repairing of anchors. He took the opportunity offered by his detention in the Strait to caulk the ship throughout, and employed the men in collecting Winter's bark, and in various sports, to keep them cheerful and healthy.
Having made a prosperous voyage through the Strait into the South Sea, the Dainty anchored off the island of Mocha, on the coast of Chile, which was occupied by independent Indians, of whom he wrote an interesting account. They supplied him plentifully with fresh provisions, and he then steered northwards with the intention of passing Callao out of sight of land, so that his presence on the coast might not be known to the Spaniards. But his plan was overruled by the officers and crew, who urged him to attack some of the ships in the enemy's ports. He very reluctantly consented, and bore up for Valparaiso, where he ransacked four ships and the warehouses on shore, but found nothing worth taking away, except fresh provisions. When leaving the port, however, a ship was taken with some gold on board, and with important passengers who paid ransoms. Hawkyns touched at Coquimbo and Arica, and off Quilca he caused the empty prize to be burnt. But meanwhile news of the arrival of an English ship on the coast had been sent to Lima. The Marquis of Cañete, a most distinguished soldier both in the wars in Europe, and in those against the Araucanian Indians when he was Captain-General of Chile, was the Viceroy of Peru. With all possible diligence he sent six ships in search of the Dainty under the command of his brother-in-law, Don Beltran de Castro y de la Cueva. She was sighted off Cañete, and the Spanish ships, being much more windwardly, rapidly came up with their chase. Then a fresh breeze began to blow, the Spanish admiral sprung his mainmast, the vice-admiral split his mainsail, and for that time the Dainty escaped. The Spanish ships returned to Callao, while Hawkyns steered for the Bay of Atacames, in the province of Quito, intending to take in wood and water, and then leave the coast.
The Dainty anchored in Atacames Bay on the 10th of June, 1594. In five days all the empty water-casks were filled, wood was cut and taken on board, and the pinnace was put to rights. On the 15th, sail was made to the Bay of San Mateo, and a few days afterwards Hawkyns weighed with the intention of finally leaving the coast of South America. But it was not to be. The Spanish squadron hove in sight, and the admiral bore down on the little
