The Same Night, In Consequence Of This Intelligence, We Came To Anchor
Between Flores And Corvo, And Next Morning At Day-Break, I Convened A
Council Of All The Captains And Masters On Board My Ship, By A Signal
Flag.
For satisfying our desire to learn some intelligence of my lord,
as also for the purpose of procuring a
Supply of water, it was thought
good to send our boats on shore armed, under the command of Captain
Brothus; besides which, it was agreed, after our departure thence, to
range along the south sides of the islands, that we might either procure
some intelligence of my lord, or fall in with the fleet of the Indies;
and, in case of missing both objects, to direct our course for Cape St
Vincent. The boats being sent on shore, according to this determination,
it chanced that the Costely, which rode outermost at our anchoring
ground, having weighed to bring herself nearer among us to assist in
protecting our boats, discovered two sail in opening the land, which we
in the road-stead could not perceive. Upon this she fired a shot of
warning, which caused us to _wave_ all our boats back; and before they
could recover their ships, the two ships seen by the Costely appeared to
us, on which we made all sail towards them, and in a happy hour as it
pleased God. We had no sooner cleared the land and spoken one of them,
which was a bark belonging to Bristol, also seeking my lord
ineffectually at the place appointed, when so violent a storm arose that
we had been in great danger of perishing if we had continued in the
road. This storm continued in its utmost violence for sixty hours,
during which I was separated from all our fleet except the Cherubim, and
Costely, which continued in company. After it subsided, sailing in
among the islands, I viewed the road of Fayal, and finding no roaders
there, I went thence for the isle of Tercera.
On the 19th day of September in the morning, coming to Tercera, and
intending to edge into the road, a tempest arose and so scanted the wind
that we could not get in. Being accordingly driven to leeward, we fell
in among some of the fleet of the Indies, which had been dispersed by
the storm, and driven from the road. Upon this our ship and the two
others then with me gave several chases, by which we parted company.
Following up my chase, we made her strike and yield about noon, when she
turned out to be a Portuguese, laden with hides, sarsa-parilla, and
_anile_ [Indigo.] At this instant we espied another, and taking our
prize with us, followed and captured her before night. She was called
the Conception, commanded by Francisco Spinola, and was laden with
cochineal, raw hides, and certain raw silk: And as the sea was so
tempestuous that we could in no way board her, neither by boats nor from
the ship, so we kept her under our lee till a fit opportunity.
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