at, but shallow ground, and the Sea
stormie, so that we were constrained to draw toward shore, between the
said Cape and an Iland lying Eastward, about a league from the said Cape,
where we cast anker for that night. The next morning we hoised saile to
trend the said coast about, which lyeth North Northeast. But there rose
such a stormie and raging winde against vs, that we were constrained to
come to the place againe, from whence we were come: there did we stay all
that day til the next that we hoised vp saile, and came to the middest of
a riuer fiue or sixe leagues from the Cape of Prato Northward, and being
ouerthwart the said Riuer, there arose againe a contrary winde, with great
fogges and stormes. So that we were constrained vpon Tuesday being the
fourteenth of the moneth to enter into the riuer, and there did we stay
till the sixteenth of the moneth looking for faire weather to come out of
it: on which day being Thursday, the winde became so raging that one of
our ships lost an anker, and we were constrained to goe vp higher into the
riuer seuen or eight leagues, into a good harborough and ground that we
with our boates found out, and through the euill weather, tempest, and
darkenesse that was, wee stayed in the saide harborough till the fiue and
twentieth of the moneth, not being able to put out: in the meane time wee
sawe a great multitude of wilde men that were fishing for mackerels,
whereof there is great store. Their boates were about 40, and the persons
what with men, women, and children two hundred, which after they had
hanted our company a while, they came very familiarly with their boats to
the sides of our ships. We gaue them kniues, combes, beads of glasse, and
other trifles of small value, for which they made many signes of
gladnesse, lifting their hands vp to heauen dancing and singing in their
boates. These men may very well and truely be called Wilde, because there
is no poorer people in the world. For I thinke all that they had together,
besides their boates and nets was not worth fiue souce.(17) They goe
altogether naked sawing their priuities, which are couered with a little
skinne, and certaine olde skinnes that they cast vpon them. Neither in
nature nor in language, doe they any whit agree with them which we found
first: their heads be altogether shauen, except one bush of haire which
they suffer to grow vpon the top of their crowne as long as a horse taile,
and then with certaine leather strings