Page:The principal navigations, voyages, traffiques and discoveries of the English nation 16.djvu/218

 The 26 of April our pinnesse was launched: and the same day came downe vnto vs a great number of Portugals and Indians, with whom we skirmished the space of two houres to their cost.

The second day of May the Admirals boate went a shore with 14 men to fill water, and presently being on shore, they were intrapped with two or three hundred Indians which assaulted them, and slew one or two of our men, but the rest escaped notwithstanding the number of the enemie, and came safe againe with water to the ship.

We suffered this losse by meere negligence, and want of circumspection.

The 5 day the captaine of the Admiral himselfe tooke a small barke, his owne little carauel, our pinnesse and the Dutchmans boate, and at night went on shore to get victuals, amongst the bullocks which were in the fields: and in the morning they were gone so farre, that they were out of sight.

Which being perceiued by the enemie, they presently made ready their galley for Admiral, with four carauels, with as many men in them as possibly could thrust in and stand one by another: and they bare ouer with the North shore to meete with our pinnesse and boats: whereupon our men fell into great danger, although M. Lister our captaine disswaded M. Withrington from that attempt, by laying before him the danger both of himselfe and vs also, being so far one from the other. But being once gone, there was no remedie but they were to abide whatsoeuer might happen: we in the barke Clifford, although we were weakely left, yet perceiuing the Galley to make after our men, weyed and pursued the galley, as neere the shore as we could conueniently come for want of water: the hulke also weyed and came after vs to follow the enemie, but the enemie with his oares got sight of our pinnesse and boats before wee could, and bare directly with them: which being espied of our men, and they seeing no way to auoide them, made themselues ready (notwithstanding the great oddes) to fight it out like men, and to liue and die together. The course that they tooke for their best aduantage vpon the sudden, was this: they went all into the pinnesse, and made fast the Dutchmans boat to one side, and the small carauel to the other side, and so waited the comming of the enemie, giuing them first of all a piece of Ordinance for their welcome, which they presently repaied againe with a piece out of the prowe of the galley, and presently