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CUMBERLAND’S VOYAGE TO THE AZORES. 8r5
and did eat them more pleafantly than if they had been the fweeteft comfits in the
world; the rain-drops were fo carefully faved, that fo near as we could, not one was
loft in all our fhip. Some hanged up fheets tyed with cords by the four corners, and
a weight in the midft that the water might run down thither, and fo be received into
fome veflel fet or hanged underneath ; {ome that wanted fheets, hanged up napkins and
clouts, and watched them till they were thorough wet, then wringing and fucking out
the water. And that water which fell down and wathed the filth and foiling of the fhip,
trod under foot, as bad as running down the kennel many times when it raineth, was
not loft I warrant you, but watched and attended carefully (yea fometimes with {trife
and contention) at every fcupper hole, and other place where it ran down, with difhes,
pots, cans, and jars, whereof fome drank hearty draughts even as it was, mud and all,
without tarrying to cleanfe or fettle it: others cleanfed it firft, but not often, for it was
fo thick and went fo flowly through, that they might ill endure to tarry fo long, and
were loth to loofe too much of fuch precious ftufF; fome licked with their tongues
(like dogs) the boards under feet, the fides, rails, and mafts of the fhip; others that
were more ingenious, fa{tened girdles or ropes about the mafts, dawbing tallow betwixt
them and the matt, (that the rain might not run down between) in fuch fort, that thofe
ropes or girdles hanging lower on the one fide than on the other, a fpout of leather
was faftened to the lower part of them, that all the rain drops that came running down
the matt, might meet together at that place, and there be received.
He that got a can of water bythefe means, was fpoken of, fued to, and envied as a rich
man, ‘* Quam pulchrum digito monftrari et dicier hic eff ?” Some of the poor Spaniards
that we had taken (who notwithftanding had the fame allowance that our own men had}
would come and crave of us, for the love of God, but fo much water as they could hold
in the hollow of their hand; and they had it notwithftanding our great extremity, to teach:
them fome humanity, inftead of their accuftomed barbarity, both to us and other nations
heretofore. They put alfo bullets of lead into their mouths to flake their thirft.
Now in every corner of the fhip were heard the lamentable cries of fick and wounded
men, founding woefully in our ears, crying out and pitifully complaining for want of
drink, being ready to die, yea many dying for lack thereof; fo as by reafon of this
great extremity, we loft many more men, than we had done all the voyage before ;
having before this time been {fo well and fufficiently provided for, that we lived in a
manner as well and healthfully, and died as few as if we had been in England, whereas
now lightly every day fome were caft overboard.
But the fecond day of December, 1589, was a feftival day with us, for then it rained
a good pace, and we faved fome pretty {tore of rain water (though we were well wet
for it, and that at midnight) and filled our fkins full befides ; notwith{tanding it were
muddy and bitter with wafhing the fhip, but, (with fome fugar which we had to {weeten
it withal) it went merrily down, yet remembered we and wifhed for with all our hearts,
many a conduit, pump, fpring, and ftream of clear {weet running water in England :
and how miferable we had accounted fome poor fouls whom we had feen driven for
thirft to drink thereof, and how happy we would now have thought ourfelves if we
might have had our fills of the fame ; yet fhould we have fared the better with this our
poor feafting, if we might have had our meat and drink (fuch and fo much as it was)
{tand quietly before us: but befides all the former extremities, we were fo tofled and
turmoiled with fuch horrible ftormy and tempeftuous weather, that every man had beit
hold faft his can, cup, and difh in his hands, yea and himfelf too, many times by the
ropes, rails, or fide, of the fhip, or elfe he fhould foon find all under feet.
Herewith
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