To The General He Gave A Handsome Java Dagger, Which Is
Much Esteemed There, A Good Bezoar Stone, And Some Other Things.
After
this the general took leave of the king, with many courteous expressions
on both sides.
Sec. 6. Departure for England, and Occurrences in the Voyage.
We all embarked on the 20th February, 1603, shot off our ordnance, and
set sail for England, giving thanks to God with joyful hearts for his
merciful protection. We were in the straits of Sunda on the 22d and 23d
of that month, and on the 26th we got clear of all the islands in these
straits and of the land, shaping our course S.W. so that on the 28th we
were in lat. 8 deg. 40' S. On Sunday the 13th March, we were past the tropic
of Capricorn, holding our course mostly S.W. with a stiff gale at S.E.
The 14th April we were in lat. 34 deg. S. judging the great island of
Madagascar to be north of us. We had a great and furious storm on the
28th, which forced us to take in all our sails. This storm continued a
day and night, during which the sea so raged that none of us expected
our ships to live; but God, in his infinite mercy, calmed the violence
of the storm, and gave us opportunity to repair the losses and injuries
we had received; but our ships were so shaken by the violence of the
wind and waves, that they continued leaky all the rest of the voyage.
We had another great storm on the 3d May, which continued all night, and
did so beat on the quarter of our ship that it shook all the iron work
of our rudder, which broke clean off next morning from our stern, and
instantly sunk. This misfortune filled all our hearts with fear, so that
the best and most experienced among us knew not what to do, especially
seeing ourselves in so tempestuous a sea, and a so stormy place, so that
I think there be few worse in the world. Our ship now drove about at the
mercy of the winds and waves like a wreck, so that we were sometimes
within a few leagues of the Cape of Good Hope, when a contrary wind came
and drove us almost into 40 deg. S. among hail, snow, and sleety cold
weather. This was a great misery to us, and pinched us sore with cold,
having been long used to hot weather. All this while the Hector
carefully kept by us, which was some comfort, and many times the master
of the Hector came aboard our ship to consult upon what could be done.
At length it was concluded to put our mizen-mast out at a stern port, to
endeavour to steer our ship into some place where we might make and hang
a new rudder to carry us home. This device, was however to little
purpose; for, when we had fitted it and put it out into the sea, it did
so lift up with the strength of the waves, and so shook the stem of our
ship, as to put us in great danger, so that we were glad to use all
convenient haste to get the mast again into the ship.
We were now apparently without hope or remedy, unless we made a new
rudder, and could contrive to hang it at sea, which may easily be judged
was no easy matter, in so dangerous a sea, and our ship being of seven
or eight hundred tons.[117] But necessity compelled us to try all
possible means. The general ordered our carpenters to make a new rudder
of the mizen-mast; but there was this great obstacle, that we had lost
all our rudder-irons along with the old rudder: Yet we proceeded with
all expedition; One of our men dived, to search what might remain of our
rudder-irons on the stern port, who found but two, and another that was
broken. Yet, with God's help, finding a fair day, we made fast our new
rudder, and were able to make sail homewards. Within three or four
hours, the sea took it off again, and we had great difficulty to save
it, losing another of our irons, so that only two now remained to hang
it by, and our men began to propose quitting the ship and going on board
the Hector to save themselves. "Nay," said the general, "we will abide
God's leisure, and see what mercy he will shew us; for I do not yet
despair to save ourselves, the ship, and the goods, by some means which
God will appoint." With that, he went into his cabin, and wrote a letter
for England, proposing to send it by the Hector, commanding her to
continue her voyage and leave us; but not one of our ship's company knew
of this command. The tenor of the letter was as follows, little more or
less, addressed to the Governor and Company:
RIGHT WORSHIPFUL,
What hath passed in this voyage, and what trades I have settled for the
company, and what other events have befallen us, you shall understand by
the bearers hereof, to whom (as occasion has fallen) I must refer you, I
shall strive with all diligence to save my ship and her goods, as you
may perceive by the course I take in venturing my own life, and those
that are with me. I cannot tell where you should look for me, if you
send any pinnace to seek me; because I live at the devotion of the winds
and seas. And that, fare you well, praying God to send us a merry
meeting in this world, if it be his good will and pleasure.
The passage to the East India lieth in 62 1/2 degrees, by the
north-west on the America side.[118]
Your very loving friend,
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 60 of 218
Words from 60202 to 61201
of 221842
