A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels Volume Vii Part 18

Da.s.see! Da.s.see! I thank you.

Sheke, Gold.

Cowrte, Cut.

Cracca, Knives.

Ba.s.sina, Basins.

Foco, foco, Cloth.

Molta, Much, or great plenty[248]

[Footnote 247: This abrupt account of a town, &c. seems to refer back to that of St John, which they had just left.--E.]

[Footnote 248: This language seems partly corrupted.--_Hakluyt_.

Two of the words in this short specimen have been evidently adopted from the Portuguese, _ba.s.sina_ and _molta_.--E.]

In the morning of the 8th, we had sight of the Portuguese castle of Mina, but the morning being misty we could not see it distinctly till we were almost at Don Johns town, when the weather cleared up and we had a full view of the fort, beside which we noticed a white house on a hill, which seemed to be a chapel. We stood in towards the sh.o.r.e, within two English miles of Don Johns town, where we anch.o.r.ed in seven fathoms. We here found, as in many places before, that the current followed the course of the wind. At this place the land by the sea is in some places low, and in others high, everywhere covered with wood. This town of Don John[249] is but small, having only about twenty huts of the negroes, and is mostly surrounded by a fence about the height of a man, made of reeds or sedge, or some such material. After being at anchor two or three hours, without any person coming off to us, we manned our boats and put some merchandize into them, and then went with our boats very near the sh.o.r.e, where we anch.o.r.ed. They then sent off a man to us, who told us by signs that this was the town belonging to Don John, who was then in the interior, but would be home at sunset. He then demanded a reward, as most of these people do on first coming aboard, and on giving him an ell of cloth he went away, and we saw no more of him that night.

In the morning of the 9th we went again near the sh.o.r.e with our boats, when a canoe came off to us, from the people in which we were informed by signs that Don John was not yet come home, but was expected that day.

There came also a man in a canoe from another town a mile from this, called Don Devis[250], who shewed us gold, and made signs for us to go there. I then left John Saville and John Makeworth at the town of Don John, and went in the Hind to the other town, where we anch.o.r.ed, after which I went in the boat close to the sh.o.r.e near the town. Boats or canoes soon came off to us, shewing a measure of 4-1/2 yards, and a weight of an angel and 12 grains, as their rule of traffic, so that I could make no bargain. All this day our people lay off Don Johns town and did nothing, being told that he was still absent.

[Footnote 249: Or Don _Juan_. This place stands at Cape Korea or Cors.--Astl. I. 158. a.

Cape Cors or Korea is now corruptly called Cape coast, at which there is an English fort or castle of the same name, in lat. 5 10' N. long. 1 16' W.--E.]

[Footnote 250: Called afterwards the town of John De Viso.--E.]

We went on the 10th to the sh.o.r.e, when a canoe came off with a considerable quant.i.ty of gold; and after long haggling we at length reduced their measure to a nail less than three ells, and brought up their weight to an angel and twenty grains, after which, in about a quarter of an hour, I sold cloth for a pound and a quarter of an ounce of gold. They then made signs for me to tarry till they had parted their cloth among them on sh.o.r.e, after their custom, and away they went and spread all their cloth on the sand. At this time a man came running from the town and spoke with them, and immediately they all hastened away into the woods to hide their cloth and gold. We suspected some treachery, and though invited by signs to land we would not, but returned on board the Hind, whence we could see 30 men on the hill, whom we judged to be Portuguese, who went up to the top of the hill, where they drew up with a flag. Being desirous to know what the people of the Hart were about, I went to her in the Hind's boat, and on nearing her was surprised on seeing her shoot off two pieces of ordnance. I then made as much haste as possible, and met her boat and skiff coming with all speed from the sh.o.r.e. We all met on board the Hart, when they told me that they had been on sh.o.r.e all day, where they had given 3-1/2 yards of cloth to each of Don Johns two sons, and three basins between them, and had delivered 3 yards more cloth at the agreed weight of an angel and 12 grains. That while remaining on sh.o.r.e for an answer, some Portuguese had come running down the hill upon them, of which the negroes had given them warning shortly before, but they understood them not. The sons of Don John had conspired with the Portuguese against them, so that they were almost taken by surprise; yet they recovered their boat and pushed off from the sh.o.r.e, on which the Portuguese discharged their calivers or muskets at them, but hurt none of them; in revenge for which hostility, the people in the s.h.i.+p had fired off the two guns formerly mentioned. We now laid _bases[251]_ into both the boats and the skiff, manning and arming them all, and went again towards the sh.o.r.e; but being unable to land on account of the wind, we lay off at the distance of about 200 yards, whence we fired against the Portuguese, but could not injure them as they were sheltered by the hill. They fired upon us in return from the hills and rocks, the negroes standing by to help them, more from fear than love. Seeing the negroes in such subjection that they durst not deal with us, we returned on board; and as the wind kept at east all night, we were unable to fetch the Hind, but I took the boat and went on board in the night, to see if any thing could be done there; and as in the morning we could perceive that the town was overawed by the Portuguese like the other, we weighed anchor and went along the coast to the eastwards.

