JAMES LANCASTER ad. 



1595. 

 their grapnels tooke holde of them, and so towed them 

 on ground, where they stooke fast & were not burnt 

 out the next day in the morning. Diverse logs and tim- [HI. 7H-] 

 bers came driving along by our ships, and burning, but 

 with our boats we easily defended them. And thus (God 

 be praysed) we escaped the second fires. A third firing 

 was prepared, as a Negro gave us to understand, but this 

 we prevented by our departure. For this third firing 

 were very great preparations ; and we were credibly in- 

 formed of certainetie, that this firing should be such as we 

 should never be able to prevent, and assuredly these fires 

 be dangerous things and not to be prevented upon the 

 sudden, unlesse it be afore prepared for and foreseene. 

 For when it commeth upon the sudden and unlooked for, 

 and unprovided for, it bringeth men into a great amaze- 

 ment and at their wits ende. And therefore let all men 

 riding in rivers in their enemies countrey be sure to looke 

 to be provided before hand, for against fire there is no 

 resistance without preparation. 



Also it is a practise in these hot countreys, where there 

 be such expert swimmers, to cut the cables of ships : and 

 one night it was practised to cut the Admirals cable, and 

 yet the boate rode by the cable with two men in her to 

 watch all the night, and the bwoy onely was cut, but not 

 the cable: but after that night, seeing then our good 

 watch, they never after attempted it. 



While all these things passed, our ships (God be 

 thanked) thorow the industry of our governours, and 

 diligent labour of our men, began to be wholly laden, and 

 all the best marchandize conveyed aboord our ships, so 

 that our Admirall ment to depart that night, which was 

 the 3 1 day after our entrance, or else on the next day at 

 the farthest, and so warning was given to all men to 

 make themselves readie. Our Admiral being aboord his 

 ship ye same morning, espyed in the sands right against 

 the place where the ships rode, that there was a small 

 banke of sand newly cast up, under which he perceived 

 now and then some people to be : presently he tooke his 



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