which have impoverished many : for it hath chanced cbamTs foT bv tliis orrour, that two English ships, neither carrying thereof. flag for thcir perticular respects, to change each with other a dozen payre of shott, with hurt to both, being after too late to repent their folhe. Yea a person of credit hath told mee, that two English men of warre in the night, have layed each other aboord willingly, with losse of many men and dammage to both, onely for the fault of not speaking one to the other; which might seemeto carrie withit some excuse, if they had beene neere the shore, or that the one had beene a hull,* and the other under sayle, in feare shee should have escaped, not knowing what shee was (though in the night it is no wisedome to bourd with any ship), but in the maine sea, and both desiring to joyne, was a suffi- cient declaration that both were seekers : and therefore by day or night, he that can speake with the ship hee seeth, is bound, upon payne to bee reputed voyd of good govern- ment, to hayle her before hee shoote at her. Some man may say, that in the meanetime, shee might gaine the winde : in such causes, and many others, necessity giveth exception to all lawes ; and experience teacheth what is fit to be done.

Master Thomas Hampton, once generall of a fleete of wafters, sent to E-ochell, anno 1585, with secret instruc- tions, considering (and as a man of experience), wisely

^ Under bare pole.^.

Object.

Master

Thomas

Hampton.

THE SOUTH SEA. 35

understanding his place and affaires, in like case shut his ^^''^- ^- eare to the instigations and provocations of the common sort, preferring the publique good of both kingdomes be- fore his owne reputation with the vulgar people : and as another Fabius Maximus, cunctando 7'estituit rem, non po- nendo rumores ante salutem. The French kings fleete The French

and English

commins; where he was, and to winde-ward of him, all his fleete saiute

" one another.

company were in an uproare; for that hee would not shoote presently at them, before they saw their intention : wherein had beene committed three great faults : the first and principall, the breach of amitie betwixt the princes and kingdomes : the second, the neglect of common curtesie, in shooting before hee had spoken with them : and the third, in shooting first, being to lee-wards of the other.

Besides, there Avas no losse of reputation, because the French kings fleete was in his owne sea ; and therefore for it to come to winde-ward, or the other to go to lee-ward, was but that Avhich in reason was required, the kingdomes being in peace and amitie. For every prince is to be ac- knowledged and respected in his jurisdiction, and where hee pretendeth it to be his.

The French generall likewise seemed well to understand what he had in hand ; for though he were farre superiour in forces, j'-et used hee the termes which were required ; and comming within speech, hayled them, and asked if there were peace or warre betwixt England and France : whereunto answere being made that they knew of no other but peace, they saluted each other after the maner of the sea, and then came to an anchor all together, and as friends visited each other in their ships.

One thing the French suffered (upon what occasion or Ja'^Ty^up^'"'' ground I know not), that the English alwayes carried their the Fiefch

> . . ^ . seas.

flag displayed ; which in all other partes and kmgdomes is not permitted : at least, in om* seas, if a stranger fleete meete with any of his majesties ships, the forraigners are

c2

36 Hawkins' a^oyage into

^'^''' '^' bound to take in their flags, or his majesties ships to force them to it, though thereof follow the breach of peace or whatsoever discommodity. And whosoever should not be jealous in this point, hee is not worthy' to have the com- maund of a cock -boat committed unto him : yea no The honour stranger ought to open his flag in any port of England, ties ships, ^vhere there is any shipp or fort of his majesties, upon penaltie to loose his flagg, and to pay for the powder and shott spend upon him. Yea, such is the respect to his majesties shippes in all places of his dominions, that no English ship displayeth the flagge in their presence, but runneth the hke daunger, except they be in his majesties service; and then they are in predicament of the kings ships. Which good discipline in other kingdomes is not in that regard as it ought, but sometimes through igno- rance, sometimes of malice, neglect is made of that dutie and acknowledgement which is required, to the cost and shame of the ignorant and malicious. wie^comming ^^ quccn Marics raiguc, king Philip of Spaine, com- phuipYnto ming to marry with the queene, and meeting with the royall navie of England, the lord William Haward, high admirall of England, Avould not consent, that the king in the narrow seas should carrie his flagge displayed, untill he came into the harbour of Plimouth.

I being of tender yeares, there came a fleete of Spaniards And in the of abovc fiftic saylc of shippes, bound for Flaunders, to fetch

passage of

1^""^ A"."a the queen. Donna Anna de Austria, last Avife to Philip the second of Spaine, which entred betwixt the iland and the maine, without vayling their top-sayles, or taking in of their flags : which my father. Sir John Hawkins, (admirall of a fleete of her majesties shippes, then ryding in Catt- water), perceiving, commanded his gunner to shoot at the flagge of the admii'all, that they might thereby see their error : which, notAvithstanding, they persevered arrogantly to keepe displayed; whereupon the gunner at the next

THE SOUTH SEA. 37

shott, lact^ the admirall through and through, whereby the ^'=''^'- Spaniards finding that the matter beganne to grow to earnest, tooke in their flags and top-sayles, and so ranne to an anchor.

The generall presently sent his boat, with a principall personage to expostulate the cause and reason of that pro- ceeding; but my father would not permit him to come into his ship, nor to heare his message ; but by another gentleman commanded him to returne, and to tell his generall, that in as much as in the queenes port and chamber, he had neglected to doe the acknowledgment and reverence which all owe unto her majestic (especially her ships being present), and comming with so great a navie, he could not but give suspitiou by such proceeding of mahcious intention, and therefore required him, that within twelve hoiu'es he should depart the port, upon paine to be held as a common enemy, and to proceed against him with force.

Which answere the generall understanding, presently imbarked himselfe in the same boat, and came to the Jesus of Lubecke, and craved licence to speake with my father ; which at the first was denyed him, but upon the second intreatie Avas admitted to enter the ship, and to parley. The Spanish generall began to demand if there were warres betwixt England and Spaine ; who was an- swered, that his arrogant manner of proceeding, usurp- ing the queene his mistresses right, as much as in him lay, had given sufficient cause for breach of the peace, and that he purposed presently to give notice thereof to the queene and her counsell, and in the meane time, that he might depart. Whereunto the Spanish generall replyed, that he knew not any off'ence he had committed, and that he would be glad to know wherein he had misbehaved him-

•^ Probably derived from lucher un coup : to fire a shot.

38 Hawkins' voyage into

'^'^''^- '^'^ selfe. My father seeing lie pretended to escape by igno- rance, beganne to put him in mind of the custome of Spaine and Fraunce, and manj^ other parts, and tliat he could by no meanes be ignorant of that, which was common right to all princes in their kingdomes ; demanding, if a fleete of England should come into any port of Spaine (the kings majesties ships being present), if the Enghsh should carry their flags in the toppe, whether the Spanish would not shoot them downe; and if they persevered, if they would not beate them out of their port. The Spanish generall confessed his fault, pleaded ignorance not malice, and submitted himselfe to the penaltie my father would impose : but intreated, that their princes (through them) might not come to have any jarre. My father a while (as though offended), made himselfe hard to be intreated, but in the end, all was shut up by his acknowledgement, and the auncient amitie renewed, by feasting each other aboord and ashore. As also in Tlic sclf samc fleete, at their returne from Flaunders, passage. meeting with her majesties shippes in the Channell, though sent to accompany the aforesaid queene, was constrained during the time that they were with the English, to vayle their flagges, and to acknowledge that which all must doe that passe through the English seas.* But to our voyage.

SECTION XI.

CoMMiNG within the hayling of the hulke, wee demanded whence shee was ? AVhether shee was bound ? And what her loading ? Shee answered, that shee was of Denmarke,

* In those days the principle of " mare clausum" was acted upon ; now it is " mare liber uui" everywhere.

THE SOUTH SEA. 39

comming from Spaine, loaden with salt ; we willed her to strike her top-sayles, which shee did, and shewed us her charter-parties, and billes of loading, and then saluted us, as is the manner of the sea, and so departed.

SECTION XII.

The next day the wind became southerly, and somewhat too much, and my shipps being all deepe loaden, beganne to feel the tempest, so that wee not able to lye by it, neither a hull nor a try, and so with an easie sayle bare up before the Avind, with intent to put into Falmouth; but God was pleased that comming Avithin tenne leagues of Sylly, the wind vered to the north-east, and so we went on in our voyage.

Thwart of the Flees of Bayon,i wee met with a small ship of master Wattes, of London, called the Elizabeth, which came out of Plimouth some eyght dayes after us ; of whom wee enformed ourselves of some particularities, and wrote certaine letters to our friends, making relation of what had past till that day, and so tooke our farewell each of the other. The like we did with a small carvelP of Plimouth, which wee mett in the height of the rocke in Portingall.*

From thence wee directed our course to the ilands of Madera ; and about the end of June, in the sight of the ilands, we descryed a sayle some three leagues to the east- wards, and a league to windward of us, which by her manner of working, and making, gave us to understand,

1 Probably the islands that lie off Bayona, uear Vigo.

2 Carabela, (Spanish) a small vessel so called. ^ Still well known as the rock of Lisbon.

40 HAWKINS' VOYAGE INTO

•"^cct. :^ii- that shee was one of the kings frigatts ; for shee was long and snugg, and spread a large clewe, and standing to the west-wards, and wee to the east-wards to recover her wake, when we cast about, shee beganne to vere shete, and to goe away lasking ;■* and within two glasses, it was plainely scene that shee went from us, and so we followed on our course, and shee seeing that, presently stroke her top- sayles, which our pynace perceiving, and being \^ithin shot continued the chase, till I shot off a peece and called her away; which fault many runne into, thinking to get thereby, and sometimes loose themselves by being too bold to venture from their fleete ; for it was impossible for us, being too leeward, to take her, or to succour our owne, shee being a ship of about two hundreth tunnes. The dutie of Aud pvuaces to meddle with ships, is to buv repentance

pyuaccs. ■*■ *' ■■- </ i

at too deare a rate. For their office is, to wayte upon then* fleete, in calmes (with their oares) to follow a chase, and in occasions to anchor neere the shore, when the greater ships cannot, without perill; above all, to be readie and obedient at every call. Yet will I not, that any wrest my meaning; neither say I, that a pynace, or small ship armed, may not take a great ship unarmed; for daily experience teacheth us the contrary.'^ The Miuieia ^hc Madcra Hands are two : the greater, called La Madera, and the other, Porto Santo; of great fertilitie, and rich in sugar, conserves, wine, and sweet wood, whereof they take their name. Other commodities they yeeld, but these are the principall. The chiefe towne and port is on the souther side of the Madera, well fortified; they are subject to the kingdome of Portingall; the inhabitants and garrison all Portingalles.

* With the wind abeam.

* Although Sir Richard thinks it necessary to hokl such prudent language, we have little doubt he was just the man to attempt to take a large ship armed or unarmed, in a " pynace."

THE SOUTH SEA. 41

The third of July, we past along the Hands of Canaria, ^'^''^- ^"- which have the name of a kinardome, and containe these canmie

~ ' lianas.

seaven ilands ; Grand Canaria, Tenerifa^ Palma, Gomera, Lancerota, Forteventura, and Fierro. These ilands have abundance of wine, sugar, conserves, orcall,^ pitch, iron, and other commodities, and store of cattell, and corne, but that a certaine worme, called gorgosho, breedeth in it. Gorges i>o. which eateth out the substance, lea^dng the huske in manner whole. The head iland, where the justice, which they call Audiencia, is resident, and whither all sutes have their appealation and finall sentence, is the grand Canaria, although the Tenerifa is held for the better and richer iland, and to have the best sugar; and the wine of the Palma is reputed for the best. The pitch of these ilands melteth not with the sunne, and therefore is proper for the higher works of shipping. Betwixt Forteventura and Lancerota is a goodly sound, fit for a meeting place for any fleete ; where is good anchoring and aboundance of many sorts of fish. There is water to be had in most of these ilands, but with great vigilance. For the natiiralls of them are venturous and hardie, and many times chme up and downe the steepe rockes and broken hills, which seeme impossible, which I would hardly have beleeved, had I not scene it, and that with the greatest art and igilitie that may be. Their armes, for the most part, are liunces of nine or ten foote, with a head of a foote and hilfe long, like unto boare-spears, save that the head is sonewhat more broad.

Two things are famous in these ilands, the Pike of Tcierifa, which is the highest land in my judgement that I lave scene, and men of credit have told they have seeiiB it more than fortie leagues ofF.^ It is like unto ^onof^"'^' a su^-ar loafe, and continually covered with snow, and

*> O'cliilla — a lichen yielding a purple dye.

'^ Tie latest measurement, l)y Captain Yidal, R.N., makes the height of the ^eak 12,.370 feet.

42 HAWKINS^ VOYAGE INTO

_f^J^ placed in the middest of a goodly A^allie, most fertile, and temperate round about it. Out of wliich, going up to the Pike, the colde is so great, that it is insufferable, and going downe to the townes of the iland, the heate seemeth most extreame, till they approach neere the coast. The other

Kerro?^'" is a tree in the iland of Fierro, which some write and afiirme, with the dropping of his leaves, to give water for the sustenance of the whole iland, which I have not scene, although I have beene on shoare on the iland ;^ but those which have scene it, have recounted this mysterie differ- ently to that which is written ; in this manner : that this tree is placed in the bottome of a valley, ever florishing with broad leaves, and that round about it are a multitude of goodly high pynes, which over-top it, and as it seemeth were planted by the divine providence to preserve it fi'om sunne and wind. Out of this valley ordinarily rise every day great vapours and exhalations, wliich by reason that the sunne is hindered to worke his operation, with the heighte of the mountaines towards the south-east, convert themselves into moysture, and so bedewe all the trees of the valley, and from those which over-top this tree, drops down the dewe upon his leaves, and so from his leaves into a round well of stone, which the naturalls of the land have made to receive the water, of which the people and cattle have great reliefe ; but sometimes it raineth, and then th3 inhabitants doe reserve water for many days to come, h their cisternes and tynaxes,^ which is that they drinke »f, and wherewith they principally sustaine themselves.

