JAMES LANCASTER a.d. 



1593- 

 the labouring of the ship we lost our foremaste, and our 

 ship grewe as full of water as before. The storme once 

 ceased, and the winde contrary to goe our course, we 

 fell to consultation which might be our best way to save 

 our lives. Our victuals now being utterly spent, & 

 having eaten hides 6 or 7 daies, we thought it best to 

 beare back againe for Dominica, & the Islands adjoyning, 

 knowing that there we might have some reliefe, where- 

 upon we turned backe for the said Islands. But before we They returne 

 could get thither the winde scanted upon us, which did b ™ ke * **? 

 greatly endanger us for lacke of fresh water and victuals : 

 so that we were constrained to beare up to the Westward 

 to certaine other Ilandes called the Nueblas or cloudie 

 Hands, towards the He of S. Juan de porto Rico, where 

 at our arrivall we found land-crabs and fresh water, and 

 tortoyses, which come most on lande about the full of 

 the moone. Here having refreshed our selves some 17 

 or 18 dayes, and having gotten some small store of 

 victuals into our ship, we resolved to returne againe for 

 Mona : upon which our determination five of our men Twe English 

 left us, remaining still on the lies of Nueblas for all ^blas™ ^ 

 perswasions that we could use to the contrary, which 

 afterward came home in an English shippe. From these 

 lies we departed and arrived at Mona about the twentieth 

 of November 1593, and there comming to an anker 

 toward two or three of the clocke in the morning, the 

 Captaine, and Edmund Barker his Lieuetenant with some 

 few others went on land to the houses of the olde Indian 

 and his three sonnes, thinking to have gotten some foode, 

 our victuals being all spent, and we not able to proceede 

 any further untill we had obteyned some new supply. 

 We spent two or three daies in seeking provision to 

 cary aboord to relieve the whole companie. And com- 

 ming downe to go aboord, the winde then being 

 northerly and the sea somewhat growne, they could not 

 come on shore with the boate, which was a thing 

 of small succour and not able to rowe in any rough 

 sea, whereupon we stayed untill the next morning, think- 



405 



