to the Westward, whereupon we suspected some knauery intended against vs.
The 12 day therefore we set sayle and went further along the coast, and
descried more townes wherein were greater houses then in the other townes,
and the people came out of the townes to looke vpon vs, but we could see no
boates. Two mile beyond the Eastermost towne are blacke rocks, which blacke
rockes continue to the vttermost cape of the land, which is about a league
off, and then the land runnes in Eastnortheast, and a sandy shoare againe:
vpon these blacke rockes came downe certaine Negroes, which waued vs with a
white flagge, but we perceiuing the principall place to be neere, would not
stay, but bare still along the shoare: and as soone as we had opened the
point of the land, we raysed another headland about a league off the point,
which had a rocke lying off it into the sea, and that they thought to be
the place which we sought. When we came thwart the place they knew it, and
we put wares into our boate, and the ship being within halfe a mile of the
place ankered in fiue fadome water and faire ground. We went on shoare with
our boate, and ankered about ten of the clocke in the forenoone: we saw
many boates lying vpon the shoare, and diuers came by vs, but none of them
would come neere vs, being as we iudged afraid of vs: [Sidenote: Foure men
taken away by the English.] because that foure men were taken perforce the
last yeere from this place, so that no man came to vs, whereupon we went
aboord againe, and thought here to haue made no saile: yet towardes night a
great sort came downe to the water side, and waued vs on shoare with a
white flagge, and afterwarde their Captaine came downe and many men with
him, and sate him downe by the shoare vnder a tree: which when I perceiued,
I tooke things with me to giue him: at last he sent a boat to call to vs,
which would not come neere vs, but made vs signes to come againe the next
day: but in fine, I got them to come aboord in offering them things to giue
to their captaine, which were two elles of cloth, one latten bason, one
white bason, a bottle, a great piece of beefe, and sixe bisket cakes, which
they receiued making vs signes to come againe the next day, saying, that
their Captain was Grand Capitane as appeared by those that attended vpon
him with their darts and targets, and other weapons.
This towne is very great and stands vpon a hill among trees, so that it
cannot well be seene except a man be neere it: to the Eastward of it vpon
the hill hard by the towne stand 2. high trees, which is a good marke to
knowe the towne. And vnder the towne lieth another hill lower then it,
whereupon the sea beates: and that end next the sea is all great blacke
rockes, and beyonde the towne in a bay lieth another small towne.
The 13 day in the morning we tooke our boate and went to shoare, and stayed
till ten a clocke and no man came to vs: we went about therefore to returne
aboord, and when the Negroes saw that, they came running downe with a
flagge to waue vs againe, so we ankered againe, and then one shewed vs that
the Captaine would come downe by and by: we sawe a saile in the meane time
passe by vs but it was small, and we regarded it not. [Sidenote: The like
they doe in the countrey of Prette Ianni.] Being on shore we made a tilt
with our oares and sayle, and then there came a boate to vs with fiue men
in her, who brought vs againe our bottle, and brought me a hen, making
signes by the sunne, that within two houres the marchants of the countrey
would come downe and buy all that we had: so I gaue them sixe Manillios to
carry to their Captaine, and they made signes to haue a pledge of vs, and
they would leaue vs another man: and we willing to do so, put one of our
men in their boate, but they would not giue vs one of theirs, so we tooke
our man againe, and there tarried for the marchants: and shortly after one
came downe arrayed like their Captaine with a great traine after him, who
saluted us friendly, and one of the chiefest of them went and sate downe
vnder a tree, where the last yere the Captaine was wont to sit: and at last
we perceiued a great many of them to stand at the ende of a hollow way, and
behinde them the Portugales had planted a base, who suddenly shotte at vs
but ouershot vs, and yet we were in a manner hard by them, and they shot at
vs againe before we could ship our oares to get away but did no hurt. Then
the Negroes came to the rocks hard by vs, and disharged calieuers at vs,
and againe the Portugales shot off their base twise more, and then our ship
shot at them, but the rockes and hilles defended them.
