blessing, with like commendations vnto my mother; and withall, to certifie
you of my being: according to your will and my duety. I wrote vnto you
taking my iourney from Italy to Portugall, which letters I thinke are come
to your hands, so that presuming therupon, I thinke I haue the lesse need
at this time to tell you the cause of my departing, which nevertheless in
one word I may conclude, if I do but name obedience. I came to Lisbon
toward the end of March, eight dayes before the departure of the shippes,
so late that if they had not bene stayed about some weighty matters, they
had bene long gone before our comming: insomuch that there were others
ordained to goe in our places, that the kings prouision and ours also might
not be in vaine. Neuerthelesse our sudden comming tooke place, and the
fourth of Aprill fiue ships departed for Goa, wherein besides shipmen and
souldiers, there were a great number of children which in the seas beare
out better than men, and no maruell, when that many women also passe very
well. The setting foorth from the port I need not to tell how solemne it is
with trumpets, and shooting of ordinance, you may easily imagine it,
considering that they go in the maner of warre. The tenth of the foresayd
moneth we came to the sight of Porto Santo neere vnto Madera, where an
English shippe set vpon ours (which was then also alone) with a few shots,
which did no harme, but after that our ship had layed out her greatest
ordinance, they straight departed as they came. The English shippe was very
faire and great, which I was sorry to see so ill occupied, for she went
rouing about, so that we saw her againe at the Canarian Iles, vnto the
which we came the thirteenth of the sayd moneth, and good leisure we had to
woonder at the high mountaine of the Iland Tenerif, for we wandred betweene
that and great Canaria foure dayes by reason of contrary windes: and
briefly, such euill weather we had vntill the foureteenth of May, that they
despaired, to compasse the Cape of Good hope that yeere. Neuertheless,
taking our voyage betweene Guinea and the Ilands of Capo Verde, without
seeing of any land at all, we arriued at length vnto the coast of Guinie,
which the Portugals so call, chiefly that part of the burning Zone, which
is from the sixt degree vnto the Equinoctiall, in which parts they suffered
so many inconueniences of heats, and lacke of windes, that they thinke
themselues happy when they haue passed it: for sometimes the ship standeth
there almost by the space of many dayes, sometimes she goeth, but in such
order that it were almost as good to stand still. And the greatest part of
this coast not cleare, but thicke and cloudy, full of thunder and
lightening, and raine so vnholesome, that if the water stand a little
while, all is full of wormes, and falling on the meat which is hanged vp,
it maketh it straight full of wormes. Along all that coast we often times
saw a thing swimming vpon the water like a cocks combe (which they call a
ship of Guinea) but the colour much fairer; which combe standeth vpon a
thing almost like the swimmer of a fish in colour and bignesse, and beareth
vnderneath in the water, strings which saue it from turning ouer. This
thing is so poisonous, that a man cannot touch it without great perill. In
this coast, that is to say, from the sixt degree vnto the Equinoctiall, we
spent no lesse than thirty dayes, partly with contrary windes, partly with
calme. The thirtieth of May we passed the Equinoctiall with contentation,
directing our course as well as we could to passe the promontory, but in
all that gulfe, and in all the way beside, we found so often calmes, that
the expertest mariner wondred at it. And in places where there are alwayes
woont to be most horrible tempests, we found most quiet calmes which was
very troublesome to those ships which be the greatest of all other, and
cannot go without good windes. Insomuch, that when it is tempest almost
intollerable for other ships, and maketh them maine all their sailes, these
hoise vp, and saile excellent well, vnlesse the waters be too furious,
which seldome happened in our nauigation. You shall vnderstand, that being
passed the line, they cannot straightway go the next way to the promontory:
but according to the winde, they draw always as neere South as they can to
put themselues in the latitude of the point, which is 35 degrees and an
halfe, and then they take their course towards the East, and so compass the
point. But the winde serued vs so, that at 33 degrees we did direct our
course toward the point or promontory of Good hope.
You know that it is hard to saile from East to West, or contrary, because
there is no fixed point in all the skie, whereby they may direct their
course, wherefore I shall tell you what helps God prouided for these men.
There is not a fowle that appereth, or signe in the aire, or in the sea,
which they haue not written, which haue made the voyages heretofore.
