The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation Volume X Part 25

Howbeit they would hardly be induced to beleeue that those countries should be so extreamely colde, and the waters so mightely frozen, as to beare such a hugh waight.

Hee tolde them moreouer, that Holland was a free countrey, and that euery man there was his owne Master, and that there was not one slaue or captiue in the whole land.

Moreover, that the houses, in regarde of their beautifull and lofty building, resembled stately pallaces, their inward rich furniture being altogether answerable to their outward glorious shew.

Also, that the Churches (which he called Mesquitas), were of such bignesse and capacity, as they might receiue the people of any prety towne.

He affirmed likewise, that the Hollanders with the a.s.sistance of their confederates and friendes, maintained warres against the King of Spaine, whose mighty puissance is feared and redoubted of all the potentates of Europa.

And albeit the said warres had continued aboue thirty yeares, yet that during all that time the saide Hollanders increased both in might and wealth.

In like sort he informed them of the strange situation of Holland, as being a countrey driuing vpon the water, the earth or ground whereof, they vse instead of fewell, and that he had oft times warmed himselfe, and had seene meat dressed with fires made of the same earth.

In briefe, that it was a waterish and fenny countrey, and full of riuers, chanels, and ditches, and that therein was an innumerable mult.i.tude of boates and small shippes, as likewise great store of tall and seruiceable ships, wherewith they sailed vnto all quarters of the world, etc.

This man Abdoll wee found to bee a captiue or slaue, and sawe there his wife and children in very poore estate dwelling in a little cottage not so bigge as an hogsty: but by oure meanes he was made free and well rewarded.

Notwithstanding he did but euil recompence vs: for he was charged to be the cause why pepper was solde dearer than ordinary vnto vs by a penny in the pound: for hee tolde them that certaine shippes of Zeland and of other places were comming thitherwardes.

[Sidenote: The Portugals go about to hinder the trade of the Hollanders.]

And here the reader is to vnderstand, that some foure moneths before the said three ships arriued at Bantam, the Portugales came with an Armada of gallies and fustes, being set foorth by the Viceroy of Goa and the gouernour of Molucca, to intercept the traffique of the Hollanders vnto those partes, and to made them loose all their expenses, labour, and time which they had bestowed: and also that their great and rich presentes which they gaue vnto the Iauans the yeare before, to bring them into vtter detestation of the Hollanders, might not be altogether in vaine.

The Generall of them that came from Goa was Don Luis, and of those that came from Molucca Don Emanuell: who brought their Armada before Bantam, intending to surprize the citty, vnder pretence that the same preparation was made to resist certaine pirates that came thither out of Holland the last yeare, and were determined this yeare also to come againe. Vnder these colours they sought to take the towne and to fortifie the same, and they built certaine sconces in the countrey, committing great outrages, rauishing the Women, with many other villanies. [Sidenote: The Portugals vanquished.] Hereupon the towns.e.m.e.n of Bantam very secretly provided certaine gallies and fustes in great hast, and sodainly a.s.sailed the Portugales before they were well aware of them: for which cause finding but small resistance, they tooke 3. Portugale gallies with certaine shippes, and slewe about 300. of them, taking 150. Portugales prisoners, of which we daily saw some going vp and downe the streetes of Bantam like slaues and captiues. Besides these they tooke about 900. gallie slaues prisoners.

Vpon this hard successe the rest of the Portugals betooke themselues to flight: but whither they bee arriued at Goa or Molucca, or what is become of them since, we are not able to auouch. The foresaid attempt and ouerthrowe, bred greater enmity betweene the Portugales and them of Bantam, and gaue an especiall occasion for the aduancement of our traffique.

The fiue ships (whereof we haue before signified that foure were dispatched by the whole companie for the Moluccas) being seuered beyonde the Cape of Buona Speranza [Marginal Note: The course which the fiue ships tooke after they were separated from their three consorts about the Cape of bouona esperanza.] from the other three of their company, and hauing quite lost them, came all of them shortly after vnder an Island called (as it is thought) by the Portugals Isola de Don Galopes: but they named it the Island of Mauritius. Here they entered into an hauen, calling the same Warwicke, after the name of their Viceadmirall, wherin they found very good harborow in twenty degrees of southerly lat.i.tude.

[Sidenote: The Isle of Mauritius described.] This Island being situate to the East of Madagascar, and containing as much in compa.s.se as all Holland, is a very high, goodly and pleasant land, full of green and fruitfull vallies, and replenished with Palmito-trees, from the which droppeth holesome wine. [Sidenote: Great store of Ebenwood.] Likewise here are very many trees of right Ebenwood as black as iet, and as smooth and hard as the very Iuory: and the quant.i.ty of this wood is so exceeding, that many ships may be laden herewith.

