SIR JOHN HAWKINS a.d. 



1565. 

 off and on all night, to keepe that we had gotten to 

 wind-ward, intending to have watered in the morning, 

 if we could have done it, or els if the winde had 

 come larger, to have plied to wind-ward to Havana, The port of 

 which is an harborow whereunto all the fleet of the ^^^^^^• 

 Spanyards come, and doe there tary to have one the 

 company of another. This hill we thinking to have 

 beene the Table, made account (as it was indeed) that 

 Havana was but eight leagues to wind-ward, but by 

 the perswasion of a French man, who made the captaine 

 beleeve he knew the Table very well, and had beene 

 at Havana, sayd that it was not the Table, and that 

 the Table was much higher, and neerer to the sea side, 

 and that there was no plaine ground to the Eastward, 

 nor hilles to the Westward, but all was contrary, and 

 that behinde the hilles to the Westward was Havana. 

 To which persuasion credit being given by some, and 

 they not of the woorst, the captaine was persuaded to 

 goe to leeward, and so sailed along the seventh and 

 eight dayes, finding no habitation, nor no other Table ; 

 and then perceiving his folly to give eare to such praters, 

 was not a little sory, both because he did consider 

 what time he should spend yer he could get so far to 

 wind-ward againe, which would have bene, with the 

 weathering which we had, ten or twelve dayes worke, 

 & what it would have bene longer he knew not, and 

 (that which was woorst) he had not above a dayes water 

 and therfore knew not what shift to make : but in 

 fine, because the want was such, that his men could 

 not live with it, he determined to seeke water, and 

 to goe further to leeward, to a place (as it is set in the 

 card) called Rio de los puercos, which he was in doubt 

 of, both whether it were inhabited, & whether there 

 were water or not, and whether for the shoalds he 

 might have such accesse with his ships, that he might 

 conveniently take in the same. And while we were 

 in these troubles, and kept our way to the place afore- 

 sayd, almighty God our guide (who would not suffer 



47 



