SIR JOHN HAWKINS a.d. 



^565. 

 Jamaica, and after certaine dayes not finding the same, 



perceived then certainly that the yland which he was 

 at before was Jamaica, and that the cloudes did deceive 

 him, whereof he marvelled not a little : and this mis- 

 taking of the place came to as ill a passe as the over- 

 shooting of Jamaica : for by this did he also overpasse a 

 place in Cuba, called Santa Cruz, where, as he was 

 informed, was great store of hides to be had : & thus 

 being disappointed of two of his portes, where he thought 

 to have raised great profite by his trafique, and also 

 to have found great refreshing of victuals and water 

 for his men, hee was now disappointed greatly, and such 

 want he had of fresh water, that he was forced to seeke 

 the shore to obteine the same, which he had sight of 

 after certaine dayes overpassed with stormes and contrary 

 windes, but yet not of the maine of Cuba, but of certaine 

 ylands in number two hundred, whereof the most part ^^'^ hundred 

 were desolate of inhabitants : by the which ylands the y^^^^^fi^ ^^^ 

 Captame passmg in his pinnesse, could finde no rresh inhabited. 

 water untill hee came to an yland bigger then all the 

 rest, called the yle of Pinas, where wee anckered with 

 our ships the i6. of June, and found water, which 

 although it were neither so toothsome as running water, 

 by the meanes it is standing, and but the water of raine, 

 and also being neere the Sea was brackish, yet did wee 

 not refuse it, but were more glad thereof, as the time 

 then required, then wee should have bene another time 

 with fine Conduit water. Thus being reasonably watered 

 we were desirous to depart, because the place was not 

 very convenient for such ships of charge as they were, 

 because there were many shoales to leeward, which also 

 lay open to the sea for any wind that should blow : and 

 therfore the captaine made the more haste away, which 

 was not unneedfuU : for little sooner were their anckers 

 weyed, and foresaile set, but there arose such a storme, 

 that they had not much to spare for doubling out of 

 the shoales : for one of the barks not being fully ready 

 as the rest, was faine for haste to cut the cable in 



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