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
men and the next day we were assayled by a company of wild men against whom our weapons little preuayled for they hurt one of our men and tooke all that we had from vs whereby vpon the thirteenth of the same Month wee were forced to insconse ourselues with peeces of wood and braunches of trees making Cabins within our Sconse for that the 15. of October they came againe but then we tooke one and slew another of them The 19. of Nouember our Pilot Claes Ianson was intrapped and murthered by the wild people although we vsed all the means we could to helpe him but they feared no weapons about ten or twelue dayes after we tooke one of them that paide for his death The first of December our men hauing for the most part recouered their healthes were all carryed aborde the ships The maner custome of the wild people in that parte of Madagascar the people are of good condition and goe naked onely with a Cotton cloth before their priuie members and some from their breasts downward Their ornaments are Copper ringes about their armes but Tin rings are more esteemed with them and therefore Tinne with them is good Marchandise Their Oxen haue great lumpes of fat vpon their backes Their sheepes tayles way at the least twelue pound being of an elle long two and twentie inches thick They gaue vs six of those sheepe for a tinne Spoone They dwel in cottages and liue very poorely they feare the noyse of a peece for with one Caliuer you shall make an hundred of them runne away Wee coulde not perceyue any religion they had but after wee were informed that they helde the law of Mahomet for the two boyes that wee tooke from of the land shewed vs their circumcision There we found no fruit of Tambaxiumes but great numbers of Parrats Medicats and Turtle Doues whereof we killed and eat many The second of December we burned our Sconse and fourteene of our men going further into the Islande brought certaine of the countreymen prisoners and being abord our ships taught them what they shoulde doe The thirteenth of December wee hoysed anker minding to holde on our course for the Islands of Iaua for that by reason of the pleasantnesse of the ayre we had in a manner all recouered our healthes we set our course East and by North and East Northeast The nineteenth of the same Month wee were seperated by foule weather the 22. with great ioy we met againe The tenth of Ianuarie Vechter Willemson dyed being a verie honest man and Pilot in Molenaers shippe for whome we were much grieued and the same day we determined to put back againe for the Islande of S. Laurence for as then wee began againe to haue a great scouring among our men and many of them fell sicke The wilde men brought things aborde to comfort them But presently therevpon we espied the Islande of Saint Mary and the next day being arriued there some of the inhabitants came abord out shippes with a basket of Ryce Sugar canes Citrons Lemons Hens whereof we were very glad as being phisicke for vs. The 13. 14. 15. 16. and 17. dayes we were on land where we bought Ryce Hens Sugar-canes Citrons and Lemons in great aboundance and other kinde of fruites to vs vnknowne also good fish and greene Ginger There we tooke a Fish which thirteen men could hardly pull into our shippe and because the Island was little and we had many men wee entred into the Bay of the firme land with our Pinnace where for a string of Beades of small value we had a tunne of Ryce The discription of one of their kings The King came abord our Pinnace to see it was as blacke as a Deuill with two hornes made fast vpon his heade and all his body naked like the rest of the countrey people This Island lyeth about a small mile from Madagascar about 19. degrees Southward from the Equinoctiall line Madagascar or S. Laurence is an Islande belonging to the Countrey of Africa and lyeth Southwarde vnder 26. degrees ending Northwarde vnder 11. degrees by the inhabitants it is called Madagascar by the Portingalles the Islande of S. Laurence because it was discouered on S. Laurence day The riches of this Island is great it aboundeth in Ryce Honnie Waxe Cotton Lemons Cloues c. The inhabitantes are blacke and go naked but the haire vpon their heades is not so much curled as those of the Mosambique they are not ful so blacke The wilde people came on borde their ships and seemed very friendy The 23. of Ianuary we ankered before a Riuer where likewise we had all kind of necessaries and after that we went to lie vnder a small Islande within the same Bay The 25. of Ianuarie there came some of the wild people aborde our ships making signes to haue vs go on land which we did and there we had good Ryce other fruits in great abundance on the left side of the entry of the Riuer lyeth one of their Townes and on the right hand two townes where we had most of our trafique The 26. of Ianuarie wee had interpreters whom we made