it better to bear up towards Rio de
[la] Hacha, or Coricao [Curacao], with hope to have plenty without
great resistance: because he knew, either of the islands were not very
populous, or else it would be very likely that these would be found
ships of victual in a readiness.

The company of the other pinnace answered, that "They would willingly
follow him through the world; but in this they could not see how either
their pinnaces should live in that sea, without being eaten up in that
storm, or they themselves able to endure so long time, with so slender
provision as they had, viz., only one gammon of bacon and thirty pounds
of biscuit for eighteen men."

Our Captain replied, that "They were better provided than himself was,
who had but one gammon of bacon, and forty pounds of biscuit for his
twenty-four men; and therefore he doubted not but they would take such
part as he did, and willingly depend upon God's Almighty providence,
which never faileth them that trust in Him."

With that he hoisted his foresail, and set his course for Coricao;
which the rest perceiving with sorrowful hearts in respect of the weak
pinnace, yet desirous to follow their Captain, consented to take the
same course.

We had not sailed past three leagues, but we had espied a sail plying
to the Westward, with her two courses, to our great joy: who vowed
together, that we would have her, or else it should cost us dear.

Bearing with her, we found her to be a Spanish ship of above 90 tons,
which being wheaved [waved] amain by us, despised our summons, and shot
off her ordnance at us.

The sea went very high, so that it was not for us to attempt to board
her, and therefore we made fit small sail to attend upon her, and keep
her company to her small content, till fairer weather might lay the
sea. We spent not past two hours in our attendance, till it pleased God,
after a great shower, to send us a reasonable calm, so that we might
use our pieces [i. e., bases] and approach her at pleasure, in such sort
that in short time we had taken her; finding her laden with victuals
well powdered [salted] and dried: which at that present we received as
sent us of God's great mercy.

After all things were set in order, and that the wind increased towards
night, we plied off and on, till day (13th November), at what time our
Captain sent in ELLIS HIXOM, who had then charge of his pinnace, to
search out some harbour along the coast; who having found out a litt