The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 11 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 571 pages of information about The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 11.

The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 11 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 571 pages of information about The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 11.

The 12 of March I found my selfe thwart of Cape das Palmas.

The 16 day we fell with the land, which we iudged to be the Cape Mensurado, about which place is very much high land.

The 18 day we lost sight of the Hart, and I thinke the willfull Master ran in with the shore of purpose to lose vs, being offended that I tolde him of his owne folly.

[Sidenote:  Two small Ilands by Sierra Leona.  Note.] The 27 day we fell in sight of two small Islands, which lie by our reckoning sixe leagues off the headland of Sierra Leona:  and before we came in sight of the same Ilands, we made our reckoning to be forty or thirty leagues at the least off them.  Therefore all they that saile this way are to regard the currents which set Northnorthwest, or els they may be much deceiued.

The 14 of April we met with two great ships of Portugall, which although they were in the weather of vs, yet came not roome with vs, whereby we iudged that they were bound for Calicut.

The 18 day we were in the heigth of Cape verde.

The 24 we were directly vnder the tropike of Cancer.

The first day of May Henry Wilson our Steward died:  and the next day died
Iohn Vnderwood.

[Sidenote:  A French brauado.] The 23 we had sight of a shippe in the weather of vs, which was a Frenchman of 90 tunne, who came with vs as stoutly and as desperately as might be, and comming neere vs perceiued that we had bene vpon a long voyage, and iudging vs to be weake, as in deed we were, came neerer vs, and thought to haue layed vs aboord, and there stept vp some of his men in armour, and commanded vs to strike saile:  whereupon we sent them some of our stuffe, crossebarres, and chaineshot, and arrowes, so thicke, that it made the vpper worke of their shippe flit about their eares, and then we spoiled him with all his men, and toare his shippe miserably with our great ordinance, and then he began to fall a sterne of vs, and to packe on his sailes, and get away:  and we seeing that, gaue him foure or fiue good pieces more for his farewell; and thus we were rid of this French man, who did vs no harme at all.  We had aboord vs a French man a Trumpeter, who being sicke, and lying in his bed, tooke his trumpet notwithstanding, and sounded till he could sound no more, and so died.

The 28 we conferred together, and agreed to go into Seuerne, and so to Bristoll, but the same night we had sight of the Lizard, and by reason of the winde, we were not able to double the lands end to go into Seuerne, but were forced to beare in with the Lizard.

The 29 day, about nine of the clocke in the morning, we arriued safely in Plimmouth, and praised God for our good arriuall.

* * * * *

The third and last voyage of M. William Towrson to the coast of Guinie, and
  the Castle de Mina, in the yeere 1577.

The thirtieth day of Ianuary, the yeere abouesayd, we departed out of the sound of Plimmouth, with three ships, and a pinnesse, whereof the names are these: 

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The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 11 from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.