[Sidenote: Master Robert Gainshes voyage to Guinea in anno 1554.] Then we
went aboord to goe from this place, seeing the Negroes bent against vs,
because that the last yeere M. Gainsh did take away the Captaines sonne and
three others from this place with their golde, and all that they had about
them: [Sidenote: The English were offered to build a towne in Guine.] which
was the cause that they became friends with the Portugales, whom before
they hated, as did appeare the last yeere by the courteous intertainement
which the Trinitie had there, when the Captaine came aboord the shippe, and
brought them to his towne, and offered them ground to build a Castle in,
and there they had good sales.
The 14 day we wayed and plyed backe againe to seeke the Hinde, which in the
morning we met, and so we turned both back to the Eastwardes to see what we
could doe at that place where the Trinitie did sell her eight frises the
last yeere. The Hinde had taken eighteene ounces and a halfe more of golde
of other Negroes, the day after that we left them. This day about one of
the clocke we espied certaine boates vpon the sand and men by them and went
to them with marchandizes, and tooke three ounces of gold for 18 fuffs of
cloth, euery fuffe three yards and a halfe after one angell and 12 graines
the fuffe, and then they made me signes that the next day I should haue
golde enough: so the Master took the Hinde with Iohn Sauill and Iohn
Makeworth, and went to seeke the place aforesaid, and I with Richard
Pakeman remained in this place to see what we could do the next day: and
when the Negroes perceiued our ship to go away, they feared that the other
would follow, and so sent forth 2 boats to vs with 4 men in them, requiring
vs to tary and to giue them one man for a pledge, and 2 of them should tary
with vs for him, so Edward M. Morleis seruant seeing these men so earnest
therein offered himselfe to be pledge, and we let him goe for two of them,
one whereof had his waights and scales, and a chaine of golde aboute his
necke, and another about his arme. They did eate of such things as we had
and were well contented. In the night the Negroes kept a light vpon the
shoare thwart of vs, and about one of the clocke we heard and saw the light
of a base which shot off twise at the said light, and by and by discharged
two calieuers, which in the end we perceiued to be the Portugals brigandine
which followed vs from place to place, to giue warning to the people of the
countrey, that they should not deale with vs.
The 15 day in the morning the Captaine came downe with 100 men with him,
and brought his wife, and many others brought their wiues also, because
their towne was 8 miles vp in the countrey, and they determined to lie by
the sea side till they had brought what they would. When he was come he
sent our man aboord, and required to haue two men pledges, and he himselfe
would come aboord, and I sent him two, of whom he tooke but one, and so
came aboord vs, he and his wife with diuers of his friends, and brought me
a goate and two great rootes, and I gaue him againe a latten bason, a white
bason, 6 manillios, and a bottell of Malmesie, and to his wife a small
casket. After this we began to make our measure and weight: and he had a
weight of his owne which held one angell and 14 graines, and required a
measure of 4 elles and a halfe. In fine we concluded the 8 part for one
angell and 20 graines, and before we had done, they tooke mine owne weight
and measure.
The 16 day I tooke 8 li. 1 ounce of gold: and since the departure of the
Hinde I heard not of her, but when our pledge went into the countrey the
first night, he said he saw her cast anker aboue fiue leagues from this
place. The 17 day I sold about 17 pieces of cloth, and tooke 4 li. 4 ounces
and a halfe of gold. The 18 day the captaine desired to haue some of our
wine, and offered halfe a ducket of gold for a bottell: but I gaue it him
freely, and made him and his traine drinke besides. And this day also I
tooke 5 li. 5 ounces of gold. The 19 day we sold about 18 clothes, and
tooke 4 li. 4 ounces and one quarter of golde.
