Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - Pages ...
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
Below is the raw OCR text
from the above scanned image.
Do you see an error? Proofread the page now!
Här nedan syns maskintolkade texten från faksimilbilden ovan.
Ser du något fel? Korrekturläs sidan nu!
This page has never been proofread. / Denna sida har aldrig korrekturlästs.
O14 CUMLBERLANL’sS VOYAGE TO THE AZORES-
us. And now we had our hands full, and with joy fhaped our courfe for England,
for fo it was thought meeteft, having now fo many Portugals, Spaniards, and French-
men amongtt us, that if we fhould have taken any more prizes afterwards, we had not
been well able to have manned them without endangering ourfelves. So about fix of the
clock in the afternoon (when our other prize had overtaken us) we fet fail for Eng-
Jand. But our prizes not being able to bear us company without {paring them many
of our fails, which caufed our fhip to roll and wallow, that it was not only very trou-
blefome to us, but, as it was thought, would alfo have put the main maft in danger of
falling overboard: having acquainted them with thele inconveniences, we gave them
direction to keep their courfes together, following us, and fo to come to Portfmouth.
We took this lait prize in the latitude of 39°, and about 46 leagues to the weftwards
from the Rock.
She was one of thofe 16 fhips which we faw going into the haven at Angra in Ter-
cera, Odober eighth. Some of the men that we took out of her told us, that whilft
we were plying up and down before that haven, as before was fhewed, expecting the
coming forth of thofe fhips, three of the greateft and beft of them, at the appointment
of the governor of Tercera, were unladen of their treafure and merchandile, and in
every of them were put three hundred foldiers, which were appointed to have come
to lay the Victory aboard in the night, and take her; but when this fhould have been
done, the Victory was gone out of their fight.
Now we went merrily before the wind with all the fails we could bear, infomuch,
that in the fpace of twenty-four hours, we failed near 47 leagues, that is feven fcore
Englifh miles, betwixt Friday at noon and Saturday at noon, (notwithftanding the
fhip was very foul, and much grown with long being at fea) which caufed fome of
our company to make accompt they would fee what running at tilt there fhould be at
Whitehall upon the queen’s day. Others were imagining what a Chriftmas they would
keep in England with their fhares of the prizes we had taken. But fo it befel, that
we kept a cold Chriftmas with the Bifhop and his Clerks (rocks that lye to the welt-
wards from Sylly, and the weftern parts of England): for foon after the wind fcanting
came about to the eaftwards (the worft part of the heavens for us from which the
wind could blow) in fuch fort, that we could not fetch any part of England. And
hereupon alfo our allowance of drink, which was fcant enough before, was yet more
fcanted, becaule of the fcarcity thereof in the fhip. So that now a man was allowed
but half a pint at a meal, and that many times cold water, and fcarce fweet. Not-
withftanding this was a happy ftate in comparifon of that which followed ; for from
half a pint we came to a quarter, and that lafted not long neither; fo that by reafon
of this great fearcity of drink, and contrariety of wind, we thought to put into Ire-
land,. there to relieve our wants. But when we came near thither, lying at Hull all
night, (tarrying for the daylight of the next morning, whereby we might the fafe-
lyer bring our fhip into fome convenient harbour there) we were driven fo far to lee-
ward that we could fetch no part of Ireland, fo as with heavy hearts and fad cheer, we
were con{trained to return back again, and expect till it fhould pleafe God to fend us
a fair wind either for England or Jreland. In the mean time we were allowed every
man three or four fpoonsfull of vinegar to drink at a meal; for other drink we had
none, faving only at two or three meals, when we had inftead hereof as much wine,
which was wringed out of wine-lees that remained. With this hard fare (for by rea-
fon of our great want of drink we durft eat but very little) we continued for the {pace
of a fortnight or thereabouts; faving that now and then we feafted for it in the mean
time; and that was when there fell any hail or rain; the hail-ftones we gathered up,
and
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
