sick； as we shall。'
〃And she'If we do that； there are poisons enough in these woods； by which we may die in each other's arms； as would to Heaven we had died seven years agone！'
〃But he'No； no； my life。 It stands upon my honor both to fulfil my bond with these men； whom I have brought hither； and to take home to England at least something of my prize as a proof of my own valor。'
〃Then she smiling'Am I not prize enough； and proof enough？' But he would not be so tempted； and turning to us offered us the half of that treasure； if we would go back with him； and rescue it from the Spaniard。 At which the lady wept and wailed much； but I took upon myself to comfort her； though I was but a simple mariner； telling her that it stood upon Mr。 Oxenham's honor； and that in England nothing was esteemed so foul as cowardice； or breaking word and troth betwixt man and man； and that better was it for him to die seven times by the Spaniards； than to face at home the scorn of all who sailed the seas。 So； after much ado； back they went again； I and Penberthy； and the three Plymouth men which escaped from the pinnace； keeping the lady as before。
〃Well； sirs； we waited five days； having made houses of boughs as before； without hearing aught； and on the sixth we saw coming afar off Mr。 Oxenham； and with him fifteen or twenty men； who seemed very weary and wounded； and when we looked for the rest to be behind them； behold there were no more； at which； sirs； as you may well think； our hearts sank within us。
〃And Mr。 O。； coming nearer； cried out afar off； 'All is lost！' and so walked into the camp without a word； and sat himself down at the foot of a great tree with his head between his hands； speaking neither to the lady or to any one； till she very pitifully kneeling before him； cursing herself for the cause of all his mischief； and praying him to avenge himself upon that her tender body； won him hardly to look once upon her； after which （as is the way of vain and unstable man） all between them was as before。
〃But the men were full of curses against the negroes； for their cowardice and treachery； yea； and against high Heaven itself； which had put the most part of their ammunition into the Spaniards' hands； and told me； and I believe truly； how they forced the enemy awaiting them in a little copse of great trees； well fortified with barricades of boughs； and having with them our two falcons； which they had taken out of the pinnace。 And how Mr。 Oxenham divided both the English and the negroes into two bands； that one might attack the enemy in front； and the other in the rear； and so set upon them with great fury； and would have utterly driven them out； but that the negroes； who had come on with much howling； like very wild beasts； being suddenly scared with the shot and noise of the ordnance； turned and fled； leaving the Englishmen alone； in which evil strait Mr。 O。 fought like a very Guy of Warwick； and I verily believe every man of them likewise； for there was none of them who had not his shrewd scratch to show。 And indeed； Mr。 Oxenham's party had once gotten within the barricades； but the Spaniards being sheltered by the tree trunks （and especially by one mighty tree； which stood as I remembered it； and remember it now； borne up two fathoms high upon its own roots； as it were upon arches and pillars）； shot at them with such advantage； that they had several slain； and seven more taken alive； only among the roots of that tree。 So seeing that they could prevail nothing； having little but their pikes and swords； they were fain to give back； though Mr。 Oxenham swore he would not stir a foot； and making at the Spanish captain was borne down with pikes； and hardly pulled away by some； who at last reminding him of his lady； persuaded him to come away with the rest。 Whereon the other party fled also； but what had become of them they knew not； for they took another way。 And so they miserably drew off； having lost in men eleven killed and seven taken alive； besides five of the rascal negroes who were killed before they had time to run； and there was an end of the matter。*
* In the documents from which I have drawn this veracious history； a note is appended to this point of Yeo's story； which seems to me to smack sufficiently of the old Elizabethan seaman； to be inserted at length。
〃All so far； and most after； agreeth with Lopez Vaz his tale； taken from his pocket by my Lord Cumberland's mariners at the river Plate； in the year 1586。 But note here his vainglory and falsehood； or else fear of the Spaniard。
〃First； lest it should be seen how great an advantage the Spaniards had； he maketh no mention of the English calivers； nor those two pieces of ordnance which were in the pinnace。
〃Second； he saith nothing of the flight of the Cimaroons： though it was evidently to be gathered from that which he himself saith； that of less than seventy English were slain eleven； and of the negroes but five。 And while of the English seven were taken alive； yet of the negroes none。 And why； but because the rascals ran？
〃Thirdly； it is a thing incredible； and out of experience； that eleven English should be slain and seven taken； with loss only of two Spaniards killed。