The 20 day tooke 3 li. sixe ounces and a quarter of golde. The 21 we tooke
8 li. 7. ounces and a quarter. The 22. 3. li. 8. ounces and a quarter. And
this night about 4 of the clocke the Captaine who had layen all this while
vpon the shoare, went away with all the rest of the people with him.
The 23 day we were waued a shoare by other Negroes, and sold them cloth,
caskets, kniues, and a dosen of bels, and tooke 1 li. 10 ounces of gold.
The 24 likewise we sold bels, sheetes, and thimbles, and tooke two li. one
ounce and a quarter of gold. The 25 day we sold 7 dosen of smal bels and
other things, and then perceiuing their gold to be done, we wayed and set
sayle and went to leeward to seeke the Hinde, and about 5 of the clocke at
night we had sight of her, and bare with her, and understood that shee had
made some sales. The 26 day wee receiued out of the Hinde 48 li. 3 ounces
and one eight part of golde, which they had taken in the time that we were
from them. And this day vpon the request of a Negro that came vnto vs from
a captaine, we went to shoare with our marchandize, and tooke 7 li. and one
ounce of gold. At this place they required no gages of vs, but at night
they sent a man aboord vs, which lay with vs all night, because we might
knowe that they would also come to vs the next day. The 27 day in both our
shippes we tooke 8. li. one ounce, three quarters and halfe a quarter of
golde. The 28 we made sales for the companie, and tooke one pound and half
an ounce of gold. The 29 day in the morning we heard two calieuers shot off
vpon the shore, which we iudged to be either by the Portugales or by the
Negroes of the Portugales: we manned our boates and armed our selues and
went to shoare, but coulde finde nothing: for they were gone. The 30 day we
made more sales for the companie and for the Masters.
The 31 we sent our boate to shoare to take in sand for balast, and there
our men met the Negroes, with whom they had made sale the day before a
fishing which did helpe them to fill sand, and hauing no gold, sold fish to
our men for their handkerchiefs and nightkerchiefes.
The 1 day of February we wayed and went to another place, and tooke 1 li.
9. ounces 3 quarters of gold. The 2 day we made more sales: but hauing
viewed our victuals we determined to tarie no long time vpon the coast,
because the most part of our drinke was spent, and that which remained grew
sowre. [Sidenote: They returne for England.] The 3 and 4 dayes we made some
sales, though not great, and finding the wind this 4. day to come off the
shoare, we set saile and ranne along the shoare to the Westwards: vpon this
coast we found by experience that ordinarily about 2 of the clocke in the
night the winde comes off the shoare at Northnortheast, and so continueth
vntil eight of the clocke in the morning: and all the rest of the day and
night it comes out of Southwest: and as for the tide or currant vpon this
shoare, it goeth continually with the winde. The 5 day we continued sayling
and thought to haue met with some English ships, but found none.
The sixt day we went our course Southwest to fetch vnder the line, and
ranne by estimation 24 leagues.
The 13 day wee thought our selues by our reckoning to be cleare off the
Cape das Palmas, and ranne 12 leagues.
The 22 day we were thwart of the Cape de Monte, which is to the Westward of
the Riuer de Sestos, about 30 leagues.
The first day of March in a Ternado we lost the Hinde, whereupon we set vp
a light and shot off a piece but could not heare of her, so that then we
strooke our saile and taried for her, and in the morning had sight of her
againe three leagues a sterne off vs.
Vpon the 22 day we found our selues to be in the height of Cape Verde,
which stands in 14 degrees and a halfe.
From this day till the 29 day we continued our course, and then we found
our selues to be in 22 degrees. This day one of our men called William
King, who had bene long sicke, died in his sleepe, his apparel was
distributed to those that lackt it, and his money was kept for his friends
to be deliuered them at his comming home.
The 30 day we found our selues to be vnder the Tropike.
The 31 day we went our course, and made way 18 leagues.
From the first day of Aprill to the 20 we went our course, and then found
our selues to bee in the height of the Asores.
