INTRODUCTION.

The inhabitants of the United Provinces of the Netherlands, after their

separation from the Spanish monarchy, found themselves extremely at a

loss for means to supply the expences of the long and vigorous war in

which they were engaged for the defence of their liberties. This gave

them the more uneasiness, as their great enemy, Philip II. carried on

the war against them, more by the length of his purse than the force of

his arms, and because the riches, of the Spanish monarchy were derived

from sources of commerce and colonization that were prohibited to them,

even if they had submitted themselves to the yoke of Spain. The sense,

therefore, of these difficulties, joined to the vast advantages they

were likely to reap by overcoming them, induced the government and

people of Holland to prosecute the advancement of trade in general with

the greatest vigour, and particularly to establish a commercial

intercourse with the East and West Indies, the great sources of wealth

to their tyrannical oppressor and enemy, from whom they had revolted.

[Footnote 67: Harris, I. 31.--Two editions of this voyage were published

in Dutch, both in folio; one at Rotterdam without date; and the other at

Amsterdam in 1602. _Bib, Univer. des Voyages_, I. 115.]

Among other inducements to this course of proceeding, they were not a

little encouraged by the progress made by their neighbours, the English;

seeing that even private persons, and with a small force, had been able

to disquiet the Spaniards exceedingly; and had at the same time acquired

great riches to themselves. Another cause of attempting expeditions like

the present, was their having failed in their first scheme of finding a

new passage to the East Indies, than that with which the Spaniards and

Portuguese were acquainted, which they had often and unsuccessfully

endeavoured to explore by the north-east, with great hazard and expence.

Their first voyages to the East Indies proving more fortunate even than

they themselves had expected, they were tempted to proceed farther, and

to distress their enemies likewise in the South Sea, which hitherto had

only been done by the English.

The distressed states of Holland, however, were not hitherto so

powerful at sea as to attempt acting offensively against the king of

Spain on that element; but contented themselves with giving power and

authority to any of their subjects who were inclined to venture upon

expeditions of this nature, at their own risk and expence, so as at the

same time to join their own private advantage with the public good, by

fitting out squadrons for these distant and hazardous voyages. This

policy, though arising in some measure from necessity, was conducted

with such wisdom and address, that the king of Spain soon found himself

more distressed by the armaments of the Dutch merchants, than by all the

forces of the United States. This is a plain proof; that the surest way

to render any government powerful, is to interest the people in general

in its support: 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° 30' N.[68] and on the 10th came in sight of Princes Island,

in lat. 1° 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. The Portuguese

pursued them to their boats, which they briskly attached, killing the

admiral's brother, and had nearly captured the whole party. In revenge

of this outrage, it was determined in a council of war to attack the

castle; but finding this enterprize too hazardous, they contented

themselves with burning all the sugar ingenios. After this exploit,

having provided themselves with fresh water, they set sail on the 17th.

[Footnote 68: Cape Formosa is probably here meant, which is in 4° 18'

N.--E.]

[Footnote 69: The latitude of Princes Island is 1° 40' N.--E.]

They reached Cape Gonçalves on the 25th, where the wind usually blows

from the land all night, and from the sea all day. Here they found two

Dutch ships, which informed them of the loss of Captain Sleerhagen and

most of his company at Princes Island; as also of the voyage of Peter

Verhagen, who had entered the river of Congo, and had afterwards buried

thirty-eight of his company at Cape Gonçalves, whence he had gone some

time before their arrival to Annobon.

January 1st, 1589, they passed the island of Annobon, in lat. 2° S. [1°

30' S.] and on the 28th of that month had the sun in their zenith. The

5th of March they reached Cape St Thomas on the coast of Brazil, in lat.

22° S. [21° 15']. The 6th they passed Cape Fair, and came that evening

to Cape Frio, and on the 9th reached Rio de Janeiro. After some loss of

time, and having several of their men cut off by their grand enemy the

Portuguese, they went to the island of St Sebastian, in lat. 24° S.

where the comforts of a good harbour, plenty of fresh water, and an

abundant supply of wood gave them much satisfaction; but no fruits were

to be had at that season.

They encountered a heavy storm on the 14th of March, by which the

vice-admiral and the Hope were separated from the admiral, but they met

again on the 17th. The scurvy now began to make rapid progress among the

company; which, together with the approach of the antarctic winter,

determined them to put in at St Helena. Missing that island, they next

endeavoured to fall in with the island of Ascension, or some other

island where they might procure refreshments; but their hard fortune

brought them to a very barren and desolate island in the lat. of 20° 30'

S.[70] where they could procure no refreshments, except a few fowls

called _Malle Mewen,_[71] which they knocked down with clubs.

[Footnote 70: The island of Trinidad is nearly in the indicated

latitude.--E.]

[Footnote 71: These were probably young unfledged sea-gulls, called in

provincial English _Malls, Maws_, and _Mews,_ not unlike the Dutch names

in the text; where perhaps we ought to read Malle _or_ Mewen.--E.]

Soon leaving this inhospitable place, they put to sea again, and on the

1st of June, while endeavouring to reach Ascension, they got back to the

coast of Brazil. Not being suffered to land any where on the continent,

they sailed to the isle of Santa Clara, an island of about a mile round,

and as much from the continent, in lat. 21° 15' S. This island afforded

little else beyond herbs, but they found here a sour fruit resembling

plums, which cured all their sick men in fifteen days. They sailed from

thence for Port Desire, in lat 47° 40' S. on the 16th June, and reached

that place on the 20th September, after enduring much bad weather. They

procured abundance of penguins and fish, at an island three miles south

from Port Desire; killing to the number of 50,000 penguins, which are

nearly as large as geese, and procured a vast quantity of their eggs, by

which their people were greatly refreshed, and the sick restored. Going

up the river on the 5th October, and landing in the country, they found

animals resembling stags, together with buffaloes, and ostriches in

great numbers, and even found some of the nests of these birds, in which

were as far as nineteen eggs. The 20th, the admiral went ashore to view

the country, leaving orders with those who were left in charge of the

boats, not to leave them a moment on any account: But they, having a

mind also to see the country, ventured upon a short ramble, when they

fell into an ambush of the savages, who slew three of their number, and

wounded the fourth. These savages were very tall portly men, painted,

and armed with short bows, and arrows headed with stone.

Leaving Port Desire on the 29th September, they reached Cape Virgin at

the entrance into the Straits of Magellan on the 24th November. The land

here is low and plain, and from the whiteness of the coast somewhat

resembles the chalk cliffs of England in the channel. In many attempts

to enter the straits, they were beaten back by tempests of wind,

accompanied by rain, hail, and snow. They lost their anchors, and broke

their cables, and sickness, together with contention, which is worse

than any disease, were added to their other calamities. All these so

retarded the progress of the voyage, that it was near fifteen months

after leaving Holland before they could make their way into the straits.

They observed the land to trend from Cape Virgin to the S.W. and the

mouth of the straits to be fourteen miles distant from that cape, and

half a mile wide.[72] On the 25th November, they saw some men on two

islands near Cape Nassau, who shook their weapons at the Hollanders, as

in defiance. The Dutch landed, and pursued the savages into a cave,

which they bravely defended to the last man, and were all slain on the

spot. Going now into this dark cave, the Dutch found the women and

children of the slain savages, when the mothers, expecting present death

to themselves and their infants, covered their little ones with their

own bodies, as if determined to receive the first stab. But the Dutch

did them no other injury, except taking away four boys and two girls,

whom they carried on ship board.

[Footnote 72: These must necessarily be Dutch miles, 15 to the degree,

each equal to nearly 4.66 English miles. By the mouth of the straits in

the text, must be understood what is called the Narrows of the

Hope.--E.]

From one of these boys, after he had learnt the Dutch language, they had

the following intelligence. The larger of the two islands was named

_Castemme_ by the natives, and the tribe inhabiting it _Enoo_. The

smaller island was called _Talche_. Both were frequented by great

numbers of penguins, the flesh of which served the natives as food, and

their skins for cloathing. Their only habitations were caves. The

neighbouring continent abounded in ostriches, which they also used as

food. The natives of these dreary regions were distinguished into

tribes, each having their respective residences. The _Kemenetes_ dwelt

in _Kaesay;_ the _Kennekin_ in _Karamay_; the _Karaiks_ in _Morina_: All

these are of the ordinary size, but broad-breasted, and painted all

over; the men tying up their pudenda in a string, and the women covering

their parts of shame with the skins of a penguin; the men wearing their

hair long, while that of the women was kept very short; and both sexes

going naked, except cloaks made of penguin skins, reaching only to the

waist. There was also a fourth tribe, called _Tirimenen_, dwelling in

_Coin_, who were of a gigantic stature, being ten or twelve feet

high,[73] and continually at war with the other tribes.

[Footnote 73: This absurdity might be pardoned in the ignorant savage

boy, who knew neither numerals nor measures; but in the grave reporters

it is truly ridiculous, and yet the lie has been renewed almost down to

the close of the eighteenth century.--E.]

The 28th November, the navigators went over to the continent, or north

side of the straits, seeing some whales at a distance, and observed a

pleasant river, about which were some beautiful trees with many parrots.

Owing to this fine prospect, they called the mouth of this river _Summer

Bay_. The 29th they made sail for _Port Famine_, where the land trends

so far to the south, that the main land of Patagonia and the islands of

Terra del Fuego seemed, when seen afar off, to join together. They found

here no remains of the late city of King Philip, except a heap of

stones. The straits are here four miles wide, having hills of vast

height on both sides, perpetually covered with snow. At Port Famine they

cut down wood to build a boat, and found the bark of the trees to be hot

and biting like pepper.[74] Not finding good water at this place, and

indeed doubting if it were Port Famine, they proceeded onwards, and

found a good river two miles farther west on the 1st December. Next day

they doubled Cape Froward, with some danger, on account of bad anchorage

and contrary winds.

[Footnote 74: The Wintera aromatica, the bark of which is called

Winter's bark, said to have been first discovered by Captain Winter in

1567, on the coast of Terra Magellanica. The sailors employed this bark

as a spice, and found it salutary in the scurvy.--E.]

Passing four miles beyond this cape, they anchored in a large bay, where

was a plant resembling sneezwort, which they found serviceable in the

scurvy; also another plant, which rendered those who eat of it

distracted for a time. They here fell in with two ships belonging to the

fleet under Verhagen, which had been driven back out of the South Sea,

one of which was commanded by Sebaldt de Weert, who told them he had

been five months in the straits, and had only thirty-eight remaining

out of 110 men, and not being able to bear up against the storms in the

South Sea, had been forced to put in here, while the rest of the fleet

under Verhagen held on their course.[75] These ships wished to have

joined the expedition under Van Noort, but were forced to remain in the

straits for want of provisions, which the others could not spare. They

afterwards got back to Holland on the 13th July, 1600.

