diff options
Diffstat (limited to '3334.txt')
| -rw-r--r-- | 3334.txt | 1620 |
1 files changed, 1620 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/3334.txt b/3334.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..4251600 --- /dev/null +++ b/3334.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1620 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Drake's Great Armada, by Walter Biggs + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Drake's Great Armada + +Author: Walter Biggs + +Release Date: April 5, 2006 [EBook #3334] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DRAKE'S GREAT ARMADA *** + + + + +Produced by Dagny; John Bickers + + + + + +DRAKE'S GREAT ARMADA + +by Captain Walter Biggs + + +PREPARER'S NOTE + +This text was prepared from a 1910 edition, published by P. F. Collier & +Son Company, New York. + + + + +INTRODUCTION + +Nearly five years elapsed between Drake's return from his Famous +Voyage and the despatch of the formidable armament commemorated in the +following pages. During the last of these years the march of events had +been remarkably rapid. Gilbert, who had been empowered by Elizabeth, in +the year of Frobisher's last expedition, to found colonies in America, +had sailed for that purpose to Newfoundland (1583), and had perished +at sea on his way homeward. Raleigh, who had succeeded to his +half-brother's enterprises, had despatched his exploring expedition to +'Virginia,' under Amadas and Barlow, in 1584, and had followed it up +in the next year (1585) by an actual colony. In April Sir Richard +Greenville sailed from Plymouth, and at Raleigh's expense established +above a hundred colonists on the island of Roanoak. Drake's Great Armada +left Plymouth in September of the same year. It marked a turning-point +in the relations between the English and Spanish monarchs. Elizabeth, +knowing that the suppression of the insurrection in the Netherlands +would be followed by an attack upon England, was treating with the +insurgents. Philip deemed it prudent to lay an embargo on all her +subjects, together with their ships and goods, that might be found in +his dominions. Elizabeth at once authorized general reprisals on the +ships and goods of Spaniards. A company of adventurers was quickly +formed for taking advantage of this permission on a scale commensurate +with the national resources. They equipped an armada of twenty-five +vessels, manned by 2,300 men, and despatched it under the command of +Drake to plunder Spanish America. Frobisher was second in command. +Two-thirds of the booty were to belong to the adventurers; the remaining +third was to be divided among the men employed in the expedition. + +Drake's armament of 1585 was the greatest that had ever crossed the +Atlantic. After plundering some vessels at the Vigo river, he sailed for +the West Indies by way of the Canaries and Cape Verde Islands, hoisted +the English flag over Santiago and burnt the town, crossed the Atlantic +in eighteen days, and arrived at Dominica. At daybreak, on New Year's +Day, 1586, Drake's soldiers landed in Espanola, a few miles to the west +of the capital, and before evening Carlile and Powell had entered the +city, which the colonists only saved from destruction by the payment of +a heavy ransom. Drake's plan was to do exactly the same at Carthagena +and Nombre de Dios, and thence to strike across the isthmus and secure +the treasure that lay waiting for transport at Panama. Drake held St. +Domingo for a month, and Carthagena for six weeks. He was compelled to +forego the further prosecution of his enterprise. A deadly fever, which +had attacked the men during the sojourn at Santiago, still continued +its ravages. In existing circumstances, even had Nombre de Dios been +successfully attacked, the march to Panama was out of the question; +and after consultation with the military commanders, Drake resolved on +sailing home at once by way of Florida. He brought back with him all +the colonists who had been left by Sir Richard Greenville in 'Virginia.' +Drake had offered either to furnish them with stores, and to leave them +a ship, or to take them home. The former was accepted: but a furious +storm which ensued caused them to change their minds. They recognized +in it the hand of God, whose will it evidently was that they should no +longer be sojourners in the American wilderness; and the first English +settlement of 'Virginia' was abandoned accordingly. + +Ten years afterwards (1595) Drake was again at the head of a similar +expedition. The second command was given to his old associate Hawkins, +Frobisher, his Vice-Admiral in 1585, having recently died of the wound +received at Crozon. This time Nombre de Dios was taken and burnt, and +750 soldiers set out under Sir Thomas Baskerville to march to Panama: +but at the first of the three forts which the Spaniards had by this time +constructed, the march had to be abandoned. Drake did not long survive +this second failure of his favourite scheme. He was attacked by +dysentery a fortnight afterwards, and in a month he died. When he felt +the hand of death upon him, he rose, dressed himself, and endeavoured to +make a farewell speech to those around him. Exhausted by the effort, he +was lifted to his berth, and within an hour breathed his last. Hawkins +had died off Puerto Rico six weeks previously. + +The following narrative is in the main the composition of Walter Biggs, +who commanded a company of musketeers under Carlile. Biggs was one of +the five hundred and odd men who succumbed to the fever. He died shortly +after the fleet sailed from Carthagena; and the narrative was completed +by some comrade. The story of this expedition, which had inflicted such +damaging blows on the Spaniards in America, was eminently calculated to +inspire courage among those who were resisting them in Europe. Cates, +one of Carlile's lieutenants, obtained the manuscript and prepared +it for the press, accompanied by illustrative maps and plans. The +publication was delayed by the Spanish Armada; but a copy found its way +to Holland, where it was translated into Latin, and appeared at Leyden, +in a slightly abridged form, in 1588. The original English narrative +duly appeared in London in the next year. The document called the +'Resolution of the Land-Captains' was inserted by Hakluyt when he +reprinted the narrative in 1600. + + + + + +DRAKE'S GREAT ARMADA + +NARRATIVE MAINLY BY CAPTAIN WALTER BIGGS + + + +_A Summary and True Discourse of Sir Francis Drake's West Indian Voyage, +begun in the year 1585. Wherein were taken the cities of Santiago, +Santo Domingo, Carthagena, and the town of St. Augustine, in Florida. +Published by Master Thomas Cates._ + + + +This worthy knight, for the service of his prince and country, +having prepared his whole fleet, and gotten them down to Plymouth, in +Devonshire, to the number of five and twenty sail of ships and pinnaces, +and having assembled of soldiers and mariners to the number of 2,300 in +the whole, embarked them and himself at Plymouth aforesaid, the 12th day +of September, 1585, being accompanied with these men of name and charge +which hereafter follow: Master Christopher Carlile, Lieutenant-General, +a man of long experience in the wars as well by sea as land, who had +formerly carried high offices in both kinds in many fights, which he +discharged always very happily, and with great good reputation; Anthony +Powell, Sergeant-Major; Captain Matthew Morgan, and Captain John +Sampson, Corporals of the Field. These officers had commandment over the +rest of the land-captains, whose names hereafter follow: Captain Anthony +Platt, Captain Edward Winter, Captain John Goring, Captain Robert Pew, +Captain George Barton, Captain John Merchant, Captain William Cecil, +Captain Walter Biggs [The writer of the first part of the narrative.], +Captain John Hannam, Captain Richard Stanton. Captain Martin Frobisher, +Vice-Admiral, a man of great experience in seafaring actions, who +had carried the chief charge of many ships himself, in sundry voyages +before, being now shipped in the Primrose; Captain Francis Knolles, +Rear-Admiral in the galleon Leicester; Master Thomas Venner, captain +in the Elizabeth Bonadventure, under the General; Master Edward Winter, +captain in the Aid; Master Christopher Carlile, the Lieutenant-General, +captain of the Tiger; Henry White, captain of the Sea-Dragon; Thomas +Drake [Francis Drake's brother.], captain of the Thomas; Thomas Seeley, +captain of the Minion; Baily, captain of the Talbot; Robert Cross, +captain of the bark Bond; George Fortescue, captain of the bark Bonner; +Edward Careless, captain of the Hope; James Erizo, captain of the White +Lion; Thomas Moon, captain of the Francis; John Rivers, captain of the +Vantage; John Vaughan, captain of the Drake; John Varney, captain of the +George; John Martin, captain of the Benjamin; Edward Gilman, captain +of the Scout; Richard Hawkins, captain of the galliot called the Duck; +Bitfield, captain of the Swallow. + +After our going hence, which was the 14th of September, in the year of +our Lord 1585, and taking our course towards Spain, we had the wind for +a few days somewhat scant, and sometimes calm. And being arrived +near that part of Spain which is called the Moors [Muros, S. of Cape +Finisterre.], we happened to espy divers sails, which kept their course +close by the shore, the weather being fair and calm. The General caused +the Vice-Admiral to go with the pinnaces well manned to see what they +were; who upon sight of the said pinnaces approaching near unto them, +abandoned for the most part all their ships, being Frenchmen, laden all +with salt, and bound homewards into France. Amongst which ships, being +all of small burthen, there was one so well liked, which also had no man +in her, as being brought unto the General, he thought good to make stay +of her for the service, meaning to pay for her, as also accordingly he +performed at our return; which bark was called the Drake. The