by the adventurers, who appropriated provisions sufficient to enable them to return to England. Hakluyt rode two hundred miles to obtain the particulars of this voyage from young Mr. Butts; and to his indefatigable perseverance we owe the preservation of records of this and other voyages, which would otherwise have been lost. They may be taken as enterprises typical of many long since forgotten.
The maritime enterprises of the days of Henry VIII. were not confined to these northern voyages. Hakluyt tells us how old Mr. William Hawkyns of Plymouth, who was much esteemed for his wisdom, valour, and skill in sea canoes, would not be contented with short voyages along the known coasts of Europe. He fitted out a tall and goodly ship of 250 tons, called the Pole, of Plymouth, and made three long and once famous voyages to Brazil, which, in those days, was an enterprise of very rare occurrence. His first voyage was in 1530, when he reached the Rio Cestos on the Grain Coast of Guinea, and took in elephants' teeth and other commodities. Thence he continued his voyage to the coast of Brazil, where he behaved with such prudence and judgment that he not only formed friendships with the natives, but even induced one of the chiefs to come to England. These three voyages of William Hawkyns were memorable, and others followed in his footsteps. Several wealthy merchants of Southampton sent ships to Brazil in 1540; and trade was carried on with the ports of Barbary from London. But one of the first voyages to Guinea was disastrous, owing to the inexperience, and perhaps to the misconduct, of the commander. The Primrose and Lion left Portsmouth in August, 1553, and returned with the loss of the captain and of a hundred men, out of one hundred and forty men forming the crews of the two ships.
These Guinea voyages were indeed very perilous in those days. Their commanders needed to be men of high qualifications — to be endowed with courage, patience, perseverance, zeal, and sympathy for their men. Long voyages, the ravages of scurvy, and bad provisions had certainly to be faced, besides the usual perils of the sea, and a probable encounter with a superior force of Portuguese. This was the training of most of the great naval officers of the Elizabethan age; and such a man appears to have been Captain John Lock, who commanded a fleet of three ships for the Guinea voyage, fitted out by merchants of London, in 1554. He exchanged his outward cargo
