These Five Ships Were Well Provided
With All Manner Of Provisions, Cannon, Small Arms, Ammunition, Money,
Merchandise, And Stores Necessary
For a long voyage; and the pilot on
whose knowledge and experience they chiefly depended, was an Englishman
named William
Adams,[84] besides whom there were three other Englishmen
on board the admiral.
[Footnote 84: Of the adventures of this person in Japan, we have
formerly had occasion to give an account in vol. VIII. p. 64, of this
Collection, preceded by a brief abstract of the voyages of Schald de
Weert. - E.]
The fleet sailed from the road of Goeree in the Maese on the 27th June,
1598; but, owing to contrary winds, had to remain at anchor in the Downs
on the coast of England, till the 15th July. The wind being then fair,
they set sail on that day, and on the 19th were on the coast of Barbary.
Towards the end of August, they arrived in the harbour of St Jago, one
of the Cape de Verd islands, where they remained till the 10th
September, although the climate was very unhealthy, and the pilots,
particularly Mr Adams, remonstrated against continuing there; by which
the officers were so much offended, that they resolved never more to
call the pilots to council, which seems to have been the source of all
their subsequent misfortunes, and of that restless spirit of mutiny and
discontent, which possessed the seamen in this fleet.
In the afternoon of the 11th September, they were off the desert island
of Brava, and the bottom being rocky, so that they could not anchor,
they stood off and on all night, and coasting along next morning they
found some fresh water, which was hard to be got, as the ships could not
come to anchor, on account of a bad bottom. The boats, however, of
Captains Beuniugen and Buckholt, went ashore with empty casks, which
they filled and brought on board, though then night and the ships under
way. Captain de Ween went ashore in a small sandy bay, and looking about
for fresh water, he saw some Portuguese and negroes coming towards him,
who told him the French and English ships used to get fresh water near
that place, but remained always under sail. They said also, that no
refreshments were to be had at this island, but these might be had in
the island of Fuego. After the departure of the islanders, de Weert
discovered four or five ruinous small huts, the door of one being walled
up, which he found full of maize. On this discovery, he remained there
with three men, lest the Portuguese might carry off the maize in the
night, and sent some others in the boat to give notice to the admiral of
this discovery. Fortunately a small vessel belonging to the bishop of St
Thomas, taken by the Dutch at Praya, arrived in the bay, to which de
Weert removed all the maize. He also took two female sea tortoises, in
which were above 600 eggs, of which they made many good meals.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 107 of 431
Words from 55445 to 55959
of 224764