For to saile into this hauen you must bring the two highest mountaines one ouer the other, leauing sixe small Islands on your right hand, and so you may enter in vpon 30. fadomes of water. Lying within the bay, they had 10.

12. and 14. fadomes. On their left hand was a litle Island which they named Hemskerk Island, and the bay it selfe they called Warwick bay, as is before mentioned. Here they taried 12. daies to refresh themselues, finding in this place great quant.i.ty of foules twise as bigge as swans, which they called Walghstocks or Wallowbirdes being very good meat. But finding also aboundance of pidgeons and popiniayes, they disdained any more to eat of those great foules, calling them (as before) Wallowbirds, that is to say, lothsome or fulsome birdes.

Of the said Pidgeons and Popiniayes they found great plenty being very fat and good meate, which they could easily take and kil euen with little stickes: so tame they are by reason that the Isle is not inhabited, neither be the liuing creatures therein accustomed to the sight of men.

Here they found rauens also, and such abundance of fish, that two men were able to catch enough for all fiue ships.

Tortoises they found so huge, that tenne men might sit and dine in one of their sh.e.l.les, and one of them would creepe away, while two men stood vpon the backe thereof.

Here was founde waxe also whiter then any of ours, lying about the strande, bleached (as it is like) by the sunne: and in some of this waxe there were Arabian letters or characters printed: whereby it is probable, that some Arabian ship might bee cast away thereabout, out of which the said waxe might be driuen on land.

They found likewise Corall on this land, and many trees which we call Palmitos, whereout droppeth wine as out of the Coco-tree: which wine being kept hath his operation as our new prest wine, but after some time it commeth vnto the ful vertue and perfection.

The said Palmitos they esteemed to bee a kinde of wilde date-trees.

We sought all the Island ouer for men, but could find none, for that it was wholly dest.i.tute of Inhabitants.

Vpon this Island we built an house with a pulpit therein, and left behind vs certaine writings as a token and remembrance of our being there, and vpon the pulpit we left a Bible and a psalter lying.

[Sidenote: A good watering place.] Thus after 12. daies aboad at this Island, being well refreshed, they tooke in excellent fresh water being easie to get, and very sweet and sauory to drinke, and then set saile, meeting the three other ships their consorts at the time and place before mentioned.

A briefe description of the voiage before handled, in manner of a Iournall.

The first of Maie 1598. with the eight shippes before mentioned, we set saile in the name of G.o.d from Texell in Holland.

The third of May we pa.s.sed along the coast of England, descrying some of her Maiesties ships, and they vs, whom we honoured with discharge of our artillery.

The fourteenth we had sight of the Isle of Porto Santo lying in thirty two degrees.

The sixteenth, wee came within sight of the Canaries.

The twenty two, we first saw flying fishes.

The twenty three, we pa.s.sed by the Isle Dell Sall.

The thirty one, we had a great storme, so that we lost sight one of another: but by night we came together againe.

The eighth of Iune wee crossed the Equinoctiall line.

The twenty foure we sayled by the sholdes of Brasile lying vnder eighteene degrees of Southerly Lat.i.tude.

The twenty one of Iuly we got to the height of the Cape of buona esperanza.

From the thirt.i.th of Iuly till the second of August, we continually sayled in sight of the land of the aforesaid Cape.

The seuenth and eighth of August wee had such foule and stormy weather, that fiue ships of our company were separated from vs, whom we saw no more vntill they came to vs before Bantam.

The twenty sixt we descryed the Island of Madagascar.

The twenty nine came by us the ship called the Long barke of Zeland, hauing in her but nine sound men, tenne dead, and the rest all sicke: but the same night we lost the sight of her againe.

The seauenth of September, we came before the Island of Santa Maria, and afterward wee put into the great bay of Antogill.

The sixteenth of September, wee set saile from thence, directing our course for Iaua.

The first of October, wee got to the heighth of Bantam.

The fifteenth, died the first man in our Admirall.

The nineteenth of November, we came within sight of Sumatra.

The twenty-ninth, we road before the citty of Bantam: And the thirtieth, we payed our toll to the gouernour.

And vpon Newyeares daie 1599. Stilo Nouo, we began to take in our lading.

Then came vnto vs before Bantam, with great ioie and triumph, our fiue separated shippes, all the people standing vpon the sh.o.r.e gazing, and suspecting some harme intended against them.