§ I
Andrew Battel, his Voyage to the River of Plate, who being taken on the coast of Brasill, was sent to Angola.
[ From the Thames to Cape Palmas. ]
IN the year 1589, Abraham Cocke9 of Limehouse, began his voyage toward the River of Plate, with two pinnaces10 of fifty tons apiece: the one was called the May-Morning, the other the Dolphin.
We sailed from the river Thames the twentieth of April; and the six and twentieth of the same month we put into Plimmoth [Plymouth], where we took in some provision for the voyage. The seventh of May we put to sea, and with foul weather were beaten back again into Plimmoth, where we remained certain days, and then proceded on our voyage: And running along the coast of Spain and Barbary we put into the road of Sancta Cruz,11 and there set our Light-horse-man12 together which we carried in two pieces. Abraham Cocke made great account hereof, thinking that this boat should have made his voyage. This done, we put to sea, and running along the coast of Guinea we were becalmed, because we were so near the coast.