A little to the south-wards of the iland of Pearle, betwixt seven and eight degrees, is the great river of Saint Buena Ventura. It falleth into the South sea with three mouthes, the head of which is but a little distant from the North sea. In anno 1575, or 1576, one John Oxman,242 of Plymouth, going into the West Indies, joyned with the Symarons.
These are fugitive negroes, and for the bad intreatie which their masters had given them, were then retyred into the mountaines, and lived upon the spoyle of such Spaniards as they could master, and could never he brought into obedience, till by composition they had a place limmitted them for their freedome, where they should live quietly by Their habitation. themselves. At this day they have a great habitation neere Panama, called Saint Iago de Los Negros, well peopled, with all their officers and commaunders of their owne, save onely a Spanish governour.
By the assistance of these Symarons, hee brought to the head of this river, by peecemeale, and in many journeys, a small pinnace; hee fitted it by time in a warlike manner, and with the choice of his company, put himselfe into the South sea, where his good hap was to meete with a cople of shippes of trade, and in the one of them a great quantitie of gold. And amongst other things, two peeces of speciall estimation: the one a table of massie gold, with emralds, sent for a present to the King; the other a lady of singular beautie, married, and a mother of children. The John Oxman capitulateth with them. latter grewe to bee his perdition: for hee had capitulated with these Symarons, that their part of the bootie should be onely the prisoners, to the ende to execute their malice upon them (such was the rancor they had conceived against them, for that they had beene the tyrants of their libertie). But the Spaniards not contented to have them their slaves, who lately had beene their lords, added to their servitude, cruell entreaties. And they againe, to feede their insatiable revenges, accustomed to rost and eate the hearts of all those Spaniards, whom at any time they could lay hand upon.
John Oxman, I say, was taken with the love of this lady, and to winne her good will, what through her teares and perswasions, and what through feare and detestation of their barbarous inclinations, breaking promise with the Symarons, yeelded to her request; which was, to give the prisoners liberty with their shippes, for that they were not usefull for him: notwithstanding, Oxman kept the lady, who had in one of the restored shippes eyther a sonne or a nephew. His pursuit. This nephew, with the rest of the Spaniards, made all the hast they could to Panama, and they used such diligence, as within fewe howers some were dispatched to seek those who little thought so quickly too bee overtaken. The pursuers approaching the river, were doubtfull by which of the afore-remembred three mouthes they should take their way.
In this wavering, one of the souldiers espied certaine feathers of hennes, and some boughes of trees, which they had cut off to make their way, swimming down one of the outlets. This was light sufficient to guide them in their course; they entred the river, and followed the tracke as farre as their frigats had water sufficient; and then with part of their souldiers in their boates, and the rest on the bankes on eyther side, they marched day and night in pursuite of their enemies; and in fine came uppon them unexpected, at the head of the river, making good cheare in their tents, and devided in two partialities about the partition, and sharing of their gold. Thus were they surprised, and not one escaped.
Some say that John Oxman fled to the Symarons, but they utterly denyed to receive or succour him, for that he had broken his promise; the onely objection they cast in his teeth was, that if he had held his word with them, hee had never fallen into this extremitie.
In fine, hee was taken, and after, his shippe also was possessed by the Spaniards, which he had hid in a certaine cove, and covered with boughes of trees, in the guard and custodie of some foure or five of his followers. All his company were conveyed to Panama, and there were ymbarked for Lyma; where a processe was made against them by the justice, and all condemned and hanged as pirates.
This may he a good example to others in like occasions: first to shunne such notorious sinnes, which cannot escape punishment in this life, nor in the life to come: for the breach of faith is reputed amongst the greatest faults which a man can committ. Secondly, not to abuse another mans wife, much lesse to force her; both being odious to God and man. Thirdly, to beware of mutenies, which seldome or never are seene to come to better ends; for where such trees flourish, the fruite, of force, must eyther bee bitter, sweete, or very sower. And therefore, seeing wee vaunt ourselves to bee Christians, and make profession of His law who forbiddeth all such vanities; let us faithfully shunne them, that wee may partake the end of that hope which our profession teacheth and promiseth.
