In This Place Called St. Augustine We Understood The King Did Keep, As
Is Before Said, 150 Soldiers, And At
Another place some dozen leagues
beyond to the northwards, called St. Helena, he did there likewise
keep 150 more, serving
There for no other purpose than to keep all
other nations from inhabiting any part of all that coast; the
government whereof was committed to one Pedro Melendez, marquis,
nephew to that Melendez the Admiral, who had overthrown Master John
Hawkins in the Bay of Mexico some 17 or 18 years ago. This governor
had charge of both places, but was at this time in this place, and one
of the first that left the same.
Here it was resolved in full assembly of captains, to undertake the
enterprise of St. Helena, and from thence to seek out the inhabitation
of our English countrymen in Virginia, distant from thence some six
degrees northward. When we came thwart of St. Helena, the shoals
appearing dangerous, and we having no pilot to undertake the entry, it
was thought meetest to go hence alongst. For the Admiral had been the
same night in four fathom and a half, three leagues from the shore;
and yet we understood, by the help of a known pilot, there may and do
go in ships of greater burden and draught than any we had in our
fleet. We passed thus along the coast hard aboard the shore, which is
shallow for a league or two from the shore, and the same is low and
broken land for the most part. The ninth of June upon sight of one
special great fire (which are very ordinary all alongst this coast,
even from the Cape of Florida hither) the General sent his skiff to
the shore, where they found some of our English countrymen that had
been sent thither the year before by Sir Walter Raleigh, and brought
them aboard; by whose direction we proceeded along to the place which
they make their port. But some of our ships being of great draught,
unable to enter, anchored without the harbour in a wild road at sea,
about two miles from shore. From whence the General wrote letters to
Master Ralph Lane, being governor of those English in Virginia, and
then at his fort about six leagues from the road in an island which
they called Roanoac; wherein especially he shewed how ready he was to
supply his necessities and wants, which he understood of by those he
had first talked withal.
The morrow after, Master Lane himself and some of his company coming
unto him, with the consent of his captains he gave them the choice of
two offers, that is to say: either he would leave a ship, a pinnace,
and certain boats with sufficient masters and mariners, together
furnished with a month's victual, to stay and make further discovery
of the country and coasts, and so much victual likewise as might be
sufficient for the bringing of them all (being an hundred and three
persons) into England, if they thought good after such time, with any
other thing they would desire, and that he might be able to spare:
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