we got 14000 of our birds, and had almost lost our captaine in labouring to bring the birds aboord: and had not our Master bene very expert in the set of those wicked tides, which run after many fashions, we had also lost our ship in the same place: but God of his goodnes hath in all our extremities bene our protector. So the 22 at night we departed with 14000 dried Penguins, not being able to fetch the rest, and shaped our course for Brasil.
A poore allowance of victuals. Now our captaine rated our victuals, and brought vs to such allowance, as that our victuals might last sixe moneths; for our hope was, that within sixe moneths we might recouer our countrey, though our sailes were very bad. So the allowance was two ounces and a halfe of meale for a man a day, and to haue so twise a weeke, so that 5 ounces did seure for a weeke. Three daies a weeke we had oile, three spoonfuls or a man a day; and 2 dayes in a weeke peason, a pint betweene 4 men a day, and euery day 5 Penguins for 5 men, and 6 quartes of water for 4 men a day. This was our allowance; wherewtth (we praise God) we liued, though weakly, and very feeble.
The Isle of Placencia in Brasill. The 30 of Ianuary we arriued at the Ile of Placencia in Brasil, the first place that outward bound we were at: and hauing made the sholde, our ship lying off at sea, the Captaine with 24 of the company went with the boat on shore, being a whole night before they could recouer it. The last of Ianuary at sun-rising they suddenly landed, hoping to take the Portugales in their houses, and by that meanes to recouer some Casaui-meale, or other victuals for our men with 23 shot went againe to the gardens, being 3 miles rom vs vpon the North shore, and fetched Cazaui roots out of the ground, to relieue our company instead of bread; for we spent not of our meale while we staied here. The 5 of February being Munday, our captaine and master hasted the company to their labour; so some went the Coopers to gather hoopes, and the rest laboured aboord.
Ominous and forewarning dreames. This night many of our men in the ship dreamed of murther and slaughter: In the morning they reported their dreames, one saying to another; this night I dreamt, that thou wert slaine; another answered, and I dreamed, that thou wert slaine; and this was general through the ship. The captaine hearing this, who likewise had dreamed very strangely himselfe, gaue very streight charge, that those which went on shore should take weapons with them, and saw them himselfe delluered into the boat, and sent
