we sayled about the North point there lay three other great Portingal ships we being not aboue half a mile from them wherevpon wee helde in the weather and to seawarde north-Northeast as much as we might Foure Portingal ships richly laden The Portingalles perceyuing vs the Admiral of their fleet shot off a peece to call their men that were on land to come a borde and then wee saw foure of their shippes together that were worth a great summe of money at the least 300. tunnes of gold for they were all laden with spices precious stones and other rich wares and therefore wee durst not anker vnder the Island but lay all night Northeastwarde staying for our company The 26. of May in the morning wee made towardes the Island againe with a good Southeast winde and about noone or somewhat past we discried two shippes and about euening as we made towards them we knew them to be our company which made vs to reioice for we had been asunder the space of a whole Month so we helde together and sayled homeward holding our course Northwest for as yet our men were well and in good health and we found a good Southeast winde and had water enough for foure or fiue monthes The 27. 28. 29. and 30. of May wee had a Southeast winde with faire weather and the 27. day we were vnder 14. degrees The first of Iune we were vnder 6. degrees with a Southest wind holding our course north west but by means of the Compasse that yeelded north eastward we kept about Northvvest by North. The 6. of Iune vve were vnder one degree on the South side of the line there vvee founde that the streame draue vs fast into the West and therefore vvee helde our course more Northernely and sayled Northvvest by north vvith an East and South east vvind They past the Equinoctial line The 7. of Iune wee past the Equinoctiall line vvith an East vvinde holding our course North Northvvest The 10. of Iune in the euening we were vnder 5. degrees and a halfe on the North side of the line and then we began again to see the north star which for the space of 2. years we had not seene holding our course North Northwest there we began to haue smal blasts some times calmes but the aire all South and Southeast The 11. of Iune we had a calme and yet a darke sky that came Southeastwarde The 12. of Iune wee had a close sky with raine and the same day about euening our fore top maste fell downe The 13. we strake all our sailes and mended our ship The 14. we had the wind Northward holding our course West Northwest as neare as we coulde but by reason of the thick sky wee could not take height of the Sun The 15. of Iune we had the wind North North Northwest The 16. of Iune wee had the height of 9. degrees 10. minutes the winde being Northeast and North Northeast The 17. the winde was Northeast with fair weather we held Northwest northwest by North till after noone They tooke a great fish The 18. we tooke a great fish called an Aluercoor which serued vs all for 2. meals which wee had not tasted of long time before The 26. we had still a north-Northeast winde and sometimes larger holding our course North Northwest with large saile and were vnder 17. degrees and ½ The same day there came much dust flying into our shippe as if we had past hard by some sandie downe we gest the nearest land to vs might be the Island of S. Anthony and wee were as then at the least 40. or 50. miles from it The same day likewise there came a flying fish into our shippe which we eat The 28. of Iune wee had the height of 20. degrees with a East Northeast wind East and by West with full sayle there we saw much Sargosse driuing on the water The last of Iune we had the Sun right ouer our heades and yet we felt no heat for that by reason of the cold ayre we had a fine coole weather The same day we passed Tropicus Cancri still hauing the winde East Northeast and in the euening we were vnder 24. degr The second of Iuly we still saw Sargosse driuing vpon the water had the wind somewhat lower North Northeast with a calme The thirde of Iuly the winde came againe East Northeast and wee helde our course North and by West The 8. of Iuly wee were vnder 33. degrees ½ with an East wind holding our course North and by East and yet we saw much Sargosse driuing but not so thicke as it did before The 10. of Iuly we had a good wind that blew south and South and by East and hoysted vp our maine tops that for the space of 26. daies were neuer touched and held our course North Northeast there we were in no little feare to fall among the Spanish fleet which at that time of the yeare keepeth about the Flemmish Islands The same day one of our boyes fell ouer bord and was carried away with a swift streame before the wind but to his great good fortune the Pinace saued him that was at the least a quarter of a mile from vs this euening we found the height of 36. degrees The 12. of Iuly we had a Southwest wind holding our course Northeast and by North Our Pilot and the Pilot of the Pinnace differed a degree in the height of the Sunne for ours had 38. degrees and theirs but 37. We gest to be about the Islands of Corbo Flores but the one held more easterly and the other more Westerly The 13. of Iuly wee had still a Southwest winde and after noone wee thought wee had seene land but we were not assured thereof for it was somewhat close The 14. of Iuly we had a calme and saw no land and then our men began to be sicke The 17. of Iuly wee had a South Southeast winde with faire weather and were vnder 41. degrees holding our course East Northeast The 18. 