ncreasing continually more and more, it grewe to be a storme and a great
frete of wind: which continued with vs some 24 houres, with such
extremetie, as it caried not onely our sayles away being furled, but also
made much water in our shipppe, so that wee had six foote water in hold,
and hauing freed our ship thereof with baling, the winde shifted to the
Northwest and became dullerd: but presently vpon it the extremetie of the
storme was such that with the labouring of our ship we lost our foremaste,
and our ship grewe as full of water as before. The storme once ceased, and
the winde contrary to goe our course, we fell to consultation which might
be our best way to saue our liues. Our victuals now being vtterly spent,
and hauing eaten hides 6 or 7 daies, we thought it best to beare back
againe for Dominica, and the Islands adioyning, knowing that there we might
haue some reliefe, whereupon we turned backe for the said Islands. But
before we could get thither the winde scanted vpon vs, which did greatly
endanger vs for lacke of fresh water and victuals; so that we were
constrained to beare vp to the Westward to certaine other Ilandes called
the Neublas or cloudie Ilands, towards the Ile of S. Iuan de porto Rico,
where at our arriuall we found land-crabs and fresh water, and tortoyses,
which come most on lande about the full of the moone. Here hauing refreshed
our selues some 17 or 18 dayes, and hauing gotten some small store of
victuals into our ship, we resolued to returne againe for Mona: vpon which
our determination fiue of our men left vs, remaining still on the Iles of
Neublas for all perswasions that we could vse to the contrary, which
afterward came home in an English shippe. From these Iles we departed and
arriued at Mona about the twentieth of Nouember 1593, and there comming to
an anker toward two or three of the clocke in the morning, the Captaine,
and Edmund Barker his Lieutenant with some few others went on land to the
houses of the olde Indian and his three sonnes, thinking to haue gotten
some foode, our victuals being all spent, and we not able to proceede any
further vntill we had obteyned some new supply. We spent two or three daies
in seeking prouision to cary aboord to relieue the whole companie. And
comming downe to go aboord, the winde then being northerly and the sea
somewhat growne, they could not come on shore with the boate, which was a
thing of small succour and not able to rowe in any rough sea, wh