318 THE SEA. 



saved the ship, and fired a salute in his honour. His first act was to tax all the ships for 

 his own supply ; the Portuguese, iti particular, contributed liberally, so that the crews were 

 "presented, above their allowances, with wines, marmalades, most fine rusk or biscuit, 

 sweet oil, and sundry delicacies." Then the merchants and masters were assembled to 

 hear his commission read, and possession of the harbour and country for 200 leagues every 

 way was taken in the name of the queen. A wooden pillar was erected on the spot, and 

 the arms of England, engraved on lead, were affixed. The lands lying by the water side 

 were granted to certain of the adventurers and merchants, they covenanting to pay rent 

 and service to Gilbert, his heirs and assigns for ever. 



Some of the before- mentioned pirates of the expedition gave Sir Humphrey a con- 

 siderable amount of trouble while at St. John's, some deserting, and others plotting to 

 steal away the shipping by night. A number of them stole a ship laden with fish, setting 

 the crew on shore. When ready to sail, he found that there were not sufficient hands 

 for all his vessels, and the Swallow was left for the purpose of transporting home a number 

 of the sick. He selected for himself the smallest of his fleet, the Squirrel, described as a 

 " frigate " of ten tons, as most suitable for exploring the coasts. But that which made 

 him of good heart was a sample of silver ore which one of his miners had discovered ; 

 "he doubted not to borrow 10,000 of the queen, for his next voyage, upon the credit of 

 this mine/' 



For eight days they followed the coast towards Cape Breton, at the end of which time 

 the wind rose, bringing thick fog and rain, so that they could not see a cable's length 

 before them. They were driven among shoals and breakers, and their largest ship was 

 wrecked in a moment. "They in the other vessel/' says Hayes,* "saw her strike, and 

 her stern presently beaten to pieces ; whereupon the frigate in which was the general, 

 and the Golden Hinde cast about, even for our lives, into the wind's eye, because that way 

 carried us to the seaward. Making out from this danger, we sounded one while seven 

 fathoms, then five, then four, and less ; again deeper, immediately four fathom, then but 

 three, the sea going mightily and high. At last we recovered (God be thanked !) in some 

 despair to sea room enough. All that day, and part of the night, we beat up and down 

 as near unto the wreck as was possible, but all in vain. This was a heavy and grievous 

 event to lose our chief ship, freighted with great provision; but worse was the loss of our 

 men, to the number of almost a hundred souls ; amongst whom was drowned a learned 

 man, an Hungarian, born in the city of Buda, called thereof Budseus, who out of piety 

 and zeal to good attempts, adventured in this action, minding to record in the Latin 

 tongue, the gests and things worthy of remembrance happening in this discovery to the 

 honour of our nation. Here, also, perished our Saxon refiner, and discoverer of inestimable 

 riches. Maurice Brown, the captain, when advised to shift for his life in the pinnace, 

 refused to quit the ship, lest it should be thought to have been lost through his default. 

 With this mind he mounted upon the highest deck, where he attended imminent death 

 and unavoidable, how long, I leave it to God, who withdraweth not his comfort from 

 his servants at such a time." Of the company only ten were saved in a small pinnace 

 which was piloted to Newfoundland. 



* Narrative of Captain Hayes (owner of the Golden Hindu] printed in Hakluyt's " Collection." 