[Footnote 251: Formerly conjectured to be musquetoons, or wall-pieces.--E.]

This town of John de Viso stands on a hill like that of Don John, but had been recently burnt, so that there did not remain above six houses standing. Most of the gold on this part of the coast comes from the interior country, and doubtless, if the people durst bring their gold, which they are prevented from doing by the Portuguese, we might have got abundance; but they are under such subjection to the Portuguese, that they dare not trade with others.

While coasting along on the 11th, we saw a small town about 4 leagues to the east of that we last came from. About half a league farther was another town upon a hill, and half a league beyond that another large town on the coast, to which we went to try what could be done in the way of trade, meaning, if unsuccessful, to return to the towns we had left behind, in hopes that the Portuguese would leave them on our departure.

All the way from the castle of Mina to this place, there were very high hills to be seen rising above other hills, all covered with wood, and the coast was lined with great red cliffs close to the sea. The boats of this coast are larger than those we had seen hitherto, as one of them could carry 12 men, but they were still of the same form with all the boats along the coast. About these towns there seemed few rivers, and their language seemed the same with that at Don Johns town, every person being able to speak a few words of Portuguese, which they constantly used to us. About five o'clock P.M. we saw 22 of the native boats or canoes going along sh.o.r.e to the westwards, on which we suspected some treachery; wherefore on the 12th we made sail farther along the coast eastwards, and descried more towns, in which there were some larger houses than any we had hitherto seen, and from these the people came out to look at us, but we could see no boats on the sh.o.r.e. Two miles beyond the eastermost town there are black rocks, which continue to the uttermost cape or point of the land for the s.p.a.ce of a league, after which the land runs E.N.E. Some negroes came down to these black rocks, whence they waved a white flag for us to land; but as we were near the princ.i.p.al town, we continued our course along sh.o.r.e, and when we had opened the point of land we perceived another head-land about a league farther on, having a rock lying off to sea, which was thought to be the place of which were in search. On coming abreast of the town it was recognized, and having anch.o.r.ed within half a mile of the sh.o.r.e in five fathoms, with good ground, we put wares into our boat, and went near the sh.o.r.e to endeavour to open trade. Anchoring close to the sh.o.r.e, about 10 A.M. we saw many canoes on the beach, and some came past us, but no one would draw near, being, as we supposed, afraid of us, as four men had been forcibly taken away from thence the year before. Seeing that no one came off to us, we went again on board, expecting to make no sales; but towards evening a great number of people came to the sh.o.r.e and waved a white flag, as inviting us to land, after which their chief or captain came down with many men along with him, and sat down under a tree near the sh.o.r.e. On seeing this I took some things with me in the boat to present to him, and at length he sent off a boat to us which would not come near, but made signs for us to return next day. At length, by offering things for their captain, I enticed them into our boat, and gave them two ells of cloth, a latten basin, a white basin, a bottle, a large piece of beef, and six biscuits, which they received and made signs for us to come back next day, saying that their chief was _grand captain_, which indeed appeared by his numerous attendants, who were armed with darts, targets, and other weapons. This town is very large, and stands upon a hill among trees, so that it cannot well be seen except when one is near. To the eastwards of it there are two very high trees on a hill close to the town[27]; and under the town is another and lower hill washed by the sea, where it is all composed of great black rocks. Beyond this town there is another considerably smaller on a bay.

