This realm, the company bought and fitted out
four large ships for their first adventure. These were the Dragon[93] of
600 tons, and 202 men, admiral, in which Mr James Lancaster was placed
as general;[94] the Hector of 300 tons, and 108 men, commanded by Mr
John Middleton, vice-admiral; the Ascension of 260 tons, and 82 men,
Captain William Brand;[95] and the Susan,[96] commanded by Mr John
Hayward, with 84 men:[97] Besides these commanders, each ship carried
three merchants or factors, to succeed each other in rotation in case of
any of them dying. These ships were furnished with victuals and stores
for twenty months, and were provided with merchandize and Spanish money
to the value of twenty-seven thousand pounds; all the rest of the
stock being expended in the purchase of the ships, with their necessary
stores and equipment, and in money advanced to the mariners[98] and
sailors who went upon the voyage. To these was added, as a victualler,
the Guest of 130 tons.[99]
[Footnote 93: This ship, originally called the Malice Scourge, was
purchased from the Earl of Cumberland for 3,700l. - Ann. of the H.E.I.
Co. I. 128.]
[Footnote 94: In these early voyages the chief commander is usually
styled general, and the ship in which he sailed the admiral. - E.]
[Footnote 95: This person is called by Purchas chief governor. Perhaps
the conduct of commercial affairs was confided to his care. - E.]
[Footnote 96: The burden of this ship was 240 tons. - Ann. I. 129.]
[Footnote 97: Besides there was a pinnace of 100 tons and 40 men. - Ann.
I. 129.]
[Footnote 98: In many of the old voyages, this distinction is made
between mariners and sailors: Unless a mere pleonasm, it may indicate
able and ordinary seamen; or the former may designate the officers of
all kinds, and the latter the common men. - E.]
[Footnote 99: Perhaps the pinnace already mentioned. - E.]
On application to the queen, her majesty furnished the merchants with
friendly letters of recommendation to several of the sovereigns in
India, offering to enter into treaties of peace and amity with them,
which shall be noticed in their proper places. And, as no great
enterprize can be well conducted and accomplished without an absolute
authority for dispensing justice, the queen granted a commission of
martial law to Captain Lancaster, the general of the fleet, for the
better security of his command.
Every thing being in readiness, the fleet departed from Woolwich, in the
river Thames, on the 13th of February, 1600, after the English mode of
reckoning,[100] or more properly 1601. They were so long delayed in the
Thames and the Downs, for want of wind, that it was Easter before they
arrived at Dartmouth, where they spent five or six days, taking in
bread and other provisions, appointed to be procured there. Departing
thence on the 18th of April, they came to anchor in Torbay, at which
place the general sent on board all the ships instructions for their
better keeping company when at sea, and directions as to what places
they were to repair to for meeting again, in case of being separated by
storms or other casualties. These were the calms of Canary; Saldanha
bay,[101] in case they could not double the Cape of Good Hope; Cape St
Roman, in Madagascar; the island of Cisne, Cerne, or Diego Rodriguez;
and finally, Sumatra, their first intended place of trade.
[Footnote 100: At this time, and for long after, there was a strangely
confused way of dating the years, which were considered as beginning at
Lady-day, the 25th of March. Hence, what we would now reckon the year
1601, from the 1st January to the 24th March inclusive, retained the
former date of 1600. The voyage actually commenced on the 13th February,
1601, according to our present mode of reckoning. - E.]
[Footnote 101: It will appear distinctly in the sequel of these voyages,
that the place then named Saldanha, or Saldania bay, was what is now
termed Table bay at the Cape of Good Hope. - E.]
* * * * *
The wind came fair on the 22d of April, when we weighed and stood out of
Torbay, directing our course for the Canaries. As the wind continued
fair, we had sight of Alegranza, or Great Island, the northermost of
the Canaries, on the 5th of May, and we directed our course to pass
between Fuertaventura and Gran Canaria; and coming to the south of Gran
Canaria, thinking to have watered there, we fell into the calms, which
are occasioned by the high lands being so near the sea. About three in
the afternoon of the 7th of May, having the wind at N.E. we departed
from Gran Canaria, shaping our course S.W. by S. and S.S.W. till we came
into the lat. of 21 deg. 30' N. From the 11th to the 20th, our course was
mostly S till we came to lat. 8 deg. N. the wind being always northerly and
N.E. In this latitude we found calms and contrary winds, which, at this
season of the year, prevail much off this part of the coast of Guinea,
alternating with many sudden gusts of wind, storms, and thunder and
lightning very fearful to behold, and very dangerous to the ships,
unless the utmost care be taken suddenly to strike all the sails, on
perceiving the wind to change even never so little. Yet such was the
suddenness many times, although the masters of the ships were very
careful and diligent, that it could hardly be done in time.
From the 20th of May till the 21st of June, we lay mostly becalmed, or
with contrary winds at south; and, standing to and again to bear up
against this contrary wind, we got with much ado to 2 deg.
