Page:The principal navigations, voyages, traffiques and discoveries of the English nation 16.djvu/120

 our men twise, first by the slaughter of the Canibals at Port Desire, and at this Ile of Placencia by the Indians and Portugals. And considering what they were that were lost, we found that al those that conspired the murthering of our captaine and master were now slain by saluages, the gunner only excepted.

Being thus at sea, when we came to cape Frio, the winde was contrary: so that 3 weekes we were grieuously vexed with crosse windes, and our water consuming, our hope of life was very small. Some desired to go to Baya, and to submit themselves to the Portugales, rather to die for thirst: but the captaine with faire perswations altered their purpose of yeelding to the Portugales. In this distresse it pleased God to send vs raine in such plenty, as that we were well watered, and in good comfort to returne.

But after we came neere vnto the sun, our dried Penguins began to corrupt, and there bred in them a most lothsome and vgly worme of an inch long. This worme did so mightily increase, and deuoure our victuals, that there was in reason no hope how we should auoide famine, but be deuoured of these wicked creatures: there was nothing that they did not deuour, only yron excepted: our clothes, boots, shooes, hats, shirts, stockings: and for the ship they did so eat the timbers, as that we greatly feared they would vndoe vs, by gnawing through the ships side. Great was the care and diligence of our captaine, master, and company to consume these vermine, but the more we laboured to kill them, the more they increased; so that at the last we could not sleepe for them, but they would eate our flesh, and bite like Mosquitos. In this wofull case, after we had passed the Equinoctiall toward the North, our men began to fall sick of such a monstrous disease, as I thinke the like was neuer heard of: for in their ankles they began to swell; from thence in two daies it would be in their breasts, so that they could not draw their breath, and then fell into their cods; and their cods and yardes did swell most grieuously, and most dreadfully to behold, so that they could neither stand, lie, nor goe. Whereupon our men grew mad with griefe. Our captain with extreme anguish of his soule, was in such wofull case, that he desired only a speedie end, and though he were scarce able to speake for sorrow, yet he peaswaded them to patience, and to giue God thankes, and like dutifull children to accept of his chastisement. For all this diuers grew raging