The citty of the Grand Canaria, and chiefe port, is on the west side of the iland; the head towne and poic of Tenerifa is towards the south part, and the port and tcwne of the Palma and Gomera, on the east side.

8 The old voyagers were fond of dealing in the marvellou ; our author is singularly free from this defect. •

9 We cannot trace the meaning of this word, unless it be : closed vessel, derived from the Anglo-Saxon tyrian — to close. At lermuda all the drinking Mater is preserved in tanks.

THE SOUTH SEA. 43

111 Gomera, some three leagues south-ward from the *''^'^^'- '""■

townej is a great river of watei% but all these ilands are perilous to land in, for the seege^'^ caused by the ocean sea, which always is forcible, and requireth great circumspec- tion ; whosoever hath not urgent cause, is either to goe to the east-wards, or the west-wards of all these ilands, as well to avoyd the calmes, which hinder sometimes eight or ten dayes sayling, as the contagion which their distem- perature is wont to cause, and with it to breed calenturas, which wee call burning fevers. These ilands are savd to The first

** discoverers

be first discovered by a Frenchman, called John de Betan- onhe^e

'' ' Hands.

court, about the year 1-105.^' They are now a kingdome subject to Spaine.

SECTION XIII.

Being cleare of the ilands, wee directed our course for Cape Black,^ and two liowres before suiine set, we had sight of a carvell some league in the winde of us, which seemed to come from Gynea, or the ilands of Cape de Verde, and for that hee, which had the sery-watch,- neglected to look out, being to lee-ward of the ilands, and so out of hope of sight of any shipp, for the little trade and contrariety of the winde, that though a man will, from few places hee can recover the ilands. Comming from the south-wards, Avee had the winde of her, and perhaps the possession also, whereof men of warre are to have particular care ; for in Note. an houre and place milookt for, many times chance acci-

10 Fiu-ther on written " sedge," surf (J)

11 The Fortunate islands were known before they were conquered by MM. Bethencourt, in the sixteenth century.

^ Although the diiiereuce between black and toliite be great, we think Cape Blanco is meant. 2 Probably the evening watch.

44 HAWKINS' VOYAGE INTO

Sect. xiii.

dents contrary to the ordinary course and custome; and to have yoimkers in the top continually^ is most convenient and necessary, not onely for descrying of sayles and land, but also for any sudden gust or occasion that may be offered.^ Exercises Seeing my selfe past hope of returning backe, without of'th'"'^'^*^* some extraordinary accident, I beganne to set in order my countries, companic and victuals. And for that to the south- wards of the Canaries is for the most part an idle navigation, I devised to keepe my people occupied, as well to continue them in health (for that too much ease in hott countries is neither profitable nor healthfuU), as also to divert them from remembrance of their home, and from play, which breedeth many inconveniences, and other bad thoughts and workes which idleness is cause of;'* and so shifting my companie, as the custome is, into starboord and larboord men, the halfe to watch and Avorke whilest the others slept and take rest; I limited the three dayes of the weeke, wliich appertayned to each, to be imploied in this manner; the one for the use and clensing of then* armes, the other for roomeging, making of sayles, nettings, decking,^ and defences for our shippes ; and the third, for clensing their bodies, mending and making their apparell,and necessaries, which though it came to be practised but once in seaven dayes, for that the Sabboth is ever to be reserved for God alone, with the ordinary obhgation which each person had besides, was many times of force to be omitted. And thus wee entertained our time with a fayi'e wind, and in few

3 This has become a standing order in the service. Many a good prize has been made by sending a mast head man up before daylight. * Most of us are familiar with Dr. Watts' lines, —

" For Satan finds some mischief still For idle hands to do."

5 Covering — the deck so called because it covers in the ship — ctilierta (Spanish).

THE SOUTH SEA. 45

dayes had sight of the land of Barbary, some dozen ^^^t^H^ leagues to the northwards of Cape Blacke.

Before wee came to the Cape, wee tooke in our sayles, and made preparation of hookes and lines to fish. For in all that coast is great abundance of sundry kinds of fish, but especially of porgus, which we call breames; many Portingalls and Spaniards goe yearely thither to fish, as oui' country-men to the New-found-land, and within Cape Blacke have good harbour for reasonable shipping, where they dry their fish, paying a certaine easie tribute to the kings collector. In two houres wee tooke store of fish for that day and the next, but longer it would not keepe goode : and ^dtli this refreshing set sayle again, and directed oiu* course betwixt the ilands of Cape de Verd cape deVeij and the Maine. These ilands are held to be scituate in one of the most unhealthiest climates of the world, and therefore it is wisedome to shunne the sight of them, how much more to make abode in them.

In two times that I have beene in them, either cost us Theunwhoi-

somuesse

the one lialfe of om" people, with fevers and fluxes of *'^'*'°*- sundry kinds; some shaking, some burning, some par- taking of both; some possesst with frensie, others with sloath, and in one of them it cost me six moneths sick- nesse, with no small hazard of life ; which I attribute to the distemperature of the ayre, for being within fourteene degrees of the equinoctiall lyne, the sunne hath great force all the yeare, and the more for that often they passe, two, three, and four yeares mthout rayne ; and many times the earth burneth in that manner as a man well shodd, can- not endure to goe where the sunne shineth.

With which extreame heate the bodie fatigated, greedily The heate. desireth refreshing, and longeth the comming of the breze, which is the north-east winde, that seldome fayleth The breze. in the after-noone at foure of the clocke, or sooner ; which comming cold and fresh, and finding the poores of the

46 Hawkins' voyage into

Sect. XIII.

body open^ and (for the most part) naked, penetratetli the very bones, and so causeth sudden distemperature, and sundry manners of sicknesse, as tlie subjects are divers whereupon they worke.

Departing out of the calmes of the ilands, and comming into the fresh breeze, it causeth the like, and I have scene within two dayes after that we have partaked of the fresh ayre, of two thousand men, above a hundred and fiftie have beene crazed in their health. Theremedie. rpj^g inhabitants of thesc ilands use a remedie for this, which at my first being amongst them, seemed unto me ridiculous ; but since, time and experience hath taught to be grounded upon reason. And is, that upon their heads they weare a night-capp, upon it a montero,^ and a hat over that, and on their bodies a sute of thicke cloth, and upon it a gowne, furred or lyned with cotton, or bayes, to defend them from the heate in that manner, as the in- habitants of cold countries, to guard themselves from the extreamitie of the colde. Which doubtlesse, is the best diligence that any man can use, and whosoever prooveth it, shall find himselfe lesse annoyed with the heate, then if he were thinly cloathed, for that where the cold awe commeth, it peirceth not so subtilly. encVofth'e The moouc also in this climate, as in the coast of Guyne, countries and in all hott countries, hath forcible operation in the body of man; and therefore, as the plannet most pre- judiciall to his health, is to be shunned; as also not to sleepe in the open ayre, or with any scuttle or window open, whereby the one or the other may enter to hm-t.

For a person of credit told me, that one night, in a river of Guyne, lea\dng his window open in the side of his cabin, the moone shining upon his shoulder, left him with such an extraordinary paine and fimous burning in it, as

6 Montera — a species of hat worn in Spain.

THE SOUTH SEA. 47

in above twentie hoiires, he was like to runne madden but ^''''^-

in fine, with force of medicines and ciu'es, after long tor- ment, lie was eased.

Some I have heard say, and others wi'ite, that there is a starre which never seperateth it self from the moone, but a small distance ; which is of all starres the most beneficiall to man.^ For where this starre entreth with the moone, it maketh voyde her hurtfull enfluence, and where not, it is most perilous. Which, if it be so, is a notable secret of the di^ine Providence, and a speciall cause amongst infinite others, to move us to continuall thankesgi\ing ; for that he hath so extraordinarily compassed and fenced us fi'ora infinite miseries, his most unworthie and ungratefull creatures.

Of these ilands are two pyles :^ the one of them lyeth out of the way of trade, more westerly, and so little fre- quented ; the other lyeth some fourscore leagues from the mayne, and containeth six in number, to wit : Saint lago, Fuego, Mayo, Bonavisto, Sal, and Bravo.

They are belonging to the kingdome of Portingall, and inhabited by people of that nation, and are of great trade, by reason of the neighbour-hood they have with Guyne and Bynne f but the principall is the buying and selling of negroes. They have store of sugar, salt, rice, cotton wool, and cotton-cloth, amber-greece, cyvit, oliphants teeth, brimstone, pummy stone, spunge, and some gold, but little, and that from the mayne.

Saint lago is the head iland, and hath one citie and two Saintiago. townes, with their ports. The cittie called Saint lago, whereof the iland hath his name, hath a garrison, and two fortes, scituated in the bottome of a pleasant valley, with a running streame of water passing through the middest of

7 We apprehend the whole of this story to be " moonshine." ^ Groups. 9 Coast of Guinea and Bight of Benin.

4B HAWKINS^ VOYAGE INTO

^'"'^' '""• it^ whether the rest of the Hands come for justice, being the seat of the Audiencia, with his bishop.

The other townes are Playa, some three leagues to the eastwards of Saint lago^ placed on high, with a goodly- bay, whereof it hath liis name; and Saint Domingo, a small towne within the land. They are on the souther part of the iland, and have beene sacked sundry times in anno 1582, by Manuel Serades, a Portingall, with a fleete

Sacked by

Manuel se- of French-mcn : m anno 1585, they were both burnt to

rades, Sir ' . .

Drake^aud ^^^ grouud by the English, Sir Francis Drake being lhyriey.'°"^ generall ; and in anno 1596, Saint lago was taken and sacked by the English, Sir Anthony Shyrley being generall.^" Fuego. The second iland is Fuego ; so called, for that day and

night there burneth in it a vulcan, whose flames in the night are scene twentie leagues oif in the sea. It is by nature fortified in that sort, as but by one way is any ac- cesse, or entrance into it, and there cannot goe up above two men a brest. The bread which they spend in these ilands, is brought from Portingall and Spaine, saving that which they make of rice, or of mayes, which wee call Guynne-wheate. Bravo. The best watering is in the ile of Bravo, on the west part of the iland, where is a great river, but foule anchor- ing, as is in all these ilands, for the most part. The fruits are few, but substantiall, as palmitos, plantanos, patatos, and coco-nutts. Ti.e Paimiio Thc palmito is like to the date tree, and as I thinke a

10 From the account in Lediard, it appears that Sir A. Shyrley failed in his object ; but he deserves credit for effecting a safe retreat to his ships in the face of a superior force. The expedition under Sir F. Drake was successful. It is curious to notice how the titles of military rank have changed since those days. The troops were com- manded by Christopher Carlisle, an experienced offi<;er ; under him Captain A. Powel, Serc/eant Major ; Captain M. Moi'gan, and Captain J. Sampson, Corporals of the field. (See p. 17, line 26.)

THE SOUTH SEA. 49

kinde of it, but wilde. In all parts of Afrique and '^'^'

America they are found, and in some parts of Europe, and in divers parts different. In Afrique, and in the West Indies they are small, that a man may cut them with a knife, and the lesser the better : but in Brazill, they are so great, that with difl&cultie a man can fell them with an axe, and the greater the better ; one foote within the top is profitable, the rest is of no value ; and that which is to be eaten is the pith, Avhich in some is better, in some ' worse. '^

The plantane is a tree found in most parts of Afriqiie '^,^„(^„p and America, of which two leaves are sufficient to cover a man from top to toe. It beareth fruit but once, and then dryeth away, and out of his roote sprouteth up others, new. In the top of the tree is his fruit, which groweth in a great bunch, in the forme and fashion of puddings, in some more, in some lesse. I have scene in one bunch above foiu'e hundred plantanes, which have weighed above foure- score pound waight. They are of divers proportions, some great, some lesser, some round, some square, some triangle, most ordinarily of a spanne long, with a thicke skinne, that peeleth easily from the meate ; which is either white or yellow, and very tender like butter, but no conserve is better, nor of a more pleasing taste. For I never have scene any man to whom they have bred mis-like, or done hurt with eating much of them, as of other fruites.^'^

The iDCst are those which ripen naturally on the tree, but in most partes they cut them off in braimches, and hange them up in their houses, and eate them as they ripe. For

12 The terminal bud of the areca or cabbage palm, when boiled, makes a delicate dish.

12 This is a most valuable production : we believe it bears, on the same area, a greater weight of food than any other vegetable. The fruit of the plantain, Jlusa sapienium, is chiefly eaten cooked. The banana, Mtisa faradisiaca, is eaten raw. There are many species, almost all excellent.

50 HAWKINS^ VOYAGE INTO

'^'"'^- •^"'- the birds and vermine presently in ripning on the tree, are feeding on them. The best that I have seene are in Brasill,

piacmitia. jn ^u iland called Placentia, which are small, and round, and greene when they are ripe; whereas the others in ripning become yellow. Those of the West Indies and Guynne are great, and one of them sufficient to satisfie a man ; the onely fault they have is, that they arc windie. In some places they eate them in stead of bread, as in Panama, and other parts of Tierra Firme. They grow and prosper best when their rootes are ever covered with water; they are excellent in conserve, and good sodden in different manners, and dried on the tree, not inferior to suckett.^*

Md tbeh'''' ^^® ^^^^ ^^^^ ^^ ^ ^^'^^* ^^ ^^^^ fasliion of a hassell nutt, kindes. 1^^^^ ^1^^^ ^^ ^g ^g bigge as an ordinary bowle, and some are

greater. It hath two shells, the uttermost framed (as it were) of a multitude of threeds, one layd upon another, with a greene skinne over-lapping them, which is soft and thicke ; the innermost is like to the shell of a hassell nutt in all proportion, saving that it is greater and thicker, and some more blacker. In the toppe of it is the forme of a munkies face, with two eyes, his nose, and a mouth. It containeth in it both meate and drinke ; the meate white as milke, and hke to that of the kernell of a nutt, and as good as almonds blaucht, and of great quantitie : the water is cleare, as of the fountaine, and pleasing in taste, and somewhat answereth that of the water distilled of milke. Some say it hath a singular propertie in nature for con- serving the smoothnesse of the skinne ; and therefore in Spaine and Portingall, the curious dames doe ordinarily wash their faces and necks with it. If the holes of the shell be kept close, they keepe foure or six moneths good, and more ; but if it be opened, and the water kept in the shell, in few dayes it turneth to ^ineger.

