There
Were In This Ship Eighteen Or Twenty Portuguese, And About Eighty
Others, Men, Women, And Children.
Her chief loading was rice, butter,
sugar, lack, drugs, and Bengal cloths.
We offered these people our first
prize, with victuals to carry them ashore, which they refused, as
fearing to be ill-used by the Malabars, having lately escaped with
difficulty from a fleet of theirs of fourteen sail. Next day we landed
them where they desired, and allowed them to go away unsearched for
money or jewels. We had now three English ships[172] and three prizes.
[Footnote 171: These prizes were taken from the Portuguese in part
satisfaction for their unjust vexations and hostilities at Surat and
other places. - Purch.]
[Footnote 172: No notice is taken of the fourth ship, the Lion, probably
left at Surat; indeed, the whole of this relation is exceedingly vague
and unsatisfactory, the name even of the general never being once
mentioned. - E.]
The 14th we arrived at Brinion, in lat. 8 deg. 30', where we took out of
the first prize what we thought useful, and then set her adrift. At
Brinion there is a small town in a round bay, which may be known by a
long white beach to the north, and to the south is all high land, having
a red cliff two leagues to the south, close to the sea. From thence to
cape Comorin is sixteen leagues, the course being S.E. by S. along a
bold free coast. The inhabitants of Brinion[173] are no way subject to
the Portuguese. The 1st of April the island of Ceylon bore E. by S.
seven leagues off. On the 10th the Peak of Adam bore north. I this day
took my leave of the general, the Dragon and Pepper-corn being bound for
Acheen, while I, in the Expedition, went for Priaman, Tecoo, and Bantam.
[Footnote 173: In 8 deg. 22' N. at the distance indicated from cape Comorin,
is a place called Billingham, which may possibly be the Brinion of the
text. - E.]
It is good to remain in Brinion till the end of March, when the easterly
monsoon ends, and not to pass cape Comorin sooner, on account of calms,
and because the southerly current sets towards the Maldives. All who
come from the west for Priaman and Tecoo, ought to continue so as to
have sufficient day-light for passing between Nimptan[174] and the
other adjacent islands, the best channel being to the north of that
island. On the 30th of April I met the Advice going for Tecoo; but, at
my request, she returned for Bantam, whence she was sent to Japan. I
arrived at Bantam on the 1st of May, where I found the Hosiander newly
arrived from Japan, and the Attendance from Jambo, most of their men
being sick or dead. I here learnt the death of Captain Downton, and of
the arrival of Captain Samuel Castleton with the Clove and Defence,
which, with the Thomas and Concord, were gone to the Moluccas, the
Thomas being appointed to proceed from thence to Japan.
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