19. 20. and 21. it was calme The 22. of Iuly the winde came North and wee helde our course East Southeast The 23. of Iuly the wind was North North east and Northeast and we held as near as we could East East Southeast the same day our steward found a barrell of stockfish in the roming which if we had beene at home we would haue cast it on the dunghil it stunke so filthily yet we eat it as sauerly as the best meat in the world The 24. we had a West wind that with so strong a gale that wee were forced to set two men at helme which pleased vs well The 25. of Iuly we had a storme that blew West and west Northwest so that we bare but two sailes holding our course Northeast and by East The first of August we were vnder 45. degrees with a North west wind holding our course
Barles of Disbon With an East and North East wind the 17. of Aprill they discouered two of the Islands of Canaries The 19. Palm and Pic Los Romeros and Fero The 25. of Aprill they saw Bona visita the 16. they ankered vnder Isole de May The 27. they set sayle againe and held their course South Southeast The 4. of May we espied two of the King of Spaines ships that came from Lisbone and went for the East Indies about 1000. or 1200. tunnes each ship with whom we spake and told them that we were bound for the straights of Magellanes but being better of sayle then they wee got presently out of their sight The 12. of May being vnder fiue degrees on this side the Equinoctiall line we espyed fiue ships laden with Sugar comming from the Island of S. Thomas and sayled for Lisbone to whome we gaue certaine letters which were safely deliuered in Holland Departing from them and keeping on our course vpon the fourth of Iune we passed the Equinoctial line where the extreame heat of the ayre spoyled all our victuailes Their victuailes stunke and spoyled Our flesh and fishe stunke our Bisket molded our Beere sowred our water stunke and our Butter became as thinne as Oyle whereby diuers of our men fell sicke and many of them dyed but after that we learned what meat and drinke we should carrie with vs that would keepe good They passed the sandes of Brasilia The 28. of Iune wee passed the sandes of Brasill by the Portingalles called Abrolhos which are certaine places which men must looke warely vnto otherwise they are very dangerous AFRICA These sandes lie vnder 18. degrees and you must passe betweene the coast of Guine and the sandes aforesaid not going too neer eyther of them otherwise close by the Coast there are great calmes thunders raines lightnings with great stormes harde by the sands men are in daunger to be cast away and so sayling on their course first East South east then East and East and by North. Vpon the seconde of Iuly wee passed Tropicus Cancri vnder 23. degrees and ½ The 13. of the same Month we espied many blacke birdes Tokens of the Cape de bona Sperance The 19. great numbers of white birdes and the 20. a bird as bigge as a Swan whereof foure or fiue together is a good signe of being neere the Cape de bona Sperance These birdes are alwaies about the said Cape and are good signes of being before it They entred into Agne Sambras The second of August we saw the land of the Cape de bona Sperance and the fourth of the same Month we entered into a hauen called Agne Sambras where wee ankered and found good depth at 8. or 9. fadome water sandy ground The 5. day we went on shore to gather fruite therewith to refresh our sicke men that were thirty or 33. in one shippe In this bay lyeth a smal Islande wherein are many birdes called Pyncuius and sea Wolues that are taken with mens handes we went into the countrey and spake with the inhabitantes who brought diuers fresh victuailes aborde our shippes for a knife or small peece of Iron c. giuing vs an Oxe or a sheepe c. The sheepe in those Countries haue great tayles and are fat and delicate Their Oxen are indifferent good hauing lumps of flesh vpon their backes that are as fat as any of our good brisket beefe the inhabitantes are of small stature well ioynted and boned they goe naked couering their members with Foxes and other beastes tayles they seeme cruell yet with vs they vsed all kind of friendship but are very beastly and stinking in such sort that you may smell them in the wind at the least a fadome from you They are apparrelled with beastes skinnes made fast about their neckes some of them being of the better sort had their mantles cut raysed checkerwise which is a great ornament with them They eate raw flesh as it is new killed and the entrailes of beastes without washing or making cleane gnawing it like dogs vnder their feet they tye peeces of beastes skinnes in steed of shooes that they may trauel in the hard wayes We could not see their habitations for wee saw no houses they had neither could wee vnderstande them for they speake very strangely much like the children in our Countrey with their pipes and clocking like Turkey Cockes At the