They Sailed
Thence On The 11th November For The Port Of Nativity, In Lat.
20 deg.
40' N.
where they furnished themselves with necessaries, and from whence they
set sail on the 20th.
SECTION III.
Voyage Home from America, by the East Indies and Cape of Good Hope.
The 26th November, 1615, being in lat. 20 deg. 26' N. they determined on
shaping their course for the Ladrones across the great Pacific Ocean. On
the 3d December, to their great astonishment, they saw two islands at a
great distance, and next day a vast rock in lat. 19 deg. N. fifty leagues
from the continent of America.[100] The 5th they saw another new island,
having five hills, that at first appeared like so many distinct islands.
The new year 1616 was ushered in with distempers that proved fatal to
many of the sailors. On the 3d of January they came in sight of the
Ladrones, where they landed and procured refreshments. Setting sail from
thence on the 26th January, they arrived at the Philippine islands on
the 9th February, but the Indians refused to trade with them, because
enemies of the Spaniards, though some among them, for that very reason,
would willingly have transferred all the trade and riches of the country
to them. In Capul, where they arrived on the 11th, the people gave
them fat hogs and poultry in exchange for mere trifles. Having thus
procured abundant refreshments, they set sail on the 16th, passing
through the straits towards the bay of Manilla.
[Footnote 100: The three Marias are nearly in the indicated latitude,
but are only about thirty leagues from the western coast of N.
America. - E.]
They anchored in these straits on the 19th, where they saw a curious
fabric erected on the top of trees, looking at a distance like a palace,
but they could not imagine what it was. The 24th they passed the high
and flaming hill of Albaca, and came in sight of the other end of the
straits [of St Bernardino] on the 28th, when they anchored before the
island, of Mirabelles, remarkable for two rocks which tower to a vast
height in the air. Behind this island is the city of Manilla, and here
the pilots wait for the ships from China, to pilot them safe to the
city, as the passage is very dangerous. On the 5th of March they took
several barks, which were going to collect the tribute paid by the
adjacent places to the city of Manilla. They had now intelligence of a
fleet of twelve ships and four gallies, manned by 2000 Spaniards besides
Indians, Chinese, and Japanese, sent from Manilla to drive the Dutch
from the Moluccas, and to reduce these islands under the dominion of
Spain. On this news they discharged all their prisoners, and resolved to
go in pursuit of the Manilla fleet.
The 11th March they got into a labyrinth of islands, whence they knew
not how to get out, but their Spanish pilot carried them safe through
next day. The 14th they anchored all night before the island of Paney,
by reason of the shoals; and on the 18th they sailed close past the
island of Mindanao. The 19th they came again close to the shore, and
brought provisions from the islanders at a cheap rate. They reached Cape
Cudera on the 20th, where the Spaniards usually water on their voyages
to the Moluccas. Till the 23d, having a perfect calm, they made no
progress except with the tide; and when between Mindanao and Tagano
they were stopt by an adverse current. The people here professed great
enmity against the Spaniards, and offered to assist the Dutch with fifty
of their vessels against that nation. The 27th they passed the island of
Sanguin, and came on the 29th to Ternate, in which island the Dutch
possessed the town of Macia, where they were made most welcome by
their countrymen. They observed that the straits of Booton was full of
shoals, without which the water was deep. On the east there is good
fresh water, and two leagues to the west lies a very rocky shoal. On the
8th of April, Cornelius de Vicaneze went for Banda, where the soldiers
were landed, after being long on board ship.
Being detained in the Moluccas and at Bantam in the service of the Dutch
East India Company till the 14th December, 1616, admiral Spilbergen then
sailed from Bantam for Holland, in the Amsterdam of 1400 tons, having
also under his command the Zealand of 1200 tons, leaving the ships with
which he had hitherto sailed in India. On the 1st January, 1617, the
Zealand parted company, and on the 24th of that month the Amsterdam
anchored at the island of Mauritius. They doubled the Cape of Good Hope
on the 6th March, and arrived at St Helena on 30th of that month, where
they found the Zealand. Leaving that island on the 6th April, they
passed the line on the 24th of that month, and arrived safe in Holland
on the 1st July, 1617, having been absent two years, ten months, and
twenty-four days; nearly nine months of which time were spent in India,
without prosecuting the direct purpose of their circumnavigation.
The directors of the Dutch East India company bestowed the highest
commendations on Spilbergen for his prudence and good conduct in this
voyage, which contributed both to the advantage of the company, his own
reputation, and the glory of his country. The Dutch company may be said
to have dated their grandeur from the day of his return, both in respect
to reputation, power, and riches; the former resulting from his
successful circumnavigation of the globe, and the others from their
conquests in the Moluccas, in which he not only assisted, but likewise
brought home the first intelligence. On his return to Holland,
Spilbergen confirmed the report of Magellan respecting a gigantic people
inhabiting the straits, named Patagons. He said that he had gone
several times on shore, and had examined several graves of the natives,
and saw several savages at different times in their canoes, all of whom
were of the ordinary size; or rather under.
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