Page:The principal navigations, voyages, traffiques and discoveries of the English nation 16.djvu/100

 prisoners were all set at libertie, onely foure poore old men were kept as pawnes to supply our wants. Thus in three dayes the towne that was able to furnish such another Fleete with all kinde of necessaries, was left vnto vs nakedly bare, without people and prouision.

Eight or tenne dayes after master Candish himselfe came thither, where hee remained vntill the 22. of Ianuary, seeking by intreatie to haue that, whereof we were once possessed. But in conclusion wee departed out of the towne through extreeme want of victuall, not being able any longer to liue there, and was glad to receiue a few canisters or baskets of Cassaui meale; so that in euery condition wee went worst furnished from the towne, then when wee came vnto it.

The 22 of Ianuary we departed from Santos, and burnt Sant Vincent to the ground. The 24. we set saile, shaping our course for the Streights of Magellan.

The seuenth of February we had a great storme, and the eighth our Fleet was separated by the fury of the tempest. Then our Captaine called vnto him the Master of our ship, whom hee found to be a very honest and sufficient man, and conferring with him he concluded to goe for Port Desire, which is in the Southerly latitude of 48. degrees; hoping that the Generall would come thither, because that in his voyage he had found great reliefe there. For our Captaine could never get any direction what course to take in any such extremities, though many times hee had intreated for it, as often I haue heard him with griefe report. In sayling to this port by good chance we met with The Roe-bucke, wherein master Cocke had endured great extremities, and had lost his boate, and therefore desired our Captaine to keepe him company, for hee was in very desperate case.

Our Captaine hoised out his boate, and went abord him to know his estate, and returning tolde vs toe hardnesse thereof, and desired the Master and all the company to be carefull in all their watches not to loose The Roe-bucke, and so wee both arriued at Port Desire the sixth of March.

The 16. of March The Black pinnesse came vnto vs, but master Gilberts barke came not, but returned home to England, hauing their Captaine abord the Roe-bucke without any prouision more then the apparell that hee wore, who came from thence abord our ship to remaine with our Captaine, by reason of the great friendship betweene them. The 18. the Galeon came into the