enterprise of St. Helena, and from thence to seek out the inhabitation
of our English countrymen in Virginia, distant from thence some six
degrees northward. When we came thwart of St. Helena, the shoals
appearing dangerous, and we having no pilot to undertake the entry, it
was thought meetest to go hence alongst. For the Admiral had been the
same night in four fathom and a half, three leagues from the shore; and
yet we understood, by the help of a known pilot, there may and do go
in ships of greater burden and draught than any we had in our fleet. We
passed thus along the coast hard aboard the shore, which is shallow for
a league or two from the shore, and the same is low and broken land for
the most part. The ninth of June upon sight of one special great fire
(which are very ordinary all alongst this coast, even from the Cape
of Florida hither) the General sent his skiff to the shore, where they
found some of our English countrymen that had been sent thither the
year before by Sir Walter Raleigh, and brought them aboard; by whose
direction we proceeded along to the place which they make their port.
But some of our ships being of great draught, unable to enter, anchored
without the harbour in a wild road at sea, about two miles from shore.
From whence the General wrote letters to Master Ralph Lane, being
governor of those English in Virginia, and then at his fort about six
leagues from the road in an island which they called Roanoac; wherein
especially he shewed how ready he was to supply his necessities and
wants, which he understood of by those he had first talked withal.
The morrow after, Master Lane himself and some of his company coming
unto him, with the consent of his captains he gave them the choice of
two offers, that is to say: either he would leave a ship, a pinnace, and
certain boats with sufficient masters and mariners, together furnished
with a month's victual, to stay and make further discovery of the
country and coasts, and so much victual likewise as might be sufficient
for the bringing of them all (being an hundred and three persons) into
England, if they thought good after such time, with any other thing
they would desire, and that he might be able to spare: or else, if they
thought they had made sufficient discovery already, and did desire to
return into England, he would give them passage. But they, as it seemed,
being desirous to stay, accepted very thankfully and with great gladness
that which was offered first. Whereupon the ship being appointed and
received into charge by some of their own company sent into her by
Master Lane, before they had received from the rest of the fleet the
provision appointed them, there arose a great storm (which they said was
extraordinary and very strange) that lasted three days together, and put
all our fleet in great danger to be driven from their anchoring upon the
coast; for we brake many cables, and lost many anchors; and some of our
fleet which had lost all, of which number was the ship appointed for
Master Lane and his company, were driven to put to sea in great danger,
in avoiding the coast, and could never see us again until we met in
England. Many also of our small pinnaces and boats were lost in this
storm.
Notwithstanding, after all this, the General offered them, with consent
of his captains, another ship with some provisions, although not such
a one for their turns as might have been spared them before, this being
unable to be brought into their harbour: or else, if they would, to give
them passage into England, although he knew he should perform it with
greater difficulty than he might have done before. But Master Lane,
with those of the chiefest of his company which he had then with him,
considering what should be best for them to do, made request unto the
General under their hands, that they might have passage for England:
the which being granted, and the rest sent for out of the country and
shipped, we departed from that coast the 18th of June. And so, God be
thanked, both they and we in good safety arrived at Portsmouth the 28th
of July, 1586, to the great glory of God, and to no small honour to our
Prince, our country, and ourselves. The total value of that which was
got in this voyage is esteemed at three score thousand pounds, whereof
the companies which have travailed in the voyage were to have twenty
thousand pounds, the adventurers the other forty. Of which twenty
thousand pounds (as I can judge) will redound some six pounds to the
single share. We lost some 750 men in the voyage; above three parts of
them only by sickness. The men of name that died and were slain in this
voyage, which I can presently call to remembrance, are these:--Captain
Powell, Captain Varney, Captain Moon, Captain Fortescue, Captain Biggs,
Captain Cecil, Captain Hannam, Captain Greenfield; Thomas Tucker, a
lieutenant; Alexander Starkey, a lieutenant; Master Escot, a lieutenant;
Master Waterhouse, a lieutenant; Master George Candish, Master Nicholas
Winter, Master Alexander Carlile, Master Robert Alexander, Master
Scroope, Master James Dyer, Master Peter Duke. With some other, whom for
haste I cannot suddenly think on.
The ordnance gotten of all sorts, brass and iron, were about two hundred
and forty pieces, whereof the two hundred and some more were brass, and
were thus found and gotten:--At Santiago some two or three and fifty
pieces. In St. Domingo about four score, whereof was very much great
ordnance, as whole cannon, demi-cannon, culverins, and such like. In
Carthagena some sixty and three pieces, and good store likewise of the
greater sort. In the Fort of St. Augustine were fourteen pieces.
The rest was iron ordnance, of which the most part was gotten at St.
Domingo, the rest at Carthagena.