they had compelled our men by torture to confess where his frigate
and ships were. Therefore in this distress and perplexity, the company
misdoubting that all means of return to their country were cut off,
and that their treasure then served them to small purpose; our Captain
comforted and encouraged us all, saying, "We should venture no farther
than he did. It was no time now to fear: but rather to hasten to prevent
that which was feared! If the enemy have prevailed against our pinnaces,
which GOD forbid! Yet they must have time to search them, time to
examine the mariners, time to execute their resolution after it is
determined. Before all these times be taken, we may get to our ships,
if ye will! though not possibly by land, because of the hills, thickets,
and rivers, yet by water. Let us, therefore, make a raft with the trees
that are here in readiness, as offering themselves, being brought down
the river, happily this last storm, and put ourselves to sea! I will be
one, who will be the other?"
JOHN SMITH offered himself, and two Frenchmen that could swim very well,
desired they might accompany our Captain, as did the Cimaroons likewise
(who had been very earnest with our Captain to have marched by land,
though it were sixteen days' journey, and in case the ship had been
surprised, to have abode always with them), especially PEDRO, who yet
was fain to be left behind, because he could not row.
The raft was fitted and fast bound; a sail of a biscuit sack prepared;
an oar was shaped out of a young tree to serve instead of a rudder, to
direct their course before the wind.
At his departure he comforted the company, by promising, that "If it
pleased GOD, he should put his foot in safety aboard his frigate,
he would, GOD willing, by one means or other get them all aboard, in
despite of all the Spaniards in the Indies!"
In this manner pulling off to the sea, he sailed some three leagues,
sitting up to the waist continually in water, and at every surge of the
wave to the arm-pits, for the space of six hours, upon this raft: what
with the parching of the sun and what with the beating of the salt
water, they had all of them their skins much fretted away.
At length GOD gave them the sight of two pinnaces turning towards them
with much wind; but with far greater joy to them than could easily
conjecture, and did cheerfully declare to those three with him, that
"they were our pinnaces! and that all was safe, so that there was no
cause of fear!"
But see, the pinnaces not seeing this raft, nor suspecting any such
matter, by reason of the wind and night growing on, were forced to run
into a cover behind the point, to take succour, for that night: which
our Captain seeing, and gathering (because they came not forth again),
that they would anchor there, put his raft ashore, and ran by land about
the point, where he found them; who, upon sight of him, made as much
haste as they could to take him and his company aboard. For our Captain
(of purpose to try what haste they could and would make in extremity),
himself ran in great haste, and so willed the other three with him; as
if they had been chased by the enemy: which they the rather suspected,
because they saw so few with him.
And after his coming aboard, when they demanding "How all his company
did?" he answered coldly, "Well!" They all doubted that all went scarce
well. But he willing to rid all doubts, and fill them with joy, took out
of his bosom a quoit of gold, thanking GOD that "our voyage was made!"
And to the Frenchmen he declared, how their Captain with great pain of
his company, rowed to Rio Francisco; where he took the rest in, and the
treasure which we had brought with us: making such expedition, that
by dawning of the day, we set sail back again to our frigate, and from
thence directly to our ships: where, as soon as we arrived, our Captain
divided by weight, the gold and silver into two even portions, between
the French and the English.
About a fortnight after, when we had set all things to order, and taking
out of our ship [the _Pascha_] all such necessaries as we needed for our
frigate, had left and given her to the Spaniards, whom we had all this
time detained, we put out of that harbour together with the French ship,
riding some few days among the Cabecas.
In the meantime, our Captain made a secret composition with the
Cimaroons, that twelve of our men and sixteen of theirs, should make
another voyage, to get intelligence in what case the country stood; and
if it might be, recover Monsieur TETU, the French Captain; at leastwise
to bring away that which was hidden in our former surprise, and could
not then be conveniently carried.
JOHN OXNAM and THOMAS SHERWELL were put in trust for his service, to the
great content of the whole company, who conceived greatest hope of them
next our Captain; whom by no means they would condescend to suffer to
adventure again, this time: yet he himself rowed to set them ashore at
Rio Francisco; finding his labour well employed both otherwise, and
also in saving one of those two Frenchmen that had remained willingly to
accompany their wounded captain.
