Drakes Great Armada | Page 7

foot and 300 horse),
and marched from Bayona to this part of the country, which lay in sight
of our fleet; where, making a stand, he sent to parley with our General.
Which was granted by our General, so it might be in boats upon the
water; and for safety of their persons there were pledges delivered on
both sides. Which done, the governor of Galicia put himself with two
others into our Vice-Admiral's skiff, the same having been sent to the
shore for him, and in like sort our General went in his own skiff. Where
by them it was agreed we should furnish ourselves with fresh water, to
be taken by our own people quietly on the land, and have all other such
necessaries, paying for the same, as the place would afford.
When all our business was ended we departed, and took our way by the
Islands of Canaria, which are esteemed some 300 leagues from this part
of Spain; and falling purposely with Palma, with intention to have
taken our pleasure of that place, for the full digesting of many things
into order, and the better furnishing our store with such several good
things as it affordeth very abundantly, we were forced by the vile
sea-gate, which at that present fell out, and by the naughtiness of the
landing-place, being but one, and that under the favour of many
platforms well furnished with great ordnance, to depart with the receipt
of many of their cannon-shot, some into our ships and some besides,
some of them being in very deed full cannon high. But the only or chief
mischief was the dangerous sea-surge, which at shore all alongst
plainly threatened the overthrow of as many pinnaces and boats as for
that time should have attempted any landing at all.
Now seeing the expectation of this attempt frustrated by the causes
aforesaid, we thought it meeter to fall with the Isle Ferro, to see if we
could find any better fortune; and coming to the island we landed a
thousand men in a valley under a high mountain, where we stayed
some two or three hours. In which time the inhabitants, accompanied
with a young fellow born in England, who dwelt there with them, came
unto us, shewing their state to be so poor that they were all ready to
starve, which was not untrue; and therefore without anything gotten, we
were all commanded presently to embark, so as that night we put off to
sea south-south-east along towards the coast of Barbary.

Upon Saturday in the morning, being the 13th of November, we fell
with Cape Blank, which is a low land and shallow water, where we
catched store of fish; and doubling the cape, we put into the bay, where
we found certain French ships of war, whom we entertained with great
courtesy, and there left them. This afternoon the whole fleet assembled,
which was a little scattered about their fishing, and put from thence to
the Isles of Cape Verde, sailing till the 16th of the same month in the
morning; on which day we descried the Island of Santiago. And in the
evening we anchored the fleet between the town called the Playa or
Praya and Santiago; where we put on shore 1000 men or more, under
the leading of Master Christopher Carlile, Lieutenant- General, who
directed the service most like a wise commander. The place where we
had first to march did afford no good order, for the ground was
mountainous and full of dales, being a very stony and troublesome
passage; but such was his industrious disposition, as he would never
leave, until we had gotten up to a fair plain, where we made stand for
the assembling of the army. And when we were all gathered together
upon the plain, some two miles from the town, the Lieutenant-General
thought good not to make attempt till daylight, because there was not
one that could serve for guide or giving knowledge at all of the place.
And therefore after having well rested, even half an hour before day, he
commanded the army to be divided into three special parts, such as he
appointed, whereas before we had marched by several companies,
being thereunto forced by the badness of the way as is aforesaid. Now
by the time we were thus ranged into a very brave order, daylight began
to appear. And being advanced hard to the wall, we saw no enemy to
resist. Whereupon the Lieutenant-General appointed Captain Sampson
with thirty shot, and Captain Barton with other thirty, to go down into
the town, which stood in the valley under us, and might very plainly be
viewed all over from that place where the whole army was now arrived;
and presently after these captains