A.D. THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



1564. 



and harguebuzes to them, with divers others to the 

 number of fourescore, with halberds, pikes, swordes and 

 targets, which happened so contrary to his expectation, 

 that it did greatly amaze him, and the more, because hee 

 was nowe in their danger, not knowing well howe to 

 avoyde it without some mischiefe. Wherefore hee deter- 

 mined to call to them for the better appeasing of the 

 matter, declaring his name, and professing himselfe to bee 

 an especiall friend to Peter de ponte, and that he had 

 sundry things for him which he greatly desired. And in 

 the meane time, while hee was thus talking with them, 

 whereby hee made them to holde their hands, hee willed 

 the marriners to rowe away, so that at last he gat out of 

 their danger : and then asking for Peter de ponte, one of 

 his sonnes being Sennor Nicolas de Ponte, came forth, 

 whom hee perceiving, desired to put his men aside, and 

 hee himselfe would leape a shoare and commune with him, 

 which they did : so that after communication had be- 

 tweene them of sundry things, and of the feare they both 

 had, master Hawkins desired to have certaine necessaries 

 provided for him. In the meane space, while these 

 things were providing, hee trimmed the maine mast of 

 the Jesus which in the storme aforesayd was sprung : here 

 he sojourned 7. dayes, refreshing himselfe and his men. 



Santa Cruz. In the which time Peter de ponte dwelling at S. Cruz, a 

 citie 20. leagues off, came to him, and gave him as gentle 



A hriefe de- intertainment as if he had bene his owne brother. To 



scriptionoft e gpeake somewhat of these Hands, being: called in olde 



coTntnodtttcs of r ' o 



the Canarie ^^^^ Insulae fortunatas, by the meanes of the flourishing 



Hands. thereof, the fruitfulnesse of them doeth surely exceede 



farre all other that I have heard of: for they make wine 



better then any in Spaine, they have grapes of such big- 



nesse, that they may bee compared to damsons, and in 



taste inferiour to none : for sugar, suckets, raisins of the 



Sunne, and many other fruits, abundance : for rosine & 



raw silke, there is great store, they want neither corne, 



pullets, cattell, nor yet wilde foule : they have many 



Camels also, which being young, are eaten of the people 



12 



