CANDISH'S CIRCUMNAVIGATION ad. 



1588. 

 canoa, there shewed upon the sand a band of souldiers 5° or 60 

 marching with an ensigne having a red Crosse like the ^P/^^^^^'^^ 

 flagge of England, which were about 50 or 60 Spaniardes, ^^/^^ 

 which were lately come from Manilla to that towne 

 which is called Ragaun in a Barke to fetch a new shippe Anezveshippe 

 of the kings, which was building in a river within the ^/{^^J^^H^^-^ 

 bay, and stayed there but for certain yrons that did ^^ '^^" 

 serve for the rudder of the said ship, which they looked 

 for every day. 



This band of men shot at us from the shore with 

 their muskets, but hyt none of us, and wee shot at them 

 againe : they also manned a Frigate and sent it out after They manned 

 our boat to have taken us, but we with saile and oares °^^ ^ Ungate 

 went from them : and when they perceived that they ^■'^'^^ ^^' 

 could not fetch us, but that they must come within 

 danger of the ordinance of our ship, they stood in 

 with the shore againe and landed their men, and presently 

 sent their Frigate about the point, but whether we knew 

 not. So we came aboord with this one Spaniard, which 

 was neither souldier nor sayler, but one that was come 

 among the rest from Manilla, and had bene in the 

 hospital there a long time before, and was a very simple Anhospitallin 

 soule, and such a one as could answere to very little ^^"^^'^'=^- 

 that hee was asked, concerning the state of the countrey. 

 Here wee roade at anker all that night, and perceived 

 that the Spaniards had dispersed their band into 2 or 3 

 parts, and kept great watch in several steedes with fires 

 and shooting off their pieces. This island hath much 

 plaine ground in it in many places, and many fayre and 

 straight trees do grow upon it, fit for to m.ake excellent 

 good mastes for all sorts of ships. There are also mynes ^^j^^^ of very 

 of very fine gold in it which are in the custodie of the fij^^ iP^^ ^J^ ^^e 

 Indians. And to the South-ward of this place, there is panamL 

 another very great island, which is not subdued by the 

 Spaniards, nor any other nation. The people which 

 inhabite it are all Negros ; and the island is called the The island of 

 island of Negros : and is almost as bigge as England, ^^^^'^^ ^^ 9 

 standing in 9 degrees : the most part of it seemeth to ^^^^^^' 



335 