to drink wine wherewith they were as drunk as beastes The manner condition of the people inhabiting in the great Bay of Antogil on this side the Equinoctiall line vnder 16. degrees on the South side of the Island Madagascar IT is a very great Bay about ten mile broade behind it lyeth a high Island and three small Islands there is good harbour against all windes The Island is inhabited and therein groweth all kindes of fruites it hath a great fall of water that commeth down out of the hilles where we laded all our water and halfe a mile from thence within the land there runneth a great Riuer wherein likewise there is much water to be had when you enter into the Riuer about a quarter of a mile inward on the left hand ther is a smal towne or village not closed nor fortified in it there is about 200. houses on the right hand where the Riuer diuideth it selfe there is two other such Townes They were all compassed with palles and the houses were placed about two foote aboue the ground vpon foure or fiue palles or stakes of wood and all the vpper partes of reede and strawe Why their houses stand so high aboue the earth The cause why their houses are made so high from the ground is to auoide the danger of venemous beastes that are there in great aboundance as Serpents Snakes Camelions and other kindes of beastes The maner of the wilde men in that countrey The people are very blacke but their hayre and beardes are not so much curled as the right Mores nor their noses nor lippes so great nor flat They are subtill and strong people much addicted to drinking for they will bee as drunke as Swine with a kind of drinke made of Honie Ryce
They go naked onely that about their midles they weare a cloth made of the barke of a tree drawne in small threedes they make and vse very fine Mats to sitte vppon They haue no great store of weapons for that halfe of them are vnprouided and that they vse is a speare of nine or ten foote long with a great wooden Target They are very fearefull of our Caliuers for 5. or sixe men with Caliuers will cause great numbers of them to flie away We taught them what our Peeces ment for wee perceyued that they knew them not before they had proued them at the first they thought they coulde carry no further then their owne lengthes for they knew not what they were Their Kinges ornamentes were ten or twelue Copper Rings about his armes if we had had such Ringes with vs wee might haue sold them at what prices wee woulde They likewise vse beades of Glasse which they weare about their armes and neckes by them esteemed for great ornaments for a boxe of beades of small value we had an Oxe or three or foure Sheepe rounde about this Bay are townes and villages where you may haue of all things to refresh your selues Lemons and Citrons are there greater and better then in Portingall Likewise Oringes Ryce Hennes Goats Honie and many other sortes of fruites and to conclude it is the best Bay in all the world to refresh ships Being on land we were wel entertayned and must of force drink with them of their drinke made of Hony and Ryce There we trafiqued with them and had sufficient of euery thing but euery night we went aborde our shippes The third of February we had so great a storme that most of our ankers were lost and we ran vpon the land in great daunger to cast our ships away but God holpe vs for the storme ceased and then we went to hoyse vp our lost ankers and so againe went to anker vnder the Island glad that we had so well escaped that daunger The fift of February we went to seeke for our boats but the wild men had smitten them in peeces taken out the nailes thinking likewise that our shippes woulde haue beene cast away vpon the shore which they still expected and when we came thither they stood vpon the shore with their weapons in hand and threw stones at vs and we perceyuing them in that minde made towardes our shippes for we desired not to reuenge our selues nor once to fight with them without commission from our Generall whom we certified thereof The eyght of February we rowed into the Riuer to buy cattle and other things but they were become our enemies threatning and casting stones at vs wherevpon we put out two shalops to run a shore close to the land and made our Caliuers and other weapons ready SVMATRA INSVLA The 12. of Februarie wee hoised anker and set sayle out of the great Bay of Antongil being well prouided of all necessaries we put out with a North wind the Bay stretching Northeast and Southwest The 2. of March we had a West winde our course being East and East by North towards Iaua In March and Aprill about the Islande of Brandawe we found that our Compasses helde two Strikes to farre Northwarde and we coulde not perceiue the sands that are set downe in the Portingalles sea Cards but we saw many turnings of streames and we were much troubled with calmes but with the new Moone we had winde enough out of the West