1* &'uccad€ — preserved citron.

THE SOUTH SEA. 51

They grow upon high trees, which have no boughes ; ^'^'^^ ''"'• onely in the top they have a great cap of leaves, and under them groweth the fruite upon certaine twigs. And some aflSi'me that they beare not fi'uite before they be above fortie yeares okl, they are in all things like to the palme trees, and grow in many parts of Asia, Aft'ique, and America.^^ The shels of these nuts are much esteemed for drinking cups, and much cost and labour is bestowed upon them in carving, graving, and garnishing them, with silver, gold, and precious stones.

In the kingdome of Chile, and in Brasill, is another kinde of these, which they call coquillos, (as wee may interpret, little cocos) and are as big as wal-nuts ; but round and smooth, and grow in great clusters ; the trees in forme are all one, and the meate in the nut better, but they have no water.

Another kinde of great cocos groweth in the Andes of Peru, which have not the delicate meate nor drinke, which the others have, but within are full of almonds^ which are placed as the graines in the pomegrannet, being three times bigger then those of Europe, and are much like them in tast.

In these ilands are cyvet-cats, which are also found in Cyvetcatts. parts of Asia, and Afrique; esteemed for the civet they yeelde, and carry about them in a cod in their hinder parts, which is taken from them by force.

In them also are store of monkies, and the best pro- Munkeyes. portioned that I have scene; and parrots, but of colour different to those of the West Indies ; for they are of a Parrots. russet or gray colour, and great speakers.

15 The cocoa nut palm is too well known to need description. All its parts are applied by the natives to innvimerable uses. Few visitors to tropical countries but have been refreshed by a draught of cocoa nut water ; always preserved cool by the thick husk.

'^ \)

53 Hawkins' voyage into

SECTION XIV.

'''^"^ '"^\ With a faire and large winde we continued our course^ till we came Avitliin five degrees of the equinoctiall lyne, where the winde tooke us contrary by the south-west, about the twentie of Julie, but a fayre gale of wind and a smooth sea^ so that wee might beare all a taunt :i and to advantage ourselves what wee might, wee stoode to the east-wards, being able to lye south-east and by south. The next day about nine of the clocke, my companie being gathered together to serve God, which wee accustomed to doe every morning and evening, it seemed unto me that the coulour of the sea was different to that of the daies past, and which is ordinarily where is deepe water; and so calling the captaine, and master of my ship, I told them that to my seeming the water was become very whitish, and that it made sliewe of sholde water. Whereunto they made answere, that all the lynes in our shippes could not fetch ground : for wee could not be lesse then threescore and tenne leagues off the coast, which all that kept reckoning in the ship agreed upon, and my selfe was of the same opinion. And so wee applyed ourselves to serve God, but all the time that the service endiu-ed, my heart could not be at rest, and still me thought the water beganne to waxe whiter and whiter. Our prayers ended, I commanded a lead and a lyne to be brought, and heaving the lead in fomteene fathoms, wee had ground, which put us all into a maze, and sending men into the toppe, presently dis- covered the land of Guynne, some five leagues from us, very low land. I commanded a peece to be shott, and lay by the lee, till my other shippes came up. Which hay ling us, wee demanded of them how farre they found them-

1 All sail set — at present its signification is confined to a vessel rigged and ready for sea.

THE SOUTH SEA. 53

selves off the land ; who answered, some threescore and tenne, or fourescore leagues : when wee told them wee had sounded and found but foureteene fathomes, and that we were in sight of land, they began to wonder. But having consulted what was best to be done, I caused my shalop to be manned, which I towed at the sterne of my ship continually, and sent her and my pynace a head to sound, and followed them with an easie sayle, till we came in seaven and six fathome water, and some two leagues from the shore anchored, in hope by the sea, or by the land to find some refreshing. The sea w^e found to be barren of fish, and my boates could not discover any land- ing place, though a whole day they had rowed alongst the coast, with great desire to set foote on shore, for that the sedge was exceeding great and dangerous. Which ex- perienced, wee set sayle, notwithstanding the contrarietie of the winde, sometimes standing to the west-wards, some- time to the east-wards, according to the shifting of the wind.

SECTION XV.

Here is to be noted, that the error Avhich we fell into in Note. om* accompts, was such as all men fall into where are cur- rants that set east or west, and are not knowne ; for that there is no certaine rule yet practised for triall of the longitude, as there is of the latitude, though some curious and experimented of our nation, with whom I ha^^e had conference about this poynt, have shewed me two or three manner of wayes how to know it.'

1 It is still the custom to attribute all similar discordancies to the effect of current. This is a simple if not very philosophical mode of making the reckoning agree with observation. In this case, probably both the reckoning of the ship and the position of the land on the chart were faulty.

Sect. XV.

54 HAWKINS' VOYAGE INTO

This, some years before, was the losse of the Edward Ih^Edward Cotton, bound for the coast of Erasill, which taken with Cotton. ^jjg winde contrary neere the hTie, standing to the east- wards, and making accompt to be fiftie or sixtie leagues off the coast, with all her sayles standing, came suddenly a ground upon the sholes of Madre-bomba, and so was cast away, though the most part of their company saved them- selves upon raffes ; but with the contagion of the countrie, and bad entreatie which the negros gave them, they died; so that there returned not to their country above three or foure of them.

But God Almightie dealt more mercifully with us, in shewing us our error in the day, and in time that wee might remedie it ; to him be evermore glory for all.

This currant from the line equinoctiall, to twentie de- grees northerly, hath great force, and setteth next of any thing east, directly upon the shore ; which we found by this meanes : standing to the westwards, the wind southerly, when we lay with our ships head west, and by south, we gayned in our heith^ more then if wee had made our way good west south-west ; for that, the currant tooke us under the bow ; but lying west, or west and by north, we lost more in twelve houres then the other way we could get in foure and twentie. By which plainly we saw, that the currant did set east next of any thing. Whether this currant runneth ever one way, or doth alter, and how, we could by no meanes understand, but tract of time and ob- servation will discover this, as it hath done of many others in sundiy seas.

The ciu'rant that setteth betrnxt New-found-land and Spaine, runneth also east and west, and long time deceived many, and made some to count the way longer, and others shorter, according as the passage was speedie or slowe ; not

- The term height is used for latitude ; probably because the pole star was the principal object used to detci'minc position.

THE SOUTH SEA. 55

knowing that the furtherance or hinderance of the currant *^'^''* ^''■ was cause of the speeding or flowing of the way. And in sea cardes I have scene diff'erence of above thirtie leagues betwixt the iland Tercera, and the mayne. And others have recounted unto me^ that comming from the India's, and looking out for the ilands of Azores, they have had sight of Spaine. And some have looked out for Spaine, and have discovered the ilands.

The selfe same currant is in the Levant sea, but runneth trade betwixt the maynes, and changeable sometimes to the east-wards, sometimes to the west-wards.

In Brasill and the South sea, the currant likewise is changeable, but it runneth ever alongst the coast, ac- companying the winde : and it is an infallible rule, that twelve or twentie foure houres before the winde alters, the currant begins to change.

In the West Indies onely the currant runneth con- tinually one way, and setteth alongst the coast from the equinoctiall lyue towards the north. No man hath yet found that these coiu'rants keepe any certaine time, or run so many dayes, or moneths, one way as another, as doth the course of ebbing and flowing, well knowne in all seas ; only neere the shore they have small force ; partly, because of the reflux which the coast causeth, and partly for the ebb- ing and flowing, which more or lesse is generall in most seas.^

When the currant runneth north or south, it is easily discovered by augmenting or diminishing the height ; but how to know the setting of the currant from east to west in the mayne sea, is difficult ; and as yet I have not knowne any man, or read any authour, that hath prescribed any certaine meane or way to discover it.'' But experience

s The current in the West Indies, known as the Gulf stream, still runs to the nol'thward through the Gulf of Florida, and then trending to the eastward, expends its force in the Atlantic.

* At the present day, by the general use of chronometers, the longitude can be determined with almost as great facility as the latitude.

Sect. XVI

56 HAWKINS^ VOYAGE INTO

teaclietli tliat in the mayne sea, for the most part, it is va- riable j and therefore the best and safest rule to prevent the danger (which the uncertainty and ignorance heereof may cause), is carefuU and continuall watch by day and night, and upon the east and west course ever to bee before the shipp, and to use the meanes possible to know the errour, by the rules which newe authours may teach ; beating off and on, somtimes to the west-wards, sometimes to the east- wards, with a fayre gale of winde.

SECTION XVI.

Thescurvey. Being bctwixt thrcc Or foure degrees of the equinoctiall line, my company within a fewe dayes began to fall sicke, of a disease which sea-men are wont to call the scui'vey : and seemeth to bee a kind of dropsie, and raigneth most in this climate of any that I have heard or read of in the world; though in all seas it is wont to helpe and increase the miserie of man; it possesseth all those of which it taketh hold, with a loathsome sloathfulnesse, even to eate : they would be content to change their sleepe and rest, which is the most pernicious enemie in this sicknesse, that is knowne. It bringeth Tvith it a great desire to drink e, and causeth a generall swelling of all parts of the body, especially of the legs and gums, and many times the teeth fall out of the jawes without paine.

Thesigiies. Tho sigucs to kuow this disease in the beginning are divers: by the swelling of the gummes, by denting of the flesh of the leggs with a mans finger, the pit remayning without filling up in a good space. Others show it with their lasinesse : others complaine of the cricke of the backe, etc., all which are, for the most part, certaine tokens of infection.

THE SOUTH SEA. 57

The cause of this sicknes some attribute to sloath ; some '^''"^

to conceite ; and divers men speake diversly : that which i'"^ <^^^^'^- I have observed is, that oui* nation is more subject unto it then any other; because being bred in a temperate clymate, where the naturall heate restraynedj giveth strength to the stomacke, sustayning it with meates of good nourishment, and that in a wholesome ayre ; whereas comming into the hot countries (where that naturall heate is dispersed through the whole body, which was wont to be proper to the sto- mache ; and the meates for the most part preserved with salt, and its substance thereby diminished, and many times corrupted) , greater force for digestion is now requii-ed then in times past ; but the stomache finding less virtue to doe his office, in reparting to each member his due proportion in perfection, which either giveth it rawe, or remayneth with it indigested by his hardnes or cruditie, infeebleth the body, and maketh it imlusty and unfit for any thing ; for the stomache being strong (though all parts els be weake), there is ever a desire to feede, and aptnes to perform what- soever can be required of a man; but though all other members be strong and sound, if the stomache be opprest, or squemish, all the body is unlustie, and unfit for any thing, and yeeldeth to nothing so readily as sloathfulnes, which is confirmed by the common answere to all ques- tions : as, will you eate ? will you sleepe ? will you walke ? will you play ? The answere is, I have no stomache : which is as much as to say, no, not willingly : thereby con- firming, that without a sound and whole stomache, nothing can bee well accomplished, nor any sustenance well di- gested.'

■ The cause of scurvy is now known to be, the use for a long period of one diet, and that unwholesome. Since greater attention has been paid to the proper admixture of articles of food, and also to the clean- liness and ventilation of the vessel, this disease has nearly disappeared.

Sect. XVI.

58 HAWKINS' VOYAGE INTO

The seething of the meate in salt water, helpeth to cause Seething of this infirmitie, which in lonsi; vovaff^s can hardly be avoyded:

meat in salt ^ o J o J J

water. |j^^^ j£ ^^ ^^^^ ^^^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ l^g sliunncd ; for the water of the

o°victuaii" ^^^ ^^ man's body is very unwholesome. The corruption

of the victuals, and especially of the bread, is very per-

vapours of uicious ; tlic vapours and ayre of the sea also is nothing

the sea. 7 . .

profitable, especially in these hot countries, where are many calmes. And were it not for the mo^dng of the sea by the force of windes, tydes, and currants, it would corrupt all the world.

The experience I saw in anno 1590, lying with a fleete

Azores. of her majesties ships about the ilands of the Azores, almost six moneths ; the greatest part of the time we were becalmed : with which all the sea became so replenished with several sorts of gellyes, and formes of serpents, adders, and snakes, as seemed wonderfull : some greene, some blacke, some yellow, some white, some of divers coulours ; and many of them had life, and some there were a yard and halfe, and two yards long ; which had I not scene, I could hardly have beleeved. And hereof are witnesses all the companies of the ships which were then present; so that hardly a man could draw a buckett of water cleere of some corruption.^ In which voyage, towards the end thereof, many of every ship (saving of the Nonpereil, which was under my charge, and had onely one man sicke in all the voyage), fell sicke of this disease, and began to die apace, but that the speedie passage into our country was

Ti>e ^. remedie to the crazed, and a preservative for those that were

remedies. ' ■■■

not touched. The best prevention for this disease (in my judgement) is to kecpe cleane the sliippe; to besprinkle her

2 " The very deep did rot ! That ever this should be ! Yea slimy things did crawl with legs Upon the slimy sea." Ancient Mar inSr. — Coleridge.

THE SOUTH SEA. 59

ordinarily with vineger, or to burne tarre, and some sweet ^'''^^-

savoLu-s; to feed upon as few salt meats in the hot country as may be; and especially to shnnne all kindes of salt fish, and ^^ ''^"' to reserve them for the cold climates ; and not to dresse any meate with salt water, nor to suffer the companie to wash their shirts nor cloathes in it, nor to sleepe in tlieu* cloaths when they are wett. For this cause it is necessarily requii'ed, that provision be made of apparell for the com- pany, that they may have wherewith to shift themselves ; By suift. being a common calamitie amongst the ordinary sort of mariners, to spend their thrift on the shore, and to bring to sea no more cloaths then they have backes. For the bodie of man is not refreshed with any thing more then with shifting cleane cloaths ; a great preservative of health in hott countries.