[Footnote 75: The voyage of Verhagen, or so much of it rather as relates

to the adventures of Sebaldt de Weert, follows the present voyage of Van

Noort in the Collection by Harris, vol. I. pp. 37-44; and is, therefore,

retained in the same situation on the present occasion.--E.]

Van Noort and his ships left this bay on the 2d January, 1600, directing

their course for Maurice bay, which they found to extend far to the

eastwards, and to receive several rivers, the mouths of which were

filled with vast quantities of ice, which seemed never to melt. It was

now near midsummer of this southern clime, and the ice was so thick that

they could not find its bottom with a line of ten fathoms. The land here

seemed a congeries of broken islands, yet appearing like one continued

mass, owing to the height of the mountains. They were here much

distressed by hunger and continual rains, and two of their men were

slain by the savages, while gathering muscles, which formed their chief

subsistence. After weathering many storms in _Meniste_ bay, and having

several encounters with the savages, they set sail on the 17th, and were

driven into Penguin bay, or Goose bay, three miles from Meniste bay, and

receiving its name from the vast multitude of penguins found there. At

this place, James Claas van Ulpenda, the vice-admiral, was arraigned

before a council of war, for various breaches of the articles sworn to

before proceeding on the voyage. Having a fair trial, and sufficient

time allowed him for his defence, he was condemned to be turned ashore

in the straits, with a small supply of provisions, and allowed to shift

for himself among the wild beasts and more savage inhabitants, which

sentence was accordingly executed, so that he doubtless soon fell a prey

either to hunger or the natives, who are implacable enemies to all

strangers.

They entered another bay on the 1st February, which they called Popish

bay, probably owing to some cross erected on its shore, and in which

they were exposed to much danger. On the 27th, they saw at a distance a

huge mountain of ice in Penguin bay. The 28th they passed Cape Deseado,

or Desire, into the South Sea, bidding adieu to the many dismal

prospects of the Straits of Magellan. Their company, originally 248 men,

was now reduced to 147, but was soon still farther lessened by losing

company of the Henry Frederick, which never rejoined. Waiting for that

ship in vain till the 12th March, they sailed to the island of Mocha on

the coast of Chili, in lat. 38° 22' S. and six miles [twenty English]

from the continent. This island is remarkable by a high mountain in the

middle, which is cloven at the top, and whence a water-course descends

into the vale land at its foot. They here bartered knives and hatchets

with the natives for sheep, poultry, maize, _bartulas_,[76] and other

fruits. The town consisted of about fifty straw huts, where the Dutch

were regaled with a sour kind of drink, called _cici_, made of maiz

steeped in water, which is the favourite drink of the Chilese at their

feasts. Polygamy is much practised among these people, who buy as many

wives as they can afford to maintain; so that a man who has many

daughters, especially if they be handsome, is accounted rich. If one man

kill another, he is judged by the relations of the deceased, as they

have no laws or magistrates among them, so that the murderer may

sometimes buy off his punishment by giving a drinking-bout of _cici_.

Their cloathing is manufactured from the wool of a large kind of sheep,

which animal they also employ to carry burdens. They would not sell any

of these, but parted freely with another kind, not very different.

[Footnote 76: This probably means battatas or potatoes, a native

production of Chili.--E.]

From thence they went to the island of St Mary, in lat. 37° S. eighteen

miles [ninety-five English] from Mocha, where they fell in with a

Spanish ship carrying lard and meal from Conception to Valdivia in

Araucania, which they chased and took. The pilot of this ship informed

them that they would not be able to return to the island of St Mary,

owing to the south wind, and that two Spanish ships of war were waiting

for them at Arica. Upon this information they resolved to sail for

Valparaiso, and by that means quite lost all chance of being rejoined by

the Henry Frederick, which might otherwise have got up with them.

Besides, they concluded that the missing ship had failed to find St

Mary's isle, owing to its being wrong placed in the map of Plancius, in

lat. 38° S. which error they themselves had fallen into, had they not

been set right by the observations of Mr Mellish. They were farther

confirmed in the resolution of not returning to the island of St Mary,

by hearing of the misfortune which had there befallen Simon de Cordes,

who was there butchered with twenty-three of his men, after being

invited on shore in a friendly manner by the Indians, owing to the

treachery of the Spaniards endeavouring to get possession of his two

ships, and sending intelligence to Lima and all about the country of the

arrival of the Dutch in these seas, with a list of their ships, and the

names of all their commanders. For these reasons they proceeded to

Valparaiso, where they took two ships and killed some Indians, but all

the Spaniards escaped on shore. Valparaiso is in lat. 35° 5' S. And

about eighteen miles inland, [100 English miles] is the town of St Jago,

abounding in red wine and sheep. They kill these animals merely for the

sake of their tallow, with which alone they load many vessels. Here they

received letters from the captain of the Flying Hart, one of the

squadron under Verhagen, who had been treacherously captured by the

Spaniards; owing, as he alleged, to the wrong placement of the island of

St Mary in the map, by which he had been misled.

At Valparaiso they intercepted some letters giving an account of the

wars in Chili between the Spaniards and the Indians, who it seems were

in rebellion, had sacked the town of Valdivia, putting vast numbers of

Spaniards to the sword, and carrying off many captives. They burnt the

houses and churches, knocking off the heads of the popish images,

crying, "Down go the gods of the Spaniards." They then crammed the

mouths of these images with gold, bidding them satisfy themselves with

that, for the sake of which their votaries had committed so many

barbarous massacres of their nation. They afterwards laid close siege to

the city of Imperial, and had almost starved the Spanish garrison into a

surrender. The valiant Indians who undertook this enterprise were about

5000, of whom 5000 were cavalry, 100 were armed with muskets, and 70 had

corslets, all of which were plunder they had taken from the Spaniards.

They so mortally hate the Spaniards, that they rip up the breasts of all

they overcome, tearing out their hearts with their teeth, and they

delight to drink their favourite liquor from a cup made of a Spaniard's

skull.

These Indians [the Araucans] are for the most part very stout, and

skilful soldiers, and commit the management of all their military

affairs to the direction of one supreme general, whose orders are

implicitly obeyed. Their method of election to this high dignity is very

singular; for he who carries a certain log of wood on his shoulders the

longest, and with the smallest appearance of weariness, is saluted

general by the army. In this trial several carried the log four, five,

and six hours; but at length one carried it twenty-four hours on end,

and this person was now general. The whole of Chili, from St Jago to

Valdivia, is one of the most fertile and most delightful countries in

the world. It abounds in all kinds of cattle and fruit, has many rich

gold mines, and its climate is so sweet and salubrious as to exclude the

use of medicine, being health and life in itself.

They entered the bay of Guasco[77] on the 1st April, where they remained

till the 7th. The 11th they came into a large bay, named _Moro Gorch_,

in lat. 18° 30' S. ten miles from which is _Moro Moreno_, from which the

shore runs to Arica, and all this coast, up to the hill of St Francis,

is very much subject to south winds, though the adjoining seas have the

winds variable and uncertain. On the 20th the whole air was darkened by

an _Arenal_ which is a cloud of dust, and so thick that one cannot see a

stone's throw. These are raised by the wind from the adjoining shore,

and are very common in these parts. The 25th they were within view of

the famous city of Lima in Peru. At this time they learnt the value of

the treasure of which the Spaniards had deprived them, in the ships they

took on the coast of Chili. Nicholas Peterson, the captain of one of

these prizes, acquainted Van Noort that he had been informed by a negro

of a great quantity of gold having been on board the ship, as he

believed to the amount of three tons, having helped to carry a great

part of it on board. On this information the admiral closely examined

the Spanish pilot, who at first denied all knowledge of any gold; but

another negro having corroborated the information, with some farther

circumstances, the pilot at last owned that they had on board fifty-two

chests, each containing four arobas of gold, and besides these 500 bars

of the same metal, weighing from eight to ten and twelve pounds each;

all of which, together with what private stock belonged to any of the

company, the captain had ordered to be thrown overboard in the night,

when first chased, amounting in the whole to about 10,200 pounds weight

of gold; and, from its fineness, worth about two million pieces of

eight, or Spanish silver dollars. Upon this the admiral ordered the ship

and all the prisoners to be searched, but there was only found a single

pound of gold dust, tied up in a rag, in the breeches pocket of the

Spanish pilot. The prisoners owned that all this gold was brought from

the island of St Mary, from mines discovered only three years before;

and that there were not more than three or four Spaniards on that

island, and about 200 Indians, only armed with bows and arrows.

[Footnote 77: Perhaps Huasco in lat. 28° 27' S. or it may possibly have

been Guacho, in 25° 50' S.--E.]

The 5th September they came in sight of the Ladrones, and came on the

16th to Guam, one of these an island of about twenty Dutch miles in

extent, and yielding fish, cocoa-nuts, bananas, and sugar canes, all of

which the natives brought to the ships in a great number of canoes.

Sometimes they met 200 of these canoes at one time, with four or five

men in each, bawling out _hiero, hiero,_ meaning iron; and often in

their eagerness they run their canoes against the ships, overturning

them and losing all their commodities. These islanders were a sly subtle

people, and honest with good looking after; for otherwise, they would

sell a basket of cocoa-nut shells covered over with a small quantity of

rice, as if full of rice. They would also snatch a sword from its

scabbard, and plunge instantly into the water, where they dived like so

many ducks; and the women were as roguish as the men, stealing as

impudently, and diving as expertly to carry off their prizes.

The 17th of September they sailed for the Philippines; and on the 20th

they met with ice, though then only in the latitude of 3° N.[78] On the

16th October they came to Bayla bay, in a very fertile land, at which

place they procured abundance of all kinds of necessaries for their

ships, by pretending to be Spaniards. The Spaniards, who are lords here,

make the Indians pay an annual capitation tax, to the value of ten

single rials for every one above twenty years of age. The natives of

these islands are mostly naked, having their skins marked with figures

so deeply impressed, [_tatooed_] that they never wear out. Being

discovered to be Dutch, but not till they had gained their ends, they

sailed for the Straits of Manilla, all the coasts near which appeared

waste, barren, and rocky. Here a sudden squall of wind from the S.E.

carried away some of their masts and sails, being more furious than any

they had hitherto experienced during the voyage. The 23d some of the

people went ashore, where they eat palmitoes and drank water so

greedily, that they were afterwards seized with the dysentery. The 24th

they entered the straits, sailing past an island in the middle, and came

in the evening past the island of Capul, seven miles within the straits,

near which they found whirlpools, where the sea was of an unfathomable

depth, so far as they could discover.

[Footnote 78: This surely is an error for 18°, Guam being in lat. 18°

20' N. yet even here, the fact of meeting ice so far within the tropic

is sufficiently singular.--E.]

