Sect. XIV.
Four English Expeditions, under the Conduct of our Famous Sea-Captains Martin Forbisher, Sir Francis Drake, Thomas Candish, and John Smith.
Forbisher’s Expedition.
Captain Forbisher sailing to the Northern Parts of America, Anno 1576. chusing a bad time, the Year being too much spent, and the Ocean so full of Ice, that it forc’d him to return to England: Not many Months after, he renew’d his Voyage, Queen Elizabeth having rigg’d out, and sent under his Command one Frigat and two Ketches, Mann’d with a hundred and forty Men: The twenty sixth of May he weigh’d Anchor, and sail’d to the Orkenies, lying to the North of Scotland, where landing, he found the poor Islanders fled out of their Huts, into Caves and Dens among the Rocks. From thence he steer’d North-North-West, through abundance of floating Pieces of Timber, which oftentimes gave him great stops. The fourth of July he made Friezland, where he met with a great Storm of Hail, mix’d with Snow: Before the Shore lay a great Ridge of Ice, which hindred for a while their Landing: Here he saw several Wild People, but could not come to speak with them; for upon the least approach they fled; yet when they saw any advantage, made resistance: At last, three of them came unarm’d to the Shore, beckoning Forbisher to come to them; which he had done, had not great numbers of the Natives appear’d too soon from an Ambuscade in a Wood, and behind a Hill, who seeing themselves discover’d, march’d up into the Countrey, three onely staying on the Shore, of whom the middlemost feigning to be lame, at last fell down, whom his Companions took up, and carried a little way, but then forsook, by which the English observing their Design, shot that the Sand flew all about him; whereupon forgetting his Lameness, he ran as swift as a Deer up a Hill.
Forbisher’s Men had by this time fill’d two Barrels with a Mineral not unlike Gold, but was afterwards found to be of little value. Nothing else of Remark did he find here, except great long-hair’d Men, who being exceeding salvage, subtilly plot nothing else but to murder, lurking for Men, like Wild Beasts for their Prey, whom, when caught, they tear in pieces. Close fitted to their Bodies, they wore the Skins of several Wild Beasts, priding in the Tails which hung down betwixt their Legs. Their Tents are of conjoyn’d Whalebones, cover’d over with the like Skins, the Entrance always facing the South. They use Bowes, Arrows, Slings, and two sorts of Boats: In the biggest they can carry seventeen Men, which are made of several Wooden Planks clinch’d together, and cased on both sides with Leather: The smallest ones are cover’d just in the same manner, much resembling a Weavers Shuttle, having in the middle a Hole, wherein a Man sits, who drawing the Cover of the Boat about his Waste by Strings, with one Oar makes swift Passage.
The Countrey it self is barren, yet feeds abundance of Deer, Hares, Wolves, Bears, and Dogs like Wolves, whose Flesh serves the Inhabitants for Food.
This Countrey seems to be exceedingly troubled with great Earthquakes, because several pieces of Rocks, and whole Mountains rent asunder, may be seen in divers places.
The fourth of August, Forbisher having elevated the Pole to sixty eight Degrees, beyond what Sebastian Cabot, the first Discoverer of those Parts, and set out by Henry the Seventh, had done (for America Northward never before had been so far penetrated) and laden with a sort of shining Sand, which he believ’d might contain much of a Golden Oar, having with him three of the Natives, viz. a Man, a Woman, and a Child, set Sail for England, and the seventh of September came to Milford-Haven, and not long after arriv’d in London, where in short time the Salvages died.
Sir Francis Drake’s Expedition.
At the same time when Forbisher sail’d Northerly, Sir Francis Drake also, fitted out by Queen Elizabeth, steer’d another Course, sailing by Cape Blanko and Cape Verde, along the African Coast, to Brasile, where he caught several Sea-Wolves, and Anchoring in the River La Plata, furnish’d himself with Fresh Water: Then proceeding on his Voyage through the crooked Straights of Magellan, he came to an Anchor before Moucha, wash’d by the South Sea. The Islanders receiv’d him very courteously, because they were inform’d that the English were at great Wars with the Spaniards, to avoid whose Cruelties, they had deserted the main Continent, and setled on Moucha. One of these Mouchaners going aboard, serv’d them for a Pilot to the Haven Valparizo, where Drake burnt the St. Jago, a small Village, and plundring all the Countrey about it, got together a great Treasure of Gold and Silver. Before Arica he took three Spanish Ships, richly laden; and before Lima, four more, having an unvaluable Treasure of Pearls and Gold aboard them. Thus inrich’d, he steer’d his Course Northerly to forty two Degrees; but the Cold forcing him to fall four Degrees to the Southward, he discover’d a very pleasant and inhabited Coast, the People whereof shew’d him great kindness: The King himself coming aboard with a great Train, set a Crown of Gold upon Drakes Head, and gave him a Golden Scepter, and an Ivory Chain. After this he inspected the Islands Tidor, Ternata, Java, Zeilon, and Cape de Bona Esperanza, from whence, after a three Years Voyage, having encompass’d the World, he came safe to London, where he rested not long; for sailing Anno 1585. to America, he took great Prizes from the Cities St. Jago, St. Domingo, St. Augustin, and Carthagena, setting them all on Fire. Thus again returning home victoriously, and after the famous defeat of the Spanish Armado, he rigg’d out a new Fleet, having for his Vice-Admiral Captain Hawkins: Their Design was to have sail’d to Panama; but both dying, and so the Commission ceasing, the expected great and golden Project also died with them.