which for the time was extreeme, but (God bee thanked) it was but of small continuance.
Idoles. Wee founde also in diuers places of the woods, images set vpon pinnes, with diuers things before them, as eggs, meale, rice, round shot of stones, and diuers other things, such as the barbarous people had to offer vp.
When wee came neere to the Line, wee found it nothing so hot as it is at Sierra Leona, by reason of the great winde and raine.
About the 24. of Nouember one or two of our men died, and others also were sicke of a Calentura.
The second day of Ianuary we had a little sight of land, being about the height of 28. degrees to the Southward of the Line.
They fall with an high land in 30 degrees 1/2. The 4. day wee fell with the shoare high and bold, being in 30. degrees, and terse, little more or lesse. All of it to the Northward was a high land, but to the Southward it did presently faile, and was a very low and all sandie. About sixe leagues from the shore wee sounded, and had about fifteene or sixteene fathome water, and blacke sandie oze. We thought to haue gone to the shoare, and to haue watered, but we could not discerne any good harbour, and therefore we cast off to seaward againe.
The 12. day wee found our selues in 32. degrees 27. minutes. From the day of the Natiuitie of Christ, till the 13. day of this moneth, although the Sunne was very neere vnto vs, yet we found no want of winds but variable as in England, and not so hot but that a mans shoulders might wel digest a frize gowne, and his bellie the best Christmas cheere in England, yet wee for our parts had no want, but such as might content honest men.
A Portugal ship taken, wherein was for Pilot Abraham Cocke an Englishman, left there before by the Minion of London 1581. The tenth day being about 8. leagues from the shoare, and a little short of the Riuer of Plate, it was my good happe to espie a saile, which was a small Portugal bound for the Riuer to a towne called Santa Fee; and from thence by horse and carts, the marchants, and part of their goods were to be transported into Peru. This shippe being about the burthen of 45. or 50. tunnes, wee tooke that day about three of the clocke, wherein there was for Master or Pilote an Englishman called Abraham Cocke borne in Lee. We examined him and the rest concerning the state of the Riuer, and
