diff options
Diffstat (limited to 'old/13287-8.txt')
| -rw-r--r-- | old/13287-8.txt | 21102 |
1 files changed, 21102 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/old/13287-8.txt b/old/13287-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..3ba4c33 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/13287-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,21102 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of A General History and Collection of Voyages +and Travels, Volume VII, by Robert Kerr + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels, Volume VII + +Author: Robert Kerr + +Release Date: August 25, 2004 [EBook #13287] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK VOYAGES AND TRAVELS, VOLUME VII *** + + + + +Produced by Robert Connal, Graeme Mackreth and PG Distributed +Proofreaders. This file was produced from images generously made +available by the Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions. + + + + + + +A GENERAL HISTORY AND COLLECTION OF VOYAGES AND TRAVELS. + +ARRANGED IN SYSTEMATIC ORDER: + +FORMING A COMPLETE HISTORY OF THE ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF NAVIGATION, +DISCOVERY, AND COMMERCE, BY SEA AND LAND, FROM THE EARLIEST AGES TO THE +PRESENT TIME. + +BY ROBERT KERR, F.R.S. & F.A.S. EDIN. + +ILLUSTRATED BY MAPS AND CHARTS. + +VOL. VII. + +MDCCCXXIV. + + + + +CONTENTS OF VOL. VII. + +PART II. BOOK III. CONTINUED. + +CHAP. IV. Continued. + +SECT. XIII. Account of an expedition of the Portuguese from India to +Madagascar in 1613. + +XIV. Continuation of the transactions of the Portuguese in India, from +1617 to 1640: and the conclusion of the Portuguese Asia of Manuel de +Faria. + +XV. Occurrences in Pegu, Martavan, Pram, Siam, and other places. + +XVI. A short account of the Portuguese possessions between the Cape of +Good Hope and China. + +CHAP. V. Voyages and Travels in Egypt, Syria, Arabia, Persia, and India. +By Ludovico Verthema, in 1503. + +Introduction + +SECT. I Of the Navigation from Venice to Alexandria in Egypt, and from +thence to Damascus in Syria. + +II. Of the City of Damascus. + +CHAP. V. SECT. III. Of the Journey from Damascus to Mecca, and of the +Manners of the Arabians. + +IV. Observations of the Author during his residence at Mecca. + +V. Adventures of the Author in various parts of Arabia Felix, or Yemen. + +VI. Observations of the Author relative to some parts of Persia. + +VII. Observations of the Author on various parts of India. + +VIII. Account of the famous City and Kingdom of Calicut. + +IX. Observations on various parts of India. + +X. Continuation of the Authors Adventures, after his return to Calicut. + +XI. Account of a memorable Battle between the Mahometan Navy of Calicut +and the Portuguese. + +XII. Navigation of the Author to Ethiopia, and return to Europe by Sea. + +CHAP. VI. Voyages and Travels of Cesar Frederick in India. + +Introduction + +SECT. I. Voyage from Venice to Bir in Asia Minor. + +II. Of Feluchia and Babylon. + +III. Of Basora. + +IV. Of Ormuz. + +V. Of Goa, Diu, and Cambaya. + +VI. Of Damann, Bassen, Tana, Chaul, and some other places. + +VII. Of Goa. + +VIII. Of the City of Bijanagur. + +IX. Of Cochin. + +X. Of the Pearl Fishery in the Gulf of Manaar. + +XI. Of the Island of Ceylon. + +XII. Of Negapatam. + +XIII. Of Saint Thome and other places. + +XIV. Of the Island of Sumatra and the City of Malacca. + +XV. Of the City of Siam. + +XVI. Of the Kingdom of Orissa and the River Ganges. + +XVII. Of Tanasserim and other places. + +Sect. XVIII. Of Martaban and the Kingdom of Pegu. + +XIX. Voyages of the Author to different parts of India. + +XX. Some Account of the Commodities of India. + +XXI. Return of the Author to Europe. + + +CHAP. VII. Early English Voyages to Guinea, and other parts of the West +Coast of Africa. + +Introduction. + +SECT. I. Second Voyage of the English to Barbary, in the year 1552, by +Captain Thomas Windham. + +II. A Voyage from England to Guinea and Benin in 1553, by Captain +Windham and Antonio Anes Pinteado. + +III. Voyage to Guinea, in 1554, by Captain John Lok. + +IV. Voyage to Guinea in 1555, by William Towerson, Merchant of London. + +V. Second Voyage to Guinea in 1556, by William Towerson. + +VI. Third Voyage of William Towerson to Guinea in 1558. + +VII. Notices of an intended Voyage to Guinea, in 1561. + +VIII. Voyage to Guinea in 1562, written by William Rutter. + +IX. Supplementary Account of the foregoing Voyage. + +X. Voyage to Guinea in 1563 by Robert Baker. + +XI. A Voyage to Guinea in 1564, by Captain David Carlet. + +XII. A Voyage to Guinea and the Cape de Verd Islands in 1566, by George +Fenner. + +XIII. Embassy of Mr Edmund Hogan to Morocco in 1577, written by himself. + +XIV. Embassy of Henry Roberts from Queen Elizabeth to Morocco, in 1585, +written by himself. + +SECT. XV. Voyage to Benin beyond Guinea in 1588, by James Welsh. + +XVI. Supplement to the foregoing Voyage, in a Letter from Anthony Ingram +the chief factor, written from Plymouth to the Owners, dated 9th +September, the day of arriving at Plymouth. + +XVII. Second Voyage of James Welsh to Benin, in 1590. + +VIII. Voyage of Richard Rainolds and Thomas Dassel to the Rivers Senegal +and Gambia adjoining to Guinea, in 1591. + +CHAP. VIII. Some miscellaneous early Voyages of the English. + +Introduction. + +SECT. I. Gallant escape of the Primrose from Bilboa in Spain, in 1585. + +II. Voyage of Sir Francis Drake, in 1585, to the West Indies. + +III. Cruising Voyage to the Azores by Captain Whiddon, in 1586, written +by John Evesham. + +IV. Brief relation of notable service performed by Sir Francis Drake in +1587. + +V. Brief account of the Expedition of the Spanish Armada in 1588. + +VI. Account of the Relief of a part of the Spanish Armada, at Anstruther +in Scotland, in 1588. + +VII. A cruising Voyage to the Azores in 1589, by the Earl of Cumberland. + +VIII. Valiant Sea Fight by Ten Merchant Ships of London against Twelve +Spanish Gallies, in the Straits of Gibraltar, on the 24th April 1590. + +IX. A valiant Sea Fight in the Straits of Gibraltar, in April 1591, by +the Centurion of London, against five Spanish Gallies. + +X. Sea-Fight near the Azores, between the Revenge man of war, commanded +by Sir Richard Granville, and fifteen Spanish men of war, 31st August +1591. Written by Sir Walter Raleigh. + +SECT. XI. Note of the Fleet of the Indies, expected in Spain this year +1591; with the number that perished, according to the examination of +certain Spaniards, lately taken and brought to England. + +XII. Report of a Cruizing Voyage to the Azores in 1581, by a fleet of +London ships sent with supplies to the Lord Thomas Howard. Written by +Captain Robert Flicke. + +XIII. Exploits of the English in several Expeditions and cruizing +Voyages from 1589 to 1592; extracted from John Huighen van Linschoten. + +XIV. Cruising voyage to the Azores, in 1592, by Sir John Burrough, +knight. + +XV. The taking of two Spanish Ships, laden with quicksilver and the +Popes bulls, in 1592, by Captain Thomas White. + +XVI. Narrative of the Destruction of a great East India Carak in 1584, +written by Captain Nicholas Downton. + +XVII. List of the Royal Navy of England at the demise of Queen +Elizabeth. + + +CHAP IX. Early Voyages of the English to the East Indies, before the +establishment of an exclusive company. + +SECT. I. Voyage to Goa in 1579, in the Portuguese fleet, by Thomas +Stevens. + +Introduction. + +II. Journey to India over-land, by Ralph Fitch, Merchant of London, and +others, in 1583. + +III. Supplement to the Journey of Fitch No. 1.--Letter from Mr John +Newbery to Mr Richard Hakluyt of Oxford, Author of the Voyages, &c. + +No. 2,--Letter from Mr John Newbery to Mr Leonard Poore of London. + +3.--Letter from Mr John Newbery to the same. + +4.--Letter from John Newbery to Messrs John Eldred and William Scales at +Basora. + +5.--Letter from Mr John Newbery to Messrs Eldred and Scales. + +6.--Letter from Mr Newbery to Mr Leonard Poore. + +7.--Letter from Mr Ralph Fitch to Mr Leonard Poore. + +8.--The Report of John Huighen, &c. + +A +GENERAL HISTORY AND COLLECTION +OF VOYAGES AND TRAVELS. + + * * * * * + +PART II. BOOK III. CONTINUED. + + * * * * * + +CONTINUATION OF THE DISCOVERIES AND CONQUESTS OF THE PORTUGUESE IN THE +EAST; TOGETHER WITH SOME ACCOUNT OF THE EARLY VOYAGES Of OTHER EUROPEAN +NATIONS TO INDIA. + + * * * * * + + + + +CHAPTER IV. CONTINUED. + +CONTINUATION OF THE PORTUGUESE TRANSACTIONS IN INDIA, AFTER THE RETURN +OF DON STEPHANO DE GAMA FROM SUEZ IN 1541, TO THE REDUCTION OF PORTUGAL +UNDER THE DOMINION OF SPAIN IN 1581. + + +SECTION XIII. + +_Account of an Expedition of the Portuguese from India to Madagascar in +1613._ + + +Being anxious to find out a considerable number of Portuguese who were +reported to exist in the island of St. Lawrence or Madagascar, having +been cast away at different times on that island, and also desirous of +propagating the ever blessed gospel among its inhabitants, and to +exclude the Hollanders from that island by establishing a friendly +correspondence with the native princes, the viceroy Don Jerome de +Azevedo sent thither, in 1613, a caravel from Goa commanded by Paul +Rodrigues de Costa, accompanied by two Jesuits, some interpreters, and a +competent number of soldiers. This island is about 260 leagues in length +and 600 in circumference[1], its greatest extent being from N.N.E. to +S.S.W. It is 80 leagues from E. to W. where widest, but considerably +less towards the north, where it ends in a point named St Ignatius which +is about 15 leagues from east to west[2]. It may be considered as +divided into three parts. The first or northern portion is divided from +the other two by an imaginary line from east to west at Cape St +Andrew[3]. The other two divisions are formed by a chain of mountains +running nearly south from this line to Cape St Romanus, otherwise Cape +St Mary, but much nearer the east coast than the west. The island is +divided into a great number of kingdoms, but so confusedly and +ill-defined, that it were endless to enumerate them. It is very +populous, the inhabitants having many cities and towns of different +extent and grandeur[4]. The country is fertile and well watered, and +everywhere diversified with mountains, vallies, rivers, bays, and ports. +The natives have no general name for the island, and are entirely +ignorant of those of Madagascar and St Lawrence, which are given to it +by strangers. The general population of the island consists of a nation +called _Buques_, who have no religion and consequently no priests or +places of worship, yet all their youth are circumcised at six or seven +years old, any one performing the operation. The natives are not all of +one colour; some being quite black with crisp or curled hair like +negroes; others not quite so black with lank hair; others again +resembling mulatoes; while some that live in the interior are almost +white, yet have hair of both kinds. They are of large stature, strong +and well made, of clear judgment, and apt to learn. Every man has as +many wives as he pleases or can maintain, turning them off at pleasure, +when they are sure to find other husbands, all of whom buy their wives +from their fathers, by way of repaying the expence of their maintenance +before marriage. Their funeral obsequies consist chiefly in feasting the +guests; and their mourning in laying aside all appearance of joy, and +cutting off their hair or daubing their faces and bodies with clay. +Their government is monarchical, their kings or chiefs being called +_Andias_, _Anrias_, and _Dias_, all independent of each other and almost +continually engaged in war, more for the purpose of plunder than +slaughter or conquest. On the Portuguese going among them, no arms were +found in their possession except a few guns they had procured from the +Moors and Hollanders, which they knew not how to use, and were even +fearful of handling. They have excellent amber[5], white sandal, +tortoises, ebony, sweet woods of various kinds, and abundance of slaves, +with plenty of cattle of all kinds, the flesh of their goats being as +sweet as mutton. The island likewise produces abundance of sea cows, +sea-horses, monkeys, and some say tigers, with a great many snakes which +are not very venomous. It has no elephants, horses, asses, lions, bears, +deer, foxes, nor hares. + +[Footnote 1: Madagascar, between the latitudes of 12° 30' and 35° 45' S. +and the longitudes of 44° and 53° W. from Greenwich, rather exceeds 1000 +statute miles from N.N.W to S.S.E. and is about 220 miles in mean width +from east to west. This island therefore, in a fine climate, capable of +growing all the tropical productions in perfection, and excellently +situated for trade, extends to about 200,000 square miles, or 128 +millions of acres, yet is abandoned entirely to ignorant +barbarians.--E.] + +[Footnote 2: The north end of Madagascar, called the point of St +Ignatius, is 70 miles from east to west, the eastern headland being Cape +Natal or de Ambro, and the western Cape St Sebastian.--E.] + +[3][Footnote 3: 3 Cape Antongil on the east coast is probably here +meant, in lat. 15° 45' S. as at this place the deep bay of Antongil or +Manghabei penetrates about 70 mile inland, and the opposite coast also +is deeply indented by port Massali. It is proper to mention however, +that Cape St Andrew is on the west coast of Madagascar, in lat. 17° 12' +S.--E.] + +[Footnote 4: There may be numerous villages, or collections of huts, in +Madagascar, and some of these may possibly be extensive and populous; +but there certainly never was in that island any place that merited the +name of a city.--E.] + +[Footnote 5: More probably Ambergris thrown on their shores.--E.] + +The first place visited by de Costa on this voyage of discovery was a +large bay near _Masilage_[6] in lat. 16° S. in which there is an island +half a league in circumference containing a town of 8000 inhabitants, +most of them weavers of an excellent kind of stuff made of the +palm-tree. At this place the Moors used to purchase boys who were +carried to Arabia and sold for infamous uses. The king of this place, +named _Samamo_, received the Portuguese in a friendly manner, and +granted leave to preach the gospel among his subjects. Coasting about 40 +leagues south from this place, they came to the mouth of a large river +named _Balue_ or _Baeli_ in about 17° S. and having doubled Cape St +Andrew, they saw the river and kingdom of _Casame_, between the +latitudes of 17° and 18° S. where they found little water and had much +trouble[7]. Here also amity was established with the king, whose name +was Sampilla, a discreet old man; but hitherto they could get no +intelligence of the Portuguese whom they were sent in search of. On +Whitsunday, which happened that year about the middle of May, mass was +said on shore and two crosses erected, at which the king appeared so +much pleased that he engaged to restore them if they happened to fall or +decay. During the holidays they discovered an island in lat. 18° S. to +which they gave the name of Espirito Santo[8], and half a degree farther +they were in some danger from a sand bank 9 leagues long. On Trinity +Sunday, still in danger from sand banks, they anchored at the seven +islands of _Cuerpo de Dios_ or _Corpus Christi_[9] in 19° S. near the +kingdom and river of _Sadia_ to which they came on the 19th of June, +finding scarcely enough of water to float the caravel. This kingdom is +extensive, and its principal _city_ on the banks of the river has about +10,000 inhabitants. The people are black, simple, and good-natured, +having no trade, but have plenty of flesh, maize, tar, tortoises, +sandal, ebony, and sweet woods. The name of the king was _Capilate_, who +was an old man much respected and very honest. He received the +Portuguese kindly, and even sent his son to guide them along the coast. +All along this coast from _Massalage_ to _Sadia_ the natives speak the +same language with the Kafrs on the opposite coast of Africa; while in +all the rest of the island the native language called _Buqua_ is spoken. + +[Footnote 6: On this bay is a town called New Massah to distinguish it +from Old Massah on the bay of Massali, somewhat more than half a degree +farther north. Masialege or Meselage is a town at the bottom of the bay +of Juan Mane de Cuna, about half a degree farther south.--E.] + +[Footnote 7: They were here on the bank of Pracel, which seems alluded +to in the text from the shallowness of the water; though the district +named Casame in the text is not to be found in modern maps--E.] + +[Footnote 8: Probably the island of the bay of St Andrew in 17° 30' is +here meant; at any rate it must be carefully distinguished from Spiritu +Santo, St Esprit, or Holy Ghost Island, one of the Comoros in lat. 15° +S.--E.] + +[Footnote 9: Perhaps those now called _barren isles_ on the west coast, +between lat. 18° 40' and 19° 12' S. The river Sadia of the text may be +that now called _Santiano_ in lat. 19° S.--E.] + +Continuing towards the south they came to the country of the _Buques_, +a poor and barbarous people feeding on the spawn of fish, who are much +oppressed by the kings of the inland tribes. Passing the river +_Mane_[10], that of _Saume_[11] in 20° 15'; _Manoputa_ in 20° 30', where +they first heard of the Portuguese; _Isango_ in 21°; _Terrir_ in 21° +30'; the seven islands of _Elizabeth_ in 22°; they came on the 11th of +July into the port of _St Felix_[12] in 22°, where they heard again of +the Portuguese of whom they were in search, from _Dissamuta_ the king of +that part of the country. On offering a silver chain at this place for +some provisions, the natives gave it to an old woman to examine if it +was genuine, and she informed the Portuguese that at the distance of +three days journey there was an island inhabited a long while before by +a white people dressed like the Portuguese and wearing crosses hanging +from their necks, who lived by rapine and easily took whatever they +wanted, as they were armed with spears and guns, with which information +the Portuguese were much gratified. Continuing their voyage past the bay +of _St Bonaventura_ and the mouth of the river _Massimanga_, they +entered the bay of _Santa Clara_, where _Diamassuto_ came to them and +entered into a treaty of friendship, worshipping the cross on his knees. +They were here told that white people frequented a neighbouring port, +and concluded that they were Hollanders. Going onwards they found banks +of sand not laid down in any chart, and entered a port in lat. 24° S. +The king of this place was named _Diacomena_, and they here learnt that +there were Portuguese on the opposite coast who had been cast away, and +now herded cattle for their subsistence. They said likewise that the +Hollanders had been three times at their port, and had left them four +musketeers with whose assistance they had made war upon their enemies. +On some trees there were several inscriptions, among which were the +following. _Christophorus Neoportus Anglus Cap_. and on another _Dominus +Robertus Scherleius Comes, Legatus Regis Persarum_. + +[Footnote 10: It is singular that the large circular bay of Mansitare in +lat. 19° 30' S. is not named, although probably meant by the river +_Mane_ in the text.--E.] + +[Footnote 11: Now called Ranoumanthe, discharging its waters into the +bay of St Vincents.--E.] + +[Footnote 12: Now Port St James.--E.] + +In the latitude of 25° S. they entered a port which they named St +Augustine[13] in a kingdom called _Vavalinta_, of which a _Buque_ named +_Diamacrinale_ was king, who no sooner saw the Portuguese than he asked +if these were some of the men from the other coast. This confirmed the +stories they had formerly heard respecting the Portuguese, and they were +here informed that the place at which they dwelt was only six days sail +from that place. In September they got sight of Cape _Romain_ or St +_Mary_ the most southern point of Madagascar, where they spent 40 days +in stormy weather, and on St Lukes day, 18th October, they entered the +port of that name in the kingdom of Enseroe. The natives said that there +were white people who wore crosses, only at the distance of half a days +journey, who had a large town, and _Randumana_ the king came on board +the caravel, and sent one of his subjects with a Portuguese to shew him +where these white people dwelt, but the black ran away when only half +way. + +[Footnote 13: In lat. 23° 30' or directly under the tropic of Capricorn, +is a bay now called St Augustine. If that in the text, the latitude 1s +erroneous a degree and a half.--E.] + +Among others of the natives who came to this place to trade with the +Portuguese, was a king named _Bruto Chembanga_ with above 500 fighting +men. His sons were almost white, with long hair, wearing gowns and +breeches of cotton of several colours with silver buttons and bracelets +and several ornaments of gold, set with pearls and coral. The territory +of this king was named _Matacassi_, bordering on _Enseroe_ to the west. +He said that the Portuguese were all dead, who not far from that place +had built a town of stone houses, where they worshipped the cross, on +the foot or pedestal of which were unknown characters. He drew +representations of all these things on the sand, and demanded a high +reward for his intelligence. Some of his people wore crosses, and +informed the Portuguese that there were two ships belonging to the +Hollanders in port _St Lucia_ or _Mangascafe_. In a small island at this +place there was found a _square stone fort_[14], and at the foot of it +the arms of Portugal were carved on a piece of marble, with this +inscription + +REX PORTUGALENSIS O S. + +[Footnote 14: This is unintelligible as it stands in the text. It may +possibly have been a square stone pedestal for one of the crosses of +discovery, that used to be set up by the Portuguese navigators as marks +of possession.--E.] + +Many conjectures were formed to account for the signification of the +circle between the two last letters of this inscription, but nothing +satisfactory could be discovered. King _Chembanga_ requested that a +Portuguese might be sent along with him to his residence, to treat upon +some important affairs, and left his nephew as an hostage for his safe +return. Accordingly the master, Antonio Gonzales, and one of the priests +named Pedro Freyre, were sent; who, at twelve leagues distance, came to +his residence called _Fansaria_, a very populous and magnificent place. +At first he treated them with much kindness, after which he grew cold +towards them, but on making him a considerable present he became +friendly, and even delivered to them his eldest son to be carried to +Goa, desiring that the two Jesuits and four other Portuguese might be +left as hostages, to whom he offered the island of _Santa Cruz_ to live +in. These people are descended from the Moors, and call themselves +_Zelimas_; they have the alcoran in Arabic, and have faquirs who teach +them to read and write; they are circumcised, eat no bacon, and some of +them have several wives. The king said that in the time of his father a +ship of the Portuguese was cast away on this coast, from which about 100 +men escaped on shore, some of whom had their wives along with them, and +the rest married there and left a numerous progeny. He repeated several +of their names, and even showed a book in Portuguese and Latin which had +belonged to them, and some maps; and concluded by saying that there were +more Portuguese on that coast, seven days journey to the north. On +farther inquiry, a man 90 years of age was found, who had known the +Portuguese that were cast away there, and could still remember a few +detached words of their language. + +The Portuguese set all hands to work to build a house and chapel for the +two Jesuits and four Portuguese who were to remain, and when the work +was finished, mass was solemnly said on shore, many of the natives +coming to learn how to make the sign of the cross. One day while the +king was looking on, and saw several men labouring hard to carry a cross +that was meant to be set upon a rock, he went half naked and bareheaded, +and carried it without assistance to the place appointed. The Portuguese +might well say they had found another emperor Heraclius; for after this +pious act of gigantic strength, he became very wicked; for being ready +to sail, De Costa demanded that the king's son who had been promised +should be sent, but he denied having ever made any such promise, and +offered a slave. On this the captain sent the master and pilot with some +men to enforce the demand, and safe conduct for some Portuguese to go to +port _St Lucia_ to see an inscription said by the natives to be at that +place. The peace was thus broken, and a party of Portuguese soldiers was +sent armed against the king, who endeavoured to resist, and the king's +son, a youth of eleven years of age was brought away, the natives being +unable to contend against fire-arms. Several messages were sent offering +a high ransom for the boy; but on being told by the captain that he +would lose his head if he did not carry him to the viceroy, they went +away much grieved. This happened about the end of 1613; and towards the +middle of 1614, de Costa arrived safe at Goa with the boy, whom the +viceroy caused to be instructed in Christianity by the jesuits, and +stood god-father at his baptism on St Andrews day, when he was named +Andrew Azevedo. + +The viceroy treated him with much honour and magnificence, in hopes that +when he succeeded to his father, he might encourage the propagation of +the gospel in Madagascar; and when he was supposed to be sufficiently +instructed, he was sent away, accompanied by four Jesuits. On this +occasion a pink and caravel were sent to Madagascar, commanded by Pedro +de Almeyda Cabral, and Juan Cardoso de Pina, who sailed from Goa on the +17th of September 1616. On the 20th of March 1617, they discovered a +most delightful island, watered with pure springs, and producing many +unknown plants besides others already known, both aromatic and +medicinal. To this island, in which were two mountains which overtopped +the clouds, they gave the name of _Isola del Cisne_ or swan island, and +on it the jesuits planted some crosses and left inscriptions +commemorative of the discovery[15]. The wreck of two ships of the +Hollanders were found on this island. On the arrival of the two +Portuguese ships in the port of St Lucia in Madagascar, the king and +queen of _Matacassi_ received their son with the strongest +demonstrations of joy, and gave back the hostages left on taking him +away. The four jesuits with six soldiers accompanied the young prince +to his father's court at _Fansaria_, where, and at every place through +which he passed, he was received with demonstrations of joy, which to +the Portuguese seemed ridiculous, as no doubt those used by the +Portuguese on similar occasions would have appeared to them. The king +made a similar agreement with the two commanders on this voyage with +that formerly made with De Costa, which was that the fathers should +inhabit the inland of Santa Cruz and have liberty to preach the gospel +in Madagascar. Upon this the fathers went to the fort at Santa Cruz, +where Don Andrew, the king's son, sent them workmen and provisions. + +[Footnote 15: The text gives no indication by which even to conjecture +the situation of this island, unless that being bound towards the +southern part of the east coast of Madagascar, it may possibly have been +either the isle of France, or that of Bourbon.--E.] + +The captain, Pedro de Almeyda, had orders to bring another of the king's +sons to Goa, and if refused to carry one away by force; but the king +declared that he had only one other son, who was too young for the +voyage, on which Almeyda satisfied himself with Anria Sambo, the king's +nephew, who was carried to Goa, and baptized by the name of Jerome. When +sufficiently instructed in the Christian religion, he was sent back to +his country in a pink, commanded by Emanuel de Andrada, together with +two Jesuits, 100 soldiers, and presents for the king and prince, worth +4000 ducats. They set out in the beginning of February 1618; and being +under the necessity of watering at the _Isola de Cisne_, they found +three ships sunk at the mouth of the river. On landing, twenty +Hollanders were found about two leagues from the shore, guarding the +goods they had saved from the wreck. They made some opposition, but were +forced to submit to superior numbers, and were found to have a large +quantity of cloves, pepper, arms, ammunition, and provisions. Andrada +carried the prisoners, and as many of the valuable commodities on board +his pink as it could contain, and set fire to the rest, though the +Hollanders alleged that they had come from the Moluccas, with a regular +pass. + +When Andrada arrived in the port of St Lucia, the two Jesuits came to +him both sick, declaring that it was impossible to live in that country, +where all the men who had been left along with them had died. Andrada +sent the letters with which he was intrusted to the king and prince, by +the servants of Don Jerome; and in return, the king sent 100 fat oxen, +with a great quantity of fowls and honey, and six slaves, but would not +come himself, and it was found that his son had reverted to +Mahometanism. The tribes in Madagascar called _Sadias_ and _Fansayros_ +are _Mahometan Kafrs_[16], and are attached to the liberty allowed by +the law of Mahomet, of having a plurality of wives. The king was of the +_Fansayro_ tribe, and was now desirous to destroy Andrada and the +Portuguese by treachery; incited to this change of disposition by a +_Chingalese_ slave belonging to the Jesuits, who had run away, and +persuaded the king, that the Portuguese would deprive him of his +kingdom, as they had already done many of the princes in Ceylon and +India. The Kafrs came accordingly to the shore in great numbers, and +began to attack the Portuguese with stones and darts, but were soon put +to flight by the fire-arms, and some of them slain, whose bodies were +hung upon trees as a warning to the rest, and one of their towns was +burnt. + +[Footnote 16: In strict propriety, this expression is a direct +contradiction, is Kafr is an Arabic word signifying _unbelievers_; but +having been long employed as a generic term for the natives of the +eastern coast of Africa, from the Hottentots to the Moors of Zeyla +exclusively, we are obliged to employ the ordinary language.--E.] + +Andrada carried away with him Don Jerome, the king's nephew, and a +brother of his who was made prisoner in a skirmish with the natives, who +was converted, and died at Goa. All the Jesuits agreed to desist from +the mission of Madagascar, and departed along with Andrada much against +his inclination; and thus ended the attempt to convert the natives of +Madagascar to the Christian religion. + + +SECTION XIV. + +_Continuation of the Transactions of the Portuguese in India, from 1617 +to 1640; and the conclusion of the Portuguese Asia of Manuel de Faria._ + + +Towards the end of 1617, Don Juan Coutinno, count of Redondo, came to +Goa, as viceroy, to succeed Azevedo. During this year, three ships and +two fly-boats, going from Portugal for India, were intercepted near the +Cape of Good Hope by six English ships, when the English admiral +declared that he had orders from his sovereign to seize effects of the +Portuguese to the value of 70,000 crowns, in compensation for the injury +done by the late viceroy Azevedo to the four English ships at Surat. +Christopher de Noronha, who commanded the Portuguese ships, immediately +paid the sum demanded by the English admiral, together with 20,000 +crowns more to divide among his men. But Noronha, on his arrival at Goa, +was immediately put under an arrest by the viceroy, for this +pusillanimous behaviour, and was sent home prisoner to Lisbon, to answer +for his conduct. + +In the year 1618, the Moor who had been seen long before, at the time +when Nunno de Cunna took Diu, and was then upwards of 300 years old, +died at Bengal now 60 years older, yet did not appear more than 60 years +old at his death. In 1619, a large wooden cross, which stood on one of +the hills which overlook Goa, was seen by many of the inhabitants of +that city, on the 23d of February, to have the perfect figure of a +crucified man upon it. The truth of this having been ascertained by the +archbishop, he had it taken down, and got made from it a smaller cross, +only two spans long, on which was fixed a crucified Jesus of ivory, and +the whole surrounded by a golden glory; the rest of the cross being +distributed to the churches and persons of quality. Ten days after this +cross was removed, water gushed from the hole in which it was formerly +fixed, in which cloths being dipped wrought many miraculous cures. A +church was built on the spot to commemorate the miracle. At this time it +was considered, in an assembly of the principal clergy, whether the +threads, worn by the bramins across their shoulders, were a heathenish +superstition or only a mark of their nobility, and, after a long debate, +it was determined to be merely an honourable distinction. The reason of +examining this matter was, that many of the bramins refused to embrace +the Christian faith, because obliged to renounce these threads. + +In November 1619, the count of Redondo died; and, by virtue of a patent +of succession, Ferdinand de Albuquerque became governor-general, being +now 70 years of age, 40 of which he had been an inhabitant of Goa, and +consequently was well versed in the affairs of India, but too slow in +his motions for the pressing occasions of the time. During his +administration, the Portuguese were expelled from Ormuz by the sultan of +Shiras, assisted by six English ships. + +In July 1620, the Hollanders were desirous of gaining possession of the +city of Macao in China, and appeared before it in seventeen ships, or, +as some say, twenty-three, having 2000 soldiers on board, and were +likewise in hopes of taking the fleet at that place, which was bound for +Japan, having already taken several Portuguese and Chinese ships near +the Philippine islands. After battering the fort of St Francis for five +days, the Dutch admiral, Cornelius Regers, landed 800 men, with which he +got possession of a redoubt or entrenchment, with very little +opposition. He then marched to take possession of the city, not then +fortified, where he did not expect any resistance; but Juan Suarez +Vivas, taking post on some strong ground with only 160 men, defeated the +Hollanders and compelled them to return precipitately to their ships, +leaving 300 of their men slain, seven only with the colours and one +piece of cannon being taken, and they threw away all their arms to +enable them to swim off to their ships. In the mean while, the ships +continued to batter the fort, but were so effectually answered that some +of them were sunk and sixty men slain. After this the enemy abandoned +the enterprise, and the citizens of Macao built a wall round the city +with six bastions; and, as the mountain of _our Lady of the Guide_ +commanded the bastion of St Paul, a fort was constructed on its summit +armed with ten large guns. + +We have formerly mentioned the destruction of the Portuguese cities of +_Liampo_ and _Chincheo_, in China, through their own bad conduct. From +that time, they lived in the island of _Lampazau_ till the year 1557, +when they were permitted to build the city _Macao_, the largest +belonging to the Portuguese in the east after Goa. They had been in use +to resort to the island of _Sanchuan_, on the coast of China, for trade, +where they lived in huts made of boughs of trees, and covered with sails +during their stay. At this time, the island of Goaxama, eighteen leagues +nearer the coast of China, being wild and mountainous, was the resort of +robbers who infested the neighbouring part of the continent, and, as the +Chinese considered the Portuguese a more tolerable evil than these +outlaws, they offered them that island on condition of extirpating the +nest of thieves. The Portuguese undertook this task, and succeeded +without losing a man. Then every one began to build where he liked best, +as there were no proprietors to sell the land, which now sells at a dear +rate. The trade and reputation of this city increasing, it soon became +populous, containing above 1000 Portuguese inhabitants all rich; and as +the merchants usually give large portions with their daughters, many +persons of quality used to resort thither in search of wives. Besides +these, there are a number of Chinese inhabitants who are Christians, who +are clothed and live after the manner of the Portuguese; and about 6000 +heathens, who are artificers, shop-keepers, and merchants. The duties of +ships trading from thence to Japan, amount to 300,000 Xeraphins, at 10 +_per cent_, being about equal to as many pieces-of-eight, or Spanish +dollars[17]. The yearly expence of the garrison and repairs of the +fortifications is above 40,000 ducats. A similar sum is paid yearly for +duties at the fair of _Quantung_, or Canton. The Japan voyage, including +presents to the King and _Tonos_, and the expence of the embassy, costs +25,000. The Misericordia expends about 9000 in charity, as the city +maintains two hospitals, three parish churches, and five monasteries, +besides sending continual alms to the Christians in China, Hainan, +Japan, Tonkin, Cochin-china, Cambodia, and Siam. + +[Footnote 17: The xeraphin, as formerly mentioned, being 5s. 9d., this +yearly revenue amounted to L.52,250 sterling. But the state of Macao, in +the text, refers to what it was 150 years ago. It is still inhabited by +Portuguese, and remains a useless dependence on Portugal, owing its +principal support to the residence of the British factory for the +greater part of the year.--E.] + +Albuquerque governed India from the end of 1619, to the month of +September 1622, during all which time so little care was taken in Spain +of the affairs of Portuguese India that he did not receive a single +letter from the king. In every thing relating to the civil government he +was equal to any of his predecessors, but was unfortunate in military +affairs, especially in the loss of Ormuz. In 1621, Don Alfonso de +Noronna was nominated viceroy of India; but sailing too late, was driven +back to Lisbon, being the last viceroy appointed by the pious Philip +III. On the news coming to Lisbon, of the shameful surrender of the city +of _Bahia_, in the Brazils, to the Hollanders, without considering his +age, quality, and rank, he listed as a private soldier for that service, +an instance of bravery and patriotism deserving of eternal fame, and an +example that had many followers. + +Don Francisco de Gama, Count of Vidugueyra, who had been much hated as +viceroy of India, and sore affronted at his departure, as formerly +related, always endeavoured to obtain that command a second time, not +for revenge, as some asserted, but to satisfy the world that he had been +undeservedly ill used. At length he obtained his desire, after twenty +years solicitation, upon the accession of Philip IV. of Spain. He sailed +from Lisbon on the 18th of March 1622, with four ships. On the coast of +Natal, a flash of lightning struck his ship, and burnt his colours, but +killed no one. Under the line two of his ships left him, and arrived at +Goa in the end of August; another ship staid behind, and it was thought +they shunned his company designedly. At this time six Dutch ships plied +near the islands or Angoxa, or the Comoros, one of which perished in +pursuit of a Portuguese ship; and while standing on for Mozambique, the +viceroy encountered the other five, on the 22d of June. _His other ships +had now joined him_, and a terrible battle ensued, which fell heaviest +on the vice-admiral, whose ship was entirely disabled, but the viceroy +and Francisco Lobo rescued and brought him off; yet the ship was so much +battered that it sunk, some men and part of the money on board being +saved, but some of the men fell into the hands of the enemy. Night +coming on, the ships of the viceroy and Lobo were cast upon certain +sands and lost, when they saved what goods, rigging, ammunition, and +cannon they were able, and burnt the rest, to prevent them from falling +into the hands of the enemy. The viceroy shipped all the goods that were +saved on board some galliots, with what men they could contain, and went +to Cochin, whence he went to Goa in September. On seeing him replaced in +the dignity of viceroy, his enemies were terrified lest he might revenge +the affronts formerly given him, but he behaved with unexpected +moderation. He wished to have punished Simon de Melo, and Luis de Brito, +for the shameful loss of Ormuz. Melo had fled to the Moors, and Brito +was in prison; so that he only was punished capitally, and the other was +hung in effigy. + +About the year 1624, some of the Portuguese missionaries penetrated into +the country of Thibet, in which are the sources of the river Ganges. The +natives are well inclined, and of docile dispositions; zealous of their +salvation, and value much the devotions enjoined them by their priests, +called _Lamas_, who profess poverty and celibacy, and are much given to +prayer. They have churches and convents like the most curious of those +in Europe, and have some knowledge of the Christian religion, but mixed +with many errors, and with strange customs and ceremonies; yet it +plainly appears that they had formerly the light of the true gospel[18]; +and they abhor the Mahometans and idolaters, being easily converted to +the Christian faith. The habit of the Lamas is a red cassock, without +sleeves, leaving their arms bare, girt with a piece of red cloth, of +which the ends hang down to their feet. On their shoulders they wear a +striped cloth, which they say was the dress of the Son of God; and they +have a bottle of water hung at their girdle. They keep two fasts, during +the principal of which they eat but once a day, and do not speak a word, +using signs on all necessary occasions. During the other fast they eat +as often as they have a mind, but use flesh only at one meal The people +are called to prayers by the sound of trumpets, some of which are made +of dead men's bones; and they use human skulls as drinking-vessels. Of +other bones they make beads, which they allege is to remind them of +death. The churches are only opened twice a year, when the votaries walk +round the outside three times in procession, and then go in to reverence +the images, some of which are of angels, called by them _Las_, the +greatest being the one who intercedes with God for the souls of men. +This being represented with the devil under his feet, was supposed by +the missionaries to be St Michael the archangel. It is not unworthy of +remark, that the word _Lama_, signifying priest, begins with _La_, which +means an angel. The young Lamas go about the towns, dancing to the sound +of bells and other noisy instruments of music; which, they say, is in +imitation of the angels, who are painted by the Christians as singing in +choirs. + +[Footnote 18: Wherever any coincidence appears in the ceremonies and +externals of the heathen worship, the zealous catholics are eager to +conceive that these have been borrowed from Christianity; unconscious +that their own mummeries have all been borrowed from heathen worship, +and superadded to the rational purity of primitive Christianity,--E.] + +At the beginning of every month a procession is made in which are +carried black flags and the figures of devils, and attended by drums and +music, which they believe chases away the devils. They use holy water, +which is consecrated with many prayers, having gold coral and rice put +into it, and is used for driving devils from their houses. The country +people bring black horses, cows and sheep, over which the Lamas say many +prayers, as it is alleged the devils endeavour to get into cattle of a +black colour. They cure the sick by blowing on the part affected. They +have three different kinds of funerals, according to the star which +rules at the time of death. In one the body is buried in a tomb adorned +with gilded pyramids. In another the body is burnt and the ashes being +mixed with clay are formed into images by which they swear. In the +last, which is reckoned the most honourable, the body is exposed to be +devoured by certain birds resembling cranes. These three forms are used +with such as have spent good lives, but others are cut in pieces and +thrown to the dogs. They believe that the good go directly to heaven, +and the bad to hell; while such as are indifferent remain in an +intermediate state, whence their souls return to animate noble or base +creatures according to their deserts. They give their children the names +of filthy beasts, at the recommendation of their priests, that the devil +may be loth to meddle with them. They believe in one God in Trinity; the +son having become a man and died, yet is now in heaven. God equal with +the father, yet man at the same time; and that his mother was a woman +who is now in heaven: And they compute the time of the death of the son +nearly as we do the appearance of the Redeemer on earth. They believe in +a hell as we do, and burn lamps that God may light them in the right +road in the other world: Yet do they use divination after a ridiculous +manner. The country of Thibet produces several fruits of the same kinds +with those grown in Europe, together with rice and wheat, and has +abundance of cattle; but a great part of the land is barren. + +The Jesuit fathers Andrada and Marquez went from Delhi in the country of +the Great Mogul to Thibet along with a caravan of pilgrims that were +going to visit a famous pagoda. Passing through the kingdom of _Lahore_, +they came to the vast mountains whence the Ganges flows into the lower +plain country of Hindostan, seeing many stately temples by the way full +of idols. At the kingdom of _Sirinagur_ they saw the Ganges flowing +among snow, the whiteness of which is dazzling to the eyes of +travellers. At the end of 50 days journey they came to a pagoda on the +borders of _Sirinagur_, to which multitudes resort to bathe in a spring, +the water of which is so hot as to be hardly sufferable, and which they +imagine cleanses them from sin. The people here feed on raw flesh and +eat snow, yet are very healthy; and the usual order of the sexes is +reversed, as the women plough and the men spin. Having rested at the +town of _Mana_ the fathers pursued their journey, almost blinded by +travelling continually among snow, and came at length to the source of +the Ganges, which flows from a great lake. They soon afterwards entered +the kingdom of Thibet, and were honourably received by officers sent on +purpose from _Chaparangue_, the residence of the king of Thibet. The +king and queen listened to their doctrines with much complacency, and +even admitted their truths without dispute, and would not allow them to +return to India till they promised an oath to come back, when the king +not only engaged to give them liberty to preach, but that he would build +them a church, and was greatly pleased with a picture they left him of +the Virgin and Child. + +The fathers returned according to promise, on which the king built them +a church and was afterwards baptised along with the queen, in spite of +every thing the Lamas could say to prevent him. From merchants who +traded to this place from China, the fathers understood that it was 60 +days journey from _Chaparangue_ to China, 40 of which was through the +kingdom of _Usangue_, and thence 20 days to China. They likewise learnt +that Cathay is not a kingdom, but a great city--the metropolis of a +province subject to the grand _Sopo_, very near China, whence perhaps +some give the name of Cathay to China[19]. Perhaps this kingdom of +Thibet is the empire of Prester John, and not Ethiopia as some have +believed. + +[Footnote 19: This is evidently erroneous, as we know certainly from the +travels of Marco Polo and other authorities, that Cathay was the +northern part of China, once a separate kingdom.--E.] + +After having governed five years, the Count of Vidugueyra was ordered by +the king to resign to Don Francisco de Mascarennas in 1628; but as that +gentleman had left India for Europe, the viceroy resigned the charge of +government to Don Luis de Brito, bishop of Cochin, and went home to +Portugal. In this year the king of Acheen made an attempt to gain +possession of Malacca, against which he sent a fleet of 250 sail, with +20,000 soldiers and a great train of artillery. In this great fleet +there were 47 gallies of extraordinary strength, beauty, and size, all +near 100 feet long and of proportional breadth. The king embarked with +his wife, children, and treasure; but upon some ill omen the fleet and +army sailed without him, and came before Malacca in the beginning of +July 1629, the former under the command of _Marraja_, and the latter of +Lacsamana, an experienced general who had made many conquests for his +master. Having landed the troops, they were attacked by Antonio Pinto de +Fonseca with only 200 men, who slew above 300 of the enemy without +losing a man, and then retreated into the city. Juan Suarez Vivas with +350 Portuguese, who commanded at Iller, defended that post for some time +with great gallantry and did great execution among the enemy; but at +length, overpowered by numbers, was forced to retire. Having gained an +eminence called mount St Juan, the enemy erected a battery there from +which they played furiously against the fort, which answered them with +great spirit. The Capuchin convent dedicated to the Mother of God, being +considered as of great importance for the defence of the fort, was +gallantly defended for 50 days by Diego Lopez de Fonseca, who on one +occasion made a sally with 200 Portuguese and defeated 2000 of the +enemy. On Lopez falling sick, Francisco Carvallo de Maya took the +command of that post, and defended it till the convent was entirely +ruined, so that he was obliged to withdraw into the city, on which the +enemy converted it into a strong post in which _Lacsamana_ took up his +quarters with 3000 men. _Marraja_ occupied mount St Juan, on which he +erected a large fort; others were established at the convent of St +Lawrence, at _Iller_ and other places, having strong batteries and lines +of communication, so that the city was invested on all sides by land, +while a number of armed boats presented all access by sea for relief. +Fonseca, who commanded in the besieged city, sent out Vivas with 220 +Portuguese troops to dislodge Lacsamana from his head-quarters on the +ruins of the Capuchin convent, on which occasion Vivas gained possession +of the post by a night attack, killing 100 of the enemy, and retired +with several cannon. The King of _Pam_, who was in alliance with the +Portuguese, sent a fleet of _paraos_ with 2000 men to the assistance of +the town; and Michael Pereyra Botello brought five sail from the city of +San Thome: Yet these reinforcements were insufficient to induce the +enemy to retire, though they had lost above 4000 men during the siege, +while 60 were slain on the side of the defenders. + +Although the bishop of Cochin was informed in June of the intended +attack on Malacca and the weak state of its garrison, he postponed +sending any reinforcement, as it was then the dead of winter on the +Malabar coast, proposing to dispatch succours in September. He died +however about the end of July 1629, after having governed India for +nineteen or twenty months. Upon his death the next patent of succession +was opened, which named Don Lorenzo de Cunna, the commander of Goa, to +the civil government of India, and Nunno Alvarez Pereyra to the +military command. Of this last name there happened to be two in India, +or none. If Don Nunno Alvarez Pereyra, a gentleman well known, were +meant, the title of _Don_ was omitted in the patent; if Nunno Alvarez +Botello, the sirname teemed wrong. It was thought unlikely that the +title of Don could be omitted through mistake, as that in Portugal is +peculiar to certain families. The mistake of name in regard to Nunno +Alvarez Botello was more probable, as he had long gone by the name of +_Pereyra_, in memory of his grandfather Alvarez Pereyra, and had dropped +that name for _Botello_ when he inherited the estate of his father, +whose name was Botello; yet some continued to call him by the old name, +and others gave him the new one. The council of Goa, and the Count de +Linnares after his arrival in India, allowed the pretensions of Botello. + +In the meantime, considering how dangerous delay might prove to Malacca +in its distress, Nunno Alvarez Botello undertook the relief of that +place, saying that he would postpone the decision of the dispute till +his return. By general consent however, he went by the title of +governor; and by direction of the council of Goa, the Chancellor Gonzalo +Pinto de Fonseca assumed the administration of justice, so that the +government was divided between him, De Cunna, and Botello, who used such +diligence in preparing for his expedition to relieve Malacca, that, from +the 2d of August, when the charge of governor was awarded to him, to the +beginning of September, he had collected 900 Portuguese troops, a good +train of artillery, a large supply of arms and ammunition, and 30 +vessels, and was ready to put to sea as soon as the weather would allow. +He set sail on the 22d of September, rather too early, and encountered +four several storms during his voyage, two of which were so terrible +that every one expected to be lost. He at length reached _Pulobutum_, +whence he sent two vessels to give notice at Malacca of his approach, +yet arrived himself before them. At Pulobutum he found a vessel +belonging to Cochin and two from Negapatnam, being some addition to his +fleet He arrived at Malacca on the afternoon of the 22d October 1629, to +the great surprise of _Lacsamana_, as his fleet was then in the river +_Pongor_, a league from Malacca, and so situated as to be unable to +escape. + +Botello immediately landed and gave the necessary orders and again +embarking forced his way up the river through showers of bullets, which +he repaid with such interest that the enemy abandoned their advanced +works that same night, and retired to that which they had constructed on +the ruins of the Capuchin monastery. As the river Pongor had not +sufficient water for the Portuguese ships, Botello embarked a strong +detachment in 33 _balones_ or _balames_, being country-vessels of +lighter draught, with which he went in person to view the strength and +posture of the hostile fleet. Being anxious for the safety of their +gallies, the enemy abandoned their works at _Madre de Dios_ and _San +Juan_, and threw up other works with wonderful expedition for the +protection of their fleet. But having attacked these with much +advantage, Botello proposed to the enemy to surrender, on which +_Marraja_ returned a civil but determined refusal. His situation being +desperate, Marraja endeavoured the night to escape with the smaller +vessels, leaving his large gallies at the mercy of the Portuguese, but +was prevented by the vigilance and bravery of Vasquez de Evora, who cut +off many of his men, not without some loss on his own side, having one +of his arms carried off. The enemy now endeavoured to make use of their +formidable gallies, and the chief among them called the _Terror of the +World_ was seen in motion; on which Botello sent the admiral of the +Portuguese gallies, Francisco Lopez to attack her, which he did with +great gallantry, passing through clouds of smoke, and a tremendous fire +of artillery, and after two hours hard fighting, carried her by +boarding, after killing 500 of her men out of 700, with the loss only of +seven of his own men. + +On the 25th of November, the enemy set fire to a galley that was full of +women whom they had brought to people Malacca, and made a fresh attempt +to break through the Portuguese fleet, but without success, many of them +being slain and taken, and great numbers leapt into the water, and fled +to the woods, where they were devoured by wild beasts. Lacsamana then +hung out a flag of truce, and sent a deputation to treat with Botello, +who answered that he would listen to no proposals till they restored +Pedro de Abren the Portuguese ambassador, whom they kept prisoner; and +as they delayed compliance; the Portuguese cannon recommenced a +destructive fire. On the last day of November, Botello got notice that +_Marraja_ the Acheen admiral was slain, and that the king _Pam_ was +approaching to the assistance of the Portuguese with 100 sail of +vessels. Botello went immediately to visit him, and was received with +the customary ceremonies used by the eastern princes to the Portuguese +governors. After interchanging presents and mutual compliments, Botello +returned to his post, where he found the Portuguese rather slackening +their efforts in consequence of a desperate cannonade from the enemy. +But on the 4th of December, the enemy sent fresh proposals for an +accommodation, accompanied by the ambassador Abreu, requiring only to be +allowed to withdraw with three of their gallies and 4000 men, being all +that remained of 20,000 with which they had invested Malacca. In answer +to this, they were told they must surrender at discretion on promise of +life; and as Lacsamana hesitated to accept such humiliating terms, +Botello assaulted and forced all his works, where many of the enemy were +put to the sword; some throwing themselves into the river to swim across +were drowned, and others who fled to the woods were devoured by beasts +of prey. In fine, Botello obtained the most glorious victory that was +ever gained by the Portuguese in India; as of all the fleet which came +against Malacca, not a single vessel got away, and of the large army, +not one man escaped death or captivity. So great was the booty, that the +whole of the Portuguese troops and mariners were enriched, Botello +reserving nothing to his own share but a _parrot_ which had been much +valued by Lacsamana. + +On going to Malacca after this great victory, he entreated to be allowed +to walk barefooted and unaccompanied to church, that he might humbly +prostrate himself before the Lord of Hosts, in acknowledgement that the +victory was entirely due to God, and not to the Portuguese valour; but +he was constrained to enter the city in triumph. The streets were +crowded with men, and the windows and house tops thronged with women, +who sprinkled the hero with sweet waters and strewed flowers in his +path. The music could not be heard for the noise of cannon, and all the +city was filled with extreme joy. At this time an embassy came from the +king of _Pera_, who was tributary to the king of _Acheen_, offering to +pay tribute to the king of Portugal, and to deliver up a large treasure +left in his custody belonging to the king of Acheen and his general +_Lacsamana_. Don Jerome de Silveyra was sent with eleven ships to +receive the treasure, and establish a treaty with the king of _Pera_, +who performed his promise, and the treasure was applied to pay the men +and refit the fleet. + +About the middle of January 1630, Botello being off the straits of +Cincapura to secure the ships expected from China against the +Hollanders, _Lacsamana_ and two other officers who had fled to the woods +were brought prisoners to him, having been taken by the king of Pam. +Owing to contrary winds, he was unable to get up with five Dutch ships +that were about _Pulo Laer_, and which took a Portuguese galliot coming +from China. He returned therefore to Malacca to refit his ships, and +resolved to attempt the Dutch fort of _Jacatara_[20], the best which was +possessed by _these rebels_ in all Asia. In the first place, he sent +Antonio de Sousa Coutinno in the admiral galley lately belonging to +_Lacsamana_ called the _Terror of the World_, in which Lacsamana was now +prisoner, to Goa; directing that Lacsamana should be sent to Portugal, +and that this large and magnificent galley should be given as a present +to the city of Goa. In this galley there was one cannon made of +_tombac_, a precious sort of metal, which was valued at above 7000 +ducats, and another cannon reckoned still more valuable on account of +its curious workmanship. Lacsamana died before he could be carried to +Portugal. + +[Footnote 20: In the neighbourhood of which was afterwards built the +city of Batavia, the emporium at the Dutch trade in the east, now +subject to Britain.--E.] + +Learning that the Count de Linnares, now viceroy of India, had arrived +at Goa in October 1629, Botello transmitted to him an account of all +that he had done, and desired his assistance and approbation to continue +in these parts in order to carry on his designs against the English and +Hollanders. About the end of April 1630, the viceroy not only sent him +every thing he asked, but gave him full power to act as governor +general, without being obliged to wait for orders from Goa. In the +meantime Botello sailed with 27 ships towards the straits of Cincapura, +and put in at _Jambo_[21], a place abounding in pepper, and on that +account much resorted to by the Dutch and English. At this place he took +two large ships after a stout resistance; and going higher up the river +he discovered another ship so large and beautiful that he designed to +make use of her for his entrance into Goa; but a ball falling into her +powder-room, blew her up. After employing three weeks in working up the +river, Botello learnt that at a town about two leagues distant, two +Dutch ships had taken shelter, and being desirous of taking them, he +manned 14 light vessels with which he went to view the place, on which +he was opposed by 26 sail of small vessels manned with Hollanders and +natives, whom he put to flight; but on viewing the place he found it +impracticable to attempt the two vessels, on account of the strength of +the works by which they were protected. He destroyed therefore all the +neighbourhood with tire and sword, and then sailed down the river, +intending to proceed against _Jacatara_. + +[Footnote 21: Probably _Jambee_ on the N.E. side of Sumatra, in about +lat. 18 20' S. to the S.E. of the straits of Cincapura.--E.] + +While on his way thither, a Dutch ship of 24 guns was met, which was +laden with powder for their forts, and on being attacked and boarded by +some of his ships she took fire. In this situation, Botello gave orders +for his ships to draw off from the danger, and on going up in his +galliot to bring off Antonio Mascarennas, the Dutch ship blew up while +Botello was passing her stern, by which his galliot was instantly sunk. +His body was found and taken to Malacca, where it was honourably +interred. + +Don Michael de Noronna, Count de Linnares, arrived at Goa as viceroy of +India in October 1629. About the commencement of his administration, +Constantine de Sa, who commanded in Ceylon, marched from Columbo, which +he left almost without any garrison, meaning to reduce the interior +provinces to subjection. His force consisted of 400 Portuguese, with a +considerable number of Christian Chingalese, in whose fidelity he +reposed too much confidence, although a Franciscan friar who resided +among the enemy, and his own officers warned him of the danger to which +he was exposed. He penetrated to the city of _Uva_ with very little +opposition, which he destroyed; but was met on his return by the king of +Candy with a considerable army, to whom the greatest part of the +Christian Chingalese immediately deserted, and aided him in battle +against the Portuguese, now reduced to 400 of their own troops and 200 +Chingalese who remained faithful. De Sa and his inconsiderable army +fought against prodigious odds during three entire days, but the general +being slain, the Portuguese troops fell into disorder, and were all +slain or taken prisoners. + +Immediately after this victory, the king of Candy laid siege to Columbo +with an army of 50,000 men, while the garrison under Launcelot de Leixas +did not exceed 400, even including the priests and monks. The garrison +was reduced to extreme distress, and even threatened with famine, when a +ship from Cochin brought them a relief of provisions and ammunition; +after which five ships came from San Thome and one from Goa. Though not +mentioned by De Faria, it appears that the siege was now raised; as at a +subsequent period, after the natives had reduced almost the whole of the +island, the kings of Candy, Uva, and Matale again laid siege to Columbo +with an army of 20,000 men. At this time five ships came from Goa to +carry off the cinnamon to Portugal, on which the enemy raised the siege, +believing these ships had come to relieve and reinforce the garrison. + +The viceroy now appointed Don George de Almeyda to the command in +Ceylon, who sailed from Goa for that place on the 19th of February 1631, +in the great galley taken by Botello when he destroyed the fleet of +Acheen: But encountering a storm off Cape Comorin, the galley was ready +to founder, on which Almeyda took to the boat with 29 persons, and +reached one of the Maldive islands after four days of incredible +distress. Going over from thence to Cochin, he received a reinforcement +of some Portuguese troops, with 500 kafrs and 800 Canarin lascars, and a +supply of money, ammunition, and provisions. Having raised some more men +at Cochin, Almeyda sailed again for Ceylon, where he arrived on the 21st +October 1631, and landed at Columbo. He marched immediately against the +enemy, though then the rainy season, and was soon forced to desist, as +the country was mostly overflowed, and at this season the trees swarm +with _leeches_, which drop down upon the men as they pass, and bleed +them to death. + +On the return of fine weather, Almeyda marched again on the 5th January +1632, though with much difficulty, as the waters were still out, so that +the men had often to wade up to their breasts. Being opposed by the +enemy near the fort of _Tranqueyra Grande_, many of them were slain, as +the general gave three or four pistoles for every head that was brought +him. At another pass, the enemy were defended, to the number of 6000 +men, by some works, but on being attacked, and many of them killed, the +rest fled, destroying every thing they could not carry away. After these +successes, many of the natives came in, and submitted, and were treated +with kindness; but as others hid themselves in hopes of getting away to +join the enemy, Almeyda caused them to be apprehended, and given as +slaves among his officers. One was delivered to the Kafrs, who, in sight +of his wife and children, cut him immediately in pieces, which they +divided among them to eat. At _Cardevola_, the enemy had two forts, +which were carried by escalade. The enemy fled in every quarter, making +no stand till they arrived at the foot of the mountains of Candy, where +they were defeated, and the forts of _Manicravare_, _Safragam_, +_Maluana_, and _Caliture_, were immediately afterwards reduced, as was +the district of Matura, of which the commander of the Chingalese +Christians, who deserted from de Sa, had made himself king. At last the +king of Candy sent to implore peace, which was granted at the +intercession of the priests and monks. In fine, Almeyda not only +restored the reputation of the Portuguese arms in Ceylon, but increased +it, and established the government of the island in good order. He was +removed, however, by the succeeding viceroy, and returned to Goa poor, +and full of honour, where he died poor, more from grief than age; and no +sooner was he deprived of the command, than all he had gained was +speedily lost, though it was again recovered by Diego de Melo y Castro +in 1633. + +About the end of the year 1635, the Count de Linares resigned the +government of India to Pedro de Silva, who was usually called _Mole_ or +the Soft, on account of the easiness of his disposition. He disliked the +government so much, that he was often heard to exclaim, "God forgive +those who appointed me viceroy, as I am not fit for the office." He held +the government, however, nearly four years, and died in the end of June +1639, when he was succeeded as governor by Antonio Tellez de Silva, +whose name was found in one of the royal patents, which was now opened. +Tellez happened to be absent from Goa at the time, for which reason, the +archbishop of Goa, who was next in nomination, assumed the government in +his name, and sent notice to him of his appointment, and in the +meantime, employed himself in fitting out twelve ships of war for the +relief of Malacca, then threatened by the king of Acheen and the +Hollanders. At this time nine Dutch ships entered the river of Goa, and +set on fire three Portuguese galleons then lying at _Marmugam_, after +which they retired without loss or opposition, because the fort was +destitute of men and ammunition. Antonio Tellez arrived immediately +after this unfortunate accident, at which he was exceedingly enraged, +not so much for the actual loss, as that the enemy should be able to +insult the harbour of the Portuguese Indian capital without harm or +resistance. On the back of this misfortune, news came that the Dutch +fleet of 12 sail, and that of Acheen of 35 gallies, were in sight of +Malacca. While occupied in making great preparations to relieve Malacca, +and to remedy other disorders then subsisting in Portuguese India, he +was superseded in the government of India, by the arrival of Juan de +Silva Tello, as viceroy, towards the end of 1640; on which Antonio +Tellez, having resigned the sword of command, immediately embarked for +Portugal, not thinking proper to serve as admiral where he had enjoyed +the supreme authority. + +Other authors will write the actions of the new viceroy, Juan de Silva +Tello, for he begins his task where I end mine.[22] + +[Footnote 22: Manuel de Faria rightly thought proper to close his work +at this period, which was immediately followed by the expulsion of the +Portuguese from Malacca and Ceylon, and many other of their Indian +possessions; where, except a few inconsiderable factories, they now only +hold Goa, Diu, and Macao, and even these possess very little trade, and +no political importance. From their subjection to the crown of Spain, +the Dutch, who had thrown off the iron yoke of the Austrian princes of +Spain, revenged their own injuries upon the Portuguese in India: And in +the present age, at the distance of 160 years, having themselves fallen +under the heavy yoke of the modern French Caesar, they have been +stripped by Britain of every foreign possession in Asia, Africa, and +America.--E] + + +SECTION XV. + +_Occurrences in Pegu, Martavan, Pram, Siam, and other places._[23] + + +We here propose to give some account of the exploits of the _black_ king +of Siam, in whose character there was a strange mixture of virtues and +vices. In the year 1544, the king of the _Birmans_ [24] besieged the +city of _Martavan_ by sea and land, being the metropolis of the great +and flourishing kingdom of that name, which had a revenue of three +millions of gold. _Chaubainaa_ was then king of Martavan, and fell from +the height of fortune to the depth of misery. The Birman fleet, on this +occasion, consisted of 700 sail, 100 of which were large gallies, in +which were 700 Portuguese, commanded by one Juan Cayero, who was reputed +a commander of courage and conduct. After a siege of some months, during +which the Birmans lost 12,000 men in five general assaults, _Chaubainaa_ +found himself unable to withstand the power of his enemy, being reduced +to such extremity that the garrison had already eaten 3000 elephants. He +offered, therefore, to capitulate, but all terms were refused by the +enemy; on which he determined to make use of the Portuguese, to whom he +had always been just and friendly: But favours received from a person in +prosperity, are forgotten when the benefactor falls into adversity. He +sent therefore one Seixas, a Portuguese in his service, to make an offer +to Cayero, if he would receive himself, his family, and treasures, into +the four ships which he commanded; that he would give half the treasure +to the king of Portugal, to whom he would become vassal, paying such +tribute as might be agreed on, being satisfied that he could recover his +kingdom with the assistance of 2000 Portuguese troops, whom he proposed +to take into his pay. Cayero consulted with his principal officers on +this proposition, and asked Seixas, in their presence, what might be the +amount of treasure belonging to the king of Martavan. Seixas said, that +he had not seen the whole, but affirmed that he had seen enough in gold +and jewels to load two ships, and as much silver as would load four or +five. Envious of the prodigious fortune that Cayero might make by +accepting this offer, the Portuguese officers threatened to delate him +to the Birman sovereign, if he consented, and the proposal was +accordingly refused. + +[Footnote 23: De Faria, III. 347--364. Both as in a great measure +unconnected with the Portuguese transactions, and as not improbably +derived from the worse than suspicious source of Fernand Mendez de +Pinro, these very problematical occurrences have been kept by +themselves, which indeed they are in de Faria. After this opinion +respecting their more than doubtful authenticity, it would be a waste of +labour to attempt illustrating their geographical obscurities. Indeed +the geography of India beyond the Ganges, is still involved in almost +impenetrable darkness, from the Bay of Bengal to the empire of +China.--E.] + +[Footnote 24: Called always the _Bramas_ by De Faria.--E.] + +The king of Martavan was astonished at the rejection of his proposals, +and finding Seixas determined to withdraw from the danger that menaced +the city, made him a present of a pair of bracelets, which were +afterwards sold to the governor of _Narsinga_ for 80,000 ducats. +Despairing of relief or retreat, the king of Martavan now determined to +set his capital on fire, and sallying out at the head of the few men +that remained, to die honourably fighting against his enemies. But that +night, one of his principal officers deserted to the enemy, and gave +notice of his intention. Thus betrayed, he surrendered on promise of +having his own life, and those of his wife and children spared, and +being allowed to end his days in retirement. These terms were readily +granted, as the conqueror meant to perform no part of his engagement. + +From the gate of the city to the tent of the Birman king, at the +distance of a league, a double lane of musketeers of sundry nations was +formed, the Portuguese under Cayero being stationed nearest the gate, +through which the captives were to march in procession. In the first +place, came the queen of Martavan in a chair, her two sons and two +daughters being carried in two other chairs. These were surrounded by +forty beautiful young ladies, led by an equal number of old ladies, and +attended by a great number of _Talegrepos_, who are a kind of monks or +religious men, habited like Capuchins, who prayed with and comforted the +captives. Then followed the king of Martavan, seated on a small she +elephant, clothed in black velvet, having his head, beard, and eyebrows +shaved, and a rope about his neck. On seeing the Portuguese, he refused +to proceed till they were removed, after which he went on. Being come +into the presence of the king of the Birmans, he cast himself at his +feet; and being unable to speak owing to grief, the _Raolim_ of +_Mounay_, _Talaypor_, or chief priest of Martavan, who was esteemed a +saint, made a harangue in his behalf, which had been sufficient to have +moved compassion from any other than the obdurate tyrant to whom it was +addressed, who immediately ordered the miserable king, with his wife, +children, and attendant ladies, into confinement. For the two following +days, a number of men were employed to remove the public treasure of +Martavan, amounting to 100 millions in gold; and on the third day, the +army was allowed indiscriminate plunder, which lasted for four days, and +was estimated at 12 millions. Then the city was burnt, and above 60,000 +persons were supposed to have perished by fire and sword, an equal +number being reduced to slavery. On this occasion, 2000 temples and +40,000 houses were destroyed. + +On the morning after the destruction of the city, 21 gibbets were +erected on a neighbouring hill called Beydao, which were surrounded by a +strong guard of cavalry, and on which the queen, with her children and +attendants, to the number in all of 140 persons, were all hung up by the +feet. The king of Martavan, with 50 men of the highest quality, were +flung into the sea with stones about their necks. At this barbarous +spectacle, the army of the Birmans mutinied, and for some time the king +was in imminent danger. Leaving a sufficient number of people to rebuild +the ruined city, the Birman king returned to Pegu with the rest of his +army, accompanied by Juan Cayero, and his 700 Portuguese. Four +Portuguese remained at Martavan, among whom was Juan Falcam; who, +instead of assisting _Fernan Mendez Pinta_, sent by Pedro de Faria, the +commander of Malacca, to confirm the peace which subsisted with the late +king of Martavan, accused him to the governor of the town as an enemy to +the king of the Birmans. On this false accusation, the governor seized +the vessel commanded by Pinto, in which were goods to the value of +100,000 ducats, killed the master and some others, and sent the rest +prisoners to Pegu. This false dealing was not new in Falcam, who had +deserted from the late unfortunate king of Martavan, after having +received many benefits from him. + +Instead of being allowed to enjoy the fruits of his victories in peace, +the king of the Birmans was obliged to engage in a new war with the king +of Siam, who endeavoured to recover the kingdom of Tangu, which had been +wrested from him. For this purpose, in March 1546, he embarked with +900,000 men in 12,000 vessels, on the river _Ansedaa_, out of which he +passed in the month of April into the river _Pichau Malacoa_, and +invested the city of _Prom_. The king of this territory was recently +dead, leaving his successor, only thirteen years of age, who was married +to a daughter of the king of Ava, from whom he looked for the assistance +of 60,000 men. For this reason, the king of Siam pressed the siege, that +he might gain the city before the arrival of the expected succours. +After six days, the queen of Prom, who administered the government, +offered to become tributary if he would grant a peace; but the king +insisted that she should put herself into his hands with all her +treasure. She refused these degrading terms, knowing his perfidious +character, and resolved to defend the city to the last extremity. The +king of Siam accordingly gave several assaults, in all of which he was +repulsed, and in a short time, lost above 80,000 of his men, partly by +the sword, and partly by a pestilential disease, which raged in his +army, 500 Portuguese who were in his service perishing among the rest. + +Being unable to take the place by assault, the king of Siam caused a +great mount to be raised, which overlooked the city, and was planted +with a great number of cannon, by which the defenders were prodigiously +annoyed. Upon this, 5000 men sallied from the city, and destroyed the +mount, killing 16,000 of the enemy, and carrying off 80 pieces of +cannon. In this affair the king of Siam was wounded; and being greatly +enraged against a body of 2000 Portuguese, who were in his pay, and had +the guard of the mount, he caused them all to be massacred. About the +end of August, _Xemin Maletay_, one of the four principal officers, who +commanded in Prom, treacherously betrayed the city to the king of Siam, +who ordered it to be utterly destroyed with fire and sword. Two thousand +children were cut in pieces, and given as food to the elephants. The +queen was publicly whipped, and given up to the lust of the soldiers +till she died. The young king was tied to her dead body, and cast into +the river; and above 300 principal nobles were impaled. The king of Ava, +who was marching to the assistance of his sister, understood the +unfortunate events of Prom, but came to battle with the traitor _Zemin_, +who had betrayed her, who was at the head of a numerous army. In this +battle all the soldiers of Ava were slain except 800, after making a +prodigious slaughter among the enemy; after which the king of Siam came +up with a part of his army, and slew the remaining 800 men of Ava, with +the loss of 12,000 of his own men, and then beheaded the traitor +_Zemin_. He then went up the river _Queytor_, with 60,000 men in 1000 +boats, and coming to the port of Ava, about the middle of October, he +burnt above 2000 vessels, and several villages, with the loss of 8000 of +his men, among whom were 62 Portuguese. Understanding that the city of +Ava was defended by 20,000 men, 30,000 of which people had slain 150,000 +of his army at _Maletay_, and that the king of _Pegu_ was coming to +their relief, he returned in all haste to _Prom_, where he fortified +himself, and sent an ambassador to the emperor of _Calaminam_, with rich +presents, and the offer of an extensive territory, on condition of +sending him effectual succours. + +The empire of _Calaminam_ is said to be 300 leagues in length and as +much in breadth, having been formerly divided into 27 kingdoms, all +using the same language, beautified with many cities and towns, and very +fertile, containing abundance of all the productions of Asia. The name +of the metropolis is _Timphan_, which is seated on the river _Pitni_, on +which there are innumerable boats. It is surrounded by two strong and +beautiful walls, contains 400,000 inhabitants, with many stately palaces +and fine gardens, having 2500 temples belonging to 24 different sects. +Some of these use bloody sacrifices. The women are very beautiful, yet +chaste, two qualities that seldom go together. In their law-suits, O +happy country! they employ no attornies, solicitors, or proctors, and +every dispute is decided at one hearing. This kingdom maintains +1,700,000 soldiers, 400,000 of which are horse, and has 6000 elephants. +On account of their prodigious number, the emperor assumes the title of +_Lord of the Elephants_, his revenue exceeding 20 millions. There are +some remnants of Christianity among these people, as they believe in the +blessed Trinity, and make the sign of the cross when they sneeze. + +Such was the great empire of _Calaminam_ to which the king of the +Birmans[25], sent his ambassador. On his return, the king sent 150,000 +men in 1300 boats against the city of _Sabadii_, 130 leagues distant to +the north-east. The general of this army, named _Chaunigrem_, lost many +of his men in several assaults, after which he raised two mounts whence +he did much harm to the city: But the besieged sallying out, killed at +one time 8000 and at another 5000 of his men. Leaving this siege for a +time and the affairs of the king of the _Birmans_, we purpose to relate +what was done at _Siam_, in order to treat of them both together. + +[Footnote 25: Formerly this was attributed to the king of _Siam_: But +the whole story of this section is so incredible and absurd as not to +merit any observations. It is merely retained from De Faria, as an +instance of the fables of Fernand Mendez de Pinto.--E.] + +The king of _Chiammay_, after destroying 30,000 men that had guarded the +frontiers, besieged the city of _Guitivam_ belonging to the king of +_Siam_, who immediately drew together an army of 500,000 men, in which +was a body of 120 Portuguese in which he placed great reliance. This +vast multitude was conveyed along the river in 3000 boats, while 4000 +elephants and 200 pieces of cannon were sent by land. He found the enemy +had 300,000 men and 2000 boats. The king of Siam gave the command of his +vast army to three generals, two of whom were Turks, and the third was +Dominic Seixas a Portuguese. At first the _Siamese_ were worsted, but +recovering their order they gained a complete victory, in which 130,000 +of the enemy were slain, 40,000 of whom were excellent cavalry, with the +loss of 50,000 Siamese, all of whom were the worst troops in their +army. After this victory the king of Siam marched against the queen of +_Guibem_, who had allowed the enemy to pass through her country; and +entering the city of _Fumbacar_ spared neither age nor sex. Being +besieged in her capital of _Guirar_, the queen agreed to pay an yearly +tribute of 60,000 ducats, and gave her son as an hostage. After this the +king of Siam advanced to the city of _Taysiram_, to which place he +thought the king of Chiammay had fled, destroying every thing in his +course with fire and sword, only sparing the women; but winter coming on +he returned to Siam. + +On his return to his court of _Odiaa_ or _Odiaz_, he was poisoned by his +queen, then big with child by one of her servants; but before he died he +caused his eldest son, then young, to be declared king. He left 30,000 +ducats to the Portuguese then in his service, and gave orders that they +should pay no duties in any of his ports for three years. The adulterous +queen, being near the time of her delivery, poisoned her lawful son, +married her servant, and caused him to be proclaimed king. But in a +short time they were both slain at a feast by the King of _Cambodia_ and +_Oya Pansilaco_. + +There being no lawful heir to the kingdom of Siam, _Pretiel_ a religious +_Talagrepo_, bastard brother to him who was poisoned, was raised to the +throne by common consent in the beginning of the year 1549. Seeing the +affairs of Siam in confusion, the king of the Birmans, who was likewise +king of Pegu, resolved to conquer that kingdom. For this purpose he +raised an army of 800,000 men, of which 40,000 were horse, and 60,000 +armed with muskets, 1000 being Portuguese. He had 20,000 elephants, 1000 +cannon drawn by oxen and _abadias_[26], and 1000 ammunition waggons +drawn by buffaloes. The Portuguese troops in his service, were commanded +by Diego Suarez de Mello, commonly called the Gallego, who went out to +India in 1538. In 1542 this man became a pirate in the neighbourhood of +Mozambique. In 1547 he was at the relief of Malacca: And now in 1549, +being in the service of the king of the Birmans, was worth four millions +in jewels and other valuables, had a pension of 200,000 ducats yearly, +was stiled the king's brother, and was supreme governor of the kingdom +and general in chief of the army. With this prodigious army the king of +the Birmans, after one repulse, took the fort of _Tapuram_ by assault, +which was defended by 2000 Siamese, all of whom he put to the sword in +revenge for the loss of 3000 of his own men in the two assaults. In the +prosecution of his march, the city of Juvopisam surrendered, after which +he set down before the city of Odiaa the capital of Siam. Diego Suarez +the commander in chief gave a general assault on the city, in which he +was repulsed with the loss of 10,000 men: Another attempt was made by +means of elephants, but with no better success. The king offered 500,000 +ducats to any one who would betray one of the gates to him; which coming +to the knowledge of _Oya Pansiloco_, who commanded in the city, he +opened a gate and sent word to the king to bring the money as he waited +to receive it. After spending five months in the siege, during which he +lost 150,000 men, news came that _Xemindoo_ had rebelled at Pegu where +he had slain 15,000 men that opposed him. When this was known in the +camp, 120,000 Peguers deserted, in hatred to the king of the Birmans who +oppressed them, and in revenge of the insolence of Diego Suarez their +general in chief. + +[Footnote 26: Rhinoceroses, which are so brutishly ferocious as in +no instance to have been tamed to labour, or to have ever shewn the +slightest degree of docility. Being of enormous strength, the only way +of preserving them when in custody, is in a sling; so that on the first +attempt to more forwards, they are immediately raised from the +ground.--E.] + +_Xemindoo_ was of the ancient blood royal of Pegu, and being a priest +was esteemed as a great saint. On one occasion he preached so eloquently +against the tyranny and oppression which the Peguers suffered under the +Birmans, that he was taken from the pulpit and proclaimed king of Pegu. +On this he slew 8000 Birmans that guarded the palace, and seizing the +royal treasure, he got possession of all the strong-holds in a short +time, and the whole kingdom submitted to his authority. The armies of +the rival kings met within two leagues of the city of Pegu; that of the +Birmans amounting to 350,000 men, while _Xemindoo_ had 600,000; yet +Xemindoo was defeated with the loss of 300,000 men, while the Birmans +lost 60,000. The victorious king of the Birmans immediately entered +Pegu, where he slew a vast multitude of the inhabitants, and recovered +his treasure. Meanwhile the city of _Martavan_ declared for _Xemindoo_, +and massacred the garrison of 2000 Birmans. _Zemin_ did the same in the +city of _Zatam_ where he commanded. The king marched towards him, but he +contrived to have him murdered by the way; on which _Zemin_ was +proclaimed king by his followers, and soon raised an army of 30,000 men. +_Chaumigrem_, brother to the dead king, plundered the palace and city, +and then fled to _Tangu_ where he was born. In four months _Zemin_ +became so odious to his new subjects by his tyranny, that many of them +fled to _Xemindoo_, who was soon at the head of 60,000 men. + +Some short time before this, as Diego Suarez was passing the house of a +rich merchant on the day of his daughter's intended marriage, being +struck by the great beauty of the bride, he attempted to carry her off +by force, killing the bridegroom and others who came to her rescue, and +the bride strangled herself to avoid the dishonour. As the father +expected no justice while that king reigned, he shut himself up till +_Zemin_ got possession of the throne, on which he so published his +wrongs about the city, that 50,000 of the people joined with him in +demanding justice. Fearing evil consequences, _Zemin_ caused Suarez to +be apprehended and delivered up to the people, by whom he was stoned to +death. His house was plundered, and as much less treasure was found than +he was supposed to be worth, he was believed to have buried the rest. + +_Zemin_ soon followed Suarez, for his subjects being unable to endure +his cruelty and avarice, fled in great numbers to Xemindoo, who was now +master of some considerable towns. Xemindoo having gathered an army of +200,000 men and 5000 elephants, marched to the city of Pegu, near which +he was encountered by Zemin at the head of 800,000 men. The battle was +long doubtful, but at last Gonzalo Neto, who served under _Xemindoo_ +with 80 Portuguese, killed _Zemin_ with a musket ball, on which his army +fled, and _Xemindoo_ got possession of the capital. This happened on the +3d of February 1550. Gonzalo was rewarded with a gift of 10,000 crowns, +and 5000 were divided among his companions. + +_Chaumigrem_, who had fled the year before to _Tangu_, hearing that +_Xemindoo_ had disbanded most of his forces, marched against him and +obtained a complete victory, by which the kingdom of Pegu was again +reduced under the authority of the Birmans. Xemindoo was taken some time +afterwards and put to death. _Chaumigrem_ being now king of the Birmans +and of Pegu, went to war against Siam, with an army of 1,700,000 men, +and 17,000 elephants, having a considerable body of Portuguese in his +service. All this army came to ruin, and the kingdom of Pegu was soon +afterwards reduced to subjection by the king of Aracan, as formerly +related. + +The kingdom of Siam, though much harassed by these invasions, still +held out, and, in 1627, was possessed by the _black_ king, so called +because he really was of a black colour, though all the inhabitants of +that country are fair complexioned[27]. In 1621, this _black_ king of +Siam sent ambassadors to Goa, desiring that some Franciscans might be +sent to preach the gospel in his dominions. Accordingly, father Andrew, +of the convent of the Holy Ghost, went to _Odiaa_[28], where he was +received honourably, and got leave to erect a church, which was done at +the king's expence. He likewise offered great riches to the venerable +father, who constantly refused his offers, to the great admiration and +astonishment of the king. This _black_ king of Siam was of small +stature, of an evil presence, and an extraordinarily compound character, +of great wickedness, mixed with great generosity. Although cruel men are +for the most part cowards, he was at the same time exceedingly cruel, +and very valiant; and though tyrants are generally covetous, he was +extremely liberal; being barbarous in some parts of his conduct, and +generous and benevolent in others. Not satisfied with putting thieves +and robbers to ordinary deaths, he was in use to have them torn in +pieces in his presence by tigers and crocodiles for his amusement. +Understanding that one of his vassal kings intended to rebel, he had him +shut up in a cage, and fed him with morsels of his own flesh torn from +his body, after which he had him fried in a pan. On one occasion he slew +seven ladies belonging to the court, only because they walked too quick; +and on another occasion he cut off the legs of three others, because +they staid too long when sent by him for some money to give to certain +Portuguese. He even extended his severity to animals; having cut off the +paw of a favourite monkey for putting it into a box containing some +curiosities. A valuable horse was ordered to be beheaded, in presence of +his other horses, because he did not stop when he checked him. A tiger +that did not immediately seize a criminal thrown to him, was ordered to +be beheaded as a coward. Yet had this cruel and capricious tyrant many +estimable virtues. He kept his word inviolable; was rigorous in the +execution of justice; liberal in his gifts; and often merciful to those +who offended him. Having at one time sent a Portuguese to Malacca with +money to purchase some commodities; this man, after buying them lost +them all at play, and yet had the boldness to return to the king, who +even received him kindly, saying that he valued the confidence reposed +in his generosity more than the goods he ought to have brought. He +shewed much respect to the Christian priests and missionaries, and gave +great encouragement to the propagation of the gospel in his dominions. +His valour was without the smallest stain. + +[Footnote 27: De Faria seems now to drop the fables of Fernan Mendez +Pinto, and to relate real events in the remainder of this section.--E.] + +[Footnote 28: More properly Ythia, vulgarly called Siam.--E.] + +The proper name of the kingdom we call _Siam_, is _Sornace_[29]. It +extends along the coast for 700 leagues, and its width inland is 260. +Most part of the country consists of fertile plains, watered by many +rivers, producing provisions of all sorts in vast abundance. The hills +are covered with a variety of trees, among which there are abundance of +ebony, brasilwood, and _Angelin_. It contains many mines of sulphur, +saltpetre, tin, iron, silver, gold, sapphires, and rubies; and produces +much sweet-smelling wood, benzoin, wax, cinnamon, pepper, ginger, +cardamunis, sugar, honey, silk, and cotton. The royal revenue is about +thirteen millions. The kingdom contains 13,000 cities and towns, besides +innumerable villages. All the towns are walled; but the people for the +most part are weak timorous and unwarlike. The coast is upon both seas; +that which is on the sea of India, or bay of Bengal, containing the sea +ports of _Junzalam_[30], and _Tanasserim_; while on the coast of the +China sea, are _Mompolocata_, _Cey_, _Lugor_, _Chinbu_, and _Perdio_. + +[Footnote 29: The oriental term _Shan_, probably derived from the +inhabitants of Pegu; but the Siamese call themselves _Tai_, or freemen, +and their country _Meuang tai_, or the country of freemen--E.] + +[Footnote 30: Otherwise called Junkseylon.--E.] + + +SECTION XVI. + +_A short Account of the Portuguese possessions between the Cape of Good +Hope and China_.[31] + + +In the middle of the seventeenth century, the Portuguese empire in the +east, comprehended under the general name of India, from beyond the Cape +of Good Hope in Africa, to Cape Liampo in China, extended for 4000 +leagues along the sea-coast, not including the shores of the Rea Sea and +the Persian gulf, which would add 1200 leagues more. Within these limits +are half of Africa, and all of eastern Asia, with innumerable islands +adjoining these two vast divisions of the world. This vast extent may be +conveniently divided into seven parts. + +[Footnote 31: De Faria, III. 115. This is to be understood as about the +year 1640, before the Dutch had begun to conquer the Portuguese +possessions. They are now few and unimportant, containing only some +remnant of dominion at Mozambique, with the cities of Goa and Diu in +India, and Macao in China.--E.] + +The _first_ division, between the famous Cape of Good Hope, and the +mouth of the Red Sea, contains along the coast many kingdoms of the +_Kafrs_; as the vast dominions of the Monomotapa, who is lord of all the +gold mines of Africa, with those of Sofala, Mozambique, Quiloa, Pemba, +Melinda, Pate, Brava, Magadoxa, and others. In this division the +Portuguese have the forts of Sofala and Mombaza, with the city and fort +of Mozambique. + +The _second_ division, from the mouth of the Red Sea to that of the +Persian gulf, contains the coast of Arabia, in which they have the +impregnable fortress of Muskat. + +The _third_ division, between Busrah, or Bazorah, at the bottom of the +Persian gulf, and India proper, contains the kingdoms of Ormuz, Guadel, +and Sinde, with part of Persia, and Cambaya, on which they have the fort +of Bandel, and the island of Diu. + +The _fourth_ division, from the gulph of Cambaya, to Cape Comorin, +contains what is properly called India, including part of Cambaya, with +the Decan, Canara, and Malabar, subject to several princes. On this +coast the Portuguese have, Damam, Assarim, Danu, St Gens, Agazaim, Maim, +Manora, Trapor, Bazaim, Tana, Caranja, the city of Chaul, with the +opposite fort of Morro; the most noble city of GOA, the large, strong, +and populous metropolis of the Portuguese possessions in the east. This +is the see of an archbishop, who is primate of all the east, and is the +residence of their viceroys; and there are the courts of inquisition, +exchequer, and chancery, with a customhouse, arsenal, and well-stored +magazines. The city of Goa, which stands in an island, is girt with a +strong wall, and defended by six mighty castles called Dauguim, San +Blas, Bassoleco, Santiago de Agazaim, Panguim, and Nuestra Sennora del +Cabo. On the other side of the bar is the castle of Bardes, and opposite +to Dauguim is the fort of Norva, with a considerable town. On one side +of the island of Goa is that of Salsete, in which is the fort of Rachol. +Then going along the coast are the forts of Onor, Barcelor, Mongalor, +Cananor Cranganor, Cochin, which is a bishopric; and near Cape Comorin, +the town and fort of Coulan. + +The _fifth_ division, between Cape Comorin and the river Ganges, +contains the coasts of Coromandel and Orixa, on which they have the fort +of Negapatam, the fort and city of Meliapour, which is a bishopric, +formerly named after St Thomas, and the fort of Masulipatan. + +The _sixth_ division, between the Ganges and Cape Cincapura, contains +the vast kingdoms of Bengal, Pegu, Tanasserim, and others of less note; +where the Portuguese have the city of Malacca, the seat of a bishop, and +their last possession on the continent. + +The _seventh_ division, from Cape Cincapura to Cape Liampo in China, +contains the kingdoms of Pam, Lugor, Siam, Cambodia, Tsiompa, Cochin +China, and the vast empire of China. In this vast extent the Portuguese +have only the island and city of Macao, yet trade all along these +coasts. + +In the island of Ceylon, the Portuguese possess the city and fort of +Columbo, with those of Manaar, Gale, and others. Beyond Malacca, a fort +in the island of Timor. The number of our ports in all this great track +is above fifty, with twenty cities and towns, and many dependent +villages. + +Much might be said of Ceylon, but we can only make room for a short +account of that famous island[32]. About 500 years before the time of +our Saviour, the heathen king of _Tenacarii_, who ruled over a great +part of the east, banished his son and heir _Vigia Rajah_, for the +wickedness and depravity of his conduct. The young man put to sea with +700 dissipated persons like himself, and landed at the port of +_Preature_, between Trincomalee, and Jafnapatam, in the island of +Ceylon, which was not then inhabited, but abounded in delightful rivers, +springs, woods, and fruit-trees, with many fine birds, and numerous +animals. These new colonists were so delighted with the country, that +they gave it the name of _Lancao_, which signifies the terrestrial +paradise, and, indeed, it is still considered as the delight of all the +east. The first town they built was _Montota_, opposite to _Manaar_, +whence they traded with _Cholca Rajah_, the nearest king on the +continent, who gave his daughter as wife to the prince, and supplied his +companions with women. He likewise sent them labourers and artizans to +forward the new plantation; and seeing his power increase, the banished +prince assumed the title of emperor of the islands. By strangers these +new come people were named _Galas_, signifying banished men on account +of their having actually been banished by the king of _Tenacarii._ Vigia +Rajah died without children, and left the crown to his brother, in whole +lineage it continued for 900 years. The fertility of the island, and the +fame of its excellent cinnamon, drew thither the _Chinese_, who +intermarried with the _Galas_, from which mixture arose a new race, +called to this day the _Chingalas_, or Chingalese, who are very powerful +in the island, being subtle, false, and cunning, and excellently adapted +for courtiers. + +[Footnote 32: This is supplied from a former portion of the Portuguese +Asia, Vol II. p. 507.] + +On the extinction of the ancient royal family, the kingdom fell to +_Dambadine Pandar Pracura Mabago_, who was treacherously taken prisoner +by the Chinese, afterwards restored, and then murdered by _Alagexere_, +who usurped the crown. The usurper dying ten years afterwards without +issue, two sons of _Dambadine_ were sent for who had fled from the +tyrant. _Maha Pracura Mabago_, the eldest, was raised to the throne, who +settled his court at _Cota_, and gave the dominion of the four _Corlas_ +to his brother. _Maha Pracura_ was succeeded by a grandson, the son of a +daughter who was married to the Rajah of _Cholca_. This line likewise +failed, and _Queta Permal_, king of Jafnapatam, was raised to the +throne, on which he assumed the name or title of _Bocnegaboa_, or king +by force of arms, having overcome his brother, who was king of the four +_corlas_. His son, _Caypura Pandar_, succeeded, but was defeated and +slain by the king of the four _Corlas_, who mounted the throne, and took +the name of _Jauira Pracura Magabo_. These two kings were of the royal +lineage, and had received their dominions from king _Maha Pracura_. +After _Jauira_, his son _Drama Pracura Magabo_ succeeded, who reigned +when Vasco de Gama discovered the route by sea to India. Afterwards, +about the year 1500, the empire of Ceylon was divided by three brothers, +into three separate kingdoms. _Bocnegababo Pandar_ had _Cota_; _Reigam +Pandar_ had _Reigam_; and _Madure Pandar_ had _Cheitavaca_. + +In the district of _Dinavaca_ in the centre of the island, there is a +prodigiously high mountain called the _Peak of Adam_, as some have +conceived that our first parents lived there, and that the print of a +foot, still to be seen on a rock on its summit, is his. The natives call +this _Amala Saripadi_, or the mountain of the footstep. Some springs +running down this mountain form a pool at the bottom, in which pilgrims +wash themselves, believing that it purifies them from sin. The rock or +stone on the top resembles a tomb-stone, and the print of the foot seems +not artificial, but as if it had been made in the same manner as when a +person treads upon wet clay, on which account it is esteemed miraculous. +Pilgrims of all sorts resort thither from all the surrounding countries, +even from Persia and China; and having purified themselves by washing in +the pool below, they go to the top of the mountain, near which hangs a +bell, which they strike, and consider its sound as a symbol of their +having been purified; _as if any other bell, on being struck, would not +sound_. According to the natives, _Drama Rajah_, the son of an ancient +king of the island, having done penance on the mountain along with many +disciples, and being about to go away, left the print of his foot on the +rock as a memorial. It is therefore respected as the relic of a saint, +and their common name for this person is _Budam_, which signifies the +_wise man_. Some believe this saint to have been _St Jesaphat_, but it +was more likely _St Thomas_, who has left many memorials in the _east_, +and even in the _west_, both in Brasil and Paraguay. + +The natural woods of Ceylon are like the most curious orchards and +gardens of Europe, producing citrons, lemons, and many other kinds of +delicious fruit. It abounds in cinnamon, cardamums, sugar-canes, honey, +and hemp. It produces iron, of which the best firelocks in the east are +made. It abounds in precious stones, as rubies, sapphires, cats-eyes, +topazes, chrysolites, amythests, and berils. It has many civet-cats, and +produces, the noblest elephants in all the east. Its rivers and shores +abound in a variety of excellent fish, and it has many excellent ports +fit for the largest ships. + +_End of the Portuguese Asia_. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +VOYAGES AND TRAVELS IN EGYPT, SYRIA, ARABIA, PERSIA, AND INDIA. BY +LUDOVICO VERTHEMA, IN 1503[33]. + + +INTRODUCTION. + +This ancient itinerary into the east, at the commencement of the +sixteenth century, together with the subsequent chapter, containing the +peregrinations of Cesar Frederick, about 80 years later, form an +appropriate supplement to the Portuguese transactions in India, as +furnishing a great number of observations respecting the countries, +people, manners, customs, and commerce of the east at an early period. +We learn from the _Bibliotheque Universelle des Voyages_. I. 264, that +this itinerary was originally published in Italian at Venice, in 1520. +The version followed on the present occasion was republished in old +English, in 1811, in an appendix to a reprint of HAKLUYT'S EARLY +VOYAGES, TRAVELS, AND DISCOVERIES; from which we learn that it was +translated from _Latine into Englishe, by Richarde Eden_, and originally +published in 1576. In both these English versions, the author is named +_Lewes Vertomannus_; but we learn from the _Biol. Univ. des Voy._ that +his real name was _Ludovico Verthema_, which we have accordingly adopted +on the present occasion, in preference to the latinized denomination +used by Eden. Although, in the present version, we have strictly adhered +to the sense of that published by Eden 236 years ago, it has appeared +more useful, and more consonant to the plan of our work, to render the +antiquated language into modern English: Yet, as on similar occasions, +we leave the _Preface of the Author_ exactly in the language and +orthography of Eden, the original translator. + +[Footnote 33: Hakluyt, iv. App. pp. 547--612. Ed. Lond. 1810-11.] + +The itinerary is vaguely dated in the title as of the year 1503, but we +learn from the text, that Verthema set out upon the pilgrimage of Mecca +from Damascus in the beginning of April 1503, after having resided a +considerable time at Damascus to acquire the language, probably Arabic; +and he appears to have left India on his return to Europe, by way of the +Cape of Good Hope and Lisbon, in the end of 1508. From some +circumstances in the text, but which do not agree with the +commencement, it would appear that Verthema had been taken prisoner by +the Mamelukes, when fifteen years of age, and was admitted into that +celebrated military band at Cairo, after making profession of the +Mahometan religion. He went afterwards on pilgrimage to Mecca, from +Damascus in Syria, then under the dominion of the Mameluke Soldan of +Egypt, and contrived to escape or desert from Mecca. By some unexplained +means, he appears to have become the servant or slave of a Persian +merchant, though he calls himself his companion, and along with whom he +made various extensive peregrinations in India. At length he contrived, +when at Cananore, to desert again to the Portuguese, through whose means +he was enabled to return to Europe. + +In this itinerary, as in all the ancient voyages and travels, the names +of persons, places, and things, are generally given in an extremely +vicious orthography, often almost utterly unintelligible, as taken down +orally, according to the vernacular modes of the respective writers, +without any intimate knowledge of the native language, or the employment +of any fixed general standard. To avoid the multiplication of notes, we +have endeavoured to supply this defect, by subjoining those names which +are now almost universally adopted by Europeans, founded upon a more +intimate acquaintance with the eastern languages. Thus the author, or +his translator Eden, constantly uses _Cayrus_ and _Alcayr_, for the +modern capital of Egypt, now known either by the Arabic denomination Al +Cahira, or the European designation Cairo, probably formed by the +Venetians from the Arabic. The names used in this itinerary have +probably been farther disguised and vitiated, by a prevalent fancy or +fashion of giving _latin_ terminations to all names of persons and +places in latin translations. Thus, even the author of this itinerary +has had his modern _Roman_ name, _Verthema_, latinized into +_Vertomannus_, and probably the _Cairo_, or _Cayro_ of the Italian +original, was corrupted by Eden into _Cayrus_, by way of giving it a +latin sound. Yet, while we have endeavoured to give, often +conjecturally, the better, or at least more intelligible and now +customary names, it seemed proper to retain those of the original +translation, which we believe may be found useful to our readers, as a +kind of _geographical glossary_ of middle-age terms. + +Of _Verthema_ or _Vertomannus_, we only know, from the title of the +translation of his work by Eden, that he was a _gentleman of Rome;_ and +we learn, at the close of his itinerary, that he was knighted by the +Portuguese viceroy of India, and that his patent of knighthood was +confirmed at Lisbon, by the king of Portugal. The full title of this +journal or itinerary, as given by the original translator, is as +follows; by which, and the preface of the author, both left unaltered, +the language and orthography of England towards the end of the sixteenth +century, or in 1576, when Eden published his translation, will be +sufficiently illustrated.--Ed. + + THE NAUIGATION AND VYAGES + OF + LEWES VERTOMANNUS, + GENTLEMAN OF THE CITIE OF ROME, + TO THE + REGIONS OF ARABIA, EGYPTE, PERSIA, SYRIA, ETHIOPIA + AND EAST INDIA, + BOTH WITHIN AND WITHOUT THE RYUER OF GANGES, ETC. + IN THE YEERE OF OUR LORDE 1503. + CONTEYNING + MANY NOTABLE AND STRAUNGE THYNGES, + BOTH HYSTORICALL AND NATURALL + TRANSLATED OUT OF LATINE INTO ENGLYSHE, + BY RICHARDE EDEN. + IN THE YEERE OF OUR LORDE 1576. + +THE PREFACE OF THE AUTHOR. + +There haue been many before me, who, to know the miracles of the worlde, +haue with diligent studie read dyuers authours which haue written of +such thynges. But other giuing more credit to the lyuely voyce, haue +been more desirous to know the same, by relation of such as haue +traueyled in those countreys, and seene such thinges whereof they make +relation, for that in many bookes, geathered of vncertaine aucthoritie, +are myxt false thinges with true. Other there are so greatly desirous to +know the trueth of these thinges, that they can in no wyse be satisfied +vntyll, by theyr owne experience they haue founde the trueth by vyages +and perigrinations into straunge countreys and people, to know theyr +maners, fashions, and customes, with dyuers thynges there to be seene: +wherein the only readyng of bookes could not satisfie theyr thirst of +such knowledge, but rather increased the same, in so much, that they +feared not with losse of theyr goods and daunger of lyfe to attempte +great vyages to dyuers countreys, with witnesse of theyr eyes to see +that they so greatly desired to knowe. The whiche thyng among other +chaunced vnto me also, for as often as in the books of Hystories and +Cosmographie, I read of such marueylous thynges whereof they make +mention [especially of thynges in the east parts of the world], there +was nothyng that coulde pacifie my vnquiet mynde, vntyll I had with myne +eyes seene the trueth thereof. + +I know that some there are indued with hygh knowledge, mountyng vnto the +heauens, whiche will contempne these our wrytinges as base and humble, +by cause we do not here, after theyr maner, with hygh and subtile +inquisition intreate of the motions and dispositions of the starres, and +gyue reason of theyr woorkyng on the earth, with theyr motions, +retrogradations, directions, mutations, epicicles, reuolutions, +inclinations, diuinations, reflexions, and suche other parteyning to the +science of Astrologie: whych certeynely we doe not contempne, but +greatly prayse. But measuryng vs with our owne foote, we will leaue that +heauie burden of heauven to the strong shoulders of Atlas and Hercules: +and only creepyng vpon the earth, in our owne person beholde the +situations of landes and regions, with the maners and customes of men, +and variable fourmes, shapes, natures, and properties of beastes, +fruites, and trees, especially suche as are among the Arabians, +Persians, Indians, Ethiopians. And whereas in the searchyng of these +thynges we have [thanked be God], satisfied our desire, we thinke +neuerthelesse that we haue done little, excepte we should communicate to +other, such thynges as we haue seene and had experience of, that they +lykewyse by the readyng therof may take pleasure, for whose sakes we +have written this long and dangerous discourse, of thynges whych we haue +seene in dyvers regions and sectes of men, desiryng nothyng more then +that the trueth may be knowen to them that desyre the same. But what +incommodities and troubles chaunced vnto me in these vyages, as hunger, +thirst, colde, heate, warres, captiuitie, terrours, and dyuers other +suche daungers, I will declare by the way in theyr due places. + + +SECTION I. + +_Of the Navigation from Venice to Alexandria in Egypt, and from thence +to Damascus in Syria_[34]. + + +Should any one wish to know the cause of my engaging in this voyage, I +can give no better reason than the ardent desire of knowledge, which +hath moved me and many others to see the world and the wonders of +creation which it exhibits. And, as other known parts of the world had +been already sufficiently travelled over by others, I was determined to +wait and describe such parts as were not sufficiently known. For which +reason, with the grace of God, and calling upon his holy name to prosper +our enterprise, we departed from Venice, and with prosperous winds we +arrived in few days at the city of Alexandria in Egypt. The desire we +had to know things more strange and farther off, did not permit us to +remain long at that place; wherefore, sailing up the river Nile, we came +to the city of new Babylon, commonly called _Cayrus_ or _Akayr_, _Cairo_ +or _Al-cahira_, called also _Memphis_ in ancient times. + +[Footnote 34: To accommodate this curious article to our mode of +arrangement, we have made a slight alteration of the nomenclature of its +subdivisions; calling those in this version _Sections_, which in the +original translation of Mr Eden are denominated chapters; and have used +the farther freedom of sometimes throwing several of these chapters into +one section.--E.] + +On my first arrival at this place I was more astonished than I can well +express, yet on a more intimate observation it seemed much inferior to +the report of its fame, as in extent it seemed not larger than Rome, +though much more populous. But many have been deceived in regard to its +size by the extensive suburbs, which are in reality numerous dispersed +villages with fields interspersed, which some persons have thought to +belong to the city, though they are from two to three miles distant, and +surround it on all sides. It is not needful to expatiate in this place +on the manners and religion of this city and its environs, as it is well +known that the inhabitants are Mahometans and Mamelukes; these last +being Christians who have forsaken the true faith to serve the Turks and +Mahometans. Those of that description who used to serve the Soldan of +Babylon in Egypt, or Cairo, in former times before the Turkish +conquest, used to be called Mamelukes, while such of them as served the +Turks were denominated _Jenetzari_ or Janisaries. The Mameluke +Mahometans are subject to the Soldan of Syria. + +As the riches and magnificence of Cairo, and the Mameluke soldiers by +whom it is occupied are well known, we do not deem it necessary to say +any thing respecting them in this place. Wherefore departing from +Babylon in Egypt, or Cairo, and returning to Alexandria, we again put to +sea and went to _Berynto_, a city on the coast of Syria Phoenicia, +inhabited by Mahometans and abounding in all things, where we remained a +considerable time. This city is not encompassed with walls, except on +the west side where there are walls close to the sea. We found nothing +memorable at this place, except an old ruined building where they say +St. George delivered the kings daughter from a cruel dragon which he +slew, and then restated the lady to her father. Departing from thence we +went to Tripoli in Syria, which is two days sail to the east of Berynto. +It is inhabited by Mahometans, who are subject to the lieutenant or +governor of Syria under the Soldan. The soil of the neighbouring country +is very fertile, and as it carries on great trade this city abounds in +all things. Departing from thence we came to the city of _Comagene_ of +Syria, commonly called Aleppo, and named by our men Antioch[35]. This is +a goodly city, which is situated under mount _Taurus_ and is subject to +the lieutenant of Syria under the Soldan of Egypt. Here are the _scales_ +or ladders as they are called of the Turks and Syrians, being near mount +Olympus. It is a famous mart of the Azamians and Persians. The Azamians +are a Mahometan people who inhabit Mesopotamia on the confines of +Persia. + +[Footnote 35: This is a gross error, as Aleppo is above 80 English miles +N.E. and island from Antioch. From the sequel it is evident that Antioch +is the place meant by Vertomannus in the text, as the _scales_, mart, or +staple of the Syrian trade.--E.] + +Departing from Antioch we went by land to Damascus, a journey of ten +days; but mid-way we came to a city named _Aman_ in the neighbourhood of +which there grows a great quantity of gossampine or cotton, and all +manner of pleasant fruits. About six miles from Damascus on the +declivity of a mountain is a city called _Menin_, inhabited by Greek +christians who are subject to the governor of Damascus. At that place +there are two fine churches, which the inhabitants allege were built by +Helena the mother of the emperor Constantine. This place produces all +kinds of fruit in great perfection, especially excellent grapes, and the +gardens are watered with perpetual fountains. + + +SECTION II. + +_Of the City of Damascus_. + + +Departing from _Menin_ we came to Damascus, a city so beautiful as +surpasses all belief, situated in a soil of wonderful fertility. I was +so much delighted by the marvellous beauty of this city that I sojourned +there a considerable time, that by learning the language I might inquire +into the manners of the people. The inhabitants are Mahometans and +Mamelukes, with a great number of Christians who follow the Greek +ritual. It may be proper in this place to give some account of the +_Hexarchatus_ or commander of Damascus, who is subject to the lieutenant +of Syria, which some call _sorya_. There is a very strong castle or +fortress, which was built by a certain Etruscan or native of Florence in +Tuscany, while he was _exarch_ or governor of Damascus, as appears by a +flower of the lily graven on marble, being the arms of Florence. This +castle is encompassed by a deep ditch and high walls with four goodly +high towers, and is entered by means of a drawbridge which can be let +down or taken up at pleasure. Within, this castle is provided with all +kinds of great artillery and warlike ammunition, and has a constant +guard of fifty Mamelukes, who wait upon the captain of the castle and +are paid by the viceroy of Syria. The following story respecting the +Florentine _exarch_ or governor of Damascus was related to me by the +inhabitants. One of the Soldans of Syria happened to have poison +administered to him, and when in search of a remedy he was cured by that +Florentine who belonged to the company of Mamelukes. Owing to this great +service he grew into high favour with the Soldan, who in reward made him +exarch or governor of Damascus in which he built the before mentioned +citadel. For saving the life of their Soldan this man is still reputed +among them as a saint, and after his death the sovereignty of Damascus +returned to the Syrians. + +The Soldan is said to be much beloved by his princes and lords, to whom +he is ever ready to grant principalities and governments, reserving +always to himself the yearly payment of many thousands of those pieces +of gold called _saraphos_ or serafines, and any one who neglects payment +of the stipulated tribute is liable to be immediately put to death. Ten +or twelve of the chief noblemen or governors always reside with the +Soldan to assist him with their councils and to carry his orders into +execution. The Mameluke government is exceedingly oppressive to the +merchants and even to the other Mahometan inhabitants of Damascus. When +the Soldan thinks fit to extort a sum of money from any of the nobles or +merchants, he gives two letters to the governor of the castle, in one of +which is contained a list of such as he thinks proper to be invited into +the castle, and in the other is set down what sum the Soldan is pleased +to demand from his subjects; and with these commands they immediately +comply. Sometimes however the nobles are of such power that they refuse +to attend at the castle when summoned; and knowing that the tyrant will +offer them violence, they often escape into the dominions of the Turks. +We have noticed that the watchmen who are stationed in the towers do not +give warning to the guard by calling out as with us, but by means of +drums each answering the other; and if any of the centinels be asleep +and do not answer the beat of the patrole in a moment, he is immediately +committed to prison for a whole year. + +This city is well built and wonderfully populous, much frequented and +extremely rich, and abounds in all kinds of commodities and provisions, +such as flesh, corn, and fruits. It has fresh damascene grapes all the +year round, with pomegranates, oranges, lemons, and excellent olive +trees; likewise the finest roses I ever saw, both red and white. The +apples are excellent, but the pears and peaches are unsavoury, owing as +is said to too much moisture. A fine clear river runs past the city, +which is so well supplied with water that almost every house has a +fountain of curious workmanship, many of them splendidly ornamented with +embossed or carved work. Outwardly their houses are very plain, but the +insides are beautifully adorned with various ornaments of the stone +called _oplus_ or serpentine marble. The city contains many temples +which they call mosques, the most beautiful of which is built after the +manner of St Peters at Rome, and as large, only that the middle has no +roof being entirely open, all the rest of the temple being vaulted. This +temple has four great double gates of brass, and has many splendid +fountains on the inside, in which they preserve the body of the prophet +Zacharias, whom they hold in great veneration. There are still to be +seen the ruins of many decayed canonical or Christian churches, having +much fine carved work. About a mile from the city the place is pointed +out where our Saviour spoke to St Paul, saying, "Paul! Paul! why +persecutest thou me!" at which place all the Christians who die in the +city are buried. The tower also is shewn in which Paul was imprisoned, +which joins the wall of the city; but even the Mahometans do not attempt +to shut up that part of the tower through which St Paul was conducted by +the angel, alleging that, when they close it up over night is found open +again next morning. They likewise point out the houses in which they say +that Cain slew his brother Abel, which are in a certain valley about a +mile from the city, but on the side of a hill skirting that valley. + +The Mamelukes or stranger soldiers who inhabit Damascus live in a most +licentious manner. They are all men who have forsaken the Christian +faith, and who have been purchased as slaves by the governor of Syria. +Being brought up both in learning and warlike discipline, they are very +active and brave; and all of them whether high or low, receive regular +wages from the governor, being six of those pieces of gold called +serafines monthly, besides meat and drink for themselves and servants, +and provender for their horses; and as they shew themselves valiant and +faithful their wages are increased. They never walk singly about the +city, which would be deemed dishonourable, but always by two or three +together; and if they chance to meet with two or three women in the +streets, for whom even they are in use to wait in the neighbourhood of +such houses as the women frequent, licence is granted to such as first +meet them to carry them to certain taverns where they abuse them. When +the Mamelukes attempt to uncover the faces of these women, they strive +all they can to prevent being known, and are generally allowed to go +away without having their veils lifted. Hence it sometimes happens, when +they think to have abused the daughter of some nobleman or person of +condition, that they have fallen in with their own wives, as actually +happened while I was there. The women of Damascus beautify and adorn +themselves with great attention, wearing silk clothes, which they cover +with an outer garment of cotton as fine as silk. They wear white +buskins, and red or purple shoes, having their heads decorated with +rich jewels and ear-rings, with rings on their fingers and splendid +bracelets on their arms. They marry as often as they please, as when +weary of, or dissatisfied with their husbands, they apply to the chief +of their religion, called the _cady_, and request of him to divorce +them, which divorcement is called _talacare_ in their language, after +which they are at liberty to contract a new marriage; and the same +liberty is allowed to the husbands. Some say that the Mahometans have +usually five or six wives, but as far as I could learn they have only +two or three. They eat openly in the markets or fairs, and there they +cook all their food, living on the flesh, of horses, camels, buffaloes, +goats, and other beasts, and use great quantities of fresh cheese. Those +who sell milk drive flocks of forty or fifty she-goats through the +streets, which they bring to the doors of those who buy, driving them +even into their chambers, though three stories high, where the animals +are milked, so that every one gets their milk fresh and unadulterated. +These goats have their ears a span long, and are very fruitful. They use +many mushrooms, as there are often seen at one time 20 or 30 camels +loaded with mushrooms coming to market, and yet all are sold in two or +three days. These are brought from the mountains of Armenia, and from +Asia Minor, now called Turkey, Natolia, or Anatolia. The Mahometans use +long loose vestures both of silk and cloth, most having hose or trowsers +of cotton, and white shoes or slippers. When any Mahometan happens to +meet a Mameluke, even though the worthier person, he must give place and +reverence to the Mameluke, who would otherwise beat him with a staff. +Though often ill used by the Mahometans, the Christians have many +warehouses in Damascus, where they sell various kinds of silks and +velvets, and other commodities. + + + + +SECT. III. + +_Of the Journey from Damascus to Mecca, and of the Manners of the +Arabians_. + + +On the 8th of April 1503, having hired certain camels to go with the +caravan to Mecca, and being then ignorant of the manners and customs of +those with whom I was to travel, I entered into familiarity and +friendship with a certain Mameluke captain who had forsaken our faith, +with whom I agreed for the expences of my journey, and who supplied me +with apparel like that worn by the Mamelukes, and gave me a good horse, +so that I went in his company along with other Mamelukes. This advantage +cost me much money and many gifts. Thus entering on our journey, we came +in three days to a place called _Mezaris_, where we tarried other three +days that the merchants might provide all necessaries for the journey, +and especially camels. There is a certain prince called _Zambei_, of +great power in Arabia, who had three brothers and four sons. This prince +possessed 40,000 horses, 10,000 mares, and 4000 camels, which he kept in +a country two days journey in extent. His power is so great, that he is +at war with the Soldan of Egypt, the governor of Damascus, and the +prince of Jerusalem all at once. His chief time of robbing and +plundering is in harvest, when, he often falls unexpectedly on the +Arabians, invading their lands and carrying away their wheat and barley, +employing himself continually in predatory incursions. When his mares +are weary with continual running, he stops to rest them, and gives them +camels milk to drink, to refresh and cool them after their fatigue. +These mares are of most wonderful swiftness, and when I saw them they +seemed rather to fly than to run in riding, these Arabians only cover +their horses with cloths or mats, and their own clothing is confined to +a single vesture somewhat like a petticoat. Their weapons are long +lances or darts made of reeds, ten or twelve cubits long, pointed with +iron and fringed with silk. The men are despicable looking people, of +small stature, of a colour between black and yellow, which we call +olive, having voices like women, and long black hair flowing on their +shoulders. They are more numerous than can well be believed, and are +continually at war among themselves. They inhabit the mountains, and +have certain times appointed for going out on predatory excursions, when +they march in troops in great order, carrying with them their wives and +children, and all their goods. Their houses or tents rather are carried +on camels, having no other houses, but dwelling always in tents like +soldiers. These tents are made of wool, and look black and filthy. + +On the 11th of April we departed from Mezaris to the number of 40,000 +men with 35,000 camels, having only sixty Mamelukes to guide and guard +us. We were regularly marshalled for the march into a van and main body, +with two wings, in which order the caravans of pilgrims always travel +in these regions. From Damascus to Mecca is a journey of forty days and +forty nights. Departing from Mezaris we continued our journey that day +till the twenty-second hour of the day. Then our captain or +_Agmirus_[36], having given the appointed signal, the whole caravan +immediately halted and disburdened the camels, two hours only being +allowed for rest and refreshment for the men and beasts. Then upon a new +signal the camels were all reloaded, and we resumed our march. Every +camel has for one feed five barley loaves, raw and not baked, as large +as pomegranates. We continued our second days journey like the first, +all day and night, from sun-rise to the twenty-second hour of the day, +and this was the constant regular order. Every eighth day they procure +water by digging the ground or sand, though sometimes we found wells and +cisterns. Likewise after every eight day, they rest two days, that the +camels and horses may recover strength. Every camel bears an incredible +load, being equal to that Which is borne by two strong-mules. + +[Footnote 36: The Emir Haji, or captain of the pilgrimage, which name of +office is transposed in the text to Haji-emir, corrupted _Agmir_, and +latinized Agmirus.--E.] + +At every resting-place at the waters, they are always obliged to defend +themselves against vast numbers of Arabians, but these conflicts are +hardly ever attended with bloodshed, insomuch that though we often +fought with them, we had only one man slain during the whole journey, +these Arabians are so weak and cowardly that our threescore Mamelukes +have often driven 60,000 Arabians before them. Of these Mamelukes, I +have often seen wonderful instances of their expertness and activity. I +once saw a Mameluke place an apple on the head of his servant at the +distance of 12 or 14 paces, and strike it off from his head, another +while riding at full speed took the saddle from his horse, and carried +it some time on his head, and put it again on the horse without checking +his career. + +At the end of twelve days journey we came to the valley of Sodom and +Gomorra, which we found, as is said in the holy scripture, to retain the +ruins of the destroyed city as a lasting memorial of God's wrath. I may +affirm that there are three cities, each situated on the declivity of +three separate hills, and the ruins do not seem above three or four +cubits high, among which is seen something like blood, or rather like +red wax mixed with earth. It is easy to believe that these people were +addicted to horrible vices, as testified by the barren, dry, filthy +unwholesome region, utterly destitute of water. These people were once +fed with manna sent from heaven, but abusing the gifts of God they were +utterly destroyed. Departing about twenty miles from this place, about +thirty of our company perished for want of water, and several others +were overwhelmed with sand. A little farther on we found water at the +foot of a little hill, and there halted. Early next morning there came +to us 24,000 Arabians, who demanded money from us in payment of the +water we had taken, and as we refused them any money, saying that the +water was the free gift of God to all, we came to blows. We gathered +ourselves together on the mountain as the safest place, using our camels +as a bulwark, all the merchants and their goods being placed in the +middle of the camels while we fought manfully on every side. The battle +continued for two days, when water failed both with us and our enemies, +who encompassed the mountain all round, continually calling out that +they would break in among our camels. At length our captain assembled +all the merchants, whom he commanded to gather twelve hundred pieces of +gold to be given to the Arabians: but on receiving that sum they said it +was too little, and demanded ten thousand pieces and more for the water +we had taken. Whereupon our captain gave orders that every man in the +caravan who could bear arms should prepare for battle. Next morning our +commander sent on the caravan with the unarmed pilgrims inclosed by the +camels, and made an attack upon the enemy with our small army, which +amounted to about three hundred in all. With the loss only of one man +and a woman on our side, we completely defeated the Arabians of whom we +slew 1500 men. This victory is not to be wondered at, considering that +the Arabians are almost entirely unarmed being almost naked, and having +only a thin loose vesture, while their horses are very ill provided for +battle, having no saddles or other caparisons. + +Continuing our march after this victory, we came in eight days to a +mountain about ten or twelve miles in circuit, which was inhabited by +about 5000 Jews. These were of very small stature, hardly exceeding five +or six spans in height, and some much less[37]. They have small shrill +voices like women, and are of very dark complexions, some blacker than +the rest. Their only food is the flesh of goats. They are all +circumcised and follow the Jewish law, and when any Mahometan falls into +their hands they flea him alive. We found a hole at the foot of the +mountain out of which there flowed an abundant source of water, at which +we laded 16,000 camels, giving great offence to the Jews. These people +wander about their mountain like so many goats or deer, not daring to +descend into the plain for fear of the Arabians. At the bottom of the +mountain we found a small grove of seven or eight thorn trees, among +which we found a pair of turtle doves, which were to us a great rarity, +as during our long journey hitherto we had seen neither beast nor bird. + +[Footnote 37: This account of the stature of the Jewish tribe cannot +fail to be much exaggerated, otherwise the text must have been corrupted +at this place; as we cannot well conceive of a tribe in Arabia not +exceeding four feet two inches in average height.--E.] + +Proceeding two days journey from the mountain of the Jews, we came to +_Medinathalhabi_[38] or Medina. Four miles from this city we found a +well, where the caravan rested and remained for a whole day, that we +might wash ourselves and put on clean garments to appear decently in the +city. Medina contains about three hundred houses of stone or brick, and +is well peopled, being surrounded by bulwarks of earth. The soil is +utterly barren, except at about two miles from the city there are about +fifty palm trees which bear dates. At that place, beside a garden, there +is a water-course which runs into a lower plain, where the pilgrims are +accustomed to water their camels. I had here an opportunity to refute +the vulgar opinion that the tomb or coffin of the _wicked_ Mahomet is at +Mecca, and hangs in the air without support. For I tarried here three +days and saw with my own eyes the place where Mahomet was buried, which +is here at Medina, and not at Mecca. On presenting ourselves to enter +the _Meschita_ or mosque, which name they give to all their churches or +temples, we could not be allowed to enter unless along with a +companion[39] little or great, who takes us by the hand and leads us to +the place where they say that Mahomet is buried. His temple is vaulted, +being about 100 paces long by 80 in breadth, and is entered by two +gates. It consists of three parallel vaults, which are supported by +four hundred pillars of white bricks, and within are suspended about +three thousand lamps. In the inner part of this mosque or temple is a +kind of tower five paces in circuit, vaulted on every side, and covered +with a large cloth of silk, which is borne up by a grate of copper +curiously wrought, and at the distance of two paces on every side from +the tower, so that this tower or tomb is only seen as through a lattice +by the devout pilgrims. This tomb is situated in an inner building +toward the left hand from the great mosque, in a chapel to which you +enter by a narrow gate. On every side of these gates or doors are seen +many books in the manner of a library, twenty on one side, and +twenty-five on the other, which contain the vile traditions of Mahomet +and his companions. Within this chapel is seen a sepulchre in which they +say that Mahomet lies buried with his principal companions, _Nabi_, +_Bubacar_, _Othamar_, _Aumar_, and _Fatoma_. Mahomet, who was a native +Arabian, was their chief captain. _Hali_ or _Ali_ was his son in-law, +for he took to wife his daughter _Fatima_. _Bubacar_ or Abubeker, was as +they say exalted to be chief councillor and governor under Mahomet, but +was not honoured with the office of apostle or prophet. _Othamar and +Aumar_, Othoman and Omar, were chief captains in the army of Mahomet. +Every one of these have particular books containing the acts and +traditions which relate to them, whence proceed great dissentions and +discords of religion and manners among these vile people, some of whom +adhere to one doctrine and some to another, so that they are divided +into various sects among themselves, and kill each other like beasts, +upon quarrels respecting their various opinions, all equally false, +having each their several patrons, doctors, and saints, as they call +them. This also is the chief cause of war between the Sophy of Persia +and the grand Turk, both of whom are Mahometans, yet they live in +continual and mortal hatred of each other for the maintenance of their +respective sects, saints, and apostles, every one thinking their own the +best. + +[Footnote 38: This name ought probably to have been written +Medinat-al-habi, and is assuredly the holy city of Medina, in which +Mahomet was buried.--E.] + +[Footnote 39: This seems to refer to some official residents of Medina, +who must accompany the pilgrims in their visits to the holy places, +probably for profit.--E.] + +The first evening that we came to Medina, our captain, or Emir of the +pilgrimage, sent for the chief priest of the temple, and declared that +the sole object of his coming thither was to visit the sepulchre and +body of the _Nabi_ or prophet, as they usually call Mahomet, and that he +understood the price generally paid for being admitted to a sight of +these mysteries was four thousand gold _serafines_. He told him likewise +that he had no parents, neither brothers nor sisters, kindred, wife, nor +children; that he had not come hither to purchase any merchandise, such +as spices, _bacca_[40], spikenard, or jewels, but merely for the +salvation of his soul and from pure zeal for religion, and was therefore +exceedingly desirous to see the body of the prophet. To this the priest +answered in apparent anger, "Darest thou, with those eyes with which +thou hast committed so many abominable sins, presume to look on him by +whom God created heaven and earth?" The captain replied that he spoke +true, yet prayed him that he might be permitted to see the prophet, when +he would instantly have his eyes thrust out. Then answered the _Side_ or +chief priest, "Prince! I will freely communicate all things to you. It +is undeniable that our holy prophet died at this place; but he was +immediately borne away by angels to heaven and there received among them +as their equal." Our captain then asked where was now Jesus Christ the +son of Mary, and the _Side_ said that he was at the feet of Mahomet: To +which the captain replied that he was satisfied, and wished for no more +information. After this, coming out of the temple, he said to us, "See I +pray you for what stuff I would have paid three thousand _serafines_ of +gold!" + +[Footnote 40: This word is obviously _berries_, and signifies +coffee.--E.] + +That same evening at almost three o'clock of the night[41], ten or +twelve elders of the city came into the encampment of our caravan, close +by one of the gates of the city, where running about like madmen, they +continually cried out aloud, "Mahomet the apostle of God shall rise +again: O prophet of God thou shalt rise again. God have mercy upon us!" +Alarmed by these cries, our captain and all of us seized our weapons in +all haste, suspecting that the Arabians had come to rob our caravan. On +demanding the reason of all this outcry, for they cried out as is done +by the Christians when any miraculous event occurs, the elders answered, +"Saw you not the light which shone from the sepulchre of the prophet?" +Then said one of the elders, "Are you slaves?" meaning thereby bought +men or Mamelukes; and when our captain answered that we were Mamelukes, +the elder replied, "You, my lords, being new to the faith, and not yet +fully confirmed in the religion of our holy prophet, cannot see these +heavenly things." To which our captain answered, "O! you mad and +insensate beasts! I thought to have given you three thousand pieces of +gold; but now I shall give you nothing, you dogs and progeny of dogs?" +Now, it is to be understood that the pretended miraculous light which +was seen to proceed from the sepulchre, was merely occasioned by a flame +made by the priests in the open part of the tower formerly mentioned, +which they wished to impose on us as a miracle. After this our commander +gave orders that none of the caravan should enter into the temple. +Having thus seen with my own eyes, I can assuredly declare that there is +neither iron nor steel, nor magnet stone by which the tomb of Mahomet is +made to hang in the air, as some have falsely imagined, neither is there +any mountain nearer to Medina than four miles. To this city of Medina +corn and all other kinds of victuals are brought from Arabia Felix, +Babylon or Cairo in Egypt, and from Ethiopia by way of the Red Sea, +which is about four days journey from the city. + +[Footnote 41: Counting from sunset after the manner of the +Italians.--E.] + +Having remained three days in our encampment on the outside of Medina to +rest and refresh ourselves and our animals, and being satisfied, or +disgusted rather, by the vile and abominable trumperies, deceits, and +hypocritical trifles of the Mahometan delusions, we determined to resume +our journey; and procuring a pilot or guide, who might direct our way by +means of a chart and mariners box or compass, as is used at sea, we bent +our journey towards the west, where we found a fair well or fountain +whence flowed an abundant stream of water, and where we and our beasts +were satisfied with drink. According to a tradition among the +inhabitants, this region was formerly burnt up with drought and +sterility, till the evangelist St Mark procured this fountain from God +by miracle. We came into the _sea of sand_ before our arrival at the +mountain of the Jews, formerly mentioned, and in it we journeyed three +days and nights. This is a vast plain covered all over by white sand as +fine almost as flour; and if by evil chance any one travels south while +the wind blows to the north, they are overwhelmed by drifted sand. Even +with the wind favourable, or blowing in the direction of their journey, +the pilgrims are apt to scatter and disperse, as they cannot see each +other at ten paces distance. For this reason those who travel across the +sea of sand are enclosed in wooden cages on the backs of camels, and +are guided by experienced pilots by chart and compass, as mariners on +the ocean. In this journey many perish by thirst, and many by drinking +with too much avidity when they fall in with wells. Owing to this +_Momia_ is found in these sands, bring the flesh of such as have been +_drowned in the sea of sand_, which is there dried up by the heat of the +sun, and the excessive dryness of the sand preventing putrefaction. This +_Momia_ or dried flesh is esteemed medicinal; but there is another and +more precious kind of _Momia_, being the dried and embalmed bodies of +kings and princes, which have been preserved in all times from +corrupting. + +When the wind blows from the north-east, the sand rises, and is driven +against a certain mountain, which is a branch from Mount Sinai; and in +that place we found certain pillars artificially wrought, which are +called _Januan_. On the left hand side of that mountain, and near the +highest summit, there is a cave or den, to which you enter by an iron +gate, and into which cave Mahomet is said to have retired for +meditation. While passing that mountain, we heard certain horrible cries +and loud noises, which put us in great fear. Departing therefore from +the fountain of St Mark, we continued our journey for ten days, and +twice in that time we had to fight against fifty thousand Arabians. At +length, however, we arrived at Mecca, where we found every thing in +confusion, in consequence of a civil war between two brothers who +contended for the kingdom of Mecca. + + +SECTION IV. + +_Observations of the Author during his residence at Mecca_. + + +The famous city of Mecha or Mecca is populous and well built, in a round +form, having six thousand houses as well built as those in Rome, some of +which have cost three or four thousand pieces of gold. It has no walls, +being protected or fortified as it were on all sides by mountains, over +one of which, about two furlongs from the city, the road is cut by which +we descended into the plain below; but there are three other entries +through the mountains. It is under the dominion of a sultan, one of four +brethren of the progeny of Mahomet, who is subject to the Soldan of +Egypt, but his other three brothers are continually at war with him. On +the 18th day of May, descending from the before-mentioned road obliquely +into the plain, we came to Mecca by the north side. On the south side of +the city there are two mountains very near each other, having a very +narrow intervening valley, which is the way leading to Mecca on that +side. To the east there in a similar valley between two other mountains, +by which is the road to a mountain where they sacrifice to the +patriarchs Abraham and Isaac, which hill or mount is ten or twelve miles +from Mecca, and is about three stone throws in height, being all of a +stone as hard as marble, yet is not marble. On the top of this mount is +a temple or mosque, built after their manner, having three entrances. At +the foot of the mountain are two great cisterns, which preserve water +free from corruption: one of these is reserved for the camels belonging +to the caravan of Cairo, and the other for that of Damascus. These +cisterns are filled by rain water, which is brought from a great way +off. We shall speak afterwards of the sacrifices performed at this +mountain, and must now return to Mecca. + +On our arrival we found the caravan from Memphis, or Babylon of Egypt, +which had arrived eight days before us, coming by a different way, and +consisted of 64,000 camels, with a guard of an hundred Mamelukes. This +city of Mecca is assuredly cursed of God, for it is situated in a most +barren spot, destitute of all manner of fruit or corn, and so burnt up +with drought, that you cannot have as much water for twelve pence as +will satisfy one person for a whole day. Most part of their provisions +are brought from Cairo in Egypt, by the Red Sea, or _Mare Erythreum_ of +the ancients, and is landed at the port of _Gida_, Joddah or Jiddah, +which is about forty miles from Mecca. The rest of their provisions are +brought from the _Happy Arabia_, or _Arabia Felix_, so named from its +fruitfulness in comparison with the other two divisions, called +_Petrea_ and _Deserta_, or the Stoney and Desert Arabias. They also +get much corn from Ethiopia. At Mecca we found a prodigious multitude of +strangers who were _peregrines_ or pilgrims; some from Syria, others +from Persia, and others from both the Indies, that is, from India on +this side the river Ganges, and also from the farther India beyond that +river. During my stay of twenty days at Mecca, I saw a most prodigious +number and variety of people, infinitely beyond what I had ever before +seen. This vast concourse of strangers of many nations and countries +resort thither from various causes, but chiefly for trade, and to +obtain pardon of their sins by discharging a vow of pilgrimage. + +From India, both on this side and beyond the Ganges, they bring for sale +precious stones pearls and spices; and especially from that city of the +greater India, which is named _Bangella_[42] they bring much +_gossampyne_ cloth[43] and silk. They receive spices also from +Ethiopia[44]; and, in short, this city of Mecca is a most famous and +plentiful mart of many rich and valuable commodities. But the main +object for which pilgrims resort thither from so many countries and +nations, is, to purchase the pardon of their sins. In the middle of the +city there is a temple after the manner of the coliseum or amphitheatre +of Rome, yet not built of marble or hewn stone, being only of burnt +bricks. Like an amphitheatre, it has ninety or an hundred gates, and is +vaulted over. It is entered on every side by a descent of twelve steps, +and in its porch is the mart for jewels and precious stones, all the +walls of the entry being gilt over in a most splendid manner. In the +lower part of the temple under the vaults, there is always to be seen a +prodigious multitude of men; as there are generally five or six thousand +in that place, who deal solely in sweet ointments and perfumes, among +which especially is a certain most odoriferous powder, with which dead +bodies are embalmed. From this place all manner of delightful perfumes +are carried to all the Mahometan countries, for beyond any thing that +can be found in the shops of our apothecaries. + +[Footnote 42: This must necessarily be the kingdom or province of +Bengal.--E.] + +[Footnote 43: Fine cottons or muslins are here evidently meant.--E.] + +[Footnote 44: This is inexplicable, as Ethiopia possesses no spices, +unless we may suppose the author to mean here the sea of Ethiopia or Red +Sea, as the track by which spices were brought to Mecca.--E.] + +On the 23d day of May yearly, the pardons begin to be distributed in the +temple, after the following manner: The temple is entirely open in the +middle, and in its centre stands a turret about six paces in +circumference, and not exceeding the height of a man, which is hung all +round with silken tapestry. This turret or cell is entered by a gate of +silver, on each side of which are vessels full of precious balsam, which +the inhabitants told us was part of the treasure belonging to the sultan +of Mecca. _At every vault of the turret is fastened a round circle of +iron, like the ring of a door_[45]. On the day of Pentecost, all men +are permitted to visit this holy place. On the 22d of May, a great +multitude of people began early in the morning, before day, to walk +seven times round the turret, every corner of which they devoutly kissed +and frequently handled. About ten or twelve paces from this principal +turret is another, which is built like a Christian chapel, having three +or four entries; and in the middle is a well seventy cubits deep, the +water of which is impregnated with saltpetre. At this well eight men are +stationed to draw water for all the multitude. After the pilgrims have +seven times walked round the first turret, they come to this one, and +touching the mouth or brim of the well, they say these words: "Be it to +the honour of God, and may God pardon my sins." Then those who draw +water pour three buckets on the heads of every one that stands around +the well, washing or wetting them all over, even should their garments +be of silk; after which the deluded fools fondly imagine that their sins +are forgiven them. It is pretended that the turret first spoken of was +the first house that was builded by Abraham; wherefore, while yet all +over wet by the drenching at the well, they go to the mountain already +mentioned, where the sacrifice is made to Abraham; and after remaining +there for two days, they make their sacrifice to the patriarch at the +foot of the mountain. + +[Footnote 45: This description is altogether unintelligible.--E.] + +When they intend to sacrifice, the pilgrims who are able to afford it, +kill some three, some four, or more sheep, even to ten, so that in one +sacrifice there are sometimes slain above 3000 sheep; and as they are +all slaughtered at sun-rise, the shambles then flow with blood. Shortly +afterwards all the carcasses are distributed for God's sake among the +poor, of whom I saw there at least to the number of 20,000. These poor +people dig many long ditches in the fields round Mecca, where they make +fires of camels' dung, at which they roast or seethe the sacrificial +flesh which has been distributed to them by the richer pilgrims. In my +opinion, these poor people flock to Mecca more to satisfy their hunger, +than from motives of devotion. Great quantities of cucumbers are brought +here for sale from Arabia Felix, which are bought by those who have +money; and as the parings are thrown out from their tents, the +half-famished multitude gather these parings from among the mire or sand +to satisfy their hunger, and are so greedy of that vile food, that they +fight who shall gather most. + +On the day after the sacrifice to Abraham, the _cadi_, who is to these +people as the preachers of the word of God among us, ascends to the top +of a high mountain, whence he preaches to the people who stand below. He +harangued for the space of on hour, principally inculcating that they +should bewail their sins with tears and sighs and lamentations, beating +their breasts. At one time he exclaimed with a loud voice, "O! Abraham +the beloved of God, O! Isaac the chosen of God and his friend, pray to +God for the people of the prophet." As these words were spoken, we +suddenly heard loud cries and lamentations, and a rumour was spread that +an army of 20,000 Arabians was approaching, on which we all fled into +the city, even those who were appointed to guard the pilgrims being the +first to make their escape. Mid-way between the mountain of Abraham and +the city of Mecca, there is a mean wall, about four cubits broad, where +the passengers had strewed the whole way with stones, owing to the +following traditionary story: When Abraham was commanded to sacrifice +his son Isaac, he directed his son to follow him to the place where he +was to execute the divine command; and as Isaac was following after his +father, a devil met him in the way near this wall, in the semblance of a +fair and friendly person, and asked him whither he went. Isaac answered +that he was going to his father, who waited for him. To this the arch +enemy replied, that he had better not go, as his father meant to +sacrifice him. But Isaac despising the warnings of the devil, continued +his way, that his father might execute the commandments of God +respecting him. On this the devil departed from him, but met him again +as he went forward, under the semblance of another friendly person, and +advised him as before not to go to his father. On this Isaac threw a +stone at the devil, and wounded him in the forehead; in remembrance of +which traditionary story it is that the people, on passing this way, are +accustomed to throw stones at the wall before going to the city. As we +went this way, the air was in a manner darkened with prodigious +multitudes of stock doves, all, as they pretend, derived from the dove +that spoke in the ear of Mahomet, in likeness of the Holy Ghost. These +doves are seen in vast numbers in all parts about Mecca, as in the +houses, villages, inns, and granaries of corn and rice, and are so tame +that they can hardly be driven away. Indeed it is reckoned a capital +crime to kill or even take them, and there are certain funds assigned +for feeding them at the temple. + +Beyond the temple there are certain parks or inclosures, in which there +are two _unicorns_ to be seen, called by the Greeks _Monocerotae_, which +are shewn to the people as miracles of nature, and not without good +reason, on account of their scarcity and strange appearance. One of +these, though much higher than the other, is not unlike a colt of thirty +months old, and has a horn in its forehead, growing straight forwards +and the length of three cubits. The other is much younger, resembling a +colt of one year old, and its horn is only four hand breadths long. +These singular animals are of a weasel chesnut colour, having a head +like that of a hart, but the neck is not near so long, with a thin mane, +hanging all to one side. The legs are thin and slender, like those of a +fawn or hind, and the hoofs are cleft much like those of a goat, the +outer parts of the hind feet being very full of hair. These animals +seemed wild and fierce yet exceedingly comely. They were sent out of +Ethiopia by a king of that country, as a rare and precious gift to the +sultan of Mecca[46]. + +[Footnote 46: The unicorn is an unknown, or rather a fabulous animal, +and the most charitable interpretation that can be made of the +description in the text is, that Verthema was mistaken, or that one of +the horns of some species of antelope had either been removed, or was +wanting by a lusus naturae. The only real _Monoceros_, or one horned +animal, known to naturalists, is the rhinoceros monoceros, or one-horned +rhinoceros, which bears its horn on the nose, a little way above the +muzzle, not on the forehead.