SECTION LXVIII.
Comming in sight of the ilands of Pearles, the wind began to fresh in with us, and wee profited our selves of it: but La Pacheta. comming thwart of a small iland, which they call la Pacheta, that lyeth within the Pearle ilands, close abourd the mayne, and some eight or ten leagues south and by west from Panama, the wind calmed againe.
This iland belongeth to a private man; it is a round humock,243 conteyning not a league of ground, but most fertile. Insomuch, that by the owners industrie, and the labour of some few slaves, who occupie themselves in manuring it; and two barkes, which he imployeth in bringing the fruit it giveth to Panama, it is sayd to bee worth him every weeke, one with another, a barre of silver, valued betwixt two hundreth and fiftie or three hundreth pezos; which in English money, may amount to fiftie or threescore pounds: and for that which I saw at my being in Panama, touching this, I hold to be true.
In our course to fetch the port of Panama, wee put our selves betwixt the iland and the maine: which is a goodly channell, of three, foure, and five leagues broad, and without danger, except a man come too neare the shoare on any side; and that is thought the better course, then to goe a sea-boord of the ilands, because of the swift running of the tydes, and the advantage to stop the ebbe: as also for succour, if a man should happen to bee becalmed at any time beyond expectation, which happeneth sometimes.
The seventh of July wee had sight of Perico: they are two little ilands which cause the port of Panama, where all the shippes used to ride. It is some two leagues west north-west of the cittie, which hath also a pere244 in itselfe for small barkes; at full sea it may have some sixe or seaven foote water, but at low water it is drie.
The ninth of July wee anchored under Perico, and the generall presently advised the Audiencia of that which had succeeded in his journey: which, understood by them, caused bonfires to be made, and every man to put luminaries in their houses. The fashion is much used amongst the Spaniards in their feasts of joy, or for glad tidings; placing many lights in their churches, in their windowes, and galleries, and corners of their houses; which being in the beginning of the night, and the cittie close by the sea-shore, showed to us, being farre of, as though the cittie had been on a light fire.
About eight of the clocke, all the artillery of the citty was shott off, which wee might discerne by the flashes of fire, but could not heare the report; yet the armado being advised thereof, and in a readinesse, answered them likewise with all their artillery; which taking ende, as all the vanities of this earth doe, the generall settled himselfe to dispatch advise for the King, for the vice-roy of Peru, and for the vice-roy of the Nova Spana, for hee also had beene certified of our being in that sea, and had fitted an armado to seeke us, and to guard his coast.
But now for a farewell (and note it), let me relate unto you this secret, how Don Beltran shewed mee a letter from the King, his master, directed to the vice-roy, wherein he gave him particular relation of my pretended voyage; of the ships, their burden, their munition, their number of men, which I had in them, as perfectly as if he had seene all with his own eyes: saying unto me, “Heereby may you discerne whether the King, my master, have friends in England, and good and speedie advice of all that passeth.”
Whereunto I replyed: “It was no wonder, for that hee had plentie of gold and silver, which worketh this and more strange effects: for my journey was publique and notorious to all the kingdome.” Whereunto hee replyed, that if I thought is so convenient, leave should be given mee to write into England to the Queens Majestie, my mistresse, to my father, and to other personages, as I thought good; and leaving the letters open, that he would send some of them in the King’s packet, others to his uncle Don Rodrigo de Castro, cardinall and archbishoppe of Sevill, and to other friends of his; not making any doubt but that they would be speedily in England. For which I thanked him, and accepted his courtesie; and although I was my selfe unable to write, yet by the hands of a servant of mine, I wrote three or foure coppies of one letter to my father, Sir John Hawkins; in which I briefly made relation of all that had succeeded in our voyage.
The dispatches of Spaine and New Spaine, went by ordinary course in ships of advise; but that for the Peru, was sent by a kinseman of the generalls, called Don Francisco de la Cuena.
Which being dispatched, Don Beltran hasted all that ever hee could to put his shippes in order, to returne to Lyma. Hee caused the Daintie to be grounded and trimmed; for in those ilands it higheth and falleth some fifteen or sixteen foote water.