[252][Footnote 252: 27 It is added, _which is a good mark to know the town_. But at this distance of time, above 250 years, such marks cannot be supposed to remain.--E.]

In the morning of the 13th we took our boat and went close to the sh.o.r.e, where we remained till ten o'clock, but no one came near us. We prepared therefore to return on board, on seeing which some negroes came running down and waved us back with a white flag, so we anch.o.r.ed again and they made us to understand by signs that the chief would soon come down. In the meantime we saw a sail pa.s.s by us, but being small we regarded it not. As the sun was high, we made a tilt with our oars and sails. There now came off to us a canoe with five men, who brought back our bottle, and gave me a hen, making signs by the sun that within two hours the merchants of the country would come and buy all we had. I gave them six _manillios_ to present to their captain; and as they signified by signs that they would leave a man with us if we gave them a pledge, we put one of our men into their boat; but as they would not give us one of their men, we took back our man again, and remained in expectation of the merchants. Shortly afterwards there came down one of the natives to the sh.o.r.e, arrayed like their captain, attended by a numerous train, who saluted us in a friendly manner, and then sat down under a tree where the captain used to sit in the former year. Soon afterwards we perceived a great number of natives standing at the end of a hollow way, and behind them the Portuguese had planted a base, which they suddenly discharged, but its ball overshot us, though we were very near. Before we could s.h.i.+p our oars to get away, they shot at us again, but did us no harm; the negroes came to the rocks close beside us, whence they discharged calivers at us, and the Portuguese shot off their base twice more. On this our s.h.i.+p made some shots at them, but they were protected by the rocks and hills.

We now went on board to leave this place, as the negroes were bent against us, because in the former year Robert Gainsh had taken away the captains son from this place, with three others, and all their gold and every thing else they had about them; owing to which they had become friends to the Portuguese, whom they hated before, as appeared in the former year when the Trinity was there; when the chief came on board and brought them to his town, trading with them largely, and offering them ground on which to build a fort[253]. The 14th we plied back to meet the Hind, which we met in the morning, and then both s.h.i.+ps sailed eastwards to try what could be done at the place where the Trinity sold her friezes in the preceding year. The day after we parted, the Hind had taken eighteen and a half ounces of gold from some negroes in exchange for wares. This day, about one P.M. we saw some canoes on the coast, with men standing beside them, and going to them with merchandise, we took three ounces of gold for eighteen _fuffs_ of cloth, each _fuffe_ being three and a half yards, at the rate of one angel twelve grains the _fuffe_. These people made us understand by signs that if we waited till next day we might have plenty of gold. For this reason I sent off the master with the Hind, accompanied by John Saville and John Makeworth, to seek the other place, while I and Richard Pakeman remained here to try our fortunes next day. When the negroes perceived the Hind going away they feared the other s.h.i.+p would follow, wherefore they sent off four men in two canoes, asking us to remain, and offering two men to remain with us, if we would give one as a pledge or hostage for his safety.

Accordingly, one Edward, who was servant to Mr Morley, seeing them so much in earnest, offered himself as a pledge, and we let him go for two of them who staid with us, one of whom had his weights and scales, with a chain of gold about his neck and another round his arm. These men eat readily of such things as we had to give them, and seemed quite contented. During the night, the negroes kept a light on sh.o.r.e over against us; and about one o'clock, A.M. we saw the flash of a _base_, which was twice shot off at the light, and then two _calivers_ were discharged, which in the end we perceived came from a Portuguese brigantine that followed us from place to place, to warn the natives to have no dealings with us.

[Footnote 253: In the margin, Hakluyt sets down the voyage of Robert Gainsh to Guinea as in 1554; yet does not mention where that voyage is to be found, or that it is the same voyage published in his second edition, under the name of Lok, instead of Gainsh to whom it was ascribed in his first edition. All the light we have into the matter from the second edition, is from a marginal note at the beginning of Loks voyage, in which Robert Gainsh is said to have been master of the John Evangelist; neither is there any mention of this villainous transaction in the relation of that voyage. Such crimes deserve severe punishment; since a whole community may suffer for the fault of one bad man.--Astl. I. 160, a.]