first wee saw about thirtie of them with weapons like pikes with broade heades of Iron about their armes they ware ringes of Elpen bones There wee coulde finde neyther Oringes nor Lemons which we purposely sought for I.S. Laurentij With what wind they sailed to S. Laurence The 11. of August we hoysed anker sayling towards the Island of S. Laurence and the 22. of the same Month we had a contrary wind that blew North east The 25. a West winde and so held our course East North east The 28. there blew a south east wind the 30. a south west winde and our course lay North North east to sayle to the Isle of S. Laurence The first of September wee discouered the point of the Islande of S. Laurence vnder 16. degrees and the third day we saw the Island being very desirous to go on land for that many of our men were sicke whereby wee coulde hardly rule our shippes or bring them farther without healing or refreshing of our men They had great store of fish for 2 or 3. kniues The 9. of September Iohn Schellinger sent out his boate to rowe to lande where they founde three Fishermen of whome for two or three kniues they had great store of fishes The 13. we entred into a small Bay but because wee founde no good anker ground as also being very foule we sayled out againe The 14. we sayled vnder a small Island about a mile or 2. great by the Hollanders called their Church yarde or the dead Island because many saylers dying in that place were buried in the African earth and the 29. of the same Month died Iohn Dignumsz Mayster of the Lyon of Holland and was buried the next day after There Iohn Peters of Delft Sayler of the Hollandia Koelken van Maidenblick of the Amsterdam were set on shore vpon the Island of S. Laurence where they were left because they had committed certaine notorious crimes Meane time the Pinnace was sent out to looke for fresh water which hauing found the boat returned to bring vs newes and therewith the fleete sayled thither and the 10. of October the shippes ankered before the Riuer and went on shore where we found good prouision of all necessaries the inhabitantes being very willing thereunto bringing vs of al things that we needed where for a Pewter Spoone wee had an Oxe or three sheepe How the wilde men assailed thē and forced them to insconce thēselues The 11. of October we went on shore with a boatfull of sicke
THE DESCRIPTION of a voyage made by certaine Ships of Holland into the East INDIES With their aduentures and successe Together With the description of the Countries Townes and inhabitantes of the same Who set forth on the second of Aprill 1595. and returned on the 14. of August 1597. Translated out of Dutch into English by W. P. LONDON Imprinted by Iohn Wolfe 1598. To the right worshipfull Sir James Scudamore Knight RIght worshipfull this small treatie written in Dutch shewing a late voyage performed by certain Hollanders to the Islandes of Iaua part of the East Indies falling into my handes and in my iudgement deseruing no lesse commendation then those of our Countrey men as Captaine Raimond in the Penelope Maister Foxcroft in the Marchant Royall and M. Iames Lancaster in the Edward Bonauenture vnto the said East Indies by the Cape de Bona Sperance in Anno 1591. as also M. Iohn Newbery and Raphael Fich ouer land through Siria from Aleppo vnto Ormus and Goa and by the said Raphael Fich himselfe to Bengala Malacca Pegu and other places in Anno 1583. as at large appeareth in a booke written by M. Richard Haclute a Gentleman very studious therein entituled the English voyages I thought it not vnconuenient to translate the same into our mother tongue thereby to procure more light and encouragement to such as are desirous to trauell those Countries for the common wealth and commoditie of this Realme and themselues And knowing that all men are not like affected I was so bold to shrowd it vnder your worships protection as being assured of your good disposition to the fauouring of trauell and trauellers and whereby it hath pleased God to aduance you to that honourable title which at this present you beare and so not fitter for the protection of any then your selfe and as a poore friend wishing all happines and prosperity in all your valiant actions Which if it please your worshippe to like and accept it may procure the proceeding in a more large and ample discourse of an East Indian voyage lately performed and set forth by one Iohn Hughen of Linschoten to your further delight Wherewith crauing your fauor beseeching God to blesse your worship with my good Ladie your wife I most humbly take my leaue This 16. of Ianuarie 1597. Your Worships to commaunde W. Phillip To the Bayliefes Burghemaisters Counsell of the Towne of Middelborgh in Zeelande IT may well bee thought Right worshipfull as many learned men are of opinion that the actions and aduentures of the ancients long since done performed haue beene set forth with more show of wonder and strangenesse then they in truth deserued the reason as I think was because that in those daies there were many learned and wise men who in their writings sought by all meanes they could to excell each other touching the description of Countries nations And againe to the contrarie for want of