And the generall with his captaines, and some religious men being aboord her, and new naming her, named her the Visitation, for that shee was rendred on the day on which they celebrate the visitation of the blessed Virgin Mary. In that place, the ground being plaine and without vantage, whereby to helpe the tender sided and sharpe ships, they are forced to shore them on either side. In the midest of their solemnity, her props and shores of one side fayled, and so shee fell over upon that side suddenly, intreating many of them which were in her, very badly; and doubtlesse, had shee bin like the shippes of the South sea, shee had broken out her bulge: but being without mastes and empty (for in the South sea, when they bring a-ground a shippe, they leave neither mast, balast, nor any other thing abourd, besides the bare hull), her strength was such as it made no great show to have received any damage; but the feare shee put them all into was not little, and caused them to runne out of her faster then a good pace.
In these ilands is no succour nor refreshing; onely in the one of them is one house of strawe, and a little spring of small moment. For the water, which the shippes use for their provision, they fetch from another iland, two leagues west north-west of these, which they call Tabaga, having in it some fruite and refreshing, and some fewe Indians to inhabite it.
What succeeded to mee, and to the rest during our imprisonment, with the rarities and particularities of the Peru and Terra Firme, my voyage to Spaine, and the successe, with the time I spent in prison in the Peru, in the Tercera, in Sevill, and in Madrid, with the accidents which befell me in them, I leave for a second part of this discourse, if God give life and convenient place and rest, necessary for so tedious and troublesome a worke: desiring God, that is Almightie, to give his blessing to this and the rest of my intentions, that it and they may bee fruitefull to His glory, and the good of all: then shall my desires be accomplished, and I account myselfe most happie. To whom be all glory, and thankes from all eternitie.
FINIS.
THE TABLE
OF
THE PRINCIPALL OBSERVATIONS
CONTEINED IN THIS BOOKE.
- A
- Advantage of obedience page 137
- Advise by land and sea 172
- Advertisements for commanders 137
- —— for servitors 138
- Agnanapes 96
- Alonso de Soto, noblenes of 153
- Alcatraces 71
- Amber-greece 74
- Amitie of the Indians 170
- Anchors unserviceable, mending of 132
- Anchors, light, fit for the South sea 151
- Arica 168
- Arawcans, valour of the 158
- —— much commended for all sorts of fruit and gold 157
- Armado, Spanish 182
- Arrogancy of the Spanish generall 202
- Artillery, overcharging of 169
- Artillery, courses for after bourding 206
- Austria, Donna, in the narrow seas 36
- B
- Backwardnesse of companies 136
- —— evill consequences thereof 136
- Baldivia 143
- Bay, English 124
- Bezar stone, the 74
- Beefe, pickled 143
- —— held good beyond the equinoctiall 143
- Blanches Bay 118
- Bourding, policies to avoid 199
- Bonito, the 67
- Brasill, knowne etc. 61
- Bravo 48
- Brasil, description of 100
- —— its havens 100
- —— commodities and wants 100
- —— bestial and discommodities 100
- Burdeaux fleete, the losse of 18
- C
- Calking, false 32
- —— prevention thereof 33
- Candish, Thomas 129
- —— surprised 90
- Canary ilands 41
- Canary, Grand 42
- Cape Blanco 85
- Captaines, ignoble 104
- Captaines, disloyalties of 166
- Cassavi, beverage of 96
- Cassavi meale 95
- —— preparing thereof 95
- Catalina, Saint 101
- Chieftain, parts requisite in a 189
- Chieftains, two, dangerous 192
- Cherries 86
- Chile, people of 147