rest of +these ships, being eight or nine, were dismissed without anything at all +taken from them. Who being afterwards put somewhat farther off from the +shore, by the contrariety of the wind, we happened to meet with some +other French ships, full laden with Newland fish, being upon their +return homeward from the said Newfoundland; whom the General after +some speech had with them, and seeing plainly that they were Frenchmen, +dismissed, without once suffering any man to go aboard of them. + +The day following, standing in with the shore again, we decried another +tall ship of twelve score tons or thereabouts, upon whom Master Carlile, +the Lieutenant-General, being in the Tiger, undertook the chase; whom +also anon after the Admiral followed. And the Tiger having caused the +said strange ship to strike her sails, kept her there without suffering +anybody to go aboard until the Admiral was come up; who forthwith +sending for the master, and divers others of their principal men, and +causing them to be severally examined, found the ship and goods to +be belonging to the inhabitants of St. Sebastian, in Spain, but the +mariners to be for the most part belonging to St. John de Luz, and the +Passage. In this ship was great store of dry Newland fish, commonly +called with us Poor John; whereof afterwards, being thus found a lawful +prize, there was distribution made into all the ships of the fleet, the +same being so new and good, as it did very greatly bestead us in the +whole course of our voyage. A day or two after the taking of this ship +we put in within the Isles of Bayon [The Cies Islets, at the mouth of +the Vigo River.], for lack of favourable wind. Where we had no sooner +anchored some part of the fleet, but the General commanded all the +pinnaces with the shipboats to be manned, and every man to be furnished +with such arms as were needful for that present service; which being +done, the General put himself into his galley, which was also well +furnished, and rowing towards the city of Bayon, with intent, and the +favour of the Almighty, to surprise it. Before we had advanced one +half-league of our way there came a messenger, being an English +merchant, from the governor, to see what strange fleet we were; who +came to our General, conferred a while with him, and after a small time +spent, our General called for Captain Sampson, and willed him to go to +the governor of the city, to resolve him of two points. The first to +know if there were any wars between Spain and England; the second, why +our merchants with their goods were embarged or arrested? Thus departed +Captain Sampson with the said messenger to the city, where he found the +governor and people much amazed of such a sudden accident. The General, +with the advice and counsel of Master Carlile, his Lieutenant-General, +who was in the galley with him, thought not good to make any stand, till +such time as they were within the shot of the city, where they might be +ready upon the return of Captain Sampson, to make a sudden attempt, if +cause did require, before it were dark. + +Captain Sampson returned with his message in this sort:--First, touching +peace or wars, the governor said he knew of no wars and that it lay not +in him to make any, he being so mean a subject as he was. And as for the +stay of the merchants with their goods, it was the king's pleasure, +but not with intent to endamage any man. And that the king's +counter-commandment was (which had been received in that place some +seven-night before) that English merchants with their goods should be +discharged. For the more verifying whereof, he sent such merchants as +were in the town of our nation, who trafficked those parts; which being +at large declared to our General by them, counsel was taken what might +best be done. And for that the night approached, it was thought needful +to land our forces, which was done in the shutting up of the day; and +having quartered ourselves to our most advantage, with sufficient guard +upon every strait, we thought to rest ourselves for that night there. +The Governor sent us some refreshing, as bread, wine, oil, apples, +grapes, marmalade and such like. About midnight the weather began to +overcast, insomuch that it was thought meeter to repair aboard, than to +make any longer abode on land. And before we could recover the fleet a +great tempest arose, which caused many of our ships to drive from their +anchorhold, and some were forced to sea in great peril, as the bark +Talbot, the bark Hawkins, and the Speedwell; which Speedwell only was +driven into England, the others recovered us again. The extremity of the +storm lasted three days; which no sooner began to assuage, but Master +Carlile, our Lieutenant-General, was sent with his own ship and three +others, as also with the galley and with divers pinnaces, to see what +he might do above Vigo, where he took many boats and some carvels, +diversely laden with things of small value, but chiefly with household +stuff, running into the high country. And amongst the rest he found one +boat laden with the principal church stuff of the high church of Vigo, +where also was their great cross of silver, of very fair embossed work +and double-gilt all over, having cost them a great mass of money. They +complained to have lost in all kinds of goods above thirty thousand +ducats in this place. + +The next day the General with his whole fleet went from up the Isles of +Bayon to a very good harbour above Vigo, where Master Carlile stayed his +coming, as well for the more quiet riding of his ships, as also for the +good commodity of fresh watering which the place there did afford full +well. In the meantime the governor of Galicia had reared such forces as +he might (his numbers by estimate were some 2000 foot and 300 horse), +and marched from Bayona to this part of the country, which lay in sight +of our fleet; where, making a stand, he sent to parley with our General. +Which was granted by our General, so it might be in boats upon the +water; and for safety of their persons there were pledges delivered on +both sides. Which done, the governor of Galicia put himself with two +others into our Vice-Admiral's skiff, the same having been sent to the +shore for him, and in like sort our General went in his own skiff. Where +by them it was agreed we should furnish ourselves with fresh water, to +be taken by our own people quietly on the land, and have all other such +necessaries, paying for the same, as the place would afford. + +When all our business was ended we departed, and took our way by the +Islands of Canaria, which are esteemed some 300 leagues from this part +of Spain; and falling purposely with Palma, with intention to have taken +our pleasure of that place, for the full digesting of many things into +order, and the better furnishing our store with such several good things +as it affordeth very abundantly, we were forced by the vile sea-gate, +which at that present fell out, and by the naughtiness of the +landing-place, being but one, and that under the favour of many +platforms well furnished with great ordnance, to depart with the receipt +of many of their cannon-shot, some into our ships and some besides, +some of them being in very deed full cannon high. But the only or chief +mischief was the dangerous sea-surge, which at shore all alongst plainly +threatened the overthrow of as many pinnaces and boats as for that time +should have attempted any landing at all. + +Now seeing the expectation of this attempt frustrated by the causes +aforesaid, we thought it meeter to fall with the Isle Ferro, to see if +we could find any better fortune; and coming to the island we landed a +thousand men in a valley under a high mountain, where we stayed some two +or three hours. In which time the inhabitants, accompanied with a young +fellow born in England, who dwelt there with them, came unto us, shewing +their state to be so poor that they were all ready to starve, which was +not untrue; and therefore without anything gotten, we were all commanded +presently to embark, so as that night we put off to sea south-south-east +along towards the coast of Barbary. + +Upon Saturday in the morning, being the 13th of November, we fell with +Cape Blank, which is a low land and shallow water, where we catched +store of fish; and doubling the cape, we put into the bay, where we +found certain French ships of war, whom we entertained with great +courtesy, and there left them. This afternoon the whole fleet assembled, +which was a little scattered about their fishing, and put from thence to +the Isles of Cape Verde, sailing till the 16th of the same month in the +morning; on which day we descried the Island of Santiago. And in the +evening we anchored the fleet between the town called the Playa or Praya +and Santiago; where we put on shore 1000 men or more, under the leading +of Master Christopher Carlile, Lieutenant-General, who directed the +service most like a wise commander. The place where we had first to +march did afford no good order, for the ground was mountainous and full +of dales, being a very stony and troublesome passage; but such was his +industrious disposition, as he would never leave, until we had gotten up +to a fair plain, where we made stand for the assembling of the army. And +when we were all gathered together upon the plain, some two miles from +the town, the Lieutenant-General thought good not to make attempt till +daylight, because there was not one that could serve for guide or giving +knowledge at all of the place. And therefore after having well rested, +even half an hour before day, he commanded the army to be divided into +three special parts, such as he appointed, whereas before we had marched +by several companies, being thereunto forced by the badness of the way +as is aforesaid. Now by the time we were thus ranged into a very brave +order, daylight began to appear. And being advanced hard to the wall, +we saw no enemy to resist. Whereupon the