First Supplement to the Voyage of Sir Francis Drake; being on Account of Part of the foregoing Navigation, by Nuno da Silva.[40]
Nuna da Silva, born in Oporto, a citizen and inhabitant of Guaia, saith, that on the 19th January, 1578, while at anchor with his ship in the harbour of St Jago, one of the Cape de Verd islands, he was made prisoner by the admiral of six English ships, and detained because discovered to be a pilot for the coast of Brazil. Setting sail, therefore, with the said admiral from Brava, they held their course for the land of Brazil, which they descried on the first April, being in the latitude of 30° S. whence they held on their course for the Rio Plata, where they provided themselves with fresh water.
[Footnote 40: Hakluyt, IV. 246.--This narrative was written by Nuno da Silva, the Portuguese pilot who accompanied Sir Francis Drake from the Cape Verd islands to Guatalco on the western coast of New Spain, and was sent from the city of Mexico to the viceroy of Portuguese India, in 1579.--E.]
From thence they proceeded to the latitude of 39° S. where they anchored. They here left two of their ships behind them, and continued on with four only, that which had formerly belonged to Nuno being one of these. They next came into a bay, in lat. 49° S. called Bahia de las Ilhas, or the Bay of Islands, where Magellan is said to have wintered with his ships, when he went to discover the straits which now bear his name. They entered this bay on the 20th June, and anchored within musket-shot of the shore. They here found Indians cloathed in skins, their legs downwards from the knees, and their arms below the elbows, being naked. These Indians were a subtle, great, and well-formed race, strong, and tall in stature, being armed with bows and arrows. Six of the English going here on shore to fetch water, four of the Indians came into their boat before they landed, to whom the Englishmen gave bread and wine; after eating and drinking of which heartily they went on shore, and when at some distance, one of them cried to them, and said, Magallanes! este he minha terra; that is, Magellan, this is my country. Being followed by the sailors, they slew two of them with their arrows; one of whom was an Englishman, and the other a Hollander; on which the others made their escape to the boat, and put off from the shore.
Leaving this place on the 17th of August, they came to the mouth of the straits on the 21st or 22d, but did not enter them till the 24th, owing to the wind being contrary. The entry into the straits is about a league in breadth, both sides being naked flat land. Some Indians were seen on the north side, making great fires; but none appeared on the south side of the straits. This strait is about 110 leagues long, and a league in breadth; and for about half-way through, is straight and without turnings; from thence, to about eight or ten leagues from the farther end, it has some capes and turnings, at one of which there is a great cape or head-land, which seems as if it went down to join the southern land; and here the passage is less than a league across, after which it again runs straight. Although there are thus some crooks and turnings, none of them are of any importance, or any dangerous obstacle. The western issue of these straits, about eight or ten leagues before coming out, begins to grow broader, and is then all high-land on both sides to the end; as likewise all the way, after getting eight leagues in from the eastern entrance, the shores along these first eight leagues being low. In the entry to the straits, we found the stream to run from the South Sea to the North Sea, or Atlantic.
After beginning to sail into the straits, with the wind at E.N.E. they passed along without let or hindrance either of wind or weather, and because the land on both sides was high, and covered with snow, the whole navigation being fair and clear of shoals or rocks, they held their course the whole way within musket-shot of the north-side, having always nine or ten fathoms water on good ground; so that everywhere there was anchorage if need were. The hills on both sides were covered with trees, which in some places reached to the edge of the sea, where there were plains and flat lands. They saw not any large rivers, but some small brooks or streams that issued from rifts or clefts of the land. In the country beside the great cape and bending of the strait, some Indians were seen on the south side, fishing in their skiffs or canoes, being similar to those formerly seen on the north side at the entrance into the straits; and these were the only natives seen on the south side during the whole passage.