- —— their weapons 147
- —— and hate to the Spaniards 147
- Cyvet catts 51
- Cittie of Conception 149
- Commanders, covetous, unwillingness to follow 161
- Commander, a, not to trust his officers 184
- Commanders, admonitions to 186
- Cocos, and their kinds 50
- Complaints of master Thomas Candish 27
- —— of master George Raymond 28
- Company sicke 56
- —— and dismayed 126
- Cotton Edward, the losse of 54
- Clothes made in Coquinbo 158
- Crabby Cove 128
- Care of currants 54
- D
- Departure from Lyma 152
- Devises in sudden accidents 115
- Directions to be secret 189
- Discipline of the Spanish 103
- Discipline, cause of their prosperities 103
- Discipline neglected by the English 17
- Discipline pried into by the Spaniards 194
- —— and by them imitated 195
- Discoveries, use of 7
- Discovery on the coast to be avoyded 149
- Dolphin, the 66
- Drake, Sir Francis, upon the southermost part of the world 142
- Dutch, providence of the 17
- Ducks 113
- E
- Elizabeth Bay 117
- Engines of antiquitie, disuse of 206
- English, the, carry up their flag 35
- English, authors of sea discipline 17
- English, carelessnesse of the 184
- Exchange of trifles 145
- —— of sheepe 146
- Exercise alwayes necessary 44
- F
- Fenton, Edward 129
- Fernandes, Juan 149
- Fire, danger of 62
- —— by heating of pitch 62
- —— by taking tobacco 63
- —— by candle light 63
- —— by hooping and scuttling 64
- —— by nature of waters 64
- Fierro, strange tree in 42
- Fight, the Spanish, beginning of 184
- —— their intertainment 191
- —— the English 191
- —— the Spanish 191
- —— pay deere for their rashnesse 196
- —— take a new resolution 197
- Flying fishes 70
- French and English salute 35
- French surprised 90
- Fruits wholsome, to know 87
- Fuego 48
- Fugitives, end of 195
- G
- Gannetts 86
- God propitious 127
- —— therefore praised 127
- Gold, some, and one shippe taken 150
- Gold, every shower a shower of 158
- Greenfield, Sir Richard, at Flores 20
- Gulls 113
- Gunner, deceit of the 185
- H
- Hampton, master Thomas 34
- Harbours, annoyances in 80
- Hawkins, Master William 130
- Hawkins Mayden-land 108
- Helm-man 84
- I
- Iago, Saint 47
- —— sacked 48
- Ilands, St. James 85
- Jesus of Lubecke, the 10
- Ienero 93
- Ilands, unwholsome 45
- —— their heat 45
- —— the breze 45
- —— the best remedie 46
- Inconvenience of imprests 28
- —— their true use 29
- Indians housing 98
- Indians poligamy 98
- Indians apparrell 146
- —— and manner of sleeping 99
- Indians trechery 145
- Indians foresight 122
- Indians industry 90
- Indians dismissed 180
- Indians led by a Mulato 181
- Instructions, consequence of 30
- Isla Grand 93
- Iuca, planting of 97
- —— by women 97
- K
- Kavas Purgativas, use of 87
- L
- Land, unknowne 107
- —— care of approach 107
- Leakes, new devise for stopping, without bourd 155
- Lyne, the, best time to passe 76
- M
- Madera 40
- Mariner, a, who to be accounted 186
- —— his knowledge 186
- —— and materials 186
- —— for navigation 187
- Mariners, the, revenge 69
- Mariners, wilfulnesse of 149
- Maries, S. 148
- Master, care of the 83
- Masters mate, unskilfulnesse of the 83
- Meeting, fittest places of 31
- Mocha 143
- Monkies, parrots 51
- Moone, influence of the 46
- Mutenies, how to be winked at 141
- Multitude, unadvisednesse of the 183
- O
- Objections resolved 204
- Office of a master 188
- —— of a pilot 188
- —— of the boteswaine 188
- —— of the steward 188
- —— of the carpenter 188
- —— of the gunner 188
- Oleron, lawes of 164
- Oranges, vertue of 81
- Oreweed, beds of 108
- P
- Palmer, Sir Henry, modestie of 18
- Patience of the Earle of Nottingham 139
- Parts requisite in a commander at sea 18