Lieutenant-General appointed +Captain Sampson with thirty shot, and Captain Barton with other thirty, +to go down into the town, which stood in the valley under us, and might +very plainly be viewed all over from that place where the whole army +was now arrived; and presently after these captains was sent the great +ensign, which had nothing in it but the plain English cross, to be +placed towards the sea, that our fleet might see St. George's cross +flourish in the enemy's fortress. Order was given that all the ordnance +throughout the town and upon all the platforms, which were about fifty +pieces all ready charged, should be shot off in honour of the Queen's +Majesty's coronation day, being the 17th of November, after the yearly +custom of England, which was so answered again by the ordnance out of +all the ships in the fleet, which now come near, as it was strange to +hear such a thundering noise last so long together. In this mean while +the Lieutenant-General held still the most part of his force on the +hilltop, till such time as the town was quartered out for the lodging +of the whole army. Which being done, every captain took his own quarter; +and in the evening was placed such a sufficient guard upon every part +of the town that we had no cause to fear any present enemy. Thus we +continued in the city the space of fourteen days, taking such spoils as +the place yielded, which were, for the most part, wine, oil, meal, and +some other such like things for victual as vinegar, olives, and some +other trash, as merchandise for their Indian trades. But there was not +found any treasure at all, or anything else of worth besides. + +The situation of Santiago is somewhat strange; in form like a triangle, +having on the east and west sides two mountains of rock and cliff, as it +were hanging over it; upon the top of which two mountains were builded +certain fortifications to preserve the town from any harm that might be +offered, as in a plot is plainly shewed. From thence on the south side +of the town is the main sea; and on the north side, the valley lying +between the aforesaid mountains, wherein the town standeth. The said +valley and town both do grow very narrow; insomuch that the space +between the two cliffs of this end of the town is estimated not to +be above ten or twelve score [yards] over. In the midst of the valley +cometh down a riveret, rill, or brook of fresh water, which hard by the +seaside maketh a pond or pool, whereout our ships were watered with +very great ease and pleasure. Somewhat above the town on the north side, +between the two mountains, the valley waxeth somewhat larger than at the +town's end; which valley is wholly converted into gardens and orchards, +well replenished with divers sorts of fruits, herbs, and trees, as +lemons, oranges, sugar-canes, _cocars_ or cocos nuts, plantains, +potato-roots, cucumbers, small and round onions, garlic, and some other +things not now remembered. Amongst which the cocos nuts and plantains +are very pleasant fruits; the said cocos hath a hard shell and a green +husk over it as hath our walnut, but it far exceedeth in greatness, for +this cocos in his green husk is bigger than any man's two fists. Of +the hard shell many drinking cups are made here in England, and set in +silver as I have often seen. Next within this hard shell is a white rind +resembling in show very much, even as any thing may do, to the white of +an egg when it is hard boiled. And within this white of the nut lieth a +water, which is whitish and very clear, to the quantity of half a pint +or thereabouts; which water and white rind before spoken of are both +of a very cool fresh taste, and as pleasing as anything may be. I +have heard some hold opinion that it is very restorative. The plantain +groweth in cods, somewhat like to beans, but is bigger and longer, and +much more thick together on the stalk; and when it waxeth ripe, the +meat which filleth the rind of the cod becometh yellow, and is exceeding +sweet and pleasant. + +In this time of our being there happened to come a Portugal to the +western fort, with a flag of truce. To whom Captain Sampson was sent +with Captain Goring; who coming to the said messenger, he first asked +them, What nation they were? they answered Englishmen. He then required +to know if wars were between England and Spain; to which they answered, +that they knew not, but if he would go to their General he could best +resolve him of such particulars. And for his assurance of passage and +repassage these captains made offer to engage their credits, which he +refused for that he was not sent from his governor. Then they told him +if his governor did desire to take a course for the common benefit of +the people and country his best way were to come and present himself +unto our noble and merciful governor, Sir Francis Drake, whereby he +might be assured to find favour, both for himself and the inhabitants. +Otherwise within three days we should march over the land, and consume +with fire all inhabited places, and put to the sword all such living +souls as we should chance upon. So thus much he took for the conclusion +of his answer. And departing, he promised to return the next day; but we +never heard more of him. + +Upon the 24th of November, the General, accompanied with the +Lieutenant-General and 600 men, marched forth to a village twelve +miles within the land, called Saint Domingo, where the governor and the +bishop, with all the better sort, were lodged; and by eight of the clock +we came to it, finding the place abandoned, and the people fled into the +mountains. So we made stand a while to ease ourselves, and partly to see +if any would come to speak to us. After we had well rested ourselves, +the General commanded the troops to march away homewards. In which +retreat the enemy shewed themselves, both horse and foot, though not +such force as durst encounter us; and so in passing some time at the +gaze with them, it waxed late and towards night before we could recover +home to Santiago. + +On Monday, the 26th of November, the General commanded all the pinnaces +with the boats to use all diligence to embark the army into such ships +as every man belonged. The Lieutenant-General in like sort commanded +Captain Goring and Lieutenant Tucker, with one hundred shot, to make +a stand in the marketplace until our forces were wholly embarked; the +Vice-Admiral making stay with his pinnace and certain boats in the +harbour, to bring the said last company abroad the ships. Also the +General willed forthwith the galley with two pinnaces to take into them +the company of Captain Barton, and the company of Captain Biggs, under +the leading of Captain Sampson, to seek out such munition as was hidden +in the ground, at the town of Praya, or Playa, having been promised to +be shewed it by a prisoner which was taken the day before. + +The captains aforesaid coming to the Playa, landed their men; and +having placed the troop in their best strength, Captain Sampson took +the prisoner, and willed him to show that he had promised. The which +he could not, or at least would not; but they searching all suspected +places, found two pieces of ordnance, one of iron, another of brass. In +the afternoon the General anchored with the rest of the fleet before the +Playa, coming himself ashore, willing us to burn the town and make all +haste aboard; the which was done by six of the clock the same day, +and ourselves embarked again the same night. And so we put off to sea +south-west. + +But before our departure from the town of Santiago, we established +orders for the better government of the army. Every man mustered to his +captain, and oaths were ministered, to acknowledge her Majesty supreme +Governor, as also every man to do his utter-most endeavour to advance +the service of the action, and to yield due obedience unto the +directions of the General and his officers. By this provident counsel, +and laying down this good foundation beforehand, all things went forward +in a due course, to the achieving of our happy enterprise. + +In all the time of our being here, neither the governor for the said +King of Spain, which is a Portugal, neither the bishop, whose authority +is great, neither the inhabitants of the town, or island, ever came at +us; which we expected they should have done, to entreat us to leave +them some part of their needful provisions, or at the least to spare +the ruining of their town at our going away. The cause of this their +unreasonable distrust, as I do take it, was the fresh remembrance of +the great wrongs that they had done to old Master William Hawkins, of +Plymouth, in the voyage he made four or five years before, whenas they +did both break their promise, and murdered many of his men; whereof I +judge you have understood, and therefore it is needless to be repeated. +But since they came not at us, we left written in sundry places, as also +in the Spital House (which building was only appointed to be spared), +the great discontentment and scorn we took at this their refraining to +come unto us, as also at the rude manner of killing, and savage kind of +handling the dead body of one of our boys found by them straggling all +alone, from whom they had taken his head and heart, and had straggled +the other bowels about the place, in a most brutish and beastly manner. +In revenge whereof at our departing we consumed with fire all the +houses, as well in the country which we saw, as in the town of Santiago. + +From hence putting off to the West Indies, we were not many days at sea +but there began among our people such mortality as in a few days there +were dead above two or three hundred men. And until some seven or eight +days after our coming from Santiago, there had not died any one man +of sickness in all the fleet. The sickness showed not his infection, +wherewith so many were strucken, until we were departed thence; and then +seized our people with extreme hot burning and continual agues, whereof +very few escaped with life, and yet those for the most part not without +great alteration and decay of their wits and strength for a long time +after. In some that died were plainly shown the small spots which are +often found upon those that be infected with the plague. We were not +above eighteen days in passage between the sight of Santiago aforesaid, +and the island of Dominica, being the first island of the West Indies +that we fell withal; the same being inhabited with savage people, which +go all naked, their skin coloured with some painting of a reddish +tawny, very personable and handsome strong men, who do admit little +conversation with the Spaniards; for, as some of our people might +understand them, they had a Spaniard or twain prisoners with them. +Neither do I think that there is any safety for any of our nation, or +any other, to be within the limits of their commandment; albeit they +used us very kindly for those few hours of time which we spent with +them, helping our folks to fill and carry on their bare shoulders fresh +water from the river to our ships' boats, and fetching from their houses +great store of tobacco, as also a kind of bread which they fed on, +called cassavi, very white and savoury, made of the roots of cassavi. In +recompense whereof we bestowed liberal rewards of glass, coloured beads, +and other things, which we had found at Santiago; wherewith, as it +seemed, they rested very greatly satisfied, and shewed some sorrowful +countenance when they perceived that we would depart. + +From hence we went to another island westward of it, called Saint +Christopher's Island; wherein we spent some days of Christmas, to +refresh our sick people, and to cleanse and air our ships. In which +island were not any people at all that we could hear of. + +In which time by the General it was advised and resolved, with the +consent of the Lieutenant-General, the Vice-Admiral, and all the rest of +the captains, to proceed to the great island of Hispaniola, as well +for that we knew ourselves then to be in our best strength, as also +the rather allured thereunto by the glorious fame of the city of St. +Domingo, being the ancientest and chief inhabited place in all the tract +of country thereabouts. And so proceeding in this determination, by +the way we met a small frigate, bound for the same place, the which the +Vice-Admiral took; and having duly examined the men that were in her, +there was one found by whom we were advertised the haven to be a barred +haven, and the shore or land thereof to be well fortified, having a +castle thereupon furnished with great store of artillery, without the +danger whereof was no convenient landing-place within ten English miles +of the city, to which the said pilot took upon him to conduct us. + +All things being thus considered on, the whole forces were commanded +in the evening to embark themselves in pinnaces, boats, and other small +barks appointed for this service. Our soldiers being thus embarked, the +General put himself into the bark Francis as Admiral; and all this +night we lay on the sea, bearing small sail until our arrival to the +landing-place, which was about the breaking of the day. And so we +landed, being New Year's Day, nine or ten miles to the westwards of that +brave city of St. Domingo; for at that time nor yet is known to us +any landing-place, where the sea-surge doth not threaten to overset +a pinnace or boat. Our General having seen us all landed in safety, +returned to his fleet, bequeathing us to God, and the good conduct of +Master Carlile, our Lieutenant-General; at which time, being about eight +of the clock, we began to march. And about noon-time, or towards one of +the clock, we approached the town; where the gentleman and those of the +better sort, being some hundred and fifty brave horses, or rather more, +began to present themselves. But our small shot played upon them, which +were so sustained with good proportion of pikes in all parts, as they +finding no part of our troop unprepared to receive them (for you must +understand they viewed all round about) they were thus driven to give us +leave to proceed towards the two gates of the town which were the next +to the seaward. They had manned them both, and planted their ordnance +for that present and sudden alarm without the gate, and also some troops +of small shot in _ambuscado_ upon the highway side. We divided our whole +force, being some thousand or twelve hundred men, into two parts, to +enterprise both the gates at one instant; the Lieutenant-General having +openly vowed to Captain Powell, who led the troop that entered the other +gate, that with God's good favour he would not rest until our meeting in +the market-place. + +Their ordnance had no sooner discharged upon our near approach, and made +some execution amongst us, though not much, but the Lieutenant-General +began forthwith to advance both his voice of encouragement and pace of +marching; the first man that was slain with the ordnance being very near +unto himself; and thereupon hasted all that he might, to keep them from +the recharging of the ordnance. And notwithstanding their _ambuscados_, +we marched or rather ran so roundly into them, as pell-mell we entered +the gates, and gave them more care every man to save himself by flight, +than reason to stand any longer to their broken fight. We forthwith +repaired to the market-place, but to be more truly understood, a place +of very spacious square ground; whither also came, as had been agreed, +Captain Powell with the other troop. Which place with some part next +unto it, we strengthened with _barricados_, and there as the most +convenient place assured ourselves, the city being far too spacious +for so small and weary a troop to undertake to guard. Somewhat after +midnight, they who had the guard of the castle, hearing us busy about +the gates of the said castle, abandoned the same; some being taken +prisoners, and some fleeing away by the help of boats to the other side +of the haven, and so into the country. + +The next day we quartered a little more at large, but not into the half +part of the town; and so making substantial trenches, and planting all +the ordnance, that each part was correspondent to other, we held this +town the space of one month. + +In the which time happened some accidents, more than are well remembered +for the present. But amongst other things, it chanced that the General +sent on his message to the Spaniards a negro boy with a flag of white, +signifying truce, as is the Spanish ordinary manner to do there, when +they approach to speak to us; which boy unhappily was first met withal +by some of those who had been belonging as officers for the king in the +Spanish galley, which with the town was lately fallen into our hands. +Who, without all order or reason, and contrary to that good usage +wherewith we had entertained their messengers, furiously struck the poor +boy through the body with one of their horsemen's staves; with which +wound the boy returned to the General, and after he had declared +the manner of this wrongful cruelty, died forthwith in his presence. +Wherewith the General being greatly passioned, commanded the +provost-marshal to cause a couple of friars, then prisoners, to be +carried to the same place where the boy was strucken, accompanied with +sufficient guard of our soldiers, and there presently to be hanged, +despatching at the same instant another poor prisoner, with this reason +wherefore this execution was done, and with this message further, that +until the party who had thus murdered the General's messenger were +delivered into our hands to receive condign punishment, there should no +day pass wherein there should not two prisoners be hanged, until they +were all consumed which were in our hands. Whereupon the day following, +he that had been captain of the king's galley brought the offender +to the town's end, offering to deliver him into our hands. But it was +thought to be a more honourable revenge to make them there, in our +sight, to perform the execution themselves; which was done accordingly. + +During our being in this town, as formerly also at Santiago there had +passed justice upon the life of one of our own company for an odious +matter, so here likewise was there an Irishman hanged for the murdering +of his corporal. + +In this time also passed many treaties between their commissioners and +us, for ransom of their city; but upon disagreements we still spent the +early mornings in firing the outmost houses; but they being built very +magnificently of stone, with high lofts, gave us no small travail to +ruin them. And albeit for divers days together we ordained each morning +by daybreak, until the heat began at nine of the clock, that two hundred +mariners did naught else but labour to fire and burn the said houses +without our trenches, whilst the soldiers in a like proportion stood +forth for their guard; yet did we not, or could not in this time consume +so much as one-third part of the town, which town is plainly described +and set forth in a certain map. And so in the end, what wearied with +firing, and what hastened by some other respects, we were contended to +accept of 25,000 ducats of five shillings six-pence the piece, for the +ransom of the rest of the town. + +Amongst other things which happened and were found at St. Domingo, I may +not omit to let the world know one very notable mark and token of the +unsatiable ambition of the Spanish king and his nation, which was found +in the king's house, wherein the chief governor of that city and country +is appointed always to lodge, which was this. In the coming to the hall +or other rooms of this house, you must first ascend up by a fair large +pair of stairs, at the head of which stairs is a handsome spacious +place to walk in, somewhat like unto a gallery. Wherein, upon one of the +walls, right over against you as you enter the said place, so as your +eye cannot escape the sight of