1556. November. December. Sierra Leona. The second voyage made by Maister William He fourteenth day of September, the yeere abovesayd, we departed from Harwich, and directed our course for the Isle of Sillie, to meete there with the Hart and Pinnesse, which were rigged and victualed at Bristoll, but arriving there the eight and twentieth day we found them not, and therefore after long lying at hull to tarrie for them, but not espying them, we turned backe to Plimmouth the 12 day of October, and being there, the Hart and the Pinnesse came to us, so that the 15 of November we all departed together from Plimmouth at one of the clocke in the after noone, and the 28 day we had sight of the Isle of Porto Santo, and the next day in the morning of Madera. The third day of December we fell with the Ile of Palma, and the 9 we were thwart of Cape Blanke, and found there certaine Caravels fishing for Pargoes. The 19 we found our selves in the height of Sierra Leona, and all this day we ranne thwart of certaine Currants, which did set to the West Southwestward so fast as if it had bene the overfall of a sand, making a great noyse like unto a streame or tide-gate when the water is shoale: and to proove whither we could finde ground in this place, we sounded and had 150 fadome, and no ground, and so departed. The 30 of December we fell with the coast of Guinea, and had first sight of it about 4 leagues off. The best marke that we could take of the place to knowe it was three hilles, which lay Northeast and by East from us: 1556. betwixt the Nothermost two hilles there are two high and great trees standing in sight as it were a sailes breadth one from another, and a litle more to the Northwestwards are certaine hommocks. Having sayled somewhat into the shoare wee tooke our selves to be shotte somewhat past the river de Sestos, so that we kept about to fetch it. And a litle after we had sight of three sayles of shippes and two pinnesses which were in the weather of us, and having sight of them we made our selves readie to meete them, and halled off our ships to fetch the winde as neere as we could: and having sayled about an houre or two, they also went about, and went as we went to make themselves readie, and when we had them in chase, they went away from us: but when they had made themselves readie, they kept about againe, and came with us verie finely appointed with their streamers, and pendants and ensignes, and noyse of trum- [II. ii. 37.] pets very bravely: so when we met, they had the weather of us, and we being determined to fight, if they had bene Portugals, waved them to come under our Lee, which they denied stoutly: then we demaunded of them whence they were, and they sayd of France, we told them againe that we were of London in England. They asked of us what Portugals wee had seene, we answered, none but Fishermen: then they told us that there were certaine Portugall ships gone to the Mina to defend it, and that they met with another at the river de Sestos, The river of which was a ship of two hundred which they had burned, Sestos. and had saved none but the master and two or three Negroes, and certaine others which were sore burned which they left a shore there. Then they desired to come aboord of us with their boates to talke with us, and wee gave them leave. Then the captaine of the Admirall and divers others came aboord very friendly, desiring us to keepe them company because of the Portugals, and to goe to the Mina with them: wee told them that we had not watered, and that we were but now fallen with the coast, and they shewed us that 1556. we were fiftie leagues past the river de Sestos: notwithstanding there was water enough to be had, and they would helpe us to water with their owne boats because they would have our companie. And told us further, that they had bene sixe weekes upon the coast, and had gotten but three tunnes of graines amongst them all: and when wee had heard them, we made our reckoning that although the Mina were cleare, yet if they did goe before us, they would marre our market; and if it were not cleare, then if the Portugals were there and did take them, they would understand that we were behind, and They admit so would waite for us. And further we made account that if we went with them we should doe as well as they, Frenchmen if the coast were cleare: if it were not cleare, then by certaine into their companie. them we were assured to be the stronger. Therefore having considered thus much of their gentle offers, wee told them that the next day wee would conferre more largely of the matter. Whereupon they desired me to come the next day to dinner to them, and to bring the masters of our ships with me, and such marchants as I thought good, promising to give us water out of their owne ships if we would take it, or els to tarie with us and helpe us to water with their own boats and pin nasses. The 31 day in the morning the Admirall sent his boat aboord for me, and I tooke our masters and certaine of our marchants and went to him, who had provided a notable banquet for us, and intreated us very friendly, desiring us still to keepe his company, promising that what victuals were in his ships, or other things that might doe us pleasure untill the end, we should have the one halfe of it, offering us if we would to furle his Flags, and to bee at our commaundement in all things. In the ende we agreed to come to an anker, and to send our boat on shore with the Admirals boat, and one of his pinnasses, and an Almaine which they had brought out of France, to seeke water, as for our pinnasse she came to an anker to seaward of us all, and would not come at us. All this night the boats continued on shore. The first day of January our boats came to us againe and had found no river. Whereupon we weighed and set saile, and ankred againe at another river. The 2 day we went into the river and bargained, and tooke 5 small Elephants teeth. The 3 day we tooke 5 more. 1557. The fourth day the French Admirall and we tooke An assault fifteene small teeth. This day wee tooke thirtie men upon with us and went to seeke Elephants, our men being elephants. all well armed with harquebusses, pikes, long bowes, crossebowes, partizans, long swordes, and swordes and bucklers wee found two Elephants which wee stroke divers times with harquebusses and long bowes, but they went away from us and hurt one of our men. day we set saile and ranne along the coast. The fift Andre. The 6 day we fell with the river de S. Andre, at Rio de S. which place the land is somewhat high to the Westward of the river, and a faire Baie also to the Westward of it: but to the Eastward of it it is lowe land. The 7 day we went into the River and found no village, but certaine wild Negros not accustomed to trade. It is a very great river and 7 fadome water in some places at the entring. Here we filled water, and after set saile. The 8 day we sailed along the shore and came to the Red cliffes, and went forward in sailing the 9 day also. French Admirall. The 10 day we came together to confer with captaine Captaine Blundel Admiral of the French ships, Jerom Baudet his Blundel the vice admiral, and John de Orleans master of a ship of 70 tunne, and with their marchants, and agreed that when God should send us to any place where wee might make sale, that we should be of one accord and not one of us hurt the market of the other, but certaine of our boates to make the price for all the rest, and then 1557. [II. ii. 38.] one boate to make sale for every shippe. This night our boats going to the shore met with certaine Negros, who said that they had gold, and therefore we here cast anker. The day all the day we tooke but one halfe angel weight of 4 graines, which we tooke by hand, for the people of this place had no weight: the Negros called this place Allow. The 12 day we ran along the coast and found but one towne, but no boates would come out to us, and therefore we went our course. The 13 day I tooke my boat and went along the shore, and passed by divers small townes, and was waved to come on shore at 3 places, but the sea went so high upon the shore, that it was not possible for us to land, neither could they come to us if they had had boats, as I could see none but at one place, where there was one that would have come unto us, but the Land-wash went so sore that it overthrew his boat, and one of the men was drowned, which the people lamented, and cried so sore, that we might easily heare them, and they got his body out of the sea, and caried it amongst them to their towne. The 14 day we came within Saker-shot of the castle, & straightway they set forth an Almade to descry us, and when they perceived that we were no Portugals, they ranne within the towne againe : for there is a great towne by the Castle which is called by the Negros Dondou. Without this there lie two great rockes like Ilands, and the castle standeth upon a point which sheweth almost like an Iland. Before we came at this castle, we found the land for five or six leagues to be high land, and about seven leagues before we came to the castle, lowe land, until we came at the castle, and then wee found the land high againe. This castle standeth about five leagues to the East of Cape de Tres puntas. Here I tooke the boate with our Negros and ranne alongst the shore till I came to the Cape |