--E.] + +It may seem proper to mention here certain things which happened to me +at Mecca, in which may be seen the sharpness of wit in case of urgent +necessity, which according to the proverb, has no law; for I was driven +to the extent of my wits how I might contrive to escape privately from +Mecca. One day, while in the market purchasing some things by the +direction of our captain, a certain Mameluke knew me to be a Christian, +and said to me in his own language _inte mename_, which is to say, +"Whence are you?" To this I answered that I was a Mahometan, but he +insisted that I spoke falsely, on which I swore by the head of Mahomet +that I really was. Then he desired me to go home along with him, which I +willingly did; and when there he began to speak to me in the Italian +language, affirming that he was quite certain I was not a Mahometan. He +told me that he had been some time in Genoa and Venice, and mentioned +many circumstances which convinced me that he spoke truth. On this I +freely confessed myself A Roman, but declared that I had become a +Mahometan at Babylon in Egypt, and had been there enrolled among the +Mamelukes. He seemed much pleased as this, and treated me honourably. +Being very desirous of proceeding farther in my travels, I asked him if +this city of Mecca was as famous as was reported in the world, and where +the vast abundance of pearls, precious stones, spices, and other rich +merchandise was to be seen, which was generally believed to be in that +city, wishing to know the reason why these things were not now brought +there as in former times; but to avoid all suspicion, I durst not make +any mention of the dominion acquired by the king of Portugal over the +Indian ocean and the gulfs of Persia and Mecca. Then did he shew the +cause why this mart of Mecca was not so much frequented as it used to +be, assigning the whole blame to the King of Portugal. Thereupon I +purposely detracted from the fame of that king, lest the Mahometan might +suspect me of rejoicing that the Christians resorted to India for trade. +Finding me a professed enemy to the Christians, he conceived a great +esteem for me, and gave me a great deal of information. Then said I to +him in the language of Mahomet _Menaba menalhabi_, or "I pray you to aid +me." He asked me in what circumstance I wished his assistance; upon +which I told him that I wished secretly to depart from Mecca, assuring +him under the most sacred oaths that I meant to visit those kings who +were the greatest enemies to the Christians, and that I possessed the +knowledge of certain estimable secrets, which if known to those kings +would certainly occasion them to send for me from Mecca. He requested to +know what these secrets were, on which I informed him that I was +thoroughly versant in the construction of all manner of guns and +artillery. He then praised Mahomet for having directed me to these +parts, as I might do infinite service to the true believers; and he +agreed to allow me to remain secretly in his house along with his wife. + +Having thus cemented a friendship with the Mahometan, he requested of me +to obtain permission from the captain of our caravan that he might lead +fifteen camels from Mecca loaded with spices under his name, by which +means he might evade the duties, as thirty gold seraphines are usually +paid to the sultan of Mecca for the custom of such a number of camels. I +gave him great hopes that his request might be complied with, even if he +asked for an hundred camels, as I alleged he was entitled to the +privilege as being a Mameluke. Then finding him in excellent good +humour, I again urged my desire of being concealed in his house; and +having entirely gained his confidence, he gave me many instructions for +the prosecution of my intended journey, and counselled me to repair to +the court of the king of _Decham_, or Deccan, a realm in the greater +India; of which I shall speak hereafter. Wherefore, on the day before +the caravan of Damascus was to depart from Mecca, he concealed me in the +most secret part of his house; and next morning early the trumpeter of +our caravan of Syria gave warning to all the Mamelukes to prepare +themselves and their horses for the immediate prosecution of the +journey, on pain of death to all who should neglect the order. Upon +hearing this proclamation and penalty I was greatly troubled in mind; +yet committing myself by earnest prayer to the merciful protection of +God, I entreated the Mamelukes wife not to betray me. On the Tuesday +following, our caravan departed from Mecca and the Mameluke went along +with it, but I remained concealed in his house. Before his departure, +the friendly Mameluke gave orders to his wife that she should procure me +the means of going along with the pilgrims who were to depart from +_Zide_ or Juddah the port of Mecca for India. This port of Juddah is 40 +miles from Mecca. I cannot well express the kindness of the Mamelukes +wife to me during the time I lay hid in her house; and what contributed +mainly to my good entertainment was that a beautiful young maid who +dwelt in the house, being niece to the Mameluke, was in love with me; +but at that time I was so environed with troubles and fear of danger, +that the passion of love was almost extinct in my bosom, yet I kept +myself in her favour by kind words and fair promises. + +On the Friday, three days after the departure of the caravan of Syria, I +departed about noon from Mecca along with the caravan of India; and +about midnight we came to an Arabian village, where we rested all the +rest of that night and the next day till noon. From thence continuing +our journey we arrived at Juddah on the second night of our journey. The +city of Juddah has no walls, but the houses are well built, resembling +those in the Italian cities. At this place there is great abundance of +all kinds of merchandise, being in a manner the resort of all nations, +except that it is held unlawful for Jews or Christians to come there. As +soon as I entered Juddah I went to the mosque, where I saw a prodigious +number of poor people, not less than 25,000, who were attending upon +the different pilots, that they might go back to their countries. Here I +suffered much trouble and affliction, being constrained to hide myself +among these poor wretches and to feign myself sick, that no one might be +too inquisitive about who I was, whence I came, or whether I was going. +The city of Juddah is under the dominion of the Soldan of Babylon or +Cairo, the Sultan of Mecca being his brother and his subject. The +inhabitants are all Mahometans; the soil around the town is very +unfruitful, as it wants water; yet this town, which stands on the shore +of the Red Sea, enjoys abundance of all necessaries which are brought +from Egypt, Arabia Felix, and various other places. The heat is so +excessive that the people are in a manner dried up, and there is +generally great sickness among the inhabitants. This city contains about +500 houses. After sojourning here for fifteen days, I at length agreed +for a certain sum with a pilot or ship-master, who engaged to convey me +to Persia. At this time there lay at anchor in the haven of Mecca near +an hundred brigantines and foists, with many barks and boats of various +kinds, some with oars and some with sails. + +Three days after I had agreed for my passage, we hoisted sail and began +our voyage down the Red Sea, called by the ancients _Mare +erythraeum_[47]. It is well known to learned men that this sea is not +red, as its name implies and as some have imagined, for it has the same +colour with other seas. We continued our voyage till the going down of +the sun, for this sea cannot be navigated during the night, wherefore +navigators only sail in the day and always come to anchor every night. +This is owing _as they say_, to the many dangerous sands, rocks and +shelves, which require the ships way to be guided with great care and +diligent outlook from the _top castle_, that these dangerous places may +be seen and avoided: But after coming to the island of _Chameran_ or +Kamaran, the navigation may be continued with greater safety and +freedom. + +[Footnote 47: The _Mare erythraeum_ of the ancients was of much more +extended dimensions, comprising all the sea of India from Arabia on the +west to Guzerat and the Concan on the east, with the coasts of Persia +and Scindetic India on the north; of which sea the Red Sea and the +Persian gulfs were considered branches or deep bays.--E.] + + +SECTION V. + +_Adventures of the Author in various parts of Arabia Felix, or Yemen_. + + +After six days sailing from Juddah we came to a city named _Gezan_, +which is well built and has a commodious port, in which we found about +45 foists and brigantines belonging to different countries. This city is +close to the sea, and stands in a fertile district resembling Italy, +having plenty of pomegranates, quinces, peaches, Assyrian apples, +_pepons_? melons, oranges, gourds, and various other fruits, also many +of the finest roses and other flowers that can be conceived, so that it +seemed an earthly paradise. It has also abundance of flesh, with wheat +and barley, and a grain like white millet or _hirse_, which they call +_dora_, of which they make a very excellent bread. The prince of this +town and all his subjects are Mahometans, most of whom go nearly naked. + +After sailing five days from _Gezan_, having always the coast on our +left hand, we came in sight of some habitations where 14 of us went on +shore in hopes of procuring some provisions from the inhabitants; but +instead of giving us victuals they threw stones at us from slings, so +that we were constrained to fight them in our own defence. There were +about 100 of these inhospitable natives, who had no other weapons except +slings, and yet fought us for an hour; but 24 of them being slain the +rest fled, and we brought away from their houses some poultry and +calves, which we found very good. Soon afterwards the natives returned, +being reinforced by others to the number of five or six hundred; but we +departed with our prey and reimbarked. + +Continuing our voyage, we arrived on the same day at an island named +_Kamaran_, which is ten miles in circuit. This island has a town of two +hundred houses, inhabited by Mahometans, and has abundance of flesh and +fresh water, and the fairest salt I ever saw. The port of Kamaran is +eight miles from the Arabian coast, and is subject to the sultan of +_Amanian_ or _Yaman_, a kingdom of Arabia Felix. Having remained here +two days, we again made sail for the mouth of the Red Sea, where we +arrived in other two days. From Kamaran to the mouth of the Red Sea the +navigation is safe both night and day; But from Juddah to Kamsran the +Red Sea can only be navigated by day, as already stated, on account of +shoals and rocks. On coming to the mouth of the Red Sea, we seemed quite +inclosed, as the strait is very narrow, being only three miles across. +On the right hand, or Ethiopian coast, the shore of the continent is +about ten paces in height, and seems a rude uncultivated soil; and on +the left hand, or coast of Arabia, there rises a very high rocky hill. +In the middle of the strait is a small uninhabited island called +_Bebmendo_[48], and those who sail from the Red Sea towards Zeyla, leave +this island on the left hand. Such, on the contrary, as go for Aden, +must keep the north eastern passage, leaving this island on the right. + +[Footnote 48: This word is an obvious corruption of Bab-el-Mondub, the +Arabic name of the straits, formerly explained as signifying the gate or +passage of lamentation. The island in question is named _Prin_.--E.] + +We sailed for _Bab-al-Mondub_ to _Aden_, in two days and a half, always +having the land of Arabia in sight on our left. I do not remember to +have seen any city better fortified than Aden. It stands on a tolerably +level plain, having walls on two sides: all the rest being inclosed by +mountains, on which there are five fortresses. This city contains 6000 +houses, and only a stone's throw from the city there is a mountain +having a castle on its summit, the shipping being anchored at the foot +of the mountain. Aden is an excellent city, and the chief place in all +Arabia Felix, of which it is the principal mart, to which merchants +resort from India, Ethiopia, Persia, and the Red Sea; but owing to the +intolerable heat during the day, the whole business of buying and +selling takes place at night, beginning two hours after sunset. As soon +as our brigantines came to anchor in the haven, the customers and +searchers came off, demanding what we were, whence we came, what +commodities we had on board, and how many men were in each vessel? After +being satisfied on these heads they took away our mast, sails, and other +tackle, that we might not depart without paying the customs. + +The day after our arrival at Aden, the Mahometans took me prisoner, and +put shackles on my legs in consequence of an _idolater_ calling after me +that I was a Christian dog[49]. Upon this the Mahometans laid hold of +me, and carried me before the lieutenant of the sultan, who assembled +his council, to consult with them if I should be put to death as a +Christian spy. The sultan happened to be absent from the city, and as +the lieutenant had not hitherto adjudged any one to death, he did not +think fit to give sentence against me till my case were reported to the +sultan. By this means I escaped the present danger, and remained in +prison 55 days, with an iron of eighteen pounds weight fastened to my +legs. On the second day of my confinement, many Mahometans went in great +rage to the lieutenant to demand that I should be put to death as a +Portuguese spy. Only a few days before, these men had difficultly +escaped from the hands of the Portuguese by swimming, with the loss of +their foists and barks, and therefore greatly desired to be revenged of +the Christians, outrageously affirming that I was a Portuguese and a +spy. But God assisted me, for the master of the prison made fast its +gates, that these outrageous men might not offer me violence. At the end +of fifty-five days, the sultan sent for me into his presence; so I was +placed on the back of a camel with my shackles, and at the end of eight +days journey I was brought to the city of _Rhada_, where the sultan then +resided, and where he had assembled an army of 30,000 men to make war +upon the sultan of _Sanaa_, a fair and populous city about three days +journey from _Rhada_, situated partly on the slope of a hill and partly +in a plain. When I was brought before the sultan, he asked me what I +was: on which I answered that I was a Roman, and had professed myself a +Mahometan and Mameluke at Babylon in Egypt, or Cairo. That from motives +of religion, and in discharge of a vow, I had made the pilgrimage to +_Medinathalhabi_, to see the body of the _Nabi_ or holy prophet, which +was said to be buried there; and that having heard in all the countries +and cities through which I passed, of the greatness, wisdom, and virtue +of the sultan of Rhada, I had continued my travels to his dominions from +an anxious desire to see his face, and I now gave thanks to God and his +prophet that I had attained my wish, trusting that his wisdom and +justice would see that I was no Christian spy, but a true Mahometan, and +his devoted slave. The sultan then commanded me to say _Leila illala +Mahumet resullah_, which words I could never well pronounce, either that +it so pleased God, or because I durst not, from some fear or scruple of +conscience. Wherefore, seeing me silent, the sultan committed me again +to prison, commanding that I should be carefully watched by sixteen men +of the city, every day four in their turns. After this, for the space of +three months, I never enjoyed the sight of the heavens, being every day +allowed a loaf of millet bread, so very small that seven of them would +hardly have satisfied my hunger for one day, yet I would have thought +myself happy if I could have had my fill of water. + +[Footnote 49: According to the monk Picade, Christians are found in all +regions except Arabia and Egypt, where they are most hated.--_Eden_.] + +Three days after I was committed to prison, the sultan marched with his +army to besiege the city of _Sanaa_, having, as I said before, 30,000 +footmen, besides 3000 horsemen, born of Christian parents, who were +black like the Ethiopians, and had been brought while young from the +kingdom of _Prester John_, called in Latin _Presbyter Johannes_, or +rather _Preciosus Johannes_. These Christian Ethiopians are also called +Abyssinians, and are brought up in the discipline of war like the +Mamelukes and Janisaries of the Turks, and are held in high estimation +by this sultan for the guard of his own person. They have high pay, and +are in number four-score thousand[50]. Their only dress is a _sindon_ or +cloak, out of which they put forth one arm. In war they use round +targets of buffaloe hide, strengthened with some light bars of iron, +having a wooden handle, and short broad-swords. At other times they use +vestures of linen of divers colours, also of _gossampine_ or _xylon_, +otherwise named _bomasine_[51]. In war every man carries a sling, whence +he casts stones, after having whirled them frequently round his head. +When they come to forty or fifty years of age, they wreath their hair +into the form of horns like those of goats. When the army proceeds to +the wars, it is followed by 5000 camels, all laden with ropes of +bombasine[52]. + +[Footnote 50: This is a ridiculous exaggeration, or blunder in +transcription, and may more readily be limited to four thousand.--E.] + +[Footnote 51: These terms unquestionably refer to cotton cloth. Perhaps +we ought to read gossamopine _of_ Xylon, meaning cotton cloth from +Ceylon.--E.] + +[Footnote 52: The use of this enormous quantity of cotton ropes is +unintelligible. Perhaps the author only meant to express that the packs +or bales on the camels were secured by such ropes.--E.] + +Hard by the prison to which I was committed, there was a long court or +entry in the manner of a cloister, where sometimes I and other prisoners +were permitted to walk, and which was overlooked by a part of the +sultan's palace. It happened that one of the sultan's wives remained in +the palace, having twelve young maidens to wait upon her, who were all +very comely, though inclining to black. By their favour I was much +aided, after the following manner: There were two other men confined +alone with me in the same prison, and it was agreed among us that one of +us should counterfeit madness, by which we might derive some advantage. +Accordingly it fell to my lot to assume the appearance of madness, which +made greatly for my purpose, as they consider mad men to be holy, and +they therefore allowed me to go much more at large than before, until +such time as the hermits might determine whether I were _holy mad_, or +raging mad, as shall be shewn hereafter. But the first three days of my +assumed madness wearied me so much, that I was never so tired with +labour, or grieved with pain; for the boys and vile people used to run +after me, sometimes to the number of forty or fifty, calling me a mad +man, and throwing stones at me, which usage I sometimes repaid in their +own coin. To give the better colour to my madness, I always carried some +stones in the lap of my shirt, as I had no other clothing whatever. The +queen hearing of my madness, used oftentimes to look from her windows to +see me, more instigated by a secret love for my person than the pleasure +she derived from my mad pranks, as afterwards appeared. One time, when +some of the natives played the knave with me in view of the queen, whose +secret favour towards me I began to perceive, I threw off my shirt, and +went to a place near the windows, where the queen might see me all +naked, which I perceived gave her great pleasure, as she always +contrived some device to prevent me going out of her sight, and would +sometimes spend almost the whole day in looking at me. In the mean time +she often sent me secretly abundance of good meat by her maids; and when +she saw the boys or others doing me harm or vexing me, she called to me +to kill them, reviling them also as dogs and beasts. + +There was a great fat sheep that was fed in the court of the palace, of +that kind whereof the tail only will sometimes weigh eleven or twelve +pounds. Under colour of my madness, I one day laid hold of this sheep, +repeating _Leila illala Mahumet resullah_, the words which the Sultan +desired me to repeat in his presence, by way of proof whether I was a +Mahometan or professed Mameluke. As the sheep gave no answer, I asked +him whether he were Mahometan, Jew, or Christian. And willing to make +him a Mahometan, I repeated the formula as before, which signifies, +"There is but one God, and Mahomet is his prophet," being the words the +Mahometans rehearse as their profession of faith. As the sheep answered +never a word to all I could say, I at length broke his leg with staff. +The queen took much delight in these my mad tricks, and commanded the +carcass of this sheep to be given me, and I never eat meat with more +relish or better appetite. Three days afterwards I killed an ass that +used to bring water to the palace, because he would not say these words +and be a Mahometan. One day I handled a Jew so very roughly, that I had +near killed him. On another occasion I threw many stones at a person who +called me a Christian clog, but he threw them back at me with such +vengeance, that he hurt me sore, on which I returned to my prison, of +which I barricadoed the door with stones, and lay there for two days, in +great pain, without meat or drink, so that the queen and others thought +me dead, but the door was opened by command of the queen. Those Arabian +dogs used to deride me, giving me stones in place of bread, and pieces +of white marble, pretending that they were lumps of sugar, and others +gave me bunches of grapes all full of sand. That they might not think I +counterfeited madness, I used to eat the grapes sand and all. + +When it was rumoured abroad that I had lived two days and nights without +meat or drink, some began to believe that I was a holy madman, while +others supposed me to be stark mad; wherefore they consulted to send for +certain men who dwell in the mountain, who lead a contemplative life, +and are esteemed holy as we do hermits. When they came to give their +judgment concerning me, and were debating among themselves for upwards +of an hour on my case, I pissed in my hands, and threw the water in +their faces, on which they agreed I was no saint, but a mere madman. The +queen saw all this from her window, and laughed heartily at it among her +maids, saying, "By the head of Mahomet this is a good man." Next morning +I happened to find the man asleep who had so sore hurt me with stones, +and taking him by the hair of his head with both hands, I so punched him +in the stomach, and on the face with my knees, that I left him all +bloody and half dead. The queen happening to see me, she called out, +"Kill the beast, Kill the dog." Upon which he ran away and came no more +nigh me. + +When the president of the city heard that the queen took so much delight +in my mad frolics, he gave orders that I might go at liberty about the +palace, only wearing my shackles, and that I should be immured every +night in another prison in the lower part of the palace. After I had +remained in this manner for twenty days, the queen took it into her head +to carry me along with her a hunting; but on my return, I feigned myself +sick from fatigue, and continued in my cell for eight days, the queen +sending every day to inquire how I was. After this I took an opportunity +to tell the queen that I had vowed to God and Mahomet to visit a certain +holy person at Aden, and begged her permission to perform my vow. She +consented to this, and immediately gave orders that a camel and 25 gold +seraphins should be given me. Accordingly I immediately set off on my +journey, and came to Aden at the end of eight days, when I visited the +man who was reputed as a saint, merely because he had always lived in +great poverty, and without the company of women. There are many such in +those parts, but doubtless they lose their labour, not being in the +faith of Christ. Having thus performed my vow, I pretended to have +recovered my health by miracle performed by this holy person, of which I +sent notice to the queen, desiring permission to visit certain other +holy persons in that country who had great reputation. I contrived these +excuses because the fleet for India was not to depart from Aden for the +space of a month. I took the opportunity to agree secretly with the +captain of a ship to carry me to India, making him many fair promises of +reward. He told me that he did not mean to go to India till after he had +gone first to Persia, and to this arrangement I agreed. + +To fill up the time, I mounted my camel and went a journey of 25 miles, +to a certain populous city named _Lagi_, seated in a great plain, in +which are plenty of olives and corn, with many cattle, but no vines, and +very little wood. The inhabitants are a gross and barbarous people of +the vagabond Arabs, and very poor. Going a days journey from thence, I +came to another city named _Aiaz_, which is built on two hills, having a +large plain between them, in which is a noted fountain, where various +nations resort as to a famous mart. The inhabitants are Mahometans, yet +greatly differ in opinion respecting their religion. All those who +inhabit the northern mount, maintain the faith of Mahomet and his +successors, of whom I have formerly spoken; but those of the south +mountain affirm that faith ought only to be given to Mahomet and Ali, +declaring the others to have been false prophets. The country about +_Aiaz_ produces goodly fruits of various kinds, among which are vines, +together with silk and cotton; and the city has great trade in spices +and other commodities. On the top of both of the hills there are strong +fortresses, and two days journey from thence is the city of _Dante_, on +the top of a very high mountain, well fortified both by art and nature. + +Departing from _Dante_, I came in two days journey to the city of +_Almacharam_, on the top of a very high mountain of very difficult +ascent, by a way so narrow that only two men are able to pass each +other. On the top of this mountain is a plain of wonderful size, and +very fertile, which produces abundance of every thing necessary to the +use of man. It has also plenty of water, insomuch that at one fountain +only there is sufficient water to supply a hundred thousand men. The +Sultan is said to have been born in this city, and to keep his treasure +here, which is so large as to be a sufficient load for an hundred camels +all in gold. Here also always resides one of his wives. The air of this +place is remarkably temperate and healthy, and the inhabitants are +inclining to white. Two days journey from _Almacharam_, is the city of +_Reame_, containing 2000 houses. The inhabitants are black, and are much +addicted to commerce. The country around is fertile in all things, +except wood. On one side of this city is a mountain, on which is a +strong fortress. At this place I saw a kind of sheep without horns, +whose tails weigh forty or fifty pounds. The grapes of this district +have no stones or grains, and are remarkably sweet and delicate, as are +all the other fruits, which are in great abundance and variety. This +place is very temperate and healthful, as may be conceived by the long +life of its inhabitants, for I have conversed with many of them that had +passed the age of an hundred and twenty-five years, and were still +vigorous and fresh-coloured. They go almost naked, wearing only shirts, +or other thin and loose raiment like mantles, having one arm bare. +Almost all the Arabs wreath their hair in the shape of horns, which they +think gives them a comely appearance. + +Departing from thence, I came in three days journey to the city of +_Sanaa_ or _Zenan,_ upon the top of a very high mountain, and very +strong both by art and nature. The Sultan had besieged this place for +three months with a great army, but was unable to prevail against it by +force, yet it was afterwards yielded on composition. The walls of this +city are eighteen cubits high and twenty in thickness, insomuch that +eight camels may march abreast upon them. The region in which it stands +is very fertile, and resembles Italy, having abundance of water. The +city contains four thousand houses, all well built, and in no respect +inferior to those in Italy, but the city is so large in circuit, that +fields, gardens, and meadows are contained within the walls. This city +was governed by a Sultan, who had twelve sons, one of whom named +Mahomet, was four cubits high, and very strong, of a complexion +resembling ashes, and from some natural madness or grossly tyrannical +disposition he delighted in human flesh, so that he used to kill men +secretly to feed upon them. + +Three days journey from thence I came to a city upon a mountain, named +_Taessa,_ well built, and abounding in all things necessary to man, and +particularly celebrated for roses, of which the inhabitants make rose +water. This is an ancient city, having many good houses, and still +contains several monuments of antiquity. Its temple or chief mosque is +built much like the church of Sancta Maria Rotunda at Rome. The +inhabitants are of an ash-colour, inclining to black, and dress much +like those already mentioned. Many merchants resort thither for trade. +Three days journey from thence I came to another city named _Zioith_ or +_Zabid_, half a days journey from the Red Sea. This is a well built +city, abounding in many good things, particularly in excellent white +sugar and various kinds of delicious fruits. It is situated in a very +large plain between two mountains, and has no walls, but is one of the +principal marts for all sorts of spices, and various other merchandise. +One days journey from thence I came to _Damar_, which is situated in a +fruitful soil, and carries on considerable trade. All these cities are +subject to a Sultan of Arabia-Felix, who is called _Sechamir_, or the +holy prince; _Secha_ signifying holy, and _Amir_ prince, in the Arabian +language. He is so named, because he abhors to shed men's blood. While I +was there in prison, he nourished sixteen thousand poor, including +captives in prison, who had been condemned to death, and he had as many +black slaves in his palace. + +Departing from Damar I returned in three days journey to Aden, passing +in the mid way by an exceedingly large and high mountain, on which there +are many wild beasts, and in particular the whole mountain is as it were +covered with monkeys. There are also many lions, so that it is by no +means safe to travel that way unless in large companies of at least a +hundred men. I passed this way along with a numerous company, yet we +were in much danger from the lions and other wild beasts which followed +us, insomuch that we were forced to fight them with darts, slings, and +arrows, using also the aid of dogs, and after all we escaped with some +difficulty. On arriving at Aden I feigned myself sick, lurking in the +mosque all day, and going only out under night to speak with the pilot +of the ship formerly mentioned, from whom I obtained a bark in which I +secretly left Aden. + +We at length began our voyage for Persia, to which we were to go in the +first place, our bark being laden with _rubricke_, a certain red earth +used for dying cloth, with which fifteen or twenty vessels are yearly +freighted from Arabia Felix. After having sailed six days on our voyage, +a sudden tempest of contrary wind drove us back again and forced us to +the coast of Ethiopia, where we took shelter in the port of _Zeyla_. We +remained here five days to see the city, and to wait till the tempest +was over and the sea become quiet. The city of Zeyla is a famous mart +for many commodities, and has marvellous abundance of gold and ivory, +and a prodigious number of black slaves, which are procured by the +Mahometan or Moorish inhabitants, by means of war, from Ethiopia in the +country of Prester John, the Christian king of the Jacobins or +Abyssinians. These slaves are carried hence into Persia, Arabia Felix, +Cairo, and Mecca. In this city justice and good laws are observed. The +soil produces wheat and other convenient things, as oil which is not +procured from olives but from something else that I do not know. It has +likewise plenty of honey and wax, and abundance of animals for food, +among which are sheep having tails of sixteen pounds weight, very fat +and good; their head and neck black, and all the rest of their bodies +white. There are also sheep all over white, whose tails are a cubit +long, and hang down like a large cluster of grapes, with great flaps of +skin hanging from their throats. The bulls and cows likewise have +dewlaps hanging down almost to the ground. There are also certain kine +having horns like to those of harts, which are very wild, and when taken +are given to the sultan of the city as a gift worthy of a prince. I also +saw other kine of a bright red colour, having only one horn in the midst +of the forehead, about a span long, bending backwards, like the horn of +the unicorn. The walls of this city are greatly decayed, and the haven +bad and unsafe, yet it is resorted to by vast numbers of merchants. The +sultan of Zeyla is a Mahometan, and has a numerous army both of horse +and foot. The people, who are much addicted to war, are of a dark +ash-colour inclining to black, and wear loose vestments like those +spoken of in Arabia. After the weather had become calm, we again put to +sea, and soon afterwards arrived at an island on the coast of Ethiopia +named _Barbora_, which is under the rule of a Mahometan prince. It is a +small island, but fertile and well peopled, its principal riches +consisting in herds of cattle, so that flesh is to be had in great +plenty. We remained here only one day, and sailing thence went to +Persia. + + +SECTION VI. + +_Observations of the Author relative to some parts of Persia._ + + +When we had sailed twelve days we came to a city named +_Divobanderrumi_[53], which name signifies the holy port of the _Rumes_ +or Turks. This place is only a little way from the Continent, and when +the tides rise high it is an island environed on every side with water, +but at ebb tides the passage between it and the land is dry. This is a +great mart of commerce, and is governed by a person named +_Menacheas_, being subject to the sultan of Cambaia. It is well +fortified with good walls, and defended by a numerous artillery. The +barks and brigantines used at this place are smaller than ours of Italy. +Departing thence we came in three days to _Zoar_[54], which also is a +well frequented mart in a fertile country inhabited by Mahometans. Near +this place are two other good cities and ports named _Gieulfar_ and +_Meschet_ or _Maskat_. + +[Footnote 53: From the context, this place appears to have been on that +part of the oceanic coast of Arabia called the kingdom of Maskat, +towards Cape Ras-al-gat and the entrance to the Persian gulf. The name +seems compounded of these words _Div_ or _Diu_, an island, _Bander_ a +port, and _Rumi_ the term in the east for the Turks as successors of the +Romans. It is said in the text to have been subject to the sultan of +Cambaia, but was more probably tributary to the king or sultan of +Ormuz.--E.] + +[Footnote 54: In the text of Hakluyt this place is called _Goa_, +assuredly by mistake, as it immediately afterwards appears to have been +in the neighbourhood of Maskat, and in the direct voyage between Aden +and Ormus, by creeping along the coast from port to port.--E.] + +Proceeding on our voyage we came to the fair city of _Ormuz_ or +_Armusium_, second to none in excellence of situation, and abundance of +pearls. It stands in an island twelve miles from the Continent, being in +itself very scarce of water and corn, so that all things required for +the sustenance of the inhabitants are brought from other places. At the +distance of three days sail from thence those muscles are procured which +produce the fairest and largest pearls. There are certain people who +gain their living by fishing for these muscles in the following manner: +Going in small boats to that part of the sea where these are found, they +cast a large stone into the sea on each side of the boat fastened to +strong ropes, by which they fix their boat steadily in one place like a +ship at anchor. Then another stone with a cord fastened to it is cast +into the sea, and a man having a sack hung upon his shoulder both before +and behind, and a stone hung to his feet, leaps into the water, and +immediately sinks to the bottom to the depth of 15 paces or more, where +he remains gathering the pearl muscles and putting them into his sack. +He then casts off the stone that is tied to his feet and comes up by +means of the rope. At _Ormuz_ there are sometimes seen almost three +hundred ships and vessels of various sorts at one time, which come from +many different places and countries. The sultan of the city is a +Mahometan. There are not less than four hundred merchants and factors +continually residing here for the sake of trade in silks, pearls, +precious stones, spices, and the like. The principal article of their +sustenance at this place is rice. + +Departing from Ormuz I went into Persia, and after ten days journey I +came to _Eri_[55] a city in _Chorazani_ which also we may name +_Flaminia_. This region is fertile, and abounds in all good things, +particularly in silk, so that one might purchase enough in one day to +load 3000 camels. Owing to the fertility of this country corn is always +cheap. Rhubarb is in such abundance that six of our pounds of twelve +ounces each may be bought for one gold crown. This city, in which dwells +the king of that region, contains about seven thousand houses, all +inhabited by Mahometans. In twenty days journey from thence, I noticed +that the inland parts of Persia are well inhabited and have many good +towns and villages. In this journey I came to a great river called by +the inhabitants _Eufra_, which I verily believe to be the Euphrates, +both from the resemblance of names and from its great size. Continuing +my journey along this river by the left hand, I came in three days +journey to another city named _Schyra_[56], subject to a prince who is a +Persian Mahometan, and is independent of any other prince. Here are +found all sorts of precious stones, especially that called _Eranon_, +which defends men against witchcraft, madness, and fearfulness +proceeding from melancholy. It is the stone commonly called _Turquoise_, +which is brought in great abundance from a city named _Balascam_, where +also great plenty of _Castoreum_ is procured and various kinds of +colours. The reason why so very little true _Castoreum_ is found among +us is because it is adulterated by the Persians before it comes to our +hands[57]. The way to prove true castoreum is by smelling, and if +genuine and unadulterated it makes the nose bleed, as I saw proved on +four persons in succession. When genuine and unadulterated, _castoreum_ +will preserve its flavour for ten years. The Persians are a courteous +and gentle people, liberal and generous towards each other, and kind to +strangers, as I found by experience. While here, I met with a Persian +merchant to whom I was known in the year before when at Mecca. This man +was born in the city of _Eri_ in Chorozani, and as soon as he saw me he +knew me again, and asked by what fortune I had come into that country. +To this I answered, "that I had come thither from a great desire to see +the world." "Praised be God, said he, that I have now found a companion +of the same mind with myself." He exhorted me not to depart from him, +and that I should accompany him in his journeys, as he meant to go +through the chief parts of the world. + +[Footnote 55: In the rambling journey of Verthema, we are often as here +unable to discover the meaning of his strangely corrupted names. +Chorazani or Chorassan is in the very north of Persia, at a vast +distance from Ormuz, and he pays no attention to the particulars of his +ten days journey which could not have been less than 400 miles. We are +almost tempted to suspect the author of romancing.--E.] + +[Footnote 56: Supposing that the place in the text may possibly mean +_Shiras_, the author makes a wonderful skip in three days from the +Euphrates to at least 230 miles distance--E.] + +[Footnote 57: What is named _Castoreum_ in the text was probably musk, +yet Russia castor might in those days have come along with rhubarb +through Persia.--E.] + +I accordingly remained with him for fifteen days in a city named +_Squilaz_, whence we went in the first place to a city named _Saint +Bragant_[58], which is larger than Babylon of Egypt and is subject to a +Mahometan prince, who is said to be able to take the field when occasion +requires with 60,000 horsemen. This I say only from the information of +others, as we could not safely pass farther in that direction, by reason +of the great wars carried on by the Sophy against those Mahometans who +follow the sect of _Omar_, who are abhorred by the Persians as heretics +and misbelievers, while they are of the sect of Ali which they consider +as the most perfect and true religion. At this place my Persian friend, +as a proof of his unfeigned friendship, offered to give me in marriage +his niece named _Samis_, which in their language signifies the Sun, +which name she well deserved for her singular beauty. As we could not +travel any farther by reason of the wars, we returned to the city of +Eri, where he entertained me most honourably in his house, and showing +me his niece desired that she might immediately become my wife. Being +otherwise minded, yet not willing that I should appear to despise so +friendly an offer, I thanked him for his goodness, yet begged the match +might be delayed to a more convenient time. Departing soon afterwards +from Eri, we came in eight days journey to _Ormuz_, where we took +shipping for India. + +[Footnote 58: Of Squilaz and Saint Bragant it is impossible to make any +thing, even by conjecture--E.] + + +SECTION VII. + +_Observations of the Author on various parts of India._ + + +We arrived in India at a certain port named _Cheo_[59], past which flows +the great river Indus, not far from the city of _Cambay_. It is +situated[60] three miles within the land, so that brigantines and foists +can have no access to it except when the tide rises higher than +ordinary, when it sometimes overflows the land for the space of four +miles. At this place the tides increase differently from what they do +with us, as they increase with the wane of the moon, whereas with us +while the moon waxes towards full. This city is walled after our manner, +and abounds in all kinds of necessaries, especially wheat and all manner +of wholesome and pleasant fruits. It has also abundance of _gosampine_ +or _bombassine_ (cotton) and some kinds of spices of which I do not know +the names. Merchants bring here such quantities of cotton and silk, that +sometimes forty or fifty vessels are loaded with these commodities for +other countries. In this region there is a mountain in which the _onyx_ +commonly called _carneola_ is found, and not far from thence another +mountain which produces _calecdony_ and diamonds. While I was there, the +sultan of Cambay was named Mahomet, and had reigned forty years after +having expelled the king of Guzerat. The natives are not Mahometans, +neither are they idolaters, wherefore I believe if they were only +baptised they would not be far from the way of salvation, for they +observe the pure rule of justice, doing unto others as they would be +done by. They deem it unlawful to deprive any living creature of its +life, and never eat flesh. Some of them go entirely naked, or only cover +the parts of shame, wearing fillets of a purple colour round their +heads. Their complexion is a dark yellow, commonly called a _leonell_ +colour. + +[Footnote 59: This name is inexplicably corrupted; and nothing more can +be said of it than is contained in the text, which indeed is very +vague.--E.] + +[Footnote 60: Verthema appears at this place to make an abrupt +transition to the city of Cambay, taking no farther notice of Cheo.--E.] + +The sultan of Cambay maintains a force of 20,000 horse. Every morning +fifty men riding on elephants repair to his palace to reverence and +salute the king, which is done likewise by the elephants kneeling down. +As soon as the king wakes in the morning there is a prodigious noise of +drums, trumpets, and other warlike instruments of music, as if in token +of joy that the sultan still lives. The same is done while he is at +dinner, when likewise the elephants are again brought forward to do him +reverence. We shall afterwards have occasion to notice the customs, +docility, and wisdom of these beasts. The sultan has his upper lip so +large and gross that he sometimes beareth it up with a fillet as women +do their hair. His beard is white and hangs down below his girdle. He +has been accustomed to the use of poison even from his infancy, and he +daily eats some to keep him in use; by which strange custom, although he +feels no personal hurt therefrom, yet is he so saturated with poison +that he is a certain poison to others. Insomuch that when he is +disposed to put any noble to death, he causes the victim to be brought +into his presence and to stand before him while he chews certain fruits +called _Chofolos_[61] resembling nutmegs, chewing at the same time the +leaves of a certain herb named _Tambolos_, to which is added the powder +of oyster shells. After chewing these things for some time, he spits +upon the person whom he wishes to kill, and he is sure to die within +half an hour, so powerful is the venom of his body[62]. He keeps about +four thousand concubines, and whoever of them chances to sleep with him +is sure to die next day. When he changes his shirt or any other article +of his dress, no one dare wear it, or is sure to die. My companion +learnt from the merchants of Cambay that this wonderful venomous nature +of the sultan had been occasioned by his having been bred up by his +father from a child in the constant use of poison, beginning by little +and little, and taking preservatives at the same time. + +[Footnote 61: It is evident from the text that the _areka_ nut is here +meant, which is chewed along with _betel_ leaf, called tambolos in the +text, and strewed with _chunam_ or lime made of oyster shells.--E.] + +[Footnote 62: This ridiculous story can only be understood as an eastern +metaphor, expressive of the tyrannous disposition of the sultan.--E.] + +Such is the wonderful fertility of this country that it surpasses all +description. The people, as already said, go almost entirely naked, or +content themselves with a single garment, and are a brave and warlike +nation, being at the same time much given to commerce, so that their +city is frequented by traders of all nations. From this city, and +another to be named afterwards, innumerable kinds and quantities of +merchandise are transported to almost every region and nation of the +world; especially to the Turks, Syrians, Arabians, Indians, and to +divers regions of Africa, Ethiopia, and Arabia; and more especially vast +abundance of silk and cotton, so that by means of this prodigious trade +the sultan is astonishingly rich. The sultan of Cambay is almost +continually at war with the king of _Joga_, whose realm is fifteen days +journey from Cambay, and extends very far in all directions. This king +of _Joga_[63] and all his people are idolaters. He maintains an army +always on foot of 30.000 men, and is continually in the field travelling +through his dominions with a prodigious train of followers at the +charge of his subject, his camp containing at the least 4000 tents and +pavilions. In this perpetual progress he is accompanied by his wife, +children, concubines, and slaves, and by every apparatus for hunting and +amusement. His dress consists of two goat-skins with the hair side +outwards, one of which covers his breast and the other his back and +shoulders. His complexion is of a brown weasel colour inclining to +black, as are most of the native Indians, being scorched by the heat of +the sun. They wear ear-rings of precious stones, and adorn themselves +with jewels of various kinds; and the king and principal people paint +their faces and other parts of their bodies with certain spices and +sweet gums or ointments. They are addicted to many vain superstitions; +some professing never to lie on the ground, while others keep a +continual silence, having two or three persons to minister to their +wants by signs. These devotees have horns hanging from their necks, +which they blow all at once when they come to any city or town to make +the inhabitants afraid, after which they demand victuals and whatever +else they are in need of from the people. When this king remains +stationary at any place, the greater part of his army keeps guard about +his pavilion, while five or six hundred men range about the country +collecting what they are able to procure. They never tarry above three +days in one place, but are continually wandering about like vagabond +Egyptians, Arabs, or Tartars. The region through which they roam is not +fertile, being mostly composed of steep and craggy mountains. The city +is without walls, and its houses are despicable huts or hovels. This +king is an enemy to the sultan of _Machamir_? and vexes his country with +incessant predatory incursions. + +[Footnote 63: What sovereign of India is meant by the _king of Joga_ we +cannot ascertain, unless perhaps some Hindoo rajah in the hilly country +to the north-east of Gujerat. From some parts of the account of this +king and his subjects, we are apt to conceive that the relation in the +text is founded on some vague account of a chief or leader of a band of +Hindoo devotees. A king or chief of the _Jogues_.--E.] + + +Departing from Cambay, I came in twelve days journey to the city of +_Ceull_[64], the land of Guzerat being interposed between these two +cities. The king of this city is an idolater. His subjects are of a dark +yellow colour, or lion tawny, and are much addicted to war, in which +they use swords, bows and arrows, darts, slings, and round targets. They +have engines to beat down walls and to make a great slaughter in an +army. The city is only three miles from the sea on the banks of a fine +river, by which a great deal of merchandise is imported. The soil is +fertile and produces many different kinds of fruits, and in the district +great quantities of cotton cloth are made. The people are idolaters like +those of Calicut, of whom mention will be made hereafter, yet there are +many Mahometans in the city. The king has but a small military force, +and the government is administered with justice. Two days journey from +thence is a city named _Dabuly_[65] on a great river and in a fertile +country. It is walled like the towns of Italy, and contains a vast +number of Mahometan merchants. The king is an idolater, having an army +of 30,000 men. Departing from thence I came to the island of _Goga_[66], +not above a mile from the continent, which pays yearly a tribute of 1000 +pieces of gold to the king of _Deccan_, about the same value with the +seraphins of Babylon. These coins are impressed on one side with the +image of the _devil_[67], and on the other side are some unknown +characters. On the sea coast at one side of this island there is a town +much like those of Italy, in which resides the governor, who is captain +over a company of soldiers named _Savain_, consisting of 400 Mamelukes, +he being likewise a Mameluke. Whenever he can procure any white man he +takes them into his service and gives them good entertainment, and if +fit for military service, of which he makes trial of their strength by +wrestling, he gives them a monthly allowance of 20 gold seraphins; but +if not found fit for war he employs them in handicrafts. With this small +force of only 400 men, he gives much disturbance to the king of +Narsinga. + +[Footnote 64: There is a district on the west of Gujerat or Guzerat +named _Chuwal_, on the river Butlass or Banass which runs into the gulf +of Cutch, which may be here meant.--.] + +[Footnote 65: No name having the least affinity to that in the text is +to be found in any modern map of India near the coast of Gujerat. It +would almost appear that the author had now gone down the coast of +India, and that his Chuwal and Dabuly are Chaul and Dabul on the coast +of the Concan.--E.] + +[Footnote 66: Nothing can possibly be made of this island of Goga. There +is a town on the coast of Gujerat and western side of the gulf of Cambay +called Gogo, but it is no island, and could not possibly be subject to +the king of the Deccan; and besides Verthema is obviously now going down +the western coast of India.--E.] + +[Footnote 67: Of a Swammy or Hindoo idol.--E.] + +From the island of _Goga_ I went to the city of _Dechan_[68], of which +the king or sultan is a Mahometan, and to whom the before mentioned +captain of the Mamelukes at _Goga_ is tributary. The city is beautiful, +and stands in a fertile country which abounds in all things necessary +for man. The king of this country is reckoned a Mameluke, and has 35,000 +horse and foot in his service. His palace is a sumptuous edifice, +containing numerous and splendid apartments, insomuch, that one has to +pass through 44 several rooms in a continued suite before getting to the +presence-chamber of the sultan, who lives with wonderful pomp and +magnificence, even those who wait upon him having their shoes or +_starpins_ ornamented with rubies and diamonds, and rich ear-rings of +pearls and other precious stones. Six miles from the city is a mountain +from which they dig diamonds, which mountain is surrounded by a wall, +and guarded by a band of soldiers. The inhabitants of the city are +mostly Mahometans, who are generally clad in silk, or at least have +their shirts or lower garments of that fabric; they wear also thin +buskin and hose or breeches like the Greek mariners, or what are called +trowsers. Their women, like those of Damascus, have their faces veiled. +The king of Deccan is almost in continual war with the king of Nursinga; +most of his soldiers being white men from distant countries hired for +war, whereas the natives are of a dark colour like the other inhabitants +of India. This king is very rich and liberal, and has a large navy of +ships, but he is a great enemy to the Christians. Having visited this +country, I went in five days from thence to _Bathacala_ or _Batecolak_, +the inhabitants of which are idolaters, except some Mahometan merchants +who resort thither for trade. It abounds in rice, sugar, wheat, +_walnuts_[69], figs, and many kinds of fruits and roots unknown to us, +and has plenty of beeves, kine, buffaloes, sheep, goats, and other +beasts, but no horses, asses, or mules. From thence, at the distance of +a days journey I came to _Centacola?_ the prince of which has no great +riches; but the district has plenty of flesh, rice, and such fruits as +grow in India; and to this place many Mahometans resort for trade. The +king is an idolater, and is subject to him of Batecolah. Two days +journey from thence I came to _Onore_, the king of which is an idolater, +subject to the king of Narsinga. The prince or king of Onore has eight +armed foists or barks, which make excursions by sea, and subsist by +piracy, yet is he in friendship with the Portuguese. The district +produces plenty of rice, and has many kinds of wild beasts, as wild +boars, harts, wolves, _lions_[70], and many kinds of birds, such as +peacocks and parrots, besides others very different from ours. It has +likewise many cattle of a bright yellow colour, and fine fat sheep. It +has also abundance of flowers of all kinds. The air is so temperate and +healthy, that the natives live much longer than we do in Italy. Not far +from this place is another city named Mangalore, whence about sixty +ships depart yearly with cargoes of rice. The inhabitants are partly +idolaters, and part Mahometans. + +[Footnote 68: Dechan, Deccan, or Dacshin, is the name of a territory or +kingdom, and properly signifies southern India, or simply the south, in +reference to Hindostan proper, on the north of the Nerbuddah: But +Verthema almost always names the capital from the kingdom.--E.] + +[Footnote 69: By walnuts, I suspect that coca-nuts are meant, and +rendered walnuts by some mistaken translation.--E.] + +[Footnote 70: There are no lions in India, and tigers are certainly here +meant.--E.] + +Departing from thence we went to the city of _Cananore_, where the king +of Portugal has a strong garrison, though the king of the city is an +idolater and no great friend to the Portuguese. At this port many horses +are imported from Persia, which pay a high duty. Departing from thence +into the inland we came to the city of _Narsinga_[71], which is +frequented by many Mahometan merchants. The soil in that country bears +no wheat, so that the inhabitants have no bread, neither hath it vines +or any other fruits except oranges and gourds, but they have plenty of +rice and such walnuts as that country _produces_[72]. It has likewise +plenty of spices, as pepper, ginger, mirabolans, cardamum, cassia, and +others, also many kinds of fruits unlike ours, and much sweeter. The +region is almost inaccessible, _for many dens and ditches made by +force_[73]. The king has an army of 50,000 _gentlemen whom they call +heroes_[74]. In war they use swords and round targets, also lances, +darts, bows, and slings, and are now beginning to use fire arms. These +men go almost entirely naked, except when engaged in war. They use no +horses, mules, asses, or camels; only employing elephants, which yet do +not fight in battle. Great quantities of merchandise are consumed in +this city, insomuch that two hundred ships resort thither yearly from +various countries[75]. + +[Footnote 71: Bijanagur was the capital of the kingdom known by the name +of Narsinga; but from the neighbourhood of Cananore, it is possible that +Verthema here means Narsingapoor, about 25 miles S.S.W. from +Seringapatam.--E.] + +[Footnote 72: The walnuts of this author must have been cocoa-nuts, +perhaps converted to walnuts by erroneous translation.--E.] + +[Footnote 73: This singular passage probably means, that the country is +defended by a great number of forts and garrisons, as indeed we know +that the interior table land of southern India is thickly planted with +_droogs_ or hill forts, which must then have been impregnable.--E.] + +[Footnote 74: Probably meaning Nairs or Rajputs, who are reckoned of a +high or noble cast, next to the Bramins--E.] + +[Footnote 75: This is a most astonishing error, as Narsingapoor is above +100 miles from the nearest coast.--E.] + +Departing from Narsinga, and travelling 15 days to the _east_[76], we +came to the city of _Bisinagar_, or Bijanagur, which is subject to the +king of Narsinga. This city stands upon the side of a hill, and is very +large, and well fortified, being surrounded by a triple wall, eight +miles in circuit. The district in which it stands is wonderfully +fertile, and produces every thing requisite for the necessities, and +even the delicacies and luxuries of man. It is likewise a most +convenient country for hunting and hawking, having many large plains, +and fine woods, so that altogether it is a kind of earthly paradise. The +king and people are idolaters; and the king has great power and riches, +maintaining an army of 4000 horsemen, although it may be noted that a +good horse in this country costs four or five hundred gold coins called +pardaos, and sometimes eight hundred. The reason of this high price is, +that these horses are brought from other countries, whence they can +procure no mares, as the exportation of these is strictly prohibited by +the princes of the countries whence the horses are procured. He has +likewise 400 elephants to serve in his wars, and many of those swift +running camels which we commonly call _dromedaries_[77]. + +[Footnote 76: Bijanagur is 175 miles directly _north_ from +Narsingapoor.--E.] + +[Footnote 77: In modern language the term dromedary is very improperly +applied to the Bactrian, or two-hunched camel, a slow beast of burden. +The word dromedary is formed from the Greek _celer_, and only belongs to +a peculiar breed of camels of amazing swiftness.--E.] + +At this place I had an excellent opportunity of learning the docility +and almost reasoning wisdom of the elephant, which certainly is the most +sagacious and most docile of all animals, approaching even to human +reason, and far exceeding all other beasts in strength. When used for +war, the Indians fix great pack-saddles on their backs, resembling those +used in Italy for mules of burden, but vastly larger. These saddles are +girt round their bellies with two iron chains, and on each side is +placed a small house, cage, or turret of wood, each of which contains +three men. Between the two turrets an Indian sits on the back of the +animal, and speaks to him in the language of the country, which the +creature understands and obeys. Seven men, therefore, are that placed +on the back of each elephant, all armed with coats of mail, and having +lances, bows, darts, and slings, and targets for defence. Also the +trunk, snout, or proboscis of the elephant is armed with a sword +fastened to it, two cubits long, very strong, and a handbreadth in +width. When necessary to advance, to retreat, to turn to either side, to +strike, or to forbear, the governor or conductor of the elephant sitting +on his back, causes him to do whatever he wills, by speaking in such +language and expressions as he is accustomed to, all of which the beast +understands and obeys, without the use of bridle or spur. But when fire +is thrown at them, they are wonderfully afraid and run away, on which +occasions it is impossible to stop them; on which account the Indians +have many curious devices of fire-works to frighten the elephants, and +make them run away. I saw an instance of the extraordinary strength of +these animals while at Cananore, where some Mahometans endeavoured to +draw a ship on the land, stem foremost, upon three rollers, on which +occasion three elephant, commodiously applied, drew with great force, +and bending their heads down to the ground, brought the ship on the +land. Many have believed that elephants have no joints in their legs, +which therefore they could not bend; but this notion is utterly false, +as they have joints like other beasts, but lower down on their legs. The +female elephants are fiercer than the males, and much stronger for +carrying burdens. Sometimes they are seized by a kind of fury or +madness, on which occasions they run about in a disorderly manner. One +elephant exceeds the size of three buffaloes, to which latter animals +their hair has some resemblance. Their eyes resemble those of swine. +Their snout or trunk is very long, and by means of it they convey food +and drink to their mouths, so that the trunk may be called the hand of +the elephant. The mouth is under the trunk, and is much like the mouth +of a sow. The trunk is hollow, and so flexible, that the animal can use +it to lay hold of sticks, and wield them with it as we do with the hand. +I once saw the trunk of a tree overthrown by one elephant, which 24 men +had in vain attempted. It has two great teeth or tusks in the upper jaw. +Their ears are very broad, above two spans even on the smallest +elephants. Their feet are round and as broad as the wooden trenchers +which are in ordinary use, and each foot has five round hoofs like large +oyster shells. The tail is about four spans long, like that of a +buffaloe, and is very thin of hair. Elephants are of various sizes, some +18 spans or 14 spans high, and some have been seen as high as 16 spans; +but the females are larger than the males of the same age. Their gait is +slow and wallowing, so that those who are not used to ride upon them are +apt to become sick, as if they were at sea; but it is pleasant to ride a +young elephant, as their pace is soft and gentle like an ambling mule. +On mounting them, they stoop and bend their knee to assist the rider to +get up; but their keepers use no bridles or halters to guide them. When +they engender they retire into the most secret recesses of the woods, +from natural modesty, though some pretend that they copulate backwards. + +The king of Narsinga exceeds in riches and dominion, all the princes I +have ever seen or heard of. In beauty and situation the city resembles +Milan, only that being on the slope of a hill it is not so level. Other +subject kingdoms lie round about it, even as Ausonia and Venice surround +Milan. The bramins or priests informed me that the king receives daily +of tribute from that city only the sum of 12,000 _pardaos_. He and his +subjects are idolaters, worshipping the devil like those of Calicut. He +maintains an army of many thousand men, and is continually at war with +his neighbours. The richer people wear a slender dress, somewhat like a +petticoat, not very long, and bind their heads with a fillet or broad +bandage, after the fashion of the Mahometans, but the common people go +almost entirely naked, covering only the parts of shame. The king wears +a cape or short cloak of cloth of gold on his shoulders, only two spans +long; and when he goes to war he wears a close vest of cotton, over +which is a cloak adorned with plates of gold, richly bordered with all +kinds of jewels and precious stones. The horse he rides on, including +the furniture or caparisons, is estimated to equal one of our cities in +value, being all over ornamented with jewels of great price. When be +goes a hunting, he is attended by other three kings, whose office it is +to bear him company wherever he goes. When he rides out or goes a +journey he is attended by 6000 horsemen; and from all that we have said, +and various other circumstances respecting his power, riches, and +magnificence, he certainly is to be accounted one of the greatest +sovereigns in the world. Besides the pieces already mentioned, named +_pardaos_, which are of gold, he coins silver money called _fano_, or +_fanams_, which are worth sixteen of our smallest copper money. Such is +the excellent government of this country, that travellers may go through +the whole of it in safety, if they can avoid the danger of _lions_[78]. +This king is in amity with the king of Portugal, and is a great friend +to the Christians, so that the Portuguese are received and treated in +his dominions in a friendly and honourable manner. + +[Footnote 78: Wherever lions are mentioned by this traveller in India, +tigers are to be understood.--E.] + +When I had tarried many days in this great city, I returned to Cananore, +whence, after three days stay I went to a city twelve miles from thence, +named _Trempata_[79], a sea-port, inhabited by idolaters, but frequented +by many Mahometan merchants. The only riches of this place consists in +Indian nuts, or cocoa-nuts, and timber for ship-building. Passing from +thence, by the cities of _Pandara_ and _Capagot_[80], I came to the +famous city of Calicut. To avoid prolixity, I pass over many other +kingdoms and peoples, such as _Chianul_? _Dabul_, _Onouè_? _Bangalore_, +_Cananore_, _Cochin_, _Cacilon_? and _Calonue_, or _Coulan_[81]. I have +so done on purpose to enable me to treat more at large of Calicut, being +in a manner the metropolis of all the Indian cities, as the king thereof +exceeds all the kings of the east in royal majesty, and is therefore +called _Samoory_ or _Zamorin_, which in their language signifies _God on +earth_. + +[Footnote 79: About that distance south from Cananore is +Dermapatam.--E.] + +[Footnote 80: No names in the least respect similar to these are to be +found in the indicated route between Cananore and Calicut.--E.] + +[Footnote 81: Of the three places marked with points of interrogation, +the names are so disfigured in the orthography as to be unintelligible; +_Cianul_ may possibly be Chaul, _Onouhè_ Onore, and _Cacilon_ +Cranganore.--E.] + + +SECTION VIII. + +_Account of the famous City and Kingdom of Calicut._ + + +The city of Calicut is situated on the continent or main land of India, +close upon the sea, having no port; but about a mile to the south there +is a river which runs into the ocean by a narrow mouth. This river is +divided into many branches among the fields in the plain country, for +the purpose of being distributed by means of trenches to water the +grounds, and one of these branches not exceeding three or four feet +deep runs into the city. Calicut is not walled, and contains about 6000 +houses, which are not built close adjoining each other, as in European +cities, but a certain space is left between each, either to prevent the +communication of fire, or owing to the ignorance of the builders. It is +a mile in length, and its houses are only mean low huts, not exceeding +the height of a man on horseback, being mostly covered with boughs of +trees, instead of tiles or other covering. It is said that on digging +only five or six spans into the ground they come immediately to water, +on which account they cannot dig foundations of any depth. Warehouses or +lodgings for merchants may be bought for 15 or 20 pieces of gold; but +the common run of houses cost only two pieces of gold or even less. + +The king and people of Calicut are idolaters, and worshippers of the +devil, though they acknowledge one supreme God, the Creator of heaven +and earth, the first chief cause of all things. But they allege that God +could have no pleasure in his government, if he were to take it upon +himself, and hath therefore given it in charge to the devil, who was +sent as they say from heaven, to rule over and judge the world, +rendering good or evil to men according to their deserts. The great God +they call _Tamerani_, and this devil or subordinate deity _Deumo_. The +king has a chapel in his palace, where this Deumo is worshipped. This +chapel has an open vault or arch on all the four sides, about two paces +in breadth, and it is about three paces high. The entrance is by a +wooden gate, ornamented with carved work of monstrous forms or shapes of +devils. In the midst of the chapel is a royal seat or throne of copper, +on which sits the figure or image of the devil, likewise of copper. On +the head of this image is a crown like that worn by the pope, but having +the addition of four horns, besides which he is represented with a great +gaping mouth, having four monstrous teeth. The nose is horridly +deformed, with grim lowering eyes, a threatening look, and crooked +hands, or talons like flesh-hooks, and feet somewhat like those of a +cock; forming on the whole, a monster terrible to look at. In every +corner of the chapel there are other figures of devils of shining +copper, as if flames of fire devouring miserable souls. These souls are +about the size of half a finger, some of them larger, and each figure +puts one of these souls into his mouth with the right hand, while the +left is on the ground lifting up another. Every morning the priests, +who are called Bramins, wash the idol with rose water, and perfume him +with sweet savours, after which they pray to him prostrate on the earth. +Once every week they sacrifice to the idol after this form. They have a +little altar or cupboard, three spans high, five spans long and four +broad, on which they strew all manner of flowers and sweet-smelling +powders; then bringing a great silver chafing-dish full of warming +coals, they kill a cock with a silver knife, throwing the blood into the +fire, together with many sweet perfumes, and even thrust the bloody +blade of the knife often into the fire that none of the blood may be +lost; then the priest maketh many strange gestures with the knife, like +a fencer, giving or defending thrusts. In the mean time other priests +with burning censers go round about the altar perfuming it with incense, +and ringing a small silver bell all the time of the sacrifice. The +priest who sacrifices the cock has his arms and legs garnished with +silver plates and pendants, which make a noise when he moves like +hawks-bells, and he wears a kind of boss on his breast inscribed with I +know not what signs, being perhaps the secret character of some hidden +mystery. When the sacrifice is finished, he fills both his hands with +wheat, and goes backwards, keeping his eyes fixed on the altar till he +comes to a certain tree whereon he casts the wheat; then returning to +the altar he removes all that is upon it. + +The king never sits down to eat till four of his priests have offered +his meat in this manner to the idol; lifting their hands above their +heads with many fantastical gesticulations and murmuring voices, they +present the meat to the idol, and after many foolish ceremonies bring +back the meat to the king. The meat is offered in a wooden tray, after +which it is laid on the broad leaves of a certain tree. The meat of the +king consists of rice and divers other things, such as fruits; and be +eats sitting on the ground without cloth or carpet. During his repast, +the priests stand round him at four or five paces distance, carefully +observing all his orders; and when he has done eating, they carry away +all the remains of his food, which they give to certain crows, which +being used to be thus fed, come upon a signal, and being esteemed holy, +it is not lawful for any one to take or even hurt them. The chief +priests of these idolaters are the bramins, who are with them as bishops +are among us, and are considered as the order of highest dignity. The +second order among them are the nairs, who come in place of our +gentlemen, and go out to war with swords and bucklers, lancet, bows, +and other weapons. The third order consists of mechanics and handicrafts +of all kinds. In the fourth are victuallers, or those that make +provision of fish and flesh. Next to them are those who gather pepper, +cocoa nuts, grapes and other fruits. The baser sort are those who sow +and gather rice, who are kept under such subjection by the bramins and +nairs that they dare not approach nearer to them than 50 paces under +pain of death and are therefore obliged to lurk in bye places and +marshes; and when they go anywhere abroad they call out continually in a +loud voice, that they may be hoard of the bramins and nairs otherwise if +any of these were to come near they would certainly put these low people +to death. + +The dress of even the king and queen differ in little or nothing from +the other idolaters, all going naked, barefooted, and bareheaded, except +a small piece of silk or cotton to cover their nakedness; but the +Mahometans wear single garments in a more seemly manner, their women +being dressed like the men except that their hair is very long. The king +and nobles eat no kind of flesh, except having first got permission of +the priests; but the common people may eat any flesh they please except +that of cows. Those of the basest sort, named _Nirani_ and _Poliars_, +are only permitted to eat fish dried in the sun. + +When the king or zamorin dies, his male children, if any, or his +brothers by the fathers side, or the sons of these brothers, do not +succeed in the kingdom: For, by ancient law or custom, the succession +belongs to the sons of the kings sisters; and if there be none such, it +goes to the nearest male relation through the female blood. The reason +of this strange law of succession is, that when the king takes a wife, +she is always in the first place deflowered by the chief bramin, for +which he is paid fifty-pieces of gold. When the king goes abroad, either +in war or a-hunting, the queen is left in charge of the priests, who +keep company with her till his return; wherefore the king may well think +that her children may not be his; and for this reason the children of +his sisters by the same mother are considered as his nearest in blood, +and the right inheritors of the throne. When the king dies, all his +subjects express their mourning by cutting their beards and shaving +their heads; and during the celebration of his funerals, those who live +by fishing abstain from their employment during eight days. Similar +rules are observed upon the death of any of the kings wives. Sometimes +the king abstains from the company of women for the space of a year, +when likewise he forbears to chew _betel_ and _areka_, which are +reckoned provocatives. + +The gentlemen and merchants of Calicut, when they wish to show great +friendship to each other, sometimes exchange wives, but on these +occasions the children remain with their reputed fathers. It is likewise +customary among these idolaters, for one woman to have seven husbands at +the same time, each of whom has his appointed night to sleep with her; +and when she has a child, she fathers it upon any of the husbands she +pleases. The people of this country, when at their meals, lie upon the +ground, and eat their meat from copper trays, using certain leaves +instead of spoons; their food consisting for the most part of rice and +fish seasoned with spices, and of the ordinary fruits of the country. +The lowest people eat in a filthy manner, putting their dirty hands into +the dish, and thrusting their food by handfuls into their mouths. The +punishment of murder is by impalement; but those who wound or hurt any +one have to pay a fine to the king. When any one is in debt, and refuses +to pay, the creditor goes to the judges, of whom there are said to be a +hundred, and having made due proof of the debt, he receives a certain +stick or branch of a tree, with authority to arrest his debtor, to whom, +when he is able to find him, he uses these words: "I charge you by the +heads of the Bramins, and by the head of the king, that you stir not +from the spot on which you stand till you pay me what you owe." The +debtor has now no resource but to pay immediately, or to lose his life: +for, if he escape after this ceremony, he is adjudged a rebel, and it is +lawful for any man to kill him. + +When they mean to pray to their idols, they resort before sunrise to +some pool or rivet where they wash themselves, after which they resort +to the idol-house, taking especial care not to touch any thing by the +way, and say their prayers prostrate on the ground, making strange +gesticulations and contortions, so marvellously distorting their faces, +eyes, and mouths, that it is horrible to behold. The nairs or gentlemen +may not begin to eat, till one of them has dressed and set the food in +order, with certain ceremonies, but the lower orders are not bound to +such rules. The women also have no other care than to dress and beautify +themselves, as they take much pains to wash and purify their persons, +and to perfume their bodies with many sweet savours. Likewise when they +go abroad, they are singularly loaded with jewels and ornaments on their +ears, arms, and legs. + +In Calicut there are certain teachers of warlike exercises, who train up +the youth in the use of the sword, target, and lance, and of such other +weapons as they employ in war; and when the king takes the field he has +an army of 100,000 infantry, but there are no cavalry in that country. +On this occasion the king rides upon an elephant, and elephants are used +in their wars. Those who are next in authority to the king wear fillets +round their heads of crimson or scarlet silk. Their arms are crooked +swords, lances, bows and arrows, and targets. The royal ensign is an +umbrella borne aloft on a spear, so as to shade the king from the heat +of the sun, which ensign in their language is called _somber_. When both +armies approach within three arrow-flights, the king sends his bramins +to the enemy by way of heralds, to challenge an hundred of them to +combat against an hundred of his nairs, during which set combat both +sides prepare themselves for battle. In the mean time the two select +parties proceed to combat, mid-way between the two armies, always +striking with the edge of their swords at the heads of their +antagonists, and never thrusting with the point, or striking at the +legs. Usually when five or six are slain of either side, the Bramins +interpose to stop the fight, and a retreat is sounded at their instance. +After which the Bramins speak to the adverse kings, and generally +succeed to make up matters without any battle or farther slaughter. + +The king sometimes rides on an elephant, but at other times is carried +by his nairs or nobles, and when he goes out is always followed by a +numerous band of minstrels, making a prodigious noise with drums, +timbrels, tambourets, and other such instruments. The wages of the nairs +are four _carlines_ each, monthly, in time of peace, and six during war. +When any of them are slain, their bodies are burned with great pomp and +many superstitious ceremonies, and their ashes are preserved; but the +common people are buried in their houses, gardens, fields, or woods, +without any ceremony. When I was in Calicut it was crowded with +merchants from almost every part of the east, especially a prodigious +number of Mahometans. There were many from Malacca and Bengal, from +Tanaserim, Pegu, and Coromandel, from the islands of Ceylon and Sumatra, +from all the cities and countries of Western India, and various +Persians, Arabians, Syrians, Turks, and Ethiopians. As the idolaters do +not sail on the sea, the Mahometans are exclusively employed in +navigation, so that there are not less than 15,000 Mahometans resident +in Calicut, mostly born in that place. Their ships are seldom below the +burden of four or five hundred tons, yet all open and without decks. +They do not put any tow or oakum into the seams of their ships, yet join +the planks so artificially, that they hold out water admirably, the +seams being pitched and held together with iron nails, and the wood of +which their ships are built is better than ours. Their sails are made of +cotton cloth, doubled in the under parts, by which they gather much wind +and swell out like bags, having only one sail to each vessel. Their +anchors are of marble, eight spans long, having two on each side of the +ship, which are hung by means of double ropes. Their voyages are all +made at certain appointed times and seasons, as one time of the year +answers for one coast, and another season for other voyages, which must +all be regulated according to the changes of the weather. In the months +of May, June, and July, when with us in Italy every thing is almost +burnt up with heat and drought, they have prodigious rains. The best of +their ships are built in the island of _Porcai_, not far from Calicut. +They have one kind of vessel or canoe, made all of one piece of wood +like a trough, very long, narrow, and sharp, which is propelled either +by oars or sails, and goes with amazing swiftness, which is much used by +pirates. + +The palace of the king of Calicut exceeds a mile in circumference, and +is well constructed of beams and posts artificially joined, and +curiously carved all over with the figures of devils. It is all however +very low, for the reason before-mentioned, as they cannot dig deep for +secure foundations. It is impossible to express in words the number and +riches of the pearls and precious stones which the king wears about him, +which exceed all estimate in regard to their value. Although, when I was +in that place, the king lived rather in a state of grief, both on +account of the war in which he was engaged with the Portuguese, and +because he was afflicted by the venereal disease which had got into his +throat, yet his ears, hands, legs, and feet, were richly garnished with +all sorts of jewels and precious stones, absolutely beyond description. +His treasure is so vast, that it cannot be contained in two immense +cellars or warehouses, consisting of precious stones, plates of gold, +and other rich ornaments, besides as much, gold coin as might load an +hundred mules, as was reported by the Bramins, to whom these things are +best known. This treasure is said to have been hoarded up by twelve +kings, his predecessors. In this treasury there is said to be a coffer +three spans long and two broad, entirely full of precious stones of +inestimable value. + +Pepper is gathered in the fields around the suburbs of Calicut, and even +in some places within the city. It grows on a weak and feeble plant, +somewhat like vines, which is unable to support itself without props or +stakes. It much resembles ivy, and in like manner creeps up and embraces +such trees as it grows near. This tree, or bush rather, throws out +numerous branches of two or three spans long, having leaves like those +of the Syrian apple, but somewhat thicker. On every twig there hang six +clusters about the size of dates, and of the colour of unripe grapes, +but thicker together. These are gathered in October, while still +inclining to green, and are spread out on mats in the sun to dry, when +in three days they become black, just as brought to us. The fruitfulness +of these plants proceeds entirely from the goodness of the soil in which +they grow, as they do not require pruning or lopping like vines with us. +This region also produces ginger, some roots weighing twelve ounces, +though they do not penetrate the ground above three or four spans. When +the roots are dug up, the uppermost joint is again set in the ground, as +seed for next year's crop. It and the mirabolans are found in a +red-coloured soil, and the stalk much resembles a young pear-tree. + +Were I to describe all the strange fruits that are produced in this +country, it would require a large volume for that alone; as they not +only have many quite different from ours in form, taste, and flavour, +but even those kinds which are the same with ours, differ essentially in +many particulars. Natural philosophers may consider how it should so +happen that things of the same kind become so essentially different, +according to the changes of soil and climate; by which some fruits and +seeds, by transplantation to better soil, become more perfect in their +kind, as larger, fairer, sweeter, and more fruitful; while others are +improved by a worse soil and colder region. This diversity may not only +be seen in plants and herbs, but also in beasts, and even in man. It is +strange to observe how very differently some trees bear their fruits +and seeds, some in one part of the tree and some in other parts. At +Calicut there is a fruit named _Jaceros_, which grows on a tree about +the size of our pear trees. The fruit is about two spans and a half +long, and as thick as the thigh of a man, growing out of the body of the +tree under the branches, some in the middle of the tree and others lower +down. The colour of this fruit is green, and its form and appearance +resembles a pine apple, but with smaller grains or knobs. When ripe it +is black, and is gathered in December. It has the taste of a _pepon_ +with a flavour of musk, and in eating seems to give various pleasant +tastes, sometimes resembling a peach, sometimes like a pomegranate, and +leaves a rich sweet in the month like new honeycombs. Under the skin it +has a pulp like that of a peach, and within that are other fruits like +soft chesnuts, which when roasted eat much like them. This is certainly +one of the finest fruits I ever met with. There is another fruit called +_Apolanda_, which is worthy of being mentioned. The tree grows to the +height of a man, having not above four or five leaves hanging from +certain slips, each leaf being so large that it is sufficient to cover a +man entirely from rain or the heat of the sun. In the middle of each +leaf rises a stalk like that of a bean, which produces flowers followed +by fruit a span long, and as thick as a mans arm. These fruits are +gathered unripe, as they become ripe in keeping. Every slip bears about +two hundred fruits in a cluster. They are of a yellow colour with a very +thin skin, and are most delicate eating, and very wholesome. There are +three kinds of this fruit, one of which is not so pleasant or so much +esteemed as the others. This tree bears fruit only once and then dies; +but there rise from the ground all about the root fifty or sixty young +slips which renew the life of the parent tree. The gardeners transplant +these to other places, and in one year they produce fruit This fruit is +to be had in great abundance, almost the whole year, and are so cheap +that twenty of them may be had for a penny. This country produces +innumerable flowers of great beauty and most pleasant flavour, all the +year round, and especially roses, both red, white, and yellow. + +The cocoa is another tree most worthy of being known, as in fruitfulness +and sweetness of fruit it surpasses all other trees. Its fruit is a nut +of large size; and taken altogether, this tree produces ten different +commodities of value: as it produces wood most excellent for burning, +nuts very pleasant to eat, cords or ropes that answer well for ships, +fine cloth, which when dyed resembles silk. The wood is the best that +can be found for making charcoal, and it yields wine, odoriferous water, +sugar, and oil. The boughs or leaves serve to cover houses, instead of +tiles or thatch, as, by reason of their closeness and substance, they +keep out the rain admirably. One tree will produce about two hundred +large nuts. The outer rhind of these nuts is removed, and thrown into +the fire, where it burns quickly and with a strong flame. The inner +rhind is like cotton or flax, and can be wrought in the same manner. +From the finer part of this, a kind of cloth is made resembling silk; +and from the tow, or refuse, they make a coarser cloth, or small ropes +and twine; while the coarsest parts are made into cables and large ropes +for ships. The inner hard shell of the nut incloses the kernel, which is +excellent eating, and lines the shell to the thickness of an inch or +less. Within this is found to the quantity of two or three cups of sweet +water, which is excellent to drink, and which, by boiling, produces good +oil. Only one side of the tree is allowed to produce fruit, as they +wound the other side every morning and evening in several places, whence +a juice or sap runs out into vessels placed to receive it. Thus they +procure at each wound, every night and morning, a cupful of most +precious liquor, which sometimes they boil till it becomes strong as +brandy, so as to make people drunk like strong wine, which it resembles +in taste and flavour. They likewise procure sugar from this tree, but +not very sweet. This tree produces fruit continually, as at all times +there are to be seen upon it both old ripe fruit of the past season, and +green fruit of the present year. It does not begin bearing till five +years old, and only lives for twenty five years. It thrives best in +sandy ground, and is planted or set out like our walnuts; and is so much +valued, that it is to be found all over the country for at least two +hundred miles. This country also produces other fruits, from which they +make good oil. + +For the cultivation of rice they till the ground with oxen as we do, and +at the season for sowing they have a holiday, on which they testify +their joy by singing and dancing to the sound of all kinds of +instruments of music. To ensure, as they conceive, a favourable produce, +ten men are disguised like so many devils, who dance to the noise of +their music; and after the festivities of the day, they pray to the +devils to send them a plentiful crop. + +When any merchant of these idolaters is sore afflicted with disease and +near death, then certain persons who are accounted physicians among them +ore called to visit the person in extremity. These persons accordingly +come to his house in the dead of night, dressed like devils, and +carrying burning sticks in their mouth and hands. And there, with mad +cries and boilings, and with the jangling of certain instruments, they +make such a horrible noise in the ears of the sick man, as is enough to +make a healthy man sick. This is the only remedy these pretended +physicians offer to their sick persons, being merely to present to him +when at the point of death the resemblance of him whom, worse than +devils, they honour as the vicegerent of the deity. When any one hath so +engorged himself with eating as to be sick at stomach, he takes the +powder of ginger, mixed in some liquid to the consistence of syrup, +which he drinks, and in three days he recovers his former health. + +Their bankers, brokers, and money-changers use weights and scales of +such small size, that the box containing the whole does not exceed an +ounce in weight, yet are they so delicate and just that they will turn +with the weight of a hair. For trying the parity of gold, they use the +touch-stone as with us, but with this addition: having first rubbed the +gold to be tried on the touch-stone, they rub over the mark with a ball +of some sort of composition resembling wax, by which all that is not +fine gold disappears, and the marks or spots of gold remain, by which +they have an exact proof of the fineness of the gold. When the ball +becomes full of gold, they melt it in the fire, to recover the gold +which it contains; yet are these men very ignorant even of the art which +they profess. In buying or selling merchandise they employ the agency of +brokers; so that the buyer and seller each employs a separate broker. +The seller takes the buyer by the hand, under cover of a scarf or veil, +where, by means of the fingers, counting from one to a hundred thousand +privately, they offer and bargain far the price till they are agreed, +all of which passes in profound silence. + +The women of this country suckle their children till three months old, +after which they feed them on goats milk. When in the morning they have +given them milk, they allow them to tumble about on the sands all foul +and dirty, leaving them all day in the sun, so that they look more like +buffaloe calves than human infants; indeed I never saw such filthy +creatures. In the evening they get milk again. Yet by this manner of +bringing up they acquire marvellous dexterity in running, leaping, +swimming, and the like. + +There are many different kinds of beasts and birds in this country, as +_lions_, wild boars, harts, hinds, buffaloes, cows, goats, and +elephants; but these last are not all bred here, being brought from +other places. They have also parrots of sundry colours, as green, +purple, and other mixt colours, and they are so numerous that the rice +fields have to be watched to drive them away. These birds make a +wonderful chattering, and are sold so low as a halfpenny each. There are +many other kinds of birds different from ours, which every morning and +evening make most sweet music, so that the country is like an earthly +paradise, the trees, herbs, and flowers being in a continual spring, and +the temperature of the air quite delightful, as never too hot nor too +cold. There are also monkeys, which are sold at a low price, and are +very hurtful to the husbandmen, as they climb the trees, and rob them of +their valuable fruits and nuts, and cast down the vessels that are +placed for collecting the sap from which wine is made. There are +serpents also of prodigious size, their bodies being as thick as those +of swine, with heads like those of boars; these are four footed, and +grow to the length of four cubits, and breed in the marshes[82]. The +inhabitants say that these have no venom. There are three other kinds of +serpents, some of which have such deadly venom, that if they draw ever +so little blood death presently follows, as happened several times while +I was in the country. Of these some are no larger than asps, and some +much bigger, and they are very numerous. It is said that, from some +strange superstition, the king of Calicut holds them in such veneration, +that he has small houses or cottages made on purpose for them, +conceiving that they are of great virtue against an over abundance of +rain, and overflowing of the rivers. Hence they are protected by law, +and any person killing one would be punished with death, so that they +multiply exceedingly. They have a strange notion that serpents come from +heaven, and are actuated by heavenly spirits, and they allege that only +by touching them instant death insues. These serpents know the idolaters +from the Mahometans, or other strangers, and are much more apt to +attack the former than the latter. Upon one occasion, I went into a +house where eight men lay dead, and greatly swollen, having been killed +the day before by these serpents; yet the natives deem it fortunate to +meet any of them in their way. + +[Footnote 82: From the description these must be crocodiles--E.] + +The palace of the king of Calicut contains many mansions, and a +prodigious number of apartments, in all of which a prodigious number of +lamps are lighted up every evening. In the great hall of the palace +there are ten or twelve great and beautiful candlesticks of _laton_ or +brass, of cunning workmanship, much like goodly fountains, the height of +a man. In each of these are several vessels, and in every vessel are +three burning candles of two spans long, with great plenty of oil. In +the first vessel there are many lamps or wicks of cotton; the middle +vessel, which is narrower, is also full of lamps; and the lowest vessel +has also a great number of lights, maintained with oil and cotton wicks. +All the angles or corners of these candlesticks are covered with figures +of devils, which also hold lights in their hands; and in a vessel on the +top of all the candlesticks there are innumerable cotton wicks kept +constantly burning, and supplied with oil. When any one of the royal +blood dies, the king sends for all the bramins or priests in his +dominions, and commands them to mourn for a whole year. On their +arrival, he feasts them for three days, and when they depart gives each +of them five pieces of gold. + +Not far from Calicut, there is a temple of the idolaters, encompassed +with water like an island, built in the ancient manner, having a double +row of pillars much like the church of _St John de fonte_ at Rome, and +in the middle of this temple is a stone altar, on which the people +sacrifice to their idols. High up between the rows of pillars there is a +vessel like a boat, two paces long, and filled with oil. Also, all round +about the temple there are many trees, on which are hung an incredible +number of lamps, and the temple itself is everywhere hung round with +lamps, constantly burning. Every year, on the 25th of December, an +infinite number of people resort to this temple, even from fifteen days +journey all round the country, together with a vast number of priests, +who sacrifice to the idols of the temple, after having washed in the +water by which it is surrounded. Then the priests ascend to the boat +which is filled with oil, from which they anoint the heads of all the +people, and then proceed to the sacrifice. On one side of the altar, +there is a most horrible figure of a devil, to whom the people lay +their prayers, prostrate on the ground, and then depart each one to his +home, believing that all their sins are forgiven them. On this occasion, +the environs of the temple is considered a sanctuary, where no person +may be arrested or troubled on any cause or pretence. I never saw so +prodigious a number of people assembled in any one place, except in the +city of Mecca. + + +SECTION IX. + +_Observations on various parts of India_. + + +As there was no convenience for trade at Calicut, on account of war with +the Portuguese, because the inhabitants in conjunction with the +Mahometans had murdered 48 Portuguese while I was in that city, my +faithful friend and companion _Cociazenor_ the Persian, formerly +mentioned, thought it best for us to depart from thence. Indeed, in +revenge for that cruel murder, the Portuguese have ever since waged +cruel war upon Calicut, doing infinite injury to the city and people. +Wherefore, departing from thence by way of a fine river, we came to a +city named _Caicolon_[83], which is fifty leagues from Calicut. The +inhabitants of this city are idolaters, but it is frequented by many +merchants from different places, as its district produces excellent +pepper. At this place we found certain merchants who were Christians, +calling themselves followers of the apostle St Thomas. They observe +lent, or the fast of forty days, as we do, and believe in the death and +resurrection of Christ, so that they celebrate Easter after our manner, +and observe the other solemnities of the Christian religion after the +manner of the Greeks. They are commonly named John, James, Matthew, +Thomas, and so forth, after the names of the apostles. Departing thence, +after three days journey we came to another city named _Coulan_, about +twenty leagues from _Caicolon_. The king of this place is an idolater, +and has an army of 20,000 men always on foot. Coulan has an excellent +harbour, and the surrounding country produces plenty of pepper, but no +corn. By reason of the wars, we made no stay here, and on our way +farther we saw people fishing for pearls, in the manner already +mentioned when treating of Ormuz. + +[Footnote 83: From the distance and direction of the journey or voyage, +this name may possibly be an error or corruption for Cranganore.--E.] + +The _city of Coromandel_ on the sea coast, is seven days sail from +Coulan. It is very large, but without walls, and is subject to the king +of Narsinga, being within sight of the island of Ceylon[84]. After +passing the southern point of Cape Comorin, the eastern coast of India +produces abundance of rice. This city is resorted to by vast numbers of +Mahometan merchants from many distant countries, as from it they can +travel to various great regions and cities of India. At this place I met +with certain Christians, who affirm that the body of St Thomas the +apostle is buried in a certain place about twelve miles from the city, +where several Christians continually dwell to guard the body of the +saint. They told me that these Christians are evil intreated by the +natives, on account of the war carried on by the Portuguese against the +people of the country; and that the Christians are often murdered in +secret, that it may not be known to the king of Narsinga, who is in +amity with the Portuguese, and greatly favours the Christians. Once on a +time there was a conflict between the Christians and Mahometans, in +which one of the Christians was sore wounded in the arm. He immediately +repaired to the sepulchre of St Thomas, where, making his prayers and +touching the holy shrine, he was immediately healed by miracle, upon +which, as it is said, the king of Narsinga has ever since greatly +favoured the Christians. At this place my companion sold much of his +merchandize; but on account of war raging in the country, we determined +to depart, and calling with much danger over a gulf 20 leagues broad, we +came to the large island of _Zailon_, or Ceylon. + +[Footnote 84: From other circumstances in the text, particularly the +neighbourhood of the place where St Thomas lay buried, the city here +alluded to was probably Meliapour, which formerly stood not far from +Madras, or the famous _Mahubulipoor_, the city of the great Bali, 16 or +18 miles from the English settlement. The author, as on many other +occasions, gives the name of the country to the capital. As to being in +sight of Ceylon, this may be an error in transcription, and we ought to +read that on the voyage between Coulan and the city of Coromandel; the +author passed in sight of Ceylon.--E.] + +This island of Ceylon is 1000 miles in circumference, and is divided +among four powerful kings; and because of the wars which then raged +among them we could not remain long there to acquire any minute +knowledge of the country and manners of its inhabitants. It contains +many elephants. At the foot of a very long and high mountain there are +found many precious stones called _piropi_ or rubies, which are got in +the following manner. The adventurers purchase from the king a certain +measure of the ground where these rubies are found, being about a cubit +square, for which they pay five pieces of gold, yet under the condition +that there shall always be an officer belonging to the king present +while they are digging, that if any stone be found beyond the weight of +ten carats it may be reserved for the king, all under that weight +belonging to the adventurer. Not far from that mountain they find other +precious stones, as jacinths, sapphires, and topazes, besides others. +The soil of Ceylon produces the sweetest fruits I ever saw, especially +_cloves_[85] and Assyrian apples of wonderful sweetness, and its other +productions are similar to those of Calicut. The cinnamon-tree is much +like our bay, only that the leaves are smaller and somewhat white. The +true cinnamon is the bark of this tree, which is gathered every third +year, and of which the island produces great quantities. When first +gathered, it is by no means so sweet and fragrant as it becomes a month +afterwards when thoroughly dry. A Mahometan merchant assured my +companion, that on the top of a high mountain in the centre of this +island, there is a certain cave or den where the inhabitants resort for +devotion, in memory of our first parents, who, as they allege, lived in +that place in continual penitence, after breaking the covenant with God, +which is confirmed by the print of Adam's feet being still to be seen +there above two spans in length. The inhabitants of this island are +subject to the king of Narsinga, to whom they pay tribute. The climate +is temperate and healthy, though situated so near the equinoctial line. +The people are of a dark tawny colour, and wear slight cotton dresses, +having the right arm bare, as is the universal custom of the Indians; +the men being by no means warlike, neither have they the use of iron. In +this island my companion sold the king a great deal of saffron and +coral. + +[Footnote 85: Cloves are certainly not found in Ceylon.--E.] + +In three days sail we came to a city named _Paleachet_ or Pullicat, +belonging to the king of Narsinga, a famous mart for rich commodities, +and especially for jewels and precious stones brought from Ceylon and +Pegu, and where likewise abundance of spices are sold. Many Mahometan +merchants dwell in this city; and being received into one of their +houses, we told him whence we came, and that we had brought saffron and +coral for sale, with other merchandise, of which he was very glad. At +this city wheat is scarce, but rice is to be had in great plenty; and in +other respects the productions of the neighbouring country are much the +same as at Calicut. But as the inhabitants were preparing for war, we +departed from thence, and after thirteen days sail we arrived at the +city of _Tarnasari_ or Tanaserim, a hundred miles distant. + +The city of Tanaserim is not far from the sea, well walled, seated on a +fine plain, and has a famous port on a fine river that runs past its +north side. The king is an idolater of great power, and is constantly at +war with the kings of Narsinga and Bengal[86]. He is able to bring into +the field an hundred thousand foot and as many cavalry, together with a +hundred of the largest and finest elephants I ever saw. The weapons of +his troops are swords, round bucklers, _peltes_, bows and arrows, and +javelins or darts made of long reeds; they also use for defence cotton +jacks wrought very hard and close quilted. The houses in their towns are +built close together like those in Italy. This country produces wheat, +cotton, silk of various kinds, Brazil wood, sundry kinds of fruit like +those of Italy, with Assyrian apples, oranges, lemons, citrons, gourds, +cucumbers, and many others. It has many animals both wild and tame. +Among the former are oxen and cows, sheep, goats, hogs, and deer. The +wild beasts are lions, wolves, catamountains, and musk cats or civets. +In the woods are many peacocks and falcons, with popinjays or parrots, +some of which are entirely white, while others are of seven different +colours. There are plenty of hares and partridges, and several kinds of +birds of prey larger than eagles. These birds are black and purple, with +several white feathers intermixed, having yellow bills tipt beautifully +with crimson, which are so large that the handles of swords are +sometimes made of the upper mandible. Their cocks and hens are the +largest I ever saw, and both the natives and the Mahometans who dwell +there, take great delight in cock-fighting, on which they venture large +sums. I have seen them fight for six hours, yet will they sometimes +kill at the first stroke. Some of their goats are much larger and +handsomer than ours, and of these the females have often four kids at +one birth. So abundant are animals in this country, that twelve sheep +may be bought for a single piece of gold worth about a pistole. Some of +their rams have horns like a buck, and are much bigger and fiercer than +ours. Their buffaloes are not so good as those of Italy. This coast has +abundance of fine large fish, which are sold very cheap. The natives eat +the flesh of all kinds of beasts except cows, and feed sitting on the +ground without cloth or carpet, having their meat in wooden vessels +artificially wrought. Their drink is sugar and water. Their beds are +raised from the ground like ours. Their apparel is a cloak or mantle of +cotton cloth, leaving one arm bare, but some wear inner vests or shirts +of silk or cotton. All go bareheaded, except the priests, who have a +kind of caps of two spans long on their heads, with a knob on the top +about the size of an acorn, all sparkling with gold. They delight in +ear-rings, but have neither rings nor bracelets. The complexion of the +natives inclines towards fair, as the air is more temperate than at +Calicut. In their tillage and reaping there is little difference from +the manner of Italy. + +[Footnote 86: It is not easy to conceive by what means this could be, as +Pegu, Ava, Aracan, and Tipera, intervene between Tanaserim and Bengal, +and the bay of Bengal between Tanaserim and Narsinga or the Carnatic, +none of the powers mentioned being possessed of any maritime force.--E.] + +When the king or any of the priests or great men die, their bodies are +burnt on a large pile of wood, and all the while the assistants +sacrifice to the devil. The ashes are then gathered into earthen jars +like those of _Samos_, and are preserved or buried in their houses. +While the bodies are burning, they cast into the fire all manner of +perfumes, as wood of aloes, myrrh, frankincense, storax, sandal-wood, +and many other sweet gums, spices, and woods: In the mean time also, +they make an incessant noise with drums, trumpets, pipes, and other +instruments, much like what was done of old by the Greeks and Romans, +when deifying their departed great men. Likewise during these obsequies, +there are 15 or 20 persons disguised like devils, continually walking +round the fire with strange gesticulations. All the while the wife of +the deceased stands alone beside the fire weeping and lamenting her +loss. Fifteen days afterwards she invites all the kindred of her husband +to a feast, when they go at night in a body to the place where the +husband was burnt, the widow being dressed in all her jewels and richest +attire, using on this occasion the help of her relations to decorate her +person to the utmost. At this place a pit of some size is prepared and +filled with dry reeds, covered over with a silk cloth to conceal the +pit. Then a fire of sweet woods is kindled in the pit; and when all the +guests have been heartily feasted, the widow having eaten a great +quantity of _betola_ so as to make her mad or drunk, a great company of +their musicians habited like devils, with burning sticks in their +mouths, dance around the fire, and then make a sacrifice to the great +devil _Deumo_. The widow then runs about like a person bereaved of her +senses, dancing and rejoicing after a strange manner; then turning to +the persons disguised like devils, she commends herself to their +prayers, desiring them to make intercession for her with _Deumo_, that +after this transitory life she may be received among his angels. When +all the ceremonies are finished, she takes leave of all her kindred, and +then lifting up her hands, and with a sudden loud cry, she leaps into +the flaming pit, on which her kindred cover her up with faggots of sweet +wood, and great quantities of pitch or bitumen, that she may be speedily +consumed. If the widow refuses thus to sacrifice herself, she would be +ever afterwards esteemed an evil woman, hated of all men, and even in +danger of being slain by her own and her husband's kindred. The king is +generally present at these ceremonies, which are not used at the death +of ordinary people, but only for kings, priests, and great men. + +Justice in strictly administered in this country. Whoever kills a man is +adjudged to die as at Calicut. Proof of giving or receiving is taken by +writings or by witnesses, the governor of the city being chief judge. If +any merchant stranger die there without children, all his goods fall to +the king. When the king dies, he is succeeded in the throne by his +children. The children of the natives divide equally among them all the +possessions of their father. When any Mahometan merchant dies, their +bodies are embalmed with many sweet spices and gums, and being placed in +wooden coffins, they are buried with their faces towards Mecca. In their +manner of writing they use parchment as we do, and not the leaves of +trees as at Calicut. Their vessels are a kind of shallow brigantines or +barks with flat bottoms, which draw very little water. Some also use +foists having _double foreparts_[87], and two masts, but these have no +decks. They have also some vessels of large burden, even carrying a +thousand tons, in which they have several boats, and these are used when +they go to Malacca for spices. + +[Footnote 87: This is not easily understood, unless it may mean that +they are so built that they may sail with either end foremost.--E.] + +Having finished our business at Tanaserim, we packed up all our wares +and embarked for Bengal, distant 700 miles from Tanaserim, whither we +arrived in twelve days sailing. In fruitfulness and abundance of all +things _this city_[88] may contend for eminence with any city in the +world. The kingdom dependent upon this city is very large, rich, and +populous, and the king, who is a Mahometan, maintains an army of 200,000 +men, including cavalry and infantry, with which he keeps up almost +continual wars against the king of Narsinga. This country is so +fruitful, that it possesses every thing conducive to the use of man, +abounding in all kinds of beasts, wholesome fruits, and corn. It has +spices also of several kinds, and vast abundance of cotton and silk. No +other region in the world is comparable to this, so that there are many +rich merchants. Every year there depart from hence fifty ships laden +with cloths of cotton or silk, bound for the cities of Turkey, Syria, +Arabia, Persia, Ethiopia, and India. There are also many merchant +strangers, who buy precious stones from the natives. We found here many +Christian merchants who were born, as they told us, in the city of +_Sarnau_. They had brought to this great mart wood of aloes and _laser_, +which latter yields the sweet gum called _laserpitium_, commonly called +_belzoi_, or benzoin, which is a kind of myrrh. They bring also musk and +several other sweet perfumes. These Christian merchants told us, that in +their country were many Christian princes, subject to the great khan, +who dwells in the city of _Cathay_[89]. The dress of these Christians +was of camblet, very loose and full of plaits, and lined with cotton; +and they wore sharp pointed caps of a scarlet colour, two spans high. +They are white men, believing in one God with a trinity of persons, and +were baptized after our manner. They believe in the doctrines of the +evangelists and apostles, and write from right to left like the +Armenians. They celebrate the birth and crucifixion of Christ, observe +the forty days of lent, and keep the days of several saints. They wear +no shoes, but have a kind of hose of silk on their legs, garnished with +jewels. On their fingers they wore rings with stones of wonderful +splendour. At their meat they use no tables, but eat lying on the +ground, feeding upon flesh of all kinds. They affirmed also that there +are certain Christian kings, whom they called _Rumi_, bordering on the +Turks. When these Christians had seen the precious merchandise belonging +to my companion, and particularly a great branch of coral, they +earnestly advised him to accompany them to a certain city, whither they +were bound, assuring him that by their procurement he should sell this +to very great advantage, especially if he would take rubies in payment, +by means of which he might easily gain 10,000 pieces of gold, assuring +him that these stones were of much greater value in Turkey than in the +east. And as they were ready to depart the very next day in a foist +bound for the city of Pegu, where they meant to go, my companion +consented to go with them, more especially as he expected to find there +certain Persians his countrymen. Wherefore departing with these men from +Bengal, and sailing across a great gulf to the south-east, we came at +length to the city of Pegu, which is 1000 miles from Bengal. + +[Footnote 88: Here, as usual, the name of the country is given instead +of the chief city, and we have no means even to guess what place is +indicated, unless perhaps the _Satigan_ of other ancient relations, +which appears to have been a city on the Hoogly river, or western branch +of the Ganges.--E.] + +[Footnote 89: The capital of Cathay or northern China is Cambalu or +Pekin, but it is difficult to make any thing of these Christian natives +of _Sarnau_, or of their many Christian princes in Tartary; unless we +may suppose Verthema to have mistaken the followers of the Lama of +Thibet for Christians, as appears to have been done by some of the more +ancient travellers in our early volumes.--E.] + +The city of Pegu is situated on the continent, not far from the sea, and +upon a large river, by which merchandise are conveyed to or from the +city very conveniently. The city is walled, and the houses are well +built. The king and his subjects are idolaters, of a fairer complexion +than those of Tanaserim, as the climate is rather cooler, but in dress, +manner of living, and general appearance, in every respect resemble the +inhabitants of that other city. The king has a vast army both of horse +and foot, among whom are many native Christians, who have six pardaos of +monthly pay. The beasts and fowls are much the same as at Calicut, so +that they have abundance of animal food; and besides these they have a +few elephants. This country produces the best timber I ever saw, either +for building ships or houses; and has many reeds or canes of vast size, +as large in diameter as the body of a man or a large barrel. Civet-cats +or musk-cats are so plenty that three may be bought for one piece of +gold. This city produces very little merchandise for purchase, except +precious stones, and especially rubies, which are brought thither from +another city named _Cassela_, thirty days journey towards the east, +where also they procure other precious stones called _smaragdes_ or +emeralds. On our arrival at Pegu, the king was at the distance of +twenty-five days journey making war upon the king of Ava; but returned +shortly afterwards in great triumph on account of a victory he had +obtained over his enemy. Though this king is very rich and powerful, he +does not use such pompous and magnificent ceremony as the king of +Calicut, and is so affable and accessible, that even a child may come +into his presence and speak to him; yet the rich jewels, pearls, and +precious stones, especially rubies, with which he is decorated surpass +all belief, and exceed the value of a great and flourishing city. His +fingers are full of rings, his arms all covered with bracelets, and his +legs and feet covered with similar ornaments, all gloriously beset and +sparkling with the finest precious stones, and his ears so loaded with +jewels that they hang down half a span. With all these splendid jewels +he shines in a dark night as if with the sunbeams. + +At a favourable opportunity, the Christian merchants whom we had +accompanied to Pegu gave intimation to the king of the valuable +merchandise which my companion had brought for sale, and accordingly he +sent for us on the following day, desiring my companion to bring the +goods which he had to dispose of. Among other things he had two great +branches of coral so large and beautiful as had not been seen before, +which the king took great pleasure to look upon, and being astonished at +these things, he asked the Christian merchants what men we were. They +answered that we were Persians. The king then desired to know if we +would sell these things. Upon this my companion desired the interpreters +to say to the king, that they were all his own, and that he begged he +would do him the honour to accept them freely. The king then said that +he had been two years continually at war with the king of Ava, by which +his treasure was consumed, but if my companion would bargain for them by +way of exchange for precious stones, especially rubies, that he would +content him for the coral. Then said my companion to the interpreters, +"I pray you give the king to understand that I desire nothing else for +my goods than the good-will of his majesty, and therefore that I humbly +intreat he may take of my goods what pleases him best without money or +payment of my kind." When the king heard this, he said that he had often +been told the Persians were courteous and liberal men, but that he had +never known any one so generous as this, and swore by the head of the +devil, that he would try whether he or the Persian were most liberal. +Upon this he ordered one of his attendants to bring him a casket of +precious stones. This casket was a span and a half square, entirely full +of rubies, the inside being divided into many compartments where the +stones were sorted in order according to their sizes. When he had opened +the casket, he ordered it to be placed before the Persian, desiring him +to take of these precious rubies as many as he thought fit. But my +companion, as if still more provoked to generosity by the liberality of +the king, spoke to him in these words, "Most high and honourable +sovereign! Such is my sense of your generous conduct to me, that I swear +by the head of Mahomet and all the mysteries of his holy religion, that +I freely and gladly give you all my goods. I do not travel in search of +gain, but merely from a desire to see the world; in which I have not +hitherto found any thing that has given me so much delight as the +generous favour your majesty has now been pleased to shew me!" To this +the king answered, "Will you yet contend with me in liberality?" Then +selecting some rubies from all the compartments in the casket, out of +which he took as many as he could hold in his hand, being two hundred +rubies, he gave all these to the Persian with most royal munificence, +and commanded him not to refuse. He gave also to each of the Christians +two rubies worth not less than a thousand crowns; but those he gave to +the Persian were reckoned worth a hundred thousand crowns. This king +therefore certainly exceeds all the kings of the earth in munificence, +both in manner and in richness of his gifts. About this time news came +to Pegu that the king of Ava was advancing against him with a vast army, +on which the king of Pegu went to meet him with one almost innumerable. + +Two days after the departure of the king from Pegu, we sailed towards +the city of Malacca, where we arrived after a voyage of eight days. Not +far from this city is a famous river named Gaza[90], the largest I ever +saw, as it is 25 miles broad, and on the other side of it is seen the +very large island of _Sumatra_, which by old writers was called +_Taprobana_, and which is said by the inhabitants to be 500 miles in +circuit[91]. Upon our arrival at _Malacca_, called by some _Melcha_, we +were commanded to appear before the sultan, who is a Mahometan and +tributary to the great sultan of _Chini_[92], because as is said the +city was built about 80 years before on account of the convenience of +its harbour, being one of the best in the ocean, and to which doubtless +many ships resort for trade. This region is not everywhere fruitful, yet +it has a sufficiency of corn and cattle, although scarce of wood. They +have plenty of birds of the same kind with those at Calicut, but the +popinjays or parrots are more beautiful. It produces sandal-wood and +tin; likewise elephants, horses, sheep, kine, _pardalles_ or leopards, +buffaloes, peacocks, and many other beasts and birds. The country has +but few products of value, so that its only merchandise is spices and +silk. The people are of a blackish ash-colour, and are clothed like the +Mahometans of _Memphis_, otherwise called _Cayr_, _Alchayr_, or +_Babylon_, on the Nile. They have very large foreheads, round eyes, and +flat noses; and they are so much given to murder and robbery that it is +dangerous to go abroad in the night, for they kill one another like +dogs, and therefore merchants always remain on board their ships in the +night. The people are fierce, barbarous, and unruly, insomuch that they +will not submit to any governor, being altogether addicted to sedition +and rebellion, and they always threaten to quit the country when their +rulers endeavour to enforce order; which threat they are certainly able +to execute, as their country is upon the sea-coast. + +[Footnote 90: It is obvious from the context, that this famous river of +Gaza refers to the Straits of Malacca.--E.] + +[Footnote 91: The Taprobana of the ancients certainly was Ceylon. +Sumatra is about 977 statute miles in length, and 200 in its greatest +breadth, so that its circumference must exceed 2500 miles.--E.] + +[Footnote 92: By Chini in the text is probably meant _Acheen_ in +Sumatra.--E.] + +We stopt no time at Malacca, but hiring a brigantine we sailed from +thence for the island of Sumatra, and arrived at the city of _Pyder_ or +Pedier about 80 miles from the mainland, where we found an excellent +harbour. The island of Sumatra is governed by four kings, who with their +people are all idolaters, and do not differ much in fashions, apparel, +and manner of life from the inhabitants of Tanaserim. They are of a +whitish colour with large foreheads, round eyes; and of _brasyll_? +colour. They wear their hair long, have very broad and flat noses, and +are of low mean stature. Their money is of gold, silver, and tin. On +one side the gold coin has the head of a _devil_, and on the other a +waggon or chariot drawn by elephants. The silver coin is similar, and +ten of them passes for one of gold; but it requires 25 pieces of tin to +equal one gold piece. In this country there are a greater number and +finer elephants than in any other place I have been in. The people are +by no means warlike, being entirely devoted to merchandise and gain; +they use strangers with much kindness and hospitality, and justice is +well administered. They have in this island great abundance of long +pepper, which in their language is called _Molaga_, and is much longer +and whiter than any other, yet very light and strong; it is sold by +measure like corn, and is to be had in such plenty that twenty ships are +loaded with it every year for _Cathay_, or China, where it is much in +request on account of the coldness of the climate. The tree which +produces this pepper has a larger body, with broader and flatter leaves +than the pepper tree of Calicut. This island produces plenty of silk, +which is the work of worms as with us; but there is another kind brought +forth on the trees spontaneously without any care or labour, which is +worse than the other. Here likewise grows the _laser_ tree, which +produces the precious gum called _Laserpitium_ or _Belzoe_[93], as we +were told by the inhabitants and merchants, but not having myself seen +it I am unable to give any distinct account of this substance. Variety +is always pleasing, and ingenious minds can never be satiated with +contemplating the marvellous and diversified works of God in nature: +Therefore, that the reader may take the more pleasure in these my +writings, or at least may experience less tediousness in reading them, I +have thought good to set down such things as I have seen more at large. +It is therefore to be understood that the reason of no great quantity of +_aloes_ or _Laserpitium_ being brought to us is because it comes from +the farthest parts of the earth. There are three kinds or sorts of +_aloes_, differing greatly in point of goodness. The most perfect is +that called _Calampat_, which is not found in Sumatra, but is brought +from the city of _Sarnau_ near which it grows, as we were told by our +companions the Christian merchants formerly mentioned. There is another +kind of _aloes_ called _Juba_ or _Luba_, brought to Sumatra by the +before mentioned river or strait, but I know not from what country. The +third kind is called _bochor_. These Christian merchants also told us +that none of the finest and best kind of aloes is brought to us, because +it comes from the kingdoms of _Cathay, Chini, Macym, Sarnau_, and +_Gravay_, countries much richer than ours and more abounding in gold, +having kings of great power and riches, who take great delight in sweet +savours and use them much more than our western princes, owing to which +circumstance the true and best kind of _aloes_ is worth ten crowns the +pound even in the city of _Sarnau_. + +[Footnote 93: From similarity of names this appears to be _Benzoin_, or +_benzoe_, sometimes called _gum benjamin_; yet from some circumstances +in the sequel it may possibly indicate _camphor_.--E.] + +We were taught by the said Christian merchants our companions, how to +know and distinguish the two kinds of the sweet gums called _aloes_ or +_Laserpitium_. One of them had a certain portion of them both, and about +two ounces of the best sort of aloes called _calampat_. Taking a piece +of this in his hand and holding it close for about as long as one might +take to rehearse the psalm _Miserere mei Deus_ three times, the aloes +become hot, and on opening his hand gave out a savour of incredible +sweetness, such as I had never experienced from any other substance. He +took also about the size of a walnut of the common _laserpitium_ or +_belzoe_, and half a pound of that which comes from the city of +_Sarnau_, and putting both into different chaffing-dishes with burning +coals in a close chamber, the small quantity of _belzoe_ far exceeded, +in sweetness of flavour, the other which weighed half a pound, and would +even have done so had it been two pounds weight[94]. In this region also +is found the substance called _lacca_ from which a bright red colour is +procured. This is the gum of a tree not much unlike our walnut tree[95]. +In Pedier I saw in one street not less than 500 bankers or exchangers of +money; and at this place they make many curious works, such as fine +baskets garnished with gold, which were sold for two crowns each[96]. +This is a famous mart to which innumerable merchants resort. The +inhabitants wear mantles of silk, and _syndones_? made of cotton. + +[Footnote 94: It is impossible to determine from the account in the text +what is meant by these articles of sweet scent under the names of +_aloes, laserpitium, belzoe, calampat, luba_, and _bochor_; all of which +seem to be different names of the same substance in different degrees of +quality, and assuredly not the drugs now known by the name of _aloes_ +and _benzoin_. There is a sweet-scented wood in the east known by the +name of _lignum aloes_, and possibly the sweet gum called _belzoe_ may +have been extracted from it, or from that which produces the oil of +rhodium.--E.] + +[Footnote 95: Gum lac, long believed the gum of a tree, is now known to +be the work of insects, serving as a nidus for their young, in the same +manner as bees wax is used by the honey bee.--E.] + +[Footnote 96: Perhaps filagree work?--E.] + +This country has plenty of wood fit for the construction of ships. Those +which they build are of a strange fashion, named _gunchos_ or junks, +having three masts with two stems and two sterns, having _gouvernals_ or +rudders on both. "When sailing on the ocean and having given their sails +to the wind, if it be afterwards needful to have more sails, not +changing the first they go backwards without turning the ship and using +only one mast[97]." The natives are most expert swimmers, and have a +wonderful contrivance for producing fire in an instant. Their houses are +very low and built of stone, and instead of tiles or thatch they are +covered by the hide of a fish called _tartaruca_! which is found in that +part of the Indian sea, which is so huge a monster that one of their +skins which I saw weighed 330 pounds. There are likewise serpents in +this country much larger than those at Calicut. + +[Footnote 97: This account of the mode of navigation is inexplicable, or +at least obscure. Perhaps it is meant to express that they do not tack, +but sail with either end foremost as suits the change of wind or +direction of the ship.--E.] + +At this place our Christian friends, meaning to prosecute their own +affairs, proposed to take their leave of us, but my Persian companion +spoke to them in this manner; "Though my friends I am not your +countryman, yet being all brethren and the children of Adam, I take God +to witness that I love you as if you were of my own blood, and children +of the same parents, and considering how long we have kept company +together in a loving manner, I cannot think of parting from you without +much grief of mind: Besides, even if you would leave me, I hope you will +not desert this my companion who is of the same faith with yourselves." +Then the Christians asked how I, being a Persian, happened to be of the +Christian faith? To which my companion answered that I was no Persian, +but had been bought at Jerusalem. On hearing the holy name of Jerusalem +pronounced, the Christians lifted up their hands and eyes to heaven, and +prostrating themselves thrice kissed the ground; then rising up, they +asked what age I was of when brought from Jerusalem. Being told that I +was then fifteen years of age, they said I might well remember my +country; to which my companion answered that I did so assuredly, and had +often given him much pleasure by the things I had told him concerning +it. Then the merchants said that although they had long desired to +return into their own country, which was far from thence, they would +still bear us company to those places to which we proposed going. +Preparing ourselves therefore for a voyage, we took shipping and in +fifteen days we came to the island of _Bandan_ or Banda, whence nutmegs +and mace are procured. + +In this voyage to the isle of Banda, we passed about twenty islands, +some of them inhabited and some desert. This island of Banda is very +low, savage, and barren, being about 100 miles in circuit. It has +neither king nor governor, but is inhabited by a savage and brutal +people, who live without law, order, or government, dwelling in low huts +scarcely rising above the ground, and having a scanty shirt for their +whole clothing. Their complexion inclines towards white, and they are of +low stature: They go bareheaded and barefooted, with their hair hanging +down, having broad round foreheads. They are idolaters, and worse even +than the _Poliars_ and _Hyrana_[98] of Calicut, being of dull +apprehension, little strength, and altogether barbarous in their +manners. The soil bears no fruits except nutmegs, which grow on a tree +very much like the peach in its branches and leaves. Before the nut +becomes ripe, the mace expands round like a red rose; but when the nut +ripens the mace closes and embraces the nut, and both are gathered +together, which the natives do without rule or order, catch who catch +may, all things being there in common. The tree yields fruit of its own +nature without grafting or pruning, and it is so common and plentiful +that twenty-six pound weight is sold for three _souses_ or half a +_carline_ of the money which is current at Calicut. These islanders have +no other order of justice than the law of nature, and live therefore +without lawsuits or any of those contentions proceeding from _thine and +mine_. + +[Footnote 98: These are named on a former occasion _Nirani_.--E.] + +Having tarried three days in Banda, my companion asked the Christian +merchants where was the region which produces cloves, and they told him +that these were found in an island named _Monoch_ or Molucca, six days +sail from Banda. We therefore resumed our voyage, and came there in +seven days. This island[99] is very narrow, yet is longer than Banda, +and the inhabitants are even more barbarous than those of Banda, for if +it were not for the human shape, they differ in nothing from brutes. +Their colour is whiter, owing to the air being colder. This island +produces cloves, which likewise grow on several small and desolate +islands on its coast. The body of the tree resembles the box-tree, and +has leaves almost like the bay tree. When the cloves are ripe, the +inhabitants beat them off the tree with long canes, having previously +laid matts under the tree to receive them. The soil is sandy, and so low +under the horizon that the north star cannot be seen[100]. The price of +cloves is about double that formerly mentioned for nutmegs, but they are +sold by measure, as the natives are entirely ignorant of the use of +weights. + +[Footnote 99: Instead of one island, the Moluccas are a group of +islands, the largest of which, Gilolo, is about 200 miles from N. to S. +On its western side are several small islands, the most important of +which for the produce of cloves are Ternate and Tidore. Gilolo was +probably the island visited by Verthema.--E.] + +[Footnote 100: A strange mode of expressing that Gilolo is immediately +under the line.--E] + +As we were conversing together respecting our voyages, the Christian +merchants addressed me as follows: "Dearly beloved friend, as by the +grace of God we are come thus far in safety, we will, if it so please +you go to visit one of the finest islands in the world, and so rich as +we believe you have never seen. But we must go in the first place to +another island named _Borneo_, where we shall procure a larger vessel, +as we have to cross a deep and rough sea." My companion then desired +them to do as they thought proper. Therefore hiring a larger foist, we +directed our voyage to that island, sailing to the southward both by day +and night, and passing our time in much pleasant conversation. The +merchants, among other things, asked me many questions respecting the +ceremonies and solemnities of the Christian religion as used among us in +Europe. And when I made mention of the _Veronica_ or _Vernacle_ of the +face of Christ[101], and of the heads of St Peter and St Paul, the +chiefest of the apostles, they told me secretly that if I would go with +them, I should become a great man in their country by my knowledge of +these divine things. But being deterred by the length of the journey, +and fearful that I might never be able to get home, I refused to +accompany them. At length we came to Borneo, which is 200 miles from +Molucca and is somewhat bigger[102] and as low under the horizon. The +inhabitant are idolaters of a sharp wit and decent manner of life. Their +complexion inclines towards fair. They do not all dress alike, as some +wear cotton shirts, while others have camblet mantles, and others wear +pointed caps of a red colour. They are under regular government and +submit to laws, which are righteously administered. This island yields +great quantities of _camphor_, which I was told was the gum of a tree; +but I dare not affirm this for fact, as I have never seen the way in +which it is procured. + +[Footnote 101: The Veronica among the Catholics, is the handkerchief +with which our Saviour is supposed to have wiped his face during his +passion, which they allege took from his bloody sweat a miraculous +impression or portrait of his countenance.--E.] + +[Footnote 102: Instead of being only _somewhat_ larger than Gilolo, +Borneo is perhaps the largest island in the world, except New Holland, +being about 880 English miles in its greatest diameter from S.W. to N.E. +and 550 in the opposite direction at the widest.--E.] + +At Borneo my companion hired a light bark for 100 pieces of gold, and +having laid in provisions for the voyage, we directed our course for the +great island of _Gyava_, or Java, to which we came in five days, sailing +towards the south. Our pilot used the mariners compass with loadstone, +and the sea chart as ours do. Observing that the north star could not be +seen, my companion asked the Christian merchants in what manner they +guided their course in those seas. To this the pilot made answer, that +in navigating these southern seas, they were particularly guided by five +stars, and one other particular star which was directly opposite thee +north star, and that they also used the loadstone, which always points +to the north. He said moreover, that beyond the island of Java there was +a certain people who were antipodes to them of European Sarmatia, +inhabiting a cold climate, and as near to the antarctic pole as Sarmatia +is to the arctic, as was evident by the shortness of their day, which +was only four hours long in winter[103], in which conversation we took +much delight. + +[Footnote 103: This pilot must have been acquainted with the southern +extremity of South America, or must have built this information on +hypothesis, as there is no known inhabited land of this description to +the South of Java--E.] + +Proceeding on our voyage for five days, we came to the great island of +Java, in which there are many kingdoms and peoples, all idolaters, but +of sundry manners and customs. Some worship the sun, others the moon, +some consider cows as their gods, while others worship all day whatever +they first meet in the morning. This island produces silk, which grows +spontaneously in the woods, and has the finest emeralds in the world, as +also great plenty of gold and copper. The soil is as productive of corn +and fruits as that of Calicut, and has an abundance of flesh. The +inhabitants are an honest and fair-dealing people, much of the same +stature and colour with Europeans, but with larger foreheads, very large +eyes of a brazil or red colour, with flat noses, and wear their hair +long. It has a great number of birds different from ours, except +peacocks, turtle-doves, and crows, which are the same as we have. In +their dress, the natives wear mantles or cloaks of cotton, silk, or +camblet, always having one arm bare. They have no defensive armour, as +they are hardly ever at war; but when they go to sea they use bows and +arrows, and likewise poisoned arrows made of reeds, which they blow from +long hollow canes, and the poison with which these arrows are infected +is so virulent that death certainly follows from the slightest wound. +They have no kind of fire-arms. They eat all kinds of flesh, fish, or +fruit, as they please or can procure. + +Some of the natives of this island are so very barbarous, that when +their parents become feeble from age, so as to be useless to themselves +and others, they bring them into the public market and sell them to the +cannibals who eat human flesh, who immediately upon buying them, kill +and eat them. Likewise when any young person falls into disease of which +they do not expect he shall recover, his kinsmen sell him in the same +manner to the cannibals. When my companion expressed his horror at this +barbarous and savage practice, a certain native merchant observed, "That +no sacrifice could redeem the sins of the Persians, who gave the flesh +of their dead to be eaten by the worms." Abhorring these savage manners, +we returned to our ship not willing to tarry longer in that island. +While we were there, the Christian merchants, who were ever desirous to +shew us strange things which we might relate at our return to our own +country, made us remark that the sun at noon-day was to the north of us, +which as they said is always the case in the month of July. I must +acknowledge however, that I hardly remember these things distinctly, as +I had then almost forgot the names of our months. At this island my +companion bought two fine emeralds for 1000 pieces of gold, and +likewise two children who were eunuchs, for two hundred pieces, as there +are in that country certain merchants who deal solely in these young +eunuchs. + +After remaining fifteen days in Java, being weary of the barbarous +manners of the inhabitants, and of the coldness of the country at that +season of the year, we determined to prosecute our voyage back to India, +as there were no other regions in these eastern parts worth seeing. +Wherefore, hiring a light bark, we departed from thence, and having +sailed fifteen days to the north-west, we came to the city of Malacca, +where we remained three days. At this place we took our leave of the +Christian merchants, with sorrowful minds and many friendly embraces. Of +this separation I was sore grieved, and had I been a single man without +wife and children[104], I certainly would never have separated from such +dear friends. Leaving them therefore at Malacca, they remained at that +place, whence they said they meant shortly to return to the city of +_Sana_[105]. My Persian companion and I went on board a foist, in which +we returned to Coromandel. While on this voyage the pilot informed us +that there were about seven thousand small islands in the eastern sea, +beyond Sumatra and Java. While at Malacca my companion bought as much +spices, perfumes of various kinds, and silk, as cost him 5000 pieces of +gold. We were fifteen days on our voyage to Coromandel, and remained +there twenty days. Hiring another foist we sailed thence to the city of +Coulan, where we found twenty-two Portuguese Christians. Fearing they +might seize me as a spy, I began to contrive how I might make my escape +from thence; but as there were many Mahometans there who knew that I had +been on the pilgrimage to Mecca, I changed my purpose, and we soon +afterwards went to Calicut by way of the river, which took us twelve +days. + +[Footnote 104: This oblique insinuation of having a wife and children, +is rather contradictory to several circumstances in the early part of +the itinerary of Verthema.--E.] + +[Footnote 105: This is probably a mistake for _Sarnau_, whence the +Christians are said to have come.--E.] + + +SECTION X. + +_Continuation of the Author's Adventures, after his Return to Calicut._ + + +After so many long and dangerous voyages and peregrinations, in which we +had partly satisfied our desire of travel, and were partly wearied by +the many inconveniencies we had undergone, we began to consider of the +best means for returning to our native country. I will therefore briefly +relate what happened to me by the way, that other men, taking example by +my travels, may know better how to conduct themselves in like +situations, if similar inclinations should move them to undertake such +voyages. In Calicut we found two Christians of Milan in Italy, who had +come to India with licence from the king of Portugal, on purpose to buy +precious stones. The names of these men were John Maria and Peter +Anthony. I was more rejoiced at the sight of these men than I can +express, and knowing them to be Christians by their fair complexions, +though they could not know me as I was naked like the natives, I +immediately spoke to them, informing them that I also was a Christian, +and their countryman. Then, taking me kindly by the hand, they brought +me to their house, where, for joy of this unexpected meeting, we could +scarcely satisfy ourselves with tears, embraces, and kisses, for it +seemed a strange thing to me thus to find men who spoke my own language, +and even to speak it myself. They told me that they were in great favour +with the king of Calicut, yet anxiously wished to get hack to their +native country, but knew not how, as they had fled from the Portuguese, +and durst not run the risk of falling into their hands, having made many +pieces of great cannon and other ordnance for the king of Calicut, and +that now the Portuguese fleet would shortly be there. When I proposed to +endeavour to go to Cananore, and solicit their pardon from the +Portuguese admiral, they said that could not be looked for, as they were +well known to many of the kings and princes between Calicut and +Cananore, who were friendly to the Portuguese, and who would certainly +intercept them, as they had made above 400 guns, great and small, and +could never hope for pardon. By this I could perceive how fearful a +thing it is to have an evil conscience, and called to remembrance the +saying of the poet:-- + +"Multa male timeo, qui feci multa proterve." + +That is to say, "I fear much evil because I have done much." These men +had not only made many pieces of artillery for the infidels, to the +great injury of the Christians, in contempt of Christ and his holy +religion, but had also taught the idolaters both how to make and use +them. While I remained in Calicut, I saw them give a mould to the +idolaters, by which they might cast brass cannon of sufficient bigness +to receive a charge of 105 _cantaros_ or measures of powder. At this +time also there was a Jew in Calicut who had built a handsome +brigantine, in which were four large iron cannons; but Providence soon +after gave him his due reward, as he was drowned while bathing in the +river. To return to the two Italians: God knows how earnestly I +endeavoured to persuade them never to make any more guns or artillery +for the infidels, in contempt of God, and to the great detriment of our +most holy faith. At my words, tears fell from the eyes of Peter Anthony; +but John Maria, who perhaps was not so anxious to return home, said it +was all one to him whether he died in India or Italy, and that God only +knew what was decreed for him. Within two days after I returned to my +companion, who had wondered what was become of me, fearing that I was +either sick, or had died, or run away. I told him that I had been all +night in the temple, that he might not suspect my great intimacy with +the Christians. + +While I remained in the lodging of my companion, there came to him two +Persian merchants from the city of Cananore, saying that they had bad +news to tell him, as there had arrived twelve Portuguese ships, which +they had actually seen. Then asked he what manner of men were these +Portuguese? To this the Persians answered, that they were Christians, +armed in cuirasses of bright iron, and had built an impregnable fortress +at Cananore. Then turning to me, my companion asked what kind of people +these were. To this I answered, that they were a nation of wicked +people, entirely given up to robbery and piracy on the seas: And I can +truly say, that he was not so sorry for these news as I was rejoiced at +their arrival. After the rumour spread of the arrival of the Portuguese, +I began to be in fear for myself, and to consider what was best to be +done to ensure my safety; and considering that nothing could be easier +among these ignorant people than to gain a reputation of holiness by +hypocrisy, I used to lurk about the temple all day without meat, as all +the people thought, but in the night I had my fill in the house of the +two Milanese. By this device, every one took me for a saint or holy +person, so that in a few days I could go about all the city without +being suspected. To help me in this assumed character, a rich Mahometan +merchant of Calicut happened to fall sick, having his belly so +constipated that he could get no ease; and as he was a friend of my +Persian companion, and the disease daily increased, he at last asked me +if I had any skill in physic. To this I answered, that my father was a +physician, and that I had learnt many things from him. He then took me +along with him to see his friend the sick merchant, and being told that +he was very sick at the head and stomach, and sore constipated, and +having before learnt that he was a great eater and drinker, I felt his +pulse, and said that he was filled with choler or black bile, owing to +surfeiting, and that it was necessary he should have a glyster. Then I +made a glyster of eggs, salt, and sugar, together with butter and such +herbs as I could think of upon a sudden; and in the space of a day and a +night I gave him five such glysters, but all in vain, for his pains and +sickness increased, and I began to repent me of my enterprise. But it +was now necessary to put a good face on the matter, and to attempt some +other way, yet my last error seemed worse than ever. Endeavouring to +inspire him with confidence, I made him lie grovelling on his belly, +and, by cords tied to his feet, I raised up the hinder part of his body, +so that he rested only on his breast and hands; and in this posture I +administered to him another glyster, allowing him to remain in that +position for half an hour. On beholding this strange mode of practice, +my Persian friend asked me, if that was the manner of treating sick +people in my country, to which I answered that it was, but only in cases +of extremity; on which he observed with a smile, that he believed it +would certainly relieve him one way or other. In the mean time, the sick +man cried out in his own language, "It is enough, it is enough, for my +soul now departeth." We comforted him as well as we could, desiring him +to have patience yet a little longer; and almost immediately his belly +was loosened, and he voided like a gutter. We then let him down, and he +continued to discharge a prodigious quantity, so that shortly the pain +of his head and stomach left him, and his fever was assuaged, which gave +us all great joy. By this adventurous cure, and my counterfeit +holiness, I grew into great credit, and when my patient offered me ten +pieces of gold as my reward, I would only accept two, which I gave away +immediately among the poor. + +These silly people believed implicitly in my hypocrisy, which I shewed +in a constrained gravity of countenance and deportment, and by +forbearing openly from eating flesh, insomuch that all thought +themselves happy to have me at their houses, or to kiss my hands and +feet. The report also of my companion, that he had met with me first at +Mecca, where I had gone to see the body of the holy prophet Mahomet, +greatly increased among the Mahometans the opinion of my sanctity. But +all this while, I used to resort secretly in the night to the house of +the Milanese Christians; and learning from them that the twelve +Portuguese ships were arrived at Cananore, I thought that it was now a +favourable opportunity for me to escape. I remained, however, for seven +days more, learning every thing I could respecting the preparations that +were making by the king of Calicut and his people against the +Portuguese, in regard to their army, artillery, and every thing relative +to the war. But, before I speak of the manner of my departure, it may be +proper to say something of the religious practices of the Mahometans. + +For calling the people to the mosque, their priests and other ministers, +of whom there are a great number, ascend to the highest tower of the +temple, where they sound three or four brass trumpets instead of bells, +and then call to the people in a loud voice to come to prayers. Then +stopping one ear with their finger, they call out in their own language, +_Alla u eccubar, etc._ That is to say, "God is great! God is great! Come +to the temple of the great God! Come pray to the great God! God is +great! God is great! God was! God is! Mahomet, the messenger of God, +shall arise!" They even invited me to the mosque, and desired me to pray +to God for the Mahometans; and this I did outwardly, but with quite a +different meaning from them. They have certain daily and stated prayers +as we have, in which they call upon God as their father, and they even +vouchsafe to name the blessed Virgin Mary; but they always wash before +prayers. Standing all in order, after the priest has prayed, the whole +people pray in their own language. + +At this time I feigned myself sick, and finding some occasion or pretext +for going to Cananore, I advertised my companion thereof, who gave me +his consent, saying that he would shortly follow me to that place, and +in the meantime gave me letters recommending me to a friend and +countryman of his, a rich merchant at that place, desiring him to give +me kind entertainment for his sake. The day before my departure, I made +the before-mentioned Milanese Christians privy to my intentions, and my +companion made me join company with two other Persian merchants who were +going to Cananore, as there were then in Calicut many merchants of +Persia, Syria, and Turkey. Therefore, on the 1st of December, having +hired a light bark, I and my two companions set sail; but had hardly got +from shore an arrow-flight, when four of the _nairs_ of the king's guard +called to the pilot of our vessel, and ordered him, in the king's name, +to come to land. When the nairs understood who we were, they asked the +Persians why they carried me along with them, without licence from the +king? Then the Persians said, that this was a holy man, who meant to +accompany them to Cananore. The nairs answered, that they knew I was a +person who had wrought miracles; but as I could speak the language of +the Portuguese, it was to be feared that I might betray their secrets to +the enemy, and give them notice of the navy and army which had been +prepared at Calicut against them, and therefore they strictly enjoined +the pilot to carry us no farther. He accordingly obeyed their orders, +and left us on the shore. It was then proposed by one of the Persians +that we should return to Calicut, on which I advised him to take heed +how he did so, as he would be in danger of losing all his silks, if it +should be discovered that he had not paid the king's custom. Then he +asked my advice as to what I thought was best for us to do in the +present exigency, and I advised that we should travel along the shore, +in hopes of finding some other bark for our purpose. They agreed to this +proposal, and we accordingly travelled twelve miles along the shore, our +slaves carrying our baggage; and I leave any judicious person to +conceive the terror I was in, during this time, of being stopt by the +servants of the king of Calicut. At length, by good providence, we found +a poor fisherman, who agreed to carry us in his boat to Cananore, where +we arrived in safety late at night. We went immediately to wait upon the +Persian merchant, to whom I had letters of recommendation from my +companion. Their tenor was as follows: That he should receive me into +his house, and entertain me in a friendly manner, till his own arrival, +and that whatever friendship was shewn me should be considered as done +to himself, as I was a holy man, and united with him in the strictest +friendship. Immediately on reading this letter, the merchant laid his +hand on his head, and bid me welcome, swearing by his head that I was in +safety, and caused a good supper to be set before us. After supper, the +Persians and I took a walk by the sea side, and we soon came to where +the Portuguese ships were lying at anchor. I am utterly unable to +express the joy I felt on seeing these ships, but which I took care +should not be observed by my companions. In our walk, I observed where +the Portuguese had built their fortress, and determined within myself to +go there as soon as possible. + +Next day, finding a fit opportunity, I went towards the Portuguese +fortress, which is not above four furlongs from the city of Cananore, +and chanced to meet two Portuguese by the way, at whom I inquired in +Spanish if that were the fortress of the Portuguese. They asked if I +were a Christian? and having answered that I was, they demanded to know +whence I came? I told them that I was from Calicut, on which they said +they would immediately shew me the way to their governor, whose name was +Lorenzo[106], son to the viceroy. They accordingly brought me before +him, and when I was come into his presence, I fell down on my knees, and +entreated him in all humility, for the sake of Christ, to whom I was +consecrated in baptism, that he would have compassion upon me, and +deliver me out of the hands of these infidel dogs. When it was noised +about in the city that I had escaped to the Christians, there began a +stir and mutiny among the people, upon which the governor commanded his +officers and men to put their artillery and all things in readiness, +lest the people in their sudden rage should make any attempt against the +fortress; but every thing was speedily pacified. After this, the +governor took me by the hand into a hall or room by ourselves, and +demanded to know what the king and people of Calicut were preparing to +do against the Christians. I informed him of all things as far as I +knew, having diligently inquired into all their preparations and +designs. When I had thus informed the governor of all I knew, he +appointed a galley commanded by one Joam Serano to carry me to the +viceroy, who was then at Cochin. + +[Footnote 106: Don Francisco de Almeyda was viceroy of Portuguese India +from 1507 to 1510, both inclusive, and his son Lorenzo made a +conspicuous figure on several occasions under his father. It is true +that Verthema appears in the present journal to have returned from India +to Europe in the end of 1506 or beginning of 1507; but the dates of the +present journal are exceedingly few and vague, and the incidents which +it relates could hardly have occurred in so short a period as between +the commencement of 1503 and close of 1506.