They now crowded sail for Manilla, which is eighty miles from Capul, but

wanted both a good wind to carry them, and good maps and a skilful pilot

to direct them to that place. The 7th November they took a junk from

China, laden with provisions for Manilla. The master of this junk told

them there were then at Manilla two great ships, that come every year

from New Spain, and a Dutch ship also which had been brought from

Malacca. He said also that the town of Manilla was walled round, having

two forts for protecting the ships, as there was a vast trade to that

place from China, not less than 400 junks coming every year from

Chincheo, with silk and other valuable commodities, between Easter and

December. There were also two ships expected shortly from Japan, laden

with iron and other metals, and provisions. The 15th they took two

barks, laden with hens and hogs, being part of the tribute to the

Spaniards, but became food to the Dutch, who gave them a few bolts of

linen in return.

They passed the islands of _Bankingle_ and _Mindoro_, right over against

which is the island of _Lou-bou_. at the distance of two miles, and

between both is another small island, beside which there is a safe

passage for ships. The island of Luzon is larger than England and

Scotland,[79] and has a numerous cluster of small islands round about

it; yet is more beholden to trade for its riches, than to the goodness

of its soil. While at anchor, in 15° N. waiting for the ships said to be

coming from Japan, Van Noort took one of them on the 1st December, being

a vessel of fifty tons, which had been twenty-five days on her voyage.

Her form was very strange, her forepart being like a chimney, and her

furniture corresponding to her shape; as her sails were made of reeds,

her anchors of wood, and her cables of straw. Her Japanese mariners had

their heads all close shaven, except one tuft left long behind, which is

the general custom of that country. The 9th, they took two barks, one

laden with cocoa wine and arrack, and the other with hens and rice.

[Footnote 79: Luzon is certainly a large island, but by no means such as

represented in the text.--E.]

The 14th of December they met the two Spanish ships returning from

Manilla to New Spain, on which a very sharp engagement took place.

Overpowered by numbers, the Dutch in the ship of Van Noort were reduced

to the utmost extremity, being at one time boarded by the Spaniards, and

almost utterly conquered; when Van Noort, seeing all was lost without a

most resolute exertion, threatened to blow up his ship, unless his men

fought better and beat off the Spaniards. On this, the Dutch crew fought

with such desperate resolution, that they cleared their own ship, and

boarded the Spanish admiral, which at last they sunk outright. In this

action the Dutch admiral had five men slain, and twenty-six wounded, the

whole company being now reduced to thirty-five men. But several hundreds

of the Spaniards perished, partly slain in the fight, and partly drowned

or knocked in the head after the battle was over. But the Dutch lost

their pinnace, which was taken by the Spanish vice-admiral; and this was

not wonderful, considering that she had only twenty-five men to fight

against five hundred Spaniards and Indians.

After this action, Van Noort made sail for the island of Borneo, the

chief town of which island is in lat. 5° N. while Manilla, the capital

of Luçon, is in lat. 15° N. On the way to Borneo, they passed the island

of _Bolutam_, [Palawan or Paragua,] which is 180 miles in length from

N.E. to S.W. They came to Borneo on the 26th December, putting into a

great bay, three miles in compass, where there was good anchorage, and

abundance of fish in a neighbouring river, and the fishermen always

ready to barter their fish for linen. Van Noort sent a message to the

king, desiring leave to trade; but suspecting them to be Spaniards, he

would come to no terms till his officers had examined them with the

utmost attention, after which they had trade for pepper with a people

called _Pattannees_, of Chinese origin. Both these and the native

Borneans were fond of Chinese cotton cloth, but the linen from Holland

was a mere drug, and quite unsaleable. In the mean time, the Borneans

laid a plot to surprise the ship; for which purpose, on the 1st January,

1601, they came with at least an hundred praws full of men, pretending

to have brought presents from the king, and would have come on board the

ship; but the Dutch, suspecting their treachery, commanded them to keep

at a distance from the ship, or they would be obliged to make them do so

with their shot, on which the Borneans desisted.

Borneo is the largest of all the islands in the East-Indies; and its

capital, of the same name, contains about 300 houses, but is built in a

dirty marshy soil, or rather in the water, so that the inhabitants have

to go from one house to another in their praws. The inhabitants all go

constantly armed, from the noble down to the fisherman; and even the

women are of so martial a disposition, that on receiving an affront,

they instantly revenge it, either with a dagger or a javelin. This a

Dutchman had nearly proved to his cost; for having offended one of these

viragoes, she set upon him with a javelin, and had surely dispatched

him, if she had not been prevented by main force. They are Mahometans,

and so very superstitious, that they would rather die than eat of

swine's flesh, nor will they keep any of these animals about them. The

better sort have a cotton garment from the waist down, with a turban on

their heads; but the common people go entirely naked. They continually

chew betel and areka, which is also a common practice in many other

parts of India.

On the 4th January, four Borneans came to the ship, intending to have

cut the cables, that she might drive on shore and become their prey; but

the Dutch fortunately discovered them, and drove them away with shot,

when they left their praw behind, which the Dutch took, to serve instead

of their own boat, which they had lost at the Philippines. Seeing no

hope of any profitable trade at this place, they now left it, intending

for Bantam, not much pleased either with the country or the people. The

day after leaving Borneo, they met a junk from Japan bound for Manilla,

which informed them of a great Dutch ship being forced by tempests into

Japan, all her company having died by sickness and famine except

fourteen. They came first to _Bongo_, in lat. 34° 40' N. [Bungo in about

lat. 33° N.] whence the emperor of Japan ordered them to remove to

_Atonza_, in lat. 36° 30' N. [Osaka in lat. 34' 55' N.] They alleged

that they were allowed to trade, and to build a new ship, with liberty

to dispose of themselves afterwards as they pleased. From this account,

it was not doubted that this was the admiral of Verhagen's fleet;[80]

and dismissing the Japanese vessel, they passed the line a third time,

and proceeded for Bantam, in no little fear and danger, for want of an

experienced pilot and good charts.

[Footnote 80: This was the ship in which William Adams sailed as pilot,

as related on a former occasion, being the Hope, commanded by James

Mahu, one of five ships from Rotterdam. We have already had occasion to

meet with two of these in the Straits of Magellan.--E.]

The 16th they took a junk belonging to Jor or Johor, in which they

procured an experienced and skilful pilot, who came in good time to

save them from shipwreck, which they had otherwise most probably

suffered in these dangerous seas, so thick set with shoals and islands

on every side, with which they were entirely unacquainted; and besides,

they were now reduced to one anchor, and one solitary cable almost worn

out. The 28th they came to Jortan in the island of Java, where they had

news of several Dutch ships being at Bantam. The city of Jortan consists

of about 1000 houses built of timber, and its king commands over a

considerable portion of that end of the island, and had lately conquered

_Balambuan_, a small island S.E. from Jortan. The people in these parts

are said to be Mahometans; yet, as pagods are still in use, they seem to

retain some mixture of the old Indian superstitions, or at least some

remnant of paganism is tolerated among the common people. Their chief

priest at this time was an old man, said to be an hundred and twenty

years of age, who had a large household of wives, who fed the old man

with their milk.

Sailing past Jortan, they saw a large Portuguese ship of 600 tons,

sticking fast among the shoals. She was bound for Amboina, on purpose to

have engrossed all the trade of that place; at least such was the report

of the Portuguese; but Van Noort strongly suspected she had been sent

out to cruize for the purpose of intercepting him. He was, therefore,

the less concerned for her misfortune, and the less careful in assisting

her crew, originally of between six and seven hundred men, many of whom

were still on board, and in great danger of perishing. The 5th of

February, they passed the straits between _Balambuan_ and _Bally_,

leaving Java on the N.E.[81] On the 11th, finding themselves in lat 13°

S. they directed their course for the Cape of Good Hope. On the 18th,

having the sun vertical at noon, their latitude was 11° 20' S. and here

a calm began which lasted eleven days. The 11th March they were in lat.

24° 45' S. and in 28° 10' S. on the 24th.

[Footnote 81: This is an obvious error, as the Straits of Bally are at

the _east_ end of Java, which they must consequently have left on the

N.W. of their course.--E.]

The 19th of April, having been considerably retarded by cross winds and

calms, they were under the necessity to lessen their allowance of water.

At night of the 24th they observed light, as of a fire, on land, about

four miles to the N.W. although they reckoned themselves 200 miles from

the cape, and were not aware of having approached any other land. The

25th, being calm weather, they were enabled to mend their sails, and at

night another fire was observed; and in the morning of the 26th they saw

land. The 3d May they saw land between the east and north, about six

miles off, resembling the end of an island, by which they reckoned

themselves near the cape, and now shaped their course for the island of

St Helena, where they arrived on the 26th. They here refreshed

themselves with fish and some flesh, and laid in a supply of wood and

water; but found goats and fowls hard to be got, and could not procure

any oranges.

Leaving St Helena on the 30th May, they crossed the line for the fourth

time on the 14th of June; and on the 16th met a fleet of six Dutch

ships, under Admiral Heemskirk, bound for India. These had fought with

thirteen Spanish ships near the island of Sal, and had lost their

pinnace and vice-admiral; the former having been taken by the Spaniards,

and the latter having parted company. The 8th July they were in lat. 27°

N. when they fell in with considerable quantities of the sea-weed called

_saragossa_. By the 13th they were in lat. 32° 30' N. after which they

had a calm of fifteen days, the sea being all covered with weeds. The

22d they had to go upon short allowance of bread, and that too much worm

eaten. August 1st, being in lat. 40° N. they passed the island of

Flores, forty-five miles to the westward, by their estimation. They met

three ships belonging to Embden on the 18th, from whom they procured

bread and flesh, in exchange for rice and pepper; and from whom they

learnt that they were so near England, that they might expect to see the

Lizard next day. About noon of the 26th August, 1601, they arrived in

safety before the city of Rotterdam, where they were received with the

utmost joy, on their return from so long and perilous a voyage, which

had occupied three years, bating eighteen days.

SECTION II.

_Voyage of Sebald de Weert, to the South Sea and Straits of Magellan, in

1598_.[82]

"Though not a circumnavigation, it seems necessary to give an account of

this voyage of Sebald de Weert, by way of supplement to that of Oliver

de Noort; because De Weert was fitted out with the intention of sailing

by the Straits of Magellan to India, and because it is difficult to find

so good a description of these famous straits as he has given. De Weert

was one of the best seamen in Holland, and lived to distinguish himself

afterwards by many more successful enterprises; and I persuade myself

the reader will be pleased to see the firmness of an able commander,

struggling against a long series of misfortunes. This has always been

esteemed one of the best written, and most curious of all the Dutch

voyages, and is therefore given at large."[83]--_Harris_.

[Footnote 82: Harris, I. 36.]

[Footnote 83: So far Harris; but on the present occasion several trivial

and minute circumstances are omitted or abbreviated.--E.]

§ 1. _Incidents of the Voyage from Holland to the Straits of Magellan_.

