was one that coulde speake good Portingall, who tolde vs that the towne of
Ballaboam was besieged by a strange King, that had marryed the King of
Ballaboams daughter, and after he had laine with her he caused her to bee
slaine, and then came to besiege her father. This towne of Ballaboam lyeth
on the East end of the Island of Iaua, and is the same towne where M.
Candish was when hee passed that way, and the old King wherof he writeth
was as then yet liuing, being at the least 160. years of age. There we saw
great numbers of Battes, that flew ouer our shippes, and were as bigge as
Crowes, which in that Countrey they vse to eat, as they say: About noone we
came before the towne of Ballaboam, so neare vnto it, that we might easily
see it, and there we lay behind a high point of lande, thinking to take in
water.
The 22. of Ianuarie we tooke our Pinace, and sayled about the shore as
neere the land as possible we might, to seeke for fresh water, but we found
none, for the Riuer that ran through the towne was paled vp (by them that
lay before it) so that no man might passe either out or in, but onely on
the lande side, and that with great daunger: The same day there came 2. or
3. men abord our shippe, that stole out of the towne by night, and came
from the King, to desire our help with our great shot, which wee could not
doe; because that thereabouts it was very shallow, and we might not go
neere it with our shippes; they tolde vs they had great want of victuailes
within the towne, whereby many of them were already deade for hunger, and
much desired our aide, but it was not in vs to doe. Those that besieged the
towne were Mores, but they in the towne were heathens, and as yet had not
receyued Mahomets lawe and that (as wee heard after) was the cause of their
warre: There wee sawe many Storkes flying and sitting in the fielde: with
vs we cannot imagine where the Storkes remaine in winter time, but here wee
sawe them in the winter time.
The 24. of Ianuarie we sayled from thence, perceyuing nothing for vs to
get, and tooke our course right ouer to the Island of Bally.
The 25. we came to Bally, where one of their barks borded vs, telling vs
that there we should find a Riuer of fresh water, and of all thinges els
sufficient to serue our necessities, wherevpon we ankered.
The 26. of Ianuarie our Pinace sent her boat to land, to see the Riuer, and
there one of our men was sent on shore, but when he was on land he found
nothing, but an armie of ten thousand men, that ment to relieue the towne
of Ballaboam, and the Riuer was nothing worth to lade water, wherevpon our
men came on borde againe: Their Generall thought to haue gotten some great
pray out of our shippes.
The 27. of Ianuarie we set sayle to finde a conuenient place to refresh vs
with water and other prouision, for wee were informed by a man of Bengala,
that of his owne will sayled with vs, and that had beene in Bally, that
there wee should finde water and other thinges to serue our necessities, so
that by night wee ankered vnder a high pointe of lande on the South West
ende of Bally.
The 28. of Ianuarie one of their boates borded vs with sixe or seuen men,
saying that their King was desirious to deale with vs for such wares as hee
had, and sent to know from whence we came, and we said wee came out of
Holland.
The 29. and 30. there came more men aborde our shippes, but as wee
suspected that was not the right hauen, for the people came rowing in great
haste a far off, and the man of Bengala could not tell what to say, but the
King was thereabout, and euery day sent vs some fruit.
The first of February wee had two hogges brought aborde our shippes, that
wee bought for two Ryalles of eyght, and we eate them very sauerly.
The 2. of Februarie, we set saile that wee might get aboue the point, where
wee thought to finde a better place for freshe water, but by reason the
winde was contrary, wee could not doe it, but were forced to anker againe.
The 3. of February we set saile againe, and then wee had a storme, so that
our saile blew euery way, and because of the contrarie winde we could not
reach aboue the point, but were constrained to anker, but the Mauritius and
the Pinace got past it, although thereby the Mauritius was in no little
daunger, but because the Pilot had laid a wager of 6. Rialles of 8. that
hee woulde get aboue it, hee would passe, what daunger soeuer it might be,
and sayled close along by the cliffes, whereby wee lay at anker without
companie.
The 4 and 5. we set saile once againe to get aboue the point but could not
reach it.
The 6. we had a letter from Rodenburgh, that certified vs how the Mauritius
lay at anker at the least 7. or 8. miles beyond the point, and he that
brought the letter came with it ouer land; and at the same time there was a
man sent on lande with a small present for the King, that we might winne
his fauour.
The 7. our man came on borde againe, and brought vs newes how Rodenburgh
with one of the Portingalles slaues, being on lande were against their
willes led before the King, but the saylors of the Mauritius had gotten men
for pledges.
