30' S. and
long. 10 deg. 30' W. from the Lizard; and there is another island or two in
sight, seven or eight leagues E.N.E. from this.[70]
[Footnote 68: Purch. Pilg. I. 440. - The relation of this voyage in the
Pilgrims is said to have been written by Mr John Davy, the master of
the ship: Probably the same John Davis, or Davies, formerly
mentioned as having frequently sailed as master to India in these early
voyages, and from whose pen Purchas published a Rutter, or brief book
of instructions for sailing to India. On the present occasion, this
voyage has been considerably abbreviated, especially in the nautical
remarks, which are now in a great degree obsolete and useless, and have
been already sufficiently enlarged upon in the former voyages to
India. - E.]
[Footnote 69: From some indistinct notices, in the commencement of this
voyage, the Dragon and Hosiander appear to have belonged to the tenth
voyage of the East India Company, and the Solomon to the eleventh
voyage; and that these three ships sailed from England at the same time
with the James, which belonged to the ninth voyage. - E.]
[Footnote 70: This seemeth the island of Martin Vaz. - Purch. The
island of Trinidad, or Martin Vaz, is only in lat. 20 deg. 15' S. and long.
29 deg. 32' W. from Greenwich. - E.]
We saw the island of St Lawrence on the 29th June, and anchored in five
fathoms water in the bay of St Augustine on the 28th at night. Next day
we weighed, and brought the ship to anchor in the river, one anchor
being in thirty-five and the other in ten fathoms. A ship may ride here
in shallower water at either side, the deep channel being narrow. In
this anchorage no sea can distress a ship, being protected by the land
and shoals, so that it may well be called a harbour, from its safety. We
remained here twenty days, and sailed for Bantam on the 18th of July.
In the morning of the 24th September we saw the islands of Nintam, in
lat. 1 deg. 30' S.[71] The sound between the two great islands is eighteen
leagues from Priaman, and eleven leagues from the shoals before Ticoo,
which must be carefully avoided during the night, by laying two or three
or four leagues off till day-light. When you see three hummocks that
resemble three islands, take care always to have a person stationed on
the outer end of the boltsprit to give warning of any spots in your way,
as there are coral beds, which may be easily seen and avoided. The
course from this sound for Ticoo or Priaman is E.N.E. to these shoals.
In passing this sound, keep your lead always going, and come no nearer
the large southern island than the depth of sixteen fathoms, as there
are shoals towards the east side, and a breach or ledge also off the
northern island, on the larboard going in for Priaman.
