Page:The principal navigations, voyages, traffiques and discoveries of the English nation 16.djvu/261

 Englishmen easily put them to the worst, and sunke one of them, and might also haue sunke another, if they had bene so minded; but they desired not the destruction of any man: and doubtlesse it is the greatest valour that any man can shew, that when hee may doe hurte, he will not.

Hereupon the Englishmen departed from this porte vnto Espirito Santo, where they had victuals for their merchandize: and so they returned home to England without doing any harme in the countrey.

The cause why these Captaines went not to the streights I know not: some say, that they were put backe by foule weather, others suppose that it was for feare of the kings ships: but the pinnesse that belonged to these shippes wherein Iohn Drake went as captaine, departed from them: the cause why he did so, is vnknowen: but this pinnesse entred the riuer of Plate, and within fiue leagues of Seale-island, not farre from the place where the Erle of Cunberlands ships tooke in fresh water, it was cast away vpon a ledge of rockes; but the men were all saued in the boate. Who being eighteene in number went on shore vpon the Northside of the Island, and passing tenne dayes iourney vp into the lande, they met with certaine Saluage people, which are no man-eaters, but take all the Christians that they can get, and make them their slaues: howbeit the Englishmen fought with them, and being too fewe in number, fiue of them were slaine, and the other thirteene taken prisoners, who remained with the Saluages about fifteene moneths.

But the Master of the pinnesse called Richard Faireweather, being loath any longer to indure that miserie wherein hee was, and hauing knowledge of a towne of Christians on the other side of the riuer, called on a night Iohn Drake, and another yoong man which was with them, and tooke a Canoa being very little, and hauing but two oares, and passed therewith on the other side of the riuer, which is full nine leagues broade; and being three dayes before they could get ouer, they were much pined for lacke of meate. But comming to land, they hit vpon an high way that went towards the Christians: and spying the footing of horses, they followed it, and at last came to an house, neere vnto the which corne was sowed. And there they met with Indians that were seruants to the Spaniards, who gaue them foode, and clothes to couer them withall, for they were all naked. And one of the sayd Indians went to the towne, and caried newes of the Englishmen: whereupon the captaine of the