The fleet fitted out for this expedition consisted of the Hope of 500

tons, with 130 men, commanded by James Mahu, admiral; the Love or

Charity of 300 tons, and 110 men, commanded by Simon de Cordes,

vice-admiral; the Faith of 320 tons, and 100 men, of which Gerard van

Beuningen was captain; the Fidelity of 220 tons, with 86 men, captain

Jurian Buckholt; and a yacht of 150 tons and 112 men, called the Merry

Messenger, captain Sebald de Weert. 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. The

Portuguese and negroes, finding the Dutch busied in carrying away their

maize, came down the mountain, making a great noise; but de Weert,

having two fusils, fired at them and made them retire.

On the return of de Weert, he found the admiral very sick, and a council

assembled in the Hope. He in the first place advised them to remain no

longer at the Cape Verd islands, and then resigned his command to the

vice-admiral, de Cordes. On advising with the other captains, and

learning the quantity of water in each ship, de Cordes gave orders that

such as had most should give part to the others, and that the allowance

of provisions and water should be diminished, and as fresh water was not

to be expected for three or four months, they were directed to gather

rain-water when that could be had. The greatest part of the men in the

admiral's ship being sick, two or three of them were removed into each

of the other ships, in exchange for sound men. The fleet sailed from

Brava on the 15th September, and on the 22d a signal was made from the

admiral for the other captains. They found the admiral, James Mahu,

beyond hope of recovery; and that night he and his supercargo, Daniel

Restan, both died. He was of a mild and gentle disposition, honest,

careful, diligent, and very kind to the seamen, and was much lamented by

the whole fleet. Opening the letters of the directors of the expedition,

which were directed to be opened in such a case, de Cordes was appointed

admiral, and Benningen vice-admiral; Sebald de Weert being promoted to

the command of the Faith, and Dirke Gernitsz China to that of the yacht.

These alterations did not please the seamen, who were attached to their

former commanders.

By the 4th October, the scurvy raged much among the seamen, especially

in the Hope, on which de Cordes ordered a day of prayer to be observed

in the fleet, to implore the mercy of God and a happy voyage. They were

then in the lat. of 1° 45' S. At length the scurvy increased so much in

the Hope, that the admiral had not men enough to work his ship, and it

was resolved to steer for some island where fresh provisions might be

procured. They steered accordingly for Annobon, where they hoped to get

fresh meat and oranges. Towards night, the admiral, who sailed in the

van, fired a gun as a signal of seeing land, though all the pilots then

thought the land at the distance of 100 leagues. They accordingly

approached the land, and anchored on the coast of _Manicongo_, in lat.

3° S.[85] They here lost company of the small ship belonging to St

Thomas, in which were eleven sound men, and some thought she had

deserted, while others thought she had run aground: But they afterwards

found she had gone to Cape Lope Gonzalves, where the men quitted her,

going aboard the ship of Baltazar Musheron, which was bound to America.

[Footnote 85: The latitude in the text falls near Point Palmas, on the

coast of Yumba, in what is called the Kingdom of Congo. Mayumba bay,

perhaps the Manicongo of the text, is in lat. 4° 30' S.]

After several ineffectual attempts to procure refreshments for their

men on the coast of Africa and the island of Annobon, they put to sea on

the 3d January, 1599, from that island, with the intention of sailing

direct for the Straits of Magellan. The 22d they passed the shelves and

rocks on the coast of Brazil, called the _Abrolhos_. The 9th March, one

of the seamen in the vice-admiral's ship was hanged, for repeatedly

breaking open the cupboard belonging to the cook, and stealing bread.

About this time, the sick beginning to recover, got such good appetites

that their allowance was not sufficient. The 12th, being near the Rio

Plata, the sea appeared as red as blood, and some of the water being

drawn up was found full of small red worms, that leaped out of it like

fleas.

§ 2. _The Fleet passes through the Straits of Magellan into the South

Sea, and is forced to return_.

The 6th of April, the fleet got into the Straits of Magellan, and

towards evening cast anchor under the smaller of the two Penguin isles,

fourteen leagues within the mouth of the straits. They here saw vast

numbers of those birds called _plongeons_ or divers, because they dive

into the water to catch fish. They killed there ten or fourteen of them

with sticks, and might have killed as many as would have served the

whole fleet, but would not lose the opportunity of a fair wind. The 9th

they proceeded through the straits; and next day the admiral sent fifty

men on shore, to look for inhabitants or cattle, but after travelling

three leagues along shore, they found nothing. They arrived in a fine

bay on the 15th, twenty-one leagues from the mouth of the straits,

called _Muscle bay_ by the English, because of the great quantities of

muscles found there, and here they provided themselves abundantly with

fresh water and wood. The 17th they sailed between two rocky shores, so

close and so high that they hardly thought to have got through. The

mountains on both sides were covered with snow. On the 18th, they cast

anchor in a bay on the north side of the straits, in lat. 54° S. called

_Great bay_, having good anchorage on fine sand. In this bay there are

three small islands, the least of which is farthest east.

In these parts, there grow great quantities of trees, resembling bay

trees, but somewhat higher, the bark of which is very bitter, and has a

hot taste like pepper.[86] They here found abundance of muscles, some of

which were a span long, and when boiled, the fish of three of them

weighed a pound. The wind being contrary, they lay here at anchor till

the 23d of August,[87] without taking the sails from the yards, to be

ready to sail on a change of wind. In the mean while they suffered much

from cold, in so much that they lost above an hundred men, among whom

was Captain Buckholt, who was succeeded by Baltazar de Cordes. Storms

were so frequent and violent during this time, that the ships could not

ride quietly at anchor, and the seamen were forced to be continually at

work to keep them right. They were also forced to go often on shore, in

rain, snow, and hail, to get in fresh water, wood, muscles, and such

other food as they could find, by which they were greatly fatigued. The

scarcity of victuals was so great, and the climate so severe, that they

were almost starved with hunger and cold, and their appetites so

insatiable, that they devoured roots or any thing else they could find,

raw and uncooked. Most of the seamen had no watch-coats or other warm

cloathing, to enable them to support the fatigue of watching and their

daily labour, having made no provision of such things, as they believed

themselves bound to warm climes. To remedy this evil, the general

ordered cloth to be distributed among them.

[Footnote 86: In Harris these are erroneously called _Pimento_, but they

must have been the _Wintera aromatica_. The Pimento, or _Myrtus

Pimenta_, is a native of the warm regions of America and the West India

islands, producing Pimento, All-spice, or Jamaica pepper.--E.]

[Footnote 87: This date, here anticipated, refers to the day when they

afterwards set sail.--E.]

It was found that many of the seamen, when at their meals, were in use

to sell their victuals to others at high prices, and afterwards

satisfied their hunger with raw muscles and green herbs, which

occasioned them to fall into dropsies and other lingering sickness, of

which several died: For this reason, the captains and other officers

were ordered to be present at all their meals, to see and oblige them to

eat their allowances.

The 7th May the vice-admiral was sent, with two boats, to an island

opposite Great bay, to catch sea-dogs.[88] He found there seven small

boats or canoes, with savages on board, who were of a reddish colour

with long hair, and, as well as he could observe, seemed _ten or eleven

feet high_. On seeing the Dutch boats, the savages went on shore and

threw many stones at the Dutch, so that they did not venture to land.

The savages then took courage, and came towards them in their canoes;

and coming within musket-shot, the vice-admiral made his men give them a

general discharge, by which four or five of the savages were slain, and

the rest so frightened that they escaped again on shore. They then

pulled up some trees, which appeared afar off to be a span thick; but

the vice-admiral chose to let them alone, and returned to the ships. The

26th of May, as some seamen were on shore, looking for muscles, roots,

and herbs, and were dispersed, expecting no danger, a number of savages

fell upon them suddenly, killed three of them, whom they tore in pieces,

and wounded two, who were rescued by the admiral. All these savages were

naked, except one, who had the skin of a sea-dog or seal about his

shoulders. They were armed with wooden javelins, which they threw with

great strength and dexterity. The points of these javelins were like

cramp-irons, tied to the shafts with the guts of sea-dogs, and would run

so deep into the flesh, that it was almost impossible to get them out.

[Footnote 88: Seals are probably here meant.--E.]

While the fleet lay in this bay, the admiral ordered his long-boat to be

put upon the stocks, to be enlarged and altered into a pinnace, which

was named the Postillion, and the command of her was given to the second

pilot of the Hope. Having no provisions for making broth, Captain de

Weert landed on the 27th July, in order to catch seals; and while he was

ashore, so great a storm arose that he was obliged to remain two days

and two nights, before he could get back to his ship, and caught

nothing. After enduring great hardships in this _Green bay_,[89] and

which the Dutch named the Bay of de Cordes, they set sail on the 23d of

August, having the wind at N.E. but next day the weather became so calm,

that they were obliged to put into a great bay on the south side of the

straits. Here, to perpetuate the memory of so dangerous and

extraordinary a voyage into these straits, to which no nation had

hitherto sent so many or such large ships, the general instituted a new

order of knighthood, of which he made his six principal officers

knights. They bound themselves by oath, never to do or consent to any

thing contrary to their honour or reputation, whatever might be the

dangers or extremities to which they were exposed, even death itself;

nor to do or suffer to be done any thing prejudicial to the interests of

their country, or of the voyage in which they were now engaged. They

also solemnly promised, freely to expose their lives against all the

enemies of their nation, and to use their utmost endeavours to conquer

those dominions whence the king of Spain procured so much gold and

silver, by which he was enabled to carry on the war against their

country. This ceremony was performed ashore on the eastern coast of the

straits, in as orderly a manner as the place and occasion would permit,

and the order was named of _The Lion set free_, in allusion to the

Belgic lion, the cognizance of their country, which they professed to

use all their endeavours to free from the Spanish yoke. After this

ceremony, a tablet was erected on the top of a high pillar, on which the

names of the new-made knights were inscribed, and the bay was named the

_Bay of Knights_.

[Footnote 89: This seems the same formerly named Great bay.--E.]

Leaving this bay on the 28th of August, they put into another bay a

league farther on, where they were again becalmed. The admiral at this

time gave orders to Captain de Weert to go back in his boat to the Bay

of Knights, to remove the tablet to a more convenient situation. When

about to double the point of the bay on this errand, de Weert saw eighty

savages sitting on the shore, having eight or nine canoes beside them;

and, as soon as the savages saw the boat, they set up a dismal noise,

inviting the Dutch to land, by means of signs. But, having only a small

number of men, de Weert turned back towards the ships; on which the

savages ran across the woods along shore, always hallowing, and making

signs for the Dutch to land. When the general was informed of this

adventure, he dispatched three boats well armed on shore, but the

savages were not to be seen, though they had left their marks behind

them, having dug up the interred body of a Dutchman, and left his body

on the ground, barbarously disfigured. On going to the knights tablet,

the Dutch also found it had been broken by the savages.

