Being cleare of the race of Portland, the wind began to suffle[20] with
fogge and misling rayne, and forced us to a short sayle, which continued
with us three dayes; the wind never veering one poynt, nor the fogge
suffering us to see the coast.
The third day in the fogge, we met with a barke of Dartmouth, which came
from Rochell, and demanding of them if they had made any land, answered,
that they had onely seene the Edie stone that morning, which lyeth
thwart of the sound of Plimouth, and that Dartmouth (as they thought)
bare off us north north-east: which seemed strange unto us; for we made
account that we were thwart of Exmouth. Within two houres after, the
weather beganne to cleare up, and we found ourselves thwart of the
Berry, and might see the small barke bearing into Torbay, having
over-shot her port; which error often happeneth to those that make the
land in foggie weather, and use not good diligence by sound, by lying
off the land, and other circumstances, to search the truth; and is cause
of the losse of many a ship, and the sweet lives of multitudes of
men.[21]
That evening we anchored in the range of Dartmouth, till the floud was
spent; and the ebbe come, wee set sayle againe. And the next morning
early, being the 26th of Aprill, wee harboured our selves in Plimouth.
My ship at an anchor, and I ashore, I presently dispatched a messenger
to London, to advise my father, Sir John Hawkins, what had past: which,
not onely to him, but to all others, that understood what it was, seemed
strange; that the wind contrary, and the weather such as it had beene,
wee could be able to gaine Plimouth; but doubtlesse, the _Daintie_ was a
very good sea ship, and excellent by the winde; which with the neap
streames, and our diligence to benefit our selves of all advantages,
made fezible that which almost was not to be beleeved.
[Parts requisite in a good mariner.]
And in this occasion, I found by experience, that one of the principall
parts required in a mariner that frequenteth our coastes of England, is
to cast his tydes, and to know how they set from poynt to poynt, with
the difference of those in the channell from those of the shore.[22]