The 4th And
5th Our Boats Went Out To Endeavour To Help Her Into The Road, But Could
Not.
Having a little wind on the 6th, our boats towed her in, bringing
her to anchor in 35 fathoms, a mile and half from shore, bearing from us
S.W. by W. distant about two leagues.
The 11th we set sail from St
Helena, the wind at E.N.E. and steering N.W. The N.W. part of St Helena
is in lat. 16 deg. S. and the variation is 7 deg. 45'. The church, that bore
S.E. of us when we were in the road, stands in the bottom of the fifth
valley from that point which bore N.E. from us. We came to anchor in the
Downs on the 6th May, 1606, where we lay at anchor eight days, waiting
for a fair wind.
SECTION IV.
Third Voyage of the English East India Company, in 1607, by Captain
William Keeling.[156]
INTRODUCTION.
In this voyage three ships were employed, with about 310 men; the
Dragon, admiral, Captain Keeling, who was chief commander or general;
the Hector, vice-admiral, commanded by Captain William Hawkins; and the
Consent, Captain David Middleton. The relation of the voyage, as appears
from its title in Purchas, was written by Keeling, the chief commander
or general, or, as he would now be called, the commodore: But, by a
side-note, Purchas informs us, that he had abbreviated the narrative
from the journals written at sea, by Captains Keeling and Hawkins, which
were very voluminous, occupying a hundred sheets of paper, and that he
had only retained the most necessary observations for sea and land
affairs.
[Footnote 156: Purch. Pilgr. I. 188. Astl. I. 312.]
The editor of Astley's Collection observes, "That this narrative is
written very obscurely, in an abrupt, uncouth style, which he thinks
Purchas ought to have reformed when abridging it. The author seems to
have kept no regular journal, but only to have entered such things from
time to time as seemed most material. In many places it consists only of
loose imperfect hints, thrown together without connection, and often
referring to things not mentioned before. Possibly these defects may
have been owing to Purchas, in order to abbreviate the journal; and
indeed, whether from want of care or judgment, he spoiled almost every
thing he abridged. It contains, however, many valuable nautical remarks,
and many particulars respecting the conduct of the Dutch, who now began
to lord it in India, which may atone for its defects. If the dryness of
some of the details may disgust any of our readers, we hope they will
consider that our design is to give a series of the English Voyages;
and in so doing to steer equally between the two extremes of redundance
and imperfection."[157]
[Footnote 157: This paragraph is inserted from the previous remarks to
the voyage of Keeling, by the editor of Astley's Collection. - E.]
Purchas remarks punningly in a side-note, "That the Consent held no
concent with the Dragon and Hector." Her voyage will be found in the
sequel of this section, with, several other articles connected with it,
which have not been noticed in Astley's Collection, and which appeared
necessary to elucidate the early commercial connections of England with
India, and the manners and customs of the eastern nations. We have
endeavoured to amend the uncouth and abrupt style of Purchas, but it was
impossible to clear up his obscurities; and in many instances we have
abbreviated or lopt off redundancies and unimportant particulars. - E.
* * * * *
Sec. 1. Disasters in the Outset of the Voyage, forcing them back to Sierra
Leona; with Occurrences till leaving Saldanha Bay.
By the 1st of April, 1607, the Dragon and Hector had reached the Downs.
After passing the line in the beginning of June, and getting four or
five degrees to the southwards, we were so crossed by gusts, calms,
rains, and sickness, as to be constrained to return northwards. Missing
the island of Fernando Noronha, I consulted on the 30th July with the
master, named Taverner, who thought we must return for England; but
Sierra Leona being mentioned, of which place I had formerly read good
accounts, I sent for the book,[158] and both Mr Taverner and myself took
a liking to the place. Our company being very much diseased, and being
exceedingly in want of water, with no hopes of getting to Fernando
Noronha, I called a council, and after dinner desired their opinion what
was fittest to be done? They were all of opinion that we could not stand
any longer to the south, for many reasons; and, demanding their opinions
in regard to a watering-place, Churchman, Savage, and Taverner, proposed
Mayo; Earming, Pockham, Molineux, and my master, preferred Sierra Leona
for many causes, which likewise was my own opinion, wherefore we
concluded to make for Sierra Leona, with which determination I
acquainted the crews, to their very great comfort.
[Footnote 158: Purchas makes the following remark in a side-note: - "Mr
Hakluyt's book was here of good profit; for, as Sir Thomas Smith
affirmed to me, it now saved L20,000 to the company, which they had been
endamaged if the ships had returned home; which had certainly been the
case if that book had not been consulted."]
On the morning of the 4th August, we saw many flowers, a strong sign of
approaching land, and towards evening had ground in from 20 to 16
fathoms, yet saw no land. By means of our skiff, I set the current to
the S.E. at the rate of two miles each watch. The 5th we steered all
morning eastwards, and E. By S. having from 30 to 20 and 10 fathoms, and
still no land to be seen. The greatest depth was on an oose bottom, the
least a coarse yellow sand. About nine o'clock we espied land, bearing
N.E. about 8 leagues distant, being a round hummock of middling height.
By noon we were in latitude 7 deg.
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