and capacity, as they might receiue the people of any prety towne.
He affirmed likewise, that the Hollanders with the assistance of their
confederates and friendes, maintained warres against the King of Spaine,
whose mighty puissance is feared and redoubted of all the potentates of
Europa.
And albeit the said warres had continued aboue thirty yeares, yet that
during all that time the saide Hollanders increased both in might and
wealth.
In like sort he informed them of the strange situation of Holland, as being
a countrey driuing vpon the water, the earth or ground whereof, they vse
instead of fewell, and that he had oft times warmed himselfe, and had seene
meat dressed with fires made of the same earth.
In briefe, that it was a waterish and fenny countrey, and full of riuers,
chanels, and ditches, and that therein was an innumerable multitude of
boates and small shippes, as likewise great store of tall and seruiceable
ships, wherewith they sailed vnto all quarters of the world, etc.
This man Abdoll wee found to bee a captiue or slaue, and sawe there his
wife and children in very poore estate dwelling in a little cottage not so
bigge as an hogsty: but by oure meanes he was made free and well rewarded.
Notwithstanding he did but euil recompence vs: for he was charged to be the
cause why pepper was solde dearer than ordinary vnto vs by a penny in the
pound: for hee tolde them that certaine shippes of Zeland and of other
places were comming thitherwardes.
[Sidenote: The Portugals go about to hinder the trade of the Hollanders.]
And here the reader is to vnderstand, that some foure moneths before the
said three ships arriued at Bantam, the Portugales came with an Armada of
gallies and fustes, being set foorth by the Viceroy of Goa and the
gouernour of Molucca, to intercept the traffique of the Hollanders vnto
those partes, and to made them loose all their expenses, labour, and time
which they had bestowed: and also that their great and rich presentes which
they gaue vnto the Iauans the yeare before, to bring them into vtter
detestation of the Hollanders, might not be altogether in vaine.
The Generall of them that came from Goa was Don Luis, and of those that
came from Molucca Don Emanuell: who brought their Armada before Bantam,
intending to surprize the citty, vnder pretence that the same preparation
was made to resist certaine pirates that came thither out of Holland the
last yeare, and were determined this yeare also to come againe. Vnder these
colours they sought to take the towne and to fortifie the same, and they
built certaine sconces in the countrey, committing great outrages,
rauishing the Women, with many other villanies. [Sidenote: The Portugals
vanquished.] Hereupon the townsemen of Bantam very secretly provided
certaine gallies and fustes in great hast, and sodainly assailed the
Portugales before they were well aware of them: for which cause finding but
small resistance, they tooke 3. Portugale gallies with certaine shippes,
and slewe about 300. of them, taking 150. Portugales prisoners, of which we
daily saw some going vp and downe the streetes of Bantam like slaues and
captiues. Besides these they tooke about 900. gallie slaues prisoners.
Vpon this hard successe the rest of the Portugals betooke themselues to
flight: but whither they bee arriued at Goa or Molucca, or what is become
of them since, we are not able to auouch. The foresaid attempt and
ouerthrowe, bred greater enmity betweene the Portugales and them of Bantam,
and gaue an especiall occasion for the aduancement of our traffique.
The fiue ships (whereof we haue before signified that foure were dispatched
by the whole companie for the Moluccas) being seuered beyonde the Cape of
Buona Speranza [Marginal Note: The course which the fiue ships tooke after
they were separated from their three consorts about the Cape of bouona
esperanza.] from the other three of their company, and hauing quite lost
them, came all of them shortly after vnder an Island called (as it is
thought) by the Portugals Isola de Don Galopes: but they named it the
Island of Mauritius. Here they entered into an hauen, calling the same
Warwicke, after the name of their Viceadmirall, wherin they found very good
harborow in twenty degrees of southerly latitude.
[Sidenote: The Isle of Mauritius described.] This Island being situate to
the East of Madagascar, and containing as much in compasse as all Holland,
is a very high, goodly and pleasant land, full of green and fruitfull
vallies, and replenished with Palmito-trees, from the which droppeth
holesome wine. [Sidenote: Great store of Ebenwood.] Likewise here are very
many trees of right Ebenwood as black as iet, and as smooth and hard as the
very Iuory: and the quantity of this wood is so exceeding, that many ships
may be laden herewith.
For to saile into this hauen you must bring the two highest mountaines one
ouer the other, leauing sixe small Islands on your right hand, and so you
may enter in vpon 30. fadomes of water. Lying within the bay, they had 10.
12. and 14. fadomes. On their left hand was a litle Island which they named
Hemskerk Island, and the bay it selfe they called Warwick bay, as is before
mentioned. Here they taried 12. daies to refresh themselues, finding in
this place great quantity of foules twise as bigge as swans, which they
called Walghstocks or Wallowbirdes being very good meat. But finding also
aboundance of pidgeons and popiniayes, they disdained any more to eat of
those great foules, calling them (as before) Wallowbirds, that is to say,
lothsome or fulsome birdes.
Of the said Pidgeons and Popiniayes they found great plenty being very fat
and good meate, which they could easily take and kil euen with little
stickes: so tame they are by reason that the Isle is not inhabited, neither
be the liuing creatures therein accustomed to the sight of men.
