Of Seventy-Five Men That Went
In Her From England Outward-Bound, Only Nine Got Home Alive.
These were
Thomas Duckmanton, the master's mate, Mr Bullock, the surgeon, Robert
Wilson of Deptford, Jacob Peterson, and five other Englishmen, besides
three or four Guzerats.[305]
[Footnote 305: All these must have been brought home in the Bristol
vessel and the Scots ships, except Duckmanton, and perhaps Smith. But
Purchas seems to have forgot that Mr Bradshaw and Humphry Bidulph were
left alive in India. - E.]
SECTION X.
Fifth Voyage of the English East India Company, in 1609, under the
Command of Captain David Middleton[306]
INTRODUCTION.
This narrative is said by Purchas to have been extracted from a letter
written by Captain David Middleton to the Company, and was probably
abbreviated by Purchas, who certainly is not happy on such occasions.
This commander is probably the same person who commanded the Consent in
a former voyage; and is said by the editor of Astley's Collection, to
have been brother to Sir Henry Middleton, who commanded in the sixth
voyage. One ship only, the Expedition belonging to London, appears to
have been employed in this fifth voyage.
[Footnote 306: Purch. Pilgr. I. 238. Astl. I. 851.]
Sec. 1. Occurrences at Bantam, Booton, and Banda.
We set sail from the Downs the 24th April, 1609, in the Expedition of
London, and had sight of Fuerteventura and Lancerota the 19th May; and
with the winds sometimes fair, sometimes foul, we arrived at Saldanha
bay the 10th August. Making all haste to wood and water, we again sailed
the 18th August, and arrived at Bantam on the 7th December, missing
Captain Keeling very narrowly, who must have passed us in the night, or
we must surely have seen him. I made all possible dispatch, both by day
and night, to get the iron ashore, and would not even stop to set up our
pinnace. I left Mr Hemsworth in the factory, and was under the necessity
of giving a great many more gifts than would otherwise have been
requisite, had the country been in the same state as formerly.[307] As
Mr Hemsworth was a stranger, unacquainted with any one in the factory, I
left Edward Neetles and three more of our people with him. Taking with
me such commodities as I thought most vendible in the places to which I
proposed going, I took leave of Mr Hemsworth on the 18th December, he
being very unwilling to remain behind; but I recommended to him to be of
good courage, as it was necessary I should take Mr Spalding with me, as
he knew the language, and had no proper person to leave in charge of the
factory except himself. I told him, if he were sent for by the governor
of Bantam, he must tell him plainly that I had left express orders not
to yield to his former unreasonable demands; but, in case of extremity,
to let the governor take what he pleased, but on no account to deliver
him any thing.
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