Early in the night of the 3d September, they got out from the Straits of

Magellan into the South Sea, with a fair wind, and continued their

voyage to the W.N.W. with the wind at N.E. till the 7th, having all that

time fine weather. This day, however, the sea began to swell and rise so

high, that the vice-admiral had to lie to and hoist his boat on board,

which was likewise done by the Fidelity. While de Weert was sailing

directly in the wake of the admiral, who led the fleet, an accident

happened on board the yacht, which had the wind of the Fidelity, which

obliged both the Faith and the Fidelity, the former being de Weert's

ship, to furl their sails, and lie to for assisting the yacht. The

admiral continued his course, thinking that the other ships continued to

follow him, and that the fog prevented them from being seen by the

watch. The vice-admiral also was obliged to furl his sails shortly

after, the fog being so thick as to prevent them from seeing each other,

though very near.

On the 8th the two yachts lost sight of the ships, but these three kept

company all that day; and next day the whole fleet rejoined to their

great joy. After joining, Derick Geritz sent the Postillion to the

admiral, to request the assistance of his carpenters; but they were

sick, and those from the Faith and Fidelity went on board the yacht.

This proved afterwards a serious loss to these ships, as they never got

their carpenters back. The wind shifted all of a sudden, and the sea

became so rough and stormy that the yacht had to furl her sails, as was

done by the vice-admiral, who was ahead of the Faith, and by the

Fidelity. In the ensuing night the yacht and vice-admiral made sail

again, without advertising the other two ships by signal, so that they

continued to lie to. When day broke next morning, Captains Baltazar de

Cordes and Sebalt de Weert, of the Fidelity and Faith, were extremely

troubled at not seeing any of the other ships. De Weert, who was now the

senior captain, was also much troubled by the unprovided state of his

ship, having no master, only two old pilots, and a very small number of

seamen, mostly sick and weak through the cold and damp weather, though

they kept a fire burning night and day.

The N.E. wind became so violent on the 16th September, that the two

ships were every moment in danger of sinking. The gallery of the Faith

was rent open above an inch, and the sea broke so violently over the

Fidelity, that her men were almost constantly up to their knees in

water. She likewise sprung a leak, owing to which they were forced to

keep her pumps constantly going day and night, yet could hardly keep her

afloat. At last, after much search, the leak was found and stopt. In

this deplorable situation these two ships remained for twenty-four

hours, _spooning_ under bare poles. The seamen also became much

dissatisfied, though allowed two ounces of dried fish a day to each man,

with a reasonable quantity of biscuit. But they were much discontented

with this scanty allowance, having been used in the straits to fill

themselves with muscles, of which they could not now brook the want, so

that the captains had much ado to pacify them.

In the night of the 26th September they fell in with the land to the

north of the straits by mistake, thinking themselves to have been twenty

leagues from the land; and in the morning the Faith was in great danger,

as the wind drifted her towards the coast, on which were two rocks,

which they avoided with the utmost difficulty. The Fidelity, which was a

considerable way in front, had discovered the rocks in time, and had

easily given them a wide birth. They were only three leagues from the

straits when they fell in with the land; and as the westerly wind now

blew so hard that they were unable to bear up against it, the two

captains now resolved to regain the straits, and to wait there in some

safe road or bay for a fair wind, when they did not doubt of rejoining

the other ships, as it had been agreed to wait at the island of St. Mary

on the coast of Chili for two months, in case of separation. About

evening, therefore, of the 27th September, they arrived at the southern

point of the straits' mouth, and were drifted by the current six or

seven leagues within the straits, where they anchored in a very good

road.

§ 3. _Incidents during their second Residence in the Straits of

Magellan_.

From the 27th to the 30th of September they had tolerably good weather,

but the wind then began to blow so furiously from the S.W. that they

were forced to drop three anchors a-piece to keep them from being driven

on shore. As the summer of these antarctic regions was now approaching,

they were in hopes of fair weather; yet during two months that they

remained in the straits, they scarcely had a fair day in which to dry

their sails. For twenty days that they remained in this bay, to which

they gave the name of the _Bay of Trouble_, they endured incredible

hardships, being forced to go on shore daily in search of a few birds,

which, with muscles and snails found upon the rocks, formed their sorry

subsistence. Being unable to subsist any longer in that bay, they set

sail on the 18th October, and found a better bay about a league farther

within the straits. The 22d they were nearly destroyed by a violent

storm, but the weather became calm next day. The constant employment of

the seamen was to go on shore in search of muscles for their sustenance

at low water, and when the tide was in to fetch wood and fresh water, so

that they had no time to dry themselves, though they kept up a good fire

continually. In short, during the whole nine months spent in these

straits, now and formerly, they scarcely had an opportunity once to dry

their sails, so frequent were the returns of rain and storms. The men

also were exposed to wet, cold, and high winds, which kept them

continually uncomfortable, and always at work. The seamen now began to

murmur, alleging there would not be enough of biscuit for their return

to Holland, if they remained here any longer. Having notice of this, de

Weert went into the bread-room, as if to examine their store; and, on

coming out, he declared, with a cheerful countenance, there was enough

of biscuit and other provisions for eight months, though in fact there

was not more than sufficient for four.

At length, on the 2d December, the wind changed to the N.E. and they

immediately weighed anchor, but could not get out into the South Sea,

owing to whirlwinds rising from between the high hills and the bottom of

the bay. The Faith was driven at one time so near the shore that a

person might have stepped ashore from her gallery, and had certainly

been lost if the wind had not abated. Next day, the storm being over,

the two ships got out of Close bay, as they called it, with the ebb, but

they never afterwards anchored together, and that day they cast anchor

at the distance of a league from each other. The 8th of December they

had a more violent storm than ever, which lasted two days, and during

which the waves rose sometimes higher than the masts. The storm abating

on the 10th, de Weert went in his boat, intending to go aboard the

Fidelity; but on doubling the point which lay between them, was

overwhelmed with grief to see no ship, nor any signs of shipwreck, so

that he thought she had foundered. Going next day farther towards a

gulf, he was rejoiced to see a mast behind a low point, where he found

the Fidelity, with which ship he had to leave his small boat to assist

in fishing for her anchors and cables, which she had lost in the late

storm. He then took his leave, returning to his own ship, little

dreaming he had taken his last farewell of Captain de Cordes.

The 10th, going ashore in the boat for victuals as usual, and having

doubled a point, they saw three canoes with savages, who went

immediately on shore, and scrambled up the mountains like monkeys. The

Dutch examined the canoes, in which were only a few young divers, some

wooden grapnels, skins of beasts, and other things of no value. Going on

shore to see if the savages had left any thing, they found a woman and

two children, who endeavoured to run away, but was taken and carried on

board, shewing few signs of fear or concern. She was of a middle size

and reddish colour, with a big belly, a fierce countenance, and her

hair close cut as if shaven, whereas the men wear their hair long. She

had a string of snail-shells about her neck by way of ornament, and a

seal's skin on her shoulders, tied round her neck with a string of gut.

The rest of her body was quite naked, and her breasts hung down like the

udders of a cow. Her mouth was very wide, her legs crooked, and her

heels very long.

This female savage would not eat any of their boiled or roasted meats,

so they gave her one of the birds they had found in the canoes. Having

pluckt off the long feathers, she opened it with a muscle shell, cutting

in the first place behind the right wing, and then above the stomach.

After that, drawing out the guts, she laid the liver a short time on the

fire, and eat it almost raw. She then cleaned the gizzard, which she eat

quite raw, as she did the body of the bird. Her children eat in the same

manner, one being a girl of four years of age, and the other a boy, who,

though only six months old, had most of his teeth, and could walk

alone.[90] The woman looked grave and serious at her meal, though the

seamen laughed heartily at her strange figure, and unusual mode of

feeding. She afterwards sat down on her heels like an ape; and she slept

all gathered up in a heap, with her infant between her arms, having her

breast in his mouth. After keeping her two days on board, de Weert set

her on shore, giving her a gown and cap, with necklace and bracelets of

glass beads. He gave her also a small mirror, a knife, a nail, an awl,

and a few other toys of small value, with which she seemed much pleased.

He cloathed the boy also, and decorated him with glass beads of all

colours; but carried the girl to Holland, where she died. The mother

seemed much concerned at parting with her daughter, yet went into the

boat without resistance or noise. She was carried to the shore, a league

west from the ship, to a place which she pointed out, where the seamen

found a fire and some utensils, which made the seamen believe that the

savages had run away on seeing the boat.

[Footnote 90: They had no means to ascertain his age, and must have

concluded him only six months old from his small size; but from his

teeth and walking alone, he was more likely to have been two years old,

and his diminutive size was probably occasioned by the miseries of the

climate, and wretchedness of every kind to which these outcasts of

nature are subjected.--E.]

When the boat returned, a new storm arose, during which the waves often

overtopped the masts, and tossed the ship so violently that they

momentarily expected she would have been overset or split in pieces;

but, by the blessing of God, she got out of this bay, to which they gave

the name of _Unfortunate Bay_. Next day they cast anchor towards evening

in the channel of the straits, but finding the anchor had no buoy

attached, and the weather being too violent to allow of supplying one,

they had again to weigh, and put before the wind, and at length got into

the bay of Cordes, fourteen or fifteen leagues farther eastwards, near

the middle of the straits. In this passage they kept as near as possible

to the south side of the channel, that they might be seen by the

Fidelity, and even fired a gun off the mouth of a bay in which they

supposed she lay, as a signal, to which they imagined that they heard

another gun in answer from their consort, and continued their course in

the full belief of being followed by the Fidelity. In this passage the

strength of the wind drove them so fast, that they had to fasten their

boat astern with two strong hawsers to preserve her, and to diminish the

velocity of their course; but the heavy rolling waves broke both

hawsers, and they lost their boat, by which they were reduced to great

difficulty, having now no means of getting on shore in search of

provisions.

Next day, being the 16th December, they saw a boat making towards them

from the westwards, which occasioned various conjectures; but at length

turned out to belong to the fleet of Van Noort. This unexpected meeting

gave great joy to the seamen, and the men in this boat were received

with much respect by de Weert. They were all in perfect health and

vigour; and, among other things respecting their voyage, told of having

caught above 2000 birds at the great Penguin Island. This intelligence

made the sailors in the Faith extremely anxious to get there, and

several of them were bold enough to tell Captain de Weert, that it was

necessary they should go there, where they might as well wait for a fair

wind as in any other place, and besides, that it was only a league out

of their way. But de Weert declared he would on no account part company

from Van Noort. This general came in person next day to visit de Weert;

and the day following, being the 18th December, the whole fleet joined

him. The wind changing to S.W. on the 22d, they all set sail; and after

proceeding two or three hours, de Weert requested the loan of a boat

from general Van Noort, with three or four men, that he might go before

to direct Captain de Cordes to get ready to sail with the fleet; but he

could not find the Fidelity.

The Faith was now grown very foul, and unable consequently to keep up

with the fleet; for which reason, being off the Bay of Knights, where

she met the ebb current, she was forced to go in there. The 23d she was

again opposed by adverse currents in a narrow channel, and unable to

follow the other ships. The 24th they tried again, but were unable to

get round a point, behind which the fleet of Van Noort lay at anchor;

and finding it impossible to double that point with the present wind, de

Weert resolved to wait till it changed, that he might not fatigue his

men by persisting in vain attempts. But, although the wind was contrary,

Van Noort proceeded farther on, in search of a more secure anchorage, by

which de Weert lost sight of the fleet, though not far off, in

consequence of an intervening high point of land.

