SIR FRANCIS DRAKE ad. 



,587. 



21. of the said moneth of April, with very small losse 

 not worth the mentioning. 



After our departure ten of the Gallies that were in 

 the Road came out, as it were in disdaine of us, to make 

 some pastime with their ordinance, at which time the 

 wind skanted upon us, whereupon we cast about againe, 

 and stood in with the shoare, & came to anker within 

 a league of the towne ; where the said Gallies, for all 

 their former bragging, at length suffred us to ride 

 quietly 



We now have had experience of Gally-fight : wherein 

 I can assure you, that onely these 4. of her Majesties 

 ships will make no accompt of 20. Gallies, if they may 

 be alone, and not busied to guard others. There were 

 never Gallies that had better place and fitter opportunitie 

 for their advantage to fight with ships : but they were 

 still forced to retire, wee riding in a narrow gut, the place 

 yeelding no better, and driven to maintaine the same, 

 untill wee had discharged and fired the shippes, which 

 could not conveniently be done but upon the flood, at 

 which time they might drive cleare off us. Thus being 

 victualed with bread and wine at the enemies cost for 

 divers moneths (besides the provisions that we brought 

 from home) our Generall dispatched Captaine Crosse into 

 England with his letters, giving him further in charge to 

 declare unto her Majestie all the particularities of this 

 our first enterprize. 



After whose departure wee shaped our course toward 

 Cape Sacre, and in the way thither wee tooke at severall 

 times of ships, barkes, and Caravels well neere an 

 hundred, laden with hoopes, gally-oares, pipe-staves, & 

 other provisions of the king of Spaine, for the furnishing 

 of his forces intended against England, al which we 

 burned, having delt favorably with the men and sent 

 them on shoare. We also spoiled and consumed all the 

 fisher-boats and nets thereabouts, to their great hinder- 

 ance : and (as we suppose) to the utter overthrow of the 

 rich fishing of their Tunies for the same yere. At length 



441 



