HIGH-HANDED TKADING. 



297 



But all this is nothing to what happened at Rio de la Hacha. There he spoke of 

 his quiet ti-affic (!) at Borburata, and requested permission to trade there in the same 

 manner. He was told that the viceroy had forbidden it, whereupon he threatened them 

 that he must either have the licence or they "stand to their own defence/'' The licence 

 was granted, but they offered half the prices which he had obtained at Borburata, 

 whereupon he told them, insultingly, that "seeing they had sent him this to his supper, 

 he would in the morning bring them as good a breakfast.""* Accordingly, early next 

 day he fired off a culveriii, and prepared to land with 100 men, "having light ordnance 

 in his great boat, and in the other boats double bases in their noses/' The townsmen 



OX THE COAST OF CORNWALL. 



marched out in battle array, but when the guns were fired fell flat on their faces, and 

 soon dispersed. Still, about thirty horsemen made a show of resistance, their white leather 

 targets in one hand and their javelins in the other, but as soon as Hawkins marched 

 towards them they sent a flag of truce, and the treasurer, "in a cautious interview with 

 this ugly merchant," granted all he asked, and the trade proceeded. They parted with 

 a show of friendship, and saluted each other with their guns, the townspeople "glad to 

 be sped of such traders." 



On the return voyage, contrary winds prevailed, "till victuals scanted, so that 

 they were in despair of ever reaching home, had not God provided for them better than 

 their deserving." They arrived at Padstow, in Cornwall, "with the loss," says the 

 narrative printed in Hakluyt's collection, "of twenty persons in all the voyage, and with 

 great profit to the venturers, as also to the whole realm, in bringing home both gold, 



* Hakluyt. 



38 