Despairing of being able to rejoin the fleet of Van Noort, and finding

it impossible to subsist his men without a boat, de Weert ordered the

pieces of one which were in the hold to be taken out, that they might be

put together. This was on the 25th December; but having the wind at

north next day, he attempted to get next day into a small bay, a league

farther on than the Bay of Knights, in which the boat might be more

conveniently built: but the violence of the wind forced him back into

the Bay of Cordes, five leagues farther to the east. Here, on the 26th

and 27th, they endured so great a storm, that the seamen began to murmur

again, as having been a whole fortnight without procuring any muscles,

having nothing to subsist upon in all that time but a scanty allowance

of biscuit and oil. Seeing their insolence, de Weert called them into

the cabin, giving them good words, and even desired their advice as to

what was best to be done in this difficult conjuncture. Some were of

opinion, that they should proceed to Rio de la Plata in the boat,

abandoning their ship, and give themselves up to the Spaniards. Others

were for going to St Helena in quest of provisions. The pilot, John

Outgetz, was for going to Guinea or the Gold Coast of Africa, where he

was known, having made five voyages there. None of these opinions

pleased de Weert, who told them, that he could not come to any

determination without the consent of Captain de Cordes.

In the mean time, the boat being now ready, de Weert went ashore in her

on the 1st January, 1600, to get her properly caulked. In the afternoon,

having doubled the southerly point, two boats were seen, which belonged

to Van Noort, who had put back to the Bay of Knights in search of the

Faith. Next day, Van Noort returned back, promising to make search for

the Fidelity. De Weert also sent his boat, with his ensign and one of

his pilots, on the same search, and gave them a letter for Van Noort,

requesting a supply of biscuit sufficient for two months. The boat came

back on the 5th with the general's answer, saying, That he was not sure

of having enough of biscuit for his own men, neither knew he how long he

might be at sea, and therefore could not spare any. This answer

afflicted de Weert; and having now no hopes of being again rejoined by

de Cordes, he resolved to proceed for Penguin Island, to lay in a large

store of these birds, and then to follow the fleet of Van Noort, if the

wind proved fair. Before sailing, he wrote a letter for de Cordes, which

he left buried at the foot of a tree, and nailed a board to the tree, on

which was painted, _Look at the bottom of this tree_.

On the 11th January, 1600, de Weert made sail for Penguin Islands, and

next day came to anchor under the smaller of these islands, where he

immediately landed with thirty-eight men in tolerable health, leaving

the pilots and other seamen on board. Leaving three men to keep the

boat, the rest fell to killing birds, of which there were a prodigious

quantity in the island. In the mean time the wind grew nigh and the sea

very stormy, by which the boat was thrown so high upon the rocks, and so

filled with water, that the boat-keepers were unable to get her off, or

to heave out the water, and so much tossed by the surges that they

expected every minute to have her stove to pieces. In this extremity the

seamen were almost in despair. Without the boat it was impossible for

them to return on board. They had no carpenters, no tools, and no wood,

with which to repair their boat, as there was no wood whatever on the

island. They were all wet, as they had waded into the water as high as

their shoulders to draw the boat from the rocks, and they were starving

with cold. Fortunately, at low water, the boat being aground, they

recovered an axe and some tools, with a few nails, which revived their

hopes of being able to get back to the ship. But as it was impossible to

get the boat drawn ashore before night for repairs, they were obliged to

pass the night on shore in the open air, where they made a fire of some

broken planks from the boat, and eat some birds half-roasted, without

bread, and with so little water that they could not quench their thirst.

As soon as day appeared on the 13th, every one went cheerfully to work,

in repairing that side of the boat which was most injured, which was

quite refitted before night. Next day the other side was repaired; and

having loaded her with 450 penguins, they went aboard on the evening of

the 14th, having been three days on shore. While they were catching

penguins on the 12th, they found a savage woman, who had hid herself in

one of the holes. At the time when Van Noort landed here, there was a

band of savages on the island, by whom two of his men were slain; in

revenge of which Van Noort had destroyed them all but this woman, who

was then wounded, and who now shewed her wounds to the seamen. She was

tall and well-made; her hair cut quite close to her head, and her face

painted, having a kind of cloak on her body, made of the skins of beasts

and birds, neatly sewed together, and reaching down to her knees,

besides which she had a skin apron; so that the savages on the north

side of these straits appear to be more modest in their apparel than

those on the south side. By the dead body of one of these savages, who

had been slain by Van Noort, it appeared that the men wore their hair

very long; besides which his head was ornamented with fine feathers, and

he had others round his body. They use bows and arrows, the arrows being

very neatly pointed with hard flints. De Weert gave this woman a knife,

who informed him by signs, that he would find a greater plenty of birds

in the larger island. They left her where she was, though she requested,

by signs, to be transported to the continent. They now went to the

larger island, in order to get a larger supply of birds.

The old penguins weigh from twelve to sixteen pounds, and the young ones

from eight to twelve. They are black on the back, with white bellies,

and some have a white ring round their necks, so that they are almost

half white half black. Their skin is much like that of a seal, and as

thick as the skin of a wild boar. The bill is as long as that of a

raven, but not so crooked; the neck short and thick, and the body as

long as that of a goose, but not so thick. Instead of wings, they have

only two fins or pinions, covered with feathers, which hang down as they

walk upright, and by means of which they swim with great strength. They

have black feet, like those of a goose, and they walk upright, with

their fins or pinions hanging down like the arms of a man, so that when

seen at a distance they look like so many pigmies. They seldom come

ashore except in the breeding season, and then they nestle together,

three or four in one hole, which they dig in the downs as deep as those

of rabbits, and the ground is so full of them, that one is liable almost

at every step to sink into them up to the knees. They feed entirely on

fish, yet their flesh has not that rank fishy taste which is so common

in sea-fowl, but is extraordinarily well tasted. _Penguin_, the name of

this bird, is not derived from the Latin _pinguedo_, fatness, as the

Dutch author of this voyage would have it, and therefore spells the word

_pinguin_. Neither is the conjecture of the French editor of this voyage

better founded, who supposes they were so called by the English from a

Welsh word signifying _white-head_; and from which it has been argued

that these savages are descended from a colony of Britons, supposed to

have settled in America, about the year 1170, under Madoc, prince of

North Wales. The truth is, the name of penguin was given to these birds

by the savages.

The ship reached the greater Penguin Island on the 15th January, that

island being a league from the small one; and here they found such

abundance of these birds, that many ships might have been amply supplied

by them instead of one, for they procured above 900 of them in less than

two hours. Next day, while busy in salting the penguins, a heavy storm

came on from the N.W. by which the ship was driven out of sight of the

island, and to so great a distance that de Weert lost hopes of getting

back to it again; on which he reduced the men to an allowance of four

ounces of biscuit daily. They got back however on the 17th; but, when

going to land, a fresh storm came on with such violence, that they

resolved to weigh anchor and get out of the straits: but the sea was so

rough that they durst not attempt this, lest the capstan should fly

round. At last the anchor lost its hold; and to save the ship from being

cast away, they had to cut the cable and make sail, being in great

sorrow for the loss of their anchor, as they now had one only remaining.

§ 4. _Voyage from the Straits to Holland_.

This sad accident constrained de Weert to quit the straits, which he did

on the 21st January, having a S.W. wind, chopping sometimes round to

E.N.E. having now spent nine months in those seas, in a dangerous and

dismal condition. In the afternoon of that day, having got into the main

sea, they allowed their boat to go adrift, being rendered quite

unserviceable by the late storms. The 24th in the morning, they found

three small islands to windward, not marked in any maps, which they

named the _Sebaldine Islands_. These are in lat. 50° 40' S. sixty

leagues from the continent,[91] and contained abundance of penguins; but

they could not catch any, having no boat. On the 1st February, a seaman

was condemned to be hanged, for having stolen a bottle of wine and a bag

of rice from the hold; and, when just about to be turned off, he was

pardoned at the intercession of the crew, on condition that they should

not again beg the life of any one found guilty of stealing provisions.

In the evening of the 3d the same person was found drunk, and

consequently must have again stolen wine, and was convicted of having

stolen both wine and victuals, for which he was now hanged, and his body

thrown into the sea.

[Footnote 91: In vol. VIII. p. 68, note 3, these Sebaldines have been

already noticed as the north-westermost of the Falklands.--E.]

They passed the line on the 15th March; and their wine being now reduced

to one pipe, that was reserved for the use of the sick, and no more was

allowed to the crew. The 28th they saw Cape Monte on the coast of

Guinea, when the captain was much displeased with the pilots, for having

steered a different course from what he had directed. The seamen also

were discontented with the captain, who would not land, because he had

no boat, and only one anchor: but, being satisfied that he had biscuit

enough for four months, at a quarter of a pound daily to each man, and

two ounces of rice, he made the ship's head be turned to seawards. In

the night of the 1st April, they discovered some fire at a distance,

thinking it were a ship; but when day broke, it was known to have been

on the shore, towards which they had been insensibly driven by the

current. By this time their whole stock of penguins was expended, and

they must have been reduced to a very small allowance of biscuit and

rice for their whole sustenance, but during five weeks that they

steered along the coast of Africa, making very little progress in

consequence of calms, they caught abundance of many kinds of fish, both

large and small. Being uncertain how long they might remain on the

coast, and fearing the want of provisions, de Weert ordered a small boat

to be built by the pilot, who had been bred a ship-carpenter. This boat

was finished in twelve days; but they had no need of her, for the wind

became fair on the 24th April, and they made sail in the direction of

the Açores.

The 3d May was held as a day of thanksgiving and prayer; and on the 21st

they passed the tropic of Cancer, catching every where such abundance of

fish, that, besides supplying their immediate wants, they salted and

dried a considerable store. On getting near the Açores, they found no

more fish, and had to use those they had dried and salted; and by this

food many distempers were produced among them, particularly the scurvy.

The men became as it were parched within, and so thirsty that they could

not be satisfied with drink; and their bodies were covered all over with

red spots, like a leprosy. The 7th, the captain was informed that some

of the men had stolen biscuit; but he durst not punish the guilty, as

they were the only vigorous and healthy men in the ship, and nothing

could be done without them.

The ship got into the English Channel on the 6th July, when the captain

landed at Dover to purchase an anchor and cable; but not being able to

procure any, he sailed again that night. On the 13th, while off the

mouth of the Maese, waiting the tide, and having a pilot on board, the

wind came suddenly contrary, and forced him into the channel of Goeree,

where a seaman died, being the sixty-ninth who died during the voyage.

The thirty-six who remained alive gave thanks to God, who had preserved

them through so many dangers, and had vouchsafed to bring them home.

