300 THE SEA. 



marvellous fear, so that some said, 'Let us depart with the Minion;' otners said, 'Let 

 us see whether the wind will cany the fire from us.' But, to be short, the Minion's 

 men, which had always their sails in readiness, thought to make sure work, and so, without 

 either consent of the captain or master, cut their sail." Hawkins was "very hardly" 



SIR JOHN HAWKINS. 



received on board, and many of the men of the Jesus were left to their fate and the mercy 

 of the Spaniards, "which/'' he says, "I doubt was very little." Only the Minion and 

 the Judith escaped, and the latter deserted that same night. Beaten about in unknown 

 seas for the next fourteen days, hunger at last enforced them to seek the land; "for 

 hides were thought very good meat; rats, cats, mice, and dogs, none escaped that might 

 be gotten ; parrots and monkeys, that were had in great price, were thought then very 

 profitable if they served the turn of one dinner." So starved and worn out were they,, 



