In The
Meantime We Marched Southwards To Their Town Of Santa Cruz, Whence All
The Inhabitants Had Fled And Carried Off Every Thing Of Value.
On
demanding the reason of this, they answered it proceeded from fear, and
that they always did so on
The appearance of any ships near their coast.
That part of the island was mostly composed of large rocky hills and
barren mountains, and was little inhabited, being apt to be molested by
ships of war; and even Santa Cruz, one of their principal towns, was all
in ruins, having been burnt about two years before by some English ships
of war, according to what we were told by the inhabitants. As we were
rowing towards the Victory in the evening, a huge fish pursued us for
nearly two miles, mostly distant about a spear length from the stern of
the boat, and sometimes so near as to touch. The tips of his fins at the
gills, appearing often above water, were by estimation four or five
yards asunder, and his jaws gaping a yard and half wide, put us in fear
he might overset our pinnace; but God be thanked, by rowing as hard as
we could, we escaped.
When we were about the island of Flores, we got notice from a small
vessel called the Drake[364], that the caraks were at Tercera, of which
news we were very glad, and made sail thither with all the speed we
could. By the way we came to Fayal road on the 27th August after sunset,
where we saw some ships at anchor, towards which Captains Lister and
Monson were sent in the skiff to see what they were, and lest any
mischance should befall our boat, we sent in likewise the Saucy Jack and
the small caravel; but as the wind was off shore, these vessels were not
able to set up to where the Spanish ships were anchored.
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