In the morning of the 15th, the negro chief came down to the coast attended by 100 men, bringing his wife along with him, and many others brought their wives also, as they meant to remain by the sea side till they had bought what they wanted, and their town was eight miles up the country. Immediately on his arrival, the chief sent our man on board, and offered to come himself if we would give two of our men in pledge for him. I accordingly sent him two, but he only retained one, and came on board accompanied by his wife and several friends, bringing me a goat and two great roots, for which I gave him in return a latten basin, a white basin, six _manillios_ and a bottle of _Malmsey_, and to his wife a small casket. After this we began to adjust our measure and weight. He had a weight of his own, equal to an angel and 14 grains, and required a measure of 4-1/2 ells. In fine we concluded the 8th part[254], for an angel and 20 grains; and before we had done he took my own weight and measure. The 16th I took 8 libs. 1 oz. of gold. Since the departure of the Hind I had not heard of her; but when our pledge went into the country the first night he said that he saw her at anchor about 5 leagues from us. The 17th I sold about 17 pieces of cloth, for which I got 4 libs. 4-1/2 oz. of gold. The 18th the chief desired to purchase some of our wine, offering half a gold ducat for a bottle; but I gave him one freely, and made him and his train drink besides. This day I took 5 libs. 5 oz. of gold. The 19th I sold about 18 pieces of cloth, and took 4 libs. 4-1/2 oz. of gold. The 20th 3 libs. 6-1/4 oz; the 21st 8 libs. 7-1/4 oz; the 22d 3 libs. 8-1/4 oz: And about 4 o'clock this night[255] the chief and all his people went away. The 23d we were waved on sh.o.r.e by other negroes, and sold them cloth, caskets, knives, and a dozen bells, for 1 lib. 10 oz. of gold. The 24th we sold bells, sheets[256], and thimbles, for 2 libs. 1-1/4 oz. of gold. The 25th we sold 7 doz. of small bells and other things, and finding their gold all gone, we weighed and sailed to leewards in search of the Hind, which we found about 5 o'clock, P.M. and understood she had made some sales.

[Footnote 254: The meaning is here obscure; perhaps the word _less_ is omitted, and the bargain was for a measure an eighth part less than that originally proposed.--E.]

[Footnote 255: Perhaps we should rather understand 4 o'clock next morning?--E.]

[Footnote 256: Perhaps this ought to be sheers or scissars?--E.]

The 26th we received from the Hind 48 libs. 3-1/8 oz. of gold, which they had taken while we were asunder; and this day, on the request of a negro sent us by the chief, we went on sh.o.r.e with our merchandise and took 7 libs, 1 oz. of gold. At this place they required no pledges from us, yet sent every night a man to sleep on board, as an a.s.surance that they would come to us next day. The 27th in both s.h.i.+ps we took 8 libs.

1-7/8 oz. of gold. The 28th we made sales to the amount of 1 lib. 1/3 oz. for the company. The 29th in the morning we heard two caliver shots on sh.o.r.e, which we judged might either be the Portuguese or some of their negroes, and we accordingly manned our boats, armed ourselves and our men, and went on sh.o.r.e, but they were gone off. The 30th we made more sales both for the company and the masters. The 31st we sent our boats on sh.o.r.e to take in sand for ballast; and our men met the negroes with whom they had dealt the day before, who were now employed fis.h.i.+ng, and helped them to fill sand; and having now no gold, sold fish to our men for their handkerchiefs and neckerchiefs. The 1st of February we weighed and went to another place, where we took 1 lib. 9 1/3 oz. of gold. The 2d we made more sales; but on taking a survey of our provisions, we resolved not to stay much longer on the coast, most of our drink being spent, and what remained turning sour. The 3d and 4th we made some sales though not great; and finding the wind on this last day come off sh.o.r.e, we set sail and went along the coast to the westwards.

Upon this coast, we found by experience that ordinarily, about 2 o'clock in the night[257] the wind came off sh.o.r.e from N.N.E., and continued in that direction till 8 o'clock in the morning, blowing all the rest of the day and night at S.W. The tide or current on this sh.o.r.e goes continually with the wind.[258] We continued our course along sh.o.r.e on the 5th, expecting to have met some English s.h.i.+ps, but found none.

