The Fifth day in the afternoon we Anchored, the Isle of Wight W. N. W. 10 leagues off, Beachie E. N. E. 8 leagues off, rode in 32 fathom water at low water, at 8 of the clock at night the land over the Needles bore N. W. 4 leagues off, we steered W. afore the Start, at noon the Boult was N. W. by W. about 3½ leagues off, we were becalmed from 7 of the clock in the morning, till 12 of the clock at noon, where we took good store of Whitings, and half a score Gurnets, this afternoon an infinite number of Porpisces shewed themselves above water round about the Ship, as far as we could kenn, the night proved tempestuous with much lightning and thunder.
The Sixth day being Sunday, at five of the clock at night the Lizard was N. W. by W. 6 leagues off, and the Blackhead which is to the westward of Falmouth was N. W. about 5 leagues off.
The Seventh day the uttermost part of Silly was N. E. 12 leagues off, and now we began to sail by the logg.
[p. 4.] The Eighth day, one Boremans man a passenger was duck’d at the main yards arm (for being drunk with his Masters strong waters which he stole) thrice, and fire given to two whole Sacree, at that instant. Two mighty Whales we now saw, the one spouted water through two great holes in her head into the Air a great height, and making a great noise with puffing and blowing, the Seamen called her a Soufler; the other was further off, about a league from the Ship, fighting with the Sword-fish, and the Flail-fish, whose stroakes with a fin that growes upon her back like a flail, upon the back of the Whale, we heard with amazement: when presently some more than half as far again we spied a spout from above, it came pouring down like a River of water; So that if they should light in any Ship, she were in danger to presently sunk down into the Sea, and falleth with such an extream violence all whole together as one drop, or as water out of a Vessel, and dured a quarter of an hour, making the Sea to boyle like a pot, and if any Vessel be near, it sucks it in. I saw many of these spouts afterwards at nearer distance. In the afternoon the Mariners struck a Porpisce, called also a Marsovius or Sea-hogg, with an harping Iron, and hoisted her aboard, [p. 5.] they cut some of it into thin pieces, and fryed, it tasts like rusty Bacon, or hung Beef, if not worse; but the Liver boiled and soused sometime in Vinegar is more grateful to the pallat. About 8 of the clock at night, a flame settled upon the main mast, it was about the bigness of a great Candle, and is called by our Seamen St. Elmes fire, it comes before a storm, and is commonly thought to be a Spirit; if two appear they prognosticate safety: These are known to the learned by the names of Castor and Pollux, to the Italians by St. Nicholas and St. Hermes, by the Spaniards called Corpos Santos.
The Ninth day, about two of the clock in the afternoon, we found the head of our main mast close to the cap twisted and shivered, and we presently after found the fore-top-mast crackt a little above the cap; So they wolled them both, and about two of the clock in the morning 7 new long Boat oars brake away from our Starboard quarter with a horrid crack.
The Eleventh day, they observed and made the Ship to be in latitude 48 degrees 46 minuts, having a great Sea all night; about 6 of the clock in the morning we spake with Mr. Rupe in a Ship of Dartmouth, which came from Marcelloes; and now is Silly N. E. by E. 34 leagues off; [p. 6.] about 9 of the clock at night we sounded, and had 85 fathom water, small brownish pepperie sand, with a small piece of Hakes Tooth, and now we are 45 leagues off the Lizard, great Seas all night, and now we see to the S. W. six tall Ships, the wind being S. W.
The Twelfth day being Whitsunday, at prayer-time we found the Ships trine [trim?] a foot by the stern, and also the partie that was sick of the small pox now dyed, whom we buried in the Sea, tying a bullet (as the manner is) to his neck, and another to his leggs, turned him out at a Port-hole, giving fire to a great Gun. In the afternoon one Martin Ivy a stripling, servant to Captain Thomas Cammock was whipt naked at the Cap-stern, with a Cat with Nine tails, for filching 9 great Lemmons out of the Chirurgeons Cabbin, which he eat rinds and all in less than an hours time.
The Thirteenth day we took a Sharke, a great one, and hoisted him aboard with his two Companions (for there is never a Sharke, but hath a mate or two) that is the Pilot-fish or Pilgrim, which lay upon his back close to a long finn; the other fish (somewhat bigger than the Pilot) about two foot long, called a Remora, it hath no scales and sticks close to the Sharkes belly. [p. 7.] So the Whale hath the Sea-gudgeon, a small fish for his mate, marching before him, and guiding him; which I have seen likewise. The Seamen divided the Sharke into quarters, and made more quarter about it than the Purser, when he makes five quarters of an Oxe, and after they had cooked him, he proved very rough Grain’d not worthy of wholesome preferment; but in the afternoon we took store of Bonitoes, or Spanish Dolphins, a fish about the size of a large Mackarel, beautified with admirable varietie of glittering colours in the water, and was excellent food.
The Fourteenth day we spake with a Plimouth man (about dinner time) bound for New-found-land, who having gone up west-ward sprang a leak, and now bore back for Plimouth. Now was Silly 50 leagues off, and now many of the passengers fall sick of the small Pox and Calenture.
The Sixteenth Mr. Clarke, who came out of the Downs with us, and was bound for the Isle of Providence, one of the summer Islands; the Spaniards having taken it a little before, though unknown to Clarke, and to Captain Nathaniel Butler going Governour, they departed from us the Wind N. W. great Seas and stormie winds all night.