The 24th I
Received Of The King His Present For The King Of England, Consisting Of
A Criss Or Dagger, A Hasega, Four Pieces Of Fine Calicut Lawn, And
Eight Camphire Dishes.[90]
[Footnote 90:
In the translation of the letter accompanying these
presents, to be noticed hereafter, they are thus described: - "A criss
wrought with gold, the hilt being of beaten gold, with a ring of stones;
an Assagaya of Swasse, half gold half copper; eight porcelain dishes
small and great, of camfire one piece of souring stuff; three pieces
of callico lawns." - The passage in Italics is inexplicable, either in
the words of the letter, or in the description in the text. - E.]
The 3d of July, the fleet of armed vessels belonging to Acheen arrived,
being only twenty days from the coast of Johor, at which place they had
captured the factory of the Hollanders, making prize of all their goods,
and had brought away some twenty or twenty-four Dutchmen as prisoners.
The 7th, I received the king's letter for Priaman, together with a
chop or licence for my departure; and on the 12th, taking my leave of
Acheen, I embarked. In the morning of the 13th I set sail. It is to be
noted, that, from the 12th April to the middle of June, we had much rain
here at Acheen, seldom two fair days following, and accompanied, by much
wind in sudden gusts. From the 15th June to the 12th July, we had
violent gales of wind, always at S.W. or W.S.W. or W.
Sec.4. Trade at Tecoo and Passaman, with the Voyage to Bantam, and thence
Home to England.
Leaving Acheen, as said before, on the 13th July, 1613, we came in sight
of Priaman on the 3d of August, it being then nine or ten leagues off,
N.E. by E. and clearly known by two great high hills, making a great
swamp or saddle between them. We saw also the high land of Tecoo,
which is not more than half the height of that of Priaman, and rises
somewhat flat. At the same time likewise we saw the high land of
Passaman, some seven or eight leagues north of Tecoo, mid-way between
Tecoo and Priaman, which mountain is very high, and resembles Aetna in
Sicily.[91] In the afternoon of the 7th we came to Tecoo, and anchored
to the eastward of the three islands in seven fathoms, the southmost
isle bearing W.S.W. the middle isle W.N.W. and the northern isle N. 1/2
E. our anchorage being a mile from them.
[Footnote 91: Perhaps this observed similarity with Aetna is meant to
indicate that this hill also is a volcano. - E.]
I sent ashore my merchants on the 19th, and landed myself in the
afternoon. Next day, by advice of our council, the Hosiander was sent to
Priaman, with the letter of the king of Acheen. She sailed from Tecoo on
the 12th, and came back on the 18th, when she was dispatched to Bantam.
The 25th there came a junk from Bantam, the owners of which were
Chinese. They confirmed to me the reported death of Sir Henry Middleton,
with the loss of most of the men belonging to the Trades-increase, in
consequence of her main-mast breaking, while heaving her down for
careening her bottom. She was now returned from Pulo-Pannian to Bantam,
and they said that three hundred Chinese had died while employed at work
upon her.
The 28th a boat I had sent to Passaman returned, having been well
entertained at that place, and brought with them the Scrivano to deal
with me, with whom accordingly I concluded a bargain. The 29th, the
governor of Tecoo sent for me to come ashore, when I went to wait upon
him. He was in council, with all the chiefs of the district, and, after
a long discussion, we agreed on the following price of pepper. In the
first place, we were to pay eighteen dollars the bahar; then there was
8d. the bahar for lastage or weighing, 30d. for canikens, and 35 d.
for seilars: Besides all which they bargained for presents to sixteen
chiefs or great men. On the 30th, Henry Long came from Passaman, and
informed me that Mr Oliver had fallen sick, and that several others of
our men had died there; upon which I sent my pinnace to bring back Mr
Oliver and all others who survived, and to discontinue our factory at
that place.
The 21st October, the Hosiander returned from Bantam, bringing me
letters from the English merchants at that place; saying that they had
17,000 bags of pepper ready, all of which I might have, or any part of
it I thought proper, if I chose to come for it, at thirteen dollars the
timbane. On this, and several other considerations, I held a
mercantile council, in which it was agreed that the Hosiander should be
left at Tecoo for the sale of our Surat goods, all of which were
accordingly put on board her for that purpose, and I departed in the
Dragon for Bantam from the road of Tecoo on the 30th October. I remained
in this road of Tecoo eleven weeks, in which time I bought 115 or 120
tons of pepper, and buried twenty-five of our men. All of these either
died, or contracted their mortal illnesses at Passaman, not at Tecoo;
and surely, if we had not attempted to trade at Passaman, all, or at
least most of these, might have now been living. Wherefore, I earnestly
advise all of our nation to avoid sending any of their ships or men to
Passaman, for the air there is so contagious, and the water so
unwholesome, that it is impossible for our people to live at that place.
I set sail from Tecoo on the 30th October, and arrived in the road of
Bantam on the 11th November, where I anchored in a quarter less four
fathoms, [3-3/4 fathoms.] Next day I convened our English merchants on
board my ship, and agreed on the price of pepper at thirteen dollars the
bahar, which is 600 pounds of our weight.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 51 of 243
Words from 50863 to 51909
of 247546
