On the 6th October, the ships companies both of the Minion and Christopher being very weak, so as to be scarce able to keep the sea, we agreed to make for Vigo, which is frequented by many English ships; but having a fair wind for England on the 10th, we fired two shots to give notice to the Christopher of our intention, and immediately shaped our course homewards.  She followed us, and we carried a light to direct her way; but it was so thick next morning that we could not see her, and as she was not seen all that day we concluded she had either shot ahead of us in the night or had bore up for Spain, for which reason we hoisted our top-sails and continued our course, being then 120 leagues from England and 45 leagues N.W. by W. from Cape Finister, having then only six mariners and six merchants in health.  The 16th we had a great storm at W.S.W. by W. which came on about 6 P.M. and our men being very weak and unable to hand our sails, we that night lost our mainsail, foresail, and spritsail, and were obliged to lie hulling till the 18th, when we got up an old foresail; and finding ourselves now in the Channel, we bore up for the coast of England.  In less than two hours the old foresail was blown from the yard by a spurt of wind, and we were again forced to lie to till the morning of the 19th, when we got up an old bonnet, or topsail, on the fore-yard, which by the blessing of God brought us to the Isle of Wight in the afternoon of the 20th.

* * * * *

Commodities most in request in Guinea, between Sierra Leone and the farthest extremity of the Mine or Gold Coast[282].

   MANILS of brass, and some of lead. 
   Basins of various sorts, but chiefly of latten. 
   Pots holding a quart or more, of coarse tin. 
   Some wedges of iron. 
   Margarites, and other low priced beads. 
   Some blue coral. 
   Some horse nails. 
   Linen cloth, principally. 
   Basins of Flanders. 
   Some low priced red cloth, and kersies. 
   Dutch kettles with brass handles. 
   Some large engraved brass basins, like those usually set upon.
   their cupboards in Flanders. 
   Some large pewter basins and ewers, graven. 
   Some lavers for holding water. 
   Large low priced knives. 
   Slight Flemish caskets. 
   Low priced Rouen chests, or any other chests. 
   Large pins. 
   Coarse French coverlets. 
   Good store of packing sheets.

Swords, daggers, prize-mantles and gowns, cloaks, hats, red cans, Spanish blankets, axe heads, hammers, short pieces of iron, slight bells, low priced gloves, leather bags, and any other trifling articles you will.

[Footnote 282:  This list is appended in Hakluyt’s Collection, II.513. to the present voyage, and is therefore here retained, though several of the articles are scarcely intelligible.—­E.]

SECTION VII.