A.D. THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



1540. 



account thereof in respect of the joy which we conceived 

 to see our selves freed of the perill of being cast on that 

 shore with our ships, especially seeing it fell out at 

 midnight, at which time no man could have escaped, 

 but by a meere myracle from God. 



Wee sayled up and downe the sea all Thursday, and 

 untill Friday in the morning being the fourteeneth 

 day of February, and the waves of the sea continually 

 came raking over our deckes. At length, on Saturday 

 morning at breake of day we could finde no remedy 

 against the contrary windes, notwithstanding the Generall 

 was very obstinate to have us keepe out at sea, although 

 it were very tempestuous, least we should be driven to 

 put backe againe, but no diligence nor remedie prevailed : 

 for the windes were so boysterous and so contrary, that 

 they could not be worse, and the sea went still higher, 

 and swelled more and more, and that in such sorte, that 

 we greatly feared wee should all perish. Whereupon the 

 Pilot thought it our best course to returne to the Isle of 

 Cedars, whither wee had repaired three or foure times 

 before by reason of the selfe same contrary windes, for wee 

 tooke this Island for our father and mother, although we 

 received no other benefite thereby save this onely, namely, 

 to repaire thither in these necessities, and to furnish our 

 selves with water, and with some small quantitie of fish. 



Being therefore arrived at this Island, and riding under 

 the shelter thereof, the contrary windes did alwayes blow 

 very strongly, and here we tooke water which we drunke, 

 and wood for our fewel, and greatly desired, that the 

 windes would bee more favourable for proceeding on our 

 journey. And though we rode under the shelter of the 

 Isle, yet felt wee the great fury of those windes, and 

 the rage of the sea, and our ships never ceased rolling. 



At breake of day the twentieth of February wee found 

 the cable of our Admirall cracked, whereupon, to our 

 great griefe, we were constrained to set sayle, to fall 

 downe lower the space of a league, and the Trinitie 

 came and rode in our company. 



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