Whenever
I Could Get Free From Others, I Very Earnestly Craved The Aid And
Direction Of The Almighty And Ever
Merciful God, who had often delivered
me before from manifold dangers, praying that he would so direct me that
I
Might omit nothing having a tendency to the safety of my charge, and
our defence against the enemy. I had strong confidence that the Almighty
would grant my request, and yet was often led to doubt, through my
manifold and grievous offences. I resolved at length what to do, by
God's assistance, providing the masters of the ships would agree to
second me. Being satisfied, if we should-receive a defeat while at
anchor, our disgrace would be great, and our enemies could in that case
be little injured by us; while by setting sail, the viceroy, in his
greediness and pride, might do himself some wrong upon the sands, by
which he might cripple his own force, and thereby open a way for our
getting out through the rest. Yet this plan seemed only fit for ultimate
necessity, considering that much of our goods were now on their way, and
others were expected from day to day; and, if once out, unless it
pleased God to make us the conquerors, so as to drive the viceroy clean
away, I should on no account be able to return to my anchorage, where
only I could get in my lading. Considering also that the viceroy would
hold his honour in such high estimation, that he would rather die than
give way; and besides, that my people would be tired and half spent with
labour, before going to fight, by heaving at the capstan to get up our
anchors, setting the sails, and so forth, which in this hot country
makes them both weary and faint, to the great diminution of their
courage; while the viceroy and his soldiers being troubled with no
labour, which among them is done by slaves and inferior mariners, would
come fresh into the battle.
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