SIR FRANCIS DRAKE a.d. 



1586. 



that is in the Island by the harbour mouth : which Island The Island of 



is a very pleasant place as hath bene scene, having in <^^^^^- 



it many sorts of goodly and very pleasant fruites, as the 



Orenge trees and others, being set orderly in walkes of 



great length together. Insomuch as the whole Island 



being some two or three miles about, is cast into grounds 



of gardening and orchards. 



After sixe weekes abode in this place, we put to sea 

 the last of March, where after two or three dayes a great 

 ship which we had taken at S. Domingo, and thereupon 

 was called The new yeeres gift, fell into a great leake, 

 being laden with ordinance, hides, and other spoyles, 

 and in the night she lost the company of our Fleete ; 

 which being missed the next morning by the Generall, 

 hee cast about with the whole Fleete, fearing some great 

 mischance to bee happened unto her, as in very deede it 

 so fell out : for her leake was so great, that her men were 

 all tyred with pumping. But at the last having found 

 her & the Bark Talbot in her company, which stayed by 

 great hap with her, they were ready to take their men out 

 of her, for the saving of them. And so the Generall 

 being fully advertised of their great extremitie, made saile 

 directly backe againe to Cartagena with the whole Fleete, 

 where having staied eight or ten dayes more, about the 

 unlading of this ship, and the bestowing thereof and her 

 men into other Ships, we departed once againe to Sea, 

 directing our course towards the Cape S. Antony, being 

 the Westermost part of Cuba, where wee arrived the 

 seven and twentieth of April. But because fresh water 

 could not presently be found, we weyed anchor, and 

 departed, thinking in few dayes to recover the Matan9as, 

 a place to the Eastward of Havana. 



After wee had sailed some fourteen dayes, wee were 

 brought to Cape S. Anthony againe, through lacke of 

 favourable wind : but then our scarcity was growen such, 

 as neede made us looke a litle better for water, which we 

 found in sufficient quantitie, being indeede, as I judge, 

 none other then raine water newly fallen, and gathered [III. 546.] 



127 