[Footnote 257: It is hard to say whether this means 2 hours after sunset, or after midnight--E.]

[Footnote 258: Apparently running from the east during the land breeze, and from the west with the sea breeze--E.]

The 6th February 1556, we altered our course S.W. leaving the coast, to fetch under the line, and ran 24 leagues by estimation. By the 13th we reckoned ourselves off Cape Palmas, and by the 22d we were by our reckoning abreast of Cape Mount, 30 leagues west from the river Sestos or Sestro. The 1st March we lost sight of the Hind in a tornado; on which we set up a light and fired a gun, but saw nothing of her, wherefore we struck sail and lay by for her, and in the morning had sight of her 3 leagues astern. This day we found ourselves in the lat.i.tude of Cape Verd which is in 14 30' [14 50' N.] Continuing our course till the 29th, we were then in 22, on which day one of our men named William King died in his sleep, having been long sick. His clothes were distributed among those of the crew who were in want of such things, and his money was kept to be delivered to his friends at home.

The 30th we found ourselves under the tropic. On the 1st April we were in the lat.i.tude of the Azores, and on the 7th of May we fell in with the south of Ireland, where we sent our boat on sh.o.r.e for fresh water, and where we bought two sheep and such other victuals as we needed from the country people, who are wild _kernes_. The 14th of the same month we went into the port of Bristol called Hungrode[259], where we cast anchor in safety, giving G.o.d thanks for our happy arrival.

[Footnote 259: Probably that now called King-road?--E.]

SECTION V.

_Second Voyage to Guinea in 1556, by William Towerson_[260].

On the 14th September 1556, we set sail from Harwich bound for the coast of Guinea, in the Tiger of London of 120 tons, directing our coa.r.s.e for Scilly, where we expected to meet the Hart of London of 60 tons and a pinnace of 16 tons, both of which had been fitted out and victualled at Bristol. We arrived at Scilly on the 28th, and having lain to some time for our consorts to no purpose, we sailed back to Plymouth on the 12th October. They there joined us, and we sailed together from that port on the 15th November.

[Footnote 260: Hakluyt, II. 496. Astl. I. 162.

Hitherto we have given these voyages to Guinea at full length, as they are found in the collection of Hakluyt; but in this and the subsequent early English voyages to Guinea, we have thought proper to abbreviate such matters as seemed of small importance.--E.]

We made the coast of Guinea on the 30th December, where we got sight of three s.h.i.+ps and two pinnaces which were to windward of us, on which we made ourselves ready for action and gave them chase, hauling to the wind as near as we could to gain the weather-gage. At first they made sail from us, but having cleared for fighting they put about and came towards us in brave order, their streamers, pennants and ensigns displayed, and trumpets, sounding. When we met they still had the weather-gage of us, yet were we firmly determined to have fought them if they had been Portuguese, and hailed them to come under our lee, which they stoutly refused. On demanding whence they were, they said from France; and we then told them we were from London in England. They then told us there were certain Portuguese s.h.i.+ps gone to Mina to protect that place, and that they had already burnt a Portuguese s.h.i.+p of 200 tons at the river Sestro. The captain of the admiral s.h.i.+p and several other Frenchmen came on board of us in a friendly manner, and proposed that we should join company because of the Portuguese, and go together to Mina. We told them that we had not yet watered, having just fallen in with the coast. They said we were 50 leagues to leeward of Sestro river, but still water might be had, and they would a.s.sist us in watering with their boats for the sake of our company. They told us farther that they had been six weeks on the coast, and had only got 3 tons of grains among them all[261].

[Footnote 261: These s.h.i.+ps were the Espoir of Harfleur, the admiral, of which Denis Blundel was captain; the Levriere of Rouen, vice-admiral, commanded by Jerome Baudet; and a s.h.i.+p of Houfleur, commanded by Jean de Orleans.--E.]

After hearing what they had to say, we considered that even if Mina were clear of Portuguese s.h.i.+ps, yet if the Frenchmen went before us they would spoil our market: That if there were Portuguese s.h.i.+ps at Mina, and they took the French s.h.i.+ps, they would learn that we were behind, and would wait to take us likewise: And finally, if we went along with them and found the coast clear, we would do as well as they; but if the Portuguese remained on the coast we should be stronger in their company.

