Page:The Captivity of Hans Stade of Hesse.pdf/151

it became night, that dull clouds arose in the south, whither the wind was driving us. Before we had ended our prayers, the nort easterly wind fell and blew so that it could hardly be felt. Then the south wind, which does not often prevail at that season of the year, began to blow, with such thunder and lightning as to cause us fear, and the sea became very rough, for the south wind met the waves of the north wind. It was also so dark that we could not see, and the fierce thunder and lightning made the crew waver, till no one knew where he should lend a hand to shift the sails. We therefore expected that we should all be drowned that night. God, however, caused the weather to change and to improve, and we sailed back to the place whence we had. that day come, and again we sought the harbour. Yet we could not find it, for there were many islands near the mainland.

Now when we again arrived at twenty-eight degrees (of south) latitude the captain ordered the pilot to steer us in among the islands, and to let go an anchor, in order to see what country it was. Then we sailed in between two coasts, where we found a fine port; then we anchored, and resolved to set out in the boat that we might further reconnoitre the harbour.

And it was on Saint Catharine's Day,^[1] in the year 1549, that we lowered our anchor, and some of us, well armed, Bailed off in the boat further to examine the harbour. We