The second antidote is, to keepe the companie occupied in some bodily exercise of worke, of agilitie, of pastimes, of Hj labour. dauncing, of use of armes ; these helpeth much to banish this infirmitie. Thirdly, in the morning, at discharge of By. «'a'"iy

•J ' ^' o oatins and

the watch, to give every man a bit of bread, and a draught ''"'"'''"f^ of drinke, either beere or wine mingled with water (at the least, the one lialfe), or a quantitie mingled with beere, that the pores of the bodie may be full, when the vapours of the sea ascend up.^

The morning draught should be ever of the best and choysest of that in the ship. Pui'e wine I hold to be more hurtfull then the other is profitable. In this, others will be of a contrary opinion, but I tliinke partiall. If not, then leave I the remedies thereof to those physitions and surgeons who have experience ; and I wish that some learned man would write of it, for it is the plague of the sea, and the spoyle of mariners. Doubtlesse, it would be a

3 It forms part of a naval surgeon's instructions, that in tropical countries, when the crew are likely to be employed on shore, each is to take a morning draught of spirits or wine, with bark infused.

60 HAWKINS' VOYAGE INTO

^"'^^ -'^"- meritorious worke with God and man, and most beneficiall for our countrie ; for in twentie yeares, since that I have used the sea^ I dare take upon me to give accompt of ten thousand men consumed Avith this disease.

By sower That which I have scene most fruitfull for this sicknesse,

oriaiiges •'

and lemons, jg gowcr oraugcs aud lemmons/ and a water which amongst

others (for my particular provision) I carryed to the sea.

By Doctor called Dr. Stevens his water, of wliich, for that his vertue

Stevens ' '

water. ^^^ ^^^ then wcll kuoAvuc unto me, I carryed but little, and it tooke end quickly, but gave health to those that used it.

By ojie of Thc oylc of vitry^ is beneficiall for this disease ; taking two drops of it, and mingled in a di'aught of water, with a little sugar. It taketh aAvay the thirst, and helpeth to dense and comfort the stomache. But the principall of

o/the^i^nd^ all, is the ayre of the land ; for the sea is naturall for fishes, and the land for men. And the oftener a man can have his people to land, not hindering his voyage, the better it is, and the profitablest course that he can take to refresh them.^

* The scurvy is not peculiar to seamen. It raged with great violence during the siege of Gibralter. Oranges and lemons were found of great benefit in arresting the disease. Lime juice has been long a fixed article of diet in men-of-war, and lately merchant vessels are compelled to carry it as an article of provision.

5 Oil of vitriol or sulphuric acid.

6 In the year 1776, the Royal Society awarded their gold medal to Captain James Cook, for a paper on " Preserving the health of the crew of her majesty's Resolution, <Src." Captain Cook considers that much was owing to the extraordinary care taken by the admiralty in causing such articles to be put on board, as by experience or conjecture were judged to be useful. But he adds, that the introduction of the most salutary ai'ticles will prove vmsuccessful, unless supported by certain rules. The men being at three watches, except on emergency, were consequently less exposed to the weather, and generally had dry clothes to shift themselves. Care was taken to keep their persons and clothes clean and dry. A fire was often burned in the well. The coppers were kept clean, and no fat allowed to be given to thc people. Fresh water was obtained at every opportunity. Few places but what oftered some refreshment, and example and authority were not wanting to induce

THE SOUTH SEA. 61

SECTION XVII.

Having stood to the westwards some hundreth leagues and ^«<=*- ^^"•

more, and tlie Avind continuing; with us contrarie, and the Thecom-

" pauy sicke

sicknesse so fervent, that every day there dyed more or ^^^^^' lesse, — my companie in generall began to dismay, and to desire to returne homewards, which I laboured to hinder by good reasons and perswasions; as that to the West Indies Ave had not above eight hundreth leagues, to the ilands of Azores little lesse, and before we came to the ilands of Cape de Verde, that we should meete with tlie breze ; for every night we might see the reach goe contrary to the winde which wee sayled by; verifying the old proverbe amongst mariners, — that he hath need of a long mast, that Avill sayle by the reach : and that the neerest land and speediest refreshing we could look for, was the coast of Brasill ; and that standing towards it with the wind we had, we shortned oirr way for the Indies ; and that to put all the sicke men together in one shippe, and to send her home, was to make her their grave. For we could spare but few sound men, who were also subject to fall sicke, and the misery, notwithstanding, remedilesse. With which they were convinced, and remayned satisfied. So leaAdng all to their choyse, with the consideration of what I per- swaded, they resolved, with me, to continue our com^se, till that God was pleased to looke upon us with his Fatherly eyes of mercie.

As we approached neerer and neerer the coast of Brasill, Brasiii. the wind began to vere to the east-Avardes; and about the

their being employed. These methods, under Divine Providence, en- abled the Resolution to complete a A'oyage of three years and eighteen days with the loss of only one man by disease.

We may remark that our author seems to have been fully alive to the importance of caring for the health of his company, and it is not improbable that Cook benefited by some of his suggestions.

62 Hawkins' voyage into

^^"*- ^^"- middle of October, to be large and good for us ; and about Cape s. tbe 18tli of October, we were thwart of Cape Saint Aueus-

Augustiiie. ' i o

tine, which lyeth in sixe degrees to the southwards of the Faniambuca lyuc ; and thc twcuty-oue in the height of Farnambuca, but some fourscore leagues from the coast ; the twentie foure in the height of Bayea de Todos Santos ; neere the end of October, betwixt seventeen and eighteen degrees, we were in sixteen fathomes, sounding of the great sholes, w^hich lye alongst the coast, betwixt the bay of Todos Todos Santos, and the port of Santos, alias Pura Senora deVitoria;

Santos.

Pura de whicli are very perilous.^

Vitona. ^ ^

But the di^dne Providence hath ordayned great flockes of small birds, like snytes,^ to live upon the rockes and broken lands of these sholes, and are met with ordinarily twentie leagues before a man come in danger of them.

It shall not be amisse here to recount the accidents which befell us during this contrary winde, and the curiosities to be observed in all this time. Day and night we had continually a fayre gale of winde, and a smooth sea, without any alteration ; one day, the carpenters having

Dangers of calked tlic dcckc of our shippe, which the sunne with his extreame heate had opened, craved licence to heate a little pitch in the cook-roome ; which I would not consent unto

By heating bv any mcaues ; for that my cooke-roomes were under the

of pitch.

decke, knowing the danger; until the master undertooke that no danger should come thereof. But he recommended the charge to another, who had a better name then ex- perience. He suffered the pitch to rise, and to runne into the fire, which caused so fimous a flame as amazed him, and forced all to flie his heate. One of my company, with a double payre of gloves, tooke off the pitch-pot, but the fire forced him to let slip his hold-fast, before he could set it on the hearth, and so overtm'ned it, and as the pitch

7 Shoals called the Abrolhos. ^ Snytc for snipe.

THE SOUTH SEA. 63

began to runne, so the fire to enlarge it selfe, that in a '^^'''- -'^'" moment a great part of the shippe was on a light fire. I being in my cabin, presently imagined what the matter was, and for all the hast I could make, before I came the fire was above the decke : for remedie whereof, I com- manded all my companie to cast their rugge-gownes into the sea, with ropes fastened unto them. These I had pro- vided for my people to watch in; for in many hott countries the nights are fresh and colde ; and devided one gowne to two men, a starboord and a larboord man ; so that he which watched had ever the gowne : for they which watched not^ were either in their cabins, or under the decke, and so needed them not. The gownes being well soked, every man that could, tooke one, and assaulted the fire ; and al- though some were singed, others scalded, and many burned, God was pleased that the fire was quenched, which I thought impossible ; and doubtlesse, I never saw my selfe in greater perill in all the dayes of my life. Let all men take example by us, not to sufi'er, in any case, pitch to be heate in the ship, except it be with a shotte heate in the fire, which cannot breed daunger ; nor to permit fire to be kindled, but upon meere necessitie ; for the inconvenience thereof is for the most part remedilesse.^

With drinking of tobacco it is said, that the Roebucke By taking

" tobacco.

was burned in the range of Dartmouth.

The Primrose, of London, was fired with a candle, at Tilbery-hope, and nothing saved but her kele.

And another ship bound for Barbary, at Wapping.

The Jesus of Lubecke had her gunner-roome set on fire with a match, and had beene burnt without redemption, if that my father, Sir John Hawkins, knight, then generall

9 Heating pitch, and drawing off spirits in the hold, using a light, are the most common causes that lead to fire. Excluding the air is the best remedy, and no better device could have been hit upon than wett- ing the rug gowns.

Sect. XVII.

64 HAWKINS* VOYAGE INTO

in her, had not commaunded her sloppers^^ to be stopt, and By hooping ^ho meii to como to the pumpes, wherof shec had two which

and scuthng J- ^ '

oi caske. -^yent with ehaynes ; and plying them, in a moment there was three or foure inches of water upon the decke, which with scoopes, swahbles/' and platters, they threw upon the fire, and so quenched it, and delivered both ship and men out of no small danger.

Great care is to be had also in cleaving of wood, in hooping or scuttling^" of caske, and in any businesse where violence is to be used with instruments of iron, Steele, or stone : and especially in opening of powder, these are not to be used, but mallets of wood; for many mischances happen beyond all expectation.

I have beene credibly enformed by divers persons, that comming out of the Indies, with scuttling a butt of water, the water hath taken fire, and flamed up, and put all in hazard. And a servant of mine, Thomas Gray, told me, that in the shippe wherein he came out of the Indies, anno 1600, there happened the like; and that if with mantles they had not smothered the fire, they had bin all burned with a pipe of water, which in scuthng tooke fire.

Master John Hazlelocke reported, that in the arsenall of Venice happened the like, he being present. For mine

By nature of own part, I am of opinion, that some waters have this propertie, and especially such as have their passage by mines of brimstone, or other mineralls, which, as all men know, give extraordinary properties unto the waters by which they runne. Or it may be that the water being in

10 Holes in the ship's side to carry off the water. The term now in use is scupper : slopper ajipears to be as good a word.

11 Swabs are a species of mop, made of a collection of rope yarns, used to dry the deck. JSwebban— (Anglo-Saxon) to sweep.

12 To scuttle — to make openings. Escotilla (Spanish), is applied to the openings in the deck, called by us hatch-ways. The term scuttle is also applied to the small openings made in the ship's side, to admit light and air.

THE SOUTH SEA. 65

wine caske, and kept close, may retayne an extraordinary ^ctx^^ propertie of the Avine.^^ Yea, I have drunke fountaine and river waters many times, which have had a savour as that of brimstone.

Three leagues from Bayon, in France, I have proved of a fountaine that hath this savour, and is medicinable for many diseases. In the South sea, in a river some five leagues from Cape Saint Francisco, in one degree and a halfe to the northwardes of the lyne, in the bay of Ata- cames, is a river of fresh water, which hath the like savour. Of this I shall have occasion to speake in another place, treating of the divers properties of fountaines and rivers ; and therefore to our purpose.

SECTIOX XVIII.

We had no small cause to give God thankes and prayse for Bj-sweanug

our deliverance ; and so, all our ships once come together,

wee magnified his glorious Name for his mercie towards

us, and tooke an occasion hereby to banish swearing out

of our shippes, which amongst the common sort of mariners

and sea- faring men, is too ordinarily abused. So with a

generall consent of all our companie, it was ordayned that

in every ship there should be a palmer or ferula, which

should be in the keeping of him who was taken with an

oath ; and that he who had the palmer should give to every

other that he tooke swearing, in the palme of the hand, a

palmada with it, and the ferula. And whosoever at the

time of evening, or morning prayer, was found to have the

palmer, should have three blowes given him by the captaine

or master ; and that he should be still bound to free him-

13 If impure water be confined in a close cask, gas will l)e generated, and the effect described happen.

E

66 HAWKINS^ VOYAGE INTO

^""^^ ^^^' selfe, by taking anotlier, or else to runne in dannger of continuing the penaltie : whicli executed, few dayes re- formed the "\dce ; so that in three dayes together, was not one oath heard to be sworne. This brought both ferulas and swearing out of use.^

And certainly, in vices, custome is the principall suste- nance ; and for their reformation, it little availeth to give good counsell, or to make good lawes and ordenances ex- cept they be executed.

SECTION XIX.

In this time of contrary wind, those of my company which were in health, recreated themselves with fishing, and beholding the hunting and hawking of the sea, and the battell betwixt the whale and his enemies, which truly are of no small pleasure. And therefore for the curious, I will spend some time in declaration of them.

Ordinarily such ships as navigate betweene the tropiques, are accompanied with three sorts of fish : the dolphin, which the Spaniards call dozado; the bonito, or Spanish makerell ; and the sharke, alias tiberune. Thedoii)hin. The dolphiu I hold to be one of the swiftest fishes in the sea. He is like unto a breame, but that he is longer and thinner, and his scales very small. He is of the colour of the rayn-bow, and his head diff*erent to other fishes ;

1 In the instructions given by the Lords Generals, the Earl of Essex and Charles Lord Howard, Lord High Admiral of England, to the captains of the ships composing the expedition to Cadiz, in 1596, the second article runs thus : Item — You shall forbid swearing, brawling, dicing, and such like disorders, as may breed contention and disorder in your ship, wherein you shall also avoid God's displeasure and win his favour.

THE SOUTH SEA. 67

for, from his mouth halfe a spanne, it goeth straight up- ^'"'^- ^'^- right, as the head of a wherry, or the cut-water of a ship.' He is very good meate if he be in season, but the best part of him is his head, which is great. They are some bigger, some lesser ; the greatest that I have scene, might be some foiu'e foote long.

I hold it not without some ground, that the auncient philosophers write, that they be enamoured of a man ; for in meeting with shipping, they accompany them till they approach to colde climates; this I have noted divers times. For disembarking out of the West Indies, anno 1583, within three or foure dayes after, we mett a scole^ of them, which left us not till we came to the ilands of Azores, nere a thousand leagues. At other times I have noted the like.

But some may say, that in the sea are many scoles^ of this kinde of fish, and how can a man know if they were the same ?

