Also 1592. any more. In October following we in the Edward fell with the Westermost part of the isle of S. Laurence about midnight, knowing not where we were. the next day we came to an anker at Quitangone a Quitangone place on the main land of Africa, which is two or three nere Mozambique. leagues to the Northward of Mozambique, where the Portugals of the isle of Mozambique fetch all their fresh water. Here we tooke a pangaia, with a Portugall boy in it; which is a vessell like a barge, with one matsaile of Coco nut leaves. The barge is sowed together with the rindes of trees, and pinned with woodden pinnes. In this pangaia we had certeine corne called millio, hennes, and some fardels of blew Calicut cloth. The Portugall boy we tooke with us, and dismissed the rest. From this place we went for an island called Comoro, upon the The isle of coast of Melinde, which standeth about 11 degrees to the South of the equinoctial: in which island we stayed all November, finding the people blacke and very comly, but very treacherous and cruell: for the day before we departed from thence they killed thirty of our men on shore, among whom was William Mace our master, and two of his mates; the one of them being in the boat with him to fetch water, the other being on shore against our ship; they having first betrayed our boat. From hence we went for the isle of Zanzibar, on the coast of Melinde, They Winter whereas wee stayed and Wintered untill the beginning of at the isle of February following. Comoro. Zanzibar. The second of February 1592 wee weyed anker, and set saile directly for the East Indies; but having calmes and contrary windes, wee were untill the moneth of June before wee could recover the coast of India neere Calicut; whereby many of our men died for want of refreshing. In this moneth of June we came to an anker at the isles of Pulo pinaom, whereas we stayed untill the first The isles of day of September, our men being very sicke, and dying Pulo pinaom. apace. This day we set saile, and directed our course for Malaca: and wee had not bene farre at sea, but wee tooke a shippe of the kingdome of Pegu of some fourescore 1592. [III. 572.] The isle of tunnes with wooden ankers, and about fiftie men in her, with a pinnesse of some eighteene tunnes at her stearne, both laden with pepper. But their pinnesse stole from us in a gust in the morning. Here we might have taken two shippes more of Pegu laden likewise with pepper and rice. In this moneth also we tooke a great Portugall ship of six or seven hundred tun, laden chiefly with victuals, chests of hats, pintados, and Calicut clothes. Besides this we tooke another Portugall ship of some hundred tun, laden with victuals, rice, Calicos, pintados, and other commodities. These ships were bound for Malaca with victuals: for those of Goa, of S. Thomas, and of other places in the Indies doe victuall it, because that victuals there are very scarce. In the moneth of November 1592 we shaped our course for the island of Nicubar lying certeine leagues to the Northwest of the famous island of Sumatra; whereas within short time wee came to anker: and here wee had very good refreshing: for after wee arrived there, the people (whom we found in religion Mahumetans) came aboord us in their canoas, with hennes, cocos, plantans, and other fruits: and within two dayes they brought unto us reals of plate, giving us them for Calicut cloth: which reals they found by diving in the sea, which were lost not long before in two Portugall ships which were bound for China, & were cast away there. This was the furthest place that we were at to the Southeast: and heere because our company by this time was much wasted and diminished, we resolved to turne backe to the isle of Zeilan. They returne Wherfore we weyed anker in the moneth of November, and arrived at Zeilan about the end of the same moneth. In this island groweth great store of excellent cinamom, and the best diamonds in the world. Here our captaine meant to stay to make up our voyage: whereof hee conceived great hope, by certeine intelligence which wee had received; but the company, which were in all but 33 men and boyes, being in a mutiny, and every day ready to go together by the eares (the captaine being sicke homeward. and like for to die) would not stay, but would needs go home. The 8 of December 1592 we set saile homeward, but some 15 dayes before we had sight of the cape of Good hope, we were forced to share our bread, by reason we had certeine flies in our ship, which devoured most part of our bread before we were aware: so that when we came to sharing, we had but 31 pound of bread a man to cary us into England, with a small quantity of rice a day. The last of March 1593 we doubled the cape of Bona Speranza. 