For this gentleman, having escaped the rage of the Spaniards, was now
coming towards our pinnace, where he fell down on his knees, blessing
GOD for the time, "that ever our Captain was born; who now, beyond all
his hopes, was become his deliverer."
He being demanded, "What was become of his Captain and other fellow?"
shewed that within half an hour after our departure, the Spaniards had
overgotten them, and took his Captain and other fellow: he only escaped
by flight, having cast away all his carriage, and among the rest one
box of jewels, that he might fly the swifter from the pursuers: but his
fellow took it up and burdened himself so sore, that he could make no
speed; as easily as he might otherwise, if he would have cast down his
pillage, and laid aside his covetous mind. As for the silver, which we
had hidden thereabout in the earth and the sands, he thought that it was
all gone: for that he thought there had been near two thousand Spaniards
and Negroes there to dig and search for it.
This report notwithstanding, our purpose held, and our men were sent
to the said place, where they found that the earth, every way a mile
distant had been digged and turned up in every place of any likelihood,
to have anything hidden in it.
And yet nevertheless, for all that narrow search, all our men's labour
was not quite lost, but so considered, that the third day after their
departure, they all returned safe and cheerful, with as much silver as
they and all the Cimaroons could find (viz., thirteen bars of silver,
and some few quoits of gold), with which they were presently embarked,
without empeachment, repairing with no less speed than joy to our
frigate.
Now was it high time to think of homewards, having sped ourselves as
we desired; and therefore our Captain concluded to visit Rio Grande
[Magdalena] once again, to see if he could meet with any sufficient ship
or bark, to carry victuals enough to serve our turn homewards, in which
we might in safety and security embark ourselves.
The Frenchmen having formerly gone from us, as soon as they had their
shares, at our first return with the treasure; as being very desirous to
return home into their country, and our Captain as desirous to dismiss
them, as they were to be dismissed: for that he foresaw they could not
in their ship avoid the danger of being taken by the Spaniards, if they
should make out any Men-of-war for them, while they lingered on the
coast; and having also been then again relieved with victuals by
us.--Now at our meeting of them again, were very loath to leave us,
and therefore accompanied us very kindly as far up as St. Bernards; and
farther would, but that they durst not adventure so great danger; for
that we had intelligence, that the Fleet was ready to set sail for
Spain, riding at the entry of Cartagena.
Thus we departed from them, passing hard by Cartagena, in the sight of
all the Fleet, with a flag of St. GEORGE in the main top of our frigate,
with silk streamers and ancients down to the water, sailing forward with
a large wind, till we came within two leagues of the river [Magdalena],
being all low land, and dark night: where to prevent the over shooting
of the river in the night, we lay off and on bearing small sail, till
that about midnight the wind veering to the eastward, by two of the
clock in the morning, a frigate from Rio Grande [Magdalena] passed hard
by us, bearing also but small sail. We saluted them with our shot and
arrows, they answered us with bases; but we got aboard them, and took
such order, that they were content against their wills to depart ashore
and to leave us this frigate: which was of 25 tons, loaded with maize,
hens, and hogs, and some honey, in very good time fit for our use;
for the honey especially was notable reliever and preserver of crazed
people.
The next morning as soon as we set those Spaniards ashore on the Main,
we set our course for the Cabecas without any stop, whither we came
about five days after. And being at anchor, presently we hove out all
the maize a land, saving three butts which we kept for our store: and
carrying all our provisions ashore, we brought both our frigates on the
careen, and new tallowed them.
Here we stayed about seven nights, trimming and rigging our frigates,
boarding and stowing our provision, tearing abroad and burning our
pinnaces, that the Cimaroons might have the iron-work.
About a day or two before our departure, our Captain willed PEDRO and
three of the chiefest of the Cimaroons to go through both his frigates,
to see what they liked; promising to give it them, whatsoever it were,
so it were not so necessary as that he could not return into England
without it. And for their wives he would himself seek out some silks or
linen that might gratify them; which while he was choosing out of
his trunks, the scimitar which CAPTAIN TETU had given to our Captain,
chanced to be taken forth in PEDRO'S sight: which he seeing grew so much
in liking thereof, that he accounted of nothing else in respect of it,
and preferred it before all that could be given him. Yet imagining that
it was no less esteemed of our Captain, durst not himself open his mouth
to crave or commend it; but made one FRANCIS TUCKER to be his mean to
break his mind, promising to give him a fine quoit of gold, which yet
he had in store, if he would but move our Captain for it; and to our
Captain himself, he would give four other great quoits which he had
hidden, intending to have reserved them until another voyage.
