Betwixt nineteene and twenty degrees to the south-wards of the lyne, the
winde tooke us contrary, which together with the sicknes of my people
made mee to seeke the shore; and about the end of October, we had sight
of the land, which presently by our height and the making of it,
discovered it selfe to be the port of Santos, alias Nostra Senora de
Victoria, and is easie to be knowne, for it hath a great high hill over
the port, which (howsoever a man commeth with the land) riseth like a
bell, and comming neere the shore, presently is discovered a white tower
or fort, which standeth upon the top of a hill over the harbour, and
upon the seamost land. It is the first land a man must compasse before
he enter the port. Comming within two leagues of the shore, we anchored;
and the captaynes and masters of my other ships being come aboord, it
was thought convenient (the weaknes of our men considered, for wee had
not in our three ships twenty foure men sound), and the winde uncertaine
when it might change, we thought with pollicie to procure that which wee
could not by force; and so to offer traffique to the people of the
shore; by that meanes to prove if wee could attayne some refreshing for
our sicke company.
In execution whereof, I wrote a letter to the governour in Latine, and
sent him with it a peece of crymson velvet, a bolt of fine holland, with
divers other things, as a present; and with it, the captaine of my ship,
who spake a little broken Spanish, giving the governour to understand
that I was bound to the East Indies, to traffique in those parts, and
that contrary windes had forced me upon that coast: if that hee were
pleased to like of it, for the commodities the country yeelded in
aboundance, I would exchange that which they wanted. With these
instructions my captaine departed about nine of the clocke in the
morning, carrying a flagge of truce in the head of the boate, and
sixteene men well armed, and provided; guided by one of my company which
two yeares before had beene captaine in that place, and so was a
reasonable pilot.
Entering the port, within a quarter of a mile is a small village, and
three leagues higher up is the chief towne; where they have two forts,
one on eyther side of the harbour, and within them ride the ships which
come thither to discharge, or loade. In the small village is ever a
garrison of one hundreth souldiers, whereof part assist there
continually, and in the white tower upon the top of the hill, which
commaundeth it.
Heere my captaine had good entertainment, and those of the shore
received his message and letter, dispatching it presently to the
governour, who was some three leagues off in another place: at least
they beare us so in hand. In the time that they expected the post, my
captaine with one other entertained himselfe with the souldiers a shore,
who after the common custome of their profession (except when they be
_besonios_),[104] sought to pleasure him, and finding that he craved
but oranges, lemmons, and matters of smal moment for refreshing for his
generall, they suffered the women and children to bring him what hee
would, which hee gratified with double pistolets,[105] that I had given
him for that purpose. So got hee us two or three hundreth oranges and
lemmons, and some fewe hennes.
All that day and night, and the next day, till nine of the clocke, wee
waited the returne of our boate; which not appearing, bred in me some
suspition; and for my satisfaction, I manned a light horseman which I
had, and the _Fancie_, the best I could, shewing strength where was
weaknesse and infirmity, and so set sayle towardes the port; our gunner
taking upon him to bee pilot, for that he had beene there some yeares
before.
Thus, with them we entred the harbour. My captaine having notice of our
being within the barre, came aboord with the boat, which was no small
joy to me; and more, to see him bring us store of oranges and lemmons,
which was that we principally sought for, as the remedie of our diseased
company. He made relation of that had past, and how they expected
present answere from the governour. We anchored right against the
village; and within two houres, by a flagge of truce, which they on the
shore shewed us, we understood that the messenger was come: our boat
went for the answere of the governour, who said, he was sorry that he
could not accomplish our desire, being so reasonable and good; for that
in consideration of the warre betwixt Spaine and England, he had
expresse order from his king, not to suffer any English to trade within
his jurisdiction, no, nor to land, or to take any refreshing upon the
shore. And therefore craved pardon, and that wee should take this for a
resolute answere: and further required us to depart the port within
three dayes, which he said he gave us for our courteous manner of
proceeding. If any of my people from that time forwards, should approach
to the shore, that he would doe his best to hinder and annoy them. With
this answere wee resolved to depart; and before it came, with the first
faire wind we determined to be packing: but the wind suffered us not all
that night, nor the next day. In which time, I lived in a great
perplexitie, for that I knew our own weaknesse, and what they might doe
unto us, if that they had knowne so much. For any man that putteth
himself into the enemies port, had need of Argus eyes, and the wind in a
bagge,[106] especially where the enemie is strong, and the tydes of any
force. For with either ebbe or flood, those who are on the shore may
thrust upon him inventions of fire: and with swimming or other devises,
may cut his cables. A common practise in all hot countries. The like may
be effected with raffes, cannoas, boates, or pynaces, to annoy and
assault him: and if this had beene practised against us, or taken
effect, our shippes must of force have yeelded themselves; for they had
no other people in them but sicke men; but many times opinion and feare
preserveth the shippes, and not the people in them.
[For prevention of annoyances, etc., in harbours.]
Wherefore it is the part of a provident governour, to consider well the
daungers that may befall him, before he put himselfe into such places;
so shall he ever be provided for prevention.
In Saint John de Vlua, in the New Spaine, when the Spanyards dishonoured
their nation with that foule act of perjury, and breach of faith, given
to my father, Sir John Hawkins (notorious to the whole world), the
Spanyards fired two great shippes, with intention to burne my fathers
_Admirall_, which he prevented by towing them with his boates another
way.
The great armado of Spaine, sent to conquer England, anno 1588, was with
that selfe same industry overthrowne; for the setting on fire of six or
seaven shippes (whereof two were mine), and letting them drive with the
flood, forced them to cut their cables, and to put to sea, to seeke a
new way to Spaine.[107] In which the greatest part of their best shippes
and men were lost and perished.
For that my people should not be dismayed, I dispatched presently my
light horsman, with onely foure men, and part of the refreshing,
advising them that with the first calme or slent[108] of wind, they
should come off.
The next night, the wind comming off the shore, wee set sayle, and with
our boates and barkes sounded as we went.
It flowed upon the barre not above foure foote water, and once in foure
and twentie houres, as in some parts of the West Indies; at full sea,
there is not upon the barre above seventeen or eighteen foote water. The
harbour runneth to the south-westwards. He that will come into it, is to
open the harbour’s mouth a good quarter of a league before he beare with
it, and be bolder of the wester side; for of the easterland[109] lyeth a
great ledge of rocks, for the most part, under water, which sometimes
break not; but with small shipping, a man may goe betwixt them and the
poynt.
[The vertue of oranges.]
Comming aboord of our shippes, there was great joy amongst my company;
and many, with the sight of the oranges and lemmons, seemed to recover
heart. This is a wonderfull secret of the power and wisedome of God,
that hath hidden so great and unknowne vertue in this fruit, to be a
certaine remedie for this infirmitie; I presently caused them all to be
reparted[110] amongst our sicke men, which were so many, that there came
not above three or foure to a share: but God was pleased to send us a
prosperous winde the next day, so much to our comfort, that not any one
dyed before we came to the ilands, where we pretended to refresh
ourselves; and although our fresh water had fayled us many dayes before
we saw the shore, by reason of our long navigation, without touching any
land, and the excessive drinking of the sicke and diseased, which could
not be excused, yet with an invention I had in my shippe, [Sidenote:
Distilling of salt water.] I easily drew out of the water of the sea,
sufficient quantitie of fresh water to sustaine my people with little
expence of fewell; for with foure billets I stilled a hogs-head of
water, and therewith dressed the meat for the sicke and whole. The water
so distilled, we found to be wholesome and nourishing.[111]