_Voyage of Captain Walter Peyton to India, in 1615._[161]
This voyage seems to have been under the command of Captain Newport, who
sailed as general in the Lion; but is called, in the Pilgrims, The
_Second_ Voyage of Captain Peyton to the East Indies, because the former
voyage of Newport was written by Peyton, who, though he occasionally
mentions the general, never once names him. In this voyage Peyton sailed
in the Expedition; the fleet consisting of three other ships, the
Dragon, Lion, and Pepper-corn. The journal appears to have been
abbreviated by Purchas, as he tells us it was _gathered out of his
larger journal_. This voyage is chiefly remarkable as introductory to
the embassy of Sir Thomas Roe to India, contained in the subsequent
section, as Sir Thomas and his suite embarked in this fleet. Instead of
giving the remarks of Sir Thomas Roe in his own journal, so far as they
apply to the voyage between England and Surat, these have been added in
the text of the present voyage, distinguishing those observations by
T.R. the initials of his name, and placing them all in separate
paragraphs.
[Footnote 161: Purch. Pilgr. I. 528.]
We learn by a subsequent article in the Pilgrims, I. 603, That Captain
William Keeling was general, or chief commander of this fleet, and
sailed in the Dragon, Robert Bonner master. The other two ships were the
Pepper-corn, Captain Christopher Harris, and the Expedition, Captain
William Peyton.--E.
§1. _Occurrences during the Voyage from England to Surat_.
We sailed from Gravesend on the 24th January, 1615, and on the 2d
February Sir Thomas Roe, ambassador from his majesty to the Great Mogul,
repaired on board the Lion, with fifteen attendants. At the same time,
Mr Humphry Boughton embarked in the Pepper-corn, being recommended by
the king to the company for a passage to India. We carried out in the
fleet eleven Japanese, who were brought to England in the Clove, divided
proportionally among the ships; likewise fourteen Guzerates, brought
home in the Dragon, together with nineteen condemned persons from
Newgate, to be left for the discovery of unknown places, the company
having obtained their pardons from the king for this purpose. On the
20th, some of the Dragon's men, among whom were the _Newgate birds_,
attempted to run away with the pinnace, but were prevented: Yet next
night one of these condemned men, and two of the crew of the
Pepper-corn, carried away her pinnace. Two of my men conspired to carry
away my boat that same night, but were discovered.
The 23d February we set sail from the Downs, and on the 6th March we
lost sight of the Lizard. The 26th we saw land, supposed to be the
western part of Fuerteventura, but it proved to be part of Barbary. One
of the points of land at the mouth of the river _Marhequena_, we found
to be laid down wrong, a whole degree more northerly than it ought to
be; as likewise cape Bajadore is misplaced a whole degree, which we
found by experience, escaping great danger caused by that error in our
charts. The 26th of April we got into the trade wind; and on the 10th
May, being by estimation 620 leagues west of the Cape of Good Hope, we
saw many _pintadoes, mangareludas_, and other fowls.
The 5th June we came to anchor in Saldanha bay, having only buried three
or four men since leaving England, out of our whole fleet, and had now
about thirty sick, for whom we erected five tents ashore. _Corey_[162]
came down and welcomed us after his manner, by whose means the savages
were not so fearful or thievish as at other times. They brought us
cattle in great abundance, which we bought for shreds of copper. Corey
shewed his house and his wife and children to some of our people, his
dwelling being at a town or _craal_ of about an hundred houses, five
English miles from the landing place. Most of these savages can say _Sir
Thomas Smith's English ships_, which they often repeat with much pride.
Their wives and children came often down to see us, whom we gratified
with bugles, or such trifles; and two or three of them expressed a
desire to go with us to England, seeing that Corey had sped so well, and
returned so rich, with his copper suit, which he preserves at his house
with much care. Corey also proposed to return with us, accompanied by
one of his sons, when our ships are homeward-bound. On the east side of
the _Table_ mountain there is another village of ten small houses, built
round like bee-hives, and covered with mats woven of bent grass.
[Footnote 162: Corey, or Coree, was a savage, or Hottentot chief; who
had been in England.--_Purch._]
"The land at the Cape of Good Hope, near Saldanha bay, [Table bay] is
fertile, but divided by high and inaccessible rocky mountains, covered
with snow, the river Dulce falling into the bay on the east side. The
natives are the most barbarous people in the world, eating carrion,
wearing the guts of sheep about their necks, and rubbing their heads,
the hair on which is curled like the negroes, with the dung of beasts
and other dirt. They have no clothing, except skins wrapped about their
shoulders, wearing the fleshy side next them in summer, and the hairy
side in winter. Their houses are only made of mats, rounded at the top
like an oven, and open on one side, which they turn as the wind
changes, having no door to keep out the weather. They have left off
their former custom of stealing, but are quite ignorant of God, and seem
to have no religion. The air and water here are both excellent, and the
country is very healthy. The country abounds in cattle, sheep,
antilopes, baboons, pheasants, partridges, larks, wild-geese, ducks, and
many other kinds of fowls. On the Penguin isle [Dassen or Robber's
island,] there is a bird called penguin, which walks upright, having no
feathers on its wings, which hang down like sleeves faced with white.
These birds cannot fly, but walk about in flocks, being a kind of
mixture, or intermediate link, between beast, bird, and fish, yet mostly
bird. The commodities here are cattle and _ningin_ roots; and I believe
there is a rock yielding quicksilver.[163]The Table mountain is 11,853
feet high.[164] The bay is full of whales and seals, and is in lat. 33°
45' S."--T.R.
[Footnote 163: Ningin, or Ginseng, is mentioned afterwards. The
quicksilver rock has not been found.--E.]
[Footnote 164: This height is probably an exaggeration, or was measured
up its slope or talus, not ascertained perpendicularly.--E.]
