hich by no
contradiction could be brought to hold another course, alleging they
could not make the ship to work better, nor to lie otherways. The
evening was fair and pleasant, yet not without token of storm to ensue,
and most part of this Wednesday night, like the swan that singeth before
her death, they in the Admiral, or _Delight_, continued in sounding of
trumpets, with drums and fifes; also winding the cornets and hautboys,
and in the end of their jollity, left with the battle and ringing of
doleful knells. Towards the evening also we caught in the _Golden Hind_
a very mighty porpoise with harping iron, having first stricken divers
of them, and brought away part of their flesh sticking upon the iron,
but could recover only that one. These also, passing through the ocean
in herds, did portend storm. I omit to recite frivolous report by them
in the frigate, of strange voices the same night, which scared some from
the helm.

Thursday, the 29 of August, the wind rose, and blew vehemently at south
and by east, bringing withal rain and thick mist, so that we could
not see a cable length before us; and betimes in the morning we were
altogether run and folded in amongst flats and sands, amongst which
we found shoal and deep in every three or four ships' length, after we
began to sound; but first we were upon them unawares, until Master Cox
looking out, discerned, in his judgment, white cliffs, crying _Land!_
withal; though we could not afterward descry any land, it being very
likely the breaking of the sea white, which seemed to be white cliffs,
through the haze and thick weather.

Immediately tokens were given unto the _Delight_, to cast about to
seaward, which, being the greater ship, and of burthen 120 tons, was yet
foremost upon the breach, keeping so ill watch, that they knew not the
danger, before they felt the same, too late to recover it; for presently
the Admiral struck aground, and has soon after her stern and hinder
parts beaten in pieces; whereupon the rest (that is to say, the
frigate, in which was the General, and the _Golden Hind_) cast about
east-south-east, bearing to the south, even for our lives, into the
wind's eye, because that way carried us to the seaward. Making out from
this danger, we sounded one while seven fathom, then five fathom, then
four fathom and less, again deeper, immediately four fathom then but
three fathom, the sea going mightily and high. At last we recovered, God
be thanked, in so