468 NEW A TLANTIS. 



before us, towards the north, as it were, thicker clouds, which did put 

 us in some hope of land ; knowing how that part of the South Sea 

 was utterly unknown, and might have islands or continents that 

 hitherto were not come to light. Wherefore we bent our course 

 thither, where we saw the appearance of land all that night ; and in 

 the dawning of the next day we might plainly discern that it was a 

 land Hat to our sight, and full of boscage, which made it show the 

 more dark : and after an hour and a halfs sailing we entered into a 

 good haven, being the port of a fair city, not great indeed, but well 

 built, and that gave a pleasant view from the sea. And we, thinking 

 every minute long till we were on land, came close to the shore, and 

 offered to land ; but straightways we saw divers of the people with 

 bastons in their hand, as it were forbidding us to land, yet without any 

 cries or fierceness, but only as warning us off by signs that they made. 

 Whereupon, being not a little discomforted, we were advising with 

 ourselves what we should do. During which time there made forth to 

 us a small boat with about eight persons in it, whereof one of them 

 had in his hand a tipstaff of a yellow cane, tipped at both ends with 

 blue, who made aboard our ship without any show of distrust at all. 

 And when he saw one of our number present himself somewhat afore 

 the rest, he drew forth a little scroll of parchment, somewhat yellower 

 than our parchment, and shining like the leaves of writing-tables, but 

 otherwise soft and flexible, and delivered it to our foremost man. In 

 which scroll were written, in ancient Hebrew, and in ancient Greek, 

 and in good Latin of the school, and in Spanish, these words, &quot; Land 

 ye not, none of you, and provide to be gone from this coast within 

 sixteen days, except you have further time given you : meanwhile, if 

 you want fresh water, or victual, or help for your sick, or that your 

 ship needeth repair, write down your wants, and you shall have that 

 which belongeth to mercy.&quot; This scroll was signed with a stamp of 

 cherubim s wings, not spread, but hanging downwards, and by them a 

 cross. This being delivered, the officer returned, and left only a servant 

 with us to receive our answer. Consulting hereupon amongst ourselves, 

 we were much perplexed. The denial of landing, and hasty warning 

 us away, troubled us much. On the other side, to find that the people 

 had languages, and were so full of humanity, did comfort us not a little ; 

 and, above all, the sign of the cross to that instrument was to us a 

 great rejoicing, and, as it were, a certain presage of good. Our answer 

 was in the Spanish tongue, &quot; That for our ship it was well, for we had 

 rather met with calms and contrary winds than any tempests. For 

 our sick, they were many, and in very ill case, so that if they were not 

 permitted to land, they ran in danger of their lives.&quot; Our other wants 

 we set down in particular, adding, &quot; That we had some little store of 

 merchandise, which, if \\ pleased them to deal for, it might supply our 

 wants without being chargeable unto them.&quot; We offered some reward 

 in pistolets unto the servant, and a piece of crimson velvet to be pre 

 sented to the officer ; but the servant took them not, nor would scarce 

 look upon them ; and s&amp;lt;r ^eft us, and went back in another little boat 

 \vhich was sent for him. 