CHAPTER V.

VOYAGE OF GEORGE SPILBERGEN ROUND THE WORLD, IN 1614--1617.[92]

SECTION I.

_Narrative of the Voyage, from Holland to the South Sea_.

As the directors of the Dutch East-India Company were still anxious to

make trial of the route to India by the Straits of Magellan, they

appointed George Spilberg, or Spilbergen, to make this attempt in 1614,

as admiral of six ships, the Great Sun, the Full Moon, the Huntsman, and

a yacht called the Sea-mew, all belonging to Amsterdam, with the Eolus

of Zealand, and the Morning-star belonging to Rotterdam. Spilbergen was

a person of established reputation for knowledge and experience, and was

allowed to chuse most of his officers. The ships were all equipped in

the best possible manner, and were ready a little after Midsummer; but

as the admiral was of opinion that they would arrive in the Straits of

Magellan at an improper season, if they sailed so early, the directors

thought proper to postpone the commencement of the voyage till the month

of August.

[Footnote 92: Harris, I. 44. Callender, II. 191.]

The fleet sailed accordingly from the Texel on the 8th of August, 1614,

with a strong gale at S.E. Without any remarkable accident, except

several severe storms, they reached the latitude of Madeira on the 3d

October. Proceeding thence by the Canaries, they lost sight of these

islands on the 10th, and came in view of Brava and Fogo, two of the Cape

de Verd islands, on the 23d. Having happily passed the _Abrolhos_,

dangerous shoals running far out to sea, on the 9th December, they

discovered the coast of Brazil on the 12th of that month. On the 19th

they were off the bay of Rio de Janeiro; and on the morning of the 20th

they anchored in the road of _Ilas Grandes_, between two large fine

islands covered with trees, in thirteen fathoms water. Next day they

anchored at another island, about half a league distant, where they

caught good store of fish, besides many crocodiles or alligators, each

about the length of a man. They anchored behind another island on the

23d, where they found two small huts, and a heap of human bones on a

rock. Here they set up tents on shore for their sick, which were all

landed that night, under the protection of three distinct guards of

soldiers, lest they might be attacked by the Portuguese, who were at no

great distance.

The 28th, the boats were sent for wood and fresh water to a river about

two leagues from where the ships lay, and about noon next day brought

off as much as they could carry. They went back for a farther supply,

and were obliged to remain on shore all night, as their boats got

aground with the ebb-tide. On getting to the ships on the 29th, they

reported, that they had heard a confused sound of voices, as of many

people, in the woods. The 30th, three boats were sent again to the

watering-place, with nine or ten soldiers to protect the seamen when on

shore. Shortly after, being out of sight of the fleet, several

cannon-shot were heard from the Huntsman, which had been stationed to

command the watering-place, on which the admiral sent three armed boats

to see what was the matter. On coming to the Huntsman, they were told

that five canoes, full of well-armed Portuguese and Mestees, had

attacked the three boats, and slain all their men. The Dutch armed boats

pursued the canoes, of which they soon came in sight; but on following

them round a point, saw two stout frigates or armed barks riding at

anchor, to which the canoes retired for protection, and the boats had to

return to the admiral with the dismal news of the fate of their

companions.

A conspiracy was discovered on the 1st January, 1615, of certain persons

who proposed to have run away with one of the ships, and for which two

men were executed, several others being put in irons, and distributed

among the other ships of the fleet. Before leaving this place, orders

were given, if any ship lost company of the rest, that her commander was

to set up a conspicuous mark in the haven of de Cordes, or some other

usual landing place in the straits; and, after waiting a certain fixed

time, was to proceed for the isle of Mocha on the coast of Chili, as the

place of rendezvous. Having no fit provisions for the sick, they

resolved also to remove from the Islas Grandes to the isle of St

Vincent. Here they were delayed by the Portuguese, who appear to have

captured some of their men; for, having taken a bark with eighteen

Portuguese on the 26th January, the Portuguese of St Vincent refused to

give a smaller number of Hollanders in exchange for these, though also

offered many fair manuscripts, pictures, plate, and other things

belonging to the jesuits, which had been taken in the prize.

They departed from St Vincent in the beginning of February, having first

burnt their prize and some buildings on shore, and furnished themselves

amply with oranges and pomecitrons. In lat. 52° 6' S. they were

distressed by a severe storm on the 7th March, which continued several

days, and separated the ships. On the 21st a mutiny broke out, for which

several of the most notoriously guilty were capitally punished. They

entered the straits on the 28th, but were forced out again, by adverse

winds and currents. They entered again on the 2d of April, and saw a man

of gigantic stature climbing a high hill on the southern shore of the

straits, called _Terra del Fuego_, or the land of fire. They went ashore

on the 7th, when they saw two ostriches, and found a large river of

fresh water, beside which grew many shrubs producing sweet

black-berries. Being in lat. 54° S. the mountains were all covered with

snow, yet they found pleasant woods, in which were many parrots. To one

inlet or bay they gave the name of _Pepper haven_, because the bark of a

tree found there had a biting taste like pepper.

On the 16th of April they had some friendly intercourse with a party of

savages, to whom they gave various trifling articles in exchange for

pearls. But on the 1st May, some of the people were surprised by the

natives while on shore, and two of them slain. On the 6th of May they

got into the South Sea, not without terror, having no anchorage that

day, and being in much danger from many shoals and islands at the mouth

of the straits, between the northern and sourthern shore.

SECTION II.

_Transactions in the South Sea, along the Western Coast of America_.

They were welcomed into the great South Sea by a terrible storm, and

were fearful of being cast away on certain islands a little without the

straits, which, from their likeness to the islands of Scilly, they named

the _Sorlings_. On the 21st they had sight of the coast of Chili and the

isle of Mocha. This island is low and broad on the north, and is full of

rocks on the south. The 26th endeavours were made to enter into traffic

with the natives of this island. The chief and his son dined on board

the admiral, seemingly rejoiced to see such large and well-armed ships

sent against the Spaniards, and all the native Chilese were delighted to

see the soldiers mustered and exercised. The Dutch here procured great

plenty of sheep, in exchange for hatchets and ornaments of coral and

such like toys, getting two sheep for one hatchet. But the natives

brought every thing to the boats, and would not suffer any of the Dutch

to go near their houses, being very jealous of their wives, even more so

than Spaniards. These sheep resembled camels, having long legs and

necks, hare lips, hunches on their backs, and are used as beasts of

draught and burden.

They left Mocha on the 27th of May, and next day came to the coast not

far from the island of St Mary, where the land was much broken and very

rocky. The 29th they cast anchor at the island of St Mary, whence a

Spaniard came on board, having a pledge left for him ashore. This man

invited the admiral and others to dine on shore; but one of the boats

observed a body of soldiers marching to the place at which they were to

have dined; on which appearance of treachery, the Spanish messenger was

made prisoner. The Dutch landed next day in force, on which the

Spaniards set their church on fire and fled; having four of their men

slain, while two of the Dutch were wounded. They here found much

poultry, and took 500 sheep, with other spoil. Learning at this place of

three Spanish ships fitted out in April expressly against them, the

admiral of which carried forty brass guns, and the whole manned by 1000

Spaniards, Spilbergen resolved to go in search of them at Conception and

Valparaiso, and afterwards on the coast of Arica. A farther squadron, of

similar force, was also said to be in preparation at _Calao de Lima_. In

consequence of this intelligence, the Dutch gunners were ordered to have

every thing in readiness for battle, rules of military discipline were

established, and each ship and every person received distinct orders for

conducting the expected battle, in which it was resolved to conquer or

die.

Sailing from the island of St Mary on the 1st June, 1615, they passed

not far from the town of _Aurora_,[93] where the Spaniards kept a

garrison of 500 men, which were continually disquieted by the

unconquered natives of Chili. On the 3d they came to the island of

_Quinquirina_, within which is the town of Conception, inhabited by many

Indians and about 200 Spaniards. The 12th they entered the safe and

commodious road of Valparaiso, in which was a Spanish ship, but which

was set on fire by its own mariners, who escaped on shore. The 13th at

noon, they were in lat. 32° 15' S.[94] and in the afternoon came into

the fair and secure harbour of Quintero. Here they took in wood and

water, and caught abundance of fish. But they found the inhabitants

every where aware of them, and prepared to receive them, so that nothing

of any importance could be effected. They came next to _Arica_ in lat.

12° 40' S.[95] to which place the silver is brought from the mines of

Potosi, whence it is shipped for Panama. Finding no ships there, they

proceeded along the coast, and took a small ship on the 16th, in which

was some treasure, but it was mostly embezzled by the sailors.

[Footnote 93: Arauco, a fortress on the northern frontier of the

independent country of Araucania, but somewhat inland, not far to the

N.E. of the island of St Mary.--E.]

[Footnote 94: Quintero is in lat. 32° 44' S.]

[Footnote 95: This is a great error, as Arica is in lat 18° 28' S.]

They soon after had sight of eight ships, which the master of the prize

said were the royal fleet sent out in search of the Hollanders, contrary

to the opinion of the council of Peru; but Dou Rodrigo de Mendoza, the

Spanish admiral, a kinsman to the viceroy, insisted on putting to sea,

alleging that two even of his ships could take all England, and much

more those _hens_ of Holland, who must be spent and wasted by so long a

voyage, and would assuredly yield at first sight. On this, the viceroy

gave him leave to depart, with orders to bring all the Hollanders in

chains. Mendoza then swore that he would never return till the

Hollanders were all taken or slain, and set sail from Calao, the haven

of Lima, on the 11th July. The flag ship was the Jesu Maria, of

twenty-four brass guns and 460 men, which was said to have cost the king

158,000 ducats. The vice-admiral was the Santa Anna, of 300 men,

commanded by Captain Alvarez de Piger, who had before taken an English

ship in the South Sea, and this ship cost 150,000 ducats, being the

handsomest that had ever been seen in Peru. The other ships were the

Carmelite and St Jago of eight brass cannon and 200 men each; the Rosary

of four guns and 150 men; the St Francis having seventy musketeers, and

twenty sailors, but no ordnance; the St Andrew of eighty musketeers,

twenty-five sailors, and no cannon; and an eighth, the name and strength

of which is not mentioned.

The adverse fleets drew near on the evening of the 17th July, when the

Spanish vice-admiral sent a message to his admiral, advising to postpone

battle till next morning. Mendoza was, however, too impatient to follow

this advice, and set upon the Great Sun, in which was Admiral

Spilbergen, about ten that night, when they exchanged broadsides. The St

Francis being next to the Jesu Maria, attacked the Dutch admiral; but

being beaten off, fell upon the yacht, and by her was sent to the

bottom. At this instant, the yacht was attacked by the Spanish admiral,

and had soon shared the fate of her former antagonist, but was succoured

by two boats full of men, one from the Dutch admiral, and the other from

the vice-admiral; on this occasion, the Dutch admiral's boat was

unfortunately mistaken by the Huntsman, and sent to the bottom by a

cannon-shot, and all her men drowned except one.