The 8. of Ianuarie, the same man went on land out of our shippe with more
presentes of veluet and a caliuer, the better to get the Kinges fauour,
which liked him well, and desired vs to bring the ship nearer to the towne,
saying he would send vs water, and other things sufficient to supply our
wants.
The 9. we sayled into the cheeke with our shippe, and ankered about a small
halfe mile from the land, and being ankered there came at the least 70.
boates of the Countrey to see our ship, and the King sent vs word that hee
was desirous to heare vs shoote off 5. or 6. of our great peeces, and the
King stoode vppon the shore to see them.
The 10. we had a letter from Cornelis Houtman, to wil vs to come to them,
for that there they had founde a good place for water, and all other
necessaries, so that about euening wee set sayle, leauing two of our men
and a Portingall slaue among the Indians, whome the King promised should
come vnto vs ouer land, yet that night wee could not reach aboue the point,
meane time we perceyued our Pinace that came to helpe vs.
The 16. we got by the Mauritius, that had already laden in her water, and
hooped her vessels, wherevpon we began presently to do the like, and to
visite our vessels that were almost spoyled.
The 17. our men whome wee left with the King came ouer land vnto our
shippes, and then we bought great store of cattle and fruit.
The 18. 19. 20. and 21. wee imployed our time to lade water, which wee had
verie easily, and refreshed our selues with Cattle, Hogges, fruit, and
Lemons sufficient. There came one of the Kinges principall officers with
our men ouer land, to pleasure vs in all things we desired, he was very
desirous to haue some present of vs.
[Sidenote: Two of our men stayed with the Indians.] The 24. of Ianuarie two
of our men that sayled in the Mauritius stayed on lande, but wee knewe not
the cause: it should seeme some great promises had beene made vnto them,
for as we vnderstoode the King was very desirous to haue all sortes of
strange nations about him, but our people were therein much ouerseene, for
there they liued among heathens, that neyther knewe God nor his
commandements, it appeared that their youthes and wilde heades did not
remember it, one of their names was Emanuel Rodenburgh of Amsterdam, the
other Iacob Cuyper of Delft: within a day or two they sent vnto vs for
their clothes, but wee sent them not.
The 23. 24. and 25. we made a voyage on land, and fetcht as many Hogges
abord our shippes as we could eate.
The 25. of Februarie we hoysed ankers, minding to set saile and so go
homeward, leauing our two men aforesaid on land, but because it was calme
weather we ankered, and went once againe on lande, and the 26. of the same
Month wee set saile and helde our course West South West, but we had a
calme.
The situation of the Island of Baly
The Island of Baly lying at the East end of Iaua, is a verie fruitfull
Islande of Ryce, Hennes, Hogges, that are very good, and great store of
cattle: but they are very drie and leane beastes. They haue many horses:
the inhabitants are heathens, and haue no religion, for some pray to Kine,
others to the Sunne, and euerie man as hee thinketh good. [Sidenote: How 50
women burnt them selues with one man.] When a man dyeth his wife burneth
her selfe with him: there were some of their men aborde our shippes, that
told vs, that when some man dyeth in that Countrey, that sometimes there
are at the least fifty women that will burne themselues with him, and she
that doth not so is accounted for a dishonest woman: so that it is a common
thing with them: The apparel both of men and women is for the most part
like those of Bantam, nothing but a cloth about their middles: Their
weapons is, each man a poinyarde at their backes, and a trunke with an iron
point like a speare, about a fadom and a halfe long, out of the which they
blowe certaine arrowes, whereof they haue a case full; it is an euil weapon
for naked men: they are enemies to the Mores and Portingalles. This Iland
yeeldeth no spice, nor any other costly ware, onely victuailes and clothes
which they weare about their bodies, and slaues that are there to be solde.
The King went with more state then the King of Bantam: all his garde had
pikes with heades of fine gold, and he sate in a wagon that that was drawen
by two white Buffles.
The first of March we had a calme.
The third we got a good wind, that blew Southeast, holding our course West
South West.
The fourteenth the wind blew stil South East, sometimes more Southwarde,
and sometimes Eastward, being vnder 14. degrees, and a good sharpe gale,
holding our course West Southwest: [Sidenote: The situation of Iaua.] There
we found that Iaua is not so broade, nor stretcheth it selfe not so much
Southwarde, as it is set downe in the Carde: for if it were, we should haue
passed clean through the middle of the land.