it, there is described and painted in +a very large scutcheon the arms of the King of Spain; and in the +lower part of the said scutcheon there is likewise described a globe, +containing in it the whole circuit of the sea and the earth, whereupon +is a horse standing on his hinder part within the globe, and the other +forepart without the globe, lifted up as it were to leap, with a scroll +painted in his mouth, wherein was written these words in Latin, _NON +SUFFICIT ORBIS_, which is as much to say as, _The world sufficeth not_. +Whereof the meaning was required to be known of some of those of the +better sort that came in commission to treat upon the ransom of the +town; who would shake their heads and turn aside their countenance, +in some smiling sort, without answering anything, as greatly ashamed +thereof. For by some of our company it was told them, that if the Queen +of England would resolutely prosecute the wars against the King of +Spain, he should be forced to lay aside that proud and unreasonable +reaching vein of his; for he should find more than enough to do to keep +that which he had already, as by the present example of their lost town +they might for a beginning perceive well enough. + +Now to the satisfying of some men, who marvel greatly that such a famous +and goodly-builded city, so well inhabited of gallant people, very +brave in their apparel (whereof our soldiers found good store for their +relief), should afford no greater riches than was found there. Herein +it is to be understood that the Indian people, which were the natives +of this whole island of Hispaniola (the same being near hand as great +as England), were many years since clean consumed by the tyranny of the +Spaniards; which was the cause that, for lack of people to work in the +mines, the gold and silver mines of this island are wholly given over. +And thereby they are fain in this island to use copper money, whereof +was found very great quantity. The chief trade of this place consisteth +of sugar and ginger, which groweth in the island, and of hides of oxen +and kine, which in this waste country of the island are bred in infinite +numbers, the soil being very fertile. And the said beasts are fed up +to a very large growth, and so killed for nothing so much as for their +hides aforesaid. We found here great store of strong wine, sweet oil, +vinegar, olives, and other such-like provisions, as excellent wheat-meal +packed up in wine-pipes and other cask, and other commodities likewise, +as woollen and linen cloth and some silks; all which provisions are +brought out of Spain, and served us for great relief. There was but a +little plate or vessel of silver, in comparison of the great pride in +other things of this town, because in these hot countries they use much +of those earthen dishes finely painted or varnished, which they call +_porcellana_, which is had out of the East India; and for their drinking +they use glasses altogether, whereof they make excellent good and fair +in the same place. But yet some plate we found, and many other good +things, as their household garniture, very gallant and rich, which had +cost them dear, although unto us they were of small importance. + + + +From St. Domingo we put over to the main or firm land, and, going all +along the coast, we came at last in sight of Carthagena, standing upon +the seaside, so near as some of our barks in passing alongst approached +within the reach of their culverin shot, which they had planted upon +certain platforms. The harbour-mouth lay some three miles toward the +westward of the town, whereinto we entered at about three or four of +the clock in the afternoon without any resistance of ordnance or other +impeachment planted upon the same. In the evening we put ourselves on +land towards the harbour-mouth, under the leading of Master Carlile, our +Lieutenant-General. Who, after he had digested us to march forward about +midnight, as easily as foot might fall, expressly commanded us to keep +close by the sea-wash of the shore for our best and surest way; whereby +we were like to go through, and not to miss any more of the way, which +once we had lost within an hour after our first beginning to march, +through the slender knowledge of him that took upon him to be our guide, +whereby the night spent on, which otherwise must have been done by +resting. But as we came within some two miles of the town, their +horsemen, which were some hundred, met us, and, taking the alarm, +retired to their townward again upon the first volley of our shot that +was given them; for the place where we encountered being woody and +bushy, even to the waterside, was unmeet for their service. + +At this instant we might hear some pieces of artillery discharged, with +divers small shot, towards the harbour; which gave us to understand, +according to the order set down in the evening before by our General, +that the Vice-Admiral, accompanied with Captain Venner, Captain White, +and Captain Cross, with other sea captains, and with divers pinnaces +and boats, should give some attempt unto the little fort standing on the +entry of the inner haven, near adjoining to the town, though to small +purpose, for that the place was strong, and the entry, very narrow, was +chained over; so as there could be nothing gotten by the attempt more +than the giving of them an alarm on that other side of the haven, being +a mile and a-half from the place we now were at. In which attempt the +Vice-Admiral had the rudder of his skiff strucken through with a saker +shot, and a little or no harm received elsewhere. + +The troops being now in their march, half-a-mile behither the town or +less, the ground we were on grew to be strait, and not above fifty paces +over, having the main sea on the one side of it and the harbour-water or +inner sea (as you may term it) on the other side, which in the plot is +plainly shewed. This strait was fortified clean over with a stone wall +and a ditch without it, the said wall being as orderly built, with +flanking in every part, as can be set down. There was only so much of +this strait unwalled as might serve for the issuing of the horsemen or +the passing of carriage in time of need. But this unwalled part was +not without a very good _barricado_ of wine-butts or pipes, filled with +earth, full and thick as they might stand on end one by another, some +part of them standing even within the main sea. This place of strength +was furnished with six great pieces, demiculverins and sakers, which +shot directly in front upon us as we approached. Now without this wall, +upon the inner side of the strait, they had brought likewise two great +galleys with their prows to the shore, having planted in them eleven +pieces of ordnance, which did beat all cross the strait, and flanked our +coming on. In these two galleys were planted three or four hundred small +shot, and on the land, in the guard only of this place, three hundred +shot and pikes. + +They, in this their full readiness to receive us, spared not their shot +both great and small. But our Lieutenant-General, taking the advantage +of the dark (the daylight as yet not broken out) approached by the +lowest ground, according to the express direction which himself had +formerly given, the same being the sea-wash shore, where the water +was somewhat fallen, so as most of all their shot was in vain. Our +Lieutenant-General commanded our shot to forbear shooting until we were +come to the wall-side. And so with pikes roundly together we approached +the place, where we soon found out the _barricados_ of pipes or butts to +be the meetest place for our assault; which, notwithstanding it was well +furnished with pikes and shots, was without staying attempted by us. +Down went the butts of earth, and pell-mell came our swords and pikes +together, after our shot had first given their volley, even at the +enemy's nose. Our pikes were somewhat longer than theirs, and our bodies +better armed; for very few of them were armed. With which advantage our +swords and pikes grew too hard for them, and they driven to give place. +In this furious entry the Lieutenant-General slew with his own hands the +chief ensign-bearer of the Spaniards, who fought very manfully to his +life's end. + +We followed into the town with them, and, giving them no leisure to +breathe, we won the market-place, albeit they made head and fought +awhile before we got it. And so we being once seized and assured of +that, they were content to suffer us to lodge within their town, and +themselves to go to their wives, whom they had carried into other places +of the country before our coming thither. At every street's end they had +raised very fine _barricados_ of earthworks, with trenches without them, +as well made as ever we saw any work done; at the entering whereof was +some little resistance, but soon overcome it was, with few slain or +hurt. They had joined with them many Indians, whom they had placed in +corners of advantage, all bowmen, with their arrows most villainously +empoisoned, so as if they did but break the skin, the party so touched +died without great marvel. Some they slew of our people with their +arrows; some they likewise mischiefed to death with certain pricks of +small sticks sharply pointed, of a foot and a-half long, the one end put +into the ground, the other empoisoned, sticking fast up, right against +our coming in the way as we should approach from our landing towards the +town, whereof they had planted a wonderful number in the ordinary way; +but our keeping the sea-wash shore missed the greatest part of them very +happily. + +I overpass many particular matters, as the hurting of Captain Sampson at +sword blows in the first entering, unto whom was committed the charge of +the pikes of the vant-guard by his lot and turn; as also of the taking +of Alonzo Bravo, the chief commander of that place, by Captain Goring, +after the said captain had first hurt him with his sword; unto which +captain was