We Remained Four Days Off That Town, The
Captain Of Which Desired To Have A Pledge On Shore, But On Receiving One
He Kept Him, And Refused To Continue Trade, Even Shooting His Ordnance
At Us, Of Which He Only Had Two Or Three Pieces[208].
On the 16th of the
month we came to a place called Cape _Corea_[209], where dwelt Don John,
and where we were well received by his people.
This Cape Corea is 4
leagues eastward from the castle of _Mina_. We arrived there on the 18th
of the month, making sale of all our cloth except two or three packs. On
the 26th we weighed anchor and went to join the Trinity, which was 7
leagues to the eastwards of us, and had sold most of her wares. Then the
people of the Trinity willed us to go 8 or 9 leagues farther to the
east, to sell part of their wares at a place called _Perecow_, and
another called _Perecow-grande_, still farther east, which is known by a
great hill near it called _Monte Rodondo_ lying to the westwards, and
many palm trees by the water side. From thence we began our voyage
homewards on the 13th of February, and plied along the coast till we
came within 7 or 8 leagues of Cape Three-points. About 8 in the
afternoon of the 15th we cast about to seawards. Whoever shall come from
the coast of Mina homewards, ought to beware of the currents, and should
be sure of making his way good as far west as Cape Palmas, where the
current sets always to the eastwards. About 20 leagues east of Cape
Palmas is a river called _De los Potos_, where abundance of fresh water
and ballast may be had, and plenty of ivory or elephants teeth, which
river is in four degrees and almost two terces, or 4 deg. 40' N. When you
reckon to be as far west as Cape Palmas, being in lat. 1 deg. or 1 deg. 30' N.
you may then stand W. or W. by N. till in lat. 3 deg. N. Then you may go W.
or N.W. by W. till in lat. 5 deg. N. and then N.W. In lat. 6 deg. N. we met
northerly winds and great ruffling tides, and as far as we could judge
the current set N.N.W. Likewise between Cape Mount and Cape Verd there
are great currents, which are very apt to deceive.
[Footnote 208: The pledge was nephew to Sir John Yorke. - _Eden_.]
[Footnote 209: From the context, this seems to have been the place now
called Cape Coast. - E.]
On the 22d of April we were in lat. 8 deg. 40' N. and continued our course
to the north-west, having the wind at N.E. and E.N.E. sometimes at E.
till the first of May, when we were in lat. 18 deg. 20' N. Thence we had the
wind at E. and E.N.E. sometimes E.S.E. when we reckoned the Cape Verd
islands E.S.E. from us, and by estimation 48 leagues distant. In 20 deg. and
21 deg. N. we had the wind more to the east and south than before; and so we
ran N.W. and N.N.W. sometimes N. by W. and N. till we came into lat. 31 deg.
N. when we reckoned ourselves 180 leagues S.W. by S. of the island of
Flores. Here we had the wind S.S.E. and shaped our course N.E. In 23 deg. we
had the wind at S. and S.W. and made our course N.N.E. in which
direction we went to 40 deg., and then set our course N.E. having the wind
at S.W. and the isle of Flores E. of us, 17 leagues distant. In 41 deg. we
had the wind N.E. and lay a course N.W. Then we met the wind at W.N.W.
and at W. within 6 leagues, when we went N.W. We then altered to N.E.
till in 42 deg. where we shaped our course E.N.E. judging the isle of
_Corvo_ to be W. of us, 36 leagues distant. On the 21st of May we
communed with John Rafe who judged us to be in lat. 39 deg. 30' N. 25
leagues E. of Flora, and recommended to steer N.E.
It is to be noted that in lat. 9 deg. N. on the 4th of September, we lost
sight of the north star. In lat. 45 deg. N. the compass varied 8 deg. to the W.
of N. In 40 deg. N. it varied 15 deg.. And in 30 deg. 30' N. its variation was 5 deg. W.
It is also to be noted that two or three days before we came to Cape
Three-points, the pinnace went along shore endeavouring to sell some of
our wares, and then we came to anchor three or four leagues west by
south of that cape, where we left the Trinity. Then our pinnace came on
board and took in more wares, telling us that they would go to a place
where the Primrose[210] was, and had received much gold in the first
voyage to these parts; but being in fear of a brigantine that was then
on the coast, we weighed anchor and followed them, leaving the Trinity
about four leagues from us. We accordingly rode at anchor opposite that
town, where Martine, by his own desire and with the assent of some of
the commissioners in the pinnace, went on shore to the town, and thence
John Berin went to trade at another town three miles father on. The town
is called Samma or Samua, which and Sammaterra are the two first towns
to the N.E. of Cape Three-points, where we traded for gold.
[Footnote 210: This was one of the ships in the former voyage under
Windham.
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