On Getting To The Shore, Our Men
Found Some Of The Poor Islanders Hid Among The Rocks, Being Afraid Of
Us.
On the 29th, our boats returned with fresh water, bringing only six
tons to the Victory, alleging they could
Get no more; thinking, as was
afterwards supposed, as he had only 12 tons of water and wine, that my
lord would now return direct for England, as many of our men greatly
desired. My lord, was very unwilling to do this, and meant next day to
have taken in more water, but from the roughness of the sea, and the
wind freshening, and owing to the unwillingness of the people, no more
water was procured: yet my lord would not return with so much provision
unspent, especially as the expedition had not hitherto produced such
fruits as might reasonably satisfy himself and others. Wherefore, with
consent of the whole ships companies, it was agreed to go for England by
way of the coast of Spain, to endeavour to make more captures, the whole
people being reduced to half allowance of water, except such as were
sick or wounded, who were to have whole allowance. On Saturday, the 31st
October, as the Margaret was very leaky, she was sent off direct for
England in charge of the Brazil ship, and in them our sick and wounded
men were sent home; but captain Monson was taken out of the _Megge_ into
the Victory[367].
[Footnote 367: In the commencement of this voyage, the Meg and Margaret
are named as distinct ships, one of which is said to have been sent home
soon after, as unfit for sea. In this passage the Margaret and Megge are
evidently different names for the same ship. - E.]
We now shaped our course for the coast of Spain, having the wind fair
and large, which had seldom been the case hitherto. On the 4th November
we saw a sail right before us, to which we gave chase, and coming up
with her about 3 P.M. we took possession of her, being a ship of about
110 tons burden, from _Pernambucke_ or Fernambucco, in Brazil, bound
for Portugal, having on board 410 chests of sugar, and 50 quintals of
Brazil wood, each quintal being 100 pounds weight. We took her in lat.
29 deg. N. about 200 leagues west from Lisbon. Captain Preston was sent on
board the prize, who brought her principal people into the Victory,
certain of our seamen and soldiers being appointed to take charge of
her. The Portuguese reported, that they had seen another ship that day
before them about noon; wherefore, when all things were properly
disposed respecting our prize, we left her under the charge of captain
Davis, with whom likewise we left our long-boat, taking his smaller boat
with us, and made all sail due east after this other ship, leaving
orders for captain Davis and the prize to follow us due east, and if he
had not sight of us next morning, to bear away direct for England. Next
morning we could not see the vessel of which we were in chase, neither
was the prize or the ship of captain Davis to be seen.
On the 6th November, being then in lat. 38 deg. 30' N. and about 60 leagues
west from Lisbon, captain Preston descried a sail early in the morning
two or three leagues a-head of us, which we came up with about 8 or 9
o'clock A.M. She was lastly from St Michaels, but originally from Brazil
laden with sugar. While employed shifting the prisoners into the
Victory, one of our men in the main-top espied another sail some three
or four leagues a-head, on which we immediately sent back our boat with
men to take charge of the prize, and made all sail in chase, so that we
overtook the other ship about 2 P.M. She made some preparation to resist
us, hanging many hides all round her sides, so that musquetry could not
have injured her; but by the time we had fired two cannon shot at her,
she lowered her sails and surrendered. She was of between 300 and 400
tons, bound from Mexico and St John de Lowe, (San Juan de Ulloa) her
cargo consisting of 700 dry hides; worth 10s. apiece, six chests of
cochineal, every chest holding 100 pounds weight, and every pound worth
L. 1, 6s. 8d., besides which she had several chests of sugar, some
packages of China ware, with some wrought plate and silver in coin. The
captain was an Italian, a grave, wise, and civil person, who had to the
value of 25,000 ducats adventure in this ship. He and some of the
principal Spanish prisoners were taken on board the Victory; and captain
Lister was sent into the prize, with some 20 of our best mariners,
soldiers, and sailors. In the meantime our other prize came up with us,
and having now our hands full, we joyfully shaped our course for
England, as we had so many Portuguese, Spanish, and French prisoners,
that we could not well have manned any more prizes with safety to
ourselves. Wherefore, about 6 P.M. when our other prize came up, we made
sail for England. But as our two prizes were unable to keep up with us
without sparing them many of our own sails, our ship rolled and wallowed
so that it was both exceedingly troublesome, and put our main-mast in
great danger of being carried away. Having accordingly acquainted them
with these circumstances, and taken back our sails, we directed them to
keep their course following us, so as to make for Portsmouth.
We took this last prize in lat. 39 deg. N. about 46 leagues west from the
Rock of Lisbon. She was one of the 16 ships we saw going into the
harbour of Angra in the island of Tercera on the 8th October.
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