h
them, because we were sure to weather them, and the winde being as it was,
it was our best course: but the Hart was so farre to the leeward, that we
could not doe it, except we would lose her company, so that we tooke in
some of our sailes, and went roome with him: which when he perceiued, he
looffed to, and was able to lie as neere as he did before. At night, when
we came to him, he would not speake to vs: then we asked of his company why
he went so roome; and they made excuse that they were able to beare no
saile by, for feare of bearing their foretopmast ouer boord: but this was a
simple excuse.

The fourth day, being put from our watring place we began to seethe our
meat in salt water, and to rebate our allowance of drinke, to make it
indure the longer: and so concluded to set our course thence, for our owne
countrey.

The 12 of March I found my selfe thwart of Cape das Palmas.

The 16 day we fell with the land, which we iudged to be the Cape Mensurado,
about which place is very much high land.

The 18 day we lost sight of the Hart, and I thinke the willfull Master ran
in with the shore of purpose to lose vs, being offended that I tolde him of
his owne folly.

[Sidenote: Two small Ilands by Sierra Leona. Note.] The 27 day we fell in
sight of two small Islands, which lie by our reckoning sixe leagues off the
headland of Sierra Leona: and before we came in sight of the same Ilands,
we made our reckoning to be forty or thirty leagues at the least off them.
Therefore all they that saile this way are to regard the currents which set
Northnorthwest, or els they may be much deceiued.

The 14 of April we met with two great ships of Portugall, which although
they were in the weather of vs, yet came not roome with vs, whereby we
iudged that they were bound for Calicut.

The 18 day we were in the heigth of Cape verde.

The 24 we were directly vnder the tropike of Cancer.

The first day of May Henry Wilson our Steward died: and the next day died
Iohn Vnderwood.

[Sidenote: A French brauado.] The 23 we had sight of a shippe in the
weather of vs, which was a Frenchman of 90 tunne, who came with vs as
stoutly and as desperately as might be, and comming neere vs perceiued that
we had bene vpon a long voyage, and iudging vs to be weake, as in deed we
were, came neerer vs, and thought to haue layed vs aboord, and there stept
vp some of his men in armour, and commanded vs to strike saile: whereupon
we sent them some of o