WHEREIN IS SHOWN THE DAY AND TIME OF OUR DEPARTURE FROM THE COAST OF
ENGLAND, WITH THE NUMBER AND NAMES OF THE SHIPS, THEIR CAPTAINS AND
MASTERS, AND OF OUR TRAFFIC AND DEALING UPON THE COAST OF AFRICA.
Upon Monday, being the 2nd of October, 1567, the weather being
reasonable fair, our General, Master John Hawkins, having commanded all
his captains and masters to be in a readiness to make sail with him, he
himself being embarked in the Jesus, whereof was appointed for master
Robert Barret, hoisted sail and departed from Plymouth upon his
intended voyage for the parts of Africa and America, being accompanied
with five other sail of ships, as namely the Minion, wherein went for
captain Master John Hampton, and John Garret, master. The William and
John, wherein was Captain Thomas Bolton, and James Raunce, master. The
Judith, in whom was Captain Master Francis Drake, now Knight, and the
Angel, whose master, as also the captain and master of the Swallow, I
now remember not. And so sailing in company together upon our voyage
until the 10th of the same month, an extreme storm then took us near
unto Cape Finisterre, which lasted for the space of four days, and so
separated our ships that we had lost one another, and our General,
finding the Jesus to be but in ill case, was in mind to give over the
voyage and to return home. Howbeit, the eleventh of the same month,
the seas waxing calm and the wind coming fair, he altered his purpose,
and held on the former intended voyage; and so coming to the island of
Gomera, being one of the islands of the Canaries, where, according to
an order before appointed, we met with all our ships which were before
dispersed. We then took in fresh water and departed from thence the
4th of November, and holding on our course, upon the 18th day of the
same month we came to an anchor upon the coast of Africa, at Cape
Verde, in twelve fathoms of water, and here our General landed certain
of our men, to the number of 160 or thereabouts, seeking to take some
negroes. And they, going up into the country for the space of six
miles, were encountered with a great number of the negroes, who with
their envenomed arrows did hurt a great number of our men, so that they
were enforced to retire to the ships, in which conflict they recovered
but a few negroes; and of these our men which were hurt with their
envenomed arrows, there died to the number of seven or eight in very
strange manner, with their mouths shut, so that we were forced to put
sticks and other things into their mouths to keep them open; and so
afterwards passing the time upon the coast of Guinea, until the 12th of
January, we obtained by that time the number of one hundred and fifty
negroes. And being ready to depart from the sea coast, there was a
negro sent as an ambassador to our General, from a king of the negroes,
which was oppressed with other kings, his bordering kings, desiring our
General to grant him succour and aid against those his enemies, which
our General granted unto, and went himself in person on land with the
number of 200 of our men, or thereabouts, and the said king which had
requested our aid, did join his force with ours, so that thereby our
General assaulted and set fire upon a town of the said king his
enemies, in which there was at the least the number of eight or ten
thousand negroes, and they, perceiving that they were not able to make
any resistance, sought by flight to save themselves, in which their
flight there were taken prisoners to the number of eight or nine
hundred, which our General ought to have had for his share; howbeit the
negro king, which requested our aid, falsifying his word and promise,
secretly in the night conveyed himself away with as many prisoners as
he had in his custody; but our General, notwithstanding finding himself
to have now very near the number of 500 negroes, thought it best
without longer abode to depart with them and such merchandise as he had
from the coast of Africa towards the West Indies, and therefore
commanded with all diligence to take in fresh water and fuel, and so
with speed to prepare to depart. Howbeit, before we departed from
thence, in a storm that we had, we lost one of our ships, namely, the
William and John, of which ship and her people we heard no tidings
during the time of our voyage.