[Sidenote: The variation of the compasse.] Wherfore, partly by their owne
experience, and pondering withall what space the ship was able to make with
such a winde, and such direction, and partly by the experience of others,
whose books and nauigations they haue, they gesse whereabouts they be,
touching degrees of longitude, for of latitude they be alwayes sure: but
the greatest and best industry of all is to marke the variation of the
needle or compasse, which in the Meridian of the Iland of S. Michael, which
is one of the Azores in the latitude of Lisbon, is iust North, and thence
swarueth towards the East so much, that betwixt the Meridian aforesayd, and
the point of Africa it carrieth three or foure quarters of 32. And againe
in the point of Afrike, a little beyond the point that is called Cape das
Agulias (in English the needles) it returneth againe vnto the North, and
that place passed, it swarueth againe toward the West, as it did before
proportionally. [Sidenote: Signes about the Cape of Bona Speransa.] As
touching our first signes, the neerer we came to the people of Afrike, the
more strange kindes of fowles appeared, insomuch that when we came within
no lesse then thirty leagues (almost an hundred miles) and sixe hundred
miles as we thought from any Iland, as good as three thousand fowles of
sundry kindes followed our ship: some of them so great that their wings
being opened from one point to the other, contained seuen spannes, as the
Mariners sayd. A maruellous thing to see how God prouided, so that in so
wide a sea these fowles are all fat, and nothing wanteth them. The
Portugals haue named them all according to some propriety which they haue:
some they call Rushtailes, because their tailes be not proportionable to
their bodies, but long and small like a rush, some forked tailes because
they be very broad and forked, some Veluet sleeues, because they haue wings
of the colour of veluet, and bowe them as a man boweth his elbow. This bird
is alwayes welcome, for he appeareth neerest the Cape. I should neuer make
an end if I should tell all particulars: but it shall suffice briefly to
touch a few, which yet shall be sufficient, if you marke them, to giue
occasion to glorifie almighty God in his wonderfull works, and such variety
in his creatures. [Sidenote: Fishes on sea coast of Africa.] And to speake
somewhat of fishes in all places of calme, especially in the burning Zone,
neere the line (for without we neuer saw any) there waited on our ship
fishes as long as a man, which they call Tuberones, they come to eat such
things as from the shippe fall into the sea, not refusing men themselues if
they light vpon them. And if they finde any meat tied in the sea, they take
it for theirs. These haue waiting on them six or seuen small fishes (which
neuer depart) with gardes blew and greene round about their bodies, like
comely seruing men: and they go two or three before him, and some on euery
side. Moreouer, they haue other fishes which cleaue alwayes vnto their
body, and seeme to take such superfluities as grow about them, and they are
sayd to enter into their bodies also to purge them if they need. The
Mariners in time past haue eaten of them, but since they haue seene them
eate men their stomacks abhorre them. Neuerthelesse, they draw them vp with
great hooks, and kill of them as many as they can, thinking that they haue
made a great reuenge. There is another kind of fish as bigge almost as a
herring, which hath wings and flieth, and they are together in great
number. These haue two enemies, the one in the sea, the other in the aire.
In the sea the fish which is called Albocore, as big as a Salmon, followeth
them with great swiftnesse to take them. This poore fish not being able to
swim fast, for he hath no finnes, but swimmeth with moouing of his taile,
shutting his wings, lifteth himselue aboue the water, and flieth not very
hie: the Albocore seeing that, although he haue no wings, yet he giueth a
great leape out of the water, and sometimes catcheth him, or els he keepeth
himselfe vnder the water going that way on as fast as he flieth. And when
the fish being weary of the aire, or thinking himselue out of danger,
returneth into the water, the Albocore meeteth with him: but sometimes his
other enemy the sea-crow, catcheth him before he falleth. [Sidenote: Note.]
With these and like sights, but alwayes making our supplications to God for
good weather and saluation of the ship, we came at length vnto the point,
so famous and feared of all men: but we found there no tempest, only great
waues, where our Pilot was a little ouerseene: for whereas commonly al
other neuer come within sight of land, but seeing signes ordinary, and
finding bottome, go their way sure and safe, he thinking himselfe to haue
wind at will, shot so nigh the land that the winde turning into the South,
and the waues being exceeding great, rolled vs so neere the land, that the
ship stood in lesse then 14 fadoms of water, no more then sixe miles from
the Cape, which is called Das Agulias, and there we stood as vtterly cast
away: for vnder vs were rocks of maine stone so sharpe, and cutting, that
no ancre could hold the ship, the shore so euill, that nothing could take
land, and the land itselfe so full of Tigers, and people that are sauage,
and killers of all strangers, that we had no hope of life nor comfort, but
onely in God and a good conscience. Notwithstanding, after we had lost
ancres, hoising vp the sailes for to get the ship a coast in some safer
place, or when it should please God, it pleased his mercy suddenly, where
no man looked for helpe, to fill our sailes with wind from the land, and so
we escaped, thanks be to God. And the day following, being in the place
where they are alwayes wont to catch fish, we also fell a fishing, and so
many they tooke, that they serued all the ship for that day, and part of
the next. [Sidenote: Corall.] And one of them pulled vp a corall of great
bignesse and price. For there they say (as we saw by experience) that the
corals doe grow in the maner of stalks vpon the rocks in the bottome, and
waxe hard and red. The day of perill was the nine and twentieth of Iuly.
