The 18th October, We Espied The Land, Being Near Celeber In The Island
Of Sumatra, In About 3 Deg.
Of south latitude.
The 2d November, coming
between Java and a ragged island to the westwards of the point of
Palimbangan, we met a great tide running out so fast that we could
hardly stem it with the aid of a stiff gale. When afterwards the gale
slacked, we came to anchor, and I found the tide to run three 1/2
leagues in one watch. I noticed that this tide set outwards during the
day, and inwards through the night. This day at noon the point of
Palimbangan bore N.E. by E. three leagues off, and from thence to the
road of Bantam is five leagues, S.S.E. 1/3 E. The latitude of Bantam is
6 deg. 10' S. and the long. 145 deg. 2' E. This however is rather too much
easterly, as I think the true longitude of Bantam is 144 deg. E. from
Flores.[104]
[Footnote 104: The long. of Bantam is 106 deg. E. from Greenwich. That in
the text appears to have been estimated from the island of Flores, which
is 31 deg. 20' W. from Greenwich, so that the longitude of Bantam ought to
have been stated as 137 deg. 20' E. from Flores, making an error of excess
in the text of seven or eight degrees. - E.]
The 7th March, at five p.m. while in lat. 20 deg. 34' S. we descried land
nine leagues off, N.E. 1/2 N. The S.E. part of this island is somewhat
high, but falleth down with a low point. The W. part is not very high,
but flat and smooth towards the end, and falls right down. The south and
west parts of this island is all surrounded with shoals and broken
ground, and we did not see the other sides; yet it seemed as if it had
good refreshments. The longitude of this island is 104 deg. from Flores, but
by my computation 107 deg..[105] In these long voyages, we do not rely
altogether on our reckoning, but use our best diligence for discovering
the true longitudes, which are of infinite importance to direct our
course aright.
[Footnote 105: No island is to be found in the latitude and longitude
indicated in the text. - E.]
SECTION XX.
The Twelfth Voyage of the East India Company, in 1613, by Captain
Christopher Newport.[106]
The full title of this voyage, as given in the Pilgrims, is as
follows: - "A Journal of all principal Matters passed in the Twelfth
Voyage to the East India, observed by me Walter Payton, in the good
ship the Expedition. - Whereof Mr Christopher Newport was captain,
being set out Anno 1612. Written by the said Walter Payton." The
date of the year of this voyage, according to our present mode of
computation, was 1613, as formerly explained at large, the year being
then computed to commence on the 25th March, instead of the 1st
January. - E.
[Footnote 106: Purch. Pilgr. I. 488.]
Sec.1. Observations at St Augustine, Mohelia, and divers Parts of Arabia.
The 7th January, 1613, we sailed from Gravesend for India, in the good
ship Expedition of London, about the burden of 260 tons, and carrying
fifty-six persons; besides the Persian ambassador and his suite, of whom
there were fifteen persons, whom we were ordered to transport to the
kingdom of Persia, at the cost of the worshipful company. The names of
the ambassador and his people were these. Sir Robert Sherley the
ambassador, and his lady, named Teresha, a Circassian; Sir Thomas
Powell, and his lady, called Tomasin, a Persian; a Persian woman, named
Leylye; Mr Morgan Powell; Captain John Ward; Mr Francis Bubb, secretary;
Mr John Barbar, apothecary; John Herriot, a musician; John Georgson,
goldsmith, a Dutchman; Gabriel, an old Armenian; and three Persians,
named Nazerbeg, Scanderbeg, and Molhter.
In the morning of the 26th April; we fell in with a part of the land of
Ethiopia, [Southern Africa,] close adjoining to which is a small island,
called Conie island, [Dassen island] all low land, and bordered by
many dangerous rocks to seawards. It is in the lat. of 33 deg. 30' S. The
wind falling short, we were constrained to anchor between that island
and the main, where we had very good ground in nineteen or twenty
fathoms. We sent our boat to the island, where we found Penguins, geese,
and other fowls, and seals in great abundance; of all which we took as
many as we pleased for our refreshment. By a carved board, we observed
that the Hollanders had been there, who make great store of train-oil
from the seals. They had left behind them the implements of their work,
together with a great copper cauldron standing on a furnace, the
cauldron being full of oil; all which we left as we found them.
Having spent two days here at anchor, and the wind coming favourable, we
weighed and proceeded for the Cape of Good Hope, and arrived, by God's
grace, at Saldanha on the 30th of April, where we found six ships at
anchor. Two of these, the Hector and James, were English, and the other
four Hollanders, all homeward bound. We here watered, and refreshed
ourselves well with reasonable abundance of the country sheep and
beeves, which were bought from the natives, and plenty of fresh fish,
which we caught with our seyne. The 10th May the Pepper-corn arrived
here, likewise homewards bound; and as she was but ill provided with
necessaries, we supplied her from our scanty store as well as we could
spare.
Being all ready to depart with the first fair wind, which, happened on
the 15th May, we then sailed altogether from the bay, taking leave
according to the custom of the sea, and we directed our course for St
Augustine. In our way we had sight of Capo do Arecife,[107] part of
the main land of Africa, in lat.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 61 of 243
Words from 61077 to 62088
of 247546