On the 16th of June, after a consultation, we set ashore ten of our
condemned persons to remain at the Cape. These were John Crosse, Henry
Cocket, Clerke, Brand, Booth, Hunyard, Brigs, Pets, Metcalf, and
Skilligall. These men agreed that Crosse should be their chief, and we
gave them weapons for their defence against men and wild beasts,
together with provisions and clothes. The natives at this place are
especially desirous of brass, and care not much for copper, chiefly
wishing to have pieces of a foot square. They care little for iron
hoops. We caught seven or eight hundred fishes in the river, at one haul
of our seyne. The country people brought us for sale a root called
_Ningin_,[165] of which we bought a handful for a small piece of copper
an inch and half long. Our men got some of this, but not so good, this
not being the season when it is ripe; for, when in full perfection, it
is as tender and sweet as anise-seeds.
[Footnote 165: A medicinal root, much prized at Japan, somewhat like a
_skerrit_.--_Purch._ Probably that named Ginseng, in high repute in
China and Japan for its fancied restorative and provocative powers, like
the mandrake of holy writ, but deservedly despised in the Materia Medica
of Europe. Its whole virtues lay in some supposed resemblance to the
human figure, founded on the childish doctrine of signatures; whence,
at one time, every thing yellow was considered specific against
jaundice, with many other and similar absurd notions.--E.]
We sailed from Saldanha on the 20th June, and on the the 21st we had
sight of land in 34° 28' S. being the land to the west of cape _de
Arecife_, laid down 28' more northwardly than it ought in the charts of
_Daniel_. On the 6th July we ought to have seen the coast of Madagascar,
by most of our computations, and according to Daniel's charts, upon
Mercator's projection, which proved false by seventy leagues in distance
of longitude between the coast of Ethiopia at cape Bona Speranza and the
isle of St Lawrence, as is evident from the charts projected _in plano_
by _Tottens_. The 22d all the four ships anchored at _Mohelia_, where we
had water from wells dug a little above high-water mark, eight or nine
feet deep, close by the roots of trees. _Doman_ is the chief town of
this island, where the sultan resides, to whom we gave a double-locked
piece and a sword. For very little money we were plentifully supplied
with provisions, as poultry, goats, bullocks, lemons, oranges, limes,
tamarinds, cocoa-nuts, pines, sugar-canes, and other fruits. Among the
inhabitants of this island there are Arabs, Turks, and Moors, many of
whom speak tolerable Portuguese. From them I had a curious account of
the current at this place, which they said ran alternately fifteen days
westerly, fifteen days easterly, and fifteen days not at all; and which
I partly observed to be true: For, at our first coming, the current set
westerly, and on the 28th it set easterly, and so continued during our
stay, which was six days, but we went away before trial could be
perfectly made of this report.
I learned here that the king of _Juanni_ [Joanna or Hinzuan] was
sovereign of this island, but entrusted its government to the sultan,
who resides here. The 29th, a vessel arrived at _Doman_ from
_Gangamora_, in the island of Madagascar, and I was desired by the
general to examine what were its commodities, which I found to consist
of rice, and a kind of cloth manufactured of the barks of trees, which
makes very cool garments. I enquired from the pilot, who spoke good
Portuguese, respecting Captain Rowles and the other Englishmen who were
betrayed on that island. He knew nothing of all this, but said that two
or three years before, an English boy was at Gangamora along with the
Portuguese, whom he now thought dead, but knew not how he came there.
This town of _Doman_ contains about an hundred houses, strongly built of
stone and lime, and its inhabitants are orderly and civil. They carry
on trade with the coasts of Melinda, Magadoxa, Mombaza, Arabia, and
Madagascar, carrying slaves taken in their wars, which they sell for
nine or ten dollars each, and which are sold afterwards in Portugal for
100 dollars a-head. At Mombaza and Magadoxa, they have considerable
trade in elephants teeth and drugs; and it was therefore agreed to
advise the honourable company of this, that they might consider of
sending a pinnace yearly to make trial of this trade. In Mohelia, we
bought two or three bullocks for a bar of iron of between twenty and
twenty-five pounds weight. We bought in all 200 head of cattle, and
forty goats, besides poultry, fruits, &c.
"_Malalia_ [Mohelia] is one of the Commora islands, the other three
being _Angazesia_, [Comoro] _Juanny_, [Joanna or Hinzuan] and Mayotta,
stretching almost east and west from each other. _Angazesia_ [Comoro]
bears N. by W. from Mohelia, and is the highest land I ever saw. It is
inhabited by Moors trading with the main and the other three eastern
islands, bartering their cattle and fruits for calicoes and other cloths
for garments. It is governed by ten petty kings, and has abundance of
cattle, goats, oranges, and lemons. The people are reckoned false and
treacherous. _Hinzuan_ lies east from Mohelia and Mayotta. All these
three islands are well stored with refreshments, but chiefly Mohelia,
and next to it Hinzuan. Here lived an old woman who was sultaness of all
these islands, and under her there were three deputies in Mohelia, who
were all her sons. The sultan in whose quarter we anchored is so
absolute, that none of his people dared to sell a single cocoa-nut
without his leave. Four boats were sent to his town to desire this
liberty, which was granted. Captain Newport went ashore with forty men,
and found the governor sitting on a mat, under the side of a junk which
was then building, and attended by fifty men. He was dressed in a mantle
of blue and red calico, wrapped about him to his knees, his legs and
feet bare, and his head covered by a close cap of checquer work. Being
presented with a gun and sword, he returned four cows, and proclaimed
liberty for the people to trade with us. He gave the English cocoa-nuts
to eat, while he chewed betel and areka-nut, tempered with lime of burnt
oister shells. It has a hot biting taste, voids rheum, cools the head,
and is all their physic. It makes those giddy who are not accustomed to
its use, producing red spittles, and in time colours the teeth black,
which they esteem handsome, and they use this continually. From the
governor they were conducted to the carpenter's house, who was a chief
man in the town. His house was built of stone and lime, low and little,
plaistered with white lime, roofed with rafters, which were covered with
leaves of the cocoa-nut tree, the outsides wattled with canes.
