Page:The principal navigations, voyages, traffiques and discoveries of the English nation 16.djvu/208

 withall a great showt, and off went their arrowes, as thicke as haile. Wee were in number about 30. caleeuers, and 20. with our weapons, which wee also let flie into the woods among them, and what hurt wee did, we know not.

Then we returned to our boates, and tooke wood and water at our pleasure, and reasonable store of fish, and amongst the rest we halled vp a great foule monster, whose head and backe were so hard, that no sword could enter it: but being thrust in vnder the belly in diuers places, and much wounde, he bowed a sword in his mouth, as a man would do a girdle of leather about his hande, and likewise the yron of a boare speare. He was in length about nine foote, and had nothing in his belly, but a certaine quantitie of small stones, to the value of a pottell.

The fourth of Nouember we went on shore to a towne of the Negros, which stoode on the Southeast side of the harbour, about a Sacar shot from the roade, which we found to be but lately built: it was of about two hundreth houses, and walled about with mightie great trees, and stakes so thicke, that a rat could hardly get in or out. But as it chanced, wee came directly vpon a port which was not shut vp, where we entred with such fiercenesse, that the people fled all out of the towne, which we found to bee finely built after their fashion, and the streetes of it so intricate, that it was difficult for vs to finde the way out, that we came in at. Wee found their houses and streets so finely and cleanly kept, that it was an admiration to vs all, for that neither in the houses nor streets was so much dust to bee found, as would fill an egge shell. We found little in their houses, except some matts, goards, and some earthen pots.

Our men at their departure set the towne on fire, and it was burnt (for the most part of it) in a quarter of an houre, the houses being couered with reed and straw.

After this wee searched the countrey about it, where wee found in diuers plaines good store of rice in stacks, which our men did beate out, and brought a bord in the huske, to the quantitie of 14. or 15. tunnes in both our ships.

The 17. day of Nouember wee departed from Sierra Leona, directing our course for the Straights of Magellan. In this harbour diuers of our men fell sicke of a disease in the belly,