--E.] + +The viceroy received me very favourably, and then I gave him an account +of all the warlike preparations at Calicut. After this I humbly implored +pardon for the two Italians, Peter Anthony and John Maria, who had made +artillery for the infidel princes, declaring that they were desirous to +return to the Christians, and would do them good service, for that all +they had hitherto done at Calicut was by constraint, and that all they +asked was a safe conduct and money to defray their charges. The viceroy +listened to my petition, and three days afterwards he sent me back to +Cananore with letters to his son, commanding him to deliver me as much +money as might suffice for the Christian spies at Calicut. At Cananore, +I procured an idolater, who from poverty had been forced to pawn his +wife and children, and engaged him to carry a letter from me to the two +Milanese at Calicut, informing them that the viceroy had granted their +pardon and safe conduct, with money for their charges. I desired them to +make no one privy to their intended departure, and particularly not to +let it be known to their slaves or concubines, each of them having a +concubine, a child, and a slave, and to leave all their goods behind, +except things of great value, such as gold coin and precious stones. +They had a very fine diamond of 32 carats, reckoned to be worth 35,000 +crowns; a pearl of 24 carats; 2000 rubies, some of which weighed one +carat, and others a carat and half; upwards of 60 bracelets, garnished +with many fine jewels; and about 1500 pieces of gold coin. But in +consequence of their covetousness, while they sought to save all they +lost all, and their lives to boot; for, not content with carrying off +all these riches, they would needs carry along with them, in spite of +the advice I sent, four guns, three monkeys, two musquets, and two of +those wheels on which precious stones are polished. The attempt to carry +off these bulky articles was the cause of their destruction, as one of +their slaves gave notice to the zamorin or king of Calicut of what was +going on. The zamorin would not at first believe the information, +having conceived a good opinion of their fidelity, yet sent four of his +nairs to examine into the truth of the information. But the slave, +perceiving that the zamorin seemed inclined to deal favourably with +them, went to the cady or chief priest of the Mahometans, and told him +all that he had said to the zamorin, adding that the two Christians had +disclosed all their secrets to the Portuguese. The eddy immediately +convened a council of all the Mahometan merchants, willing them to give +an hundred pieces of gold to the _king of Gioghi_[107], who was then at +Calicut, and to speak to him in the following terms: "It is not unknown +to you, most noble prince, that when your majesty came to this place +some years ago, we received you in a more honourable manner than we are +now enabled to do. The change in our behaviour is not owing to any want +of good will towards you, but is occasioned by the great and manifold +injuries which we have sustained, and are daily suffering from our +mortal enemies the Christians. We have at the present moment a notable +example of this in two Christian traitors now residing in this city, who +have disclosed all our secrets to the Portuguese; and therefore we most +humbly petition that you would be pleased to accept from us an hundred +pieces of gold, and to issue your commands that these traitorous +Christians shall be slain." + +[Footnote 107: This king of _Gioghi_ was probably the chief bramin in +the southern part of India, a species of patriarch or pope of the +braminical idolatry, similar to the king of _Joga_, formerly mentioned, +in Guzerat, in these travels of Verthema. In a future part of our +collection we shall have a more favourable opportunity of explaining the +hierarchy of the Hindoos.--E.] + +When this oration was repeated to the _king of Gioghi_, he immediately +accepted the gift, and consented to the prayer of the petition, and +appointed two hundred of his followers to put the Milanese to death. +These men, that they might not be suspected by the devoted Christians, +came in small bodies to their house, only ten at a time, as if to demand +their customary reward. But on seeing so great a number of men assembled +about their house, the Christians began to suspect that they were in +search of something beyond their usual reward or offering, wherefore +taking to their arms, they so bravely defended themselves, that they +slew six of the assailants and wounded forty: But at length some of the +_Gioghi_ or Jogues, shot them both with arrows from cross-bows, one +being sore wounded in the head and the other in the body; and as soon as +they saw them fall, they broke into the house and cut their throats. +Then taking the warm blood into the palms of their hands, they drank it +up, using the most contumelious expressions against the Christians. +After this murder, the concubine of John Maria came to Cananore with her +young son, whom I bought of her for eight pieces of gold, and had him +baptized by the name of Lorenzo, as he was christened on the festival of +St Laurence. But he died within a year afterwards of the lues venerea, +which disease has been spread over almost the whole world, as I have +seen many infected with it 400 miles beyond Calicut. It is there called +_pua_, and they affirm that it was not seen there till about seventeen +years before; yet it is there more grievous and destructive than with us +in Italy. + + +SECTION XI. + +_Account of a memorable Battle between the Mahometan Navy of Calicut and +the Portuguese_. + + +On the 4th of March 1506, intelligence was received at Cananore of the +death of the two Milanese Christians at Calicut, and on the same day the +Calicut fleet set sail from the cities of _Pavan? Capagot? Pandaram_? +and _Trompatam_? It consisted of 208 vessels [108], of which 84 were +ships of considerable size and burden, and the rest were rowing vessels +which are called _paraos_. This great fleet was manned with a prodigious +number of Mahometans richly dressed in purple silk and cotton, also with +high pointed caps after their fashion of the same colour, lined with +silk, having their arms decked with many bracelets, and embroidered +gloves on their hands. For weapons, they had Turkish bows, swords, +lances, _peltes_[109], and all kind of guns made in our manner. When we +saw their fleet proceeding in order and well appointed, it seemed afar +off like a great wood, so numerous were the masts, yet were we in sure +belief that God would give us the victory over the blasphemers of his +holy name, and that we should prevail against the idolaters and +Saracens, the ancient enemies of the religion of the blessed Jesus. +Therefore the valiant knight our governor, Don Lorenzo, the son of Don +Francisco de Almeyda, viceroy of India, who had the supreme command of +twelve Portuguese ships, with the assistance of the admiral, assembled +all the Portuguese soldiers and mariners by sound of trumpet, and spoke +to them after this manner: "Dear friends, and brethren in one God and in +one faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, it is now time for us to consider +that our Lord spared not to give his precious body unto death for our +sakes; wherefore it is our bounden duty to spend our lives in defence of +his glory and of our holy faith, assuring ourselves of victory over +these infidel dogs, who are hated of God, being the progeny of the +devil. Now, therefore, fighting in his holy name and under the banner of +his cross, shew yourselves valiant, as you have now a fair opportunity +to gain eternal fame in defending the glorious cause of your Lord and +Saviour. Therefore, along with me, raising our hearts to God, and our +arms with force and courage against the enemy, in the name of the Lord, +let us manfully give the onset." When Don Lorenzo had spoken these +words, the priest went up to the highest part of the ship, holding in +his hands the picture of Christ nailed to the cross, which he exposed to +the view of all the soldiers, and earnestly exhorted them to remember +the commands of God, and the holy faith in which they were consecrated +by baptism, having no doubt that all their sins should be forgiven to +those who fell in the cause of God. Then blessing them in the name of +the Lord, he pronounced the absolution and forgivenness of their sins. +This exhortation of the priest so moved all our hearts, that tears of +joy ran from our eyes, and we were all animated with a desire of dying +in the holy cause. + +[Footnote 108: According to the account of this great armament formerly +given in the History of the Portuguese Transactions in India, the fleet +of the Mahometans and Zamorin on this occasion consisted of 260 paraos, +60 of which exceeded the size of the armed ships then used in India by +the Portuguese. The action between the Portuguese and their enemies is +there stated to have been in 1508.--E.] + +[Footnote 109: Perhaps cross-bows, or it may probably signify leathern +targets, or shields made of _pelts_ or skins.--E.] + +In the mean time the Mahometan fleet made sail towards us, and on the +same day our admiral went to reconnoitre their fleet with two foists, +and passing between two of their largest ships discharged his ordnance +on both sides, on purpose to try the strength of those ships in which +they placed the greatest confidence. But nothing of any importance +occurred this day. Next day the enemy made sail towards Cananore, and +sent a message to our commanders, saying, that if they were permitted to +pursue their voyage they would not attack us. To this it was answered, +that the Christians had not forgotten the perjury and violated faith of +the Mahometans, when they prevented the Christians from passing that way +on a former occasion, and had slain 47 Portuguese, and robbed them of +4000 pieces of gold: Wherefore, they might proceed at their peril, and +should learn of what spirit and reputation in arms the Christians were +composed. Then said the Mahometans, "Mahomet will defend us and confound +the Christians." Then with great fury they assaulted us all at once, +thinking to have forced their way through our fleet, as they were only +10 miles from Cananore. Our admiral intentionally allowed them to draw +near until they were right over-against Cananore, when he intended to +set upon them with all his force, that the rajah or king of Cananore +might be a witness of the valour of the Christians. When the trumpeter +of the admiral sounded the charge as a signal of battle, the admiral +immediately assaulted two of the largest ships of the enemy, casting his +grappling irons and chains, that he might fight them hand to hand. After +throwing our grapplings three times in vain, they caught hold the fourth +time, on which the Christians boarded the greatest ship, and made such +havoc that the whole crew of 600 Mahometans were slain, not one escaping +or being made prisoner. Encouraged by this success, the admiral +immediately grappled another large ship which had chained itself to one +of the Christian foists; this ship was likewise taken and sunk, with the +loss of 500 Mahometans. Discouraged by this defeat, the Mahometans +assailed our twelve foists with all their force, _and carried them +away_. On this emergency the captain of the galley, Joam Serano, shewed +the utmost gallantry, as he fiercely assaulted in his single galley +those ships of the enemy which had _carried away_ our foists, and made +such prodigious slaughter among the Mahometans as seemed quite +incredible, so that he recovered all the foists, and sunk two other +Mahometan ships. The conflict continued with unabated fury from morning +till the darkness of the night parted the combatants, and God so +favoured the Christians that few of them were slain, though many were +wounded. + +I must not omit to notice the zeal and courage displayed by Simon +Martin, the captain of one of our ships, on the following occasion in +this battle. It so happened that the brigantine in which I was, was at +one time somewhat parted from the rest of our ships, on which four ships +of the enemy assailed us all at once; and 150 of the Mahometans having +boarded our vessel, constrained us to flee to the poop for safety. While +we were in this extreme danger, Simon Martin leapt on board our vessel, +invoking the name of Jesus to aid him, and fought with such desperate +valour that he slew six of the enemy with his own bond. Encouraged by +his gallantry, we came down from the poop to his assistance, and so +handled the Mahometans that they leapt overboard for safety, when some +of them were drowned and others escaped by swimming. Upon this our +success, the enemy sent down four other foists to help those who were +already engaged against us. But our captain took several empty casks in +which gunpowder had been kept before, and placed them in such a manner +on the side of our brigantine, that they seemed like large pieces of +artillery, standing beside them with a _fire-stick_ or lighted match, as +if about to discharge them. This device put the enemy in such fear that +they departed from us. + +Our admiral continued to pursue the enemy, and gave them another great +overthrow, taking seven of their foists laden with various kinds of +merchandise, and sank ten others by the shot of his artillery, one of +which was laden with elephants. Hie enemy, seeing the ocean almost +covered with the bodies of their slain, their principal ships taken, +sunk, or much injured, and having lost all hope of victory, endeavoured +to save themselves by flight. But the Portuguese determined to follow up +their success, and again brought them to battle, which continued a whole +day and night, to the utter discomfiture of the Mahometans, most of +whose vessels were sunk. At this time some of our foists saw a large +ship belonging to the enemy at some distance, and made sail towards her; +but as the enemy saw themselves overmatched, they hurled all their +carriages into the sea [110], after which they leapt overboard +themselves, in hopes to swim on shore, as they are most expert swimmers. +But our men followed them even to the shore with lances, cross-bows, +and stones, killing them while swimming, so that the sea was coloured +with their blood. Yet about 200 of them escaped on shore, after swimming +about 20 miles. These Mahometans are all exceedingly expert swimmers, +being accustomed to it from their early youth; and while we pursued +them, they often dived and remained so long under water, that we thought +they had sunk outright, and when they came up again and floated on the +water, we thought we had been deceived by phantoms. They were however +mostly all destroyed afterwards by one mischance or another, so that on +this occasion the enemy lost a prodigious number of men. After the +battle and pursuit ceased, our admiral sent some boats on shore in +sundry places to number the dead bodies, which had been cast up by the +sea, when about 3000 were found, besides many that had been carried away +by the sea. + +[Footnote 110: Perhaps they threw their guns overboard to lighten their +vessel and facilitate their escape.--E.] + +The king of Cananore beheld this great victory from the shore, and gave +great commendations to the Portuguese for their valour, and very +deservedly; for, though I have been in many hard-fought battles, I never +saw greater valour than was displayed on this occasion by the +Portuguese. After this great victory, we thought to have enjoyed peace +and security, but worse events ensued; for the king of Cananore, who was +a great friend to the Portuguese, died a few days afterwards, and was +succeeded by a mortal enemy to the Christians, and a great friend to the +zamorin, by whole interest he had been advanced to the kingdom of +Cananore. This new king assembled his forces to make war against the +Portuguese in all haste, believing that much of their ammunition had +been expended in the late naval battle, and that their men were much +wearied, and for the most part wounded, so that they would be unable to +make any great resistance. To aid him on this occasion, the zamorin sent +him 24 pieces of great cannon. This war began on the 7th of April, and +continued to the 20th of August [111], before peace was restored. It +were too long to recount all the brave actions performed by the +Christians in this war against the Mahometans [112], who never +encountered them with less than twenty-five or twenty-six thousand men +and 140 pieces of artillery. The enemy on this occasion were armed in +the manner already mentioned respecting the weapons of the inhabitants +of Calicut, and the Christians in the harness and with the weapons then +used by us in Europe[113]. + +[Footnote 111: From the context, combined with the date of the late +naval action, as given from the History of the Portuguese Transactions, +this land-war with the rajah of Cananore must have been in 1509.--E.] + +[Footnote 112: In the naval battle the principal force at least must +have been Mahometans, as the Hindoos do not use the sea; but, in this +land-war with the new rajah of Cananore, the nairs would constitute the +main force of the enemy, though there might be some Mahometan +auxiliaries.--E.] + +[Footnote 113: The European soldiers then wore defensive armour and +shields. And besides matchlocks, their offensive arms were pikes, +swords, and cross-bows.--E.] + +In their wars, the infidels divide their army into many _wings_, or +brigades, of two or three thousand men each, only one of which proceeds +to battle at a time, all the rest waiting the result of this charge +before they proceed to join battle. While marching to give battle, it +passes all imagination to conceive the prodigious noise made by +innumerable musical instruments after their fashion, which fill the ears +of their soldiers and encourage them to fight; while in the mean time a +great number of men run before with artificial fireworks[114]. At last +they give the onset with such fury and outcry, that two or three +thousand of them are often able to put to flight 10,000 men who are +unused to this mode of warfare. But God in his merciful providence never +forsakes those who believe in his holy religion, as was now exemplified +in our distress. For, while the Portuguese were in a manner overwhelmed +with the multitude of their enemies, the joyful news arrived that a new +fleet had come from Portugal to Cananore, under the valiant knight Don +Tristan de Cunna, who was immediately informed of the straits to which +we were reduced. He immediately sent us a reinforcement of 300 valiant +soldiers, well provided with defensive armour, and weapons of offence, +after the manner of the Christians. On the arrival of these succours, we +were so encouraged that we would have burnt the city of Cananore, if our +admiral had permitted us. But on learning the arrival of this +reinforcement, the enemy were so cast down that they sought to make +peace with us by every means they could think of, and appointed one +_Mamalmaricar_, a man of great riches and wisdom, to be their +ambassador, with full powers to conclude peace. This man accordingly +waited on our admiral, who told him that he could not make peace without +the authority of the viceroy, who was then at Cochin: Yet it was thought +best not to reject the proffered peace, as, during war, the Portuguese +could not send home their ships with the commodities of India, and for +this reason the viceroy agreed to the conclusion of peace. + +[Footnote 114: Probably alluding to a kind of javelins armed with a +species of rockets, which have long been used in the wars of India, and +often produce great disorder among the crowded masses of their +ill-disciplined troops.--E.] + +To mingle some pleasure with these tragedies, I shall now rehearse a +pleasant story, worthy of being remembered. One day after the peace was +settled, I happened to walk in the city of Cananore with some merchant +idolaters, with whom I was acquainted before the war. They asked me to +show them a certain Christian, much taller and stronger than any of the +others, who used every day to slay about twenty of the Mahometans, and +who at one time, when assailed by fifty of the nairs, escaped unhurt. At +first I answered, that this valiant Christian had gone to Cochin to the +viceroy: But after some farther consideration, I told them that this +soldier was the God of the Portuguese, the great God who had created the +world. Then answered they, that the Mahometans had said as much to them +already, and therefore they were inclined to believe that the God of the +Christians was better and more powerful than theirs. Thus it came to be +rumoured all over the country that the Portuguese had overcome more by +the assistance of God, than by the strength of man. These people are +wonderfully simple and ignorant, and are easily astonished at very +trifling matters; for when they saw one of our company ring a small +hand-bell, and that it ceased to make a noise when set down, they took +it for a miracle, saying one to another, "Doubtless the God of these men +is greater than ours, for when they touch that little instrument it +speaks, and when they touch it not it is silent." They took much delight +in seeing the celebration of mass; and when the priest lifted up the +holy bread, or host, I said unto them, "Behold the God of the Christians +and of all the world." To which they answered, "You say truly, but we +see him not." I repeat this that it may be seen how ignorant these +people are. Yet are they great sorcerers, and can enchant the most +venomous serpents, so as to do no harm, though their venom is so +powerful as to kill only by touching. They are likewise of wonderful +agility, and are astonishingly expert in vaulting, running, leaping, +swimming, tumbling, walking on ropes, and such other feats of activity. + + +SECTION XII. + +_Navigation of the Author to Ethiopia, and return to Europe by Sea._ + + +Those who engage to write any history, ought to keep in mind what they +have promised, lest after all their pains and trouble they only reap +shame and reproach. Wherefore, having in the beginning of this +performance engaged to write concerning the navigation of Ethiopia, I +shall now make an end of my long travels and peregrinations, by a +description of this voyage, in which I shall speak of such things as I +saw by the way, on my return from India to my long wished-for country, +along with the Portuguese. + +Leaving India on the 7th of December[115], we directed our course to +Ethiopia[116]; and having sailed across the great gulf we came to the +island of _Monzambrick_, or Mozambique, which is under the dominion of +the king of Portugal. But before our arrival there, we saw many towns +and fortresses by the way, belonging to the Portuguese, in the kingdoms +of Melinda and Mombaza. They have also some strong fortresses in +Mozambique and Sofala. Were I to enlarge upon the memorable deeds of the +valiant Tristran de Cunna, on his return from India, I should enter upon +a subject far beyond my powers, being such as would rather require the +pen of a Homer or a Virgil: For he invaded and subdued the great cities +of _Gogia, Pati_, and _Crava[117]_, and also the goodly island of +_Sacutara_, [Socotoro,] where a fortress was erected by order of the +king of Portugal. I omit also to speak of many islands which we saw by +the way, such as the island of _Cumeris_, or Curia Muria, and six +others, which produce plenty of ginger, sugar, and other goodly fruits, +and the most fruitful island of _Penda_, which is likewise subject to +the Portuguese. + +[Footnote 115: Probably of the year 1508.--E.] + +[Footnote 116: It is hardly necessary to remark, that the term Ethiopia +is here applied to the western coast of Africa on the ocean.--E.] + +[Footnote 117: The Gogia of the text is probably Oja, on the coast of +Africa, 17 leagues from Melinda, and Pati may possibly be some +corruption of Paniany, both of these places having been reduced by de +Cunna. Crava may be an error for Brava, on the western coast of +Africa.--E.] + +From the island of Mozambique, which belongs to Portugal, it brought +much gold and ivory, but these come from the continent of Ethiopia. This +island is not large, but has a commodious port, and is inhabited by +black Mahometans[118], who are in great want of all the necessaries of +life, having no corn or provisions but what are brought from the +continent. We landed on the continental part of Ethiopia to see the +country, where we saw a barbarous Vagabond people of blacks, both men +and women going entirely naked, except covering their parts of shame +with leaves of trees. Their lips are two fingers thick, their foreheads +very large, and they have great teeth as white as snow. They are +exceedingly timorous and fearful of armed men; wherefore six of us, well +armed with muskets, and accompanied by a black slave who knew the +country, went a considerable way inland to view the country. When we had +gone forwards a days journey, we came to many herds of elephants, and +our guide recommended to us to carry burning firebrands in our hands, as +these beasts are afraid of fire above all things; but we chanced to fall +in with three female elephants that had lately calved, and they could +not be scared by our fire, but followed us so far that we were obliged +to save ourselves by scrambling up a steep mountain. + +[Footnote 118: Perhaps this expression ought to have been black-a-moors, +the old name for negroes.--E.] + +When we were about ten miles inland, we came to a cave on the side of a +mountain inhabited by some of the black natives, whose manner of speech +was so strange and chattering, like so many apes, that I am unable to +express the manner of their language, which comes near the strange +jargon used by the muleteers of Sicily, when they drive their +mules[119]. Our pilot asked us if we were inclined to purchase any +cattle from these people, saying that we might have them at a very low +price; but suspecting that he either mocked us, or meant, in concert +with the natives, to impose upon us, we said that we had no money. Then +he told us that these people wanted no money, having already gold in +greater plenty than we, which they procure not far from where we were. +On asking him what articles they were desirous of in payment for their +cattle, he said they preferred things of small value, such as pins, +knives, scissars, looking-glasses, hawks-bells, bags, or boxes, to +contain their gold, copper rings, _janglings_ to hang at their timbrils, +bosses, laces, broaches, copper-chains, caskanets, bracelets, and such +like baubles to deck their wives and children. We then said that we +would willingly give them such things for their cattle if they would +bring them to us at the shore; but the pilot said the natives would +drive them to the next mountain, but no farther on any condition. Then +one of our companions said that he had a boss of engraven copper, and a +small bell; and as I had none of such merchandise, and yet was desirous +of eating fresh meat, I said I would give one of my shirts to buy +cattle. The pilot engaged to make our purchases to the best advantage, +and calling five or six of the natives about him, he shewed them our +_goodly jewels,_ and demanded from them _three hundred_ head of cattle. +The natives, not differing much from beasts, answered by signs that they +would only give fifteen. At length we made a bargain, though we still +suspected some deceit; yet they kept their promise, and sent us fifteen +beasts by two of their companions. We had scarcely gone when we heard a +noise and tumult among them, and were in some fear lest these +_troglodites_ might follow to do us some injury, wherefore leaving the +cattle we took to our weapons. But they made signs to us to fear +nothing, and the pilot told us they were quarrelling who should have the +copper boss. Then recovering our cattle, we drove them forward to the +top of the mountain, where we dismissed the two natives, and continued +our journey towards the coast. While driving our cattle past a little +wood, we again fell in with the elephants, which put us in such fear +that we abandoned our cattle and trusted to our feet, making the best of +our way to the island. + +[Footnote 119: Perhaps alluding to the _cluck_, which occurs perpetually +in the language of the Hottentots, resembling the sound used in some +parts to urge on a horse, and which is inexpressible in +orthography.--E.] + +Having made provision for our voyage of such things as could be procured +at Mozambique, we sailed for the Cape of Good Hope, passing the island +of St Lawrence, otherwise called Madagascar, which is 80 leagues from +the nearest part of the continent. I suppose that in a short time the +Portuguese will be masters of this island, as they have burned and +destroyed many of its towns and villages, and are much feared by the +natives. So far as I conjecture by my peregrinations, especially those +in India and Ethiopia, it is my opinion that the king of Portugal is +likely to be the richest king in the world, if he continue as he has +begun; and certainly his dignity and godly zeal is not unworthy of such +high fortune, as by his means the knowledge of the Christian faith is +greatly extended. In Cochin, where the viceroy of India resides, every +holiday ten or twelve Mahometans or idolaters are professed to our +religion; so that we may have good hope that in time our faith may +greatly spread with the blessing of God, who hath given such miraculous +victories to the Christians; wherefore all who profess to believe in the +holy name of Christ, ought incessantly to pray to God to assist the king +of Portugal in so godly an enterprise. + +When we had sailed about two hundred miles beyond the Cape of Good Hope, +there arose a sudden tempest of contrary wind, which towed us to and fro +for seven days in great danger, but we escaped by the blessing of God. +After the cessation of this tempest, and when we had again proceeded +other two hundred miles on our voyage, a new tempest arose, which +scattered all our ships during six days that it continued, so that we +did not all meet again till our arrival at Lisbon in Portugal. I was in +a ship called the St Vincent, belonging to one Bartholomew a Florentine, +who was a citizen of Lisbon. She was a vessel of great size, and carried +seven hundred tons of spices of all kinds. We passed the island of St +Helena, near which we saw certain fishes of such enormous bigness that +one of them was as large as a great house. When they rise above water, +or gape or yawn, the upper jaw covers all the forehead, as it were a +soldier in shining armour, and when they swim along the surface of the +deep, the forehead seems three paces broad. As they swam about near the +ships, they raised such a commotion in the sea that we discharged all +our artillery to drive them away. We soon afterwards came to an island +named _Ascension,_ where we saw many birds about the size of ducks, +which were so stupid that we took them with our hands, yet immediately +afterwards they shewed wonderful fierceness. In that island we saw no +outer living creatures besides these birds, which seemed as if they had +never seen mankind before, and there were prodigious quantities of fish +around its shores. + +Having sailed many days beyond that island, we seemed to have returned +again into our own world, as the north star, the guide of mariners, +appeared to us. Here we have a good opportunity of refuting the opinion +of those who think that it is impossible to sail in the regions of the +antartic pole by the guidance of the north star; for it is undeniable +that the Portuguese sail by the aid of the north polar star, although +entirely hidden from their sight in the antartic region of the sea. Yet +they frequently refresh the virtue of the needle by means of that stone +which ever naturally points towards the north. A few days afterwards we +arrived at a fair region, in which are seen many islands called the +_Astures_ Açores, so named from the multitude of that species of eagles +or hawks which are called açores or _azores_. These islands are +variously named, as _Pico_, _Martii_, _Corvo_, _Flores_, _St George_, +_Gratiosa_ and _Fyal_. From thence we went to the island of _Tercera_, +where we remained two days. All these are very fertile, and have +abundance of all the necessaries of life. + +Departing from thence, we came in seven days sailing to _Luxburne_ or +_Ulisbona_, [_Lisbon_] in Portugal. On my arrival I was carried to the +presence of the king, whose hand I had the honour to kiss, and with most +humble reverence I thanked his majesty for the great favour I had found +with his officers and subjects in India. He entertained me very +graciously at his court, until I had informed him fully of all that I +had observed in my peregrinations in various parts of India. Some days +afterwards, I shewed his majesty the letters-patent by which his viceroy +in India had honoured me with the order of knighthood, and humbly +requested of his majesty to confirm the same under his great seal, which +he was graciously pleased to grant. Then departing from Lisbon, with the +passport and safe conduct of the king, I returned at length, after these +my long and perilous travels, to my long-desired native home, the city +of Rome, by the blessing of God, to whom be all honour and glory. + +_End of the Voyages of Verthema._ + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +VOYAGES AND TRAVELS OF CESAR FREDERICK IN INDIA[120]. + + +INTRODUCTION. + +This article has been adopted from the Collection of Hakluyt, and, with +that immediately preceding, may serve as a supplement to the Portuguese +Transactions in India. The entire title, as given in that early and +curious Collection, is "_The Voyage and Travel of M. Cesar Fredericke, +Merchant of Venice, into the East India and beyond the Indies: Wherein +are contained the Customes and Rites of these Countries, the Merchandise +and Commodities, as well of Golde as Silver, as Spices, Drugges, +Pearles, and other Jewels. Translated out of Italian by M. Thomas +Hickocke_." + +[Footnote 120: Hakluyt, II. pp. 359--375. Ed. Lond. 1810.] + +In adapting the present chapter to the purposes of our Collection, the +only liberty we have taken with the ancient translation exhibited by +Hakluyt, has been to employ the modern orthography in the names of +places, persons, and things, and to modernise the language throughout. +As in the itinerary of Verthema, to avoid the multiplication of notes +unnecessarily we have corrected the frequently vicious orthography of +these names as given by Cesar Frederick and his original translator, +either by substituting the true names or more generally received modern +orthography, or by subjoining the right name in the text immediately +after that employed by the author. When the names employed in the +original translation of this Journal are so corrupt as to be beyond our +power to rectify, or where we are doubtful of our correction, we have +marked them with a point of interrogation, as doubtful or unknown, as +has likewise been done in our version of the Itinerary of Verthema. +These two journals, besides that they coincide with the plan of our +arrangement of giving as many appropriate original journals of voyages +and travels as we can procure, contain a great number of curious +particulars, nowhere else to be met with, respecting the manners and +customs of various parts of India, between the years 1503 and 1581, +with many intersecting notices respecting its history, production, and +trade. + +We learn from the following journal, that Cesar Frederick began his +peregrination in 1563; and, as he informs us in his preface, that he was +continually employed in coasting and travelling for eighteen years, he +could not have returned to Venice before the year 1581. In the +publication of this journal in the Collection of Hakluyt, it is very +irregularly divided into fragments, upon no apparent principles of +regular distribution; but on the present occasion it has been arranged +in sections, so as to suit the general plan of the present work.--E. + + + +_Cesar Frederick to the Reader._ + +Having for the space of eighteen years continually coasted and travelled +over almost all the East Indies, and many other countries beyond the +Indies, both with good and bad success; and having seen and learned many +things worthy of notice, which have never been before communicated to +the world; I have thought it right, since the Almighty hath graciously +been pleased to return me to my native country, the noble city of +Venice, to write and publish this account of the perils I have +encountered during my long and arduous peregrinations by sea and land, +together with the many wonderful things I have seen in the Indies; the +mighty princes that govern these countries; the religion or faith in +which they live; their rites and customs; the various successes I +experienced; and which of these countries abound in drugs and jewels: +All of which may be profitable to such as desire to make a similar +voyage: Therefore, that the world may be benefited by my experience, I +have caused my voyages and travels to be printed, which I now present to +you, gentle and loving readers, in hopes that the variety of things +contained in this book may give you delight. + + +SECTION I. + +_Voyage from Venice to Bir in Asia Minor._ + + +In the year 1563, while residing at Venice, being desirous to see the +eastern parts of the world, I embarked in a ship called the _Gradaige_ +of Venice, commanded by Jacomo Vatica, bound for Cyprus, taking with +me certain merchandise. On arriving at Cyprus, I left that ship, and +went in a lesser to Tripoli in Syria, where I made a short stay. I then +travelled by land to Aleppo, where I became acquainted with some +Armenian and Moorish merchants, and agreed to accompany them to Ormuz. +We accordingly departed together from Aleppo, and came to the city of +_Bir_ in two days journey and a-half. + +Bir is a small city in which provisions are very scarce, situated in +Asia Minor, [in lat. 37° 5' N. long. 38° E. from Greenwich], the river +Euphrates running near its walls. In this city, the merchants who intend +to descend the Euphrates form themselves into companies or associations, +according to the quantities of merchandise they possess, and either +build or buy a boat to carry themselves and their goods down the +Euphrates to Babylon[121], under the care of a master and mariners hired +to conduct the boat. These boats are almost flat-bottomed and very +strong, yet serve only for one voyage, as it is impossible to navigate +them upwards. They are fitted for the shallowness of the river, which in +many places is full of great stones which greatly obstruct the +navigation. At _Feluchia_ a small city on the Euphrates, the merchants +pull their boats to pieces or sell them for a small price; as a boat +that cost forty or fifty chequins at Bir sells only at Feluchia for +seven or eight chequins. When the merchants return back from Babylon, if +they have merchandise or goods that pay custom, they travel through the +wilderness in forty days, passing that way at much less expence than the +other. If they have no such merchandise, they then go by the way of +Mosul in Mesopotamia, which is attended with great charges both for the +caravan and company. From Bir to _Feluchia_. on the Euphrates, over +against Babylon, which is on the Tigris, if the river have sufficient +water, the voyage down the river may be made in fifteen or eighteen +days; but when the water is low in consequence of long previous drought, +the voyage is attended with much trouble, and will sometimes require +forty or fifty days to get down. In this case the boats often strike on +the stones in the river, when it becomes necessary to unlade and repair +them, which is attended with much trouble and delay; and on this account +the merchants have always one or two spare boats, that if one happen to +split or be lost by striking on the shoals, they may have another ready +to take in their goods till they have repaired the broken boat If they +were to draw the broken boat on the land for repair, it would be +difficult to defend it in the night from the great numbers of Arabs that +would come to rob and plunder them. Every night, when it is necessary to +make fast the boat to the bank, good watch must be kept against the +Arabs, who are great thieves and as numerous as ants; yet are they not +given to murder on these occasions, but steal what they can and run +away. Arquebuses are excellent weapons for keeping off these Arabs, as +they are in great fear of the shot. In passing down the river from Bir +to Feluchia, there are certain towns and villages on the Euphrates +belonging to _the son of Aborise_, king of the Arabs and of the desert, +at some of which the merchants have to pay so many _medins_ of custom on +each bale. + +[Footnote 121: It is obvious that Bagdat is here meant.--E.] + + +SECTION II. + +_Of Feluchia and Babylon._ + + +Feluchia is a village on the Euphrates, where they who come from Bir for +Babylon disembark with their goods, and go thence by land to Babylon, a +journey of a day and a half. Babylon is no great city, but is very +populous and is greatly resorted to by strangers, being the great +thoroughfare for Persia, Turkey and Arabia, and from this place there +are frequent caravans to different countries. Babylon is abundantly +supplied with provisions, which are brought down the river Tigris on +certain rafts or _zattores_ called Vtrij, the river Tigris running past +the walls of Babylon. The blown-up hides of which these rafts are +composed, are bound fast together, on which boards are laid, and on +these boards the commodities are loaded. When unladed at Babylon, the +air is let out of the skins, which are then laid on the backs of camels +and carried back to serve for another voyage. The city of Babylon is +properly speaking in the kingdom of Persia, but is now under the +dominion of the Turks. On the other side of the river towards Arabia, +over against Babylon, there is a handsome town in which is an extensive +Bazar for the merchants, with many lodging rooms, in which the greater +part of the stranger merchants that go to Babylon expose their goods +for sale. The passage across the river between Babylon and this town is +by a long bridge of boats chained together with great chains: And when +the river is swollen by the great rains, this bridge is opened in the +middle, one half falling alongside of the walls of Babylon, and the +other half along the opposite bank of the borough. So long as the bridge +remains open, the people cross from side to side in small boats with +much danger, by reason of their smallness, and that they are usually +overladen, so that they are very liable to be overset by the swiftness +of the current, or to be carried away and wrecked on the banks. In this +manner-many people are lost and drowned, as I have often witnessed. + +The tower of Nimrod, or Babel, is situated on the Arabian side of the +Tigris, in a great plain, seven or eight miles from Babylon. Being +ruined on every side, it has formed a great mountain, yet a considerable +part of the tower is still standing, compassed and almost covered up by +these ruins. It has been built of square bricks dried in the sun, and +constructed in the following manner. In the first place a course of +bricks was laid, then a mat made of canes squared like the bricks, and +daubed with earth instead of lime mortar; and these mats still remain so +strong that it is wonderful considering their great antiquity. I have +gone all round it without being able to discover any place where there +had been a door or entrance, and in my opinion it may be about a mile in +circumference or rather less. Contrary to all other things, which appear +small at a distance and become larger the nearer they are approached, +this tower appears largest when seen from afar, and seems less as you +come nearer. This may be accounted for, as the tower stands in a very +large plain, and with its surrounding ruins forms the only perceptible +object; so that from a distance the tower and the mountains formed of +its ruins make a greater shew than it is found to be on coming near. + + +SECTION III. + +_Of Basora._ + + +From Babylon I embarked in one of those small vessels which ply upon the +Tigris between Babylon and Basora, which are built after the manner of +foists or galliots, having a _speron_[122] and a covered poop. They use +no pumps, being so well daubed with pitch as effectually to exclude the +water. This pitch they have from a great plain near the city of _Heit_ +on the Euphrates, two days journey from Babylon. This plain full of +pitch is marvellous to behold, and a thing almost incredible, as from a +hole in the earth the pitch is continually thrown into the air with a +constant great smoke; and being hot it falls as it were sprinkled all +over the plain, in such abundance that the plain is always full of +pitch[123]. The Moors and Arabs of the neighbourhood allege that this +hole is the mouth of Hell; and in truth it is a very memorable object +From this native pitch or bitumen the whole people of that country +derive great benefit, as with it they pay or serve their barks, which +they call _Daneck_ and _Saffin_. + +[Footnote 122: In imitation of the original translator Hickocke and +Hakluyt, this word must be left untranslated and unexplained.--E.] + +[Footnote 123: This account of the hole which discharges pitch or native +bitumen mixed with water is most true; the water and pitch running into +the valley _or island_, where the pitch remains, and the water runs into +the Euphrates, when it occasions the water for a long way to have a +brackish taste with the smell of pitch and brimstone.--Hakl.] + +When the river Tigris is well replenished with water, the passage from +Babylon or Bagdat to Basora may be made in eight or nine days, less or +more according to circumstances; we were fourteen or fifteen days, +because the water was low, and when the waters are at the lowest it +requires eighteen days. Having no rocks or shoals in the river, the +voyage may be continued day and night. There are some places by the way +at which you have to pay so many medins for each bale, as toll or +custom. Basora, Bussora, or Busrah, [in lat. 30° 20' N. long. 47° 40' +E.] is a city on the Arabian side of the united rivers Euphrates and +Tigris, which was governed of old by those Arabs called _Zizarij_, but +is now under the dominion of the grand Turk, who keeps an army there at +great charge. The tribe of Arabs called Zizarij still have possession of +a large extent of country, and cannot be overcome by the Turks, as the +sea divides their country into islands by many channels, so that the +Turks are unable to bring an army against them either by land or sea, +and likewise because the inhabitants are brave and warlike. A days sail +before coming to Basora, we pass a small castle or fort called _Corna_, +on the point of land where the Euphrates and Tigris join; whence the +united waters of these two rivers form a very large river that runs into +the gulf of Persia. + +Basora is fifty miles from the sea, and it a place of great trade in +spices and drugs, which are brought from Ormuz. It is abundantly +supplied with corn, rice, and dates, from the surrounding country. At +Basora I shipped myself for Ormuz, to which I sailed through the Persian +gulf 600 miles, which is the distance between Basora and Ormuz. We +sailed in small ships built of board fastened together with small ropes +or cords, and, instead of caulking, a certain kind of straw is laid +between the boards at their junctions, and they are sewed together; +owing to which imperfect construction, these vessels are very dangerous, +and take in much water. On departing from Basora we sailed 200 miles +along the left shore of the gulf, having the open sea on our right hand, +till we came to an island called _Carichij_ or _Karak_, whence we +continued our voyage to Ormuz, always keeping the Persian shore in sight +on our left, and seeing many islands on our right hand towards Arabia. + + +SECTION IV. + +_Of Ormuz._ + + +The island of Ormuz is twenty-five or thirty miles in circuit, being the +driest and most barren island in the world, producing nothing but +salt-water and wood. All things necessary for the life of man are +brought here from Persia, which is twelve miles off, and from islands +adjoining to Persia, and in such abundance that the city has always a +great store of every necessary. Near the shore there stands a fair +castle, in which resides the commander appointed by the king of +Portugal, with a good band of Portuguese soldiers. The married men +belonging to the garrison dwell in the city, in which there are +merchants of almost every nation, among whom are many Moors and +Gentiles. This city has a vast trade for all kinds of spices, drugs, +silk, cloth of silk, brocades, and various kinds of merchandise from +Persia. The trade in horses is very great, being transported from hence +to India. The island has a Mahometan or Moorish king of the Persian +race, who is created and set up by the Portuguese commander in the name +of the king of Portugal. Being present on one of these occasions, I +shall set down the ceremonies as I saw them. + +The old king being dead, the Portuguese commander proceeds with much +pomp and ceremony to elect a new one in the castle; and when he is +chosen from the blood-royal, the new king is sworn to be true and +faithful to the king of Portugal, as his lord-paramount, after which the +captain presents him with the royal sceptre. The newly elected king is +then conducted in great pomp to the royal palace, amid great feasts and +rejoicings, and attended by a numerous and splendid retinue. The king +keeps a good train of attendants, and has sufficient revenues to +maintain his state and dignity, with very little of the cares of +royalty, as the captain of the castle defends the kingdom. When the king +and captain ride out together, the king is treated with much ceremony +and respect, yet cannot ride abroad with his train without having first +received permission of the captain, which precaution is necessary +because of the great trade carried on at this place. The native language +in this island is the Persian. I embarked at Ormuz for Goa in India, in +a ship on board of which were fourscore horses. All merchants proceeding +from Ormuz for Goa ought to go in ships carrying horses, because every +ship carrying twenty horses or upwards is privileged from the payment of +customs on all their other goods, whereas all ships having no horses +have to pay eight per centum on their goods and commodities. + + +SECTION V. + +_Of Goa, Diu, and Cambaya._ + + +Goa is the chief city of the Portuguese in India, in which reside the +viceroy and his court, being many officers of the crown of Portugal. +From Ormuz it is 990 miles to Goa, on which passage the first city you +come to in India is Diu, situated in a small island of the kingdom of +Cambaia; and, though a small city, is the strongest fortified of any of +those possessed by the Portuguese in India, having great trade, and +loading many great ships with merchandise for Ormuz and the Red Sea. +These ships belong both to Moors and Christians; but the Moors can +neither trade nor navigate in these seas, unless they have a pass or +licence from the Portuguese viceroy, without which they we liable to be +captured. The merchandise loaded at Diu comes from _Cambaietta_, a port +in the kingdom of Cambaia, about 180 miles up a strait or gulf called +_Macareo_, which signifies _a race of the tide_, because the water runs +there with immense rapidity, such as is not to be seen anywhere else, +except in the kingdom of Pegu, where there is another _Macareo_ or race +of the tide still more violent. On this account, and because no large +vessels can go to _Cambaietta_ or _Cambay_, by reason of the shallowness +of the water in the gulf for 80 or 100 miles, the principal city of +Cambaia or Guzerat is _Amadaver_ or _Amedabad_, a day and a half +journey from Cambay, being a great and populous city, and for a city of +the Gentiles it is well built with handsome houses and wide streets. In +it there is a fine bason or canul, having many ships, so that it +resembles Cairo, but not so large. + +Cambay is situated on the sea at the head of the gulf of the same name, +and is a handsome city. While I was there it was suffering great +calamity, owing to a scarcity, insomuch that the Gentiles offered their +sons and daughters for sale to the Portuguese, and I have seen them sold +for 8 or 10 _larines_ each, which is of our money about 10s. or 13s. +4d.[124]. Yet if I had not actually seen it, I could not have believed +that Cambay had so great a trade. Every new and full moon, when the +tides are at the highest, the small barks that come in and go out are +quite innumerable. These barks are laden with all kinds of spices, with +silks of China, sandal-wood, elephants teeth, velvets of _Vercini_, +great quantities of _Pannina_, which comes from Mecca, _chequins_ or +gold coins worth 7s. each sterling, and various other commodities. These +barks carry out an infinite quantity of cloth of all sorts made of +_bumbast_ or cotton, some white, others stamped or painted; large +quantities of indigo, dried and preserved ginger, dry and confected +myrabolans, _boraso_ or borax in paste, vast quantities of sugar, +cotton, opium, asafoetida, _puchio?_ and many other kinds of drugs, +turbans made at Delhi, great quantities of carnelians, garnets, agates, +jaspers, calcedonies, _hematitis_, or bloodstones, and some natural +diamonds. + +[Footnote 124: This comparison seems made by the translator between +_larines_ and sterling money.--E.] + +It is customary at Cambay, though no one is obliged, to employ brokers, +of whom there are great numbers at this place, all Gentiles and of +great repute, every one of whom keeps fifteen or twenty servants. All +the Portuguese, and more other merchants who frequent this place, employ +these brokers, who purchase and tell for them; and such as come there +for the first time are informed by their friends of this custom, and +what broker they ought to employ. Every fifteen days, when the great +fleet of barks comes into port, these brokers come to the water side, +and the merchants immediately on landing give charge of their cargoes to +the broker who transacts their business, with the marks of all their +bales and packages. After this the merchant carries on shore all the +furniture for his dwelling, it being necessary for every one who trades +to India to carry a sufficient provision of household staff for his use, +as none such are to be procured. Then the broker who takes charge of his +cargo, makes his servants carry the merchant's furniture to some empty +house in the city, every broker having several such for the +accommodation of their merchants, where there are only bedsteads, +tables, chairs, and empty water jars. Then the broker says to the +merchant, go and repose yourself and take your rest in the city. The +broker remains at the water-side in charge of the cargo, causes all the +goods to be discharged from the bark, pays the customs, and causes every +thing to be carried to the house in which the merchant has taken up his +residence, the merchant having no trouble with any thing. After this, +the broker inquires if the merchant is disposed to sell his goods at the +rate then current; and if he desires it, the broker sells the goods +immediately, and informs the merchant how much money comes to him after +payment of all charges. If the merchant is disposed to lay out his money +in the purchase of other commodities, the broker informs him at what +rate the different articles may be put free on board, all charges paid. +Being thus properly instructed, the merchant makes his calculations, and +if he is satisfied to buy or sell at the current prices he directs the +broker accordingly; so that if he have even to the value of 20,000 +ducats or more, every thing will be sold off or bartered in fifteen +days, without giving himself any trouble or concern about the matter. +Should the merchant not be disposed to sell the goods at the then +current prices, he may tarry as long as he pleases, but the goods cannot +be sold for him by any other person than the broker who has taken them +in hand, and has paid the duties. Sometimes, by delaying the sale of +their commodities for a time, the merchants make good profit, and at +other times they lose; but those articles which do not ordinarily come +every fifteen days, frequently produce great profit by delaying to sell +till the prices rise. + +The barks that lade at Cambay go to Diu to supply the ships at that port +which are taking in goods for the Red Sea and Ormuz, and some go to +Chaul and Goa. These ships are either well armed, or are protected by +Portuguese ships of war, as there are many corsairs or pirates +continually cruizing along that coast, robbing and plundering whatever +they are able to master. The kingdom of Cambaia or Guzerat has great +trade, though it has long been in the hands of tyrants and usurpers, +ever since the lawful sovereign, then 75 years of age, named Sultan +Badur, was slain, at the assault of Diu, at which time four or five +principal officers of his army divided the kingdom among themselves, all +tyrannizing in their several shares as in emulation of each other. +Twelve years before my coming, the great Mogul, who is the Mahometan +king of Delhi and Agra, 40 days journey inland from Amedabad, reduced +all the provinces of Guzerat under his authority without resistance, his +power being so great that none of the usurpers dared to oppose him. +While I dwelt in Cambay, I saw many curious things. There were a +prodigious number of artificers who made ivory bracelets called mannij, +of, various colours, with which the Gentile women are in use to decorate +their arms, some covering their arms entirely over with them. In this +single article there are many thousand crowns expended yearly, owing to +this singular custom, that, when any of their kindred die, they break +all their bracelets in token of grief and mourning, so that they have +immediately to purchase new ones, as they would rather go without meat +as not have these ornaments. + + +SECTION VI. + +_Of Damann, Bassen, Tana, Chaul, and some other places_. + + +Leaving Diu, I went on to Damann, the second city belonging to the +Portuguese in the territory of Guzerat, and distant from Diu 120 miles. +This place has no trade of any importance, except in rice and wheat, and +has many dependent villages, where in time of peace the Portuguese enjoy +the pleasure of a country retirement, but in time of war they are all +spoiled and plundered by the enemy, so that then they derive very small +benefit from them. The next place is Bassen, a small dirty place in +comparison with Damann, which supplies Goa with rice and wheat, besides +timber for the construction of ships and gallies. At a small distance +from Bassen is a small island named Tana, well peopled with Portuguese, +Moors, and Gentiles. This place affords nothing but rice, but contains +many manufacturers of _armesies_? and weavers of girdles made of wool +and cotton, black and red like _moocharie_? + +Beyond this is Chaul on the continent, where there are two cities, one +belonging to the Portuguese, and the other to the Moors; that which +belongs to the Portuguese is lower than the other, commands the mouth of +the harbour, and is very strongly fortified. About a mile and a half +from this city is that of the Moors, belonging to their king _Zamaluco_, +or Nizam-al-mulk. In time of war no large ships can go to the city of +the Moors, as they must necessarily pass under the guns of the +Portuguese castles, which would sink them. Both cities of Chaul are +sea-ports, and have great trade in all kinds of spices, drugs, raw silk, +manufactures of silk, sandal-wood, _Marsine, Versine_[125], porcelain of +China, velvets and scarlets, both from Portugal and Mecca[126], with +many other valuable commodities. Every year there arrive ten or fifteen +large ships, laden with great nuts called _Giagra_[127], which are cured +or dried, and with sugar made from these nuts. The tree on which these +nuts grow is called the _Palmer_ tree, and is to be found in great +abundance over all India, especially between this place and Goa. This +tree very much resembles that which produces dates, and no tree in the +world is more profitable or more useful to man; no part of it but serves +for some useful purpose, neither is any part of it so worthless as to be +burnt. Of its timber they build ships, and with the leaves they make +sails. Its fruit, or nuts, produce wine, and from the wine they make +sugar and _placetto_[128]. This wine is gathered in the spring of the +year from the middle of the tree, where there is then a continual stream +of clear liquor like water, which they gather in vessels placed on +purpose under each tree, and take them away full every morning and +evening. This liquor being distilled by means of fire, is converted into +a very strong liquor, which is then put into buts with a quantity of +white or black _Zibibs_, and in a short time it becomes a perfect wine. +Of the nuts they make great quantities of oil. The tree is made into +boards and timbers for building houses. Of the bark cables and other +ropes are made for ships which are said to be better than those made of +hemp. The branches are made into bed-steads after the Indian fashion, +and into _Sanasches_? for merchandise. The leaves being cut into thin +slips are woven into sails for all kinds of ships, or into thin mats. +The outer rhind of the nut stamped serves as oakum for caulking ships, +and the hard inner shell serves for spoons and other utensils for +holding food or drink. Thus no portion whatever of this _Palmer_ tree is +so worthless as to be thrown away or cast into the fire. When the nuts +are green, they are full of a sweet water, excellent to drink, and the +liquor contained in one nut is sufficient to satisfy a thirsty person. +As the nut ripens, this liquor turns all into kernel. + +[Footnote 125: Formerly noticed as a species of velvet; but the words +marsine and versine were inexplicable in the days of Hakluyt, and must +so remain.--E.] + +[Footnote 126: The velvets and scarlet cloths from Mecca were probably +Italian manufactures, brought through Egypt and the Red Sea.--E.]. + +[Footnote 127: These great nuts must necessarily be the cocoa nuts, and +the palmer tree, on which they grow, the cocoa palm.--E.] + +[Footnote 128: Possibly molasses are here meant.--E.] + +From Chaul, an infinite quantity of goods are exported for other parts +of India, Macao, Portugal, the coast of Melinda, Ormuz, and other parts; +such as cloth of _bumbast_ or cotton, white, painted, and printed, +indigo, opium, silk of all kinds, borax in paste, asafoetida, iron, +corn, and other things. Nizam-al-Mulk, the Moorish king, has great +power, being able to take the field with 200,000 men, and a great store +of artillery, some of which are made in pieces[129], and are so large +that they are difficultly removed, yet are they very commodiously used, +and discharge enormous stone bullets, some of which have been sent to +the king of Portugal as rarities. The city of _Abnezer[130]_, in which +Nizam-al-Mulk resides, is seven or eight days journey inland from Chaul. +Seventy miles[131] from Chaul toward the Indies, or south, is Dabul, a +haven belonging to Nizam-al-Mulk, from whence to Goa is 150 miles[132]. + +[Footnote 129: Probably meaning that they were formed of bars hooped or +welded together, in the way in which the famous _Mons meg_, long in +Edinburgh Castle, and now in the tower of London, was certainly +made.--E.] + +[Footnote 130: Perhaps that now called Assodnagur in the Mahratta +country, about 125 miles nearly east from Chaul.--E.] + +[Footnote 131: In fact only about half that distance.--E.] + +[Footnote 132: About 165 English miles--E.] + + +SECTION VII. + +_Of Goa._ + + +Goa, the principal city of the Portuguese in India, in which the viceroy +resides with a splendid court, stands in an island about 25 or 30 miles +in circuit. The city, with its boroughs or suburbs, is moderately large, +and is sufficiently handsome for an Indian city; but the island is very +beautiful, being full of fine gardens, and adorned with many trees, +among which are the _Palmer_, or cocoa-nut trees, formerly mentioned. +Goa trades largely in all kinds of merchandise usual in these parts, and +every year five or six large ships come directly thither from Portugal, +usually arriving about the 6th or 10th of September. They remain there +40 or 50 days, and go from thence to Cochin, where they finish their +lading for Portugal; though they often load one ship at Goa and the +other at Cochin for Portugal. Cochin is 420 miles from Goa. The city of +Goa stands in the kingdom of _Dial-can_, or Adel Khan, a Moorish or +Mahometan king, whose capital, called Bejapour or Visiapour, is eight +days journey inland from Goa[133]. This sovereign has great power; for, +when I was at Goa in 1570, he came to attack that city, encamping with +200,000 men at a river side in the neighbourhood, where he remained +fourteen months, at the end of which a peace was concluded. It was +reported in Goa that a great mortality prevailed in his army during the +winter, which also killed many of his elephants. When I went in 1567 +from Goa to _Bezenegur_ or Bijanagur, the capital city of the kingdom of +_Narsinga,_ eight days journey inland from Goa[134], I travelled in +company with two other merchants, who carried with them 300 Arabian +horses for sale to that king; the horses of the country being of small +stature, occasioning Arabian horses to sell at high prices in that part +of India. Indeed it is necessary that the merchants should get good +prices, as they are at great charges in bringing them from Persia to +Ormuz and thence to Goa. At going out of Goa, 42 pagodas are paid of +duty for each horse; the pagoda being a small gold coin worth about 6s. +8d. sterling. In the inland country of Narsinga, the Arabian horses sell +for 300, 400, and 500 ducats each, and some very superior horses sell as +high as 1000 ducats. + +[Footnote 133: About 175, N.E. from Goa. In the original it is called +Bisapor.--E.] + +[Footnote 134: The ruins of the royal city of Bijanagur are 190 English +miles nearly due east from Goa.--E.] + + +SECTION VIII. + +_Of the City of Bijanagur._ + + +In the year 1565, the city of Bijanagur was sacked by four Moorish kings +of great power: Adel-Khan, Nizam-al-Mulk, Cotub-al-Mulk, and +Viriday-Khan; yet with all their power they were unable to overcome this +city and its king but by means of treachery. The king of Bijanagur was a +Gentile, and among the captains of his numerous army had two famous +Moors, each of whom commanded over seventy or eighty thousand men. These +two captains being of the same religion with the four Moorish kings, +treacherously combined with them to betray their own sovereign. +Accordingly, when the king of Bijanagur, despising the power of his +enemies, boldly faced them in the field, the battle had scarcely lasted +four hours, when the two treacherous captains, in the very heat of the +battle, turned with their followers against their own sovereign, and +threw his army into such disorder that it broke and fled in the utmost +confusion. + +This kingdom of Bijanagur had been governed for thirty years by the +usurpation of three brothers, keeping the lawful king a state prisoner, +and ruling according to their own pleasure, shewing the king only once a +year to his subjects. They had been principal officers under the father +of the king whom they now held a prisoner, who was very young when his +father died, and they assumed the government. The eldest brother was +called _Ram rajah_, who sat in the royal throne and was called king; the +second was named _Temi rajah_, who held charge of the civil government +of the country; and the third, _Bengatre_, was general in chief of the +army. In the great battle against the four Mahometan kings all the three +brothers were present, but the first and the last were never heard of +more, neither dead nor alive. Temi rajah alone escaped from the battle, +with the loss of one eye. On the news of this great defeat coming to the +city of Bijanagur, the wives and children of the three tyrants fled with +the imprisoned king, and the four Mahometan kings entered the city in +great triumph, where they remained for six months, searching everywhere +for money and valuable effects that had been hidden. After this they +departed, being unable to retain possession of so extensive a dominion +at such a distance from their own territory[135]. + +[Footnote 135: The reason in the text for evacuating the kingdom of +Narsinga, or Bijanagur, is very unsatisfactory, as it in fact bordered +on their dominions. More probably they could not agree on the partition, +each being afraid of the others acquiring an ascendancy, and they +satisfied themselves with the enormous spoils of the capital. This event +has been before mentioned from De Faria.--E.] + +After the retreat of the four kings, Temi rajah returned to Bijanagur, +which he repeopled, and sent word to the merchants of Goa to bring all +the horses to him that they had for sale, promising good prices; and it +was on this occasion that the two merchants went up with their horses, +whom I accompanied. This tyrant also issued a proclamation, that if any +merchant happened to have any of the horses which were taken in the late +battle, even although they happened to have the Bijanagur mark upon +them, that he would pay for them their full values, and give safe +conduct for all who had such to come to his capital. When by this means +he had procured a great number of horses, he put off the merchants with +fair promises, till he saw that no more horses were likely to come, and +he then ordered the merchants to depart without giving them any thing +for the horses. I remained in Bijanagur seven months, though I might +have concluded my whole business in one; but it was necessary for me to +remain until the ways were cleared of thieves and robbers, who ranged up +and down in whole troops. + +While I rested there I saw many strange and barbarous deeds done among +these Gentiles. When any noble man or woman dies, the dead body is +burned. If a married man die, his widow must burn herself alive for the +love of her husband, and along with his body; but she may have the +respite of a month, or even of two or three, if she will. When the +appointed day arrives on which she is to be burnt, she goeth out from +her house very early in the morning, either on horseback or on an +elephant, or on a stage carried by eight men, apparelled like a bride, +and is carried in triumph all round the city, having her hair hanging +down about her shoulders, garnished with jewels and flowers, according +to her circumstances, and seemingly as joyful as a bride in Venice going +to her nuptials. On this occasion, she carries a mirror in her left +hand, and an arrow in her right, and sings during the procession, +saying, that she is going to sleep with her dear husband. In this manner +she continues, surrounded by her kindred and friends till about one or +two in the afternoon, when the procession goes out of the city to the +side of the river called _Nigondin_ or _Toombuddra_, which runs past the +walls of the city, to a certain spot where this ceremony is usually +performed, where there is prepared a large square pit full of dried +wood, having a little pinnacle or scaffold close to one side four or +five steps up. On her arrival, a great banquet is prepared, where the +victim eats with as much apparent joy as if it were her wedding-day; and +at the end of the feast there is dancing and singing so long as she +thinks fit. At length she gives orders of her own accord to kindle the +dry wood in the square pit; and when told that the fire is kindled, she +takes the nearest kinsman of her husband by the hand, who leads her to +the bank of the river, where she puts off her jewels and all her +clothes, distributing them among her parents or relations; when, putting +on a cloth, that she may not be seen naked by the people, she throweth +herself into the river, saying, O! wretches wash away your sins. Coming +out of the water, she rolls herself up in a yellow cloth, fourteen yards +long, and again taking the nearest kinsman of her husband by the hand, +they go together to the pinnacle at the funeral pile. From this place +she addresses the people, to whom she recommends her children and +relations. Before the pinnacle it is usual to place a mat, that she may +not see the fierce fire; yet there are many who order this to be +removed, as not afraid of the sight. When the silly woman has reasoned +with the people for some time, another woman takes a pot of oil, part of +which she pours on the head of the devoted victim, anointing also her +whole body with the same, and then throws the pot into the fire, which +the widow immediately follows, leaping into the fiercest of the fire. +Then those who stand around the pile throw after her many great pieces +of wood, by the blows from which, and the fierce fire in which she is +enveloped, she quickly dies and is consumed. Immediately the mirth of +the people is changed to sorrow and weeping, and such howling and +lamentation is set up as one is hardly able to bear. I have seen many +burnt in this manner, as my house was near the gate where they go out to +the place of burning; and when a great man dies, not only his widow, but +all the female slaves with whom he has had connection, are burnt along +with his body. Also when the baser sort of people die, I have seen the +dead husband carried to the place of sepulchre, where he is placed +upright; then cometh his widow, and, placing herself on her knees before +him, she clasps her arms about his neck, till the masons have built a +wall around both as high us their necks. Then a person from behind +strangles the widow, and the workmen finish the building over their +heads, and thus they remain immured in one tomb. Inquiring the reason of +this barbarous custom, I was told that this law had been established in +ancient times as a provision against the slaughters which the women were +in use to make of their husbands, poisoning them on every slight cause +of displeasure; but that since the promulgation of this law they have +been more faithful to their husbands, reckoning their lives as dear to +them as their own, because after the death of their husband their own is +sure soon to follow. There are many other abominable customs among these +people, but of which I have no desire to write. + +In consideration of the injury done to Bijanagur by the four Mahometan +kings, the king with his court removed from that city in 1567, and went +to dwell in a castle named _Penegonde_, eight days journey inland from +Bijanagur. Six days journey from Bijanagur is the place where diamonds +are got[136]. I was not there, but was told that it is a great place +encompassed by a wall, and that the ground within is sold to the +adventurers at so much per square measure, and that they are even +limited as to the depth they may dig. All diamonds found of a certain +size and above belong to the king, and all below that size to the +adventurers. It is a long time since any diamonds have been got there, +owing to the troubles that have distracted the kingdom of Narsinga: For +the son of Temi rajah having put the imprisoned king to death, the +nobles and great men of the kingdom refused to acknowledge authority of +the tyrant, so that the kingdom has fallen into anarchy, every one +setting up for themselves. + +[Footnote 136: The diamond mines of Raolconda are about 90 miles direct +north from the ruins of Bijanagur, on the Kisma. The castle of Penegonde +is not now to be found in the maps of Indostan; but indeed the names of +this ingenious traveller an often unintelligible, and almost always +extremely corrupt.--E.] + +The city of Bijanagur is not altogether destroyed, as the houses are +said to be still standing, but entirely void of population, and become +the dwellings of tigers, and other wild beasts. The circuit of this +great city is twenty-four miles round the walls, within which are +several hills. The ordinary dwellings are of earthen walls, and +sufficiently mean, but the three palaces of the tyrant brothers, and the +pagodas or idol temples, are built of fine marble, cemented with lime. I +have seen many kings courts, yet have never seen any thing to compare +with the greatness of the royal palace of Bijanagur, which hath nine +gates. First, when you go into that part where the king lodged, there +are five great gates kept by captains and soldiers: Within these are +four lesser gates, which are kept by porters. On the outer side of the +first gate is a small porch or lodge, where there is a captain and +twenty-five soldiers, who keep watch day and night; and within that +another, with a similar guard. Through this you enter into a very fair +court, at the end of which is another porch like the first, with a +similar guard, and within that another court. Thus the first five gates +are each guarded by their respective captains. Then each of the lesser +gates within are kept by a separate guard of porters. These gates stand +open the greatest part of the night, as it is the custom of the Gentiles +to transact business and make their feasts during the night, rather than +in the day. This city is very safe from thieves, insomuch that the +Portuguese merchants sleep under porches open to the street, and yet +never meet with any injury. + +At the end of two months, I determined to go for Goa, in company with +two Portuguese merchants, who were making ready to depart in two +palankins or small litters, which are very convenient vehicles for +travelling, being carried by eight _falchines_, or bearers, four at a +time, and other four as reliefs. For my own use I bought two bullocks, +one to ride upon and the other to carry my provisions. In that country +they ride upon bullocks, having pannels fastened with girths, and guide +them with bridles. In summer, the journey from Bijanagur to Goa takes +only eight days; but we went in July, which is the middle of winter in +that country, and were fifteen days in going to _Ancola_, on the sea +coast. On the eighth day of the journey I lost both my bullocks. That +which carried my provisions was weak, and could not proceed; and on +passing a river by means of a small foot bridge, I made my other +bullock swim across, but he stopt on a small island in the middle of the +river where he found pasture, and we could devise no means to get him +out. I was under the necessity therefore to leave him, and was forced to +go on foot for seven days, during which it rained almost incessantly, +and I suffered great fatigue. By good fortune I met some +_falchines_[137] by the way, whom I hired to carry my clothes and +provisions. In this journey we suffered great troubles, being every day +made prisoners, and had every morning at our departure to pay four or +five _pagies?_ a man as ransom. Likewise, as we came almost every day +into the country of a new governor, though all tributary to the king of +Bijanagur, we found that every one of them had their own copper coin, so +that the money we got in change one day was not current on the next. At +length, by the mercy of God, we got safe to _Ancola_, which is in the +country of the queen of _Gargopam_[138], a tributary to the king of +Bijanagur. + +[Footnote 137: These _falchines_ of Cesar Frederick are now denominated +_coolies_.--E.] + +[Footnote 138: These names of Ancola and Gargopam are so unintelligibly +corrupted, as not be even conjecturally referable to any places or +districts in our best maps.--E.] + +The merchandise sent every year from Goa to Bijanagur consists of +Arabian horses, velvets, damasks, satins, armoisins of Portugal, +porcelain of China, saffron, and scarlet cloth; and at Bijanagur, they +received in exchange or barter, jewels and pagodas, which are the gold +ducats of the country. At Bijanagur, according to the state and +condition of the wearers, the apparel is of velvet, satin, damask, +scarlet cloth, or white cotton; and they wear long hats on their heads, +called _colae_, made of similar materials; having girdles round their +bodies of fine cotton cloth. They wear breeches made like those used by +the Turks; having on their feet plain high things called _aspergh_. In +their ears they wear great quantities of golden ornaments. + +Returning to my journey. When we got to _Ancola_, one of my companions +having nothing to lose, took a guide and set out for Goa, which is only +at the distance of four days journey; but as the other Portuguese was +not inclined to travel any farther at this season, he and I remained +there for the winter[139], which beginning on the 15th of May, lasts to +the end of October. While we tarried there, another horse-merchant +arrived in a palanquin, together with two Portuguese soldiers from +Ceylon, and two letter-carriers, who were Christians born in India. All +these persons agreed to go in company to Goa, and I resolved to go with +them; for which purpose, I got a sorry palanquin made for me of canes, +and in the hollow of one of these I concealed all my jewels. According +to the usual custom, I hired eight _falchines_ or bearers, and we set +off one day about eleven o'clock. About two o'clock the same day, as we +were passing a mountain which separates the territory of _Ancola_ from +that belonging to Abel Khan, and while I was a little way behind the +rest of the company, I was assaulted by eight robbers, four of whom were +armed with swords and targets, and the others with bows and arrows. My +bearers immediately let fall the palanquin and ran off, leaving me alone +on the ground wrapped up in my clothes. The robbers instantly came up +and rifled me of every thing I had, leaving me stark naked. I pretended +to be sick and would not quit the palanquin, in which I had made a kind +of bed of my spare clothes. After searching with great industry, the +thieves found two purses in which I had tied up some copper money I had +got in change for four pagodas at Ancola; and thinking this treasure +consisted of gold coin, they searched no farther, and went away, +throwing all my clothes into a bush. Fortunately at their departure they +dropped a handkerchief which I noticed, and getting up I wrapped it up +in my palaquin[140]. In this forlorn condition, I had resolved to pluck +the hollow cane from my palanquin in which my jewels were hid, and to +have endeavoured to make my own way on foot to Goa, using the cane as a +walking stick. But my bearers were so faithful that they returned to +look for me after the robbers departed, which indeed I did not expect, +as they were paid before hand, according to the custom of India. We got +to Goa in four days, during which I fared very badly, as the robbers had +left me no money of any kind, and all I had to eat was given me by my +bearers for God's sake; but after my arrival in Goa, I paid them royally +for what they gave me. + +[Footnote 139: This winter of our author, on the coast of Canara, in +about the lat. of 15° N. when the sun is nearly vertical, must be +understood as the rainy season.--E.] + +[Footnote 140: This incident in the text is given as fortunate, and +perhaps it ought to have been expressed, "He wrapped it about his loins +and returned to his palanquin."--E.] + +From Goa I departed for Cochin, a voyage of 300 miles, there being +several strong-holds belonging to the Portuguese between these two +cities, as Onore, Barcelore, Mangalore, and Cananore. Onore, the first +of these, is in the dominions of the queen of _Battacella_, or +_Batecolah_, who is tributary to the king of Bijanagur. There is no +trade at this place, which is only a military post held by a captain +with a company of soldiers. After this you go to another small castle of +the Portuguese called Mangalore, in which there is only a small trade in +rice. Thence you go to a little fort called Bazelore[141], whence a +great deal of rice is transported to Goa. From thence you go to a city +named Cananore, which is within a musket-shot of the capital of the king +of Cananore who is a Gentile[142]. He and his people are wicked and +malicious, delighting in going to war with the Portuguese; yet when at +peace they find their interest in trading with them. From this kingdom +of Cananore is procured great store of cardomums, pepper, ginger, honey, +cocoa-nuts, and _archa_ or _areka_. This is a fruit about the size of a +nutmeg, which is chewed in all the Indies, and even beyond them, along +with the leaf of a plant resembling ivy called _betel_. The nut is +wrapped up in a leaf of the betel along with some lime made of oyster +shells, and through all the Indies they spend a great deal of money; on +this composition, which they use daily, a thing I could not have +believed if I had not seen it continually practised. A great revenue is +drawn from this herb, as it pays custom. When they chew this in their +mouths, it makes their spittle as red as blood, and it is said to +produce a good appetite and a sweet breath; but in my opinion, they eat +it rather to satisfy their filthy lusts, for this herb is moist and hot, +and causes a strong expulsion. + +[Footnote 141: This must be Barcelore, and ought to have been named +before Managalore, as above 50 miles to the north, between Goa and +Managalore.--E.] + +[Footnote 142: This passage ought to have stood thus "The fort of +Cananore belonging to the Portuguese, only a musket-shot from the city +of that name, the capital of" &c.--E.] + +From Cananore you go Cranganore, which is a small fort of the Portuguese +in the country of the king of Cranganore, another king of the Gentiles. +This is a country of small importance of about a hundred miles extent, +full of thieves, subject to the king of Calicut, who is another king of +the Gentiles and a great enemy to the Portuguese, with whom he is +continually engaged in war. This country is a receptacle of foreign +thieves, and especially of those Moors called _Carposa_, on account of +their wearing long red caps. These thieves divide the spoil they get +with the king of Calicut, who gives them leave to go a-roving; so that +there are so many thieves all along this coast, that there is no sailing +in those seas except in large ships well armed, or under convoy of +Portuguese ships of war. From Cranganore to Cochin is 15 miles[143]. + +[Footnote 143: The direct distance is twenty geographical miles.--E.] + + +SECTION IX. + +_Of Cochin._ + + +Cochin, next to Goa, is the chief place in India belonging to the +Portuguese, and has a great trade in spices, drugs, and all other kinds +of merchandise for Portugal. Inland from that place is the pepper +country, which pepper is loaded by the Portuguese in bulk not in sacks. +The pepper which is sent to Portugal is not so good as that which goes +up the Red Sea; because in times past the officers of the king of +Portugal made a contract with the king of Cochin for all the pepper, to +be delivered at a fixed price, which is very low; and for which reason +the country people deliver it to the Portuguese unripe and full of dirt. +As the Moors of Mecca give a better price, they get it clean and dry and +in much better condition; but all the spices and drugs which they carry +to Mecca and the Red Sea are contraband and stolen or smuggled. There +are two cities at Cochin, one of which belongs to the Portuguese and the +other to the native king; that of the Portuguese being nearer the sea, +while the native city is a mile and a half farther up the same river. +They are both on the banks of the same large river, which comes from the +mountains in the pepper country[144], in which are many Christians of +the order of St Thomas. The king of Cochin is a Gentile and a steadfast +friend to the king of Portugal, and to all the Portuguese who are +married and have become citizens of Cochin. By the name of Portuguese, +all the Christians are known in India who come from Europe, whether they +be Italians, Frenchmen, or Germans. All those who marry and settle at +Cochin get some office according to the trades they are off, by which +they have great privileges. The two principal commodities in which they +deal are silk which comes in great quantities from China, and large +quantities of sugar, which comes from Bengal. The married citizens pay +no customs for these two commodities; but pay 4s. per centum for all +other goods to the king of Cochin, rating their own goods almost at +their own valuation. Those who are not married pay to the king of +Portugal 8s. per centum for all kinds of commodities. While I was in +Cochin, the viceroy used his endeavours to break the privileges of these +married citizens, that they might pay the same rates of customs with +others. On this occasion the citizens were glad to weigh their pepper in +the night to evade the customs. When this came to the knowledge of the +king of Cochin, he put a stop to the delivery of pepper, so that the +viceroy was glad to allow the merchants to do as formerly. + +[Footnote 144: In the version of Cesar Frederick in Hakluyt, it is said +"to come from the mountains of the king of the pepper country, who is a +Gentile, and in whose dominions there are many Christians," &c. as in +the text. This king of the pepper country is probably meant for the +rajah of Travancore. The great river of the text is merely a sound, +which reaches along the coast from Cochin to beyond Coulan, a distance +of above 90 miles, forming a long range of low islands on the sea-coast, +and receiving numerous small rivers from the southern gauts.--E.] + +The king of Cochin has small power in comparison with the other +sovereigns of India as he is unable to send above 70,000 men into the +field. He has a great number of gentlemen, some of whom are called +_Amochi_[145] and others _Nairs_. These two sorts of men do not value +their lives in any thing which tends to the honour of their king, and +will run freely into any danger in his service, even if sure to lose +their lives in the attempt. These men go naked from the waist upwards, +and barefooted, having only a cloth wrapped about their thighs. Their +hair is long and rolled up on the top of their heads, and they go always +armed, carrying bucklers and naked swords. The Nairs have their wives in +common among themselves, and when any of them goes into the house of one +of these women, he leaves his sword and buckler at the door, and while +he is within no other dare enter the house. The king's children never +inherit the kingdom after their fathers, lest perchance they may have +been begotten by some other man; wherefore the son of the king's +sisters, or of some female of the royal-blood succeeds, that they may be +sure of having a king of the royal family. Those Naires and their wives +have great holes in their ears by way of ornament, so large and wide as +is hardly credible, holding that the larger these holes are, so much the +more noble are they. I had leave from one of them to measure the +circumference of the hole in one of his ears with a thread; and within +that circumference I put my arm up to the shoulder with my clothes on, +so that in fact they are monstrously large. This is begun when they are +very young, at which time a hole is made in each ear, to which they hang +a piece of gold or a lump of lead, putting a certain leaf into the hole +which causes the hole to increase prodigiously. They load ships at +Cochin both for Portugal and Ormuz: but all the pepper that is carried +to Ormuz is smuggled. Cinnamon and all other spices and drugs are +permitted to be exported to Ormuz or Cambaia, as likewise all other +kinds of merchandise from other parts of India. From Cochin there are +sent yearly to Portugal great quantities of pepper, dry and preserved +ginger, wild cinnamon, areka nuts and large store of cordage made of +_cayro_, that is from the bark of the cocoa-nut tree, which is reckoned +better than that made of hemp. The ships for Portugal depart every +season between the 5th of December and the 5th of January. + +[Footnote 145: On former occasions these _amochi_ have been explained as +devoted naires, under a vow to revenge the death of their +sovereign.--E.] + +From Cochin I went to Coulan, at which is a small fort belonging to the +Portuguese, 72 miles from Cochin. This is a place of small trade, as +every year a ship gets only half a lading of pepper here, and then goes +to Cochin to be filled up. From Cochin to Cape Comorin is 72 miles, and +here ends the Indian coast. Along this coast, and also at Cape Comorin, +and down to the low lands of _Chialon_[146], which is about 200 miles, +there are great numbers of the natives converted to the Christian faith, +and among them are many churches of the order of St Paul, the friars of +which order do much good in these places, and take great pains to +instruct the natives in the Christian faith. + +[Footnote 146: These geographical notices are inexplicable, unless by +_Chialon_ is meant the low or maritime parts of Ceylon, which Cesar +Frederick afterwards calls Zeilan.--E.] + + +SECTION X. + +_Of the Pearl Fishery in the Gulf of Manaar_. + + +The men along the coast which extends from Cape Comorin to the low land +of _Chioal_[147], and the island of _Zeilan_ or Ceylon, is called the +pearl-fishery. This fishery is made every year, beginning in March or +April, and lasts fifty days. The fishery is by no means made every year +at one place, but one year at one place, and another year at another +place; all however in the same sea. When the fishing season approaches, +some good divers are sent to discover where the greatest quantities of +oysters are to be found under water; and then directly facing that place +which is chosen for the fishery, a village with a number of houses, and +a bazar all of stone, is built, which stands as long as the fishery +lasts, and is amply supplied with all necessaries. Sometimes it happens +near places already inhabited, and at other times at a distance from any +habitations. The fishers or divers are all Christians of the country, +and all are permitted to engage in this fishery, on payment of certain +duties to the king of Portugal, and to the churches of the friars of St +Paul on that coast. Happening to be there one year in my peregrinations, +I saw the order used in fishing, which is as follows. + +[Footnote 147: This word is unintelligible, having no similar name in +modern geography. From the context, it seems to signify the maritime +coast of Tinnevelly and Marwar, or the most southern part of the +Carnatic, opposite to Ceylon; and may possibly be that called _Chialon_ +immediately before--E.] + +During the continuance of the fishery, there are always three or four +armed foists or galliots stationed to defend the fishermen from pirates. +Usually the fishing-boats unite in companies of three or four together. +These boats resemble our pilot boats at Venice, but are somewhat +smaller, having seven or eight men in each. I have seen of a morning a +great number of these boats go out to fish, anchoring in 15 or 18 +fathoms water, which it the ordinary depth all along this coast. When at +anchor, they cast a rope into the sea, having a great stone at one end. +Then a man, having his ears well stopped, and his body anointed with +oil, and a basket hanging to his neck or under his left arm, goes down +to the bottom of the sea along the rope, and fills his basket with +oysters as fast as he can. When that is full, he shakes the rope, and +his companions draw him up with the basket. The divers follow each other +in succession in this manner, till the boat is loaded with oysters, and +they return at evening to the fishing village. Then each boat or company +makes their heap of oysters at some distance from each other, so that a +long row of great heaps of oysters are seen piled along the shore. These +are not touched till the fishing is over, when each company sits down +beside its own heap, and fails to opening the oysters, which is now +easy, as the fish within are all dead and dry. If every oyster had +pearls in them, it would be a profitable occupation, but there are many +which have none. There are certain persons called _Chitini_, who are +learned in pearls, and are employed to sort and value them, according to +their weight, beauty, and goodness, dividing them into four sorts. The +_first_ sort, which are round, are named _aia_ of Portugal, as they are +bought by the Portuguese: The _second_, which are not round, are named +_aia_ of Bengal: The _third_, which are inferior to the second, are +called _aia_ of Canara, which is the name of the kingdom of Bijanagur or +Narsinga, into which they are sold: And the _fourth_, or lowest kind, is +called _aia_ of Cambaia, being sold into that country[148]. Thus sorted, +and prices affixed to each, there are merchants from all countries ready +with their money, so that in a few days all the pearls are bought up, +according to their goodness and weight. + +[Footnote 148: Pearls are weighed by _carats_, each of which is four +grains. The men who sort and price them have a copper instrument with +holes of various sizes, by which they estimate their several +values.--_Hakluyt_.] + +In this sea of the pearl-fishery there is an island called _Manaar_, +over-against Ceylon, inhabited by Christians who were formerly Gentiles, +and in which island there is a small fort belonging to the Portuguese. +Between this island and Ceylon there is a narrow channel with a small +depth of water, through which only small ships can pass at the full and +change of the moon, when the tides are high, and even then they must put +their cargoes into lighters to enable them to pass the shoals, after +which they take in their goods again, and proceed on their voyage. But +large ships going for the eastern coast of India pass by the coast of +Coromandel, on the other side of this gulf, beside the land of +_Chilao_[149], which is between the firm land and the isle of Manaar. On +this voyage ships are sometimes lost, but they are empty, as ships going +this way discharge their cargoes at _Periapatam_ into small +flat-bottomed boats named _Tane_, which can run over any shoal without +danger, as they always wait at Periapatam for fine weather. On departing +from Periapatam, the small ships and flat-bottomed boats go always +together, and on arriving at the shoals about thirty-six miles from that +place, they are forced through by the winds, which always blow so +forcibly that they have no means of taking shelter during the passage. +The flat boats go through safely; but if the small ships happen to miss +the proper channel, they get fast on the shoals, by which many of them +are lost. In coming back from the Indies, instead of this passage, they +take the channel of Manaar, which has an ouze bottom, so that even in +case of grounding they are generally got off again without damage. The +reason of not using this passage on the outward voyage is, that the +prevailing winds between Ceylon and Manaar frequently occasion that +channel to have so little water that it cannot be navigated. From Cape +Comorin to the island of Ceylon, the distance is 120 miles. + +[Footnote 149: By this account of the matter, the land of _Chilao_ +appears to be the island of Ramiseram, between which and the island of +Manaar extends a reef of rocks called _Adams Bridge_. The deep channel +is between Ramiseram and the point of _Tanitory_ on the Coromandel +coast.--E.] + + +SECTION XI. + +_Of the Island of Ceylon_ + + +In my judgment, the island of Ceylon is a great deal larger than Cyprus. +On the west side, facing India, is the city of Columba, the principal +hold of the Portuguese, but without walls or enemies. In this city, +which has a free port, dwells the lawful king of the whole island, who +has become a Christian, and is maintained by the king of Portugal, +having been deprived of his kingdom. The heathen king to whom this +island formerly belonged was named _Madoni_, who had two sons named +_Barbinas_ and _Ragine_. By acquiring the favour of the soldiers, the +younger son Ragine usurped the kingdom, in prejudice of his father and +elder brother, and became a great warrior. Formerly there were three +kingdoms in this island. Those were, the kingdom of Cotta, with other +dependent or conquered provinces: The kingdom of Candy, which had +considerable power, and was allied to the Portuguese, the king being +supposed a secret Christian: The third was the kingdom of +_Gianisampatam_, or Jafnapatam. During thirteen years that _Ragine_ +ruled over this island, he became a great tyrant. + +The island of Ceylon produces fine cinnamon and abundance of pepper, +with great quantities of _nuts_ and _aroche_[150]. They here make great +quantities of _cayre_ of which ropes are manufactured, as formerly +noticed. It likewise produces great store of that kind of crystal called +_ochi de gati_ or cats eyes, and it is said to produce some rubies; but +on my return thither from Pegu, I sold some rubies here for a good +price, which I had bought in that country. Being desirous to see how the +cinnamon is gathered from the trees, and happening to be there during +the season when it is gathered, which is in the month of April; at this +time the Portuguese were in the field making war on the king of the +country, yet to satisfy my curiosity, I took a guide and went out into a +wood about three miles from the city, where there grew great numbers of +cinnamon trees intermixed among other wild trees. The cinnamon is a +small tree not very high, and has leaves resembling those of the bay +tree. In March or April, when the sap rises, the cinnamon or bark is +taken from the trees. They cut the bark of the trees round about in +lengths, from knot to knot, or from joint to joint, both above and +below, and then easily strip it off with their hands, after which it is +laid in the sun to dry. Yet for all this the tree does not die, but +recovers a new bark by the next year. That which is gathered every year +is the best cinnamon, as what remains upon the trees for two or three +years becomes thick and coarse, and not so good as the other. In these +woods there grows much pepper. + +[Footnote 150: The author probably here means cocoa-nuts and areka.--E.] + + +SECTION XII. + +_Of Negapatam._ + + +From the island of Ceylon a trade is carried on in small ships to +Negapatam on the continent, and 72 miles off is a very great and +populous city, full of Portuguese and native Christians, with many +Gentiles.[151] Almost the only trade here is for rice and cotton cloth, +which is carried to various countries. It formerly abounded in victuals, +on which account many Portuguese resorted thither and built houses, as +they could live there at small expense, but provisions have now become +scarcer and dearer. This city belongs to a Gentile nobleman of the +kingdom of Bijanagur, yet the Portuguese and other Christians are well +treated, and have built churches, together with a monastery of the +Franciscans. They live with great devotion, and are well accommodated +with houses; yet are they among tyrants who may always do them much harm +at their pleasure, as in reality happened to them in the year 1565. At +that time the _nayer_ or lord of the city sent to demand from the +citizens certain Arabian horses, which they refused; whereupon this lord +gave out that he proposed to take a view of the sea, so that the poor +citizens doubted some evil was meant against them by this unusual +circumstance, dreading that he would plunder the city. Accordingly they +embarked as fast as they could with all their goods and moveables, +merchandise, jewels, and money, and put off from the shore. But to their +great misfortune, a great storm arose next night, by which all their +ships were driven on shore and wrecked, and all their goods which came +to land were seized by the troops of this great lord, who had come down +with his army to see the sea. + +[Footnote 151: It is not easy to say whether the author means to express +that Negapatam is this great city 72 miles from Ceylon, or if he refers +to another city 72 miles from Negapatam.--E.] + + +SECTION XIII. + +_Of Saint Thome and other places._ + + +Following my voyage from Negapatam 150 miles towards the east, I came to +the house of the blessed apostle St Thomas[152], which is a church held +in great devotion, and is even much reverenced by the Gentiles, for the +great miracles which they have heard were performed by that holy +apostle. Near to this church the Portuguese have built a city, which +stands in the country that is subject to the king of Bijanagur. Though +not large, this city, in my judgment, is the handsomest in all that part +of India, having many good houses with fine gardens in the environs. The +streets are large and in straight lines, with many well frequented +churches; and the houses are built contiguous, each having a small door, +so that every house is sufficiently defensible by the Portuguese against +the natives. The Portuguese have no other property here beyond their +houses and gardens, as the sovereignty, together with the customs on +trade, belong to the king of Bijanagur. These customs are small and +easy, and the country is very rich and has great trade. Every year there +come to this port two or three very large and rich ships, besides many +other small ships. One of these great ships goes to Pegu and the other +to Malacca, laden with fine _bumbast_ or cotton cloth of all kinds, many +of them being beautifully painted, and as it were _gilded_ with various +colours, which grow the livelier the oftener they are washed. There is +also other cotton cloth that is woven of divers colours and is of great +value. They also make at St Thome a great quantity of red yarn, dyed +with a root called _saia_, which never fades in its colour, but grows +the redder the oftener it is washed. Most of this red yarn is sent to +Pegu, where it is woven into cloth according to their own fashion, and +at less cost than can be done at St Thome. + +[Footnote 152: St Thome, about 5 miles south from Madras, is about 160 +English miles nearly north from Negapatam.--E.] + +The shipping and landing of men and merchandise at St Thome is very +wonderful to those who have not seen it before. The place is so +dangerous that ordinary small barks or ships boats cannot be used, as +these would be beaten to pieces; but they have certain high barks made +on purpose, which they call _Masadie_ or _Mussolah_, made of small +boards sewed together with small cords, in which the owners will embark +either men or goods. They are laden upon dry land, after which the +boatmen thrust the loaded boat into the stream, when with the utmost +speed they exert themselves to row her out against the huge waves of the +sea which continually best on that shore, and so carry them out to the +ships. In like manner these _Masadies_ are laden at the ships with men +and merchandise; and when they come near the shore, the men leap out +into the sea to keep the bark right, that she may not cast athwart the +shore, and keeping her right stem on, the surf of the sea sets her with +her lading high and dry on the land without hurt or danger. Yet +sometimes these boats are overset; but there can be but small loss on +such occasions, as they lade but little at a time. All the goods carried +outwards in this manner are securely covered with ox hides, to prevent +any injury from wetting. + +In my return voyage in 1566, I went from Goa to Malacca in a ship or +galleon belonging to the king of Portugal, which was bound for Banda to +lade nutmegs and mace. From Goa to Malacca it is 1800 miles. We passed +without the island of Ceylon and went through the channel of _Nicobar_, +and then through the channel of _Sombrero_, past the island of Sumatra, +called in old times _Taprobana_.[153] Nicobar, off the coast of Pegu, +consists of a great multitude of islands, many of which are inhabited by +a wild people. These islands are likewise called _Andemaon_ or +Andaman.[154] The natives are savages who eat each other, and are +continually engaged in war, which they carry on in small boats, chiefly +to make prisoners for their cannibal feasts. When by any chance a ship +happens to be cast away on those islands, as many have been, the men are +sure to be slain and devoured. These savages have no trade or +intercourse with any other people, but live entirely on the productions +of their own islands. In my voyage from Malacca through the channel of +Sombrero, two boats came off from these islands to our ship laden with +fruit, such as _Mouces_ which we call Adams apples, with fresh cocoa +nuts, and another fruit named _Inani_, much like our turnips, but very +sweet and good to eat. These people could not be prevailed on to come on +board our ship, neither would they accept payment for their fruit in +money, but bartered them for old shirts or old trowsers. These rags were +let down from the ship into their boats by a rope, and when they had +considered what they were worth in their estimation, they tied as much +fruit as they thought proper to give in exchange to the rope, which they +allowed us to hale up. I was told that sometimes a man may get a +valuable piece of amber for an old shirt. + +[Footnote 153: The Taprobana or Sielendive of the ancients certainly was +Ceylon, not Sumatra.--E.] + +[Footnote 154: The Andaman and Nicobar islands, in long. 93° East from +Greenwich, reach from the lat. of 6° 45' to 15° N.--E.] + + +SECTION XIV. + +_Of the Island of Sumatra and the City of Malacca_. + + +The island of Sumatra is very large and is governed by many kings, being +divided by many channels through which there is a passage[155]. Towards +the west end is the kingdom of _Assi_ or _Acheen_, under a Mahometan +king who has great military power, besides a great number of +_foists_[156] and gallies. This kingdom produces large quantities of +pepper, besides ginger and benzoin. The king is a bitter enemy to the +Portuguese, and has frequently gone against Malacca, doing great injury +to its dependent towns, but was always bravely resisted by the citizens, +with great injury to his camp and navy, done by their artillery from the +walls and batteries. + +[Footnote 155: This assertion is unintelligible, unless the author means +to include a number of small islands off the coast as belonging to +Sumatra.--E.] + +[Footnote 156: Foists are described as a kind of brigantines, rather +larger than half gallies, and much used by the Turks and other eastern +nations in those days for war. _Maons_, formerly mentioned among the +ships of Soliman Pacha in the siege of Diu, are said to have been large +flat-bottomed vessels or hulks, of 700 or 800 tons burden, having +sometimes _seven_ mizen sails.--_Hakluyt_.] + +Leaving Sumatra on the right hand, I came to Malacca, which is a city of +wonderful trade in all kinds of merchandise from various parts, as all +ships frequenting those seas whether large or small must stop at Malacca +to pay customs, even though they do not load or unload any part of their +cargoes at that place, just as all ships in Europe frequenting the +Baltic must do at Elsineur. Should any pass under night without paying +the dues at Malacca, they fall into great danger afterwards, if found +any where in India without the _seal of Malacca_, having in that case to +pay double duties. + +I have not gone beyond Malacca during my Indian peregrinations. Indeed +the trade to the east of Malacca, particularly to China and Japan, is +not free for all, being reserved by the king of Portugal to himself and +his nobles, or to those who have special leave for this purpose from the +king, who expects to know what voyages are made from Malacca eastwards. +The royal voyages from Malacca eastwards are as follow. Every year two +galleons belonging to the king depart from Malacca, one of which is +bound for the Moluccas to lade cloves, and the other goes to Banda for +nutmegs and mace. These two are entirely laden on the kings account, and +do not take any goods belonging to individuals, saving only the +privilege of the mariners and soldiers. Hence these voyages are not +frequented by merchants, who would have no means of transporting their +return goods, and besides the captains of these ships are not permitted +to carry any merchants thither. There go however to these places some +small ships belonging to the Moors from the coast of Java, who exchange +or barter their commodities in the kingdom of Acheen. These are mace, +cloves, and nutmegs, which are sent from Acheen to the Red Sea. The +voyages which the king of Portugal grants to his nobles, are those from +China to Japan and back to China, from China to India, and those of +Bengal, the Moluccas, and Sunda, with fine cloth and all kinds of cotton +goods. + +Sunda is an island of the Moors near the coast of Java, whence pepper is +curried to China. The ship which goes yearly from India to China is +called the _drug ship_, because she carries various drugs of Cambaia, +but her principal lading consists of silver. From Malacca to China the +distance is 1800 miles; and from China there goes every year a large +ship to Japan laden with silk, in return for which she brings back bars +of silver which are bartered in China for goods. The distance between +Japan and China is 2400 miles, in which sea there are several islands of +no great size, in which the friars of St Paul, by the blessing of God, +have made many Christians _like themselves_: But from these islands the +seas have not been fully explored and discovered, on account of the +great numbers of shoals and sand banks [157]. + +[Footnote 157: The text in this place it erroneous or obscure. The +indicated distance between China and Japan is enormously exaggerated, +and probably ought to have been stated as between Malacca and Japan. The +undiscovered islands and shoals seem to refer to the various islands +between Java and Japan, to the east and north.--E.] + +The Portuguese have a small city named Macao on an island near the +coast of China, in which the church and houses are built of wood. This +is a bishopric, but the customs belong to the king of China, and are +payable at the city of Canton, two days journey and a half from Macao, +and a place of great importance. The people of China are heathens, and +are so fearful and jealous that they are unwilling to permit any +strangers to enter their country. Hence when the Portuguese go there to +pay their customs and to buy goods, they are not allowed to lodge within +the city, but are sent out to the suburbs. This country of China, which +adjoins to great Tartary, is of vast size and importance, as may be +judged by the rich and precious merchandise which comes from thence, +than which I believe there are none better or more abundant in quantity +in all the world besides. In the first place it affords great quantities +of gold, which is carried thence to the Indies made into small plates +_like little ships_, and in value 23 _carats_ each[158]; large +quantities of fine silk, with damasks and taffetas; large quantities of +musk and of _occam_[159] in bars, quicksilver, cinabar, camphor, +porcelain in vessels of divers sorts, painted cloth, and squares, and +the drug called Chinaroot. Every year two or three large ships go from +China to India laden with these rich and precious commodities. Rhubarb +goes from thence over land by way of Persia, as there is a caravan every +year from Persia to China, which takes six months to go there and as +long to return. This caravan arrives at a place called _Lanchin_, where +the king and his court reside. I conversed with a Persian who had been +three years in that city of _Lanchin_, and told me that it was a city of +great size and wealth. + +[Footnote 158: Perhaps the author may have expressed _of 23 carats +fine_.--E.] + +[Footnote 159: Perhaps the mixed metal called tutenag may be here +meant.--E.] + +The voyages which are under the jurisdiction of the captain of Malacca +are the following. Every year he sends a small ship to Timor to load +white sandal wood, the best being to be had in that island. He also +sends another small ship yearly to Cochin-China for aloes wood, which is +only to be procured in that country, which is on the continent adjoining +to China. I could never learn in what manner that wood grows, as the +people of Cochin-China will not allow the Portuguese to go into the +land except for wood and water, bringing provisions and merchandise and +all other things they want to their ships in small barks, so that a +market is held daily on the deck of the ship till she is laden. Another +ship goes yearly from Malacca for Siam to lade _Verzino_[160]. All these +voyages belong exclusively to the captain of Malacca, and when he is not +disposed to make them on his own account he sells them to others. + +[Footnote 160: From another part of this voyage it appears that this is +some species of seed from which oil was expressed.--E.] + + +SECTION XV. + +_Of the City of Siam_. + + +Siam was the imperial seat of the kingdom of that name and a great city, +till the year 1567, when it was taken by the king of Pegu, who came by +land with a prodigious army of 1,400,000 men, marching for four months, +and besieged Siam for twenty-two mouths, during which he lost a vast +number of men, and at lost won the city. I happened to be in the city of +Pegu about six months after his departure on this expedition, and saw +the governors left by him in the command of Pegu send off 500,000 men, +to supply the places of those who were slain in this siege. Yet after +all he would not have won the place unless for treachery, in consequence +of which one of the gates was left open, through which he forced his way +with great trouble into the city. When the king of Siam found that he +was betrayed and that his enemy had gained possession of the city, he +poisoned himself. His wives and children, and all his nobles that were +not slain during the siege, were carried captives to Pegu. I was there +at the return of the king in triumph from this conquest, and his entry +into Pegu was a goodly sight, especially the vast number of elephants +laden with gold, silver, and jewels, and carrying the noblemen and women +who were made captives at Siam. + +To return to my voyage. I departed from Malacca in a great ship bound +for St Thome on the coast of Coromandel, and as at that time the captain +of Malacca had intelligence that the king of Acheen meant to come +against Malacca with a great fleet and army, he refused to allow any +ships to depart. On this account we departed from Malacca under night +without having made any provision of water; and being upwards of 400 +persons on board, we proposed to have gone to a certain island for +water, but by contrary winds we were unable to accomplish this, and were +driven about by the tempests for forty-two days, the mountains of +_Zerzerline_ near the kingdom of _Orissa_, 500 miles beyond St Thome, +being the first land we got sight of. So we came to Orissa with many +sick, and had lost a great number for want of water. The sick generally +died in four days illness. For the space of a year after, my throat +continued sore and hoarse, and I could never satisfy my insatiable +thirst. I judged the reason of this hoarseness to be from the continual +use of sippets dipped in vinegar and oil, on which I sustained my life +for many days. We had no scarcity of bread or wine; but the wines of +that country are so hot that they cannot be drank without water, or they +produce death. When we began to want water, I saw certain Moors who were +officers in the ship who sold a small dish of water for a ducat, and I +have afterwards seen a _bar_ of pepper, which is two quintals and a +half, offered for a small measure, and it could not be had even at that +price. I verily believe I must have died, together with my slave, whom I +had bought at a high price, had I not sold him for half his value, that +I might save his drink to supply my own urgent wants, and save my own +life. + + +SECTION XVI. + +_Of the Kingdom of Orissa and the River Ganges_. + + +This was a fair and well regulated kingdom, through which a man might +have travelled with gold in his hand without danger, so long as it was +governed by its native sovereign who was a Gentile, and resided in the +city of _Catecha_[161] six days journey inland. This king loved +strangers, especially merchants who traded in his dominions, insomuch +that he took no customs from them, neither did he vex them with any +grievous impositions, only that each ship that came thither paid some +small affair in proportion to her tonnage. Owing to this good treatment +twenty-five ships, great and small, used to lade yearly in the port of +Orissa, mostly with rice and with different kinds of white cotton +cloths, oil of _zerzerline_ or _verzino_ which is made from a seed, and +answers well for eating or frying fish, lac, long pepper, ginger, dry +and candied mirabolans, and great store of cloth made from a kind of +silk which grows on trees requiring no labour or cultivation, as when +the _bole_ or round pod is grown to the size of an orange, all they have +to do is to gather it. About sixteen years before this, the Pagan king +of Orissa was defeated and slain and his kingdom conquered, by the king +of _Patane_[162], who was also king of the greatest part of Bengal. +After the conquest of Orissa, this king imposed a duty of 20 per centum +on all trade, as had been formerly paid in his other dominions. But this +king did not enjoy his acquisitions long, being soon conquered by +another tyrant, who was the great Mogul of Delhi, Agra, and Cambaia, +against whom the king of Patane made very little resistance. + +[Footnote 161: Cuttack, at the head of the Delta of the Mahamuddy or +Gongah river, in lat. 20° 32' N. lon. 86° 9' E. is probably here meant, +It is only about 45 miles from the sea, but might have been six days +journey from the port where the author took shelter, which probably was +Balasore.--E.] + +[Footnote 162: Probably so called from residing at Patna, called Patane +in the text.--E.] + +Departing from Orissa I went to the harbour of _Piqueno_ in Bengal, 170 +miles to the east from Orissa. We went in the first place along the +coast for 54 miles when we entered the river Ganges. From the mouth of +this river to a place called _Satagan_, where the merchants assemble +with their commodities, are 100 miles, to which place they row up the +river along with the flood tide in _eighteen_ hours. This river ebbs and +flows as it does in the Thames, and when the ebb begins, although their +barks are light and propelled with oars like foists, they cannot row +against the ebb tide, but must make fast to one of the banks of the +river and wait for next flood. These boats are called _bazaras_ and +_patuas_, and row as well as a galliot or any vessel I have ever seen. +At the distance of a good tide rowing before reaching _Satagan_ we come +to a place called _Buttor_, which ships do not go beyond, as the river +is very shallow upwards. At _Buttore_ a village is constructed every +year, in which all the houses and shops are made of straw, and have +every necessary convenience for the use of the merchants. This village +continues as long as the ships remain there; but when they depart for +the Indies, every man goes to his plot of houses and sets them on fire. +This circumstance seemed very strange to me; for as I passed up the +river to _Satagan_, I saw this village standing, having a great +multitude of people with many ships and bazars; and at my return along +with the captain of the last ship, for whom I tarried, I was amazed to +see no remains of the village except the appearance of the burnt houses, +all having been razed and burnt. + +Small ships go up to _Satagan_ where they load and unload their cargoes. +In this port of _Satagan_ twenty-five or thirty ships great and small +are loaded yearly with rice, cotton cloths of various kinds, lac, great +quantities of sugar, dried and preserved mirabolans, long pepper, oil of +_Verzino_, and many other kinds of merchandise. The city of Satagan is +tolerably handsome as a city of the Moors, abounding in every thing, and +belonged formerly to the king of _Patane_ or _Patna_, but is now subject +to the great Mogul. I was in this kingdom four months, where many +merchants bought or hired boats for their convenience and great +advantage, as there is a fair every day in one town or city of the +country. I also hired a bark and went up and down the river in the +prosecution of my business, in the course of which I saw many strange +things. + +The kingdom of Bengal has been long under the power of the Mahomedans, +yet there are many Gentile inhabitants. Wherever I speak of Gentiles I +am to be understood as signifying idolaters, and by Moors I mean the +followers of Mahomet. The inhabitants of the inland country do greatly +worship the river Ganges; for if any one is sick, he is brought from the +country to the banks of the river, where they build for him a cottage of +straw, and every day they bathe him in the river. Thus many die at the +side of the Ganges, and after their death they make a heap of boughs and +sticks on which they lay the dead body and then set the pile on fire. +When the dead body is half roasted, it is taken from the fire, and +having an empty jar tied about its neck is thrown into the river. I saw +this done every night for two months as I passed up and down the river +in my way to the fairs to purchase commodities from the merchants. On +account of this practice the Portuguese do not drink the water of the +Ganges, although it appears to the eye much better and clearer than that +of the Nile. + +"Of _Satagan, Buttor_, and _Piqueno_, in the kingdom of Bengal, no +notices are to be found in the best modern maps of that country, so that +we can only approximate their situation by guess. Setting out from what +the author calls the port of _Orissa_, which has already been +conjectured to be Balasore, the author coasted to the river Ganges, at +the distance of 54 miles. This necessarily implies the western branch of +the Ganges, or _Hoogly_ river, on which the English Indian capital, +_Calcutta_, now stands. _Satagan_ is said to have been 100 miles up the +river, which would carry us up almost to the city of _Sautipoor_, which +may possibly have been _Satagan_. The two first syllables of the name +are almost exactly the same, and the final syllable in Sauti_poor_ is a +Persian word signifying town, which may have been _gan_ in some other +dialect. The entire distance from _Balasore_, or the port of Orissa, to +_Piqueno_ is stated at 170 miles, of which 154 have been already +accounted for, so that Piqueno must have been only about 16 miles above +Satagan, and upon the Ganges[163]."--ED. + +[Footnote 163: These observations, distinguished by inverted commas, are +placed in the text, as too long for a note.--E.] + + +SECTION XVII. + +_Of Tanasserim and other Places_. + + +In continuation of my peregrinations, I sailed from the port of +_Piqueno_ to Cochin, from whence I went to Malacca, and afterwards to +Pegu, being 800 miles distant. That voyage is ordinarily performed in +twenty-five or thirty days; but we were four months on the way, and at +the end of three months we were destitute of provisions. The pilot +alleged that, according to the latitude by his observation, we could not +be far from _Tanassery_, or _Tanasserim_, a city in the kingdom of Pegu. +In this he was mistaken, as we found ourselves in the middle of many +islands and uninhabited rocks, yet some Portuguese who were on board +affirmed that they knew the land, and could even point out where the +city of Tanasserim stood. This city belongs of right to Siam, and is +situated on the side of a great river, which comes from the kingdom of +Siam. At the month of this river there is a village called _Mirgim, +Merghi_, or _Morgui_, at which some ships load every year with +_Verzino_, _Nypa_, and Benzoin, with a few cloves, nutmegs, and mace, +that come from Siam; but the principal merchandise are _Verzino_ and +_Nypa_. This last is an excellent wine, which is made from the flower of +a tree called _Nyper_. They distil the liquor prepared from the _Nyper_, +and make therewith an excellent drink, as clear as crystal, which is +pleasant to the taste, and still better to the stomach, as it has most +excellent virtues, insomuch that if a person were rotten with the lues, +and drinks abundantly of this wine, he shall be made whole, as I have +seen proved: For when I was in Cochin, the nose of a friend of mine +began to drop off with that disease, on which he was advised by the +physicians to go to Tanasserim at the season of the new wines, and to +drink the _Nyper_ wine day and night, as much as he was able. He was +ordered to use it before being distilled, when it is most delicate; for +after distillation it become much stronger, and is apt to produce +drunkenness. He went accordingly, and did as he was directed, and I have +seen him since perfectly sound and well-coloured. It is very cheap in +Pegu, where a great quantity is made every year; but being in great +repute in the Indies, it is dear when carried to a distance. + +I now return to my unfortunate voyage, where we were among the +uninhabited rocks and islands far from Tanasserim, and in great straits +for victuals. From what was said by the pilot and two Portuguese, that +we were directly opposite the harbour of Tanasserim, we determined to go +thither in out boat to bring provisions, leaving orders to the ship to +await our return. Accordingly, twenty-eight of us went into the boat, +and left the ship about noon one day, expecting to get into the harbour +before night; but, after rowing all that day and the next night, and all +the ensuing day, we could find no harbour nor any fit place to land; +for, trusting to the ignorant counsel of the pilot and the two +Portuguese, we had overshot the harbour and left it behind us. In this +way we twenty-eight unfortunate persons in the boat lost both our ship +and the inhabited land, and were reduced to the utmost extremity, having +no victuals along with us. By the good providence of God, one of the +mariners in the boat had brought a small quantity of rice along with +him, intending to barter it for some other thing, though the whole was +so little that three or four men might have eaten it all at one meal. I +took charge of this small store, engaging, with God's blessing, that it +should serve to keep us all in life, till it might please God to send us +to some inhabited place, and when I slept I secured it in my bosom, that +I might not be robbed of my precious deposit. We were nine days rowing +along the coast, finding nothing but an uninhabited country and desert +islands, where even grass would have been esteemed a luxury in our +miserable state. We found indeed some leaves of trees, but so hard that +we could not chew them. We had wood and water enough, and could only row +along with the flood tide, as when it ebbed we had to make fast our boat +to one of the desert islands. On one of these days, it pleased God that +we discovered a nest or hole, in which were 144 tortoise eggs, which +proved a wonderful help to us, as they were as large as hens eggs, +covered only by a tender skin, instead of a shell. Every day we boiled a +kettle full of these eggs, mixing a handful of rice among the broth. At +the end of nine days, it pleased God that we discovered some fishermen +in small barks, employed in catching fish. We rowed immediately towards +them with much delight and thankfulness, for never were men more glad +than we, being so much reduced by famine that we could hardly stand on +our legs; yet, according to the allotment we had made of our rice, we +still had as much as would have served four days. The first village we +came to was in the gulf of _Tavay_, on the coast of Tanasserim, in the +dominions of Pegu, where we found plenty of provisions; yet for two or +three days after our arrival none of us could eat much, and most of us +were at the point of death. From Tavay to _Martaban_, in the kingdom of +Pegu, the distance is 72 miles[164]. We loaded our boat at Tavay with +provisions sufficient for six months, and then went in our boat to the +city and port of Martaban, in the kingdom of Pegu, and arrived there in +a short time. But not finding our ship there as we hoped, we dispatched +two barks in search of her. They found her in great calamity at an +anchor, with a contrary wind, which was exceedingly unfortunate for the +people, especially as they had been a whole month without a boat, which +prevented them from making any provision of wood and water. The ship, +however, arrived safe, by the blessing of God, in the harbour of +Martaban. + +[Footnote 164: On the coast of Tanasserim, in lat. 13° N. is an island +called _Tavay_, so that the gulf of Tavay in the text was probably in +that neighbourhood. Martaban is in lat. 16° 40' N. So that the +difference of latitude is 8° 40', and the distance cannot be less than +250 miles.--E.] + + +SECTION XVIII + +_Of Martaban and the Kingdom of Pegu._ + + +On our arrival at Martaban we found about ninety Portuguese there, +including merchants and lower people, who had fallen at variance with +the governor of the city, because certain vagabond Portuguese had slain +five _falchines,_ or porters, belonging to the king of Pegu. According +to the custom of that country, when the king of Pegu happens to be at a +distance from his capital, a caravan, or company of _falchines_, is +dispatched every fifteen days, each of them having a basket on his head +full of fruit or some other delicacy, or clean clothes for the king's +use. It accordingly happened, about a month after the king of Pegu had +gone against Siam, with 1,400,000 men, that one of these caravans stopt +at Martaban, to rest for the night. On this occasion a quarrel ensued +between them and some Portuguese, which ended in blows, and the +Portuguese being worsted, returned upon the _falchines_ in the night, +while they were asleep, and cut off five of their heads. There is a law +in Pegu, that whosoever sheds the blood of a man, shall pay the price of +blood according to the rank of the person slain: but as these +_falchines_ were the servants of the king, the governor of Martaban +durst not do any thing in the matter without the king's orders. The king +was accordingly informed of the affair, and gave orders that the +malefactors should be kept in custody till his return, when he would +duly administer justice, but the captain of the Portuguese refused to +deliver up these men to the governor, and even armed himself and the +other Portuguese, marching every day about the city, with drums beating +and displayed colours, as in despite of the governor, who was unable to +enforce his authority, as the city was almost empty of men, all who were +fit for war having gone with the vast army against Siam. + +We arrived at Martaban in the midst of this difference, and I thought it +a very strange thing to see the Portuguese behave themselves with such +insolence in the city of a sovereign prince. Being very doubtful of the +consequences, I did not think proper to land my goods, which I +considered in greater safety on board ship than on shore. Most part of +the goods on board belonged to the owner, who was at Malacca; but there +were several merchants in the ship who had goods, though none of them +had to any great value, and all of them declared they would not land any +of their goods unless I landed mine; yet they afterwards neglected my +advice and example, and landed their goods, all of which were +accordingly lost. The governor and intendant of the custom-house sent +for me, and demanded to know why I did not land my goods, and pay the +duties like the rest; on which I said that I was a stranger, only new to +the country, and observing so much disorder among the Portuguese, I was +afraid to lose my goods, which I was determined not to bring on shore, +unless the governor would promise me in the king's name that no harm +should come to me or my goods, whatever might happen to the Portuguese, +with whom I had taken no part in the late tumult. As what I said seemed +reasonable, the governor sent for the _Bargits_, who are the councillors +of the city, who engaged, in the name of the king, that neither I nor my +goods should meet with any injury, and of which they made a notarial +entry or memorandum. I then sent for my goods, and paid the customs, +which is ten per centum of the value at that port; and for my greater +security I hired a house for myself and my goods, directly facing the +house of the governor. + +In the sequel, the captain of the Portuguese and all the merchants of +that nation, were driven out of the city, in which I remained, along +with twenty-one poor men, who were officers in the ship I came in from +Malacca. The Gentiles had determined on being revenged of the Portuguese +for their insolence, but had delayed till all the goods were landed from +our ship; and the very next night there arrived four thousand soldiers +from Pegu, with some war elephants. Before these made any stir in the +city, the governor issued orders to all the Portuguese, in case of +hearing any noise or clamour in the city, not to stir from their houses +on pain of death. About four hours after sunset, I heard a prodigious +noise and tumult of men and elephants, who were bursting open the doors +of the Portuguese warehouses, and overturning their houses of wood and +straw, in which tumult some of the Portuguese were wounded, and one of +them slain. Many of those who had before boasted of their courage, now +fled on board some small vessels in the harbour, some of them fleeing +naked from their beds. That night the Peguers carried all the goods +belonging to the Portuguese from the suburbs into the city, and many of +the Portuguese were likewise arrested. After this, the Portuguese who +had fled to the ships resumed courage, and, landing in a body, set fire +to the houses in the suburbs, and as these were entirely composed of +boards covered with straw, and the wind blew fresh at the time, the +entire suburbs were speedily consumed, and half of the city had like to +have been destroyed. After this exploit, the Portuguese had no hopes of +recovering any part of their goods, which might amount to the value of +16,000 ducats, all of which they might assuredly have got back if they +had not set the town on fire. + +Understanding that the late seizure of their goods had been done by the +sole authority of the governor of Martaban, without authority from the +king of Pegu, they were sensible of the folly of their proceedings in +setting the town on fire; yet next morning they began to discharge their +cannon against the town, and continued their cannonade for four days, +yet all in vain, as their balls were intercepted by the top of a small +hill or rising ground which intervened, and did no harm to the city. At +this time the governor arrested the twenty-one Portuguese who were in +the city, and sent them to a place four miles up the country, where they +were detained till such time as the other Portuguese departed with their +ships, after which they were allowed to go where they pleased, having no +farther harm done them. During all these turmoils I remained quietly in +my house, under the protection of a strong guard appointed by the +governor, to prevent any one from doing harm to me or my goods. In this +manner he effectually performed the promise he had made me in the king's +name; but he would on no account permit me to depart till the king +returned from Siam to Pegu, which was greatly to my hindrance, as I +remained twenty-one months under sequestration, during all which time I +could neither buy nor sell any kind of goods whatever. Those commodities +which I had brought with me were pepper, sandal wood, and porcelain of +China. At length, when the king came back to Pegu, I made my +supplication to him, and had liberty to go when and where I pleased. +Accordingly, I immediately departed from Martaban for Pegu, the capital +city of the kingdom of that name, being a voyage by sea of three or four +days. We may likewise go by land between these two places, but it is +much better and cheaper for anyone that has goods to transport, as I +had, to go by sea. + +In this short voyage we meet with the _Macareo_, or _bore_ of the sea, +which is one of the most marvellous of the works of nature, and one of +these hardest to be believed if not seen. This consists in the +prodigious increase and diminution of the water of the sea all at one +push or instant, and the horrible noise and earthquake which this +Macareo produces when it makes its approach. We went from Martaban in +barks like our pilot boats, taking the flood tide along with us, and +they went with the most astonishing rapidity, as swift as an arrow from +a bow as long as the flow lasts. Whenever the water is at the highest, +these barks are carried out of the mid-channel to one or other bank of +the river, where they anchor out of the way of the stream of the ebb, +remaining dry at low water; and when the ebb is completely run out, then +are the barks left on high above the water in the mid-channel, as far as +the top of a house is from the foundation. The reason of thus anchoring +so far from the mid-stream or channel is, that when the first of the +flood, Macareo or bore, comes in, any ship or vessel riding in the fair +way or mid-channel would surely be overthrown and destroyed. And even +with this precaution of anchoring so far above the channel, so that the +bore has lost much of its force before rising so high as to float them, +yet they always moor with their bows to the stream, which still is often +so powerful as to put them in great fear; for if the anchor did not hold +good, they would be in the utmost danger of being lost. When the water +begins to increase, it comes on with a prodigious noise as if it were an +earthquake. In its first great approach it makes three great waves. The +first wave washes over the bark from stem to stem: The second is not so +strong; at the third they raise the anchor and resume their voyage up +the river, rowing with such swiftness that they seem to fly for the +space of six hours, while the flood lasts. In these tides there must be +no time lost, for if you arrive not at the proper station before the +flood is spent, you must turn back from whence you came, as there is no +staying at any place except at these stations, some of which are more +dangerous than others, according as they happen to be higher or lower. +On returning from Pegu to Martaban they never continue more than half +ebb, that they may have it in their power to lay their barks high upon +the bank, for the reason already given. I could never learn any reason +for the prodigious noise made by the water in this extraordinary rise of +the tide. There is another Macareo in the gulf of Cambay, as formerly +mentioned, but it is nothing in comparison of this in the river of Pegu. + +With the blessing of God we arrived safe at Pegu, which consists of two +cities, the old and the new, all the merchants of the country and +stranger merchants residing in the old city, in which is far the +greatest trade. The city itself is not very large, but it has very great +suburbs. The houses are all built of canes, and covered with leaves or +straw; but every merchant has one house or magazine, called _Godown_, +built of bricks, in which they secure their most valuable commodities, +to save them from fire, which frequently happens to houses built of such +combustible materials. + +In the new city is the royal palace, in which the king dwells, with all +his nobles and officers of state, and attendants. While I was there the +building of the new city was completed. It is of considerable size, +built perfectly square upon an uniform level, and walled round, having a +wet ditch on the outside, filled with crocodiles, but there are no +draw-bridges. Each side of the square has five gates, being twenty in +all; and there are many places on the walls for centinels, built of +wood, and gilded over with gold. The streets are all perfectly straight, +so that from any of the gates you can see clear through to the opposite +gate, and they are so broad that 10 or 12 horsemen may ride abreast with +ease. The cross streets are all equally broad and straight, and on each +side of all the streets close to the houses there is a row of cocoa-nut +trees, making a most agreeable shade. The houses are all of wood, +covered with a kind of tiles, in the form of cups, very necessary and +useful in that country. The palace is in the middle of the city, walled +round like a castle, the lodgings within being built of wood, all over +gilded, and richly adorned with pinnacles of costly work, covered all +over with gold, so that it may truly be called a king's house. Within +the gate is a large handsome court, in which are lodges for the +strongest and largest elephants, which are reserved for the king's use, +among which are four that are entirely white, a rarity that no other +king can boast of; and were the king of Pegu to hear that any other king +had white elephants, he would send and demand them as a gift. While I +was there two such were brought out of a far distant country, which cost +me something for a sight of them, as the merchants were commanded to go +to see them, and every one was obliged to give something to the keepers. +The brokers gave for every merchant half a ducat, which they call a +_tansa_, and this produced a considerable sum, as there were a great +many merchants in the city. After paying the _tansa_, they may either +visit the elephants or not as they please, as after they are put into +the king's stalls, every one may see them whenever they will. But before +this, every one mast go to see them, such being the royal pleasure. +Among his other titles, this king is called _King of the White +Elephants_; and it is reported that if he knew of any other king having +any white elephants who would not resign them to him, he would hazard +his whole kingdom to conquer them. These white elephants are so highly +esteemed that each of them has a house gilded all over, and they are +served with extraordinary care and attention in vessels of gold and +silver. Besides these white elephants, there is a black one of most +extraordinary size, being _nine cubits high_. It is reported that this +king has four thousand war elephants, all of which have teeth. They are +accustomed to put upon their uppermost teeth certain sharp spikes of +iron, fastened on with rings, because these animals fight with their +teeth. He has also great numbers of young elephants, whose teeth are not +yet grown. + +In this country they have a curious device for hunting or taking +elephants, which is erected about two miles from the capital. At that +place there is a fine palace gilded all over, within which is a +sumptuous court, and all round the outside there are a great number of +places for people to stand upon to see the hunting. Near this place is a +very large wood or forest, through which a great number of the king's +huntsmen ride on the backs of female elephants trained on purpose, each +huntsman having five or six of these females, and it is said that their +parts are anointed with a certain composition, the smell of which so +powerfully attracts the wild males that they cannot leave them, but +follow them wheresoever they go. When the huntsmen find any of the wild +elephants so entangled, they guide the females towards the palace, which +is called a _tambell_, in which there is a door which opens and shuts by +machinery, before which door there is a long straight passage having +trees on both sides, so that it is very close and dark. When the wild +elephant comes to this avenue, he thinks himself still in the woods. At +the end of this avenue there is a large field, and when the hunters have +enticed their prey into this field, they immediately send notice to the +city, whence come immediately fifty or sixty horsemen, who beset the +field all round. Then the females which are bred to this business go +directly to the entry of the dark avenue, and when the wild male +elephant has entered therein, the horsemen shout aloud and make as much +noise as possible to drive the wild elephant forward to the gate of the +palace, which is then open, and as soon as he is gone in, the gate is +shut without any noise. The hunters, with the female elephants and the +wild one, are all now within the court of the palace, and the females +now withdraw one by one from the court, leaving the wild elephant alone, +finding himself thus alone and entrapped, he is so madly enraged for two +or three hours, that it is wonderful to behold. He weepeth, he flingeth, +he runneth, he jostleth, he thrusteth under the galleries where the +people stand to look at him, endeavouring all he can to kill some of +them, but the posts and timbers are all so strong that he cannot do harm +to any one, yet he sometimes breaks his teeth in his rage. At length, +wearied with violent exertions, and all over in a sweat, he thrusts his +trunk into his mouth, and sucks it full of water from his stomach, which +he then blows at the lookers on. When he is seen to be much exhausted, +certain people go into the court, having long sharp-pointed canes in +their hands, with which they goad him that he may enter into one of the +stalls made for the purpose in the court, which are long and narrow, so +that he cannot turn when once in. These men must be very wary and agile, +for though their canes are long, the elephants would kill them if they +were not swift to save themselves. When they have got him into one of +the stalls, they let down ropes from a loft above, which they pass under +his belly, about his neck, and round his legs, to bind him fast, and +leave him there for four or five days without meat or drink. At the end +of that time, they loosen all the cords, put one of the females in +beside him, giving them meat and drink, and in eight days after he is +quite tame and tractable. In my opinion, there is not any animal so +intelligent as the elephant, nor of so much capacity and understanding, +for he will do every thing that his keeper desires, and seems to lack +nothing of human reason except speech. + +It is reported that the great military power of the king of Pegu mainly +depends on his elephants; as, when he goes to battle, each elephant has +a castle set on his back, bound securely with bands under his belly, and +in every castle four men are placed, who fight securely with +arquebusses, bows and arrows, darts, and pikes, or other missile +weapons; and it is alleged that the skin of the elephant is so hard and +thick as not to be pierced by the ball of an arquebuss, except under the +eyes, on the temples, or in some other tender part of the body. Besides +this, the elephants are of great strength, and have a very excellent +order in time of battle, as I have seen in their festivals, which they +make every year, which is a rare sight worth mention, that among so +barbarous a people there should be such goodly discipline as they have +in their armies; which are drawn up in distinct and orderly squares, of +elephants, horsemen, pikemen, and arquebuseers, the number of which is +infinite and beyond reckoning; but their armour and weapons are +worthless and weak. Their pikes are very bad, and their swords worse, +being like long knives without points; yet their arquebusses are very +good, the king having 80,000 men armed with that weapon, and the number +is continually increasing. They are ordained to practise daily in +shooting at a mark, so that by continual exercise they are wonderfully +expert. The king of Pegu has also great cannon made of very good metal; +and, in fine, there is not a king in the world who has more power or +strength than he, having twenty-six crowned kings under his command, and +he is able to take the field against his enemies with a million and a +half of soldiers. The state and splendour of this kingdom, and the +provisions necessary for so vast a multitude of soldiers, is a thing +incredible, except by those who know the nature and quality of the +people and government. I have seen with my own eyes these people, both +the commons and soldiers, feed upon all kinds of beasts or animals, +however filthy or unclean, everything that hath life serving them for +food: Yea, I have even seen them eat scorpions and serpents, and all +kinds of herbs, even grass. Hence, if their vast armies can only get +enough of water, they can maintain themselves long even in the forests, +on roots, flowers, and leaves of trees; but they always carry rice with +them in their marches, which is their main support. + +The king of Pegu has no naval force; but for extent of dominion, number +of people, and treasure of gold and silver, he far exceeds the Grand +Turk in power and riches. He has various magazines full of treasure in +gold and silver, which is daily increased, and is never diminished. He +is also lord of the mines of rubies, sapphires, and spinels. Near the +royal palace there is an inestimable treasure, of which he seems to make +no account, as it stands open to universal inspection. It is contained +in a large court surrounded by a stone wall, in which are two gates that +stand continually open. Within this court there are four gilded houses +covered with lead, in each of which houses are certain heathen idols of +very great value. The first house contains an image of a man of vast +size all of gold, having a crown of gold on his head enriched with most +rare rubies and sapphires, and round about him are the images of four +little children, all likewise of gold. In the second house is the statue +of a man in massy silver, which seems to sit on heaps of money. This +enormous idol, though sitting, is as lofty as the roof of a house. I +measured his feet, which I found exceeded that of my own stature; and +the head of this statue bears a crown similar to that of the former +golden image. The third house has a brazen image of equal size, having a +similar crown on its head. In the fourth house is another statue as +large as the others, made of gansa, or mixed metal of copper and lead, +of which the current money of the country is composed, and this idol has +a crown on its head as rich and splendid as the others. All this +valuable treasure is freely seen by all who please to go in and look at +it, as the gates are always open, and the keepers do not refuse +admission to any one. + +Every year the king of Pegu makes a public triumph after the following +manner. He rides out on a triumphal car or great waggon, richly gilded +all over, and of great height, covered by a splendid canopy, and drawn +by sixteen horses, richly caparisoned. Behind the car walk twenty of his +nobles or chief officers, each of whom holds the end of a rope, the +other end being fastened to the car to keep it upright and prevent it +from falling over. The king sits on high in the middle of the car, and +on the same are four of his most favoured nobles surrounding him. Before +the car the whole army marches in order, and the whole nobles of the +kingdom are round about the car; so that it is wonderful to behold so +many people and so much riches all in such good order, especially +considering how barbarous are the people. The king of Pegu has one +principal wife, who lives in a seraglio along with 300 concubines, and +he is said to have 90 children. He sits every day in person to hear the +suits of his people, yet he nor they never speak together. The king +sits up aloft on a high seat or tribunal in a great hall, and lower down +sit all his barons round about. Those that demand audience enter into +the great court or hall in presence of the king, and sit down on the +ground at forty paces from the king, holding their supplications in +their hands, written on the leaves of a tree three quarters of a yard +long and two fingers broad, on which the letters are written or +inscribed by means of a sharp stile or pointed iron. On these occasions +there is no respect of persons, all of every degree or quality being +equally admitted to audience. All suitors hold up their supplication in +writing, and in their hands a present or gift, according to the +importance of their affairs. Then come the secretaries, who take the +supplications from the petitioners and read them to the king; and if he +thinks good to grant the favour or justice which they desire, he +commands to have the gifts taken from their hands; but if he considers +their request not just or reasonable, he commands them to depart without +receiving their presents. + +There is no commodity in the Indies worth bringing to Pegu, except +sometimes the opium of Cambay, and if any one bring money he is sure to +lose by it. The only merchandise for this market is the fine painted +calicos of San Thome, of that kind which, on being washed, becomes more +lively in its colours. This is so much in request, that a small bale of +it will sell for 1000 or even 2000 ducats. Also from San Thome they send +great store of cotton yarn, dyed red by means of a root called _saia_, +which colour never washes out. Every year there goes a great ship from +San Thome to Pegu laden with a valuable cargo of these commodities. If +this ship depart from San Thome by the 6th of September, the voyage is +sure to be prosperous; but if they delay sailing till the 12th, it is a +great chance if they are not forced to return; for in these parts the +winds blow firmly for certain times, so as to sail for Pegu with the +wind astern; and if they arrive not and get to anchor before the wind +change, they must perforce return back again, as the wind blows three or +four months with great force always one way. If they once get to anchor +on the coast, they may save their voyage with great labour. There also +goes a large ship from Bengal every year, laden with all kinds of fine +cotton cloth, and which usually arrives in the river of Pegu when the +ship of San Thome is about to depart. The harbour which these two ships +go to is called _Cosmin_. From Malacca there go every year to Martaban, +which is a port of Pegu, many ships, both large and small, with pepper, +sandal-wood, porcelain of China, camphor, _bruneo_[165], and other +commodities. The ships that come from the Red Sea frequent the ports of +Pegu and Ciriam, bringing woollen cloths, scarlets, velvets, opium, and +chequins, by which last they incur loss, yet they necessarily bring them +wherewith to make their purchases, and they afterwards make great profit +of the commodities which they take back with them, from Pegu. Likewise +the ships of the king of Acheen bring pepper to the same ports. + +[Footnote 165: Perhaps we ought to read in the text _camphor of +Perneo_.