Indigo Of Both Sorts, 31 Bales, Amounting, With Profit,
To Rials 1694-11/16
Brought Over, Rials 1694-13/16
Spikenard, one bale; turbith,[421] one bale; cinnamon,
five bales; amount, with profit, 64-1/4
Cambaya cloth, 137 corges and 3 pieces, amount,
with profit, 1188-1/2
Sum total, Rials 2947-9/16
And I have received in payment these goods following,
viz.
Broad cloths, six pieces, amounting, in rials, 890-2/3
Kersies, ten pieces, 477-1/3
Lead, 31-3/4 bahars, 762-17/48
Iron, 10 bahars, 240
Tin, 1-1/2 bahar, 226-2/3
Fowling-pieces, fourteen, 350
Received in money to balance 0-17/24
Sum total of goods received, Rials 2947-9/16
The 13th of August, 1612, we set sail from Mokha in the Clove, having on
board seventy-five men, all in perfect health. The 14th we got sight of
the Bab, but the wind being large at N.W. we steered through the great
channel on the Abyssinian side, having 18 fathoms water about one league
from the island of Babo, where is a good and safe harbour for
shipping, but the place is barren. The 3d September we arrived at
Socotora in Delisha road; when we understood the Thomas had been here
three months before, but made no stay, as they could not agree for the
aloes. The 4th the merchant and linguist went ashore, and were kindly
treated by the king, but could not agree in the price, as he asked 40
dollars the quintal of 104 pounds, saying he had only 25 quintals, and
was much solicited for it by the Portuguese. At length we agreed to give
30 dollars for one parcel, and 38 for another, and he delivered us 4067
pounds, which cost 1418-1/2 rials of eight, or dollars. On this occasion
we found the king false both in his weights and word, yet we treated him
well for the good of future voyages. We sailed for Bantam on the 8th
September.
[Footnote 421: Perhaps turmeric is here meant - E.]
The 22d, in lat. 8 deg. 12' N. by the stars, steering E. by S. with the
wind W.S.W. we fell at midnight into the strangest and most terrifying
shining water that any of us had ever seen, the water throwing so great
a glare about the ship that we could discern the letters in a book
perfectly, whereas it had been so dark only half an hour before, that we
could not see half the length of our ship any way. We doubted it had
been the breach of some sunken ground, and thought to have cast about;
but after sailing in it half an hour without any alteration, we held on
our course, and at length it proved to be cuttle-fish that made this
fearful show.
We got sight of the island of Ceylon on the 27th in the morning, bearing
N.E. by E. about 7 leagues off, being very high land up the country, but
very low near the sea. The 29th we saw Cape Comorin about 14 leagues
off, being very high land. This cape is in the latitude of 7 deg. 42' [more
accurately 7 deg. 57' N.] whereas our charts lay it down in 6 deg. 10'. During
our course we did not fall in with any of the islands laid down in our
charts, neither did we see any of the Maldive islands, which are said to
be so numerous.
The 15th October, when in lat. 4 deg. 49' S. we got sight of Sumatra, where
we found a strong current setting us from the land. Such as are bound
for the straits of Sunda, must keep the coast of Sumatra on board after
they get into lat. 1 deg. 30' S. as the current begins there. It is proper
to keep thirty leagues off the coast of that island and with a good
look-out, as there are many cayos[422] fifteen or twenty leagues out
at sea, but which we did not see, as we were kept farther out by the
current. The 24th we came to anchor in the road of Bantam, all our
people being in as good health, or better, than when we left England.
Contrary to our expectation, we here found the Hector, which had arrived
only the day before, in company with the James and several Dutch ships.
The arrival of all these ships, and the daily expectation of the
Trades-increase, Pepper-corn, Darling, and Thomas, occasioned a great
and sudden alteration in the prices of commodities. Such as were in
considerable request, were raised nearly to three times the price for
which they sold the day before the Hector arrived. Cloves, which the
people of the Hector and James had bought the day before at sixteen
dollars the pekul, were now risen to forty dollars and upwards. Pepper,
which was ten dollars for ten sacks, rose upon our coming to twelve and
a half dollars; and so of other commodities.
[Footnote 422: Keys, islands and rocks. - E.]
We went to court on the 26th, accompanied by our merchants, and gave
divers presents to Pangran Chamarra, who enjoyed the entire authority
of government as protector, although the king was now of full age. From
him we procured a licence to land our goods, providing the royal
officers were made acquainted with all that were brought on shore, that
the king might not be wronged of his duties. The 28th a letter from Mr
William Adams, written from Japan, was read in presence of all our
merchants, that they might consider what hopes there were of trade in
that country. It was now concluded in a council of commerce, considering
the power of the Dutch in the Moluccas and Banda, where they were almost
absolute masters, and that Bantam was exceedingly unhealthy, where
besides our people injured themselves greatly on shore with drink and
loose women, that the Hector should be dispatched in all speed to
England, and that 14,000 sacks of pepper should be provided for her and
the Thomas without delay, fearing that pepper might be raised still
higher when the natives got news of the other expected ships.
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