JOHN CHIDLEY a.d. 



1590- 

 long time that wee have lien here in these Streights of 

 Magellan, having bene at, and seven or eight times, 

 tenne leagues beyond Cape Froward, we have had but 

 a small gale of winde with us : neither could wee come 

 to an ancker, the water being so deepe : and (you know) 

 the place is so dangerous, that wee were once embayed, 

 and coulde scarce get out againe : And likewise. What 

 fogges and mists are here already ? Much more here 

 wil be, the winter and darke nights being at hand, & 

 we having not so much as a boate to seeke out any 

 roade to ride in, saving a small weake boate made of 

 mens chestes, in which it is not convenient to goe on 

 shoare in a forreine countrey, where wee must goe with 

 force : and having but one ancker left us, there is but 

 little hope of life in us, as you may sufficiently judge, 

 if wee should lose either the saide ancker or our boate, 

 and therefore wee dare not put the same in danger for 

 feare of loosing them. Also wee having lien here these 

 sixe weekes and upward, the winde hath continued in 

 the North-west directly against our course, so that wee 

 can no way hope to get through the Streights into the 

 South sea this yeere, and if we could, yet our provision 

 is not sufficient, having spent so much thereof, in this 

 our lingering aboade. Nay wee have scarcely victuals 

 ynough to cary us home into England, if they bee not 

 used sparingly, and with very good government. There- 

 fore wee doe againe most humbly desire you to con- 

 sider and have regard unto the premisses, as you tender 

 your owne safetie and the safetie of us which remaine 

 alive, that wee may (by Gods helpe) returne backe into 

 England, rather then die here among wilde and savage 

 people : for if wee make any longer abode in this place, 

 it will bee (without all doubt) to the utter decay and 

 losse, both of our selves, and of the shippe: and 

 in returning backe, it may please God, that we may 

 finde our fifteene men, and our boat at Penguin- 

 yland (although this bee contrary to the mindes of 

 Matthew Hawlse, and your mate Street) and having 



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