St.
Helena. One day the Vice-Admiral, the captain, and other officers of
the vessel determined to go in the skiff towards this plain, to obtain
some vegetables and lemons. When we arrived there—for I was with the
party—we were much surprised to find nothing on the trees, and only
some remains of cabbages and radishes on the ground. We did not doubt
that the crew of the vessel called the Encuse, which had
arrived some days before us, had done all this damage, and our
Vice-Admiral resolved to go on board to inquire into the matter. When
we got there we found quantities of lemons and vegetables in the cabins
of the captain and pilot, and all the sailors presented lemons, with
which they were well provided, to our men. The captain of the vessel
offered a present of some to the Vice-Admiral, which he refused to
accept, saying that it was treason to all the fleet, and that all these
delicacies must be collected and put together in one place until all
the vessels had arrived, so that each poor invalid might have some of
them. The sailors and soldiers who had filled their chests with them
were very unwilling to consent; but the Vice-Admiral, exerting his
authority, said that if they did not bring all the lemons which were
still remaining, he would hang a number of the men, when the Admiral
and the remainder of the fleet, which consisted of eleven vessels,
arrived. The captain, fearing his threat, put so much pressure on his
crew that the whole were brought into his cabin and safely shut up
until the fleet had arrived, so that each vessel had its share of this
small refreshment.
When
all the fleet had anchored in the roads of St. Helena, there was
nothing but feasting and rejoicing, sometimes on one vessel and
sometimes on another ; and the English fleet, which consisted of nine
vessels, arrived soon afterwards.1 There arrived, moreover,
two Portuguese vessels laden with slaves of both sexes, which came from
the Guinea coast, on their way to the mines of Peru. Some Dutchmen in
our fleet who had dwelt at Castel de Mine, knew the language of these
poor people. They went on board, to see them, and also some Dutch
sailors who were in the Portuguese service ;
1 For a summary of tbe voyages of the early English adventurers see Imperial Gazetteer, ii. 463 f.