The 22. of March the winde helde as it did, being vnder 19. degrees,
holding our course West South West.
The 19. of April our ship had no more bread left, but for our last
partition euery man had seuen pound, both good and badde breade, and from
that time forwarde our meate was Rice sodden in water, and euery man had a
canne of water euery day, with three romers of wine, and weekely each man
three romers or glasses of oyle and that very strong, and nothing els.
The 20. we had a calme, the 21. a calme with a Northerne aire.
The 23. a good wind that blew Southwest.
The 24. we saw the firme lande of Æthiopia, being vnder 33. degrees, and as
wee gessed, wee were then about an hundred miles from the Cape de bona
Sperance, yet we thought we had been at the least three hundred miles from
it, so that wee may say, that God wrought wonderfully for vs: for that if
wee had fallen by night vpon the land, we had surely runne vpon it: wee had
a good winde out of the West, and West Southwest.
The 25. of Aprill in the morning wee had a calme, with a very hollow water,
and at euening we had a good winde, that came North and Northeast, and
although wee had so good a wind yet our shippe bare but little sayle,
although the other two shippes of our company were at the least two mile
before vs, for most part of the night wee sayled with our schouer saile,
holding our course Southwest and by West.
The 26. of Aprill in the morning we coulde not see our shippes, which
pleased not our men, besides that our shippe was very weake, whereby her
ribs shoke, and her ioynts with the force of the water opened and shut, so
that as then our shippe was very leake, hauing the winde Northwest, holding
our course as neere as wee could West Southwest, and then we put out our
maine sayles, at noone the winde came West, with a great storme, so that
most of our sayles blew in peeces, and so wee draue forward with out
sayles.
The 27. of Aprill still driuing without sayle with a West winde, wee were
vnder thirty sixe degrees, so that we found that the streame draue vs South
and South West.
The 28. of Aprill still driuing without sailes, we had the height of 36.
degrees and 20. minutes, and about euening we hoised saile againe, the
winde being West Southwest, and we held our course Northwest with very
hollow water.
The 29. of April we could not as yet see our shippes, the wind being West.
The 30. of Aprill we had fayre weather with a West and West South West
wind, and then we saw many great birdes with white billes, which is a signe
not to bee far from the Cape de bona Sperance, we likewise saw certain
small birdes, speckled on their backes, and white vpon their breastes.
The first of May wee had a South winde with fayre weather hauing 34 degrees
and a halfe, holding our course West Southwest.
The seconde of May wee were vnder 35. degrees, and 1/2. holding our course
West and West and by North.
The fourth of May we found our selues to be vnder 37. degrees South South
East winde, our course being West and by North, and West North West.
The 5. and 6. of May we had all one winde at noone being vnder 35. degrees,
wee thought wee had passed the Cape, and held our course Northwest,
towardes Saint Helena, still without sight of our ships.
The 8. of May with a South wind wee helde North West and by West.
The 9. we had a calme with a gray sky, and were vnder 31. degrees and
twentie minutes, and then our portion of oyle was increased a glasse more
euery weeke, so that euery man had foure glasses.
The 10. we had stil South winds, and were vnder 29 deg.
[Sidenote: Signes of the Cape de bona Speranza.] The 14. of May twice or
thrice we saw reedes, called Trombos driuing on the water, being such as
driue about the the Cape de bona Speranza, which wee thought verie strange,
for that the Portingals write, that they are seen but thirtie myles from
the Cape, and wee gest our selues to be at the least 200. beyond it.
The 15. we still had a South East wind, and helde our course Northwest.
The 16. of May in the morning we saw two ships, whereat we much reioyced,
thinking they had beene our companie, we made to leewarde of them, and the
smallest of them comming somewhat neere vs, about the length of the shotte
of a great peece, shee made presently toward her fellow, whereby we
perceiued them to bee Frenchmen, yet we kept to leeward, thinking they
would haue come and spoken with vs, but it should seeme they feared vs, and
durst not come, but held their course Northeast; at noone we had the height
of 22. degrees, and 50. minutes with a Southeast wind, holding our course
Northwest.
The 17. of May wee were vnder 21. degrees and a halfe: the 18. the wind
being Southerly, we were vnder 19. degrees and a halfe.
The 19. and 20. we had a calme with a Southern aire.
The 21. the ayre comming Southwest, we held our course Northwest: and were
vnder 17. degrees and 2/3 partes: There we found the compasse to decline
three quarters of a strike or line North eastward, after noone we had a
Southeast wind, and our course West Northwest.