- Palmito, the 48, 86
- Palmito Iland 92
- Pearles 133
- Pengwins, iland of 110
- —— described 111
- —— hunting of 112
- —— kept for store 113
- Pentagones, care of the 106
- Philip, King, comming into England 36
- Pilats fishes 70
- Pillage, challenging of 163
- —— what to be reputed 166
- —— undue, prevention of 167
- Placentia 50
- Plaintain, the 49
- Pynaces, dutie of 40
- Pynace lost 25
- Porke, good, foure yeare old 143
- Ports, danger of open 13
- Providence of God 83
- Provisions, corrupt or scantie 161
- —— better provided at Plimouth 12
- Puerto Viejo 178
- Puma 177
- Purgatives 87
- Purslain 86
- Q
- Quintera, bay of 156
- R
- Ratts, prevention of 135
- —— calamities they bring 135
- Reach, Long 122
- Repentance, the 8
- Reasons of returne dangerous 131
- Revenge, the 9
- Rudders, spare 155
- Runnawayes 104
- S
- Sabboth reserved for holy exercises 44
- Sailes of cotton cloth 151
- Salomon, ilands of 176
- Santos, arrival at 77
- —— forbidden to trade 79
- Sarmiento, Pedro 109
- Scurvy, the 56
- —— the signes 56
- —— the causes 57
- —— the remedies 58
- —— by diet 59
- —— by shift 59
- —— by labour 59
- —— by early eating and drinking 59
- —— by sower oranges and lemmons 60
- —— by Dr. Stevens water 60
- —— by oyle of vitry 60
- —— by ayre of the land 60
- Seething meat in salt water 58
- —— corruption of victuall 58
- Sea, the vapours of 58
- Seafaring men, abuses of 26
- Seales 114
- Setting the ship upon a rock 126
- —— Diligence to free it 127
- Sheathing of ships 119
- —— in Spaine and Portingall 120
- —— with double plankes 120
- —— with canvas 120
- —— with burnt planks 120
- —— with varnish in China 120
- —— in England 121
- —— best manner of 121
- Sharke, the 68
- Shipping, what requisit in 7
- Ships, the honour of his Majesties 36
- —— of trade 199
- —— the prince his 200
- —— of warre are not all to be low built 200
- —— foure taken 149
- Ship, dutie of a small against a greater 204
- Shooting at sea 33
- —— mischances thereupon ensuing 34
- Sloth cause of fancies 125
- Sounding, care of 52
- Spanish discipline 191
- —— officers 193
- —— admirall commeth to leeward 190
- Spaniards parley 207
- —— inexperience of the 184
- —— weaknesse of the 19
- —— vain-glory of the 205
- Severitie of Spaine 168
- Steerage, care of 84
- —— exquisite in the Spaniards and Portingals 84
- Straights, the 108
- —— second peopling of the 116
- —— ilands, south part of the 142
- Stormes, effects of courage in 24
- Storme, a cruell 148
- Swans, birds like 105
- —— how caught 105
- —— good refreshment 106
- Swearing remedied 65
- T
- Tenerif, description of 41
- Thunderbolt, the, of London 10
- Tobias Cove 126
- Trading, concealement hindereth 166
- Tremontaine Point 107
- Time, entertainement of 133
- V
- Vavisor, Captaine 21
- Vessell, importance of a small 148
- Vice admirall, place of 20
- Voyages, considerations for 12
- —— overthrowne by pretences 129
- Voyage, the overthrow of the 102
- —— the cause 102
- —— infidelitie 103
- W
- Wafters, order of the Flemish 17
- Wages, deteyning of 162
- Warehouses sacked 150
- Wast, objection of 118
- —— answered 118
- —— of men 89
- Water salt, distilling of 82
- —— contagious 88
- Watches, care of 56
- Watch, fruits of good 91
- Weaknes, concealement of 152
- Wilfulnesse of mariners 15
- Wine more dangerous then the enemy 153
- Wines, Spanish, and fevers unknowne in England 153
- Wine consumeth treasure 154
- Whale, fight of the 71
- —— with the sword-fish 71
- —— with the thresher 72
- —— taking of the 72
- —— by the Indians 75
- Warning against wormes 119
- Y
- Yonkers ever necessary in the top 44
FINIS.
RICHARDS, PRINTER, 100, ST. MARTIN’S LANE.