SIR JOHN HAWKINS ad. 



1567. 



woundes, yet thankes be to God, escaped. From 

 thence we past the time upon the coast of Guinea, 

 searching with all diligence the rivers from Rio 

 Grande, unto Sierra Leona, till the twelfth of Januarie, 

 in which time we had not gotten together a hundreth 

 and fiftie Negros : yet notwithstanding the sicknesse 

 of our men, and the late time of the yeere com- [III. 522.] 

 manded us away : and thus having nothing wherewith 

 to seeke the coast of the West Indias, I was with the 

 rest of our company in consultation to goe to the 

 coast of the Mine, hoping there to have obtained 

 some golde for our wares, and thereby to have 

 defraied our charge. But even in that present instant, 

 there came to us a Negro, sent from a king, oppressed 

 by other Kings his neighbours, desiring our aide, with 

 promise that as many Negros as by these warres 

 might be obtained, aswell of his part as of ours, 

 should be at our pleasure ; whereupon we concluded 

 to give aide, and sent 120 of our men, which the 15 

 of Januarie, assaulted a towne of the Negros of our ^ towne of 

 Allies adversaries, which had in it 8000 Inhabitants, ^^^°° ''^"^'' 

 being very strongly impaled and fenced after their 

 manner, but it was so well defended, that our men 

 prevailed not, but lost sixe men and fortie hurt : so 

 that our men sent forthwith to me for more helpe : 

 whereupon considering that the good successe of this 

 enterprise might highly further the commoditie of our 

 voyage, I went my selfe, and with the helpe of the 

 king of our side, assaulted the towne, both by land 

 and sea, and very hardly with fire (their houses being 

 covered with dry Palme leaves) obtained the towne, 

 put the Inhabitants to flight, where we tooke 250 

 persons, men, women, & children, and by our friend 

 the king of our side, there were taken 600 prisoners, 

 whereof we hoped to have had our choise: but the 

 Negro (in which nation is seldome or never found ^'^ t^'^^^h in 

 truth) meant nothing lesse: for that night he re- ^^^^^^' 

 mooved his campe and prisoners, so that we were 

 X 65 E 



