great
store of victuals.

But when after two days' sailing, we were arrived (5th November) at
the villages of store, where before we had furnished ourselves with
abundance of hens, sheep, calves, hogs, etc.; now we found bare nothing,
not so much as any people left: for that they, by the Spaniards'
commandments, had fled to the mountains, and had driven away all their
cattle, that we might not be relieved by them. Herewith being very
sorry, because much of our victuals in our pinnaces was spoilt by the
foul weather at sea and rains in harbour. A frigate being descried at
sea revived us, and put us in some hope for the time, that in her we
should find sufficient; and thereupon it may easily be guessed, how much
we laboured to recover her: but when we had boarded her, and understood
that she had neither meat nor money, but that she was bound for _Rio
Grande_ to take in provision upon bills, our great hope converted into
grief.

We endured with our allowance seven or eight days more, proceeding to
the Eastward, and bearing room for Santa Marta, upon hope to find some
shipping in the road, or limpets on the rocks, or succour against the
storm in that good harbour. Being arrived; and seeing no shipping;
we anchored under the western point, where is high land, and, as we
thought, free in safety from the town, which is in the bottom of the
bay: not intending to land there, because we knew that it was fortified,
and that they had intelligence of us.

But the Spaniards (knowing us to be Men-of-war, and misliking that we
should shroud under their rocks without their leave) had conveyed some
thirty or forty shot among the cliffs, which annoyed us so spitefully
and so unrevengedly, for that they lay hidden behind the rocks, but we
lay open to them, that we were soon weary of our harbour, and enforced
(for all the storm without and want within) to put to sea. Which though
these enemies of ours were well contented withal, yet for a farewell,
as we came open of the town, they sent us a culverin shot; which made
a near escape, for it fell between our pinnaces, as we were upon
conference of what was best to be done.

The company advised that if it pleased him, they might put themselves
aland, some place to the Eastward to get victuals, and rather hope for
courtesy from the country-people, than continue at sea, in so long cold,
and great a storm in so leaky a pinnace. But our Captain would in no
wise like of that advice; he thought