--E.] + +From San Thome or Bengal, _out of the sea of Bara_? to Pegu, the voyage +is 300 miles, and they go up the river, with the tide of flood in four +days to the city of _Cosmin_, where they discharge their cargoes, and +thither the _customers_ of Pegu come and take notes of all the goods of +every one, and of their several marks; after which they transport the +goods to Pegu to the royal warehouses, where the customs of all the +goods are taken. When the _customers_ have taken charge of the goods, +and laden them in barks for conveyance to Pegu, the governor of the city +gives licences to the merchants to accompany their goods, when three or +four of them club together to hire a bark for their passage to Pegu. +Should any one attempt to give in a wrong note or entry of his goods, +for the purpose of stealing any custom, he is utterly undone, as the +king considers it a most unpardonable offence to attempt depriving him +of any part of his customs, and for this reason the goods are all most +scrupulously searched, and examined three several times. This search is +particularly rigid in regard to diamonds, pearls, and other articles of +small bulk and great value, as all things, in Pegu that are not of its +own productions pay custom both in or out. But rubies, sapphires, and +spinels, being productions of the country, pay no duties. As formerly +mentioned respecting other parts of India, all merchants going to Pegu +or other places, must carry with them all sorts of household furniture +of which they may be in need, as there are no inns or lodging-houses in +which they can he accommodated, but every man must hire a house when he +comes to a city, for a month or a year, according to the time he means +to remain. In Pegu it is customary to hire a house for six months. + +From Cosmin to Pegu they go up the river with the flood in six +hours[166]; but if the tide of ebb begin it is necessary to fasten the +bark to the river side, and to remain there till the next flood. This is +a commodious and pleasant passage, as there are many large villages on +both sides of the river which might even be called cities, and in which +poultry, eggs, pigeons, milk, rice, and other things may be had on very +reasonable terms. The country is all level and fertile, and in eight +days we get up to _Macceo_ which is twelve miles from. Pegu, and the +goods are there landed from the barks, being carried thence to Pegu in +carts or wains drawn by oxen. The merchants are conveyed from _Macceo_ +to Pegu in close palanquins, called _delings_ or _doolies_, in each of +which one man is well accommodated, having cushions to rest upon, and a +secure covering from the sun or rain, so that he may sleep if he will. +His four _falchines_ or bearers carry him along at a great rate, running +all the way, changing at intervals, two and two at a time. The freight +and customs at Pegu may amount to 20, 22, or 23 per centum, according as +there may be more or less stolen of the goods on paying the customs. It +is necessary therefore for one to be very watchful and to have many +friends; for when the goods are examined for the customs in the great +hall of the king, many of the Pegu gentlemen go in accompanied by their +slaves, and these gentlemen are not ashamed when their slaves rob +strangers, whether of cloth or any other thing, and only laugh at it +when detected; and though the merchants assist each other to watch the +safety of their goods, they cannot look so narrowly but some will steal +more or less according to the nature or quality of the goods. Even if +fortunate enough to escape being robbed by the slaves, it is impossible +to prevent pilfering by the officers of the customs; for as they take +the customs in kind, they oftentimes take the best, and do not rate each +sort as they ought separately, so that the merchant is often, made to +pay much more than he ought. After undergoing this search and deduction +of the customs, the merchant causes his goods to be carried home to his +house, where he may do with them what he pleases. + +[Footnote 166: From subsequent circumstances the text is obviously here +incorrect, and ought to have been translated, that the flood tides run +six hours; as it will be afterwards seen that the voyage to a place 12 +miles short of Pegu requires eight days of these tide trips of six] + +In Pegu there are eight brokers licenced by the king, named _tareghe_, +who are bound to sell all the merchandise which comes there at the +current prices; and if the merchants are willing to sell their goods at +these rates they sell them out of hand, the brokers having _two per +centum_ for their trouble, and for which they are bound to make good all +debts incurred for the goods sold by them, and often the merchant does +not know to whom his goods are sold. The merchants may indeed sell their +own goods if they will; but in that case the broker is equally intitled +to his two per centum, and the merchant must run his own risk of +recovering his money. This however seldom happens, as the wife, +children, and slaves of the debtor are all liable in payment. When the +agreed time of payment arrives, if the debt is not cleared, the creditor +may seize the person of the debtor and carry him home to his house, and +if not immediately satisfied, he may take the wife, children, and slaves +of the debtor and sell them. The current money through all Pegu is made +of _ganza_, which is a composition of copper and lead, and which every +one may stamp at his pleasure, as they pass by weight; yet are they +sometimes falsified by putting in too much lead, on which occasions no +one will receive them in payment. As there is no other money current, +you may purchase gold, silver, rubies, musk, and all other things with +this money. Gold and silver, like other commodities, vary in their +price, being sometimes cheaper and sometimes dearer. This _ganza_ money +is reckoned by _byzas_, each _byza_ being 100 _ganzas_, and is worth +about half a ducat of our money, more or less according as gold is cheap +or dear. + +When any one goes to Pegu to buy jewels, he will do well to remain there +a whole year; for if he would return by the same ship, he can do very +little to purpose in so short a time. Those who come from San Thome +usually have their goods customed about Christmas, after which they must +sell their goods, giving credit for a month or two, and the ships depart +about the beginning of March. The merchants of San Thome generally take +payment for their goods in gold and silver, which are always plentiful +in Pegu. Eight or ten days before their departure they are satisfied for +their goods. They may indeed have rubies in payment, but they make no +account of them. Such as propose to winter in the country ought to +stipulate in selling their goods for payment in two or three months, and +that they are to be paid in so many _ganzas_, not in gold or silver, as +every thing is most advantageously bought and sold by means of this +_ganza_ money. It is needful to specify very precisely both the time of +payment, and in what weight of ganzas they are to be paid, as an +inexperienced person may be much imposed upon both in the weight and +fineness of the _ganza_ money; for the weight rises and falls greatly +from place to place, and he may be likewise deceived by false _ganzas_ +or too much alloyed with lead. For this reason, when any one is to +receive payment he ought to have along with him a public weigher of +money, engaged a day or two before he commences that business, whom he +pays two _byzas_ a-month, for which he is bound to make good all your +money and to maintain it good, as he receives it and seals the bags with +his own seal, and when he has collected any considerable sum he causes +it to be delivered to the merchant to whom it belongs. This money is +very weighty, as forty _byzas_ make a porters burden. As in receiving, +so in paying money, a public weigher of money must be employed. + +The merchandises exported from Pegu are gold, silver, rubies, sapphires, +spinels, great quantities of benzoin, long-pepper, lead, lac, rice, +wine, and some sugar. There might be large quantities of sugar made in +Pegu, as they have great abundance of sugar-canes, but they are given as +food to the elephants, and the people consume large quantities of them +in their diet. They likewise spend many of these sugar-canes[167] in +constructing houses and tents for their idols, which they call _varely_ +and we name pagodas. There are many of these idol houses, both large and +small, which are ordinarily constructed in a pyramidical form, like +little hills, sugar-loaves or bells, some of them being as high as an +ordinary steeple. They are very large at the bottom, some being a +quarter of a mile in compass. The inside of these temples are all built +of bricks laid in clay mortar instead of lime, and filled up with earth, +without any form or comeliness from top to bottom; afterwards they are +covered with a frame of canes plastered all over with lime to preserve +them from the great rains which fall in this country. Also about these +_varely_ or idol-houses they consume a prodigious quantity of leaf gold, +as all their roofs are gilded over, and sometimes the entire structure +is covered from top to bottom; and as they require to be newly gilded +every ten years, a prodigious quantity of gold is wasted on this +vanity, which occasions gold to be vastly dearer in Pegu than it would +be otherwise. + +[Footnote 167: This is certainly an error, and Cesar Frederick has +mistaken the bamboo cane used in such erections for the sugar-cane.--E.] + +It may be proper to mention, that in buying jewels or precious stones in +Pegu, he who has no knowledge or experience is sure to get as good and +as cheap articles as the most experienced in the trade. There are four +men at Pegu called _tareghe_ or jewel-brokers, who have all the jewels +or rubies in their hands; and when any person wants to make a purchase +he goes to one of these brokers, and tells him that he wants to lay out +so much money on rubies; for these brokers have such prodigious +quantities always on hand, that they know not what to do with them, and +therefore sell them at a very low price. Then the broker carries the +merchant along with him to one of their shops, where he may have what +jewels he wants according to the sum of money he is disposed to lay out. +According to the custom of the city, when the merchant has bargained for +a quantity of jewels, whatever may be the amount of their value, he is +allowed to carry them home to his house, where he may consider them for +two or three days; and if he have not himself sufficient knowledge or +experience in such things, he may always find other merchants who are +experienced, with whom he may confer and take counsel, as he is at +liberty to shew them to any person be pleases; and if he find that he +has not laid out his money to advantage, he may return them back to the +person from whom he had them without loss or deduction. It is reckoned +so great a shame to the _tareghe_ or jewel-broker to have his jewels +returned, that he would rather have a blow on the face than have it +believed that he had sold his jewels too dear and have them returned on +his hands; for which reason they are sure to give good bargains, +especially to those who have no experience, that they may not lose their +credit. When such merchants as are experienced in jewels purchase too +dear it is their own fault, and is not laid to the charge of the +brokers; yet it is good to have knowledge in jewels, as it may sometimes +enable one to procure them at a lower price. On the occasions of making +these bargains, as there are generally many other merchants present at +the bargain, the broker and the purchaser have their hands under a +cloth, and by certain signals, made by touching the fingers and nipping +the different joints, they know what is bidden, what is asked, and what +is settled, without the lookers-on knowing any thing of the matter, +although the bargain may be for a thousand or ten thousand ducats. This +is an admirable institution, as, if the lookers-on should understand +what is going on, it might occasion contention. + + +SECTION XIX. + +_Voyages of the Author to different parts of India._ + + +When I was at Pegu in August 1569, having got a considerable profit by +my endeavours, I was desirous to return to my own country by way of St +Thome, but in that case I should have been obliged to wait till next +March; I was therefore advised to go by way of Bengal, for which country +there was a ship ready to sail to the great harbour of Chittagong, +whence there go small ships to Cochin in sufficient time to arrive there +before the departure of the Portuguese ships for Lisbon, in which I was +determined to return to Europe. I went accordingly on board the Bengal +ship; but this happened to be the year of the _Tyffon_, which will +require some explanation. It is therefore to be understood that in India +they have, once every ten or twelve years, such prodigious storms and +tempests as are almost incredible, except to such as have seen them, +neither do they know with any certainty on what years they may be +expected, but unfortunate are they who happen to be at sea when this +tempest or _tyffon_ takes place, as few escape the dreadful danger. In +this year it was our evil fortune to be at sea in one of these terrible +storms; and well it was for us that our ship was newly _over-planked_, +and had no loading save victuals and ballast, with some gold and silver +for Bengal, as no other merchandise is carried to Bengal from Pegu. The +tyffon accordingly assailed us and lasted three days, carrying away our +sails, yards, and rudder; and as the ship laboured excessively, we +cut away our mast, yet she continued to labour more heavily than before, +so that the sea broke over her every moment, and almost filled her with +water. For the space of three days and three nights, sixty men who were +on board did nothing else than bale out the water continually, twenty at +one place, twenty in another, and twenty at a third place; yet during +all this storm so good was the hull of our ship that she took not in a +single drop of water at her sides or bottom, all coming in at the +hatches. Thus driving about at the mercy of the winds and waves, we were +during the darkness of the third night at about four o'clock after +sunset cast upon a shoal. When day appeared next morning we could see no +land on any side of us, so that we knew not where we were. It pleased +the divine goodness that a great wave of the sea came and floated us off +from the shoal into deep water, upon which we all felt as men reprieved +from immediate death, as the sea was calm and the water smooth. Casting +the lead we found twelve fathoms water, and bye and bye we had only six +fathoms, when we let go a small anchor which still hung at the stern, +all the others having been lost during the storm. Our anchor parted next +night, and our ship again grounded, when we shored her up the best we +could, to prevent her from over-setting at the side of ebb. + +When it was day, we found our ship high and dry on a sand-bank, a full +mile from the sea. When the _tyffon_ entirely ceased, we discovered an +island not far from us, to which we walked on the sand, that we might +learn where we were. We found it inhabited, and in my opinion the most +fertile island I had ever seen. It is divided into two parts by a +channel or water-course, which is full at high tides. With much ado we +brought our ship into that channel; and when the people of the island +saw our ship, and that we were coming to land, they immediately erected +a bazar or market-place with shops right over-against the ship, to which +they brought every kind of provisions for our supply, and sold them at +wonderfully reasonable rates. I bought many salted kine as provision for +the ship at half a _larine_ each, being all excellent meat and very fat, +and four wild hogs ready dressed for a larine. The larine is worth about +twelve shillings and sixpence. Good fat hens were bought for a _byza_ +each, which does not exceed a penny; and yet some of our people said +that we were imposed upon, as we ought to have got every thing for half +the money. We got excellent rice at an excessively low price, and indeed +every article of food was at this place in the most wonderful abundance. +The name of this island is _Sondiva_ or Sundeep, and belongs to the +kingdom of Bengal, being 120 miles from Chittagong, to which place we +were bound. The people are Moors or Mahometans, and the king or chief +was a very good kind of man for a Mahometan; for if he had been a tyrant +like others, he might have robbed us of all we had, as the Portuguese +captain at Chittagong was in arms against the native chief of that +place, and every day there were some persons slain. On receiving this +intelligence, we were in no small fear for our safety, keeping good +watch and ward every night, according to the custom of the sea; but the +governor of the town gave us assurance that we had nothing to fear, for +although the Portuguese had slain the governor or chief at Chittagong, +we were not to blame, and indeed he every day did us every service and +civility in his power, which we had no reason to expect, considering +that the people of Sundeep and those of Chittagong were subjects of the +same sovereign. + +Departing from Sundeep we came to Chittagong, by which time a peace or +truce had been agreed upon between the Portuguese and the chiefs of the +city, under condition that the Portuguese captain should depart with his +ship without any lading. At this time there were 18 Portuguese ships of +different sizes at that port, and the captain being a gentleman and a +brave man, was contented to depart in this manner, to his material +injury, rather than hinder so many of his friends and countrymen who +were there, and likewise because, the season for going to Western India +was now past. During the night before his departure, every ship that was +in the port, and had any part of their lading on board, transshipped it +to this captain to help to lessen his loss and bear his charges, in +reward for his courteous behaviour on this occasion. At this time there +came a messenger from the king of _Rachim_ or Aracan to this Portuguese +captain, saying that his master had heard tidings of his great valour +and prowess, and requesting him to bring his ship to the port of Aracan +where he would be well received. The captain went thither accordingly, +and was exceedingly well satisfied with his reception. + +The kingdom of Aracan is in the mid-way between Bengal and Pegu, and the +king of Pegu is continually devising means of reducing the king of +Aracan under subjection, which hitherto he has not been able to effect, +as he has no maritime force, whereas the king of Aracan can arm two +hundred galleys or foists; besides which he has the command of certain +sluices or flood-gates in his country, by which he can drown a great +part of his country when he thinks proper, when at any time the king of +Pegu endeavours to invade his dominions, by which be cuts off the way +by which alone the king of Pegu can have access. + +From the great port of Chittagong they export for India great quantities +of rice, large assortments of cotton cloth of all sorts, with sugar, +corn, money, and other articles of merchandise. In consequence of the +war in Chittagong, the Portuguese ships were so long detained there, +that they were unable to arrive at Cochin at the usual time; for which +reason the fleet from Cochin was departed for Portugal before their +arrival. Being in one of the smaller ships, which was somewhat in +advance of our fleet from Chittagong, I came in sight of Cochin just as +the very last of the homeward-bound fleet was under sail. This gave me +much dissatisfaction, as there would be no opportunity of going to +Portugal for a whole year; wherefore, on my arrival at Cochin, I was +fully determined to go for Venice by way of Ormuz. At that time Goa was +besieged by the troops of _Dialcan_ [Adel-khan,] but the citizens made +light of this attack, as they believed it would not continue long. In +the prosecution of my design, I embarked at Cochin in a galley bound for +Goa; but on my arrival there the viceroy would not permit any Portuguese +ship to sail for Ormuz on account of the war then subsisting, so that I +was constrained to remain there. + +Soon after my arrival at Goa I fell into a severe sickness, which held +me four months; and as my physic and diet in that time cost me 800 +ducats, I was under the necessity to sell some part of my rubies, for +which I only got 500 ducats, though well worth 1000. When I began to +recover my health and strength, very little of my money remained, every +thing was so scarce and dear. Every chicken, and these not good, cost me +seven or eight livres, or from six shillings to six and eightpence, and +all other things in proportion; besides which the apothecaries, with +their medicines, were a heavy charge upon me. At the end of six months +the siege of Goa was raised, and as jewels rose materially in their +price, _I began to work_[168]; and as before I had only sold a small +quantity of inferior rubies to serve my necessities, I now determined to +sell all the jewels I had, and to make another voyage to Pegu; and as +opium was in great request at Pegu when I was there before, I went from +Goa to Cambay, where I laid out 2100 ducats in the purchase of 60 +parcels of opium, the ducat being worth 4s. 2d. I likewise bought three +bales of cotton cloth, which cost me 800 ducats, that commodity selling +well in Pegu. When I had bought these things, I understood the viceroy +had issued orders that the custom on opium should be paid at Goa, after +which it might be carried anywhere else. I shipped therefore my three +bales of cotton cloth at Chaul, in a vessel bound for Cochin, and went +myself to Goa to pay the duty for my opium. + +[Footnote 168: From this expression it may be inferred, that besides his +mercantile speculations in jewels, Cesar Frederick was a lapidary.--E.] + +From Goa I went to Cochin, in a ship that was bound for Pegu, and +intended to winter at San Thome; but on my arrival at Cochin I learnt +that the ship with my three bales of cotton cloth was cast away, so that +I lost my 800 seraphins or ducats. On our voyage from Cochin to San +Thome, while endeavouring to weather the south point of Ceylon, which +lies far out to sea, the pilot was out in his reckoning, and laying-to +in the night, thinking that he had passed hard by the Cape of Ceylon; +when morning came we were far within the Cape, and fallen to leeward, by +which it became now impossible to weather the island, as the wind was +strong and contrary. Thus we lost our voyage for the season, and we were +constrained to go to Manaar to winter there, the ship having lost all +her masts, and being saved from entire wreck with great difficulty. +Besides the delay and disappointment to the passengers, this was a heavy +loss to the captain of the ship, as he was under the necessity of hiring +another vessel at San Thome at a heavy charge, to carry us and our goods +to Pegu. My companions and I, with all the rest of the merchants, hired +a bark at Manaar to carry us to San Thome, where I received intelligence +by way of Bengal, that opium was very scarce and dear in Pegu; and as +there was no other opium but mine then at San Thome, for the Pegu +market, all the merchants considered me as a very fortunate man, as I +would make great profit, which indeed I certainly should have done, if +my adverse fortune had not thwarted my well-grounded expectations, in +the following manner: A large ship from Cambaya, bound for _Assi_ +[Acheen?] with a large quantity of opium, and to lade pepper in return, +being forced to lay-to in crossing the mouth of the bay of Bengal, was +obliged to go _roomer_[169] for 800 miles, by which means it went to +Pegu, and arrived there one day before me. Owing to this circumstance, +opium, which had been very dear in Pegu, fell to a very low price, the +quantity which had sold before for 50 _bizze_ having fallen to 2-1/2, so +large was the quantity brought by this ship. Owing to this unfortunate +circumstance, I was forced to remain two years in Pegu, otherwise I must +have given away my opium for much less than it cost me, and even at the +end of that time I only made 1000 ducats by what had cost me 2100 in +Cambaya. + +[Footnote 169: The meaning of this ancient nautical term is here clearly +expressed, as drifting to leeward while laying-to.--E.] + +After this I went from Pegu to the Indies[170] and Ormuz, with a +quantity of _lac_. From Ormuz I returned to Chaul, and thence to Cochin, +from which place I went again to Pegu. Once more I lost the opportunity +of becoming rich, as on this voyage I only took a small quantity of +opium, while I might have sold a large quantity to great advantage, +being afraid of meeting a similar disappointment with that which +happened to me before. Being now again resolved to return into my native +country, I went from Pegu to Cochin, where I wintered, and then sailed +for Ormuz. + +[Footnote 170: Here, and in various other parts of these early voyages, +India and the Indies seem confined to the western coast of the +peninsula, as it is called, or the Malabar coast.--E.] + + +SECTION XX. + +_Some Account of the Commodities of India_. + + +Before concluding this relation of my peregrinations, it seems proper +that I should give some account of the productions of India. + +In all parts of India, both of the western and eastern regions, there is +pepper and ginger, and in some parts the greatest quantity of pepper is +found wild in the woods, where it grows without any care or cultivation, +except the trouble of gathering it when ripe. The tree on which the +pepper grows is not unlike our ivy, and runs in the same manner up to +the top of such trees as grow in its neighbourhood, for if it were not +to get hold of some tree it would lie flat on the ground and perish. Its +flower and berry in all things resemble the ivy, and its berries or +grains are the pepper, which are green when gathered, but by drying in +the sun they become black. Ginger requires cultivation, and its seeds +are sown on land previously tilled. The herb resembles that called +_panizzo_, and the root is the spice we call ginger. Cloves all come +from the Moluccas, where they grow in two small islands, Ternate and +Tidore, on a tree resembling the laurel. Nutmegs and mace come from the +island of Banda, where they grow together on one tree, which resembles +our walnut tree, but not so large. Long pepper grows in Bengal, Pegu, +and Java. + +All the good sandal-wood comes from the island of Timor. Camphor, being +compounded, or having to undergo a preparation, comes all from China. +That which grows in canes[171] comes from Borneo, and I think none of +that kind is brought to Europe, as they consume large quantities of it +in India, and it is there very dear. Good aloes wood comes from +Cochin-China; and benjamin from the kingdoms of _Assi_, Acheen? and +Siam. Musk is brought from Tartary, where it is made, as I have been +told, in the following manner. There is in Tartary a beast as large and +fierce as a wolf, which they catch alive, and beat to death with small +staves, that his blood may spread through his whole body. This they then +cut in pieces, taking out all the bones, and having pounded the flesh +and blood very fine in a mortar, they dry it and put it into purses made +of the skin, and these purses with their contents are the cods of +musk[172]. + +[Footnote 171: This is an error, as camphor is a species of essential +oil, grossly sublimed at first from a tree of the laurel family, and +afterwards purified by farther processes.--E.] + +[Footnote 172: The whole of this story is a gross fabrication imposed by +ignorance on credulity. The cods of musk are natural bags or +emunctories, found near the genitals on the males of an animal named +_Moschus Moschiferus_, or Thibet Musk. It is found through the whole of +Central Asia, except its most northern parts, but the best musk comes +from Thibet.--E. + +"The Jewes doe counterfeit and take out the halfe of the goode muske, +beating it up with an equal quantity of the flesh of an asse, and put +this mixture in the bag or purse, which they sell for true +muske."--_Hackluyt_.] + +I know not whereof amber is made[173], and there are divers opinions +respecting it; but this much is certain, that it is cast out from the +sea, and is found on the shores and banks left dry by the recess of the +tides. Rubies, sapphires, and spinells are got in Pegu. Diamonds come +from different places, and I know but three kinds of them. The kind +which is called _Chiappe_ comes from _Bezeneger_, Bijanagur? Those that +are naturally pointed come from the land of Delly and the island of +Java, but those of Java are heavier than the others. I could never learn +whence the precious stones called _Balassi_ are procured. Pearls are +fished for in different places, as has been already mentioned. The +substance called Spodium, which is found concreted in certain canes, is +procured in _Cambaza_, Cambaya? Of this concrete I found many pieces in +Pegu, when building myself a house there, as in that country they +construct their houses of canes woven together like mats or basket-work, +as formerly related. + +[Footnote 173: Ambergris is probably meant in the text under the name of +Amber, as the former came formerly from India, while the latter is +principally found in the maritime parts of Prussia.--E.] + +The Portuguese trade all the way from Chaul along the coast of India, +and to Melinda in Ethiopia, in the land of Cafraria, on which coast are +many good ports belonging to the Moors. To these the Portuguese carry a +very low-priced cotton cloth, and many _paternosters_, or beads made of +paultry glass, which are manufactured at Chaul; and from thence they +carry back to India many elephants teeth, slaves, called Kafrs or +Caffers, with some _amber_ and gold. On this coast the king of Portugal +has a castle at Mozambique, which is of as great importance as any of +his fortresses, in the Indies. The captain or governor of this castle +has certain privileged voyages assigned to him, where only his agents +may trade. In their dealings with the Kafrs along this coast, to which +they go in small vessels, their purchases and sales are singularly +conducted without any conversation or words on either side. While +sailing along the coast, the Portuguese stop in many places, and going +on shore they lay down a small quantity of their goods, which they +leave, going back to the ship. Then the Kafr merchant comes to look at +the goods, and having estimated them in his own way, he puts down as +much gold as he thinks the goods are worth, leaving both the gold and +the goods, and then withdraws. If on the return of the Portuguese trader +he thinks the quantity of gold sufficient, he taketh it away and goes +back to his ship, after which the Kafr takes away the goods, and the +transaction is finished. But if he find the gold still left, it +indicates that the Portuguese merchant is not contented with the +quantity, and if he thinks proper he adds a little more. The Portuguese +must not, however, be too strict with them, as they are apt to be +affronted and to give over traffic, being a peevish people. By means of +this trade, the Portuguese exchange their commodities for gold, which +they carry to the castle of Mozambique, standing in an island near the +Continental coast of Cafraria, on the coast of Ethiopia, 2800 miles +distant from India. + + +SECTION XXI. + +_Return of the Author to Europe_. + + +To return to my voyage. On my arrival at Ormuz, I found there M. Francis +Berettin of Venice, and we freighted a bark in conjunction to carry us +to Bussora, for which we paid 70 ducats; but as other merchants went +along with us, they eased our freight. We arrived safely at Bussora, +where we tarried 40 days, to provide a caravan of boats to go up the +river to _Babylon_ [Bagdat], as it is very unsafe to go this voyage with +only two or three barks together, because they cannot proceed during the +night, and have to make fast to the sides of the river, when it is +necessary to be vigilant and well provided with weapons, both for +personal safety and the protection of the goods, as there are numerous +thieves who lie in wait to rob the merchants: Wherefore it is customary +and proper always to go in fleets of not less than 25 or 30 boats, for +mutual protection. In going up the river the voyage is generally 38 or +40 days, according as the wind happens to be favourable or otherwise, +but we took 50 days. We remained four months at Babylon, until the +caravan was ready to pass the desert to Aleppo. In this city six +European merchants of us consorted together to pass the desert, five of +whom were Venetians and one a Portuguese. The Venetians were _Messer +Florinasca_, and one of his kinsmen, _Messer Andrea de Polo, Messer +Francis Berettin_, and I. So we bought horses and mules for our own use, +which are very cheap there, insomuch that I bought a horse for myself +for eleven _akens_, and sold him afterwards in Aleppo for 30 ducats. We +bought likewise a tent, which was of very great convenience and comfort +to us, and we furnished ourselves with sufficient provisions, and beans +for the horses, to serve 40 days. We had also among us 33 camels laden +with merchandise, paying two ducats for every camels load, and, +according to the custom of the country, they furnish 11 camels for every +10 bargained and paid for. We likewise had with us three men to serve +us during the journey, _which are used to go for five Dd._[174] a man, +and are bound to serve for that sum all the way to Aleppo. + +[Footnote 174: Such is the manner in which the hire of these servants is +expressed in Hakluyt. Perhaps meaning 500 pence; and as the Venetian +_sol_ is about a halfpenny, this will amount to about a guinea, but it +does not appear whether this is the sum for each person, or for all +three.--E.] + +By these precautions we made the journey over the desert without any +trouble, as, whenever the camels stopt for rest, our tent was always the +first erected. The caravan makes but small journeys of about 20 miles +a-day, setting out every morning two hours before day, and stopping +about two hours after noon. We had good fortune on our journey as it +rained, so that we were never in want of water; yet we always carried +one camel load of water for our party for whatever might happen in the +desert, so that we were in no want of any thing whatever that this +country affords. Among other things we had fresh mutton every day, as we +had many shepherds along with us taking care of the sheep we had bought +at Babylon, each merchant having his own marked with a distinguishing +mark. We gave each shepherd a _medin_, which is twopence of our money, +for keeping and feeding our sheep by the way, and for killing them; +besides which the shepherds got the heads, skins, and entrails of all +the sheep for themselves. We six bought 20 sheep, and 7 of them remained +alive when we came to Aleppo. While on our journey through the desert, +we used to lend flesh to each other, so as never to carry any from +station to station, being repaid next day by those to whom we lent the +day before. + +From Babylon to Aleppo is 40 days journey, of which 36 days are through +the desert or wilderness, in which neither trees, houses, nor +inhabitants are anywhere to be seen, being all an uniform extended plain +or dreary waste, with no object whatever to relieve the eye. On the +journey, the pilots or guides go always in front, followed by the +caravan in regular order. When the guides stop, all the caravan does the +same, and unloads the camels, as the guides know where wells are to be +found. I have said that the caravan takes 36 days to travel across the +wilderness; besides these, for the two first days after leaving Babylon +we go past inhabited villages, till such time as we cross the Euphrates; +and then we have two days journey through among inhabited villages +before reaching Aleppo. Along with each caravan there is a captain, who +dispenses justice to all men, and every night there is a guard +appointed to keep watch for the security of the whole. From Aleppo we +went to Tripoli, in Syria, where M. Florinasca, M. Andrea Polo, and I, +with a friar in company, hired a bark to carry us towards Jerusalem. We +accordingly sailed from Tripoli to Jaffa, from which place we travelled +in a day and a half to Jerusalem, leaving orders that the bark should +wait for our return. We remained 14 days at Jerusalem visiting the holy +places, whence we returned to Jaffa, and thence back to Tripoli, and +there we embarked in a ship belonging to Venice, called the Bajazzana; +and, by the aid of the divine goodness, we safely arrived in Venice on +the 5th of November 1581. + +Should any one incline to travel into those parts of India to which I +went, let him not be astonished or deterred by the troubles, +entanglements, and long delays which I underwent, owing to my poverty. +On leaving Venice, I had 1200 ducats invested in merchandise; but while +at Tripoli in my way out I fell sick in the house of M. Regaly Oratio, +who sent away my goods with a small caravan to Aleppo. This caravan was +robbed, and all my goods lost, except four chests of glasses, which cost +me 200 ducats. Even of my glasses many were broken, as the thieves had +broken up the boxes in hopes of getting goods more suitable for their +purpose. Even with this small remaining stock I adventured to proceed +for the Indies, where, by exchange and re-exchange, with much patient +diligence, and with the blessing of God, I at length acquired a +respectable stock. + +It may be proper to mention, for the sake of others who may follow my +example, by what means they may secure their goods and effects to their +heirs, in case of their death. In all the cities belonging to the +Portuguese in India, there is a house or establishment called the school +of the _Santa Misericordia comissaria_, the governors of which, on +payment of a certain fee, take a copy of your testament, which you ought +always to carry along with you when travelling in the Indies. There +always goes into the different countries of the Gentiles and Mahometans +a captain or consul, to administer justice to the Portuguese, and other +Christians connected with them, and this captain has authority to +recover the goods of all merchants who chance to die on these voyages. +Should any of these not have their wills along with them, or not have +them registered in one of the before-mentioned schools, these captains +are sure to consume their goods in such a way that little or nothing +will remain for their heirs. There are always also on such voyages some +merchants who are commissaries of the _Sancta Misericardia_, who take +charge of the goods of those who have registered their wills in that +office, and having sold them the money is remitted to the head office of +the Misericordia at Lisbon, whence intelligence is sent to any part of +Christendom whence the deceased may have come, so that on the heirs of +such persons going to Lisbon with satisfactory testimonials, they will +receive the full value of what was left by their relation. It is to be +noted, however, that when any merchant happens to die in the kingdom of +Pegu, one-third of all that belongs to him goes, by ancient law and +custom, to the king and his officers, but the other two-thirds are +honourably restored to those having authority to receive them. On this +account, I have known many rich men who dwelt in Pegu, who have desired +to go thence into their own country in their old age to die there, that +they might save the third of their property to their heirs, and these +have always been allowed freely to depart without trouble or +molestation. + +In Pegu the fashion in dress is uniformly the same for the high and low, +the rich and the poor, the only difference being in the quality or +fineness, of the materials, which is cloth of cotton, of various +qualities. In the first place, they have an inner garment of white +cotton cloth which serves for a shirt, over which they gird another +garment of painted cotton cloth of fourteen _brasses_ or yards, which is +bound or tucked up between the legs. On their heads they wear a _tuck_ +or turban of three yards long, bound round the head somewhat like a +mitre; but some, instead of this, have a kind of cap like a bee-hive, +which does not fall below the bottom of the ear. They are all +barefooted; but the nobles never walk a-foot, being carried by men on a +seat of some elegance, having a hat made of leaves to keep-off the rain +and sun; or else they ride on horseback, having their bare feet in the +stirrups. All women, of whatever degree, wear a shift or smock down to +the girdle, and from thence down to their feet a cloth of three yards +long, forming a kind of petticoat which is open before, and so strait +that at every step they shew their legs and more, so that in walking +they have to hide themselves as it were very imperfectly with their +hand. It is reported that this was contrived by one of the queens of +this country, as a means of winning the men from certain unnatural +practices to which they were unhappily addicted. The women go all +barefooted like the men, and have their arms loaded with hoops of gold +adorned with jewels, and their fingers all filled with precious rings. +They wear their long hair rolled up and fastened on the crown of their +heads, and a cloth thrown over their shoulders, by way of a cloak. + +By way of concluding this long account of my peregrinations, I have this +to say, that those parts of the Indies in which I have been are very +good for a man who has little, and wishes by diligent industry to make +rich: _providing always that he conducts himself so as to preserve the +reputation of honesty_. Such, persons will never fail to receive +assistance to advance their fortunes. But, for those who are vicious, +dishonest, or indolent, they had better stay at home; for they shall +always remain poor, and die beggars. + +_End of the Peregrinations of Cesar Frederick_. + + * * * * * + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +EARLY ENGLISH VOYAGES TO GUINEA, AND OTHER PARTS OF THE WEST COAST OF +AFRICA. + + +INTRODUCTION. + +On the present occasion we are principally guided in our selection by +chronological order, owing to which this _Chapter_ may have an anomalous +appearance, as containing the early voyages of the English to the +Western or Atlantic coast of Africa, while the title of the _Book_ to +which it belongs was confined to the Discoveries and Conquests of the +Portuguese, and other European Nations, in India; yet the arrangement +has been formed on what we have considered as sufficient grounds, more +especially as resembling the steps by which the Portuguese were led to +their grand discovery of the route by sea to India. Our collection +forms a periodical work, in the conduct of which it would be obviously +improper to tie ourselves too rigidly, in these introductory discourses, +to any absolute rules of minute arrangement, which might prevent us from +availing ourselves of such valuable sources of information as may occur +in the course of our researches. We have derived the principal materials +of this and the next succeeding chapter, from Hakluyt's Collection of +the Early Voyages, Travels, and Discoveries of the English Nation, using +the late edition published at London in 1810, and availing ourselves of +the previous labours of the Editor of Astleys Collection, published in +1745. Mr John Green, the intelligent editor of that former collection, +has combined the substance of the present and succeeding chapters of our +work in the second book of his first volume, under the title of The +First Voyages of the English to Guinea and the East Indies; and as our +present views are almost solely confined to the period which he +embraces, we have thought it right to insert his introduction to that +book, as containing a clear historical view of the subject[175]. It is +proper to mention, however, that, while we follow his steps, we have +uniformly had recourse to the originals from which he drew his +materials; and, for reasons formerly assigned, wherever any difference +may occur between our collection and that of Astley, we shall subjoin +our remarks and references, at the place or places to which they +belong.--E. + +[Footnote 175: Astley's Collection, Vol. I. p. 138, 140.] + +"Although the Portuguese were the first who set on foot discoveries by +sea, and carried them on for many years before any other European nation +attempted to follow their example; yet, as soon as these voyages +appeared to be attended with commercial gain, the English were ready to +put in for a share. The Portuguese discovered Guinea about the year +1471; and only ten years afterwards we find the English making +preparations to visit the newly discovered coast[176]. In the year 1481, +John Tintam and William Fabian were busy in fitting out a fleet for the +coast of Guinea; but whether on their own account in whole or in part, +or solely for the Duke of _Medina Sidonia_ in Spain, by whose command +they are said to have done this, cannot be now determined. It is +possible, as the Spaniards were excluded by the Papal grant in favour +of the Portuguese from trading to the East Indies, that they might +endeavour to elude this authority by employing Englishmen in that +navigation. However this may have been, _Joam_ or John II. king of +Portugal, sent two persons on an embassy to Edward king of England, to +renew the ancient league of friendship between the crowns, and to move +him to hinder that fleet from putting to sea. The Portuguese ambassadors +had orders to acquaint the king of England with the title which the king +of Portugal derived from the Pope, to the exclusive sovereignty and +navigation of Guinea, and to demand that Edward should prohibit his +subjects from sending any ships to that country. This was accordingly +done, and the purposes of that intended voyage were frustrated. This is +an authentic testimony of the early attempts of the English, which is +related at length by _Garcia de Resende_, in the life of Joam II. Ch. +33[177]. To this, or some similar circumstance, it may have been owing +that the English desisted so long from sailing to the southwards, and +turned their endeavours to the discovery of a passage to India by some +other way. + +[Footnote 176: The French pretend to have traded with Guinea from 1364 +till 1413, being 107 years before it was discovered by the +Portuguese.--Astl. I. 138, a.] + +[Footnote 177: Cited by Hakluyt, Vol. II. Part 2. p. 2] + +"It appears by a memorandum or letter of _Nicholas Thorn_, senior, a +considerable merchant in Bristol, of which Hakluyt gives the +contents[178], that in 1526, and from circumstances for a long time +previous, certain English merchants, among whom were _Nicholas Thorn_ +and _Thomas Spacheford_, had frequently traded to the Canary islands. In +that letter or memorandum, notice was given to _Thomas Midnal_ his +factor and _William Ballard_ his servant; residing in St Lucar in +Andalusia, that the Christopher of Cadiz bound for the West Indies, had +taken on board several packs of cloth of different fineness and colours, +together with packthread, soap, and other goods, to be landed at Santa +Cruz in Teneriffe. They are directed to sell these goods, and to send +back returns in Orchil[179], sugar, and kid skins. + +[Footnote 178: Id. ib. p. 3.] + +[Footnote 179: A species of moss growing on high rocks, much used in +these days in dying.--Astl. I. 138. d.] + +"At length, about the middle of the _sixteenth_ century, the English +spirit of trade, meeting with favourable circumstances, began to exert +itself, and to extend its adventures to the south as well as the north. +About the year 1551, Captain Thomas Windham sailed in the ship Lion for +Morocco, whither he carried two Moors of the blood-royal. This was the +first voyage to the western coast of Africa of which we have any +account, and these are all the particulars to be found respecting it; +except that one Thomas Alday, a servant to Sebastian Cabot, in a letter +inserted in Hakluyt's Collection[180], represents himself as the first +promoter of this trade to Barbary, and observes that he would have +performed this voyage himself, with the sole command of the ship and +goods, had it not been that Sir John Lutterel, John Fletcher, Henry +Ostrich, and others with whom he was connected, died of the sweating +sickness, and he himself, after escaping that disease, was seized by a +violent fever, so that Thomas Windham sailed from Portsmouth before he +recovered, by which he lost eighty pounds. + +[Footnote 180: Vol. II. p. 7.] + +"In the next year, 1552, Windham made a second voyage to _Zafin_ or +_Saffi_ and Santa Cruz without the straits, which gave so much offence +to the Portuguese, that they threatened to treat the English as enemies +if found in these seas. Yet in the year following, the same Thomas +Windham, with a Portuguese named Antonio Yanez Pinteado, who appears to +have been the chief promoter of the attempt, undertook a voyage to +Guinea, with three ships having an hundred and forty men; and having +traded for some time on the coast for gold, they went to Benin to load +pepper: But both the commanders and most of the men dying of sickness, +occasioned by the climate, the rest returned to Plymouth with one ship +only, having burnt the other two for want of hands, and brought back no +great riches. In 1554, Mr John Lok made a voyage with three ships to the +coast of Guinea, whence he brought back a considerable quantity of gold +and ivory. These voyages appear to have been succeeded by others almost +every year. At length, upon application to Queen Elizabeth, two patents +were granted to certain merchants. One in 1585, for the Barbary or +Morocco trade, and the other in 1588, for the trade to Guinea between +the rivers Senegal and Gambia[181]. In 1592, a third patent was granted +to other persons, taking in the coast from the river _Nonnia_ to the +south of Sierra Leona, for the space of 100 leagues, which patents gave +rise to the African company. In all their voyages to the coast of Africa +they had disputes with the Portuguese. Several of these voyages have +been preserved by Hakluyt, and will be found inserted in this chapter, +as forerunners to the English voyages to the East Indies. + +[Footnote 181: The former for twelve years, was granted to the Earls of +Leicester and Warwick, and certain merchants of London, to the number of +32 in all. The other for ten years to eight persons of Exeter, London, +and other places. By this latter patent, it appears that this trade was +advised by the Portuguese residing in London, and one voyage had been +made before the grant. See Hakluyt, II. part 2. pp. 114 and 123.--Astl. +I. 139. a.] + +"The views of the English extending with experience and success, and +finding the long attempted north-east and north-west passages to India +impracticable, they at length determined to proceed for that distant +region round Africa by the same course with the Portuguese. In 1591, +that voyage was undertaken for the first time by three large ships under +the command of Captain Raymond; and in 1596, another fleet of three +ships set out on the same design under Captain Wood, but with bad +success. In the mean time several navigators were employed to discover +this course to the East Indies. At length in 1600, a charter was +obtained from Queen Elizabeth by a body of merchants, to the number of +216, having George Earl of Cumberland at their head, under the name of +the _Company of Merchant Adventurers_, for carrying on a trade to the +East Indies. From this period ships were sent there regularly every two +or three years; and thus were laid the foundations of the English East +India commerce, which has subsisted ever since under exclusive chartered +companies. + +"Long before the English sailed to India in their own ships, several +English merchants and others had gone to India from time to time in the +Portuguese ships, and some overland; from a desire to pry into and to +participate in the advantages of that gainful commerce. Of those who +went by land, several letters and relations remain which will be found +in the sequel: But of all who performed the voyage as passengers in the +Portuguese vessels, we know of only one who left any account of his +adventures, or at least whose account has been published; viz. Thomas +Stephens. To this may be added the account by _Captain Davis_ of a +voyage in the Dutch ship called the _Middleburgh Merchants_ in 1598, of +which he served as pilot, for the purpose of making himself acquainted +with the maritime route to India, and the posture of the Portuguese +affairs in that country. Both of these journals contain very useful +remarks for the time in which they were made, and both will be found in +our collection. + +"Although the first voyages of the English to the East Indies are full +of variety, yet the reader is not to expect such a continued series of +new discoveries, great actions, battles, sieges, and conquests, as are +to be met with in the history of the Portuguese expeditions: For it must +be considered that we made few or no discoveries, as these had been +already made before; that our voyages were for the most part strictly +commercial; that our settlements were generally made by the consent of +the natives; that we made no conquests; and that the undertakings were +set on foot and carried on entirely by our merchants[182]. On this +account it is, probably, that we have no regular history extant of the +English Voyages, Discoveries, and Transactions in the East Indies, as we +find there are many such of the Portuguese and Spanish. It may be +presumed, however, that as the East India Company has kept regular +journals of their affairs, and is furnished with letters and other +memorials from their agents, that a satisfactory account of all the +English Transactions in India might be collected, if the Company thought +proper to give orders for its execution[183]."--_Astley_. + +[Footnote 182: These observations are to be considered as applying +entirely to the earlier connection of the English with India. In more +modern days there has been a sufficiently copious series of great +actions, battles, sieges, and conquests; but these belong to a different +and more modern period than that now under review, and are more +connected with the province of political military and naval history, +than with a Collection of Voyages and Travels. Yet these likewise will +require to be noticed in an after division of this work.--E.] + +[Footnote 183: A commencement towards this great desideratum in English +History has been lately made, by the publication of the early History of +the English East India Company, by John Bruce, Esquire, Historiographer +to the Company.--E.] + + +SECTION I. + +_Second Voyage of the English to Barbary, in the year 1552, by Captain +Thomas Windham_[184]. + + +Of the first voyage to Barbary without the straits, made by the same +Captain Thomas Wyndham, the only remaining record is in a letter from +James Aldaie to Michael Locke, already mentioned in the Introduction to +this Chapter, and preserved in Hakluyt's Collection, II. 462. According +to Hakluyt, the account of this second voyage was written by James +Thomas, then page to Captain Thomas Windham, chief captain of the +voyage, which was set forth by Sir John Yorke, Sir William Gerard, Sir +Thomas Wroth, Messieurs Frances Lambert, Cole, and others.--E. + +[Footnote 184: Hakluyt, II. 463. Astley, I. 140.] + + * * * * * + +The ships employed on this voyage were three, of which two belonged to +the River Thames. These were the Lion of London of about 150 tons, of +which Thomas Windham was captain and part owner; and the Buttolfe of +about 80 tons. The third was a Portuguese caravel of about 60 tons, +bought from some Portuguese at Newport in Wales, and freighted for the +voyage. The number of men in the three ships was 120. The master of the +Lion was John Kerry of Minehead in Somersetshire, and his mate was David +Landman. Thomas Windham, the chief captain of the Adventure, was a +gentleman, born in the county of Norfolk, but resident at Marshfield +Park in Somersetshire. + +The fleet set sail from King-road near Bristol about the beginning of +May 1552, being on a Monday morning; and on the evening of the Monday +fortnight we came to anchor in the port of Zafia or Asafi on the coast +of Barbary, in 32° N. where we landed part of our cargo to be conveyed +by land to the city of Marocco. Having refreshed at this port, we went +thence to the port of Santa-Cruz, where we landed the rest of our goods, +being a considerable quantity of linen and woollen cloth, with coral, +amber, jet, and divers other goods esteemed by the Moors. We found a +French ship in the road of Santa-Cruz, the people on board which being +uncertain whether France and England were then at peace or engaged in +war, drew her as near as possible to the walls of the town, from which +they demanded assistance for their defence in case of need; and on +seeing our vessels draw near, they shot off a piece of ordnance from the +walls, the ball passing through between the main and fore masts of the +Lion. We came immediately to anchor, and presently a pinnace came off to +inquire who we were; and on learning that we had been there the year +before, and had the licence of their king for trade, they were fully +satisfied, giving us leave to bring our goods peaceably on shore, where +the viceroy, Sibill Manache came shortly to visit us, and treated us +with all civility. Owing to various delays, we were nearly three months +at this place before we could get our lading, which consisted of sugar, +dates, almonds, and molasses, or the syrup of sugar. Although we were at +this place for so long a time during the heat of summer, yet none of our +company perished of sickness. + +When our ships were all loaded, we drew out to sea in waiting for a +western wind to carry us to England. But while at sea a great leak broke +out in the Lion, on which we bore away for the island of Lançerota, +between which and Fuertaventura we came to anchor in a safe road-stead, +whence we landed 70 chests of sugar upon the island of Lançerota, with a +dozen or sixteen of our men. Conceiving that we had come wrongfully by +the caraval, the inhabitants came by surprise upon us and took all who +were on shore prisoners, among whom I was one, and destroyed our sugars. +On this transaction being perceived from our ships, they sent on shore +three boats filled with armed men to our rescue; and our people landing, +put the Spaniards to flight, of whom they slew eighteen, and made the +governor of the island prisoner, who was an old gentleman about 70 years +of age. Our party continued to chase the Spaniards so far for our +rescue, that they exhausted all their powder and arrows, on which the +Spaniards rallied and returned upon them, and slew six of our men in the +retreat. After this our people and the Spaniards came to a parley, in +which it was agreed that we the prisoners should be restored in exchange +for the old governor, who gave us a certificate under his hand of the +damages we had sustained by the spoil of our sugars, that we might be +compensated upon our return to England, by the merchants belonging to +the king of Spain. + +Having found and repaired the leak, and all our people being returned on +board, we made sail; and while passing one side of the island, the +Cacafuego and other ships of the Portuguese navy entered by the other +side to the same roadstead whence we had just departed, and shot off +their ordnance in our hearing. It is proper to mention that the +Portuguese were greatly offended at this our new trade to Barbary, and +both this year and the former, they gave out through their merchants in +England, with great threats and menaces, that they would treat us as +mortal enemies, if they found us in these seas: But by the good +providence of God we escaped their hands. We were seven or eight weeks +in making our passage from Lançerota for the coast of England, where the +first port we made was Plymouth; and from thence sailed for the Thames, +where we landed our merchandise at London about the end of October 1552. + + +SECTION II. + +_A Voyage from England to Guinea and Benin in 1553, by Captain Windham +and Antonio Anes Pinteado_[185]. + + +PREVIOUS REMARKS. + +This and the following voyage to Africa were first published by Richard +Eden in a small collection, which was afterwards reprinted in 4to, by +Richard Willes in 1577[186]. Hakluyt has inserted both these in his +Collection, with Eden's preamble as if it were his own; only that he +ascribes the account of Africa to the right owner[187]. + +[Footnote 185: Astley, I. 141. Hakluyt, II. 464.--The editor of Astley's +Collection says _Thomas_ Windham; but we have no evidence in Hakluyt, +copying from Eden, that such was his Christian name, or that he was the +same person who had gone twice before to the coast of Morocco. In +Hakluyt, the Voyage is said to have been at the charge of certain +merchant adventurers of London.--E.] + +[Footnote 186: Hist. of Travayle in the West and East Indies, &c. by +Eden and Willes, 4to, p. 336.--Astl. I. 141. b.] + +[Footnote 187: So far the editor of Astley's Collection: The remainder +of these previous remarks contains the preamble by Eden, as reprinted by +Hakluyt, II. 464.--E.] + +"I was desired by certain friends to make some mention of this voyage, +that some memory of it might remain to posterity, being the first +enterprised by the English to parts that may become of great consequence +to our merchants, if not hindered by the ambition of such as conceive +themselves lords of half the world, by having conquered some forty or +fifty miles here and there, erecting certain fortresses, envying that +others should enjoy the commodities which they themselves cannot wholly +possess. And, although such as have been at charges in the discovering +and conquering of such lands, ought in good reason to have certain +privileges, pre-eminences and tributes for the same; yet, under +correction, it may seem somewhat rigorous and unreasonable, or rather +contrary to the charity that ought to subsist among Christians, that +such as invade the dominions of others, should not allow other friendly +nations to trade in places nearer and seldom frequented by themselves, +by which their own trade is not hindered in such other places as they +have chosen for themselves as staples or marts of their trade[188]. But +as I do not propose either to accuse or defend, I shall cease to speak +any farther on this subject, and proceed to the account of the first +voyage to those parts, as briefly and faithfully as I was advertised of +the same, by information of such credible persons as made diligent +inquiry respecting it, omitting many minute particulars, not greatly +necessary to be known; but which, with the exact course of the +navigation, shall be more fully related in the second voyage. If some +may think that certain persons have been rather sharply reflected on, I +have this to say, that favour and friendship ought always to give way +before truth, that honest men may receive the praise of well-doing, and +bad men be justly reproved; that the good may be encouraged to proceed +in honest enterprizes, and the bad deterred from following evil example. + +[Footnote 188: Richard Eden here obviously endeavours to combat the +monopoly of trade to the Portuguese discoveries, arrogated by that +nation; although the entire colonial system of all the European nations +has always been conducted upon the same exclusive principles, down to +the present day.--E.] + +That these voyages may be the better understood, I have thought proper +to premise a brief description of Africa, on the west coast of which +great division of the world, the coast of Guinea begins at Cape Verd in +about lat. 12° N. and about two degrees in longitude _from the measuring +line_[189]; whence running from north to south, and in some places by +east, within 5, 4, and 3-1/2 degrees into the equinoctial, and so forth +in manner directly east and north, for the space of about 36 degrees in +longitude from west to east, as shall more plainly appear in the second +voyage[190]. + +[Footnote 189: Evidently meaning the first meridian passing through the +island of Ferro, one of the Canaries, from which Cape Verd is about 2° +W.--E.] + +[Footnote 190: These geographical indications respecting the coast of +Guinea, are extremely obscure, so as to be almost unintelligible.--E.] + + * * * * * + +_Brief Description of Africa, by Richard Eden_[191]. + +In the lesser Africa are the kingdoms of Tunis and Constantina, which +latter is at this day subject to Tunis, and also the regions of Bugia, +Tripoli, and Ezzah. This part of Africa is very barren, by reason of the +great deserts of Numidia and Barca. The principal ports of the kingdom +of Tunis are, Goletta, Bizerta, Potofarnia, Bona, and Stora. Tunis and +Constantina are the chief cities, with several others. To this kingdom +belong the following islands, Zerbi, Lampadola, Pantalarea, Limoso, +Beit, Gamelaro, and Malta; in which the grand-master of the knights of +Rhodes now resides. To the south of this kingdom are the great deserts +of Lybia. All the nations of this lesser Africa are of the sect of +Mahomet, a rustical people living scattered in villages. + +[Footnote 191: This brief description of Africa is preserved, rather for +the purpose of shewing what were the ideas of the English on this +subject towards the end of the sixteenth century, than for any +excellence.--E.] + +The best of this part of Africa is Mauritania, now called Barbary, on +the coast of the Mediterranean. Mauritania is divided into two parts, +Tingitana and Cesariensis. Mauritania Tingitana is now called the +kingdoms of Fez and Marocco, of which the capitals bear the same names. +Mauritania, Cesariensis is now called the kingdom of Tremessan, the +capital of which is named Tremessan or Telensin. This region is full of +deserts, and reaches to the Mediterranean, to the city of Oran with the +port of Mersalquiber. The kingdom of Fez reaches to the ocean, from the +west to the city of Arzilla, and Sala or Salee is the port of this +kingdom. The kingdom of Marocco also extends to the ocean, on which it +has the cities of Azamor and Azafi. Near to Fez and Marocco in the ocean +are the Canary islands, anciently called the Fortunate islands. + +To the south is the kingdom of Guinea, with Senega, Jalofo, Gambra, and +many other regions of _the black Moors_, called Ethiopians or Negroes, +all of which regions are watered by the river Negro, called anciently +the Niger[192]. In these regions there are no cities, but only villages +of low cottages made of boughs of trees, plastered over with chalk and +covered with straw; and in these regions there are great deserts. + +[Footnote 192: In the text the Senegal river is to be understood by the +Negro, or river of the Blacks. But the ancient Niger is now well known +to run eastwards in the interior of Nigritia, having no connection +whatever with the Senegal or with the sea.--E.] + +The kingdom of Marocco includes seven subordinate kingdoms, named Hea, +Sus, Guzula, Marocco proper, Duccula, Hazchora, and Tedle. Fez has an +equal number, as Fez, Temesne, Azgar, Elabath, Errif, Garet, and Elcair. +Tremessan has only three, being Tremessan, Tenez, and Elgazair; all the +inhabitants of all these regions being Mahometans. But all the regions +of Guinea are peopled by Gentiles and idolaters, having no religion or +knowledge of God except from the law of nature. + +Africa, one of the three great divisions of the world known to the +ancients, is separated from Asia on the east by the river Nile, and on +the west from Europe by the Pillars of Hercules or the Straits of +Gibraltar. The entire northern coast along the Mediterranean is now +called Barbary, and is inhabited by the Moors. The inner part is called +Lybia and Ethiopia. Lesser Africa, in which stood the noble city of +Carthage, has Numidia on the west and Cyrenaica on the east. + +On the east side of Africa, to the west of the Red Sea, are the +dominions of the great and mighty Christian king or emperor Prester +John, well known to the Portuguese in their voyages to Calicut. His +dominions reach very far on every side, and he has many other kings +under his authority who pay him tribute, both Christian and Pagan. This +mighty prince is named David emperor of Ethiopia, and it is said that +the Portuguese send him every year eight ships laden with merchandise. +His dominions are bounded on one side by the Red Sea, and stretch far +into Africa towards Egypt and Barbary. To the southwards they adjoin +with the great sea or ocean towards the Cape of Good Hope, and to the +north are bounded by the great and dangerous _Sea of Sand_, lying +between the great city of Cairo in Egypt and the country of Ethiopia; in +which are many uninhabitable deserts continuing for the space of five +days journey. It is affirmed, if the Christian emperor were not hindered +by the deserts, in which there is great want of provisions and +especially of water, that he would ere now have invaded Egypt. The chief +city of Ethiopia, in which this great emperor resides, is called +_Amacaiz_, being a city of some importance, the inhabitants of which are +of an olive complexion. There are many other cities, such as the city of +_Sava_ on the Nile, where the emperor ordinarily resides during the +summer. There is likewise a great city named _Barbaregaf_ and _Ascon_, +whence the queen of Saba is supposed to have gone for Jerusalem to hear +the wisdom of Solomon[193]. This last city though little is very fair, +and one of the principal cities of Ethiopia. In this province there are +many very high mountains, on which the terrestrial paradise is supposed +to have been situated; and some say that the trees of the sun and moon +which are mentioned by the ancients, are to be found there, but no one +has ever been able to go to them, on account of great deserts extending +to an hundred days journey. Also beyond these mountains is the Cape of +Good Hope. + +[Footnote 193: The names of places are so corruptly given as hardly even +to be guessed at. Amacaiz may possibly be meant for Amba Keshem, Sava +for Shoa, Barbaregaf for the Baharnagash, and Ascon for Assab.--E.] + +_Journal of the Voyage_. + +On the 12th of August 1553, there sailed from Portsmouth two goodly +ships, the Primrose and the Lion, with a pinnace called the Moon, all +well furnished with 140 able bodied men, and with ordnance and victuals +fitting for the voyage. They were commanded by two captains; one of whom +was a foreigner named Antonio Anes Pinteado, a native of Oporto in +Portugal, a wise, discreet, and sober man, who, for his skill in +navigation both as an experienced pilot and prudent commander, was at +one time in such favour with the king of Portugal, that the coasts of +Brazil and Guinea were committed to his care against the French, to whom +he was a terror in these seas. He had been likewise a gentleman of the +household to the king. But as fortune ever flatters when it favours, +ever deceives when it promises, and ever casts down whom it raises, so +great wealth and high favour are always accompanied by emulation and +envy; in like manner was he, after many adversities and malicious +accusations, forced to take refuge in England. In this golden voyage +Pinteado was ill-matched with an evil companion, his own various good +qualities being coupled with one who had few or no virtues. Thus did +these noble ships depart on their voyage; but previously captain Windham +put out of his ship at Portsmouth a kinsman of one of the head +merchants, shewing in this a sample of the bad intention of his mind, +which grew from this small beginning to a monstrous enormity; yet happy +was that young man for being left behind. + +Arriving at the island of Madeira, they took in some wine for the use of +the ships. At this island was a great galleon belonging to the king of +Portugal, full of men and ordnance, which had been expressly fitted out +to interrupt our ships in their intended voyage, or any others that +might intend a similar expedition; for the king of Portugal had been +secretly informed that our ships were armed to attack his castle of +Mina, though no such thing was intended; yet did not that galleon +attempt to stay our ships, nor could she have been able to withstand +them if that had been tried. + +After their departure from Madeira the worthy captain Pinteado began to +experience affliction from Captain Windham, who had hitherto carried a +fair appearance of good will, but now assumed to himself the sole +command, setting both captain Pinteado and the merchants factors at +nought, giving them opprobrious words and sometimes abusing them most +shamefully with threats of personal ill-treatment. He even proceeded to +deprive captain Pinteado of the service of the boys and others who had +been assigned him by order of the merchant adventurers, reducing him to +the rank of a common mariner, which is the greatest affront that can be +put upon a Portuguese or Spaniard, who prize their honour above all +things. Passing the Canaries, they came to the island of St Nicholas, +one of the Cape Verds, where they procured abundance of the flesh of +wild goats, being almost its only produce. Following their voyage from +thence, they tarried by the way at certain desert islands, not willing +to arrive too early on the coast of Guinea on account of the heat. But +being under an arbitrary rule, they tarried too long, and came at length +to the first land of Guinea at the river _Cesto_[194], where they might +have exchanged their merchandise for a full lading of the _grains_, or +spice of that country, which is a very hot fruit and much like figs; the +fruit being full of grains which are loose within the pod[195]. This +kind of spice is much used in cold countries, and may be sold there to +great advantage in exchange for other commodities. But, by the +persuasion or command rather of our tyrannical captain, our people made +light of this commodity in comparison with the fine gold for which they +thirsted, wherefore they made sail an hundred leagues farther till they +came to the golden land or gold coast. + +[Footnote 194: Or Sestre, a river on the Grain coast or Malaguette.--E.] + +[Footnote 195: This is the Guinea pepper, called grains of Paradise by +the Italians, whence this part of Guinea was named the grain coast. The +text describes the pods as having a hole on each side, which, it was +afterwards learnt, were for putting thongs, strings or twigs on which to +dry the pods. These pods grow on a humble plant, not above a foot and a +half or two feet from the ground, and are bright red when first +gathered,--Astl.] + +At this part of the coast, not venturing to come near the castle of St +George del Mina belonging to the king of Portugal, they made sale of +their goods only on this side and beyond that place, receiving the gold +of the country in exchange to the extent of 150 pounds weight[196], and +they might have bartered all their merchandise for gold at that place, +if the pride of Windham had allowed him to listen to the counsel and +experience of Pinteado: but not satisfied with what he had got or might +still have procured, if he had remained in the neighbourhood of Mina, he +commanded Pinteado to navigate the ships to Benin under the equinoctial, +150 leagues beyond the Mina, where he expected to have laden the ships +with pepper. When Pinteado urged the lateness of the season, and advised +that instead of going farther they should continue to dispose of their +wares for gold, by which great profit would have been gained, Windham +flew into a passion, called Pinteado a Jew, and gave him much +opprobrious language, saying, "This rascally Jew promised to conduct us +to places that either do not exist or to which he knows not the way, but +if he does not I will cut off his ears and nail them to the mast." The +advice given by Pinteado, not to go farther, was for the safety of the +mens lives, which would have been in great danger at that late season, +during their winter or _rossia_, not so called on account of cold, but +from the heat accompanied with close and cloudy air, alternating with +great tempests, during which the air was of so putrifying a quality as +to rot the clothes on their backs. He had formerly lingered by the way, +to prevent them arriving too soon on the coast, when the heat of the sun +is scorching and unbearable. + +Thus constrained contrary to his wish, he brought the ships to anchor +off the mouth of the river Benin, whence the pinnace was sent 50 or 60 +leagues up the river. They then landed, and Pinteado, with Francisco +another Portuguese, Nicholas Lambert a gentleman, and other merchants +were conducted to the kings court, ten leagues from the river, where +they were brought into the kings presence by a great company. The king +was a _black Moor_ or negro, though not quite so black as the rest, and +sat in a long wide hall having earthen walls without windows, roofed +with thin planks open in many parts to let in air. These people give +wonderful reverence to their king, even the highest of his officers +when in his presence never daring to look him in the face, but sit +cowering on their buttocks with their elbows on their knees, and their +hands on their faces, never looking up till the king commands them. When +coming towards the king they shew him the utmost reverence from as far +off as they can see him; and when they depart they never turn their +backs towards him. In the communication of our men with the king, he +used the Portuguese language, which he had learnt when a child. +Commanding our men to stand up, he inquired the reason of their coming +into his country; on which he was answered by Pinteado, that we were +merchants who had come from a distant country into his dominions, to +procure the commodities of the country in exchange for wares which we +had brought from our own country, to the mutual convenience of both +countries. The king had then 30 or 40 quintals or hundred weights of +pepper, which had long lain in a store-house, which he desired our +people to look at, and that they should exhibit to him such commodities +as they had brought for sale. He likewise sent some of his officers to +conduct our people to the water-side, and to carry our wares from the +pinnace to his residence. These things being done, the king engaged to +our merchants that in 30 days he would provide a sufficiency of pepper +to load all our ships, and in case our merchandise might not amount to +the whole value of the pepper, he promised to give credit till next +season, and immediately sent orders over all the country to gather +pepper, so that in 30 days 80 tons of pepper were procured. + +[Footnote 196: Or 1800 ounces, which at L.3, 17s. 6d. per ounce, is +equal to L.6975 sterling, a large sum in those days.--E.] + +In the meantime our men lived without any rule, eating without measure +of the fruit of the country, drinking the palm wine which runs in the +night from the cut branches of that tree, and continually running into +the water to assuage the extreme heat of the season; and not being used +to these sudden transitions, which are excessively dangerous, they fell +into swellings and agues, by which about the end of the year they were +dying sometimes 3, 4, or 5 in a day. When the 30 days were expired, and +Windham saw his men dying so fast, he sent orders to Pinteado and the +rest to come away without any more delay. Pinteado and the others wrote +back to inform him of the large quantity of pepper already gathered, and +that they looked daily for more, desiring him to consider the great +praise they would all get on their return if the voyage turned out +profitable, and the shame that must attend returning without a full +loading. Not satisfied with this answer, more especially as the men +continued to die in great numbers, Windham sent a second message +ordering them to return immediately, or that he would go away and leave +them. Thinking to prevail upon him by reasonable means, Pinteado +returned to the ships under an escort provided by the negro king. + +In the mean time Windham, enraged at Pinteado, broke open his cabin and +all his chests, spoiled all the cordials and sweetmeats he had provided +for his health, and left him nothing either of his cloaths or nautical +instruments; after which strange procedure he fell sick and died. When +he came on board, Pinteado lamented as much for the death of Windham as +if he had been his dearest friend; but several of the mariners and +officers spit in his face, calling him Jew, and asserted that he had +brought them to this place on purpose that they should die; and some +even drew their swords, threatening to slay him. They insisted that he +should leave the coast immediately, and though he only requested them to +wait till those who were left at the court of the king of Benin could be +sent for, they would by no means consent. He then prayed them to give +him a boat, and as much of an old sail as might serve to fit her out, in +which he proposed to bring Nicholas Lambert[197] and the rest to +England, but even this they would not consent to. Finding all his +representations in vain, he wrote a letter to the merchants at court, +informing them of all that had happened at the ships, promising, if God +spared his life, that he would return as soon as possible for them. + +[Footnote 197: This Lambert was a Londoner born, his father having been +Lord Mayor of London.--Hakluyt.] + +Pinteado, thus kept on board against his will, was thrust among the +cabin-boys, and worse used than any of them, insomuch that he was forced +to depend on the favour of the cook for subsistence. Having sunk one of +their ships for want of hands to navigate her, the people departed from +the coast with the other. Within six or seven days, Pinteado died +broken-hearted, from the cruel and undeserved usage he had met with,--a +man worthy to have served any prince, and most vilely used. Of 140 men +who had sailed originally from Portsmouth on this unfortunate and +ill-conducted voyage, scarcely 40 got back to Plymouth, and many even +of those died soon afterwards. + +That no one may suspect that I have written in commendation of Pinteado +from partiality or favour, otherwise than as warranted by truth, I have +thought good to add copies of the letters which the king of Portugal and +the infant his brother wrote to induce him to return to Portugal, at the +time when, by the king's displeasure, and not owing to any crime or +offence, he was enforced by poverty to come to England, where he first +induced our merchants to engage in voyages to Guinea. All these writings +I saw under seal in the house of my friend Nicholas Lieze, with whom +Pinteado left them when he departed on his unfortunate voyage to Guinea. +But, notwithstanding these friendly letters and fair promises, Pinteado +durst not venture to return to Portugal, neither indeed durst he trust +himself in company with any of his own countrymen, unless in the +presence of other persons, as he had secret intimation that they meant +to have assassinated him, when time and place might serve their wicked +purpose. + + * * * * * + +The papers alluded to in this concluding paragraph by Richard Eden, do +not seem necessary to be inserted. They consist of, a commission or +patent dated 22d September 1551, appointing Pinteado one of the knights +of the royal household, with 700 _rees_, or ten shillings a month, and +half a bushel of barley every day so long as he should keep a horse; but +with an injunction not to marry for six years, lest he might have +children to succeed in this allowance. The second document is merely a +certificate of registration of the first. The third is a letter from the +infant, Don Luis, brother to the king of Portugal, dated 8th December +1552, urging Pinteado to return to Lisbon, and intimating that Peter +Gonzalvo, the bearer of the letter, had a safe conduct for him in due +form. From the introduction to these papers, it appears that Pinteado +had suffered long disgrace and imprisonment, proceeding upon false +charges, and had been at last set free by means of the king's confessor, +a grey friar, who had manifested his innocence.--E. + + +SECTION III. + +_Voyage to Guinea, in 1554, by Captain John Lok_[198]. + + +As in the first voyage of the English to Guinea, I have given rather the +order of the history than the course of navigation, of which I had then +no perfect information; so in this second voyage my chief purpose has +been to shew the course pursued, according to the ordinary custom and +observation of mariners, and as I received it from the hands of an +expert pilot, who was one of the chiefest in this voyage[199], who with +his own hand wrote a brief journal of the whole, as he had found and +tried in all things, not conjecturally, but by the art of navigation, +and by means of instruments fitted for nautical use[200]. Not assuming +therefore to myself the commendations due to another, neither having +presumed in any part to change the substance or order of this journal, +so well observed by art and experience, I have thought fit to publish it +in the language commonly used by mariners, exactly as I received it from +that pilot[201]. + +[Footnote 198: Hakluyt, II. 470. Astl 1.114. In the first edition of +Hakluyt's collection, this voyage is given under the name of Robert +Gainsh, who was master of the John Evangelist, as we learn by a marginal +note at the beginning of the voyage in both editions.--Astl. I. 144. a.] + +[Footnote 199: Perhaps this might be Robert Gainsh, in whose name the +voyage was first published.--Astl. I. 144. b.] + +[Footnote 200: Yet the latitudes he gives, if observed, are by no means +exact.--Astl. + +In this version we have added the true latitudes and longitudes in the +text between brackets; the longitude from Greenwich always +understood.--E.] + +[Footnote 201: This is the exordium, written by Richard Eden, from whose +work it was adopted by Hakluyt, yet without acknowledgement. In the +title, it appears that this expedition was fitted out as the joint +adventure of Sir George Barne, Sir John York, Thomas Lok, Anthony +Hickman, and Edward Castelin.--E.] + + * * * * * + +On the 11th October 1554, we departed from the river Thames with three +good ships. One of these named the Trinity, was of 140 tons burden; the +second, called the Bartholomew, was 90 tons; and the third, called the +John Evangelist, was 140 tons. With these three ships and two pinnaces, +one of which was lost on the coast of England, we staid fourteen days at +Dover, and three or four days at Rye, and lastly we touched at +Dartmouth. Departing on the 1st November, at 9 o'clock at night, from +the coast of England, off the Start point, and steering due south-west +all that night, all next day, and the next night after, till noon of the +3d, we made our way good, running 60 leagues. The morning of the 17th we +had sight of the island of Madeira, which to those who approach from +N.N.E. seems to rise very high, and almost perpendicular in the west. To +the S.S.E. is a long low land, and a long point with a saddle through +the midst of it, standing in 32° N. [lat. 32° 30' N. long. 16° 12' W.] +And in the west part are many springs of water running down from the +mountain, with many white fields like fields of corn, and some white +houses in the S.E. part. Also in this part is a rock at a small distance +from the shore, over which a great gap or opening is seen in the +mountain. + +The 19th at noon we had sight of the isles of Palma, Teneriffe, and +Grand Canarea. The isle of Palma rises round, and stretches from S.E. to +N.W. the north-west part being lowest. In the south is a round hill over +the head-land, with another round hill behind and farther inland. +Between the S.E. end of Madeira and the N.W. part of the island of +Palma, the distance is 57 leagues[202], Palma being in 28°. [lat. 28° +45' N. long 17° 45' W.] Our course between the S.E. end of Madeira and +the N.W. part of Palma was S. and S. by W. so that we had sight of +Teneriffe and the Grand Canary. The S.E. part of Palma and N.N.E. of +Teneriffe lie S.E. and N.W. [rather E. and W.] distance 20 leagues [33 +leagues.] Teneriffe and Grand Canarea, with the west part of +Fuertaventura, stand in 27° 30'[203]. Gomera is a fair island, but very +rugged, W.S.W. from Teneriffe, the passage between running from N. by W. +to S. by E. In the south part of Gomera is a town and good road-stead, +in lat. 28° N. Teneriffe is a mountainous island, with a great high peak +like a sugar-loaf, on which there is snow all the year, and by that peak +it may be known from all other islands. On the 20th November we were +there becalmed from six in the morning till four in the afternoon. On +the 22d November, being then under the tropic of Cancer, the sun set W. +and by S. On the coast of Barbary, 25 leagues N. of Cape Blanco, at 3 +leagues from shore, we had 15 fathoms water on a good shelly bottom +mixed with sand, and no currents, having two small islands in lat. 22° +20' N.[7] From Gomera to Cape de las Barbas is 100 leagues, [116] the +course being S. by E. That cape is in lat. 22° 30, [22° 15'] all the +coast thereabout being flat, and having 16 and 17 fathoms off shore. All +the way from the river del Oro to Cape Barbas, at 7 or 8 leagues off +shore, many Spaniards and Portuguese employ themselves in fishing during +the month of November, the whole of that coast consisting of very low +lands. From Cape Barbas we held a course S.S.W. and S.W. by S. till we +came into lat. 20° 30', reckoning ourselves 7 leagues off shore, and we +there came to the least shoals of Cape Blanco. We then sailed to the +lat. of 13° N. reckoning ourselves 20 leagues off; and in 15° _we did +rear the crossiers_, or cross stars, and might have done so sooner if we +had looked for them. They are not right across in the month of November, +as the nights are short there, but we had sight of them on the 29th of +that month at night. The 1st of December, being in lat. 13° N. we set +our course S. by E. till the 4th at noon, when we were in 9° 20' +reckoning ourselves 30 leagues W.S.W. from the shoals of the Rio Grande, +which extend for 30 leagues. On the 4th, being in 6° 30', we set our +course S.E. The 9th we changed our course E.S.E. The 14th, being in lat. +5° 30' and reckoning ourselves 36 leagues from the coast of Guinea, we +set our course due E. The 19th, reckoning ourselves 17 leagues from Cape +Mensurado, we set our course E. by N. the said cape being E.N.E. of us, +and the river Sesto E. The 20th we fell in with Cape Mensurado or +Mesurado, which bore S.E. 2 leagues distant. This cape may be easily +known, as it rises into a hummock like the head of a porpoise. Also +towards the S.E. there are three trees, the eastmost being the highest, +the middle one resembling a hay-stack, and that to the southward like a +gibbet. Likewise on the main there are four or five high hills, one +after the other, like round hummocks. The south-east of the three trees +is _brandiernaure?_ and all the coast is a white sand. The said cape +stands within a little of six degrees [lat. 6° 20' N. long. 10° 30' W.] +The 22d we came to the river Sesto or Sesters, where we remained till +the 29th, and we thought it best to send our pinnace before us to the +Rio Dulce, that they might begin the market before the arrival of the +John Evangelist. At the river Sesto, which is in six degrees less one +terce, or 5° 40', we got a ton of grains[205]. From Rio Sesto to Rio +Dulce the distance is 25 leagues, Rio Dulce being in 5° 30' N. The Rio +Sesto is easily known by a ledge of rocks to the S.E. of the road[206], +and at the mouth of the river are five or six trees without leaves. It +is a good harbour, but the entrance of the river is very narrow, and has +a rock right in the mouth. All that coast, between Cape Mount and Cape +Palmas, lies S.E. by E. and N.W. by N. being three leagues +offshore[207], and there are rocks in some places two leagues off, +especially between the river Sesto and Cape Palmas. + +[Footnote 202: The real distance is 84 marine leagues, 20 to the +degree.--E.] + +[Footnote 203: The parallel of lat. 28° N. goes through the centre of +Grand Canarea, touching the southern point of Teneriffe, and just +keeping free of the S.W. point of Fuertaventura.--E.] + +[204][Footnote 204: 7 Cape Blanco is in lat. 20° 50' N. 25 leagues to +the north, would only reach to lat. 22° 5'; exactly almost in 22° is the +small island of Pedro de Agale.--E.] + +[Footnote 205: In the preceding voyage grains have been explained as +Guinea pepper, a species of capsicum.--E.] + +[Footnote 206: Rock Sesters is in long. 9° 20' W.] + +[Footnote 207: This is not intelligible, unless meant that ships may +anchor for three leagues from the shore.--E.] + +Between the river Sesto and the river Dulce are 25 leagues. Between them +and 8 leagues from Sesto river is a high land called _Cakeado_, and S.E. +from it a place called _Shawgro_, and another called _Shyawe_ or +_Shavo_, where fresh water may be had. Off Shyawe lies a ledge of rocks, +and to the S.E. is a headland named _Croke_, which is 9 or 10 leagues +from Cakeado. To the S.E. is a harbour called St Vincent, right over +against which is a rock under water, two and a half leagues from shore. +To the S.E. of this rock is an island 3 or 4 leagues off, and not above +a league from shore, and to the S.E. of the island is a rock above +water, and past that rock is the entrance of the river Dulce, which may +be known by that rock. The N.W. side of the haven is flat sand, and the +S.E. side is like an island, being a bare spot without any trees, which +is not the case in any other place. In the road ships ride in 13 or 14 +fathoms, the bottom good ouse and sand. The marks for entering this road +are to bring the island and the north-east land in one. We anchored +there on the last day of December 1554, and on the 3d of January 1555 we +came from the Rio Dulce. _Cape Palmas_ is a fair high land, some low +parts of which by the waterside seem red cliffs, with white streaks like +highways, a cables length each, which is on the east side of the Cape. +This is the most southerly land on the coast of Guinea, and is in lat. +4° 25' N. From Cape Palmas to Cape _Three-points_ or _Tres puntas_, the +whole coast is perfectly safe and clear, without rock or other danger. +About 25 leagues to the eastward of Cape Palmas the land is higher than +in any other place till we come to Cape Three-points, and about ten +leagues westward from that Cape the land begins to rise, and grows +higher all the way to the point. Also about 5 leagues west from that +Cape there is some broken ground with two great rocks, within which, in +the bight of a bay, there is a castle called _Arra_ belonging to the +king of Portugal, which is readily known by these rocks, as there are +none other between Cape Palmas and Cape Three-points. The coast trends +E. by N. and W. by S. From Cape Palmas to Arra castle is 95 leagues, and +from thence to the western point of Cape Three-points it is S.E. by S. +and N.W. by N. This western point of Cape Three-points is low land, +stretching half a mile out to sea, and on the neck nearest the land is a +tuft of trees. + +We arrived at Cape Three-points on the 11th January, and came next day +to a town called _Samma_ or _Samua_, 8 leagues beyond, towards E.N.E. +there being a great ledge of rocks a great way out to sea between Cape +Three-points and that town. We remained four days off that town, the +captain of which desired to have a pledge on shore, but on receiving one +he kept him, and refused to continue trade, even shooting his ordnance +at us, of which he only had two or three pieces[208]. On the 16th of the +month we came to a place called Cape _Corea_[209], where dwelt Don John, +and where we were well received by his people. This Cape Corea is 4 +leagues eastward from the castle of _Mina_. We arrived there on the 18th +of the month, making sale of all our cloth except two or three packs. On +the 26th we weighed anchor and went to join the Trinity, which was 7 +leagues to the eastwards of us, and had sold most of her wares. Then the +people of the Trinity willed us to go 8 or 9 leagues farther to the +east, to sell part of their wares at a place called _Perecow_, and +another called _Perecow-grande_, still farther east, which is known by a +great hill near it called _Monte Rodondo_ lying to the westwards, and +many palm trees by the water side. From thence we began our voyage +homewards on the 13th of February, and plied along the coast till we +came within 7 or 8 leagues of Cape Three-points. About 8 in the +afternoon of the 15th we cast about to seawards. Whoever shall come from +the coast of Mina homewards, ought to beware of the currents, and should +be sure of making his way good as far west as Cape Palmas, where the +current sets always to the eastwards. About 20 leagues east of Cape +Palmas is a river called _De los Potos_, where abundance of fresh water +and ballast may be had, and plenty of ivory or elephants teeth, which +river is in four degrees and almost two terces, or 4° 40' N. When you +reckon to be as far west as Cape Palmas, being in lat. 1° or 1° 30' N. +you may then stand W. or W. by N. till in lat. 3° N. Then you may go W. +or N.W. by W. till in lat. 5° N. and then N.W. In lat. 6° N. we met +northerly winds and great ruffling tides, and as far as we could judge +the current set N.N.W. Likewise between Cape Mount and Cape Verd there +are great currents, which are very apt to deceive. + +[Footnote 208: The pledge was nephew to Sir John Yorke.--_Eden_.] + +[Footnote 209: From the context, this seems to have been the place now +called Cape Coast.--E.] + +On the 22d of April we were in lat. 8° 40' N. and continued our course +to the north-west, having the wind at N.E. and E.N.E. sometimes at E. +till the first of May, when we were in lat. 18° 20' N. Thence we had the +wind at E. and E.N.E. sometimes E.S.E. when we reckoned the Cape Verd +islands E.S.E. from us, and by estimation 48 leagues distant. In 20° and +21° N. we had the wind more to the east and south than before; and so we +ran N.W. and N.N.W. sometimes N. by W. and N. till we came into lat. 31° +N. when we reckoned ourselves 180 leagues S.W. by S. of the island of +Flores. Here we had the wind S.S.E. and shaped our course N.E. In 23° we +had the wind at S. and S.W. and made our course N.N.E. in which +direction we went to 40°, and then set our course N.E. having the wind +at S.W. and the isle of Flores E. of us, 17 leagues distant. In 41° we +had the wind N.E. and lay a course N.W. Then we met the wind at W.N.W. +and at W. within 6 leagues, when we went N.W. We then altered to N.E. +till in 42° where we shaped our course E.N.E. judging the isle of +_Corvo_ to be W. of us, 36 leagues distant. On the 21st of May we +communed with John Rafe who judged us to be in lat. 39° 30' N. 25 +leagues E. of Flora, and recommended to steer N.E. + +It is to be noted that in lat. 9° N. on the 4th of September, we lost +sight of the north star. In lat. 45° N. the compass varied 8° to the W. +of N. In 40° N. it varied 15°. And in 30° 30' N. its variation was 5° W. + +It is also to be noted that two or three days before we came to Cape +Three-points, the pinnace went along shore endeavouring to sell some of +our wares, and then we came to anchor three or four leagues west by +south of that cape, where we left the Trinity. Then our pinnace came on +board and took in more wares, telling us that they would go to a place +where the Primrose[210] was, and had received much gold in the first +voyage to these parts; but being in fear of a brigantine that was then +on the coast, we weighed anchor and followed them, leaving the Trinity +about four leagues from us. We accordingly rode at anchor opposite that +town, where Martine, by his own desire and with the assent of some of +the commissioners in the pinnace, went on shore to the town, and thence +John Berin went to trade at another town three miles father on. The town +is called Samma or Samua, which and Sammaterra are the two first towns +to the N.E. of Cape Three-points, where we traded for gold. + +[Footnote 210: This was one of the ships in the former voyage under +Windham.--E.] + +Having continued the course of the voyage as described by the +before-mentioned pilot, I will now say something of the country and +people, and of such things as are brought from thence[211]. + +[Footnote 211: These subsequent notices seem subjoined by Richard Eden, +the original publisher.--E.] + +They brought home in this voyage, 400 pounds weight and odd of +gold[212], twenty-two carats and one grain fine. Also 36 buts of +_grains_, or Guinea pepper, and about 250 elephants teeth of different +sizes. Some of these I saw and measured, which were nine spans in length +measured along the crook, and some were as thick as a mans thigh above +the knee, weighing 90 pounds each, though some are said to have been +seen weighing 125 pounds. There were some called the teeth of calves, of +one, two, or three years old, measuring one and a-half, two, or three +feet, according to the age of the beast. These great teeth or tusks +grow in the upper jaw downwards, and not upwards from the lower jaw, as +erroneously represented by some painters and _arras_ workers. In this +voyage they brought home the head of an elephant of such huge bigness +that the bones or cranium only, without the tusks or lower jaw, weighed +about two hundred pounds, and was as much as I could well lift from the +ground. So that, considering also the weight of the two great tusks and +the under jaw, with the lesser teeth, the tongue, the great hanging +ears, the long big snout or trunk, with all the flesh, brains, and skin, +and other parts belonging to the head, it could not in my opinion weigh +less than five hundred weight. This head has been seen by many in the +house of the worthy merchant Sir Andrew Judde, where I saw it with my +bodily eyes, and contemplated with those of my mind, admiring the +cunning and wisdom of the work-master, without which consideration such +strange and wonderful things are only curiosities, not profitable +subjects of contemplation. + +[Footnote 212: Or 4800 ounces, worth, L.18,600 sterling at the old price +of L.3 17s. 6d. per ounce; and perhaps worth in those days as much as +ninety or an hundred thousand pounds in the present day.--E.] + +The elephant, by some called oliphant, is the largest of all four-footed +beasts. The fore-legs are longer than those behind; in the lower part or +ancles of which he has joints. The feet have each five toes, but +undivided. The trunk or snout is so long and of such form that it serves +him as a hand, for he both eats and drinks by bringing his food and +drink to his mouth by its means, and by it he helps up his master or +keeper, and also overturns trees by its strength. Besides his two great +tusks, he has four teeth on each side of his mouth, by which he eats or +grinds his food, each of these teeth being almost a span long, as they +lie along the jaw, by two inches high and about as much in breadth. The +tusks of the male are larger than those of the female. The tongue is +very small, and so far within the mouth that it cannot be seen. This is +the gentlest and most tractable of all beasts, and understands and is +taught many things, so that it is even taught to do reverence to kings, +being of acute sense and great judgment. When the female is once +seasoned, the male never touches her afterwards. The male lives two +hundred years, or at least 120, and the female almost as long; but the +flower of their age is reckoned 60 years. They cannot endure our winter +or cold weather; but they love to go into rivers, in which they will +often wade up to their trunk, snuffing and blowing the water about in +sport; but they cannot swim, owing to the weight of their bodies. If +they happen to meet a man wandering in the wilderness, they will go +gently before him and lead him into the right way. In battle they pay +much respect to those who are wounded, bringing such as are hurt or +weary into the middle of the army where they may be defended. They are +made tame by drinking the juice of barley[213]. + +[Footnote 213: The meaning of this expression is by no means obvious. It +is known that in India, arrack, or a spirituous liquor distilled from +rice, is given regularly to elephants, which may be here alluded +to.--E.] + +They have continual war with dragons, which desire their blood because +it is very cold; wherefore the dragon lies in wait for the passing of an +elephant, winding its tail of vast length round the hind legs of the +elephant, then thrusts his head into his trunk and sucks out his breath, +or bites him in the ears where he cannot reach with his trunk. When the +elephant becomes faint with the loss of blood, he falls down upon the +serpent, now gorged with blood, and with the weight of his body crushes +the dragon to death. Thus his own blood and that of the elephant run out +of the serpent now mingled together, which cooling is congealed into +that substance which the apothecaries call _sanguis draconis_ or +cinnabar[214]. But there are other kinds of cinnabar, commonly called +_cinoper_ or vermillion, which the painters use in certain colours. + +[Footnote 214: It is surely needless to say that this is a mere +fable.--E.] + +There are three kinds of elephants, as of the marshes, the plains, and +the mountains, differing essentially from each other. Philostratus +writes, that by how much the elephants of Lybia exceed in bigness the +horses of Nysea, so much do the elephants of India exceed those of +Lybia, for some of the elephants of India have been seen nine cubits +high; and these are so greatly feared by the others, that they dare not +abide to look upon them. Only the males among the Indian elephants have +tusks; but in Ethiopia and Lybia, both males and females are provided +with them. They are of divers heights, as of 12, 13, or 14 _dodrants_, +the dodrant being a measure of 9 inches; and some say that an elephant +is bigger than three wild oxen or buffaloes. Those of India are black, +or mouse-coloured; but those of Ethiopia or Guinea are brown. The hide +or skin of them all is very hard, and without hair or bristles. Their +ears are two dodrants, or 18 inches in breadth, and their eyes are very +small. Our men saw one drinking at a river in Guinea as they sailed +along the coast. Those who wish to know more of the properties of the +elephant, as of their wonderful docility, of their use in war, of their +chastity and generation, when they were first seen in the triumphs and +amphitheatres of the Romans, how they are taken and tamed, when they +cast their tusks, and of their use in medicine, and many other +particulars, will find all these things described in the eighth book of +Natural History, as written by Pliny. He also says in his twelfth book, +that the ancients made many goodly works of ivory or elephants teeth; +such as tables, tressels or couches, posts of houses, rails, lattices +for windows, idols of their gods, and many other things of ivory, either +coloured or uncoloured, and intermixed with various kinds of precious +woods; in which manner at this day are made chairs, lutes, virginals, +and the like. They had such plenty of it in ancient times, that one of +the gates of Jerusalem was called the ivory gate, as Josephus reports. +The whiteness of ivory was so much admired, that it was anciently +thought to represent the fairness of the human skin; insomuch that those +who endeavoured to improve, or rather to corrupt, the natural beauty by +painting, were said reproachfully, _ebur atramento candefacere_, to +whiten ivory with ink. Poets also, in describing the fair necks of +beautiful virgins, call them _eburnea colla_, or ivory necks. Thus much +may suffice of elephants and ivory, and I shall now say somewhat of the +people, and their manners, and mode of living, with another brief +description of Africa. + +The people who now inhabit the regions of the coast of Guinea and the +middle parts of Africa, as inner Lybia, Nubia, and various other +extensive regions in that quarter, were anciently called Ethiopians and +_Nigritae_, which we now call Moors, Moorens, or Negroes; a beastly +living people, without God, law, religion, or government, and so +scorched by the heat of the sun, that in many places they curse it when +it rises. Of the people about Lybia interior, Gemma Phrysius thus +writes: Libia interior is large and desolate, containing many horrible +wildernesses, replenished with various kinds of monstrous beasts and +serpents. To the south of Mauritania or Barbary is Getulia, a rough and +savage region, inhabited by a wild and wandering people. After these +follow the _Melanogetuli_, or black Getulians, and Phransii, who wander +in the wilderness, carrying with them great gourds filled with water. +Then the Ethiopians, called Nigritae, occupy a great part of Africa, +extending to the western ocean or Atlantic. Southwards also they reach +to the river Nigritis or Niger, which agrees in its nature with the +Nile, as it increases and diminishes like the Nile, and contains +crocodiles. Therefore, I believe this to be the river called the Senegal +by the Portuguese. It is farther said of the Niger, that the inhabitants +on one side were all black and of goodly stature, while on the other +side they were brown or tawny and of low stature, which also is the case +with the Senegal.[215] There are other people of Lybia, called +_Garamantes_, whose women are in common, having no marriages or any +respect to chastity. After these are the nations called _Pyrei, +Sathiodaphintae, Odrangi, Mimaces, Lynxamator, Dolones, Agangince, Leuci +Ethiopes, Xilicei Ethiopes, Calcei Ethiopes_, and _Nubi_. These last +have the same situation in Ptolemy, which is now given to the kingdom of +Nubia, where there are certain Christians under the dominion of the +great emperor of Ethiopia, called Prester John. From these towards the +west was a great nation called _Aphricerones_, inhabiting, as far as we +can conjecture, what is now called the _Regnum Orguene_, bordering on +the eastern or interior parts of Guinea. From hence westwards and +towards the north, are the kingdoms of _Gambra_ and _Budamel_, not far +from the river Senegal; and from thence toward the inland region and +along the coast are the regions of _Ginoia_ or Guinea. On the west side +of this region is Cabo Verde, _caput viride_, Cap Verd, or the Green +Cape, to which the Portuguese first direct their course when they sail +to the land of Brazil in America, on which occasion they turn to the +right hand towards the quarter of the wind called _Garbino_, which is +between the west and south. + +[Footnote 215: It may be proper to mention in this place, that the Niger +and the Senegal, though agreeing in these particulars, are totally +different rivers in the same parallel. The Senegal runs into the sea +from the east; while the Niger running to the east, loses itself in an +interior lake, as the Wolga does in the Caspian, having no connection +whatever with the ocean. According to some accounts, this lake only +exists as such during the rainy season, drying up in the other part of +the year, probably however leaving an extensive marsh, called the +_Wangara_. If so, the environs of that lake and marsh must be unhealthy +in the utmost extreme.--E.] + +To speak somewhat more of Ethiopia, although there are many nations +called Ethiopians, yet is Ethiopia chiefly divided into two parts, one +of which being a great and rich region, is called _Ethiopia sub Egypto_, +or Ethiopia to the south of Egypt. To this belongs the island of Meroe, +which is environed by the streams of the Nile. In this island women +reigned in ancient times, and, according to Josephus, it was some time +called _Sabea_, whence the queen of Saba went to Jerusalem to listen to +the wisdom of Solomon. From thence, towards the east and south, reigneth +the Christian emperor called Prester John, by some named Papa Johannes, +or as others say _Pean Juan_, signifying Great John, whose empire +reaches far beyond the Nile, and extends to the coasts of the Red Sea +and of the Indian ocean. The middle of this region is almost in 66 +degrees of E. longitude, and 12 degrees of N. lat.[216] About this +region dwell the people called _Clodi, Risophagi, Axiuntiae, Babylonii, +Molili_, and _Molibae_. After these is the region called _Trogloditica_, +the inhabitants of which dwell in caves and dens, instead of houses, and +feed upon the flesh of serpents, as is reported by Pliny and Diodorus +Siculus, who allege, that instead of language, they have only a kind of +grinning and chattering. There are also people without heads, called +_Blemines_, having their eyes and mouths in their breast. Likewise +_Strucophagi_, and naked _Gamphasantes_; _satyrs_ also, who have nothing +of human nature except the shape. _Oripei_ likewise, who are great +hunters, and _Mennones_. Here also is _Smyrnophora_, or the region of +myrrh; after which is _Azania_, producing many elephants.[217] A great +portion of the eastern part of Africa beyond the equinoctial line is in +the kingdom of _Melinda_, the inhabitants of which have long been in use +to trade with the nations of Arabia, and whose king is now allied to the +king of Portugal, and pays tribute to Prester John. + +[Footnote 216: Reckoning the longitude from the island of Ferro, the +middle of Abyssinia is only in about 52° 30' E. and as Ferro is 18° W. +from Greenwich, that coincides with 34° 30' E. as the longitude is now +reckoned by British geographers.--E.] + +[Footnote 217: It is impossible, in the compass of a note, to enter into +any commentary on this slight sketch of the ancient geography of eastern +Africa.--E.] + +The other, or interior Ethiopia, being a region of vast extent, is now +only somewhat known upon the sea-coast, but may be described as follows. +In the first place, towards the south of the equator, is a great region +of Ethiopians, in which are white elephants, _tigers_, (lions) and +rhinoceroses. Also a region producing plenty of cinnamon, which lies +between the branches of the Nile. Also the kingdom of Habesch or +Habasia,[218] a region inhabited by Christians, on both sides of the +Nile. Likewise those Ethiopians called _Ichthyophagi_, or who live only +on fish, who were subdued in the wars of Alexander the Great[219]. Also +the Ethiopians called _Rapsii_ and _Anthropophagi_, who are in use to +eat human flesh, and inhabit the regions near the mountains of the moon. +_Gazatia_ is under the tropic of Capricorn; after which comes the +_front_ of Africa, and the Cape of Good Hope, past which they sail from +Lisbon to Calicut: But as the capes and gulfs, with their names, are to +be found on every globe and chart, it were superfluous to enumerate them +here. + +[Footnote 218: It is strange that Habasia or Abyssinia, inhabited by +Christians, should thus be divided from the empire of Prester John.--E.] + +[Footnote 219: The Icthyophagi of Alexander dwelt on the oceanic coast +of Persia, now Mekran, between the river Indus and the Persian gulf, not +in Ethiopia.--E.] + +Some allege that Africa was so named by the Greeks, as being without +cold; the Greek letter _alpha_ signifying privation, void of, or +without, and _phrice_ signifying cold; as, although it has a cloudy and +tempestuous season instead of winter, it is yet never cold, but rather +smothering hot, with hot showers, and such scorching winds, that at +certain times the inhabitants seem as if living in furnaces, and in a +manner half ready for purgatory or hell. According to Gemma Phrisius, in +certain parts of Africa, as in the greater Atlas, the air in the night +is seen shining with many strange fires and flames, rising as it were as +high as the moon, and strange noises are heard in the air, as of pipes, +trumpets, and drums, which are caused perhaps by the vehement motions of +these fiery exhalations, as we see in many experiments wrought by fire, +air, and wind. The hollowness also, and various reflections and +breakings of the clouds, may be great causes thereof, besides the great +coldness of the middle region of the air, by which these fiery +exhalations, when they ascend there, are suddenly driven back with great +force. Daily experience teaches us, by the whizzing of a burning torch, +what a noise fire occasions in the air, and much more so when it strives +and is inclosed with air, as seen in guns; and even when air alone is +inclosed, as in organ pipes and other wind instruments: For wind, +according to philosophers, is nothing but air vehemently moved, as when +propelled by a pair of bellows, and the like. + +Some credible persons affirm that, in this voyage to Guinea, they felt a +sensible heat in the night from the beams of the moon; which, though it +seem strange to us who inhabit a cold region, may yet reasonably have +been the case, as Pliny writes that the nature of stars and planets +consists of fire, containing a spirit of life, and cannot therefore be +without heat. That the moon gives heat to the earth seems confirmed by +David, in the 121st psalm, where, speaking of such men as are defended +from evils by the protection of God, he says, "The sun shall not burn +thee by day, neither the moon by night[220]." They said likewise, that +in some parts of the sea they saw streams of water, which they call +_spouts_, falling out of the air into the sea, some of them being as +large as the pillars of churches; insomuch that, when these fall into +ships, they are in great danger of being sunk. Some allege these to be +the cataracts of heaven, which were all opened at Noah's flood: But I +rather consider them to be those fluxions and eruptions said by +Aristotle, in his book de Mundo, to happen in the sea. For, speaking of +such strange things as are often seen in the sea, he writes thus: +"Oftentimes also, even in the sea are seen evaporations of fire, and +such eruptions and breaking forth of springs, that the mouths of rivers +are opened. Whirlpools and fluxions are caused of such other vehement +motions, not only in the midst of the sea, but also in creeks and +straits. At certain times also, a great quantity of water is suddenly +lifted up and carried about by the moon," &c. From these words of +Aristotle it appears, that such waters are lifted up at one time in one +place, and suddenly fall down again in another place at another time. To +this also may be referred what Richard Chancellor told me, as having +heard from Sebastian Cabot, as far as I remember, either on the coast of +Brazil or of the Rio de la Plata, that his ship or pinnace was suddenly +lifted from the sea and cast upon the land, I know not how far. Which, +and other strange and wonderful works of nature considered, and calling +to remembrance the narrowness of human knowledge and understanding, +compared with her mighty power, I can never cease to wonder, and to +confess with Pliny, that nothing is impossible to nature, whose smallest +power is still unknown to man. + +[Footnote 220: In our present version the word _smite_ is used instead +of burn. But the quotation in the text is a literal translation from the +Latin vulgate, and agrees with the older English version, still used in +the Book of Common Prayer.--E.] + +Our people saw and considered many things in this voyage that are +worthy of notice, and some of which I have thought fit to record, that +the reader may take pleasure, both in the variety of these things, and +in the narrative of the voyage. Among other matters respecting the +manners and customs of these people, this may seem strange, that their +princes and nobles are in use to pierce and wound their skins in such +way as to form curious figures upon it, like flowered damask, which they +consider as very ornamental[221]. Although they go in a manner naked, +yet many of them, and the women especially, are almost loaded with +collars, bracelets, rings, and chains, of gold, copper, or ivory. I have +seen one of their ivory armlets weighing 38 ounces, which was worn by +one of their women on her arm. It was made of one piece of the largest +part of an elephant's tooth, turned and somewhat carved, having a hole +through which to pass the hand. Some have one on each arm and one on +each leg, and though often so galled by them as to be almost lame, they +still persist to use them. Some wear great shackles on their legs of +bright copper, and they wear collars, bracelets, garlands, and girdles +of certain blue stones, resembling beads. Some also of their women wear +upon their arms a kind of _fore-sleeves_[222], made of plates of beaten +gold. They wear likewise rings on their fingers made of gold wire, +having a knot or wreath, like those which children make on rush rings. +Among other golden articles bought by our men, were some dog-collars and +chains. + +[Footnote 221: Now well known under the name of tatooing.--E.] + +[Footnote 222: Sleeves for the fore-arms, or from the elbow to the +wrist.--E.] + +These natives of Guinea are very wary in driving bargains, and will not +willingly lose the smallest particle of their gold, using weights and +measures for the same with great circumspection. In dealing with them, +it is necessary to behave with civility and gentleness, as they will not +trade with any who use them ill. During the first voyage of our people +to that country, on departing from the place where they had first +traded, one of them either stole a musk-cat or took her away by force, +not suspecting that this could have any effect to prevent trading at the +next station: But although they went there in full sail, the news had +got there before them, and the people refused to deal with them until +the cat were either restored or paid for at a fixed price. Their houses +are made of four posts or trees set in the ground, and are covered with +boughs; and their ordinary food is roots, with such fish as they take, +which are in great plenty. Among these are flying fishes, similar to +those seen in the West India seas. Our people endeavoured to salt some +of the fish which they caught on the coast of Africa, but some said that +they would not take salt, and must therefore be eaten immediately; while +others alleged that, if salted immediately when taken, they would keep +good for ten or twelve days. Part of the salt meat taken by our people +from England became putrid while on the coast of Africa, yet turned +sweet again after their return to a temperate region. They have a +strange method of making bread, which is as follows: They grind, with +their hands, between two stones, as much corn into meal as they think +may suffice the family, and making this flour into a paste with water, +they knead it into thin cakes, which are stuck upon the posts of their +houses and baked or dried by the heat of the sun; so that when the +master of the house or any of the family are in want of bread, they take +it down from the post and eat. + +They have very fair wheat, the ear of which is two hand-breadths long +and as big as a great bulrush, the stem or straw being almost as thick +as a man's little finger. The grains are white and round, shining like +pearls that have lost their lustre, and about the size of our pease. +Almost their whole substance turns to flour, leaving very little bran. +The ear is inclosed in three blades, each about two inches broad, and +longer than the ear; and in one of them I counted 260 grains of corn. By +this fruitfulness, the sun seems in some measure to compensate for the +trouble and distress produced by its excessive heat. Their drink is +either water, or the juice which drops from cut branches of the palmito, +a barren palm or date tree; to collect which they hang great gourds to +the cut branches every evening, or set them on the ground under the +trees, to receive the juice which issues during the night. Our people +said that this juice tasted like whey, but sweeter and more pleasant. +The branches of the palmito are cut every evening to obtain this juice, +as the heat of the sun during the day dries up and sears over the wound. +They have likewise large beans, as big as chesnuts, and very hard, +having shells instead of husks or pods. While formerly describing the +fruit containing the _grains_ or Guinea pepper, called by the physicians +_grana paradisi_, I remarked that they have holes through them, as in +effect they have when brought to us; but I have been since informed, +that these holes are made on purpose to put strings or twigs through, +for hanging up the fruit to dry in the sun. This fruit grows on a plant +which does not rise above eighteen inches or two feet above the ground. + +At their coming home, the keels and bottoms of the ships were strangely +overgrown with certain shells, two inches or more in length, as thick as +they could stand, and so large that a man might put his thumb into their +mouths. It is affirmed that a certain slimy substance grows in these +shells, which falls afterwards into the sea, and is changed into the +bird called barnacles[223]. Similar shells have been seen on ships +coming from Ireland, but these Irish barnacles do not exceed half an +inch long. I saw the Primrose in dock, after her return from Guinea, +having her bottom entirely covered over with these shells, which in my +judgment must have greatly impeded her sailing. Their ships also were in +many places eaten into by the worms called _Bromas_ or _Bissas_, which +are mentioned in the Decades[224]. These worms creep between the planks, +which they eat through in many places. + +[Footnote 223: This is an old fable not worth confuting. The Barnacle +goose or clakis of Willoughby, anas erythropus of Linnaeus, called +likewise tree-goose, anciently supposed to be generated from drift wood, +or rather from the _lepas anatifera_ or multivalve shell, called +barnacle, which is often found on the bottoms of ships.--See Pennant's +Brit. Zool. 4to. 1776. V. II. 488, and Vol. IV. 64.--E.] + +[Footnote 224: Meaning the Decades of Peter Martyr, part of which book +was translated and published by Richard Eden.--Astl I. 149. b.] + +In this voyage, though they sailed to Guinea in seven weeks, they took +twenty to return; owing to this cause, as they reported, that about the +coast at Cape Verd the wind was continually east, so that they were +obliged to stand far out into the ocean, in search of a western wind to +bring them home. In this last voyage about twenty-four of the men died, +many of them between the Azores and England, after their return into the +cold or temperate region. They brought with them several black +slaves[225], some of whom were tall strong men, who could well agree +with our meats and drinks. The cold and moist air of England somewhat +offended them; yet men who are born in hot regions can much better +endure cold, than those of cold regions can bear heat; because violent +heat dissolves the radical moisture of the human body, while cold +concentrates and preserves it. It is to be considered as among the +secrets of nature, that while all parts of Africa under the equator, and +for some way on both sides, are excessively hot, and inhabited by black +people, such regions in the West Indies [America], under the same +parallels, are very temperate, and the natives are neither black, nor +have they short curled wool on their heads like the Africans; but are of +an olive colour, with long black hair. The cause of this difference is +explained in various places of the _Decades_. Some of those who were +upon this voyage told me that on the 14th of March they had the sun to +the north of them at noon. + +[Footnote 225: In a side note, _five blacke moors_.--E.] + + +SECTION IV. + +_Voyage to Guinea in 1555, by William Towerson, Merchant of +London_[226]. + + +On Monday the 30th of September 1555, we sailed from the harbour of +Newport, in the Isle of Wight, with two good ships, the Hart and the +Hind, both belonging to London, of which John Ralph and William Carters +were masters, bound on a voyage for the river Sestos, in Guinea, and +other harbours in that neighbourhood. Owing to variable winds, we could +not reach Dartmouth before the 14th of October; and having continued +there till the 20th of that month, we warpt out of the harbour, and set +sail to the S.W. and by next morning had run 30 leagues. On the 1st +November, by the reckoning of our master, we were in lat. 31° N. and +that day we ran 40 leagues. The 2d we ran 36 leagues; and on the 3d we +had sight of Porto Santo, a small island about three leagues long and +one and a-half broad, belonging to the Portuguese, and lying in the +ocean. As we came towards it from the N.N.W. it seemed like two small +hills near each other. The east end of the island is a high land like a +saddle, having a valley which gives it that appearance; while the west +end is lower, with several small round hillocks[227]. Porto Santo is in +about lat. 33° N. The same day at 11 o'clock A.M. we raised the island +of Madeira, which is 12 leagues S.W. from Porto Santo. Madeira is a fine +and fertile island belonging to the Portuguese, and rises from afar like +one great high mountain. By 3 P.M. being athwart of Porto Santo, we set +our course to the S.W. leaving both Madeira and Porto Santo to the +eastwards, being the first land we had seen after leaving England. About +three next morning we were abreast of Madeira, within three leagues of +its west end, and were becalmed under its high land. We estimated having +run 30 leagues in the past day and night. The 4th we remained becalmed +under the west end of Madeira till 1 P.M. when the wind sprung up at +east, and we continued our course S.W. making in the rest of that day 15 +leagues. The 5th we ran 15 leagues. + +[Footnote 226: Hakluyt, II. 480, Astl. I. 150.--From several passages in +this journal it appears that Towerson had been on the former voyage to +Guinea with Captain Lock; but in the present voyage he appears to have +acted as captain or chief director, and seems to have been the author of +the journal here adopted from Hakluyt.--Astl. I. 150, 2.] + +[Footnote 227: The saddle-backed hills of old navigators, are to be +considered in reference to the old demipique or war-saddle, having high +abrupt peaks, or hummocks, at each end, with a flattish hollow +between.--E.] + +The 6th in the morning we got sight of _Teneriffe_, otherwise called the +Peak, being very high land, with a peak on the top like a sugar loaf; +and the same night we got sight of _Palma_, which also is high land and +W. from Teneriffe [W.N.W.] The 7th we saw _Gomera_, an island about 12 +leagues S.E. from Palma, and eight W.S.W. from Teneriffe; and lest we +might have been becalmed under Teneriffe, we left both it and Gomera to +the east, and passed between Palma and Gomera. This day and night our +course was 30 leagues. These islands, called the Canaries, are 60 +leagues from Madeira, and there are other three islands in the group to +the eastward of Teneriffe, named _Gran Canarea_, _Fuertaventura_, and +_Lancerota_, none of which we saw. All these islands are inhabited by +Spaniards. On this day likewise we got sight of the Isle of _Ferro_, +which is 13 leagues south from Gomera, and belongs to the Spaniards like +the others. We were unable all this day or the following night to get +beyond Ferro, unless we had chosen to go to the westwards, which had +been much out of our proper course; wherefore we put about, and stood +back five hours E.N.E. in hope of being able to clear it next tack, the +wind keeping always S.E. which is not often met with in that latitude by +navigators, as it generally keeps in the N.E. and E.N.E. Next morning, +being on the other tack, we were nearly close in with the island, but +had room enough to get clear past. + +The 8th, our due course to fetch the Barbary coast being S.E. by E. we +were unable to keep it by reason of the wind being scant, but lay as +near it as we could, running that day and night 25 leagues. The 9th we +ran 30 leagues; the 10th 25; and 11th, 24 leagues. The 12th we saw a +sail under our lee, which we thought to be a fishing bark, and stood +down to speak with her; but in an hour there came on so thick a fog that +we could neither see that vessel nor our consort the Hind. We +accordingly shot off several guns to give notice to the Hind of our +situation, but she did not hear or answer us. In the afternoon the Hind +fired a gun, which we heard and answered with another gun. About half an +hour afterwards the fog cleared away, and we were within four leagues of +the Barbary coast, when sounding we had 14 fathoms water. The bark also +had come _room_[228] with us, and anchored here likewise, the wind being +contrary for going down the coast, or to the southwards. On falling in +with the land, we could not judge precisely whereabout we were, most of +that coast being low, the forepart of the coast being white like chalk +or sand, _and very deep unto the hard shore_[229]. Immediately on coming +to anchor we began to fish, and got abundance of that kind which the +Portuguese call _Pergosses_, the French _saders_, and our men salt-water +_breams_. Before the fog entirely cleared away, the vessel we had +followed shaped such a course that we lost sight of her, chiefly because +we had bore up to find the Hind again. Our pilot reckoned that we were +upon that part of the coast which is 16 leagues eastwards[230] from the +Rio del Oro. + +[Footnote 228: This antiquated nautical word, which occurred before in +the journal of Don Juan de Castro, is here obviously going down the +wind, large, or to leeward.--E.] + +[Footnote 229: The meaning of this passage is not obvious, and seems to +want some words to make out the meaning: It may be that the shore is +very steep, or that the water continues deep close to the shore.--E.] + +[Footnote 230: Eastwards from Rio del Oro is directly into the land; so +that they must either have been N.N.E. or S.S.W. probably the +former.--E.] + +In the afternoon of the 13th we spied a sail coming towards us, which we +judged to be that we had seen the day before, and we immediately caused +the Hind to weigh anchor and go towards her, manning likewise our own +skiff, to lay her on board or to learn what she was, and within half an +hour we weighed also. When the vessel noticed us, she put about and +sailed from us; and soon after there came on so heavy a fog that we +could not see her, and as the fog continued the whole night we had to +quit the chase. In the afternoon the wind came about fair, so that we +were able to shape a course S.W. by W. to keep clear of the coast, and +ran that night 16 leagues. The 14th in the morning was very foggy, but +the fog cleared away about noon, when we espied a caravel of 60 tons +fishing, and sent our skiff on board with five men unarmed. For haste +the caravel slipped her anchors and set sail, yet our unarmed boat +overtook her and made her strike sail, and brought her away, though she +had fourteen or fifteen men on board, all armed, but they had not the +heart to resist. On coming to us they anchored, as we were likewise, +because the wind had become foul; on which I made our skiff come for me, +and I went on board the caravel, to take care that no harm was offered, +and to see if they would spare us any thing for our money. Accordingly +we got from them three _tapnets_ of figs, two small jars of oil, two +pipes of water, and four hogsheads of salt fish, which they had taken on +the coast, besides some fresh fish, which they held of no value, as they +are so plentiful on that coast that one man may often take as many in an +hour or less as will serve twenty men a whole day. For these things, +some wine we drank while on board their ship, and three or four great +cans which they sent on board our ships, I paid them 27 pistoles, being +twice as much as they would willingly have taken. We then let them go to +their anchor and cable which they had slipped, and assisted them to +recover. After this we made sail, but the wind obliged us to come to +anchor again about 12 leagues from the Rio del Oro, as we were informed +by the Portuguese. There were five other caravels in this place, but +immediately on our appearance they all made away for fear of us. + +The 15th we continued at anchor, as the wind was still foul. The 16th we +set sail and run our course 40 leagues, being this day, according to our +pilots, right under the Tropic of Cancer, in lat. 23° 30' N. The 17th we +ran 25 leagues, mostly in sight of the coast of Barbary. The 18th we ran +30 leagues, and at noon, by the reckoning of our pilots, were abreast of +Cape Blanco. The 22d they reckoned we were abreast of Cape Verd. The +12th of December we got sight of the coast of Guinea, towards which we +immediately hauled, standing to the N.E. and about 12 at night, being +less than two leagues from the shore, we lay to and sounded, finding 18 +fathoms water. We soon afterwards saw a light between us and the shore, +which we thought might have been a ship, from which circumstance we +judged ourselves off the river Sestro, and we immediately came to +anchor, armed our tops, and made all clear for action, suspecting it +might be some Portuguese or French ship. In the morning we saw no ship +whatever, but espied four rocks about two English miles from us, one +being a large rock and the other three small; whence we concluded that +the light seen during the night had been on shore. We then weighed and +stood E.S.E. along shore, because the master did not rightly know the +place, but thought we were still to the westward of Sestro river. All +along this coast the land is low, and full of high trees close to the +shore, so that no one can know what place he falls in with, except by +means of the latitude. I think we ran 16 leagues that day, as we had all +night a stiff gale, with much thunder and lightning. + +For most port of the 13th we ran E.S.E. along the coast, within two +leagues of the land, finding the shore all covered with tall trees to +the water's edge, and great rocks hard by the beach, on which the +billows continually broke in white foam, so high that the surf might +easily be seen at four leagues distance, and in such a manner that no +boat could possibly go to land. At noon our masters and pilots took the +altitude of the sun, by which they judged that we were 24 leagues beyond +the river Sestro to the eastwards, wherefore we hauled in towards the +shore and came to anchor within two English miles of the land in 15 +fathoms, the water being so smooth that we might have rode with a +hawser. We employed the afternoon to rig out our boat with a sail, for +the purpose of sending her along shore in search of a place to take in +water, as we could not go back to the river Sestro, because the wind is +always contrary and the current sets continually to the eastwards. The +14th we weighed anchor and plied up along the coast to the W.N.W. +sending our boats close in shore to seek a watering-place, which they +found about noon. At this time, being far out to sea, we fell in with +several small long and narrow boats or canoes of the natives, in each of +which was one man only. We gave them bread, which they accepted and eat +readily. About 4 P.M. our boats came off to us with fresh water; and at +night we anchored off the mouth of a river. The 15th we weighed and +stood near the shore, sounding all the way, finding sometimes a rocky +bottom, at other times good ground, and never less than seven fathoms. +Finally, we cast anchor within an English mile of the shore, in seven +and a half fathoms, directly over against the mouth of the river, and +then sent our boats for water, which they got very good after rowing a +mile up the river. This river, called St Vincent in the chart, is by +estimation about eight leagues beyond the river Sestro, but is so hard +to find that a boat may be within half a mile of it without being able +to discover any river, as a ledge of rocks of greater extent than its +breadth lies directly before its mouth, so that the boats had to go a +considerable way between that ledge and the shore before coming to its +mouth. When once in, it is a great river, having several others that +fall into it. The entrance is somewhat difficult, as the surf is rather +high, but after getting in it is as smooth as the Thames.[231] Upon this +river, near the sea, the inhabitants are tall large men, going entirely +naked, except a clout about a quarter of a yard long before their +middle, made of the bark of trees, yet resembling cloth, as the bark +used for this purpose can be spun like flax. Some also wear a similar +cloth on their heads, painted with sundry colours, but most of them go +bareheaded, having their heads clipped and shorn in sundry ways, and +most of them have their bodies punctured or slashed in various figures +like a leathern jerkin. The men and women go so much alike, that a woman +is only to be known from a man by her breasts, which are mostly long and +hanging down like the udder of a milch goat. + +[Footnote 231: Sestro river, in the Complete Neptune of the Rev. James +Stanier Clarke, chart. 2, is called Sesters, in lat. 5° 30' N. long. 9° +10' W. from Greenwich. The river St Vincent of the text does not appear +in that chart, but nearly at the indicated distance to the E.S.E. is one +named Sangwin.--E.] + +Soon after coming to anchor on the 15th December, we went up the river +in our skiff, carrying with us certain basons, _manels_, &c. for sale. +We procured that day one hogshead and 100 pounds weight of grains,[232] +and two elephants teeth, getting both at an easy rate. We sold the +natives basons, _maneilios_, and _margarits_,[233] but basons were most +in request, and for most of these we got thirty pounds of _grains_ in +exchange for each, and gave for an elephants tooth of thirty pounds +weight six basons. We went again up the river on the 16th, in the +morning, taking some of every kind of merchandise along with us in our +boat, and shewed them to the negroes, but they made light of every +thing, even of the basons, manellios, and margarite which they had +bought the day before; yet they would have given us some grains for our +basons, but so very little that we did not that day get above 100 pounds +weight, through their chief or captain, who would not suffer any one to +sell but through his mediation and at his price. He was so cunning that +he would not give above 15 pounds of grains for a bason, and would +sometimes offer us a small dishful, whereas we had a basket full for +each the day before. Seeing that we would not accept what he offered, +the captain of the negroes went away, and caused all the boats to depart +likewise, thinking perhaps that we would have followed and agreed to his +terms; but on perceiving his drift, we hauled up our grapnel and went +away likewise. We landed at a small town, to see the manners of the +people, and about 60 of them came about us, being at first shy, and +seemingly afraid of us; but seeing we did them no harm, they came up in +a familiar manner, and took us by the hand. We then went into their +town, which consisted of about twenty small hovels, covered over with +large leaves. All the sides were open, and the floor was raised like a +scaffold about a yard high, where they work many ingenious things of the +barks of trees, and there also they sleep. In some of these hovels they +work in iron, making very pretty heads for javelins, tools for making +their boats, and various other things, the women working as well as the +men. + +[Footnote 232: That is grains of paradise, so the Italians called Guinea +pepper when they first saw it, not knowing what it was. We took the name +from them, and hence came the name of the Grain Coast--Astl. I. 152, a.] + +[Footnote 233: Margarits may possibly have been mock pearl beads; the +manels or manellios were bracelets of some kind.--E.] + +While we were among them, several of the women danced and sung after +their manner, by way of amusing us, but the sound was by no means +agreeable to our ears. Their song was continually, + + Sakere, sakere, ho! ho! + Sakere, sakere, ho! ho! + +And with these words they kept leaping, dancing and clapping their +hands. The only animals we saw among them were two goats, a few small +dogs, and some hens. Having seen these things, we went on board our +ships; and on seeing us depart, the chief of the other town sent two of +his servants after us with a basket of grains, making signs to us that +when we had slept, or next day, we should have plenty of grains if we +came for them: Then shewing us his grains, he went away. Accordingly, +next morning being the 17th, thinking that some business might be done +with the negroes as the captain sent for us, I sent the master with the +rest of the merchants on shore, remaining myself on board, because they +had esteemed our goods so lightly the day before. The captain +accordingly came to our people after they went up the river, bringing +grains with him, but not seeing me he made signs to know where I was, +and was answered in the same manner that I was on board ship. He then +inquired by signs who was captain, or Diago as they call it, and the +master of the ship being pointed out to him, he began to shew his +grains, but held them so unreasonably dear that no profit could be made +of them; on which, and because they seemed to have no store, the master +came away with only about 50 pounds of grains. Going on shore at the +small town on their way back to the ships, some one of our people +plucked a gourd which gave great offence to the negroes, on which many +of them came with their darts and large targets, making signs for our +men to depart; which our men did, as they had only one bow and two or +three swords among them. As soon as they were on board we weighed and +set sail, but the wind was from the sea, so that we could not clear +certain rocks, for which reason we came again to anchor. + +This river called St Vincent is in lat. 4° 30' N[234]. The tide at this +place ebbs and flows every twelve hours, but while we were there the +rise and fall did not exceed 9 feet. So far as we could see, the whole +country was altogether covered with wood, all the kinds of trees being +unknown to us, and of many different sorts, some having large leaves +like gigantic docks, so high that a tall man is unable to reach their +tops. By the sea-side there grow certain pease upon great and long +stalks, one of which I measured and it was 27 paces long. These grow on +the sand like trees, and so very near the sea that we could distinctly +perceive by the water marks that the sea sometimes flows into the woods. +All the trees and other plants of this country are continually green. +Some of the women have exceedingly long breasts, but they are not all +so. All day the wind blows from the sea, and all night from the land, +though we found this to differ sometimes, at which our master was much +surprised. + +[Footnote 234: This latitude would bring us to a river about half way +between the Grand Sesters and Cape Palmas; but which does not agree with +the former circumstances, as they could hardly have been so far to the +S.E. without seeing Cape Palmas. The river Sangwin, which we have before +supposed might be the St Vincent, is in lat. 5° 20' N. almost a degree +farther north.--E.] + +This night at 9 o'clock the wind came to east, which used ordinarily to +be at N.N.W. off shore[235]; yet we weighed and hauled off south to +seawards, and next morning stood in again towards the land, whence we +took in 6 tons of water for our ship, the Hind probably taking as much. +On this part of the coast I could not find that the natives had any gold +or other valuable article of trade, for indeed they are so savage and +idle that they give not themselves the trouble to seek for any thing, +for if they would take pains they might easily gather large quantities +of grains, yet I do not believe there were two tons to be had in all +that river. They have many fowls likewise in their woods, but the people +are not at the trouble to catch them. While here I collected the +following words of their language, all of which they speak very thick, +often repeating one word three times successively, and always the last +time longer than the two former. + +[Footnote 235: The text here is probably corrupt. The direct off-shore +wind on the grain coast of Africa is N.E. The wind at N.N.W. certainly +is in some degree off-shore, but very obliquely; and the wind at east is +more direct from shore.--E.] + + Bezow! bezow! Is their salutation. + Manegete afoye,[236], Grains enough. + Crocow afoye, Hens enough. + Zeramme afoye, Have you enough? + Begge sacke, Give me a knife. + Begge come, Give me bread. + Borke, Silence! + Contrecke, You lie! + Veede, Put forth, or empty. + Brekeke, Row! + Diago, or dabo, Captain, or chief. + +[Footnote 236: In some maps the grain coast is named Malaguete, probably +from this word, and consequently synonimous with the ordinary name. It +is likewise called the Windward coast.--E.] + +Towards night on the 18th, while sailing along the coast, we fell in +with some boats or canoes, when the natives expressed by signs that we +were abreast of a river where we might have grains, but we did not think +it right to stop there, lest other ships might get before us. This river +has three great rocks and five small ones lying before it, with one +great tree and a small one close by the river, which exceed all the rest +in height. This night we proceeded 10 leagues along the coast. About +noon of the 19th, while proceeding along shore, three boats came off to +tell us we might have grains, and brought some to shew, but we did not +choose to stop. Continuing our course we anchored at night, having run +this day 10 leagues. On the 20th as the Hind had come to anchor near us +among some rocks and foul ground, she lost a small anchor. While passing +along shore about noon a negro came off to us as before, offering grains +if we would go on shore, and where we anchored at night another brought +us a similar intimation, besides which a fire was kindled on shore, as +if indicating where we might land, which was likewise done on other +parts of the coast when they saw us anchored. Wherever we happened to +anchor on this coast from our first watering place, we always found the +tide [of flood?] running to the westwards, and saw many rocks close +along shore, many others being a league out to sea. This day we ran 12 +leagues. The 21st though we sailed all day with a brisk gale, yet so +strong were the tides against us that we were only able to make out 6 +leagues. This day likewise some negroes came off to us, offering to deal +in grains if we would land. The 22d we ran all day and night to a double +point called Cabo das Palmas[237]. + +[Footnote 237: Reckoning the course run as expressed in the text, the +distance measured back from Cape Palmas brings us very nearly to Sangwin +for the river St Vincent of Towerson, as formerly conjectured.--E.] + +The 23d about 3 o'clock we were abreast of the point, and before we came +to the western part of it we saw a great ledge of rocks which lie out to +the west of it about 3 leagues, and a league or more from the shore. We +soon after got sight of the eastern side of this cape, which is 4 +leagues from the west side. Upon both corners of this cape there are two +green spots like meadows, and to the westwards of this cape the land +forms a bay, by which it may be easily known. Four leagues farther on +there is a head-land jutting out to sea, and about two leagues farther +on there is a great bay, seemingly the entrance to a river, before which +we anchored all that night, lest we should overshoot a river where, in +the voyage of last year, 1554, they got all their elephants teeth. Cape +Palmas is in lat. 4° 30' N. between which and the river Sestro the +greatest abundance of grains is to be had, while beyond this cape very +little is got. Where we anchored this night, we found that the tide now +ran to the eastwards, while on the other side of the cape it went to the +N.W. This day we ran about 16 leagues. + +While continuing our course on the 24th about 8 o'clock, some boats came +off to us bringing small soft eggs without shells, and made signs that +we might have fresh water and goats by going on shore. As the master +judged this might be the river of which we were in search, we cast +anchor and sent our boat on shore with a person who knew the river. On +coming near the shore he perceived that it was not the river, and came +therefore back again, and went along shore by the help of sails and +oars, upon which we weighed and sailed likewise along shore. Being now +13 leagues past the cape, the master observed a place which he believed +might be the river, when we were in fact two miles past it. At this time +the boat came off to the ship, reporting that there was no river; yet we +came to anchor, after which the master and I went in the boat with five +men, and on coming near the shore he saw that it was the river for which +he sought. We then rowed in with much difficulty, the entrance being +very much obstructed by a heavy surf. After entering, several boats came +off to us, informing us by signs that they had elephants teeth, and +brought us one of 8 pounds and a small one only one pound weight, both +of which we bought. Then they brought some other teeth to the river +side, giving us to understand by signs that they would sell them to us +if we came next day. We then gave a _manillio_ each to two chiefs, and +departed to the ships. We sent another boat to a different place on +shore, where some of the natives in the canoes at sea made signs that +fresh water was to be had; and on going there they found a town but no +river, yet the people brought them fresh water and shewed an elephants +tooth, making signs that they would sell them such next day. This river +lies 13 leagues beyond Cape Palmas, having a rock to the westwards about +a league out to sea, and there juts out from the river a point of land +on which grow five trees which may be discerned two or three leagues off +when coming from the westwards; but the river itself cannot be seen till +close upon it, and then a small town may be seen on either side, each of +which has a _diago_ or captain. The river is small, but the water is +fresh and good[238]. Two miles beyond the river, where the other town +lies, another point runs oat to sea, which is green like a meadow, +having only six trees growing upon it, all distant from each other, +which is a good mark to know it by, as I have not seen as much bare land +on the whole coast[239]. In this place, and three or four leagues to the +westwards, there grow many palm trees, from which the natives have their +palm wine, all along shore. These trees are easily known almost two +leagues off, as they are very straight, tall and white bodied, and +thickest in the middle, having no limbs or boughs, but only a round bush +of leaves at the top. In this top the natives bore a hole, to which they +hang a bottle or empty gourd, and in this they receive the juice that +runs from the tree, which is their wine. + +[Footnote 238: From the indicated distance eastwards from Cape Palmas, +and the description in the text, the river and point in question seem +those called Tabou, in long. 7° 10' W. from Greenwich.