Who may be thus satisfied, that every day in the morning, which is the time that they approach neerest the ship, we should see foure, five, and more, which had, as it were, oiu' eare-marke ; one hurt upon the backe, another neere the tayle, another about the fynnes ; which is a sufficient proofe that they were the same ; for if those which had received so bad entertainment of us would not forsake us, much less those which we had not hurt. Yet that which makes them most in love with ships and men, are the scrappes and refreshing they gather from them.

The bonito, or Spanish makerell, is altogether like unto The bonito. a makerell, but that it is somewhat more growne ; he is

1 The early painters and sculptors, and others who deal in "naval attributes," have treated the dolphin very ill ; Sir Richard's description, if studied, might have amended the monsters given out to the public as dolphins. '

^ A shoal or scull of fish ; that is, separated from the main body. This is Home Tooke's derivation. We think the term is more commonly applied to the main body itself.

e2

68 HAWKINS^ VOYAGE IxVTO

^'^- ^'^- reasonable foode, but dryer then a makerell. Of them there are two sorts : the one is this which I have described ; the other, so great as hardly one man can lift him. At such times as wee have taken of these, one sufficed for a meale for all my company. These, from the fynne of the tayle forwards, have upon the chyne seven small yellow hillocks, close one to another.

The dolphins and bonitos are taken with certaine in- struments of iron which we call vysgeis,^ in forme of an eel speare, but that the blades are round, and the poynts like unto the head of a broad arrow : these are fastened to long staves of ten or twelve foote long, with lynes tied unto them, and so shott to the fish from the beake-head, the poope, or other parts of the shippe, as occasion is ministered. They are also caught Avith liookes and lynes, the hooke being bayted with a redd cloth, or with a white cloth made into the forme of a fish, and sowed upon the hooke.

The shaike. The shark, or tiberune, is a fish like unto those which wee call dogge-fishes,but that he is farre greater. I have scene of them eight or nine foote long ; his head is flatt and broad, and his mouth in the middle, underneath, as that of the scate ; and he cannot byte of the bayte before him, but by making a halfe turne ; and then he helpeth himselfe with his tayle, which serveth him in stead of a rudder. His skinne is rough (like to the fish which we call a rough hound), and russet, with reddish spottes, saAdng that under the belly he is all white : he is much hated of sea-faring men, who have a certaine foolish superstition with them, and say, that the ship hath seldome good successe, that is miich accompanied with them.

It is the most ravenous fish knowne in the sea; for he swalloweth all that he findeth. In the puch* of them hath

3 Fisgig or grains — a small trident used for striking fish. From the Spanish ^s^/a. * Pouch or stomach.

THE SOUTH SEA. 69

beene found liatts, cappes, shooes, shirts, leggs and armes ^'"'^- -'^"' of men, ends of ropes, and many other things ; whatsoever is hanged by the shippes side, hee sheereth it, as though it were with a razor ; for he hath three rowes of teeth on either side, as sharpe as nailes ; some say they are good for pick -tooths. It hath chanced that a yonker casting him- selfe into the sea to swimme, hath had his legge bitten off' above the knee by one of them. And I have beene en- formed, that in the Tyger, when Sir Richard Greenfield went to people Virginia, a sharke cut off" the legge of one of the companie, sitting in the chaines and washing him- selfe. They spawne not as the greatest part of fishes doe, but whelpe, as the dogge or wolfe; and for many dayes after that shee hath whelped, every night, and towards any storme, or any danger wliicli may threaten them hiu-t, the damme receiveth her whelpes in at her mouth, and pre- serveth them, till they be able to shift for themselves. I have scene them goe in and out, being more then a foote and lialfe long; and after taking the damme, we have found her young ones in her belly. ^

Every day my company tooke more or lesse of them, not for that they did eat of them (for they are not held whole- some ; although the Spaniards, as I have scene, doe eate them), but to recreate themselves, and in revenge of the injuries received by them ; for they live long, and suff'er much after they bee taken, before they dye.^

At the tayle of one they tyed a great logge of wood, at another, an empty batizia,^ well stopped ; one they yoaked like a hogge ; from another, they plucked out his eyes, and so threw them into the sea. In catching two together, they bound them tayle to tayle, and so set them swimming; another with his belly slit, and his bowels hanging out,

5 One species produces its young alive : others in a hard membraneous pouch.

6 This enmity betwixt sailors and sharks still exists, and the interest attending their capture is great.

7 Pro1>ably a small cask.

70 HAWKINS^ VOYAGE IKTO

^^"^ ^'^' which his fellowes would have -every one a snatch at ; with other infinite inventions to entertajnae the time, and to avenge themselves ; for that they deprived them of swim- ming, and fed on their flesh being dead. They are taken with harping irons, and with great hookes made of pur- pose, with swyvels and chaines ; for no lyne nor small rope can hold them, which they share not asunder.

There doth accompany this fish divers httle fishes, which are callet pilats fishes, and are ever upon his fynnes, his head, or his backe, and feede of the scraps and superfluities of his prayes. They are in forme of a trought, and streked like a makerell, but that the strekes are white and blacke, and the blacke greater then the white.

The manner of hunting and hawking representeth that which we reasonable creatures use, saving onely in the disposing of the game. For by our industry and abihtie the hound and hawke is brought to that obedience, that whatsoever they seize is for their master ; but here it is otherwise : for the game is for him that seizeth it. The dolphins and bonitoes are the houudes, and the alcatraces Flying fishes the hawkcs, and the flying fishes the game ; whose wonder- full making magnifieth the Creator, who for theii* safetie and helpe, hath given them extraordinary manner of fynnes, which serve in stead of wings, like those of the batt or rere-mouse ; of such a delicate skinne, interlaced with small bones so cimously, as may well cause admii-a- tion in the beholders. They are like unto pilchards in colour, and making ; saving that they are somewhat roiuider, and (for the most part) bigger. They flie best with a side wind, but longer then theii* wings be Avett they cannot sustaine the waight of their bodies ; and so the greatest flight that I have scene them make, hath not beene above a quarter of a myle. They commonly goe in scoles, and serve for food for the greater fishes, or for the foules. The dolphins and bonitoes doe continually hunt after them, and tlic alcatraces lye soaring in the ayrc, to

THE SOUTH SEA. 71

see when they spring, or take their flight ; and ordinarily, ^ec^xix^ he that escapeth the mouth of the dolphin or bonito, help- ing himselfe by his wings, falleth prisoner into the hands of the alcatrace, and helpeth to fill his gorge.

The alcatrace^ is a sea-fowle, difi'erent to all that I have '^''^^"■*'^^'=- seene, either on the land or in the sea. His head like unto the head of a gnll, but his bill like unto a snytes bill, somewhat shorter, and in all places alike. He is almost like to a heronshaw ; his leggs a good spanne long, his wings very long, and sharpe towards the poynts, with a long tayle like to a pheasant, but with three or foure feathers onely, and these narrower. He is all blacke, of the colour of a crow, and of little flesh ; for he is almost all skinne and bones. He soareth the highest of any fowle that I have seene, and I have not heard of any, that have scene them rest in the sea.

Now of the fight betwixt the whale and his contraries : The fight of

o ' the whale,

which are the sword-fish and the thresher. The whale is of the greatest fishes in the sea; and to count but the truth, unlesse dayly experience did witnesse the relation, it might seeme incredible; hee is a huge unwildlie fish, and to those which have not seene of them, it might seeme strange, that other fishes should master him ; but certaine it is, that many times the thresher and sword-fish, meeting him joyntly, doe make an end of him.

The sword fish^ is not great, but strongly made ; and in 7,j*.f ^^h the top of his chine, as a man may say, betwixt the necke and shoulders, he hath a manner of sword in substance, like unto a bone, of foure or five inches broad, and above three foote long, full of prickles of either side : it is but thin, for the greatest that I have seene, hath not beene above a finger tliicke.

8 The man-of-war bird, or cormorant — Pelecanidce. On the coast of Brazil, in latitude twenty-four, are the Alcatrasse islands.

3 Xiphias—i'hc sword or snout is about three-tenths of his whole length.

72 Hawkins' voyage into

^^''^' ^"' The thresher is a greater fish^ whose tayle is very broad and thresher ^^^ thicke, and vcry waightie. They fight in this maner; the sword fish placeth himselfe under the belly of the whale, and the thresher upon the ryme'" of the water, and with his tayle thresheth upon the head of the whale, till hee force him to give way; which the sword fish percei\dng, receiveth him upon his sword, and wounding him in the belly forceth him to mount up againe (besides that he cannot abide long under water, but must of force rise upp to breath) : and when in such manner they torment him, that the fight is sometimes heard above three leagues dis- tance, and I dare affirme, that I have heard the blowes of the thresher two leagues off, as the report of a peece of ordinance ; the whales roaring being heard much farther. It also happeneth sundry times that a great part of the water of the sea round about them, with the blood of the whale, changeth his colour. The best remedy the whale hath in this extremitie to helpe himselfe, is to get him to land, which hee prociu-eth as soone as hee discovereth his adversaries; and getting the shore, there can fight but one with him, and for either of them, hand to hand, he is too good.'^ The whale is a fish not good to be eaten, hee is almost all fat,^^ but esteemed for his trayne; and many goc to the New-found-land, Greene-land, and other parts onely to fish for them ; which is in this maner : when they which seeke the whale discover him, they compasse him round The taking about with pyuaccs or shalops. In the head of every boat

of the whale. .

is placed a man, with a harping iron, and a long lyne, the one end of it fastned to the harping iron, and the other

10 The surface — from cream or ream, what rises to the surface — or perhaps from rim, brim.

11 This story seems to be founded on the fact that the snout of the sword fish is often found driven through parts of vessels' bottoms ; whence it has been inferred, the fish mistook them for whales. We imagine the account of the thresher to be fabulous.

12 In the thu'teenth century the tongue of the whale was esteemed as an article of food ; and whale beef, as it is called, is eaten at Ber- muda, and probably elsewhere.

THE SOUTH SEA. 73

end to the head of the boat, in which it lyeth finely coiled; sect, xix. and for that he cannot keepe long under water, he sheweth which way he goeth, when rising neere any of the boats, within reach, he that is neerest, darteth his harping ii'on at him. The whale finding himself to be wounded, swim- meth to the bottome, and draweth the pynace after him ; which the fisher-men presently forsake, casting themselves into the sea; for that many times he draweth the boat under water : those that are next, prociu-e to take them up. For this cause all such as goe for that kind of fishing, are experimented in swimming. When one harping iron is fastned in the whale, it is easily discerned which way he directeth his course : and so ere long they fasten another, and another in him. When he hath three or foiu'e boats dragging after him, with their waight, his bleeding, and fury, he becommeth so over-mastred, that the rest of the pynaces with their presence and terror, drive him to the place where they would have him, nature instigating him to covet the shore.

Being once hurt, there is little need to force him to land. Once on the shore, they presently cut great peeces of him, and in great cauldrons seeth them.^^ The uppermost in the cauldrons is the fatt, which they skimme ofi", and put it into hogsheads and pipes. This is that they call whales oyle, or traine oyle, accompted the best sort of traine oyle. It is hard to be beleeved, what quantitie is gathered of one whale ; of the tongue, I have beene enformed, have many pipes beene filled. The fynnes are also esteemed for many and sundry uses ; as is his spawne for divers purposes : this wee corruptly caW parmacittie ; of the Latine word, sperma- ceti}^

13 In the early days of the whale fishery, when the fish were plenti- ful, the oil , was boiled out on shore, near the place of capture. At present the blubber is imported from the northern fishery. 1* "And telling me the sovereign'st thing on earth

Was parmaceti for an inward bruise." — Henri/ IV, Part i, Spermaceti is obtained from the brain of the sperm whale, — physeter monocephalus — not from the spawn.

Sect. XIX.

Arcber- greece.

74 Hawkins' voyage into

And the precious amber-greece some thinke also to be found in his bowells, or voyded by him : but not in all seas : yea, they maintaine for certaine, that the same is ingendred by eating an hearbe which groweth in the sea. This hearbe is not in all seas, say they, and therefore, where it wanteth, the whales give not this fruit. In the coast of the East Indies in many partes is great quantitie. In the coastes of Guyne, of Barbary, of the Florida, in the islands of Cape de Verde, and the Canaries, ambor-greece hath beene many times found, and sometimes on the coast of Spaine and England. Whereupon it is presumed, that all these seas have not the hearbe growing in them. The cause why the whale should eate this hearbe, I have not heard, nor read. It may be surmised, that it is as that of the becunia, and other beasts, which breed the beazer stone ;^^ who feeding in the valley es and mountaines, where are many venomous serpents, and hearbes; when they find themselves touched with any poyson, forthwith they runne for remedie to an hearbe, which the Spaniards call contra- yerva, that is to say, contrary to poyson : which having eaten, they are presently cured : but the substance of the hearbe converteth it selfe into a medicinable stone ; so it may be, that the whale feeding of many sortes of fishes, and some of them, as is knowne, venemous, when he findeth himselfe touched, with this hearbe he ciu-eth him- selfe ; and not being able to digest it, natiue converteth it into this substance, provoketh it out, or dyetli with it in his belly; and being light, the sea bringeth it to the coast.

All these are imaginations, yet instruments to moove us to the glorifying of the great and universal Creatour of all, whose secret wisedome, and wonderfull workes, are incom- prehensible.

15 Bezoar — name applied to a concretion found in the stomach of variovis animals. Many extraordinary virtues were formerly ascribed to it, without much foundation.

THE SOUTH SEA. 75

But the more approved generation of the amher-greece.

and which carrieth hkliest probabilitie is, that it is a liquor Amber.

i- '' i^ greece.

which issueth out of certaine fountaines, in sundry seas, and being of a Hght and thicke substance, participating of the ayre, suddenly becommeth hard, as the yellow amber, of which they make beads ;'^ which is also a liquor of a fountayne in the Germayne sea. In the bottome it is soft and white, and partaking of the ayre becommeth hard and stonie : also the corrall in the sea is soft, but comming into the ajTC, becommeth a stone.

