Afterwards two
men came to us, who flatly refused to let us have any thing, alleging
that our nation had captured one of their boats; but it was the
Hollanders not the English. The 14th, in the morning, the southern point
of Ceylon, called Tanadare [Dondra], bore E.S.E. of us, some five
leagues off. This point is in lat. 5 deg. 30' [5 deg. 54' N.], and is about ten
or twelve leagues E.S.E. from Punta de Galle. The 17th we were near one
of the sands mentioned by Linschoten, being two leagues from the land.
We had twenty-five fathoms water, and on the land, right opposite this
sand, is a high rock like a great tower. The land here trends E.N.E.[88]
[Footnote 88: Owing probably to careless abbreviation by Purchas, this
solitary notice is all that is given of the voyage between Dondra-head
in Ceylon and Acheen, in the north-west end of Sumatra, to which the
observation in the text seems to refer. - E.]
Sec.3. Occurrences at Acheen, in Sumatra.
At noon of the 12th April, 1613, we came to anchor in the road of
Acheen, in twelve fathoms, but ships may ride in ten or even eight
fathoms; the best place in which to ride being to the eastward of the
castle, and off the river mouth. I landed the merchants on the 13th; but
the king did not come to town till the 15th, when he sent me his chop
or licence to land, which was brought by an eunuch, accompanied by the
Xabander and six or eight more, to whom I gave 120 mam.
