a.d. THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



1589. 



to see how all things stood with us, so that I put the 

 goods into the boat, and went downe towards the ship : 

 but by that time I was come aboord, many of our men 

 died : namely, Master Benson, the Cooper, the Car- 

 penter, & 3 or 4 more, & my selfe was also in such a 

 weake state that I was not able to returne againe to 

 Benin. Whereupon I sent up Samuel Dunne, and the 

 Chirurgian with him to our men, that were about to 

 let them blood, if it were thought needfull : who at 

 their comming to Benin, found the Captaine and your 

 sonne William Bird dead, and Thomas Hempsteede 

 very weake, who also died within two dayes after their 

 comming thither. This sorrowfull accident caused them 

 with such pepper and teeth, as they could then find, 

 speedily to returne to the ship, as by the Cargason 

 will appeare : at their comming away the Veadore tolde 

 them, that if they could or would stay any longer time, 

 he would use all possible expedition to bring in more 

 commodities : but the common sicknesse so increased 

 and continued amongst us all, that by the time our 

 men which remained were come aboord, we had so 

 many sicke and dead of our companie, that we looked 

 all for the same happe, and so thought to loose both 

 our ship, life, countrey and all. Very hardly and with 

 much adoe could we get up our ankers, but yet at the 

 last by the mercie of God having gotten them up, but 

 leaving our pinnesse behinde us, we got to sea, and 

 set saile, which was upon the 13 of Aprill. After which 

 by little and little our men beganne to gather up their 

 crums and to recover some better strength : and so 

 sailing betwixt the Islands of Cape Verde, and the 

 maine we came to the Islands of the Azores upon the 

 25 of July, where our men beganne a fresh to grow 

 ill, and divers died, among whom Samuel Dun was 

 one, and as many as remained living were in a hard 

 case : but in the midst of our distresse, it fell so wel 

 out, by Gods good providence, that we met with your 

 ship the Barke Burre, on this side the North cape, 



460 