[Sidenote: Two wayes beyond the cape of Good hope.] And you shall
vnderstand that, the Cape passed, there be two wayes to India: one within
the Ile of S. Lawrence, which they take willingly, because they refresh
themselues at Mosambique a fortnight or a moneth, not without great need,
and thence in a moneth more land in Goa. The other is without the Ile of S.
Lawrence, which they take when they set foorth so late, and come so late to
the point, that they have no time to take the foresayd Mosambique, and then
they goe heauily, because in this way they take no port. And by reason of
the long nauigation, and want of food and water, they fall into sundry
diseases, their gummes waxe great, and swell, and they are faine to cut
them away, their legges swell and all the body becommeth sore, and so
benummed, that they cannot stirre hand nor foot, and so they die for
weaknesse, others fall into fluxes and agues, and die thereby. And this way
it was our chance to make: yet though we had more then one hundred and
fifty sicke, there died not past seuen and twentie; which losse they
esteemed not much in respect of other times. Though some of ours were
diseased in this sort, yet, thanks be to God, I had my health, contrary to
the expectation of many: God send me my health so well in the land, if it
may be to his honour and seruice. This way is full of priuy rocks and
quicke-sands, so that sometimes we durst not saile by night, but by the
prouidence of God we saw nothing, nor neuer found bottom vntill we came to
the coast of India. When we had passed againe the line, and were come to
the third degree or somewhat more, we saw crabs swimming on the water that
were red as though they had bene sodden: but this was no signe of land.
After about the eleuenth degree, the space of many days, more than ten
thousand fishes by estimation followed round about our ship, whereof we
caught so many, that for fifteene days we did eate nothing els, and they
serued our turne very well: for at this time we had neither meate nor
almost any thing els to eate, our nauigation growing so long that it drew
neere to seuen moneths, where as commonly they goe it in fiue, I mean when
they saile the inner way. [Sidenote: They commonly sail from Lisbon to Goa
in 5 moneths.] But these fishes were not signe of land, but rather of deepe
sea. At length we tooke a couple of Birds which were a kinde of Hawks,
whereof they ioyed much, thinking that they had bene of India, but indeed
they were of Arabia, as we found afterward. And we that thought we had bene
neere India, were in the same latitude neere Zocotoro, an Ile in the mouth
of the Red sea. [Sidenote: Running seas very dangerous.] But there God sent
vs great winds from the Northeast or Northnortheast, wherevpon vnwillingly
they bare vp towards the East, and thus we went tenne dayes without seeing
signe of land, whereby they perceived their errour: for they had directed
their course before always Northeast, coueting to multiply degrees of
latitude, but partly the difference of the Needle, and most of all the
running seas, which at that time ran Northwest, had drawen vs to this other
danger, had not God sent vs this winde, which at length waxed larger, and
restored vs to our right course. These running seas be so perillous that
they deceiue the most part of the gouernours, and some be so little
curious, contenting themselues with ordinary experience, that they care not
to seeke out any meanes to know when they swarue, neither by the compasse,
nor by any other triall. [Sidenote: Certaine signs of land.] The first
signe of land were certaine fowles which they knew to be of India: the
second, boughes of palmes and sedges: the third, snakes swimming on the
water, and a substance which they call by the name of a coine of money, as
broad and as round as a groat, wonderfully printed and stamped of nature,
like vnto some coine. And these two last signes be so certaine, that the
next day after, if the winde serve, they see lande, which we did to our
great joy, when all our water (for you know they make no beere in those
parts) and victuals began to faile vs. [Sidenote: They arriued at Goa the
24 of October.] And to Goa we came the foure and twentieth day of October,
there being receiued with passing great charity. The people be tawny, but
not disfigured in their lips and noses, as the Moores and Cafres of
Ethiopia. They that be not of reputation, or at least the most part, goe
naked, sauing an apron of a span long, and as much in breadth before them,
and a lace two fingers broad before them, girded about with a string and no
more: and thus they thinke them as well as we with all our trimming. Of the
fruits and trees that be here I cannot now speake, for I should make
another letter as long as this. For hitherto I haue not seene a tree here
whose like I haue seene in Europe, the vine excepted, which neuerthelesse
here is to no purpose, so that all the wines are brought out of Portugall.
The drinke of this countrey is good water, or wine of the Palme tree, or of
a fruit called Cocos. And this shall suffice for this time. If God send me
my health, I shall haue opportunity to write to you once againe. Now the
length of my letter compelleth me to take my leaue, and thus I wish your
most prosperous health. From Goa the tenth of Nouember, 1579.
