ll the
next day midnoon (8th October), when we departed thence. And about four
o'clock recovered a big island in our way, where we stayed all night,
by reason that there was great store of fish, and especially of a great
kind of shell-fish of a foot long. We called them whelks.
The next morning (9th October), we were clear of these islands and
shoals, and hauled off into the sea. About four days after (13th
October), near the island of St. Bernards, we chased two frigates
ashore; and recovering one of these islands, made our abode there some
two days (14th-15th October) to wash our pinnaces and to take of the
fish.
Thence we went towards Tolou, and that day (16th October) landed near
the town in a garden, where we found certain Indians, who delivered us
their bows and arrows, and gathered for us such fruit as the garden
did yield, being many sorts of dainty fruits and roots, [we] still
contenting them for what we received. Our Captain's principal intent in
taking this and other places by the way, not being for any other cause,
but only to learn true intelligence of the state of the country and of
the Fleets.
Hence we departed presently, and rowed towards Charesha, the island of
Cartagena; and entered in at Bocha Chica, and having the wind large, we
sailed in towards the city, and let fall our grappers betwixt the island
and the Main, right over against the goodly Garden Island. In which,
our Captain would not suffer us to land, notwithstanding our importunate
desire, because he knew, it might be dangerous: for that they are wont
to send soldiers thither, when they know of any Men-of-war on the coast;
which we found accordingly. For within three hours after, passing by the
point of the island, we had a volley of a hundred shot from them, and
yet there was but one of our men hurt.
This evening (16th October) we departed to sea; and the day following
(17th October), being some two leagues off the harbour, we took a
bark, and found that the Captain and his wife with the better sort of
passengers, had forsaken her, and were gone ashore in the Gundeloe: by
occasion whereof we boarded without resistance, though they were well
provided with swords and targets and some small shot, besides four iron
bases. She was 50 tons, having ten mariners, five or six Negroes, great
store of soap and sweet meat, bound from St. Domingo to Cartagena. This
Captain left behind him a silk ancient [flag] with his arms; as might be
thought,
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