SIR FRANCIS DRAKE ad. 



1585. 



furnishing our store with such severall good things as 



it affourdeth very abundantly, we were forced by the 

 vile Sea-gate, which at that present fell out, and by the 

 naughtinesse of the landing place, being but one, and 

 that under the favour of many platformes well furnished 

 with great ordinance, to depart with the receit of many 

 of their Canon-shot, some into our ships, and some 

 besides, some of them being in very deede full Canon 

 high. But the only or chiefe mischiefe was the dangerous 

 sea-surge, which at shore all alongst plainly threatned 

 the overthrow of as many pinnesses and boates, as for 

 that time should have attempted any landing at all. 



Now seeing the expectation of this attempt frustrated 

 by the causes aforesaid, we thought it meeter to fall 

 with the Isle Hierro, to see if we could find any better 

 fortune : and comming to the Island, we landed a 

 thousand men in a valley under a high mountaine, 

 where we stayed some two or three houres, in which 

 time the inhabitants, accompanied with a yong fellow 

 borne in England, who dwelt there with them, came 

 unto us, shewing their state to be so poore, that they 

 were all ready to starve, which was not untrue : and 

 therefore without any thing gotten, we were all com- 

 manded presently to imbarke, so as that night wee put 

 off to sea Southsoutheast along towards the coast of 

 Barbary. 



Upon Saturday in the morning, being the 13. of 

 November, we fell with Cape Blanke, which is a low 

 land and shallow water, where we catched store of fish, 

 and doubling the Cape, we put into the Bay, where we 

 found certaine French ships of warre, whom wee enter- 

 tained with great courtesie, and there left them. This 

 afternoone the whole fleet assembled, which was a little 

 scattered about their fishing, and put from thence to 

 the Isles of Cape Verde, sailing till the 16. of the same 

 moneth in the morning, on which day we discried the 

 Island of S. lago, and in the evening we ankered the 

 fleet between the towne called the Playa or Praya, and 



103 