Those who are of this former opinion, thinke the reason why the amber greece is sometimes found in the whale, to be, for that he swalloweth it, as other things which he findeth s^dmming upon the water ; and not able to digest it, it remaineth with him till his death.

Another manner of fishing and catching the whale I ^f^f^ns cannot omit, used by the Indians, in Florida ; worthy to be considered, in as much as the barbarous people have found out so great a secret, by the industry and diligence of one man, to kill so great and huge a monster : it is in this manner.

The Indian discovering a whale, procureth two round billets of wood, sharpneth both at one end, and so binding them together with a cord, casteth himselfe with them into the sea, and swimmeth towards the whale : if he come to him, the whale escapeth not ; for he placeth himselfe upon his necke, and although the whale goeth to the bottome, he must of force rise presently to breath (for which nature hath given him two great holes in the toppe of his head, by which, every time that he breatheth, he spouteth out a great quantitie of water) ; the Indian forsaketh not his holde, but riseth with him, and thrusteth in a logg into one of his spowters, and with the other knocketh it in so

16 Ambergris is still considered to be a concretion formed in the stomach of tlie sperm whale.

Sect. XX.

7Q HAWKINS' VOYAGE INTO

fast, that by no meanes the whale can get it out. That fastned, at another opportunities he thrusteth in the second logg into the other spowter, and with all the force he can, keepeth it in.

The whale not being able to breath, swimmeth presently ashore, and the Indian a cock-horse upon him, which his fellowes discovering, approach to lielpe him, and to make an end of him : it serveth them for their foode many dayes after.'''

Since the Spaniards have taught them the estimation of amber greece, they seeke cui'iously for it, sell it to them, and others, for such things as they best fancie, and most esteeme ; which are, as I have beene enformed, all sortes of edgetooles, copper, glasses, glasse-beads, red caps, shirts, and pedlery ware. Upon this subject, divers Spaniards have discoursed unto mee, who have beene eye witnesses thereof, declaring them to be valorous, ventrous, and indus- trious : otherwise they durst not undertake an enterprise so difficult and full of danger.

SECTION XX.

From the tropike of Cancer to three or fourc degrees of

the equinoctiall, the breze, which is the north-east winde.

Best times doth raiguc in our ocean sea the most part of the yeare,

to passe the ~

the noTth- except it be neere the shore, and then the wind is variable, sVuthVrrd."' In three or foiu-e degrees of eyther side the line, the winde hangeth southerly, in the moneths of July, August, Sep- tember, and October ; all the rest of the yeare, from the Cape Bona Esperan9a to the ilands of Azores, the breze

17 In Waterton's Wanderings will be found a parallel story, of a gentleman riding on a cayman.

THE SOUTH SEA. '71

raygneth continually ; and some yeares in the other moneths also, or calmes ; but he that purposeth to crosse the lyne from the north- wards to the south- wards, the best and siu'est passage is, in the moneths of January, February, and March. In the moneths of September, October, and November, is also good passage, but not so sure as in the former.^

Sect. XXI.

SECTION XXI.

Betwixt nineteene and twenty degrees to the south-wards of the lyne, the winde tooke us contrary, which together with the sicknes of my people made mee to seeke the shore; and about the end of October, we had sight of the land, which presently by our height and the making of it, dis- covered it selfe to be the port of Santos, alias Nostra Se- nora de Victoria, and is easie to be knowne, for it hath a great high hill over the port, which (howsoever a man commeth with the land) riseth hke a bell, and comming neere the shore, presently is discovered a white tower or fort, which standeth upon the top of a hill over the harbour, and upon the seamost laud. It is the first land a man must compasse before he enter the port. Comming within two leagues of the shore, we anchored; and the captaynes and masters of my other ships being come aboord, it was thought convenient (the weaknes of our men considered, for wee had not in our three ships twenty foui-e men sound), and the winde uncertaine when it might change, we thought with polhcie to procure that which wee could not by force ; and so to offer traffique to the people of the

1 According to Horsburgh, the least favorable season for getting to the southward, is the period from .June to iSeptember inclusive.

78 Hawkins' voyage into

^^'"'' ^^'' shore; by that meanes to prove if wee could attayne some refreshing for our sicke company.

In execution whereof, I wrote a letter to the governour in Latine^ and sent him with it a peece of crymson velvet, a bolt of fine hoUand, with divers other things, as a pre- sent ; and with it, the captaine of my ship, who spake a little broken Spanish, giving the governour to understand that I was bound to the East Indies, to trafiique in those parts, and that contrary windes had forced me upon that coast : if that hee were pleased to like of it, for the com- modities the country yeelded in aboundance, I would ex- change that which they wanted. With these instructions my captaine departed about nine of the clocke in the morning, carrying a flagge of truce in the head of the boate, and sixteene men well armed, and provided; guided by one of my company which two yeares before had beene captaine in that place, and so was a reasonable pilot.

Entering the port, within a quarter of a mile is a small village, and three leagues higher up is the chief towne ; where they have two forts, one on eyther side of the har- bour, and within them ride the ships which come thither to discharge, or loade. In the small village is ever a garrison of one hundreth sovUdiers, whereof part assist there continually, and in the white tower upon the top of the hill, which commaundeth it.

Heere my captaine had good entertainment, and those of the shore received his message and letter, dispatching it presently to the governour, who was some three leagues off in another place : at least they beare us so in hand. In the time that they expected the post, my captaine with one other entertained himselfe with the souldiers a shore, who after the common custome of their profession (except when they be besonios),^ sought to pleasure him, and finding

1 Bisono— (Spanish) raw, undisciplined : —

Pistol. Under which king, Bezonian 1 speak or die.

Henry IV, Part ii.

THE SOUTH SEA. 79

that lie craved but oranges^ lemmons, and matters of smal ^^''*- moment for refreshing for his generally they suffered the women and children to bring him what hee would, which hee gratified with double pistolets/ that I had given him for that purpose. So got hee us two or three hundreth oranges and lemmons, and some fewe hennes.

All that day and night, and the next day, till nine of the clocke, wee waited the returne of our boate ; which not appearing, bred in me some suspition ; and for my satis- faction, I manned a light horseman which I had, and the Fancie, the best I could, shewing strength where was weak- nesse and infirmity, and so set sayle towardes the port ; our gunner taking upon him to bee pilot, for that he had beene there some yeares before.

Thus, with them we entred the harbour. My captaine having notice of our being within the barre, came aboord with the boat, which was no small joy to me; and more, to see him bring us store of oranges and lemmons, which was that we principally sought for, as the remedie of our diseased company. He made relation of that had past, and how they expected present answere from the governoiu*. We anchored right against the village ; and within two houres, by a flagge of truce, which they on the shore shewed us, we understood that the messenger was come: our boat went for the answere of the governour, who said, he was sorry that he could not accomphsh our desire, being so reasonable and good; for that in consideration of the warre betwixt Spaine and England, he had expresse order from his king, not to suffer any English to trade within his jurisdiction, no, nor to land, or to take any refreshing upon the shore. And therefore craved pardon, and that wee should takethis for a resolute answere : and further required us to depart the port within three dayes, which he said he

2 The double pistole was a coin of about the value of thirty or thirty- five shillings.

80 HAWKINS^ VOYAGE INTO

Sect. XXI.

gave us for our courteous manner of proceeding. If any of my people from that time forwards, should approach to the shore, that he would doe his best to hinder and annoy them. With this ansAvere wee resolved to depart; and be- fore it came, with the first faire wind we determined to be packing : but the wind sufi'ered us not all that night, nor the next day. In which time, I lived in a great perplexitie, for that I knew our own weaknesse, and what they might doe unto us, if that they had knowne so much. For any man that pntteth liimself into the enemies port, had need of Argus eyes, and the wind in a bagge,^ especially where the enemie is strong, and the tydes of any force. For with either ebbe or flood, those who are on the shore may thrust upon him inventions of fire : and with swimming or other devises, may cut his cables. A common practise in all hot countries. The like may be efi*ected with raifes, cannoas, boates, or pynaces, to annoy and assault him : and if this had beene practised against us, or taken effect, our shippes must of force have yeelded themselves ; for they had no other people in them but sicke men; but many times opinion and feare preserveth the shippes, and not the people in them. For preven- Wliereforc it is the part of a pro^ddent governom*. to

hon of an- ± ± o j

"°/*r,r^' consider well the daungers that may befall him, before he put himselfe into such places; so shall he ever be provided for prevention.

In Saint John de Vlua, in the New Spaine, when the Spanyards dishonoured their nation with that foule act of perjury, and breach of faith, given to my father. Sir John Hawkins (notorious to the whole world), the Spanyards fired two great shippes, with intention to burne my fathers Admirall, which he prevented by towing them with his boates another way.

3 So that he may get away when it pleases him.

harbours.

THE vSOUTH SEA, 81

The great armado of Spaine^ sent to conquer England^ ^'^'^^- ^^'-

anno 1588, was with that selfe same industry overthrowne; for the setting on fire of six or seaven shippes (whereof two were mine), and letting them drive with the flood, forced them to cut their cables, and to put to sea, to seeke a new way to Spaine/ In which the greatest part of their best shippes and men were lost and perished.

For that my people should not be dismayed, I dispatched presently my light horsman, with onely foure men, and part of tbe refreshing, advising them that with the first calme or slent^ of wind, they should come off^.

The next night, the wind comming off" the shore, wee set sayle, and with our boates and barkes sounded as we went.

It flowed upon the barre not above foure foote water, and once in foui'e and twentie hom'es, as in some parts of the West Indies ; at full sea, there is not upon the barre above seventeen or eighteen foote water. The harbour runneth to the south-westwards. He that will come into it, is to open the harbour's mouth a good quarter of a league before he beare with it, and be bolder of the wester side ; for of the easterland^ lyeth a great ledge of rocks, for the most part, under water, which sometimes break not ; but with small shipping, a man may goe betwixt them and the poynt.

Comming aboord of our shippes, there was great joyThevertue amongst my company ; and many, with the sight of the oranges and lemmons, seemed to recover heart. This is a

4 Alluding to the attempt the fleet made to return northabout. In the British Museum is preserved a curious old pack of playing cards, on which are depicted subjects relating to the defeat of the " Spanish Armada". On the ten of spades is shewn a consultation about re- turning by the North Ocean.

5 Such a wind as would enable them to lie aslant or obliquely near the desired course. It is commonly said that " a calm is half a fair wind"; it is more than this, as out of thirty-two points, twenty would be fair.

6 Easterhand ?

82 Hawkins' voyage into

''^'"'^-^^"- wonderfall secret of the power and wisedome of God^ that hath liidden so great and unknowne vertue in this fruit, to be a certaine remedie for this infirmitie; I presently cansed them all to be reparted^ amongst our sicke men, which were so many, that there came not above three or foure to a share : but God was pleased to send us a prosperous winde the next day, so much to our comfort, that not any one dyed before we came to the ilands, where we pretended to refresh ourselves ; and although our fresh water had fayled us many dayes before we saw the shore, by reason of our long navigation, without touching any land, and the excessive drinking of the sicke and diseased, which could not be excused, yet with an invention I had in my shippe, Distilling of I easily drew out of the water of the sea, sufficient

salt water. " '

quantitie of fresh water to sustaine my people with little expence of fewell ; for with foure billets I stilled a hogs- head of water, and therewith dressed the meat for the sicke and whole. The water so distilled, we found to be whole- some and nourishing.^

SECTION XXII.

The coast from Santos to Cape Frio, lyeth west and by south, southerly. So we directed our course west south- west. The night comming on, and directions given to our other shippes, we sett the watch, having a fayre fresh gale of wind and large. My selfe with the master of our ship, having watched the night past, thought now

7^ Repartir — (French) to divide.

8 Various schemes have been tried to distil fresh water at sea from salt water ; bvit none apparently have succeeded in prcTducing an equi- valent for the expense of fuel. In steam vessels a considerable supply is obtained from the condensation of the steam.

THE SOUTH SEA. 83

to give nature that wliicli shee had beene deprived of, ^^'''- ^'^"- and so recommended the care of steeridge to one of his mates ;^ who witli the hke travell past being drowsie, or with the confidence which he had of him at the hehne, had unskiifui-

nesse of the

not that watchfull care which was required ; he at the ^f^^'"" helme steered west, and west and by south, and brought us in a httle time close upon the shore ;^ doubtlesse he had cast us all away, had not God extraordinarily delivered us; for the master being in his dead sleepe, was suddenly awaked, and with such a fright that he could not be in PTO'''i«"'^«,

■^ ° ofGoil,ai]d

quiet : whereupon waking his youth, which ordinarily ^^l Ij^^ster slept in his cabin by him, asked him how the watch went on; who answered, that it covild not be above an houre since he layd himselfe to rest. He replyed, that his heart was so unquiet that he could not by any meanes sleepe, and so taking his gowne, came forth upon the deck, and presently discovered the land hard by us. And for that it was sandie and low, those who had their eyes continually fixed on it, were dazeled with the reflection of the starres, being a fayre night, and so were hindered from the true discovery thereof. But he comming out of the darke, had his sight more forcible, to discerne the difi'erence of the sea, and the shore. So that fortliTvdth he commaunded him at the helme, to put it close a starboui'd, and tacking our ship, wee edged off; and sounding, found scant three fathome water, whereby we saw evidently the miraculous mercie of our God ; that if he had not watched over us, as hee doth continually over his, doubtlesse we had perished without remedie. To whom be all glory, and prayse ever- lastingly, world without end.

1 The term mate, as used at present, implies some one under the master. The real meaning implies persons co-equal. Thus we still speak of ship-mates, etc., without reference to rank.

2 The coast lies nearer south and by west, than west and by south^ so they would certainly have run on shore without any blame attach- ing to the helmsman.

f2

Sect. XXIII.

84 Hawkins' voyage into

Immediatly we shot off a peece, to give warning to our other shippes ; who having kept their direct course^ and far to wdnd-wards and sea-wards, because we carried no light, for that we were within sight of the shore, conhl not heare the report ; and the next morning were out of sight.