--E.] + +[Footnote 239: It is hardly necessary to observe that these are very bad +land-marks, being subject to alteration from many causes; besides that +this description is above 250 years old.--E.] + +From Cape Palmas to Cape _Tres-puntas_ or Three-points, the distance is +100 leagues east[240]; and from Cape Three-points to the port where we +proposed to sell our cloth are other 40 leagues[241]. The language here, +as far as I could judge, seemed to differ little from that formerly +mentioned. The people likewise dress much in the same manner, or almost +naked, but they were gentler in their manners and better looking. They +chiefly coveted manillios and margarites, and cared very little for the +rest of our wares. About 9 o'clock A.M. some boats came off to us from +both towns, bringing with them some elephants teeth, and having made me +swear by the water of the sea that I would do them no harm, three or +four of them came on board, and we entertained them with such things as +we had, of which they eat and drank as freely as ourselves. We then +bought all their teeth, of which they had 14, 10 being small. On going +away, they desired us to come to their towns next day. Not wishing to +trifle our time at this place, I desired the master to go on the 26th +with two of our merchants to one of the towns, while I went with one +merchant to the other town, the two towns being three miles asunder. +Taking with us to both places some of every kind of merchandise that we +had, the master got nine rather small teeth at one town, while at the +other I got eleven not large. Leaving on board with the [other] master +an assortment of manillios, he bought 12 teeth in our absence from +people who came to the ships. I bought likewise a small goat, and the +master bought five small hens at the other town. Finding that nothing +more was to be done here, as they had no more teeth, we went on board by +one o'clock, P.M. and immediately weighed anchor, continuing our +progress eastward, always within sight of land. + +[Footnote 240: Between these two points is what is called the ivory +coast of Guinea: After which is the gold coast to Cape St Pauls; and +then the slave coast.--E.] + +[Footnote 241: Forty leagues E.N.E. along the gold coast bring us to +Saccoom or Accra, in the country called Aquamboo.--E.] + +The 28th, the wind turning contrary, we stood out to sea, and when the +wind changed from the seaward we again stood for the land, which we fell +in with at a great round red cliff, not very high, having to the +eastwards a smaller red cliff, and right above that towards the inland a +round green hummock, which we took to be covered with trees. In the last +24 hours we only made good about 4 leagues. The 29th coming near the +shore, we noticed the before mentioned red cliff to have a large tuft of +trees on its summit. All to the westwards as far as we could see was +full of red cliffs, and all along the shore, both on the tops of these +cliffs, and in the low intervals between them, was everywhere full of +wood. Within a mile of the great cliff to the eastwards there was a +river, and no cliffs that we could see beyond it, except one small cliff +very near its eastern side. At this place we had the wind in the night +at north off the land, and in the day south from the sea, which was not +usual, as we were assured by such of our people as had been there +before, being commonly N.W. and S.W. We ran this day and night 12 +leagues. The 31st we went our course by the shore, which was everywhere +low and covered with wood, with no rocks. This morning many boats of the +negroes came out to fish, being larger than those we had seen hitherto +but of similar make, some of them having five men. In the afternoon, +about 3 o'clock we had sight of a town by the sea-side, which our pilots +judged to be 25 leagues west from Cape Three-points. + +On the morning of the 3d January 1556, we fell in with Cape +Three-points, having passed during the night one of the Portuguese +castles, which is 8 leagues west from this point[242]. This is a very +high land all grown over with trees, and on coming nearer we perceived +three head-lands, having a kind of two bays between them, which open +directly westwards. The farthest out to sea is the eastern cape. The +middle cape is not above a league from the western cape, though the +chart we had laid them down as 3 leagues asunder. Right before the point +of the middle cape there is a small rock near it, which cannot be seen +from the cape itself, except one be near the shore, and on the top of +this cape there is a great tuft of trees. When abreast of this cape +there is seen close beside it a round green hummock rising from the +main-land. The eastern cape is about a league from the middle one, and +is high land like the other two, and between these there is a little +head or point of land, and several rocks close in shore. About 8 leagues +before we came to cape Three-points the coast trends S.E. by E., and +after passing the cape it runs N.E. by E. About two leagues after +passing Cape Three-points there is a low glade for about two miles in +length, after which the land becomes again high, with several successive +points or headlands, the first of which has several rocks out to sea. +The middle of the three capes runs farthest out to sea southwards, so +that it can be seen a great way off from the coast, when it appears to +rise with two small rocks. We ran this day 8 leagues, and anchored +before night, lest we might overshoot a town named St Johns[243]. In the +afternoon a boat with five men came off from the shore and ranged +alongside of us, as if looking at our flags, but would not come near, +and after looking at us for some time went back to the land. In the +morning of the 4th, while sailing along the coast, we espied a ledge of +rocks close to the shore, to the westwards of which were two green hills +joining together, with a hollow between them resembling a saddle; and, +as the master thought the town we were looking for stood within these +rocks, we manned our boats, taking with us a quantity of cloth and other +goods, with which we rowed on shore; but after going some way along the +shore without finding any town, we returned again on board. About two +leagues to the eastwards from the two saddle hills, a ledge of rocks +stretches almost two miles out to sea, beyond which is a great bay +running N.N.W. while the general stretch of the coast at this place is +from S.W. by W. to N.E. by E. Having with a gentle gale run past that +uttermost headland, we saw a great red cliff, which the master again +judged to be near the town of St Johns, on which we again took our boat +and merchandise and rowed to the shore. We actually found a town on the +top of a hill to which we directed our course, and on seeing us a +considerable number of the inhabitants collected together and waved a +piece of cloth as a signal for us to come in, on which we rowed into an +excellent bay to eastward of the cliff on which the town stands, and on +getting fairly into the bay we let drop our grapnel. After remaining +some time, a boat or canoe came off to us and one of the men in her +shewed us a piece of gold about half a crown weight, requiring us to +give them our measure and weight that they might shew them to their +captain. We accordingly gave them a measure of two ells, and a weight of +two _angels_, as the principles on which we meant to deal. He took these +on shore to their captain; and then brought us back a measure of two +ells one quarter and a half, and one _crusado_ weight of gold, making +signs that they would give so much weight of gold for that measure of +cloth and no more; but this we refused. After staying about an hour, and +finding that they would not deal on our principles, besides +understanding that the best places for trade were all before us, we +returned to our ships, weighed anchor, and stood along shore, going +before in the boat. + +[Footnote 242: This was probably Fort St Antonio, at the mouth of the +river Aximer or Ashim.--Astl. I. 155. a.] + +[Footnote 243: St Johns river is about 12 leagues E.N.E. of Cape +Three-points, nearly in lat. 5° N. long 2° 10' W.--E.] + +Having sailed about a league, we came to a point of land having a long +ledge of rocks running out from it to seawards like the others; and on +passing the ledge our master noticed a place which he said was assuredly +the town of Don John[244]. As the night approached we could not see it +very distinctly, wherefore we came to anchor as near as possible. On the +morning of the 5th it was recognized to be the town we wanted, wherefore +we manned our boats and went towards the shore; but knowing that the +Portuguese had taken away a man from that place the year before, and had +afterwards shot at them with great _bases_[245], driving them from the +place, we let go our grapnel almost a _base_ shot from shore, and lay +there near two hours without any boat coming off to us. At this time +some of our men who had gone in the Hinds boat into the bay to the +eastward of the town, where they found a fine fresh river, waved to us +to join them, because the negroes were seen coming down to that place, +which we did. Immediately afterwards the negroes came down to the shore, +and gave us to know by signs that they had gold, but none of them would +come to our boats, neither indeed did we see that they had any canoes to +come in, so that we suspected the Portuguese had spoiled their boats, as +we saw half their town in ruins. Wherefore, having tarried a good while, +and seeing that they did not come to us, and as we were well armed, we +run the heads of both boats on shore. Upon this the captain of the town +came towards us with his dart in his hand, followed by six tall men each +of whom had a dart and target. Their darts were all headed with iron +well-fashioned and sharp. After this party came another negro carrying +the captains stool. We all saluted the captain respectfully, pulling off +our caps and bowing to him; but he, seeming to consider himself as a man +of consequence, did not move his cap in return, and gravely sat down on +his stool, hardly inclining his body in return to our salute: All his +attendants however, took off their caps and bowed to us. + +[Footnote 244: Called St Johns twice before; and we shall see that they +came to another town afterwards called Don Johns, more to the east, +whence it appears that the Don John of the text here is an error for St +John.--E.] + +[Footnote 245: Probably musketoons or blunderbusses, and certainly some +species of gun or fire-arm.--E.] + +This chief was clothed from the loins downwards, with a cloth of the +country manufacture, wrapped about him and made fast with a girdle round +his waist, having a cap of the country cloth on his head, all his body +above the loins with his legs and feet being bare. Some of his +attendants had cloths about their loins, while others had only a clout +between their legs, fastened before and behind to their girdles; having +likewise caps on their heads of their own making, some made of +basket-work, and others like a large wide purse of wild beast skins. All +their cloth, girdles, fishing lines, and other such things, are made +from the bark of certain trees, very neatly manufactured. They fabricate +likewise all such iron implements as they use very artificially; such as +the heads of their darts, fish-hooks, _hooking_ irons, _ironheads_, and +great daggers, some of these last being as long as a bill hook, or +woodcutters knife, very sharp on both sides and bent like a Turkish +cymeter, and most of the men have such a dagger hanging on their left +side. Their targets are made of the same materials with their cloths, +very closely wrought, very large and of an oblong square form, somewhat +longer than broad, so that when they kneel on the ground the target +entirely covers their whole body. Their bows are short and tolerably +strong, as much as a man is able to draw with one finger, and the string +is made of the bark of a tree, made flat, and a quarter of an inch +broad. I have not seen any of their arrows, as they were all close +wrapped up, and I was so busily engaged in traffic that I had not +leisure to get them opened out for my inspection. They have also the art +to work up their gold into very pretty ornaments. + +When the captain had taken his seat on the stool, I sent him as a +present two ells of cloth and two basins, and he sent back for our +weight and measure, on which I sent him a weight of two angels, and +informed him that such was our price in gold for two ells, or the +measure I had already sent him. This rule of traffic he absolutely +refused, and would not suffer his people to buy any thing but basins of +brass or latten; so that we sold that day 74 brass basins for about half +an angel weight each, and nine white basins for about a quarter of an +angel each. We shewed them some of all our other wares, but they did not +care for any of them. About two o'clock, P.M. the chief returned again, +and presented me a hen and two great roots, which I accepted, and he +then made me understand by signs, that many people would come from the +country that night to trade with me, who would bring great store of +gold. Accordingly about 4 o'clock there came about 100 men under 3 +chiefs, all well equipped with darts and bows; and when they came to us, +every man stuck his dart into the ground in token of peace, all the +chiefs having their stools with them, sat down, after which they sent a +youth on board our boat who brought a measure of an ell, a quarter and a +sixteenth, making us understand that they would have four times that +measure in cloth for the weight in gold of an angel and 12 grains. I +offered him two ells for that weight, for which I had before demanded +two angels; but this he despised, and stuck to the four measures, being +5-1/4 ells. When it grew late and I motioned to go away, he came to four +ells for the above weight, and as he and I could not agree we went back +to the ships. This day we took for basins 6 ounces a half and an eighth +of gold. + +In the morning of the 6th, we well manned our boats and the skiff, being +in some fear of the Portuguese, who had taken away a man from the ships +in the year before; and as the negroes had not canoes, we went near the +shore to them. The young man who had been with us the night before was +again sent to us, and he seemed to have had intercourse with the +Portuguese, as he could speak a little of that language, and was quite +expert in weights and measures. At his coming he offered us, as before, +an angel and 12 grains for four ells, giving us to understand, if we +would not deal on these terms, we might go away, which we did +accordingly; but before going away, I offered him three ells of rotten +cloth for his weight, which he would not accept. We then went on board +our ships, which lay a league off, after which we went back in the boats +for sand ballast. When the chiefs saw that our boats had now no +merchandise, but came only for water and sand, they at last agreed to +give the weight for three ells. Therefore, when the boats returned to +the ships, we put wares into both, and, for greater expedition, I and +John Saville went in one boat, while the master, John Makeworth, and +Richard Curligin, went in the other. That night I took for my part 52 +ounces of gold, and those in the other boat took 8-1/4 ounces, all by +the above weight and measure. When it grew late we returned to the +ships, having taken that day in all 5 pounds of gold. + +We went on shore again on the 7th, and that day I took in our boat 3 +pounds 19 ounces[246], so that we had sold most of the cloth we carried +in the boat before noon, by which time many of the negroes were gone, +and the rest seemed to have very little gold remaining; yet they made +signs to us to bring them more latten basins, which I was not inclined +to, not wishing to spend any more time there, but to push forwards for +Don Johns town. But as John Saville and John Makeworth were anxious to +go again, I consented, but did not go myself. They bartered goods for +eighteen ounces of gold and came away, all the natives having departed +at a certain cry or signal. While they were on shore, a young negroe who +could speak a little Portuguese came on board with three others, and to +him I sold 39 basins and two small white saucers, for three ounces of +gold. From what I could pick out, this young fellow had been in the +castle of Mina among the Portuguese, and had got away from them, for he +told us that the Portuguese were bad men, who made the negroes slaves +when they could take them, and put irons on their legs. He said also +that the Portuguese used to hang all the French or English they could +lay hold of. According to his account, the garrison in the castle +consisted of 60 men, and that there came thither every year two ships, +one large and the other a small caravel. He told me farther that Don +John was at war with the Portuguese, which encouraged me to go to his +town, which is only four leagues from the castle, and from which our men +had been driven in the preceding year. This fellow came fearlessly on +board, and immediately demanded why we had not brought back the men we +took away the year before, for he knew that the English had taken away +five negroes. We answered that they were in England, where they were +well received, and remained there till they could speak the language, +after which they were to be brought back to serve as interpreters +between the English and the natives; with which answer he seemed quite +satisfied, as he spoke no more of that matter. + +[Footnote 246: This is surely an error, as the troy or bullion pound +contains only 12 ounces. We ought therefore to read 3 pounds 9 +ounces--E.] + +Our boats being come on board, we weighed and set sail, and soon +afterwards noticed a great fire on the shore, by the light of which we +could discern a large white object, which was supposed to be the +Portuguese castle of St George del Mina; and as it is very difficult to +ply up to windward on this coast, in case of passing any place, we came +to anchor for the night two leagues from the shore, lest we might +overshoot the town of Don John in the night. This town lies in a great +bay which is very deep[247], and there the people were chiefly desirous +to procure basins and cloth, though they bought a few other trifles, as +knives, horse-tails, and horns; and some of our people who were on shore +sold a cap, a dagger, a hat, and other such articles. They shewed us a +coarse kind of cloth, which I believe was of French manufacture: The +wool was very coarse, and the stuff was striped with various colours, as +green, white, yellow, &c. Several of the negroes at this place wore +necklaces of large glass beads of various colours. At this place I +picked up a few words of their language, of which the following is a +short specimen: + + Mattea! Mattea! Is their salutation. + Dassee! Dassee! I thank you. + Sheke, Gold. + Cowrte, Cut. + Cracca, Knives. + Bassina, Basins. + Foco, foco, Cloth. + Molta, Much, or great plenty[248] + +[Footnote 247: This abrupt account of a town, &c. seems to refer back to +that of St John, which they had just left.--E.] + +[Footnote 248: This language seems partly corrupted.--_Hakluyt_. + +Two of the words in this short specimen have been evidently adopted from +the Portuguese, _bassina_ and _molta_.--E.] + +In the morning of the 8th, we had sight of the Portuguese castle of +Mina, but the morning being misty we could not see it distinctly till we +were almost at Don Johns town, when the weather cleared up and we had a +full view of the fort, beside which we noticed a white house on a hill, +which seemed to be a chapel. We stood in towards the shore, within two +English miles of Don Johns town, where we anchored in seven fathoms. We +here found, as in many places before, that the current followed the +course of the wind. At this place the land by the sea is in some places +low, and in others high, everywhere covered with wood. This town of Don +John[249] is but small, having only about twenty huts of the negroes, +and is mostly surrounded by a fence about the height of a man, made of +reeds or sedge, or some such material. After being at anchor two or +three hours, without any person coming off to us, we manned our boats +and put some merchandize into them, and then went with our boats very +near the shore, where we anchored. They then sent off a man to us, who +told us by signs that this was the town belonging to Don John, who was +then in the interior, but would be home at sunset. He then demanded a +reward, as most of these people do on first coming aboard, and on giving +him an ell of cloth he went away, and we saw no more of him that night. +In the morning of the 9th we went again near the shore with our boats, +when a canoe came off to us, from the people in which we were informed +by signs that Don John was not yet come home, but was expected that day. +There came also a man in a canoe from another town a mile from this, +called Don Devis[250], who shewed us gold, and made signs for us to go +there. I then left John Saville and John Makeworth at the town of Don +John, and went in the Hind to the other town, where we anchored, after +which I went in the boat close to the shore near the town. Boats or +canoes soon came off to us, shewing a measure of 4-1/2 yards, and a +weight of an angel and 12 grains, as their rule of traffic, so that I +could make no bargain. All this day our people lay off Don Johns town +and did nothing, being told that he was still absent. + +[Footnote 249: Or Don _Juan_. This place stands at Cape Korea or +Cors.--Astl. I. 158. a. + +Cape Cors or Korea is now corruptly called Cape coast, at which there is +an English fort or castle of the same name, in lat. 5° 10' N. long. 1° +16' W.--E.] + +[Footnote 250: Called afterwards the town of John De Viso.--E.] + +We went on the 10th to the shore, when a canoe came off with a +considerable quantity of gold; and after long haggling we at length +reduced their measure to a nail less than three ells, and brought up +their weight to an angel and twenty grains, after which, in about a +quarter of an hour, I sold cloth for a pound and a quarter of an ounce +of gold. They then made signs for me to tarry till they had parted their +cloth among them on shore, after their custom, and away they went and +spread all their cloth on the sand. At this time a man came running from +the town and spoke with them, and immediately they all hastened away +into the woods to hide their cloth and gold. We suspected some +treachery, and though invited by signs to land we would not, but +returned on board the Hind, whence we could see 30 men on the hill, whom +we judged to be Portuguese, who went up to the top of the hill, where +they drew up with a flag. Being desirous to know what the people of the +Hart were about, I went to her in the Hind's boat, and on nearing her +was surprised on seeing her shoot off two pieces of ordnance. I then +made as much haste as possible, and met her boat and skiff coming with +all speed from the shore. We all met on board the Hart, when they told +me that they had been on shore all day, where they had given 3-1/2 yards +of cloth to each of Don Johns two sons, and three basins between them, +and had delivered 3 yards more cloth at the agreed weight of an angel +and 12 grains. That while remaining on shore for an answer, some +Portuguese had come running down the hill upon them, of which the +negroes had given them warning shortly before, but they understood them +not. The sons of Don John had conspired with the Portuguese against +them, so that they were almost taken by surprise; yet they recovered +their boat and pushed off from the shore, on which the Portuguese +discharged their calivers or muskets at them, but hurt none of them; in +revenge for which hostility, the people in the ship had fired off the +two guns formerly mentioned. We now laid _bases[251]_ into both the +boats and the skiff, manning and arming them all, and went again towards +the shore; but being unable to land on account of the wind, we lay off +at the distance of about 200 yards, whence we fired against the +Portuguese, but could not injure them as they were sheltered by the +hill. They fired upon us in return from the hills and rocks, the negroes +standing by to help them, more from fear than love. Seeing the negroes +in such subjection that they durst not deal with us, we returned on +board; and as the wind kept at east all night, we were unable to fetch +the Hind, but I took the boat and went on board in the night, to see if +any thing could be done there; and as in the morning we could perceive +that the town was overawed by the Portuguese like the other, we weighed +anchor and went along the coast to the eastwards. + +[Footnote 251: Formerly conjectured to be musquetoons, or +wall-pieces.--E.] + +This town of John de Viso stands on a hill like that of Don John, but +had been recently burnt, so that there did not remain above six houses +standing. Most of the gold on this part of the coast comes from the +interior country, and doubtless, if the people durst bring their gold, +which they are prevented from doing by the Portuguese, we might have got +abundance; but they are under such subjection to the Portuguese, that +they dare not trade with others. + +While coasting along on the 11th, we saw a small town about 4 leagues to +the east of that we last came from. About half a league farther was +another town upon a hill, and half a league beyond that another large +town on the coast, to which we went to try what could be done in the way +of trade, meaning, if unsuccessful, to return to the towns we had left +behind, in hopes that the Portuguese would leave them on our departure. +All the way from the castle of Mina to this place, there were very high +hills to be seen rising above other hills, all covered with wood, and +the coast was lined with great red cliffs close to the sea. The boats of +this coast are larger than those we had seen hitherto, as one of them +could carry 12 men, but they were still of the same form with all the +boats along the coast. About these towns there seemed few rivers, and +their language seemed the same with that at Don Johns town, every person +being able to speak a few words of Portuguese, which they constantly +used to us. About five o'clock P.M. we saw 22 of the native boats or +canoes going along shore to the westwards, on which we suspected some +treachery; wherefore on the 12th we made sail farther along the coast +eastwards, and descried more towns, in which there were some larger +houses than any we had hitherto seen, and from these the people came out +to look at us, but we could see no boats on the shore. Two miles beyond +the eastermost town there are black rocks, which continue to the +uttermost cape or point of the land for the space of a league, after +which the land runs E.N.E. Some negroes came down to these black rocks, +whence they waved a white flag for us to land; but as we were near the +principal town, we continued our course along shore, and when we had +opened the point of land we perceived another head-land about a league +farther on, having a rock lying off to sea, which was thought to be the +place of which were in search. On coming abreast of the town it was +recognized, and having anchored within half a mile of the shore in five +fathoms, with good ground, we put wares into our boat, and went near the +shore to endeavour to open trade. Anchoring close to the shore, about 10 +A.M. we saw many canoes on the beach, and some came past us, but no one +would draw near, being, as we supposed, afraid of us, as four men had +been forcibly taken away from thence the year before. Seeing that no one +came off to us, we went again on board, expecting to make no sales; but +towards evening a great number of people came to the shore and waved a +white flag, as inviting us to land, after which their chief or captain +came down with many men along with him, and sat down under a tree near +the shore. On seeing this I took some things with me in the boat to +present to him, and at length he sent off a boat to us which would not +come near, but made signs for us to return next day. At length, by +offering things for their captain, I enticed them into our boat, and +gave them two ells of cloth, a latten basin, a white basin, a bottle, a +large piece of beef, and six biscuits, which they received and made +signs for us to come back next day, saying that their chief was _grand +captain_, which indeed appeared by his numerous attendants, who were +armed with darts, targets, and other weapons. This town is very large, +and stands upon a hill among trees, so that it cannot well be seen +except when one is near. To the eastwards of it there are two very high +trees on a hill close to the town[27]; and under the town is another +and lower hill washed by the sea, where it is all composed of great +black rocks. Beyond this town there is another considerably smaller on a +bay. + +[252][Footnote 252: 27 It is added, _which is a good mark to know the +town_. But at this distance of time, above 250 years, such marks cannot +be supposed to remain.--E.] + + +In the morning of the 13th we took our boat and went close to the shore, +where we remained till ten o'clock, but no one came near us. We prepared +therefore to return on board, on seeing which some negroes came running +down and waved us back with a white flag, so we anchored again and they +made us to understand by signs that the chief would soon come down. In +the meantime we saw a sail pass by us, but being small we regarded it +not. As the sun was high, we made a tilt with our oars and sails. There +now came off to us a canoe with five men, who brought back our bottle, +and gave me a hen, making signs by the sun that within two hours the +merchants of the country would come and buy all we had. I gave them six +_manillios_ to present to their captain; and as they signified by signs +that they would leave a man with us if we gave them a pledge, we put one +of our men into their boat; but as they would not give us one of their +men, we took back our man again, and remained in expectation of the +merchants. Shortly afterwards there came down one of the natives to the +shore, arrayed like their captain, attended by a numerous train, who +saluted us in a friendly manner, and then sat down under a tree where +the captain used to sit in the former year. Soon afterwards we perceived +a great number of natives standing at the end of a hollow way, and +behind them the Portuguese had planted a base, which they suddenly +discharged, but its ball overshot us, though we were very near. Before +we could ship our oars to get away, they shot at us again, but did us no +harm; the negroes came to the rocks close beside us, whence they +discharged calivers at us, and the Portuguese shot off their base twice +more. On this our ship made some shots at them, but they were protected +by the rocks and hills. + +We now went on board to leave this place, as the negroes were bent +against us, because in the former year Robert Gainsh had taken away the +captains son from this place, with three others, and all their gold and +every thing else they had about them; owing to which they had become +friends to the Portuguese, whom they hated before, as appeared in the +former year when the Trinity was there; when the chief came on board +and brought them to his town, trading with them largely, and offering +them ground on which to build a fort[253]. The 14th we plied back to +meet the Hind, which we met in the morning, and then both ships sailed +eastwards to try what could be done at the place where the Trinity sold +her friezes in the preceding year. The day after we parted, the Hind had +taken eighteen and a half ounces of gold from some negroes in exchange +for wares. This day, about one P.M. we saw some canoes on the coast, +with men standing beside them, and going to them with merchandise, we +took three ounces of gold for eighteen _fuffs_ of cloth, each _fuffe_ +being three and a half yards, at the rate of one angel twelve grains the +_fuffe_. These people made us understand by signs that if we waited till +next day we might have plenty of gold. For this reason I sent off the +master with the Hind, accompanied by John Saville and John Makeworth, to +seek the other place, while I and Richard Pakeman remained here to try +our fortunes next day. When the negroes perceived the Hind going away +they feared the other ship would follow, wherefore they sent off four +men in two canoes, asking us to remain, and offering two men to remain +with us, if we would give one as a pledge or hostage for his safety. +Accordingly, one Edward, who was servant to Mr Morley, seeing them so +much in earnest, offered himself as a pledge, and we let him go for two +of them who staid with us, one of whom had his weights and scales, with +a chain of gold about his neck and another round his arm. These men eat +readily of such things as we had to give them, and seemed quite +contented. During the night, the negroes kept a light on shore over +against us; and about one o'clock, A.M. we saw the flash of a _base_, +which was twice shot off at the light, and then two _calivers_ were +discharged, which in the end we perceived came from a Portuguese +brigantine that followed us from place to place, to warn the natives to +have no dealings with us. + +[Footnote 253: In the margin, Hakluyt sets down the voyage of Robert +Gainsh to Guinea as in 1554; yet does not mention where that voyage is +to be found, or that it is the same voyage published in his second +edition, under the name of Lok, instead of Gainsh to whom it was +ascribed in his first edition. All the light we have into the matter +from the second edition, is from a marginal note at the beginning of +Loks voyage, in which Robert Gainsh is said to have been master of the +John Evangelist; neither is there any mention of this villainous +transaction in the relation of that voyage. Such crimes deserve severe +punishment; since a whole community may suffer for the fault of one bad +man.--Astl. I. 160, a.] + +In the morning of the 15th, the negro chief came down to the coast +attended by 100 men, bringing his wife along with him, and many others +brought their wives also, as they meant to remain by the sea side till +they had bought what they wanted, and their town was eight miles up the +country. Immediately on his arrival, the chief sent our man on board, +and offered to come himself if we would give two of our men in pledge +for him. I accordingly sent him two, but he only retained one, and came +on board accompanied by his wife and several friends, bringing me a goat +and two great roots, for which I gave him in return a latten basin, a +white basin, six _manillios_ and a bottle of _Malmsey_, and to his wife +a small casket. After this we began to adjust our measure and weight. He +had a weight of his own, equal to an angel and 14 grains, and required a +measure of 4-1/2 ells. In fine we concluded the 8th part[254], for an +angel and 20 grains; and before we had done he took my own weight and +measure. The 16th I took 8 libs. 1 oz. of gold. Since the departure of +the Hind I had not heard of her; but when our pledge went into the +country the first night he said that he saw her at anchor about 5 +leagues from us. The 17th I sold about 17 pieces of cloth, for which I +got 4 libs. 4-1/2 oz. of gold. The 18th the chief desired to purchase +some of our wine, offering half a gold ducat for a bottle; but I gave +him one freely, and made him and his train drink besides. This day I +took 5 libs. 5 oz. of gold. The 19th I sold about 18 pieces of cloth, +and took 4 libs. 4-1/2 oz. of gold. The 20th 3 libs. 6-1/4 oz; the 21st +8 libs. 7-1/4 oz; the 22d 3 libs. 8-1/4 oz: And about 4 o'clock this +night[255] the chief and all his people went away. The 23d we were waved +on shore by other negroes, and sold them cloth, caskets, knives, and a +dozen bells, for 1 lib. 10 oz. of gold. The 24th we sold bells, +sheets[256], and thimbles, for 2 libs. 1-1/4 oz. of gold. The 25th we +sold 7 doz. of small bells and other things, and finding their gold all +gone, we weighed and sailed to leewards in search of the Hind, which we +found about 5 o'clock, P.M. and understood she had made some sales. + +[Footnote 254: The meaning is here obscure; perhaps the word _less_ is +omitted, and the bargain was for a measure an eighth part less than that +originally proposed.--E.] + +[Footnote 255: Perhaps we should rather understand 4 o'clock next +morning?--E.] + +[Footnote 256: Perhaps this ought to be sheers or scissars?--E.] + +The 26th we received from the Hind 48 libs. 3-1/8 oz. of gold, which +they had taken while we were asunder; and this day, on the request of a +negro sent us by the chief, we went on shore with our merchandise and +took 7 libs, 1 oz. of gold. At this place they required no pledges from +us, yet sent every night a man to sleep on board, as an assurance that +they would come to us next day. The 27th in both ships we took 8 libs. +1-7/8 oz. of gold. The 28th we made sales to the amount of 1 lib. 1/3 +oz. for the company. The 29th in the morning we heard two caliver shots +on shore, which we judged might either be the Portuguese or some of +their negroes, and we accordingly manned our boats, armed ourselves and +our men, and went on shore, but they were gone off. The 30th we made +more sales both for the company and the masters. The 31st we sent our +boats on shore to take in sand for ballast; and our men met the negroes +with whom they had dealt the day before, who were now employed fishing, +and helped them to fill sand; and having now no gold, sold fish to our +men for their handkerchiefs and neckerchiefs. The 1st of February we +weighed and went to another place, where we took 1 lib. 9 1/3 oz. of +gold. The 2d we made more sales; but on taking a survey of our +provisions, we resolved not to stay much longer on the coast, most of +our drink being spent, and what remained turning sour. The 3d and 4th we +made some sales though not great; and finding the wind on this last day +come off shore, we set sail and went along the coast to the westwards. +Upon this coast, we found by experience that ordinarily, about 2 o'clock +in the night[257] the wind came off shore from N.N.E., and continued in +that direction till 8 o'clock in the morning, blowing all the rest of +the day and night at S.W. The tide or current on this shore goes +continually with the wind.[258] We continued our course along shore on +the 5th, expecting to have met some English ships, but found none. + +[Footnote 257: It is hard to say whether this means 2 hours after +sunset, or after midnight--E.] + +[Footnote 258: Apparently running from the east during the land breeze, +and from the west with the sea breeze--E.] + +The 6th February 1556, we altered our course S.W. leaving the coast, to +fetch under the line, and ran 24 leagues by estimation. By the 13th we +reckoned ourselves off Cape Palmas, and by the 22d we were by our +reckoning abreast of Cape Mount, 30 leagues west from the river Sestos +or Sestro. The 1st March we lost sight of the Hind in a tornado; on +which we set up a light and fired a gun, but saw nothing of her, +wherefore we struck sail and lay by for her, and in the morning had +sight of her 3 leagues astern. This day we found ourselves in the +latitude of Cape Verd which is in 14° 30' [14° 50' N.] Continuing our +course till the 29th, we were then in 22°, on which day one of our men +named William King died in his sleep, having been long sick. His clothes +were distributed among those of the crew who were in want of such +things, and his money was kept to be delivered to his friends at home. +The 30th we found ourselves under the tropic. On the 1st April we were +in the latitude of the Azores, and on the 7th of May we fell in with the +south of Ireland, where we sent our boat on shore for fresh water, and +where we bought two sheep and such other victuals as we needed from the +country people, who are wild _kernes_. The 14th of the same month we +went into the port of Bristol called Hungrode[259], where we cast anchor +in safety, giving God thanks for our happy arrival. + +[Footnote 259: Probably that now called King-road?--E.] + + +SECTION V. + +_Second Voyage to Guinea in 1556, by William Towerson_[260]. + + +On the 14th September 1556, we set sail from Harwich bound for the coast +of Guinea, in the Tiger of London of 120 tons, directing our coarse for +Scilly, where we expected to meet the Hart of London of 60 tons and a +pinnace of 16 tons, both of which had been fitted out and victualled at +Bristol. We arrived at Scilly on the 28th, and having lain to some time +for our consorts to no purpose, we sailed back to Plymouth on the 12th +October. They there joined us, and we sailed together from that port on +the 15th November. + +[Footnote 260: Hakluyt, II. 496. Astl. I. 162. + +Hitherto we have given these voyages to Guinea at full length, as they +are found in the collection of Hakluyt; but in this and the subsequent +early English voyages to Guinea, we have thought proper to abbreviate +such matters as seemed of small importance.--E.] + +We made the coast of Guinea on the 30th December, where we got sight of +three ships and two pinnaces which were to windward of us, on which we +made ourselves ready for action and gave them chase, hauling to the wind +as near as we could to gain the weather-gage. At first they made sail +from us, but having cleared for fighting they put about and came towards +us in brave order, their streamers, pennants and ensigns displayed, and +trumpets, sounding. When we met they still had the weather-gage of us, +yet were we firmly determined to have fought them if they had been +Portuguese, and hailed them to come under our lee, which they stoutly +refused. On demanding whence they were, they said from France; and we +then told them we were from London in England. They then told us there +were certain Portuguese ships gone to Mina to protect that place, and +that they had already burnt a Portuguese ship of 200 tons at the river +Sestro. The captain of the admiral ship and several other Frenchmen came +on board of us in a friendly manner, and proposed that we should join +company because of the Portuguese, and go together to Mina. We told them +that we had not yet watered, having just fallen in with the coast. They +said we were 50 leagues to leeward of Sestro river, but still water +might be had, and they would assist us in watering with their boats for +the sake of our company. They told us farther that they had been six +weeks on the coast, and had only got 3 tons of grains among them +all[261]. + +[Footnote 261: These ships were the Espoir of Harfleur, the admiral, of +which Denis Blundel was captain; the Levriere of Rouen, vice-admiral, +commanded by Jerome Baudet; and a ship of Houfleur, commanded by Jean de +Orleans.--E.] + +After hearing what they had to say, we considered that even if Mina were +clear of Portuguese ships, yet if the Frenchmen went before us they +would spoil our market: That if there were Portuguese ships at Mina, and +they took the French ships, they would learn that we were behind, and +would wait to take us likewise: And finally, if we went along with them +and found the coast clear, we would do as well as they; but if the +Portuguese remained on the coast we should be stronger in their company. +Wherefore, having thus considered their friendly offers, we told them +that we would confer more largely of the matter next day; upon which +they invited me to dine with them next day, and to bring with me the +masters of our ships and such merchants as I thought proper, offering to +supply us with water from their own ships if we would, or else to remain +with us and help us to water with their boats and pinnaces. In the +morning of the 31st, the French admiral sent his boat for me, and I went +on board his ship accompanied by our masters and some of our merchants. +He had provided a noble banquet for us, and treated us excellently, +requesting us to keep him company, promising to part with us what +victuals were in his ship, or any other things that could serve us, +even offering to strike his flag and obey my commands in all things. Not +being able to find water at that place, we set sail on the 1st January +1557, and anchored off the mouth of a river, where on the two following +days we procured water, and bought a few small elephants teeth. + +On the 4th of January we landed with 30 men, well armed with arquebuses, +pikes, long-bows, cross-bows, partizans, long swords, and swords and +bucklers, meaning to seek for elephants. We found two, which we wounded +several times with our fire-arms and arrows, but they both got away from +us and hurt one of our men. We sailed on the 5th, and next day fell in +with the river St Andrew, [in long. 6° 4' W.] The land is somewhat high +to the westward of this river, having a fine bay likewise to the +westward, but to the east the land is low. This is a great river, having +7 fathoms water in some places at its mouth. On the 7th we went into the +river, where we found no village, and only some wild negroes not used to +trade. Having filled our water casks here, we set sail to the eastward. +On the 10th we had a conference with Captain Blondel, the admiral of the +French ships, Jerome Baudet his vice-admiral, and Jean de Orleans, +master of the ship of 70 tons. We agreed to traffic in friendly accord, +so as not to hurt each others market, certain persons being appointed to +make a price for the whole, and then one boat from every ship to make +sales on the agreed terms. On the 11th, at a place called _Allow_[262], +we got only half an angel weight and 4 grains of gold, which was taken +by hand, the natives having no weights. + +[Footnote 262: Rather Lu how or La hu.--Astl. I 163. b.--The river +called Jack Lahows river, in Long. 4° 14' W.--E.] + +On the 14th we came within _Saker_ shot of the castle of Mina, whence an +Almadia was sent out to see what we were, but seeing that we were not +Portuguese, she went immediately back to the large negroe town of +_Dondou_ close by the castle. Without this there lie two great rocks +like islands, and the castle stands on a point resembling an island. At +some distance to the westwards the land for 5 or 6 leagues was high, but +for 7 leagues from thence to the castle the land is low, after which it +becomes high again. The castle of Mina is about 5 leagues east from Cape +Three-points[263]. Here I took the boat with our negroes, and, went +along the coast till I came to the cape, where I found two small towns +having no canoes, neither could we have any trade. At these places our +negroes understood the natives perfectly, and one of them went on shore +at all the places, where he was well received by his countrymen. At a +place called _Bulle_, about 3 leagues east from the eastermost point of +Cape Three-points, we learnt from the natives by means of our negro +George, that about a month before there had been an engagement at this +place, in which two ships had put one to flight; and that some time +before, one French ship had put to flight four Portuguese ships at the +castle of Mina. + +[Footnote 263: Mina is in Long. 1° 60', Cape Three points in 2 40' both +west, the difference of Longitude therefore is about 50 minutes, or +nearly 17 leagues.--E] + +On the 16th we went to a place called _Hanta_, 12 leagues beyond the +cape, but did no good, as the natives held their gold too dear. We went +thence to _Shamma_[264], where we landed with 5 boats well armed with +men and ordnance, making a great noise with our drums and trumpets, +suspecting we might have found Portuguese here, but there were none. We +sent our negroes first on shore, after which we followed and were well +received. The 18th we agreed to give the negroes 2 yards and 3 nails of +cloth, as a _fuffe_, to exchange for an angel-ducat weight; so we took +in all 70 ducats, of which the Frenchmen had 40 and we 30. The 19th I +took 4 libs. 2-1/2 oz. of gold, and the boat of the Hart had 21 oz. This +night we were informed by the negroes that the Portuguese meant to +attack us next day either by sea or land, and as we were about to return +on board we heard several shots in the woods, but they durst not come +near us. The 20th we went on shore well armed, but heard no more of the +Portuguese, and this day the negroes informed us there were some ships +come to _Hanta_, a town about 2 leagues to the west. The 21st we went in +our boats to a town a league to the west, where we found many negroes +under another chief, with whom we dealt on the same terms as at Shamma. +The 22d we went again on shore, and I got 1 lib. 4 oz. of gold. The 23d +the negroes told as that the Portuguese ships had departed from the +Mina, intending to ply to windward and then come down to fight us, +giving us warning to be on our guard. The 24th we went again on shore to +trade, and I invited the chief of the town to dinner. While we were +ashore on the 25th, our ships descried 5 sail of ships belonging to the +king of Portugal, and fired several shots to recall us on board. So we +went to the ships, but by the time that every thing was in order and we +had weighed anchor it was night, so that nothing could be done. We set +sail however and tried all night to gain the wind of the Portuguese, +some of which were very near during the night. One of them, which we +judged was their admiral, fired a shot, as we supposed to call the +others to come and speak with him. The 26th we came in with the shore, +and got sight of the Portuguese at anchor, on which we made sail towards +them, giving all our men white scarfs, that the French and we might know +each other in case of boarding: But night coming on before we could +fetch the Portuguese, we anchored within demi-culverine shot of them. + +[Footnote 264: Called Chama in modern maps, near the mouth of St Johns +river, about 6 leagues east from Mina.--E.] + +In the morning of the 27th, both we and the Portuguese weighed anchor, +and by 11 o'clock, A.M. we had gained the weather-gage, on which we went +room with them[265]: on this they bore away towards the shore, and we +after them, and when they were near shore they put about again to +seawards. We put about likewise, and gained a head of them, on which we +took in our topsails and waited for them. The first that came up was a +small bark, which sailed so well that she cared not for any of us, and +had good ordnance. As soon as she came up she discharged her guns at us +and shot past with ease, after which she fired at the French admiral and +struck his ship in several places; and as we were in our fighting sails, +she soon got beyond our reach. Then another caravel came up under our +lee, discharging her ordnance at us and at the French admiral, wounding +two of his men and shooting through his main-mast. After him came up the +Portuguese admiral also under our lee, but was not able to do us so much +harm as the small ships had done, as he carried his ordnance higher than +they; neither were we able to make a good shot at any of them, because +our ship was so weak in the side that she laid all her ordnance in the +sea[266]. We determined therefore to lay the Portuguese admiral on +board; but on making the attempt, the French admiral fell to leeward and +could not fetch him, after which he fell to leeward of two other +caravels, and was unable to fetch any of them. Being thus to leeward, +the French admiral kept on towards the shore and left us. We hoisted +our topsails and gave chase to the enemy, but both the other French +ships kept their wind and would not come near us, and our own consort +was so much astern that she could not get up to our assistance. When we +had followed them to seaward about two hours, the enemy put about +towards the land, thinking to pay us as they went past, and to gain the +wind of the French admiral which had gone in shore; but we put about +likewise keeping still the weather gage, expecting our consort and the +rest to have followed our example. But when the Portuguese had passed +our consort and the two French ships, firing as they went along, all of +these ships and our own pinnace continued to seawards, leaving us in the +_laps_, (lurch.) We continued our course after the enemy, keeping the +weather gage, that we might succour the French admiral who was to +leeward of them all; and on coming up with him, all the enemies ships +bore down and gave him their broadsides, after which they put about +again, but durst not board him as we were still to wind-wind of them, +otherwise they had certainly taken or sunk him. Three of their smallest +vessels were such prime sailors that it was quite impossible for any of +our ships to have boarded them, and they carried such ordnance that they +would have sore troubled any three of our ships; if they had been able +to gain the weather-gage. Their other ships, the admiral and +vice-admiral, were both notably appointed. + +[Footnote 265: Bore down upon them.--E.] + +[Footnote 266: Meaning apparently that she lay too much over to +leeward.--E.] + +When the French admiral was clear of them, he lay as near the wind as +possible and ran to seaward after the rest, while we followed the enemy +to leeward. Then seeing us alone and in chase, they put about, which we +did likewise to keep the wind of them, and in this situation we sailed +within _base_ shot of them, but they shot not at us, because we had the +weather gage and they could not therefore harm us. We continued in this +course till night, when we lost sight of them. All the rest of our ships +made to seawards with all the sail they could carry; and, as they +confessed themselves afterwards, they gave us their prayers, and no +other help had we at their hands. + +Next day, the 28th, we rejoined our own consort and pinnace, and two of +the French ships, but the third, which was a ship of 80 tons belonging +to Rouen, had fled. I took my skiff and went to them to know why they, +had deserted me. John Kire said his ship would neither rear nor +stear[267]. John Davis said the pinnace had broke her rudder, so that +she could sail no farther, and had been taken in tow by the Hart. I +found the French admiral to be a man of resolution, but half his crew +was sick or dead. The other Frenchman said his ship could bear no sail, +and 16 of his men were sick or dead, so that he could do nothing. After +this the French ships durst not come to anchor for fear of the +Portuguese. + +[Footnote 267: Meaning perhaps, would neither wear nor tack?--E.] + +The 29th, on finding our pinnace incapable of farther use, we took out +her four bases, anchor, and every thing of value, and set her on fire, +after which we ran along the coast. On the 3d February we anchored about +4 leagues from a town, which we saluted with two guns, on which the +chief came to the shore, to whom I sent Thomas Rippon who knew him. +After some conference, the chief came off to me; as it was become late, +he did not enter into bargain for any price, but exchanged pledges and, +returned on shore. Next day I went on shore, and though some French +ships had been there and spoiled the market, I took 5-1/2 oz. of gold. +The 5th I took 8-1/2 oz. but could perceive that the negroes thought the +French cloth better and broader than ours; wherefore I told Captain +Blundel that I would go to leeward, as where he was I should do no good. +The 6th there came an Almadie or canoe to us with some negroes, inviting +me to their town, where they had plenty of gold and many merchants. I +did so, but could do no good that night, as the merchants were not come +from the interior. On the 7th our negro George came to us, having +followed us at least 30 leagues in a small canoe, and soon after his +arrival we settled the terms of dealing with the natives. George had +been left in Shamma at the time of the fight, which he saw from the +shore, and told us that the Portuguese had gone afterwards into that +river, when they said that two of their men had been slain by a shot, +which was from our ship. This day I took 5 libs. 1-1/4 oz. of gold; the +8th 19 libs. 3-1/2 oz.; the 9th 2 libs. 6-1/2 oz.; the 10th 3 libs. The +11th. Jerome Baudet, the French vice-admiral, came to us in his pinnace, +saying that they could do no good where they were, and that he meant to +go to the eastwards: But we told him this could not be allowed, and +desired him to return to his comrades, which he refused; till we shot +three or four pieces at his pinnace; on which his ship put about and ran +out to sea followed by the pinnace. This day I took 1 lib. 5 oz. + +The 12th one of the French pinnaces came with cloth, but we would not +allow them to trade, and made them remain all day close to our ship. +This day we took 5 lib. 6-1/2 oz. The 17th we went to another town, +where we understood that three of the Portuguese ships were at the +castle, and the other two at Shamma. Though the Portuguese were so near +that they might have been with us in three hours, we yet resolved to +remain and make sales if we could. The chief of this town was absent at +the principal town of the district visiting the king, but came soon back +with a weight and measure. The 18th some of the kings servants came to +us, and we took 1 lib. 2-1/8 oz. of gold. The 19th we took 5 libs. 1 oz. +the 20th 1 lib. 4 oz; the 21st 4 libs. 1 oz; the 22d 3-1/2 oz. + +Having sent one of our merchants with a present to the king, he returned +on the 23d, saying that he had been received in a friendly manner by +_Abaan_, who had little gold but promised if we would stay that he would +send all over his country in search of gold for us, and desired our +people to request our king to send men to his country to build a fort, +and to bring tailors with them to make them apparel, and to send good +wares and we should be sure to sell them; but that the French had for +the present filled the market with cloth. This town where the king Abaan +resides, is about 4 leagues up the country, and in the opinion of our +people who were there is as large in circumference as London, though all +built like those we had already seen. Around the town there was great +abundance of the wheat of the country, insomuch that on one side of it +they saw 1000 ricks of wheat and of another sort of grain called _mill_ +or millet, which is much used in Spain. All round this town there is +kept a good nightly watch, and across all the roads or paths they have +cords stretched and connected with certain bells; so that if any one +touch the cords the bells, immediately ring to alarm the watchmen, on +which they run out to see what is the matter. In case of any enemies, +they have nets suspended over the paths ready to let fall and entangle +them. It is impossible to get to the town except by the regular paths, +as it is every where environed with trees and thick underwood; besides +which the town is surrounded by a fence of sedge bound with thick ropes +made of the bark of trees[268]. + +[Footnote 268: It is hard to discover what place this was. Perhaps it +was _Great Commendo_ or _Guaffo_, which stands on a river that runs by +the town of the _Mina_, and is still the residence of a negro king; in +which case the port they put in at might have been little _Commendo._ +But the royal city is very far from being as large as London was in +1556, not having above 400 houses. The contrivance for apprizing the +watchmen of the approach of an enemy, and for taking them prisoners, +seems a notable invention of our countrymen; for surely an enemy might +easily destroy these net-traps to catch soldiers, these pack-thread +fortifications.--Astl. 1. 167. a.] + +As in this country it is necessary to travel in the night to avoid the +heat of the day, our men came to the town about five in the morning. +About nine the king sent for them, as no one must go to him unless sent +for, and they proposed carrying their present, but were told they must +be brought before him three times, before their gift could be offered. +They then waited upon him and were graciously received. And having been +sent for three several times, they carried their present the last time, +which was thankfully accepted; and calling for a pot of Palm wine, the +king made them drink. Before drinking they use the following ceremonies: +On bringing out the pot of wine, a hole is made in the ground into which +a small quantity of the wine is poured, after which the hole is filled +up, and the pot set on the place. Then with a small cup made of a gourd +shell, they take out a little of the wine, which is poured on the ground +in three several places. They set up likewise some branches of the Palm +tree in different parts of the ground, where they shed some of the wine, +doing reverence to the palms. All these ceremonies being gone through, +the king took a gold cup full of wine which he drank off, all the people +calling out Abaan! Abaan! together with certain words, as is usual in +Flanders on twelfth night, _the king drinks._ When he had drank, then +the wine was served round to every one, and the king allowed them to +depart. Then every one bowed three times, waving his hands, and so +departed. The king has usually sitting beside him, eight or ten old men +with grey beards. + +On the 23d we took 1 lib. 10 oz. of gold; the 24th 3 lib. 7 oz.; the +25th 3-1/4 oz.; the 26th 2 libs. 10 oz.; the 27th 2 libs. 5 oz.; the +28th 4 libs. Then seeing that there was no more gold to be had, we +weighed anchor and continued along the coast. The 1st of March we came +to a town called _Moure_, where we found neither boats nor people; but +when about to depart there came some people to us in two canoes from +another town, from whom we took 2-1/2 oz. of gold, and who told us that +the inhabitants had removed from Mowre to _Lagoua._[269]. The 2d we were +abreast the castle of Mina, where we saw all the five Portuguese ships +at anchor, and by night we were off Shamma or Chama, where we meant to +water. But next day we saw a tall ship of about 200 tons to windward +within two leagues, and then two more astern of her, one a ship of 500 +tons or more and the other a pinnace. Upon this we weighed anchor, and +made a shirt to stand out to sea, the wind being S.S.W., but the Hart +fell three leagues to leeward of us. These ships chased us from 9 A.M. +till 5 P.M. but could not make up with us. At night, when we joined the +Hart, on asking why she fell to leeward, they pretended that they durst +not make sail to windward, lest they had carried away their +fore-top-mast. Having been thus obliged to abandon our watering-place, +we were under the necessity of boiling our meat-in sea-water, and to +reduce our allowance of drink to make it hold out, as we now shaped our +course homewards. + +[Footnote 269: Mowree is 4-1/2 leagues east from the castle of Minas, +and Lagoua or Laguy is 9 leagues east from the same place.--Astl. I. +168. a.] + +On the 16th of March we fell in with the land, which I judged to be Cape +Misurado, about which there is much high land. The 18th we lost sight of +the Hart, and I think the master wilfully went in shore on purpose to +lose us, being offended that I had reproved him for his folly when +chased by the Portuguese. The 27th we fell in with two small islands +about 6 leagues off Cape Sierra Leona; and before we saw them we +reckoned ourselves at least 30 or 40 leagues from them. Therefore all +who sail this way must allow for the current which sets N.N.W. or they +will be much deceived. The 14th April we met two large Portuguese ships, +which we supposed were bound to Calicut. The 23d we saw a French ship of +90 tons to windward of us, which came down upon us as if to lay us on +board, sending up some of his men in armour into the tops, and calling +out to us to strike. Upon this we saluted him with some cross-bars, +chain-shot, and arrows, so thick that we made their upper works fly +about their ears, and tore his ship so miserably, that he fell astern +and made sail. Our trumpeter was a Frenchman, at this time ill in bed; +yet he blew his trumpet till he could sound no more, and so died. The +29th we arrived at Plymouth, and gave thanks to God for our safety. + + + +SECTION VI. + +_Third Voyage of William Towerson to Guinea, in 1558_[270]. + + +On the 30th of January of the above year, we set sail from Plymouth with +three ships and a pinnace, bound by the grace of God for the Canaries +and the coast of Guinea. Our ships were the Minion, admiral; the +Christopher, vice-admiral; the Tiger, and a pinnace called the Unicorn. +Next day we fell in with two hulks[271] of Dantziek, one called the Rose +of 400 tons, and the other the Unicorn of 150, both laden at Bourdeaux, +mostly with wine. We caused them to hoist out their boats and come on +board, when we examined them separately as to what goods they had on +board belonging to Frenchmen[272]. At first they denied having any; but +by their contradictory stories, we suspected the falsehood of their +charter parties, and ordered them to produce their bills of lading. They +denied having any, but we sent certain persons to the place where they +were hid, and thus confronted their falsehood. At length they confessed +that there were 32 tons and a hogshead of wine in the Unicorn belonging +to a Frenchman, and 128 tons in the Rose belonging to the, same person; +but insisted that all the rest was laden by Peter Lewgues of Hamburgh, +and consigned to Henry Summer of Campvere. After a long consultation, +considering that to capture or detain them might lose our voyage, +already too late, we agreed that each of our ships should take out as +much as they could stow for necessaries, and that we should consider +next morning what was farther to be done. We accordingly took out many +tuns of wine, some aquavitae, cordage, rosin, and other things, giving +them the rest of the Frenchmans wines to pay for what we had taken of +their own, and took a certificate under their hands of the quantity of +French goods they had confessed to, and then allowed them to continue +their voyage. + +[Footnote 270: Hakluyt, II. 504. Astley, I. 169.--In the last London +edition of Hakluyt, 1810, it is dated erroneously in 1577, but we learn +from the editor of Astley's Collection that in the edition 1589, it is +dated in 1557. Yet, notwithstanding that authority, we may be assured +that the date of this voyage could not have been earlier than January +1558, as Towerson did not return from his former voyage till the 29th of +April 1557.--E.] + +[Footnote 271: Probably meaning large unwieldy ships.--E] + +[Footnote 272: It is to be noted, that at this time there was war +between England and France.--This observation is a side note of Hakluyt: +And it may be worth while to notice that, so early as 1557, free bottoms +were not considered by the English as making free goods.--E.] + +The 10th January we had sight of the grand Canary, and on the 12th we +anchored in the road, a league from the town, where we were well +received. We went to the town with two English merchants who resided +there, and remained that day at their house. The second day following we +returned on board to get our pinnace repaired, which had broken her +rudder, and to deliver our merchandize. The 14th there came nineteen +sail of Spanish ships into the road, bound for the West Indies, six of +them being of 400 or 500 tons each, and the rest of 200, 150, and 100 +tons. On coming to anchor they saluted us, which we returned. The +Spanish admiral, who was a knight, sent a boat for me, and received me +in a friendly manner, desiring to learn the news of England and +Flanders. After partaking of a banquet, I departed; and when I was in +the boat, he desired my interpreter to say that he expected I should +strike my flag to him, as general of the Emperors fleet. When I was come +on board my own ship this was told me by the interpreter, and as I +refused compliance and continued to display my ensign, some Spanish +soldiers began to discharge their arquebusses at us. At this time some +Spanish gentlemen came on board to see our ship, to whom I said that if +they did not order their men to cease firing, I would fire my cannon +through their ships. They accordingly went away and made their soldiers +give over firing, and coming back said that they had punished their men. +I then shewed them our ship, and gave them such cheer as I had, which +they were well pleased with. Next day they sent for me to dine with +them, saying their general was sorry any one should have desired me to +strike my flag, which had been done without his orders. + +The 17th we set sail, and got sight of the coast of Africa, and running +along shore came off Rio del Oro which is almost under the tropic of +Cancer. The 25th we got sight of the land in the bay to the north of +Cape Verd[273]. The 26th taking our interpreter Francisco and Francis +Castelin along with me in the pinnace, I went to the Tiger, which was +nearer shore than the other ships. With her and the other ships we ran +W. by S. and W.S.W, till about 4 o'clock, P.M. when we were close on +board the cape. Then going about 4 leagues beyond the cape S.W. we found +a fair island, and beside that two or three islands of high rocks, full +of various kinds of sea fowl and pigeons, with other kinds of land +birds, and so numerous that the whole island was covered with their +dung, and as white as if the whole had been covered by chalk. Within +these islands was a fine bay; and close by the rocks we had 18 fathoms +and good ground[274]. The 27th, as no negroes came to us, we went along +shore in the pinnace, and going beyond the point of the bay (Cape +Emanuel) we found a fair island (_Goree_) with a goodly bay, and saw +some negroes on the main who waved us on shore. Going a-land, they told +us that they had elephants teeth, musk[275], and hides for traffic; but +as the captain of the Christopher was not willing to stop, we went on +board and made sail, On inquiry, some of the negroes said there had been +no ships there for 8 months, others said six, and some only four, and +that they were French ships. + +[Footnote 273: The bay of Yof, in lat. 15° N. long. 17° 20' W. from +Greenwich.--E.] + +[Footnote 274: Obviously the Bird isles, which are 4-1/2 leagues E.S.E. +from Cape Verd, not W.S.W. as in the text.--E.] + +[Footnote 275: What is here called musk must have either been civet or +ambergris.--E.] + +The 10th of March we fell in with the coast of Guinea, 5 leagues east of +Cape _Monte_, beside a river called Rio das Palmas. At this place I got +19 elephants teeth, and 2 1/2oz. of gold. The 13th we came to Rio +Sestro, and next day sent our boats for water, and delivered such wares +to the Christopher and Tiger as they needed. The 15th we sent the Tiger +to another river for water, and to try what she could do for grains. We +here learnt that three French ships had been at this river two months +before, two six weeks ago, and one only a fortnight past, all of which +had gone eastwards to the Mina. Getting few grains, and many of our men +falling sick at this unwholesome place, and considering that the French +ships were before us, we left the Rio Sestro on the 19th, and made all +sail for the Mina[276]. The 21st we came to Rio de Potos, where our +boats went for water, and where I got 12 small elephants teeth. The 31st +we came to _Hanta_, where I sold some _Manillios_. + +On the 1st of April we had sight of 5 Portuguese ships, on which we +stood out to sea to gain the wind of them, which we had done if the +wind had kept its ordinary course at S.W. and W.S.W. but this day it +kept with a _flow_ always at E. and E.S.E. so that they had the wind of +us and chased us to leeward till near night, when all but one that +sailed badly were within shot of us. It then fell calm, and the wind +came round to S.W. at which time the Christopher was about 4 leagues to +leeward of us. We tacked in the Minion, and gained the wind of the +Portuguese admiral and other three of his ships; when he cast about and +fired at us, which we returned, shooting him four or five times through. +Several of their shots went through our sails, but none of our men were +hurt. The Christopher was still to leeward, though the Tiger and the +pinnace had joined us; but as it was night we did not think it +adviseable to lay him on board; wherefore, after firing two hours or +more, we three stood out to sea, and fired a gun to give notice to the +Christopher. We joined the Christopher on the 2d, which had exchanged +shots with the Portuguese the night before about midnight, and we agreed +to seek the Portuguese, keeping however to windward of the place where +we meant to trade. We accordingly ran all day on the 3d to the S.W. in +search of the Portuguese ships, but could not see them, and stood +towards the shore at night. When we made the shore on the 4th, we found +ourselves off Lagua, 30 leagues to the eastwards of our reckoning, owing +to the currents setting east. Going on shore with our negro interpreter, +we learned that there were four French ships on the coast: One at +_Perinnen_, 6 leagues west of Lagua; one at _Weamba[277]_, 4 leagues +east of Lagua; a third at _Perecow[9]_, 4 leagues east of Weamba; and +the fourth at _Egrand[10]_, 4 leagues east of Perecow. We accordingly +proceeded toward Weamba, where we saw one of the French ships under sail +to which we gave chase; and lest we should over-shoot her in the night, +the Minion was brought to anchor, and the Tiger and Christopher followed +the chase all night. + +[Footnote 276: The Mina is here to be considered as the gold coast of +Guinea, called Mina or the mines on account of its great produce in gold +dust. The castle of St George del Mina, is usually called in these early +voyages _the castle._--E.] + +[Footnote 277: Or Wiamba, where the English had afterwards a +fort.--Astl. I. 172. d.] + +[278][Footnote 278: 9 This seems to have been little Barakhow, or +Berow.--Astl. I. 172. c.] + +[279][Footnote 279: 10 Probably Akkara, where the English, Dutch, and +Danes had afterwards separate forts--Astl. 1.172. d.] + +The 5th we found three French ships at anchor: One called _La Foi_ of +Harfleur of 200 tons, the second the _Venturuse_ of Harfleur of 100, and +third the _Mulet de Batville_ of Rouen of 120 tons. On nearing them, we +in the Minion were determined to lay the admiral on board, while the +Christopher boarded the vice-admiral, and the Tiger the smallest. But +they weighed and got under sail, on which the Christopher, being our +headmost ship, bore down on La Foi, and we in the Minion on the Mulet, +which we took; but the Venturuse sailed so swift that we could not take +her. The one we took was the richest except the admiral, which had taken +80 libs, of gold, the Venturuse having only 22 libs.; while our prise +had 50. They had been above two months on the coast; but three others +had been there before them, and had departed a month before our arrival, +having swept the coast of 700 pounds of gold. Having continued the chase +all that day and night, and the next day till 3 P.M. and being unable to +get up with them, we were afraid of falling too far to leewards, and +made sail back to the shore. On the 7th, I convened the captains +masters and merchants of all our three ships, when we weighed the gold +taken in the prize, being 50 libs. 5 oz., after which we put men out of +all our ships into the prize to keep her. On the 12th, on coming to +_Egrand_, having taken all the goods out of the prize, we offered to +sell the ship to the Frenchmen; but she was so leaky that they would not +have her, and begged us to save their lives by taking them into our +ships. So we agreed to take out all the victuals and sink the ship, +dividing the men among us. + +On the 15th, it was proposed to proceed to Benin, but most of our people +refused; wherefore it was agreed to remain as long as we could on the +coast of Mina, leaving the Minion at Egrand, sending the Tiger to +Perecow 4 leagues, west, and the Christopher to Weamba 10 leagues west, +with directions in case of seeing any force they were unable to cope +with, to come to leewards to us in the Minion at Egrand. We remained +here till the last of April, by which time many of our men fell sick and +six of them died, and we could only trade with the natives three or four +days of the week, as on the other days they could not come off to us. +The 3d May, as the pinnace had not come to us with cloth from the other +ships, as promised, we sold French cloth, giving only three yards for +every _fuffe_. The 5th the negroes left us, saying they would be back in +four days. The 8th all our own cloth being sold, I called the people +together, to ask them whether they chose to remain till the prize cloth +was all sold. They answered, that as several of our men were dead, and +twenty now sick, they would not tarry, but desired that we should repair +to the other two ships. On the 10th we accordingly sailed in quest of +the other ships, meaning to try what we could do at Don Johns town. The +11th we joined the Christopher, which had done little. The 13th the +Tiger was sent down to Egrand, as we found no trade worth while at +Perinnen. The 14th the pinnace was sent with cloth to Weamba, where she +had before got 10 libs. of gold. + +The 21st we anchored before Don Johns town; and on the 22d we manned our +boats and went close in shore, but the negroes would not come to us. The +24th our pinnace came to us from Cormantine, where they had taken 2 +libs. 5 oz. of gold. The 25th the master of the Christopher sent his +boat on shore at Mowre for ballast, when the negroes attempted to drive +them off with stones; but our men slew and hurt several of them, then +burnt their town and stove all their canoes. The 27th we went to +Cormantine, where we were joined next day by the Christopher. The 2d +June the Tiger came to us from Egrand and the pinnace from Weamba, the +two having procured 50 libs. of gold. The 4th we made sail and plied to +windward for Chama, not being able to remain longer for want of +victuals, and especially as our drink ran short. The 7th we saw five +Portuguese ships at anchor beside the castle. The 8th George and Binny +came off to us, and brought about 2 libs. of gold. The 21st we put 25 +Frenchmen into our pinnace with such victuals as we could spare, and +sent them away. The 25th we put to sea on our homeward voyage. The 30th +we fell in again with the land, 18 leagues to leeward of the place +whence we had taken our departure, having been deceived by the current +which sets continually towards the east. The 7th July we fell in with +the island of San Thome [280], where we wished to come to anchor; but +the wind coming about we again made sail. From that time till the 13th +we were tossed about by baffling winds, and that day fell in again with +San Thome. + +[Footnote 280: They must have fallen far to leeward, as San Thome is to +the east of the Bight of Benin, almost 8 degrees or 160 leagues to the +east of St George del Mina.--E.] + +This is a very high island, and being on the west side of it, we had +sight of a very high small and upright peak, like the steeple of a +church, which peak is directly under the equator, and to the westward of +the south end of the island there is a small islet about a mile from the +larger one. The 3d of August we set sail from San Thome with the wind at +S.W. The 22d we fell in with the island of _Salt_, one of the Cape +Verds; and being told by a Scotsman whom we had taken among the French +on the coast of Guinea, that there were fresh provisions to be had at +this place, we came to anchor. The 24th we went on shore, where we found +no houses, and only saw four men who would not come near us. We found +plenty of goats, but so wild that we could only take three or four of +them; but we got plenty of fish, and great quantities of sea-fowl on a +small isle close to the larger one. At night the Christopher broke her +cable and lost an anchor, so that we were all obliged to weigh and put +to sea. On this occasion the Scotsman was left on shore, by what means +we could not tell, unless that he had been found asleep by the +inhabitants and carried off-prisoner. + +The 25th the master of the Tiger came on board, and reported his ship to +be in so leaky a condition and his men so weak, that he was unable to +keep her afloat, and requested therefore that we would return to the +island to take every thing out of her, that she might be abandoned: This +day on mustering the companies of all the three ships, we had not above +30 sound men altogether[281]. The 25th we had sight of St Nicholas, and +the day following of St Lucia, St Vincent, and St Anthony, four of the +Cape Verd islands, which range with each other from N.W. by W. to S. E +by E. The 26th we were unable to weather the Cape of St Anthony, and +this day Philip Jones the master of the Christopher came on board and +reported that they were not able to keep the Tiger from sinking as she +was so leaky, and the master and crew were very weak. The 3d September I +went on board the Tiger, accompanied by the masters and merchants to +survey her, and we found her in a very leaky condition with only six men +fit for duty, one of whom was master gunner. It was agreed accordingly +to take all the men into the other ships, with all the goods we could +save, and then to abandon her. We began discharging her on the 5th, and +having taken out her guns, victuals, gold, and every thing we could by +the 8th, we set her adrift in lat. 25° N. + +[Footnote 281: At this place Hakluyt observes in a note, the +great inconvenience of staying late on the coast of Guinea. He ought +rather to have said, the impropriety of sailing too late for that +coast.--E.] + +On the 6th October, the ships companies both of the Minion and +Christopher being very weak, so as to be scarce able to keep the sea, we +agreed to make for Vigo, which is frequented by many English ships; but +having a fair wind for England on the 10th, we fired two shots to give +notice to the Christopher of our intention, and immediately shaped our +course homewards. She followed us, and we carried a light to direct her +way; but it was so thick next morning that we could not see her, and as +she was not seen all that day we concluded she had either shot ahead of +us in the night or had bore up for Spain, for which reason we hoisted +our top-sails and continued our course, being then 120 leagues from +England and 45 leagues N.W. by W. from Cape Finister, having then only +six mariners and six merchants in health. The 16th we had a great storm +at W.S.W. by W. which came on about 6 P.M. and our men being very weak +and unable to hand our sails, we that night lost our mainsail, foresail, +and spritsail, and were obliged to _lie hulling_ till the 18th, when we +got up an old foresail; and finding ourselves now in the Channel, we +bore up for the coast of England. In less than two hours the old +foresail was blown from the yard by a spurt of wind, and we were again +forced to lie to till the morning of the 19th, when we got up an old +bonnet, or topsail, on the fore-yard, which by the blessing of God +brought us to the Isle of Wight in the afternoon of the 20th. + + * * * * * + +_Commodities most in request in Guinea, between Sierra Leone and the +farthest extremity of the Mine or Gold Coast[282]._ + + MANILS of brass, and some of lead. + Basins of various sorts, but chiefly of latten. + Pots holding a quart or more, of coarse tin. + Some wedges of iron. + Margarites, and other low priced beads. + Some blue coral. + Some horse nails. + Linen cloth, principally. + Basins of Flanders. + Some low priced red cloth, and kersies. + Dutch kettles with brass handles. + Some large engraved brass basins, like those usually set upon. + their cupboards in Flanders. + Some large pewter basins and ewers, graven. + Some lavers for holding water. + Large low priced knives. + Slight Flemish caskets. + Low priced Rouen chests, or any other chests. + Large pins. + Coarse French coverlets. + Good store of packing sheets. + +Swords, daggers, prize-mantles and gowns, cloaks, hats, red cans, +Spanish blankets, axe heads, hammers, short pieces of iron, slight +bells, low priced gloves, leather bags, and any other trifling articles +you will. + +[Footnote 282: This list is appended in Hakluyt's Collection, II.513. to +the present voyage, and is therefore here retained, though several of +the articles are scarcely intelligible.--E.] + + +SECTION VII. + +_Notices of an intended Voyage to Guinea, in 1561[283]._ + + +In 1561, a voyage was projected to Guinea by Sir William Gerard, knight, +in conjunction with Messrs William Hunter, Benjamin Gonson, Anthony +Hickman, and Edward Castelin. Only one ship, the Minion, was to have +gone, and seems to have been intended to assist and bring home the +Primrose and Flower de Luce, then on the coast. The command of the +Minion was to have been given to John Lok, probably the same person who +made the Guinea voyage in 1554, already inserted. The adventurers sent +the following articles of instruction to Mr Lok, dated 8th September +1561. But Lok declined undertaking the voyage for the following reasons, +dated Bristol, 11th December 1561. 1. The Minion was so spent and +rotten, as to be incapable of being put into a fit and safe condition +for the voyage. 2. The season was too far gone to perform the voyage in +safety. 3. He understood that four large Portuguese ships were in +readiness to intercept him. 4. It was quite uncertain that he should +meet the Primrose, which would have completed her voyage before he could +get to the coast, or would have been obliged to quit the coast by that +time for want of provisions. It will be seen in the succeeding section, +that the Minion actually proceeded on her voyage; on the 25th February +1562, and the unsuccessful events of that voyage fully justify the +refusal of Lok. + +[Footnote 283: Hakluyt, II. 514. Astl I. 176.--As this voyage did not +take place, it is principally inserted here for the sake of the +instructions devised by the adventurers, for the conduct of the intended +expedition--E.] + + * * * * * + +_Remembrance for Mr Lok, at his Arrival on the Coast of Guinea._ + + +When God shall bring you upon the coast of Guinea, you are to make +yourself acquainted, as you proceed along the coast, with all its +rivers, havens and harbours or roadsteads, making a plat or chart of the +same, in which you are to insert every place that you think material, +all in their true elevations. You will also diligently inquire what are +the commodities to be procured it the several places you visit, and what +wares are best calculated for their markets. + +As it is believed that a fort on the coast of Mina or the Gold Coast of +Guinea, in the King of _Habaan's_ country, might be extremely useful, +you are especially desired to consider where such a fort could be best +placed, in which you will carefully note the following circumstances. + +1. That the situation be adjoining to the sea on one side, so that ships +and boats may conveniently load and unload--2. What is the nature of the +soil in its neighbourhood?--3. What wood or timber may be had, and in +what manner it may be carried?--4. What victuals are to be procured in +the country, and what kinds of our victuals are best calculated for +keeping there?--5. The place must be strong by nature, or capable of +being made strong at small expence, and of being afterwards defended by +a small number of men.--6. How water is to be procured, if none is to be +had on the ground where the fort is to stand, or at least near it?--7. +What help may be expected from the natives, either in building the fort, +or in defending it afterwards? + +You are to sound the King of Habaan at a distance as to the erection of +a fort in his country, taking notice how he relishes the proposal; yet +you will so manage your communication with him that he may not +understand your meaning, although there may seem good cause for its +erection. + +You will search the country as far as you can, both along the coast and +into the interior. You will likewise use your endeavours to learn what +became of the merchants who were left at Benin. In all other important +matters worthy of notice, we have no doubt that you will diligently +inquire and report to us, which we leave to your good discretion. We +also request, that you will aid and assist our factors on all occasions, +both with your advice and otherwise; and thus God send you safely to +return. + + +SECTION VIII. + +_Voyage to Guinea in 1562, written by William Rutter_[284]. + + +This relation is said by Hakluyt to have been written by _one_ William +Rutter, to his master Anthony Hickman, being an account of a voyage to +Guinea in 1562, fitted out by Sir William Gerard, Sir William Chester, +Thomas Lodge, Anthony Hickman, and Edward Castelin. Three of these are +named in the preceding section as adventurers in the voyage proposed to +have gone under John Lok, and two of those former adventurers are here +omitted, while two others seem now to have supplied their places, yet it +appears to have been the same adventure, as the Minion was the ship +employed, notwithstanding the unfavourable report made of her by Lok. +But it would appear that the Primrose was likewise of this voyage, as +this relation is contained in a letter from Rutter to his master, dated +on board the Primrose, 16th of August 1563.--E. + +[Footnote 284: Hakluyt, II. 516. Astley, I. 177.] + + * * * * * + +Worshipful Sir,--My duty remembered, this shall serve to inform you of +our voyage, since our departure from Dartmouth on the 25th February +1562, of which I then gave you notice. Having prosperous wind, we +arrived at Cape Verd on the 20th of March, whence we sailed along the +coast, to our first appointed port at Rio de Sestos, where we arrived on +the morning of the 3d April. We here saw a French ship, which +immediately made sail to leeward, and we came to anchor in the road. +While we merchants were on shore engaged in traffic, the French ship +returned and hailed [_saluted_] our ship with his ordnance. We were +informed by the negroes that the Frenchman had been trading there for +three days before our arrival, and we concluded, if he sent his boat on +shore again for trade, that we would not suffer him till we had +conferred with his captain and merchants. Accordingly his pinnace came +on shore in the afternoon, but we desired them not to trade till we had +spoken with their captain and merchants, whom we desired might come that +night on board our admiral for that purpose. They did so accordingly, +when Mr Burton and John Munt went on board the Minion, where the +Frenchmen were, and it was determined that they should wait eight days +beside us, allowing us to trade quietly the while. They were much +dissatisfied with this arrangement, and sailed next morning eastwards to +the Rio de Potos, on purpose to hinder our trade on the coast. + +In consequence of this the merchants, both of the Minion and our ship, +determined to go on before them, understanding that no other ships had +gone that way before this season, and that our trade might not be +interrupted by the French ship. We did so accordingly, and found the +Frenchman trading to the westward at Rio de Potos, on which we passed +them, and came to Rio de Potos on the 12th of April, where we remained +trading till the 15th, when we departed with the Primrose for the river +St Andrew, where we agreed to wait for the Minion. We arrived at that +river on the 17th, and the Minion came to us that same day, saying that +they had met with a great ship and a caravel, belonging to the king of +Portugal, off cape Palmas, bound for the Mina, which had chased them, +and shot many guns at them, which the Minion had returned in her +defence. God be praised the Minion had no harm at that time. We then +concluded to hasten to cape Three-points, to endeavour to intercept them +on their way to the castle. We lay to off the cape for two days and a +night, and suspecting they were past, the Minion went in shore and sent +her boats to a place called _Anta_, where we had formerly traded. Next +morning, the 21st of April, we again saw the ship and caravel to +seaward, when we immediately made sail, endeavouring to get between them +and the castle, but to our great grief they got to the castle before us, +when they shot freely at us and we at them, but as they had the aid of +the castle against us we profited little. + +We set sail in the afternoon, and came to the town of Don Juan, called +_Equi_, where, on the morning of the 22d, we went ashore to trade: But +the negroes refused till they should hear from Don Luis the son of Don +Juan, who was now dead. On the 23d Don Luis and Pacheco came to Equi, +intending to trade with us; but two gallies came rowing along shore from +the castle of Mina, meaning to interrupt our trade. We made sail on the +24th, and chased the gallies back to the castle, at which the negroes +were much pleased; but they desired us to proceed to _Mowre_, about +three leagues farther on, where they promised to follow us, being in +fear of the Portuguese. We did so, and remained there waiting for the +merchants who were coming with gold from the country, but Antonio, the +son of Don Luis, and Pacheco were on board the Minion. In the morning of +the 25th the two gallies came again from the castle, the weather being +very calm, and shot at us, hitting us three times. Shortly after the +land-wind sprung up, at which time we observed the great ship and the +caravel making towards us, on which we weighed and made sail to attack +them; but it was night before we could get up with them, and we lost +sight of them in the night. While returning towards the coast next night +we agreed to proceed to Cormantin; and next morning, the 28th, we found +ourselves very near the large ship and the two gallies, the caravel +being close in-shore. It being very calm, the two gallies rowed towards +the stern of the Minion, and fought with her most part of the forenoon. +During the engagement a barrel of powder blew up in the steward room of +the Minion, by which misfortune the master-gunner, the steward, and most +of the gunners were sore hurt. On perceiving this, the gallies became +more fierce, and with one shot cut half through the Minions foremast, so +that she could bear no sail till that were repaired. Soon after this, +the great ship sent her boat to the gallies, which suddenly withdrew. + +After their departure we went on board the Minion to consult what was +best to be done: As the Minion was sore discomfited by the accident, and +as we knew the negroes durst not trade with us so long as the gallies +were upon the coast, it was agreed to return to the Rio Sestos. In the +morning of the 14th of May we fell in with the land, and being uncertain +whereabout we were, the boats were sent on shore to learn the truth, +when it was found to be the Rio Barbas. We remained there taking in +water till the 21st, and lost five of our men by the Hack pinnace +over-setting. Departing on the 22d, we came to the Rio Sestos on the 2d +of June. We again set sail on the 4th, and arrived this day, the 6th of +August, within sight of the Start Point in the west of England, for +which God be praised. We are very side and weak, not having above twenty +men in both ships, able for duty. Of our men 21 have died, and many more +are sore hurt or sick. Mr Burton has been sick for six weeks, and is now +so very weak that, unless God strengthen him, I fear he will hardly +escape. Your worship will find inclosed an abstract of all the goods we +have sold, and also of what commodities we have received for them; +reserving all things else till our meeting, and to the bearer of this +letter. + +In this voyage there were brought home, in 1563, 166 elephants teeth, +weighing 1758 libs, and 22 buts full of grains, or Guinea pepper. + + +SECTION IX. + +_Supplementary Account of the foregoing Voyage_ [285] + + +An account of the preceding voyage to Guinea in 1563, of which this +section is an abstract, was written in verse by Robert Baker, who +appears to have been one of the factors employed by the adventurers. It +is said to have been written in prison in France, where he had been +carried on his subsequent voyage, which forms the subject of the next +section, and was composed at the importunity of his fellow traveller and +fellow-prisoner, Mr George Gage, the son of Sir Edward Gage. Of this +voyage he relates nothing material, except a conflict which happened +with the negroes at a certain river, the name of which is not mentioned; +neither does the foregoing relation by Rutter give any light into the +matter. But from the circumstance of the ship commencing her return for +England immediately after this adventure, it must have happened at the +river Sestos or Sestre, which was the last place they touched at, and +where they staid three days, as stated both in this and the proceeding +narratives.--Astl. I. 179. + + +[Footnote 285: Astley, I. 179. Hakluyt, II. 518.] + +In the versified relation, which is to be found at large in the last +edition of Hakluyts Collection, London, 1810, Vol. II. p.518-523, he +complains of being detained in a French prison, against all law and +right, as the war between England and France was concluded by a peace. +The account given of this conflict with the negroes is to the following +effect--E. + +One day while the ship was at anchor on the coast of Guinea, Baker +ordered out the small pinnace or boat, with nine men well armed, to go +on shore to traffic. At length, having entered a river, he saw a great +number of negroes, whose captain came to him stark naked, sitting in a +canoe made of a log, _like a trough to feed hogs in_. Stopping, at some +distance, the negro chief put water on his cheek, not caring to trust +himself nearer till Baker did the like. This signal of friendship being +answered, and some tempting merchandize being shewn him, the chief came +forward and intimated by signs, that he would stand their friend if some +of these things were given him. He was gratified, and many things given +to others of the natives. After trading all day with the negroes, Baker +returned at night to the ship, carrying the chief along with him, where +he clothed him and treated him kindly. In return the chief promised by +signs to freight them in a day or two. While on board, Baker observed +that the chief took much notice of the boat which was left astern, of +the ship loaded with goods; yet not suspecting he had any ill design, no +farther care or precaution was taken of the boat. + +Next morning the chief was carried on shore, and trade or barter went on +with the negroes as on the day before; and at the return of Baker to the +ship, the boat was fastened to the stern, and the goods left in her as +usual. In the night the negro captain came with two or three canoes, and +was noticed by the watch to be very busy about the boat. On giving the +alarm, the negroes fled; but on hoisting up the boat, all the goods were +carried of. Vexed at being so tricked, the English went next morning up +the river to the negro town, in order to recover their goods; but all +their signs were to no purpose, as the negroes would neither understand +them nor acknowledge the theft. On the contrary, as if wronged by the +charge, and resolved to revenge the affront, they followed the English +down the river in 100 canoes, while as many appeared farther down ready +to intercept their passage. In each canoe were two men armed with +targets and darts, most of which had long strings to draw them back +again after they were thrown. + +Being hard pressed, they discharged their arquebuses upon the negroes, +who leapt into the water to avoid the shot. The English then rowed with +all their might to get to sea; but the negroes getting again into their +canoes, pursued and overtook them. Then drawing near, poured in their +darts with accurate aim. The English kept them off with their pikes and +halberts, and many of the negroes being slain or wounded by the English +arrows and hail-shot from the arquebuses, they retreated. But when the +English had expended all their arrows, the negroes came on again, and +made many attempts to board the boat. The negro chief, who was a large +tall man, advanced in his canoe under cover of his target, with a +poisoned dart in his hand, in order to board; and as he pressed forward, +the masters-mate thrust a pike through his target and throat, which +dispatched him. While the mate was striving to disengage his pike, which +stuck fast in the shield, he was wounded by a dart; yet drew the dart +from his flesh and killed with it the negro who had wounded him. The +enemy continued the fight closer than ever, and did great mischief with +their darts, which made wide and grievous wounds. The gunner received +two desperate wounds, and lost a great deal of blood, and the brave +masters-mate, while standing firmly in his post, was struck through the +ribs by a dart, on pulling out which his bowels followed, and he fell +down dead. On perceiving this, the negroes gave a great shout, and +pressed to enter the boat where the mate had stood, imagining as so many +of the English were wounded they would now soon yield. But four of those +remaining in the pinnace kept them off with their pikes, while the other +four at the oars made the best of their way to sea. + +At length they got out of the river, and the negroes retired having +expended all their darts. This was fortunate for the English, as six of +the remaining eight were desperately wounded, one of whom was Robert +Baker, the author of this narrative, and only two remained who were able +to handle the oars, so that they made very slow progress to the ship, +which appears to have been four leagues from the shore. When they got on +board they were all so faint that none of them were able to stand. After +having their wounds dressed they refreshed themselves; but as Robert +Baker had more occasion for rest than food he went to bed, and when he +awoke in the morning the ship was under sail for England. + + + +SECTION X. + +_Voyage to Guinea in 1563 by Robert Baker_[286] + + +This relation, like the former, is written in verse, and only contains a +description of two adventures that happened in the voyage, one of which +proved extremely calamitous to those concerned in it, among whom was the +author. From the title or preamble, we learn that the adventurers in +this voyage were Sir William Gerard, Sir William Chester, Sir Thomas +Lodge, Benjamin Gonson, William Winter, Lionel Ducket, Anthony Hickman, +and Edward Castelin. There were two ships employed, one called the John +Baptist, of which Lawrence Rondell was master, and the other the Merlin, +Robert Revell master. The factors were Robert Baker, the author, +Justinian Goodwine, James Gliedell, and George Gage. They set out on +their voyage in November 1563, bound for Guinea and the river Sestos, +but the port whence they fitted out is nowhere mentioned. After the +unlucky disaster that befel him in Guinea in the year before, Baker had +made a kind of poetical vow not to go near that country any more; but +after his return to England, and recovery from his wounds, he soon +forgot past sorrows; and being invited to undertake the voyage in +quality of factor, he consented.--Astley. + +[Footnote 286: Astley I. 180. Hakluyt, II. 523-531. The prose abstract +here inserted is chiefly taken from Astleys collection, carefully +compared with the original versified narrative in Hakluyt.--E.] + +After we had been at sea two days and a night, the man from the main-top +descried a sail or two, the tallest of which they immediately made up +to, judging her to be the most valuable; and, as captains are in use to +do[287], I hailed her to know whence she was. She answered from France, +on which we _waved_ her, but she nothing dismayed, _waved_ us in return. +I immediately ordered armed men aloft into the main and fore-tops, and +caused powder to be laid on the poop to blow up the enemy if they should +board us that way. At the sound of trumpets we began the fight, +discharging both chain and bar-shot from our brazen artillery; while the +Frenchmen, flourishing their swords from the main-yard, called out to +us to board their ship. Willing to accept their invitation, we plied +them warmly with our cannon, and poured in flights of arrows, while our +arquebuses plied them from loop-holes, and we endeavoured to set their +sails on fire by means of arrows and pikes carrying wildfire. I +encouraged, the men to board, by handing spiced wine liberally among +them, which they did with lime-pots, after breaking their nets with +stones, while those of our men who were aloft entered the enemys tops, +after killing those who defended them. Then cutting the ropes, they +brought down the yard by the board, and those who entered the ship plied +the enemy so well with their swords, that at length the remaining +Frenchmen ran below deck and cried out for quarter. Having thus become +masters of the ship, we carried her to the _Groin_ in Spain, or Corunna, +where we sold the ship and cargo for ready money. + +[Footnote 287: In these early trading voyages, the chief factor, who +here appears to have been Baker, seems to have had the supreme +command--Astl. I. 180. b.] + +After this we proceeded on our voyage and arrived in Guinea. One day +about noon, I went with eight more in a boat towards the shore to trade, +meaning to dispatch my business and be back before night. But when we +had got near the shore, a furious tempest sprung up, accompanied with +rain and thunder, which drove the ships from their anchors out to sea; +while we in the boat were forced to run along the coast in search of +some place for shelter from the storm, but meeting none, had to remain +all night near the shore, exposed to the thunder, rain, and wind in +great jeopardy. We learnt afterwards that the ships returned next day in +search of us, while we rowed forward along the coast, supposing the +ships were before us, and always anxiously looked out for them; but the +mist was so great that we could never see them nor they us. The ships +continued, as we were told afterwards, looking out for us for two or +three days; after which, concluding that we had inevitably perished in +the storm, they made the best of their way for England. + +Having been three days in great distress for want of food, we at length +landed on the coast and exchanged some of our wares with the negroes for +roots and such other provisions as they had, and then put to sea again +in search of the ships, which we still supposed were before us or to +leeward, wherefore we went down the coast to the eastwards. We continued +in this manner ranging along shore for twelve days, seeing nothing but +thick woods and deserts, full of wild beasts, which often appeared and +came in crowds at sunset to the sea shore, where they lay down or played +on the sand, sometimes plunging into the water to cool themselves. At +any other time it would have been diverting to see how archly the +elephants would fill their trucks with water, which they spouted out +upon the rest. Besides deer, wild boars, and antelopes, we saw many +other wild beasts, such as I had never seen before. + +We often saw a man or two on the shore, who on seeing us used to come +off in their almadias or canoes; when casting anchor we offered such +wares as we had in the boat for fish and fresh water, or provisions of +their cooking, and in this way we procured from them roots and the fruit +of the palm tree, and some of their wine, which is the juice of a tree +and is of the colour of whey. Sometimes we got wild honeycombs; and by +means of these and other things we relieved our hunger; but nothing +could relieve our grief, fatigue and want of sleep, and we were so sore +depressed by the dreadful situation in which we were placed, that we +were ready to die, and were reduced to extreme weakness. Having lost all +hope of rejoining the ships, which we now concluded were either lost or +gone homewards, we knew not how to conduct ourselves. We were in a +strange and distant country, inhabited by a people whose manners and +customs were entirely different from ours; and to attempt getting home +in an open boat destitute of every necessary was utterly impossible. By +this time we found we had passed to leeward of _Melegete_ or the grain +coast, and had got to the Mina or gold coast of Guinea, as the negroes +who now came on board spoke some Portuguese, and brought off their +weights and scales for the purpose of trade, asking where were our +ships. To this we answered, in hopes of being the better treated, that +we had two ships at sea, which would be with them in a day or two. + +We now consulted together how they should best proceed. If we continued +at sea in our boat, exposed by day to the burning heat of the sun which +sensibly consumed us by copious perspiration, and to the frequent +tornadoes or hurricanes by night, accompanied with thunder, lightning +and rain; which deprived us of all rest, we could not possibly long hold +out. We were often three days without a morsel of food; and having sat +for twenty days continually in our boat, we were in danger of losing the +use of our limbs for want of exercise, and our joints were so swollen by +the scurvy, that we could hardly stand upright. It was not possible for +us to remain much longer in the boat in our present condition, so that +it was necessary to come to some resolution, and we had only three +things to choose. The first was to repair to the castle of St George del +Mina, which was not far off, and give ourselves up to the Portuguese who +were Christians, if we durst trust them or expect the more humanity on +that account. Even the worst that could happen to us from them was to be +hanged out of our misery; yet possibly they might have some mercy on us, +as nine young men such as we were might be serviceable in their gallies, +and if made galley slaves for life we should have victuals enough to +enable us to tug at the oar, whereas now we had both to row and starve. + +The next alternative was to throw ourselves upon the mercy of the +negroes, which I stated was very hopeless and discouraging, as I did not +see what favour could be expected from a beastly savage people, whose +condition was worse than that of slaves, and who possibly might be +cannibals. It was likewise difficult for us to conform ourselves to their +customs, so opposite to ours; and, we could not be expected, having +always lived on animal food, to confine ourselves to roots and herbs +like the negroes, which are the food of wild beasts. Besides, having +been always accustomed to the use of clothes, we could not for shame go +naked. Even if we could get the better of that prejudice, our bodies +would be grievously tormented and emaciated by the scorching heat of the +sun, for want of that covering and defence to which we had been +accustomed. The only other course was to stay at sea in the boat, and +die miserably. Being determined to run any risk at land, rather than to +continue pent up in a narrow boat, exposed to all the inclemencies of +the weather day and night, and liable to be famished for want of +victuals, I gave it as my opinion that we had better place confidence in +the Christian Portuguese than in the negroes who lived like so many +brutes. We how determined to throw ourselves on the mercy of the +Portuguese, and hoisting sail shaped our course for the castle of St +George del Mina; which was not above 20 leagues distant. We went on all +day without stopping till late at night, when we perceived a light on +shore. Concluding that this might be a place of trade, our boatswain +proposed to cast anchor at this place, in hopes that we might be able to +procure provisions next morning in exchange for some of our wares. This +was agreed upon, and on going next morning near the shore we saw a +watchhouse upon a rock, in the place whence the light had proceeded +during the night, and near the watchhouse a large black cross was +erected. This made us doubtful whereabout we were, and on looking +farther we perceived a castle which perplexed us still more[288]. + +[Footnote 288: It appears in the sequel that this fort or castle had +been recently erected by the Portuguese at the western point or +head-land of Cape Three-points, and of which there are no notices in any +of the preceding voyages on this part of the coast.--Astley, I. 132, a.] + +Our doubts were quickly solved by the appearance of some Portuguese, one +of whom held a white flag in his hand which he waved as inviting us to +come on shore. Though we were actually bound in quest of the Portuguese, +yet our hearts now failed us, and we tacked about to make from the +shore. On being seen from the castle, a gun was fired at us by a negro, +the ball from which fell within a yard of our boat. At length we turned +towards the shore to which we rowed, meaning to yield ourselves up; but +to our great surprise, the nearer we came to the shore the more did the +Portuguese fire at us; and though the bullets fell thick about us we +continued to advance till we got close under the castle wall, when we +were out of danger from their cannon. We now determined to land in order +to try the courtesy of the Portuguese, but were presently assailed by +showers of stones from the castle: wall, and saw a number of negroes +marching down to the beach with their darts and targets, some of them +having bows and poisoned arrows. Their attack was very furious, partly +from heavy stones falling into the boat which threatened to break holes +in her bottom, as well as from flights of arrows which came whizzing +about our ears, and even wounded some of us: Therefore being in +desperation, we pushed off from the shore to return to sea, setting four +of our men to row, while the other five determined to repay some part of +the civility we had received, and immediately handled our fire-arms and +bows. We employed these at first against the negroes on the beach, some +of whom soon dropped; and then against the Portuguese who stood on the +walls dressed in long white-shirts and linstocks in their hands, many of +which were dyed red by means of the English arrows. We thus maintained +our ground a long while, fighting at our leisure, regardless of the +threats of the enemy, as we saw they had no gallies to send out to make +us prisoners. When we had sufficiently revenged their want of +hospitality, we rowed off, and though we knew that we must pass through +another storm of bullets from the castle, we escaped without damage. + +When we got out to sea, we saw three negroes rowing after us in an +almadia, who came to inquire to what country we belonged, speaking good +Portuguese. We told them we were Englishmen, and said we had brought +wares to trade with them if they had not used us so ill. As the negroes +inquired where our ship was, we said we had two at sea well equipped, +which would soon come to the coast to trade for gold, and that we only +waited their return. The negroes then pretended to be sorry for what had +happened, and intreated us to remain where we were for that day, and +promised to bring us whatever we were in want of. But placing no +confidence in their words, we asked what place that was, and being +answered that it was a Portuguese castle at the western head-land of +Cape Three-points, we hoisted sail and put to sea, to look out for some +more friendly place. + +We now resolved to have no more reliance on the kindness of the +Portuguese, of which we had thus sufficient experience, and to make +trial of the hospitality of the negroes; for which purpose we sailed +back about 30 leagues along the coast, and coming to anchor, some +natives came off to the boat, to all of whom we gave presents. By this +we won their hearts, and the news of such generous strangers being on +the coast soon brought the kings son to our boat. On his arrival, I +explained our sad case to him as well as I could by signs, endeavouring +to make him understand that we were quite forlorn, having been abandoned +by our ships, and being almost famished for want of food, offering him +all the goods in our boat if he would take us under his protection and +relieve our great distress. The negro chief was moved even to tears, and +bid us be comforted. He went then on shore to know his fathers pleasure +regarding us, and returning presently invited us to land. This was +joyful news to us all, and we considered him as a bountiful benefactor +raised up to us by the goodness of Providence. We accordingly fell to +our oars in all haste to pull on shore, where at least 500 negroes were +waiting our arrival; but on coming near shore the surf ran so high that +the boat overset, on which the negroes plunged immediately into the +water and brought us all safe on shore. They even preserved the boat and +all that was in her, some swimming after the oars, and others diving for +the goods that had sunk. After this they hauled the boat on shore and +brought every thing that belonged to us, not daring to detain the most +trifling article, so much were they in awe of the kings son, who was a +stout and valiant man, and having many excellent endowments. + +They now brought us such provisions as they used themselves, and being +very hungry we fed heartily, the negroes all the while staring at us +with much astonishment, as the common people are used to do in England +at strange outlandish creatures. Notwithstanding all this apparent +humanity and kindness, we were still under great apprehensions of the +negroes, all of whom were armed with darts. That night we lay upon the +ground among the negroes, but never once closed our eyes, tearing they +might kill us while asleep. Yet we received no hurt from them, and for +two days fared well; but finding the ships did not come for us, as they +expected would soon have been the case, when likewise they looked to +have had a large quantity of goods distributed among them in reward for +their hospitality, they soon became weary of us; and after lessening our +allowance from day to day, they at length left us to shift for +ourselves. In this forlorn state, we had to range about the woods in +search of fruits and roots, which last we had to dig from the ground +with our fingers for want of any instruments. Hunger had quite abated +the nicety of our palates, and we were glad to feed on every thing we +could find that was eatable. Necessity soon reconciled us to going +naked, for our clothes becoming rotten with our sweat fell from our +backs by degrees, so that at length we had scarcely rags left to cover +our nakedness. We were not only forced to provide ourselves in food, but +had to find fuel and utensils to dress it. We made a pot of clay dried +in the sun, in which we boiled our roots, and roasted the berries in the +embers, feasting every evening on these varieties. At night we slept on +the bare ground, making a great fire round us to scare away the wild +beasts. + +What with the entire change in our manner of living, and the heat and +unhealthiness of the climate, our people sickened apace; and in a short +time our original number of nine was reduced to three. To those who died +it was a release from misery, but we who remained were rendered more +forlorn and helpless than before. At length, when we had abandoned all +hopes of relief, a French ship arrived on the coast, which took us on +board and carried us to France, which was then at war with England, +where we were detained prisoners. + + A prisner therefore I remaine, + And hence I cannot slip + Till that my ransome be + Agreed upon and paid: + Which being levied yet so hie, + No agreement can be made. + And such is lo my chance, + The meane time to abide; + A prisner for ransome in France, + Till God send time and tide. + From whence this idle rime + To England I do send: + And thus, till I have further time, + This tragedie I end. + +SECTION XI. + +_A Voyage to Guinea, in 1564:, by Captain David Carlet_[289]. + + +At a meeting of merchant adventurers, held at the house of Sir William +Gerard, on the 11th July 1564, for setting forth a voyage to Guinea, the +following chief adventurers were present, Sir William Gerard, Sir +William Chester, Sir Thomas Lodge, Anthony Hickman, and John Castelin. +It was then agreed that Francis Ashbie should be sent to Deptford for +his letters to Peter Pet, to go about rigging of the Minion at the +charges of the queens majesty, after which Francis Ashbie was to repair +with these letters to Gillingham, with money to supply our charges +there. + +[Footnote 289: Hakluyt, II. 531. Astley, I. 134.] + +It was also agreed that every one of the five partners shall forthwith +call upon their partners to supply, towards this new rigging and +victualling L.29, 10s. 6d., for every L.100 value. Also that every one +of the five partners shall forthwith bring in L.50, towards the +furniture of the premises. Likewise, if Mr Gonson give his consent that +the Merlin shall be brought round from Bristol to Hampton, that a letter +shall be drawn under his hand, before order be given in the same. + +The ships employed in this voyage were, the Minion belonging to the +queen, David Carlet, captain, the John Baptist of London, and the Merlin +belonging to Mr Gonson. The success of this voyage in part appears by +certain brief relations extracted out of the second voyage of Sir John +Hawkins to the West Indies, made in the year 1564, which I have thought +good to set down for want of more direct information, which hitherto I +have not been able to procure notwithstanding every possible +endeavour[290]. + +[Footnote 290: This is the substance of Hakluyt's introduction to the +following brief relation of the present voyage.--E.] + + * * * * * + +Sir John, then only Mr Hawkins, departed from Plymouth with a prosperous +wind for the West Indies, on the 18th of October 1564, having under his +command the Jesus of Lubec of 700 tons, the Salomon of 140 tons, a bark +named the Tiger of 50 tons, and a pinnace called the Swallow of 30 tons, +having in all 170 men, well supplied with ordnance and provisions for +such a voyage. While casting loose the foresail, one of the officers in +the Jesus was killed by the fall of a block, giving a sorrowful +beginning to the expedition. After getting ten leagues out to sea, they +fell in with the Minion, a ship belonging to the queen, of which David +Carlet was captain, and her consort the John Baptist of London; which +two ships were bound for Guinea. The two squadrons, as they may be +called, saluted each other with some pieces of ordnance, after the +custom of the sea; after which the Minion parted company to seek her +other consort the Merlin of London, which was out of sight astern, +leaving the John Baptist in company with Hawkins. + +Continuing their voyage with a prosperous wind until the 21st, a great +storm arose at N.E. about 9 o'clock at night, which continued 23 hours, +in which storm Hawkins lost sight of the John Baptist and of his pinnace +called the Swallow, the other three ships being sore tossed by the +tempest. To his great joy the Swallow joined company again in the night, +10 leagues to the north of Cape Finister, having been obliged to go +_roomer_, as she was unable to weather that cape against a strong +contrary wind at S.W. On the 25th, the wind still continuing contrary, +he put into Ferol in Galicia, where he remained five days, and gave out +proper instructions to the masters of the other ships for keeping +company during the rest of the voyage. + +On the 26th of the month the Minion came into Ferol, on which Mr Hawkins +saluted her with some guns, according to the custom of the sea, as a +welcome for her safe arrival: But the people of the Minion were not in +the humour of rejoicing, on account of the misfortune which had happened +to their consort the Merlin, whom they had gone to seek on the coast of +England when they parted from Mr Hawkins. Having met with her, they kept +company for two days; when, by the negligence of one of the gunners of +the Merlin, the powder in her gun-room took fire, by which her stern was +blown out and three of her men lost, besides many sore hurt, who saved +their lives in consequence of their brigantine being at her stern; for +the Merlin immediately sunk, to the heavy loss of the owners and great +grief of the beholders. + +On the 30th of the month, Mr Hawkins and his ships, together with the +Minion and her remaining consort the John Baptist, set sail in the +prosecution of their voyage with a prosperous gale, the Minion having +both brigantines at her stern. The 4th of November they had sight of +Madeira, and the 6th of Tenerife, which they thought to have been grand +Canary, as they reckoned themselves to the east of Tenerife, but were +not. The Minion and her consort, being 3 or 4 leagues a head of the +ships of Mr Hawkins, kept the course for Tenerife, of which they had a +better view than the other ships, and by that means they parted company. + +Hawkins and his ships continued his voyage by Cape Verd and Sierra +Leone, after which he crossed the Atlantic ocean and came to the town of +Burboroata on the coast of the Terra Firma in the West Indies, or South +America; where he afterwards received information of the unfortunate +issue of the Guinea voyage, in the following manner. While at anchor in +the outer road on the 29th of April 1565, a French ship came in called +the Green Dragon of Newhaven, of which one Bon-temps was captain, which +saluted the English squadron after the custom of the sea, and was +saluted in return. This ship had been at the Mina, or Gold coast of +Guinea, whence she had been driven off by the Portuguese gallies, and +obliged to make for the Terra Firma to endeavour to sell her wares. She +informed that the Minion had been treated in the same manner; and that +the captain, David Carlet, with a merchant or factor and twelve +mariners, had been treacherously made prisoners by the negroes on their +arrival on that coast, and remained in the hands of the Portuguese; +besides which they had lost others of their men through the want of +_fresh water_, and were in great doubts of being able to get home the +ships[291]. + +[Footnote 291: Hakluyt might have said whether they did come home or +not, which he certainly might have known; but he often leaves us in the +dark as to such matters.--Astl. I. 185. a.] + + * * * * * + +_Note_.--It may not be improper to state in this place, that no ship +need be reduced to utter distress for want of _fresh water_ at sea; as +distilled sea water is perfectly fresh and wholesome. For this purpose, +all ships bound on voyages of any length, ought to have a still head +worm and cooler adapted to the cooking kettle, to be used when needed, +by which abundance of fresh water may always be secured while cooking +the ships provisions, sufficient to preserve the lives of the crew. In +default of that useful appendage, a still may be easily constructed for +the occasion, by means of the pitch kettle, a reversed tea kettle for a +head, and a gun barrel fixed to the spout of the tea kettle, the breach +pin being screwed out, and the barrel either soldered to the spout, or +fixed by a paste of flour, soap and water, tied round with rags and +twine. The tea kettle and gun barrel are to be kept continually wet by +means of swabs and sea water, to cool and condense the steam. This +distilled water is at first vapid and nauseous, both to the taste and +the stomach; but by standing open for some time, especially if agitated +in contact with air, or by pumping air through it, as is commonly done +to sweeten putrid water, this unpleasant and nauseous vapidness is soon +removed. + +The nautical world owes this excellent discovery, of distilled sea water +being perfectly fresh, to the late excellent and ingenious Dr James +Lino, first physician to the general hospital of the navy at Haslar near +Portsmouth during the American war, the author of two admirable works, +on the Scurvy, and the Means of Preserving the Health of Seamen during +long voyages, to which the British navy, and seamen in general, owe +inestimable advantages. The editor, while giving this useful hint to +seamen engaged on long voyages, is happy in having an opportunity of +bearing this feeble testimony of honourable respect to the friend of his +youth, under whom he had the happiness and advantage of serving, in that +magnificent asylum of the brave defenders of the glory and prosperity of +our king and country, for the last three years of the American war. +Besides being an eminent and experienced physician, Dr Lind was a man of +exemplary humanity, and of uncommon urbanity and singleness of manners: +He was truly the seaman's friend. The rules and expedients which he +devised and proposed, founded on the solid basis, of observation and +experience, for Preserving the Health of Seamen on long voyages, were +afterwards employed and perfected by the great navigator and discoverer +COOK, and by his pupils and followers; and are now universally +established in our glorious navy, to the incalculable advantage of the +service. + +In high northern or southern latitudes, solid clear ice melted affords +good fresh water, the first runnings being thrown away as contaminated +by adhering sea water. White cellular ice is quite unfit for the +purpose, being strongly impregnated with salt. In future articles of our +work, several opportunities will occur in which these two expedients for +supplying ships with fresh water will be amply detailed. But on the +present opportunity, it seemed proper to mention these easy and +effectual expedients for preserving the health and lives of seamen, when +in want of fresh water by the ordinary means.--Ed. + + +SECTION XII. + +_A Voyage to Guinea and the Cape de Verd Islands in 1566, by George +Fenner_[292] + + +Three ships were employed on this voyage, the admiral, called the Castle +of Comfort, George Fenner general[293] of the expedition, and William +Bats master; the May-Flower, vice-admiral, William Courtise master; the +George, John Heiwood captain, and John Smith of Hampton master; besides +a small pinnace. Walter Wren, the writer of the narrative, belonged to +the George. + +[Footnote 292: Hakluyt, II. 533. Astley, I. 185.] + +[Footnote 293: This general was probably head factor--E.] + +We departed from Plymouth on the 10th December 1566, and were abreast of +Ushant on the 12th. On the 15th we got sight of Cape Finister, and lost +company of our admiral that night, for which reason we sailed along the +coast of Portugal, hoping our admiral might be before us. Meeting a +French ship on the 18th and getting no intelligence of our admiral, we +made sail for the Canaries, and fell in with the island of Tenerife on +the 28th, where we came to anchor in a small bay, at which there were +three or four small houses, about a league from the town of Santa Cruz. +In this island there is a marvellous high hill called the Peak, and +although it is in lat. 28° N. where the air is as warm in January as it +is in England at midsummer, the top of this hill, to which no man has +ever been known to ascend, is seldom free from snow even in the middle +of summer. On the 3d January 1567, we departed from this place, going +round the western point of the island, about 12 or 14 leagues from Santa +Cruz, and came into a bay right over against the house of one Pedro de +Souza, where we came to anchor on the 5th, and heard that our admiral +had been there at anchor seven days before us, and had gone thence to +the island of Gomera, to which place we followed him, and coming to +anchor on the 6th over against the town of Gomera, we found our admiral +at anchor to our great mutual satisfaction. We found here Edward Cooke +in a tall ship, and a ship of the coppersmiths of London, which had been +treacherously seized by the Portuguese in the bay of Santa Cruz on the +coast of Barbary, or Morocco, which ship we left there all spoiled. At +this place we bought 14 buts of wine for sea stores, at 15 ducats a but, +which had been offered to us at Santa Cruz for 8, 9, or 10 ducats. The +9th we went to another bay about three leagues off, where we took in +fresh water; and on the 10th we sailed for Cape Blanco on the coast of +Africa. + +The 12th we came to a bay to eastwards of Cape Pargos, (_Barbas?_) which +is 35 leagues from Cape Blanco, but being unacquainted with that part of +the coast, we proceeded to Cape Blanco, off which we had 16 fathoms two +leagues from shore, the land being very low and all white sand. At this +place it is necessary to beware of going too near shore, as when in 12 +or 10 fathoms you may be aground within two or three casts of the lead. +Directing our course on the 17th S. and S. by E. we fell into a bay +about 16 leagues east of Cape Verd, where the land seemed like a great +number of ships under sail, owing to its being composed of a great +number of hummocks, some high some low, with high trees upon them. When +within three leagues of the land we sounded and had 28 fathoms over a +ground of black ouze. This day we saw much fish in sundry _sculs_ or +shoals, swimming with their noses at the surface. Passing along this +coast we saw two small round hills about a league from the other, +forming a cape, and between them great store of trees, and in all our +sailing we never saw such high land as these two hills. The 19th we came +to anchor at the cape in a road, fast by the western side of two +hills[294], where we rode in 10 fathoms, though we might safely have +gone into five or six fathoms, as the ground is good and the wind always +blows from the shore. + +[Footnote 294: The paps of Cape Verd are about a League S.S.E. from the +extreme west point of the Cape.--E.] + +At this place some of our officers and merchants went on shore with the +boat unarmed, to the number of about 20 persons, among whom were Mr +George Fenner the general, his brother Edward Fenner, Thomas Valentine, +John Worme, and Francis Leigh, merchants, John Haward, William Bats, +Nicholas Day, John Thomson, and several others. At their coming on shore +they were met by above 100 negroes armed with bows and arrows. After +some talk pledges were interchanged, five of the English being delivered +into their hands, and three negroes taken on board the admirals skiff. +Our people mentioned the merchandize they had brought, being linen and +woolen cloth, iron, cheese, and other articles; on which the negroes +said that they had civet, musk, gold, and grains to give in exchange, +with which our people were well pleased. The negroes desired to see our +merchandize, on which one of the boats was sent back to the ships, while +our general and merchants remained in the other with the three negroe +pledges, our five men walking about on shore among the negroes. On the +return of the boat from the ship with goods, bread, wine, and cheese +were distributed among the natives. At this time two of the negroe +pledges, on pretence of sickness, were allowed to go on shore, promising +to send two others in their stead. On perceiving this, Captain Haiward +began to dread some perfidy, and retreated towards the boat, followed by +two or three negroes, who stopped him from going on board, and made +signs for him to bring them more bread and wine, and when he would have +stepped into the boat, one of them caught him by the breeches, but he +sprung from him and leapt into the boat. As soon as he was in, one of +the negroes on shore began to blow a pipe, on which the negroe pledge +who remained in the boat, suddenly drew Mr Wormes sword, cast himself +into the sea and swam on shore. The negroes immediately laid hands on +our men that were on shore, and seized three of them with great +violence, tore their clothes from their backs, and left them nothing to +cover them. Then many of them shot so thick at our men in the boats that +they could scarcely handle their oars, yet by God's help they got the +boats away, though many of them were hurt by the poisoned arrows. This +poison is incurable, if the arrow pierce the skin so as to draw blood, +except the poison be immediately sucked out, or the part hurt be cut out +forthwith; otherwise the wounded man inevitably dies in four days. +Within three hours after any part of the body is hurt, or even slightly +pricked, although it be the little toe, the poison reaches the heart, +and affects the stomach with excessive vomiting, so that the person can +take neither meat nor drink. + +The persons seized in this treacherous manner by the negroes were +Nicholas Day, William Bats, and John Thomson, who were led away to a +town about a mile from the shore. The 20th we sent a boat on shore with +eight persons, among whom was the before-mentioned John Thomson[295] and +our interpreter, who was a Frenchman, as one of the negroes spoke good +French. They carried with them two arquebuses, two targets, and a +_mantell?_ and were directed to learn what ransom the negroes demanded +for Bats and Day whom they detained. On coming to the shore and telling +the negroes the nature of their errand, Bats and Day were brought from +among some trees quite loose, but surrounded by some 40 or 50 negroes. +When within a stone's throw of the beach, Bats broke suddenly from them +and ran as fast as he could into the sea towards the boat; but +immediately on getting into the water he fell, so that the negroes +retook him, violently tearing off his clothes. After this some of the +negroes carried our two men back to the town, while the rest began to +shoot at our people in the boat with their poisoned arrows, and wounded +one of our men in the small of the leg, who had nearly died in spite of +every thing our surgeons could do for him. Notwithstanding this +unjustifiable conduct, our general sent another message to the negroes, +offering any terms they pleased to demand as ransom for our men. But +they gave for answer, that three weeks before we came an English ship +had forcibly carried off three of their people, and unless we brought or +sent them back we should not have our men, though we gave our three +ships and all their lading. On the 21st a French ship, of 80 tons came +to the place where we were, intending to trade with the negroes, and +seeing that the Frenchmen were well received by the natives, our general +told them of our two men being detained, and wished them to endeavour +to procure their release, promising L.100 to the Frenchmen if they +succeeded. We then committed this affair to the management of the +Frenchmen, and departed. Of our men who were hurt by the poisoned +arrows, four died, and one had to have his arm cut off to save his life. +Andrews, who was last hurt, lay long lame and unable to help himself, +and only two recovered. + +[Footnote 295: It is not said how he had got away from the negroes.--E.] + +While between Cape Verd and Bonavista on the 26th, we saw many flying +fishes of the size of herrings, two of which fell into the boat which we +towed at our stern. The 28th we fell in with Bonavista, one of the Cape +de Verd islands, which is 86 leagues from that cape. The north side of +that island is full of white sandy hills and dales, being somewhat high +land. That day we came to anchor about a league within the western +point, in ten fathoms upon fine sand, but it is quite safe to go nearer +in five or six fathoms, as the ground is every where good. The 30th we +went into a bay within a small island about a league from our first +anchorage, where we took plenty of various kinds of fish. Whoever means +to anchor in this bay may safely do so in four or five fathoms off the +south point of the small island; but must beware of the middle of the +bay, where there is a ledge of rocks on which the sea breaks at low +water, although then they are covered by three fathoms water. The last +day of January, our general went on shore in the bay to some houses, +where he found twelve Portuguese, the whole island not having more than +30 inhabitants, who were all banished men, some condemned to more years +of exile and some to less, and among them was a simple man who was their +captain. They live on goat's flesh, cocks and hens, with fresh water, +having no other food except fish, which they do not care for, neither +indeed have they any boats wherewith to catch them. They told us that +this island had been granted by the king of Portugal to one of his +gentlemen, who had let it at 100 ducats of yearly rent, which was paid +by the profit on goats skins, of which 40,000 had been sent from that +island to Portugal in one year. These men made us very welcome, +entertaining us as well as they could, giving us the carcasses of as +many he-goats as we pleased, and even aided us in taking them, bringing +them down for us from the mountains on their asses. They have great +store of oil procured from tortoises, which are _fishes_ that swim in +the sea, having shells on their backs as large as targets. It only rains +in this island for three months in every year, from the middle of July +to the middle of October; and the climate is always very hot. Cows have +been brought here, but owing to the heat and drought they always died. + +We left Bonavista, or Buenavista, on the 3d February, and fell in the +same day with another island called Mayo, 14 leagues distant; there +being a danger midway between the two islands, but it is always seen and +easily avoided. We anchored in a fine bay on the N.W. side of Mayo, in +eight fathoms on a good sandy bottom; but weighed next day and went to +another island called St Jago, about five leagues E. by S. from Mayo. At +the westermost point of this island, we saw a good road-stead, having a +small town by the waterside, close to which was a fort or battery. We +here proposed to have anchored on purpose to trade; but before we were +within shot, they let fly two pieces at us, on which we went to leeward +along shore two or three leagues, where we found a small bay and two or +three houses, off which we anchored in 14 fathoms upon good ground. +Within an hour after we had anchored, several persons both on foot and +horseback were seen passing and repassing opposite the ships. Next day a +considerable force of horse and foot was seen, and our general sent a +message to know whether they were disposed to trade with us. They +answered that we were made welcome as merchants, and should have every +thing we could reasonably demand. On this our general ordered all the +boats to be made ready, but doubting the good faith of the Portuguese, +caused the boats to be well armed, putting a _double base_ in the head +of his pinnace and two _single bases_ in the skiff, directing the boats +of the May-flower and George to be similarly armed. On rowing towards +the shore with all the boats, the general was surprised to see above 60 +horsemen and 200 foot all armed to receive us, for which reason he sent +a flag of truce to learn their intentions. Their answer was fair and +smooth, declaring that they meant to treat us like gentlemen and +merchants, and desired that our general might come on shore to converse +with their captain. When our general approached the shore in his skiff, +they came towards him in great numbers, with much seeming politeness, +bowing and taking off their bonnets, and earnestly requesting our +general and the merchants to come on shore. He declined this however, +unless they would give sufficient hostages for our security. At length +they promised to send two satisfactory hostages, and to give us water, +provisions, money, and negroes in exchange for our merchandize, and +desired a list of our wares might be sent on shore; all of which our +general promised to do forthwith, and withdraw from the shore, causing +our _bases, curriers_[296], and arquebuses to be fired off in +compliment to the Portuguese, while at the same time our ships saluted +them with five or six cannon shot. Most of the Portuguese now left the +shore, except a few who remained to receive the list of our commodities; +but, while we meant honestly and fairly to trade with them as friends, +their intentions were treacherously to betray us to our destruction, as +will appear in the sequel. + +[Footnote 296: Bases and curriers must have been some small species of +ordnance, capable of being used in boats; arquebuses were matchlock +muskets.--E.] + +About two leagues to the west of where we lay, there was a town behind a +point of land, where the Portuguese had several caravels, and two +brigantines or row barges like gallies. With all haste the Portuguese +fitted out four caravels and these two brigantines, furnishing them with +as many men and cannon as they could carry; and as soon as it was night +these vessels made towards us with sails and oars, and as the land was +high, and the weather somewhat dark and misty, we did not see them till +they were almost close on board the May-flower, which lay at anchor +about a gun-shot nearer them than our other ships. When within gun-shot +of the May-flower, one of the watch chanced to see a light, and then +looking out espied the four ships and gave the alarm. The Portuguese, +finding themselves discovered, began immediately to fire their cannon, +_curriers_, and arquebuses; then lighted up certain tubes of wild fire, +and all their people both on shore and in their ships set up great +shouts, while they continued to bear down on the May-flower. With all +the haste we could, one of our guns was got ready and fired at them, on +which they seemed to hesitate a little; But they recharged their +ordnance, and again fired at us very briskly. In the mean time we got +three guns ready which we fired at them, when they were so near that we +could have shot an arrow on board. Having a fine breeze of wind from the +shore, we hoisted our foresail and cut our cable, making sail to join +our admiral to leeward, while they followed firing sometimes at us and +sometimes at our admiral. At length one shot from our admiral had the +effect to make them retire, when they made away from us like cowardly +traitors. During all this time, though they continually fired all their +guns at us, not a man or boy among us was hurt; but we know not what +were the effects of our shot among them. + +Seeing the villany of these men, we set sail immediately for an island +named _Fuego_, or the Fire island, twelve leagues from St Jago, where we +came to anchor on the 11th February, opposite a white chapel at the west +end of the island, half a league from a small town, and about a league +from the western extremity of the island. In this island, there is a +remarkably high hill which burns continually, and the inhabitants told +us, that about three years before, the whole island had like to have +been destroyed by the prodigious quantity of fire which it discharged. +About a league west from the chapel we found a fine spring of fresh +water, whence we supplied our ships. They have no wheat in this island, +instead of which they grow millet, which makes good bread, and they +likewise cultivate peas like those of Guinea. The inhabitants are +Portuguese, and are forbidden by their king to trade either with the +English or French, or even to supply them with provisions, or any other +thing unless forced. Off this island is another named Brava, or St John, +not exceeding two leagues over, which has abundance of goats and many +trees, but not above three or four inhabitants. + +On the 25th of February we set sail for the Azores, and on the 23d of +March we got sight of one of these islands called Flores, to the north +of which we could see another called Cuervo, about two leagues distant. +The 27th we came to anchor at Cuervo, opposite a village of about a +dozen mean houses; but dragging our anchors in the night during a gale +of wind, we went to Flores, where we saw strange streams of water +pouring from its high cliffs, occasioned by a prodigious rain. The 18th +April we took in water at Flores, and sailed for Fayal, which we had +sight of on the 28th, and of three other islands, Pico, St George, and +Graciosa, which are round about Fayal. The 29th we anchored in 22 +fathoms water in a fine bay on the S.W. side of Fayal, over against a +small town, where we got fresh water and fresh provisions. In this +island, according to the report of the inhabitants, there grows green +woad, which they allege is far better than the woad of St Michael or of +Tercera. + +The 8th of May we came to Tercera, where we found a Portuguese ship, and +next morning we saw bearing down, upon us, a great ship and two +caravels, which we judged to belong to the royal navy of Portugal, as +they really were, and therefore made ready for our defence. The large +ship was a galliass, of about 400 tons and 300 men, well appointed with +brass guns both large and small, some of their shot being as large as a +mans head; and the two caravels were both well appointed in men and +ammunition of war. As soon as they were within shot of us, they waved us +amain with their swords as if in defiance, and as we kept our course +they fired at us briskly, while we prepared as well as we could for our +defence. The great ship gave us a whole broadside, besides firing four +of her greatest guns which were in her stern, by which some of our men +were hurt, while we did our best to answer their fire. At this time two +other caravels came from shore to join them, and two pinnaces or boats +full of men, whom they put on board the great ship, and then returned to +the shore with only two men in each. The ship and caravels gave us three +attacks the first day, and when night came they ceased firing, yet kept +hard by us all night, during which we were busily employed knotting and +spicing our ropes and strengthening our bulwarks. + +Next day the Portuguese were joined by four great caravels or armadas, +three of which were not less than 100 tons each, the fourth being +smaller, but all well armed and full of men. All these came up against +us, in the admiral or Castle of Comfort, and we judged that one of the +caravels meant to lay us on board, as we could see them preparing their +false nettings and all other things for that purpose, for which the +galliasse came up on our larboard side, and the caravel on our +starboard. Perceiving their intention, we got all our guns ready with +bar-shot, chain-shot, and grape; and as soon as they came up, and had +fired off their guns at us, thinking to lay us on board, we gave them +such a hearty salutation on both sides of us, that they were both glad +to fall astern, where they continued for two or three hours, there being +very little wind. Then our small bark the George came up to confer with +us, and as the Portuguese ships and caravels were coming up again to +attack us, the George, while endeavouring to get astern of us, fell to +leeward, and was so long of filling her sails for want of wind, that the +enemy got up to us, and she got into the middle of them, being unable to +fetch us. Then five of the caravels assailed her all round about, yet +she defended herself bravely against them all. The great ship and one +caravel came to us and fought us all day. The May-flower being well to +windward, took the benefit of that circumstance, and kept close hauled +all that day, but would not come near us. When night came, the enemy +ceased firing, yet followed us all night. During these repeated attacks +we had some men slain and several wounded, and our tackle much injured; +yet we did our best endeavour to repair all things, resolving to defend +ourselves manfully, putting our trust in God. In the night the +May-flower came up to us, on which our captain requested they would +spare us half a dozen fresh men, but they would not, and bore away +again. + +Next morning, the enemy seeing us at a distance from one another, came +up against us with a great noise of hooping and hallooing, as if +resolved to board or sink us; yet although our company was small, lest +they might think us any way dismayed, we answered their shouts, and +waved upon them to board us if they durst, but they did not venture. +This day they gave us four several assaults; but at night they forsook +us, desisting with shame from the fight which they had begun with pride. +We had some leaks in our ship from shot holes, which we stopped with all +speed, after which we took some rest after our long hard labour. In the +morning the Mayflower joined, and sent six of her men on board us, which +gave us much relief, and we sent them four of our wounded men. + +We now directed our course for England, and by the 2d of June came into +soundings off the Lizard. On the 3d we fell in with a Portuguese ship, +the captain of which came on board our admiral, saying that he was laden +with sugar and cotton. Our merchants shewed him five negroes we had, +asking him to buy them, which he agreed to do for 40 chests of sugar, +which were very small, not containing above 26 loaves each. While they +were delivering the sugar, we saw a large ship and a small one bearing +down upon us, which our captain supposed to be men of war or rovers, on +which he desired the Portuguese to take back their sugars, meaning to +prepare for defence. But the Portuguese earnestly entreated our captain +not to forsake him, and promised to give him ten chests of sugar in +addition to the bargain, if we would defend him. To this our captain +consented, and the rovers seeing that we were not afraid of them, let us +alone. Next morning two others came up, but on seeing that we did not +attempt to avoid them, they left us also. The 5th of June we got sight +of the Start, and about noon were abreast of Lyme bay, where we sounded +in 35 fathoms water. Next day we came in at the Needles, and anchored at +a place called Meadhole, under the isle of Wight; from whence we sailed +to Southampton, where our voyage ended. + + +SECTION XIII. + +_Embassy of Mr Edmund Hogan to Morocco in 1577, written by +himself_.[297] + + +Though not exactly belonging to the subject of the present chapter, yet +as given by Hakluyt along with the early voyages to Guinea, it has been +thought proper to be inserted in this place. According to Hakluyt, Mr +Hogan was one of the sworn esquires of the person to Queen Elizabeth, by +whom he was sent ambassador to Muley Abdulmeleck, emperor of Morocco and +king of Fez.--_Hakl_. + +[Footnote 297: Hakluyt, II. 541.] + + * * * * * + +I Edmund Hogan, being appointed ambassador from her majesty the queen to +the emperor and king Muley Abdulmeleck, departed from London with my +company and servants on the 22d of April 1577; and embarking in the good +ship called the Gallion of London, I arrived at Azafi, a port in +Barbary, on the 21st of May. I immediately sent Leonell Edgerton on +shore, with my letters to the care of John Williams and John Bampton, +who dispatched a _trottero_ or courier to Morocco, to learn the emperors +pleasure respecting my repair to his court. They with all speed gave the +king notice of it[298]; who, being much satisfied with the intelligence, +sent next day some of his officers and soldiers to Azafi, with tents and +other necessaries, so that these captains, together with John Bampton, +Robert Washborne, and Robert Lion, came late on Whitsunday night to +Azafi. Having written in my letter, that I would not land till I knew +the kings pleasure, I remained on board till their arrival; but I caused +some of the goods to be landed to lighten the ship. + +[Footnote 298: It would appear that Williams and Bampton were resident +at the city of Morocco.--E.] + +The 22d of May the Make-speed arrived in the road: and on the 27th, +being Whitsunday, John Bampton came on board the Gallion with others in +his company, giving me to understand that the king was rejoiced at my +safe arrival from the queen of England, and that for my safe conduct he +had sent four captains and 100 soldiers, together with a horse and +furniture on which the king was in use to ride. I accordingly landed +with my suite consisting of ten persons, three of whom were trumpeters. +The four English ships in the harbour were dressed up to the best +advantage, and shot off all their ordnance, to the value of twenty marks +in powder. On coming ashore, I found all the soldiers drawn up on +horseback, the captains and the governor of the town standing close to +the water side to receive me, with a jennet belonging to the king for my +use. They expressed the great satisfaction of their sovereign, at my +arrival from the queen my mistress, and that they were appointed by the +king to attend upon me, it being his pleasure that I should remain five +or six days on shore, to refresh myself before commencing my journey. +Having mounted the jennet, they conducted me through the town to a fair +field, where a tent was provided for me, having the ground spread with +Turkey carpets. The castle discharged a peal of ordnance, and every +thing necessary was brought to my tent, where I had convenient table and +lodging, and had other tents for the accommodation of my servants. The +soldiers environed the tents, and kept watch as long as I remained +there. + +Although I sought a speedier dispatch, I could not be permitted to begin +my journey till Wednesday the 2d of June, when I mounted towards +evening, and travelled about ten miles to the first place on the road +where water was to be had, and there pitched our tents till next +morning[299]. The 3d we began our journey early, and travelled till ten +o'clock, when we halted till four, at which time we resumed our journey, +travelling as long as we had light, making about 26 miles in all that +day. The 4th being Friday, we travelled in the same manner about 28 +miles, and pitched our tents beside a river, about six wiles from the +city of Morocco. Immediately afterwards, all the English and French +merchants came on horseback to visit me, and before night there came an +_alcayde_ from the king, with 50 men and several mules laden with +provisions, to make a banquet for my supper, bringing a message from the +king, expressing how glad he was to hear from the queen of England, and +that it was his intention to receive me more honourably than ever +Christian had been before at the court of Morocco. He desired also to +know at what time I proposed to come next day into his city, as he was +resolved that all the Christians, and also his own nobles should meet +me. He desired likewise that John Bampton should wait upon him early +next morning, which he did accordingly. + +[Footnote 299: Having no inns in Barbary, travellers have to encamp or +lodge in the open fields where they can find water.--_Hakluyt_.] + +About seven o'clock the next morning, I moved towards the city, +accompanied by the English and French merchants, and a great number of +soldiers; and by the time I had gone about two miles, I was met by all +the Spanish and Portuguese Christians, which I knew was more owing to +the kings commands than of their own good will,[300] for some of them, +though they spoke me fair, hung down their heads like dogs, especially +the Portuguese, and I behaved to them accordingly. When I had arrived +within two miles of the city, John Bampton rejoined me, expressing that +the king was so glad of my arrival, that he knew not how sufficiently to +shew his good will towards the queen and her realm. His counsellors met +me without the gates; and on entering the city some of the kings footmen +and guards were placed on both sides of my horse, and in this manner I +was conducted to the palace. The king sat in his chair of state, having +his counsellors about him, both Moors and _Elchies_; and, according to +his order previously given me, I declared my message to him in the +Spanish language, and delivered her majestys letters. All that I spoke +at this time in Spanish, he caused one of his _Elchies_ to interpret to +the Moors who were present in the _Larbe_ tongue. When this was done, he +answered me in Spanish, returning great thanks to the queen my mistress, +for my mission, and offering himself and country to be at her majesty's +disposal; after which he commanded some of his counsellors to conduct me +to my lodging, which was at no great distance from the court. The house +appointed for me was very good according to the fashion of the country, +and was every day furnished with all kinds of provisions at the kings +charge. + +[Footnote 300: The Spaniards and Portuguese were commanded by the king, +on pain of death, to meet the English ambassador.