In the translation of the letter accompanying these
presents, to be noticed hereafter, they are thus described:
- "A criss
wrought with gold, the hilt being of beaten gold, with a ring of stones;
an Assagaya of Swasse, half gold half copper; eight porcelain dishes
small and great, of camfire one piece of souring stuff; three pieces
of callico lawns." - The passage in Italics is inexplicable, either in
the words of the letter, or in the description in the text. - E.]
The 3d of July, the fleet of armed vessels belonging to Acheen arrived,
being only twenty days from the coast of Johor, at which place they had
captured the factory of the Hollanders, making prize of all their goods,
and had brought away some twenty or twenty-four Dutchmen as prisoners.
The 7th, I received the king's letter for Priaman, together with a
chop or licence for my departure; and on the 12th, taking my leave of
Acheen, I embarked. In the morning of the 13th I set sail. It is to be
noted, that, from the 12th April to the middle of June, we had much rain
here at Acheen, seldom two fair days following, and accompanied, by much
wind in sudden gusts. From the 15th June to the 12th July, we had
violent gales of wind, always at S.W. or W.S.W. or W.
Sec.4. Trade at Tecoo and Passaman, with the Voyage to Bantam, and thence
Home to England.
Leaving Acheen, as said before, on the 13th July, 1613, we came in sight
of Priaman on the 3d of August, it being then nine or ten leagues off,
N.E. by E. and clearly known by two great high hills, making a great
swamp or saddle between them. We saw also the high land of Tecoo,
which is not more than half the height of that of Priaman, and rises
somewhat flat. At the same time likewise we saw the high land of
Passaman, some seven or eight leagues north of Tecoo, mid-way between
Tecoo and Priaman, which mountain is very high, and resembles Aetna in
Sicily.[91] In the afternoon of the 7th we came to Tecoo, and anchored
to the eastward of the three islands in seven fathoms, the southmost
isle bearing W.S.W. the middle isle W.N.W. and the northern isle N. 1/2
E. our anchorage being a mile from them.
[Footnote 91: Perhaps this observed similarity with Aetna is meant to
indicate that this hill also is a volcano. - E.]
I sent ashore my merchants on the 19th, and landed myself in the
afternoon. Next day, by advice of our council, the Hosiander was sent to
Priaman, with the letter of the king of Acheen. She sailed from Tecoo on
the 12th, and came back on the 18th, when she was dispatched to Bantam.
The 25th there came a junk from Bantam, the owners of which were
Chinese. They confirmed to me the reported death of Sir Henry Middleton,
with the loss of most of the men belonging to the Trades-increase, in
consequence of her main-mast breaking, while heaving her down for
careening her bottom.
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