All Were Of This Opinion For The
Following Reasons:
1st, The putting off our English goods, and getting
others in their place fit for our country; 2d, to
Take some revenge of
the great wrongs suffered from the Turks; 3d, to save a ship, with her
goods and men, which we heard were bound there, by letters received from
Masulipatam, and which we thought could not possibly escape being
betrayed as we had been.
Having concluded to return to the Red Sea, we were employed till the
27th in getting fresh water aboard, and taking back our red-lead, which
we had sold and delivered at Dabul, but they disliked. In the evening we
saw a sail in the offing, which some Malabar vessels beside us said was
a Portuguese ship of Cochin bound for Chaul; on which I sent the
Pepper-corn, Darling, and Release, to bring her in, which they did on
the 28th. Finding my people in the Release had pillaged the Portuguese
vessel, I took every thing away from them, and gave them back to the
owners. Her lading was mostly cocoa-nuts, and I took some small matter
out of her.
Continuing our voyage for the Red Sea, we got sight of the island of
Socotora on the 24th of March, and at four p.m. the point of Delisha
bore S.S.W. six leagues distant. From noon of the 24th till noon of the
25th, we steered N.W. by W. and W.N.W. and W. all night, thinking by
day-light to have been near the westermost part of the island; but we
found we had gone little a-head, although we had a fair wind, owing to a
strong current against us. The 27th, in the morning, we had sight of
Abdal Curia, and before night espied Guar-da-fui.
The 2d April, Mr Pemberton came aboard me, telling me he had been at
Socotora, where the king shewed him a writing left there by Captain John
Saris, who was general of three ships from India, stating the time he
left England, his places of refreshment, the time of his arrival at
Socotora, and his having proceeded for the Red Sea in quest of trade;
mentioning likewise his having perused the writing left by me,
containing many reasons for not going there; but, having the pass of the
Grand Signior, he hoped to meet better entertainment than I had. On this
unexpected news, I called a council to deliberate on what we had best
do; when we quickly resolved to proceed as we had formerly determined,
having now no other way left, as we could not return again till the next
westerly monsoon, which would not be till the middle of May. I therefore
left Captain Downton in the Pepper-corn to remain till the 5th off the
mouth, keeping the port of Aden shut up; while I went with the
Trades-increase and Darling to keep the two passages of the straits of
Bab-al-Mondub.
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