committed the charge of the shot of the said vant-guard. +Captain Winter was likewise by his turn of the vant-guard in this +attempt, where also the Lieutenant-General marched himself; the said +Captain Winter, through a great desire to serve by land, having now +exchanged his charge at sea with Captain Cecil for his band of footmen. +Captain Powell, the Sergeant-Major, had by his turn the charge of the +four companies which made the battle. Captain Morgan, who at St. Domingo +was of the vant-guard, had now by turn his charge upon the companies +of the rearward. Every man, as well of one part as of another, came so +willingly on to the service, as the enemy was not able to endure the +fury of such hot assault. + +We stayed here six weeks, and the sickness with mortality before spoken +of still continued among us, though not with the same fury as at the +first; and such as were touched with the said sickness, escaping death, +very few or almost none could recover their strength. Yea, many of +them were much decayed in their memory, insomuch that it was grown an +ordinary judgment, when one was heard to speak foolishly, to say he had +been sick of the _calentura_, which is the Spanish name of their burning +ague; for, as I told you before, it is a very burning and pestilent +ague. The original cause thereof is imputed to the evening or first +night air, which they term _la serena_; wherein they say and hold very +firm opinion that whoso is then abroad in the open air shall certainly +be infected to the death, not being of the Indian or natural race of +those country people. By holding their watch our men were thus subjected +to the infectious air, which at Santiago was most dangerous and deadly +of all other places. + +With the inconvenience of continual mortality we were forced to give +over our intended enterprise to go with Nombre de Dios, and so overland +to Panama, where we should have strucken the stroke for the treasure, +and full recompense of our tedious travails. And thus at Carthagena +we took our first resolution to return homewards, the form of which +resolution I thought good here to put down under the principal captains' +hands as followeth:-- + +A Resolution of the Land-Captains, what course they think most expedient +to be taken. Given at Carthagena, the 27th of February, 1585. + +WHEREAS it hath pleased the General to demand the opinions of his +captains what course they think most expedient to be now undertaken, the +land-captains being assembled by themselves together, and having advised +hereupon, do in three points deliver the same. + +THE FIRST, touching the keeping of the town against the force of the +enemy, either that which is present, or that which may come out of +Spain, is answered thus:-- + +'We hold opinion, that with this troop of men which we have presently +with us in land service, being victualled and munitioned, we may well +keep the town, albeit that of men able to answer present service we have +not above 700. The residue, being some 150 men, by reason of their hurts +and sickness, are altogether unable to stand us in any stead: wherefore +hereupon the sea-captains are likewise to give their resolution, how +they will undertake the safety and service of the ships upon the arrival +of any Spanish fleet.' + +THE SECOND point we make to be this, whether it be meet to go +presently homeward, or else to continue further trial of our fortune in +undertaking such like enterprises as we have done already, and thereby +to seek after that bountiful mass of treasure for recompense of our +travails, which was generally expected at our coming forth of England: +wherein we answer:-- + +'That it is well known how both we and the soldiers are entered into +this action as voluntary men, without any impress or gage from her +Majesty or anybody else. And forasmuch as we have hitherto discharged +the parts of honest men, so that now by the great blessing and favour of +our good God there have been taken three such notable towns, wherein +by the estimation of all men would have been found some very great +treasures, knowing that Santiago was the chief city of all the islands +and traffics thereabouts, St. Domingo the chief city of Hispaniola, and +the head government not only of that island, but also of Cuba, and of +all the islands about it, as also of such inhabitations of the firm +land, as were next unto it, and a place that is both magnificently built +and entertaineth great trades of merchandise; and now lastly the city of +Carthagena, which cannot be denied to be one of the chief places of most +especial importance to the Spaniard of all the cities which be on this +side of the West India: we do therefore consider, that since all these +cities, with their goods and prisoners taken in them, and the ransoms of +the said cities, being all put together, are found far short to satisfy +that expectation which by the generality of the enterprisers was first +conceived; and being further advised of the slenderness of our strength, +whereunto we be now reduced, as well in respect of the small number of +able bodies, as also not a little in regard of the slack disposition of +the greater part of those which remain, very many of the better minds +and men being either consumed by death or weakened by sickness and +hurts; and lastly, since that as yet there is not laid down to our +knowledge any such enterprise as may seem convenient to be undertaken +with such few as we are presently able to make, and withal of such +certain likelihood, as with God's good success which it may please +him to bestow upon us, the same may promise to yield us any sufficient +contentment: we do therefore conclude hereupon, that it is better to +hold sure as we may the honour already gotten, and with the same to +return towards our gracious sovereign and country, from whence, if it +shall please her Majesty to set us forth again with her orderly means +and entertainment, we are most ready and willing to go through with +anything that the uttermost of our strength and endeavour shall be able +to reach unto. But therewithal we do advise and protest that it is far +from our thoughts, either to refuse, or so much as to seem to be weary +of anything which for the present shall be further required or directed +to be done by us from our General.' + +THE THIRD and last point is concerning the ransom of this city of +Carthagena, for the which, before it was touched with any fire, there +was made an offer of some 27,000 or 28,000 pounds sterling:-- + +'Thus much we utter herein as our opinions, agreeing, so it be done in +good sort, to accept this offer aforesaid, rather than to break off by +standing still upon our demands of 100,000 pounds; which seems a matter +impossible to be performed for the present by them. And to say truth, +we may now with much honour and reputation better be satisfied with that +sum offered by them at the first, if they will now be contented to give +it, than we might at that time with a great deal more; inasmuch as we +have taken our full pleasure, both in the uttermost sacking and spoiling +of all their household goods and merchandise, as also in that we have +consumed and ruined a great part of their town with fire. And thus much +further is considered herein by us; that as there be in the voyage +a great many poor men, who have willingly adventured their lives and +travails, and divers amongst them having spent their apparel and such +other little provisions as their small means might have given them leave +to prepare, which being done upon such good and allowable intention as +this action hath always carried with it (meaning, against the Spaniard, +our greatest and most dangerous enemy), so surely we cannot but have an +inward regard, so far as may lie in us, to help them in all good sort +towards the satisfaction of this their expectation; and by procuring +them some little benefit to encourage them, and to nourish this ready +and willing disposition of theirs, both in them and in others by their +example, against any other time of like occasion. But because it may be +supposed that herein we forget not the private benefit of ourselves, and +are thereby the rather moved to incline ourselves to this composition, +we do therefore think good for the clearing ourselves of all such +suspicion, to declare hereby, that what part or portion soever it be of +this ransom or composition for Carthagena which should come unto us, +we do freely give and bestow the same wholly upon the poor men who +have remained with us in the voyage (meaning as well the sailor as the +soldier), wishing with all our hearts it were such or so much as might +see a sufficient reward for their painful endeavour. And for the firm +confirmation thereof, we have thought meet to subsign these presents +with our own hands in the place and time aforesaid. + +'Captain Christopher Charlie, Lieutenant-General; Captain Goring, +Captain Sampson, Captain Powell, etc.' + +But while we were yet there, it happened one day that our watch called +the sentinel, upon the church-steeple, had discovered in the sea +a couple of small barks or boats, making in with the harbour of +Carthagena. Whereupon Captain Moon and Captain Varney, with John Grant, +the master of the Tiger, and some other seamen, embarked themselves in a +couple of small pinnaces, to take them before they should come nigh the +shore, at the mouth of the harbour, lest by some straggling Spaniards +from the land, they might be warned by signs from coming in. Which fell +out accordingly, notwithstanding all the diligence that our men could +use: for the Spanish boats, upon the sight of our pinnaces coming +towards them, ran themselves ashore, and so their men presently hid +themselves in bushes hard by the sea-side, amongst some others that had +called them by signs thither. Our men presently without any due regard +had to the quality of the place, and seeing no man of the Spaniards to +shew themselves, boarded the Spanish barks or boats, and