"Their houses are kept clean and neat, with good household stuff, having
gardens inclosed with canes, in which they grow tobacco and plantains.
For dinner, a board was set upon tressels, on which was spread a fine
new mat, and stone benches stood around, on which the guests sat. First,
water was brought to each in a cocoa-shell, and poured into a wooden
platter, and the rinds of cocoa-nuts were used instead of towels. There
was then set before the company boiled rice, roasted plantains, quarters
of hens, and pieces of goat's flesh broiled. After grace said, they fell
to their meat, using bread made of cocoa-nut kernels, beaten up with
honey, and fried. The drink was palamito wine, and the milk of the
cocoa-nuts. Those who went to see the sultan, named _Amir Adell_, found
all things much in the same manner, only that his behaviour was more
light, and he made haste to get drunk with some wine carried to him by
the English. The people of these islands are strict Mahomedans, and very
jealous of letting their women or mosques be seen. For, on some of the
English coming near a village, they shut them up, and threatened to kill
them if they came nearer. Many of them speak and write Arabic, and some
few of them Portuguese, as they trade with Mosambique in junks of forty
tons burden, built, caulked, and rigged all out of the cocoa-nut tree.
Here we bought oxen and cows, fat but small, Arabian sheep, hens,
oranges, lemons, and limes in abundance, paying for them in calicoes,
hollands, sword-blades, dollars, glasses, and other trifles."--T.R.
We sailed from Mohelia on the 2d August, and on the 17th got sight of
cape Guardafui, where the natives seemed afraid of us. The 20th we
anchored in the road of _Galencia_ in Socotora, where the fierceness of
the wind raised the sea into a continual surf all round about us, and by
the spray, blown about us like continual rain, our masts, yards, and
tackle were made white all over by the salt, like so much hoar-frost;
The 23d we anchored at _Tamara_, the town where the king resides, and on
the 24th at _Delisha_. They here demanded thirty dollars for the quintal
of aloes, which made us buy the less. The _Faiking_ told us that Captain
Downton had bought 100 quintals, and it was still so liquid, either
from newness, or because of the heat, that it was ready to run out of
the skins. The quintal of this place, as tried by our beam, weighed 103
1/2 pounds English. Aloes is made from the leaves of a plant resembling
our sempervivum, or house-leek, the roots and stalk being cut away, the
rest strongly pressed, and the juice boiled up to a certain height,
after which it is put into earthen pots, closely stopped for eight
months, and is then put into skins for sale. The north part of Socotora
is in 12° 30', and the body in 120° 25'.[166] It is fourteen leagues
from this island to _Abdul Curia_, and as much more from thence to cape
Guardafui. Such as mean to sail for Socotora, should touch at that cape,
and sail from thence next morning a little before day-break, to lose no
part of the day-light, the nights here being dark and obscure, with fogs
and boisterous winds, during the months of August and September. On
getting into _Abdul Curia_, they may anchor on the west side in seven or
eight fathoms, under the low land; or, if they cannot get to anchor,
should keep close hauled in the night to the southward, lest the wind
and northerly current put them too much to leeward before day.
Notwithstanding the monsoon, the winds do not blow steadily, being
sometimes S. by W. and S.S.W. but seldom to the east of south.
[Footnote 166: These two numbers unquestionably relate to the longitude
and latitude respectively, though strangely expressed. The true lat. is
13° 20'N. and long. 53° E. from Greenwich.--E.]
"Socotora is an island not far from the mouth of the Red Sea, being the
_Dioscuria_ or _Disoscordia_ of the ancients, in lat. 13° 20' N. It was
governed when we were there by a sultan, named Amir Ben-said, son of the
king of Fartaque, in Arabia Felix, which lies between the latitudes of
15° and 18° N. on the coast of Arabia. This king was in peace with the
Turks, on condition of assisting them with 5000 men when required, and
then these troops to be paid and maintained by the Turks, to whom he
paid no other acknowledgement. Near to the sea about Dofar, there is
another petty Arab sovereign, whom he of Fartaque dare not meddle with,
because he is under the protection of the Grand Signior.
"The sultan of Socotora came down to meet us at the shore, accompanied
by 300 men, and had a tent set up for his accommodation. He was on
horseback, as were two of his principal attendants, and a third on a
camel, the people running before and behind him shouting. He had two
companies of guards, one composed of his own subjects, and the other
consisting of twelve hired Guzerates, some armed with Turkish bows, some
with pistols, and some with muskets, but all having good swords. He had
also a few kettle-drums, and one trumpet. He received the general in a
courteous manner, and was so absolute, that no person could sell any
thing except himself. His people sat about him very respectfully; his
clothes were of Surat cloths, made in the Arabian fashion, with a
cassock of red and white wrought velvet, and a robe of which the ground
was cloth of gold. He wore a handsome turban, but his legs and feet were
bare.
"Every night these people all stand or kneel towards the setting sun,
the _zerife_ throwing water on their heads, being all Mahomedans. The
king's town, named Tamara, is built of stone and lime, all whited over,
the houses built with battlements and pinnacles, and all flat-roofed. At
a distance it looks well, but within is very poor. Mr Boughton had leave
to see the king's house, and found it such as might serve an ordinary
gentleman in England. The lower rooms were used as warehouses and
wardrobe, a few changes of robes hanging about the walls, and along with
them were some twenty-five books of their law, religion, history, and
saints lives. No person could be permitted to go up stairs to see his
three wives, or the other women; but the ordinary sort might be seen in
the town, their ears all full of silver rings. In the mosque the priest
was seen at service. Mr Boughton had for his dinner three hens, with
rice, his drink being water, and a black liquor called _cahu_, [coffee]
drank as hot as could be endured.
