It Is Good To Keep To
Leewards Till You Bring These Little Islands In One Line With The Point
Of Johor, And Piedra-Branca Open With The Isle Of Bintam.
Piedra-branca
is a rock all covered with sea-fowl, and so bedunged as to make its top
appear white, whence its name, which signifies the white-rock, or stone.
Till the 7th, we were every day turning up against the current till we
got past the river of Johor, and about two leagues from Sincapura. On
the 8th, when close to the strait, several proas came aboard us, those
in them being Salettes, who were subjects to the king of Johor, who
live mostly by fishing, always remaining in their proas with their wives
and children. From these people we learnt that the king of Acheen had
sent back Rajah Bouny Soe to Johor, who was younger brother to the
former king; and, having married him to his sister, gave him thirty
proas and 2000 Acheen soldiers, with a good supply of ordnance and other
necessaries, ordering him to rebuild the fort and town of Johor, and to
reign there as a dependant on Acheen. We here took a pilot to carry us
through the straits.
We arrived on the 19th December at Masulipatam, where we found an
English ship and two Holland ships. We were told that Mir Sadardi was
now out of place, and that the government was in the hands of Atma
Khan and Busebulleran. The English ship was the James, which was sent
expressly to second us in our voyage, and brought us letters, with which
Messrs. Marlow, Davis, Gumey, and Cob came aboard the Globe. The 21st I
went ashore with the others, when we were met by Wentacadra, the son
of Busebulleran, together with the sabandar, and other Moors, and
were well received. They presented us with several tesseriffes, and
gave to director Warner and me a fine horse each, which at first I
refused, suspecting some treachery, but was compelled to accept. I took
a caul, or licence for trade, the customs being settled at four per
centum, and immediately landed goods.
The 25th January, 1614, the James departed for Pattapilly and sailed
from thence on the 7th February, for Bantam. On the 18th February I went
to Narsipoor, and on the 19th the ship was brought into the river,
drawing nine three-fourths feet, and having ten and a half feet water,
contrary to the reports of some who wished us no good. I returned to
Masulipatam on the 23d, whence I dispatched a peon with letters to Mr
Aldworth at Surat. That day there arrived a navette from Pegu, in
which came Cornelius Franke, by whom we were informed that the king of
Ava had certainly taken the fort of Serian, and slain all the
Portuguese, and that Xenga, or Philip Britto de Nicole, was either
spitted or soulathed, [391] this event having taken place in March
last. The king, of Ava had given orders for rebuilding the town, to
which he had invited the Peguers with many fair promises. He had gone
from thence Tanasserim, where he was joined by Banga Dela, and 50,000
Peguers, who had been before under the king of Siam. The Moors in
Masulipatam were greatly rejoiced at this news, hoping by its means to
recover the trade of Pegu, and immediately made preparations for sending
two ships there in September. In March there came news of eleven ships
having arrived at Goa, eight of them from China, and three from Malacca,
by which the market price of goods was much reduced; but, fortunately
for me, I had almost finished my business before.
[Footnote 391: This strange word is unintelligible; but we have formerly
given the history of Nicote from de Faria, by whom he is said to have
been impaled. - E.]
In April, Atma Khan departed for Golconda, to render up his accounts,
the year coming then to a close. It was well for him that the king had
deposed his great treasurer, giving the office to Malek Tusar, who was
the friend of Atma Khan; and well for us likewise, as the debts due by
these governors are good while they continue in place, but otherwise
doubtful.
The 18th of May, at five p.m. Captain Essington died of a sudden heat,
having eaten his dinner at the table. He had some boils about him, which
are very common at that season; one of which, on his shoulder, was very
large, and would not break, which was supposed the cause of his death. I
went immediately on board, and put the ship into the best order I could.
The people all refused to submit to any other commander but me: yet I
thought it a debasement to tread in the steps of my under-merchant,
wherefore I committed the charge to Mr Skinner, in hopes that he and the
rest would do every thing for the best, and returned myself to
Masulipatam. I here found three persons, who said they were sent with
letters from Obiana, queen of Pullicatt, Jaga Rajah, the governor
of that place, and of St Thome, and Apa Condaia, secretary to the
great king Wencatad Rajah, in which they promised, if I would come
thither, that they would give me a place opposite the fort at Pullicatt,
with all the privileges I could wish, and many other fair promises. But
remembering how I and the James had been entertained there, I could give
little credit to these assurances; yet, at length, it was agreed, that
one of the messengers should remain with me while the other two went
back with one of my people, by whom I sent letters to the
before-mentioned persons, as also to the king, in which, after
recapitulating the bad entertainment we had formerly received at
Pullicatt, I offered that we would return to trade in the country, if
they would send us the king's caul, or safe conduct, in due form.
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