The 3. of Iuly in the morning we began to sende aboord our ships all the bels, ordenance and munition which the enemies had left behinde them, at which time 2000. soldiors were appointed to march to the hils, to seeke the enemy, which lay hid there with their wiues, children and goods, as they were fled out of the towne: and as soone as they approched each other, they began the fight on both sides with great courage, but the enemy was forced to flie, beeing better acquainted with the passages of the mountains then our people were. Our men returned with the losse of some 70. persons: among whom captain Iacques Dierickson with his boatson were slaine: the rest came into the towne againe into their appointed quarters.
The 4. of Iuly, in the morning we began to burn the towne, and with pouder blewe vp the castle which lay by the towne, and we burned likewise all the cloisters and churches which were without the towne, lying neere the water side. The town burning, our people were set in battell, and in that order marched out of the towne, vntill they came to Gratiosa, the castle, which we first tooke, lying about halfe an houres iourney from the towne, where the long boates receiued our men, and caried them againe aboorde. Presently after wee were departed out of the towne, the enemy entered, endeuoring by all meanes possible to quench the fire. And while we were shipping our people, the enemy shewed him selfe sometimes 5. or 6. in a company, but they durst not approch vs. The rereward of our men being shipped, we put fire to the castle which we tooke first, and blew it vp: This done, captaine Quit imbarked himselfe also with his soldiours and pillage, which he had taken in the rode, for his ship wherein he was before was ready to sincke.
The 5. of Iuly, lying in the roade, in the morning the Generall discharged two peeces of ordenance, and afterward put out 2. flags of the princes colours, thereby giuing to vnderstand, that all land captaines, and sea captaines also with one of their Pilots should resort to him, whereupon presentlie they all rowed aboorde the Generall; the Pilots which were best acquainted with the coast, were demanded by the Generall which were the weakest Ilands, and where they might most commodiouslie land: Towards the euening captaine Quyt his ship was fired, and suffered to driue towarde the strond. At which time a newe captaine was appointed to captaine Iaques Dirriksons ship aforesaide, who was slaine in the mountaines, namely captaine Kloyers Lieutenant. And the Generals Clarke of the band was appointed Lieuetenant to captain Kloyer.
The 6. of Iuly, by reason of the contrary winds, and other inconueniences which happened at this present, and also because such ships, which before were sent to sea, and could not returne by reason of the contrary windes; we remained in the road, vnder the castle of Graciosa. About noone 4. Spaniards came out of the towne with a flag of truce to the strond, directly ouer against our ships, whereof 2. were brought aboorde the Generall in one of our long boates, (the other two with their flag of truce were left behinde on the stronde) which remained with the Generall vntil the euening, and then were set on shore, and so the 4. Spaniardes returned to the towne.
The 7. day riding in the roade, in the morning 4. Spaniards with a flag of peace, came to the shore from the towne, directly ouer against our ships: the fleet seeing them, sent a long boate to the shore, and brought the said 4. Spaniards aboord the General, these men brought with them the ransome of certaine Spaniards, which had deliuered vp the castle of Graciosa at the Generals pleasure, which were set to ransome, euery one according to his habilitie and office: and thus all the Spaniardes which were ransomed, together with the 4. Spaniardes which brought the ransoms, were set on shore with a long boat, and departed to the towne.
The 8. day of Iuly, two howers after sun rising, the Generall with all the ships set saile, carying with him all the Spaniardes that were not ransomed, sailing along the coast of great Canaria; in which time Ian Cornelesson Zwartekeys departed this worlde, whose leg was shot off at the taking of the Iland of great Canaria. Hauing nowe sailed from the hight of the said Iland, which lay southerly from vs, we had sight of captaine Hertmans ship, and of 3. others which rode there at anchor: who, so soone as they perceiued our fleete, waied their anchors, and sailed along the coast with vs, which were the ships that the Generall had sent to sea. Sailing thus together vntill the sun was in the West, the wind began to rise more and more, so that we coulde not keep our direct course, but were forced to put to the Southwest of the great Iland of Canaria, where we anchored: wee had sight of the Iland Teneriffe, and of an other of the Ilands of Canaria, wherein is the hie mountaine called the Pyck. This hil was from vs 14. miles, but by the great hight thereof it seemed to bee within foure or fiue miles off vs, but in the daie time when the sun shined wee could not see it.
The 9. of Iuly, lying thus at anchor, in the morning most of the long boates went a shore to fetch fresh water, such as they could there find and caried with them the deade corps of Ian Cornelesson aforesaid, the Constables son of the Admiralty of Roterdam, called Zwertkeys, which was there honorably buried on the high and drie land. This done, we set on fire the woode which lay on the shore piled and heaped in the woods, but in this place we found not any Spaniards.
The tenth of Iuly, the boates being all returned to their ships with their people, euery one wayed their anchors and hoised their sailes, the winde at Northwest; but being vnder saile together, the wind slacked and by reason of the great calme the ships lay a drift for want of wind.
The 11. of Iuly, in the morning it blewe a stout gale in our topsailes out of the Northeast, but as we approched the Iland of Teneriffa, the winde altered often; sixe or seuen of our shippes, and the rest which were next vnto the shore, had sometimes a gale in their topsailes, and sometimes againe without wind: so that we lay a drift, and could keepe no reckoning either of the wind or course, and were forced to alter our course more than 12. times a day.
A declaration of the taking of Gomera one of the Ilands in Canaria, and how we afterwardes left it.