Being departed from these islands, we drew towards the line, where we were becalmed the space of three weeks, but yet subject to divers great storms, terrible lightnings and much thunder.  But with this misery we had the commodity of great store of fish, as dolphins, bonitos, and flying-fishes, whereof some fell into our ships; wherehence they could not rise again for want of moisture, for when their wings are dry they cannot fly.

From the first day of our departure from the islands of Cape Verde, we sailed 54 days without sight of land.  And the first land that we fell with was the coast of Brazil, which we saw the fifth of April, in the height of 33 degrees towards the pole Antarctic.  And being discovered at sea by the inhabitants of the country, they made upon the coast great fires for a sacrifice (as we learned) to the devils; about which they use conjurations, making heaps of sand, and other ceremonies, that when any ship shall go about to stay upon their coast, not only sands may be gathered together in shoals in every place, but also that storms and tempests may arise, to the casting away of ships and men, whereof, as it is reported, there have been divers experiments.

The 7th day in a mighty great storm, both of lightning, rain, and thunder, we lost the canter, which we called the Christopher.  But the eleventh day after, by our General’s great care in dispersing his ships, we found her again, and the place where we met our General called the Cape of Joy, where every ship took in some water.  Here we found a good temperature and sweet air, a very fair and pleasant country with an exceeding fruitful soil, where were great store of large and mighty deer, but we came not to the sight of any people; but travelling further into the country we perceived the footing of people in the clay ground, shewing that they were men of great stature.  Being returned to our ships we weighed anchor, and ran somewhat further, and harboured ourselves between the rock and the main; where by means of the rock that brake the force of the sea, we rid very safe.  And upon this rock we killed for our provision certain sea-wolves, commonly called with us seals.  From hence we went our course to 36 degrees, and entered the great river of Plate, and ran into 54 and 53 1/2 fathoms of fresh water, where we filled our water by the ship’s side; but our General finding here no good harborough, as he thought he should, bare out again to sea the 27th of April, and in bearing out we lost sight of our fly-boat wherein Master Doughty was.  But we, sailing along, found a fair and reasonable good bay, wherein were many and the same profitable islands; one whereof had so many seals as would at the least have laden all our ships, and the rest of the islands are, as it were, laden with fowls, which is wonderful to see, and they of divers sorts.  It is a place very plentiful of victuals, and hath in it no want of fresh water.  Our General, after certain days of his abode in this place, being on shore in an island, the people of the country shewed themselves unto him, leaping and dancing, and entered into traffic with him, but they would not receive anything at any man’s hands, but the same must be cast upon the ground.  They are of clean, comely, and strong bodies, swift on foot, and seem to be very active.