361. - This narrative, as we learn from
Hakluyt, was written by Mr John Lane, or Jane, a person of good
observation, who was employed in this and many other voyages. - E.]
* * * * *
The ships fitted out on this occasion, entirely at his own expence, were
the galleon named the Leicester, in which Sir Thomas Candish embarked
himself as admiral, or general of the expedition; the Roebuck
vice-admiral, commanded by Mr Cocke; the Desire rear-admiral, of which
Mr John Davis was captain;[62] the Dainty, a bark belonging to Mr Adrian
Gilbert, of which Mr Randolph Cotton had the command; and a pinnace
named the Black.
[Footnote 62: The author of this narrative informs us that he sailed on
this voyage along with Mr Davis. - E.]
Sec. 1. Incidents in the Voyage, till the Separation of the Ships.
With this squadron we sailed from Plymouth on the 26th of August, 1591.
The 29th November, we fell in with the bay of St Salvador on the coast
of Brazil, twelve leagues to the N. of Cabo Frio, where we were becalmed
till the 2d December, when we captured a small bark, bound for the Rio
Plata, laden with sugar, haberdashery wares, and negroes. The master of
this bark brought us to an isle, called Placencia or Ilha Grande,
thirty Portuguese leagues W. from Cabo Frio, where we arrived on the 5th
December, and rifled six or seven houses inhabited by Portuguese. The
11th we departed from this place, and arrived on the 14th at the island
of St Sebastian; whence Mr Cocke and Mr Davis immediately departed, with
the Desire and the Black pinnace, on purpose to attack the town of
Santos.