The seuenth day of May we fell with the South part of Ireland, and going on
shoare with our boate had fresh drinke, and two sheepe of the countrey
people, which were wilde Kernes, and we gaue them golde for them, and
bought further such other victuals as we had neede of, and thought would
serue vs till we arriued in England.
The 14. day with the afternoone tide we went into the Port of Bristoll
called Hungrode, and there ankered in safetie and gaue thankes to God for
our safe arriuall.
* * * * *
The second voyage made by Maister William Towrson to the coast of Guinea,
and the Castle of Mina, in the yeere 1556. with the Tiger of London, a
ship of 120 tunnes, the Hart of London of 60 tunnes, and a Pinnesse of
sixteene tunnes.
The fourteenth day of September, the yeere abouesayd, we departed from
Harwich, and directed our course for the Isle of Sillie, to meete there
with the Hart and Pinnesse, which were rigged and victualed at Bristoll,
but arriuing there the eight and twientieth day we found them not, and
therefore after long lying at Hull to tarrie for them, but not espying
them, we turned backe to Plimmouth the 12 day of October, and being there,
the Hart and the Pinnesse came to vs, so that the 15 of Nouember we all
departed together from Plimmouth at one of the clocke in the after noone,
and the 28 day we had sight of the Isle of Porto Santo, and the next day in
the morning of Madera.
The third day of December we fell with the Ile of Palma, and the 9 we were
thwart of Cape Blanke, and found there certaine Carauels fishing for
Pargoes.
The 19 we found our selues in the height of Sierra Leona, and all this day
we ranne thwart of certaine Currants, which did set to the West
Southwestward so fast as if it had bene the ouerfall of a sand, making a
great noyse like vnto a streame or tide-gate when the water is shoale: and
to prooue whither we could finde ground in this place, we sounded and had
150 fadome, and no ground, and so departed.
The 30 of December we fell with the coast of Guinea, and had first sight of
it about 4 leagues off. The best marke that we could take of the place to
knowe it was three hilles, which lay Northeast and by East from vs: betwixt
the Northermost two hilles there are two high and great trees standing in
sight as it were a sailes breadth one from another, and a litle more to the
Northwestwards are certaine hommocks. Hauing sayled somewhat into the
shoare wee tooke our selues to be shotte somewhat past the riuer de Sestos,
so that we kept about to fetch it. And a litle after we had sight of three
sayles of shippes and two pinnesses which were in the weather of vs, and
hauing sight of them we made our selues readie to meete them, and halled
off our ships to fetch the winde as neere as we could: and hauing sayled
about an houre or two, they also went about, and went as we went to make
themselues readie, and when we had them in chase, they went away from vs:
but when they had made themselues readie, they kept about againe, and came
with vs verie finely appointed with their streamers, and pendants and
ensignes, and noyse of trumpets very brauely: so when we met, they had the
weather of vs, and we being determined to fight, if they had bene
Portugals, waued them to come vnder our Lee, which they denied stoutly:
then we demaunded of them whence they were, and they sayd of France, we
told them againe that we were of London in England. They asked of vs what
Portugals wee had seene, we answered, none but Fishermen: then they told vs
that there were certaine Portugall ships gone to the Mina to defend it, and
that they met with another at the riuer de Sestos, which was a ship of two
hundred which they had burned, and had saued none but the master and two or
three Negroes, and certaine others which were sore burned which they left a
shoare there. Then they desired to come aboord of vs with their boates to
talke with vs, and wee gaue them leaue. Then the captaine of the Admirall
and diuers others came aboord very friendly, desiring vs to keepe them
company because of the Portugals, and to goe to the Mina with them: wee
told them that we had not watered, and that we were but now fallen with the
coast, and they shewed vs that we were fiftie leagues past the riuer de
Sestos: notwithstanding there was water enough to be had, and they would
helpe vs to water with their owne boates because they would haue our
companie. And told vs further, that they had bene sixe weekes vpon the
coast, and had gotten but three tunnes of graines amongst them all: and
when wee had heard them, we made our reckoning that although the Mina were
cleare, yet if they did goe before vs, they would marre our market; and if
it were not cleare, then if the Portugals were there and did take them,
they would vnderstand that we were behind, and so would waite for vs.
