Prologue

Excerpts from the journal of Don Esteban de Lopez y Vargas

(Translated by Dr. Robert Malcom)

This fourth day of August in the year of Our Lord 1586

An island of fair size was spied just before dawn this morning by Ricardo's watch. I was already awake and preparing for the day when this news was brought to me. I hurried to the deck with my spyglass to examine this island. I had some hope that we might have found the rumored base of the English pirate Raleigh after three months of searching.

As we approached the island from the south I gave orders to keep careful measure of the water's depth and to be vigilant of sandbars and submerged rocks. At first the island was but a dark mass, but soon dawn broke to reveal its secrets to my examination.

The island has low cliffs on its southern shore and the waters there look unsuitable for an anchorage. Above the cliffs can be seen shrubs and small trees and looming above and behind them were two great hills. It was immediately clear to my eyes that these were no natural hills but the product of human mind and labor. My officers are all in agreement that this is a good sign that we may have found the hiding place of our enemy. I have called my crew to quarters and mean to circle the island in search of an anchorage so I may land my men and root out this nest of pirates.

This fifth day of August in the year of Our Lord 1586

Our voyage around the eastern side of the island has revealed no other sign of fortification by the English. The eastern shore is also lined with cliffs but we found a small cove where the water is deep and free of rocks. There is a cave in the cliff here from which water flows into the sea. Luis Mendoza found the current of this stream and took a boat to the mouth of the cave to sample the water there. The water was found to be fresh and we have paused here to replenish our water supply. Ricardo has asked permission to take a party and try to climb the cliffs. If the enemy is on this island they have given no sign of discovering our presence and I judge the chance to learn of the dispositions and numbers of the English worth the risk.

Ricardo was successful in climbing the cliffs but two of his men fell into the sea. One has drowned and the men could not recover his body. The other was rescued and brought back to the ship. My son has decided to press on with his mission to scout the island. I pray Santa Maria will watch over him.

This eighth day of August in the year of Our Lord 1586

My prayers were answered just after noon today when Ricardo returned. It was joyous for this old man to be reunited with his eldest son but Ricardo was of heavy spirit when he came back aboard. We have not found the hidden base of the English. The mounds we saw four days ago were built by the natives of this island. Ricardo reports that they seem a peaceful group of heathens but shy and fearful. Ricardo also reports a wide crescent bay on the western side of the island with a soft, sandy bottom and a beach were landing can be easily made. After a brief discussion with the ship's officers I have decided to sail to this bay and land parties ashore to obtain fresh food and claim this island for Spain.

This thirteenth day of August in the year of Our Lord 1586

There is trouble with the natives of this island. For the last few days all seemed to be going so well. The natives were happy to share their food and tobacco with us, and Father Franco was making such strides in learning their simple language and teaching them some words of Spanish. In his communications with the savages, Father Franco learned that they lived only in a small village to the northwest of the large hills in the middle of the island because of some sort of superstitious fear. Father Franco thinks they go to the flat topped mounds I had mistaken for English fortifications only on certain days of the year to read omens in the stars. Last night the priest asked me for two kegs of powder and the aid of my men in setting charges to destroy this heathen temple. I agreed that this would be best.

Today when Father Franco and his escort set to their work, they were accosted by the village chief and some of his warriors. The escort opened fire with their muskets, killing the chief and driving the other savages back. Father Franco wished to continue preparing the heathen temple for destruction but Enrique de Garcia who was commanding the escort thought it best to return at once to the beach. As they moved toward the beach, Father Franco's party was savagely attacked by a force of native warriors. Three of my men were killed and Father Franco was badly wounded. Father Franco was brought aboard for treatment but the doctor is very concerned about the Father's head wound.

I have decided to order all my men back aboard the San Pedro. I have my mission to consider so there is no time to conquer these savages, but before I leave I will punish them for their attack on Spanish subjects. In the morning I will move to the northern end of the crescent bay and bombard the village with my cannon.

This fifteenth day of August

As I write this, I look out from this accursed beach at my ship. The San Pedro lies low in the water and I know her lower decks are filled with seawater. Yesterday morning I moved north as planned to punish the savages who dared attack us. We had fired one broadside and were turning to fire another when the San Pedro ran aground. I ordered boats into the water to tow us free. I could not bring either broadside to bear on the village, so I ordered the stern chase guns into action. The savages abandoned their village and fled across the bay in their canoes when the trees around them caught fire.

Our efforts to free the San Pedro were for naught. As the tide went out, we became even more firmly stuck. The hull pressed down on a hidden rock and soon the rock broke through. The more the tide went out the larger the hole became and we were powerless to stop it. As the tide began to come back in, the ship began to flood. I had no choice but to order the San Pedro abandoned. I managed to get most of my crew to saftey on the island though thirty-seven men were lost and Father Franco has taken brain fever. By the fear evident in his features, the thrashing of his body, and his wordless cries I think the poor Father is trapped in some terrible nightmare even when he is awake. There is little we can do for him but pray for the fever to subside.

We have rescued most of our supplies and weapons but much of our powder and match are wet from the flooding. We still have our swords and polearms but only enough ammunition for a few musket shots. The fire around the village continues to burn. I have ordered that a guard be posted every night and a lookout to watch for the return of the savages.

A storm can be seen on the northwest horizon. If it comes here, I think it will finish what my mistake and the tides have started and destroy the San Pedro.

This seventeenth day of August in the year of Our Lord 1586

It continues to rain but the worst of the storm passed in the night. There is nothing to be seen of the San Pedro but a broken mast rising from the shallows. The fire in the north has been put out by the rain. We have made a crude shelter of a bowed tree and branches. I have ordered our remaining powder and match and food stored here and for Father Franco to be placed within.

At midday, it was discoveed that much of our food has gone bad from the seawater. We now have only ten casks of salt pork, half a cask of beans, some salt, seven casks of wine and two casks of flour. I have confered with my officers and decided to send Luis and a party of men to the village to see if any of their crops survived the fire. Enrique has asked to take a hunting party with spears to the middle of the island. I think it best to wait for a stop in the rain.

This twentith day of August

Finally a break in this constant rain! Enrique can now lead a hunt into the hills above the bay. We all pray that his mission will be more successful than that of Luis. He was only able to glean a few unripe ears of maze and small squash from the gardens of the village. The natives have not yet returned and I pray they do not. With so little ammunition, I fear we could not fight them successfully.

The men have built two more shelters and they will be most helpful to us if the rains return. Many of the men have become ill from being constantly wet. Father Franco has fallen into a deep sleep from which we cannot rouse him. The doctor says that if the priest does not wake soon, he will weaken and die.

Night has fallen but Enrique de Garcia and his party have not yet returned. The night sky is overcast and the rain may begin again at any time. My officers wish to send a party to look for Enrique, but I think it too dangerous to do so in the dark. Therefore, I have ordered them to wait until dawn. I have also ordered that a large beacon fire be built so that it might be seen by Enrique and his men and lead them back to us.