GEORGE FENNER a.d. 



1567. 



were eight persons, and one of them was the foresayd 

 John Tomson and our interpreter which was a French- <A French in- 

 man, (for there was one of the Negros which spake good te ^P rete ^f°J 

 French :) and they caried with them two harquebusses, a * e 

 two targets and a mantell. 



The cause of sending them was to learne what ransome 

 they demaunded for Bats and Day whom they detained. 

 And when they came to the shore and told the Negros 

 what they desired, they went and fetched them from 

 among the trees, and brought them loose among fortie 

 or fiftie of them. And being come within a stones cast 

 of the sea side, William Bats brake from them, and ran 

 as fast as he could into the sea towards the boat, and 

 he was not so soone in the water but hee fell downe, 

 either being out of breath or his foote failing him in 

 the sand being soft : so that the Negros came and fell 

 on him and tooke him and haled him, that we thought 

 they had torne him in pieces : for they tore againe all 

 the apparell from his backe, so that some of them caried 

 our men againe to the towne, and the rest shot at us 

 with their poisoned arrowes, and hurt one of our men The danger of 

 called Androwes in the smal of the leg, who being come P 0lS0ned 

 aboord, (for al that our Surgeons could do) we thought 

 he would have died. 



Our Generall (notwithstanding all this villanie) sent 

 agayne to them, and offered them any thing that they 

 desired for the raunsome of our men, but they would not 

 deliver them : giving us this answere : That there was The answere 

 in the foresayd roade, three weekes before wee came, °f the Negros. 

 an English shippe which had taken three of their people, 

 and untill wee did bring or send them againe, wee should 

 not have our men although wee would give our three 

 shippes with their furniture. 



The 21 day a French shippe of the burden of 80 [II. ii. 60.] 

 tunnes (or thereabouts,) came to the place where we 

 were, being bound to traffique at the Cape : we told them 

 of the detaining of our two men by the Negros : and 

 seeing that these Frenchmen were very well welcome 

 vi 273 s 