[Sidenote: They admit certaine Frenchmen into their companie.] And further
we made account that if we went with them we should doe as well as they, if
the coast were cleare: if it were not cleare, then by them we were assured
to be the stronger. Therefore hauing considered thus much of their gentle
offers, we tolde them that the next day wee would conferre more largely of
the matter. Whereupon they desired me to come the next day to dinner to
them, and to bring the masters of our ships with me, and such merchants as
I thought good, promising to giue vs water out of their owne ships if we
would take it, or els to tarie with vs and helpe vs to water with their own
boats and pinnasses.
The 31 day in the morning the Admirall sent his boat aboord for me, and I
tooke our masters and certaine of our marchants and went to him, who had
prouided a notable banquet for vs, and intreated vs very friendly, desiring
vs still to keepe his company, promising that what victuals were in his
ships, or other things that might doe vs pleasure vntill the end, we should
haue the one halfe of it, offering vs if we would to furle his Flags, and
to bee at our commaundement in all things.
In the ende we agreed to come to an anker, and to send our boat on shore
with the Admirals boat, and one of his pinnasses, and an Almaine which they
had brought out of France, to seeke water, as for our pinnasse she came to
an anker to seaward of vs all, and would not come at vs. All this night the
boats continued on shore.
The first day of Ianuary our boats came to vs againe and had found no
riuer. Whereupon we weighed and set saile, and ankred againe at another
riuer.
The 2 day we went into the riuer and bargained, and tooke 5 small Elephants
teeth.
The 3 day we tooke 5 more.
[Sidenote: An assault vpon elephants.] The fourth day the French Admirall
and wee tooke fifteene small teeth. This day wee tooke thirtie men with vs
and went to seeke Elephants, our men being all well armed with
harquebusses, pikes, long bowes, crossebowes, partizans, long swordes, and
swordes and bucklers: wee found two Elephants which wee stroke diuers times
with harquebusses and long bowes, but they went away from vs and hurt one
of our men. The fift day we set saile and ranne along the coast.
The 6 day we fell with the riuer de S. Andre, at which place the land is
somewhat high to the Westward of the riuer, and a faire Baie also to the
Westward of it: but to the Eastward of it it is lowe land.
The 7 day we went into the Riuer and found no village, but certaine wild
Negros not accustomed to trade. It is a very great riuer and 7 fadome water
in some places at the entring. Here we filled water, and after set saile.
The 8 day we sailed along the shore and came to the red cliffes, and went
forward in sailing the 9 day also.
The 10 day we came together to confer with captaine Blundel Admiral of the
French ships, Ierom Baudet his vice admiral, and Iohn de Orleans master of
a ship of 70 tunne, and with their marchants, and agreed that when God
should send vs to any place where wee might make sale, that we should be of
one accord and not one of vs hurt the market of the other, but certaine of
our boates to make the price for all the rest, and then one boate to make
sale for euery shippe. This night our boats going to the shore met with
certaine Negros, who said that they had gold, and therefore we here cast
anker.
The 11 day all the day we tooke but one halfe angel weight of 4 graines,
which we tooke by hand, for the people of this place had no weight: the
Negros called this place Allow.
The 12 day we ran along the coast and found but one towne, but no boates
would come out to vs, and therefore we went our course.
The 13 day I tooke my boat and went along the shore, and passed by diuers
small townes, and was waued to come on shore at 3 places, but the sea went
so high vpon the shore, that it was not possible for vs to land, neither
could they come to vs if they had had boats, as I could see none but at one
place, where there was one that would haue come vnto vs, but the Land-wash
went so sore that it ouerthrew his boat, and one of the men was drowned,
which the people lamented, and cried so sore, that we might easily heare
them, and they got his body out of the sea, and caried it amongst them to
their towne.
