We Moored S.E. And N.W. The Anchor In
The Offing Being In 21 Fathoms.
At night of the 3d, we had sight of the Hector coming round the south
end of the island, but she could not fetch into the road, yet stood to
the northward as near as she could, having the wind at east.
The 4th and
5th our boats went out to endeavour to help her into the road, but could
not. Having a little wind on the 6th, our boats towed her in, bringing
her to anchor in 35 fathoms, a mile and half from shore, bearing from us
S.W. by W. distant about two leagues. The 11th we set sail from St
Helena, the wind at E.N.E. and steering N.W. The N.W. part of St Helena
is in lat. 16 deg. S. and the variation is 7 deg. 45'. The church, that bore
S.E. of us when we were in the road, stands in the bottom of the fifth
valley from that point which bore N.E. from us. We came to anchor in the
Downs on the 6th May, 1606, where we lay at anchor eight days, waiting
for a fair wind.
SECTION IV.
Third Voyage of the English East India Company, in 1607, by Captain
William Keeling.[156]
INTRODUCTION.
In this voyage three ships were employed, with about 310 men; the
Dragon, admiral, Captain Keeling, who was chief commander or general;
the Hector, vice-admiral, commanded by Captain William Hawkins; and the
Consent, Captain David Middleton. The relation of the voyage, as appears
from its title in Purchas, was written by Keeling, the chief commander
or general, or, as he would now be called, the commodore: But, by a
side-note, Purchas informs us, that he had abbreviated the narrative
from the journals written at sea, by Captains Keeling and Hawkins, which
were very voluminous, occupying a hundred sheets of paper, and that he
had only retained the most necessary observations for sea and land
affairs.
[Footnote 156: Purch. Pilgr. I. 188. Astl. I. 312.]
The editor of Astley's Collection observes, "That this narrative is
written very obscurely, in an abrupt, uncouth style, which he thinks
Purchas ought to have reformed when abridging it. The author seems to
have kept no regular journal, but only to have entered such things from
time to time as seemed most material. In many places it consists only of
loose imperfect hints, thrown together without connection, and often
referring to things not mentioned before. Possibly these defects may
have been owing to Purchas, in order to abbreviate the journal; and
indeed, whether from want of care or judgment, he spoiled almost every
thing he abridged. It contains, however, many valuable nautical remarks,
and many particulars respecting the conduct of the Dutch, who now began
to lord it in India, which may atone for its defects. If the dryness of
some of the details may disgust any of our readers, we hope they will
consider that our design is to give a series of the English Voyages;
and in so doing to steer equally between the two extremes of redundance
and imperfection."[157]
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