Page:The principal navigations, voyages, traffiques and discoveries of the English nation 15.djvu/216

 From Bayona to the Isle of Madeira, with the Northerne winds which now wil begin to blow, when the Westerne winds be past, which presently doe blowe because that it beginneth to raine on the coast of Spaine, the fleete may run in 6 daies, and from thence to the Canaries in foure, and from the Canaries to the Isles of Cape Verde in eight, which all together make eighteene dayes: and he may stay as much time more as shall serue him to sacke the Islands in.

We may saile from Cape Verde to the riuer of Ienero in 40 dayes, which in the whole amount vnto two moneths. So that the fleete remaining all this moneth of October on the coast of Galicia, it may come to the riuer of Ienero in the end of December.

At the entry of the bay of the riuer of Ienero there is a flat low Island where a fort may very easily be made, wherein aboue 500 men may be left: and placing his artillery therein, he may keepe the hauen, and the fort wil be able to hold out of assault, because that on the Southwest and Northeast sides are two chanels whereby the ships come into the hauen: wherein Francis Drake may repaire his army, and leaue there some people, and depart with so much of the rest as shal seeme good vnto him to enter into the South sea, and go on vpon his voyage to the streight of Magelan, which is 550 leagues from the foresaid hauen, and standeth in 52 degrees and a halfe toward the South, and may enter by the streight into the South sea all the moneth of February, and so may to goe to the citie of Lima, otherwise called the citie de los Reys, which standeth on the sea coast hauing two thousand inhabitants in it.

But in respect that they be no warlike people nor exercised in armes, and because the place is open and without fortresse and artillery, he may take and sacke it, and make himselfe master on the land, and afterward taking those ships which are in that sea, our people can haue no succour of ships out of Spaine, but by streight of Magelan, which is a long way about.

It is also very credible that he will be able to take Panama.

If he seeke not to take this course he may diuide his army into two parts, and sacke the Isle of S. Domingo, Puerto Rico, the coast of Tierra firma vnto Cartagena and Nombre de Dios.