1593. They double the cape of Bona Sper anza. In April next ensuing we came to anker at the island. of S. Helena, whereas we found an English man a tailer, The isle of which had bene there 14 moneths before we came thither: S. Helena. so we sending our boat on shore with some ten men, they found this English man in the chapell; who by reason of the heat of the climat was inforced to keepe himselfe out of the Sun. Our company hearing one sing in the chapell, supposing it had bene some Portugall, thrust open the doore, and went in unto him: but the poore man seeing so many come in upon him on the sudden, and thinking them to be Portugals, was first in such Here we a feare, not having seene any man in 14 moneths before, The strange and afterwards knowing them to be Englishmen, and force of sudden some of them of his acquaintance, in such joy, that what sudden joy. betweene excessive sudden feare & joy, he became distracted of his wits, to our great sorowes. found of his drying some 40 goats. The party had made him for want of apparell two sutes of goats skinnes with the hairy side outwards, like unto the Savages of Canada. Here we stayed all this moneth. This man lived untill we came to the West Indies, and then he died. Trinidad in In the moneth of June 1593 we arrived at the island of The isle of Trinidad in the West Indies, hoping there to finde the West refreshing: but we could not get any, by reason that Indies. the Spanyards had taken it. Here we were imbayed betweene the island and the maine; and for want of victuals the company would have forsaken the ship: 1593. The isle of whereupon the captaine was inforced to sweare every man not to forsake the ship untill we should see further occasion. Out of this bay, called Boca de Dragone, it pleased God to deliver us; from whence we directed our course for the isle of S. Juan de Puerto rico, but fell with the small isle of Mona, where we abode some fifteene dayes, finding in that place some small refreshing. And heere arrived a ship of Caen in Normandy, whereof was captaine one Monsieur Charles de la Barbotiere, who greatly refreshed us with bread and other provision, which we greatly wanted. And so we tooke our leaves the one of the other. In July having foule weather at Mona, we were forced to wey anker, and to set saile, directing our course for Cape Tiburon. Cape Tiburon: and in doubling of the cape we had a gust from the shore, which caried away all our sailes from the yards: so that we had left but one new forecourse to helpe our selves withall: which canvas the aforesayd Frenchman did helpe us withall. Also having doubled the foresayd cape in the distresse aforenamed, the forsayd capitan de la Barbotiere with his pinnesse gave chase unto us againe; who being come nere unto us, I went aboord him, certifying him what distresse we were in. The gentleman replied to me againe, that there was not any thing in his shippe, but what he could spare he would helpe us withall. So to conclude, we agreed with him for canvas. Moreover, he sayd that if we would go with him to an harbour called *Gonnavy, which is to the Northward of Cape Tiburon, that then he would helpe us with fresh victuals enough. Whereupon I returned aboord our ship, and certified our captaine of all: who made it knowen unto the company; which no sooner heard of it, but they would all go in. So here we staied with the aforesaid Frenchman 15 dayes: but small refreshing we could get, because the Spaniards stood in some feare of the Frenchman of war, supposing our ship to be a Portugal, and that we were his prize: neverthelesse hee certified them to the contrary. And in staying Or Guanaba. [III. 573.] so long with him, and having little refreshing, our com-, pany began to be in a mutiny, and made report that the captaine & I went aboord the Frenchman but to make good cheere, and had not any care of them: but I protest before God, that our care was to get victuals wherby we might have bene gone from him. But in the meane time a great part of our company had conspired to take away the Frenchmans pinnesse, and with her to boord the man of warre. While these things were in complotting, one of their consorts went aboord the Frenchman, and certified him of all the conspiracy. Whereupon the captaine of the French ship sent for our captaine and me to come aboord to dinner: and we stayed with him all the afternoone, being invited unto supper: and being at supper, he himselfe would not a great while come to us: but at length hee came. At his comming wee asked of him what newes. Who answered us, that either we must depart from him, or els he must goe seeke some other harborow. Whereupon I tolde captaine Lancaster; who prayed me to tell him that rather then we would be any hindrance unto him, we would be gone. But in the mean time, while we were thus talking together, the Frenchman weyed & set saile: which we perceived, and asked him what he meant by it. He replied to the captaine & me, that he kept us for his security, and that our men had purposed as is aforesayd. When he came thwart our shippe, it blew a prety gaile of winde: the boat being asterne of them, having in her two Moores & two men of Pegu, which we had given them, brake away. Then was the Frenchman worse then before, & did threaten us very sore that we should pay his voyage. In the meane time the Edward seeing us past, weyed and set saile to go for England: and they did share among them all the captaines victuals & mine, when they saw the Frenchman keepe us as prisoners. So the next morning we went to seeke out the Frenchmans pinnesse: which being at Laguna we shot off a piece, & so she came to us, having in her three more of 1593. |