The 22. of May we had still a Southeast winde, and were vnder the height of
16. degrees and 40. minutes, holding our course West Northwest.
The 23. of May, by reason of the cloudy sky, about noone we could not take
the height of the Sunne, but as we gest we had the height of the Island of
S. Helena, and held our course West and by South to keepe vnder that
height, for there the compasses decline a whole strike or line: in the
euening we found that we were vnder 16. degrees.
The 24. of May in the morning wee discouered a Portingall ship, that stayed
for vs, and put out a flagge of truce, and because our flagge of truce was
not so readie as theirs, and we hauing the wind of him, therefore he shot
two shootes at vs, and put forth a flagge out of his maine top, and we shot
5 or 6. times at him, and so held on our course without speaking to him,
hauing a South East winde, holding our course West and by South to find the
Island of S. Helena, which the Portugal likewise sought.
The 25. of May we discouered the Island of S. Helena, but we could not see
the Portingal ship, still sayling with a stiffe Southeast wind, and about
euening we were vnder the Island, which is very high lande, and may be
seene at the least 14. or 15. miles off, and as we sayled about the North
point, there lay three other great Portingal ships, we being not aboue half
a mile from them, wherevpon wee helde in the weather and to seawarde
Northeast as much as we might. The Portingalles perceyuing vs, the Admiral
of their fleet shot off a peece to call their men that were on land to come
aborde, [Sidenote: Foure Portingal ships richly laden.] and then wee saw
foure of their shippes together, that were worth a great summe of money, at
the least 300. tunnes of gold, for they were all laden with spices,
precious stones, and other rich wares, and therefore wee durst not anker
vnder the Island, but lay all night Northeastwarde, staying for our
company.
The 26. of May in the morning wee made towardes the Island againe, with a
good Southeast winde, and about noone or somewhat past we discried two
shippes, and about euening as we made towards them, we knew them to be our
company, which made vs to reioyce, for we had been asunder the space of a
whole Month, and so we helde together and sayled homeward, holding our
course Northwest: for as yet our men were well and in good health, and we
found a good Southeast winde, and had water enough for foure or fiue
monthes.
The 27. 28. 29. and 30. of May wee had a Southeast winde, with faire
weather, and the 27. day we were vnder 14. degrees. The first of Iune we
were vnder 6. degrees, with a Southeast wind, holding our course North
West, but by means of the Compasse that yeelded North eastward, we kept
about Northwest and by North. The 6. of Iune wee were vnder one degree on
the South side of the line, there wee founde that the streame draue vs fast
into the West, and therefore wee helde our course more Northernely and
sayled Northwest and by North, with an East and South East wind. [Sidenote:
They passed the Equinoctiall line.] The 7. of Iune wee past the
Equinoctiall line, with an East winde, holding our course North Northwest.
The 10. of Iune in the euening we were vnder 5. degrees and a halfe on the
North side of the line, and then we began again to see the North star,
which for the space of 2. years we had not seene, holding our course North
Northwest, there we began to haue smal blasts, and some times calmes, but
the aire all South and South east.
The 11. of Iune we had a calme, and yet a darke sky, that came
Southeastwarde.
The 12. of Iune wee had a close sky with raine, and the same euening our
fore top maste fell downe.
The 13. we strake all our sailes and mended our ship.
The 14. we had the wind Northward, holding our course West Northwest as
neare as we coulde, but by reason of the thick sky wee could not take
height of the Sun. The 15. of Iune we had the wind North, and North
Northwest.
The 16. of Iune wee had the height of 9. degrees and 10. minutes, the winde
being Northeast and North Northeast. The 17. the winde was Northeast with
fair weather, and we held Northwest, and Northwest and by North till after
noone. [Sidenote: They tooke a great fish.] The 15. we tooke a great fish
called an Aluercour, which served vs all for 3. meals, which wee had not
tasted of long time before.
The 26. we had still a Northeast winde, and sometimes larger, holding our
course North Northwest with large saile, and were vnder 17. degrees and
1/2.
The same day there came much dust flying into our shippe, as if we had past
hard by some sandie towne, and we gest the nearest land to vs might be the
Island of S. Anthony, and wee were as then at the least 40. or 50. miles
from it: The same day likewise there came a flying fish into our shippe,
which we eat.