--Hakluyt.] + +I was sent for again to court that same night, and had a conference with +the king for the space of about two hours, when I declared to him the +particulars of what had been given me in charge by the queen, and found +him perfectly willing to oblige her majesty, and not to urge her with +any demands that might not conveniently be complied with, well knowing +that his country might be better supplied from England with such things +as it stood in need of, than England from his country. He likewise +informed me, that the king of Spain had sent demanding a licence to send +an ambassador to him, and had strongly urged him not to give credence or +entertainment to any ambassador that might come from the queen of +England: "Yet," said he, "I know well what the king of Spain is, and +what the queen of England and her realm; for I neither like him nor his +religion, being so governed by the inquisition that he can do nothing of +himself; wherefore, when his ambassador comes upon the licence I have +given, he will see how little account I make of him and Spain, and how +greatly I shall honour you for the sake of the queen of England. He +shall not come into my presence, as you have done and shall daily; for I +mean to accept of you as a companion and one of my household, whereas he +shall wait twenty days after he has delivered his message." + +At the end of this speech I delivered him the letters of Sir Thomas +Gresham; upon which he took me by the hand, and led me down a long court +to a palace, past which there ran a fair fountain of water, and sitting +down in a chair, he commanded me to sit upon another, and sent for such +simple musicians as he had to entertain me. I then presented him with a +great bass lute, which he thankfully accepted, and expressed a desire to +hear when he might expect the musicians: I told him great care had been +taken to provide them, and I did not doubt that they would come out in +the first ship after my return. He is willing to give them good +entertainment, with lodgings and provisions, and to let them live +according to their own law and conscience, as indeed he urges, no one to +the contrary. He conducts himself greatly by the fear of God, and I +found him well read in the scriptures both of the old and new testament, +bearing a greater affection for our nation than any other, because that +our religion forbids the worship of images; and indeed the Moors call +him the Christian king. That same night[301] I continued with him till +twelve o'clock, and he seemed to have taken a great liking for me, as +he took from his girdle a short dagger set with 200 stones, rubies and +turquoises, which he presented to me, after which I was conducted back +to my lodgings. + +[Footnote 301: In the original this is said to have been the 1st of +June; but from what has gone before, that date must necessarily be +erroneous; it could not be before the 5th of June, on which day he +appears to have entered Morocco in he morning.--E.] + +Next day being Sunday, which he knew was our Sabbath, he allowed me to +remain at home; but he sent for me on the afternoon of Monday, when I +had a conference with him, and was entertained with music. He likewise +sent for me on Tuesday by three o'clock, when I found him in his garden +laid upon a silk bed, as he complained of a sore leg. Yet after a long +conference, he walked with me into another orchard, having a fine +banqueting-house and a large piece of water, in which was a new galley. +He took me on board the galley, and for the space of two or three hours, +shewed me what great experience he had in the management of gallies, in +which he said he had exercised himself for eighteen years of his youth. +After supper he shewed me his horses, and other matters about his house. +From that time I did not see him, as he was confined with his sore leg, +yet he sent messages to me every day. I was sent for to him again on the +13th of June, about six in the evening, and continued with him till +midnight, conferring about her majestys commission, and with regard to +the good usage of our merchants trading in his dominions. He said that +he would even do more than was asked for the queen and her subjects, who +might all come to his ports in perfect security, and trade in every part +of his dominions, likewise that they should at all times freely have +water and provisions, and in times of war might bring in the ships taken +from our enemies, and either sell them there, or freely depart at their +pleasure. Likewise that all English ships, either passing along his +coast of Barbary, or going through the straits into the Mediterranean or +Levant sea, should have safe conducts to pass freely to the dominions of +the Turks or of Algiers, as well as to his own. And he engaged to write +to the great Turk and the king of Algiers to use our ships and goods in +a friendly manner. Also, that if any Englishmen should be hereafter made +captives and brought into his dominions, that they should on no account +be sold as slaves. Whereupon, declaring the acceptance by her majesty of +these conditions, to confirm the intercourse of trade between our +merchants and his dominions, I engaged to satisfy him with such +commodities as he stood in need of, to furnish the wants of his country +in all kinds of merchandize, so that he might not require any thing from +her majesty contrary to her honour and law, or in breach of league and +amity with the Christian princes her neighbours. That same night I +presented him with a case of combs[302], and requested his majesty to +give orders for the lading of the ships back again, as I found there was +very little saltpetre in the hands of John Bampton. He answered that I +should have all the aid in his power, as he expected there was some +store in his house at _Sus,_ and that the mountaineers had much in +readiness. On my request that he would send orders for that to be +brought, he promised to do so. + +[Footnote 302: This seems rather a singular present to the emperor of +Morocco.--E.] + +The 18th day I was with him again and continued till night, when he +shewed me his house, with the amusement of duck-hunting with water +spaniels, and bull-baiting with English dogs. At this time I reminded +him of sending to _Sus_ about the saltpetre, which he engaged to do; and +on the 21st the Alcayde Mammie departed on that errand, accompanied by +Lionel Edgerton and Rowland Guy, carrying with them, on our account and +the king's, letters to his brother Muley Hamet, the Alcayde Shavan, and +the viceroy. The 23d the king sent me out of Morocco with a guard, and +accompanied by the Alcayde Mahomet, to see his garden called +Shersbonare; and at night of the 24th I was sent for to court to see a +Morris dance, and a play acted by his _Elchies._ He promised me an +audience on the next day being Tuesday, but put it off till Thursday, +when he sent for me after supper, when the Alcaydes Rodwan and Gowry +were appointed to confer with me; but after a short conversation, I +requested to be admitted to the king to receive my dispatch. On being +admitted, I preferred two bills, or requests, of John Bampton respecting +the provision of saltpetre, also two other petitions for the quiet trade +of our English merchants, together with petitions or requests for the +sugars which had been agreed to be made by the Jews, both for the debts +they had already incurred to our merchants, and those they might incur +hereafter, as likewise for the proper regulation of the ingenios. I also +moved him to give orders for the saltpetre and other affairs that had +been before agreed upon, which he referred me to be settled by the two +alcaydes. But on Friday the alcaydes could not attend to my affairs, and +on Saturday Rodwan fell sick. So on Sunday I again made application to +the king, and that afternoon I was sent for to confer upon the bargain +with the alcaydes and others, but we could not agree. + +Upon Tuesday I wrote a letter to the king for my dispatch, and was +called again to court that afternoon, when I referred all things to the +king, accepting his offer of saltpetre. That night the king took me +again into his galley, when the water spaniels hunted the duck. On +Thursday I was appointed to weigh the 300 gross quintals of saltpetre; +and that afternoon the _tabybe_ came to my lodging, to inform me that +the king was offended with John Bampton for various reasons. Late on +Sunday night, being the 7th of July, I got the king to forgive all to +John Bampton, and he promised to give me another audience on Monday. +Upon Tuesday I wrote to the king for my dispatch, when he sent _Fray +Lewes_ to me, who said he had orders to write them out. Upon Wednesday I +wrote again, and the king sent me word that I should come on Thursday to +receive my dispatches, so that I might depart without fail on Friday the +12th of July. + +According to the kings appointment I went to court on Friday, when all +the demands I had made were granted, and all the privileges which had +been requested on behalf of the English merchants were yielded to with +great favour and readiness. As the Jews resident in Morocco were +indebted in large sums to our men, the emperor issued orders that all +these should be paid in full without delay or excuse. Thus at length I +was dismissed with great honour and special favour, such as had not +ordinarily been shewn to other Christian ambassadors. Respecting the +private affairs treated on between her majesty and the emperor, I had +letters to satisfy her highness in the same. To conclude, having the +same honourable escort for my return from court that I had on my way +there, I embarked with my suite, and arrived soon after in England, when +I repaired to court, and ended my embassy to her majestys satisfaction, +by giving a relation of my services. + + + +SECTION XIV. + +_Embassy of Henry Roberts from Queen Elizabeth to Morocco in 1585, +written by himself_[303]. + + +Like the former ambassador, Edmund Hogan, Mr Henry Roberts was one of +the sworn esquires of the person to Elizabeth queen of England, and the +following brief relation of his embassy, according to Hakluyt, was +written by himself. This, like the former, does not properly belong to +the present portion of our arrangement, but seemed necessary to be +inserted in this place, however anomalous, as an early record of the +attentions of the English government to extend the commerce and +navigation of England, the sinews of our strength, and the bulwark of +our glorious constitution. Mr Roberts appears to have spent three years +and five months on this embassy, leaving London on the 14th August 1585, +and returning to the same place on the 12th January 1589, having, in the +words of Hakluyt, remained at Morocco as _lieger_, or resident, during +upwards of three years. + +[Footnote 303: Hakluyt, II 602.] + +In the commencement of this brief notice, Mr Roberts mentions the +occasion of his embassy as proceeding from the incorporation of a +company of merchants, for carrying on an exclusive trade from England to +Barbary; upon which event he was appointed her majestys messenger and +agent to the emperor of Morocco, for the furtherance of the affairs of +that company. It is not our intention to load our work with copies of +formal patents and diplomatic papers; yet in the present instance it may +not be amiss to give an abridgment of the patent to the Barbary company, +as an instance of the mistaken principles of policy on which the early +foundations of English commerce were attempted.--E. + +_Letters Patent and Privileges granted in 1585 by Queen Elizabeth, to +certain Noblemen and Merchants of London, for a Trade to Barbary.[304]_ + +[Footnote 304: Hakluyt, II. 599.] + +Elizabeth, &c.--Whereas our right trusty and well beloved counsellors, +Ambrose earl of Warwick, and Robert earl of Leicester, and also our +loving and natural subjects Thomas Starkie, &c.[305] all merchants of +London, now trading into the country of Barbary, in the parts of Africa +under the government of Mulley Hamet Sheriffe, emperor of Morocco, and +king of Fez and Sus, have made it evident to us that they have sustained +great and grievous losses, and are likely to sustain greater if it +should not be prevented. In tender consideration whereof, and because +diverse merchandize of the same countries are very necessary and +convenient for the use and defence of this our realm, &c. Wherefore we +give and grant to the said earls, &c. by themselves, their factors or +servants, and none others, for and during the space of twelve years, the +whole freedom and liberty of the said trade, any law, &c. to the +contrary in any way notwithstanding. The said trade to be free of all +customs, subsidies or other duties, during the said period to us, our +heirs and successors, &c. Witness ourself at Westminster, the 5th July, +in the 27th year of our reign. + +[Footnote 305: Here are enumerated forty merchants of London, as members +of the Barbary company in conjunction with the two earls.--E.] + + +_Narrative._ + +Upon an incorporation granted to the company of Barbary merchants +resident in London, I Henry Roberts, one of her majesties sworn esquires +of her person, was appointed messenger and agent from her highness unto +Mulley Hamet Sheriffe, emperor of Morocco and king of Fez and Sus. And, +having received my commission, instructions, and her majesties letters, +I departed from London, the 14th August 1585, in a tall ship called the +Ascension, in company with the Minion and Hopewell. We arrived in safety +at the port of Azaffi in Barbary on the 14th of September following. The +alcaide of the town, who is the kings chief officer there, or as it were +mayor of the place, received me with all civility and honour, according +to the custom of the country, and lodged me in the best house in the +town. From thence I dispatched a messenger, which in their language is +called a _trottero_, to inform the emperor of my arrival; who +immediately sent a party of soldiers for my guard and safe conduct, with +horses for myself, and mules for my baggage and that of my company or +suite. + +Accompanied by Richard Evans, Edward Salcot, and other English merchants +resident in the country, and with my escort and baggage, I came to the +river _Tenisist_, within four miles of the city of Morocco, and pitched +my tents among a grove of olive trees on the banks of that river, where +I was met by all the English merchants by themselves, and the French, +Flemish, and various other Christians, who waited my arrival. After we +had dined, and when the heat of the day was over, we set out about 4 +o'clock in the afternoon for the city, where I was lodged by order of +the emperor in a fair house in the _Judaria_ or jewry, the quarter in +which the Jews have their abode, being the best built and quietest part +of the city. + +After I had rested there three days, I was introduced into the kings +presence, to whom I delivered my message and her majesties letters, and +was received with much civility. During three years in which I remained +there as her majesties agent and _ligier_, or resident, I had favourable +audiences from time to time; as, whenever I had any business, I was +either admitted to his majesty himself or to his viceroy, the alcaide +Breme Saphiana, a very wise and discreet person, and the principal +officer of the court. For various good and sufficient reasons, I forbear +to put down in writing the particulars of my service. + +After obtaining leave, and receiving an honourable reward from the +emperor, I departed from his court at Morocco the 18th of August 1588, +to a garden belonging to him called Shersbonare, where he promised I +should only stay one day for his letters. Yet on one pretence or +another, I was detained there till the 14th of September, always at the +kings charges, having 40 or 50 shot attending upon me as my guard. At +length I was conducted from thence, with every thing requisite for my +accommodation, to the port of Santa Cruz, six days journey from Morocco, +where our ships ordinarily take in their lading, and where I arrived on +the 21st of that month. + +I remained at Santa Cruz 43 days. At length, on the 2d November, I +embarked in company with one Marshok, a Reis or captain, a gentleman +sent along with me by the emperor on an embassy to her majesty. After +much foul weather at sea, we landed on new-years day 1589, at St Ives in +Cornwal, whence we proceeded together by land to London. We were met +without the city by 40 or 50 of the principal Barbary merchants all on +horseback, who accompanied us by torch light into the city on Sunday the +12th January 1589, the ambassador and myself being together in a coach. + + +_Edict of the Emperor of Morocco in favour of the English, obtained by +Henry Roberts_. + +In the name of the most merciful God, &c. The servant of the Supreme +God, the conqueror in his cause, the successor appointed by God, emperor +of the Moors, son of the emperor of the Moors, the Shariffe, the Haceny, +whose honour and estate may God long increase and advance. This our +imperial commandment is delivered into the hands of the English +merchants who reside under the protection of our high court, that all +men who see these presents may understand that our high councils will +defend them, by the aid of God, from all that may injure or oppress them +in any way or manner in which they shall be wronged; and that which way +soever they may travel, no man shall take them captives in these our +kingdoms, ports, or other places belonging to us; and that no one shall +injure or hinder them, by laying violent hands upon them, or shall give +occasion that they be aggrieved in any manner of way. And we charge and +command all the officers of our ports, havens, and fortresses, and all +who bear authority of any sort in our dominions, and likewise all our +subjects generally of all ranks and conditions, that they shall in no +way molest, offend, wrong, or injure them. And this our commandment +shall remain inviolable, being registered on the middle day of the month +Rabel of the year 996. + +The date of this letter agrees with the 20th of March 1587, which I, +Abdel Rahman el Catun, interpreter for his majesty, have translated out +of Arabic into Spanish, word for word as contained therein.[306] + +[Footnote 306: Besides this, Hakluyt gives copies in Spanish and English +of a letter from Mulley Hamet to the Earl of Leicester, and of a letter +from Queen Elizabeth to Mulley Hamet, both of which are merely +complimentary, or relate to unexplained circumstances respecting one +John Herman an English rebel, whose punishment is required from the +emperor of Morocco. He had probably contraveened the exclusive +privileges of the Barbary company, by trading in Morocco.--E.] + + +SECTION XV. + +_Voyage to Benin beyond Guinea in 1588, by James Welsh_[307]. + + +This and the subsequent voyage to Benin were fitted out by Messrs Bird +and Newton, merchants of London, in which a ship of 100 tons called the +Richard of Arundel and a pinnace were employed, under the chief command +of James Welsh, who wrote the account of both voyages--_Astley_. + +[Footnote 307: Hakluyt, II. 613. Astley, I. 199.] + +It seems not improbable that these voyages were intended as an evasion +of an exclusive privilege granted in May 1588 by Queen Elizabeth, for +trade to the rivers Senegal and Gambia, called Senega and Gambra in +Hakluyt. The boundaries of this exclusive trade are described as +beginning at the northermost part of the river Senegal, and from and +within that river all along the coast of Guinea into the southermost +part of the river Gambia, and within that river also; and the reason +assigned for this exclusive grant is, that the patentees had already +made one voyage to these parts, and that the enterprizing a new trade +must be attended with considerable hazard and expence. The patentees +were several merchants of Exeter and other parts of Devonshire, and one +merchant of London, who had been instigated by certain Portuguese +resident in England to engage in that trade, and the privilege is +extended to ten years.[308]--E. + +[Footnote 308: See the patent at large in Hakluyt, II. 610. London +edition, 1810.] + + * * * * * + +On the 12th October 1588, weighing anchor from Ratcliff we dropped down +to Blackwall, whence we sailed next day; but owing to contrary winds we +did not reach Plymouth till the 25th October, where we had to remain for +want of a fair wind to the 14th of December, when we set sail and passed +the Lizard that night. Thursday the 2d January 1589, we had sight of the +land near Rio del Oro, making our lat. 22° 47' N. The 3d we saw Cape +Barbas, distant 5 leagues S.E. The 4th in the morning we had sight of +the stars called the _Croziers_. The 7th we had sight of Cape Verd, +making our lat. 14° 43' at 4 leagues off shore. Friday 17th Cape Mount +bore from us N.N.E., when we sounded and had 50 fathoms water with a +black ouse, and at 2 P.M. it bore N.N.W. 8 leagues distant, when Cape +Misurado bore E. by S. Here the current sets E.S.E. along shore, and at +midnight we had 26 fathoms on black ouse. The 18th in the morning we +were athwart a land much resembling Cabo Verde, about 9 leagues beyond +Cape Misurado. It is a saddle-backed hill, and there are four or five +one after the other; and 7 leagues farther south we saw a row of +saddle-backed hills, all the land from Cape Misurado having many +mountains. The 19th we were off Rio de Sestos, and the 20th Cape Baixos +was N. by W. 4 leagues distant. In the afternoon a canoe came off with +three negroes from a place they called Tabanoo. Towards evening we were +athwart an island, and saw many small islands or rocks to the southward, +the current setting from the south. We sounded and had 35 fathoms. The +21st we had a flat hill bearing N.N.E. being 4 leagues from shore; and +at 2 P.M. we spoke a French ship riding near a place called _Ratere_, +there being another place hard bye called Crua[309]. The Frenchman +carried a letter from us on shore for Mr Newton; and as we lay to while +writing the letter, the current set us a good space along shore to the +S.S.E. The 25th we were in the bight of a bay to the west of Cape +Three-points, the current setting E.N.E. The 31st January we were off +the middle part of Cape Three-points at 7 in the morning, the current +setting to the E. Saturday 1st February we were off a round foreland, +which I considered to be the easternmost part of Cape Three-points, +within which foreland was a great bay and an island in the bay. + +[Footnote 309: Krou Sestra, nearly in lat. 5° N.] + +The 2nd February we were off the castle of Mina; and when the third +glass of the watch was run out, we spied under our larboard quarter one +of their boats with some negroes and one Portuguese, who would not come +on board. Over the castle upon some high rocks, we saw what we thought +to be two watch houses, which were very white. At this time our course +was E.N.E. The 4th in the morning we were athwart a great hill, behind +which within the land were other high rugged hills, which I reckoned +were little short of _Monte Redondo_, at which time I reckoned we were +20 leagues E.N.E. from the castle of Mina; and at 11 o'clock A.M. I saw +two hills within the land, 7 leagues by estimation beyond the former +hills. At this place there is a bay, having another hill at its east +extremity, beyond which the land is very low. We went this day E. N E. +and E. by N. 22 leagues, and then E. along shore. The 6th we were short +of Villa Longa, and there we met a Portuguese caravel. The 7th, being a +fair temperate day, we rode all day before Villa Longa, whence we sailed +on the 8th, and 10 leagues from thence we anchored again, and remained +all night in 10 fathoms water. The 9th we sailed again, all along the +shore being clothed with thick woods, and in the afternoon we were +athwart a river[310], to the eastward of which a little way was a great +high bushy tree which seemed to have no leaves. The 10th we sailed E. +and E. by S. 14 leagues along shore, the whole coast being so thick of +woods that in my judgment a person would have much difficulty in passing +through them. Towards night we anchored in 7 fathoms. The 11th we sailed +E. by S. and 3 leagues from shore we had only 5 fathoms water, all the +wood along shore being as even as if it had been clipt by gardeners +sheers. After running 2 leagues, we saw a high tuft of trees on a brow +of land like the head of a porpoise. A league farther on we had a very +low head land full of trees; and a great way from the land we had very +shallow water, on which we hauled off to seaward to get deeper water, +and then anchored in 5 fathoms, athwart the mouth of the river _Jayo_. +The 12th we sent the pinnace and the boat to land with the merchants, +and they did not return till next morning. The shallowest part of this +river is toward the west, where there is only 4-1/2 fathoms, and it is +very broad. + +[Footnote 310: Rio de Lagoa--_Hakluyt_.--Probably that now called Lagos, +in long. 2° 40' E. from Greenwich, in the Bight of Benin.--E.] + +Thursday the 13th we set sail going S.S.E. along shore, the trees being +wonderfully even, the east shore being higher than the west shore[311]. +After sailing 18 leagues we had sight of a great river, called Rio de +Benin, off which we anchored in 3-1/2 fathoms, the sea being here very +shallow two leagues from the main[312]. The 15th we sent the pinnace and +boat with the merchants into the river; and as we rode in shallow water, +we made sail with the starboard tacks aboard till we came to 5 fathoms +water, where we anchored having the current to the westwards. The west +part of the land was high-browed, much like the head of a Gurnard, and +the eastermost land was lower, having three tufts of trees like stacks +of corn. Next day we only saw two of these trees, having removed more to +the eastwards. We rode here from the 14th of February till the 14th of +April, having the wind always at S.W. + +[Footnote 311: This is only to be understood as implying that the shore +was now higher in the eastern part of the voyage along the coast, than +formerly to the west on the coast of Mina; the east shore and the west +shore referring to the bight or bay of Benin.--E.] + +[Footnote 312: It is probable that the two rivers mentioned in the text +under the names of Rio de Lagoa and Rio de Benin, are those now called +the Lagos creek and the great river Formosa, both in the negro kingdom +of Benin.--E.] + +The 17th February our merchants weighed their goods and put them aboard +the pinnace to go into the river, on which day there came a great +current out of the river setting to the westwards. The 16th March our +pinnace came on board with Anthony Ingram the chief factor, bringing 94 +bags of pepper and 28 elephants teeth. All his company were sick. The +19th our pinnace went again into the river, having the purser and +surgeon on board; and the 25th we sent the boat up the river again. The +30th our pinnace came from Benin with the sorrowful news that Thomas +Hemstead and our captain were both dead. She brought with her 159 serons +or bags of pepper, besides elephants teeth. In all the time of our +remaining off the river of Benin, we had fair and temperate weather when +the wind was at S.W. from the sea; but when the wind blew at N. and N.E. +from the land, it then rained with thunder and lightning, and the +weather was intemperately hot. + +The 13th of April 1589, we began our voyage homeward, and the 27th of +July we spoke a ship called the Port belonging to London, giving us good +news of England. The 9th September we put into Catwater, where we +remained till the 28th, owing to sickness and want of men. The 29th we +sailed from Plymouth, and arrived at London on the 2d October 1589. + +The commodities we carried out in this, voyage were linens and woollen +cloths, iron work of sundry kinds, manillios or bracelets of copper, +glass beads and coral. Those we brought home were pepper, elephants +teeth, palm oil, cloth made of cotton very curiously woven, and cloth +made of the bark of the palm tree. Their money consists of pretty white +shells, as they have no gold or silver. They have also great store of +cotton. Their bread is made of certain roots called _Inamia_, as large +as a mans arm, which when well boiled is very pleasant and light of +digestion. On banian or fish days, our men preferred eating these roots +with oil and vinegar to the best stock-fish[313]. There are great +quantities of palm trees, out of which the negroes procure abundance of +a very pleasant white wine, of which we could purchase two gallons for +20 shells. The negroes have plenty of soap, which has the flavour of +violets. They make very pretty mats and baskets, also spoons of ivory +very curiously wrought with figures of birds and beasts. + +[Footnote 313: It is obvious that the banian or meager days, still +continued in the British navy, are a remnant of the meager days of the +Roman catholic times, when it was deemed a mortal sin to eat flesh. +Stock-fish are, however now abandoned, having been found to promote +scurvy.--E.] + +Upon this coast we had the most terrible thunder and lightning, which +used to make the deck tremble under our feet, such as I never heard the +like in any other part of the world. Before we became accustomed to it, +we were much alarmed, but God be thanked we had no harm. The natives are +very gentle and courteous; both men and women going naked till they are +married, after which they wear a garment reaching from the middle down +to the knees. Honey was so plentiful, that they used to sell our people +earthen pots of comb full of honey, the size of two gallons for 100 +shells. They brought us also great store of oranges and plantains, which +last is a fruit which grows on a tree, and resembles our cucumbers, but +is very pleasant eating. It pleased God of his merciful goodness to give +me the knowledge of a means of preserving water fresh with little cost, +which served us six months at sea; and when we came to Plymouth it was +much wondered at by the principal men of the town, who said there was +not sweeter water in all Plymouth[314]. Thus God provides for his +creatures, unto whom be praise, now and _for ever more_, amen. + +[Footnote 314: This preservative is wrought by casting a handful of +bay-salt into a hogshead of water, as the author told me.--_Hakluyt_. + +The Thames water soon putrifies on board ships in long voyages; but +afterwards throws down a sediment and becomes perfectly sweet pleasant +and wholesome; insomuch that it is often bought from ships which have +been to India and back. Putrid water at sea is purified or rendered +comparatively sweet by forcing streams of air through it by what is +called an air pump. Water may be preserved sweet on long voyages, or +restored when putrid, by means of pounded charcoal.--E.] + + +SECTION XVI. + +_Supplement to the foregoing Voyage, in a Letter from Anthony Ingram the +chief Factor, written from Plymouth to the Owners, dated 9th September, +the day of arriving at Plymouth_[315]. + + + +Worshipful Sirs! The account of our whole proceedings in this voyage +would require more time than I have, and a person in better health than +I am at present, so that I trust you will pardon me till I get to +London. + +[Footnote 315: Hakluyt, II. 616. Astley, I. 202.] + +Departing from London in December 1588, we arrived at our destined port +of Benin on the 14th of February following, where we found not water +enough to carry our ship over the bar, so that we left her without in +the road. We put the chiefest of our merchandise into the pinnace and +ships boat, in which we went up the river to a place called _Goto_[316], +where we arrived on the 20th, that place being the nearest to Benin to +which we could go by water. From thence we sent negro messengers to +certify the king of our arrival, and the object of our coming. These +messengers returned on the 22d with a nobleman to conduct us to the city +of Benin, and with 200 negroes to carry our merchandise. On the 23d we +delivered our commodities to the kings factor, and the 25th we came to +the great city of Benin, where we were well entertained. The 26th we +went to court to confer with the king, but by reason of a solemn +festival then holding we could not see him; yet we spoke with his +_veador_, or chief man who deals with the Christians, who assured us +that we should have every thing according to our desires, both in regard +to pepper and elephants teeth. + +[Footnote 316: Goto or Gato is a negro town on the northern branch of +the Rio Formoso, about 45 miles in a straight line from the mouth of the +river, and about 85 miles short of the town of Benin. This branch or +creek is probably the river of Benin of the text.--E.] + +We were admitted into the kings presence on the 1st of March, who gave +us like friendly assurances respecting our trade; and next day we went +again to court, when the _veador_ shewed us a basket of green pepper and +another of dry in the stalks. We desired to have it plucked from the +stalks and made clean, which he said would require some time to get +done, but should be executed to our satisfaction, and that by next year +it should be all in readiness for us, as we had now come unexpectedly to +their country, to which no Christians had traded for pepper in the reign +of the present king. Next day they sent us 12 baskets full, and +continued to send more daily till the 9th March, by which time we had +made up 64 serons of pepper and 28 elephants teeth. By this time, as our +constitutions were unused to the climate of Benin, all of us were seized +with fevers; upon which the captain sent me down to Goto with the goods +we had collected. On my arrival there, I found all the men belonging to +our pinnace sick, so that they were unable to convey the pinnace and +goods to the ship; but fortunately the boat came up to Goto from the +ship within two hours after my arrival, to see what we were about, so +that I put the goods into the boat and went down to the ship: But by the +time I had got on board several of our men died, among whom were Mr +Benson, the copper, and the carpenter, with three or four more, and I +was in so weak a state as to be unable to return to Benin. I therefore +sent up Samuel Dunne and the surgeon, that he might let blood of them if +it were thought adviseable; but on their arrival they found the captain +and your son William Bird both dead, and Thomas Hempstead was so very +weak that he died two days after. + +In this sorrowful state of affairs they returned with all speed to the +ship, with such pepper and elephants teeth as they had got, as will +appear by the cargo. At their coming away; the _veador_ told them he +would use all possible expedition to procure them more goods if they +would remain longer; but the sickness so increased among us, that by the +time our men came back we had so many sick and dead, that we looked to +lose our ship, lives, country, and all. We were so reduced that it was +with much difficulty we were able to heave our anchors; but by Gods +blessing we got them up and put to sea, leaving our pinnace behind, on +the 13th of April. After which our men began to recover and gather +strength. Sailing between the Cape de Verd islands and the Main, we came +to the Azores on the 25th of July; and here our men began again to fall +sick, and several died, among whom was Samuel Dunn, those who remained +alive being in a sad state. In the midst of our distress, it pleased God +that we should meet your ship the _Barke Burre_ on this side the North +Cape, which not only kept company with us, but sent us six fresh men on +board, without whose assistance we must have been in a sad condition. By +this providential aid we are now arrived at Plymouth, this 9th +September; and, for want of better health at this present. I must refer +you for farther particulars till my arrival in London.--Yours to +command, + +ANTHONY INGRAM. + + +SECTION XVII. + +_Second Voyage of James Welsh to Benin, in 1590_[317]. + + +In the employment of the same merchants, John Bird and John Newton, and +with the same ship as in the former voyage, the Richard of Arundel, +accompanied by a small pinnace, we set sail from Ratclif on the 3d +September 1590, and came to Plymouth Sound on the 18th of that month. We +put to sea again on the 22d, and on the 14th October got sight of +Fuertaventura, one of the Canary islands, which appeared very rugged as +we sailed past. The 16th of October, in the lat. of 24° 9' N. we met a +prodigious hollow sea, such as I had never seen before on this coast; +and this day a monstrous great fish, which I think is called a +_gobarto_[318], put up his head to the steep-tubs where the cook was +shifting the victuals, whom I thought the fish would have carried away. +The 21st, being in lat. 18° N. we had a _counter-sea_ from the north, +having in the same latitude, on our last voyage, encountered a similar +sea from the south, both times in very calm weather. The 24th we had +sight of Cape Verd, and next day had a great hollow sea from the north, +a common sign that the wind will be northerly, and so it proved. The +15th November, when in lat. 6° 42' N. we met three currents from west to +north-west, one after the other, with the interval of an hour between +each. The 18th we had two other great currents from S.W. The 20th we saw +another from N.E. The 24th we had a great current from S.S.W. and at 6 +P.M. we had three currents more. The 27th we reckoned to have gone 2-1/2 +leagues every watch, but found that we had only made _one_ league every +watch for the last 24 hours, occasioned by heavy billows and a swift +current still from the south. The 5th December, on setting the watch, we +cast about and lay E.N.E. and N.E. and here in lat. 5° 30' our pinnace +lost us wilfully. The 7th, at sunset, we saw a great black spot on the +sun; and on the 8th, both at rising and setting we saw the like, the +spot appearing about the size of a shilling. We were then in lat. 5° N. +and still had heavy billows from the south. + +[Footnote 317: Hakluyt, II. 618. Astley, I. 203.] + +[Footnote 318: In a side note, Astley conjectures this to have been a +great shark.] + +We sounded on the 14th December, having 15 fathoms on coarse red sand, +two leagues from shore, the current setting S.E. along shore, and still +we had heavy billows from the south. The 15th we were athwart a rock, +somewhat like the _Mewstone_ in England, and at the distance of 2 +leagues from the rock, had ground in 27 fathoms. This rock is not above +a mile from the shore, and a mile farther we saw another rock, the space +between both being broken ground. We sounded off the second rock, and +had ground at 20 fathoms on black sand. We could now see plainly that +the rocks were not along the shore, but at some distance off to sea, and +about 5 leagues farther south we saw a great bay, being then in lat. 4° +27' N. The 16th we met a French ship belonging to Harfleur, which robbed +our pinnace: we sent a letter by him. This night we saw another spot on +the sun at his going down. Towards evening we were athwart the mouth of +a river, right over which was a high tuft of trees. The 17th we anchored +in the mouth of the river, when we found the land to be Cape Palmas, +there being a great ledge of rocks between us and the Cape, a league and +half to sea, and an island off the point or foreland of the Cape. We +then bore to the west of the Cape, and as night came on could see no +more of the land, except that it trended inwards like a bay, in which +there ran a stream or tide as it had been the Thames. This was on the +change day of the moon. + +The 19th December, a fair temperate day, with the wind S. we sailed +east, leaving the land astern of us to the west, all the coast appearing +low like islands to the east of Cape Palmas, and trending inwards like a +great bay or sound. We went east all night, and in the morning were only +three or four leagues from shore. The 20th we were off Rio de las +Barbas. The 21st we continued along shore; and three or four leagues +west of Cape Three Points, I found the bay to be set deeper than it is +laid down by four leagues. At 4 P.M. the land began to shew high, the +first part of it being covered by palm trees. The 24th, still going +along shore, the land was very low and full of trees to the water side. +At noon we anchored off the Rio de Boilas, where we sent the boat +towards the shore with our merchants, but they durst not put into the +river, because of a heavy surf that broke continually on the bar. The +28th we sailed along shore, and anchored at night in seven fathoms, to +avoid being put back by a current setting from E.S.E. from _Papuas_. + +At noon on the 29th we were abreast of Ardrah, and there we took a +caravel, the people belonging to which had fled to the land. She had +nothing in her except a small quantity of palm oil and a few roots. Next +morning our captain and merchants went to meet the Portuguese, who came +off in a boat to speak with them. After some communing about ransoming +the caravel, the Portuguese promised to give for her some bullocks and +elephants teeth, and gave us then one tooth and one bullock, engaging to +bring the rest next day. Next day being the 1st January 1591, our +captain went a-land to speak with the Portuguese, but finding them to +dissemble, he came on board again, when presently we unrigged the +caravel and set her on fire before the town. We then set sail and went +along the coast, where we saw a date tree, the like of which is not on +all that coast, by the water side. We also fell a little aground at one +place. Thus we went on to _Villalonga_ where we anchored. The 3d we came +to Rio de Lagoa, or Lagos Creek, where our merchants went to land, +finding 3 fathoms on the bar, but being late they did not go in. There +is to the eastward of this river a date tree, higher than all the other +trees thereabouts. Thus we went along the coast, anchoring every night, +and all the shore was full of trees and thick woods. The morning of the +6th was very foggy, so that we could not see the land; but it cleared up +about three in the afternoon, when we found ourselves off the river +Jaya; and finding the water very shallow, we bore a little out to +seawards as we had done in the former voyage, and came to anchor in five +fathoms. We set sail again next day, and came about noon abreast the +river of Benin, where we anchored in four fathoms. + +The 10th our captain went to land with the boat at 2 P.M. All this week +it was very foggy every day till 10 o'clock A.M. and hitherto the +weather had been as temperate as our summer in England. This day we +anchored in the road in 4 fathoms, the west point bearing from us E.N.E. +The 21st, being a fair temperate day, Mr Hassald went up to the town of +Gato to hear news of our captain. The 23d came the caravel[319] in which +was Samuel, bringing 63 elephants teeth and three bullocks. The 28th was +a fair temperate day, but towards night we had much rain with thunder +and lightning. This day our boat came on board from Gato. The 24th +February, we took in 298 serons or bags of pepper, and 4 elephants +teeth. The 26th we put the rest of our goods on board the caravel, in +which Mr Hassald went up to Gato. The 5th March the caravel came again, +bringing 21 serons of pepper and 4 elephants teeth. The 9th April our +caravel came again on board with water for our return voyage, and this +day we lost our shallop or small boat. The 17th was a hazy and rainy +day, and in the afternoon we saw three great water spouts, two to +larboard and one right a-head, but by the blessing of God they came not +to our ship. This day we took in the last of our water for sea store, +and on the 26th we victualled our caravel to accompany us. The 27th we +set sail on our voyage homewards. + +[Footnote 319: It is not mentioned how they came by this caravel.--Astl. +I. 204. b. Probably the pinnace that attended them in the voyage, for +the purpose of going up the shallow rivers.--E.] + +The 24th May we were 37 leagues south of Cape Palmas. The 1st July we +got sight of Brava, one of the Cape Verd islands, bearing east 7 leagues +off. The 13th August we spoke the queens ship, of which Lord Howard was +admiral and Sir Richard Grenville vice-admiral. They made us keep +company till the night of the 15th, lying all the time a hull in waiting +for prizes, 30 leagues S.W. from the island of Flores. That night we got +leave to depart, accompanied by a fliboat laden with sugar from the +island of San Thome which had been taken by the queens ship, and of +which my lord admiral gave me strict charge not to part with her till +safe harboured in England. The 23d the N.E. part of the island of Corvo +bore from us E. by S. 6 leagues distant. The 17th September we fell in +with a ship belonging to Plymouth bound from the West Indies. Next day +we had sight of another sail; and this day died Mr Wood one of our +company. The 23d we spoke the Dragon belonging to my Lord Cumberland, of +which _master_ Ivie was _maister_[320]. The 2d October we met a ship +belonging to Newcastle coming from Newfoundland, out of which we got 300 +couple of _Newland_ fish. The 13th we put into Dartmouth, where we staid +till the 12th December, when we sailed with a west wind, and by the +blessing of God we anchored on the 18th December 1591, at Limehouse in +the river Thames, where we discharged 589 sacks of pepper, 150 elephants +teeth, and 32 barrels of palm oil. + +[Footnote 320: This distinction of master and maister often occurs in +these early voyages.--Astl. I. 205. a.] + +The commodities we carried out on this my second voyage were, broad +cloth, kersies, bays, linen cloth, unwrought iron, copper bracelets, +coral, hawks bells, horse-tails, hats, and the like. This voyage was +more comfortable to us than the former, because we had plenty of fresh +water and that very sweet. For even yet, being the 7th June 1592, the +water we brought out of Benin on the 1st of April 1591, is as clear and +good as any fountain can yield. In this voyage we sailed 350 leagues +within half a degree of the equator, where we found the weather more +temperate than at our anchorage on the coast of Benin. Under the line we +killed many small dolphins, and many other good fish, which were very +refreshing to us; and the fish never forsook us till we were to the +north of the Azores: But God be thanked we met with several ships of our +own country, during the five months we were at sea, which were great +comfort to us, having no consort. + + +SECTION XVIII. + +_Voyage of Richard Rainolds and Thomas Dassel to the Rivers Senegal and +Gambia adjoining to Guinea, in 1591_[321]. + + +PREVIOUS REMARKS [322]. + +In virtue of her majestys most gracious charter, given in the year 1588, +being the 30th of her reign, certain English merchants were privileged +to trade, in and from the river of Senega or Senegal, to and in the +river of Gambra or Gambia on the western coast of Africa. The chiefest +places of trade on that coast, in and between these rivers are: 1. +_Senegal_ river, where the commodities are hides, gum, elephants teeth, +a few grains or pepper, ostrich feathers, ambergris, and some gold. 2. +_Beseguiache_[323], a town near Cape Verd, and ---- leagues[324] from the +river Senegal. The commodities here are small hides and a few teeth. 3. +_Rufisque_, or _Refisca viejo_, a town 4 leagues from Beseguiache, +producing small hides and a few teeth now and then. 4. _Palmerin_, a +town 2 leagues from Rufisque[325], having small hides and a few +elephants teeth occasionally. 5. _Porto d'Ally_, or _Portudale_, a town +5 leagues from Palmerin, having small hides, teeth, ambergris, and a +little gold; and many Portuguese are there. 6. _Candimal_, a town half a +league from Portudale, having small hides and a few teeth now and then. +7. _Palmerin_[326], a town 3 leagues from Candimal, with similar +commodities. 8. _Jaale_ or _Joala_, 6 leagues beyond Palmerin, its +commodities being hides, wax, elephants teeth, rice, and some gold, for +which it is frequented by many Spaniards and Portuguese, 9. _Gambia +river_, producing rice, wax, hides, elephants teeth, and gold. + +[Footnote 321: Hakluyt, III. 2. Astley, I. 242.] + +[Footnote 322: In Astley, these previous remarks are stated to have been +written by Richard Rainolds; but in the original collection of Hakluyt +no such distinction is made, only that in the text Richard Rainolds +states himself to have written the account of the voyage.--E.] + +[Footnote 323: Or Barzaguiche, by which name the natives call the island +of Goree; the town of that name being on the opposite shore of the +continent.--Astl, I. 242. c.] + +[Footnote 324: At this place the editor of Astley's Collection supplies +28 leagues, in the text between brackets: But Cape Verd is 39 leagues +from the southern mouth of the Senegal, and Goree is 6 leagues beyond +Cape Verd. Near the situation pointed out for Beseguiache, modern maps +place two small towns or villages named Dakar and Ben.--E.] + +[Footnote 325: A league north from Rufisque in modern maps is a place +called Ambo; about 1-1/2 league farther north, one named Canne; and near +2 leagues south, another named Yenne.--E.] + +[Footnote 326: We have here two towns called Palmerin within a few +leagues, perhaps one of them may be wrong named in the text.--E.] + +The French have traded thither above thirty years from Dieppe in +New-haven[327], commonly with four or five ships every year, of which +two small barks go up the river Senegal. The others are wont, until +within these four years that our ships came thither, to ride with their +ships in Portudale, sending small shalops of six or eight tons to some +of the before-named places on the sea coast. They were generally as well +beloved and as kindly treated by the negroes as if they had been natives +of the country, several of the negroes going often into France and +returning again, to the great increase of their mutual friendship. Since +we frequented the coast, the French go with their ships to Rufisque, and +leave us to anchor a Portudale. The French are not in use to go up the +river Gambia, which is a river of secret trade and riches concealed by +the Portuguese. Long since, one Frenchman entered the river in a small +bark, which was surprised, betrayed, and taken by the Portuguese. In +our second voyage in the second year of our trade[328], about forty +Englishmen were cruelly slain or captured, and most or all of their +goods confiscated, by the vile treachery of the Portuguese, with the +consent of the negro kings in Portudale and Joala. On this occasion only +two got back, who were the merchants or factors. Likewise, by the +procurement of Pedro Gonzalves, a person in the service of Don Antonio +one of the officers of the king of Portugal, Thomas Dassel and others +had been betrayed, if it had not pleased the Almighty to reveal and +prevent the same. + +[Footnote 327: Havre de Grace is probably here meant--E.] + +[Footnote 328: Hence it appears that the relation in the text was the +third voyage of the English exclusive company, in the third year of +their patent, but we find no account of the other two beyond what is now +mentioned. It appears, however from Kelly's ship being at the same time +upon the coast, that others as well as the patentees carried on this +trade.--Astl. I. 242. d.] + +From the south side of the river Senegal, all along the sea coast to +Palmerin is one kingdom of the Negroes, the king of which is named +Melick Zamba[329], who dwells about two days journey inland from +Rufisque. + +[Footnote 329: Melick; or Malek, in Arabic signifies king.--Astl. I. +242. e.] + +_The Voyage._ + +On the 12th of November 1591, I, Richard Rainolds and Thomas Dassel, +being factors in a ship called the Nightingale of London, of 125 tons, +accompanied by a pinnace of 40 tons called the Messenger, arrived near +Cape Verd at a small island called the _Isle of Liberty_. At this island +we set up a small pinnace in which we are in use to carry our goods to +land in the course of our traffic; and in the mean time Thomas Dassel +went in the large pinnace to traffic with the Spaniards or Portuguese in +Portudale or Joale. Over against this island of Liberty [_Goree_] there +is a village of the negroes called Beseguiache, the alcaide or governor +of which came on board, with a great train in a number of canoes, to +receive the kings duties for anchorage and permission to set up our +pinnace. He was much pleased that we had no Portuguese in our ships, +saying that we should be always better thought of by the king and people +of that country if we never brought any Portuguese, but came of +ourselves as the French do always. To secure his favour, I gave him and +his company very courteous entertainment, and upon his entreaty, having +sufficient hostages left on board, I and several others went to the land +along with him. At this time a war subsisted between this governor and +the governor of a neighbouring province; but upon our arrival a truce +was entered into for some time, and I with my companions were conducted +through among the contending parties belonging to both provinces, to the +house of the governor of Beseguiache, where we were hospitably +entertained after their manner, and having received some presents +returned safely on board. Next day the alcaide came again on board, +desiring me to send some iron and other commodities in the boat to +barter with the negroes, and also requested me to remove with the ship +to Rufisque, which I did accordingly. I observed one thing, that a +number of negroes, armed with bows and poisoned arrows, poisoned darts, +and swords, attended the landing of the governor in warlike array, +because the hostile tribe had come there to view our ship, taking +advantage of the truce. These his armed attendants for the most part +approached him in a kneeling posture, and kissed the back of his hand. + +On the 17th of November, finding no French ship had yet come out, I left +the anchorage at the island [_Goree_], and went to the road of Rufisque, +where the interpreters of the alcaide came on board and received from me +the kings duties for free trade with the negroes, with whom I every day +exchanged my iron and other wares for hides and some elephants teeth, +finding the people very friendly and tractable. Next day I went about +three miles inland to the town of Rufisque, where I was handsomely +received and treated by the alcaide, and especially so by a young noble +named _Conde Amar Pattay_[330], who presented me with an ox, and some +goats and kids, for my company, assuring me that the king would be glad +to hear of the arrival of a Christian ship, calling us _blancos_ or +white men, and more especially that we were English. Every day the young +_conde_ came to the sea-side with a small company of horsemen, feasting +me with much courtesy and kindness. On the 5th of December, he and his +train came on board to view the ship, which to them seemed wonderful, as +a thing they had seldom seen the like of. He then told me that a +messenger sent to the king to notify our arrival was returned, and that +the king was much rejoiced that the English had brought a ship to trade +in his ports; and as I was the first Englishman who had brought a ship +there, he promised that I and any Englishman hereafter might be sure of +being well treated, and of receiving good dealings in his country. The +_conde_ farther requested, in the kings name and his own, that before my +final departure from the coast, I might return to the road of Rufisque, +to confer with him for our better acquaintance, and for the +establishment of stable friendship between them and the English, which I +agreed to. Having shewn him and his train every civility in my power, he +went on shore, on which I proposed to have given him a salute, but he +desired the contrary, being amazed at the sight of the ship and noise of +the guns, which they greatly admired. + +[Footnote 330: In the name or title of this negro chief or noble may be +recognized the Portuguese or Spanish _conde_, and the Arabic _amir_ or +_emir_.--E.] + +The 13th of December I weighed anchor from before Rufisque, and went to +Porto d'Ally, which is in another kingdom, the king of which is called +Amar Malek, being son to Malek Zamba the other king, and has his +residence a days journey and a half inland from Porto d'Ally. When we +had anchored, the governors of the town, who were the kings kinsmen, and +all the other officers, came on board to receive the kings duty for +anchorage and liberty to trade, all of whom seemed much pleased that we +had no Portuguese on board, saying that it was the kings pleasure we +should bring none of that nation, whom they considered as a people +devoid of truth[331]. They complained of one Francisco de Costa, a +servant of Don Antonio, who had often, and particularly the former year, +abused their king Amar Malek, promising to bring him certain things out +of England which he had never done, and supposed that might be his +reason for not coming this voyage. They said likewise that neither the +Portuguese nor Spaniards could abide us, but always spoke to the great +defamation and dishonour of England. They also affirmed that on the +arrival of a ship called the Command, belonging to Richard Kelley of +Dartmouth, one Pedro Gonzalves, a Portuguese, who came in that ship from +Don Antonio, reported to them that we were fled from England, and had +come to rob and commit great spoil on the coast, and that Thomas Dassel +had murdered Francisco de Acosta since we left England, who was coming +in our ship with great presents for their king from Don Antonio, +desiring on our arrival that they should seize our goods and ourselves +secretly. They assured us however that they had refused to do this, as +they disbelieved the report of Gonzalves, having often before been +abused and deceived by such false and slanderous stories by the +Portuguese. Their king, they said, was extremely sorry for the former +murder of our people, and would never consent to any such thing in +future, holding the Portuguese and Spaniards in utter abhorrence ever +since, and having a much better opinion of us and our nation than these +our enemies wished them to entertain. I gave them hearty thanks for +their good opinion, assuring them that they should always find a great +difference between our honour, and the dishonourable words and actions +of our enemies, and then paid them the customary duties. As this was a +chief place for trade, I told them that I intended to wait upon their +king that I might give him certain presents which I had brought out of +England, on purpose to strengthen the friendship between their nation +and ours. + +[Footnote 331: From this and other passages of the present journal, it +appears that the English used to carry a Portuguese along with them in +their first voyages to the coast of Africa, whether from choice or by +agreement with the government of Portugal does not clearly appear: and +that, finding the inconvenience of this custom, they began now to lay it +aside. This seems to have provoked the king of Portugal, who proposed to +ruin the English trade by means of these agents or spies.--_Astl_. I. +214. b.] + +All this time, Thomas Dassel was with our large pinnace at the town of +Joala, in the dominions of king Jocoel Lamiockeric, trading with the +Spaniards and Portuguese at that place. The before-mentioned Pedro +Gonzalves, who had come out of England, was there also along with some +English merchants, employed in the service of Richard Kelley. As +Gonzalves had not been able to accomplish his treacherous purposes +against Dassel at Porto d'Ally, where I remained, he attempted, along +with other Portuguese who were made privy to his design, to betray +Dassel at this town of Joala, and had seduced the chiefs among the +negroes, by means of bribes, to concur in his wicked and most +treacherous intentions. These, by the good providence of God, were +revealed to Thomas Dassel by Richard Cape, an Englishman, in the service +of Richard Kelley; on which Thomas Dassel went on board a small English +bark called the Cherubim of Lyme, where a Portuguese named Joam Payva, a +servant of Don Antonio, declared that Thomas Dassel would have been +betrayed long before, if he and one Garcia, a Portuguese, who lived at +Joala, would have concurred with Pedro Gonzalves. Upon this warning, +Thomas Dassel contrived next day to get three Portuguese on board the +pinnace, two of whom he sent on shore, and detained the third named +Villanova as an hostage, sending a message that if they would bring +Gonzalves on board next day by eight o'clock, he would release +Villanova; but they did not. Dassel likewise got intelligence, that +certain Portuguese and negroes were gone post by land from Joala to +Porto d'Ally, with the view of having me, Richard Rainolds, and my +company detained on shore; and, being doubtful of the negro friendship, +who were often wavering, especially when overcome by wine, he came with +his pinnace and the Portuguese hostage to Porto d'Ally on the 24th +December, for our greater security, and to prevent any treacherous plan +that might have been attempted against us in the roads by the +Portuguese. He was no sooner arrived beside our large ship the +Nightingale in the road of Porto d'Ally, than news was brought him from +John Baily, servant to Anthony Dassel, that he and our goods were +detained on shore, and that twenty Portuguese and Spaniards were come +there from Joala along with Pedro Gonzalves, for the purpose of getting +Villanova released. After a conference of two or three days, held with +the negro chiefs and the Spaniards and Portuguese, the negroes were in +the end convinced how vilely Pedro Gonzalves had behaved; and as he was +in their power, they said he ought to suffer death or torture for his +villany, as an example to others; but we, in recompence of his cruel +treachery, pitied him and shewed mercy, desiring the negroes to use him +well though undeserving; upon which the negro chiefs brought him on +board the pinnace to Thomas Dassel, to do with him as he thought proper. +Owing to some improper language he had used of certain princes, +Gonzalves was well buffetted by a Spaniard at his coming off from the +shore, and had been slain if the natives had not rescued him for our +sakes. + +When I went on shore to release Villanova, Pedro Gonzalves confessed to +Thomas Dassel, that he had concerted with some negroes and Portuguese +about detaining Dassel and the goods on shore; but that he had acted +nothing on this subject without authority from his king, contained in +certain letters he had received at Dartmouth from London, after our +departure from the Thames, occasioned by our presuming to trade to +Guinea without a servant of the king of Portugal; and declared likewise +that he had power or authority from Francisco de Costa, a Portuguese, +remaining in England, to detain the goods of Anthony Dassel in Guinea. +By consent of Francis Tucker, John Browbeare, and the other factors of +Richard Kelley, with whom this Pedro Gonzalves came from England, it was +agreed that we should detain Gonzalves in our ships until their +departure, to avoid any other mischief that he might contrive. +Therefore, on 9th January 1592, he was delivered to go for England in +the same ship that brought him, being all the time he remained in our +ship, well and courteously treated by me, though much against the will +of our mariners, who were much disgusted at seeing one who had been +nourished and relieved in our country, seeking, by villanous means, to +procure the destruction of us all. + +Although the Spaniards and Portuguese are dissemblers and not to be +trusted, yet when they saw how the subjects of Amar Malek befriended and +favoured us, and that it would be prejudicial to their trade if we were +any way injured, they renounced their evil intentions against us, +shewing detestation of him who had been the cause of it, and promised to +defend us and our affairs in all faithfulness for the future; desiring +us, as the negro king had done already, to bring no more Portuguese with +us from England, for they esteemed one bar of iron as more valuable than +twenty Portuguese, and more serviceable towards the profitable trade +which had been of late carried on by us and the French; whereas the +Portuguese, whom we were in use to bring with us, endeavoured all they +could to do us injury, and even to hurt all parties concerned in the +trade. + +At the beginning of these broils, Amar Malek had sent his chief +secretary with three horses for me, Richard Rainolds; but I refused +going, on account of the disturbances, though I might have had negroes +of condition left as hostages for my safety; yet I transmitted the +customary presents for the king. When he understood the reason of my not +coming to his residence, he was very sorry and much offended at the +cause, and immediately issued a proclamation, commanding that no injury +should be done to us in his dominions by his own people, neither +suffered to be done by the Spaniards or Portuguese; and declaring, if +any of the neighbouring negro tribes should confederate with the +Spaniards and Portuguese to molest us, that he and his subjects should +be ready to aid and defend us. Thus there appeared more kindness and +good will towards us in these ignorant negroes, than in the Spaniards +and Portuguese. + +None of the Spaniards or Portuguese are in use to trade up the river +Senegal, except one Portuguese named _Ganigogo_ who dwells far up that +river, where he has married the daughter of one of the kings. In the +towns of Porto d'Ally and Joala, which are the places of chief trade on +this coast, and at Cauton and Cassan in the river Gambia, there are many +Spaniards and Portuguese who have become resident by permission of the +negroes, and carry on a valuable trade all along the coast, especially +to the Rio San Dominica and Rio Grande, which are not far distant from +the Gambia, to which places they transport the iron which they purchase +from us and the French, exchanging it for _negro slaves_, which are +transported to the West Indies in ships that come hither from Spain. By +order of the governor and renters of the castle of Mina, and of all +those places on the coast of Guinea where gold is to be had, these +residents have a place limited for them in the river Gambia, beyond +which they must not go under pain of death and confiscation of their +goods; as the renters themselves send their own barks at certain times +up the river, to those places where gold is to be had. In all those +places hereabout, where we are in use to trade, the Spaniards and +Portuguese have no castle or other place of strength, merely trading +under the licence and safe conduct of the negroes. Most of the Spaniards +and Portuguese who reside in those parts are banished men or fugitives, +who have committed heinous crimes; and their life and conversation is +conformable to their conditions, as they are the basest and most +villainously behaved persons of their nation that are to be met with in +any part of the world. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +SOME MISCELLANEOUS EARLY VOYAGES OF THE ENGLISH. + + +INTRODUCTION. + +The present chapter is rather of an anomalous nature, and chiefly +consists of naval expeditions against the Spaniards and Portuguese, +scarcely belonging in any respect to our plan of arrangement: yet, as +contained mostly in the ancient English collection of Hakluyt, and in +that by Astley, we have deemed it improper to exclude them from our +pages, where they may be considered in some measure as an episode. +Indeed, in every extensively comprehensive plan, some degree of anomaly +is unavoidable. The following apology or reason given by the editor of +Astley's collection for inserting them in that valuable work, may serve +us likewise on the present occasion; though surely no excuse can be +needed, in a national collection like ours, for recording the exploits +of our unrivalled naval defenders. + +"For want of a continued series of trading voyages to Guinea, we shall +here insert an account of some remarkable achievements by the English +against the Spaniards and Portuguese; who, being greatly alarmed to find +out merchants extending their commerce, and trading to those parts of +the world which they pretended a right of engrossing to themselves, +began to treat our ships very severely, wherever they had the +superiority; and when they wanted force, endeavoured to surprise them by +treachery, never scrupling to violate the most solemn oaths and +engagements to compass their designs. For this reason the English +merchant ships were obliged to go to sea armed and in company; by which +means they not only prevented the outrages of these faithless enemies, +but often revenged the injuries done to others of their countrymen. At +length, the resentment of the nation being inflamed by their repeated +treacheries and depredations, the English began to send out fleets to +annoy their coasts and disturb their navigation. Of these proceedings, +we propose to give a few instances in this chapter, which may suffice to +shew the noble spirit that prevailed in these early times."--_Astl_. I. +194. + + +SECTION I. + +_Gallant escape of the Primrose from Bilboa in Spain, in 1585_[332]. + + +It is not unknown to the world, what dangers our English ships have +lately escaped from, how sharply they have been entreated, and how +hardly they have been assaulted; insomuch that the valour of those who +managed and defended them is worthy of being held in remembrance. +Wherefore, the courageous attempt and valiant enterprize of the tall +ship named the Primrose of London, from before the town of Bilboa, in +the province of Biscay in Spain, (which ship the corregidore of that +province, accompanied by 97 Spaniards, offered violently to arrest, yet +was defeated of his purpose, and brought prisoner into England,) having +obtained renown, I have taken in hand to publish the truth thereof, that +it may be generally known to the rest of our English ships; that, by the +good example of this gallant exploit, the rest may be encouraged and +incited in like extremity to act in a similar manner, to the glory of +the realm and their own honour.--_Hakluyt_, II, 597. + +[Footnote 332: Hakluyt, II. 537. Astley, I.194.] + + * * * * * + +Upon Wednesday the 26th of May 1585, while the ship Primrose of 150 tons +was riding at anchor off the bay of Bilboa, where she had been two days, +there came on board a Spanish pinnace, in which were the corregidore and +six others, who seemed to be merchants, bringing cherries with, them, +and spoke in a very friendly manner to the master of the ship, whose +name was Foster. He received them courteously, giving them the best +cheer he could, with beer, beef, and biscuit. While thus banqueting, +four of the seven departed in the pinnace for Bilboa; the other three +remaining, and seeming much pleased with their entertainment. Yet Mr +Foster was suspicious of some evil designs, and gave secret intimation +to his people that he was doubtful of the intentions of these men, but +said nothing to his guests by which they could any way surmise that he +distrusted them. Soon afterwards there came a shipboat in which were +seventy persons, seemingly merchants and the like of Biscay, and a +little behind came the pinnace in which were twenty-four other persons, +as the Spaniards afterwards confessed. On reaching the Primrose, the +corregidore and three or four of his men went on board that ship; but on +seeing such a multitude, Mr Foster desired that no more might come on +aboard which was agreed to: Yet suddenly all the Spaniards left their +boat and boarded the Primrose, all being armed with rapiers and other +weapons which they had brought secretly in the boat, and had even a drum +along with them to proclaim their expected triumph. + +On getting on board, the Spaniards dispersed themselves over the ship, +some below deck, others entering the cabins, while the most part +remained in a body as if to guard their prize. Then the corregidore, who +had an officer along with him bearing a white rod in his hand, desired +Mr Foster to yield himself as a prisoner to the king of Spain; on which +he called out to his men that they were betrayed. At this time some of +the Spaniards threatened Mr Foster with their daggers in a furious +manner, as if they would have slain him, yet they had no such purpose, +meaning only to have taken him and his men prisoners. Mr Foster and his +men were amazed at this sudden assault, and were greatly concerned to +think themselves ready to be put to death; yet some of them, much +concerned for their own and Mr Fosters danger, and believing themselves +doomed to death if landed as prisoners, determined either to defend +themselves manfully or to die with arms in their hands, rather than to +submit to the hands of the tormentors[333]; wherefore they boldly took +to their weapons, some armed with javelins, lances, and boar-spears, and +others with five calivers ready charged, being all the fire-arms they +had. With these they fired up through the gratings of the hatches at the +Spaniards on deck, at which the Spaniards were sore amazed not knowing +how to escape the danger, and fearing the English had more fire-arms +than they actually possessed. Others of the crew laid manfully about +among the Spaniards with their lances and boar-spears, disabling two or +three of the Spaniards at every stroke. Then some of the Spaniards urged +Mr Foster to command his men to lay down their arms and surrender; but +he told them that the English were so courageous in the defence of their +lives and liberties, that it was not in his power to controul them, for +on such an occasion they would slay both them and him. At this time the +blood of the Spaniards flowed plentifully about the deck; some being +shot between the legs from below, the bullets came out at their +breasts; some were cut in the head, others thrust in the body, and many +of them so sore wounded that they rushed faster out at one side of the +ship than they came in at the other, tumbling fast overboard on both +side with their weapons, some falling into the sea, and others into +their boats, in which they made all haste on shore. But though they came +to the ship in great numbers, only a small number of them returned, yet +it is not known how many of them were slain or drowned. On this occasion +only one Englishman was slain named John Tristram, and six others +wounded; but it was piteous to behold so many Spaniards swimming in the +sea, and unable to save their lives, of whom four who had got hold of +some part of the ship, were rescued from the waves by Mr Foster and his +men, whose bosoms were found stuffed with paper to defend them from the +shot, and these four being wounded, were dressed by the English surgeon. +One of these was the corregidore himself, who was governor over an +hundred cities and towns, his appointments exceeding six hundred pounds +a year. This strange incident took place about six o'clock in the +evening; after they had landed upwards of twenty tons of goods from the +Primrose, which were delivered at Bilboa by John Barrell and John +Brodbank, who were made prisoners on shore. + +[Footnote 333: This seems to allude to their fears of the Inquisition, +if made prisoners.--E.] + +After this valiant exploit, performed by 28 Englishmen against 97 +Spaniards, Mr Foster and his men saw that it were vain for them to +remain any longer; wherefore they hoisted their sails and came away with +the rest of their goods, and arrived safely by the blessing of God near +London, on the 8th June 1585. During their return towards England, the +corregidore and the other Spaniards they had made prisoners offered 500 +crowns to be set on shore anywhere on the coast of Spain or Portugal; +but as Mr Foster would not consent, they were glad to crave mercy and +remain on board. On being questioned by Mr Foster as to their reason for +endeavouring thus to betray him and his men, the corregidore assured him +it was not done of their own accord, but by the command of the king of +Spain; and calling for his hose, which were wet, he took out the royal +commission authorising and commanding him to do what he had attempted, +which was to the following purport: + +"Licentiate de Escober, my corregidore of my lordship of Biscay. Seeing +that I have caused a great fleet to be equipped in the havens of Lisbon +and Seville, that there is required for the soldiers, armour, victuals, +and ammunition, and that great store of shipping is wanted for the said +service: I therefore require you, on sight of this order, that with as +much secrecy as may be, you take order for arresting all the shipping +that may be found on the coast and in the ports of the said lordship, +particularly all such as belong to Holland, Zealand, Esterland, Germany, +England, or other provinces and countries that are in rebellion against +me; excepting those of France, which, being small and weak, are thought +unfit for the present service. And being thus arrested and staid, you +shall take special care, that such merchandise as are on board these +ships be taken out, and that all the armour, arms, ammunition, tackle, +sails, and provisions be bestowed in safe custody, so that none of the +ships and men may escape, &c. Done at Barcelona, the 29th May 1585." + +In this gallant exploit is to be noted, both the great courage of the +master, and the love of the mariners to save their master; likewise the +great care of Mr Foster to save as much as he could of the goods of his +owners, although by this conduct he may never more frequent those parts, +without losing his own life and those of his people, as they would +assuredly, if known, subject themselves to the sharp torments of their +_Holy house_. As for the king of Spain pretending that the English were +in rebellion against him, it is sufficiently well known even to +themselves, with what love, unity, and concord our ships have ever dealt +with them, being always at least as willing to shew pleasure and respect +to their king and them, as they have been to deal hospitably by the +English.--_Hakl._ + + +SECTION II. + +_Voyage of Sir Francis Drake, in 1585, to the West Indies_[334]. + + +Upon the knowledge of the embargo laid by the king of Spain in 1585, +upon the English ships, men, and goods found in his country, having no +means to relieve her subjects by friendly treaty, her majesty authorised +such as had sustained loss by that order of embargo to right themselves +by making reprisals upon the subjects of the king of Spain; for which +she gave them her letters of reprisal, to take and arrest all ships and +merchandises they might find at sea or elsewhere, belonging to the +subjects of that King. At the same time, to revenge the wrongs offered +to her crown and dignity, and to resist the preparations then making +against her by the king of Spain, her majesty equipped a fleet of +twenty-five sail of ships, and employed them under the command of Sir +Francis Drake, as the fittest person in her dominions, by reason of his +experience and success in sundry actions. + +[Footnote 334: Church. Collect. III. 155.] + +It is not my intention to give all the particulars of the voyages +treated of, but merely to enumerate the services performed, and the +mistakes and oversights committed, as a warning to those who may read +them, to prevent the like errors hereafter. As this voyage of Sir +Francis Drake was the first undertaking on either side in this war, for +it ensued immediately after the arrest of our ships and goods in Spain, +I shall deliver my opinion of it before I proceed any farther. One +impediment to the voyage was, that to which the ill success of several +others that followed was imputed, viz. the want of victuals and other +necessaries fit for so great an expedition; for had not this fleet met +with a ship of Biscay, coming from Newfoundland with fish, which +relieved their necessities, they had been reduced to great extremity. In +this expedition Sir Francis Drake sailed in the Elizabeth Bonadventure; +captain Frobisher, in the Aid was second in command; and captain Carlee +was lieutenant-general of the forces by land, Sir Francis having the +supreme command both as admiral and general. + +The services performed in this expedition were, the taking and sacking +of St Domingo in Hispaniola, of Carthagena on the continent of America, +and of St Justina in Florida, three towns of great importance in the +West Indies. This fleet was the greatest of any nation, except the +Spaniards, that had ever been seen in these seas since their first +discovery; and, if the expedition had been as well considered of before +going from home, as it was happily performed by the valour of those +engaged, it had more annoyed the king of Spain than all the other +actions that ensued during that war. But it seems our long peace had +made us incapable of advice in war; for had we kept and defended those +places when in our possession, and made provision to have relieved them +from England, we had diverted the war from Europe; for at that time +there was no comparison betwixt the strength of Spain and England by +sea, by means whereof we might have better defended these acquisitions, +and might more easily have encroached upon the rest of the Indies, than +the king of Spain could have aided or succoured them. But now we see and +find by experience, that those places which were then weak and +unfortified, are since fortified, so that it is to no purpose for us to +attempt annoying the king of Spain now in his dominions in the West +Indies. And, though this expedition proved fortunate and victorious, yet +as it was father an awakening than a weakening of the king of Spain, it +had been far better wholly let alone, than to have undertaken it on such +slender grounds, and with such inconsiderable forces[335]. + +[Footnote 335: It must be acknowledged that the present section can only +be considered as a species of introduction or prelude to an intended +narrative of an expedition: Yet such actually is the first article in +Sir William Monson's celebrated Naval Tracts, as published in the +Collection of Churchill; leaving the entire of the narrative an absolute +blank. Nothing could well justify the adoption of this inconclusive and +utterly imperfect article, but the celebrity of its author and actor: +For Sir William Monson, and the editor of Churchill's Collection, seem +to have dosed in giving to the public this _Vox et preterea nihil_.--E.] + + +SECTION III. + +_Cruizing Voyage to the Azores by Captain Whiddon, in 1586, written by +John Evesham_[336]. + + + +This voyage was performed by two barks or pinnaces, the Serpent of 35 +tons, and the Mary Sparke of Plymouth of 50 tons, both belonging to Sir +Walter Raleigh, knight. Leaving Plymouth on the 10th June 1586, we +directed our course in the first place for the coast of Spain, and +thence for the islands called the Azores, in which course we captured a +small bark, laden with sumach and other commodities, in which was the +Portuguese governor of St Michael's Island, with several other +Portuguese and Spaniards. Sailing thence to the island of Gracioso, +westward of Tercera, we descried a sail to which we gave chase, and +found her to be a Spaniard. But at the first, not much respecting whom +we took, so that we might enrich ourselves, which was the object of our +expedition, and not willing it should be known what we were, we +displayed a white silk ensign in our maintop, which made them believe +that we were of the Spanish navy laying in wait for English cruizers; +but when we got within shot, we hauled down our white flag, and hoisted +the St Georges ensign, on which they fled as fast as they were able, but +all in vain, as our ships sailed faster than they; wherefore they threw +overboard all their ordnance and shot, with many letters and the chart +of the straits of Magellan, which lead into the south sea, immediately +after which we took her, finding on board a Spanish gentleman named +Pedro Sarmiento, who was governor of the straits of Magellan, whom we +brought home to England, and presented to the queen our sovereign. + +[Footnote 336: Hakluyt; II. 606. Astley, I. 196. The command of this +expedition is attributed by the editor of Astley's Collection to captain +Whiddon, on the authority of the concluding sentence.--E.] + +After this, while plying off and on about the islands, we espied another +sail to which we gave chase, during which our admiral sprung his +main-mast; yet in the night our vice-admiral got up with and captured +the chase, which we found was laden with fish from Cape Blanco on which +we let her go for want of hands to bring her home. Next day we descried +two vessels, one a ship and the other a caravel, to which we gave chase, +on which they made with all haste for the island of Gracioso, where they +got to anchor under protection of a fort; as having the wind of us we +were unable to cut them off from the land, or to get up to attack them +with our ships as they lay at anchor. Having a small boat which we +called a _light horseman_, there went into her myself and four men armed +with calivers, and four others to row, in which we went towards them +against the wind. On seeing us row towards them, they carried a +considerable part of their merchandise on shore, and landed all the men +of both vessels; and as soon as we got near, they began to fire upon us +both from their cannon and small arms, which we returned as well as we +could. We then boarded one of their ships, in which they had not left a +single man; and having cut her cables and hoisted her sails, we sent her +off with two of our men. The other seven of us then went very near the +shore and boarded the caravel, which rode within stones throw of the +shore, insomuch that the people on the land threw stones at us; yet in +spite of them, we took possession of her, there being only one negro on +board. Having cut her cables and hoisted her sails, she was so becalmed +under the land that we had to tow her off with our boat, the fort still +firing on us from their cannon, while the people on shore, to the number +of about 150, continually fired at us with muskets and calivers, we +answering them with our five muskets. At this time the shot from my +musket, being a bar-shot, happened to strike the gunner of the fort +dead, while he was levelling one of his great guns; and thus we got off +from them without loss or wound on our part. Having thus taken five[337] +sail in all, we did as we had done with the ship with the fish, we +turned them off without hurting them, save that we took from one of them +her mainmast for our admiral, and sent her away with all our Spanish and +Portuguese prisoners, except Pedro Sarmiento, three other principal +persons, and two negroes, leaving them within sight of land, with bread +and water sufficient to serve them ten days. + +[Footnote 337: Four only are mentioned in the text; and it appears that +they only sent away at this time the first taken ship, in which they had +captured Sarmiento.--E.] + +We now bent our course for England, taking our departure from off the +western islands in about the latitude of 41° N. and soon afterwards one +of our men descried a sail from the foretop, then ten sail, and then +fifteen sail. It was now concluded to send off our two prizes, by +manning of which we did not leave above 60 men in our two pinnaces. When +we had dispatched them, we made sail towards the fleet we had +discovered, which we found to consist of 24 sail in all; two of them +being great caraks, one of 1200 and the other of 1000 tons, and 10 +galeons, all the rest being small ships and caravels, laden with +treasure, spices, and sugars. In our two small pinnaces we kept company +with this fleet of 24 ships for 32 hours, continually fighting with them +and they with us; but the two huge caraks always kept between their +fleet and us, so that we were unable to take any one of them; till at +length, our powder growing short, we were forced to give over, much +against our wills, being much bent upon gaining some of them, but +necessity compelling us by want of powder, we left them, without any +loss of our men, which was wonderful, considering the disparity of force +and numbers. + +We now continued our course to Plymouth, where we arrived within six +hours after our prizes, though we sent them away forty hours before we +began our homeward course. We were joyfully received, with the ordnance +of the town, and all the people hailed us with willing hearts, we not +sparing our shot in return with what powder we had left. From thence we +carried our prizes to Southampton, where our owner, Sir Walter Raleigh, +met us and distributed to us our shares of the prizes. + +Our prizes were laden with sugars, elephants teeth, wax, hides, +Brazil-wood, and _cuser?_ as may be made manifest by the testimony of +me, John Evesham, the writer hereof, as likewise of captains Whiddon, +Thomas Rainford, Benjamin Wood, William Cooper master, William Cornish +master, Thomas Drak corporal, John Ladd gunner, William Warefield +gunner, Richard Moon, John Drew, Richard Cooper of Harwich, William +Beares of Ratcliff, John Row of Saltash, and many others. + + +SECTION IV. + +_Brief relation of notable service performed by Sir Francis Drake in +1587_[338]. + + +INTRODUCTION. + +The title of this article at large in Hakluyt is, A brief relation of +the notable service performed by Sir Francis Drake, upon the Spanish +fleet prepared in the road of Cadiz; and of his destroying 100 sail of +barks; passing from thence all along the coast of Spain to _Cape Sacre_, +where also he took certain forts; and so to the mouth of the river of +Lisbon; thence crossing over sea to the isle of St Michael, where he +surprised a mighty carak called the St Philip, coming from the East +Indies, being the first of that kind ever seen in England. + +[Footnote 338: Hakl. II. 607. Astl. I. 197.] + +The editor of Astleys Collection says, that this relation seems to have +been taken from a letter, written by one who was in the expedition to a +friend; and thinks that it is not unlike the manner of Sir Walter +Raleigh.--E. + + * * * * * + +Being informed of mighty naval preparations in Spain for the invasion of +England, her Majesty queen Elizabeth, by the good advice of her grave +and prudent council, thought it expedient to use measures to prevent the +same; for which purpose she caused a fleet of some thirty sail to be +equipped, over which she appointed as general Sir Francis Drake, of +whose many former good services she had sufficient proof. She +accordingly caused four ships of her royal navy to be delivered to him, +the Bonaventure, in which he went general; the Lion, under the command +of Mr William Borough, comptroller of the navy; the Dreadnought, +commanded by Mr Thomas Venner; and the Rainbow, of which Mr Henry +Bellingham was captain[339]. Besides these four ships, two of her +majestys pinnaces were appointed to serve as tenders or advice boats. To +this fleet, there were added certain tall ships belonging to the city of +London, of whose special good service the general made particular +mention, in his letters to the queen. + +[Footnote 339: Sir William Monson in his Naval Tracts, in Churchills +Collection, III. 156, gives a short account of this expedition. By him +the admiral ship is called the Elizabeth Bonaventure, and Sir William +Burroughs is called vice admiral. From a list given by Sir William +Monson of the royal navy of England left by queen Elizabeth at her +death, (Church. Coll. III. 196.) the Bonaventure appears to have been of +the burden of 600 tons, carrying 50 pieces of cannon and 250 men, 70 of +whom were mariners, and the rest landsmen. The Lion and Rainbow of 500 +tons each, with the same number of guns and men as the Bonaventure. The +Dreadnought of 400 tons, 20 guns, 200 men, 50 of them seamen.--E.] + +This fleet sailed from Plymouth Sound, towards the coast of Spain, in +April 1587. The 16th of that month, in latitude of 40° N. we met two +ships belonging to Middleburg, in Zealand, coming from Cadiz, by which +we were acquainted that vast abundance of warlike stores were provided +at Cadiz and that neighbourhood, and were ready to be sent to Lisbon. +Upon this information, our general made sail with all possible +expedition thither, to cut off and destroy their said forces and +stores, and upon the 19th of April entered with his fleet into the +harbour of Cadiz; where at our first entering we were assailed by six +gallies over against the town, but which we soon constrained to retire +under cover of their fortress. There were in the road at our arrival +sixty ships, besides sundry small vessels close under the fortress. +Twenty French ships fled immediately to Puerta Real, followed by some +small Spanish vessels that were able to pass the shoals. At our first +coming, we sunk a ship belonging to Ragusa of 1000 tons, very richly +laden, which was armed with 40 brass guns. There came two other gallies +from Port St Mary, and two more from Puerta Real, which shot freely at +us, but altogether in vain, so that they were forced to retire well +beaten for their pains. Before night we had taken 30 of their ships, and +were entire masters of the road in spite of the gallies, which were glad +to retire under the protection of the fort. Among the captured ships was +one quite new, of extraordinary size, being above 1200 tons burden, +belonging to the Marquis of Santa Cruz, high admiral of Spain. Five were +ships of Biscay, four of which were taking in stores and provisions +belonging to the king of Spain for his great fleet at Lisbon, which we +burnt. The fifth was of about 1000 tons, laden with iron spikes, nails, +hoops, horse shoes, and other things of a similar kind, for the West +Indies, which we likewise set on fire. We also took a ship of 250 tons, +laden with wines on the kings account, which ship we carried with us to +sea, when we took out the wines for our own use, and then set her on +fire. We took three fliboats of 300 tons each, laden with biscuit, one +of which we set on fire, after taking out half her loading, and took the +other two with us to sea. We likewise fired ten ships, which were laden +with wine, raisins, figs, oil, wheat, and the like. The whole number of +ships which we then burnt, sunk, or brought away, amounted to 30 at the +least, and by our estimation to the burden of 10,000 tons. Besides +these, there were about 40 ships at Puerta Real, not including those +that fled from Cadiz. + +We found little ease during our stay in the road of Cadiz, as the enemy +were continually firing at us from the gallies, the fortress, and the +shore, being continually employed in planting new batteries against us +in all convenient situations; besides which, finding they could not +defend their ships any longer, they set them on fire that they might +come among us, so that at the tide of flood we had much ado to defend +ourselves: Yet was this a pleasant sight to behold, as we were thereby +relieved from the great labour and fatigue of discharging the provisions +and stores belonging to the enemy into our ships. Thus, by the +assistance of the Almighty, and the invincible courage and good conduct +of our general, this perilous but happy enterprize was achieved in one +day and two nights, to the great astonishment of the king of Spain, and +the so great vexation of the Marquis of Santa Cruz, the high admiral, +that he never had a good day after, and in a few months, as may justly +be supposed, he died of extreme grief. Having thus performed this +notable service, we came out from the road of Cadiz on Friday morning, +the 21st of April, having sustained so small loss as is not worth +mentioning. + +After our departure, the ten gallies which were in the road of Cadiz +came out after us, as if in bravado, playing their ordnance against us. +At this time the wind scanted, upon which we cast round again, and made +for the shore, coming to anchor within a league of the town; and there, +for all their vapouring, the gallies allowed us to ride in quiet. Having +thus had experience of a galley fight, I can assure you that the four +ships of her majesty which we had with us would make no scruple to fight +with twenty gallies, if all alone, and not being occupied in guarding +others. There never were gallies that had better place and opportunity +of advantage to fight against ships; yet were they forced to retire from +us while riding at anchor in a narrow gut, which we were obliged to +maintain till we had discharged and fired their ships, which we could +only do conveniently upon the flood tide, at which time the burning +ships might drive clear of us. Being thus provisioned for several months +with bread and wine at the enemies cost, besides what we had brought +with us from England, our general dispatched captain Crosse to England +with his letters, giving him farther in charge to relate all the +particulars of this our first enterprize to her majesty. + +We then shaped our course to Cape Sacre[340], and in our way thither we +took at several times near 100 ships, barks, and caravels, laden with +hoops, galley oars, pipe staves, and other stores belonging to the king +of Spain, intended for furthering his preparations against England, all +of which we set on fire and destroyed, setting all their men on shore. +We also spoiled and destroyed all the fishing boats and nets +thereabouts, to their great annoyance, and as we suppose to the entire +overthrow of their rich Tunny fishing for that year. We came at length +to Cape Sagres, where we landed; and the better to enjoy the harbour at +our ease[341], we assailed the castle of Sagres and three other strong +holds, some of which we took by storm and others by surrender. From +thence we came before the harbour of Lisbon or mouth of the Tagus, where +lay the Marquis of Santa Cruz with his fleet of gallies, who seeing us +chase his ships on shore, and take and carry away his barks and +caravels, was obliged to allow us to remain quietly at our pleasure, and +likewise to depart, without exchanging a single shot. When our general +sent him word that he was ready to combat with him, the marquis refused +his challenge, saying that he was not then ready, neither had he any +such commission from his sovereign. + +[Footnote 340: Cape St Vincent, or rather Punta de Sagres, one of the +head lands of that great promontory.--E.] + +[Footnote 341: Probably the harbour of Figuera in Algarve, a town near +Cape Sagres.--E.] + +Thus having his challenge refused by the marquis, and seeing no more +good to be done on the coast of Spain, our general thought it improper +to spend any more time there; and therefore with consent of his chief +officers[342], he shaped his course towards the island of St Michael, +within 20 or 30 leagues of which he had the good fortune to fall in with +a Portuguese carak, called the San Philippo, being the same ship which +had carried out to the Indies three Japanese princes who had been in +Europe[343]. The carak surrendered without resistance, and being the +first that had ever been taken on the homeward voyage from India, the +Portuguese took it for a bad omen, especially as she had the kings own +name. Our general put all the people belonging to this carak into +certain vessels well provided with provisions, and sent them courteously +home to their own country. The riches of this prize seemed so great to +the whole fleet, as in truth they were, that every one expected to have +sufficient reward of their labour, and thereupon it was unanimously +resolved to return to England, which we happily did, and arrived safe +the same summer in Plymouth with our whole fleet and this rich booty, to +our own profit and due honour, and the great admiration of the whole +kingdom. + +[Footnote 342: According to Sir William Monson, Church. Col. III. 156. +Sir Francis Drake went upon this expedition to conciliate the merchant +adventurers, to whom most of the ships of his squadron belonged.--E.] + +[Footnote 343: Sir William Monson, in the place quoted above, says he +had intelligence of this carak having wintered at Mosambique, and being +now expected home.--E.] + +It may be here noted, that the taking of this carak wrought two +extraordinary effects in England; as in the first place it taught others +that caraks were no such bugbears but that they might be easily taken, +as has been since experienced in taking the Madre de Dios, and in +burning and sinking others; and secondly in acquainting the English +nation more particularly with the exceeding riches and vast wealth of +the East Indies, by which themselves and their neighbours of Holland +have been encouraged, being no less skillful in navigation nor of less +courage than the Portuguese, to share with them in the rich trade of +India, where they are by no means so strong as was formerly supposed. + + +SECTION V. + +_Brief account of the Expedition of the Spanish Armada in 1588_[344]. + + +Notwithstanding the great hurt and spoil made by Sir Francis Drake in +Cadiz roads the year before, by intercepting some part of the +preparations intended for the great navy of the king of Spain, he used +his utmost endeavours to be revenged this year, lest by longer delay his +designs might be prevented as before; wherefore he arrested all ships, +men, and necessaries that were wanting for his fleet, compelling every +one to serve him in his great expedition. He appointed for general of +this his so called Invincible Armada, the duke of Medina Sidonia, who +was employed on this occasion more for his high birth and exalted rank, +than for any experience in sea affairs; for so many dukes, marquises, +and earls had volunteered on this occasion, that it was feared they +might repine if commanded by a person of lower quality than themselves. +They departed from Lisbon on the 19th of May 1588, with the greatest +pride and glory, and with less doubt of victory than ever had been done +by any nation. But God, angry with their insolence, turned the event +quite contrary to their expectation. + +[Footnote 344: Church. Col. III. 157.] + +The directions given by the king of Spain to his general, the duke of +Medina Sidonia, were to repair, as wind and weather might allow, to the +road of Calais in Picardy, there to wait the arrival of the prince of +Parma and his army, and on their meeting they were to open a letter +containing their farther instructions. He was especially commanded to +sail along the coasts of Brittany and Normandy in going up the channel, +to avoid being discovered by the English; and, if he even met the +English fleet, he was in no case to offer them battle, but only to +defend himself in case of attack. On coming athwart the North Cape[345] +the duke was assailed with contrary wind and foul weather, by which he +was forced to take shelter in the _Groyne_, or bay of Corunna, where +part of his fleet waited for him. + +[Footnote 345: Perhaps Cape Ortegal may be here meant, being the most +northern head land of Spain, and not far from Corunna, called the Groyne +in the text.--E.] + +When about to depart from Corunna, the duke got intelligence from an +English fisherman, that our fleet had lately been at sea, but had put +back again and discharged most of their men, as not expecting the +Spanish armada this year. This intelligence occasioned the duke to alter +his resolutions, and to disobey the instructions given him by the king; +yet this was not done without some difficulty, as the council was +divided in opinion, some holding it best to observe the kings commands, +while others were anxious not to lose the opportunity of surprising our +fleet at unawares, when they hoped to burn and destroy them. Diego +Flores de Valdes, who commanded the squadron of Andalusia, and on whom +the duke most relied, because of his judgment and experience in maritime +affairs, was the main cause of persuading to make the attempt upon our +ships in harbour, and in that design they directed their course for +England. + +The first land they fell in with was the Lizard, being the most +southerly point of Cornwall, which they mistook for the Ram-head off +Plymouth; and as the night was at hand, they tacked out to sea, laying +their account to make an attempt upon our ships in Plymouth next +morning. In the mean time, while thus deceived in the land, they were +discovered by captain Fleming, a pirate or freebooter who had been +roving at sea, and who knowing them to be the Spanish fleet, repaired in +all haste to Plymouth, and gave notice to our fleet then, riding at +anchor, as follows: + +THE ENGLISH FLEET[346]. + + _Ships. Commanders. Tons. Guns. Men._ + The Ark Royal The Lord Admiral 800 32 400 + Revenge Sir F. Drake, vice admiral + Victory Sir J. Hawkins, rear admiral 800 52 400 + Lion Lord Thomas Howard 500 80 250 + Bear Lord Sheffield 900 40 500 + Elizabeth-Jonas Sir Robert Southwell 900 40 500 + Triumph Sir Martin Frobisher 1000 40 500 + Hope Captain Crosse 600 30 250 + Bonaventure ---- Reyman 600 30 250 + Dreadnought ---- George Beeston 400 20 200 + Nonparielle ---- Thomas Fenner 500 50 250 + Swiftsure ---- William Fenner 400 20 200 + Rainbow Lord Henry Seymour + Vauntguard Sir William Wentworth + Mary-Rose Captain Fenton + Antilope Sir Henry Palmer 350 16 160 + Foresight Captain Baker 300 16 160 + Aid ---- John Wentworth + Swallow ---- Richard Hawkins 330 16 160 + Tiger ---- William Wentworth 200 12 100 + Scout ---- Ashley 120 8 66 + Bull + Tremontanny 8 70 + Acatice 100 8 60 + Charles, pinnace Captain Roberts + Moon ---- Clifford + Spy ---- Bradbury 50 5 40 + Noy + +[Footnote 346: This list, as given by Sir William Monson in the present +article, contains only the names of the ships and commanders; the other +circumstances enumerated, tonnage, guns, and men, are added from a list +of the royal navy of England at the death of queen Elizabeth, which will +be given hereafter.--E.] + +Immediately on receiving the intelligence brought by Fleming, the lord +admiral got out his ships to sea with all possible expedition; so that +before the Spaniards could draw near Plymouth, they were welcomed at sea +by the lord admiral and his fleet, who continued to fight with them till +they came to anchor at Calais. The particulars of the fight and its +success I purposely omit, being things so well known[347]. + +[Footnote 347: This surely is a poor excuse for omitting the glorious +destruction of the Spanish Armada; yet in a Collection of Voyages, it +were improper to attempt supplying even this great omission, by any +composition of our own; as it may be found in the historians of the +time.--E.] + +While this great armada was preparing, her majesty had frequent and +perfect intelligence of the designs of the Spaniards; and knowing that +the king of Spain intended to invade England by means of a mighty fleet +from his own coast, she caused her royal navy to be fitted out under the +conduct of the lord high admiral of England, whom she stationed at +Plymouth as the fittest place for attending their coming. Knowing +however, that it was not the Armada alone which could endanger the +safety of England, as it was too weak for any enterprise on land, +without the assistance of the Prince of Parma and his army in Flanders, +she therefore appointed thirty ships of the Hollanders to lie at anchor +off Dunkirk, where the prince and his army were to have embarked in flat +bottomed boats, which were built on purpose and all in readiness for the +expedition to England. Thus by the wise precautions of the queen, the +prince was effectually prevented from putting to sea with his flat +boats; but in truth neither his vessels nor his army were in readiness, +which caused the king of Spain to be jealous of him ever after, and is +supposed to have hastened his end. + +Although her majesty had taken the most vigilant precautions to foresee +and prevent all dangers that might threaten from sea, yet did she not +deem herself and country too secure against the enemy by these means, +and therefore prepared a royal army to receive them in case of landing. +But it was not the will of God that the enemy should set foot on +England, and the queen became victorious over him at sea with small +hazard, and little bloodshed of her subjects. Having thus shewn the +designs of the Spaniards, and the course pursued by the queen to prevent +them, I propose now to consider the errors committed on both sides[348]. + +[Footnote 348: Our readers are requested to remember that these are the +reflections of Sir William Monson, a contemporary.--E.] + +Nothing could appear more rational or more likely to happen, after the +Duke of Medina Sidonia had got intelligence of the state of our navy, +than a desire to surprise them at unawares in harbour; since he well +knew, if he had taken away or destroyed our strength at sea, that he +might have landed when and where he pleased, which is a great advantage +to an invading enemy: Yet, admitting it to have had the effect he +designed, I see not how he is to be commended for infringing the +instructions he had received from his sovereign. That being the case, +it is easy to appreciate what blame he deserved for the breach of his +instructions, when so ill an event followed from his rashness and +disobedience. It was not his want of experience, or his laying the blame +on Valdes, that excused him at his return to Spain, where he certainly +had been severely punished, had not his wife obtained for him the royal +favour. + +Before the arrival in Spain of the ships that escaped from the +catastrophe of this expedition, it was known there that Diego Flores de +Valdes had persuaded the duke to infringe the royal instructions. +Accordingly, the king had given strict orders in all his ports, wherever +Valdes might arrive, to apprehend him, which was executed, and he was +carried to the castle of Santander, without being permitted to plead in +his defence, and remained there without being ever seen or heard of +afterwards; as I learned from his page, with whom I afterwards +conversed, we being both prisoners together in the castle of Lisbon. If +the directions of the king of Spain had been punctually carried into +execution, then the armada had kept along the coast of France, and had +arrived in the road of Calais before being discovered by our fleet, +which might have greatly endangered the queen and realm, our fleet being +so far off at Plymouth. And, though the Prince of Parma had not been +presently ready, yet he might have gained sufficient time to get in +readiness, in consequence of our fleet being absent. Although the prince +was kept in by the thirty sail of Hollanders, yet a sufficient number of +the dukes fleet might have been able to drive them from the road of +Dunkirk and to have possessed themselves of that anchorage, so as to +have secured the junction of the armada and the land army; after which +it would have been an easy matter for them to have transported +themselves to England. What would have ensued on their landing may be +well imagined. + +But it was the will of HIM who directs all men and their actions, that +the fleets should meet, and the enemy be beaten, as they were, and +driven from their anchorage in Calais roads, the Prince of Parma +blockaded in the port of Dunkirk, and the armada forced to go about +Scotland and Ireland with great hazard and loss: Which shews how God did +marvellously defend us against the dangerous designs of our enemies. +Here was a favourable opportunity offered for us to have followed up the +victory upon them: For, after they were beaten from the road of Calais, +and all their hopes and designs frustrated, if we had once more offered +to fight them, it is thought that the duke was determined to surrender, +being so persuaded by his confessor. This example, it is very likely, +would have been followed by the rest. But this opportunity was lost, not +through the negligence or backwardness of the lord admiral, but through +the want of providence in those who had the charge of furnishing and +providing for the fleet: For, at that time of so great advantage, when +they came to examine into the state of their stores, they found a +general scarcity of powder and shot, for want of which they were forced +to return home; besides which, the dreadful storms which destroyed so +many of the Spanish fleet, made it impossible for our ships to pursue +those of them that remained. Another opportunity was lost, not much +inferior to the other, by not sending part of our fleet to the west of +Ireland, where the Spaniards were of necessity to pass, after the many +dangers and disasters they had endured. If we had been so happy as to +have followed this course, which was both thought of and discoursed of +at the time, we had been absolutely victorious over this great and +formidable armada. For they were reduced to such extremity, that they +would willingly have yielded, as divers of them confessed that were +shipwrecked in Ireland. + +By this we may see how weak and feeble are the designs of men, in +respect of the great Creator; and how indifferently he dealt between the +two nations, sometimes giving one the advantage sometimes the other; and +yet so that he only ordered the battle. + + +SECTION VI. + +_Account of the Relief of a part of the Spanish Armada, at Anstruther in +Scotland, in 1588_[349]. + + +However glorious and providential the defeat and destruction of the +_Invincible Armada_, it does not belong to the present work to give a +minute relation of that great national event. It seems peculiarly +necessary and proper, however, in this work, to give a very curious +unpublished record respecting the miserable fate of the Spanish armada, +as written by a contemporary, the Reverend James Melville, minister of +Anstruther, a sea-port town on the Fife, or northern, shore of the +Frith of Forth. + +[Footnote 349: From MS. Memoirs of James Melville, a contemporary.] + +James Melville, who was born in 1556, and appears to have been inducted +to the living of Anstruther only a short time before the year 1588, left +a MS. history of his own life and times, extending to the year 1601. Of +this curious unpublished historical document, there are several copies +extant, particularly in the splendid library of the Faculty of +Advocates, and in that belonging to the Writers to the Signet, both at +Edinburgh. The present article is transcribed from a volume of MSS +belonging to a private gentleman, communicated to the editor by a valued +literary friend. It had formerly belonged to a respectable clergyman of +Edinburgh, and has the following notice of its origin written by the +person to whom it originally belonged. + +"The following History of the Life of James Melville, was transcribed +from an old MS. lent to me by Sir William Calderwood of Poltoun, one of +the Judges of the Courts of Session and Justiciary, who had it among +other papers that belonged to his grand-uncle, Mr David Calderwood, +author of Altare Damascenum, History, &c." + +This MS. so far as it contains the Life of James Melville, extends to +360 folio pages; of which the present article occupies about three +pages, from near the bottom of p. 184. to nearly the same part of p. +187. The orthography seems to have been considerably modernized by the +transcriber, but without changing the antiquated words and modes of +expression. Such of these as appeared difficult to be understood by our +English readers, are here explained between brackets.--E. + + * * * * * + +That winter, [1587-8] the King [James VI. of Scotland] was occupied in +commenting of the Apocalyps, and in setting out sermons thereupon, +against the papists and Spaniards; and yet, by a piece of great +oversight, the papists practiced never more busily in this land, and +[nor] made greater preparation for receiving of the Spaniards, nor +[than] that year. For a long time, the news of a Spanish navy and army +had been blazed abroad; and about the lambastyde of the year 1588, this +island had found a fearful effect thereof, to the utter subversion both +of kirk and policy, if God had not wonderfully watched over the same, +and mightily foughen and defeat that army, by his souldiers the +elements, which he made all four most fiercely till afflict them, till +almost utter consumption. Terrible was the fear, peircing were the +preachings, earnest zealous and fervent were the prayers, sounding were +the sighs and sabs, and abounding were the tears, at that fast and +general assembly keeped at Edinburgh, when the news were credibly told, +sometimes of their landing at Dunbar, sometimes at St Andrews and in +Tay, and now and then at Aberdeen and Cromerty firth: and, in very deed, +as we knew certainly soon after, the Lord of armies, who rides upon the +wings of the wind, the Keeper of his own Israel, was in the mean time +convying that monstrous navy about our coasts, and directing their hulks +and galliasses to the islands, rocks and sands, whereupon he had +distinat their wrack and destruction. + +For, within two or three moneths thereafter, early in the morning by +break of day, one of our baillies[350] came to my bed side, saying, but +not with fray [fear], "I have to tell you news, Sir: There is arrived +within our harbour this morning, a shipfull of Spaniards, but not to +give mercy; but to ask." And so shews me that the commander had landed, +and he had commanded them to their ship again, and the Spaniards had +humbly obeyed. He therefore desired me to rise and hear their petition +with them. Up I got with diligence, and, assembling the honest men of +the town, came to the tolbooth[351], and after consultation taken to +hear them and what answer to make, there presented us a very venerable +man of big stature, and grave and stout countenance, grey haired and +very humble like, who, after much and very low courtesie, bowing down +with his face near the ground, and touching my shoe with his hand, began +his harangue in the Spanish tongue, whereof I understood the substance; +and, I being about to answer in Latin, he having only a young man with +him to be his interpreter, [who] began and told over again to us in good +English. + +[Footnote 350: The baillies of towns in Scotland are equivalent to +aldermen in England. The author here refers to the town of Anstruther, a +sea port town of Fife, on the northern shore of the Firth of Forth, of +which he was minister. There are two Anstruthers, easter and wester, +very near each other, and now separate parishes; but it does not appear +to which of these the present historical document refers: Perhaps they +were then one.--E.] + +[Footnote 351: The town-house; but now generally applied to signify the +prison, then, and even now, often attached to the town hall.--E.] + +The sum was, That king Philip his master had rigged out a navy and army +to land in England, for just causes to be avenged of many intollerable +wrongs which he had received of that nation. But God, for their sins, +had been against them, and by storm of weather had driven the navy _by_ +[past] the coast of England, and him with certain captains, being the +general of twenty hulks, upon an isle of Scotland called the Fair isle, +where they had made shipwrack, and were, so many as had escaped the +merciless seas and rocks, more nor [than] six or seven weeks suffered +great hunger and cold, till conducting that bark out of Orkney, they +were come hither as to their special friends and confederates, to kiss +the kings majesties hand of Scotland, and herewith he _becked_ [bowed] +even to the _yeard_ [ground]; and to find relief and comfort thereby to +himself, these gentlemen, captains, and the poor souldiers, whose +condition was for the present most miserable and pitiful. + +I answered this much in sum, That, howbeit neither our friendship, which +could not be great, seeing their king and they were friends to the +greatest enemy of Christ, the pope of Rome, and our king and we defied +him, nor yet their cause against our neighbours and special friends of +England, could procure any benefit at our hands for their relief or +comfort; nevertheless they should know by experience that we were men, +and so moved by human compassion, and christians of better religion +_nor_ [than] they, which should _kythe_ [appear manifest] in the fruits +and effects plain contrary to theirs: For, whereas our people, resorting +among them in peaceable and lawful affairs of merchandise, were +violently taken and cast in prison, their goods and _gier_ [chattels] +confiscate, and their bodies committed to the cruel flaming fire for the +cause of religion, they should find nothing amongst us but Christian +pity and works of mercy and alms, leaving to God to work in their hearts +concerning religion as it pleased him. This being truly reported again +to him by his townsmen, with great reverence he gave thanks and said, +"He could not make answer for their _kirk_ [church], and the laws and +order thereof, only for himself, that there were divers Scotsmen who +knew him, and to whom he had shewn courtesy and favour at Calice[352], +and as he supposed some of this same town of Anstruther." + +[Footnote 352: _Calice_ in this passage, and _Calais_ in one subsequent, +certainly means Cadiz in Spain; which to this day is often called +_Cales_ by English mariners.--E.] + +So [I] shewed him that the bailies had granted him licence, with the +captains, to go to their lodging for their refreshment, but to none of +their men to land, till the overlord of the town were advertised, and +understood the kings majesties mind _anent_ [concerning] them. Thus with +great courtesie he departed. + +That night the _laird_ [lord of the manor] being advertised, came; and, +on the morn, with a good number of the gentlemen of the countrey round +about, gave the said general and the captains _presence_, [audience] and +after the same speeches in effect as before, received them in his house, +and suffered the souldiers to come a land and ly altogether to the +number of thirteen score, for the most part young beardless men, +_silly_, [weak] travelled, and hungered; to the which, one day or two +_kail pottage_[353] and fish was given; for my advice was conform to the +prophet Elizeus [Elisha] his to the king of Israel in Samaria, _Give +them bread and water, &c._ + +[Footnote 353: A mess formerly much used in Scotland among the commons, +being a kind of soup maigre, composed of _kail_, a species of greens or +coleworts, boiled in water, and thickened with oat-meal, grits, or +shelled barley.--E.] + +The names of the commanders were Jan [Juan] Gomes de Medina, general of +twenty hulks, captain Patricio, captain de Lagaretto, captain de +Luffera, captain Mauretio, and Seingour Serrano. But verily all the +while, my heart melted within me for desire of thankfulness to God, when +I remembered the prideful and cruel natural temper of the people, and +how they would have used us, in case they had landed with their forces +among us, and the wonderful work of Gods mercy and justice in making us +see them, the chief commanders of them, to make such due-gard +[submission] and courtesie to poor seamen, and their souldiers, so +abjectly, to beg alms at our doors and in our streets. + +In the mean time, they knew not of the wrack of the rest, but supposed +that the rest of the army was safely returned [to Spain,] till one day I +got in St Andrews, in print, the wrack of the gallies in particular, +with the names of the principal men, and how they were used, in Ireland +and our Highlands, in Wales and other parts of England. The which, when +I recorded to Jan Gomes, by particular and special names, he cried out +for grief, _bursted and grat_ [burst into tears.] This Jan Gomes shewed +great kindness to a ship of our town, which he found arriested at +_Calais_[354] at home coming, _rode_[355] to court for her, and made +great _russe_ [praise] of Scotland to his king, took the honest men to +his house, and inquired for the laird of Anstruther, for the minister, +and his host, and sent home many commendations: But we thanked God in +our hearts, that we had seen them in that form. + +[Footnote 354: This must signify Cadiz, as mentioned before.--E.] + +[Footnote 355: Perhaps ought to have been _wrote_.--E.] + + +SECTION VII. + +_A cruising Voyage to the Azores in 1589, by the Earl of +Cumberland_[356]. + + +We learn from Hakluyt, II. 647, that this narrative was written by Mr +Edward Wright, an eminent mathematician and engineer, who was the real +author of that admirable invention for charts, commonly called +_Mercators projection_, but unjustly, as Mr Wright complains in his work +entitled _Vulgar Errors_, where he charges Mercator with plagiarism. +From the narrative, Mr Wright appears to have been engaged in the +expedition and on board the Victory[357]. + +[Footnote 356: Hakluyt, II. 647. Churchill, III. 161. Astley, I. 206.] + +[Footnote 357: Astley, I. 206. a.] + + * * * * * + +The right honourable the Earl of Cumberland, intending to cruize against +the enemy, prepared a small fleet of four ships only[358] at his own +charges, one of which was the Victory[359] belonging to the queens royal +navy. The others were the Meg and Margaret, two small ships, one of +which was soon obliged to be sent home as unable to endure the sea, +besides a small caravel. Having assembled about 400 men, sailors and +soldiers, with several gentlemen volunteers, the earl and they embarked +and set sail from Plymouth Sound on the 28th June 1589, accompanied by +the following captains and gentlemen. Captain Christopher Lister, an +officer of great resolution, Captain Edward Careless, _alias Wright_, +who had been captain of the Hope in Sir Francis Drakes expedition to +the West Indies against St Domingo and Carthagena; Captain Boswel, Mr +Mervin, Mr Henry Long, Mr Partridge, Mr Norton; Mr William Monson, +afterwards Sir William[360], who was captain of the Meg and +vice-admiral, and Mr Pigeon, who was captain of the caravel. + +[Footnote 358: Sir William Monson, in Churchills collection, says there +were _five_ ships; and indeed we find a fifth, called the Saucy Jack, +mentioned in the narrative.--E.] + +[Footnote 359: The Victory was of 800 tons, carrying 32 guns and 400 +men; of whom, according to Sir William Monson, 268 were mariners, and +100 sailors, the remaining 32 being probably soldiers, or as we now call +them marines. The distinction between mariners and sailors is not +obvious; perhaps what are now called ordinary and able seamen,--E.] + +[Footnote 360: Sir William Monson was author of some curious Naval +Tracts, giving an account of the Royal Navy of England in the reigns of +Queen Elizabeth and James I. which are preserved in Churchills +Collection, Vol. III. pp. 147--508.--E.] + +About three days after our departure from Plymouth, we met with three +French ships, one of which belonged to Newhaven[361], and another to St +Maloes; and finding them to be leaguers[362], and therefore lawful +prizes, we took them, and sent two of them home to England with all +their loading, being mostly fish from Newfoundland, having first +distributed among our ships as much of the fish as they could find +stowage room for; and in the third ship we sent all the prisoners home +to France. On that day and the next we met some other ships, but finding +them belonging to Rotterdam and Embden, bound for Rochelle, we dismissed +them. On the 28th and 29th, we met several of our English ships +returning from an expedition to Portugal, which we relieved with +victuals. The 13th July, being in sight of the coast of Spain in lat. +39° N. we descried eleven ships, on which we immediately prepared to +engage them, sending the Meg commanded by Captain Monson to ascertain +what and whence they were. On the approach of the Meg some shots were +exchanged, and as their admiral and vice-admiral displayed their flags, +we perceived that some fighting was likely to follow. Having therefore +prepared for battle, we made all haste towards them, always taking care +to get to windward, and between ten and eleven o'clock A.M. we came up +with them in the Victory, when they all yielded after a slight +resistance. The masters all came on board our admiral, and shewed their +several passports from Hamburg, Lubeck, Bremen, Pomerania, and Calais. +They had certain bags of pepper and cinnamon, which they confessed to +belong to a Jew in Lisbon, which they had charge of to deliver to his +factor in their country; and finding this to be lawful prize by their +own confession, the same was taken and divided among our whole company, +the value being estimated at L.4500, at two shillings the pound[363]. We +dismissed these ships on the 17th of July, but seven of their men, +having volunteered as sailors in our fleet, were taken to reinforce our +crew. After this we held on our course for the Azores or Western +islands. + +[Footnote 361: Probably that port now called Havre de Grace.--E.] + +[Footnote 362: Alluding to the _Catholic League_, then in alliance with +Spain, and in rebellious opposition to their lawful sovereign, for the +purpose of excluding the king of Navarre, afterwards Henry IV. from the +crown of France.--E.] + +[Footnote 363: Sir William Monson, who gives a short account of this +expedition in the Naval Tracts already quoted, says that spices to the +value of L.7000 were taken out of these vessels.--E.] + +In the morning of the 1st August we got sight of St Michael, one of the +eastermost of the Azores, towards which we made sail all that day; and, +putting up a Spanish flag at our maintop that we might not be suspected +for enemies, we approached at night to the chief town and road of the +island, where we espied three ships and some other vessels at anchor, +all of which we determined to take during the darkness of the night. +Accordingly about ten or eleven o'clock P.M. our boats were sent well +manned to cut their cables and hawsers and tow them out to sea. On +coming to them, one of the largest of these ships was found to be the +Falcon of London, commanded by a Scots pilot who passed her off as his +own. But our men let loose three other smaller ships, which they towed +towards us, most of their men leaping overboard and swimming on shore +with loud outcries, which were answered from the town, which was all in +an uproar on hearing what was going forwards. The castle discharged some +shots at our boats, but being unable to see them by reason of the +darkness, did us no harm. The Scotsman too, to make the Spaniards +believe him their friend, fired a few shots in the air. Shortly after, +he and some others came on board our admiral, offering their services. +The three ships brought out were laden with wine and sallad oil from +Seville. The same day our caravel chaced a Spanish caravel on shore, +which carried letters by which we learnt that the caraks had departed +from the island of Tercera eight days before. + +The 7th of August we got sight of a small ship which we chased towards +Tercera with our pinnace, the weather being calm, and overtook her +towards evening, when we found in her 30 tons of good Madeira wine, +besides woollen cloth, silk, taffeta, and other goods. Coming on the +14th to the island of Flores, it was determined to take in fresh water, +and such fresh provisions as the island afforded; wherefore manning our +boats with about 120 men, we rowed towards the shore, where the +inhabitants, who were assembled at the watering-place, hung out a flag +of truce, and we did the like. On coming to them, the earl gave them to +understand, by means of his Portuguese interpreter, that he was a friend +to their king Don Antonio, and came not with any intention to injure +them, meaning only to procure water and fresh provisions, by way of +exchange for oil wine and pepper, to which they readily agreed, and sent +off some of their people immediately for beeves and sheep. In the +meantime we marched southwards to their town of Santa Cruz, whence all +the inhabitants had fled and carried off every thing of value. On +demanding the reason of this, they answered it proceeded from fear, and +that they always did so on the appearance of any ships near their coast. +That part of the island was mostly composed of large rocky hills and +barren mountains, and was little inhabited, being apt to be molested by +ships of war; and even Santa Cruz, one of their principal towns, was all +in ruins, having been burnt about two years before by some English ships +of war, according to what we were told by the inhabitants. As we were +rowing towards the Victory in the evening, a huge fish pursued us for +nearly two miles, mostly distant about a spear length from the stern of +the boat, and sometimes so near as to touch. The tips of his fins at the +gills, appearing often above water, were by estimation four or five +yards asunder, and his jaws gaping a yard and half wide, put us in fear +he might overset our pinnace; but God be thanked, by rowing as hard as +we could, we escaped. + +When we were about the island of Flores, we got notice from a small +vessel called the Drake[364], that the caraks were at Tercera, of which +news we were very glad, and made sail thither with all the speed we +could. By the way we came to Fayal road on the 27th August after sunset, +where we saw some ships at anchor, towards which Captains Lister and +Monson were sent in the skiff to see what they were, and lest any +mischance should befall our boat, we sent in likewise the Saucy Jack and +the small caravel; but as the wind was off shore, these vessels were not +able to set up to where the Spanish ships were anchored. The skiff went +on however, and endeavoured to board a ship of 250 tons, which carried +14 pieces of ordnance, and continued fighting with her for an hour, +till our other boats came up to the rescue and aid of the skiff. A fresh +boarding was then attempted, by one boat on the quarter and another on +the bow, when we entered on one side while all the Spaniards leapt +overboard on the other side, except Juan de Palma the captain, and two +or three more. This ship was moored close to the castle, which fired at +us all the time; but the only one wounded on the occasion was the master +of our caravel, who had the calf of one of his legs shot away. This ship +was from St Juan de Puerto Rico, laden with sugar ginger and hides. +After we had towed her clear of the castle, our boats went in again and +brought out five other small ships; one laden with hides, another with +elephants teeth, grains[365], cocoa-nuts, and goats skins, come from +Guinea; another with woad, and two with dog-fish, which two last were +set adrift as of no value, but all the other four were sent for England +on the 30th of August. At the taking of these prizes there were +consorted with us some other small men of war, as Master John Davis, +with his ship, pinnace, and boat; Captain Markesburie with his ship, +whose owner was Sir Walter Raleigh; and the bark of Lyme, which also was +consorted with us before. + +[Footnote 364: Sir William Monson says, from an English man of war.--E.] + +[Footnote 365: Guinea Pepper.--E.] + +The last of August we came in sight of Tercera in the morning, being +about nine or ten leagues from shore, when we espied a small boat under +sail coming towards us, which seemed strange at such a distance from +land and no ship in sight; but on coming near, we found it to contain +eight Englishmen, who had been prisoners in Tercera, and had committed +themselves to the sea in this open boat in hopes to escape. Their +mainyard consisted of two pipe-staves tied together by the ends, and +they had no other provisions than what they had been able to carry off +in their pockets and bosoms. When taken on board the Victory, they gave +us certain assurance that the caraks had left Tercera about a week +before. Being thus without any hopes of taking the caraks, it was +resolved to return for Fayal, intending to surprise the town; but till +the 9th of September, we had either the wind so contrary, or such calm +weather, that in all that time we scarcely made nine or ten leagues way, +lingering up and down near the island of Pico. + +In the afternoon of the 10th September, we came again to Fayal road; +upon which the earl sent Captain Lister, with a person from Graciosa +whom Captain Monson had taken some time before, and some others, +carrying a message to Fayal. He was met by some of the inhabitants in a +boat, who were brought by Captain Lister to my lord, who gave them their +choice, either to allow him to take possession of the platform or fort, +when he and his company would remain quietly there for some space, +without injury, till the inhabitants had compounded for the ransom of +their town; or else to stand the chance of war. With this message they +returned on shore; but those who had charge of the fort said, that it +was contrary to their allegiance and the oath they had taken to king +Philip, to deliver up their garrison without endeavouring to defend it. +Upon this, the earl gave orders for all the boats of the different ships +to be manned and armed, and he soon afterwards landed with all his men +on the sandy beach under the side of a hill, about half a league from +the fort. Certain troops both horse and foot were seen on the top of the +hill, and two other companies appeared to oppose us with displayed +ensigns, one on the shore in front of the town, which marched towards +our landing place as if they meant to attack us; while the other was +seen in a valley to the south of the fort, as if coming to assist in +defending the town; and at the same time, the garrison in the fort fired +upon us briskly from their cannon. In spite of all these demonstrations +of resistance, having first marshalled his men in proper order, my lord +marched along the sandy beach towards the fort, passing between the sea +and the town for something more than a mile; and as the shore became +rocky, so as to render any farther progress in that direction extremely +difficult, he entered the town, and marched through the streets +unopposed to the fort, these companies of the enemy, that seemed at +first resolved to resist his progress, being soon dispersed. Those in +the fort likewise fled at our approach, leaving my lord and his men to +scale the walls and gain possession, without any resistance. In the +meantime the ships continued to batter the town and fort, until they saw +the _red cross_ of England floating from the walls. + +Fayal is the principal town of this island, and is situated directly +over against the high and mighty mountain of _Pico_, towards the +north-west from that mountain, from which it is divided by a narrow sea +or strait, which at that place is some two or three leagues broad, +between the islands of Fayal and Pico. This town contained about 300 +houses, which were handsomely and strongly built of stone and lime, +their roofs being double covered with hollow tyles, much like those used +in England, only that they are less at one end than at the other. Almost +every house had a cistern or well in a garden behind, in which likewise +there were vines with ripe grapes, forming pleasant arbours or shady +walks; and in every garden there grew some tobacco, then hardly known, +but now commonly used in England, with which the women of the place were +then in use to stain their faces, to make them look young and fresh. In +these gardens there likewise grew pepper, both Indian and common, +fig-trees with fruit both white and red, peach-trees rather of humble +growth, oranges, lemons, quinces, potatoes, and other fruits and roots. +Sweet wood, which I think is cedar, is very common in that island, and +is used both for building and fuel. + +Having possessed himself of the town and fort, my lord issued orders +that none of the soldiers or mariners should enter into any of the +houses for plunder, and was especially careful that none of the churches +or religious houses should suffer injury of any kind, all of which were +preserved from violation by the appointment of guards for their +protection. But the rest of the town, either from the want of that +precaution, or owing to the cupidity of our people, was rifled and +ransacked by the soldiers and mariners, who scarcely left a single house +unsearched, taking out of them every thing that struck their fancy or +seemed worth carrying away, such as chests of sweet wood, chairs, +clothes, coverlets, hangings, bedding, and the like; besides many of our +people ranged the country in search of plunder, where some of them were +wounded by the inhabitants. The friery at this place contained +Franciscan friars, not one of whom was able to speak pure Latin. It was +built in 1506 by a friar of that order belonging to Angra in the island +of Tercera. The tables in its hall or refectory had seats only on one +side, and was always covered, as if ever ready for feasting. We +continued in the town from the Wednesday afternoon, at which time we +took possession, until the Saturday night, when the inhabitants agreed +to pay 2000 ducats for its ransom, which was mostly paid in church +plate. In the fort there were 58 pieces of iron ordnance, 23 of which, +according to my remembrance, were mounted upon carriages, and placed +between baricadoes or merlins on a platform by the sea side. Taking away +all the ordnance, we set the platform on fire. On the Sunday following, +my lord had invited as many of the inhabitants as chose to dine with him +on board the Victory, save only Diego Gomez the governor, who only came +once to confer about the ransom. Only four came, who were well +entertained, and were afterwards honourably dismissed with the sound of +drums and trumpets, and a salute from our cannon. To these persons my +lord delivered a letter subscribed by himself, requesting all other +Englishmen to abstain from any farther molestation of the place, save +only to take such water and provisions as might be necessary. + +The day after we came to Fayal, being the 11th September, two men came +to us from Pico, who had been prisoners in that island; and we also set +a prisoner at liberty who had been sent thither from St Jago, being +cousin to a servant of Don Antonio king of Portugal, then residing in +England. On Monday we sent our boats on shore for fresh water, having +now abundance running down the hills in consequence of heavy rain the +night before, which otherwise had been hard to be got. Next day we sent +again on shore to complete our stock of water, which was not then so +easily brought off, by reason of a strong gale, which increased so much +in the afternoon that we did not think it safe to ride so near the land, +for which reason we weighed anchor, and stood N.W. by W. along the coast +of Fayal. Some of the inhabitants came on board this day, who told us +that the wind usually blew strong at W.S.W. at this time of the year on +this coast. While near St Georges Island we saw a huge fish of a black +colour right ahead of our ship, a little under water, or rather even +with its surface, on which the sea broke in such manner that we supposed +it a rock; and as we were going directly stem on, we were in great fear +for a time how to avoid the seeming danger, till at length we saw it +move out of our way. + +It lightened much in the night of the 16th September, which was followed +by heavy rains and violent gales till the 21st. On the 23d we returned +to Fayal road, to weigh an anchor which we had left in our haste to +depart. We went on shore to the town, whence many of the people ran +away, or were preparing to depart with their goods, till assured by my +lord that they had nothing to fear, as we only came for fresh water and +other necessaries, for all of which they should be paid to their +satisfaction. We then went quietly about the town, purchasing such +things as we needed as peaceably as if we had been in England; and the +people helped us to fill our water casks, for which they received what +satisfied them. We were forced by a heavy tempest to depart on the 25th, +before we had completed our water; and the tempest came on so suddenly +that my lord himself had to raise the people from their beds to weigh +the anchors, himself assisting at the capstans, and cheering the men +with wine. Next day, the caravel and the Saucy Jack were sent to the +road of St Michaels to see what was there, and we followed on the 27th, +plying to and fro; but by contrary winds on the 28th, 29th, and 30th, we +were driven to leeward, and could not get near the island. The 1st +October, we sailed along the island of Tercera, and at Cape Brazil, near +Angra, the strongest town of that island, we espied some boats going +towards the town, which we attempted to intercept; but being near land, +they ran on shore and escaped. + +Coming near Graciosa in the afternoon, my lord sent Captain Lister on +shore, to inform the islanders that he only wanted water, wine, and some +fresh provisions, and would not otherwise trouble them. They sent back +word that they could give no positive answer, until the governors of the +island had consulted on the subject, and desired therefore to send for +an answer next day. The 2d October, early in the morning, we dispatched +our long-boat and pinnace, with 50 or 60 men, together with the Margaret +and Captain Davis in his ship to protect them, as we now wanted our +other consorts; but when our people endeavoured to land, they were fired +at by the islanders, who would not permit them to go on shore, several +troops of armed men being drawn up to oppose us with displayed ensigns. +Our boats rowed along shore, seeking some place where they might land, +without the enemy having too much advantage, our ships and boats firing +all the while upon the islanders. No convenient place being found for +landing, we were under the necessity of retiring without any answer, as +had been promised. After some negociation and delay, they agreed to let +us have sixty butts of wine, together with fresh provisions to refresh +our men; but declared we could not have water, having little or none for +themselves, except what they had saved in tanks or cisterns, insomuch +that they would rather give us two tons of wine than one of water. They +requested that our soldiers might not come on shore, as they would +themselves bring all they had promised to the water side; which request +was granted, one of their messengers remaining on board as an hostage +for the fulfilment of their promise, while the other went ashore with +our empty casks and some of our men to assist in filling them and +bringing them away, with such other provision as was promised. + +The Margaret, the ship of Captain Davis, and another belonging to +Weymouth remained at anchor before the town, to take in our wine and +provisions. This ship of Weymouth came to us only the day before, having +taken a rich prize said to be worth sixteen thousand pounds, and brought +us news that the West India fleet had not yet gone past, but was shortly +expected. We put to sea in the Victory, and on Saturday the 4th October, +we took a French ship of St Maloes, a city belonging to the league, +laden with fish from Newfoundland, which had been forced to cut away her +mast in a tempest, and was now bound to Gracioso for repairs. Taking out +her principal people, we put some of our own mariners and soldiers on +board, and sent her off for England. At night on the following Sunday, +having received all the supplies promised us at Gracioso, we parted from +the islanders in a friendly manner, and saluted them with our ordnance. + +The three next days we plyed to and fro among these western islands, +having very rough weather. On Thursday night, being driven to within +three or four leagues of Tercera, we saw fifteen sail of the West India +fleet going into the haven of Angra in that island; but, though we lay +as close to windward as possible during the four following days, we were +unable to get near them. At this time we lost sight of our French prize, +which was not able to lay so close to the wind as our ships, and heard +no more of her till our return to England, where she arrived safe. +Getting at length on the fifth day near the mouth of Angra harbour, we +inclined to have run among the West India fleet, on purpose to have cut +out some of them if possible; but this enterprize was deemed too +hazardous, considering the strength of the place, as the ships were +hauled close to the town on our approach, under protection of the castle +of Brazil on one side, having 25 pieces of ordnance, and a fort on the +other side with 13 or 14 large brass cannon. Besides which, on nearing +the land, the wind proved too scanty for the attempt. + +On Thursday the 14th October, we sent our boat into the road of Angra to +take the soundings, and to endeavour to find some proper place for us to +anchor, beyond the shot of the castle and within shot of some of the +ships, that we might either force them to come out to us or sink them +where they lay. Our boat found a fit place for us, but the wind would +not suffer us to get to it; and besides, if we had anchored there, it +was more likely that they would have run their ships on shore, to save +their lives and liberties and some of their goods, than have resigned +all to us by coming out. We therefore discharged a few guns at them, but +our shot fell far short; upon which we departed, as it was not likely +they would come out while we watched before the mouth of the harbour, or +remained within sight. We accordingly put to sea, where we cruized for +five days, sending a pinnace to watch them close in shore but out of +sight, to bring us word when they set sail. After some time the pinnace +brought us notice that all the ships had taken down their sails and +struck their top-masts, so that we concluded they would remain till sure +of our departure. Wherefore, having heard there were some Scots ships at +St Michael, we sailed thither on the 20th October, and found there one +Scots _roader_, and two or three more at Villa-franca, the next road, a +league or two east from St Michaels. From these we received five or six +butts of wine and some fresh water, but by no means sufficient to serve +our wants. The 21st October, we sent our long-boat on shore to procure +fresh water at a brook a short way west from Villa-franca; but the +inhabitants came down with about 150 armed men, having two ensigns +displayed, and our boat was forced to return without water, having spent +all its powder in vain, and being unable to prevail against such great +odds. + +Learning that the island of St Mary was a place of no great strength, we +made sail for that place, intending to take in water there, and to go +thence to the coast of Spain. On the Friday following, my lord sent +captain Lister and captain Amias Preston, afterwards Sir Amias, with our +long-boat and pinnace, with between 60 and 70 arquebusiers, carrying a +friendly letter to the islanders, desiring leave to procure water, in +exchange for which he engaged to do them no harm. Captain Preston had +come on board the Victory not long before from his own ship, which lost +company with us in the night, so that he was under the necessity of +remaining with us. We departed from the Victory in our boats about nine +in the morning, rowing for the land, and by three in the afternoon had +got within a league or two of the shore, being then four or five leagues +from the Victory, and our men sore spent with hard rowing. At this time +we perceived, to our great joy, two ships at anchor close under the +town; upon which we shifted six or seven of our men into the boat +belonging to captain Davis, being too much crowded, and retaining about +20 arquebusiers in the pinnace, we made towards these two ships with all +possible haste. + +While proceeding towards them, we saw several boats passing between the +_roaders_[366] and the shore, and many men in their shirts swimming and +wading on shore, who, as we afterwards learnt, were endeavouring to get +the ships fast aground; and the inhabitants were at the same time busied +in preparing to defend the ships and themselves against us. On coming +near them, captain Lister commanded the trumpets to be sounded, but +prohibited any firing till farther orders; yet some of the people, +either not hearing, or disregardful of these orders, began firing as +soon as the trumpets sounded, though with small injury to the islanders, +who mostly lay under the cover of trenches or other means of defence. +Captain Lister then urged on the rowers, who began to shrink at the shot +from the enemy which flew thick about their ears, and was himself the +first to board one of the ships which lay farther from shore than the +other, while we speedily followed, still plying the enemy with our shot, +and having cut her cables and hawsers, we towed her out to sea. In the +mean time, captain Davis came up in his boat, and boarded the other +ship, both having been abandoned by their crews; but, as she was quite +fast aground, he was under the necessity of quitting her, exposed to +shot and stones even from the shore. At this time, the towns-people made +an attempt to capture captain Davis and his boats crew, which were but +few in number; but they joined us, and we jointly towed off our prize, +which was a ship from Brazil laden with sugar. In this exploit we had +two men slain and sixteen wounded, while it is probable that the enemy +suffered small loss, as they were mostly sheltered behind stone walls, +many of which were built above one another on the end of the hill on +which the town stands, between two vallies. On the top of the hill they +had some large cannon, from which they fired leaden bullets, one only +of which went through the side of our prize, but did no other injury. + +[Footnote 366: This uncommon word seems merely to signify, ships lying +at anchor in an open road.--E.] + +Next day we made another attempt to get fresh water at this island, but +as we were ignorant of the landing-place, where we found many +inconveniences and disadvantages, we were unable to effect our purpose. +Wherefore we departed on the night of the 25th October for the island of +St George, in quest of fresh water, and got there on the 27th. Observing +a stream of water running down into the sea, the pinnace, and long-boat +were sent under captains Preston and Manson, by whom a letter was sent +by my lord to the islanders, desiring leave to take water quietly, and +no farther injury should be done them. On getting to the shore, our men +found some of the poor islanders hid among the rocks, being afraid of +us. On the 29th, our boats returned with fresh water, bringing only six +tons to the Victory, alleging they could get no more; thinking, as was +afterwards supposed, as he had only 12 tons of water and wine, that my +lord would now return direct for England, as many of our men greatly +desired. My lord, was very unwilling to do this, and meant next day to +have taken in more water, but from the roughness of the sea, and the +wind freshening, and owing to the unwillingness of the people, no more +water was procured: yet my lord would not return with so much provision +unspent, especially as the expedition had not hitherto produced such +fruits as might reasonably satisfy himself and others. Wherefore, with +consent of the whole ships companies, it was agreed to go for England by +way of the coast of Spain, to endeavour to make more captures, the whole +people being reduced to half allowance of water, except such as were +sick or wounded, who were to have whole allowance. On Saturday, the 31st +October, as the Margaret was very leaky, she was sent off direct for +England in charge of the Brazil ship, and in them our sick and wounded +men were sent home; but captain Monson was taken out of the _Megge_ into +the Victory[367]. + + +[Footnote 367: In the commencement of this voyage, the Meg and Margaret +are named as distinct ships, one of which is said to have been sent home +soon after, as unfit for sea. In this passage the Margaret and Megge are +evidently different names for the same ship.