"On a hill, a mile from Tamara, there is a square castle, but we could
not get leave to see it. The inhabitants are of four sorts. The first
are Arabs, who have come in by means of conquest, who dare not speak in
presence of the sultan without leave, and kissing his hand. The second
sort are slaves, who kiss his foot when they come into his presence, do
all his work, and make his aloes. The third sort are the old inhabitants
of the country, called Bedouins, though I think these are not the oldest
of all, whom I suppose to have been those commonly called Jacobite
Christians: For, on Mr Boughton going into a church of theirs, which the
Arabs had forced them to abandon, he found some images and a crucifix,
which he took away. The Mahomedans would not say much about these
people, lest other Christians might relieve or support them. These
Bedouins, having had wars with the Arabs, live apart from them in the
mountains. The fourth kind of people, or original natives, are very
savage, poor lean, naked, and wear their hair long. They eat nothing but
roots, ride about on buffaloes, conversing only among themselves, being
afraid of all others, having no houses, and live more like wild beasts
than men, and these we conjecture to have been the original natives of
the place.
"The island is very mountainous and barren, having some beeves, goats,
and sheep, a few dates and oranges, a little rice, and nothing else for
the food of man. All its commodities consist of aloes, the inspisated
juice of a plant having a leaf like our house-leek. The only manufacture
is a very poor kind of cloth, used only by slaves. The king had some
dragon's blood, and some Lahore indigo, as also a few civet cats and
civet. The dead are all buried in tombs, and the monuments of their
saints are held in much veneration. The chief of these was one _Sidy
Hachun_,[167] buried at Tamara, who was slain about an hundred years
before we were there, and who, as they pretend, still appears to them,
and warns them of approaching dangers. They hold him in wonderful
veneration, and impute high winds to his influence."--T.R.
[Footnote 167: Sidy, or Seid, signifies a descendant or relative of
Mahomet, and Hachem, a prophet.--E.]
The 31st of August we sailed from Socotora. The 10th September we had
quails, herons, and other land-birds blown from the land, and unable to
return. The 14th we had sight of Diu, and the 16th of Damaun, both
inhabited by the Portuguese, and strongly fortified. On the 18th we
passed the bar of Surat, and came to anchor in the road of Swally. Next
day we sent a messenger on shore, and our boat returned the same night,
bringing off Mr William Bidulph, who told us of all the affairs of the
country, and that _Zulphecar Khan_[168] was now governor of Surat. At
this place we bought sheep for half a dollar each, and got twenty hens
for a dollar. On the 22d Mr Barker and other merchants were sent to
Surat to provide furniture for a house to accommodate the lord
ambassador, Sir Thomas Roe. They were searched most narrowly, even their
pockets, and the most secret parts of their dress, according to the base
manner of this country, in which a man has to pay custom for a single
dollar in his purse, or a good knife in his pocket; and if one has any
thing rare, it is sure to be taken away by the governor, under pretence
of purchase.
[Footnote 168: In the Pilgrims this person is named Zuipher-Car-Chan,
but we believe the orthography in the text is more correct.--E.]
The lord ambassador landed on the 25th, accompanied by our general, all
the captains and merchants, and eighty men under arms, part pikes, and
part muskets. Forty-eight guns were fired off from the ships, which were
all dressed out with colours and streamers, flags and pendants. On
landing, he was received in a splendid tent by the chief men of Surat,
who welcomed him to India. There was much to do about their barbarous
search, which they would have executed on all his attendants, which he
strenuously resisted, and at length he and three or four of his
principal followers were exempted, while the rest were only slightly
handled for fashion-sake. A great deal passed on this occasion between
the governor and the ambassador, about these rude and barbarous
exactions, Sir Thomas justly contending for the honour and immunity of
an ambassador from an independent king; while they insisted to make no
difference between him and others of similar rank in those parts, and of
our own likewise, who had formerly assumed the name of ambassadors.
Their barbarous usage not only perplexed him there, and detained him
long till an order came from court, but gave him much plague all the
time he remained in the country, as will appear afterwards from his own
journal. They could not easily be persuaded to allow of any difference
between him and Mr Edwards, who had been considered by them in the same
light with Sir Thomas.
Mr Barwick's man, who had been inveigled to run away by a deserter from
Captain Best who had turned Mahomedan, was brought back from Surat on
the 1st of October. Others afterwards ran away to Damaun, and wrote to
their comrades to induce them to do the same. The 2d, two Hollanders
came on board, who had travelled by land from Petapulli, on the
Coromandel coast. On the 10th, the governor's brother came on board,
making many fair speeches, and had a present given him. The governor
impudently urged us to give him presents, though he had already received
three, but found fault with them, and even named what he would have
given him, being beggar and chooser both at once. We had this day news
of Mr Aldworth's death; and on the 5th November we received intelligence
of the lord ambassador having fallen sick at Burhanpoor, and that Mr
Boughton was dead.
The most current coin at Surat is rials of eight, or Spanish dollars, of
which the old with the plain cross passes for five mahmoodies each. The
new dollars, having flower-de-luces at the ends of the cross, if not
light, are worth four 3/4 mahmoodies. The _mahmoody_ is a coarse silver
coin, containing thirty _pice_, and twelve _drams_ make a _pice_. The
English shilling, if full weight, will yield thirty 1/2 pice. Larines
are worth much the same with mahmoodies.[169] There are sundry kinds of
rupees, some of which are worth half a dollar, and others less, by which
one may be easily deceived. The trade at Surat is conducted by brokers,
who are very subtle, and deceive both buyer and seller, if not carefully
looked after. In weights, each city of India differs from another. The
commodities are infinite, indigos being the chief, those of Lahore the
best, and those from Sarkess inferior. Great quantities of cloths made
of cotton, as white and coloured calicoes, containing fourteen yards the
book or piece, from 100 to 200 mahmoodies each. Pintadoes, chintzes,
chadors, sashes, girdles, cannakens, trekannies, serrabafs, aleias,
patollas, sellas, quilts, carpets, green ginger, suckets or confections,
lignum aloes, opium, sal amoniac, and abundance of other drugs. Vendible
commodities are knives, mirrors, pictures, and such like toys; English
cloth, China wares, silk, and porcelain, and all kinds of spices. The
Guzerates load their great ships, of nine, twelve, or fifteen hundred
tons, at Gogo, and steal out unknown to the Portuguese.