The 28. of Iune wee had the height of 20. degrees, with a East Northeast
wind and East and by West, with full sayle, there we saw much Sargosse,
driuing on the water. The last of Iune we had the Sun right ouer our
heades, and yet we felt no heat, for that by reason of the cold ayre we had
a fine coole weather. The same day we passed Tropicus Cancri, still hauing
the winde East Northeast, and in the euening we were vnder 24. degr.
The second of Iuly we saw Sargosse driuing vpon the water, and had the wind
somewhat lower North Northeast with a calme. The thirde of Iuly the winde
came againe East Northeast, and wee helde our course North and by West. The
8. of Iuly wee were vnder 33. degrees and 1/2. with an East wind, holding
our course North and by East, and yet we saw much Sargosse driuing, but not
so thicke as it did before.
The 10 of Iuly we had a good wind that blew south and South and by East,
and hoysted vp our maine tops, that for the space of 26. daies were neuer
touched, and held our course North Northeast, there we were in no little
feare to fall among the Spanish fleet, which at that time of the yeare
keepeth about the Flemmish Islands.
The same day one of our boyes fell ouer bord, and was carried away with a
swift streame before the wind, but to his great good fortune, the Pinace
saued him, that was at the least a quarter of a mile from vs: this euening
we found the height of 36. degrees.
The 12. of Iuly we had a Southwest wind, holding our course Northeast and
by North: Our Pilot and the Pilot of the Pinnace differed a degree in the
height of the Sunne, for ours had 38. degrees, and theirs but 37. We gest
to be about the Islands of Corbo and Flores, but the one held more easterly
and the other more Westerly. The 13. of Iuly wee had still a Southwest
winde, and after noone wee thought wee had seene land, but we were not
assured thereof, for it was somewhat close. The 14. of Iuly we had a calme,
and saw no land, and then our men began to be sicke.
The 17. of Iuly wee had a South Southeast winde, with faire weather, and
were vnder 41. degrees, holding our course East Northeast.
The 18. 19. 20. and 21. it was calme. The 22. of Iuly the winde came North,
and wee held our course East Southeast. The 23. of Iuly the wind was North
North East and Northeast, and we held as near as we could East and East
Southeast, the same day our steward found a barrell of stockfish in the
roming, which if we had beene at home we would haue cast it on the dunghil,
it stunke so filthily, and yet we eat it as sauerly as the best meat in the
world.
The 24. we had a West wind, and that with so strong a gale, that wee were
forced to set two men at helme, which pleased vs well.
The 25. of Iuly we had a storme that blew West and West Northwest, so that
we bare but two sailes, holding our course Northeast and by East.
The first of August we were vnder 45. degrees with a North West wind,
holding our course Northeast and by East.
The second of August one of our men called Gerrit Cornelison of Spijckenes
died, being the first man that dyed in our voyage homeward.
The 4. of August we had a Northwest wind.
The 5. of August in the morning the winde came Southwest, and we were vnder
47. degrees, holding our course Northeast and the North Northeast, and wee
gest that wee were not farre from the channell, those dayes aforesaid we
had so great colde in our shippes, as if had beene in the middle of winter:
We could not be warme with all the clothes wee had. The same day we saw
Sargosse driue vpon the water.
[Sidenote: They saw a shippe with the Prince of Oranges flagge.] The 6. of
August we had a West wind, in the morning we cast out our lead and found
grounde at 80. fadome, and about noone we saw a shippe that bare the
Princes flagge, yet durst not come neare vs, although we made signes vnto
him, and after noone wee saw the land of Heissant, whereat we all reioyced.
The 7. of August in the morning we saw the land of Fraunce, and held our
course North Northeast, and likewise we saw a small shippe, but spake not
with it.
The 8. of August in the morning we saw the Kiskas, and had a South wind and
somewhat West, holding our course East Northeast.
[Sidenote: They saw a man of war.] The 9. of August we entered the heades,
and past them with a Southwest wind, sayling Northeast. After noone we past
by a man of warre being a Hollander, that lay at anker, and he hoysed anker
to follow vs, about euening wee spake with him, but because of the wind wee
could hardly heare what hee said, yet hee sailed on with vs.
[Sidenote: The man of war gaue them victuailes.] The 10. of August the man
of warre borded vs with his boat, and brought vs a barrell of beere, some
bread and cheese, shewing vs what news he could touching the state of
Holland, and presently wee sawe the land of Holland, and because it blew
very stiffe and a great storme, after noone wee ankered about Petten to
stay for better weather, and some new Pilots, and that was the first time
we had cast anker for the space of 5. monthes together, about euening it
beganne to blow so stifle, that wee lost both an anker and a cable.