so standing all +open in them, were suddenly shot at by a troop of Spaniards out of the +bushes; by which volley of shot there were slain Captain Varney, which +died presently, and Captain Moon, who died some few days after, besides +some four or five others that were hurt: and so our folks returned +without their purpose, not having any sufficient number of soldiers with +them to fight on shore. For those men they carried were all mariners to +row, few of them armed, because they made account with their ordnance +to have taken the barks well enough at sea; which they might full easily +have done, without any loss at all, if they had come in time to the +harbour mouth, before the Spaniards' boats had gotten so near the shore. + +During our abode in this place, as also at St. Domingo, there passed +divers courtesies between us and the Spaniards, as feasting, and using +them with all kindness and favour; so as amongst others there came to +see the General the governor of Carthagena, with the bishop of the same, +and divers other gentlemen of the better sort. This town of Carthagena +we touched in the out parts, and consumed much with fire, as we had done +St. Domingo, upon discontentments, and for want of agreeing with us +in their first treaties touching their ransom; which at the last was +concluded between us should be 110,000 ducats for that which was yet +standing, the ducat valued at five shillings sixpence sterling. + +This town, though not half so big as St. Domingo, gives, as you see, a +far greater ransom, being in very deed of far more importance, by reason +of the excellency of the harbour, and the situation thereof to serve the +trade of Nombre de Dios and other places, and is inhabited with far more +richer merchants. The other is chiefly inhabited with lawyers and brave +gentlemen, being the chief or highest appeal of their suits in law of +all the islands about it and of the mainland coast next unto it. And +it is of no such account as Carthagena, for these and some like reasons +which I could give you, over long to be now written. + +The warning which this town received of our coming towards them from St. +Domingo, by the space of 20 days before our arrival here, was cause that +they had both fortified and every way prepared for their best defence. +As also that they had carried and conveyed away all their treasure and +principal substance. + +The ransom of 110,000 ducats thus concluded on, as is aforesaid, the +same being written, and expressing for nothing more than the town of +Carthagena, upon the payment of the said ransom we left the said town +and drew some part of our soldiers into the priory or abbey, standing a +quarter of an English mile below the town upon the harbour water-side, +the same being walled with a wall of stone; which we told the Spaniards +was yet ours, and not redeemed by their composition. Whereupon they, +finding the defect of their contract, were contented to enter into +another ransom for all places, but specially for the said house, as also +the blockhouse or castle, which is upon the mouth of the inner harbour. +And when we asked as much for the one as for the other, they yielded to +give a thousand crowns for the abbey, leaving us to take our pleasure +upon the blockhouse, which they said they were not able to ransom, +having stretched themselves to the uttermost of their powers; and +therefore the said blockhouse was by us undermined, and so with +gunpowder blown up in pieces. While this latter contract was in making, +our whole fleet of ships fell down towards the harbour-mouth, where +they anchored the third time and employed their men in fetching of fresh +water aboard the ships for our voyage homewards, which water was had in +a great well that is in the island by the harbour-mouth. Which island +is a very pleasant place as hath been seen, having in it many sorts of +goodly and very pleasant fruits, as the orange-trees and others, being +set orderly in walks of great length together. Insomuch as the whole +island, being some two or three miles about, is cast into grounds of +gardening and orchards. + +After six weeks' abode in this place, we put to sea the last of March; +where, after two or three days, a great Ship which we had taken at St. +Domingo, and thereupon was called The New Year's Gift, fell into a great +leak, being laden with ordnance, hides, and other spoils, and in the +night she lost the company of our fleet. Which being missed the next +morning by the General, he cast about with the whole fleet, fearing some +great mischance to be happened unto her, as in very deed it so fell out; +for her leak was so great that her men were all tired with pumping. But +at the last, having found her, and the bark Talbot in her company, which +stayed by great hap with her, they were ready to take their men out of +her for the saving of them. And so the General, being fully advertised +of their great extremity, made sail directly back again to Carthagena +with the whole fleet; where, having staid eight or ten days more about +the unlading of this ship and the bestowing thereof and her men into +other ships, we departed once again to sea, directing our course toward +the Cape St. Anthony, being the westermost part of Cuba, where we +arrived the 27th of April. But because fresh water could not presently +be found, we weighed anchor and departed, thinking in few days to +recover the Matanzas, a place to the eastward of Havana. + +After we had sailed some fourteen days we were brought to Cape St. +Anthony again through lack of favourable wind; but then our scarcity +was grown such as need make us look a little better for water, which we +found in sufficient quantity, being indeed, as I judge, none other than +rain-water newly fallen and gathered up by making pits in a plot of +marish ground some three hundred paces from the seaside. + +I do wrong if I should forget the good example of the General at this +place, who, to encourage others, and to hasten the getting of fresh +water aboard the ships, took no less pain himself than the meanest; as +also at St. Domingo, Carthagena, and all other places, having always +so vigilant a care and foresight in the good ordering of his fleet, +accompanying them, as it is said, with such wonderful travail of body, +as doubtless had he been the meanest person, as he was the chiefest, +he had yet deserved the first place of honour; and no less happy do +we account him for being associated with Master Carlile, his +Lieutenant-General, by whose experience, prudent counsel, and gallant +performance he achieved so many and happy enterprises of the war, by +whom also he was very greatly assisted in setting down the needful +orders, laws, and course of justice, and the due administration of the +same upon all occasions. + +After three days spent in watering our ships, we departed now the second +time from this Cape of St. Anthony the 13th of May. And proceeding about +the Cape of Florida, we never touched anywhere; but coasting alongst +Florida, and keeping the shore still in sight, the 28th of May, early in +the morning, we descried on the shore a place built like a beacon, which +was indeed a scaffold upon four long masts raised on end for men to +discover to the seaward, being in the latitude of thirty degrees, or +very near thereunto. Our pinnaces manned and coming to the shore, we +marched up alongst the river-side to see what place the enemy held +there; for none amongst us had any knowledge thereof at all. + +Here the General took occasion to march with the companies himself in +person, the Lieutenant-General having the vant-guard; and, going a mile +up, or somewhat more, by the river-side, we might discern on the other +side of the river over against us a fort which newly had been built by +the Spaniards; and some mile, or thereabout, above the fort was a little +town or village without walls, built of wooden houses, as the plot doth +plainly shew. We forthwith prepared to have ordnance for the battery; +and one piece was a little before the evening planted, and the first +shot being made by the Lieutenant-General himself at their ensign, +strake through the ensign, as we afterwards understood by a Frenchman +which came unto us from them. One shot more was then made, which struck +the foot of the fort wall, which was all massive timber of great trees +like masts. The Lieutenant-General was determined to pass the river this +night with four companies, and there to lodge himself entrenched as near +the fort as that he might play with his muskets and smallest shot upon +any that should appear, and so afterwards to bring and plant the battery +with him; but the help of mariners for that sudden to make trenches +could not be had, which was the cause that this determination was +remitted until the next night. + +In the night the Lieutenant-General took a little rowing skiff and half +a dozen well armed, as Captain Morgan and Captain Sampson, with some +others, beside the rowers, and went to view what guard the enemy kept, +as also to take knowledge of the ground. And albeit he went as covertly +as might be, yet the enemy, taking the alarm, grew fearful that the +whole force was approaching to the assault, and therefore with all speed +abandoned the place after the shooting of some of their pieces. They +thus gone, and he being returned unto us again, but nothing knowing +of their flight from their fort, forthwith came a Frenchman, [Nicolas +Borgoignon] being a fifer (who had been prisoner with them) in a little +boat, playing on his fife the tune of the Prince of Orange his song. And +being called unto by the guard, he told them before he put foot out of +the boat what he was himself, and how the Spaniards were gone from the +fort; offering either to remain in hands there, or else to return to +the place with them that would go. [The 'Prince of Orange's Song' was a +popular ditty in praise of William Prince of Orange (assassinated 1584), +the leader of the Dutch Protestant insurgents.] + +Upon