Here they found rauens also, and such abundance of fish, that two men were
able to catch enough for all fiue ships.
Tortoises they found so huge, that tenne men might sit and dine in one of
their shelles, and one of them would creepe away, while two men stood vpon
the backe thereof.
Here was founde waxe also whiter then any of ours, lying about the strande,
bleached (as it is like) by the sunne: and in some of this waxe there were
Arabian letters or characters printed: whereby it is probable, that some
Arabian ship might bee cast away thereabout, out of which the said waxe
might be driuen on land.
They found likewise Corall on this land, and many trees which we call
Palmitos, whereout droppeth wine as out of the Coco-tree: which wine being
kept hath his operation as our new prest wine, but after some time it
commeth vnto the ful vertue and perfection.
The said Palmitos they esteemed to bee a kinde of wilde date-trees.
We sought all the Island ouer for men, but could find none, for that it was
wholly destitute of Inhabitants.
Vpon this Island we built an house with a pulpit therein, and left behind
vs certaine writings as a token and remembrance of our being there, and
vpon the pulpit we left a Bible and a psalter lying.
[Sidenote: A good watering place.] Thus after 12. daies aboad at this
Island, being well refreshed, they tooke in excellent fresh water being
easie to get, and very sweet and sauory to drinke, and then set saile,
meeting the three other ships their consorts at the time and place before
mentioned.
* * * * *
A briefe description of the voiage before handled, in manner of a Iournall.
The first of Maie 1598. with the eight shippes before mentioned, we set
saile in the name of God from Texell in Holland.
The third of May we passed along the coast of England, descrying some of
her Maiesties ships, and they vs, whom we honoured with discharge of our
artillery.
The fourteenth we had sight of the Isle of Porto Santo lying in thirty two
degrees.
The sixteenth, wee came within sight of the Canaries.
The twenty two, we first saw flying fishes.
The twenty three, we passed by the Isle Dell Sall.
The thirty one, we had a great storme, so that we lost sight one of
another: but by night we came together againe.
The eighth of Iune wee crossed the Equinoctiall line.
The twenty foure we sayled by the sholdes of Brasile lying vnder eighteene
degrees of Southerly Latitude.
The twenty one of Iuly we got to the height of the Cape of buona esperanza.
From the thirtith of Iuly till the second of August, we continually sayled
in sight of the land of the aforesaid Cape.
The seuenth and eighth of August wee had such foule and stormy weather,
that fiue ships of our company were separated from vs, whom we saw no more
vntill they came to vs before Bantam.
The twenty sixt we descryed the Island of Madagascar.
The twenty nine came by us the ship called the Long barke of Zeland, hauing
in her but nine sound men, tenne dead, and the rest all sicke: but the same
night we lost the sight of her againe.
The seauenth of September, we came before the Island of Santa Maria, and
afterward wee put into the great bay of Antogill.
The sixteenth of September, wee set saile from thence, directing our course
for Iaua.
The first of October, wee got to the heighth of Bantam.
The fifteenth, died the first man in our Admirall.
The nineteenth of November, we came within sight of Sumatra.
The twenty-ninth, we road before the citty of Bantam: And the thirtieth, we
payed our toll to the gouernour.
And vpon Newyeares daie 1599. Stilo Nouo, we began to take in our lading.
Then came vnto vs before Bantam, with great ioie and triumph, our fiue
separated shippes, all the people standing vpon the shore gazing, and
suspecting some harme intended against them.
The eighth of Ianuary, foure of the said 5. newcome shippes (God send them
a prosperous voyage) set saile toward the Moluccas.
Moreouer our foure shippes being well and richly laden at Bantam made saile
homewarde the eleuenth of Ianuary, and the thirteenth, wee were shot as
farre as the Isles of Sumatra.
The nineteenth, we proceeded thence on our voige, and the same day, to the
great griefe of vs all died the Pilot of our Admirall.
The third of Aprill, we descried the land of Capo de buona esperanza.
The eighth, wee doubled the same Cape, thence shaping our course for the
Island of Saint Helena, where the twenty sixt we happily arriued, and
departed from thence vpon the fourth of Maie.
The tenth of Maie, wee sailed by the Isle of Ascension.
The seuenteenth, we passed the Equinoctiall line.
The twenty one, we saw the North starre.
The ninth and tenth of Iune, we had sight of the Canaries.
The twenty seauen, wee sayled vpon the Spanish Sea.
The twenty nine, we were in fortie four degrees.
The fourth of Iuly, we saw behind vs two sailes, one before the other,
which were the first that we had seene for a long time.
The sixt of Iuly our Admirall had both his foremast and mainemast blowne
ouer boord.
The eleuenth, we passed the Sorlings, the thirteenth, Falmouth, Plimmouth
and the Quasquets.
The seauenteenth, we came before Dover.
The nineteenth, wee had foule and stormy weather, at what time by Gods good
blessing wee arriued in our natiue countrey at Texell in Holland, hauing
performed in the short space of one yeare, two moneths and nineteene daies,
almost as long a voiage, as if we should haue compassed the globe of the
earth, and bringing home with vs our full fraight of rich and gainfull
Marchandize.
END OF VOL. X.