SECTION XXIII.

Care of^ In this poyut of stceridgc, the Spaniards and Portingalls doe exceede all that I haue scene, I mean for their care, which is chiefest in navigation. And I wish in this, and in all their workes of discipline, wee should follow their examples ; as also those of any other nation. th^span-" ^^^ every ship of moment, upon the halfe decke, or quar- Portfiigaiis. ter decke,^ they have a chap-e or seat ; out of which whilst they naA-igate, the pilot, or his adjutants^ (which are the same officers which in our shippes we terme the master and his mates), never depart, day nor night, fi'om the sight of the compasse ; and have another before them, whereby they see what they doe, and are ever witnesses of the good or bad steeridge of all men that take the helme. This I have scene neglected in our best shippes, yet nothing more necessary to be reformed. For a good helme-man may be overcome with an imagination, and so mis-take one poynt for another ;^ or the compasse may erre, which by another

1 The quarter deck may be defined as the space betwixt the main- mast and the after-hatchway ; it seems also to have been called the half deck. Both terms arising from the fact that before the main- mast, the skids or ])eams were not planked. We still speak of being on the quarter deck, but under the half deck. The qiiarter deck is set apart for purposes of parade, and there the officer of the watch should always be sought.

2 Adjutare — (Latin) to assist.

3 On a still night, unless the attention of the helmsman be con- tinually excited, it is quite possible that he get into a dreamy state

THE SOUTH SEA. 85

is discerned. The inconveniences which hereof may ensue, sect.xxiv all experimented sea-men may easily conceive, and by us take warning to avoyd the hke.

SECTION XXIV.

The next day about temie of the clocke, wee were thwart capeBianco. of Cape Blanco, which is low sandie land, and perilous ; for foure leagues into the sea (thwart it), lye banks of sand, which have little water on them ; on a sudden we fomid our selves amongst them, in lesse then three fathome water; but with our boat and shalope we went sounding, and so got cleare of them.

The next day following, we discovered the ilands where saint James

Hands, alius

wee purposed to refresh oui'selves. They are two, and some saiutAnnes. call them Samt James, his ilands, and others. Saint Annes'.' They lie in two and twenty degrees and a halfe to the south-wards of the lyne ; and towards the evening (being the fifth of November) we anchored betwixt them and the mayne, in six fathome water, where wee found our other shippes.

All which being well moored, we presently began to set up tents and booths for our sicke men, to carry them a shore, and to use our best diligence to cui'c them. For which intent our three surgeans, with their servants and adherents, had two boates to wayte continually upon them, to fetch whatsoever was needfuU from the shippes, to pro- cure refreshing, and to fish, either with netts, or hookes

and, if at the same time, the officer of the watch is thinking of " those far away," the, ship may be run for a time some points off her course. In the preceding section, Sir Richard well describes the difficulty of distinguishing betwixt a sandy shore and the water, on a calm bright night.

* Cape Saint Thome ? ^ Now called Saint Anna.

86

HAWKINS VOYAGE INTO

Puislane.

Cherries.

Falmitos.

and lynes. Of these implements wee had in ahoundance^ and it yeelded us some refreshing. For the first dayes, the most of those which had health, occupied themselves in romeging oiu* ship ; in bringing ashore of emptie caske ; in filling of them, and in felling and cutting of wood : which being many workes, and few hands, went slowly for- wards.

Neere these ilands, are two great rockes, or small ilands adjoyning. In them we found great store of young gan- netts in their nests, which we reserved for the sicke, and being boyled with pickled porke well watered,^ and mingled with oatmeale, made reasonable pottage, and was good re- freshing and sustenance for them. This provision fay led us not, till our departure from them.

Upon one of these rocks also, we found great store of the hearbe purslane,^ which boyled and made into sallets, with oyle and ^dneger, refreshed the sicke stomaches, and gave appetite.

With the ayi'e of the shore, and good cherishing, many recovered speedily. Some died away quickly, and others continued at a stand. We found here some store of fruits ; a kind of cherry that groweth upon a tree like a plum-tree, red of colour, with a stone in it, but different in making to ours, for it is not altogether round, and dented about: they have a pleasing taste.

In one of the ilands, we foimd palmito trees, great and high, and in the toppe a certaine fruit like cocos, but no bigger then a wall -nut. We found also a fruit growing upon trees in codds, like beanes, both in the codd and the fruit. Some of my company proved of them,^ and they

6 "Well soaked in water to remove the salt.

"^ Portulaca sativa — a fleshy-leaved plant, much esteemed iu hot countries for its cooling properties.

8 Great caution should be used in tasting unknown fruits ; perhaj^s this tree was the croton tiglhim, every part of which possesses powerful drastic properties.

THE SOUTH SEA. 87

caused vomits and purging, as any medicine taken out of *^''

the apothecaries shop, according to the quantitie received. Purgatives. They have hudds, as our beanes, which shaled off; the ker- nell parteth itselfe in two, and in the middle is a thin skinne, like that of an onion, said to be hurtfull, and to cause exceeding vomits, and therefore to be cast away.

Monardus writing of the nature and propertie of this fruit, as of others of the Indies, for that it is found in other parts, also calleth them kavas purgativas, and sayth, that JaraTpur- they are to be prepared by peeling them first, and then "" '*'"^' taking away the skinne in the middle, and after beaten into powder, to take the quantitie of five or six, either with wine or sugar. Thus they are good against fevers, and to purge grosse humors ; against the colhcke, and payne of the joynts ; in taking them a man may not sleepe, but is to use the dyet usuall, as in a day of piu'ging.

One other fruit we found, very pleasant in taste, in Artechoques

•'•'■'■ -^ or pnck-

fashion of an artechoque, but lesse; on the outside of^*'''*' colour redd, within white, and compassed about with prickles; our people called thempricke-pearsj° no conserve is better. They grow upon the leaves of a certaine roote, that is like unto that which we call semper viva ^ and many are wont to hang them up in their houses ; but their leaves are longer and narrower, and full of prickes on either side. The fruit groweth upon the side of the leafe, and is one of the best fruites that I have eaten in the Indies. In ripen- ing, presently the birds or vermine are feeding on them ; a generall rule to know what fruit is wholesome and good ^^°^f """^^ in the Indies, and other parts. Finding them to be eaten [fno^^„e" of the beastes or fowles, a man may boldly eate of them.

The water of these ilands is not good : the one, for being a standing water, and full of venemous wormes and ser-

9 A species of cactus ; the fruit is eaten in Sicily and elsewhere. We cannot join Sir Richard in its praise : perhaps as he had been long at sea, he found it grateful. The cochineal insect feeds on one species of this plant.

88 Hawkins' voyage into

Sect. XXV.

water.

pents, whicli is neare a butt-shot from the sea shore; where we found a great tree fallen^ and in the roote of it the names of sundry Portingalls^ Frenchmen^ and others^ and amongst them, Abraham Cockes ; wdth the time of their being in this island. Contagious The Other, though a running water, yet passing by the rootes of certaine trees, which have a smell as that of gar- lique, taketh a certaine contagious sent of them. Here two of our men dyed with swelling of their bellies. The accident we could not attribute to any other cause, then to this suspitious water. It is little, and falleth into the sand, and soketh through it into the sea ; and therefore we made a well of a pipe, and placeth it under the rocke from which it falleth, and out of it filled our caske : but we could not fill above two tunnes in a night and day.

SECTION XXV.

So after oui' people began to gather tlieii- strength, wee manned our boates, and went over to the majTie, where presently we found a great ryver of fresh and sweete water, and a mightie marish countrie; Avhich in the winter^ seemeth to be continually over-flowne with this river, and others, which fall from the mountaynous country adjacent.

We rowed some leagues up the ryver, and found that the further up we went, the deeper was the river, but no fruit, more then the sweate of om^ bodies for the labour of our handes.

At our retiu'ne, wee loaded our boate with water, and afterwardes from hence wee made oiu' store.

' This river is now called the Maccahe ; probably it floods in the rainy season.

THE SOUTH SEA. 89

SECTION XXVI.

The sicknesse ha\anoj wasted more then the one halfe of s«'t.xxvi.

my people, we determined to take ont the \dctualls of the wast and

losseofmen.

Haivke, and to biu-ne her ; which wee put in execution. And being occupied in this worke, we saw a shippe turning to windAvards, to succour her selfe of the ilands;^ but having discryed us, put off to sea- wards.

Two dayes after, the wind changing, we saw her againe running alongst the coast, and the Daintie not being in case to goe after her, for many reasons, we manned the Fancie, and sent her after her ; who about the setting of the sunne fetched her up, and spake with her ; when find- ing her to be a great fly-boat, of at least tlu'ee or foure hundreth tvmnes, with eighteen peeces of artillery, would have retiu'ned, but the wind freshing in, put her to lee- wards ; and standing in to succour her selfe of the land, had sight of another small barke, which after a short chase shee tooke, but had nothing of moment in her, for that she had bin upon the great slioles of Abreoios,^ in eighteen degrees, and there throwne all they had by the board, to save their lives.

This and the other chase were the cause that the Fancie could not beat it up in many dayes : but before we had put all in a readinesse, the wind changing, shee came unto us, and made relation of that which had past ; and how they had given the small barke to the Portingalls, and brought with them onely her pilot, and a marchant called Pedro de Escalante of Potosi.

1 By working vip vmder their lee.

2 These shoals, already alluded to at page 62, are now called the Abrolhos : there is a channel betwixt the islets and the main : the soundings extend to the eastward eighty or ninety miles.

90

HAWKINS VOYAGE INIX)

SECTION XXVII.

Sect, xxvii.

ludustry of the Indians. They sur- prise the Fieucli.

San Sebas- tian.

Kill the English,

and dis- cover us.

In this coast, the Portingalls, by Industrie of the Indians, have wrought many feats. At Cape Frio they tooke a great French ship in the night, the most of. her company being on the shore, with cannoas,^ which they have in this coast so great, that they carry seventie and eightie men in one of them. And in Isla Grand, I saw one that was above threescore foote long, of one tree, as are all that I have seen in Brasill, with pro\'isions in them for twentie or thirtie days. At the iland of San- Sebastian, neere Saint Vincent, the Indians killed about eightie of Master Can- dish his men, and tooke his boat, which was the overthrow of his voyage.

There commeth not any ship upon this coast, whereof these cannoas give not notice presently to every place. And wee were certified in Isla Grand, that they had sent an Indian from the river of lenero, through all the moim- taines and marishes, to take a view of us, and accordingly made a relation of our shippes, boates, and the number of men which we might have. But to prevent the like danger that might come upon us being carelesse and negligent, I determined one night, in the darkest and quietest of it, to see what watch our company kept on the shore ; manned our light horsman, and boat, armed them with bowes and targetts, and got a shore some good distance from the places where were our boothes, and sought to come upon them undiscovered : we used all our best endevoiu's to take them at unawares, yet comming within fortie paces, we were discovered ; the whole and the sicke came forth to oppose themselves against us. Which we seeing, gave them the hubbub, after the manner of the Indians, and assaulted them, and they us; but being a close darke night, they could not discerne us presently upon thg hubbub. ^

1 Boats hollowed from the trunk of a tree.

2 Whoop ! whoop ! Cotgravc gives us the meaning of hootin(/s a.nd

THE SOUTH SEA. 91

From our sliippe the gunner sliott a peece of ordinance '^^'^^■

over our heads^ according to the order given him, and thereof we tooke occasion to retyre unto our boates, and within a little space came to the boothes and landing places, as though wee came fi'om om* shippes to ayd them. They began to recount unto us, how that at the wester poynt of The eveuts

°_ _ ' ^ *' ofagood

the iland, out of certaine cannoas, had landed a multitude '''*''^^- of Indians, which with a great out-cry came upon them, and assaulted them fiercely ; but finding better resistance then they looked for, and seeing themselves discovered by the shippes, tooke themselves to their heeles and returned to their cannoas, in which they imbarked themselves, and departed. One affirmed, he saw the cannoas ; another, their long hayre ; a third, then' bowes ; a foiu-th, that it could not be, but that some of them had theii* payments. And it was worth the sight, to behold those wliich had not moved out of their beds in many moneths, unlesse by the helpe of others, gotten some a bow-shoot off into the woods, others into the toppes of trees, and those which had any strength, joyned together to fight for their lives. In fine, the boothes and tents were left desolate.^

To coloiu- our businesse the better, after we had spent some houres in seeking out and joyning the companie to- gether, in comforting, animating, and commending them, I left them an extraordinary guard for that night, and so departed to our shippes, with such an opinion of the assault given by the Indians, that many so possessed, through all the voyage, would not be perswaded to the contrary.

whoopinqs : noises wherewith swine! are scared, or infamous old women disgraced.

2 A sudden sensation, be it from fear or otherwise, has a surprising effect upon persons sick or bed-ridden. Lediard relates that in a sharp engagement -^ith a combined squadron of French and Dutch ships, off Sir Christopher, in 16G7, Sir John Harman, the English commander, who had been lame and in great pain from the gout, upon discovering the enemy's fleet, got up, walked about, and gave orders as well as ever, till the fight was over, and then became as lame as before.

92 Hawkins' yoyage into

Sect. XXVII Which impression wrought such effect in most of my companie^ that in all places where the Indians might annoy us^ they were ever after most carefull and ^dgilant, as was convenient.'*

In these ilands it heigheth and falleth some five or six foot water, and hnt once in two and twentie houres ; as in all this coast, and in many parts of the West Indies ; as also in the coast of Perew and Chely, saving where are great bayes or indraughts, and there the tydes keep their ordinary course of twice in foure and twentie houres.

I'aimito In the lesser of these ilands, is a cave for a small ship

ilaud. _ ' ^

to ryde in, land-lockt, and shee may moore her sele to the trees of either side. This we called Palmito iland, for tlie aboundance it hath of the greater sort of palmito trees; the other hath none at all. A man may goe betwixt the ilands with his ship, but the better course is out at one end.

