About Two Miles Right Off These
Two Rocks Is A Sunken Rock, Which Is Very Dangerous, Especially If
Sailing In Twenty Fathoms, But By Keeping In Twenty-Four Fathoms All
Danger Is Avoided.
We remained here nine days, when we again made sail.
In the morning of the 28th we had sight of Ceylon, some eight or nine
leagues E.S.E. being in lat.
7 deg. N. At 4 p.m. we were close in with that
island, in thirteen, fifteen, and sixteen fathoms. The 1st of March, at
6 p.m. we were abreast of Columbo, the lat. of which is about 6 deg. 30' N.
[7 deg. 2']; having twenty-four and twenty-five fathoms three leagues off.
The 12th we stood in with the land, and anchored in twenty-four fathoms,
the wind being S.E. and S. I sent my boat ashore four leagues to the
north of Punta de Galle, and after some time a woman came to talk with
one of our Indians who was in the boat. She said we could have no
provisions: but by our desire she went to tell the men. Afterwards two
men came to us, who flatly refused to let us have any thing, alleging
that our nation had captured one of their boats; but it was the
Hollanders not the English. The 14th, in the morning, the southern point
of Ceylon, called Tanadare [Dondra], bore E.S.E. of us, some five
leagues off. This point is in lat. 5 deg. 30' [5 deg. 54' N.], and is about ten
or twelve leagues E.S.E. from Punta de Galle. The 17th we were near one
of the sands mentioned by Linschoten, being two leagues from the land.
We had twenty-five fathoms water, and on the land, right opposite this
sand, is a high rock like a great tower. The land here trends E.N.E.[88]
[Footnote 88: Owing probably to careless abbreviation by Purchas, this
solitary notice is all that is given of the voyage between Dondra-head
in Ceylon and Acheen, in the north-west end of Sumatra, to which the
observation in the text seems to refer. - E.]
Sec.3. Occurrences at Acheen, in Sumatra.
At noon of the 12th April, 1613, we came to anchor in the road of
Acheen, in twelve fathoms, but ships may ride in ten or even eight
fathoms; the best place in which to ride being to the eastward of the
castle, and off the river mouth. I landed the merchants on the 13th; but
the king did not come to town till the 15th, when he sent me his chop
or licence to land, which was brought by an eunuch, accompanied by the
Xabander and six or eight more, to whom I gave 120 mam. I landed
along with them, and two hours afterwards the king sent me a present of
some provisions, I having sent him on my landing a present of two
pieces;[89] the custom being to make the king some small present on
landing, in return for which he sends several dishes of meat.
[Footnote 89: These pieces, so often mentioned in the early voyages,
were probably fowling-pieces, or European fire-arms. - E.]
On the 17th, the king sent an elephant, with a golden bason, for our
king's letter, which I accompanied to court, attended by forty of our
men, who were all admitted into the king's presence. After many
compliments, the king returned me our king's letter, that I might read
it to him; and accordingly the substance of it was explained in the
native language, with the contents of which he was well pleased. After
some time, the king told me that he would shew me some of his
diversions, and accordingly caused his elephants to fight before us.
When six of them had fought for some time, he caused four buffaloes to
be brought, which made a very excellent and fierce fight; such being
their fierceness that sixty or eighty men could hardly part them,
fastening ropes to their hind-legs to draw them asunder. After these,
some ten or twelve rams were produced, which fought very bravely. When
it was so dark that we could hardly see, these sports were discontinued,
and the king presented me with a banquet of at least 500 dishes, and
such abundance of hot drinks as might have sufficed to make an army
drunk. Between nine and ten at night, he gave me leave to depart,
sending two elephants to carry me home; but as they had no coverings I
did not ride either of them.
On the 18th, I went again to court by appointment of the king, when we
began to treat concerning the articles formerly granted by his
grandfather to Mr James Lancaster; but when we came to that in which all
goods were to be brought in and carried out free from customs, we broke
off without concluding any thing. The 19th the ambassador of Siam came
to visit me, and told me, that about thirty months before, three
Englishmen had waited upon his king, who gave them kind entertainment,
being rejoiced at receiving letters from the king of England. He also
said that his king would be much pleased if our ships came to his ports,
telling me what great quantities of Portugal cloth, for so he called our
English cloth, would sell in his country. According to his opinion, the
colours most saleable in his country are, stammel and other reds,
yellows, and other light, gay, and pleasing colours, such as those
already in most request at Surat. He also told me, that his king had
made a conquest of the whole kingdom of Pegu, as that he is now the most
powerful sovereign in the east, except the emperor of China, having
twenty-six tributary kings under his government and authority, and is
able to equip for war 6000 elephants. Their coin is all of silver, gold
being less esteemed, and of less proportional value than with us.
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