Our Captain being accordingly moved by FRANCES TUCKER, could have been
content to have made no such exchange; but yet desirous to content him,
that had deserved so well, he gave it him with many good words: who
received it with no little joy, affirming that if he should give his
wife and children which he loved dearly in lieu of it, he could not
sufficient recompense it (for he would present his king with it, who he
knew would make him a great man, even for this very gift's sake); yet
in gratuity and stead of other requital of this jewel, he desired
our Captain to accept these four pieces of gold, as a token of his
thankfulness to him, and a pawn of his faithfulness during life.
Our Captain received it in most kind sort, but took it not to his own
benefit, but caused it to be cast into the whole Adventure, saying, "If
he had not been set forth to take that place, he had not attained such a
commodity, and therefore it was just that they which bare part with him
of his burden in setting him to sea, should enjoy the proportion of his
benefit whatsoever at his return."
Thus with good love and liking we took our leave of that people, setting
over to the islands of [ ? ], whence the next day after, we set sail
towards Cape St. Antonio; by which we past with a large wind: but
presently being to stand for the Havana, we were fain to ply to the
windward some three or four days; in which plying we fortuned to take
a small bark, in which were two or three hundred hides, and one most
necessary thing, which stood us in great stead, viz., a pump! which
we set in our frigate. Their bark because it was nothing fit for our
service, our Captain gave them to carry them home.
And so returning to Cape St. Antonio, and landing there, we refreshed
ourselves, and besides great store of turtle eggs, found by day in the
[sand], we took 250 turtles by night. We powdered [salted] and dried
some of them, which did us good service. The rest continued but a small
time.
There were, at this time, belonging to Cartagena, Nombre de Dios, Rio
Grande, Santa Marta, Rio de la Hacha, Venta Cruz, Veragua, Nicaragua,
the Honduras, Jamaica etc., above 200 frigates; some of a 120 tons,
others but of 10 or 12 tons, but the most of 30 or 40 tons, which all
had intercourse between Cartagena and Nombre de Dios. The most of which,
during our abode in those parts, we took; and one of them, twice or
thrice each: yet never burnt nor sunk any, unless they were made out
Men-of-war against us, or laid as stales to entrap us.
And of all the men taken in these several vessels, we never offered any
kind of violence to any, after they were once come under our power; but
either presently dismissed them in safety, or keeping them with us
some longer time (as some of them we did), we always provided for their
sustenance as for ourselves, and secured them from the rage of the
Cimaroons against them: till at last, the danger of their discovering
where our ships lay being over past, for which only cause we kept them
prisoners, we set them also free.
Many strange birds, beasts, and fishes, besides fruits, trees, plants,
and the like, were seen and observed of us in this journey, which
willingly we pretermit as hastening to the end of our voyage: which from
this Cape of St. Antonio, we intended to finish by sailing the directest
and speediest way homeward; and accordingly, even beyond our own
expectation, most happily performed.
For whereas our Captain had purposed to touch at Newfoundland, and there
to have watered; which would have been some let unto us, though we stood
in great want of water; yet GOD Almighty so provided for us, by giving
us good store of rain water, that we were sufficiently furnished: and,
within twenty-three days, we passed from the Cape of Florida, to the
Isles of Scilly, and so arrived at Plymouth, on Sunday, about sermon
time, August the 9th, 1573.
At what time, the news of our Captain's return brought unto his, did so
speedily pass over all the church, and surpass their minds with
desire and delight to see him, that very few or none remained with the
Preacher. All hastened to see the evidence of GOD's love and blessing
towards our Gracious Queen and country, by the fruit of our Captain's
labour and success.
_Soli DEO Gloria._ FINIS.
End of Project Gutenberg's Sir Francis Drake Revived, by Philip Nichols