In these ilands are many scorpions, snakes, and adders, with other venemous vermine. They have parrots, and a certaine kiude of fowle like unto pheasants, somewhat bigger, and seeme to be of their nature. Here we spent above a moneth in curing of our sicke men, supplying our wants of wood and water, and in other necessary workes. And the tenth of December, all things put in order, we set sayle for Cape Frio, having onely six men sicke, with pur- pose there to set ashore our two prisoners before named ; and anchoring under the Cape, we sent our boat a shore, but they could not finde any convenient place to land them in, and so returned.^ The wind being southerly, and not good to goe on our voyage, we succoured our selves within

* We do not approve of such means of exciting vigilance ; some might have got their payments. According to jEsop, ivolf may be called too often.

5 Cape Frio has since become remarkable as the point on which her majesty's ship Thetis was wrecked in December 1830, the night after she had left Rio Janeiro. A landing was eftected, and nearly the whole crew saved. A snug cove north of the cape, with a boat entrance to

THE SOUTH SEA. 93

Isla Grrand, which lyeth some dozen or fourteene leagues ^'''''- ^^'"^^ from the cape^ betwixt the west, and by south and west south-west ; the rather to set our prisoners a shore.

In the mid-way betwixt the Cape and this iland, lyeth the river lenero, a very good harbour, fortified with a^*"®'"- garrison, and a place well peopled. The Isla Grand is some eight or ten leagues long, and causeth a goodly har- bour for shipping. It is full of great sandie bayes, and in the most of them is store of good water ; within this iland are many other smaller ilands, which cause divers sounds and creekes ; and amongst these little ilands, one, for the ^'"'® ''""^• pleasant scituation and fertilitie thereof, called Placentia. This is peopled, all the rest desert : on this island our prisoners desired to be put a shore, and promised to send us some refreshing. Whereto we condescended, and sent them ashore, with two boates well man'd and armed, who found few inhabitants in the iland ; for our people saw not above foure or five houses, notwithstanding our boats re- turned loaden with plantynes, pinias,^ potatoes, sugar- canes, and some hennes. Amongst which they brought a kind of little plantyne, greene, and round, which were the best of any that I have seene.

With our people came a Portingall, who said, that the island was his ; he seemed to be a Mistecho, who are those that are of a Spanish and an Indian brood, i3oorely ap- parelled and miserable ; we feasted him, and gave him some trifles, and he, according to his abihtie, answered our courtesie with such as he had.

The \\and continuing contrary, we emptied all the water wee could come by, which we had filled in Saint James his iland, and filled oiir caske with the water of this Isla ^'''^^ '*"'*" Grand. It is a wildernesse, covered with trees and shrubs

the southward, was much used during the operations afterwards carried on to attempt to recover the treasure embarked in her. 6 Pine apples, anaiiassa sativa.

94 HAWKIA'S' VOYAGE INTO

Sect, xxvir. g^ thicke, as it hath no passage through, except a man make it by force. And it was strange to heare the howling and cryes of wilde beastes in these woods day and night, which we conkl not come at to see by any meanes ; some like lyons, others like beares, others like hoggs, and of such and so many diversities, as was admirable.

Shells of Heere our nets profited us much : for in the sandy baves

mother of ^ J ^

peaiie. tlicy tookc US storc of fish. Upon the shore, at fuU sea- mark, we found in many places certaine shels, like those of mother of pearles, which are brought out of the East Indies, to make standing cups, called caracoles ; of so great curi- ositie as might move all the beholders to magnifie the maker of them : and were it not for the brittlenes of them, by reason of their exceeding thinnes, doubtles they were to bee esteemed farre above the others ; for, more excel- lent workemanship I have not scene in shels, '^

The eighteenth of December, we set sayle, the Avind at north-east, and directed our course for the Straites of Magalianes. The twenty two of this moneth, at the going too of the sunne, we descryed a Portingall ship, and gave her chase, and comming within hayling of her, shee rendred her selfe without any resistance ; shee was of an hundred tuns, bound for Angola, to load negroes, to be carried and sold in the river of Plate. It is a trade of great profit, and much used, for that the negroes are carried from the head of the river of Plate, to Patosi, to laboiu* in the mjiies. It

Price of is a bad negro, who is not worth there five or six hundreth peeces, every peece of tenne ryals, which they receive in ryals of plate,* for there is no other marchandize in those partes. Some have told me, that of late they have found out the trade and benefit of cochanilha, but the river suffereth not vessels of bm-then ; for if they drawe above

■^ Probably a species of nautilus.

^ The ryal of silver, of which ten went to a "piece," is in value about fivepence of our money.

iipgroes.

THE SOUTH SEA. 95

eight or seaven foote water, they cannot goe further then ^"t^^^" the mouth of the river, and the first habitation is above a hundred and twenty leagues up, whereunto many barkes trade yearely, and carry all kinde of marchandize serving for Patosi and Paraquay ; the money which is thence re- turned, is distributed in all the coast of Brasill.

The loading of this ship was meale of cassavi, which the me?ie!' Portingals call Farina de Paw. It serveth for marchan- dize in Angola, for the Portingals foode in the ship, and to nourish the negroes which they should carry to the river of Plate. This meale is made of a certaine roote which the Indians call yuca, much like unto potatoes. Of it are two kindes : the one sweete and good to be eaten (either rosted or sodden) as potatoes, and the other of which they make their bread, called cassavi; deadly poy son, if the liquor or juyce bee not thoroughly pressed out. So prepared it is the bread of Brazill, and many parts of the Indies, which they make in this maner : first they pare the roote, and

then upon a rough stone they grate it as small as they can, The prepar- ing tbereot

and after that it is grated small, they put it into a bag or f'^'" ^°°'^- poke, and betwixt two stones, with great waight, they presse out the juyce or poyson, and after keepe it in some bag, till it hath no juyce nor moystui'e left.^ Of this they make two sorts of bread, the one finer and the other courser, but bake them after one maner. They place a great broad smooth stone upon other foiu'e, which serve in steede of a trevet, and make a quicke fire under it, and so strawe the flower or meale a foote long, and halfe a foot broad. To make it to incorporate, they sprinkle now and then a little water, and then another rowe of meale, and another sprinkling, till it be to their minde ; that which is

9 Cassava or manioc is of the natural order euphorbiacecs. The root abounds with a poisonous juice, but this after maceration is driven off by heat, and the fecula is obtained in an edible state. Tapioca is a preparation of cassava. Farina do pao — flour of wood.

96 Hawkins' aoyage into

^'"'^' ''''''"• to be spent presently^ they make a finger tliicke, and some- times more thicke ; but tliat wbicli they make for store^ is not above halfe a finger thicke, but so hard^ that if it fall on the ground it will not breake easily. Being newly baked, it is reasonable good, but after fewe dayes it is not to be eaten, except it be soaked in water. In some partes they suffer the meale to become fenoed/" before they make it into bread, and hold it for the best, saying that it giveth it a better tast ; but I am not of that opinion. In other parts they mingle it with a fruite called agnanapes, which are round, and being ripe are grey, and as big as an liazell nut, and grow in a cod like pease, but that it is all curiously wrought : first they parch them upon a stone, and after beate them into powder, and then mingle them mth the fine flower of cassa\i, and bake them into bread, these are their spice-cakes, which they call xauxaw.

Agnanapes rpj^g aguauapcs are pleasant, give the bread a yellowish coulour, and an aromaticall savour in taste. ^^ The finer of this bread, being well baked, keepeth long time, three or foure yeares. In Brazill, since the Portingalls taught the Indians the use of sugar, they eate this meale mingled ^vith remels^-of sugar, or malasses ; and in this manner the Por- tingalls themselves feed of it.

But we found a better manner of dressing this farina, in making pancakes, and frying them with butter or oyle, and sometimes with manteca de puerco; when stre-sving a little sugar upon them, it was meate that om' company desired above any that was in the shippe.

And for The Indians also accustome to make their drinke of this

beverage.

meale, and in three severall manners.

First is chewing it in their mouths, and after mingling

1" Vinewed — mouldy.

11 Probably cacao (theohroma cacao), well known from the beverage of the same name, and from which chocolate is manufactured.

12 In the Devonshire dialect, remlet means a remnant.

THE SOUTH SEA. 97

it with water, after a loathsome manner, yet the common- >^ect. x.wn. est drinke that they have ; and that held best which is chewed by an old woman. ^^

The second manner of their cUdnke, is baking it till it be halfe burned, then they beate it into powder ; and when they will drinke, they mingle a small quantitie of it with water, which giveth a reasonable good taste.

The third, and best, is baking it, as aforesaid, and when it is beaten into powder, to seeth it in water ; after that it is well boyled, they let it stand some three or fourc dayes, and then drinke it. So, it is much like the ale which is used in England, and of that colour and taste.

The Indians are very cimous in planting and manuring The manner of this yuca. It is a little shrubb, and carryeth branches ?""«• like hazell wands ; being groTvue as bigge as a mans finger, they breake them off in the middest, and so pricke them into the ground ; it needeth no other art or husbandry, for out of each branch grow two, three, or foure rootes, some bigger, some lesser : but first they bm-ne and maniu'e the ground, the which labour, and whatsoever els is requi- site, the men doe not so much as helpe with a finger, but all lyeth upon their poore women, who are worse then slaves • with the la-

•^ -^ ^ •'hour of the

for they labom' the ground, they plant, they digge and ^^o«^'?"- delve, they bake, they brew, and dresse their meate, fetch their water, and doe all drudgerie whatsoever : yea, though they nurse a childe, they are not exempted from any labour ; their childe they carry in a wallet about their necke, ordinarily under one arme, because it may sucke when it will.

The men have care for nothing but for their cannoas, to passe from place to place, and of their bowes and arrowes to hunt, and their armes for the warre, which is a sword of heavie blacke wood, some fom'e fingers broad, an inch

13 A similar disagreeable preparation, called ^-aw?, is prepared and drunk in the Polynesian islands.

G

98 Hawkins' voyage into

Sect XXVII. tjiicke, and an ell long, something broader towards the toppe then at the handle. They call it macana, and it is carved and Avrought with inlayd works very curiously, but his edges are blunt. If any kill any game in hunting, he bringeth it not with him, but from the next tree to the game, he breaketh a bough (for the trees in the Indies have leaves for the most part all the yeare), and all the way as he goeth streweth little peeces of it, here and there, and comming home giveth a peece to his woman, and so sends her for it.

If they goe to the warre, or in any journey, where it is necessary to carry pro^dsion or marchandize, the women serve to carry all, and the men never succour nor ease them ; wherein they shew greater barbarisme then in any thing, in my opinion, that I have noted amongst them, except in eating one another.

PoivRarnyof In Brasill, and in the West Indies, the Indian may have

the Indians. ' ^ ./

as many wives as he can get, either bought or given by her friends : the men and women, for the most part, goe

Their aitire. naked, and those which have come to know their shame, cover onely their pri^de parts with a peece of cloth, the rest of their body is naked. Their houses resemble great bames, covered over or thatched with plantyne leaves, which reach to the ground, and at either end is the doore.

Their man- jjj Qjjg housc are somctimcs ten or twentie households :

nei- ui

housing. they have little household stufFe, besides their beds, which they call hamacas,^^ and are made of cotton, and stayned with divers colours and workes. Some I have scene white, of great curiositie. They are as a sheete laced at both ends, and at either end of them long strappes, with which they fasten them to two posts, as high as a mans middle.

1* The hammock uow in general use at se.a, takes its name from this term.

THE SOUTH SEA. 99

and so sit rocking themselves in them. Sometimes they ''''^^- ^^''' use them for seates, and sometimes to sleepe in at their ^°^

^ sleepiug.

pleasiu'es. In one of them I have seene sleepe the man^ his wife, and a childe.

SECTION XXVIII.

We tooke out of this prize, for our provision, some good quantitie of this meale, and the sugar shee had, being not above three or foure chestes : after three dayes we gave the ship to the Portingalls, and to them libertie. In her was a Portingall knight, which went for governour of Angola, of the habit of Christ, with fiftie souldiers, and armes for a hundreth and fiftie, with his wife and daughter. He was old, and complained, that after many yeares service for his king, with sundry mishapps, he was brought to that poore estate, as for the relief of his wife, his daughter, and him- selfe, he had no other substance, but that he had in the ship. It moved compassion, so as nothing of his was di- minished, which though to us was of no great moment, in Angola it was worth good crownes. Onely we disarmed them all, and let them depart, saying that they would re- tui'ne to Saint Vincents.

We continued om' course for the Straites, mj people much animated Avdtli this unlookt for refreshing, and praised God for his bountie, providence, and grace extended towards us. Here it will not be out of the way to speake a word of the particularities of the countrie.

g3

100 HAWKINS^ VOYAGE INTO

SECTION XXIX.

Sect. XXIX. Brasill is accounted to be that part of America, which The desciip- lyeth towards our north sea, bet^vixt the river of tlie Ama-

tion of ^ '

Biasiii. zons, neere the Ivne to the northwards, untill a man come to the river of Plate in thirty-six degrees to the southwards of the lyne.

This coast generally lyeth next of any thing south and by west ; it is a temperate countrie, though in some parts it exceedeth in heat; it is full of good succors for shipping,

Its havens. ^^^ plentifiill for rivers and fresh waters; the principal habitations are, Farnambuca, the Bay De todos los Santos, Nostra Senora de Victoria, alias Santos, the river lenero. Saint Vincents, and Placentia; every of them provided of a good port. The winds are variable, but for the most part trade^ along the coast.

itscommo- The Commodities this country yeeldeth, are the wood

dities. X, A,

called Brasill,2 whereof the best is that of Farnambuc ; (so also called, being used in most rich colours) good cotton- wooU, great store of sugar, balsam on, and liquid amber.

Its wants. They have want of all maner of cloth, lynnen, and woollen, of iron, and edge-tools, of copper, and principally in some places, of wax, of wine, of oyle, and meale (for the country beareth no corne) , and of all maner of haber- dashery-wares, for the Indians.

Thebestiaii The bcasts that naturally breed in this country are,

thereof. ^

tygers, lyons, hoggs, dogges, deere, monkeyes, mycos, and