WITHRINGTON AND LISTER ad 



1587. 

 another small barke which had little or nothing in her : 

 and rode by us as one of our company, and was a ship 

 of the burden of two hundreth and fifty tunnes. Our 

 hard happe was to find no great matter, either of mar- 

 chandize or victuals in these ships, saving in one of them 

 we found foure buts of wine, in another two, in another 

 one, and some fish, and all the rest of their lading was 

 on shore. 



All this was done upon Easter eeve, and we gave 

 thanks to God, that we had sped so well: and that very 

 night there came a boate from the towne, with a Dutch 

 merchant, and one Portugal, to offer some ran some for 

 the ships, as they sayd, but as I judge rather to espie our 

 strength : we kept them that night aboord, and the next 

 day we sent them to our Admiral. 



The next day being Easter day arose a very great 

 storme insomuch that our caravel which we first tooke 

 brake from us, and one of our new prizes also, by meanes 

 of the breaking of her cable, slipt away: whereupon, 

 although the winde was great, and the sea troublesome, 

 yet wee sent certaine of our men in our boat, to recover 

 them if they might, but we feare, that the rage of the 

 weather hath caused us to leese both our men and 

 prizes. 



In the middest of this storme, our two Spaniards which 

 wee tooke in the river of Plate, seeing us all busie about 

 our prizes, beganne to tJiinke howe they might escape 

 our handes, and suddenly slipt both out of one of 

 the cabbins windowes, and by swimming got a shoare, 

 a thing which seemed to us impossible, considering the [III. 775.] 

 outrage of the weather. 



This storme continued long, and prevented us of mak- 

 ing our intended attempt against the towne, having as 

 much to doe as possibly we might, in keeping our ships 

 and prizes from running ashore ; and falling into the 

 hands of those that stood gaping greedily for our ruine. 



The 19 day the storme being a little ceased, wee all 

 weyed and came to an Island that lyeth next Northwest 



217 