good Historiographers and writers many famous actes and trauels of diuers nations and Countries lie hidden and in a manner buried vnder ground as wholly forgotten and vnknowne vnlesse it were such as the Grecians and Romanes for their owne glories and aduantages thought good to declare But to come to the matter of voyages by sea it is euident to all the world what voyage Iason with certaine yong Grecian Princes made to Colchos in the Oriental Countries to winne the golden Fleece as also the trauels by Hercules performed into Libia in the West partes to winne the Aurea Mala or golden apples of Hesperides which notwithstanding neither for length daunger nor profite are any thing comparable to the nauigations and voyages that of late within the space of one hundreth years haue been performed made into the East West Indies whereby in a manner there is not one hauen on the sea coast nor any point of land in the whole world but hath in time beene sought and founde out I will not at this present dispute or make an argument whether the Countries and nations of late yeares found out and discouered were knowne to the auncients but this is most certaine that not any strange worke or aduenture was or euer shall be performed but by the speciall grace fauour and mightie hand of God and that such are worthy perpetual memory as with noble minds haue sought to effect and be the first enterprisers thereof and with most valiant courages and wisedomes haue performed such long dangerous voyages into the East and West Indies as also such Kinges and Princes as with their Princely liberalities haue imployed their treasures shippes men and munitions to the furtherance and performance of so worthy actes which notwithstanding in the end turned to their great aduancementes and inriching with great treasures which by those meanes they haue drawn caused in great aboundance to be brought from thence in such manner that the King of Spaine nowe liuing hauing both the Indies in his possession reaping the abundant treasures which yearly are brought out of those countries hath not only although couertly sought all the means he could to bring all Christendome vnder his dominion but also that which no King or country whatsoeuer although of greater might then he hath euer done hee is not ashamed to vse this posie Necspe nec metu And although the first founders and discouerers of those Countries haue alwayes sought to hinder and intercept other nations from hauing any part of their glorie yet hereby all nations indifferent persons may well know and perceiue the speciall policie and valour of these vnited Prouinces in trauelling into both the Indies in the faces to the great griefe of their many and mighty enemies Wherby it is to be hoped that if they continue in their enterprises begun they will not onely draw the most part of the Indian treasures into these Countries but thereby disinherite spoyle the Countrie of Spayne of her principall reuenewes and treasures of marchandises and trafiques which she continually vseth and receyueth out of these countries and out of Spayne are sent into the Indies and so put the King of Spaine himselfe in minde of his foolish deuise which hee vseth for a posie touching the new world which is Non sufficit orbis like a second Alexander magnus desiring to rule ouer all the world as it is manifestly knowne And because this discription is fallen into my handes wherein is contayned the first voyage of the Low-country men into the East Indies with the aduentures happened vnto them set downe and iustified by such as were present in the voyage I thought it good to put it in print with many pictures and cardes whereby the reader may the easilier perceyue and discerne the natures apparels and fashions of those Countries and people as also the manner of their shippes together with the fruitfulnesse and great aboundance of the same hoping that this my labour will not onely be acceptable vnto all Marchants and Saylers
vnder sayle sent our Pinace with sixe and twentie men in her to fetch it in which the Iauan shippe perceyuing fledde behinde an Islande where our Pinace followed him so fast that shee fell a grounde which the townes men perceyuing made them readie with foure and twentie boates full of men all armed after their manner and set forwarde in good order being diuided in two companies seuen on starre bord 17. on lardde bord of the Pinace in order like a halfe Moone threatning vs with their speares they thought by reason of their great number of men that they had already taken it but it fell out otherwise for they in the Pinace perceyuing them comming shotte among them and they were so near vnto her that we could not shoot at them and when they were harde by the Pinace shee gotte a flote as they thought to take her hauing cast out an anker in good time and thereby wounde themselues off the grounde but for haste they were forced to cutte their Cable because they had not time enough to winde it vppe and with all they shotte one of their boates vnder water The Pinace drawing her boate after her the Iauans presently leapt into it and cutte a sunder the roape that helde it which they immediately stole from vs thrusting vvith their Speares in at the loope holes Seuen of their Boates being round about vs were so sharpely paid with the iron peeces stone peeces and Caliuers that the 17 others durst not come so neere vs I thinke there were at the least 100. of them that neuer carryed newes how they sped in that skirmish for euery boate had at the least 60. men in it and they were so thicke in them that they could not help themselues nor did any thing els but shake their speares and they shot but one base their arrowes hurt vs not and so the Pinace returned againe vnto our shippes sayling close before the towne and shooting into it with her ordinance They shot out of the towne but it hit her not because they shot with stone pellets wherewith you cannot shoote so certainly as with iron bullets The 8. 