SECTION XXVI.
Wast and losse of men.
The sicknesse having wasted more then the one halfe of my people, we determined to take out the victualls of the Hawke, and to burne her; which wee put in execution. And being occupied in this worke, we saw a shippe turning to windwards, to succour her selfe of the ilands;[124] but having discryed us, put off to sea-wards.
Two dayes after, the wind changing, we saw her againe running alongst the coast, and the Daintie not being in case to goe after her, for many reasons, we manned the Fancie, and sent her after her; who about the setting of the sunne fetched her up, and spake with her; when finding her to be a great fly-boat, of at least three or foure hundreth tunnes, with eighteen peeces of artillery, would have returned, but the wind freshing in, put her to leewards; and standing in to succour her selfe of the land, had sight of another small barke, which after a short chase shee tooke, but had nothing of moment in her, for that she had bin upon the great sholes of Abreoios,[125] in eighteen degrees, and there throwne all they had by the board, to save their lives.
This and the other chase were the cause that the Fancie could not beat it up in many dayes: but before we had put all in a readinesse, the wind changing, shee came unto us, and made relation of that which had past; and how they had given the small barke to the Portingalls, and brought with them onely her pilot, and a marchant called Pedro de Escalante of Potosi.