For This Raises Such Spirit Among Them, And Is Followed
By Such Unexpected Consequences, As No Art Or Force Can Withstand.
In the beginning of the year 1598, some eminent merchants in the united
provinces, among whom were Peter van
Bueren, Hugo Gerritz, and John
Bennick, formed a design of sending some stout ships through the Straits
of Magellan into the South Sea, to cruise against the Spaniards; to
which design they were chiefly instigated by the reports of many English
seamen, who had served in these parts, under Drake, Candish, and
Hawkins, and other experienced officers. The purpose of the present
expedition, was to cruise upon the coasts belonging to the Spaniards,
and to force the enemy of peace to bear the expences of those wars in
which he obliged other people unwillingly to engage. They also proposed
by it to gain nautical experience, if it should be found practicable to
continue the voyage by the Philippines, and so round by the Cape of Good
Hope, circumnavigating the globe.
As the success of this important enterprise greatly depended upon the
choice of a general, for so in those days the Dutch, and most other
nations, denominated the commander in chief, whether by sea or land, the
adventurers took great care to provide themselves with a person of
established character, both in regard to conduct and courage. The person
chosen on this occasion was Oliver van Noort, a native of Utrecht, in
the flower of his age, and who had a strong passion to acquire glory. To
him they communicated their scheme, which he readily embraced; and their
terms being speedily adjusted, they proceeded to fit out two stout
vessels one named the Maurice, and the other the Henry Frederick,
together with two yachts, railed the Concord and the Hope, the whole
being manned by 248 persons of all ranks and conditions.
Of this small fleet, Oliver van Noort was appointed admiral, and sailed
in the Maurice; James Claas van Ulpenda was captain of the Henry
Frederick, with the title of vice-admiral, Captain Peter van Lint
commanded the Concord, and John Huidecoope was captain of the Hope.
These were all men of experience in sea affairs, and capable of
maintaining their authority on all occasions, and were all interested in
the success of the voyage, by means of shares in the outfit; a proper
precaution then, and ever since usual among the Dutch in all such cases,
to prevent their expeditions from suffering by private views, or want of
hearty concurrence in their officers: which, among other nations, is
often the cause of failure, and for which this method is, perhaps, the
only cure.
All things being in readiness, and crews provided for all the vessels,
the proprietors presented a petition to the Board of Admiralty of
Rotterdam, upon which all who were concerned were summoned to compeer:
and, on the 28th June, 1598, the rules and regulations for the
government of all concerned in this expedition, having been previously
drawn up by the company of adventurers, revised by the admiralty and
approved of by the Stadtholder, Prince Maurice, were publicly read over
to them, and every man sworn to obey them. These sailing orders are
called Artykelbreefs by the Dutch, and are never suffered to be put in
force, till they have received this kind of sanction from the state,
when they become the law of the voyage, to which all concerned are
subject, and must undergo the penalties contained in them, for breach of
any of the articles. This circumstance is worthy of remark and imitation
by other nations, and is a strong proof of the care paid by that
republic to the commercial welfare of its citizens.
SECTION I.
Narrative of the Voyage.
On the 13th of September, 1598, the Maurice and Concord sailed from the
port of Gocree; and, being joined by the Henry Frederick and Hope, from
Amsterdam, the whole fleet proceeded for Plymouth, where their English
pilot, Mr Mellish, who had been the companion of Sir Thomas Candish in
his navigations, was to take in his apparel and other necessaries. They
sailed from Plymouth on the 21th September, the wind then blowing a
fresh gale at N.E. Next morning, being out of the channel, they
perceived that the boat belonging to the vice-admiral was missing, in
which were six men, which gave them considerable uneasiness, insomuch
that they had some intention of returning to Plymouth in search of them.
They met, however, with an English privateer, which soon made them alter
their intentions; by assuring them that their men had run away with the
boat, and could not be recovered, on which they resolved to proceed on
their voyage. At this time considerable jealousies sprung up, respecting
the capacity and conduct of the vice-admiral, which were soon increased
by his losing his other boat and one man, and which could not be
recovered by all their care. This carelessness occasioned much murmuring
and discontent among the seamen, which the vice-admiral daily increased
by his haughty behaviour, and by his contempt for advice, which no man
needed more than he.
The 4th October, they met a small fleet of English, Dutch, and French
ships, returning from Barbary, from whom they had accounts of a terrible
pestilence then raging in that country, which had swept away 250,000
persons in a very short space of time. The 6th, they came between the
islands of Teneriff and Grand Canary, and on the 3d November, they came
in sight of the coast of Guinea. December 4th they were off Cape Palma,
in lat. 3 deg. 30' N.[68] and on the 10th came in sight of Princes Island,
in lat. 1 deg. N.[69] Sending their boats ashore to this island, carrying a
flag of truce, they were met on the shore by a negro, bearing a similar
flag, from whom they demanded a supply of provisions, which was accorded
on fair and friendly terms; but, while settling the terms, they were
suddenly surprised by a party from an ambush, which cut off several of
them, one of whom was Mr Mellish, their English pilot.
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