9. and 10. of September we had letters from our men out of Bantam by the which they willed vs not to shoot any more for that the Gouernour threatned to set them vpon stakes Houtman wrote they were in good hope that they shoulde bee put to raunsome which wee counselled them to doe as well as they might The contents of the Gouernors letter The 11. of September we had a letter from Houtman and one from the Gouernour wherein hee wrote that he would set our men at libertie so we would be quiet but if we desired warre he woulde once againe come and visite vs in another sort wee aunswered him that there he should find vs that wordes were but wind that he should set our men at a reasonable ransome and thereof send vs an answere the next day The 12. and 13. of September wee had no answere out of the towne and we had want of water and could get none thereabouts but that which came out of the towne for that the Gouernour had taken order that we should get no water about the towne so that we hoised ankers to go seeke some The 17. of September we came before 3. or 4. Islands which Molenare and Shellenger sayled betweene and for that the streame ranne so strong there they were forced to goe so nigh the shore that they might almost leape on lande whereby they escaped great danger but the other shippe and the Pinace sayled about the Islands and so met with the other two and casting forth their ankers went on shore where wee spake with men that saide they would shew vs where wee shoulde haue water so we would giue them two Caliuers The 18. 19. 20. 23. and 24. we stayed to lade water for it was hard to get and we were forced to keep good watch which done hoysing ankers againe wee sayled towardes Bantam holding our course Eastwarde The 27. we sayled north-Northeast towardes the lande of Iaua maior The 28. setting sayle agayne we kept East Northeast along by the coast of Iaua about noone because of the great streame that runneth in the straight wee were forced to anker and the 30. day wee set sayle againe The first of October in the euening wee came to a great Islande being three miles from the towne and there we ankered finding good clay ground The 2. of October wee had a letter from our men how they were seperated one from the other and kept by the Gentlemen of the towne and their wares parted among them The 3. 4. and 5. when wee were againe before the towne we had other letters that by our comming they were better vsed and hoped to bee set at a reasonable ransome and that they promised that one of our men should come aborde so he would returne againe into towne that shoulde by worde of mouth certifie vs what hope they were in and the cause thereof that we might the better belieue it How the Iaurs vsed our men being prisoners The 6. of October in the night one of our men came aborde and shewed vs what had past when we shotte into the towne how they were seperated and kept close prisoners and cruelly threatned by the Iauers whereby they still expected when they should bee put to death and howe they sought all the meanes they coulde to make them to deny their faith and become Mores but they remayned constant and saide they woulde rather die and that they had by force shauen three of our men after the Morish manner and how the Portingals had sought all the meanes they coulde to buy them for slaues offering money for them that they might sende them to Malacca how they were set at libertie againe might goe where they woulde within the towne and so they hoped all would be well and that they shoulde bee set at libertie for some small ransome and that the Gouernour asked them 3000. Rialles of 8. but they hoped to bring him to 2000. whereat we much reioyced The 8. 9. and 10. of October we passed ouer to make some agreement with them that we might be quiet The 11. of October they agreede vppon a ransome of 2000. Ryalles of eyght and were content that what goodes soeuer we had taken from them wee shoulde keepe as our owne and for our goodes that they had stolen and forcibly taken from our men within the towne The maner of their ransome they would keepe them and so exchange one for the other they likewise were content to quit vs of all our debts that we ought within the towne eyther to the Gouernor or to any other man and that from thence forwarde we should be free and traffique in the towne both to buy and sell when it pleased vs with their good willes as we had done and before we paide our money the towne was