[Sidenote: The castle of Mina.] The 14 day we came within Saker-shot of the
castle, and straightway they set forth an Almade to descry vs, and when
they perceiued that we were no Portugals, they ranne within the towne
againe: for there is a great towne by the Castle which is called by the
Negros Dondou. Without this there lie two great rockes like Ilands, and the
castle standeth vpon a point which sheweth almost like an Iland. Before we
came at this castle, we found the land for fiue or six leagues to be high
land, and about seuen leagues before we came to the castle, lowe land,
vntil we came at the castle, and then wee found the land high againe. This
castle standeth about fiue leagues to the East of Cape de Tres puntas. Here
I tooke the boate with our Negros and ranne alongst the shore till I came
to the Cape and found two small townes, but no boates at them, neither any
traffique to be had. At these places our Negros did vnderstand them well,
and one of them went ashore at all the places and was well receiued of
them. This night we ankred at the Cape de Tres puntas.
The 15 day I tooke our boat and went along the shore, and about 3 leagues
beyond the Eastermost part of the Cape we found a faire Bay where we ran
in, and found a smal towne and certaine boates which belonged to the same
towne, but the Negros in a long time would not come to vs, but at the last
by the perswasion of our owne Negros, one boat came to vs, and with him we
sent George our Negro a shore, and after he had talked with them, they came
aboard our boates without feare, and I gaue to their captaine a bason, and
two strings of Margarets, and they shewed vs about 5 duckats weight of
gold, but they required so much for it that wee would not take it, because
the Frenchman and we had agreed to make price of our goods all in one boat,
and the price being made then euery man to sell in his owne boat, and no
man to giue more then the price which should be set by vs al. This place is
called Bulle, and here the Negros were very glad of our Negros, and shewed
them all the friendship they could, when they had told them that they were
the men that were taken away being now againe brought by vs.
The Negros here shewed vs that a moneth since there were 3 ships that
fought together, and the two shippes put the other to flight: and before
that at the castle of Mina there were 4 ships of the Portugals which met
with one Frenchman, which Frenchman caused them all to flee, which shippe
we tooke to be the Roebarge: for the Frenchmen of our company iudged her to
be thereabout that time with her pinnasse also. And further, that after her
went a shippe of twelue score named the Shaudet all alone, and after her a
ship of fourescore, and both for the Mina. And there were two others also
which they left, one at Cape Verde called the Leuriere of Diepe, and
another at the riuer De Sestos, besides these 3 which all this time be in
our company, whose names be these:
The Espoier of Hableneff which is the Admirall, whose captaine is Denis
Blundell.
The Leuriere of Roan Viceadmirall, whose master is Ierome Baudet.
The other is of Hunfleur whose master is called Iohn de Orleans.
The sixteenth day I went along the shore with two pinasses of the
Frenchmen, and found a Baie and a fresh riuer, and after that went to a
towne called Hanta, twelue leagues beyond the Cape. At this towne our
Negros were well knowen, and the men of the towne wept for ioy when they
saw them, and demanded of them where Anthonie and Binne had bene: and they
told them that they had bene at London in England, and should bee brought
home the next voyage. So after this, our Negros came aboord with other
Negros which brought a weight with them, which was so small that wee could
not giue them the halfe of that which they demaunded for it.
The Negros here told vs that there were fiue Portugall shippes at the
Castle, and one pinnasse, and that the Portugals did much harme to their
Countrey, and that they liued in feare of them, and we told them againe,
that we would defend them from the Portugals whereof they were very glad.
The 17 day we went a shoare and the Frenchmen with vs, but did no great
good, the Negros were so vnreasonable, we sold 80. Manellios for one ounce
of gold.