how they came vnto the sea: and what happened vnto them in all their voiage.

halfe a league before they came to the sea, they came to anker to rest themselues there about a day: for they were very weary with rowing and out of heart. for by the space of many daies they had eaten nothing but parched and sodden maiz; which they had by allowance euery day an headpeece ful by strike for euery three men. while they rode there at anker seuen canoes of indians came to set vpon those, which they brought with them. the gouernor commanded armed men to go aboord them, and to driue them farther off. they came also against them by land through a thick wood, and a moorish ground, and had staues with very sharp forked heads made of the bones of fishes, and fought verie valiantly with vs, which went out to encounter them. and the other that came in canoes with their arrowes staid for them that came against them, and at their comming both those that were on land, and those in the canoes wounded some of vs: and seeing vs come neere them, they turned their backs, and like swift horses among footemen gat away from vs; making some returnes, and reuniting themselues together, going not past a bow shot off: for in so retiring they shot, without receiuing any hurt of the christians. for though they had some bowes, yet they could not vse them; and brake their armes with rowing to ouertake them. and the indians easily in their compasse went with their canoes, staying and wheeling about as it had been in a skirmish, perceiuing that those that came against them could not offend them. and the more they stroue to come neere them, the more hurt they receiued. assoone as they had driuen them farther off they returned to the brigandines. they staied two daies there: and departed from thence vnto the place, where the arme of the riuer entreth into the sea. they sounded in the riuer neere vnto the sea, and found 40. fathoms water. they staid there. and the gouernour commanded al and singular persons to speake their minds touching their voiage, whether it were best to crosse ouer to nueua espanna, committing themselues to the hie sea, or whether they should keepe along the coast. there were sundry opinions touching this matter; wherein iohn danusco, which presumed much, and tooke much vpon him in the knowledge of nauigation, and matters of the sea, although hee had but little experience, mooued the gouernour with his talke: and his opinion was seconded by some others. and they affirmed, that it was much better to passe by the hie sea, and crosse the gulfe, which was three of foure parts the lesser trauell, because in going along the coast, they went a great way about, by reason of the compasse, which the land did make. iohn danusco said, that he had seene the seacard, and that from the place where they were, the coast ran east and west vnto rio de las palmas; and from rio de las palmas to nueua espanna from north to south: and therefore in sailing alwaies in sight of land would bee a great compassing about and spending of much time; and that they would be in great danger to be overtaken with winter before they should get to the land of the christians: and that in 10. or 12. daies space, hauing good weather, they might bee there in crossing ouer. the most part were against this opinion, and said, that it was more safe to go along the coast, though they staied the longer: because their ships were very weake and without decks, so that a very little storme was enough to cast them away: and if they should be hindred with calmes, or contrarie weather, through the small store of vessels which they had to carrie water in, they should likewise fall into great danger: and that although the ships were such as they might venture in them, yet hauing neither pilot nor seacard to guide themselues, it was no good counsell to crosse the gulfe. this opinion was confirmed by the greatest part: and they agreed to go along the coast. at the time wherein they sought to depart from thence, the cable of the anker of the gouernours brigandine brake, and the anker remained in the riuer. and albeit, they were neere the shore, yet it was so deepe, that the diuers diuing many times could neuer find it: which caused great sadnes in the gouernour, and in all those that went with him in his brigandine: but with a grindstone which they had, and certaine bridles which remained to some of the gentlemen, and men of worship which had horses, they made a weight which serued in stead of an anker. they landed the 30. of may, 1539. chap. 7. they went foorth to sea iuly 18, 1543. the 18. of iuly, they went foorth to sea with faire and prosperous weather for their voiage. and seeing that they were gone two or three leagues from the shore, the captaines of the other brigandines ouertooke them, and asked the gouernour, wherefore he did put off from the shore: and that if hee would leaue the coast, he should say so; and he should not do it without the consent of all: and that if hee did otherwise, they would not follow him, but that euery one would doe what seemed best vnto himselfe. the gouernour answered, that hee would doe nothing without their counsell, but that hee did beare off from the land to saile the better and safer by night; and that the next day when time serued, he would returne to the sight of land againe. they sailed with a reasonable good wind that day and the night following, and the next day till euening song, alwaies in fresh water: whereat they wondred much: for they were very farre from land. but the force of the current of the riuer is so great, and the coast there is so shallow and gentle, that the fresh water entreth farre into the sea. that euening on their right hand they saw certaine creekes, whither they went, and rested there that night: where iohn danusco with his reasons wonne them at last, that all consented and agreed to commit themselues to the maine sea, alleaging, as he had done before, that it was a great aduantage, and that their voyage would be much shorter. they sailed two daies, and when they would haue come to sight of land they could not, for the winde blew from the shore. on the fourth day, seeing their fresh water began to faile, fearing necessitie and danger, they all complained of iohn danusco, and of the gouernour that followed his counsell: and euery one of the captaines said, that they would no more goe from the shore, though the gouernour went whither he would. it pleased god that the winde changed though but a little: and at the end of foure daies after they had put to sea, being alreadie destitute of water, by force of rowing they got within sight of land, and with great trouble recouered it, in an open roade. that euening the winde came to the south, which on that coast is a crosse winde, and draue the brigandines against the shore, because it blew very hard, and the anchors weake, that they yeelded and began to bend. the gouernour commanded all men to leape into the water, and going between them and the shore, and thrusting the brigandines into the sea assoone as the waue was past, they saued them till the winde ceased.