best guesses marked abcd. We dus us best!] and presently cast about againe, and went South by East larboord tacked, and Southsoutheast among all night: finding at foure in the morning 15 fadome sand.
The 20 day, about ten a clocke after noone, we went aboord the admirall; viz. M. Walker, the master, the pilot, the two marchants, and my selfe, being directed so to doe by the Generall. Vpon our comming the generall was going to dinner, where wee also dined with him. Hauing dined, the generall called vs his assistants into his cabbin, and there behoved to us in writing [** P2 could it be deliuered? with the beginining of the d missing as the between word space is longer than usual?] two demands, to be by vs considered vpon, and he to haue our opinions therein.
The effects of the demands were these.
1 Whether it was best for vs to aduenture our selues to passe the streights of Magellan or no: considering the force of the enemie, which we knew to be there before vs: and also that our determination was there to set vp our pinnesse, make yron hoops, carene our ships, and do all our necessary businesses for the full accomplishment of our voyage.
2 If that course were not thought best, which way were meetest for vs to take.
To the first we were of opinion, that it were good to heare the opinions of captaine Hawkins, captaine Drake and the two pilots, which had passed the streights, and knew the harbours, and likest places to be fortified, and indeed who were called, and the three masters with them whose opinions were as diuers as their names, and as much differed as before this time they were wont vsually to doe: onely they all agreed in this one point, that it was impossible for vs to passe the streights without seeing, and incountring with the ships, although the fortification of the land did not annoy vs, which being long and thorowly debated, and their opinion, which the three masters demanded, which accorded not scant either, they were dismissed.
Then the generall receiued the opinions of vs his assistants, beginning with the yoongest in authority first, which when he had heard them all ouer, and being set downe in writing vnder our hands, he tooke deliberation till after supper to giue his determination.
When we had all supped, then he sent for vs downe into his cabbin and deliuered in writing his determination, which was, to and turned our selues on this coast before he pro-