[Footnote 169: From this explanation, the _mahmoody_ and larine may be
assumed as worth one shilling; the _pice_ as equal to a farthing and a
half, and the dram at about 1-10th of a farthing.--E.]
The chief places for trade on the river Sinde, or Indus, are Tatta,
_Diul-sinde_, Mooltan, and Lahore. The Expedition, on her former voyage,
had landed the Persian ambassador, Sir Robert Shirley, at _Diul-sinde_;
and of him I have thought it right to give the following particulars, as
an appendix to my former voyage, having learnt them from some of his
followers at Agra. Being weary of _Diul-sinde_, through the evil conduct
of the governor, and the attempts of the Portuguese to molest him, who
even used their endeavours to cut him off, for which purpose twelve of
them had gone there from Ormus, he asked leave to proceed to Tatta; but,
being refused permission, he went without leave, and having by the way
to pass a river where none durst ferry him over, because prohibited by
the governor on pain of death, he constructed a raft of timber and
boards, on which he and Nazerbeg embarked. They were no sooner shoved
off than twenty or thirty horse came from the governor in great haste to
detain them. And as Nazerbeg was unable to guide the raft against the
tide, some men swam to the raft and brought them back, on which occasion
they narrowly escaped being drowned. Some of his followers being
indignant at this rude dealing, one Mr John Ward shot off his pistol in
their faces, and was instantly slain by another shot, and all the rest
were carried back prisoners to _Diul-sinde_, being pillaged by the
soldiers on their way. After some time in prison, they were permitted to
proceed to Tatta, where they were kindly entertained by the governor of
that place, who was a Persian. Before leaving Diul-sinde, Sir Thomas
Powell and Mr Francis Bub died. Sir Robert Shirley remained at Tatta
till a fit opportunity offered of proceeding to Agra, where he went at
last, finding the way long and tedious, and much infested by thieves. He
went there however in safety, going in company with a great man who had
a strong escort, and for whom he had to wait two months.
In this time Lady Powell was delivered of a son, but both she and her
child died soon after, together with Mr Michael Powell, brother to Sir
Thomas, losing their lives in this tedious waiting in boats for the
great man. On his arrival at Agra, Sir Robert was favourably entertained
by the Great Mogul, who sent for the Banian governor of Diul-sinde to
answer at court to the complaint, and promised Sir Robert to have his
own revenge if he would stay; but he hasted away to Persia, after
receiving many presents from the Mogul, who gave him an escort, and all
necessaries for his journey, in which he had not a single English
attendant, as John Heriot died at Agra, and Mr Richard Barber, his
apothecary, returned to Surat. Of all his company, three only remained
with him, his lady and her female attendant, two Persians, the old
Arminian, and the Circassian. His Dutch jeweller came to Surat along
with Mr Edwards.
§2. _Occurrences at Calicut and Sumatra, Miscarriage of the English
Ships, Abuses of the Dutch, and Factories in India_.
We took a Portuguese prize on the 29th of February, 1616. The 3d March,
while at anchor in the road of Calicut, the deputy of the Zamorin came
aboard, attended by many boats, signifying the joy of his master at our
arrival, and his earnest desire to confer with our nation, and entreated
therefore that we would tarry a few days, that he might send to the
Zamorin, who was then at Cranganore besieging a castle belonging to the
Portuguese. We had here abundance of provisions brought to us on board,
and at reasonable rates. That same evening, there came a messenger from
the Zamorin, entreating us to anchor for two or three days off
Cranganore, which we accordingly did on the 5th, anchoring two leagues
off shore. About noon the Zamorin sent to request the general would come
ashore, to visit him, but this was not deemed right without a pledge,
and Mr George Barkley went ashore to wait upon him; but the Zamorin
refused to reveal his intentions to any one except our general, and
seemed much displeased at his not coming ashore.
The general accordingly landed on the 8th, and had an audience of the
Zamorin, who wished the English to establish a factory in his dominions,
for which purpose he offered a good house rent-free, freedom from custom
or other exactions, for all goods brought there or carried thence, and
made many protestations of affection for our nation. This was for the
present declined, because most of our goods had been left at Surat, and
because we were now bound for Bantam. To this the Zamorin answered, that
it was no matter whether any goods were left for the present, as he only
desired we might leave two or three Englishmen there, who should want
for nothing, as he only wanted to be assured of our return next year
with a supply of men and goods. He assured us we might be sure of
loading one ship yearly with pepper, and might make sale of our
commodities to a considerable extent. Upon this it was agreed to leave a
factory at this place, with such goods as we could spare, which went
accordingly on shore on the 9th; George Woolman being appointed chief of
this new factory at Cranganore, Peter Needham and Roger Hares
under-factors, together with Richard Stamford, and a boy named Edward
Peake, who was appointed to learn the language. The name of the king is
_Pendre Quone[170] Zamorin_, to whom was given, as a present, a minion
or small cannon, and a barrel of powder; on which he promised, if he won
the fort of Cranganore, to give it up to the English.
[Footnote 170: Named _Underecon Cheete_ in a subsequent article.--E.]
The 10th we received the Zamorin's letter of agreement for our
privileges, with many fair protestations of love. We sailed the same
day, passing before Cochin, which we could see distinctly. Next day we
had a view of the town and castle of Coulan, where was a ship riding at
anchor under the guns of the castle, which we boarded and brought forth
without any hurt from the guns, all the crew having fled ashore. This
was a Portuguese ship of four or five hundred tons, lately arrived from
Bengal and Pegu, laden with rice, grain, Bengal cloths, butter, sugar,
gum lack, hard wax, drugs, and other things. The 12th we espied another
ship, to which we gave chase, and came up with about midnight, when she
surrendered at the first shot.[171] I sent for her chief men on board my
ship, the others being three or four miles a-stern, and set some of my
people on board the prize, with strict charges to hurt no person. There
were in this ship eighteen or twenty Portuguese, and about eighty
others, men, women, and children. Her chief loading was rice, butter,
sugar, lack, drugs, and Bengal cloths. We offered these people our first
prize, with victuals to carry them ashore, which they refused, as
fearing to be ill-used by the Malabars, having lately escaped with
difficulty from a fleet of theirs of fourteen sail. Next day we landed
them where they desired, and allowed them to go away unsearched for
money or jewels. We had now three English ships[172] and three prizes.
