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.
SECTION XXVII.
Industry of the Indians. They surprise the French.
In this coast, the Portingalls, by industrie of the Indians, have wrought many feats. At Cape Frio they tooke a great French ship in the night, the most of her company being on the shore, with cannoas,[126] which they have in this coast so great, that they carry seventie and eightie men in one of them. And in Isla Grand, I saw one that was above threescore foote long, of one tree, as are all that I have seen in Brasill, with provisions in them for twentie or San Sebastian. thirtie days. At the iland of San-Sebastian, neere Saint Vincent, the Indians killed about eightie of Master Candish Kill the English, his men, and tooke his boat, which was the overthrow of his voyage.