--E.] + +We now shaped our course for the coast of Spain, having the wind fair +and large, which had seldom been the case hitherto. On the 4th November +we saw a sail right before us, to which we gave chase, and coming up +with her about 3 P.M. we took possession of her, being a ship of about +110 tons burden, from _Pernambucke_ or Fernambucco, in Brazil, bound +for Portugal, having on board 410 chests of sugar, and 50 quintals of +Brazil wood, each quintal being 100 pounds weight. We took her in lat. +29° N. about 200 leagues west from Lisbon. Captain Preston was sent on +board the prize, who brought her principal people into the Victory, +certain of our seamen and soldiers being appointed to take charge of +her. The Portuguese reported, that they had seen another ship that day +before them about noon; wherefore, when all things were properly +disposed respecting our prize, we left her under the charge of captain +Davis, with whom likewise we left our long-boat, taking his smaller boat +with us, and made all sail due east after this other ship, leaving +orders for captain Davis and the prize to follow us due east, and if he +had not sight of us next morning, to bear away direct for England. Next +morning we could not see the vessel of which we were in chase, neither +was the prize or the ship of captain Davis to be seen. + +On the 6th November, being then in lat. 38° 30' N. and about 60 leagues +west from Lisbon, captain Preston descried a sail early in the morning +two or three leagues a-head of us, which we came up with about 8 or 9 +o'clock A.M. She was lastly from St Michaels, but originally from Brazil +laden with sugar. While employed shifting the prisoners into the +Victory, one of our men in the main-top espied another sail some three +or four leagues a-head, on which we immediately sent back our boat with +men to take charge of the prize, and made all sail in chase, so that we +overtook the other ship about 2 P.M. She made some preparation to resist +us, hanging many hides all round her sides, so that musquetry could not +have injured her; but by the time we had fired two cannon shot at her, +she lowered her sails and surrendered. She was of between 300 and 400 +tons, bound from Mexico and St John de Lowe, (San Juan de Ulloa) her +cargo consisting of 700 dry hides; worth 10s. apiece, six chests of +cochineal, every chest holding 100 pounds weight, and every pound worth +L. 1, 6s. 8d., besides which she had several chests of sugar, some +packages of China ware, with some wrought plate and silver in coin. The +captain was an Italian, a grave, wise, and civil person, who had to the +value of 25,000 ducats adventure in this ship. He and some of the +principal Spanish prisoners were taken on board the Victory; and captain +Lister was sent into the prize, with some 20 of our best mariners, +soldiers, and sailors. In the meantime our other prize came up with us, +and having now our hands full, we joyfully shaped our course for +England, as we had so many Portuguese, Spanish, and French prisoners, +that we could not well have manned any more prizes with safety to +ourselves. Wherefore, about 6 P.M. when our other prize came up, we made +sail for England. But as our two prizes were unable to keep up with us +without sparing them many of our own sails, our ship rolled and wallowed +so that it was both exceedingly troublesome, and put our main-mast in +great danger of being carried away. Having accordingly acquainted them +with these circumstances, and taken back our sails, we directed them to +keep their course following us, so as to make for Portsmouth. + +We took this last prize in lat. 39° N. about 46 leagues west from the +Rock of Lisbon. She was one of the 16 ships we saw going into the +harbour of Angra in the island of Tercera on the 8th October. Some of +the prisoners taken from this ship told us, that while we were plying +off and on before that harbour in waiting for their coming out, three of +the largest of these ships were unloaded of all their treasure and +merchandize, by order of the governor of Tercera, and were each manned +with 300 soldiers, on purpose to have come out and boarded the Victory; +but by the time these preparations were made, the Victory was gone out +of sight. + +We now went merrily before the wind with all the sails we could carry, +insomuch that between the noons of Friday and Saturday, or in 24 hours, +we sailed near 47 leagues, or 141 English miles, although our ship was +very foul, and much grown with sea grass, owing to our having been long +at sea. This quick sailing made some of our company expect to be present +at the tilting on the queens birth-day at Whitehall, while others were +flattering themselves with keeping a jolly Christmas in England from +their shares in the prizes. But it was our lot to keep a cold Christmas +with the Bishop and his Clerks, rocks to the westwards of Scilly; for +soon after the wind came about to the east, the very worst wind for us +which could blow from the heavens, so that we could not fetch any part +of England. Upon this our allowance of drink, before sufficiently +scanty, was now still farther curtailed, owing to the scarcity in our +ship, each man being confined to half a pint of cold water at a meal, +and that not sweet. Yet this was an ample allowance in comparison, as +our half pint was soon reduced to a quarter, and even at this reduced +rate our store was rapidly disappearing, insomuch that it was deemed +necessary for our preservation to put into some port in Ireland to +procure water. We accordingly endeavoured to do this, being obliged, +when near that coast, to lie to all night, waiting for day light; but +when it appeared we had drifted so far to leeward in the night that we +could fetch no part of Ireland, we were therefore constrained to return +again, with heavy hearts, and to wait in anxious expectation till it +should please God to send us a fair wind either for England or Ireland. + +In the mean time we were allowed for each man two or three spoonfuls of +vinegar at each meal, having now no other drink, except that for two or +three meals we had about as much wine, which was wrung out of the +remaining lees. Under this hard fare we continued near a fortnight, +being only able to eat a very little in all that time, by reason of our +great want of drink. Saving that now and then we enjoyed as it were a +feast, when rain or hail chanced to fall, on which occasions we gathered +up the hail-stones with the most anxious care, devouring them more +eagerly than if they had been the finest comfits. The rain-drops also +were caught and saved with the utmost careful attention; for which +purpose some hung up sheets tied by the four corners, having a weight in +the middle, to make the rain run down there as in a funnel into some +vessel placed underneath. Those who had no sheets hung up napkins or +other clouts, which when thoroughly wet they wrung or sucked to get the +water they had imbibed. Even the water which fell on the deck under +foot, and washed away the filth and soil of the ship, though as dirty as +the kennel is in towns during rain, was carefully watched and collected +at every scupper-hole, nay, often with strife and contention, and caught +in dishes, pots, cans, and jars, of which some drank hearty draughts, +mud and all, without waiting for its settlement or cleansing. Others +cleaned it by filtrating, but it went through so slowly that they could +ill endure to wait so long, and were loath to lose so much precious +liquid. Some licked the water like dogs with their tongues from the +decks, sides, rails, and masts of the ship. Others, that were more +ingenious, fastened girdles or ropes about the masts, daubing tallow +between these and the mast, that the rain might not run down between; +and making one part of these girdles lower than the rest, fixed spouts +of leather at these lower parts, that the rain running down the masts +might meet and be received at these spouts. He who was fortunate enough +to procure a can of water by these means, was sued to, and envied as a +rich man. + + _Quem pulchrum digito monstrari, et dicere hic est_. + +Some of the poor Spaniards who were prisoners, though having the same +allowance with our own men, often begged us for the love of God to give +them as much water as they could hold in the hollow of their hands: And, +notwithstanding our own great extremity, they were given it, to teach +them some humanity, instead of their accustomed barbarity both to us and +other nations. Some put leaden bullets into their months, to slack their +thirst by chewing them. In every corner of the ship, the miserable cries +of the sick and wounded were sounding lamentably in our ears, pitifully +crying out and lamenting for want of drink, being ready to die, yea many +dying for lack thereof. Insomuch, that by this great extremity we lost +many more men than in all the voyage before; as before this, we were so +well and amply provided for, that we lived as well and were as healthy +as if we had been in England, very few dying among us; whereas now, some +of our men were thrown overboard every day. + +The 2d of December 1589 was with us a day of festival, as it then rained +heartily, and we saved some considerable store of water, though we were +well wet for it, and that at midnight, and had our skins filled with it +besides. This went down merrily, although it was bitter and dirty, with +washing the ship, but we sweetened it with sugar, and were happy to have +our fill. Besides our other extremities, we were so tossed and turmoiled +with stormy and tempestuous weather, that every man had to hold fast his +can or dish, and to fasten himself by the ropes, rails, or sides of the +ship, to prevent falling on the deck. Our main-sail was torn from the +yard, and blown away into the sea; and our other sails so rent and torn +that hardly any of them remained serviceable. The raging waves and +foaming surges of the sea came rolling upon us in successive mountains, +breaking through the waste of the ship like a mighty river; although in +fine weather our deck was near twenty feet above water. So that we were +ready to cry out, with the royal prophet, Psalm 107, verses 26 and 27. +"They mount up to heaven, and go down again to the depths: Their soul is +melted because of trouble. They reel to and fro, and stagger like a +drunken man, and are at their wits end." In this extremity of foul +weather, the ship was so tossed and shaken, that, by its creaking noise, +and the leaking which was now more than ordinary, we were in great fear +that it would have shaken asunder, and had just cause to pray, a little +otherwise than the poet, though marring the verse, yet mending the +meaning: + + Deus maris et caeli, quid enim nisi vota supersunt; + Solvere quassatae parcito membra ratis. + +Yet it pleased God of his infinite goodness to deliver us out of this +danger. We made a new main-sail, which we fastened to the yard, and +repaired our other damages as well as we could. This was hardly done +when we were reduced to as great extremity as before, so that we had +almost lost our new main-sail, had not William Antony, the master of our +ship, when no one else would venture for fear of being washed overboard, +by crawling along the main-yard, then lowered close down upon the rails, +and with great danger of drowning, gathered it up out of the sea and +fastened it to the yard; being in the mean time often ducked overhead +and ears in the sea. So terrible were these storms, that some of our +company, who had used the sea for twenty years, had never seen the like, +and vowed, if ever they got safe to land, that they would never go to +sea again. + +At night on the last day of November, we met with an English ship, and +because it was too late that night, it was agreed that they were to give +us two or three tons of wine next morning, being, as they said, all the +provision of drink they had, save only a butt or two which they must +reserve for their own use: But, after all, we heard no more of them till +they were set on ground on the coast of Ireland, where it appeared they +might have spared us much more than they pretended, as they could very +well have relieved our necessities, and had sufficient for themselves +remaining to bring them to England. The first of December we spoke with +another English ship, and had some beer out of her for our urgent +necessities, but not sufficient to carry us to England, wherefore we +were constrained to put into Ireland, the wind so serving. Next day we +came to an anchor under the land, not far from the S. Kelmes, under the +land and wind, where we were somewhat more quiet. But as that was not a +safe place to ride in, we endeavoured next morning to weigh our anchor, +when having some of our men hurt at the capstan, we were forced to leave +it behind, holding on our course for Ventrie Haven, [Bantry Bay?] where +we safely arrived the same day, and found that place a safe and +convenient harbour for us, so that we had just cause to sing with the +Psalmist, _They that go down to the sea in ships_, &c. + +As soon as we had anchored, my lord went forthwith on shore, and +presently after brought off fresh provisions and water; such as sheep, +pigs, fowls, &c. to refresh his ships company, though he had lately been +very weak himself, and had suffered the same extremity with the rest: +For, in the time of our former want, having only a little water +remaining by him in a pot, it was broken in the night and all the water +lost. The sick and wounded were soon afterwards landed and carried to +the principal town, called _Dingenacush_[368], about three miles distant +from the haven, and at which place our surgeons attended them daily. +Here we well refreshed ourselves, while the Irish harp sounded sweetly +in our ears, and here we, who in our former extremity were in a manner +half dead, had our lives as it were restored. + +[Footnote 368: Called otherwise Dingle Icouch by the editor of Astleys +collection.--E.] + +This Dingenacush is the chief town in all that part of Ireland, +consisting but of one street, whence some smaller ones proceed on either +side. It had gates, as it seemed, in former times at either end, to shut +and open as a town of war, and a castle also. The houses are very +strongly built, having thick stone walls and narrow windows, being used, +as they told us, as so many castles in time of troubles, among the wild +Irish or otherwise. The castle and all the houses in the town, except +four, were taken and destroyed by the Earl of Desmond; these four being +held out against him and all his power, so that he could not win them. +There still remains a thick stone wall, across the middle of the street, +which was part of their fortification. Some of the older inhabitants +informed us, that they were driven to great extremities during their +defence, like the Jews of old when besieged by the Roman emperor Titus, +insomuch that they were constrained by hunger to feed on the carcasses +of the dead. Though somewhat repaired, it still remains only the ruins +of their former town. Except in the houses of the better sort, they have +no chimnies, so that we were very much incommoded by the smoke during +our stay at that place. Their fuel is turf, which they have very good, +together with whins or furze. As there grows little wood hereabout, +building is very expensive; as also they are in want of lime, which they +have to bring from a far distance. But they have abundance of stone, the +whole country appearing entirely composed of rocks and stones, so that +they commonly make their hedges of stone, by which each mans ground is +parted from his neighbour. Yet their country is very fruitful, and +abounds in grass and grain, as appears by the abundance of cattle and +sheep; insomuch that we had very good sheep, though smaller than those +of England, for two shillings, or five groats a-piece, and good pigs and +hens for threepence each. + +The greatest want is of industrious and husbandly inhabitants, to till +and improve the ground; for the common sort, if they can only provide +sufficient to serve them from hand to mouth, take no farther care. Good +land was to be had here for fourpence an acre of yearly rent. They had +very small store of money among them, for which reason, perhaps, they +doubled and trebled the prices of every thing we bought, in proportion +to what they had been before our arrival. They have mines of alum, tin, +brass, and iron; and we saw certain natural stones, as clear as crystal, +and naturally squared like diamonds. That part of the country is full of +great mountains and hills, whence run many pleasant streams of fine +water. The native hardiness of the Irish nation may be conceived from +this, that their young children, even in the midst of winter, run about +the streets with bare legs and feet, and often having no other apparel +than a scanty mantle to cover their nakedness. The chief officer of +their town is called the sovereign, who hath the same office and +authority among them with our mayors in England, having his Serjeants to +attend upon him, and a mace carried before mm as they have. We were +first entertained at the sovereigns house, which was one of the four +that withstood the Earl of Desmond in his rebellion. + +They have the same form of common prayer, word for word, that we have, +only that it is in Latin. On Sunday, the sovereign goeth to church +having his Serjeant before him, and accompanied by the sheriff and +others of the town. They there kneel down, every one making his prayers +privately by himself. They then rise up and go out of the church again +to drink. After this, they return again to church, and the minister +makes prayers. Their manner of baptising differs somewhat from ours, +part of the service belonging to it being in Latin and part in Irish. +The minister takes the child on his hands, dipping it first backwards +and then forwards, over head and ears into the cold water even in the +midst of winter. By this the natural hardiness of the people may appear, +as before specified. They had neither bell, drums, nor trumpet, to call +the parishioners together, but wait for the coming of the sovereign, +when those that have devotion follow him. Their bread is all baked in +cakes, and the bakers bake for all the town, receiving a tenth part for +their trouble. We had of them some ten or eleven tons of beer for the +Victory; but it acted as a severe purge upon all who drank it, so that +we chose rather to drink water. + +Having provided ourselves with fresh water, we set sail from thence on +the 20th December, accompanied by Sir Edward Dennie and his lady, with +two young sons. In the morning of that day, my lord went on shore to +hasten the dispatch of some fresh water for the Victory, and brought us +news that sixty Spanish prizes were taken and brought to England. For +two or three days after we sailed, we had a fair wind; but it afterwards +scanted, so that we were fain to keep a cold Christmas with the bishop +and his clerks, as I said before. After this, meeting with an English +ship, we received the joyful news that ninety-one Spanish prizes were +come to England; and along with that, the sorrowful intelligence that +our last and best prize was cast away on the coast of Cornwal, at a +place the Cornish men call _Als-efferne_, that is Hell-cliff, where +Captain Lister and all the people were drowned, except five or six, half +English and half Spaniards, who saved their lives by swimming. Yet much +of the goods were saved and preserved for us, by Sir Francis Godolphin +and other worshipful gentlemen of the country. My lord was very sorry +for the death of Captain Lister, saying that he would willingly have +lost all the fruits of the voyage to have saved his life. + +The 29th December we met another ship, from which we learned that Sir +Martin Frobisher and Captain Reymond had taken the admiral and +vice-admiral of the fleet we had seen going into the haven of Tercera; +but that the admiral had sunk, in consequence of much leaking, near the +Eddystone, a rock over against Plymouth sound, all the people however +being saved. We were likewise informed by this ship, that Captain +Preston had captured a ship laden with silver. My lord took his passage +in this last ship to land at Falmouth, while we held on our course for +Plymouth. + +Towards night we came near the Ram-head, the next cape westwards from +Plymouth sound, but we feared to double it in the night, by reason of +the scantness of the wind: so we stood out to seawards for half the +night, and towards morning had the wind more large. But we made too +little to spare thereof; partly for which reasons and partly mistaking +the land, we fell so much to leeward that we could not double the cape. +For this reason we turned back again and got into Falmouth haven, where +we grounded in 17 feet water; but as it was low ebb, the sea ready again +to flow, and the ground soft, we received no harm. Here we gladly set +our feet again on the long desired English ground, and refreshed +ourselves by keeping part of Christmas on our native soil. + + +SECTION VIII. + +_Valiant Sea Fight, by Ten Merchant Ships of London against Twelve +Spanish Gallies in the Straits of Gibraltar, on the 24th April_ +1590[369]. + + +In 1590, sundry ships belonging to the merchants of London, some +freighted for Venice, some for Constantinople, and some to divers other +parts, met on their homeward course within the Straits of Gibraltar, +having escaped all danger hitherto. The first of these was the Salomon, +belonging to Mr Alexander Barnam of London, and Messrs Bond and Tweed of +Harwich, which had sailed on the first of February last. The second was +the Margaret and John, belonging to Mr Wats of London. The third was the +Minion; the fourth the Ascension; the fifth the Centurion, belonging to +Mr Cordal; the sixth the Violet; the seventh the Samuel; the eighth the +Crescent; the ninth the Elizabeth; the tenth the Richard belonging to Mr +Duffield. All these ships, being of notable and approved service, and +coming near the mouth of the Straits hard by the coast of Barbary, they +descried twelve tall gallies bravely furnished, and strongly provided +with men and ammunition of war, ready to intercept and seize them. +Being perceived by our captains and masters, we made speedy preparation +for our defence, waiting the whole night for the approach of the enemy. + +[Footnote 369: Hakluyt, II. 660.] + +Next morning early, being Tuesday in Easter week, the 24th of April +1590, we had service according to our usual custom, praying to Almighty +God to save us from the hands of the tyrannous Spaniards, whom we justly +imagined and had always found to be our most mortal enemies on the sea. +Having finished our prayers, and set ourselves in readiness, we +perceived them coming towards us, and knew them indeed to be the Spanish +gallies, commanded by Andrea Doria, viceroy for the king of Spain in the +Straits of Gibraltar, and a notable enemy to all Englishmen. When they +came near us, they _waved us amain_ for the king of Spain, and in return +we waved them amain for the Queen of England[370]; at which time it +pleased the Almighty so to encourage our hearts, that the nearer they +came we the less feared their great strength and huge number of men; +they having to the amount of two or three hundred in each galley. It was +concluded among us, that our four largest and tallest ships should be +placed in the rear, the weaker and smaller ships going foremost; and so +it was performed, every one of us being ready to take part in such +successes as it should please God to send. + +[Footnote 370: This waving amain seems to have been some salutation of +defiance, then usual at sea.--E.] + +The gallies came upon us very fiercely at the first encounter, yet God +so strengthened us that, even if they had been ten times more, we had +not feared them at all. The Salomon, being a hot ship with sundry cast +pieces in her, gave the first shot in so effectual a manner on their +headmost galley, that it shared away so many of the men that sat on one +side of her, and pierced her through and through, insomuch that she was +ready to sink: Yet they assaulted us the more fiercely. Then the rest of +our ships, especially the four chiefest, the Salomon, Margaret and John, +Minion, and the Ascension, gave a hot charge upon them, and they on us, +commencing a hot and fierce battle with great valour on both sides, +which continued for the space of six hours. About the commencement of +this fight, our fleet was joined by two Flemish vessels. Seeing the +great force of the gallies, one of these presently struck his sails and +yielded to the enemy; whereas, had they exerted themselves on our side +and in their own defence, they needed not to have been taken in this +cowardly manner. The other was ready also to have yielded immediately, +and began to lower his sails: But the trumpeter of that ship drew his +faulcion, and stepping up to the pilot at the helm, vowed that he would +put him instantly to death, if he did not join and take part with the +English fleet: This he did, for fear of death, and by that means they +were defended from the tyranny which they had otherwise assuredly found +among the Spaniards. + +When we had continued the fight somewhat more than six hours, God gave +us the upper hand, so that we escaped the hands of so many enemies, who +were constrained to flee into harbour to shelter themselves from us. +This was the manifest work of God, who defended us in such sort from all +danger, that not one man of us was slain in all this long and fierce +assault, sustaining no other damage or hurt than this, that the shrouds +and back-stays of the Salomon, which gave the first and last shot, and +sore galled the enemy during the whole battle, were clean shot away. +When the battle ceased, we were constrained for lack of wind to stay and +waft up and down, and then went back again to _Tition_ [Tetuan] in +Barbary, six leagues from Gibraltar, where we found the people +wondrously favourable to us; who, being but Moors and heathen people, +shewed us where to find fresh water and all other necessaries. In short, +we had there as good entertainment as if we had been in any place in +England. The governor favoured us greatly, to whom we in return +presented such gifts and commodities as we had, which he accepted of +very graciously: And here we staid four days. + +After the cessation of the battle, which was on Easter Tuesday, we +remained for want of wind before Gibraltar till the next morning, being +all that time becalmed, and therefore expected every hour that they +would have sent out a fresh force against us: But they were in no +condition to do so, all their gallies being so sore battered that they +durst not come out of harbour, though greatly urged thereunto by the +governor of that town; but they had already met with so stout +resistance, that they could not be prevailed on to renew the fight. + +While we were at Tetuan, we received a report of the hurt we had done +the gallies; as we could not well discern any thing during the fight, +on account of the great smoke. We there heard that we had almost spoiled +those twelve gallies, which we had shot clean through, so that two of +them were on the point of sinking; and we had slain so many of their +men, that they were not able to fit out their gallies any more all that +year. After going to Tetuan, we attempted three several times to pass +the straits, but could not: Yet, with the blessing of God, we came +safely through on the fourth attempt; and so continued on our voyage +with a pleasant breeze all the way to the coast of England, where we +arrived on the beginning of July 1590. + + +SECTION IX. + +_A valiant sea fight in the Straits of Gibraltar, in April_ 1591, _by +the Centurion of London, against five Spanish gallies_. + + +In the month of November 1590, sundry ships belonging to different +merchants of London sailed with merchandise for various ports within the +Straits of Gibraltar; all of which, having fair wind and weather, +arrived safe at their destined ports. Among these was the Centurion of +London, a very tall ship of large burden, yet but weakly manned, as +appears by the following narrative. + +The Centurion arrived safe at Marseilles, on her outward bound voyage, +where, after delivering her goods, she remained better than five weeks, +taking in lading, and then intended to return to England. When she was +ready to come away from Marseilles, there were sundry other ships of +smaller burden at that place, the masters of which intreated Robert +Bradshaw of Limehouse, the master of the Centurion, to stay a day or two +for them till they could get in readiness to depart, saying that it were +far better for them all to go in company for mutual support and defence, +than singly to run the hazard of falling into the hands of the Spanish +gallies in the Straits. On which reasonable persuasion, although the +Centurion was of such sufficiency as might have been reasonably hazarded +alone, yet she staid for the smaller ships, and set out along with them +from Marseilles, all engaging mutually to stand by each other, if they +chanced to fall in with any of the Spanish gallies. + +Thus sailing altogether along the coast of Spain, they were suddenly +becalmed upon Easter-day in the Straits of Gibraltar, where they +immediately saw several gallies making towards them in a very gallant +and courageous manner. The chief leaders and soldiers in these gallies, +were bravely apparelled in silken coats, with silver whistles depending +from their necks, and fine plumes of feathers in their hats. Coming on +courageously, they shot very fast from their calivers upon the +Centurion, which they boarded somewhat before ten o'clock A.M. But the +Centurion was prepared for their reception, and meant to give them as +sour a welcome as they could; and having prepared their close quarters +with all other things in readiness, called on God for aid, and cheered +one another to fight to the last. The Centurion discharged her great +ordnance upon the gallies, but the little ships her consorts durst not +come forward to her aid, but lay aloof, while five of the gallies laid +on board the Centurion, to whom they made themselves fast with their +grappling irons, two on one side and two on the other, while the admiral +galley lay across her stern. In this guise the Centurion was sore galled +and battered, her main-mast greatly wounded, all her sails filled with +shot holes, and her mizen mast and stern rendered almost unserviceable. +During this sore and deadly fight, the trumpeter of the Centurion +continually sounded forth the animating points of war, encouraging the +men to fight gallantly against their enemies; while in the Spanish +gallies there was no warlike music, save the silver whistles, which were +blown ever and anon. In this sore fight, many a Spaniard was thrown into +the sea, while multitudes of them came crawling up the ships sides, +hanging by every rope, and endeavouring to enter in: Yet as fast as they +came to enter, so courageously were they received by the English, that +many of them were fain to tumble alive into the sea, remediless of ever +getting out alive. There were in the Centurion 48 men and boys in all, +who bestirred themselves so valiantly and so galled the enemy, that many +a brave and lusty Spaniard lost his life. The Centurion was set on fire +five several times, with wild-fire and other combustibles thrown in for +that purpose by the Spaniards; yet by the blessing of God, and the great +and diligent foresight of the master, the fire was always extinguished +without doing any harm. + +In every one of these five gallies there were about 200 soldiers; who, +together with the great guns, spoiled, rent, and battered the Centurion +very sorely; shot her mainmast through, and slew four of her men, one of +whom was the masters mate. Ten other persons were hurt by splinters. But +in the end, the Spaniards had almost spent their shot, so that they were +obliged to load with hammers and the chains of their galley-slaves, yet, +God be praised, the English received no more harm. At length, sore +galled and worn out, the Spaniards were constrained to unfasten their +grapplings and sheer off; at which time, if there had been any fresh +ship to aid and succour the Centurion, they had certainly sunk or taken +all those gallies. The Dolphin lay aloof and durst not come near, while +the other two small ships fled away. One of the gallies from the +Centurion set upon the Dolphin; which ship went immediately on fire, +occasioned by her own powder, so that the ship perished with all her +men: But whether this was done intentionally or not, was never known. +Surely, if she had come bravely forward in aid of the Centurion, she had +not perished. + +This fight continued five hours and a half, at the end of which time +both parties were glad to draw off and breathe themselves; but the +Spaniards, once gone, durst not renew the fight. Next day, indeed, six +other gallies came out and looked at the Centurion, but durst on no +account meddle with her. Thus delivered by the Almighty from the hands +of their enemies, they gave God thanks for the victory, and arrived not +long after safe at London. Mr John Hawes merchant, and sundry others of +good note were present in this fight. + + +SECTION X. + +_Sea-fight near the Azores, between the Revenge man of war, commanded by +Sir Richard Granville, and fifteen Spanish men of war_, 31_st August_ +1591. _Written by Sir Walter Raleigh_[371]. + + +PRELIMINARY DISCOURSE[372]. + +Because the rumours are diversely spread, as well in England as in the +Low Countries and elsewhere, of this late encounter between her majestys +ships and the armada of Spain; and that the Spaniards, according to +their usual manner, fill the world with their vain-glorious vaunts, +making great shew of victories, when on the contrary themselves are most +commonly and shamefully beaten and dishonoured, thereby hoping to +possess the ignorant multitude by anticipating and forerunning false +reports: It is agreeable with all good reason, for manifestation of the +truth, to overcome falsehood and untruth, that the beginning, +continuance, and success of this late honourable encounter by Sir +Richard Grenville, and others her majestys captains, with the +armada[373] of Spain, should be truly set down and published, without +partiality or false imaginations. And it is no marvel that the Spaniards +should seek, by false and slanderous pamphlets, _advisos_, and letters, +to cover their own loss, and to derogate from others their due honours, +especially in this fight being far off; seeing they were not ashamed, in +the year 1588, when they purposed the invasion of this land, to publish +in sundry languages in print, great victories in words, which they +pretended to have obtained against this realm, and spread the same in a +most false sort over all parts of France, Italy, and other countries. +When, shortly after it was happily manifested in very deed to all +nations, how their navy, which they termed _invincible_, consisting of +140 sail of ships, not only of their own kingdom, but strengthened with +the greatest argosies, Portugal caraks, Florentines, and huge hulks of +other countries, were by 80 of her majestys own ships of war, and a few +belonging to our own merchants, by the wise, valiant, and advantageous +conduct of the lord Charles Howard, high admiral of England, beaten and +shuffled together, even from the Lizard in Cornwall, first to Portland +where they shamefully left Don Pedro de Valdes with his mighty ship: +from Portland to Calais, where they lost Hugo de Moncado with the +gallies of which he was captain: and from Calais driven by squibs from +their anchors, were chased out of sight of England, round about Scotland +and Ireland. Where for the sympathy of their barbarous religion, hoping +to find succour and assistance, a great part of them were crushed +against the rocks, and those others that landed, being very many in +number, were notwithstanding broken, slain, and taken, and so sent from +village to village, coupled in halters, to be shipped for England. Where +her majesty, of her princely and invincible disposition, disdaining to +put them to death, and scorning either to retain or entertain them, they +were all sent back again into their countries, to witness and recount +the worthy achievements of their invincible and dreadful navy: of which, +the number of soldiers, the fearful burden of their ships, the +commanders names of every squadron, with all their magazines of +provisions were put in print, as an army and navy irresistible and +disdaining prevention. With all which so great and terrible ostentation, +they did not, in all their sailing about England, so much as sink or +take one ship, bark, pinnace, or cock-boat of ours, or ever burnt so +much as one sheep-cot of this land. When, as on the contrary, Sir +Francis Drake, with only 800 soldiers, not long before landed in their +Indies, and forced San Jago, Santo Domingo, Carthagena, and the forts of +Florida. + +[Footnote 371: Hakluyt, II. 668. Astley, I. 216.] + +[Footnote 372: This preliminary discourse, by the famous Sir Walter +Raleigh, is given from Hakluyt without alteration, except in +orthography.--E.] + +[Footnote 373: Armada is a general word, signifying in Spanish a ship of +war or a fleet or squadron. Generally in English it has been limited to +the invincible armada, or powerful fleet fitted out by Philip II. in the +vain hope of conquering England.--E.] + +And after that, Sir John Norris marched from Peniche in Portugal with a +handful of soldiers to the gates of Lisbon, being above 40 English +miles: Where the earl of Essex himself, and other valiant gentlemen, +braved the city of Lisbon, encamping at the very gates: from whence, +after many days abode, finding neither promised parley nor provision +wherewith to batter, they made their retreat by land, in spite of all +their garrisons both of horse and foot. In this sort I have a little +digressed from my first purpose, only by the necessary comparison of +their and our actions: the one covetous of honour, without vaunt or +ostentation; the other so greedy to purchase the opinion of their own +affairs, and by false rumours to resist the blasts of their own +dishonours, as they will not only not blush to spread all manner of +untruths, but even for the least advantage, be it but for the taking of +one poor adventurer of the English, will celebrate the victory with +bonefires in every town, always spending more in faggots than the +purchase they obtained was worth. Whereas, we never thought it worth the +consumption of two billets, when we have taken eight or ten of their +Indian ships at one time, and twenty of their Brazil fleet. Such is the +difference between true valour and vain ostentation, and between +honourable actions and frivolous vain-glorious boasting. But to return +to my purpose: + + +NARRATIVE. + +The Lord Thomas Howard, with six of her majestys ships, six victuallers +of London, the bark Raleigh, and two or three pinnaces, riding at anchor +near Flores, one of the western islands called the Azores, on the last +of August 1591, in the afternoon, had intelligence by one captain +Middleton, of the approach of the Spanish armada. This Middleton, being +in a very good sailing ship, had kept them company for three days +before, of good purpose, both to discover their force, and to give the +lord admiral advice of their approach. He had no sooner communicated the +news, when the Spanish fleet hove in sight; at which time, many +belonging to our ships companies were on shore in the island of Flores, +some providing ballast for the ships, others filling water, and others +refreshing themselves from the land with such things as they could +procure either for money or by force. Owing to this, our ships were all +in confusion, pestered, rummaging, and every thing out of order, very +light for want of ballast; and what was most of all to their +disadvantage, the half of the men in every ship was sick and +unserviceable. For in the Revenge, there were ninety sick; in the +Bonaventure, not so many in health as could hand her mainsail, insomuch, +that unless twenty men had been taken from a bark of Sir George Careys +which was sunk, and appointed into her, she had hardly been able to get +back to England. The rest of the ships for the most part were in little +better state. + +The names of her majestys ships were as follows: The Defiance, admiral, +the Revenge, vice-admiral, the Bonaventure commanded by captain Crosse, +the Lion by George Fenner, the Foresight by Thomas Vavasour, and the +Crane by Duffild. The Foresight and Crane were small ships, the other +four were of the middle size. All the others, except the bark Raleigh, +commanded by captain Thin, were victuallers, and of small or no force. +The approach of the Spanish fleet being concealed by means of the +island, they were soon at hand, so that our ships had scarce time to +weigh their anchors, and some even were obliged to slip their cables and +set sail. Sir Richard Grenville was the last to weigh, that he might +recover the men who were a land on the island, who had otherwise been +lost. The lord Thomas Howard, with the rest of the fleet, very hardly +recovered the wind, which Sir Richard was unable to do; on which his +master and others endeavoured to persuade him to cut his main sail and +cast about, trusting to the swift sailing of his ship, as the squadron +of Seville was on his weather bow. But Sir Richard absolutely refused to +turn from the enemy, declaring he would rather die than dishonour +himself, his country, and her majestys ship, and persuaded his company +that he would be able to pass through the two squadrons in spite of +them, and force those of Seville to give him way. This he certainly +performed upon divers of the foremost, who, as the sailors term it, +sprang their luff, and fell under the lee of the Revenge. The other +course had certainly been the better, and might very properly have been +adopted under so great impossibility of prevailing over such heavy odds; +but, out of the greatness of his mind, he could not be prevailed on to +have the semblance of fleeing. + +In the meantime, while Sir Richard attended to those ships of the enemy +that were nearest him and in his way, the great San Philip being to +windward of him, and coming down towards him, becalmed his sails in such +sort that his ship could neither make way nor feel the helm, so huge and +high was the Spanish ship, being of fifteen hundred tons, and which +presently laid the Revenge on board. At this time, bereft of his sails, +the ships that had fallen under his lee, luffed up and laid him on board +also, the first of these that now came up being the vice-admiral of the +Biscay squadron, a very mighty and puissant ship, commanded by +Brittandona. The San Philip carried three tier of ordnance on a side, +and eleven pieces in each tier, besides eight pieces in her forecastle +chase, and others from her stern-ports. After the Revenge was thus +entangled by the huge San Philip, four others laid her on board, two to +larboard and two to starboard. The fight thus began at three in the +afternoon, and continued very terribly the whole of that evening. But +the great San Philip, having received a discharge from the lower tier +of the Revenge, loaded with cross-bar shot, shifted herself with all +diligence from her side, utterly disliking this her first entertainment. +Some say the San Philip foundered, but we cannot report this for a +truth, not having sufficient assurance. Besides the mariners, the +Spanish ships were filled with companies of soldiers, some having to the +number of two hundred, some five hundred, and others as far even as +eight hundred. In ours, there were none besides the mariners, except the +servants of the commanders, and some few gentlemen volunteers. + +After interchanging many vollies of great ordnance and small shot, the +Spaniards deliberated to enter the Revenge by boarding, and made several +attempts, hoping to carry her by the multitudes of their armed soldiers +and musketeers, but were still repulsed again and again, being on every +attempt beaten back into their own ships or into the sea. In the +beginning of the fight, the George Noble of London being only one of the +victuallers, and of small force, having received some shot through her +from the Spanish _armadas_, fell under the lee of the Revenge, and the +master of her asked Sir Richard what he was pleased to command him; on +which Sir Richard bad him save himself as he best might, leaving him to +his fortune. After the fight had thus continued without intermission, +while the day lasted, and some hours of the night, many of our men were +slain and hurt; one of the great galeons of the armada and the admiral +of the hulks both sunk, and a great slaughter had taken place in many of +the other great Spanish ships. Some allege that Sir Richard was very +dangerously hurt almost in the beginning of the fight, and lay +speechless for a time ere he recovered: But two men belonging to the +Revenge, who came home in a ship of Lyme from the islands, and were +examined by some of the lords and others, affirmed, that he was never so +much wounded as to forsake the upper deck till an hour before midnight, +and being then shot in the body by a musket ball, was shot again in the +head as the surgeon was dressing him, the surgeon himself being at the +same time wounded to death. This also agrees with an examination of four +other returned mariners of the same ship, taken before Sir Francis +Godolphin, and sent by him to master William Killegrue of her majestys +privy chamber. + +To return to the fight: As the Spanish ships which attempted to board +the Revenge were wounded and beaten off, so always others came up in +their places, she never having less than two mighty galeons by her sides +and close on board her; so that ere morning, from three o'clock of the +day before, she had been successively assailed by no less than fifteen +several armadas or great ships of war; and all of them had so ill +approved their entertainment, that, by break of day, they were far more +willing to hearken to a composition, than hastily to make any more +assaults or entries for boarding. But as the day advanced, so our men +decreased in number, and as the light grew more and more, by so much +more increased the discomforts of our men. For now nothing appeared in +sight but enemies, save one small ship called the Pilgrim, commanded by +Jacob Whiddon, who hovered all night to see what might be the event; +but, bearing up towards the Revenge in the morning, was hunted like a +hare among so many ravenous hounds, yet escaped. + +All the powder of the Revenge was now spent to the very last barrel, all +her pikes broken, forty of her best men slain, and most part of the rest +wounded. In the beginning of the fight, she had 90 of her men lying sick +on the ballast in the hold, and only 100 capable of duty, a small crew +for such a ship, and a weak garrison to resist so mighty an army. By +this brave hundred was the whole of this hot fight sustained, the +volleys, boardings, assaults, and entries, from fifteen great ships of +war all full of men, besides those which had cannonaded her from a +distance. On the contrary, the Spanish ships were always supplied with +fresh soldiers from the several squadrons of this vast fleet, and had +all manner of arms and powder at will; while to our men there remained +no hope or comfort, no supply either of ships, men, weapons, or powder. +The masts were all beaten overboard; all her tackle was cut asunder; her +upper works all battered to pieces, and in effect evened with the water, +nothing but the hull or bottom of the ship remaining, nothing being left +over-head for flight or for defence. + +Finding his ship in this distress, and altogether unable for any longer +resistance, after fifteen hours constant fighting against fifteen great +ships of war which assailed him in turns, having received by estimation +800 shot of great ordnance, besides many assaults and entries; and +considering that he and his ship must now soon be in possession of the +enemy, who had arranged their ships in a ring round about the Revenge, +which was now unable to move any way, except as acted on by the waves; +Sir Richard called for his master gunner, whom he knew to be a most +resolute man, and commanded him to split and sink the ship, that nothing +of glory or victory might remain to the enemy, who with so great a navy, +and in so long a time, were unable to take her. They had fifty-three +ships of war, and above 10,000 men, and had been engaged against this +single ship for fifteen hours. At the same time, Sir Richard endeavoured +to prevail upon as many of the company as he could influence, to commit +themselves to the mercy of God, and not of their enemies, since they had +like valiant men repulsed so many enemies, urging them not now to +obscure their honour and that of their nation, for the sake of +prolonging their lives a few days. The master gunner and various others +of the crew readily assented to this desperate resolution; but the +captain and master were quite of an opposite opinion, and conjured Sir +Richard to desist from his desperate proposal; alleging that the +Spaniards would be as ready to agree to a capitulation as they to offer +it; and begged him to consider, that there still were many valiant men +still living in the ship, and others whose wounds might not be mortal, +who might be able to do acceptable service to their queen and country +hereafter. And, although Sir Richard had alleged that the Spaniards +should never have the glory of taking one ship of her majesty, which had +been so long and valiantly defended; they answered, that the ship had +six feet water in her hold, and three shot holes under water, which were +so weakly stopped, that she must needs sink with the first labouring of +the sea, and was besides so battered and bruised, that she could never +be removed from the place. + +While the matter was thus in dispute, Sir Richard refusing to listen to +any reasons, the captain won over the most part to his opinion, and the +master was conveyed on board the Spanish general, Don Alfonso Baçan. +Finding none of his people very ready to attempt boarding the Revenge +again, and fearing lest Sir Richard might blow up both them and himself, +as he learned from the master his dangerous disposition; Don Alfonso +agreed that all their lives should be saved, the ships company sent to +England, and the better sort to pay such reasonable ransom as their +estate could bear, all in the meantime to be free from prison or the +gallies. He so much the rather consented to these terms, lest any +farther loss or mischief might accrue to themselves, and for the +preservation of Sir Richard, whose notable valour he greatly honoured +and admired. On receiving this answer, in which the safety of life was +promised; the common sort, now at the end of their peril, mostly drew +back from the proposal of Sir Richard and the master gunner, it being no +hard matter to dissuade men from death to life. Finding himself and Sir +Richard thus prevented and mastered by the majority, the master gunner +would have slain himself with his sword, but was prevented by main +force, and locked up in his cabin. + +Then the Spanish general sent many boats on board the Revenge, and +several of her men, fearing Sir Richards disposition, stole away on +board the general and other ships. Thus constrained to submit, Sir +Richard was desired by a message from Alfonso Baçan to remove from the +Revenge, as it was filled with blood and the bodies of the slain, and +with wounded men, like a slaughter-house. Sir Richard gave for answer, +that he might do now with his body what he pleased; and while removing +from the ship, he fainted away, and on recovering he requested the +company to pray for him. The Spanish general used Sir Richard with all +humanity, leaving no means untried that tended towards his recovery, +highly commending his valour and worthiness, and greatly bewailing his +dangerous condition; seeing that it was a rare spectacle, and an +instance of resolution seldom met with, for one ship to withstand so +many enemies, to endure the batteries and boardings of so many huge +ships of war, and to resist and repel the assaults and entries of such +numbers of soldiers. All this and more is confirmed, by the recital of a +Spanish captain in that same fleet, who was himself engaged in this +action, and, being severed from the rest in a storm, was taken by the +Lion, a small ship belonging to London, and is now prisoner in London. + +The general commanding this great armada, was Don Alphonso Baçan, +brother to the Marquis of Santa Cruz. Britandona was admiral of the +squadron of Biscay. The Marquis of Arumburch [Aremberg] commanded the +squadron of Seville. Luis Coutinho commanded the hulks and flyboats. +There were slain and drowned in this fight, as the before-mentioned +Spanish captain confessed, near a thousand of the enemy, with two +special commanders, Don Luis de San Juan, and Don George de Prunaria de +Mallaga, besides others of special account whose names have not yet +been reported. The admiral of the hulks and the Ascension of Seville +were both sunk at the side of the Revenge. One other ship, which got +into the road of San Miguel, sank there also; and a fourth ship had to +run on shore to save her men. Sir Richard, as it is said, died the +second or third day on board the general, much bewailed by his enemies; +but we have not heard what became of his body, whether it were committed +to the sea or buried on land. The comfort remaining to his friends is, +that he ended his life honourably, having won great reputation for his +nation and his posterity, and hath not outlived his honour. + +For the rest of her majestys ships, that entered not into the fight like +the Revenge, the reasons and causes were these: There were of them only +six in all, two whereof were only small ships; and they could be of no +service, as the Revenge was engaged past recovery. The island of Flores +was on one side; 53 sail of Spanish ships were on the other, divided +into several squadrons, all as full of soldiers as they could contain. +Almost one half of our men were sick and unable to serve; the ships were +grown foul, _unroomaged_[374], and hardly able to bear any sail for want +of ballast, having been six months at sea. If all the rest of the ships +had entered into the action, they had been all lost; for the very +hugeness of the Spanish ships, even if no other violence had been +offered, might have crushed them all into shivers between them; by which +the loss and dishonour to the queen had been far greater, than any +injury the enemy could have sustained. It is nevertheless true, that the +Lord Thomas Howard would have entered between the squadrons of the +enemy, but the others would on no account consent; and even the master +of his own ship threatened to leap into the sea, rather than conduct the +admirals ship and the rest to be a certain prey to the enemy, where +there was no hope or possibility of victory or even of defence. In my +opinion, such rashness would have ill assorted with the discretion and +trust of a general, to have committed himself and his charge to +assured destruction, without any hope or likelihood of prevailing, +thereby to have diminished the strength of her majestys navy, and to +have increased the pride and glory of the enemy. + +[Footnote 374: This singular antiquated sea term may signify, not in +sailing _trim_.--E.] + +The Foresight, one of her majestys vessels, commanded by Thomas +Vavasour, performed a very great service, and staid two hours as near +the Revenge as the weather would permit, not forsaking the fight till +well nigh encompassed by the squadrons of the enemy, and then cleared +himself with great difficulty. The rest gave diverse vollies of shot, +and engaged as far as the place and their own necessities permitted, so +as to keep the weather-gage of the enemy, till night parted them. + +A few days after this fight, the prisoners being dispersed among the +Spanish ships of war and ships from the Indies, there arose so great a +storm from the W. and N.W. that all the fleet was dispersed, as well the +fleet of the Indies then come to them as the rest of the armada that had +attended their arrival, of which 14 sail, together with the Revenge +having 200 Spaniards on board of her, were cast away upon the island of +St Michael. Thus they honoured the obsequies of the renowned Revenge, +for the great glory she had achieved, not permitting her to perish +alone. Besides these, other 15 or 16 of the Spanish ships of war were +cast away in this storm upon the other islands of the Azores: And, of an +100 sail and more of the fleet of the Indies, which were expected this +year in Spain, what with the loss sustained in this tempest, and what +before in the bay of Mexico and about the Bermuda islands, above 70 were +lost, including those taken by our London ships; besides one very rich +ship of the Indies, which set herself on fire being boarded by the +Pilgrim, and five others taken by the ship belonging to Mr Wats of +London between the Havannah and Cape St Antonio. On the 4th of November +this year, we had letters from Tercera, affirming that 3000 dead bodies +had been thrown upon that island from the perished ships, and that the +Spaniards confessed to have lost 10,000 men in this storm, besides those +who perished between the main and the islands. Thus it hath pleased God +to fight for us, and to defend the justice of our cause, against the +ambitious and bloody pretences of the Spaniards, who seeking to devour +all nations are themselves devoured: A manifest testimony how unjust and +displeasing are their attempts in the sight of God, who hath been +pleased to witness, by the evil success of their affairs, his mislike of +their bloody and injurious designs, purposed and practised against all +Christian princes, over whom they seek unlawful and ungodly rule and +supreme command. + +A day or two before this terrible catastrophe, when some of our +prisoners desired to be set on shore on the Azores islands, hoping to be +thence transported into England, and which liberty had been formerly +promised by the Spanish general; one Morice Fitz John, (son of old John +of Desmond, a notable traitor, who was cousin-german to the late earl of +Desmond,) was sent from ship to ship to endeavour to persuade the +English prisoners to serve the king of Spain. The arguments he used to +induce them were these. Increase of pay to treble their present +allowance; advancement to the better sort; and the free exercise of the +true catholic religion, ensuring the safety of all their souls. For the +first of these, the beggarly and unnatural behaviour of those English +and Irish rebels that served the king of Spain in that action was a +sufficient answer; for so poor and ragged were they, that, for want of +apparel, they stripped the poor prisoners their countrymen of their +ragged garments, worn out by six months service, not even sparing to +despoil them of their bloody shirts from their wounded bodies, and the +very shoes from their feet; a noble testimony of their rich +entertainment and high pay. As to the second argument, of hope of +advancement if they served well and continued faithful to the king of +Spain; what man could be so blockishly ignorant ever to expect promotion +and honour from a foreign king, having no other merit or pretension than +his own disloyalty, his unnatural desertion of his country and parents, +and rebellion against his true prince, to whose obedience he is bound by +oath, by nature, and by religion? No! such men are only assured to be +employed on all desperate enterprizes, and to be held in scorn and +disdain even among those they serve. That ever a traitor was either +trusted or advanced I have never learnt, neither can I remember a single +example. No man could have less becomed the office of orator for such a +purpose, than this Morice of Desmond: For, the earl his cousin, being +one of the greatest subjects in the kingdom of Ireland, possessing +almost whole counties in his large property, many goodly manors, +castles, and lordships, the county palatine of Kerry, 500 gentlemen of +his own family and name ready to follow him, all which he and his +ancestors had enjoyed in peace for three or four hundred years: Yet this +man, in less than three years after his rebellion and adherence to the +Spaniards, was beaten from all his holds, not so many as ten gentlemen +of his name left living, himself taken and beheaded by a gentleman of +his own nation, and his lands given by parliament to her majesty and +possessed by the English. His other cousin, Sir John Desmond, taken by +Mr John Zouch; and his body hung up over the gates of his native city to +be devoured by ravens. The third brother, Sir James, hanged, drawn, and +quartered in the same place. Had he been able to vaunt of the success of +his own house, in thus serving the king of Spain, the argument might +doubtless have moved much and wrought great effect: the which, because +he happened to forget, I have thought good to remember in his behalf. + +As for the matter of religion, to which he adverted, it would require a +separate volume, were I to set down how irreligiously they cover their +greedy and ambitious pretences with that veil of pretended piety. But +sure I am, there is no kingdom or commonwealth in all Europe that they +do not invade, under pretence of religion, if it be reformed. Nay if it +even be what they term catholic, they pretend a title, as if the kings +of Castile were the natural heirs of all the world. Thus between both, +no kingdom is exempted from their ambition. Where they dare not invade +with their own forces, they basely entertain the traitors and vagabonds +of all nations; seeking by their means, and by their runagate Jesuits, +to win other parts to their dominion, by which they have ruined many +noble houses and others in this land, extinguishing their lives and +families. What good, honour, or fortune, any one hath ever yet achieved +through them, is yet unheard of. If our English papists will only look +to Portugal, against which they have no pretence of religion; how their +nobility are imprisoned and put to death, their rich men made a prey, +and all sorts of people reduced to servitude; they shall find that the +obedience even of the Turk is ease and liberty, compared to the tyranny +of Spain. What have they done in Sicily, in Naples, in Milan, in the low +countries? Who hath there been spared even for religion? It cometh to my +remembrance of a certain burgher at Antwerp, whose house was entered by +a company of Spanish soldiers when they sacked that city. He besought +them to spare him and his goods, being a good catholic, and therefore +one of their own party and faction. The Spaniards answered, they knew +him to be of a good conscience in himself; but his money, plate, jewels, +and goods, were all heretical, and therefore good prize. So they abused +and tormented the foolish Fleming, who thought that an _Agnus Dei_ had +been a sufficient safeguard against all the force of that holy and +charitable nation. + +Neither have they at any time, as they protest, invaded the kingdoms of +Mexico and Peru and elsewhere, being only led thereto to reduce the +people to Christianity, not for gold or empire: Whereas, in the single +island of Hispaniola, they have wasted and destroyed thirty hundred +thousand of the natives, besides many millions else in other places of +the Indies: a poor and harmless people, created of God, and might have +been won to his service, as many of them were, even almost all whom they +endeavoured to persuade thereto. The story of these their enormities, +has been written at large by Bartholomew de las Casas[375], a bishop of +their own nation, and has been translated into English and many other +languages, under the title of _The Spanish Cruelties_. Who therefore +would repose trust in such a nation of ravenous strangers, and more +especially in those Spaniards, who more greedily thirst after the blood +of the English, for the many overthrows and dishonours they have +received at our hands; whose weakness we have discovered to the world, +and whose forces, at home, abroad, in Europe, in the Indies, by sea and +by land, even with mere handfuls of men and ships on our sides, we have +overthrown and dishonoured? Let not therefore any Englishman, of what +religion soever, have other opinion of these Spaniards or their +abettors, but that those whom they seek to win of our nation, they +esteem base and traiterous, unworthy persons, and inconstant fools; and +that they use this pretence of religion, for no other purpose but to +bewitch us from the obedience due to our natural prince, hoping thereby +to bring us in time under slavery and subjection, when none shall be +there so odious and despised, as those very traitors who have sold their +country to strangers, forsaking their faith and obedience, contrary to +the laws of nature and religion, and contrary to that humane and +universal honour, not only of Christians but of heathen and unbelieving +nations, who have always sustained every degree of labour, embracing +even death itself, in defence of their country, their prince, and their +commonwealth. + +[Footnote 375: He was bishop of Chiapa in New Spain, and computes the +Indians destroyed by the Spaniards in about fifty years, at no fewer +than twenty millions.--Astley, I. 221. a.] + +To conclude, it hath ever to this day pleased God to prosper and defend +her majesty, to break the purposes of her malicious enemies, to confound +the devices of forsworn traitors, and to overthrow all unjust practices +and invasions. She hath ever been held in honour by the worthiest kings, +served by faithful subjects, and shall ever, by the favour of God, +resist, repell, and confound all attempts against her person and +kingdom. In the mean time, let the Spaniards and traitors vaunt of their +success; while we, her true and obedient subjects, guided by the shining +light of her virtues, shall always love, serve, and obey her, to the end +of our lives. + + + +SECTION XI + +_Note of the Fleet of the Indies, expected in Spain this year 1591; with +the number that perished, according to the examination of certain +Spaniards, lately taken and brought to England[376]._ + + +The fleet of New Spain, at their first gathering together, consisted of +52 sail. The admiral and vice-admiral ships were each of 600 tons +burden. Four or five of the ships were of 900 and 1000 tons each; some +were of 400 tons, and the smallest of 200. Of this fleet 19 were cast +away, containing by estimation 2600 men, which happened along the coast +of New Spain, so that only 33 sail came to the Havannah. + +[Footnote 376: Hakluyt, II. 670.] + +The fleet of Terra Firma, at its first departure from Spain, consisted +of 50 sail, bound for Nombre de Dios, where they discharged their +loading, and returned thence for their health sake to Carthagena, till +such time as the treasure they were to take in at Nombre de Dios were +ready. But before this fleet departed, some were gone by one or two at a +time, so that only 23 sail of this fleet arrived at the Havannah. + +There met at the Havannah, + + 33 sail from New Spain, + 23 from the Terra Firma, + 12 belonging to San Domingo, + 9 from Honduras. + +Thus 77 ships joined and set sail from the Havannah, on the 17th of July +1591, according to our account, and kept together till they arrived in +the lat. of 35° N. which was about the 10th of August. There the wind, +which had been at S.W. changed suddenly to N. so that the sea coming +from the S.W. and the wind violent from the N. they were put in great +extremity, and then first lost the admiral of their fleet, in which were +500 men; and within three or four days after, another storm rising, five +or six others of their largest ships were cast away with all their men, +together with their vice-admiral. + +In lat. 38° N. and about the end of August, another great storm arose, +in which all their remaining ships, except 48, were lost. These 48 ships +kept together till they came in sight of the islands of Corvo and +Flores, about the 5th or 6th of September, at which time they were +separated by a great storm; and of that number, 15 or 16 sail were +afterwards seen by three Spanish prisoners, riding at anchor under +Tercera, while 12 or 14 more were observed to bear away for San Miguel. +What became of them after these Spaniards were taken, cannot yet be +certified; but their opinion is, that very few of this fleet escaped +being either taken or cast away. It has been ascertained of late by +other means of intelligence, that of this whole fleet of 123 sail, which +should have come to Spain this year, there have only 25 yet arrived. +This note was extracted from the examinations of certain Spanish +prisoners, brought to England by six of the London ships, which took +seven of these men from the before-mentioned fleet of the Indies near +the islands of the Açores. + + +SECTION XII. + +_Report of a Cruizing Voyage to the Azores in 1591, by a feet of London +ships sent with supplies to the Lord Thomas Howard. Written by Captain +Robert Flicke_[377]. + + +PRELIMINARY REMARKS[378]. + +The following voyage is extracted from a letter, dated at Plymouth the +24th of October 1591, and sent thence by Captain Flicke to Messrs Thomas +Bromley, Richard Staper, and ---- Cordall, three of the contractors, as +we apprehend, for the ships, and is titled, "Concerning the success of a +part of the London supplies sent to the isles of the Azores to my Lord +Thomas Howard." In this letter no mention is made of the number of ships +employed, nor of the names of more than two captains besides Flicke, +namely, _Brothus_ and _Furtho_, the latter of whom was bearer of the +letter. We also find the name of four of the ships; the Costly, +Centurion, Cherubim, and the Margaret and John, but not the names of +their commanders, neither the name of the ship in which Flicke sailed, +and which, for distinctions sake, we call the admiral. These omissions +may be excuseable in a private letter, written only to acquaint the +merchants of particulars they had not before learnt, and not designed as +a formal narrative of the voyage to be laid before the public. As these, +however, are essential to narratives of this kind, it might have been +expected of Mr Hakluyt to have supplied such defects. We may judge, +however, that the number of ships was seven, as in the preceding account +of the fleet of the Indies, six London ships are mentioned as having +fallen in with it, which were probably those separated from the admiral +or commodore, which ship will make the seventh.--_Astley._ + +[Footnote 377: Hakluyt, II. 671. Astley, I. 221.] + +[Footnote 378: Astley, I. 221.] + + +NARRATIVE[379]. + + +Worshipful, my hearty commendations to you premised.--By my last letter, +dated 12th August from this place, I advertised you particularly of the +accidents which had befallen our fleet till then. It now remains to +relate our exertions for accomplishing our orders for endeavouring to +join my Lord Thomas Howard, and the success we have had. We departed +from hence on the 17th August, the wind not serving before. Next day I +summoned a council by signal, on which the captains and masters of all +the ships came on board, when I acquainted them with my commission, +confirmed by the lords of her majestys council, and with the +advertisement of Sir Edward Denny, that my lord had determined to remain +60 leagues west of Fayal, spreading his squadron north and south between +37° 30' and 38° 30' north. But, if we did not there find him, we were to +repair to the islands of Flores and Corvo, where a pinnace would +purposely wait our coming till the last day of August; with the intent, +after that day, to repair to the coast of Spain, about the heighth of +the rock [_of Lisbon?_], some twenty or thirty leagues off shore. This +being advisedly considered, and having regard to the shortness of time +occasioned by our long delay at this place, and the uncertainty of +favourable weather for us, it was generally concluded, as the best and +surest way to meet my lord, to bear up for the heighth of _the rock_, +without making any stay upon the coast, and thence to make directly for +the foresaid islands, which was accordingly fully agreed to and +performed. + +[Footnote 379: In pursuance of our uniform plan, of drawing from the +original sources, this article is an exact transcript from Hakluyt, only +modernizing his antiquated language and orthography, and not copied from +the abridgement of Astley.--.E] + +The 28th of August we had sight of the Burlings, and being on the 29th +athwart of Peniche, and having a favourable wind, we directed our course +west for the Azores, without making any stay off the coast of Portugal. +The 30th we met the Red Rose, Captain Royden, formerly called the Golden +Dragon, which had separated from my lord in a storm. He informed us of +50 sail of the king of Spains armada having sailed for the islands, but +could not give us any intelligence of my lord, otherwise than supposing +him to remain about the islands, wherefore we continued our course, the +wind remaining favourable. The 4th of September we had sight of Tercera, +and ranged along all the islands, both on their south, and north sides, +for the space of four days, during which time we met with no ships +whatever, so that we could learn no intelligence, either of my lord or +of the fleet of the Indies; wherefore we directed our course to the west +of Fayal, according to the instructions of Sir Edward Denny. When plying +to the westwards on the 11th, we descried a sail from our main-top, and +by two or three in the afternoon raised her hull, but the weather fell +so calm that we could not fetch her. I therefore sent off my skiff well +manned, and furnished with shot and swords, the Cherubim and the +Margaret and John doing the like. Upon this the sail stood off again, +and on the approach of night our boats lost sight of her and so +returned. During this pursuit the Centurion was left astern, so that we +missed her next morning, and spent all that day plying up and down in +search of her: And, as all our ships were directed, in case of +separation by stress of weather or other mischance, to meet and join at +Flores, we, according to the instructions of Sir Edward Denny, proceeded +for the purpose of finding my Lord Thomas Howard, and being in the +heighth appointed, and not able to remain there in consequence of +extreme tempests, which forced us to the isles of Flores and Corvo, +which we made on the 14th in the morning, and there rejoined the +Centurion. She informed us, that on the 12th day, being the same on +which she lost us, she had met 45 sail of the fleet of the Indies. + +The same night, in consequence of this intelligence, we came to anchor +between Flores and Corvo, and next morning at day-break, I convened a +council of all the captains and masters on board my ship, by a signal +flag. For satisfying our desire to learn some intelligence of my lord, +as also for the purpose of procuring a supply of water, it was thought +good to send our boats on shore armed, under the command of Captain +Brothus; besides which, it was agreed, after our departure thence, to +range along the south sides of the islands, that we might either procure +some intelligence of my lord, or fall in with the fleet of the Indies; +and, in case of missing both objects, to direct our course for Cape St +Vincent. The boats being sent on shore, according to this determination, +it chanced that the Costely, which rode outermost at our anchoring +ground, having weighed to bring herself nearer among us to assist in +protecting our boats, discovered two sail in opening the land, which we +in the road-stead could not perceive. Upon this she fired a shot of +warning, which caused us to _wave_ all our boats back; and before they +could recover their ships, the two ships seen by the Costely appeared to +us, on which we made all sail towards them, and in a happy hour as it +pleased God. We had no sooner cleared the land and spoken one of them, +which was a bark belonging to Bristol, also seeking my lord +ineffectually at the place appointed, when so violent a storm arose that +we had been in great danger of perishing if we had continued in the +road. This storm continued in its utmost violence for sixty hours, +during which I was separated from all our fleet except the Cherubim, and +Costely, which continued in company. After it subsided, sailing in +among the islands, I viewed the road of Fayal, and finding no roaders +there, I went thence for the isle of Tercera. + +On the 19th day of September in the morning, coming to Tercera, and +intending to edge into the road, a tempest arose and so scanted the wind +that we could not get in. Being accordingly driven to leeward, we fell +in among some of the fleet of the Indies, which had been dispersed by +the storm, and driven from the road. Upon this our ship and the two +others then with me gave several chases, by which we parted company. +Following up my chase, we made her strike and yield about noon, when she +turned out to be a Portuguese, laden with hides, sarsa-parilla, and +_anile_ [Indigo.] At this instant we espied another, and taking our +prize with us, followed and captured her before night. She was called +the Conception, commanded by Francisco Spinola, and was laden with +cochineal, raw hides, and certain raw silk: And as the sea was so +tempestuous that we could in no way board her, neither by boats nor from +the ship, so we kept her under our lee till a fit opportunity. That same +night, a little before day, another ship joined company with us, +supposing us and our two prizes to belong to their fleet, which we +dissembled till morning. + +In the morning of the 20th, this new sail being somewhat shot a-head of +us, and being anxious for the safe keeping of the two former, we +purposed to cause our two prizes put out more sail, so as to keep near +us while chasing the third, as our master insisted that they would +follow us; owing to which, by the time we had caused this new one to +yield, and had sent men on board to take possession, the Conception +being far astern, and having got the wind of us, stood off with all her +sails, so that we were forced to make a new chase after her, and had not +the wind enlarged upon us we had lost her. The whole of this day was +spent in this new pursuit, before we recovered her, and brought +ourselves again in company with our other prizes; by which we lost the +opportunity of that day, during which the weather served for boarding +the Portuguese prize, which was in great distress, making request of us +to take them on board, as they were ready to sink, as we could well +perceive by their pumping incessantly, and in our judgment she went down +that night. + +On the 21st the Conception sprung a leak also, which gained upon her +notwithstanding every effort at the pumps, so that she could not be kept +long above water. So I took out of her 42 chests of cochineal and silk, +leaving her to the sea with 11 feet water in her hold, and 4700 hides. +The other prize, which we have brought into harbour, is the Nuestra +Sennora de los Remedios, Francisco Alvares captain, laden with 16 chests +of cochineal, certain fardels [or bales] of raw silk, and about 4000 +hides. Upon the discharge of the goods, your honours shall be +particularly advertised of the same. In boarding our prizes, such was +the disorder of our men, that, besides rifling the persons of the +Spaniards, they broke open the chests and purloined what money was in +them; although I had given notice of my intention of going on board in +person, to have taken a just account thereof in presence of three or +four witnesses, putting the whole in safe custody, pursuant to the +articles made in this behalf. And whereas certain sums of money taken +from our men, which they had thus purloined and embezzled, together with +other parcels brought on board my ship, amounting to 2129 pesos and a +half, all of which the company demanded to have shared among them as due +pillage, I refused this demand, and read to them openly at the mast the +articles confirmed by my lord treasurer and my lord admiral, by which +they ought to be directed in these things, declaring that it was not in +my power to dispose thereof until the same were finally determined at +home. Thereupon they mutinied, and grew at length to such fury, that +they declared they would have it or else would break down the cabin. +Seeing them ready to execute this threat, I was forced to yield, lest +the great number of Spaniards we had on board might have taken the +opportunity of rising against us; which, indeed, after the brawls of our +men were appeased, they actually endeavoured to have done. + +By the last advice from Castile, the general of the king of Spains +armada, lately put to sea, is ordered to join his fleet with that of the +Indies, and to remain at Tercera till the 15th of October, waiting for +six _pataches_ with seven or eight millions of the royal treasure +expected by that time: otherwise they are to wait their coming from the +Havannah till January next, or until the kings farther pleasure shall be +made known. These pataches are said to be of 300 tons burden each, +carrying 30 pieces of brass cannon, and are also reported to sail in a +superior manner to any other ships. Before their coming to Flores, +there perished of the fleet of the Indies eleven sail, among which was +the admiral, and not one roan saved. It is likewise supposed by the +Spaniards, that the storms we encountered at Flores and Tercera must +have destroyed many more of them, of which indeed we were partly +eye-witnesses. On the whole, therefore, what by the seas and our men of +war, of the 75 sail that came from the Havannah, I presume one half will +not arrive in Spain. + +On the night of the 11th October, we came to anchor in Plymouth sound, +and got up next morning with our prize into Catwater, for which God be +praised: For so vehement a storm arose, that our prize was forced to cut +away her main-mast, otherwise, her ground tackle being bad, she had been +driven on shore by the violence of the storm. This was the main cause +which induced me to put in here, where I now propose to discharge the +goods without farther risk, and have certified thus much to my lord +admiral, and therewith desire to receive the directions of my lords of +the council together with yours, as my lord Thomas Howard is not yet +returned. How the rest of our consorts, which separated from us, may +have sped, or what prizes they may have taken, of which there is much +hope by reason of the scattering of the West India fleet, I am as yet +unable to say any thing. And thus, waiting your answer, and referring +for all other matters to captain Furtho, the bearer hereof, I make an +end, at Plymouth this 24th of October 1591. + + Your Worships loving Friend, + ROBERT FLICKE. + +SECTION XIII. + +_Exploits of the English in several Expeditions and cruizing Voyages +from 1589 to 1592; extracted from John Huighen van Linschoten_[380]. + + +PRELIMINARY REMARKS. + +The entire title of this article in Hakluyts Collection is, "A large +testimony of John Huighen van Linschoten, Hollander, concerning the +worthy exploits achieved by the right honourable the Earl of Cumberland, +by Sir Martine Frobisher, Sir Richard Grenville, and diverse other +English captains, about the isles of the Azores, and upon the coasts of +Spain and Portugal, in the years 1589, 1590, 1591, &c. recorded in his +excellent discourse of voyages to the East and West Indies, cap. 96, 97, +and 99." Of this article, the Editor of Astley gives the following +account. + +[Footnote 380: Hakluyt, II. 674. Astley, I. 225.] + +"The author, John Huighen van Linschoten, left Goa with a fleet of +ships, viz. The Santa Maria, Nuestra Sennora de la Concepçao, the San +Christopher admiral, the San Thome which was the largest and most richly +laden, and the Santa Cruz in which Linschoten sailed. It was extracted +by Hakluyt from the 96th, 97th, and 99th chapters of the first book of +Linschotens Voyages in English, beginning at p. 171. This section is +intended as a supplement to the English cruizing voyages already +inserted, which fall within the period mentioned in the title; and is +the more material, as the memoirs it contains not only confirm the most +material facts related in these preceding voyages, but give a +satisfactory account of many things which are there but imperfectly +related, often continuing the history which in these breaks off +abruptly, and bringing to light some remarkable achievements of our +countrymen, of which otherwise no mention could be found in our +voluminous naval transactions. + +"We are persuaded the reader will feel a secret joy in contemplating the +great figure this nation made in these heroic times; owing to that +universal zeal to promote the commerce and glory of England, which then +prevailed among the ministers of the crown, as well as the people at +large. We presume likewise, that this pleasure will be not a little +enhanced by the consideration that these particulars were written by a +foreigner, who is held in great reputation for his judgment and +fidelity, and who has sounded the praise of our countrymen even beyond +what has been done by our own historians. On the other hand, the reader +will be no less concerned to find what immense treasures some of our +adventurers lost, by unaccountably missing the fleets of which they went +in search, when at the same time they were so near them, that it seemed +almost impossible they should escape. This shews, after all, how +uncertain is the meeting of ships at sea, and that two great fleets may +sail almost close to one another, without having the least +suspicion."--_Astley._ + + * * * * * + +The 22d of July 1589, about evening, being near the islands of Flores +and Corvo, we perceived three ships making towards us, which came from +under the land and put us in great fear, for they came close to our +admiral and shot diverse times at him and at another ship of our +company, whereby we perceived them to be English, for they bore the +English flag at their main-tops, but none of them seemed above 60 tons +burden. About evening they followed after us, and all night bore +lanterns with candles burning at their sterns, although the moon shined. +That night we passed hard by the island of Fayal; and next morning, +being between the isle of St George on our right and the small isle of +Graciosa on our left, we espied the three English ships still following +us. They consulted together, upon which one of them sailed backwards, as +if one ship had followed after us without company, and for a time that +ship was out of sight; but in no long time afterwards, it returned to +the other two, when they consulted again, and came all three together +against our ship, because we were to leeward of all our ships, having +the island of St George on one side instead of a sconce, [fort] thinking +so to deal with us as to force us to run on shore, to which we were very +near. In that manner they came bravely towards us, with their flags +displayed, sounding their trumpets, and sailed at least three times +about us, discharging at us their muskets and calivers and some pieces +of great ordnance, doing us no harm in the hull of our ship, but spoiled +all our sails and ropes, and so plagued us that no man durst put forth +his head. When we shot off a piece of ordnance, we had at the least an +hours work to load it again, there being a great noise and cry in our +ship, as if we had been all cast away, whereupon the English began to +mock us, calling out to us with many taunting words. + +In the mean time, the other ships that were in company with us hoisted +all their sails, doing their best to bear away for Tercera, and not +looking once behind them to help us, as not caring for us, but doubting +they would be too late thither, and thinking they did enough if they +could save themselves, whereby it may be easily seen what kind of +company they keep with each other, and what kind of order is among them. +In the end, finding small advantage against us, and little knowing in +what fear we were, and also because we were not far from Tercera, the +English left us; on which we were not a little rejoiced, as thinking +ourselves risen from death to life, though we were not yet well assured +nor void of fear, till we got to anchor in the road of Tercera, under +the protection of the Portuguese fort, towards which we made all +possible sail. On the other hand, we were still in great doubt, not +knowing the situation of the island, or whether they were our friends or +enemies; and we were so much the more doubtful, because we found no man +of war there, nor any caravels of advice from Portugal as we expected, +to have convoyed us home, or given us intelligence, as they usually do +in that country. And, because the English had been so victorious in +those parts, we suspected that it went not well with Spain. The +inhabitants of Tercera were no less fearful than we, for on seeing our +fleet they thought us to have been English, and that we came to over-run +the island, because the three English ships came in along with us and +had wound up their flags; upon which the islanders sent out two caravels +to us that lay there, with advice from the king for such India ships as +should come there. + +Those caravels came to view us, and perceiving what we were made after +us; upon which the English ships left us and made towards the caravels, +because the caravels thought them friends and shunned them not, as +supposing them of our company: But we shot three or four times, and made +signs to them that they should make towards the island, which they +presently did. On perceiving that, the Englishmen made out to sea: and +then the caravels sent on board us, saying that the people of the island +were all in arms, having received advice from Portugal, that Sir Francis +Drake was in readiness, and meant to come to the islands. They likewise +brought us news of the overthrow of the Spanish armada which had gone +against England, and that the English had been at the gates of Lisbon; +for which reason it win the king's commands that we should put into the +island of Tercera, and remain there under the protection of its castle, +till we received further orders, as it was then thought too dangerous +for us to continue our voyage to Lisbon. These news put all our fleet in +great fear, making us look upon each other as not knowing what to do or +say; as it was dangerous for us to put into the road, which lies open to +the sea, so that although they had the kings commands for so doing, the +India ships durst not anchor there, but only used to come thither, +standing off and on, and sending their boats a-land for such necessaries +as they wanted, without coming to anchor. But now necessity compelled us +to this measure, owing to our fears for the three small English ships, +also because of the kings orders, and because we understood that the +Earl of Cumberland was not far from these islands with sundry ships of +war. We made therefore a virtue of necessity, and entering the road of +Tercera, anchored close under the castle, in waiting for orders from the +king to pursue our voyage, it being then the 24th of July or St Jameses +day. + +The 12th of August, the Earl of Cumberland, with six or seven ships of +war, sailed past the island of Tercera; and to our great good fortune +passed out of sight. We then set out in all haste, and, for our greater +security, took along with us 400 Spaniards of those who were in garrison +in the island, and made sail for Lisbon with a favourable wind, so that +in eleven days we arrived in the river Tagus with great joy and triumph. +For, had we been one day longer of getting into the river, we had all +been taken by Captain Drake, [Sir Francis Drake] who came before Cascais +with 40 ships, at the very time when we cast anchor in the Tagus under +the guard of several gallies. + +While I remained in Tercera, the Earl of Cumberland came to St Marys to +take in fresh water and other victuals; but the inhabitants would not +suffer him to have it, and wounded both the earl himself and several of +his men, so that they were forced to depart without having any thing. +Likewise, while I was at Tercera, the same earl came to the island of +Graciosa, where he went to land in person with seven or eight others, +demanding certain beasts, poultry, and other victuals, with wine and +fresh water, which they willingly gave him, after which he departed +without doing any injury, for which the inhabitants were very thankful, +praising his courtesy and faithfulness to his promise. The earl came +likewise at that time to Fayal, where at the first they begun to resist +him; but by reason of some controversy among themselves, they let him +land, when he razed the castle, throwing all the cannon into the sea, +and took with him certain caravels and ships that lay in the road, with +all such provisions as he wanted, and then departed. Thereupon, the king +caused the principal actors in that transaction to be punished, and went +thither a company of soldiers, which went from Tereera, with all kind of +warlike ammunition and great shot, rebuilding the cattle the better to +defend the island, and no more trusting to the Portuguese inhabitants. + +The 9th of October 1589[381], there arrived in Tereera fourteen ships +from the Spanish West Indies, laden with cochineal, hides, gold, silver, +pearls, and other rich wares. When they departed from the harbour of the +Havannah, they were fifty in company; of which eleven sunk in the +channel [of Florida] by reason of foul weather, and all the rest were +scattered and separated from each other in a storm. Next day there came +another ship of the same fleet, which sailed close under the island +endeavouring to get into the road; when she was met by an English whip +that had not above three cast pieces [of ordnance], while the Spaniards +had twelve. They fought a long while together, which we in the island +could distinctly see. The governor of the island sent out two boats +filled with musketeers to aid the Spanish ship; but before they could +get up to her assistance; the English had shot her below water, so that +we saw her sink into the sea with all her sails up, and she entirely +disappeared. The Englishmens boat saved the Captain and about thirty +others, but not one pennyworth of the goods, which were to the value of +200,000 ducats, in gold, silver, and pearls. All the rest of the crew +were drowned, to the number of about fifty persons, among whom were some +friars and women, whom the English could not save. The English set all +the people they had saved on shore, and then sailed away. The 27th of +the same month of October 1589, these fourteen ships sailed from +Tercera, for Seville; and on coming to the coast of Spain, they were all +taken by some English ships that watched for them, two only excepted +which made their escape, all the rest being carried to England. + +[Footnote 381: In Hakluyt, all that now follows is marked as extracted +from the 99th chapter of Linschoten.] + +About this time, the earl of Cumberland, with one of the queens ships +and five or six others, kept hovering about the islands, and came +oft-times close to the island of Tercera, and to the road of Angra, so +near that the people on land could easily count all the men on his +decks, and could even distinguish one from another; they of the island +not once shooting at them, which they might easily have done, as they +were often within musket-shot of the town and fort. He continued in +these parts for the space of two months, sailing round about the +islands, and landed in Graciosa and Fayal, as I have already mentioned. +He took several ships and caravels, which he sent off to England, so +that the people of the islands durst not put forth their heads. At one +time, about three or four days after the earl had been at the island of +Fayal, and was departed from thence, there arrived there six ships of +the Indies, the general of which was one _Juan Dorives_, which landed in +that island four millions of gold and silver[382]. Then, being much in +fear of the English, and having refreshed themselves with all speed, +they set sail and arrived safe at San Lucar, without meeting an enemy, +to the great good luck of the Spaniards and bad fortune of the English; +for, within less than two days after the gold and silver was again laden +into the Spanish ships, the earl of Cumberland sailed past the island +again; so that if he had once got sight of these valuable ships, without +doubt he had got them all, as the Spaniards themselves confessed. + +[Footnote 382: The denomination is not mentioned, perhaps _pezos_, or +what we call dollars.--E.] + +In the month of November, two great ships arrived in Tercera, being the +admiral and vice-admiral of the fleet laden with silver, which had been +separated from the fleet in a great storm, and were in great jeopardy +and distress, ready to sink, being forced to use all their pumps, and so +terrified, that they wished a thousand times to have met the English, to +whom they would willingly have given all the silver, and every thing +they had on board, only to preserve their lives. Although the earl still +hovered about the islands, yet did he not meet with these ships, which +got with much labour and difficulty into the road of Angra, where with +all speed they unladed and landed about five millions in silver, all in +great pieces or ingots of 8 or 12 great pounds, so that the whole quay +lay covered with plates and chests of silver, full of pieces of eight +rials, most wonderful to behold: Each million being worth ten hundred +thousand ducats, besides gold, pearls, and other precious stones, which +were not registered. The admiral and chief commander of these ships, and +of the whole fleet to which they belonged, was _Alvaro Flores de Quin +Quiniones_, who was sick of the Neapolitan disease, and was brought to +land; and of which malady he died soon afterwards at Seville. He had +with him the kings commission under the great seal, giving him full +authority as general and commander in chief upon the seas, over all +fleets and ships, and in all places, lands, and islands, on shore +wherever he came; wherefore the governor of Tercera shewed him much +honour, and between them it was concerted, seeing the weakness of the +ships and the danger from the English, that they should send the ships +first empty of treasure to Seville or Lisbon, under a guard of soldiers, +when the king might give orders afterwards to fetch the silver home +under safe convoy. The said admiral Alvaro Flores staid there, under +colour of taking care of the silver, but chiefly because of his disease +and fear of the English. He had for his part alone, above the value of +50,000 ducats in pearls, which he shewed us, and sought to sell or +barter them with us for spices or bills of exchange. These two ships +sailed from Tercera with three or four hundred men, including those who +came with them from the Indies and soldiers; but while at sea in a +storm, the admiral split and sunk outright, not one man being saved; and +the vice-admiral, after cutting away her masts, ran aground hard by +Setubal, where she broke in pieces, some of the men saving themselves by +swimming, who brought the news of all the rest being drowned. + +In the same month of November 1589, there came two great ships out of +the Spanish Indies, and when within half a mile of the road of Tercera, +they were met with by an English ship which fought them both together +for a long while, and took them both. About seven or eight months +before, there came an English ship to Tercera, pretending to be a +Frenchman come for traffic, and began to load woad, but being discovered +was confiscated to the king, both ship and cargo, and the men all made +prisoners, yet were allowed to roam up and down to get their livings, by +labouring like slaves, being considered in as safe custody in the island +at large as if in a prison. But at length, upon a Sunday, they all went +behind the hills called _Bresil_, where they found a fishing boat, in +which they rowed out to sea to the ships of the Earl of Cumberland, who +chanced for their good fortune to come to the island, and anchored with +his ships about half a mile from the road of Angra, close to two small +islands about a bare shot from the shore of Tercera, which are full of +goats, deer, and sheep, belonging to the inhabitants of Tercera. These +sailors knew this well, wherefore they rowed to these islands in their +boats, whence they took as many goats and sheep as they needed, which +was well seen by those of the town and main island, but they durst not +go forth to hinder them. By this exploit, there only remained behind the +master and merchant of the detained English ship. This master had a +brother-in-law in England, who, on hearing of his brothers imprisonment, +got a licence from the queen to fit out a ship, with which to endeavour +to recover his losses by cruizing against the Spaniards, by which to +redeem his brother from imprisonment in Tercera, and it was he who took +the two Spanish ships before the town: The before-mentioned merchant, +who was my intimate acquaintance, was standing on the shore along with +me, looking at them at the time. When these ships were taken, which were +worth 300,000 ducats, the brother sent all the men on shore, except only +two of the principal gentlemen, whom he kept to give in exchange for his +brother; and by the pilot of one of the captured ships he sent a letter +to the governor of Tercera, offering to send the two gentlemen on shore +if his brother were delivered up, otherwise he would carry them +prisoners into England, which indeed he did, as the governor would not +deliver up his brother, saying the gentlemen might make that suit to the +king of Spain. We invited that Spanish pilot to supper with us, and the +Englishmen likewise, when he related to us the particulars of the fight, +much commending the order and manner in which the English fought, as +also their courteous behaviour to him: But, in the end, the English +merchant stole away in a French ship, without paying any ransom. + +In January 1590, there arrived one ship alone at Tercera from the +Spanish West Indies, bringing news that a fleet of an hundred sail, +which had set out from the Indies, were driven by a storm on the coast +of Florida, where they were all cast away, vast riches and many men +being lost, and she alone had escaped with the news. Thus by account, of +200 ships which were certainly known to have sailed out of New Spain, +San Domingo, Havannah, Cabo Verde, Brazil, Guinea, &c. in the year +1589, for Spain and Portugal, not above 14 or 15 of them arrived safe, +all the rest having either been foundered, cast away, or taken. In the +same month of January, there came to Tercera from Seville, 15 or 16 +ships, mostly fliboats of the Low Countries, and some ships of Britanny, +that were arrested in Spain. These came out full of soldiers and well +provided with guns and ammunition, to lade home the silver that lay in +Tercera, and to bring home Alvaro Flores into Spain, by order of the +king. As at this time of the year there are always great storms about +these islands, the above-mentioned ships durst not enter the road of +Tercera, for it then blew so great a storm that some of the ships, which +had entered the road, had been forced to cut away their masts, and were +in much danger of being lost, and among these a ship of Biscay was +actually driven upon the coast and dashed to pieces, but all the men +were saved. The other ships were obliged to keep to sea and to separate +from each other, allowing themselves to drive at the mercy of the winds +and waves till the 15th of March, as in all that time they had not one +day of good weather in which to anchor, so that they endured much +distress, heartily cursing both the silver and the island. + +When this storm was passed, they fell in with an English ship of about +40 tons, which by reason of the heavy wind could not hoist all her +sails, so that they took her. Hoisting her English ensign on the stern +of their admiral, the ships came now as proudly into the road-stead of +Tercera as if they had defeated the whole navy of England: But, just as +their admiral was entering the road, trickt out with the English flag on +his stern, there came by chance two English ships past the island, which +paid her so well for her bravity, that she had to cry out +_misericordia_. Had she been a mile farther out, the English ships +doubtless would have taken her; but getting under the guns of the +fortress, which began to play upon the English ships, they were forced +to leave her and put farther out to sea, after having slain five or six +of the Spaniards. + +The Englishmen taken in the small ship were put under hatches, coupled +together in irons; and, after they had been three or four days +prisoners, a Spanish ensign in the ship, who had a brother slain in the +armada that went against England, took a fancy to revenge his brothers +death, and to shew his own manhood on these captives; whereupon, taking +a poinard, he stabbed six of them to the heart as they sat below in +irons. Two others of them perceiving this atrocious action, clasped each +other about the body, and leapt into the sea, where they were drowned. +This infamous act was much disliked by all the Spaniards, so that the +assassin was carried prisoner to Lisbon; upon which the king of Spain +commanded him to be sent to England, that the queen might use him +according to her pleasure; which sentence, at the earnest request of the +friends of the murderer, was commuted to an order for his being +beheaded; but on Good Friday, when the cardinal was going to mass, the +captains and commanders made such intercession for him, that he was +finally pardoned. I thought good to note this incident, that the bloody +and dishonourable minds of the Spaniards to those who were under +subjection to them, might be made manifest. + +The same two English ships, which followed the Spanish admiral till he +took shelter under the guns of the fort, put out to sea, where they met +with the only remaining vessel of that fleet which had been scattered in +the storm, all the rest being now in the road. This small ship they +took, sending all me men on shore unhurt; but it they had known what had +been done to the English captives, I believe they would have taken +vengeance, as many an innocent soul afterwards paid for the atrocity of +the Spanish ensign. The ship now taken by the English, was the same +which had been formerly confiscated at Tercera, and was sold to the +Spaniards that then came from the Indies, who sailed in her to San +Lucar; where it also was arrested by the duke, and appointed to go along +with the others, to fetch the silver from Tercera, as it was a good +sailer; but it was the meanest of all that fleet. By this means, it was +taken from the Spaniards and carried to England, where the owners got it +again when they least expected. + +On the 19th March 1590, having laden the kings silver and received +Alvaro Flores with his company, and good provision of necessaries, +warlike ammunitions and soldiers, the before-mentioned 19 ships sailed +from Tercera, firmly resolved, as they set forth, to fight valiantly to +the last man, before they would yield or lose their riches. Though they +intended to make for San Lucar, the wind forced them to Lisbon, as if +willing to keep them there in safety, although Alvaro Flores would have +persisted in forcing his way to San Lucar against the wind and weather. +But, constrained by adverse wind, and importunately urged by the +mariners, who protested they would require their losses and damages from +him, he consented to put in at Lisbon, whence the silver was conveyed by +land to Seville. At this time, there lay 20 English ships off Cape St +Vincent, to watch for this fleet; so that if they had gone forwards for +Sun Lucar, which they certainly had done if the wind had been fair, they +must have fallen into the hands of the English: They may say, therefore, +that the wind lent them a fortunate voyage on this occasion. If the +English had met them, they had surely been in great danger, and possibly +few of them had escaped, on account of the fear which they were then in +of the English; as fortune, or God rather, was then wholly against them, +which was enough to make the Spaniards out of heart, and to inspire the +English with the greater boldness; for being victorious, they were stout +and valiant, and seeing all their enterprizes successful, they were +become lords and masters of the sea, and needed to care for no man, as +well appears from this short narrative. + +On the 7th of August 1590, a fleet of 20 English ships appeared off +Tercera, five of them being ships belonging to the queen, of which one +Martin Frobisher was general, as we afterwards learnt. They came +purposely to watch for the fleet of the Spanish West Indies, and for the +India ships, and the ships of the other countries in the West. This put +the islanders in great fear, especially those of Fayal, where the +English sent a trumpeter to the governor, to ask certain supplies of +wine, flesh, and other provisions for their money. This request was not +only refused, but they shot the messenger and slew him, which gave the +English much displeasure, so that they sent another message desiring +them to look to themselves and keep sure guard, as they meant to come +and visit them per force. The governor sent back for answer, that he was +there in behalf of the king of Spain, and would do his best to keep them +out, as in duty bound; but nothing was done after all, though the people +of Fayal were in great fear, sending to Tercera for aid, whence they had +some barks with powder and other ammunition of war, with some Biscuit +and other necessary provisions. + +The 30th of August, certain news came from Portugal, that 80 ships had +sailed from _the Groin_, (Corunna) laden with victuals, ammunition of +war, money, and soldiers, bound for Britanny in aid of the catholic +leaguers of France against the king of Navarre. At this time likewise, +two Netherland hulks, when half seas over on their way from Portugal to +Tercera, were met by four English ships belonging to the queen, +commanded by Sir John Hawkins, by whom they were stopped; but he let +them go again uninjured. According to the report of these Netherlanders, +each of these ships carried 80 pieces of ordnance. They reported +likewise, that Captain Drake (Sir Francis) lay with 40 English ships in +the channel, watching for the fleet from Corunna; and that ten other +English ships lay off Cape St Vincent, that if any ships escaped +Frobisher at the islands, they might intercept them. These tidings +greatly alarmed the islanders, lest if the English failed of catching +the Spanish fleet, and got nothing by them, they might fall upon the +islands, that they might not go home empty handed; whereupon they held +strict watch, sending home advice to the king of what intelligence they +had. + +The 1st September, there came a Portuguese ship from Pernambuco in +Brazil to the island of St Michael, with news, that the admiral of the +Portuguese fleet from the East Indies, having missed St Helena, was +forced to put into Pernambuco, though expressly forbidden by the king +under a heavy penalty, because of the worms in that haven which greatly +spoil the ships. The same ship, in which was the Admiral Bernardin +Ribero, sailed the former year 1589 from Lisbon for India with five +ships in her company, four only of which got to India, the fifth being +never heard of, so that she was believed lost. The other four returned +safe into Portugal, though the admiral was much spoiled, as he met two +English ships, which fought him a long while and slew many of his men, +yet he escaped from them at last. The 5th of the same month, there +arrived at Tercera a caravel belonging to Corvo, bringing 50 men who had +been spoiled by the English, who set them ashore on the island of Corvo. +They had been taken in a ship coming from the Spanish West Indies, and +reported that the English had taken four other West India ships, and a +caravel having the king of Spains letters of advice for the Portuguese +ships coming from the East Indies; and that, including those they had +taken, the English had at least 40 ships together, so that nothing could +escape them; therefore, that the Portuguese ships coming from India +durst not put into the islands, but took their course between 40° and +42° of N. latitude, whence they shaped their course for Lisbon, shunning +likewise Cape St Vincent, as otherwise they could not look for safety, +the sea being quite full of English ships. Wherefore, the king advised +that the fleet now at Havannah in the Spanish West Indies, and ready to +sail for Spain, should remain till the next year, because of the great +danger of falling into the hands of the English. This was no small +charge and hindrance to the fleet, as the ships that remain long at the +Havannah consume themselves and in a manner eat up one another, from the +great number of their people, and the great scarcity and dearness of +every thing at that place; wherefore many of the ships adventured rather +to hazard themselves singly for the voyage than to stay there; all of +which fell into the hands of the English, and many of their men were +brought to Tercera: So that we could see nothing else for a whole day +but spoiled men set on shore, some from one ship and some from another, +it being pitiful to see and hear them all, cursing the English and their +own bad fortunes, with those who had been the cause of provoking the +English to war, and complaining of the small remedy and order taken +therein by the officers of the king of Spain. + +The 19th of the same month of September, a caravel arrived at Tercera +from Lisbon, bringing one of the kings officers to cause lade the goods +that were saved from the Malacca ship, and for which we had so long +tarried there, and to send them to Lisbon. At the same time Don Alonso +de Baçan sailed from Corunna for the Azores with 40 great ships of war, +to wait for the fleets from the Spanish and Portuguese Indies, which, +along with our Malacca goods when laden, he was to convoy to the Tagus. +But, when he had been some days at sea, always with a contrary wind, +only two of his ships could get to the islands, all the rest being +scattered. When these two ships arrived at Tercera and did not find the +fleet, they immediately returned in search of it. In the mean time the +king changing his mind, sent orders for the commercial ships to remain +in the Indies, and for Don Alonso Baçan to return to Corunna, which he +did accordingly, never once coming near the Azores except the two ships +already mentioned; for he well knew that the English lay near Corvo, but +would not visit them, and so returned to Corunna. Thus our goods from +Malacca remained unshipped, and were trussed up again, having to wait +some other opportunity. + +The 23d October in this same year 1590, a caravel came from Portugal to +Tercera, bringing advice that of the five ships which sailed in that +year from Lisbon for the East Indies, four of them had returned to +Portugal after being four months at sea: the admiral ship, in which was +the viceroy Mathias de Albuquerque, having only got to India after being +eleven months at sea without ever seeing land, as was afterwards learnt +by news over-land, having arrived in great misery at Malacca. In this +ship there died 280 men during the voyage out, according to a note sent +by the viceroy to the cardinal at Lisbon, with the names and sirnames of +every man, likewise giving a narrative of the voyage, and the misery +they had endured. This obstinate perseverance was entirely occasioned by +the anxiety of Albuquerque not to lose the government of Portuguese +India, as he had sworn to lose his life or arrive in India, which indeed +he did to the great danger and loss of his company, many of whom paid +with their lives, and that chiefly owing to want of provisions. +Albuquerque knew well, however, if he had returned to Portugal with the +other ships, that he would have been deprived of his government, as the +people began already to murmur at his proud and lofty demeanour. Among +other instances of his pride, he caused to be painted over his gallery, +the figure of Fortune and his own picture, with a staff standing by, as +if threatening Fortune, with this motto, _Quero que vencas_; that is, _I +will have thee to overcome_[383]. When this was read by the cardinal and +other gentlemen, who accompanied him on board out of respect, they +thought it an instance of foolish arrogance: But this is no strange +matter among the Portuguese, as they above all others _must let the fool +peep out of their sleeves_, especially when in authority. I knew Mathias +de Albuquerque in India, when a military officer, then beloved of all +men and behaving himself courteously to all, so that he was unanimously +desired to be their viceroy. But, having received his patent with full +power and authority, he so much changed from his former behaviour, that, +by reason of his pride, all began to fear and curse him, even before his +departure from Lisbon, such charges being often seen in many men, when +advanced to high state and dignity[384]. + +[Footnote 383: De Faria says, "The season was so far advanced when he +set out, that it was generally believed he would not accomplish the +voyage. But he caused himself to be painted on his colours standing on +Fortune; and, setting these up in his ship, declared he would perform +the voyage in spite of her, and did so" As De Faria does not reflect +upon him for this, it may be presumed, he thought it merely an +indication of an heroic disposition.--Astley, I. 231. a.] + +[Footnote 384: De Faria gives a very advantageous character of this +viceroy, saying that he was one of the most deserving of those who +enjoyed that high station. He left 80,000 ducats in the treasury, +besides jewels of Ceylon of great value. He thought no one could cheat +him; yet, on purpose to undeceive him, a soldier drew his pay three +several times by as many names. He was of middle stature, and lame of +one foot, but not so in disposition and manners, being a good Christian +and well-bred gentleman.--Astley, I. 231, b.] + +The 20th January 1591, news was brought from Portugal to Tercera, that +the English had taken a ship sent by the king to the Portuguese Indies, +carrying advice to the viceroy of the return of the four ships to +Portugal; which captured ship was stuffed full of goods, in consequence +of their return, besides having 500,000 ducats in ryals of eight. It +sailed from Lisbon in November 1590, and fought the English a long time, +but had at length to yield, and was carried to England, where all the +men were set free and returned to Lisbon, at which place the captain was +thrown into prison, but afterwards justified himself and was released, +as he told me personally. The English took, at the same time, a ship +coming from the Mina, laden with gold, and two ships laden with pepper +and other spices, bound for Italy, their pepper only being worth 170,000 +ducats. All these rich prizes were carried clear off into England. + + + +In July 1591, an earthquake commenced in the island of Tercera, which +continued from the 26th of that month to the 12th of August, or 18 days, +during all which time no person durst remain within a house, but all +fled into the fields in terrible consternation, fasting and praying +almost incessantly. Many houses fell down, and in particular a town +called Villa Franca was almost utterly destroyed, all its houses and +cloisters thrown down, and several people slain. In some places the +ground rose up, the cliffs were removed from their places, and even some +hills were thrown down and levelled with the adjoining plains. The +earthquake was so violent, that the ships in the road and in the +adjoining sea, were shaken as if the whole earth had been agitated to +its centre. In one place a fountain sprung from the ground, whence clear +water flowed in abundance for four days, and then ceased. All this time +a noise was heard under ground as of thunder, or as if all the devils in +hell had been assembled there, by which many died of fear. Four several +times the island of Tercera shook with such violence as if it had turned +upon its foundations, yet was it not overwhelmed. Earthquakes are common +in these islands, as about 20 years before there happened just such an +earthquake, when a hill, close to the town of Villa Franca, fell down +and buried all the town with earth, by which many people were +overwhelmed and slain. + +The 25th of August, the kings armada from Ferrol arrived in Tercera, +consisting of 30 ships of war belonging to Biscay, Portugal, and Spain, +together with 10 Dutch fliboats that were pressed at Lisbon into the +service, besides other small vessels and _pataxos_ to serve as +advice-boats, and to scour the seas for intelligence. This fleet came to +wait for and convoy the ships from the Spanish Indies; and the fliboats +were for the purpose of bringing home to Lisbon our goods that were +saved in the lost ship from Malacca. This fleet arrived at the island of +Corvo on the 13th of September[385], where the English then lay waiting +for the fleet from the Spanish Indies, with a squadron of about 16 +ships. Some or most of the Spanish ships were already come to the +Azores, and the English were in great hopes to have taken them: But, on +perceiving the Spanish fleet of war to be so strong, the lord Thomas +Howard, who was admiral of the English, gave orders to his fleet not to +assail the Spaniards, and on no account to separate from him without +special orders[386]. Yet the vice-admiral, Sir Richard Grenville, in his +ship the Revenge, bore into the Spanish fleet, and shot among them doing +much harm, thinking that the rest of the English ships would have +followed him, which they did not, but left him there and sailed away, +the reason of which could not be known. Perceiving this, the Spaniards +boarded the Revenge with 7 or 8 ships, but she bravely withstood them +all, fighting with them at the least 12 hours without ceasing, and sunk +two of them, one a double fliboat of 600 tons, and admiral of the +fliboats, the other a ship of Biscay. In the end, however, in +consequence of the overwhelming number that came against her, the +Revenge was taken, but to the heavy loss of the Spaniards, who lost in +the fight, either slain or drowned, above 400 men, while 100 of the +English were slain. Sir Richard was himself wounded in the brain, of +which he afterwards died. + +[Footnote 385: It is probable, from this date, that the arrival of the +fleet at Tercera on the 25th August, as above, is an error; and that it +only then left Ferrol; on its voyage for Tercera.--E.] + +[Footnote 386: See the English account of these events in the +immediately preceding section.--E.] + +Sir Richard, after the Revenge yielded, was carried on board the San +Paulo, the ship in which was Don Alonso de Baçan, the admiral of the +Spanish fleet, where his wounds were dressed by the Spanish surgeons, +but Don Alonso would neither see nor speak to him. All the other +captains went to visit and comfort him in his hard fortune, wondering at +his courage and constancy, as he shewed no signs of faintness, not even +changing colour: But, feeling his death approaching, he spoke in Spanish +to the following purport: "Here die I Richard Grenville, with a joyous +and quiet mind, having ended my life as a true soldier ought to do, +fighting for my country, my queen, my religion, and my honour: so that +my soul most joyfully departeth from this body, and shall always leave +behind the everlasting fame of a true and valiant soldier, having done +my duty as became me." When he had finished these, or such like words, +he gave up the ghost with great and unshaken courage, no man being able +to perceive the least sign of concern. This sir Richard Grenville was a +great and rich gentleman of England, having large yearly revenues, but +of a daring and intrepid disposition, and much affected to warlike +enterprize; insomuch that he voluntarily offered his services to the +queen. He had performed many valiant deeds, and was greatly feared among +the islands, his intrepidity being well known to all. He was, however, +of a severe and rigid character, so that his own people feared and hated +him for his fierceness, and spoke very hardly of him. For, when they in +the Revenge first fell in among the Spanish fleet, they had their +mainsail in readiness, and might possibly have got away, as it was one +of the best sailing ships of the English; and, as the master perceived +that the rest of the squadron had left them, and did not follow up to +their support, he gave orders to _cut the mainsail_, that they likewise +should make off: But sir Richard threatened him and all the rest of the +crew, that if any man laid hold of the mainsail with that intent, he +would cause him to be hung up immediately; so that in fact they were +compelled to fight, and in the end were taken. He was of so hardy a +complexion, that, while among the Spanish officers, while at dinner or +supper with them, he would swallow three or four bumpers of wine, and +then by way of bravado, crush the glasses between his teeth and swallow +them, so that the blood ran out of his mouth, yet without any apparent +harm to him. This was told me by several credible persons, who had often +stood by and beheld him. + +The Englishmen who remained alive in the Revenge, as the captain of the +soldiers, the master, and others, were distributed among the different +ships by which she was taken. On taking possession of her, a fight had +almost taken place between the Biscaineers and Portuguese who boarded +her, both claiming the honour of having boarded first, so that there +grew a great noise and quarrel among them, one seizing the chief ensign, +and the other the flag, the captains and every one holding their own. +The ships which had laid her on board were altogether out of order, and +sore shattered, having many of their men hurt, so that they had to come +to Tercera to be repaired. On their arrival, I and my chamber companion, +desirous to hear the news, went on board one of the twelve apostles, or +great ships of Biscay, whose captain was _Bartandono_[387], who had been +general of the Biscaineers in the great armada that went against +England. On seeing us, he called us into his gallery, where he received +us courteously, being then at dinner along with the English captain, who +was dressed in a suit of black velvet, but could not tell us any thing, +as he could speak no other language but English and Latin, which last +Bartandono could speak a little. The English captain was permitted by +the governor of Tercera to land with his sword by his side, and was in +our lodging visiting the Englishman who belonged to the ship of which +the sailors escaped, as I related before. This captain wrote a letter, +in which he related all the particulars of the fight, and left it with +that English merchant who resided in the lodging with us, to forward it +to the lord admiral of England. The captain went afterwards to Lisbon, +where he was honourably received, and sent, to Setubal, whence he sailed +for England with the other prisoners. The master likewise of the Revenge +came on shore, with licence from Bartandono, and lived in the same +lodgings with us. He had at the least 10 or 12 wounds, in his head and +body, of which he afterwards died on his voyage from the islands to +Lisbon. + +[Footnote 387: Named Britandona in the foregoing section.--E.] + +The Spanish navy remained at the Azores till the end of September, to +assemble all the fleet together, which in the end amounted to the number +of 140 sail in all, including the ships of war and those of the Indies. +When all ready to sail, there arose suddenly so violent a storm, that +the islanders declared nothing like it had been seen in the memory of +man. The sea raged with such fury as if it would have swallowed up the +islands, the waves rising higher than the cliffs, so that it was amazing +to behold them, and living fish were thrown upon the land. The storm +lasted for seven or eight successive days, veering about to every point +of the compass at least twice or three times during its continuance, +with a continual tempestuous force most terrible to behold, even by us +who were on shore, much more to those who were on the sea, and exposed +to its fury. During this dreadful storm, above 12 ships were dashed to +pieces on the coasts and rocks of the island of Tercera all round about, +so that nothing was to be heard but weeping, lamenting, and wailing, now +a ship being broken in pieces in one place, then another at a different +place, and all the men drowned. For 20 days after the storm, nothing +else was done but fishing for dead men that were continually driving on +shore. Among the rest, the Revenge was cast away on a ledge of rocks +near the isle of Tercera, where she split to pieces and sunk, having in +her 70 men, Gallegos and Biscaineers and others, with some of the +captive English, one only of whom got upon the rock alive, having his +head and body all wounded. Being brought on shore, he told us the sad +tidings, and desired to be shriven, after which he presently died. The +Revenge had in her several fine brass pieces of artillery, which were +all sunk in the sea; but the islanders had great hopes of weighing them +up next summer. + +Among those ships that were cast away about Tercera, was one of those +fliboats which had been arrested in Portugal for the kings service, +named the White Dove, the master of which was one Cornelius Martenson of +Schiedam in Holland, having in her 100 soldiers, as was the case in all +the rest. Being overruled by the Spanish captain, so that he could not +be master of his own ship, he was sailing about at the mercy of the +winds and waves, and came at length in sight of Tercera, whereupon the +Spaniards, thinking all their safety consisted in putting into the +roads, compelled the master and pilot to make towards the island; and +when they remonstrated, saying they would certainly be cast away and all +destroyed, the Spanish captain called him a drunkard and heretic, and +striking him with a staff, commanded him to do as he was ordered. Seeing +this, the master said, "Well then, since it is your desire to be cast +away, I can lose but one life." He then made sail for the land, which +was on that side of the island where there is nothing but rocks and +stones as high as mountains, most terrible to behold. Several of the +inhabitants stood on the cliffs with long ropes, having bundles of cork +fastened to one end, to throw down to the men, that they might lay hold +of them and save their lives. Few of them, however, got near enough for +this, as most of them were dashed to pieces before they could reach the +rocks forming the wall-like shore. At this time, when approaching the +rocks, the master, who was an old man, called his son who sailed with +him, and having embraced and taken a last farewell, the good old father +desired his son to take no note of him, but to seek and save himself. +"Son, said he, thou art young, and mayst have some hope of saving thy +life; but I am old and it is no great matter what becomes of me." Thus, +shedding many tears, as may well be conceived in such a situation, the +ship struck the rocks and went in pieces, the father and son falling +into the sea on different sides of the vessel, each laying hold on what +came first to hand, but to no purpose. The sea was so high and furious, +that all were drowned, except fourteen or fifteen who saved themselves +by swimming, with their legs and arms half broken and sore hurt. Among +these was the Dutch masters son and four other Dutch boys; all the rest +of the Spaniards and sailors, with captain and master, being drowned. +What heart so hard as not to melt at so grievous a sight, especially +considering the beastly and ignorant insolence of the Spaniards? From +this instance, it may be conceived how the other ships sped, as we +indeed partly beheld, and were informed by those few who were saved, +some of whom were our countrymen. + +On the other islands the loss was no less than at Tercera, two ships +were cast away on the island of St George; two on Pico; three on +Graciosa. Besides those, there were seen everywhere round about, many +pieces of broken ships and other things, floating towards the islands, +with which the sea was everywhere covered, most pitiful to behold. Four +ships were cast away on the island of St Michael, and three more were +sunk between Tercera and St Michael, from which not one man was saved, +though they were seen and heard to cry out for aid. All the rest were +dismasted and driven out to sea, all torn and rent; so that of the whole +armada and merchant ships, 140 in all, only 32 or 33 arrived in Spain +and Portugal, and these with great pain, misery and labour, not any two +together, but this day one, to-morrow another, and next day a third. All +the rest were cast away about the Azores islands, or foundered at sea, +whereby may be judged what loss was incurred; as the loss was esteemed +greater by many, than had been sustained in the great armada that went +against England. It may very well be considered that this terrible +disaster was a just judgment of God against the Spaniards; and it may +truly be said that the taking of the Revenge was justly revenged against +them, not by the force of men, but by the power of God. Some of the +people in Tercera said openly, that they verily believed God would +consume them, and that he had taken part with the Lutherans and +heretics. They alleged farther, that so soon as they had thrown the body +of Sir Richard Grenville overboard, they verily believed, as he had a +devilish faith and religion, therefore all the devils loved him: For he +instantly sunk to the bottom of the sea, and down into hell, where he +raised up all the devils to revenge his death; and that they brought +these great storms and tempests upon the Spaniards, because they only +maintained the Catholic and true Romish religion. Such and the like +blasphemies did they utter openly and continually, without being +reproved of any one for their false opinions. + +Of their fleet which sailed from New Spain, 50 in all, 35 were cast away +or foundered at sea, so that 15 only escaped. Of the San Domingo fleet, +14 were cast away coming through the channel from Havannah, the admiral +and vice-admiral being of the number. Two ships, coming from the Terra +Firma, laden with gold and silver, were taken by the English; and before +the fleet under Don Alonso de Baçan came to Corvo, at the least 20 +ships, coming from San Domingo, India, Brazil, &c. had been taken at +different times by the English, all of which were sent to England. + +Section XIV. + +_Cruizing voyage to the Azores, in 1592, by Sir John Burrough, +Knight_[388] + + + + +INTRODUCTION. + +THE title of this section as here given from Astleys Collection, is by +no means accurate, as the service performed by Burrough forms only one +prominent portion of the present narrative. The expedition which it +relates was fitted out and commanded by the memorable Sir Walter +Raleigh, and the entire title of this relation, as given by Hakluyt, is +as follows: "A true report of the honourable service at sea, performed +by Sir John Burrough, knight, lieutenant-general of the fleet prepared +by the honourable Sir Walter Raleigh, knight, lord warden of the +stanneries of Cornwal and Devon. Wherein chiefly the Santa Clara of +Biscay, a ship of 600 tons, was taken, and two East India Caraks, the +Santa Cruz and the Madre de Dios were forced; the one burnt, and the +other taken and brought into Dartmouth, the 7th September 1592." + +[Footnote 388: Hakluyt, III. 9. Astley, I. 245.] + +Even this long title does not clearly describe the narrative, as Sir +Walter Raleigh actually sailed on the expedition. But it is not +necessary to extend this observation, as the story will sufficiently +explain itself. The editor of Astleys collection, alleges that Sir +Walter Raleigh seems to have been the author of this article.--E. + + * * * * * + +Having received a commission from the queen for an expedition to the +West Indies, Sir Walter Raleigh used the utmost diligence in making all +necessary preparations, both in the choice of good ships and sufficient +men and officers, as the performance sufficiently evinced. His ships +were 14 or 15 in number; of which the two principal belonged to the +queen, called the Garland and Foresight The rest either belonged to +himself or his friends, or to the adventurers of London. As for the +gentlemen who went with him as officers, they were so well qualified in +courage, experience and discretion, that the greatest prince might think +himself happy in being served by the like. The honour of +lieutenant-general [vice-admiral] was conferred upon Sir John Burrough, +a gentleman every way worthy of that command, by his many good and +heroic qualities; with whom, after Sir Walter returned, was joined in +commission Sir Martin Frobisher; who, for his great skill and knowledge +in maritime affairs, had formerly held employments of similar or greater +importance. The rest of the captains, sailors and soldiers were men of +notable resolution, and who for the most part had before given +sufficient proof of their valour, in sundry services of the like nature. + +With these ships thus manned, Sir Walter Raleigh departed towards the +west country, there to provide such farther necessaries as were needful +for the expedition. The wind blew long from the west, quite contrary to +his intended course, by which he was wind-bound many weeks, the fittest +season for his purpose being thereby lost, his victuals much consumed, +and the minds of his people greatly changed. When her majesty came to +understand how crossly all this went, she began to call the propriety of +this expedition in question, as the 6th of May was come before Sir +Walter could put to sea. Sir Martin Frobisher came to him the next day, +in a pinnace of the lord admiral called the Disdain, and brought her +majestys letters of recal, with orders to leave the fleet under the +command of Sir John Burrough and Sir Martin Frobisher. But, finding his +honour so far engaged, that he saw no means to save his reputation or +content his friends who had adventured great sums on fitting out the +expedition, Sir Walter pretended to understand the queens letters as if +they had left it to his choice either to return or proceed; wherefore he +would in no case leave his fleet, now under sail. + +Continuing therefore his course to sea, he met within a day or two some +ships newly come from Spain, among which was a ship belonging to +Monsieur Gourdon, governor of Calais, on board of which was one Mr Nevil +Davies an Englishman, who had endured a long and miserable captivity of +twelve years, partly in the inquisition, and had now by good fortune +made his escape, and was on his way home. Among other things, this man +reported that there was little good to be done or expected this year in +the West Indies, as the king of Spain had sent express orders to all the +ports both of the islands and the main, that no ships were to sail that +year, nor any treasure to be shipt for Spain. Yet did not this +unpleasant intelligence induce Sir Walter to desist from his +proceedings; till, on Thursday the 11th of May, a tempest of great +violence, when he was athwart Cape Finister, so scattered the greater +part of his fleet, and sunk his boats and pinnaces, that Sir Walter, who +was in the Garland belonging to her majesty, was in danger of +foundering. + +Upon this, considering that the season of the year was too far gone for +the enterprize he meditated against Panama, having been detained by +contrary winds on the coast of England from February till May, in which +time he had expended three months victuals, and considering that to +cruize upon the Spanish coast or at the islands for the homeward bound +East or West India ships, was a mere work of patience, he gave +directions to Sir John Burrough and Sir Martin Frobisher, to divide the +fleet in two parts. Sir Martin, with the Garland, Captain George +Clifford, Captain Henry Thin, Captain Grenville and others, to lie off +the south cape, on purpose to oblige the Spanish fleet to remain on +their own coast; while Sir John Burrough, with Captain Robert Crosse, +Captain Thomson and others, should go to cruize off the Azores for the +caraks or any other Spanish ships coming from Mexico or other parts of +the West Indies. These intentions took effect accordingly: For the +Spanish admiral, having intelligence of the English fleet being on the +coast, attended to the defence of the southern parts of Spain, keeping +as near Sir Martin Frobisher as he could, to hinder the success of any +thing he might undertake, and thereby neglected the safe conduct of the +caraks. + +Before the fleet separated, they met with a great ship of Biscay on the +coast of Spain, called the Santa Clara of 600 tons, which was taken +after a stout resistance. She was freighted with all sorts of small iron +ware, as horse shoes, nails, ploughshares, iron bars, spikes, bolts, +locks, gimbols, &c. and valued by us at 6000 or 7000 pounds, though +worth treble that value to them. This ship was on her way to San Lucar, +to take in there some farther articles of freight for the West Indies; +and being first rummaged, was sent off for England. Our fleet then +sailed towards the south cape of St Vincent; and while near the rock of +Lisbon, Sir John Burrough in the Roebuck espied a sail far off to which +he gave chace. Being a fliboat and a quick sailer, she drew him far to +the south before he could fetch her, but at last, she came under his lee +and struck sail. The master gave information, that a great fleet was +prepared at Cadiz and San Lucar, destined according to report for the +West Indies; but the real object of this armament was this: Having +received notice that Sir Walter Raleigh was fitted out with a strong +force for the West Indies, the king of Spain had provided this great +fleet to oppose him; but, in the first place, as the East India caraks +were expected, this fleet was to convoy them home. But, as he persuaded +himself, if Sir Walter went to the West Indies, the Azores would only +have a few small ships of war to infest them, his orders to Don Alonzo +de Baçan, brother to the Marquis of Santa Cruz, and general of his +armada, were to pursue the fleet of Sir Walter Raleigh whatever course +he went, and to attack him wherever he could find him. + +Our men soon found this to be true, for, not long after the capture of +the fliboat, as Sir John Burrough sailed back again to rejoin his fleet, +he discovered the Spanish fleet to seaward; which, espying him between +them and the shore, made themselves sure of carrying him into a Spanish +harbour. For this purpose, they spread themselves in such sort before +him, that his danger was very great, as his course to seawards was +utterly impeded, and the land being hostile could yield him no relief. +In this extremity, putting his trust in God and his good ship, he thrust +out from among them with all sail, and in spite of their force and +notable cunning to intercept him, got clear off. Having thus got clear, +and finding the coast so well guarded by this fleet, and knowing it were +only folly to expect meeting with Sir Martin Frobisher, who knew of the +armada as well as himself, and would be sure to avoid them, he began to +shape his course directly for the Azores, according to the orders of Sir +Walter Raleigh, and soon came in sight of St Michael, running so near +the town of Villa Franca, that he could easily discern the ships that +lay there at anchor. He intercepted several small vessels, both here and +between St Georges and Pico in his course to Flores, but could get no +intelligence from them for his purpose. + +Arriving before Flores on Thursday the 21st June towards evening, then +only accompanied by captain Caufield and the master of his ship, the +rest not being yet arrived, be made towards the shore in his boat, where +he found all the inhabitants of Santa Cruz, a village or small town of +that island, under arms, and drawn up to oppose his landing. Having no +intention of committing hostilities, Sir John shewed a white flag in +token of amity, which was answered by the islanders, upon which a +friendly conference ensued, and hostages were taken on both sides, the +captain of the town for them, and captain Caufield for us; so that +whatever our people wanted and that place could supply, as fresh water, +victuals, or the like, was freely granted by the inhabitants, and our +people had leave to refresh themselves on shore without restraint, as +long and as often as they pleased. At this place Sir John Burrough was +informed, that they had no expectation of any fleet coming from the West +Indies; but that only three days before his arrival, a carak had passed +by from the East Indies for Lisbon, and that there were four more behind +all of one convoy. Being very glad of this news, Sir John embarked +immediately, having at this time in his company only a small bark of +Bristol, belonging to one Mr Hopkins. + +In the meanwhile, part of the English ships that Sir John had left on +the coast of Spain drew towards the Azores; and Sir John very soon got +sight of one of the caraks. The same evening he descried two or three of +the earl of Cumberlands ships, whereof one Mr Norton was captain, which +had descried the carak and pursued in the track she was following for +the islands, but no way could be made by either party, as it was almost +a dead calm. In this dilemma, on purpose to discover her force, burden, +and countenance, Sir John took his boat and rowed three miles towards +her, to make her out exactly; and on his return, having consulted with +his officers, it was resolved to board her in the morning. A heavy storm +arose in the night, which forced them to weigh anchor, yet did they bear +up amain against the weather, not to lose the carak. In the morning, +being very near the shore, our men could perceive the carak close to the +land, and the Portuguese using their utmost endeavour to convey whatever +they could from her on shore. Seeing our men making all haste to come +upon her, the Portuguese forsook her, but first, that nothing might be +left for our men, they set her on fire, that neither the glory of +victory nor the benefit of the ship and cargo might remain to the +English. And, lest the English might find means to extinguish the fire, +and thereby to preserve a part of the cargo, being in number 400 well +armed men, they entrenched themselves on shore as near as possible to +the carak, to keep our men aloof till the fire might consume the carak +and all her contents. + +Seeing this, Sir John landed with an hundred of his men, many of whom +had to swim on shore or wade more than breast high; and having easily +dispersed those who guarded the shore, he no sooner approached the +entrenchment but the Portuguese fled, leaving as much as the fire had +spared to reward the pains of our men. Among others taken at the +entrenchment, were a Portuguese called Vincent Fonseca, purser of the +carak, with two of her cannoneers, one a German, and the other a +Hollander; who, refusing to give any account voluntarily of what was +asked, were threatened with torture, and then confessed that within +fifteen days three other caraks would certainly arrive at the same +island, there being five caraks in the fleet at their departure from +Goa, the Buen Jesus admiral, Madre de Dios, San Bernardo, San +Christophoro, and Santa Cruz, that now on fire. They had especial orders +from the king of Spain, not in any case to touch at St. Helena, where +the Portuguese caraks used always till now to refresh on their way from +the East Indies, procuring water and fresh, provisions. The reason of +this order was, that the king was informed the English men of war meant +to lie there in wait for them. If therefore, their necessities should +drive them to seek supply any where, they were commanded to put in at +Angola on the coast of Africa, and only to remain there so long as was +necessary to take in water, that they might avoid the inconvenience of +infections, to which that hot country is dangerously liable. The last +rendezvous appointed for them was the island of Flores, where they were +assured of a naval force meeting them and convoying them to Lisbon. + +On receiving this intelligence, Sir John held a council with Captains +Norton, Downton, and Abraham Cocke, commanding three ships of the Earl +of Cumberland, Mr Thomson of Harwich, captain of the Dainty, belonging +to Sir John Hawkins, one of Sir Walter Raleighs fleet, Captain +Christopher Newton of the Golden Dragon, newly come from the West +Indies, and others. To these he communicated the intelligence he had +just got from the foresaid examination, and what great presumptions of +truth appeared in their story; and wishing, since God and their good +fortune had so opportunely brought them together, that they might unite +their utmost endeavours to bring these Orientals under the lee of +English obedience. Upon this it was mutually agreed not to part company +or leave these seas, till time and opportunity should enable them to put +their consultations into execution. Next day her majestys ship +Foresight, Sir Robert Cross, joined them, and he, being informed of the +matter, entered heartily on this service. Then Sir John, with all these +ships, went 6 or 7 leagues to the west of Flores, spreading them out in +a line from north to south, each ship at least two leagues distant from +each other, by which order they were able to discover two whole degrees +of the sea. + +They lay in this manner from the 29th of June to the 3d of August, when +Captain Thomson in the Dainty had first sight of the huge carak called +the Madre de Dios, one of the greatest belonging to the crown of +Portugal. Having the start of the rest, and being an excellent sailor, +the Dainty began the combat something to her cost, by the slaughter and +hurt of several of her men. Within a little Sir John Burrough came up to +second her in the Roebuck, belonging to Sir Walter Raleigh, and saluted +the Madre de Dios with great shot, continuing the fight within +musket-shot, assisted by Captains Thomson and Newport, till Sir Robert +Cross came up, who was vice-admiral and was to leeward, on which Sir +John asked his opinion what was best to be done. Sir Robert said, if she +were not boarded she would reach the shore and be set on fire, as had +been done with the other. Wherefore Sir John Burrough concluded to +grapple her, and Sir Robert Cross engaged to do so likewise at the same +moment, which was done accordingly. After some time in this situation, +Sir John Burroughs ship received a shot of a _cannon perier_[389] under +water; and, being ready to sink, desired Sir Robert to fall off, that he +also might clear himself and save his ship from sinking. This was done +with much difficulty, as both the Roebuck and Foresight were so +entangled that they could not clear themselves. + +[Footnote 389: Probably a large stone ball.--E.] + +That same evening, finding the carak drawing near the land, Sir Robert +Crosse persuaded his consorts to board her again, as otherwise there +were no hopes of taking her. After many fears and excuses, he at last +encouraged them, and then went athwart her bows all alone, and so +hindered her sailing, that the rest had time to get up to the attack +before she could make the land. So, towards evening, after Sir Robert +had fought her three hours singly, two of the Earl of Cumberlands ships +came up, and then they and Sir Robert Crosse carried her by boarding +with very little loss, as Sir Robert by this time had broken their +courage, and made the assault easy for the rest. Having disarmed the +Portuguese, and bestowed them for better security as prisoners into the +other ships, Sir Robert had now time to contemplate the proportions of +this vast carak, which did then, and may still provoke the admiration of +all men not accustomed to such a sight. But though this first view +afforded our men sufficient admiration, yet the pitiful sight of so +many bodies slain and mangled drew tears from their eyes, and induced +them to lend aid to those miserable people, whose limbs were sore torn +by the shot, and their bodies agonized by a multitude of wounds. No man +could almost step but upon a dead carcass or a bloody floor, but +especially about the helm, where many of them had been slain while +endeavouring to steer, as it required the united strength of twelve or +fourteen men at once to move the rudder, and some of our ships beating +in at her stern with their ordnance, often slew four or five labouring +on each side of the helm at one shot, whose places were immediately +supplied by fresh hands, and as our artillery incessantly plied them +with continual vollies, much blood was necessarily spilt in that place. + +Moved with compassion for their misery, our general immediately sent +them his own surgeons, withholding no possible aid or relief that he or +his company could supply. Among those whom this chance of war had +rendered most deplorable, was Don Fernando de Mendoça, grand captain and +commander of this mighty carak, descended of the house of Mendoça in +Spain, but having married in Portugal, lived there as one of that +nation. He was a gentleman well striken in years, of comely personage +and good stature, but of hard fortune. In the course of his services +against the Moors he had been twice taken prisoner, and both times +ransomed by the king. In a former return voyage from the East Indies, he +was driven upon the _Baxos_ or sands of _India_, near the coast of +Sofala, being then captain of a carak which was lost, and himself fell +into the hands of the infidels on shore, who kept him in a long and +rigorous captivity. Once more, having great respect for him, and willing +to mend his fortune, the king had given him the conduct of this huge +carak, in which he went from Lisbon as admiral of the India fleet, and +had returned in that capacity, but that the viceroy embarked in the Bon +Jesus, and assumed that rank in virtue of his late office. Not willing +to add too severely to the affliction of this man, Sir John Burrough +freely dismissed Don Fernando and most of his followers, giving them +some vessels for that purpose, with all necessary provisions. + +Having dispatched this business, Sir John Burrough had leisure to take +such a survey of the goods in his prize, as the convenience of the seas +would admit; and seeing many inclined to commit spoil and pillage, he +very prudently seized upon the whole in the name of her majesty. He then +made a cursory inspection of the cargo, and perceived that the wealth +would be fully answerable to expectation, and would be more than +sufficient to content both the desires of the adventurers, and the +fatigues and dangers of the captors. I cannot here refrain from +acknowledging the great favour of God to our nation, by putting this +rich prize into our hands, thereby manifestly discovering the secrets +and riches of the trade of India, which had hitherto lain strangely +bidden and cunningly concealed from our knowledge, only a very imperfect +glimpse of it being seen by a few, while it is now turned into the broad +light of full and perfect knowledge. Whence it would appear to be the +will of God for our good, if only our weakness would so apprehend it, +that we should participate in those East Indian treasures, by the +establishment of a lawful traffic, to better our means of advancing the +true religion and the holy service of God. + +This carak, in the judgment of those most experienced, was of not less +than 1600 tons burden, 900 of which were stowed full of rich +merchandize; the remainder being allowed partly for the ordnance, which +were 32 pieces of brass cannon of all sorts, and partly to the ships +company, passengers, and victuals, which last could not be a small +quantity, considering the length of the voyage, and that there were +between six and seven hundred persons on board. To give a taste as it +were of the commodities, it may suffice to give a general enumeration of +them, according to the catalogue made out at Leadenhall, London, on the +15th September 1592. After the jewels, which were certainly of great +value, though they never came to light, the principal wares consisted of +spices, drugs, silks, calicoes, quilts, carpets, and colours, &c. The +spices were pepper, cloves, mace, nutmegs, cinnamon, green ginger. The +drugs, benzoin, frankincense, gallinga, mirabolans, socotorine aloes, +camphor. The silks, damasks, taffetas, sarcenets, _altobassos_ or +counterfeit cloth of gold, unwrought China silk, sleaved silk, white +twisted silk, and curled cypress. The calicoes were book-calicoe, +calicoe-lawns, broad white calicoes, fine starched calicoes, coarse +white calicoes, brown broad calicoes, brown coarse calicoes. There were +also canopies, and coarse diaper towels, quilts of coarse sarsenet, and +of calico, and carpets like those of Turkey. Likewise pearls, musk, +civet, and ambergris. The rest of the wares were many in number, but +less in value; as elephants teeth, porcelain vessels of China, coco +nuts, hides, ebony as black as jet, bedsteads of the same, curious cloth +made of the rind of trees, &c. All which piles of merchandize, being +valued at a reasonable rate by men of approved judgment, amounted to no +less than 150,000 pounds Sterling, which being divided among the +adventurers, of whom her majesty was the chief, was sufficient to +content all parties. + +The cargo being taken out, and the goods reloaded on board ten of our +ships to be sent to London, one Mr Robert Adams, a man of excellent +skill, took the exact bigness, height, length, breadth, and other +dimensions of this huge vessel, that these might be preserved according +to the exact rules of geometrical proportions, both for present +knowledge and transmission to posterity, omitting nothing which either +his art could demonstrate, or any mans judgment think worthy of being +known. After an exact survey of the whole frame, he found the extreme +length, from the beak head to the stern, where a lantern was erected, +165 feet. The breadth, in the second close deck, of which she had three, +but this the broadest, was 46 feet 10 inches. At her departure from +Cochin in India, her draught of water was 31 feet; but at her arrival in +Dartmouth, not above 26, being lightened 5 feet during her voyage by +various causes. She contained 7 several stories; viz. one main orlop, +three close decks, one forecastle, and a spar deck of two floors each. +The length of the keel was 100 feet, of the main-mast 121 feet, and its +circumference at the partners was 10 feet 7 inches. The main-yard was +106 feet long. By this accurate mensuration, the hugeness of the whole +is apparent, and far beyond the mould of the largest ships used among +us, either for war or cargo. + +Don Alonso de Baçan, having a greater fleet, and yet suffering these two +great caraks to be lost, the Santa Cruz burnt, and the Madre de Dios +taken, was disgraced by the king of Spain for his negligence. + + +SECTION XV. + +_The taking of two Spanish Ships, laden with quicksilver and the Popes +bulls, in 1592, by Captain Thomas White_.[390] + + + +While returning from Barbary in the Amity of London, and in the latitude +of 36° N. at 4 in the morning of the 26th of July 1592, Captain White +got sight of two ships at the distance of three or four leagues. Giving +immediate chace, he came within gun-shot of them by 7 o'clock; and by +their boldness in shewing Spanish colours, he judged them rather to be +ships of war than laden with merchandize; indeed, by their own +confession afterwards, they made themselves so sure of taking him, that +they debated among themselves whether it were better for them to carry +his ship to San Lucar or Lisbon. After waving each other amain, the +Spaniards placed themselves in order of battle, a cables length before +the other, when the fight began, both sides charging and firing as fast +as they were able, at the distance of a cables length, for the space of +five hours. In this time, the Amity received 32 great shots in her hull, +masts, and sails, besides at least 500 iron muskets and arquebuses, +which were counted after the fight. + +[Footnote 390: Astley, I. 249. The editor of Astleys collection gives no +notice of the source whence he procured this narrative. The Spanish +ships with quicksilver are usually called _azogue_ or _assogue_ ships; +the word assogue signifying quicksilver.--E.] + +Finding them to make so stout a resistance, Captain White attempted to +board the Biscaian, which was foremost; and after lying on board about +an hour, plying his ordnance and small shot, he _stowed all her +men_[391]. At this time, the other vessel, which was a fliboat, thinking +Captain White had boarded her consort with all his men, _bore room with +him_[392], intending to have laid him close on board, so as to entrap +him between both ships, and place him between two fires. Perceiving this +intention, he fitted his ordnance in such sort as to get quit of her, so +that she boarded her consort, and both fell from him. Mr White now kept +his loof, hoisted his main-sails, and weathering both ships, came close +aboard the fliboat, to which he gave his whole broadside, by which +several of her men were slain, as appeared by the blood running from her +scuppers. After this he tacked about, new charged all his ordnance, and +coming round again upon both ships, ordered them to yield or he would +sink them outright. One of them being shot between wind and water, would +have complied, but the other called him a traitor; on which Captain +White called out, that if he also did not presently yield, he would sink +him first. Intimidated by this threat, they both hung out white flags +and yielded; yet refused to strike their own sails, as they had sworn +not to strike to any Englishman. + +[Footnote 391: This expression seems to mean, that he forced them to run +below.--E.] + +[Footnote 392: That is, bore down upon him.