[Footnote 171: These prizes were taken from the Portuguese in part
satisfaction for their unjust vexations and hostilities at Surat and
other places.--_Purch._]
[Footnote 172: No notice is taken of the fourth ship, the Lion, probably
left at Surat; indeed, the whole of this relation is exceedingly vague
and unsatisfactory, the name even of the general never being once
mentioned.--E.]
The 14th we arrived at _Brinion_, in lat. 8° 30', where we took out of
the first prize what we thought useful, and then set her adrift. At
_Brinion_ there is a small town in a round bay, which may be known by a
long white beach to the north, and to the south is all high land, having
a red cliff two leagues to the south, close to the sea. From thence to
cape Comorin is sixteen leagues, the course being S.E. by S. along a
bold free coast. The inhabitants of Brinion[173] are no way subject to
the Portuguese. The 1st of April the island of Ceylon bore E. by S.
seven leagues off. On the 10th the Peak of Adam bore north. I this day
took my leave of the general, the Dragon and Pepper-corn being bound for
Acheen, while I, in the Expedition, went for Priaman, Tecoo, and Bantam.
[Footnote 173: In 8° 22' N. at the distance indicated from cape Comorin,
is a place called Billingham, which may possibly be the Brinion of the
text.--E.]
It is good to remain in Brinion till the end of March, when the easterly
monsoon ends, and not to pass cape Comorin sooner, on account of calms,
and because the southerly current sets towards the Maldives. All who
come from the west for Priaman and Tecoo, ought to continue so as to
have sufficient day-light for passing between _Nimptan_[174] and the
other adjacent islands, the best channel being to the north of that
island. On the 30th of April I met the Advice going for Tecoo; but, at
my request, she returned for Bantam, whence she was sent to Japan. I
arrived at Bantam on the 1st of May, where I found the Hosiander newly
arrived from Japan, and the Attendance from _Jambo_, most of their men
being sick or dead. I here learnt the death of Captain Downton, and of
the arrival of Captain Samuel Castleton with the Clove and Defence,
which, with the Thomas and Concord, were gone to the Moluccas, the
Thomas being appointed to proceed from thence to Japan.
[Footnote 174: Pulo Mintaon, off the S.W. coast of Sumatra, nearly under
the line, is probably here meant.--E.]
The 19th of May I sailed from Bantam, and the 10th June I put into
Tecoo. The 3d July I hove my ship down on the careen to sheath her. It
is of great use to double sheath such ships as go to Surat, as though
the outer sheathing may be eaten like a honey-comb by the worms, the
inner is not at all injured. It were also of great use to have the
rudder sheathed with thin copper,[175] to prevent the worms from eating
off its edges, which is very detrimental in steering, and cannot be
easily remedied, being so deep in the water. The natives of Sumatra
inhabiting Priaman are barbarous, deceitful, and continually craving
presents or bribes; and sometimes I have been in imminent hazard of
being murdered, a hundred of them drawing their crisses upon us at once,
because we refused to let them have our goods on trust, or at prices of
their own making. The 20th, Thomas Bonnar, master of the Expedition,
died, and was succeeded by John Row, who was the third master in this
voyage.
[Footnote 175: We had formerly occasion to notice a ship sheathed with
iron at Japan, and this is the first indication or proposal for using
copper in that way. Iron sheathing has never been adopted into British
practice, while copper sheathing is now universal. Captain Peyton does
not appear to have been aware that copper sheathing is incompatible
with iron fastenings, which indeed was only learnt long after, by woeful
experience, and the loss of many ships and men. In consequence of a
strong predisposing chemical afinity, exerted by the contiguity of the
copper and iron in the sea water, the muriatic acid corrodes the iron
bolts and other fastenings, all of which are now made of copper in ships
that are to be copper sheathed.--E.]
The 26th, the Dragon and Pepper-corn arrived from Acheen, where they had
purchased pepper, carried there from Tecoo in large junks and praws,
which navigate between these places, but never out of sight of land. The
king of Acheen commands the people of Tecoo to bring their pepper to his
port, and allows none to purchase it there, but those who barter their
Surat goods at such rates as he pleases to impose. Often likewise, he
sends to Priaman and Tecoo the Surat commodities procured by him in that
manner, obliging the merchants there to buy at rates by him imposed, and
no person is allowed to buy or sell till his goods are sold. This makes
our trade with them the better.[176] _Jambo_ is on the east side of
Sumatra, and yields a similar large-grained pepper with what is procured
at Priaman, but is not under the dominion of the king of Acheen, as are
Baruse, Passaman, Tecoo, Priaman, Cottatinga, and other places on the
western side of that island. _Baruse_ is to the north of Passaman, and
yields considerable quantities of benzoin; _Cottatinga_ yields gold, and
the other places pepper. Our general brought the king of Acheen's letter
to these places, where the chief men received it with great submission,
each of them kissing it and laying it on his head, promising to obey its
injunctions, yet all failed in performance. It were proper, in these
letters from the king, to procure all the particulars of the trade to be
inserted. I set sail from Tecoo for Bantam on the 4th September.
[Footnote 176: It is so expressed in the Pilgrims; yet it would seem
that such arbitrary proceeding in the sovereign, assuming the character
of merchant, would be destructive of all trade.--E.]
The best gold, and the largest quantity, is to be had at the high hill
of Passaman, where likewise is the best, cheapest, and most abundant
produce of pepper. But the air is there so pestiferous, that there is no
going thither for our nation without great mortality among the men.