North west The 27. of May we found the water abord our shippes to bee much lessened and therefore euery mans portion was but halfe as much as he was wont to haue so that each man was allowed but foure draughts euery day which was but a small quantitie Whereby through the extreame heat we endured great thirst so that at that time a draught of water abord our ship was worth a Riall of 8. The first of Iuly we saw the Islande of Emgano whereat we much reioyced because of the great thirst wee endured in our shippe and when wee made neerer to it we perceyued it to be an Islande lying before the straightes of Sonda vnder 9. degrees on the south side of the line The sixt of Iuly we put somewhat nearer to the land and there we saw sixe or seuen canes lying vnder the shore but farre off and durst not make toward vs in the end we manned out a shalop rowed to land but they made from vs when our men were hard by the shore there we saw about 40. or 50. of them standing vpon the shore with their bowes wherewith our men durst not land for they seemed to be a cruell kind of people and altogether wild for they went all naked not hauing any thing before their priuy members They were of a reddish colour but when our men saw no aduantage they turned again vnto their shippes The seuenth of Iuly we saw the point of the land of Sumatra which is a verie high land descending downewarde with a long end The 11. of the same Month we were close vnder the land where there lay an Island and there we ankered The 12. of Iuly in the morning we saw certaine ships whereof one came vnto vs wee rowed vnto it with a shalop and spake with it but we could not vnderstand them but they shewed vs where we should haue water which made vs glad that wee might once againe haue our bellies full of water it being almost foure Monthes that wee had not seene any land nor taken in any fresh victuailes We sent our Pinace to the firme land of Sumatra there to seeke for some reliefe for that where we lay there dwelt not any man The maner of the Gouernor of Sumatras comming on bord The 13. of Iuly the Captain or principall ruler of Sumatra came abord our ships to see them which was done with great solemnitie hee being apparelled after the Turkish manner with a wreath about his heade and a fearefull countenance small eyes great eye browes and little beard for a man might tell all the haires vpon his chinne he brought vs a present of Betele which are leaues which they continually chaw and eat it with chalke This Island of Sumatra or Taprobana as it is saide is the greatest of all the Orientall Islandes it is diuided from the firme land of Malacca by a straight and dangerous sea by reason of many Islandes and cliffes that are within it Out of this Island as some men are of opinion Salomon had his Gold wherewith he beautified the Temple and his owne pallace and then in the Bible it should be named Orphir for certainly Sumatra is rich of mynes of Golde Siluer and Mettall and the inhabitants therof are very expert in melting of brasse peeces Therein is a fountaine of pure Balsame the Portingalles haue no fortresse therein yet they traffique in certaine hauens specially in Pedir and Campar There is also in this Island a place
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 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 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
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 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
The situation of Iaua There we found that Iaua is not so broade nor stretcheth it selfe not so much Southwarde as it is set dovvne in the Carde for if it were we should haue passed clean through the middle of the land The 22. of March the winde helde as it did being vnder 19. degrees holding our course West South west The 19. of April our ship had no more bread left but for our last partition euery man had seuen pound both good and badde breade and from that time forwarde our meate was Rice sodden in water and euery man had a canne of water euery day with three romers of wine and weekely each man three romers or glasses of oyle and that very strong and nothing els The 20. we had a calme the 21. a calme with a Northerne aire The 23. a good wind that blew Southwest The 24. we saw the firme lande of Aethiopia being vnder 33 degrees and as wee gessed wee were then about an hundred miles from the Cape de bona Sperance yet we thought we had been at the least three hundred miles from it so that wee may say that God wrought wonderfully for vs for that if wee had fallen by night vpon the land we had surely runne vpon it wee had a good winde out of the West and West Southwest The 25. of Aprill in the morning wee had a calme with a very hollow water at euening we had a good winde that came North and Northeast and although wee had so good a vvind yet our shippe bare but little sayle although the other two shippes