Their Gums Become Sore, And Swell
In Such A Manner That They Are Fain To Cut Them Away; Their Legs
Swell,
and all their bodies become sore, and so benumbed that they cannot move
hand nor foot, and so they
Die of weakness; while others fall into
fluxes and agues, of which they die. This was the way we were forced to
take; and, although we had above an hundred and fifty sick, there did
not die above seven or eight and twenty, which was esteemed a small loss
in comparison with other times. Though some of our fraternity were
diseased in this sort, thanks be to God I had good health the whole way,
contrary to the expectation of many: May God send me as good health on
the land, if it may be to his glory and service. This way is full of
hidden rocks and quicksands, so that sometimes we dared not sail by
night; but by the goodness of God we saw nothing all the way to hurt us,
neither did we ever find bottom till we came to the coast of India.
When we had again passed the line to the northward, and were come to the
third degree or somewhat more, we saw crabs swimming that were as red as
if they had been boiled; but this was no sign of land. About the
eleventh degree, and for many days, more than ten thousand fishes
continually followed, or were round about our ship, of which we caught
so many that we eat nothing else for fifteen days, and they served our
turn well; for at this time we had no meat remaining, and hardly any
thing else to eat, our voyage drawing nigh to seven months, which
commonly is performed in five, when they take the inner passage. These
fishes were no sign of land, but rather of deep sea. At length two birds
were caught of the hawk tribe, which gave our people great joy, thinking
they had been birds of India, but we found afterwards that they were
from Arabia; and when we thought we had been near India, we were in the
latitude of Socotoro, an island near the mouth of the Red Sea. Here God
sent us a strong wind from the N.E. or N.N.E. on which they bore away
unwillingly toward the east, and we ran thus for ten days without any
sign of land, by which they perceived their error. Hitherto they had
directed their course always N.E. desiring to increase their latitude;
but partly from the difference of the needle, and most of all because
the currents at that time carried us N.W. we had been drawn into this
other danger, had not God sent us this wind, which at length became more
favourable and restored us to our right course.
These currents are very dangerous, as they deceive most pilots, and some
are so little curious, contenting themselves with ordinary experience,
that they do not take the trouble of seeking for new expedients when
they swerve, neither by means of the compass nor by any other trial. The
first sign of approaching land was by seeing certain birds, which they
knew to be of India; the second was some sedges and boughs of
palm-trees; the third was snakes swimming at the surface of the water,
and a certain substance which they called _money_, as round and broad as
a groat-piece, and wonderfully printed or stamped by nature, as if it
had been coined money. These two last signs are so certain, that they
always see land next day, if the wind serve; which we did next day, when
all our water, for you know they have no beer in these parts, and
victuals began to fail us.
We came to Goa the 24th day of October, and were there received in a
most charitable manner. The natives are tawny, but not disfigured in
their lips and noses, like the Moors and Kafrs of Ethiopia. The lower
ranks go for the most part naked, having only a clout or apron before
them of a span long and as much in breadth, with a lace two fingers
breadth, girded about with a string, and nothing more; and thus they
think themselves as well dressed as we, with all our finery. I cannot
now speak of their trees and fruits, or should write another letter as
long as this; neither have I yet seen any tree resembling any of those I
have seen in Europe, except the vine, which here grows to little
purpose, as all their wines are brought from Portugal. The drink used in
this country is water, or wine made from the coco palm-tree. Thus much
must suffice for the present; but if God send me health, I shall have
opportunity to write you once again; but the length of this letter
compelleth me now to take my leave, with my best prayers for your most
prosperous health. From Goa, the 10th November 1579. - Your loving Son,
THOMAS STEVENS.
SECTION II.
_Journey to India over-land, by Ralph Fitch, Merchant of London, and
others, in 1583_[402].
INTRODUCTION
We learn from the following journal, that the present expedition was
undertaken at the instigation, and chiefly at the expence of Sir Edward
Osborne, Knight, and Mr Richard Staper, citizens and merchants of
London. Besides Fitch, the author of the narrative, Mr John Newbery,
merchant, William Leedes jeweller, and James Story painter, were engaged
in the expedition. The chief conduct of this commercial enterprize
appears to have been confided to John Newbery; and its object appears to
have been, to extend the trade, which the English merchants seem to have
only recently established through Syria, by Aleppo, Bagdat and Basora,
to Ormus and perhaps to Goa, in imitation of the Italians, so as to
procure the commodities of India as nearly as possible at first hand. In
the prospect of being able to penetrate into India, and even into China,
Newbery was furnished with letters of credence or recommendation, from
Queen Elizabeth to Zelabdim Echebar, stiled king of Cambaia, who
certainly appears to have been Akbar Shah, emperor of the Mogul
conquerors of Hindostan, who reigned from 1556 to 1605; and to the
emperor of China.
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