--E.] + +He then commanded the captains and masters to come on board the Amity, +where they were examined and placed in safe custody; after which he sent +some of his own men on board both ships to strike the sails and man +them. There were found in both, 126 persons alive, with eight dead +bodies, besides those that had been cast overboard. This victory was +obtained by 42 men and a boy, of whom two were slain and three wounded. +The two prizes were laden with 1400 chests of quicksilver, marked with +the arms of Castile and Leon, besides a vast quantity of bulls or +indulgences, and ten packs of gilded missals and breviaries, all on the +kings account. Also an hundred tons of excellent wine, intended for the +supply of the royal fleet; all of which Captain White brought shortly +afterwards to Blackwall in the river Thames. + +By this capture of quicksilver, the king of Spain lost for every quintal +a quintal of silver, that should have been delivered to him by the +mine-masters in Peru, amounting in value to L.600,000. There were +likewise 2,072,000 bulls for living and dead persons, intended for the +use of New Spain, Yucatan, Guatimala, Honduras, and the Philippine +islands, taxed at two ryals each; besides 18,000 bulls at four ryals; +amounting in all to L.107,700: So that the total loss to the king of +Spain was L.707,700, not reckoning the loss and disappointment by the +mass-books and wine. + + +SECTION XVI. + +_Narrative of the Destruction of a great East India Carak, in 1594, +written by Captain Nicholas. Downton_[393]. + + + +In the latter end of the year 1593, the right honourable the earl of +Cumberland, at his own charges and those of his friends, fitted out +three ships of equal size and rates, having each the same quantity of +provisions and the same number of men. These were, the Royal Exchange, +which went as admiral, commanded by Captain George Cave; the May-flower, +vice-admiral, commanded by Captain William Anthony; and the Sampson, +which my lord was pleased to commit to me, Nicholas Downton. In all the +three ships there were embarked 420 men of all sorts, or 140 in each. +Besides these, there, was a pinnace: called the Violet, or _Why-not-I._ + +[Footnote 393: Hakluyt, III. 14. Astley, I 250.] + +Our instructions were sent to us at Plymouth, and we were directed to +open them at sea. The 6th of April 1594, we set sail from Plymouth +sound, directing our course for the coast of Spain. The 24th, being then +in lat. 43° N; we divided ourselves east and west from each other, on +purpose to keep a good look out, with orders from our admiral to close +up again at night. In the morning of the 27th, we descried the +May-flower and the little pinnace, in company with a prize they had +taken belonging to Viana in Portugal, and bound for Angola. This vessel +was about 28 tons burden, having 17 persons on board, with some 12 tons +of wine, which we divided among our ships, together with some rusk in +chests and barrels, 5 bales of coarse blue cloth, and some coarse linen +for negroes shirts; all of which goods were divided among our fleet. The +4th of May, we had sight again of our pinnace and the admirals shallop, +which had taken three Portuguese caravels, two of which we sent away and +kept the third. The 2d June we came in sight of St Michaels. The 3d we +sent off our pinnace, which was about 24 tons burden, together with the +small caravel we had taken off the Burlings, to range about the +anchorages of the Azores, trying to make captures of any thing they +could find, appointing them to meet with us at a rendezvous 12 leagues +W.S.W. from Fayal. Their going from us served no purpose, and was a +misfortune, as they omitted joining us when appointed, and we also +missed them when they might have been of much service. + +The 13th of June we fell in with a mighty carak from the East Indies, +called _Las cinquellagues_, or the five wounds. The May-Flower was in +sight of her before night, and I got up with her in the evening. While I +had ordered our men to give her a broadside, and stood carefully +examining her strength, and where I might give council to board her in +the night when the admiral came up, I received a shot a little above the +belly, by which I was rendered unserviceable for a good while after, yet +no other person in my ship was touched that night. Fortunately, by means +of one captain Grant, an honest true-hearted man, nothing was neglected +though I was thus disabled. Until midnight, when the admiral came up, +the May-Flower and the Sampson never desisted from plying her with our +cannon, taking it in turns: But then captain Cave wished us to stay till +morning, when each of us was to give her three broadsides, and then lay +her on board; but we long lingered in the morning till 10 o'clock, +before we attempted to board her. + +The admiral then laid her on board amid ships, and the May-Flower came +up on her quarter, as if to take her station astern of our admiral on +the larboard side of the carak; but the captain of the May-Flower was +slain at the first coming up, on which his ship fell astern on the +_outlicar_[394] of the carak, a piece of timber, which so tore her +foresail that they said they could not get up any more to fight, as +indeed they did not, but kept aloof from us all the rest of the action. +The Sampson went aboard on the bow of the carak, but had not room +enough, as our quarter lay on the bow of the Exchange, and our bow on +that of the carak. At the first coming up of the Exchange, her captain +Mr Cave was wounded in both legs, one of which he never recovered, so +that he was disabled from doing his duty, and had no one in his absence +that would undertake to lead his company to board the enemy. My friend, +captain Grant, led my men up the side of the carak; but his force being +small, and not being manfully seconded by the crew of the Exchange, the +enemy were bolder than they would have been, so that six of my men were +presently slain, and many more wounded; which made those that remained +return on board, and they would never more give the assault. Some of the +Exchanges men did very well, and I have no doubt that many more would +have done the like, if there had been any principal men to have led them +on, and not to have run into corners themselves. But I must allow that +the carak was as well provided for defence as any ship I have seen; and +perhaps the Portuguese were encouraged by our slackness, as they plied +our men from behind barricades, where they were out of danger from our +shot. They plied us also with wildfire, by which most of our men were +burnt in some parts of their body; and while our men were busied in +putting out the fire, the enemy galled them sore with small arms and +darts. This unusual casting of wildfire did much dismay many of our men, +and caused them greatly to hang back. + +[Footnote 394: Probably a boom or outrigger for the management of the +after-sails.--E.] + +Finding that our men would not again board, we plied our great ordnance +at them, elevated as much as possible, as otherwise we could do them +little harm. By shooting a piece from our forecastle, we set fire to a +mat at the beak head of the enemy, which kindled more and more, +communicating from the mat to the boltsprit, and thence to the +top-sail-yard; by which fire the Portuguese abaft were much alarmed, and +began to make show of a parley: But their officers encouraged them, +alleging that the fire could be easily extinguished, on which they again +stood stiffly to their defence; yet at length the fire grew so strong, +that I plainly saw it was beyond all help, even if she had yielded to +us. We then wished to have disentangled ourselves from the burning +carak, but had little hope of success; yet we plied water with great +diligence to keep our ship safe. At this time I had little hope but our +ship, myself, and several of our wounded men must have been all +destroyed along with the carak. Most of our people indeed might have +saved themselves in boats on board our consorts. When we were at the +worst, by Gods providence our spritsail-yard with the sail and ropes, +which were fast entangled with the spritsail-yard of the carak, were so +burned that we fell away, with the loss of some of our sails. The +Exchange also, being farther aft and more distant from the fire, was +more easily cleared, and fell off abaft. + +As soon as God had put us out of danger, the fire caught hold of the +forecastle of the carak, where I think there was great store of benzoin, +or some such combustible matter, for it flamed and flowed over the +carak, which was almost in an instant all over in flames. The Portuguese +now leapt over-board in great numbers, and I sent captain Grant with +the boat, bidding him use his discretion in saving them. He brought me +on board two gentlemen. One of them was an old man named Nuno Velio +Pereira, who had been governor of Mozambique and Sofala in the year +1582, and had since been governor of a place of importance in the East +Indies. The ship in which he was coming home was cast away a little to +the east of the Cape of Good Hope, whence he travelled by land to +Mozambique, and got a passage in this carak. The other was named Bras +Carrero, who was captain of a carak that was cast away at Mozambique, +and came likewise as a passenger in this ship. Also three men of the +inferior sort; but only these two gentlemen we clothed and brought home +to England. The rest, and others which were saved by our other boats, +were all set on shore on the island of Flores, except two or three +negroes, one of whom was a native of Mozambique, and the other of the +East Indies. + +This fight took place in the open sea, 6 leagues to the southward of the +sound or channel between Fayal and Pico. The people whom we saved +informed us, that the cause of the carak refusing to yield was, that she +and all her goods belonged to the king, being all that had been +collected for him that year in India, and that the captain of her was +greatly in favour with the king, and expected to have been made viceroy +of India at his return. This great carak was by no means lumbered, +either within board or on deck, being more like a ship of war than a +merchant vessel; and, besides her own men and guns, she had the crew and +ordnance that belonged to another carak that was cast away at +Mozambique, and the crew of another that was lost a little way to the +east of the Cape of Good Hope. Yet, through sickness caught at Angola, +where they watered, it was said she had not now above 150 white men on +board, but a great many negroes. They likewise told us there were three +noblemen and three ladies on board; but we found them to disagree much +in their stories. The carak continued to burn all the rest of that day +and the succeeding night; but next morning, on the fire reaching her +powder, being 60 barrels, which was in the lowest part of her hold, she +blew up with a dreadful explosion, most of her materials floating about +on the sea. Some of the people said she was larger than the Madre de +Dios, and some that she was less. She was much undermasted and +undersailed, yet she went well through the water, considering that she +was very foul. The shot we made at her from the cannon of our ship, +before we laid her on board, might be seven broadsides of six or seven +shots each, one with another, or about 49 shots in all. We lay on board +her about two hours, during which we discharged at her about 20 sacre +shots. Thus much may suffice for our dangerous conflict with that +unfortunate carak. + +On the 30th of June, after traversing the seas, we got sight of another +huge carak, which some of our company took at first for the great San +Philippo, the admiral of Spain; but on coming up with her next day, we +certainly perceived her to be a carak. After bestowing some shots upon +her, we summoned her to yield, but they stood stoutly on their defence, +and utterly refused to strike. Wherefore, as no good could be done +without boarding, I consulted as to what course we should follow for +that purpose; but as we, who were the chief captains, were partly slain +and the rest wounded in the former conflict, and because of the +murmuring of some disorderly and cowardly fellows, all our resolute +determinations were crossed: To conclude in a few words, the carak +escaped our hands. After this, we continued to cruize for some time +about Corvo and Flores, in hopes of falling in with some ships from the +West Indies; but, being disappointed in this expectation, and provisions +falling short, we returned for England, where I arrived at Portsmouth on +the 28th of August 1594. + + +SECTION XVII. + +_List of the Royal Navy of England of the demise of Queen +Elizabeth_[395]. + + +The following list of the royal navy of England, as left in good +condition by Queen Elizabeth at her death in 1603, was written by Sir +William Monson, a naval officer of that and the two following reigns, +"By which, he observes, she and her realm gained honour, by the exploits +and victories they and her subjects obtained." It would occupy too much +space to give a contrasted list of the royal navy in the present year, +1813; but which our readers can easily obtain from the monthly lists +published at London. + +[Footnote 395: Church. Collect. III. 196.] + + Men in Men at Of which + Names of Ships. Tonnage. Harbour. Sea. Mariners. Sailors. Guns. + Elizabeth-Jonas, 900 30 500 340[A] 120[A] 40 + Triumph, 1000 30 500 340 120 40 + White Bear, 900 30 500 340 120 40 + Victory, 800 17 400 268 100 32 + Ark Royal, 800 17 400 268 100 32 + Mere Honour, 800 17 400 268 100 32 + St Matthew, 1000 30 500 340 120 40 + St Andrew, 900 17 400 268 100 32 + Due Repulse, 700 16 350 230 90 30 + Garland, 700 16 300 190 80 30 + Warspite, 600 12 300 190 80 30 + Mary-Rose, 600 12 250 150 70 30 + Hope, 600 12 250 150 70 30 + Bonaventure, 600 12 250 150 70 30 + Lion, 500 12 250 150 70 30 + Nonpareille, 500 12 250 150 70 30 + Defiance, 500 12 250 150 70 30 + Rainbow, 500 12 250 150 70 30 + Dreadnought, 400 10 200 130 50 20 + Antilope, 350 10 160 114 30 16 + Swiftsure, 400 10 200 130 50 20 + Swallow, 380 10 160 114 30 16 + Foresight, 300 10 160 114 30 16 + Tide, 250 7 120 88 20 12 + Crane, 200 7 100 76 20 12 + Adventure, 250 7 120 88 20 12 + Quittance, 200 7 100 76 20 12 + Answer, 200 7 100 76 20 12 + Advantage, 200 7 100 70 20 12 + Tiger, 200 7 100 70 20 12 + Tremontain, 6 70 52 10 8 + Scout, 120 6 66 48 10 8 + Catis, 100 5 60 42 10 8 + Charles, 70 5 45 32 7 6 + Moon, 60 5 40 30 5 5 + Advice, 50 5 40 30 5 5 + Spy, 50 5 40 30 5 5 + Merlin, 45 5 35 26 4 5 + Sun, 40 5 30 24 2 4 + Synnet[B] 20 2 + George Hoy, 100 10 + Penny-rose Hoy, 80 8 + +[Footnote A: The difference between mariners and sailors is not obvious: +Perhaps the former were what are now called ordinary, and the latter +able seamen. Besides, the numbers of both these united, do not make up +the whole compliment of men at sea: Perhaps the deficiency, being 40 in +the largest ships of this list, was made up by what were then called +_grummets:_ servants, ship-boys, or landsmen.--E.] + +[Footnote B: This name ought probably to have been the Cygnet.] + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +EARLY VOYAGES OF THE ENGLISH TO THE EAST INDIES, BEFORE THE +ESTABLISHMENT OF AN EXCLUSIVE COMPANY. + + +SECTION I. + +_Voyage to Goa in 1579, in the Portuguese fleet, by Thomas +Stevens_[396]. + + +INTRODUCTION. + +We now begin to draw towards India, the following being the first +voyage we know of, that was performed to that country by any Englishman. +Though Stevens was only a passenger in the ship of another nation, yet +the account he gave of the navigation was doubtless one of the motives +that induced his countrymen to visit India a few years afterwards in +their own bottoms. Indeed the chief and more immediate causes seem to +have been the rich caraks, taken in the cruizing voyages against the +Spaniards and Portuguese about this time, which both gave the English +some insight into the India trade, and inflamed their desire of +participating in so rich a commerce. + +[Footnote 396: Hakluyt, II, 581. Astley, I. 191.] + +The account of this voyage is contained in the following letter from +Thomas Stevens, to his father Thomas Stevens in London: In this letter, +preserved by Hakluyt, several very good remarks will be found respecting +the navigation to India, as practised in those days; yet no mention is +made in the letter, as to the profession of Stevens, or on what occasion +he went to India. By the letters of Newberry and Fitch[397], which will +be found in their proper place, written from Goa in 1584, it appears +that he was a priest or Jesuit, belonging to the college of St Paul at +that place; whence it may be concluded that the design of his voyage was +to propagate the Romish religion in India. In a marginal note to one of +these letters, Hakluyt intimates that _Padre_ Thomas Stevens was born in +Wiltshire, and was sometime of New College Oxford. He was very +serviceable to Newberry and Fitch, who acknowledge that they owed the +recovery of their liberty and goods, if not their lives, to him and +another _Padre_. This is also mentioned by Pyrard de la Val, who was +prisoner at Goa in 1608, at which time Stevens was rector of Morgan +College in the island of Salcet[398]."--_Astley._ + +[Footnote 397: In Hakluyts Collection, new edition, II. 376. et seq.] + +[Footnote 398: Purchas his Pilgrims, II. 1670.] + + * * * * * + + +After most humble commendations to you and my mother, and craving your +daily blessing, these are to certify you of my being alive, according to +your will and my duty. I wrote you that I had taken my journey from +Italy to Portugal, which letter I think came to your hands, in which +hope I have the less need to tell you the cause of my departing, which +in one word I may express, by naming _obedience_. I came to Lisbon +towards the end of March, eight days before the departure of the ships, +so late that, if they had not been detained about some important +affairs, they had been gone before our arrival; insomuch that others +were appointed to go in our stead, that the kings intention and ours +might not be frustrated. But on our sudden arrival, these others did not +go, and we went as originally intended. + +The 4th of April, five ships departed for Goa, in which, besides +mariners and soldiers, there were a great number of children, who bear +the sea much better than men, as also do many women. I need not tell +you, as you may easily imagine the solemnity of setting out, with sound +of trumpets and discharges of cannon, as they go forth in a warlike +manner. The 10th of the same month we came in sight of Porto Sancto near +Madeira, where an English ship set upon ours, now entirely alone, and +fired several shots which did us no harm: But when our ship had run out +her largest ordnance, the English ship made away from us. This English +ship was large and handsome, and I was sorry to see her so ill +occupied, as she went roving about the seas, and we met her again at the +Canaries, where we arrived on the 13th of the same month of April, and +had good opportunity to wonder at the high peaked mountain in the island +of Teneriffe, as we beat about between that island and Grand Canary for +four days with contrary winds, and indeed had such evil weather till the +14th of May, that we despaired of being able to double the Cape of Good +Hope that year. Yet, taking our course between Guinea and the Cape de +Verd islands, without seeing any land at all, we arrived at the coast of +Guinea, as the Portuguese call that part of the western coast of Africa +in the torrid zone, from the lat. of 6° N. to the equinoctial; in which +parts they suffer so much by extreme heats and want of wind, that they +think themselves happy when past it. Sometimes the ships stand quite +still and becalmed for many days, and sometimes they go on, but in such +a manner that they had almost as good stand still. The atmosphere on the +greatest part of this coast is never clear, but thick and cloudy, full +of thunder and lightening, and such unwholesome rain, that the water on +standing only a little while is full of animalculae, and by falling on +any meat that is hung out, fills it immediately with worms. + +All along that coast, we oftentimes saw a thing swimming in the water +like a cocks comb but much fairer, which they call a _Guinea ship_[399]. +It is borne up in the water by a substance almost like the swimming +bladder of a fish in size and colour, having many strings from it under +water, which prevent it from being overturned. It is so poisonous, that +one cannot touch it without much danger. On this coast, between the +sixth degree of north latitude and the equator, we spent no less than +thirty days either in calms or contrary winds. The 30th of May we +crossed the line with great difficulty, directing our course as well as +we could to pass the promontory[400], but in all that gulf of Guinea, +and all the rest of the way to the Cape, we found such frequent calms +that the most experienced mariners were much astonished. In places where +there always used to be horrible tempests, we found most invincible +calms, which were very troublesome to our ships, which being of the +greatest size cannot go without good winds; insomuch that when it is +almost an intolerable tempest for other ships, making them furl all +their sails, those large ships display their sails to the wind and sail +excellent well, unless the waves be too furious, which seldom happened +in our voyage. You must understand that, when once past the line, they +cannot go direct for the Cape the nearest way, but, according to the +wind, must hold on as near south as they can till in the latitude of the +Cape, which is 35° 30' S. They then shape their course to the east, and +so get round the Cape. But the wind so served us at 33 degrees, that we +directed our course thence for the Cape. + +[Footnote 399: Otherwise called, by the English sailors, a Portuguese +man-of-war.--E.] + +[Footnote 400: The Cape of Good Hope must be here meant.--E.] + +You know that it is hard to sail from east to west, or the contrary, +because there is no fixed point in all the sky by which they can direct +their course, wherefore I shall tell you what help God hath provided to +direct them. There is not a fowl that appeareth, neither any sign in the +air or in the sea, that have not been written down by those who have +formerly made these voyages; so that partly by their own experience, +judging what space the ship was able to make with such and such a wind, +and partly by the experience of others recorded in the books of +navigations which they have, they guess whereabouts they may be in +regard to longitude, for they are always sure as to latitude. But the +greatest and best direction of all is, to mark the variation of the +needle or mariners compass; which, in the meridian of the island of St +Michael, one of the Azores in the same latitude with Lisbon, points due +north, and thence swerveth so much towards the east, that, between the +foresaid meridian and the extreme south point of Africa, it varieth +three or four of the thirty-two points. Again, having passed a little +beyond the cape called _das Agulias_, or of the Needles, it returneth +again towards the north; and when it hath attained that, it swerveth +again toward the west proportionally, as it did before eastwards. + +In regard to the first mentioned signs from fowls: The nearer we came to +the coast of Africa, the more kinds and greater number of strange fowls +appeared; insomuch that, when we came within not less than thirty +leagues, almost 100 miles, and 600 miles as we thought from any other +land, as good as 3000 fowls of sundry kinds followed our ship; some of +them so great, that, when their wings were opened, they measured seven +spans from point to point of their wings, as the sailors said. It is a +marvellous thing to think how God hath so provided for these fowls in +so vast an expanse of sea, that they are all fat. The Portuguese have +named them all, according to some obvious property. Thus they call some +_rushtails_, because their tails are small and long like a rush, and not +proportionate to their bodies; some _fork-tails_, because their tails +are very broad and forked; others again _velvet-sleeves_, because their +wings are like velvet, and are always bent like a mans elbow. This bird +is always welcome, as it appears nearest the Cape. I should never have +an end, were I to tell you all particulars, but shall touch on a few +that may suffice, if you mark them well, to give cause for glorifying +God in his wonderful works, and in the variety of his creatures. + +To say something of fishes: In all the places of calms, and especially +in the burning zone near the line, there continually waited on our ship +certain fishes, called _tuberones_[401] by the Portuguese, as long as a +man, which came to eat such things as might fall from the ship into the +sea, not even refusing men themselves if they could light upon any, and +if they find any meat hung over into the sea, they seize it. These have +waiting upon them continually six or seven, small fishes, having blue +and green bands round their bodies, like finely dressed serving men. Of +these two or three always swim before the shark, and some on every side, +[whence they are called _pilot fish_, by the English mariners.] They +have likewise other fishes [called _sucking fish_] which always cleave +to their bodies; and seem to feed on such superfluities as grow about +them, and they are said to enter into their bodies to purge them, when +needful. Formerly the mariners used to eat the sharks, but since they +have seen them devour men, their stomachs now abhor them; yet they draw +them up with great hooks, and kill as many of them as they can, thinking +thereby to take a great revenge. There is another kind of fish almost as +large as a herring, which hath wings and flieth, and are very numerous. +These have two enemies, one in the sea and the other in the air. + +[Footnote 401: Evidently sharks, from the account of them.--E.] + +That in the sea is the fish called _albicore_, as large as a salmon, +which follows with great swiftness to take them; on which this poor +fish, which cannot swim fast as it hath no fins, and only swims by the +motion of its tail, having its wings then shut along the sides of its +body, springeth out of the water and flieth, but not very high; on this +the albicore, though he have no wings, giveth a great leap out of the +water, and sometimes catcheth the flying fish, or else keepeth in the +water, going that way as fast as the other flieth. When the flying fish +is weary of the air, or thinketh himself out of danger, he returneth to +the water, where the albicore meeteth him; but sometimes his other +enemy, the sea-crow, catcheth him in the air before he falleth. + +With these and the like sights, but always making our supplications to +God for good weather and the preservation of our ship, we came at length +to the south cape of Africa, the ever famous Cape of Good Hope, so much +desired yet feared of all men: But we there found no tempest, only +immense waves, where our pilot was guilty of an oversight; for, whereas +commonly all navigators do never come within sight of land, but, +contenting themselves with signs and finding the bottom, go their course +safe and sure, he, thinking to have the winds at will, shot nigh the +land; when the wind, changing into the south, with the assistance of the +mountainous waves, rolled us so near the land that we were in less than +14 fathoms, only six miles from _Capo das Agulias_, and there we looked +to be utterly lost. Under us were huge rocks, so sharp and cutting that +no anchor could possibly hold the ship, and the shore was so excessively +bad that nothing could take the land, which besides is full of _tigers_ +and savage people, who put all strangers to death, so that we had no +hope or comfort, but only in God and a good conscience. Yet, after we +had lost our anchors, hoisting up our sails to try to get the ship upon +some safer part of the coast, it pleased God, when no man looked for +help, suddenly to fill our sails with a wind off the land, and so by +good providence we escaped, thanks be to God. The day following, being +in a place where they are always wont to fish, we also fell a fishing, +and caught so many, that they served the whole ships company all that +day and part of the next. One of our lines pulled up a coral of great +size and value; for it is said that in this place, which indeed we saw +by experience, that the corals grow on the rocks at the bottom of the +sea in the manner of stalks, becoming hard and red. + +Our day of peril was the 29th of July. You must understand that, after +passing the Cape of Good Hope, there are two ways to India, one within +the island of Madagascar, or between that and Africa, called the Canal +of Mozambique, which the Portuguese prefer, as they refresh themselves +for a fortnight or a month at Mozambique, not without great need after +being so long at sea, and thence in another month get to Goa. The other +course is on the outside of the island of St Lawrence or Madagascar, +which they take when they set out too late, or come so late to the Cape +as not to have time to stop at Mozambique, and then they go on their +voyage in great heaviness, because in this way they have no port; and, +by reason of the long navigation, and the want of fresh provisions and +water, they fall into sundry diseases. Their gums become sore, and swell +in such a manner that they are fain to cut them away; their legs swell, +and all their bodies become sore, and so benumbed that they cannot move +hand nor foot, and so they die of weakness; while others fall into +fluxes and agues, of which they die. This was the way we were forced to +take; and, although we had above an hundred and fifty sick, there did +not die above seven or eight and twenty, which was esteemed a small loss +in comparison with other times. Though some of our fraternity were +diseased in this sort, thanks be to God I had good health the whole way, +contrary to the expectation of many: May God send me as good health on +the land, if it may be to his glory and service. This way is full of +hidden rocks and quicksands, so that sometimes we dared not sail by +night; but by the goodness of God we saw nothing all the way to hurt us, +neither did we ever find bottom till we came to the coast of India. + +When we had again passed the line to the northward, and were come to the +third degree or somewhat more, we saw crabs swimming that were as red as +if they had been boiled; but this was no sign of land. About the +eleventh degree, and for many days, more than ten thousand fishes +continually followed, or were round about our ship, of which we caught +so many that we eat nothing else for fifteen days, and they served our +turn well; for at this time we had no meat remaining, and hardly any +thing else to eat, our voyage drawing nigh to seven months, which +commonly is performed in five, when they take the inner passage. These +fishes were no sign of land, but rather of deep sea. At length two birds +were caught of the hawk tribe, which gave our people great joy, thinking +they had been birds of India, but we found afterwards that they were +from Arabia; and when we thought we had been near India, we were in the +latitude of Socotoro, an island near the mouth of the Red Sea. Here God +sent us a strong wind from the N.E. or N.N.E. on which they bore away +unwillingly toward the east, and we ran thus for ten days without any +sign of land, by which they perceived their error. Hitherto they had +directed their course always N.E. desiring to increase their latitude; +but partly from the difference of the needle, and most of all because +the currents at that time carried us N.W. we had been drawn into this +other danger, had not God sent us this wind, which at length became more +favourable and restored us to our right course. + +These currents are very dangerous, as they deceive most pilots, and some +are so little curious, contenting themselves with ordinary experience, +that they do not take the trouble of seeking for new expedients when +they swerve, neither by means of the compass nor by any other trial. The +first sign of approaching land was by seeing certain birds, which they +knew to be of India; the second was some sedges and boughs of +palm-trees; the third was snakes swimming at the surface of the water, +and a certain substance which they called _money_, as round and broad as +a groat-piece, and wonderfully printed or stamped by nature, as if it +had been coined money. These two last signs are so certain, that they +always see land next day, if the wind serve; which we did next day, when +all our water, for you know they have no beer in these parts, and +victuals began to fail us. + +We came to Goa the 24th day of October, and were there received in a +most charitable manner. The natives are tawny, but not disfigured in +their lips and noses, like the Moors and Kafrs of Ethiopia. The lower +ranks go for the most part naked, having only a clout or apron before +them of a span long and as much in breadth, with a lace two fingers +breadth, girded about with a string, and nothing more; and thus they +think themselves as well dressed as we, with all our finery. I cannot +now speak of their trees and fruits, or should write another letter as +long as this; neither have I yet seen any tree resembling any of those I +have seen in Europe, except the vine, which here grows to little +purpose, as all their wines are brought from Portugal. The drink used in +this country is water, or wine made from the coco palm-tree. Thus much +must suffice for the present; but if God send me health, I shall have +opportunity to write you once again; but the length of this letter +compelleth me now to take my leave, with my best prayers for your most +prosperous health. From Goa, the 10th November 1579.--Your loving Son, + +THOMAS STEVENS. + + +SECTION II. + +_Journey to India over-land, by Ralph Fitch, Merchant of London, and +others, in 1583_[402]. + + +INTRODUCTION + +We learn from the following journal, that the present expedition was +undertaken at the instigation, and chiefly at the expence of Sir Edward +Osborne, Knight, and Mr Richard Staper, citizens and merchants of +London. Besides Fitch, the author of the narrative, Mr John Newbery, +merchant, William Leedes jeweller, and James Story painter, were engaged +in the expedition. The chief conduct of this commercial enterprize +appears to have been confided to John Newbery; and its object appears to +have been, to extend the trade, which the English merchants seem to have +only recently established through Syria, by Aleppo, Bagdat and Basora, +to Ormus and perhaps to Goa, in imitation of the Italians, so as to +procure the commodities of India as nearly as possible at first hand. In +the prospect of being able to penetrate into India, and even into China, +Newbery was furnished with letters of credence or recommendation, from +Queen Elizabeth to Zelabdim Echebar, stiled king of Cambaia, who +certainly appears to have been Akbar Shah, emperor of the Mogul +conquerors of Hindostan, who reigned from 1556 to 1605; and to the +emperor of China. The promoters of this enterprise, seem to have been +actuated by a more than ordinary spirit of research for those times, by +employing a painter to accompany their commercial agents. It is farther +presumable that the promoters of the expedition, and their agents, +Newbery and Fitch, were members of the Turkey company; and though the +speculation turned out unsuccessful, owing to causes sufficiently +explained in the narrative and its accompanying documents, it is +obviously a prelude to the establishment of the English East India +Company; which, from small beginnings, has risen to a colossal height of +commercial and sovereign grandeur, altogether unexampled in all history. + +[Footnote 402: Hakluyt, II. 382.] + +Hakluyt gives the following descriptive title of this uncommonly curious +and interesting narrative: "The voyage of Mr Ralph Fitch, merchant of +London, by the way of Tripolis in Syria to Ormus, and so to Goa in the +East India, to Cambaia, and all the kingdom, of Zelabdim Echebar the +great Mogor, to the mighty river Ganges, and down to Bengala, to Bacola +and Chonderi, to Pegu, to Imahay in the kingdom of Siam, and back to +Pegu, and from thence to Malacca, Zeilan, Cochin, and all the coast of +the East India; begun in the year of our Lord 1583, and ended in 1591: +wherein the strange rites, manners, and customs of those people, and the +exceeding rich trade and commodities of those countries, are faithfully +set down and diligently described, by the foresaid Mr Ralph Fitch." + +Hakluyt has prefaced this journal, by several letters respecting the +journey, from Mr Newbery, and one from Mr Fitch, and gives by way of +appendix an extract from Linschoten, detailing the imprisonment of the +adventurers at Ormus and Goa, and their escape, which happened while he +was at Goa, where he seems to have materially contributed to their +enlargement from prison. These documents will be found in the sequel to +the narrative of Mr Fitch. + +It must not however be concealed, that the present journal has a very +questionable appearance in regard to its entire authenticity, as it has +obviously borrowed liberally from that of Cesar Frederick, already +inserted in this work, Vol. VII. p. 142-244. It seems therefore highly +probable, that the journal or narrative of Fitch may have fallen into +the hand of some ingenious _book-maker_, who wished to increase its +interest by this unjustifiable art. Under these circumstances, we would +have been led to reject this article from our collection, were not its +general authenticity corroborated by these other documents, and by the +journal of John Eldred, who accompanied Newbery and Fitch to Basora. A +part of the striking coincidence between the journals of Cesar Frederick +and Ralph Fitch might have arisen from their having visited the same +places, and nearly by the same route, only at the distance of 20 years; +Frederick having commenced his journey in 1563, and Newbery and Fitch +theirs in 1588. Some of the resemblances however could only have been +occasioned by plagiarism. + +It is very difficult to conceive how Fitch, after his imprisonment at +Goa, and escape from thence under surety to the Portuguese viceroy, +should have ventured in the sequel to visit the Portuguese settlements +in Ceylon, Cochin, Calicut, Goa even, Chaul, and Ormuz, on his way home +again by Basora, Bagdat, Mosul, &c. to Aleppo and Tripoli. These parts +of his journal, and his excursions to the north of Pegu, certainly have +a suspicious appearance. It is possible that he may have described these +several routes, historically, in his own journal; and that some +book-maker, into whose hands his papers may have fallen, chose to give +these a more interesting appearance, by making Fitch the actor in what +he only described on the authority of others. It is strange that these +circumstances should not have occurred to Hakluyt, as the narrative of +Fitch is inserted in his collection immediately following that of Cesar +Frederick. Yet with these obvious faults, the relation of Fitch is +interesting, as the first direct attempt of the English to open a trade +with India; and so far at least, its authenticity is unquestionable, +being corroborated by other documents that are not liable to the +smallest suspicion.--E. + + * * * * * + +In the year 1583, I Ralph Fitch of London, merchant, being desirous to +see the countries of the Eastern India, went in company with Mr John +Newbery, merchant, who had been once before at Ormus, together with +William Leedes, jeweller, and James Story, painter; being chiefly set +forth by the right worshipful Sir Edward Osburn, knight, and Mr Richard +Staper, citizens and merchants of London. We shipped ourselves in a ship +called the Tiger of London, in which we went to Tripoly in Syria, whence +we went with the caravan to Aleppo in seven days. Finding good company +at Aleppo, we went from thence to Birra [Bir,] which is two days and a +half journey with camels. + +Bir is a small town, but abounding in provisions, near which runs the +river Euphrates. We here purchased a boat, and agreed with a master and +boatmen to carry us to Babylon [Bagdat]. These boats serve only for one +voyage, as the stream is so rapid that they cannot return. They carry +passengers to a town called Felugia [Feluchia], where the boat has to be +sold for very little money, what cost fifty pieces at Bir bringing only +seven or eight at that place. From Bir to Feluchia is a journey of +sixteen days; but it is not good for one boat to go alone, as if it +should chance to break, it would be difficult to save the goods from the +Arabs, who are always robbing thereabouts, and it is necessary to keep +good watch in the night, when the boat is made fast, as the Arabs are +great thieves, and will swim on board to steal your goods, and then flee +away. Against them a musket is a good weapon, as they are much afraid of +fire-arms. Between Bir and Feluchia, there are certain places on the +Euphrates where you have to pay custom, being so many _medins_ for a +_some_ or camels load, together with certain quantities of raisins and +soap, which are for the sons of _Aborise_, who is lord of the Arabs and +of that great desert, and hath some villages on the river. Feluchia, +where the goods coming from Bir are unladed, is a small village, from +whence you go to Bagdat in one day. + +Babylon, or Bagdat, is not a very large town, but is very populous, and +much frequented by strangers, being the centre of intercourse between +Persia, Turkey, and Arabia, caravans going frequently from it to these +and other countries. It is well supplied with provisions, which are +brought from Armenia down the river Tigris, upon rafts made of goat skin +bags blown full of wind, over which boards are laid, on which the goods +are loaded. When these are discharged, the skin bags are opened and +emptied of air, and are then carried back to Armenia on camels to serve +again. Bagdat belonged formerly to Persia, but is now subject to the +Turks. Over against Bagdat, on the other side of the Tigris, is a very +fair village, to which there is a passage across from Bagdat by a long +bridge of boats, connected by a vast iron chain made fast at each side +of the river. When any boats have to pass up or down the river, a +passage is made for them by removing some of the boats of this bridge. + +The Tower of Babel is on this side of the Tigris towards Arabia, about +seven or eight miles from Bagdat, being now ruined on all sides, and +with the ruins thereof hath made a little mountain, so that no shape or +form of a tower remains. It was built of bricks dried in the sun, having +canes and leaves of the palm-tree laid between the courses of bricks. It +stands in a great plain between the Tigris and Euphrates, and no +entrance can be any where seen for going into it. + +Near the river Euphrates, two days journey from Bagdat, in a field near +a place called _Ait_, there is a hole in the ground which continually +throws out boiling pitch accompanied by a filthy smoke, the pitch +flowing into a great field which is always full of it. The _Moors_ call +this opening the mouth of hell; and on account of the great abundance +of the pitch, the people of the country daub all their boats two or +three inches thick with it on the outside, so that no water can enter +them. These boats are called _danec_. When there is plenty of water in +the Tigris, the boats may go down from Bagdat to Basora in eight or nine +days; but when the water is low it requires a longer time. + +In times past, Basora belonged to the Arabs, but is now subject to the +Turks. Yet there are some Arabs that the Turks cannot subdue, as they +occupy certain islands in the great river Euphrates, which the Turks +have never been able to conquer. These Arabs are all thieves, and have +no settled dwelling, but remove from place to place with their camels, +horses, goats, wives, children, and household goods. They wear large +blue gowns; their wives having their ears and noses full of copper and +silver rings, and wear copper rings on their legs. Basora is near the +head of the gulf of Persia, and drives a great trade in spiceries and +drugs, which come from Ormus. The country round produces abundance of +white rice and dates, with which they supply Bagdat and all the country, +sending likewise to Ormus and India. I went from Basora to Ormus, down +the gulf of Persia, in a ship made of boards sewed together with +_cayro_, which is a thread made of the husks of coco-nuts, and having +certain canes, or leaves, or straw, sewed upon the seams between the +boards, so that these vessels leak very much. Having Persia on our left +hand, and Arabia on our right, we passed many islands, and among others +the famous isle of Baharin, or Bahrain, from which come the best and +roundest orient pearls. + +Ormus is an island about 25 or 30 miles in circuit, which is perhaps the +most arid and barren island in the world, as it produces nothing but +salt, all its water, wood, provisions, and every other necessary, coming +from Persia, which is about 12 miles distant; but all the other islands +thereabout are very fertile, and from them provisions are sent to Ormus. +The Portuguese have here a castle near the sea, with a captain and a +competent garrison, part of which dwell in the castle and part In the +town; in which likewise dwell merchants from all nations, together with +many Moors and Gentiles. This place has a great trade in spices, drugs, +silk, cloth of silk, fine tapestry of Persia, great store of pearls from +Bahrain, which are the best of all pearls, and many horses from Persia +which supply all India. Their king is a Moor, or Mahomedan, who is +chosen by the Portuguese, and is entirely under subjection to them. +Their women are very strangely attired, wearing many rings set with +jewels on their ears, noses, necks, arms, and legs, and locks of gold +and silver in their ears, and a long bar of gold upon the sides of their +noses. The holes in their ears are worn so wide with the weight of their +jewels, that one may thrust three fingers into them. + +Very shortly after our arrival at Ormus we were put into prison, by +order of Don Mathias de Albuquerque, the governor of the castle, and had +part of our goods taken from us; and on the 11th October, he shipped us +from thence, sending us to the viceroy at Goa, who at that time was Don +Francisco de Mascarenhas. The ship in which we were embarked belonged to +the captain, who carried in it 124 horses for sale. All goods carried to +Goa in a ship wherein there are horses pay no duties; but if there are +no horses, you then pay eight in the hundred for your goods. The first +city of India at which we arrived on the 5th November, after passing the +coast of _Zindi_, [Sindi] was named Diu, which stands in an island on +the coast of the kingdom of Cambaia, or Gujrat, and is the strongest +town belonging to the Portuguese in those parts. It is but small, yet +abounds in merchandise, as they here load many ships with different +kinds of goods for the straits of Mecca or the Red Sea, Ormus, and other +places; these ships belong both to Christians and Moors, but the latter +are not permitted to pass unless they have a Portuguese licence. +Cambaietta, or Cambay, is the chief city of that province, being great +and populous and well built for a city of the gentiles. When there +happens a famine the natives sell their children for a low price. The +last king of Cambaia was sultan Badur, who was slain at the siege of +Diu, and shortly after the capital city was reduced by the great +_Mogor_, [Mogul] who is king of Agra and Delhi, forty days journey from +thence. Here the women wear upon their arms, a vast number of ivory +rings, in which they take so much pride that they would rather go +without their meat than want their bracelets. + +Going from Diu, we came to _Damaun_, the second town of the Portuguese +in the country of Cambaia, forty leagues from Diu. This place, which has +no trade but in corn and rice, has many villages under its jurisdiction, +which the Portuguese possess quietly during peace, but in time of war +they are all occupied by the enemy. From Damaun we passed to _Basaim_, +[Baseen] and from thence to _Tanna_ in the island of Salsette, at both +which places the only trade is in rice and corn. The 10th November we +arrived at _Chaul_ on the firm land, at which place there are two towns, +one belonging to the Portuguese and the other to the Moors. That of the +Portuguese is nearest the sea, commanding the bay, and is walled round; +and a little above it is the Moors town, subject to a king called +_Xa-Maluco_. At this place is a great trade for all Kinds of spices, +drugs, silk, raw and manufactured, sandal-wood, elephants teeth, much +China work, and a great deal of sugar made from the nut called _gagara_, +[coco]. The tree on which it grows is called the _palmer_, and is the +most profitable tree in the world. It always bears fruit, and yields +wine, oil, sugar, vinegar, cordage, coals, or fuel; of the leaves are +made thatch for houses, sails for ships, and mats to sit or lie on; of +the branches are made houses, and brooms wherewith they sweep them; of +the wood ships. The wine issues from the top of the tree, and is +procured thus: They cut a branch, binding it hard, and hang an earthen +pot under the cut end, which they empty every evening and morning; and +still[403] the juice, putting raisins into it, by which it becometh +strong wine in a short time. Many ships come here from all parts of +India, and from Ormus and Mecca, so that there are many Moors and +Gentiles at this place. The natives have a strange superstition, +worshipping a cow, and having cows dung in great veneration, insomuch +that they paint or daub the walls of their houses with it. They kill no +animal whatever, not so much as a louse, holding it a crime to take away +life. They eat no flesh, living entirely on roots, rice, and milk. When +a man dies, his living wife is burnt along with his body, if she be +alive; and if she will not, her head is shaven, and she is ever after +held in low esteem. They consider it a great sin to bury dead bodies, as +they would engender many worms and other vermin, and when the bodies +were consumed these worms would lack sustenance; wherefore they burn +their dead. In all Guzerat they kill nothing; and in the town of Cambay +they have hospitals for lame dogs and cats, and for birds, and they even +provide food for the ants. + +[Footnote 403: I am apt to suspect the word _still_ here used, is only +meant to imply fermentation, not distillation--E.] + +Goa is the chief city of the Portuguese in India, in which their viceroy +resides and holds his court. It stands in an island about 25 or 30 miles +in circumference, being a fine city and very handsome for an Indian +town. The island is fertile and full of gardens and orchards, with many +palmer trees, and several villages. Here are many merchants of all +nations. The fleet which sails every year from Portugal, consisting of +four, five, or six great ships, comes first here, arriving mostly in +September, and remaining there forty or fifty days. It then goes to +Cochin, where the ships take in pepper for Portugal. Often one ship +loads entirely at Goa, and the rest go to Cochin, which is 100 leagues +to the south. Goa stands in the country of Adel Khan, which is six or +seven days journey inland, the chief city being Bisapor. [Bejapoor.] + +On our arrival in Goa we were thrown into prison, and examined before +the justice, who demanded us to produce letters, [of licence?] and +charged us with being spies; but they could prove nothing against us. We +continued in prison till the 22d December, when we were set at liberty, +putting in surety for 2000 ducats not to depart from the town. Our +surety was one Andreas Taborer, who was procured for us by father +Stevens, an English Jesuit whom we found there, and another religious +man, a friend of his. We paid 2150 ducats into the hands of Andreas +Taborer, our surety, who still demanded more; on which we petitioned the +viceroy and justice to order us our money again, seeing they had it near +five months, and could prove nothing against us. But the viceroy gave us +a sharp answer, saying, we should be better sifted ere long, and that +they had other matter against us. Upon this we determined to attempt +recovering our liberty, rather than run the risk of remaining as slaves +for ever in the country, and besides it was said we were to have the +_strapado_. Wherefore, on the 5th of April 1585 in the morning, we +removed secretly from Goa; and getting across the river, we travelled +two days on foot in great fear, not knowing the way, as having no guide, +and not daring to trust any one. + +One of the first towns we came to is called _Bellergan?_ where there is +a great market of diamonds, rubies, sapphires, and many other precious +stones. From thence we went to _Bejapoor_, a very large city, where the +king keeps his court, in which there are many Gentiles, who are gross +idolaters, having their idols standing in the woods, which they call +pagodas. Some of these are like a cow, some like a monkey, some like a +buffalo, others resemble a peacock, and others like the devil. In this +country are many elephants, which they employ in their wars. They have +great abundance of gold and silver, and their houses are lofty and well +built. From thence we went to _Galconda_, the king of which is called +_Cutub de lashach_. In this country, in the kingdom of Adel Khan, and in +the Decan, those diamonds are found which are called of the _old water_. +Golconda is a pleasant fair town, having good and handsome houses of +brick and timber, and it abounds with excellent fruits and good water. +It is here very hot, and both men and women go about with only a cloth +bound about their middles, without any other clothing. The winter begins +here about the last of May. + +About eight days journey from thence is a sea port called Masulipatan, +toward the gulf of Bengal, to which many ships come out of India, Pegu, +and Sumatra, richly laden with spiceries, pepper, and other commodities. +The country is very fruitful. From thence I went to _Servidone?_ which +is a fine country, its king being called the _king of bread_. The houses +here are all built of loam and thatched. The country contains many Moors +and Gentiles, but there is not much religion among them. From thence I +went to _Bellapore_, and so to _Barrampore_, which is in the country of +_Zelabdim Echebar_ the great _Mogor_. In this place their money is of +silver, round and thick, to the value of twenty-pence. It is a great and +populous country; and in their winter, which is in June, July, and +August, there is no passing the streets except on horseback, the waters +are so high. In this country they make great quantities of cotton cloth, +both white and painted, and the land produces great abundance of corn +and rice. In the towns and villages through which we passed, we found +many marriages celebrated between boys of eight or ten years old, and +girls of five or six. These youthful couples did ride both on one horse, +very bravely dressed, and were carried about the streets with great +piping and playing, after which they returned home and banqueted on rice +and fruits, dancing most of the night, and so ended the marriage, which +is not consumated till the bride be ten years old. We were told they +married their children thus young, because when a man dies his wife is +burnt along with him; and by this device they secure a father-in-law, in +case of the fathers death, to assist in bringing up the children that +are thus early married, thus taking care not to leave their sons without +wives, or their daughters without husbands. + +From thence we went to _Mandoway?_ a very strong town, which was +besieged for twelve years by Echebar before he could reduce it. It +stands on a very great high rock, as do most of their castles, and is of +very great circuit. From thence we went to _Vgini?_ and _Serringe?_ +where we overtook the ambassador of Zelabdim Echebar, attended by a +prodigious retinue of men, elephants, and camels. In this district there +is a great trade carried on in cotton, and cloths made of cotton, and +great store of drugs. From thence we went to Agra, passing many rivers +which were much swollen by the rains, so that in crossing them we had +often to swim for our lives[404]. + +[Footnote 404: In this route from Masulipatan to Agra, there are several +places of which the names are so disfigured as to be unintelligible. +Barrampore and Mandoway, are probably Burhampore and Candwah in the +northern part of Candeish; Vgini and Serringe, may he Ougein and Seronge +in Malwa.--E.] + +Agra is a very great and populous city built of stone, having large and +handsome streets, upon a fine river which falls into the gulf of Bengal, +and has a strong and handsome castle with a broad and deep ditch. It is +inhabited by many Moors and Gentiles, the king being Zelabdim Echebar, +called for the most part the great _Mogor_. From thence we went to +_Fatepore_, where the king ordinarily resides and holds his court, which +is called _Derican_. This town is larger than Agra, but the streets and +houses are by no means so good, but it is inhabited by a vast multitude +of people, both Moors and Gentiles. In Agra and Fatepoor, the king is +said to have 1000 elephants, 30,000 horses, 1400 tame deer, 800 +concubines, and such numbers of ounces, tigers, buffaloes, game-cocks, +and hawks as is quite incredible. Agra and Fatepoor are two great +cities, either of them larger than London, and very populous, at the +distance of 12 miles from each other[405]. The whole road between these +places is one continued market of provisions and other articles, and is +constantly as full of people as a street or market in a great and +populous town. These people have many fine carts, many of which are +richly carved and gilt, having two wheels, and are drawn by two little +bulls, not much larger than our biggest English dogs, which run with +these carts as fast as any horse, carrying two or three men in each +cart: They are covered with silk or fine cloth, and are used like our +coaches in England. There is a great resort of merchants to this place +from Persia and all parts of India, and vast quantities of merchandise, +such as silks, cloths, and precious stones, diamonds, rubies, and +pearls. The king is dressed in a white _cabie_ made like a shirt, and +tied with strings on one side, having a small cloth on his head, often +coloured red and yellow. None enter into his apartments, except the +eunuchs who have charge of his women. + +[Footnote 405: Futtipoor, certainly here meant, is now a place of small +importance about 20 miles west from Agra.--E.] + +We remained in Fatepore till the 28th of September 1585, when Mr John +Newbery took his journey towards Lahore, intending to go from thence +through Persia to Aleppo or Constantinople, whichever he could get the +readiest passage to; and he directed me to proceed to Bengal and Pegu, +promising me, if it pleased God, to meet me at Bengal within two years +with a ship from England[406]. I left William Leades the jeweller at +Fatepore, in the service of the king Zelabdim Achebar, who gave him good +entertainment, giving a house and five slaves, with a horse, and six +S.S. in money daily. I went from Agra to _Satagam_ in Bengal, in company +with 180 boats loaded with _salt_, opium, _hinge_, lead, carpets, and +various other commodities, down the river _Jemena_, [Jumna]; the chief +merchants being Moors. + +[Footnote 406: In Purchas his Pilgrims, I. 110, is the following notice +respecting Mr Newberry: "Before that," meaning his journey along with +Fitch, "he had travelled to Ormus in 1580, and thence into the +Continent, as may appear in fitter place by his journal, which I have, +passing through the countries of Persia, Media, Armenia, Georgia, and +Natolia, to Constantinople; and thence to the Danube, through Walachia, +Poland, Prussia, and Denmark, and thence to England."] + +In this country they have many strange ceremonies. The bramins, who are +their priests, come to the water having a string about their necks, and +with many ceremonies lave the water with both their hands, turning the +string with both their hands in several manners; and though it be never +so cold, they wash themselves regularly at all times. These gentiles eat +no flesh, neither do they kill any thing, but live on rice, butter, +milk, and fruits. They pray in the water naked; and both dress and eat +their food naked. For penance, they lie flat on the earth, then rise up +and turn themselves round 30 or 40 times, lifting their hands to the +sun, and kiss the earth with their arms and legs stretched out; every +time they lie down making a score on the ground with their fingers, that +they may know when the prescribed number of prostrations is finished. +Every morning the Bramins mark their foreheads, ears, and throats, with +a kind of yellow paint or earth; having some old men among them, who go +about with a box of yellow powder, marking them on the head and neck as +they meet them. Their women come in troops of 10, 20, and 30 together to +the water side singing, where they wash themselves and go through their +ceremonies, and then mark themselves, and so depart singing. Their +daughters are married at ten years of age, and the men may have seven +wives each. They are a crafty people, worse than the Jews. When they +salute one another, they say, _Rame_, _rame_. + +From Agra I came to _Prage_[407], where the river Jumna enters into the +mighty Ganges, and there loses its name. The Ganges comes out of the +north-west, and runs east to discharge its waters into the gulf of +Bengal. In these parts there are many tigers, and vast quantities of +partridges and turtle-doves, besides many other kinds of birds. There +are multitudes of beggars in these countries, called _Schesche_, which +go entirely naked. I here saw one who was a monster among the rest. He +had no clothes whatever, his beard being very long, and the hair of his +head was so long and plentiful, that it covered his nakedness. The nails +on some of his fingers were two inches long, as he would cut nothing +from him; and besides he never spake, being constantly accompanied by +eight or ten others, who spoke for him. If any one spoke to him, he laid +his hand on his breast and bowed, but without speaking, for he would not +have spoken to the king. + +[Footnote 407: At the angle of junction between the rivers Jumna and +Ganges, the city of Allahabad is now situated.--E.] + +We went from _Prage_ down the Ganges, which is here very broad, and +abounds in various wild-fowl, as swans, geese, cranes, and many others, +the country on both sides being very fertile and populous. For the most +part the men have their faces shaven, but wear the hair of their heads +very long; though some have their crowns shaved, and others have all +their heads shaven except the crown. The water of the river Ganges is +very sweet and pleasant, having many islands, and the adjoining country +is very fertile. We stopt at _Bannaras_, [Benares], a large town in +which great quantities of cotton-cloths are made, and sashes for the +moors. In this place all the inhabitants are gentiles, and the grossest +idolaters I ever saw. To this town the gentiles come on pilgrimages out +of far distant countries. Along the side of the river there are many +fair houses, in all or most of which they have ill favoured images made +of stone or wood; some like lions, leopards, or monkeys; some like men +and women; others like peacocks; and others like the devil, having four +arms and four hands. These all sit cross-legged, some with one thing in +their hands, and others with other things; and by break of day or +before, numbers of men and women come out of the town to these places, +and wash in the Ganges. On mounds of earth made for the purpose, there +are divers old men who sit praying, and who give the people three or +four straws, which they hold between their fingers when they bathe in +the Ganges; and some sit to mark them in the forehead: And the devotees +have each a cloth with a small quantity of rice, barley, or money, which +they give to these old men when they have washed. They then go to one or +other of the idols, where they present their sacrifices. When they have +finished their washings oblations and charities, the old men say certain +prayers by which they are all sanctified. + +In divers places there stand a kind of images, called _Ada_ in their +language, having four hands with claws; and they have sundry carved +stones on which they pour water, and lay thereon some rice, wheat, +barley and other things. Likewise they have a great place built of +stone, like a well, with steps to go down, in which the water is very +foul and stinking, through the great quantity of flowers which are +continually thrown into the water: Yet there are always many people in +that water, for they say that it purifies them from their sins, because, +as they allege, God washed himself in that place. They even gather up +the sand or mud from the bottom, which they esteem holy. They never pray +but in the water, in which they wash themselves over head, laving up the +water in both hands, and turning themselves about, they drink a little +of the water three times, and then go to the idols which stand in the +houses already mentioned. Some take of the water, with which they wash a +place of their own length, and then lie down stretched out, rising and +lying down, and kissing the ground twenty or thirty times, yet keeping +their right foot all the time in the same place. Some make their +ceremonies with fifteen or sixteen pots, little and great, ringing a +little bell when they make their mixtures, ten or twelve times. They +make a circle of water round about their pots and pray, divers sitting +by them, and one in particular who reaches the pots to them; and they +say certain words many times over the pots, and when they have done, +they go to their idols, before which they strew their sacrifices, which +they think very holy, and mark many of those who sit by in the +foreheads, which they esteem highly. There sometimes come fifty or even +an hundred together, to wash at this well, and to sacrifice to these +idols. + +In some of these idol houses, there are people who stand by them in warm +weather, fanning them as if to cool them; and when they see any company +coming, they ring a little bell which hangs beside them, when many give +them alms, particularly those who come out of the country. Many of these +idols are black and have brazen claws very long, and some ride upon +peacocks, or on very ill-favoured fowls, having long hawks bills, some +like one thing and some like another, but none have good faces. Among +the rest, there is one held in great veneration, as they allege be gives +them all things, both food and raiment, and one always sits beside this +idol with a fan, as if to cool him. Here some are burned to ashes, and +some only scorched in the fire and thrown into the river, where the dogs +and foxes come presently and eat them. Here the wives are burned along +with the bodies of their deceased husbands, and if they will not, their +heads are shaven and they are not afterwards esteemed. + +The people go all naked, except a small cloth about their middles. The +women have their necks, arms, and ears decorated with rings of silver, +copper, and tin, and with round hoops of ivory, adorned with amber +stones and many agates, and have their foreheads marked with a great red +spot, whence a stroke of red goes up the crown, and one to each side. In +their winter, which is in May, the men wear quilted gowns of cotton, +like to our counterpanes, and quilted caps like our grocers large +mortars, with a slit to look out at, tied beneath their ears. When a man +or woman is sick and like to die, they are laid all night before the +idols, either to help their sickness or make an end of them. If they do +not mend that night, the friends come and sit up with them, and cry for +some time, after which they take them to the side of the river, laying +them on a raft of reeds, and so let them float down the river. + +When they are married the man and woman come to the water side, where +there is an old bramin or priest, a cow and calf, or a cow with calf. +Then the man and woman, together with the cow and calf, go into the +river, giving the old bramin a piece of cloth four yards long, and a +basket cross bound, in which are sundry things. The bramin lays the +cloth on the back of the cow, after which he takes hold of the end of +the cows tail, and says certain words. The woman has a brass or copper +pot full of water; the man takes hold of the bramin with one hand, and +the woman with the other, all having hold of the cow by the tail, on +which they pour water from the pot, so that it runs on all their hands. +They then lave up water with their hands, and the bramin ties the man +and woman together by their clothes[408]. When this is done, they go +round about the cow and calf, and then give some alms to the poor, who +are always present, and to the bramin or priest they give the cow and +calf, after which they go to several of the idols, where they offer +money, lying down flat on the ground before the idol, and kissing the +earth several times, after which they go away. Their chief idols are +black and very ugly, with monstrous mouths, having their ears gilded and +full of jewels, their teeth and eyes of gold, silver, or glass, and +carrying sundry things in their hands. You may not enter into the houses +where they stand with your shoes on. In these houses there are lamps +continually burning before the idols. + +[Footnote 408: This tying of new married folks together by the clothes, +was used by the Mexicans in old times.--_Hakluyt_.] + +From Benares I went down the Ganges to _Patenaw_, [Patna] passing many +fair towns and a very fertile country, in which way many great rivers +enter the Ganges, some as large as itself, by which it becomes so broad +that in time of the rains you cannot see across. The scorched bodies +which are thrown into the water swim on the surface, the men with their +faces down, and the women with theirs up. I thought they had tied some +weight to their bodies for this purpose, but was told no such thing was +done. There are many thieves in this country, who roam up and down like +the Arabs, having no fixed abode. Here the women are so decked with +silver and copper that it is strange to see them, and they wear so many +rings on their toes that they cannot use shoes. Here at Patna they find +gold in this manner: They dig deep pits in the earth, and wash the earth +in large holes, and in these they find gold, building the pits round +about with bricks, to prevent the earth from falling in. + +Patna is a long and large town, being formerly a separate kingdom, but +is now under subjection to the great Mogor. The men are tall and +slender, and have many old people among them. The houses are very +simple, being made of earth and covered with straw, and the streets are +very large. There is here a great trade in cotton and cotton cloth, +likewise great quantities of sugar, which is carried to Bengal and +India, much opium, and other commodities. He that is chief here under +the king is called _Tipperdas_, and is held in much estimation by the +people. Here in Patna I saw a dissembling prophet, who sat on a horse in +the market-place, making as if he were asleep, and many of the people +came and touched his feet with their hands, which they then kissed. They +took him for a great man, but in my opinion he was only a lazy lubber, +whom I left sleeping there. The people of these countries are much given +to these dissembling hypocrites. + +From Patna I went to _Tanda_ in the land of _Gouren_[409], which is in +the country of Bengal. This is a place of great trade in cotton and +cotton cloth, formerly a kingdom, but now subject to the great Mogor. +The people are great idolaters, going naked with only a cloth about +their middles, and the country hath many tigers, wild buffaloes, and +wild fowl. _Tanda_ is about a league from the river Ganges, as in times +past the river flowed over its banks in the rainy season, and drowned a +considerable extent of country with many villages, and so it yet +remains, and the old bed of the river still remains dry, by which means +the city now stands at a distance from the water. From Agra I was five +months coming down the Jumna and the Ganges to Bengal, but it may be +sailed in much shorter time. + +[Footnote 409: In our modern maps Tanda and the country or district of +Gouren are not to be found; but the ruins of _Gour_, which may have some +reference to Gouren, are laid down in lat. 24° 52' N. long. 88° 5' E. +about seven miles from the main stream of the great Ganges, and ten +miles south from the town of Maida.--E.] + +I went from Bengal into the country of _Couche_[410], which is 25 days +journey north from Tanda. The king is a Gentile, named _Suckel Counse_. +His country is very extensive, and reaches to within no great distance +of Cauchin China, whence they are said to procure pepper. The port is +called _Cacchegate_. All the country is set with bamboos or canes made +sharp at both ends, and driven into the earth, and they can let in the +water and drown the country above knee-deep, so that neither men nor +horses can pass; and in case of any wars, they poison all the waters. +The people are all Gentiles, who kill nothing, having their ears +marvellously great and a span long, which they draw out by various +devices when young. They have much silk and musk, and cloth made of +cotton. They have hospitals for sheep, goats, dogs, cats, birds, and all +kinds of living creatures, which they keep when old and lame until they +die. If a man bring any living creature into this country, they will +give money for it or other victuals, and either let it go at large or +keep it in their hospitals. They even give food to the ants. Their small +money is almonds[411], which they often eat. + +[Footnote 410: This seemeth to be Quicheu, accounted by some among the +provinces of China.--_Hakluyt_. + +The name of this country is so excessively corrupt, and the description +of the route so vague, that nothing can be made out of the text at this +place with any certainty. It is merely possible that he may have gone +into Bootan, which is to the north of Bengal.--E.] + +[Footnote 411: In Mexico they likewise use the cacao fruit, or chocolate +nut, for small money, which are not unlike almonds.--_Hakluyt_.] + +From thence I returned to _Hugeli_, [Hoogly in Bengal] which is the +place where the Portuguese have their residence in Bengal, being in lat. +23° N[412]. About a league from it is _Satagan_[413], called by the +Portuguese _Porto Piqueno_, or the little port. We went through the +wilderness, because the right way was infested by robbers. In passing +through the country of Gouren we found few villages, being almost all +wilderness, in which were many buffaloes, wild swine, and deer, with +many tigers, the grass being everywhere as tall as a man. Not far from +Porto Piqueno, to the south-westwards, and in the country of _Orixa_, is +a sea-port called _Angeli_[414]. It was formerly a separate kingdom, the +king being a great friend to strangers; but was afterwards taken by the +king of Patna, who did not enjoy it long, being himself conquered by the +king of Delhi, Agra, and Cambaia, Zelabdim Echebar. Orissa is six days +journey south-westwards from _Satagan_. In this place there is much, +rice, and cloth made of cotton; likewise great store of cloth made of +grass, which they call _Yerva_, resembling silk, of which they make +excellent cloth, which is sent to India and other places[415]. To this +haven of _Ingelly_ there come many ships every year out of India, +Negapatnam, Sumatra, Malacca, and many other places, and load from hence +great quantities of rice, much cotton cloths, sugar and long pepper, and +great store of butter and other provisions for India[416]. Satagan is a +very fair city for one belonging to the Moors, and is very plentiful in +all things. In Bengal they have every day a great market or fair, called +_chandeau_, in one place or other, and they have many boats called +_pericose_, with which they go from place to place to buy rice and many +other things. These boats are rowed by 24 or 26 oars, and are of great +burden, but are quite open. The gentiles hold the water of the Ganges in +great reverence; for even if they have good water close at hand, they +will send for water from the Ganges at a great distance. If they have +not enough of it to drink, they will sprinkle a little of it upon +themselves, thinking it very salutary. + +[Footnote 412: More accurately 22° 55' 20" N. and long. 88° 28' E. Hoogly +stands on the western branch of the Ganges, called the Hoogly river, +about twenty miles direct north from Calcutta.--E.] + +[Footnote 413: We thus are enabled to discover nearly the situation of +Satagan or Satigan, to have been on the Hoogly river, probably where +Chinsura now stands, or it may have been Chandernagor.--E.] + +[Footnote 414: Injelly, at the mouth of a small river which falls into +the Hoogly, very near its discharge into the bay of Bengal. Injelly is +not now considered as in Orissa, but in the district of Hoogly belonging +to Bengal, above forty miles from the frontiers--E.] + +[Footnote 415: A similar cloth may be made of the long grass which grows +in Virginia.--_Hakluyt_.] + +[Footnote 416: India seems always here limited to the Malabar +coast.--E.] + +From Satagan I travelled by the country of the King of Tippara, or +_Porto Grande_[417]. The _Mogores_ or _Mogen_ [Moguls] have almost +continual wars with Tiperah; the Mogen of the kingdom of _Recon_ and +_Rame_, are stronger than the King of Tiperah, so that Cittigong or +Porto Grande is often under the dominion of the king of _Recon_[418]. +There is a country four days journey from _Couche_ called +_Bottanter_[419], the principal city of which is _Bottia_, and the king +is called _Dermain_. The people are tall, strong, and very swift. Many +merchants come here out of China, and it is said even from Muscovy and +Tartary, to purchase musk, _cambals_, agates, silk, pepper, and saffron, +like the saffron of Persia[420]. This country is very great, being not +less than three months journey in extent, and contains many high +mountains, one of them so steep and high that it may be perfectly seen +at the distance of six days journey[421]. There are people on these +mountains having ears a span long, and they call such as have not long +ears asses. They say that from these mountains _they see ships sailing +on the sea_, but know not whence they come nor whither they go. There +are merchants who come out of the east from under the sun, which is from +China, having no beards, who say their country is warm; but others come +from the north, on the other side of the mountains, where it is very +cold. These merchants from the north are apparelled in woollen cloth and +hats, with close white hose or breeches and boots, who come from Muscovy +or Tartary. These report that they have excellent horses in their +country, but very small; some individuals possessing four, five, or six +hundred horses and cattle. These people live mostly on milk and flesh. +They cut off the tails of their cows, and sell them very dear, as they +are in high request in those parts. The rump is only a span long, but +the hair is a yard in length. These tails are used for show, to hang +upon the heads of elephants, and are much sought after in Pegu and +China. + +[Footnote 417: Perhaps this ought to have been, by the country of Tipera +_to_ Porto Grande. Porto Grande, formerly called Chittigong, is now +called Islamabad, and is in the district of Chittigong, the most +easterly belonging to Bengal.--E.] + +[Footnote 418: Aracan is certainly here meant by _Recon_; of _Rame_ +nothing can be made, unless Brama, or Birmah be meant.--E.] + +[Footnote 419: _Bottanter_ almost certainly means Bootan. Of _Bottia_ we +know nothing, but it is probably meant to indicate the capital. +_Dermain_ may possibly be some corruption of _Deb raja_, the title of +the sovereign. It is obvious from this passage, that _Couche_ must have +been to the south of Bootan, and was perhaps Coch-beyhar, a town and +district in the north-east of Bengal, near the Bootan frontier.--E.] + +[Footnote 420: The saffon of Persia of the text may perhaps mean +_turmeric_. The cambals may possibly mean camblets.--E.] + +[Footnote 421: These seem to be the mountains of Imaus, called Cumao by +the natives.--_Hakluyt_. + +The Himmaleh mountains, dividing Bootan from Thibet, said to be visible +from the plains of Bengal at the distance of 150 miles.--E.] + +From Chittigong in Bengal, I went to _Bacola_[422], the king of which +country is a Gentile of an excellent disposition, who is particularly +fond of shooting with a gun. His country is large and fertile, having +great abundance of rice, and manufactures much silk, and cloths of +cotton. The houses of this city are good and well built, with large +streets. The people go naked, except a cloth round their waists, and the +women wear many silver hoops about their necks and arms, and rings of +silver, copper, and ivory about their legs. From thence I went to +_Serrepore_ upon the Ganges, the king or rajah of which is called +Chondery. They are all hereabouts in rebellion against the great Mogul, +for there are so many rivers and islands that they escape from one to +another, so that his horsemen cannot prevail against them. Great store +of cotton cloth is made here. _Sinnergan_ is a town six leagues from +_Serrepore_, where the best and finest cotton cloth of all the east is +made[423]. The chief king of all those countries is called Isa-khan, +being supreme over all the other kings or rajahs, and is a great friend +to the Christians. Here, as in most parts of India, the houses are very +small and covered with straw, having a few mats hung round the walls and +over the door-way, to keep out tigers and foxes. They live on rice, +milk, and fruits, eating no flesh and killing no animals; and though +many of them are very rich, their sole article of dress is a small cloth +before them. From hence they send great quantities of cotton cloths and +much rice, all over India, Pegu, Malacca, Sumatra, and other places. + +[Footnote 422: Perhaps Pucouloe, a place of some size near Davas between +the Ganges and Burhampooter rivers.--E.] + +[Footnote 423: Serampoor on the Hoogly river agrees at least in sound +with the Serrepore of the text; but, from the context, I rather suspect +Serrepore to have stood among the numerous islands of the great eastern +Ganges, in the province of Dava, and near the junction of the Ganges and +Burhampooter or Megna rivers. Of Sinnergan I can make nothing, only that +it must have stood in the same district.--E.] + +I went from Serrepore the 28th of November 1586 for Pegu, in a small +ship or foist, commanded by one Albert Caravallos, and sailing down the +Ganges, we passed by the island of Sundiva, Porto grande, or Chittigong, +in the country of Tiperah, and the kingdom of Recon and Mogen[424], +leaving all on our left hand, our course being south by east, with the +wind at north-west, which brought us to the bar of Negrais in Pegu. Had +we met with a foul wind, we must have thrown many things overboard, for +we were so lumbered with people and goods, even on the deck, that there +was scarce a place to sit down upon. From Bengal to Pegu is 90 leagues. +We entered the bar of Negrais, [at the mouth of the western branch of +the river of Ava], which is an excellent bar, having four fathoms water +where shallowest. Three days afterwards we came to Cosmin, a very pretty +town, pleasantly situated and abounding in all things. The people are +tall and well disposed; the women white, round faced, and having small +eyes. The houses are high built, set upon great high posts, and they go +up to them by means of ladders for fear of the tigers, which are very +numerous. The country is very fertile, abounding in great figs, oranges, +coconuts, and other fruits. The land is very high on the sea coast, but +after getting within the bar, it is very low and much intersected with +rivers, so that they go everywhere in boats, which they call _paraos_, +in which many of them dwell with their wives and children. + +[Footnote 424: Recon has already been supposed to be Aracan, which is +now quite obvious; but in what manner Mogen may refer to Ava, the next +country to the south, does not appear.--E.] + +From the bar of Negrais to the city of Pegu, is ten days journey by the +rivers. We went from _Cosmin_ to Pegu in paraos or boats, and passing up +the river we came to _Medon_, a very pretty town, having a wonderful +number of paraos, for they dwell in them, and hold markets on the water. +In rowing up and down with their commodities in these boats, they have a +great _sombrero_ or umbrella over their heads, to defend them from the +sun, as broad and round as a great cart wheel, made of the leaves of the +coco or the fig tree, which are very light. From Medon we went to Dela, +where there are 18 or 20 great long houses, where they tame and keep +many elephants belonging to the king, as elephants are caught in the +wilderness near this place. From Dela we went to _Cirian_, [Siriam] a +good town having an excellent sea-port, to which come many ships from +Mecca, Malacca, Sumatra, and other places; and there the ships discharge +their cargoes, and send up their goods in paraos to Pegu. From Siriam we +went to _Macao_, a pretty town, where we left the boats, and in the +morning taking _delingeges_, which are a kind of couches made of cords +and quilted cloth, carried on a _stang_, or long pole, by three or four +men, we came to Pegu the same day. + +Pegu is a great strong and fair city, having walls of stone and great +ditches all round about. It consists of two towns, the old and the new. +In the old town dwell all the stranger merchants, and very many native +merchants, and all the goods are sold in the old town, which is very +large, and hath many extensive suburbs all round about it, all the +houses being of bamboo canes and covered with straw. In your house, +however, you have a warehouse, which they call a _godown_, built of +bricks, in which to keep your goods, as often the city takes fire, and +four or five hundred houses are burnt down, so that these _godowns_ are +very useful to save your goods. The king with all his nobility and +gentry dwell in the new town, which is a great and populous city, +entirely square with fair walls, and a great ditch all round about full +of water, in which are many crocodiles. It has twenty gates, five on +each side of the square, all built of stone. There are also many turrets +for centinels, made of wood and splendidly gilded. The streets are the +handsomest I ever saw, all as straight as a line from one gate to the +other, and so broad that ten or twelve men may ride abreast through +them. On both sides, at every door, there are palmer trees planted, +which bear coco-nuts, and which make a fine shew as well as a commodious +shade, so that the people may walk all day in the shade. The houses are +of wood, covered with tiles. + +The palace of the king stands in the middle of this city, and is walled +and ditched all round, all the houses within being of wood very +sumptuously gilded, and the fore-front is of very rich workmanship, all +gilded in a very costly manner. The pagoda, or house in which his idols +stand, is covered with tiles of silver, and all the walls are gilt over +with gold. Within the first gate of the palace is a very large court, on +both sides of which are the houses for the king's elephants, which are +wonderfully large and handsome, and are trained for war and for the +king's service. Among the rest, he has four white elephants, which are a +great rarity, no other king having any but he; and were any other king +to have any, he would send for it, and if refused would go to war for +it, and would rather lose a great part of his kingdom than not have the +elephant. When any white elephant is brought to the king, all the +merchants in the city are commanded to go and visit him, on which +occasion each individual makes a present of half a ducat, which amounts +to a good round sum, as there are a vast many merchants, after which +present you may go and see them at your pleasure, although they stand in +the king's house. Among his titles, the king takes that of king of the +white elephants. They do great honour and service to these white +elephants, every one of them having a house gilded with gold, and +getting their food in vessels of gilt silver. Every day when they go to +the river to wash, each goes under a canopy of cloth of gold or silk, +carried by six or eight men, and eight or ten men go before each, +playing on drums, _shawms_, and other instruments. When each has washed +and is come out of the river, he has a gentleman to wash his feet in a +silver basin, which office is appointed by the king. There is no such +account made of the black elephants, be they never so great, and some of +them are wonderfully large and handsome, some being nine cubits high. + +The king has a very large place, about a mile from Pegu, for catching +wild elephants, in a great grove or wood, having a fair court in the +middle. There are many huntsmen, who go into the wilderness with +she-elephants, trained for the purpose, each huntsman having five or six +which are anointed with a certain ointment to entice the wild males to +follow them. When they have brought a wild elephant within their snares, +the hunters send word to the town, on which many horsemen and footmen go +out, and force the wild elephant to enter into a narrow way leading to +the inner inclosure, and when the he and she are in, then is the gate +shut upon them. They then get the female out, and when the male finds +himself alone and entrapped, he cries out and sheds tears, running +against the enclosure, which is made of strong trees, and some of them +break their tusks in endeavouring to force their way out. The people +then goad him with pointed canes, till they force him into a narrow +stall, in which he is securely fastened with strong ropes about his body +and legs, and is left there for three or four days without food or +drink. Then they bring a female to him, with food and drink, and unbind +the ropes, and he becomes tame in three or four days. When they take the +elephants to war, they fix a frame of wood on their backs with great +ropes, upon which sit four or six men, who fight with guns, bows and +arrows, darts, and other weapons; and it is said that the elephant's +hide is so thick that a musket ball will not pierce them, except in some +tender place. + +The weapons of these people are very bad, their swords being short and +blunt at the points. They have arquebusses also, but they shoot very +badly with them. The king keeps great state, sitting in public twice +every day, having all his nobles, which they call _shemines_, sitting on +each side at a good distance, and a numerous guard on the outside of +all, so that the hall, or court is very large. If any one wish to speak +to the king, he maketh three profound reverences, when he enters, in +the mid way, and when he comes near the king; at each of these he kneels +down, holds his hands above his head, and bows with his head to the +ground three times. He then sits down to speak to the king, and if +favoured is allowed to come near, within three or four paces, but +otherwise is made to sit at a greater distance. When the king goes to +war he is accompanied by a great military force. While I was in Pegu, he +went to Odia, in the kingdom of Siam, with 300,000 men and 5000 +elephants. His particular guard was 30,000. When the king rides abroad, +he is accompanied by a strong guard and many nobles, and often rides on +an elephant having a great castle on its back superbly gilded; sometimes +he travels on a great frame of wood like a horse-litter, having a small +house or canopy upon it, covered over head, and open at the sides, which +is all splendidly gilded with gold, and adorned with many rubies and +sapphires, of which he hath an infinite store, as a vast many of them +are found in this country. This couch or litter is called _serrion_ in +their language, and is carried on the shoulders of 16 or 18 men. On +these occasions, there is much triumphing and shouting made before the +king, by great numbers of men and women. + +This king has little force by sea, having very few ships. He has houses +quite full of gold and silver, both of which are often coming in to him, +but very little goes out again, so that he makes little account of it, +and this vast treasury is always open to inspection, in a great walled +court with two gates, which are always open to all men. In this court +there are four houses very richly gilded and covered with leaden roofs, +in each of which is a pagod or idol, of huge stature and vast value. In +the first of these houses is the image of a king, all in gold, having a +golden crown on his head richly set with large rubies and sapphires, and +round about are the images of four children all in gold. In the second +house is the image of a man in silver, of prodigious size, as high as a +house, insomuch that the foot is as long as the stature of a man. This +figure is in a sitting posture, having a crown on its head, richly +adorned with precious stones. In the third house is the statue of a man +in brass, still larger than the former, with a rich crown on its head. +In the fourth house is another brazen statue, still larger than the +former, having also a crown on its head richly adorned with jewels. In +another court not far from this, there are four other pagodas or idols +of wonderful size, made of copper, which were formed in the places in +which they now stand, being of such enormous size that they could not be +removed. These stand in four separate houses, and are gilded all over +except their heads, which resemble black-a-moors. The expences of these +people in gilding their images are quite enormous. The king has only one +wife, but above 300 concubines, by whom he is said to have 80 or 90 +children. He sits in judgment every day, on which occasion the +applicants use no speech, but give up their supplications in writing, +being upon long slips of the leaves of a tree, a yard long and about two +inches broad, written with a pointed iron or stile like a bodkin. He who +gives in his application, stands at some distance carrying a present. If +his application is to be complied with, his present is accepted and his +request granted; but if his suit be denied he returns home with his +present. + +There are few commodities in India which serve for trade at Pegu, except +opium of Cambaia, painted cottons from San Thome or Masulipatam, and +white cloth of Bengal, vast quantities of which are sold here. They +bring likewise much cotton yarn, dyed red with a root called _saia_, +which never loses its colour, a great quantity of which is sold yearly +in Pegu at a good profit. The ships from Bengal, San Thome, and +Masulipatam, come to the bar of Negrais and to Cosmin. To Martaban, +another sea-port in the kingdom of Pegu, many ships come from Malacca, +with sandal-wood, porcelains, and other wares of China, camphor of +Borneo, and pepper from Acheen in the island of Sumatra. To Siriam, +likewise a port of Pegu, ships come from Mecca with woollen cloth, +scarlet, velvets, opium, and other goods. + +In Pegu there are eight brokers called _tareghe_, which are bound to +sell your goods at the prices they are worth, receiving as their fee two +in the hundred, for which they are bound to make good the price, because +you sell your goods on their word. If the broker do not pay you on the +day appointed, you may take him home to your house and keep him there, +which is a great shame for him. And, if he do not now pay you +immediately, you may take his wife, children, and slaves, and bind them +at your door in the sun; for such is the law of the country. Their +current money is of brass, which they call _ganza_, with which you may +buy gold, silver, rubies, musk, and all other things. Gold and silver is +reckoned merchandise, and is worth sometimes more and sometimes less, +like all other wares, according to the supply and demand. The ganza or +brass money goes by weight, which they call a _biza_; and commonly this +biza is worth, in our way of reckoning, about half a crown or somewhat +less. The merchandises in Pegu are, gold, silver, rubies, sapphires, +spinels, musk, benzoin, frankincense, long pepper, tin, lead, copper, +_lacca_, of which hard sealing-wax is made, rice, wine made of rice, +[_aruck_,] and some sugar. The elephants eat sugar canes in great +quantities, or otherwise they might make abundance of sugar. + +They consume many canes likewise[425], in making their _varellas_ or +idol temples, of which there are a prodigious multitude, both large and +small. These are made round like a sugar loaf, some being as high as a +church, and very broad beneath, some being a quarter of a mile in +compass. Within these are all of earth, faced round with stone. In these +_varellas_ they consume a vast quantity of gold, as they are all gilded +aloft, and some from top to bottom; and they must be newly gilded every +ten or twelve years, because the rain washes off the gold, as they all +stand exposed to the weather. Were it not for the prodigious quantities +of gold consumed in this manner, it would be very plentiful and cheap in +Pegu. About two days journey from Pegu there is a _varella_ or pagoda +called _dogonne_, of wonderful bigness, gilded all over from top to +bottom, to which the inhabitants of Pegu go in pilgrimage; and near it +is a house where their talapoins or priests preach to the people. This +house is fifty five paces long, and hath three _pawnes_ or covered walks +in it, the roof being supported by forty great gilded pillars, which +stand between the walks. It is open on all sides, having a vast number +of small gilded pillars, and the whole is gilded both within and +without. Round about this there are many fair houses for the pilgrims to +dwell in, and many goodly houses in which the talapoins preach, which +are all full of idols or images, both male and female, all gilded with +gold. This, in my opinion, is the fairest place in the world. It stands +very high, having four roads leading to it, all planted on each side +with fruit-trees, so that the people walk in the shade in all these +avenues, which are each above two miles long. When the grand festival +of this varella approaches, one can hardly pass any way, on account of +the great throngs of people, both by land and water, as they flock from +all parts of the kingdom of Pegu to be present at the festival. + +[Footnote 425: Surely the bamboo, not the sugar cane. It may be noticed, +that almost the whole of this account of Pegu seems to have been +borrowed from the relation of Cesar Frederick.--E.] + +In Pegu, there are many priests or talapoins, as they are called, who +preach against all abuses, and many people resort to hear them. When +they enter into the _kiack_, that is to say the holy place or temple, +there is a great jar of water at the door, having a cock or ladle, and +there they wash their feet. They then walk in, and lift their hands to +their heads, first to the preacher, and then to the sun, after which +they sit down. The talapoins are strangely apparelled, having a brown +_cambaline_ or thin cloth next their body, above which is another of +yellow many times doubled or folded over their shoulders, and these two +are girded round them by a broad girdle. They have a skin of leather +hung by a string round their necks, on which they sit, bare headed and +bare footed, as they wear no shoes. Their right arms are all bare, and +they carry a large _sombrero_ or umbrella over their heads, which +protects them from the sun in summer, and from the rain in winter. + +Before taking their orders, the talapoins go to school till, twenty +years old or more, and then go before a head talapoin appointed for the +purpose, called a _rowli_, who is the most learned of the order, who +examines them many times, whether they will leave their friends, +foregoing the company of women, and assume the habit of a talapoin. If +any one be content, he is made to ride through the streets on a horse, +very richly apparelled, accompanied by many drums and trumpets, to shew +that he is about to quit the riches and vanity of the world. A few days +afterwards, he is again carried through the streets, on a thing like a +horse litter, called _serion_, mounted on the shoulders of ten or twelve +men, and dressed in the habit of a talapoin, preceded by drums and +instruments of music, and accompanied by many talapoins and all his +friends. He is thus carried to his house without side of the town, and +is there left. + +Every individual talapoin has his own house, which is very small, set +upon six or eight posts, and to which they have to go up by a ladder of +twelve or fourteen staves. Their houses are mostly by the road sides, +and among the trees in the woods. They go about, having a great pot of +wood or fine earthen ware covered, and hung by a broad belt from their +shoulder, with which they beg their victuals, being rice, fish, and +herbs. They never ask any thing, but come to the doors, when the people +presently give them, some one thing and some another, all of which they +put into their pot, saying they must feed on their alms and be +contented. Their festivals are regulated by the moon, their chiefest +being at the new moon, when the people send rice and other things to the +_kiack_ or church which they frequent, where all the talapoins belonging +to it meet and eat the victuals that are sent. When the talapoins +preach, many of their hearers carry gifts to them in the pulpit, while +preaching, a person sitting beside the preacher to receive these gifts, +which are divided between them. So far as I could see, they have no +other ceremonials or religious service, except preaching. + +From Pegu I went to _Jamahey_, in the country of the _Langeiannes_, whom +we call _Jangomes_, which is twenty-five days journey north from +Pegu[426], in which journey I passed through many fertile and pleasant +countries, the whole being low land, with many fine rivers; but the +houses are mean and bad, being built of canes and covered with straw. +This country has great numbers of wild elephants and buffaloes. +_Jamahey_ is a large handsome town, well peopled, and the houses are +well built of stone, with broad streets. The men are strong and well +made, having a cloth about their middles, bareheaded and with bare feet, +as in all these countries they wear no shoes. The women are much fairer +than those of Pegu. In all these countries they have no wheat, living +entirely on rice, which they make into cakes. To Jamahey there come many +merchants out of China, bringing great store of musk, gold, silver, and +many Chinese manufactures. They have here such great abundance of +provisions, that they do not take the trouble to milk the buffaloes as +they do in other places. Here there is great abundance of copper and +benzoin. + +[Footnote 426: The names here used are so corrupted as to be utterly +unintelligible. Twenty-five days journey north from the city of Pegu, or +perhaps 500 miles, would lead the author into the northern provinces of +the Birman empire, of which the geography is very little known, perhaps +into Assan: Yet the _Langeiannes_ may possibly refer to _Lang-shang_ in +Laos, nearly west from Pegu. _Jamahey_ may be _Shamai_, in the north of +Laos; near the N.W. frontier of China.--E.] + +In these countries, when people are sick, they make a vow to offer meat +to the devil in case of recovery; and when they recover, they make a +banquet, with many pipes and drums and other musical instruments, +dancing all night, and their friends bring gifts of coco-nuts, figs, +arecas, and other fruits, and with much dancing and rejoicing they +offer these to the devil, giving him to eat, and then drive him out. +While dancing and playing, they often cry and hallow aloud, to drive the +devil away. While sick, a talapoin or two sit every night by the sick +person, continually singing, to please the devil, that he may not hurt +them. When any one dies, he is carried on a great frame of wood like a +tower, having a covering or canopy made of canes all gilded, which is +carried by fourteen or sixteen men, preceded by drums, pipes, and other +instruments, and being taken to a place out of the town, the body is +there burned. On this occasion, the body is accompanied by all the male +friends, relations, and neighbours of the deceased; and they give the +talapoins or priests many mats and much cloth. They then return to the +house, where they feast for two days. After this, the widow, with all +her neighbours wives, and female friends, goes to the place where her +husband was burnt, where they sit a certain time lamenting, and then +gather up all the pieces of bones which have not been burnt to ashes, +which they bury; they then return home, and thus make an end of +mourning. On these occasions, the male and female relations shave their +heads, which is only done for the death of a friend, as they greatly +esteem their hair. + +_Caplan_, the place where the rubies, sapphires and spinels are found, +is six days journey from Ava in the kingdom of Pegu. There are here many +great hills out of which they are dug, but no person is allowed to go to +the pits, except those employed in digging. In Pegu, and in all the +countries of Ava, Langeiannes, Siam, and of the Birmans, the men wear +little round balls in their privities, some having two and some three, +being put in below the skin, which is cut for that purpose, one on one +side and another on the other, which they do when 25 or 30 years of age. +These were devised that they might not abuse the male sex, to which +shocking vice they were formerly much addicted. It was also ordained, +that the women should not have more than three cubits of cloth in their +under garments, which likewise are open before, and so tight, that when +they walk they shew the leg bare above the knee. + +The _bramas_, or birmans of the kings country, for the king is a birman, +have their legs or bellies, or some other part of their body according +to their fancy made black by pricking the skin, and rubbing in _anile_ +or indigo, or some other black powder, which continues ever after; and +this is considered as a great honour, none being allowed to do this but +the birmans who are of kin to the king. Those people wear no beards, but +pull out the hair from their faces with small pincers made for the +purpose. Some leave 16 or 20 hairs growing together, some on one part of +the face and some on another, and pull out all the rest; every man +carrying his pincers with him, and pulling out the hairs as fast as they +appear. If they see a man with a beard they wonder at him. Both men and +women have their teeth black; for they say a dog has white teeth, and +therefore they have theirs black. When the Peguers have a law-suit that +is difficult to determine, they place two long canes upright in the +water where it is very deep, and both parties go into the water beside +the poles, having men present to judge them; they both dive, and he who +remains longest under water gains his suit. + +The 10th of January, I went from Pegu to Malacca, passing many of the +sea-ports of Pegu, as Martaban, the island of _Tavi_ whence all India is +supplied with tin, Tanaserim, the island of Junkselon, and many others. +I came on the 8th of February to Malacca, where the Portuguese have a +castle near the sea. The country without the town belongs to the Malays, +who are a proud kind of people, going naked with a cloth about their +waists, and a small roll of cloth round their heads. To this place come +many ships from China, the Moluccas, Banda, Timor, and many other +islands of the Javas, bringing great store of spices, drugs, diamonds, +and other precious stones. The voyages to many of these islands belong +to the captain of Malacca, so that no one can go there without his +licence, by which he draws large sums of money every year. The +Portuguese at Malacca are often at war with the king of Acheen in the +island of Sumatra; from whence comes great store of pepper and other +spices yearly to Pegu, Mecca, and other places. + +When the Portuguese go from Macao in China to Japan, they carry much +white silk, gold, musk, and porcelain, and bring from thence nothing but +silver. A great carak goes on this voyage every year, and brings from +thence about 600,000 crusadoes: and all this silver of Japan, and +200,000 more which they bring yearly from India, they employ to great +advantage in China, whence they bring gold, musk, silk, copper, +porcelains, and many very costly articles richly gilded. When the +Portuguese go to Canton in China to trade, they are only permitted to +remain there a certain number of days. When they enter the gates of the +city, they have to set down their names in a book, and when they go out +at night must put out their names, as they are not allowed to remain in +the town all night, but must sleep in their boats. When their time of +stay is expired, if any one remain, he is liable to be imprisoned and +very ill used, as the Chinese are very suspicious and do not trust +strangers; and it is even thought that the king of China does not know +of any strangers being admitted into his dominions. It is likewise +credibly reported, that the people of China see their king very seldom, +or not at all, and may not even look up to the place where he sits. When +he goes abroad, he is carried in a great chair or _serion_, splendidly +gilded, on which is made a small house with a lattice to look through, +so that he cannot be seen but may see about him. While he is passing, +all the people kneel with their faces to the ground, holding their hands +over their heads, and must not look up till he is past. + +In China, when in mourning, the people wear white thread shoes and straw +hats. A man mourns two years for his wife, the wife three years for her +husband, the son a year for his father, and two years for his mother. +During the whole time of mourning the dead body is kept in the house, +the bowels being taken out, filled with _chaunam_ or lime, and put into +a coffin. When the time expires, it is carried out with much playing and +piping, and burned. After this they pull off their mourning weeds, and +may marry again when they please. All the people of China, Japan, and +Cochin-china, write downwards, from the top of the page to the bottom +using a fine pencil made of dogs or cats hair. + +_Laban_ is an island among the Javas, whence come the diamonds of _the +new water_. They are there found in the rivers, as the king will not +allow them to be dug for in the rock. _Jamba_ is another island among +the Javas, from whence also diamonds are brought. In this island the +king has a mass of earth growing in the middle of the river, which is +gold; and when he is in want of gold, they cut part of this earth and +melt it, whereof cometh gold. This mass of earth is only to be seen once +a year, in the month of April, when the water is low. _Bima_ is another +island among the Javas, where the women labour as our men do in England, +and the men keep the house or go where they will[427]. + +[Footnote 427: All the names of these islands among the Javas, or isles +of Sunda are unintelligibly corrupt.--E.] + +The 28th of March 1588, I returned from Malacca to Martaban, and thence +to Pegu, where I remained the second time till the 17th of September, +and then went to Cosmin where I took shipping; and escaping many dangers +from contrary winds, it pleased God that we arrived in Bengal in +November. I had to remain there, for want of a passage, till the 3d +February 1589, when I embarked for Cochin. In this voyage we suffered +great hardships for want of water; for the weather was very hot, and we +were many on board, merchants and passengers, and we had many calms. It +pleased God that we arrived in Ceylon on the 6th of March, where we +staid five days, to furnish ourselves with water and necessary +provisions. + +Ceylon is a beautiful and fertile island, yet by reason of continual +wars with the king, every thing is very dear, as he will not suffer any +thing to be brought to the castle belonging to the Portuguese, so that +they are often in great want of victuals, and they are forced to bring +their provisions every year from Bengal. The king is called rajah and is +very powerful, for he comes sometimes against Columbo, where the +Portuguese have their fort, with 100,000 men and many elephants. But +they are all naked people, though many of them are excellent marksmen +with their muskets. When the king talks with any man, he stands on one +leg, setting the other foot on his knee, with his sword in his hand; as, +according to their customs the king never sits. He is dressed in a fine +painted cotton cloth wrapped about his middle; his hair long and bound +about his head with a small fine cloth, and all the rest of his body +naked. His guard is a thousand men, which stand round about him. They +are all Chingalese, who are said to be the best kind of the Malabars. +They have very large ears, as the larger they are the more honourable +they are esteemed, some being a span long. They burn the wood of the +cinnamon tree, which gives a pleasant scent. In this island there is +great store of rubies, sapphires, and spinels of the best kind, but the +king will not allow the inhabitants to dig for them, lest they should +tempt his enemies to make war upon him and deprive him of his dominions. +There are no horses in this country, but many elephants, which are not +so large as those of Pegu, which are of prodigious size; yet it is said +all other elephants are afraid of those of Ceylon, and refuse to fight +them, though small. The women of this island wear a cloth round their +middles, reaching only to the knees, all the rest of their bodies being +bare. Both men and women are black and very little. Their houses are +small, being constructed of the branches of the palmer or coco tree, and +covered with the leaves of the same tree. + +The 11th of March we departed from Ceylon and doubled Cape Comorin. Not +far from thence, between Ceylon and the main-land of India at +Negapatnam, they fish for pearls every year, whence all India, Cambaya, +and Bengal are supplied. But these pearls are _not so orient_ [are not +so round or of so fine a water] as those of Bahrain in the gulph of +Persia. From Cape Comorin we went to Coulan, a fort of the Portuguese, +whence comes great store of pepper for Portugal, as frequently one of +the caraks is laden here. We arrived at Cochin on the 22d of March, +where we found the weather very warm, and a great scarcity of +provisions, as neither corn nor rice grows here, having mostly to be +supplied from Bengal. They have here very bad water, as the river is far +off; and by this bad water many of the people are like lepers, and many +have their legs swollen as big as a mans waist, so that they can hardly +walk. The people here are Malabars, of the race of the Nairs of Calicut, +who differ much from the other Malabars. These have their heads very +full of hair, bound up with a string, above which is a great bush of +hair. The men are tall and strong, and excellent archers, using a long +bow and long arrows, which are their best weapons; yet they have some +fire-arms among them, which they handle very badly. + +In this country pepper grows, being trained up a tree or pole. It is +like our ivy berry, but something longer, like an ear of wheat. At first +the bunches are green, but as they become ripe they are cut off and +dried. The leaf is much smaller and thinner than that of ivy. The houses +of the inhabitants are very small, and are covered with the leaves of +the coco-tree. The men are of moderate stature, but the women very +little; all black, with a cloth about their middles, hanging down to +their hams, all the rest of their bodies being naked. They have horribly +great ears, with many rings set with pearls and other stones. All the +pepper sold in Calicut, and the coarse cinnamon [cassia] grow in this +country. The best cinnamon comes from Ceylon, and is peeled from fine +young trees. They have here many palmers, or coco-nut trees, which is +their chief food, as it yields both meat and drink, together with many +other useful things, as I said formerly. + +The nairs belonging to the Samorin or king of Calicut, which are +Malabars, are always at war with the Portuguese, though their sovereign +be at peace with them; but his people go to sea to rob and plunder. +Their chief captain is called _Cogi Alli_, who hath three castles under +his authority. When the Portuguese complain to the Samorin, he pretends +that he does not send them out, but he certainly consents to their +going. They range all along the coast from Ceylon to Goa, and go in +parties of four or five paraos or boats together, in each of which are +fifty or sixty men, who immediately board every vessel they come up +with, doing much harm on that coast, and every year take many foists and +barks belonging to the Portuguese. Besides the nairs, many of the people +in these paraos are Moors. The dominions of the Samorin begin twelve +leagues from Cochin and reach to near Goa. + +I remained in Cochin eight months, till the 2d of November, not being +able to procure a passage in all that time; whereas if I had arrived two +days sooner I should have got a passage immediately. From Cochin I went +to Goa, which is an hundred leagues; and after remaining three days I +went to Chaul, sixty leagues from Goa. I remained twenty-three days at +Chaul, making all necessary preparations for the prosecution of my +voyage. I then sailed for Ormus, four hundred leagues from Goa, where I +had to wait fifty days for a passage to Basora. + +From Basora I went up the Euphrates and Tigris to Babylon or Bagdat, +being drawn up most of the way by the strength of men, hauling by a long +rope. From Bagdat I went by land to Mosul, which stands near the scite +of the ancient Nineveh, which is all ruinated and destroyed. From Mosul +I travelled to Merdin in Armenia, where a people called _Cordies_ or +Curds now dwell. I went thence to Orfa, a fair town having a fair +fountain full of fish, where the Mahometans hold many opinions, and +practice many ceremonies in reference to Abraham, who they allege once +dwelt there. From thence I went to Bir, where I crossed the Euphrates, +and continued my journey to Aleppo; whence, after staying some months +for a caravan, I went to Tripolis in Syria. Finding an English ship +there, I had a prosperous voyage to London, where by the blessing of God +I arrived safe on the 29th of April 1591, having been eight years absent +from my native country. + + * * * * * + +Before ending this my book, I have thought right to declare some things +which are produced in India and the countries farther east[428]. + +[Footnote 428: This account of the commodities of India so very much +resembles that already given in the perigrinations of Cesar Frederick, +Vol. VII. p. 204, as to seem in a great measure borrowed from it, though +with some variations.--E.] + +Pepper grows in many parts of India, especially about Cochin; much of it +growing wild in the fields among the bushes without cultivation, and is +gathered when ripe. When first gathered it is green, but becomes black +by drying in the sun. Ginger is found in many parts of India, growing +like our garlic, the root being the ginger. Cloves come from the Molucca +islands, the tree resembling our bay. Nutmegs and mace grow together on +the same tree, and come from the island of Banda, the tree being like +our walnut-tree, but smaller. White sandal wood comes from the island of +Timor. It is very sweet scented, and is in great request among the +natives of India, who grind it up with a little water, and then anoint +their bodies with it, as a grateful perfume. Camphor is esteemed very +precious among the Indians, and is sold dearer than gold, so that I +think none of it comes to Christendom. That which is compounded comes +from China: But the best, which grows in canes, comes from the great +island of Borneo. + +Lignuo aloes are from Cochin China. Benjamin, or Benzoin, comes from +Siam and Jangomes[429]. Long pepper grows in Bengal, Pegu, and the +Javas. Musk comes from Tartary[430], Amber[431] is supposed by most to +come out of the sea, as it is all found on the shore. + +[Footnote 429: In Cesar Fredericks peregrinations, Benzoin is said to +come from Siam and _Assi_, or Assam, which confirms the conjecture +already made, of Langeiannes and the Jangomes referring to Assam.--E.] + +[Footnote 430: Fitch here repeats the ridiculous, story respecting the +fabrication of musk, already given by Cesar Frederick.--E.] + +[Footnote 431: Certainly Ambergris, the origin of which from the +Spermaceti whale has been formerly noticed in this work.--E.] + +Rubies, sapphires and spinels are found in Pegu. Diamonds are found in +several places, as in Bisnagur, Agra, Delhi, and the Javan islands. The +best pearls come from the isle of Bahrein in the gulf of Persia; and an +inferior sort from the fisheries near Ceylon, and from Ainan, a large +island off the southern coast of China. Spodium and many other drugs +come from Cambaia or Gujrat, commonly called Guzerat. + + +SECTION III. + +_Supplement to the Journey of Fitch_[432]. + + +INTRODUCTION. + +In Hakluyt's collection, p. 235--376, are given letters from queen +Elizabeth to Akbar Shah, Mogul emperor of Hindostan, called there +Zelabdim Echebar, king of Cambaia, and to the king or emperor of China, +dated 1583. These are merely complimentary, and for the purpose of +recommending John Newbery and his company to the protection and favour +of these eastern sovereigns, in case of visiting their dominions; and +need not therefore be inserted in this place. The following articles +however, are of a different description, consisting of several letters +from John Newbery and Ralph Fitch to different friends in England; and +of an extract from the work of John Huighen Van Linschoten, who was in +Goa in December 1583, upon their arrival at that emporium of the +Portuguese trade in India, affording a full confirmation of the +authenticity of the expedition thus far.--E. + +[Footnote 432: Hakluyt, II. 375--381. and 399--402.] + + +No. 1.--_Letter from Mr John Newbery to Mr Richard Hakluyt of Oxford, +author of the Voyages, &c._ + +Right well beloved, and my assured good friend, I heartily commend me +unto you, hoping that you are in good health, &c. After we set sail from +Gravesend on the 13th of February, we remained on our coast till the +11th of March, when we sailed from Falmouth, and never anchored till our +arrival in the road of Tripoli in Syria, on the 30th of April. After +staying fourteen days there, we came to this place, Aleppo, on the 20th +of this present month of May, where we have now been eight days, and in +five or six days, with Gods help, we go from hence towards the Indies. +Since my arrival at Tripoli, I have made diligent inquiry, both there +and here, for the book of Cosmography of Abulfeda Ismael, but cannot +hear of it. Some say that it may possibly be had in Persia; but I shall +not fail to make inquiry for it both in Babylon and Balsara, [Bagdat and +Basora] and if I can find it in either of these places, shall send it +you from thence. The letter which you gave me to copy out, which came +from Mr Thomas Stevens in Goa, as also the note you gave me of Francis +Fernandez the Portuguese, I brought away with me inadvertantly among +other writings; both of which I now return you inclosed. + +Great preparations are making here for the wars in Persia; and already +is gone from hence the pacha of a town called _Rahemet_, and shortly +after the pachas of Tripoli and Damascus are to follow; but they have +not in all above 6000 men. They go to a town called _Asmerome_, +[Erzerum] three days journey from Trebesond, where they are to meet with +sundry captains and soldiers from Constantinople and other places, to go +altogether into Persia. This year many men go for these wars, as has +been the case every year since they began, now about eight years, but +very few return again; although they have had the advantage over the +Persians, and have won several castles and strong holds in that country. + +Make my hearty commendations to Mr Peter Guillame, Mr Philip Jones, Mr +Walter Warner, and all the rest of our friends. Mr Fitch sends his +hearty commendations; and so I commit you to the tuition of Almighty +God, whom I pray to bless and keep you, and send us a joyful meeting. +From Aleppo, the 28th of May 1583. + +Your loving friend to command in all that I may, JOHN NEWBERY. + +No. 2.--_Letter from Mr John Newbery to Mr Leonard Poore of London_. + +My last was sent you on the 25th of February last from Deal out of the +Downs, after which, in consequence, of contrary winds, we remained on +the coast of England till the 11th March, when we sailed from Falmouth. +The 13th the wind came contrary with a great storm, by which some of our +goods were wet; but, God be thanked, no great hurt was done. After this, +we sailed with a fair wind within the Straits, continuing our voyage and +anchoring no where till the 30th of April, when we arrived in the road +of Tripoli in Syria, which was a good passage, God make us thankful for +it. We left Tripoli on the 14th of this month of May, and arrived here +at Aleppo on the 20th; and with Gods help we begin our voyage to-morrow +for Bagdat and Basora, and so to India. + +Our friend Mr Barret, commendeth him to you, and sent you a _ball_ +[bale?] of nutmegs in the Emanuel, for the small trifles you sent him, +which I hope you have long since received. He has also by his letter +informed you how he sold these things, whereof I say nothing, neither +having seen the account nor demanded it; for, ever since our coming +hither, he has been constantly occupied about the dispatch of the ship +and about our voyage, and I likewise in purchasing things here to carry +to Basora and India. We have bought coral to the value of 1200 ducats, +amber for 400, and some soap and broken glass and other small matters, +which I hope will serve well for the places we are going to. All the +rest of the account of the bark Reinolds was sent home in the Emanuel, +which amounted to 3600 ducats, being L.200 more than they were rated; as +Mr Staper rated them at L.1100, and it is L.1300; so that our part is +L.200, besides such profit as it shall please God to send thereof; +wherefore you would do well to speak to Mr Staper for the account. + +If you could resolve to travel for three or four years, I would advise +you to come here, or to go to Cairo, if any go there. For we doubt not, +if you were to remain here three or four months, you would like the +place so well, that I think you would not desire to return in less than +three or four years; as, were it my chance to remain in any place out of +England, I would choose this before all other that I know. My reason is, +that the place is healthful and pleasant, and the profits good; and +doubtless the profits will be better hereafter, things being carried on +in an orderly manner. In every ship, the fourth part of her cargo should +come in money, which would help to put off the rest of our commodities +at a good price. It were also proper that two good ships should come +together, for mutual assistance, in which case the danger of the voyage +would be as little as from London to Antwerp. + +Mr Giles Porter and Mr Edmund Porter went from Tripoli in a small bark +to Jaffa, the same day that we came from thence, which was the 14th of +this month of May, so that I have no doubt they are long since in +Jerusalem. God send them and us a safe return. At this instant, I have +received the account from Mr Barret, and the rest of the rings, with 22 +ducats and 2 medins in ready money; so there remaineth nothing in his +hands but a few books, and I left certain small trifles with Thomas +Bostocke, which I pray you to demand. From Aleppo, the 29th May 1583. + + +No. 3.--_Letter from Mr John Newbery to the same_. + +My last was of the 29th May from Aleppo, sent by George Gill, purser of +the Tiger. We left that place on the 31st, and came to Feluchia, which +is one days journey from Babylon [Bagdat,] on the 19th of June. Yet some +of our company came not hither till the 30th of June, for want of camels +to carry our goods; for by reason of the great heats at this time of the +year, camels are very hard to be got. Since our coming here we have +found very scanty sales, but are told our commodities will sell well in +winter, which I pray God may be the case. I think cloth, kersies, and +tin have never been here so low as now. Yet, if I had here as much ready +money as our goods are worth, I would not doubt to make a very good +profit of the voyage here and at Basora, and as it is, with Gods help, +there will be reasonable profit made of the adventure. But, with half +money and half commodities, the best sort of spices and other +merchandise from India, may be bought at reasonable rates, while without +money there is very little to be done here at this time to purpose. Two +days hence, God willing, I purpose going from hence to Basora, and from +thence I must necessarily go to Ormus, for want of a man who speaks the +Indian tongue. While at Aleppo, I hired two Nazarenes, one of whom has +been twice in India, and speaks the language well; but he is a very lewd +fellow, wherefore I will not take him with me. + +The following are the prices of wares, as they are worth here at +present: Cloves and mace the _bateman_, 5 ducats; cinnamon, 6 ducats, +and very little to be had; ginger, 40 medins; pepper, 75 medins; +turbetta[433], 50 medins; neel [or indigo,] the _churle_ 70 ducats: the +churle is 27-1/2 rotils of Aleppo; silk, much better than that which +comes from Persia, 11-1/2 ducats the bateman, each bateman being 7 +pounds 5 ounces English. From Bagdat this 20th July 1583. + +[Footnote 433: Most likely turmeric, anciently called turbith vegetable, +in contradistinction to turbith mineral, so named from its yellow colour +resembling turbith or turmeric.--E.] + + +No. 4.--_Letter from, John Newbery to Messrs John Eldred and William +Scales at Basora_. + +Time will not permit to give you an account of my voyage after my +departure from you. But on the 4th day of this present September, we +arrived here at Ormus; and the 10th day I and the rest were committed to +prison. The middle of next month, or thereabout, the captain proposes +sending us all in his ship to Goa. The cause for which we have been +imprisoned is said to be, because we brought letters from Don Antonio: +But the truth is, Michael Stropene is the only cause, through letters +written to him by his brother from Aleppo. God knows how we may be dealt +with at Goa; and therefore, if you our masters can procure that the king +of Spain may send his letters for our release, you would do us great +good, for they cannot with any justice put us to death, though it may be +that they will cut our throats, or keep us long in prison. Gods will be +done. + +All the commodities I brought to this place had been well sold, if this +trouble had not come upon us. You shall do well to send a messenger in +all speed by land from Basora to Aleppo, to give notice of this +mischance, even though it may cost 30 or 40 crowns, that we may be the +sooner released, and I shall thereby be the better able to recover again +what is now like to be lost. From prison in Ormus, this 21st September +1583. + +No. 5.--_Letter Mr J. Newbery to Messrs Eldred and Scales_. + +The bark of the Jews is arrived here two days ago, by which I am sure +you wrote; but your letters are not likely to come to my hands. The +bringer of this hath shewed me very great courtesy, for which I pray +you to shew him what favour you can. About the middle of next month, I +think we shall depart from hence: God be our guide. I think Andrew will +go by land to Aleppo; and I pray you to further him what you may: But, +if he should not go, then I pray you to dispatch a messenger in all +speed. I can say no more, but beg you to do for me what I should do for +you in the like case. From prison in Ormus, the 24th September 1583. + + +No. 6.--_Letter from Mr Newbery to Mr Leonard Poore_. + +My last from Ormus certified you what had happened to me there, with the +rest of my company; as in four days after our arrival we were all +committed to prison, except one Italian, who came with me from Aleppo, +whom the captain never examined, except asking what countryman he was; +but I believe Michael Stropene, who accused us, had informed the captain +of him. The first day of our arrival at Ormus, this Stropene accused us +of being spies for Don Antonio, besides diverse other lies; yet if we +had been of any other country than England, we might freely have traded +with them. Although we be Englishmen, I know no reason why we may not as +well trade from place to place as the natives of other countries; for +all nations may and do come freely to Ormus, as Frenchmen, Flemings, +Germans, Hungarians, Italians, Greeks, Armenians, Nazarenes, Turks, +Moors, Jews, and Gentiles, Persians, and Muscovites. In short, there is +no nation they seek to trouble, but only ours; wherefore it were +contrary to all justice and reason that they should suffer all nations +to trade with them, and forbid us. Now indeed I have as great liberty as +those of any other nation, except it be to leave the country, which as +yet I desire not. But hereafter, and I think ere long, if I shall be +desirous to go from hence, that they will not refuse me licence. Before +we were suffered to come out of prison, I was forced to put in sureties +for 2000 pardaos, not to depart from hence without licence of the +viceroy; and except this, we have now as much liberty as any one, for I +have got back our goods, and have taken a house in the chiefest street +called the _Rue drette_, where we sell our goods. + +There were two causes which moved the captain of Ormus to imprison us, +and afterwards to send us to Goa. The first was because Michael Stropene +had most falsely accused us of many matters. The other was, because when +Mr Drake was at the Molucca islands, he caused two pieces of cannon to +be fired at a Portuguese galeon belonging to the king, at least so they +allege. But of these things I did not know when at Ormus. In the same +ship which brought us to Goa, came the chief justice of Ormus, called +the veedor general of that place, who had been there three years, so +that his time was expired. This veedor is a great friend to the captain +of Ormus, and sent for me into his chamber, one day after coming here to +Goa, and began to demand many things at me, to which I made answers. +Among other things, he said that Mr Drake had been sent out of England +with many ships, and had gone to Molucca where he loaded cloves, and +finding a Portuguese galeon there belonging to the king, had shot two +pieces of his great ordnance against her. Perceiving this grieved them +much, I asked if they meant to be revenged on me for what had been done +by Mr Drake: To which he answered no; though his meaning was yes. + +He said moreover, that the captain of Ormus had sent me to Goa, that the +viceroy might learn the news from me respecting Don Antonio, and whether +he were in England or not; and that it might possibly be all for the +best my being sent hither; which I trust in God may so fall out, though +contrary to his expectation and intention: For, if it had not pleased +God to influence the minds of the archbishop, and two padres or Jesuits +of the college of St Paul, to stand our friends, we might have rotted in +prison. The archbishop is a very good man, who has two young men in his +service, one called Bernard Borgers born in Hamburgh, and the other +named John Linscot[434], a native of Enkhuysen, who did us especial +service; for by them the archbishop was often reminded of our case. The +two good fathers who laboured so much for us were padre Mark, a native +of Bruges in Flanders, and padre Thomas Stevens[435], born in Wiltshire +in England. I chanced likewise to fall in with here a young man, Francis +de Rea, who was born in Antwerp, but was mostly brought up in London, +with whom I became acquainted in Aleppo, who also has done me much +service. + +[Footnote 434: John Huighen van Linschoten, the author of the book +respecting the East Indies, formerly quoted, and from which a second +quotation will be given in this supplement.--E.] + +[Footnote 435: This is he whose letter to his father from Goa has been +already inserted, and who was sometime of New College in +Oxford.--Hakluyt.] + +We remained many days in prison at Ormus, and were a long while at sea +coming hither. Immediately on our arrival at this place we were sent to +prison, whence next day we were brought before the chief justice or +veedor, to be examined, after which we were remanded to prison. When we +had been thirteen days in prison, James Storie, the painter who +accompanied us, went into the monastery of St Paul, where he remains, +being made one of the company, which life he seems to like[436]. Upon St +Thomas day, 12th December, 22 days after our arrival here, I was +liberated from prison, and the next day Ralph Fitch and William +Bets[437] came out. + +[Footnote 436: It will appear afterwards that he did not continue.--E.] + +[Footnote 437: In the narrative of Fitch no such name occurs, but +William Leedes jeweller, is named as one of the party. Perhaps he ought +to have been named by Fitch, William Bets of Leeds.--E.] + +If these troubles had not occurred, I think I was in a fair way of +making as good a voyage as was ever made with such a sum of money. Many +of our things I sold very well, both here and at Ormus while in prison, +although the captain of Ormus wished me to have sold all I had before I +embarked; so, by his permission, I went sundry times from the castle in +the mornings, accompanied by officers, and sold things, and returned +again at night to prison. They wrote down every thing that I sold; and +at my embarking, the captain directed me to deliver all my money and +goods into the hands of the _scrivano_ or purser of the ship, which I +did, and the scrivano left an acknowledgement with the captain, that +myself with the money and goods should be delivered up to the veedor +general in India. But on our arrival here, the veedor would not meddle +with either money or goods, seeing that no crime was substantiated +against us: Wherefore the goods remained in the ship nine or ten days +after our arrival; and then, as the ship was to sail from thence, the +scrivano sent the goods on shore, where they remained a day and a night +without any one to receive them. In the end, they permitted the bearer +of this letter to receive them, who put them into a house which he hired +for me, in which they remained four or five days. When afterwards they +ought to have delivered the money, it was ordered by the _veedor_, that +both the money and goods should be given into the custody of the +_positor_, where they remained for fourteen days after I was liberated +from prison. + +When in Aleppo, I bought a fountain of silver gilt, six knives, six +spoons, and one fork, all trimmed with coral, for 25 chekins, which the +captain of Ormus took to himself and only paid 20 pardaos, or 100 +larines, though they were worth there or here at Goa 100 chekins. Also +he had five emeralds set in gold, worth five or six hundred crowns, for +which he only paid 100 pardaos. He likewise took 19-1/2 pikes of cloth, +which cost 20 shillings the pike at London, and was worth 9 or 10 crowns +the pike at Ormus, for which he only paid 12 larines. He also had two +pieces of green kersie, worth 24 pardaos each; besides divers other more +trifling articles which he and the officers took at similar inferior +prices, and some for nothing at all. But the real cause of all was +Michal Stropene, who came to Ormus without a penny, and is now worth +thirty or forty thousand crowns, and is grieved that any stranger should +trade there but himself. But that shall not avail him; for I trust yet +to go both hither and thither, and to buy and sell as freely as he or +any other. + +There is a great deal of good to be done here in divers of our +commodities; and likewise there is much profit to be made with the +commodities of this country, when carried to Aleppo. It were long for me +to write, and tedious for you to read, all the incidents which have +occurred to me since we parted; but the bearer is able to inform you of +every thing that has befallen me since my arrival in Ormus. It is my +intention to remain here in Goa; wherefore, if you write me, you may +send your letters to some friend in Lisbon, to be forwarded from thence +by the India ships. Let your direction, therefore be in Portuguese or +Spanish, by which they will the more readily reach me.--From Goa, this +20th of January 1584. + + +No, 7.--_Letter from Mr Ralph Fitch to Mr Leonard Poore_. + +Loving friend, &c. Since my departure from Aleppo, I have not written +you, because at Bagdat I was ill of flux, and continued in all the way +thence to Basora, which was twelve days journey down the Tigris, when we +had extremely hot weather, bad fare, and worse lodging, all of which +increased my disease; besides which our boat was pestered with people. +During eight entire days I hardly eat any thing, so that if we had been +two days longer on the water, I verily believe I had died. But, thanks +be to God, I presently mended after coming to Basora. We remained there +fourteen days, when we embarked for Ormus, where we arrived on the 5th +of September, and were put in prison on the 9th of the same month, where +we continued till the 11th of October, and were then shipt for this city +of Goa, in the ship belonging to the captain of Ormus, with 114 +horses[438], and about 200 men. Passing by Diu and Chaul, at which place +we landed on the 20th November, we arrived at Goa on the 29th of that +month, where, for our better entertainment, we were committed to a fair +strong prison, in which we continued till the 22d of December. It +pleased God, that there were two padres there who befriended us, the one +an Englishman named Thomas Stevens, the other a Fleming named Marco, +both Jesuits of the college of St Paul. These good men sued for us to +the viceroy and other officers, and stood us in such good stead as our +lives and goods were worth: But for them, even if we had escaped with +our lives, we must have suffered a long imprisonment. + +[Footnote 438: In the narrative of Fitch, called 124, which might easily +be mistaken either way in transcription.--E.] + +When we had been fourteen days in prison, they offered us leave to go at +large in the town, if we would give sureties, for 2000 ducats, not to +depart the country without the licence of the viceroy. Being unable to +procure any such, the before mentioned friendly fathers of St Paul +procured sureties for us. The Italians are much offended and displeased +at our enlargement, and many wonder at our delivery. James Storie the +painter has gone into the cloister of St Paul, as one of their order, +and seems to like the situation. While we were in prison, both at Ormus +and here, a great deal of our goods were pilfered and lost, and we have +been at great charges in gifts and otherwise, so that much of our +property is consumed. Of what remains, much will sell very well, and for +some we will get next to nothing. The viceroy is gone to Chaul and Diu +as it is said to win a castle of the Moors, and it is thought he will +return about Easter; when I trust in God we shall procure our liberty, +and have our sureties discharged. It will then, I think, be our best way +for one or both of us to return, as our troubles have been very great, +and because so much of our goods have been spoiled and lost: But if it +should please God that I come to England, I will certainly return here +again. It is a charming country, and extremely fruitful, having summer +almost the whole year, but the most delightful season is about +Christmas. The days and nights are of equal length throughout the whole +year, or with very little difference; and the country produces a most +wonderful abundance of fruit. After all our troubles we are fat and in +good health, for victuals are plentiful and cheap. I omit to inform you +of many strange things till we meet, as it would be too long to write of +them. And thus I commit you to God, &c. From Goa in the East Indies, +25th January 1584. + + +No. 8.--_The Report of John Huighen van Linschoten, concerning the +imprisonment of Newbery and Fitch; which happened while he was at Goa_. + +In the month of December 1583, four Englishmen arrived at Ormus, who +came by way of Aleppo in Syria, having sailed from England by the +Mediterranean to Tripoli, a town and haven in Syria, where all ships +discharge their wares and merchandise for Aleppo, to which they are +carried by land, which is a journey of nine days. In Aleppo there reside +many merchants and factors of all nations, as Italians, French, English, +Armenians, Turks, and Moors, every one following his own religion, and +paying tribute to the grand Turk. It. is a place of great trade, whence +twice every year there go two _cafilas_ or caravans, containing great +companies of people and camels, which travel to India, Persia, Arabia, +and all the adjoining countries, dealing in all kinds of merchandise +both to and from these countries, as I have already declared in another +part of this book. + +Three of these Englishmen were sent by the company of English who reside +in Aleppo, to see if they might keep any factors at Ormus, and so +traffic in that place, as the Italians do, that is the Venetians, who +have their factors in Ormus, Goa, and Malacca, and trade there, both for +pearls and precious stones, and for other wares and spices of these +countries, which are carried thence over-land to Venice. One of these +Englishmen, Mr John Newbery, had been once before in the said town of +Ormus, and had there taken good information of the trade; and on his +advice the others were then come hither along with him, bringing great +store of merchandise; such as cloths, saffron, all kinds of drinking +glasses and haberdashery wares, as looking-glasses, knives, and such +like stuff; and to conclude, they brought with them every kind of small +wares that can be thought of. + +Although these wares amounted to great sums of money, they were yet only +as a shadow or colour, to give no occasion of mistrust or suspicion, as +their principal intention was to purchase great quantities of precious +stones, as diamonds, pearls, rubies, &c. to which end they brought with +them a great sum of money in silver and gold, and that very secretly, +that they might not be robbed of it, or run into danger on its +account[439]. On their arrival at Ormus, they hired a shop and began to +sell their wares; which being noticed by the Italians, whose factors +reside there as I said before, and fearing if these Englishmen got good +vent for their commodities, that they would become residents and so +daily increase, which would be no small loss and hindrance to them, they +presently set about to invent subtle devices to hinder them. To which +end, they went immediately to the captain of Ormus, who was then Don +Gonzalo de Menezes[440], saying that these Englishmen were heretics come +to spy the country, and that they ought to be examined and punished as +enemies, for a warning to others. Being friendly to these Englishmen, as +one of them had been there before and had given him presents, the +captain could not be prevailed upon to injure them, but shipped them +with all their wares for Goa, sending them to the viceroy, that he might +examine and deal with them as he thought good. + +[Footnote 439: This seems a mere adoption of the rumours of the +Italians; as Newbery distinctly complains of the want of cash, by which +he might have made very profitable purchases in Aleppo, Bagdat, and +Basora.--E.] + +[Footnote 440: The captain of the castle of Ormus is named Don Mathias +de Albuquerque by Fitch.--E.] + +Upon their arrival at Goa, they were cast into prison, and were in the +first place examined whether or not they were good Christians. As they +could only speak very bad Portuguese, while two of them spoke good +Dutch, having resided several years in the low countries, a Dutch Jesuit +who was born at Bruges in Flanders, and had resided thirty years in +India, was sent to them, to undermine and examine them; in which they +behaved so well, that they were holden and esteemed for good and +Catholic Christians; yet were they still suspected, as being strangers +and Englishmen. The Jesuits told them that they would be sent prisoners +into Portugal, and advised them to leave off their trade in merchandise, +and to become Jesuits; promising in return to defend them from all their +troubles. The cause of thus earnestly persuading them was this: The +Dutch Jesuit had been secretly informed that they had great sums of +money, and sought to get that for the order; as the first vow and +promise made on becoming a Jesuit is, to procure and advance the welfare +of the order by every possible means. Although the Englishmen refused +this, saying that they were quite unfit for such matters, yet one of +them, a painter, who came with the other three to see the country and +seek his fortune, and was not sent by the English merchants, partly +through fear, and partly from want of means to relieve himself from +prison, promised to become a Jesuit. And although the fathers knew that +he was not one of those who had the treasure, yet, because he was a +painter, of whom there are few in India, and that they had great need of +one to paint their church, which would cost them great charges to bring +from Portugal, they were very glad of him, and hoped in time to get all +the rest, with all their money, into their fellowship. + +To conclude, they made this painter a Jesuit, and he continued some time +in their college, where they gave him plenty of work to perform, and +entertained him with all the favour and friendship they could devise, +all to win the rest to become their prey. But the other three remained +in prison in great fear, because they did not understand any who came to +them, neither did any one understand what they said. They were at last +informed of certain Dutchmen who dwelt with the archbishop, and were +advised to send for them, at which they greatly rejoiced, and sent for +me and another Dutchman, desiring us to come and speak with them, which +we presently did. With tears in their eyes, they complained to us of +their hard usage, explaining to us distinctly, as is said before, the +true cause of their coming to Ormus, and praying us for God's sake to +help them to their liberty upon sureties, declaring themselves ready to +endure whatever could be justly ordained for them, if they were found to +be otherwise than they represented, or different from other travelling +merchants who sought to profit by their wares. + +Promising to do our best for them, we at length prevailed on the +archbishop to deliver a petition for them to the viceroy, and persuaded +him to set them at liberty and restore their goods, on condition of +giving security to the amount of 2000 pardaos, not to depart the country +without licence. Thereupon they presently found a citizen who became +their surety in 2000 pardaos, to whom they paid in hand 1300, as they +said they had no more money; wherefore he gave them credit for the rest, +seeing that they had great store of merchandise, through which he might +at any time be satisfied, if needful. By these means they were delivered +out of prison, on which they hired a house, and began to open shop; so +that they sold many of their goods, and were presently well known among +the merchants, as they always respected gentlemen, especially such as +bought their wares, shewing them much honour and courtesy, by which they +won much credit, and were beloved of all men, so that all favoured them, +and were ready to shew them favour. To us they shewed great friendship, +and for our sakes the archbishop favoured them much, and gave them good +countenance, which they well knew how to increase by offering him many +presents, although he would not receive them, as he never accepted gift +or present from any person. They behaved themselves in all things so +discreetly, that no one carried an evil eye or evil thought towards +them. This did not please the Jesuits, as it hindered what they still +wished and hoped for; so that they still ceased not to intimidate them +by means of the Dutch Jesuit, intimating that they would be sent +prisoners to Portugal, and counselling them to become Jesuits in the +cloister of St Paul, when they would be securely defended from all +troubles. The Dutchman pretended to give them this advice as a friend, +and one who knew certainly that it was so determined in the viceroy's +council, and that he only waited till the ship sailed for Portugal; +using this and other devices to put them in fear, and so to effect their +purpose. + +The Englishmen durst not say any thing to the contrary, but answered +that they would remain as they were yet a little while and consider +their proposal, thus putting the Jesuits in hopes of their compliance. +The principal of these Englishmen, John Newbery, often complained to me, +saying that he knew not what to think or say of these things, or how +they might get rid of these troubles. In the end, they determined with +themselves to depart from Goa; and secretly, by means of other friends, +they employed their money in the purchase of precious stones, which they +were the better able to effect as one of them was a jeweller, who came +with them for that purpose. Having concluded on this step, they durst +not make it known to any one, not even to us, although they used to +consult us on all occasions and tell us every thing they knew. + +On one of the Whitson holidays, they went out to recreate themselves +about three miles from Goa, in the mouth of the river, in a country +called _Bardez_[441], taking with them a supply of victuals and drink. +That they might not be suspected, they left their house and shop, with +same of their wares unsold, in the charge of a Dutch boy whom we had +procured for them, and who remained in their house, quite ignorant of +their intentions. When in Bardez, they procured a _patamer_, one of the +Indian post-boys or messengers who carry letters from place to place, +whom they hired as a guide. Between Bardez and the main-land there is +only a small river, in a manner half dry, which they passed over on +foot, and so travelled away by land, and were never heard of again; but +it is thought they arrived in Aleppo, though no one knows: with +certainty. Their great dependence is upon John Newbery, who can speak +the Arabian language, which is used in all these countries, or at least +understood, being as commonly known in all the east as French is with +us. + +[Footnote 441: Bardes is an island a short way north from the island of +Goa, and only divided from the main-land by a small river or creek.--E.] + +On the news of their departure being brought to Goa, there was a great +stir and murmuring among the people, as all much wondered. Many were of +opinion that we had counselled them to withdraw, and presently their +surety seized on the remaining goods, which might amount to the value of +200 pardaos; and with that and the money he had received of the +Englishmen, he went to the viceroy, and delivered it to him, the viceroy +forgiving him the rest. This flight of the Englishmen grieved the +Jesuits worst, as they had lost so rich a prey, which they made +themselves secure of. The Dutch Jesuit came to ask us if we knew of +their intentions, saying, if he had suspected as much he would have +dealt differently by them, for he had once in his hands a bag of theirs, +in which were 40,000 _veneseanders_, [442], each worth two pardaos, at +the time when they were in prison. But as they had always given him to +believe he might accomplish his desire of getting them to profess in the +Jesuit college, he had given them their money again, which otherwise +they would not have come by so easily, or peradventure never. This he +said openly, and in the end he called them heretics, spies, and a +thousand other opprobrious names. + +[Footnote 442: This word _veneseander_, or venetiander, probably means, +a Venetian chekin.--E.] + +When the English painter, who had become a Jesuit, heard that his +countrymen were gone, and found that the Jesuits did not use him with so +great favour as at first, he repented himself; and not having made any +solemn vow, and being counselled to leave their house, he told them that +he made no doubt of gaining a living in the city, and that they had no +right to keep him against his inclination, and as they could not accuse +him of any crime, he was determined not to remain with them. They used +all the means they could devise to keep him in the college, but he would +not stay, and, hiring a house in the city, he opened shop as a painter, +where he got plenty of employment, and in the end married the daughter +of a mestee, so that he laid his account to remain there as long as he +lived. By this Englishman I was instructed in all the ways, trades, and +voyages of the country between Aleppo, and Ormus, and of all the rules +and customs observed in the overland passage, as also of all the towns +and places on the route. Since the departure of these Englishmen from +Goa, there have never arrived any strangers, either English or others, +by land, except Italians, who are constantly engaged in the overland +trade, going and coming continually. + + + +END OF VOLUME SEVENTH. + + + + + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of A General History and Collection of +Voyages and Travels, Volume VII, by Robert Kerr + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK VOYAGES AND TRAVELS, VOLUME VII *** + +***** This file should be named 13287-8.txt or 13287-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/3/2/8/13287/ + +Produced by Robert Connal, Graeme Mackreth and PG Distributed +Proofreaders. This file was produced from images generously made +available by the Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions. + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +https://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS', WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need, is critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at https://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +https://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at https://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit https://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including including checks, online payments and credit card +donations. To donate, please visit: https://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + https://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. + |