Fortunately this is not necessary in procuring pepper, as the Surat
commodities at Tecoo are sufficiently attractive. I have even observed
many of the natives to labour under infectious diseases, the limbs of
some being ready to drop off with rottenness, while others had huge
wens or swellings under their throats, as large as a two-penny loaf;
which they impute to the bad water.[177] Though a barbarous people, they
are yet acquainted with the means of curing their diseases. The people
of Tecoo are base, thievish, subtle, seeking gain by every kind of
fraud, or even by force when they dare; using false weights, false
reckonings, and even attempting to poison our meats and drinks while
dressing, and crissing our men when opportunity serves: But it is to be
hoped they may be inforced to keep better order, by the influence and
authority of the king of Acheen. At Acheen our Portuguese prizes were
disposed of, and shared according to the custom of the sea, a sixth part
being divided among the captors, and the rest carried to the account of
our employers. There were only five left in the factory. Many of our men
were sick, owing to their immoderate indulgence in drinking arrack.
[Footnote 177: The _goitre_ was long ignorantly imputed in Europe to
drinking snow water; but is now well known only to affect the
inhabitants of peculiar districts, as Derbyshire in England, and the
Valais in Switzerland, and this district in Sumatra, where certain
mineral impregnations render the water unwholesome.--E.]
When at Bantam, in October 1616, there were four English ships, and five
Hollanders at Jacatra, which raised the price of pepper; and that the
more, because the Dutch boasted of having brought this year in ready
money 1,600,000 dollars, which is probably a great exaggeration to brave
our nation. Their last fleet of six ships took two or three ships of the
Portuguese, of which they made great boasts. They endeavour to depress
our nation by every manner of abuse throughout the Indies, acting
towards us in a most unfriendly and unchristian manner. Even in Bantam,
where they acknowledge our equal right, they threaten to pull our people
out of our factory by the ears, sometimes picking quarrels with them in
the streets, and even imprisoning them; and when they themselves have
caused an uproar, complaining to the king of Bantam of our unquietness,
and bribing him to take their parts. He receives their money, and tells
us of their dealings, taking advantage of this disagreement to fleece
both sides. Even at Pulo-way, an island freely surrendered to the king
of England, they abused our people, leading them through the streets
with halters round their necks, carrying an hour-glass before them, and
proclaiming that they were to be hanged when the sand was run out. And
though they did not actually proceed to that extremity, they kept them
three or four days in irons, and afterwards sent them aboard the Concord
and Thomasine, under a forced composition never to return. Likewise, at
the return of the Hosiander from Japan, which brought thirty tons of
wood for them, free of freight and charges, they reported she would have
returned empty, but for their timber; which also they might have said of
my ship, which brought for them, from Surat to Bantam, thirty-one
_churles_ of indigo and a chest of pistoles, freight-free.
Captain Castleton went to the Moluccas with four ships, the Clove,
Defence, Thomas, and Concord, that he might be better able to defend
himself against the Hollanders; yet, being threatened by eleven of their
ships, they returned without doing much business, having only a few
cloves in the Clove. The captain died there of the flux; and the bad
success of that expedition, together with other faults, was laid to his
charge. The Trades-increase was twice set on fire by the Javans, and the
fire quenched by our people; but on a third attempt, she was fired in so
many places at once, that it was impossible to save her. The Darling was
laid up at Patane, in June 1615, by order of Mr Larkine and the factory,
as incapable of repair. Herrold, her master, was reported of having a
design to carry her off to the Portuguese; and, being prevented, he went
himself. The Thomasine was cast away, in September 1615, upon a shoal in
the night, seventeen leagues W. from Macasser, while returning from the
Moluccas. On this occasion her goods were lost, which were not of much
value, but they saved the money, being 2000 dollars, and all their
provisions, remaining fourteen days on a desolate island, where they
fitted up their boat, which brought themselves and their money to
Bantam. All their goods and other things were left behind, and seized by
the king of Macasser, who refused to make restitution. At Jacatra the
Hector sunk in three fathoms water while careening, her keel being
exceedingly worm-eaten. The Concord is there also laid up, so rotten
and leaky that they had to take out her provisions, and let her sink
close to the shore. The Hosiander, on the 15th October 1616, was
appointed to sail for the Coromandel coast.
The factories which are at present established for our company in the
East Indies, so far as I could hear, are these: Bantam, Jacatra,
Ahmedabad, Agra, Agimere, Burhanpoor, Calicut, Masulipatam, Patepulli,
Patane, Siam, Banjermassen, Succodania, Macasser, Acheen, Jambo, Tecoo,
Banda, and Firando in Japan. At Bantam, Mr George Barclay was chief,
with John Jordan, George Ball, Ralph Copendale, and several other
factors and assistants. The principal purpose of the factory at Acheen,
is to solicit for our better proceedings at Priaman and Tecoo. The place
is unwholesome, more especially for such as indulge in the use of hot
fiery drinks, as _arack_ and _aracape_, which bring many to untimely
graves; and throw discredit on the voyage. It is not to be imagined at
home, how unruly are the common men abroad, never being satisfied unless
when their brains are reeling with liquor. Even the king of Acheen is
said to have a strange habit of getting drunk when the English resort to
him, as if thereby to do them honour, and it seems dishonourable to them
not to conform with him, in sitting in the water, drinking hard, and
many other strange customs. He is very tyrannical and cruel to his
subjects, daily cutting off the hands, arms, and legs of many, on very
small and frivolous causes; or causing them to be thrown to the
elephants, he himself commanding a sagacious elephant to toss the
culprits so high and so often, as either to bruise or kill them,
according to his caprice at the time. No one that arrives at his port
may land without his _chop_ or licence. On one occasion, a Dutch general
came on shore without his licence, by desire of the principal factor,
who presumed on his favour with the king. When the general came to the
palace-gate, where another chop is necessary, the king found this
irregularity to have proceeded from the presumption of the resident,
whom he sent for and laid before the elephant, who tossed him three
times, but so gently as not to bruise him much, giving him thus a
warning how he should neglect the king's commands another time. The
Dutch general stood by the while, fearing to come in for his share of
this strange discipline; but the king forgave him, as ignorant of the
law. The poor factor, being called into the king's presence, humbly
acknowledged his punishment to have been merited, yet fled with the rest
of the factory at the departure of the ships; on which the king placed
us in their house.
