Next Morning The Lion And The
Dutch Fleet Departed, Each Their Several Way; And In The Evening Arrived
The Schidam Belonging To Deft, Outward-Bound, Which Being Suspected By
Both Admirals, The Master Was Sent For, And Producing Us Commission,
Gave Satisfaction.
On the 3d of July we made a solemn proclamation of
the right and title of his majesty King James to Saldania, and on the
7th King James's mount was erected.[297]
[Footnote 297: It thus appears that the first fortified station at the
Cape of Good Hope was erected by the English, to whom that colony now
belongs. It would surely be a better appellation for this important
colony, which may be called the key of India, to restore its old name-of
Saldania, than to continue its present awkward denomination, The
Colony of the Cape of Good Hope. - E.]
We sailed from the Cape of Good Hope on the 25th of July, and 26th of
October we put into Dabul roads, where we remained till the 2d of
November to refresh our men, and to provide the two ships bound for
Persia. The 6th November, the Hart and Eagle took leave of us and the
9th we anchored in Swally roads, where we found the Wappen van Zeland,
of 1000 tons, which at our arrival took in her colours, and saluted the
London with three guns, and the Roebuck with two. I was sent on shore,
and brought off Mr Thomas Kerridge, the president of the factory at
Surat, with Mr James, and Mr Hopkinson. Next day, in a consultation, it
was determined to dispatch us speedily after the Hart and Eagle, as we
had intelligence that four Portuguese galleons were waiting at Ormus, or
in Jasques roads, to intercept them.
Sec.2. Voyage from Surat towards Jasques.
The 19th November, having dispatched our business at Swally with all
expedition, we set sail towards Jasques. The 21st we chased a ship,
which surrendered without resistance, being the Nostra Sennora de
Merces, of 200 tons, bound from Muscat for Chaul, having on board
forty-two Arabian horses, her principal loading, and for which trade she
was built. The residue of her cargo consisted of dates and raisins. The
name of her captain was Francisco de Mirando.
The 5th December, when in latitude 24 deg. 55' N. we met the Hart and Eagle
coming from Jasques for Surat, because not of sufficient strength to
encounter the Portuguese force which was waiting for them with the
intention of ruining our Persian trade. Thus happily rejoined to our
former consorts, we shaped our course for Jasques to accomplish our
purpose. The 8th, at the earnest desire of the Portuguese and Moors
taken in the prize, we set them on shore, except some Moor seamen whom
we detained in our service, and the Portuguese pilot, who entreated to
stay, as he feared some hard usage from his own people. On the 12th,
certain volunteers who had engaged to set fire to our prize, and run her
aboard the Portuguese admiral, were put on board of her, and she was
fitted as a fire-ship. The 15th we had sight of the east point of
Jasques roads, having upon it a tomb or old square flat-roofed house,
which bore W.N.W. by compass, twelve miles off. From Diu head to this
point, I make the longitude, by the ordinary plain chart, 9 deg. 55' 36" W.
but by Mercator's projection, 10 deg. 51'. From where we were, we could see
the Portuguese men of war sent from Lisbon to oppose our trade with
Persia, consisting of two Portuguese galleons, one of which was larger
than the London, and two Dutch ships, one as large as the Hart, while
the other was less than the Eagle. Their general was Don Ruy Frere de
Andrado; the vice-admiral, Joam Boralio; and the two Dutch ships were
commanded by Antonio Musquet and Baltazar de Chaves.[298]
[Footnote 298: According to a special account of this and the
succeeding sea-fight, appended to the present relation in Purchas, the
Portuguese fleet on the present occasion, besides the four galleons,
consisted of two gallions and ten frigates or armed barks, none of which
are here mentioned except the four galleons. - E.]
Sec.3. Account of the first Fight with the Portuguese.
In the morning of the 16th December, our admiral and all the masters of
our squadron went on board the prize, carrying two barrels of powder,
some tar, and other combustible materials, to fit her up as a fire-ship,
intending to lay her on board the Portuguese admiral athwart his hawse,
that both might burn together. After she was fitted, we bore up for the
Portuguese squadron, but it fell calm, and the current set us so near
them, that they reached us with their shot. We kept under sail all
night, and in the morning of the 17th, being to leeward of them in
consequence of the land breeze, they weighed and made toward us, when we
waited their approach, although they preserved the advantage of the
weather-gage. The fight began about nine in the morning, and continued
without intermission for nine hours. In the afternoon, a fine gentle
sea-breeze sprung up from the westwards, which gave us the weather-gage;
and the Portuguese admiral anchored, either of necessity to repair some
defect about his rudder, or of policy to gain some expected advantage.
His vice-admiral and the large Dutch ship anchored to the eastwards, and
the lesser Dutch ship to leeward of them all, stopping his leaks. We
were now in great hopes of putting our fire-ship to a good purpose; but
being too soon fired and forsaken by those who had her in charge, she
drove clear of them all, to their joy and our disgrace. Seeing them
remain at anchor, and keeping to windward of them, we turned to and
again close a-head of them as they rode at anchor, raking them as we
passed, through and through, fore and aft, especially the admiral,
receiving only in return their prow and bow-chases.
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