The 21st
We Anchored Off Jackatra, In Java, Where We Found Two Dutch Ships, Which
Had Brought Our People And Their Goods From Amboyna.
The 26th we met a
praw, in which was Ralph Hearne, sent to me by Mr John Saris from
Bantam, to say that he had ready 3481 bags of pepper for me.
We got that
day into the road of Bantam, when Mr Saris came immediately on board.
The 13th September, 1609, at the request of the King of Bantam, I sent
twenty-five armed men to make him pastime, in honour of his having the
night before consummated his marriage. The 23d, having token on board
4900 bags of pepper, I prepared for our homeward voyage; and on the 27th
I appointed the following members of our factory at that place:
Augustine Spalding chief factor, at L50 a year; Francis Kellie surgeon,
at 40s. a month; John Parsons at 30s. a month; Robert Neale 29s.
Augustine Adwell 24s. Etheldred Lampre 20s. William Driver 20s. William
Wilson 22s. William Lamwell 16s. Philip Badnedge 16s. Francisco Domingo
12s. Juan Seraon 10s. Adrian, Mr Towerson's boy, 10s.[181] Using every
possible diligence to get away, I hired six persons to go along with us
for England in assistance to our crew; and on the 30th, delivered over
the charge of the factory to Spalding, giving him strict injunctions to
beware of the Dutch insolence and hatred towards us, and therefore to
have as little intercourse with them as possible.
[Footnote 181: These wages are here particularized, as a curious record
of the original wages of the Company's servants in India. - E.]
I took leave of the governor or regent of Bantam on the 2d October,
1609, requesting his favour to our factory, which he promised with
seeming heartiness; and on the 3d I went on board, after taking leave of
all our friends. The 1st November we were in lat. 25 deg. S. with 24 deg.
variation, being by our reckoning 650 leagues from Bantam, which we had
run in 24 days. The 29th, in lat. 32 deg. 30' S. and above 13 deg. variation, we
had all day a severe gale of wind, which at night became a storm at
W.S.W. from the northward,[182] and put us to try with our main course,
continuing all night and next day. In this, as sundry times before, we
found the report of Linschot to be true, that generally all easterly
winds, coming about to the northwards, if accompanied by rain, come
presently round to W.S.W. with considerable violence.
[Footnote 182: This expression is unintelligible; but from the sequel,
it appears the gale had been originally easterly, had then changed to
the north, and finally settled in a storm at W.S.W. - E.]
Early in the morning of the 8th December, 1609, we fell in with the
Terra de Natal, some six leagues west, being at noon in lat. 81 deg. 27'
S. with the variation about 8 deg. 30', we standing S.S.E. under low sails,
with the wind at S.W. We met a Hollander, from whom we learnt that the
Erasmus, a ship of the fleet which went home from Bantam at the time of
my arrival there in the Dragon, had sprung a leak at sea; and, being
left by the rest of the fleet, steered for the Mauritius, where she
unladed her goods, which were loft there with twenty-five persons till
they and the goods could be sent for, the rest of her company being in
this vessel. They farther told us, that there are two harbours in the
island of Mauritius; one called the north-west harbour, in somewhat less
than 20 deg. S. the other called the south-east harbour, in 28 deg. 15' S. All
kinds of refreshments are to be had there, as fish, turtles, and
manatis, in great abundance.[183] It has an infinite number and variety
of fowls. Hogs and goats, only newly introduced, are in some reasonable
number, and are fast increasing. The island is healthy, and between 30
and 40 leagues in circumference. The variation there is 21 deg. westwards.
They came from Bantam in May, were a month in getting to the Mauritius,
had remained there four months and a half, and had been six weeks from
thence, seventeen days of which with contrary winds.
[Footnote 183: The Lamantin, Trichechus Manatas Australis, Southern
Manati, or Fish-tailed Walrus of naturalists. This singular amphibious
animal, or rather aquatic quadruped, inhabits the southern seas of
Africa and America, especially near the mouths of rivers, pasturing on
aquatic plants, and browsing on the grass which grows close to the
water. It varies in size from eight to seventeen feet long, and from 500
to 800 pounds weight, and the flesh is said to be good eating. - E.]
The 22d of December we were in lat. 85 deg. 28' S. within seven leagues of
Cape Aguillas,[184] which shews like two islands from where we were,
being to the S.E. of it. Coming more athwart, it resembled three isles,
two bays, N.E. and N.W. making three conspicuous, low, and seemingly
round points. We had ground in the evening in 77 fathoms upon ooze,
being about five leagues south from shore, and, as I guess, nearly to
the westwards of the shoalest part of the bank. When bound homewards on
this coast, and finding no weather for observation, either for latitude
or variation, we may boldly and safely keep in sixty fathoms with
shelly ground, and when finding ooze we are very near Cape Aguillas.
When losing ground with 120 fathoms line, we may be sure of having
passed the cape, providing we be within the latitude of 36 deg. S. The 23d
we steered all night W. by N. and W.N.W. with afresh easterly gale,
seeing the land all along about eight or ten leagues from us, all high
land.
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