Spilbergen Was
A Person Of Established Reputation For Knowledge And Experience, And Was
Allowed To Chuse Most Of His Officers.
The ships were all equipped in
the best possible manner, and were ready a little after Midsummer; but
as
The admiral was of opinion that they would arrive in the Straits of
Magellan at an improper season, if they sailed so early, the directors
thought proper to postpone the commencement of the voyage till the month
of August.
[Footnote 92: Harris, I. 44. Callender, II. 191.]
The fleet sailed accordingly from the Texel on the 8th of August, 1614,
with a strong gale at S.E. Without any remarkable accident, except
several severe storms, they reached the latitude of Madeira on the 3d
October. Proceeding thence by the Canaries, they lost sight of these
islands on the 10th, and came in view of Brava and Fogo, two of the Cape
de Verd islands, on the 23d. Having happily passed the Abrolhos,
dangerous shoals running far out to sea, on the 9th December, they
discovered the coast of Brazil on the 12th of that month. On the 19th
they were off the bay of Rio de Janeiro; and on the morning of the 20th
they anchored in the road of Ilas Grandes, between two large fine
islands covered with trees, in thirteen fathoms water. Next day they
anchored at another island, about half a league distant, where they
caught good store of fish, besides many crocodiles or alligators, each
about the length of a man.
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