Next morning, five of the Spanish ships sent word to their admiral that

they meant to do their best to escape: But the Dutch admiral and

vice-admiral set upon the Spanish admiral and vice-admiral, and an

obstinate engagement ensued, in which the Eolus, another of the Dutch

ships, also partook. The two Spanish ships were lashed together, for

mutual support. At length, all the men forsook the vice-admiral, going

on board the admiral's ship, in which they afterwards confessed they

found only fifty men alive. Being reduced to great distress, the Spanish

seamen several times hung out a white flag, in token of surrender, which

was as often hauled down by the officers and other gentlemen, who chose

rather to die than yield.

After some time, being sore pressed by the Hollanders, the men belonging

to the Spanish vice-admiral returned to their own ship, and renewed the

fight; on which occasion the Dutch vice-admiral was in imminent danger

of being taken, as the Spaniards boarded her, but were all repelled or

slain. Being no longer able to continue the fight, the Spanish admiral

fled under cover of the night, and escaped the pursuit of Spilbergen;

but her leaks were so many and great that she went to the bottom, as did

likewise another of the Spanish ships called the Santa Maria.[96] The

Dutch vice-admiral and the Eolus bestirred themselves so briskly, that

the Spanish vice-admiral hung out a white flag, on which the Dutch

vice-admiral sent two boats to bring the Spanish commander on board, but

he refused going that night, unless the Dutch vice-admiral came to fetch

him, or sent a captain to remain in pledge for him. At this time ten or

twelve of the men belonging to the Eolus remained on board, contrary to

orders, wishing to have a first hand in the plunder. These men assisted

the Spaniards in their efforts to prevent the ship from sinking: But all

their labour being in vain, they shewed many lights, and cried out aloud

for help, which was too late of being sent, and they went to the bottom.

Next morning the Dutch sent out four boats, which found thirty Spaniards

floating on pieces of the wreck, and crying out for mercy; which was

shewn by the Dutch to some of the chiefs, but the rest were left to the

mercy of the sea, several of them being even knocked on the head by the

Dutch, contrary to orders from their officers. Before this ship went

down her commander expired of his wounds. In this engagement forty

Dutchmen were wounded and sixteen slain, on board the admiral,

vice-admiral, and Eolus; and in the rest eighteen were wounded and four

slain.

[Footnote 96: There is no such name in the list of the Spanish fleet, so

that we may suppose this to have been the one formerly mentioned without

a name.--E.]

The Dutch now made sail for Calao de Lima, but were becalmed. The 20th

they passed by the island [St Lorenzo], and saw fourteen ships in the

haven, but could not get near for shoals. They went, therefore, to the

road of Calao in search of the Spanish admiral, but learned afterwards

at Payta that his ship had sunk. The Spaniards fired upon them from the

shore, and a ball of thirty-six pounds weight had nearly sunk the

Huntsman. They saw also on shore a considerable army, commanded by the

viceroy in person, consisting of eight troops of horse and 4000 foot.

Going beyond reach of shot from the shore, the Dutch cast anchor off the

mouth of the haven, where they remained till the 25th of July, expecting

to capture some Spanish ships, but all that appeared made their escape

by superior sailing, except one bark laden with salt and eighty jars of

molasses.

In regard that they were now on an enemy's coast, where they had no

opportunity of repairing their losses, orders were issued by Spilbergen

to act with great caution, in case of falling in with the fleet of

Panama, and especially to take care not to separate from each other,

which had much endangered them in the late fight. It was also ordered,

if any Spanish ship should yield, that the Dutch captains and chief

officers should on no account leave their own ships, but should order

the enemy to come aboard them in their own boats. They sailed from Calao

on the 27th of July, and came to the road of _Huarmey_ in lat. 10° S. on

the 28th. This is a pleasant place, with a large port, near which is a

lake. The Dutch landed here, but the inhabitants fled, leaving little

plunder, except poultry, hogs, oranges, and meal, which they brought on

board. They dismissed some of their Spanish prisoners on the 3d August,

on which day they passed between the main and the island of _Lobos_, so

called from being frequented by seals, or sea wolves.[97] The 8th they

cast anchor near Payta, in about the latitude of 5° S. The 9th they

landed 300 men, but re-embarked after some skirmishing, as they found

the city too strongly defended. On this occasion they took a Peruvian

bark, strangely rigged, having six stout natives on board, who had been

out fishing for two months, and had a cargo of excellent dried fish,

which was distributed through the fleet.

[Footnote 97: There are three islands or groups of that name off the

coast of Peru. The southern Lobos is in lat. 7° S. near fifty miles from

the nearest land; the middle, or inner Lobos, in lat. 6° 22' S. is only

about nine miles from the coast of Peru; and the northern Lobos is in

lat. 5° 8' S. almost close to the shore. It is probably the middle or

inner Lobos that is meant in the text.--E.]

The 10th of August three of the Dutch ships battered the town of Payta,

and afterwards sent a party of armed men on shore, who found the

inhabitants had fled to the mountains with all their valuables. The

Dutch sent five of the Peruvian captives on shore to endeavour to

procure fruit, and to learn with more certainty what had become of the

Spanish admiral. On their return they brought word that the Spanish

admiral had gone to the bottom, six only of her crew escaping. They

brought letters also from the lady of Don Gasper Calderon, the

commandant of Payta, who had fled to the town of St Michael, thirty

miles from Payta; who, in commiseration of the captives, sent many

citrons and other provisions to the Dutch ships. Towards the sea the

town of Payta is strongly fortified, and almost impregnable. It is a

place of some importance, having two churches, a monastery, and many

good buildings; and has an excellent harbour, to which many ships resort

from Panama, whence their cargoes are transmitted by land to Lima, to

avoid the dangers of the wind and the seas at that place. While at the

island of Lobos, the Dutch took two birds of enormous size, not unlike

an eagle in beak, wings, and talons; their necks being covered with down

resembling wool, and their heads having combs like those of a cock. They

were two ells in height, and their wings, when displayed, measured three

ells in breadth.[98]

[Footnote 98: Probably the Condour, or Vultur Gryphus of naturalists,

which is of vast size, sometimes measuring sixteen feet between the tips

of the wings when extended.

At this place we have omitted a vague rambling account of the kingdoms

of Peru and Chili, as in 1616, which could have conveyed no useful

information, farther than that Don Juan de Mendoza, Marquis des Montes

Claros, was then viceroy of Peru.--E.]

The Dutch set sail from Payta on the 21st of August, and anchored on the

23d in the road off the mouth of the Rio Tumbez, in lat. 3° 20' S. They

here agreed to return to the isle of Coques, in lat. 5° S.[99] that they

might endeavour to procure refreshments. But they were so distressed by

storms of wind, with rain and excessive thunder, that they in vain

endeavoured to get to that island till the 13th September, and in the mean

time became very sickly. Proceeding therefore towards the north they came

in sight of New Spain on the 20th September, in lat. 13° 30' N. when the

weather became again very tempestuous. After much bad weather they came in

sight of a pleasant land on the 1st October, but were unable to land.

Beating off and on till the 11th of that month, they then entered the

harbour of Accapulco, within shot of the castle, and hung out a flag of

truce. Two Spaniards came on board, with whom they agreed to exchange

their prisoners for sheep, fruits, and other provisions, which was

accordingly performed. On the 15th Melchior Hernando, nephew to the

viceroy of New Spain, came on board, to take a view of the fleet which

had vanquished that of his king, and was kindly entertained by the

Dutch admiral. The castle of Accapulco was found to be well fortified,

and had seventy pieces of brass cannon mounted on its ramparts; and the

Dutch were here informed that their intended arrival had been known eight

months before.

[Footnote 99: This is probably the northern Lobos, in lat 5° 8' S.

formerly mentioned in a note.--E.]

They set sail from Accapulco on the 18th of October, and soon afterwards

took a bark bound for the pearl fishery, which they manned and took into

their service as a tender. On the 1st November they anchored before the

port of _Selagua_, in lat. 19° 8' N. At this place they were informed of

a river abounding in a variety of excellent fish, and having extensive

meadows on its banks well stocked with cattle, together with citrons and

other fruits in great plenty, all of which they much wanted; but the

company they sent to endeavour to procure these conveniences returned

empty handed, after a smart engagement with the Spaniards. They sailed

thence on the 11th November for the port of Nativity, in lat. 20° 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° 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° 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. But one day he observed a

man on shore, who first climbed one hill and then another, to look at

the ships, and at last came to the sea-side for that purpose, and this

man was allowed by all who saw him to be even taller than those spoken

of by Magellan. This is likewise confirmed by the accounts given to Van

Noort and De Weert, by a boy they took from the savages; who said there

were only two tribes of these giants, all the other savages being of the

ordinary size.[101]

[Footnote 101: Without pretending to give any opinion on this subject,

it may be remarked, that the account from the savage boy is worthy of

little credit, as a kind of nursery tale, and given by one who certainly

could hardly have sufficient language to express himself. The solitary

giant seen looking at the ships from a distance, may have been of the

ordinary size, magnified to the eye in looking through a hazy

atmosphere.--E.]

CHAPTER VI.

VOYAGE ROUND THE WORLD, IN 1615-1617, BY WILLIAM CORNELISON SCHOUTEN AND

JACQUES LE MAIRE, GOING ROUND CAPE HORN.[102]

INTRODUCTION.

The States General of the United Provinces having granted an exclusive

privilege to the Dutch East India Company, prohibiting all their

subjects, except that company, from trading to the eastwards beyond the

Cape of Good Hope, or westwards through the Straits of Magellan, in any

of the countries within these limits, whether known or unknown, and

under very heavy penalties; this prohibition gave great dissatisfaction

to many rich merchants, who were desirous of fitting out ships and

making discoveries at their own cost, and thought it hard that their

government should thus, contrary to the laws of Nature, shut up those

passages which Providence had left free. Among the number of these

discontented merchants was one Isaac Le Maire, a rich merchant of

Amsterdam, then residing at Egmont, who was well acquainted with

business, and had an earnest desire to employ a portion of the wealth he

had acquired in trade in acquiring fame as a discoverer. With this view

he applied to William Cornelison Schouten of Horn, a man in easy

circumstances, deservedly famous for his great skill in maritime

affairs, and his extensive knowledge of trade in the Indies, having been

thrice there in the different characters of supercargo, pilot, and

master.

[Footnote 102: Harris, I.51. Callender, II. 217.

It is proper to remark, that in this and several of the subsequent

circumnavigations, considerable freedom has been taken in abbreviating

numerous trivial circumstances already noticed by former voyagers: But

whereever the navigators treat on new topics of discovery, or other

subjects of any importance, the narratives are given at full length. Had

not this liberty of lopping redundancies been taken, this division of

our collection must have extended to a very inconvenient length, without

any corresponding advantage.--E.]