Wherefore, having thus considered their friendly offers, we told them that we would confer more largely of the matter next day; upon which they invited me to dine with them next day, and to bring with me the masters of our s.h.i.+ps and such merchants as I thought proper, offering to supply us with water from their own s.h.i.+ps if we would, or else to remain with us and help us to water with their boats and pinnaces. In the morning of the 31st, the French admiral sent his boat for me, and I went on board his s.h.i.+p accompanied by our masters and some of our merchants.

He had provided a n.o.ble banquet for us, and treated us excellently, requesting us to keep him company, promising to part with us what victuals were in his s.h.i.+p, or any other things that could serve us, even offering to strike his flag and obey my commands in all things. Not being able to find water at that place, we set sail on the 1st January 1557, and anch.o.r.ed off the mouth of a river, where on the two following days we procured water, and bought a few small elephants teeth.

On the 4th of January we landed with 30 men, well armed with arquebuses, pikes, long-bows, cross-bows, partizans, long swords, and swords and bucklers, meaning to seek for elephants. We found two, which we wounded several times with our fire-arms and arrows, but they both got away from us and hurt one of our men. We sailed on the 5th, and next day fell in with the river St Andrew, [in long. 6 4' W.] The land is somewhat high to the westward of this river, having a fine bay likewise to the westward, but to the east the land is low. This is a great river, having 7 fathoms water in some places at its mouth. On the 7th we went into the river, where we found no village, and only some wild negroes not used to trade. Having filled our water casks here, we set sail to the eastward.

On the 10th we had a conference with Captain Blondel, the admiral of the French s.h.i.+ps, Jerome Baudet his vice-admiral, and Jean de Orleans, master of the s.h.i.+p of 70 tons. We agreed to traffic in friendly accord, so as not to hurt each others market, certain persons being appointed to make a price for the whole, and then one boat from every s.h.i.+p to make sales on the agreed terms. On the 11th, at a place called _Allow_[262], we got only half an angel weight and 4 grains of gold, which was taken by hand, the natives having no weights.

[Footnote 262: Rather Lu how or La hu.--Astl. I 163. b.--The river called Jack Lahows river, in Long. 4 14' W.--E.]

On the 14th we came within _Saker_ shot of the castle of Mina, whence an Almadia was sent out to see what we were, but seeing that we were not Portuguese, she went immediately back to the large negroe town of _Dondou_ close by the castle. Without this there lie two great rocks like islands, and the castle stands on a point resembling an island. At some distance to the westwards the land for 5 or 6 leagues was high, but for 7 leagues from thence to the castle the land is low, after which it becomes high again. The castle of Mina is about 5 leagues east from Cape Three-points[263]. Here I took the boat with our negroes, and, went along the coast till I came to the cape, where I found two small towns having no canoes, neither could we have any trade. At these places our negroes understood the natives perfectly, and one of them went on sh.o.r.e at all the places, where he was well received by his countrymen. At a place called _Bulle_, about 3 leagues east from the eastermost point of Cape Three-points, we learnt from the natives by means of our negro George, that about a month before there had been an engagement at this place, in which two s.h.i.+ps had put one to flight; and that some time before, one French s.h.i.+p had put to flight four Portuguese s.h.i.+ps at the castle of Mina.

[Footnote 263: Mina is in Long. 1 60', Cape Three points in 2 40' both west, the difference of Longitude therefore is about 50 minutes, or nearly 17 leagues.--E]

On the 16th we went to a place called _Hanta_, 12 leagues beyond the cape, but did no good, as the natives held their gold too dear. We went thence to _Shamma_[264], where we landed with 5 boats well armed with men and ordnance, making a great noise with our drums and trumpets, suspecting we might have found Portuguese here, but there were none. We sent our negroes first on sh.o.r.e, after which we followed and were well received. The 18th we agreed to give the negroes 2 yards and 3 nails of cloth, as a _fuffe_, to exchange for an angel-ducat weight; so we took in all 70 ducats, of which the Frenchmen had 40 and we 30. The 19th I took 4 libs. 2-1/2 oz. of gold, and the boat of the Hart had 21 oz. This night we were informed by the negroes that the Portuguese meant to attack us next day either by sea or land, and as we were about to return on board we heard several shots in the woods, but they durst not come near us. The 20th we went on sh.o.r.e well armed, but heard no more of the Portuguese, and this day the negroes informed us there were some s.h.i.+ps come to _Hanta_, a town about 2 leagues to the west. The 21st we went in our boats to a town a league to the west, where we found many negroes under another chief, with whom we dealt on the same terms as at Shamma.