of our company were at the least two mile before vs for most part of the night wee sayled with our schouer saile holding our course Southwest by West The 26. of Aprill in the morning we coulde not see our shippes which pleased not our men besides that our shippe was very weake whereby her ribs shoke and her ioynts with the force of the water opened and shut so that as then our shippe was very leake hauing the winde Northwest holding our course as neere as wee could West Southwest and then we put out our maine sayles at noone the winde came West with a great storme so that most of our sayles blew in peeces and so wee draue forward with out sayles The 27. of Aprill still driuing without sayle with a West winde wee were vnder thirty sixe degrees so that we found that the streame draue vs South South West The 28. of Aprill still driuing without sailes we had the height of 36. degrees and 20. minutes and about euening we hoised saile againe the winde being West Southwest we held our course Northwest with very hollow water The 29. of April we could not as yet see our shippes the wind being West The 30. of Aprill we had fayre weather with a West and west South west wind and then we saw many great birdes with white billes which is a signe not to bee far from the Cape de bona Sperance we likewise saw certain small birdes speckled on their backes and white vpon their breasts The first of May wee had a South vvinde with fayre weather hauing 34. degrees and a halfe holding our course West Southwest The seconde of May wee vvere vnder 35. degrees and ½ holding our course West and West and by North. The fourth of May we found our selues to be vnder 37. degrees South South east winde our course being West and by North and West North west The 5. and 6. of May we had all one winde at noone being vnder 35. degrees wee thought wee had past the Cape and held our course Northwest towardes Saint Helena still without sight of our ships The 8. of May with a South wind wee helde North West and by West Signes of the Cape de bona Speranza The 9. we had a calme with a gray sky and were vnder 31. degrees and twentie minutes and then our portion of oyle was increased a glasse more euery weeke so that euery man had foure glasses The 10. we had stil south winds were vnder 29. deg The 14. of Aprill twice or thrice we saw reedes called Trombos driuing on the water being such as driue about the Cape de bona Speranza which wee thought verie strange for that the Portingals write that they are seene but thirtie myles from the Cape and wee gest our selues to be at the least 200. beyond it The 15. we still had a South east wind helde our course Northwest The 16. of Aprill in the morning we saw two ships whereat we much reioyced thinking they had beene our companie we made to leewarde of them and the smallest of them comming somewhat neere vs about the length of the shotte of a great peece shee made presently toward her fellow whereby we perceiued them to bee French men yet wee kept to leeward thinking they would haue come spoken with vs but it should seeme they feared vs and durst not come but held their course Northeast at noone we had the height of 22. degrees and 50. minutes with a Southeast wind holding our course Northwest The 17. of May wee were vnder 21. degrees and a halfe the 18. the wind being Southerly we vvere vnder 19. degrees and a halfe The 19. and 20. we had a calme with a Southern are SANCTA HELENA The 21. the ayre comming Southwest we held our course Northwest and were vnder 17. degrees and ⅔ partes There we found the compasse to decline three quarters of a strike or line North eastward after noone we had a Southeast wind and our course West Northwest The 22. of May we had still a Southeast winde and were vnder the height of 16. degrees and 40. minutes holding our course West Northwest The 23. of May by reason of the cloudy sky about noone we could not take the height of the Sunne but as we gest we had the height of the Island of S. Helena and held our course West and by South to keepe vnder that height for there the compasses decline a whole strike or line in the euening we found that we were vnder 16. degrees The 24. of May in the morning wee discouered a Portingall ship that stayed for vs and put out a flagge of truce and because our flagge of truce was not so readie as theirs and we hauing the wind of him therefore he shot two shootes at vs and put forth a flagge out of his maine top and we shot 5. or 6. times at him and so held on our course without speaking to him hauing a South east winde holding our course West and by South to find the Island of S. Helena which the Portingal likewise sought The 25. of May we discouered the Island of S. Helena but we could not see the Portingal ship still sayling with a stiffe Southeast wind about euening we were vnder the Island which is very high lande and may be seene at the least 14. or 15. miles off and as