We Meant
To Have Inserted These Peregrinations As A Substitute For Those Of
Coverte, But Found The Names Of Places So Inexplicably Corrupted, As To
Render The Whole Entirely Useless.
- E.]
In Astley's Collection, copying from Purchas, a brief account of the
same voyage is given, as written by Thomas Jones, who seems to have been
carpenter or boatswain of the Ascension, and whose narrative differs in
some particulars from that of Coverte, though they agree in general.
Instead of augmenting our pages by the insertion of this additional
narrative, we have only remarked in notes the material circumstances in
which they differ. Neither can be supposed very accurate in dates, as
both would probably lose their journals when shipwrecked near Surat.
We have likewise added, in supplement to the narrative of Coverte, such
additional circumstances as are supplied by Jones, after the loss of the
ship. - E.
Sec. 1. Relation of this Voyage, as written by Robert Coverte.[272]
We weighed anchor from Woolwich on the 14th of March, 1608, and came to
the Downs over against Deal, three miles from Sandwich, where we
remained till the 25th, when we sailed for Plymouth. Leaving that place
with a fair gale on the 31st, we arrived at the Salvages, 500 leagues
from thence, on the 10th of April, and came next morning in sight of the
Grand Canary. Casting anchor there at midnight, we fired a gun for a
boat to come off: But the Spaniards, fearing we were part of a squadron
of twelve Hollanders, expected in these seas, instead of sending any
one on board, sent into the country for a body of 150 horse and foot to
defend the town; neither were their fears abated till two of our factors
went ashore, and acquainted them that we were two English ships in want
of some necessaries. Next morning we fired another gun, when the
governor sent off a boat to know what we wanted. Having acquainted him,
he made answer, that it was not in his power to relieve our wants,
unless we came into the roads. Yet, having examined our factors upon
oath, they had a warrant for a boat at their pleasure, to go between the
shore and the ships with whatever was wanted. What we most wondered at,
was the behaviour of two ships then in the roads, known by their colours
to be English, the people of which had not the kindness to apprize us of
the customs of the subtile currish Spaniards. It is the custom here,
when any foreign ship comes into the roads, that no person of the same
nation even, or any other, must go on board without leave from the
governor and council.
[Footnote 272: Astley, I. 336. - In Astley's Collection, this person is
named captain; but it does not appear wherefore he had this title. - E.]
During five days that we remained here, some of the Spaniards came on
board every day, and eat and drank with us in an insatiable manner.
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