The 22d we went again on sh.o.r.e, and I got 1 lib. 4 oz. of gold. The 23d the negroes told as that the Portuguese s.h.i.+ps had departed from the Mina, intending to ply to windward and then come down to fight us, giving us warning to be on our guard. The 24th we went again on sh.o.r.e to trade, and I invited the chief of the town to dinner. While we were ash.o.r.e on the 25th, our s.h.i.+ps descried 5 sail of s.h.i.+ps belonging to the king of Portugal, and fired several shots to recall us on board. So we went to the s.h.i.+ps, but by the time that every thing was in order and we had weighed anchor it was night, so that nothing could be done. We set sail however and tried all night to gain the wind of the Portuguese, some of which were very near during the night. One of them, which we judged was their admiral, fired a shot, as we supposed to call the others to come and speak with him. The 26th we came in with the sh.o.r.e, and got sight of the Portuguese at anchor, on which we made sail towards them, giving all our men white scarfs, that the French and we might know each other in case of boarding: But night coming on before we could fetch the Portuguese, we anch.o.r.ed within demi-culverine shot of them.

[Footnote 264: Called Chama in modern maps, near the mouth of St Johns river, about 6 leagues east from Mina.--E.]

In the morning of the 27th, both we and the Portuguese weighed anchor, and by 11 o'clock, A.M. we had gained the weather-gage, on which we went room with them[265]: on this they bore away towards the sh.o.r.e, and we after them, and when they were near sh.o.r.e they put about again to seawards. We put about likewise, and gained a head of them, on which we took in our topsails and waited for them. The first that came up was a small bark, which sailed so well that she cared not for any of us, and had good ordnance. As soon as she came up she discharged her guns at us and shot past with ease, after which she fired at the French admiral and struck his s.h.i.+p in several places; and as we were in our fighting sails, she soon got beyond our reach. Then another caravel came up under our lee, discharging her ordnance at us and at the French admiral, wounding two of his men and shooting through his main-mast. After him came up the Portuguese admiral also under our lee, but was not able to do us so much harm as the small s.h.i.+ps had done, as he carried his ordnance higher than they; neither were we able to make a good shot at any of them, because our s.h.i.+p was so weak in the side that she laid all her ordnance in the sea[266]. We determined therefore to lay the Portuguese admiral on board; but on making the attempt, the French admiral fell to leeward and could not fetch him, after which he fell to leeward of two other caravels, and was unable to fetch any of them. Being thus to leeward, the French admiral kept on towards the sh.o.r.e and left us. We hoisted our topsails and gave chase to the enemy, but both the other French s.h.i.+ps kept their wind and would not come near us, and our own consort was so much astern that she could not get up to our a.s.sistance. When we had followed them to seaward about two hours, the enemy put about towards the land, thinking to pay us as they went past, and to gain the wind of the French admiral which had gone in sh.o.r.e; but we put about likewise keeping still the weather gage, expecting our consort and the rest to have followed our example. But when the Portuguese had pa.s.sed our consort and the two French s.h.i.+ps, firing as they went along, all of these s.h.i.+ps and our own pinnace continued to seawards, leaving us in the _laps_, (lurch.) We continued our course after the enemy, keeping the weather gage, that we might succour the French admiral who was to leeward of them all; and on coming up with him, all the enemies s.h.i.+ps bore down and gave him their broadsides, after which they put about again, but durst not board him as we were still to wind-wind of them, otherwise they had certainly taken or sunk him. Three of their smallest vessels were such prime sailors that it was quite impossible for any of our s.h.i.+ps to have boarded them, and they carried such ordnance that they would have sore troubled any three of our s.h.i.+ps; if they had been able to gain the weather-gage. Their other s.h.i.+ps, the admiral and vice-admiral, were both notably appointed.