We sailed from Bantam, homeward bound, on the 1st November 1616. The 5th
January 1617, I was unable to weigh our anchor, owing to the violence
of the wind, to follow the Dragon to Penguin island. Ships that go round
the Cape of Good Hope from India, at this season of the year, ought not
to anchor short of Saldanha road, [Table Bay,] but ought to bear to
leeward for Penguin island, and anchor there with two anchors at once,
till the wind serve. In December, January, and February, the S.S.E. wind
blows there with great violence from new to full moon. Yet I hold it
dangerous to neglect this place, trusting to refreshments at St Helena,
a certainty for an uncertainty; as the obscurity of the sun and moon,
owing to thick mists at this season, may disappoint the most experienced
navigators, and occasion the loss of ship, cargo, and men. While at the
Cape, Corey came down with three sheep, and promised more, but went away
in great haste to his wife and family, who dwelt now farther from the
bay than formerly. It appears that the Hollanders had frightened the
natives, by landing and going up the country with above an hundred men
at once. Owing to this, our chief refreshment here was fresh fish.
The 9th April 1617, we passed through great quantities of sea-weeds,
called _seragasso_, which float in long ridges or rows along with the
wind, and at considerable distances from each other. This plant has a
leaf like samphire, but not so thick, and carries a very small yellow
berry. It reaches from 22° 20' to 32° both of N. latitude. We anchored
in the Downs on the 29th of May 1617.
3. _Brief Notice of the Ports, Cities, and Towns, inhabited by, and
traded with, by the Portuguese between the Cape of Good Hope and Japan,
in_ 1616.
The river of _Quame_, or _Cuamo_, on the eastern coast of Africa, where
they are said to trade yearly for gold, elephants teeth, ambergris, and
slaves. _Mozambique_, an island on the same coast, where they trade for
gold, ambergris, and slaves, in barter for iron, lead, tin, and Cambay
commodities, _Magadoxo_, which has abundance of elephants teeth, some
ambergris, and various kinds of drugs. From these ports they trade
yearly to Cambay, the Red Sea, and other places, observing the monsoons,
which blow W. in April, May, June, July, August, and part of September,
and the E. monsoon prevails an the other months. A few days between the
cessation of one monsoon and the commencement of the other, the winds
are variable, attended by calms, but become regular in a few days. To
the east of Sumatra, however, the two monsoons continue only five months
each way, the two intermediate months having variable winds.
_Ormus_ in the gulf of Persia, whence the Portuguese trade to Persia,
Diul-sinde, Arabia, &c. They fetch much pearl from Bassora;[178] and
they load a ship or two with Persian commodities for Diul-sinde, where
they arrive between the end of August and middle of September, taking
likewise with them great store of dollars. Ormus is their best place in
the Indies except Goa. At _Muskat_ they have a fort and some small
trade, keeping the natives in such awe by land and sea, that they dare
not trade without their licence, and this practice they follow in all
parts of India where they are strong. _Diul-sinde_ on the Indus in the
dominions of the Great Mogul. _Diu_, where they have a strong castle.
Damaun, where they have a castle, and are said to have an hundred
villages under their authority. _Basseen_, or _Serra de Bazein_, a
little south from _Damaun_, and bordering on the Deccan; between which
and _Chaul_ they have three ports, _Gazein, Banda_, and _Maia_. _Chaul_
is a great city with a castle. At _Dabul_ they have a factory, but no
fort.
[Footnote 178: This is a mistake for the isle of Bahrein.--E.]
_Goa_ is their metropolitan city in India, which stands in a small
island, being the seat of their viceroy, and the anchoring place of
their caracks. _Onore_ has a small fort. _Barcellore_, a town and
castle, yields pepper, ginger, and many kinds of drugs. _Mangalore_, a
town and castle. _Cananore_, a city and castle, yielding similar
commodities with Barcellore. From _Calicut_ they have been expelled by
the Zamorin, who endeavours to do the same at _Crangator_, [Cranganore,]
where they have a fort. _Cochin_ is a strong city and castle, pleasantly
situated on the sea in a wholesome air, with a fine river for the
reception of ships. _Coulan_, a town with a small castle; near which is
a village named St Lawrence, chiefly inhabited by friars and jesuits.
_Quiloan_, a small city with a castle. _Tuckatra_, a town and castle,
the inhabitants being mostly Christians.
_Manaar_ is on the island of Ceylon, between Cape Comorin and
Point-de-Gale, where they have a town inhabited by Portuguese. In this
island also they have _Columbo_, and many other small places, having
conquered most of the island, which yields cinnamon and various drugs.
_Negopatnam_ is a city of great trade, on the coast of Coromandel, where
they have only a factory. St Thomas, or _Meliapoor_, is a walled town
inhabited by the Portuguese. In Bengal, up the river Ganges, they have a
town, besides some factories and many small habitations. They have a
factory in Pegu, another in Aracan, and one in the river of Martaban.
Also at _Junkceylon_ they have a great factory, whence they fetch
considerable quantities of tin to the Malabar coast.
_Malacca_ is a strong city and castle belonging to the Portuguese, and
the centre of a great trade in those parts of India. From this place the
king of Acheen has long sought to root them out, and has burnt and
plundered some of their ships this year, 1619. At _Macao_, an island on
the coast of China, they have a city with a castle, where they are said
to carry on much trade with the Chinese. They have a factory in Japan,
but neither town nor fort; and trade thence with the coast of China. The
Dutch are said to make much spoil of the vessels employed on this trade,
Portuguese, Chinese, and others, accounting all fish that fall into
their net.