The 19th November, having dispatched our business at Swally with all
expedition, we set sail towards Jasques.
The 21st we chased a ship,
which surrendered without resistance, being the Nostra Sennora de
Merces, of 200 tons, bound from Muscat for Chaul, having on board
forty-two Arabian horses, her principal loading, and for which trade she
was built. The residue of her cargo consisted of dates and raisins. The
name of her captain was Francisco de Mirando.
The 5th December, when in latitude 24 deg. 55' N. we met the Hart and Eagle
coming from Jasques for Surat, because not of sufficient strength to
encounter the Portuguese force which was waiting for them with the
intention of ruining our Persian trade. Thus happily rejoined to our
former consorts, we shaped our course for Jasques to accomplish our
purpose. The 8th, at the earnest desire of the Portuguese and Moors
taken in the prize, we set them on shore, except some Moor seamen whom
we detained in our service, and the Portuguese pilot, who entreated to
stay, as he feared some hard usage from his own people. On the 12th,
certain volunteers who had engaged to set fire to our prize, and run her
aboard the Portuguese admiral, were put on board of her, and she was
fitted as a fire-ship. The 15th we had sight of the east point of
Jasques roads, having upon it a tomb or old square flat-roofed house,
which bore W.N.W. by compass, twelve miles off. From Diu head to this
point, I make the longitude, by the ordinary plain chart, 9 deg. 55' 36" W.
but by Mercator's projection, 10 deg. 51'. From where we were, we could see
the Portuguese men of war sent from Lisbon to oppose our trade with
Persia, consisting of two Portuguese galleons, one of which was larger
than the London, and two Dutch ships, one as large as the Hart, while
the other was less than the Eagle. Their general was Don Ruy Frere de
Andrado; the vice-admiral, Joam Boralio; and the two Dutch ships were
commanded by Antonio Musquet and Baltazar de Chaves.[298]
[Footnote 298: According to a special account of this and the
succeeding sea-fight, appended to the present relation in Purchas, the
Portuguese fleet on the present occasion, besides the four galleons,
consisted of two gallions and ten frigates or armed barks, none of which
are here mentioned except the four galleons. - E.]
Sec.3. Account of the first Fight with the Portuguese.
In the morning of the 16th December, our admiral and all the masters of
our squadron went on board the prize, carrying two barrels of powder,
some tar, and other combustible materials, to fit her up as a fire-ship,
intending to lay her on board the Portuguese admiral athwart his hawse,
that both might burn together. After she was fitted, we bore up for the
Portuguese squadron, but it fell calm, and the current set us so near
them, that they reached us with their shot.
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