〃Search now； and see （for I will not speak of mine own small doings）； in all those memorable voyages； which the worthy and learned Mr。 Hakluyt hath so painfully collected； and which are to my old age next only to my Bible； whether in all the fights which we have endured with the Spaniards； their loss； even in victory； hath not far exceeded ours。 For we are both bigger of body and fiercer of spirit； being even to the poorest of us （thanks so the care of our illustrious princes）； the best fed men of Europe； the most trained to feats of strength and use of weapons； and put our trust also not in any Virgin or saints； dead rags and bones； painted idols which have no breath in their mouths； or St。 Bartholomew medals and such devil's remembrancers； but in the only true God and our Lord Jesus Christ； in whom whosoever trusteth； one of them shall chase a thousand。 So I hold； having had good experience； and say； if they have done it once； let them do it again； and kill their eleven to our two； with any weapon they will； save paper bullets blown out of Fame's lying trumpet。 Yet I have no quarrel with the poor Portugal； for I doubt not but friend Lopez Vaz had looking over his shoulder as he wrote some mighty black velvet Don； with a name as long as that Don Bernaldino Delgadillo de Avellaneda who set forth lately his vainglorious libel of lies concerning the last and fatal voyage of my dear friends Sir F。 Drake and Sir John Hawkins； who rest in peace； having finished their labors； as would God I rested。 To whose shameless and unspeakable lying my good friend Mr。 Henry Savile of this county did most pithily and wittily reply； stripping the ass out of his lion's skin； and Sir Thomas Baskerville； general of the fleet； by my advice； send him a cartel of defiance； offering to meet him with choice of weapons； in any indifferent kingdom of equal distance from this realm； which challenge he hath prudently put in his pipe； or rather rolled it up for one of his Spanish cigarros； and smoked it； and I doubt not； found it foul in the mouth。〃
〃But the next day； gentlemen； in came some five…and…twenty more； being the wreck of the other party； and with them a few negroes； and these last proved themselves no honester men than they were brave； for there being great misery among us English； and every one of us straggling where he could to get food； every day one or more who went out never came back； and that caused a suspicion that the negroes had betrayed them to the Spaniards； or； maybe； slain and eaten them。 So these fellows being upbraided； with that altogether left us； telling us boldly； that if they had eaten our fellows； we owed them a debt instead of the Spanish prisoners； and we； in great terror and hunger； went forward and over the mountains till we came to a little river which ran northward； which seemed to lead into the Northern Sea； and there Mr。 O。who； sirs； I will say； after his first rage was over； behaved himself all through like a valiant and skilful commanderbade us cut down trees and make canoes； to go down to the sea； which we began to do； with great labor and little profit； hewing down trees with our swords； and burning them out with fire； which； after much labor； we kindled； but as we were a…burning out of the first tree； and cutting down of another； a great party of negroes came upon us； and with much friendly show bade us flee for our lives； for the Spaniards were upon us in great force。 And so we were up and away again； hardly able to drag our legs after us for hunger and weariness； and the broiling heat。 And some were taken （God help them！） and some fled with the negroes； of whom what became God alone knoweth； but eight or ten held on with the captain； among whom was I； and fled downward toward the sea for one day； but afterwards finding； by the noise in the woods； that the Spaniards were on the track of us； we turned up again toward the inland； and coming to a cliff； climbed up over it； drawing up the lady and the little maid with cords of liana （which hang from those trees as honeysuckle does here； but exceeding stout and long； even to fifty fathoms）； and so breaking the track； hoped to be out of the way of the enemy。
〃By which； nevertheless； we only increased our misery。 For two fell from that cliff； as men asleep for very weariness； and miserably broke their bones； and others； whether by the great toil； or sunstrokes； or eating of strange berries； fell sick of fluxes and fevers； where was no drop of water； but rock of pumice stone as bare as the back of my hand； and full； moreover； of great cracks； black and without bottom； over which we had not strength to lift the sick； but were fain to leave them there aloft； in the sunshine； like Dives in his torments； crying aloud for a drop of water to cool their tongues； and every man a great stinking vulture or two sitting by him； like an ugly black fiend out of the pit； waiting till the poor soul should depart out of the corpse： but nothing could avail； and for the dear life we must down again and into the woods； or be burne