The Cargo Being Taken Out, And The Goods Reloaded On Board Ten Of Our
Ships To Be Sent To London,
One Mr Robert Adams, a man of excellent
skill, took the exact bigness, height, length, breadth, and other
dimensions of
This huge vessel, that these might be preserved according
to the exact rules of geometrical proportions, both for present
knowledge and transmission to posterity, omitting nothing which either
his art could demonstrate, or any mans judgment think worthy of being
known. After an exact survey of the whole frame, he found the extreme
length, from the beak head to the stern, where a lantern was erected,
165 feet. The breadth, in the second close deck, of which she had three,
but this the broadest, was 46 feet 10 inches. At her departure from
Cochin in India, her draught of water was 31 feet; but at her arrival in
Dartmouth, not above 26, being lightened 5 feet during her voyage by
various causes. She contained 7 several stories; viz. one main orlop,
three close decks, one forecastle, and a spar deck of two floors each.
The length of the keel was 100 feet, of the main-mast 121 feet, and its
circumference at the partners was 10 feet 7 inches. The main-yard was
106 feet long. By this accurate mensuration, the hugeness of the whole
is apparent, and far beyond the mould of the largest ships used among
us, either for war or cargo.
Don Alonso de Bacan, having a greater fleet, and yet suffering these two
great caraks to be lost, the Santa Cruz burnt, and the Madre de Dios
taken, was disgraced by the king of Spain for his negligence.
SECTION XV.
_The taking of two Spanish Ships, laden with quicksilver and the Popes
bulls, in 1592, by Captain Thomas White_.[390]
While returning from Barbary in the Amity of London, and in the latitude
of 36 deg. N. at 4 in the morning of the 26th of July 1592, Captain White
got sight of two ships at the distance of three or four leagues. Giving
immediate chace, he came within gun-shot of them by 7 o'clock; and by
their boldness in shewing Spanish colours, he judged them rather to be
ships of war than laden with merchandize; indeed, by their own
confession afterwards, they made themselves so sure of taking him, that
they debated among themselves whether it were better for them to carry
his ship to San Lucar or Lisbon. After waving each other amain, the
Spaniards placed themselves in order of battle, a cables length before
the other, when the fight began, both sides charging and firing as fast
as they were able, at the distance of a cables length, for the space of
five hours. In this time, the Amity received 32 great shots in her hull,
masts, and sails, besides at least 500 iron muskets and arquebuses,
which were counted after the fight.
[Footnote 390: Astley, I. 249. The editor of Astleys collection gives no
notice of the source whence he procured this narrative.
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