this intelligence the General, the Lieutenant-General, with some of +the captains in one skiff and the Vice-Admiral with some others in his +skiff, and two or three pinnaces furnished of soldiers with them, +put presently over towards the fort, giving order for the rest of the +pinnaces to follow. And in our approach some of the enemy, bolder than +the rest, having stayed behind their company, shot off two pieces of +ordnance at us; but on shore we went, and entered the place without +finding any man there. + +When the day appeared, we found it built all of timber, the walls being +none other than whole masts or bodies of trees set upright and close +together in manner of a pale, without any ditch as yet made, but wholly +intended with some more time. For they had not as yet finished all their +work, having begun the same some three or four months before; so as, to +say the truth, they had no reason to keep it, being subject both to fire +and easy assault. + +The platform whereon the ordnance lay was whole bodies of long +pine-trees, whereof there is great plenty, laid across one on another +and some little earth amongst. There were in it thirteen or fourteen +great pieces of brass ordnance and a chest unbroken up, having in it the +value of some two thousand pounds sterling, by estimation, of the king's +treasure, to pay the soldiers of that place, who were a hundred and +fifty men. + +The fort thus won, which they called St. John's Fort, and the day +opened, we assayed to go to the town, but could not by reason of some +rivers and broken ground which was between the two places. And therefore +being enforced to embark again into our pinnaces, we went thither upon +the great main river, which is called, as also the town, by the name of +St. Augustine. At our approaching to land, there were some that began +to shew themselves, and to bestow some few shot upon us, but presently +withdrew themselves. And in their running thus away, the Sergeant-Major +finding one of their horses ready saddled and bridled, took the same +to follow the chase; and so overgoing all his company, was by one laid +behind a bush shot through the head; and falling down therewith, was by +the same and two or three more, stabbed in three or four places of his +body with swords and daggers, before any could come near to his +rescue. His death was much lamented, being in very deed an honest wise +gentleman, and soldier of good experience, and of as great courage as +any man might be. + +In this place called St. Augustine we understood the king did keep, as +is before said, 150 soldiers, and at another place some dozen leagues +beyond to the northwards, called St. Helena, he did there likewise keep +150 more, serving there for no other purpose than to keep all other +nations from inhabiting any part of all that coast; the government +whereof was committed to one Pedro Melendez, marquis, nephew to that +Melendez the Admiral, who had overthrown Master John Hawkins in the +Bay of Mexico some 17 or 18 years ago. This governor had charge of both +places, but was at this time in this place, and one of the first that +left the same. + +Here it was resolved in full assembly of captains, to undertake the +enterprise of St. Helena, and from thence to seek out the inhabitation +of our English countrymen in Virginia, distant from thence some six +degrees northward. When we came thwart of St. Helena, the shoals +appearing dangerous, and we having no pilot to undertake the entry, it +was thought meetest to go hence alongst. For the Admiral had been the +same night in four fathom and a half, three leagues from the shore; and +yet we understood, by the help of a known pilot, there may and do go +in ships of greater burden and draught than any we had in our fleet. We +passed thus along the coast hard aboard the shore, which is shallow for +a league or two from the shore, and the same is low and broken land for +the most part. The ninth of June upon sight of one special great fire +(which are very ordinary all alongst this coast, even from the Cape +of Florida hither) the General sent his skiff to the shore, where they +found some of our English countrymen that had been sent thither the +year before by Sir Walter Raleigh, and brought them aboard; by whose +direction we proceeded along to the place which they make their port. +But some of our ships being of great draught, unable to enter, anchored +without the harbour in a wild road at sea, about two miles from shore. +From whence the General wrote letters to Master Ralph Lane, being +governor of those English in Virginia, and then at his fort about six +leagues from the road in an island which they called Roanoac; wherein +especially he shewed how ready he was to supply his necessities and +wants, which he understood of by those he had first talked withal. + +The morrow after, Master Lane himself and some of his company coming +unto him, with the consent of his captains he gave them the choice of +two offers, that is to say: either he would leave a ship, a pinnace, and +certain boats with sufficient masters and mariners, together furnished +with a month's victual, to stay and make further discovery of the +country and coasts, and so much victual likewise as might be sufficient +for the bringing of them all (being an hundred and three persons) into +England, if they thought good after such time, with any other thing +they would desire, and that he might be able to spare: or else, if they +thought they had made sufficient discovery already, and did desire to +return into England, he would give them passage. But they, as it seemed, +being desirous to stay, accepted very thankfully and with great gladness +that which was offered first. Whereupon the ship being appointed and +received into charge by some of their own company sent into her by +Master Lane, before they had received from the rest of the fleet the +provision appointed them, there arose a great storm (which they said was +extraordinary and very strange) that lasted three days together, and put +all our fleet in great danger to be driven from their anchoring upon the +coast; for we brake many cables, and lost many anchors; and some of our +fleet which had lost all, of which number was the ship appointed for +Master Lane and his company, were driven to put to sea in great danger, +in avoiding the coast, and could never see us again until we met in +England. Many also of our small pinnaces and boats were lost in this +storm. + +Notwithstanding, after all this, the General offered them, with consent +of his captains, another ship with some provisions, although not such +a one for their turns as might have been spared them before, this being +unable to be brought into their harbour: or else, if they would, to give +them passage into England, although he knew he should perform it with +greater difficulty than he might have done before. But Master Lane, +with those of the chiefest of his company which he had then with him, +considering what should be best for them to do, made request unto the +General under their hands, that they might have passage for England: +the which being granted, and the rest sent for out of the country and +shipped, we departed from that coast the 18th of June. And so, God be +thanked, both they and we in good safety arrived at Portsmouth the 28th +of July, 1586, to the great glory of God, and to no small honour to our +Prince, our country, and ourselves. The total value of that which was +got in this voyage is esteemed at three score thousand pounds, whereof +the companies which have travailed in the voyage were to have twenty +thousand pounds, the adventurers the other forty. Of which twenty +thousand pounds (as I can judge) will redound some six pounds to the +single share. We lost some 750 men in the voyage; above three parts of +them only by sickness. The men of name that died and were slain in this +voyage, which I can presently call to remembrance, are these:--Captain +Powell, Captain Varney, Captain Moon, Captain Fortescue, Captain Biggs, +Captain Cecil, Captain Hannam, Captain Greenfield; Thomas Tucker, a +lieutenant; Alexander Starkey, a lieutenant; Master Escot, a lieutenant; +Master Waterhouse, a lieutenant; Master George Candish, Master Nicholas +Winter, Master Alexander Carlile, Master Robert Alexander, Master +Scroope, Master James Dyer, Master Peter Duke. With some other, whom for +haste I cannot suddenly think on. + +The ordnance gotten of all sorts, brass and iron, were about two hundred +and forty pieces, whereof the two hundred and some more were brass, and +were thus found and gotten:--At Santiago some two or three and fifty +pieces. In St. Domingo about four score, whereof was very much great +ordnance, as whole cannon, demi-cannon, culverins, and such like. In +Carthagena some sixty and three pieces, and good store likewise of the +greater sort. In the Fort of St. Augustine were fourteen pieces. +The rest was iron ordnance, of which the most part was gotten at St. +Domingo, the rest at Carthagena. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Drake's Great Armada, by Walter Biggs + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DRAKE'S GREAT ARMADA *** + +***** This file should be named 3334.txt or 3334.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/3/3/3334/ + +Produced by Dagny; John Bickers; David Widger + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +http://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need, is critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at http://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +http://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at http://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit http://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. +To donate, please visit: http://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart is the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + http://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. |