29' N. Two were about a league asunder, and we
found the third to be Socotora, which is in lat.
12 deg. 24' N. We arrived
here the 29th March, and came to anchor next day in a fine bay. As the
islanders lighted a fire on seeing us, we sent the skiff on shore, but
the people fled in all haste, having possibly been injured by some who
had passed that way. Finding no prospect of any relief here, our men
returned on board, when we again made sail to find the chief harbour.
Standing out to sea next day, we met a ship from Guzerat, laden with
cotton, calico, and pintados or chintz, and bound for Acheen.[285] As
they told us it was a place of great trade, we went there along with
her, but we found it quite otherwise, being merely a garrison town with
many soldiers. There is a castle at the entrance cut out of the main
land, and surrounded by the sea, having thirty-two pieces of ordnance,
and there were fifty in the town. Arriving there the 10th April, the
people of the Guzerat ship landed, and told the governor that an English
ship had come to trade there. The governor sent his admiral to invite
our general, who went very unadvisedly on shore, where he and his
attendants were received with much courtesy, three or four horses
waiting for his use, and was brought in great pomp to the governor.
Finding our general but a simple man, the governor put him into a house
with a chiaus, or keeper, and a strong guard of janissaries, and kept
him and his attendants prisoners for six weeks, I being of the number.
The governor then obliged him to send aboard for iron, tin, and cloth,
to the value of 2500 dollars, pretending that he meant to purchase the
goods; but when once on shore, he seized them under pretence of customs.
Seeing he could get no more, he sent the general aboard on the 27th May,
but detained two of our merchants as pledges for payment of 2000
dollars, which he said was for anchorage: but as we all declared against
submitting to pay this arbitrary exaction, the governor sent our two
merchants to the Pacha at Sanaa, about eight days journey up the
country.
[Footnote 285: Jones says she belonged to Diu, but told the English she
was from Surat, and gave them an account of the arrival of Captain
Hawkins at that place. - E.]
The 28th of May, we were joined by our pinnace, the Good Hope, the
master of which, John Luffkin, had been knocked in the head with a
mallet by Thomas Clarke, with the consent of Francis Driver, master's
mate,[286] together with Andrew Evans and Edward Hilles. Being asked the
reason for this murder, they could only allege being refused some aqua
vitae and rosa solis, which Luffkin wished to preserve for the crew
in case of sickness. A jury was called on the 31st May, when the
murderers were convicted; of whom Driver and Clarke were hanged in the
pinnace. The other two met their deserts, for Hilles was eaten by
canibals,[287] and Evans rotted where he lay.
[Footnote 286: Jones calls Clarke master's-mate, and Driver gunner. - E.]
[Footnote 287: Hilles was left at Madagascar, where perhaps he might be
eaten. - Astl. 343. c.]
The 3d June, we departed from Aden and sailed into the Red Sea through
the Straits of Mecca.[288] This strait is about a league in breadth, and
three leagues in length, with an island in the middle, and 18 fathoms
water close to the island. Within the straits there is a shoal some two
leagues off shore, which it is necessary to keep clear from. From the
straits it is about six leagues to Mokha, where is a good road and fair
ground for vessels to ride in 14 fathoms. This port is never without
shipping, being a place of great trade, and frequented by caravans from
Sanaa, Mecca, Cairo, and Alexandria. There is good vent here for tin,
iron, lead, cloth, sword-blades, and all kinds of English commodities.
It has a great bazar, or market, every day in the week; and has plenty
of apricots, quinces, dates, grapes, peaches, lemons, and plantains,
which I much wondered at, as the inhabitants told me they had no rain
for seven years before, and yet there was abundance of good corn to be
had at 18d. a bushel. There is such abundance of cattle, sheep, and
goats, that we got an ox for three dollars, and a goat for half a
dollar. Of dolphins, mow-fish, basse, mullets, and other good fish,
there was such plenty, that we could buy as much for 3d. as would
suffice ten men for a meal. The town is under the government of the
Turks, who punish the Arabians severely for any offence, having gallies
for that purpose, otherwise they would be unable to keep them in awe and
under subjection.
[Footnote 288: In the original it is Mockoo, and on the margin Moha, but
these are not the Straits of Mokha, but of Mecca - Astl. I. 348 b.
The proper name of the entrance into the Red Sea is Bab-al-Mondub,
usually called Babelmandel, signifying the gates of lamentation, owing
to the dangers of the navigation outwards to India. - E.]
We departed from Mokha on the 18th July, repassing the straits, where we
lost two anchors. From thence we sailed to Socotora, and about the 5th
August cast anchor opposite the town of Saiob, or Sawb, where the
king resides. One of our merchants went ashore, desiring leave to
purchase water, goats, and other provisions, which he refused, alleging
that the women were much afraid of us; but if we would remove to another
anchorage about five leagues off, we might have every thing his country
afforded. We accordingly went there, where we bought water, goats,
aloes, dragon's blood, &c. We set sail from Socotora on the 18th.[289]
[August?], and on the 28th came to Moa,[290] where one of the natives
told us we might have a pilot for 20 dollars to bring us to the road of
Surat, but our wilful master refused, saying that he had no need of a
pilot.
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