The 24th There
Arrived A Ballegat From Narsepore, Bringing Twenty-Six Candees Of
Garavances, A Candee Of Butter, And An Hundred Gallons Of Arrack.[270] I
Also, Had Letters From Masulipatam, Announcing The Melancholy News That
Sir Thomas Dale Had Died At That Place On The 9th Of August.
[Footnote 270:
Though not so expressed, these seem to have been intended
for the use of the English ships. - E.]
In the morning of the 6th September, having rode most part of the
preceding night in nineteen fathoms, about three leagues S.S.E. from the
bar of Narispore, and having the wind at N.W. we again set sail toward
Masulipatam,[271] and anchored at night four leagues to the eastward of
that place. Off the river of Narsipore we found the current to set by
day to the S.S.E. and N.N.E. in the night, at the rate of half a league
an hour. In the morning of the 7th we could see the English ships in the
road of Masulipatam, in which road we came to anchor in the evening,
finding here the Moon, Clove, Globe, and Advice, which last being found
unserviceable, was here cast off, and her stores and provisions put on
board the Moon and Clove. Next day, Mr Spaulding, Mr Ball, and Mr
Methwould came aboard the James, giving me a report of all matters that
had passed in my absence, as also a state of the Company's business. I
accompanied them ashore in the afternoon, that we might the better
consult together how to proceed in the important concerns committed to
our charge. The first thing proposed was the union of both fleets, which
was thought adviseable, and I was made choice of as admiral and chief
commander of the whole ships and men thus united, according to the
direction of the Honourable Company.
[Footnote 271: The true name of this place is Mutchelipatnam; in Purchas
it is called Messulapitan and Masulpatam. - E.]
The 18th of October, a ship belonging to Masulipatam arrived from Mokha,
by which we had news of the Lion being at Mokha, having a small frigate
or bark in her company. The same day the Bee arrived from
Narsipore-pete, with provisions for the fleet. The 19th, the Dragon's
Claw came from Narsipore-pete[272] almost laden with rice and
paddy.[273] On Thursday the 9th December, Mr Ball, Mr Methwould, and the
other merchants who were to remain in the country, went ashore in the
afternoon. In the morning of Friday the 10th, we left the road of
Masulipatam, and anchored in the afternoon off the headland, to wait for
the Pepper-corn, which came to us in the evening. By my estimation, the
difference of longitude between the island of Engano and Masulipatam is
19 deg. 30' of a great circle; and, although this does not give the true
longitude in these parts near the equator, as custom has so called it, I
do, that I may not savour of innovation.
[Footnote 272: This may designate the road of Narsipore; but petah
usually signifies in India the suburb or town connected with a
fortress. - E.]
[Footnote 273: Paddy is rice in its natural state as it comes from the
plant on which it grows; rice is paddy deprived by art of its coarse
husk. - E.]
Next morning, very early, we descried the land of Sumatra, the hill of
Passaman bearing E.N.E 1/2 N. twelve leagues distant,[274] and the high
land of Priaman E. 1/2 S. fourteen leagues off. We here met with two
shoals, within a mile of each other, E. and W. The Gift came over the
eastermost, and had not less than four and a half fathoms. I sent the
Claw over the other, on which were four fathoms where she first crossed,
but only two fathoms in returning, a little more to the northward. About
nine this morning the wind came to the S.E. and so continued till three
in the afternoon, by which time we had got to the southward of all the
shoals; and so, with little wind, we spent the night between these
shoals and the island of Battoo, [Batoa.] In this situation, a sagging
current bore us to the northwards near the shoals, which, if it had set
S.E. as formerly experienced, it ought to have carried us near to Tecoo.
[Footnote 274: Purchas must here have omitted a part of the text,
particularly the series of dates between Masulipatam and Passaman in
Sumatra. As the text now stands, it would seem as if they had gone from
Masulipatam to the coast of Sumatra, a run of about 1600 miles, in one
night, an utter impossibility. But from the context, instead of the 11th
December, 1619, the day after leaving Masulipatam, it would appear they
reached the coast of Sumatra on the 23d January, 1620, giving forty-four
days for the run across the bay of Bengal. - E.]
The 24th, in the evening, we had sight of the isles of Tecoo, and came
to anchor about eight o'clock, in forty-four fathoms, these isles
bearing E. by N. seven leagues off. The 25th, with the first of the
tide, we again weighed and steered for Tecoo; and, as we drew near, we
espied three sail standing to the northwards, which came to anchor near
the coast that night, while we anchored with our whole fleet about a
league without them. Next morning they weighed anchor and joined us,
when we found them to be the Palsgrave, Elizabeth, and Hope. From them
we had the doleful news of the Dragon, Bear, Expedition, and Rose,
having been taken by six Dutch ships, while at anchor, within the isles
of Tecoo; as also that the Star had been taken by the Dutch in the
straits of Sunda. They also said that the Hollanders had sent four great
ships, doubly manned, in quest of the Samson and Hound, and that they
were exceedingly doubtful as to the safety of these ships.
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