Being out of the straits on the eastern side on the 6th of September, they held their course N.W. for three days, and on the third day they had a storm at N.E. which drove them W.S.W. for ten or twelve days with few sails up; after which, the storm increasing, they took in all their sails, and drove under bare poles till the 30th September. Having lost sight of one of their ships, of about 100 tons, and the wind growing more moderate, they hoisted sail, holding their course N.E. for seven days, at the end of which they came in sight of certain islands, for which they steered, meaning to have anchored among them, but the weather would not permit; and the wind coming N.W. they made sail to the W.S.W. Next day they lost sight of another ship, in very foul weather; so that the admiral was now left alone, as my ship had been left in the bay where they remained some time before entering the straits. With this new storm of adverse wind, they had to proceed southwards, till they came into the latitude of 57° S. where they entered a bay in an island, and anchored in twenty fathoms, about a cannon-shot from the shore. After remaining here three or four days, the wind changed to the south, and they again made sail to the northwards for two days, when a small uninhabited island was descried, where they procured many birds and seals.
Next day they again proceeded, holding their course N. and N.N.E. and came to the island of Mocha, in 38° 30 S. five or six leagues from the main, where they anchored in twelve fathoms, a quarter of a league from the shore. This island is small and low land, all full of Indians. Here the admiral and twelve Englishmen landed, on purpose to seek fresh water and provisions, and bought two sheep in exchange of other things from the Indians, together with a little maize, and some roots of which the Indians make bread; and being now late, went on board ship for the night. Next day the admiral again landed with twelve men armed with muskets, and sent two men with vessels to fetch water. Some Indians lay in ambush at the watering-place, who suddenly fell upon the two Englishmen, and made them prisoners; which being perceived by the admiral and those with him, they advanced to rescue their companions, but were so sore assailed by stones and arrows, that all or most of them were hurt, the admiral receiving two wounds from arrows, one in his face and the other on his head; so that they were compelled to retreat to their boat, without hurting any of the Indians, who were so bold as even to carry away four of their oars.
They sailed from hence along the coast to the northwards, with a southern wind, for six days, passing the harbour of St Jago, and put into another haven, where they took an Indian, who was fishing in a canoe, giving him some linen, knives, and other trifles. Not long after there came another Indian to the ship, whose name was Felippe, and who spoke Spanish. He gave notice to the English admiral of a certain ship being in the harbour of St Jago, which they had overpassed six leagues. So, taking this Indian as their guide, they went back to St Jago, where they took the said ship, in which were 1770 botijas, or Spanish pots, full of wine, besides other commodities. They then landed, and took a quantity of sacks of meal, and whatever else they could find, taking also the ornaments and relics from the church. They departed then from thence, taking with them the captured ship, with two of her men, running along the coast till they came to the latitude of between 30° and 31° S. where they had appointed to meet, in case of separation. They here anchored right over against a river, whence they filled six butts of fresh water, having twelve armed men on land to defend those who filled the casks. While busied in this work, they saw a company of armed men coming towards them, half Spaniards and half Indians, being about 250 horse and as many foot, on which they made all haste to get into their boat, escaping with the loss of one man.
They set sail again that same night, going about ten leagues farther along the coast, where they took in some more fresh water, but were soon obliged to quit this place also, by the appearance of some horsemen. Proceeding thirty leagues farther along the coast, still to the northwards, they went into a bay or haven, in a desert or uninhabited place, but seeing some persons daily on the shore, they did not venture to land. At this place, the English put together the pieces of a small pinnace, which they had brought ready framed with them from England. Having launched this pinnace, the English captain went into her with fifteen men, accompanied by John the Greek, who was chief boatswain, being master of the ship formerly taken in the harbour of St Jago. At this time they went to look for the two vessels they had parted from formerly in a storm, and also in hopes of being able to procure fresh water; but seeing always persons on shore, they durst not land, and returned again to the ship without hearing of their other ships. They now took all the ordnance out of their ship, and new dressed and rigged her; after which, arming the pinnace with a small piece of ordnance, they resumed their course to the northwards.