300 HOMEWARD BOUND. 



We left St. Thomas's by a different track from tliat by 

 wliicli we came to it. We ran northward up the magnificent 

 landlocked channel between Tortola and Virgin Gorda, to 

 pass to leeward of Virgin Gorda and Anegada, and so north- 

 ward toward the gulf- stream. 



This channel has borne the name of Drake, I presume, 

 ever since the year 1575. For in the account of that 

 fatal, though successful voyage, which cost the lives both 

 of Sir John Hawkins, who died off Porto Eico, and Sir 

 Francis Drake, who died off Porto Bello, where Hosier and 

 the greater part of the crews of a noble British fleet perished 

 a hundred, and fifty years afterward, it is written in Hakluyt 

 how after running up X. and X.W. past Saba the fleet 

 " stood away S.W., and on the 8th of ISTovember, being a 

 Saturday, we came to an anker some 7 or 8 leagues off 

 among certain broken Hands called Las Virgines, which have 

 bene accounted danoerous : but we found there a very ^ood 

 rode, had it bene for a thousand sails of ships in 7 & 8 

 fadomes, fine sand, good ankorage, high Hands on either 

 side, but no fresh water that we could find : here is much fish 

 to be taken witb nets and hookes : also we stayed on shore 

 and fowled. Here Sir John HaAvkins was extreme sick " (he 

 died within ten days), " which his sickness began upon 

 newes of the taking of the Francis " (his sternmost vessel). 

 " The 18th day wee weied and stood north a iid by east into 