Your louing sonne Thomas
Steuens.
* * * * *
A briefe relation of the great magnificence and rich traffike of the
kingdome of Pegu beyond the East India, written by Frey Peter of Lisbon,
to his cousin Frey Diego of Lisbon, from Cochin.
[Sidenote: The coast of India greatly troubled with Moores.] I receiued
your letters in the harbour of Damaon by a carauell of aduise that came
from Malacca, which brought shot, powder, and other prouision for the
furnishing of foure gallies and a great Gallion, which are now in building,
to keepe our coast for feare of great store of men of warre, being Moores,
which trouble vs very sore. At that instant when I receiued your letters I
was newly come from the kingdome of Pegu, where I had remained one yeere
and an halfe, and from thence I departed to the city of Cochin in October
1587. The newes which I can certifie you of concerning these countreys are:
that this king of Pegu is the mightiest king of men, and the richest that
is in these parts of the world: for he bringeth into the field at any time,
when he hath warres with other princes, aboue a million of fightingmen:
howbeit they be very leane and small people, and are brought vnto the field
without good order. [Sidenote: Abundance of golde, siluer, pearles, and
precious stones in Pegu.] He is lord of the Elephants, and of all the golde
and siluer mines, and of all the pearles and precious stones: so that he
hath the greatest store of treasure that euer was heard of in these parts.
The countrey people call him the God of trueth and of iustice. I had great
conference with this king, and with the head captaine of the Portugals,
which is one of the countrey. They demanded of me many questions as
touching the law and faith of Iesus Christ, and as touching the Ten
Commandements. And the king gaue his consent that our Order should build a
Church in his countrey, which was halfe builded; but our peruerse and
malicious Portugals plucked it downe againe: [Sidenote: The great gaine of
the Portugals in Pegu.] for whereas it is a countrey wherein our nation
gaine very much by their commodities, they fearing that by the building of
this Church there would be greater resort thither, and so their trade
should be impaired if their great gaines should be knowen vnto others then
those which found this countrey out first, therefore they were so vnwilling
that the building of this church should goe forward. Our Portugals which
are here in this realme are woorse people then the Gentiles. I preached
diuers times among those heathen people; but being obstinate they say, that
as their father beleeued so they will beleeue: for if their forefathers
went to the diuell so they will. Whereupon I returned backe againe to our
monastery to certifie our Father prouinciall of the estate of this new
found countrey. It is the best and richest countrey in all this East India:
and it is thought to be richer then China.
[Sidenote: Pegu the best and richest countrey in all the East Indies.] I am
afrayd that the warres which his Maiestie hath with England will be the
vtter vndoing and spoile of Spaine: for these countreys likewise are almost
spoiled with ciull warres, which the Moores haue against the Gentiles: for
the kings here are vp in armes all the countrey ouer. Here is an Indian
which is counted a prophet, which hath prophesied that there will a Dragon
arise in a strange countrey, which will do great hurt to Spaine. How it
will fall out onely God doth know. And thus I rest: from this monastery of
Cochin the 28 of December, 1589. [Sidenote: A prophesie of an Indian
against Spaine.]
Your good cousin and assured friend
frier Peter of Lisbon.
* * * * *
A voyage with three tall ships, the Penelope Admirall, the Marchant royall
Viceadmirall, and the Edward Bonaduenture Rereadmirall, to the East
Indies, by the Cape of Buona Speransa, to Quitangone neere Mosambique, to
the Iles of Comoro and Zanzibar on the backeside of Africa, and beyond
Cape Comori in India, to the Iles of Nicubar and of Gomes Polo, within
two leagues of Sumatra, to the Ilands of Pulo Pinaom, and thence to the
maine land of Malacca, begunne by M. George Raymond, in the yeere 1591,
and performed by M. Iames Lancaster, and written from the mouth of Edmund
Barker of Ipswich, his lieutenant in the sayd voyage, by M. Richard
Hakluyt.
Our fleet of the three tall ships abouenamed departed from Plimmouth the 10
of April 1591, and arrived at the Canarie-ilands the 25 of the same, from
whence we departed the 29 of April. The second of May we were in the height
of Cape Blanco. The fift we passed the tropique of Cancer. The eight we
were in the height of Cape Verde. All this time we went with a faire winde
at Northeast, alwayes before the winde vntil the 13 of the same moneth,
when we came within 8 degrees of the Equinoctiall line, where we met with a
contrary winde. Here we lay off and on in the sea vntil the 6 of Iune, on
which day we passed the sayd line. While we lay thus off and on, we tooke a
Portugal Carauel laden by merchants of Lisbon for Brasile, in which Carauel
we had some 60 tunnes of wine, 1200 iarres of oyle, about 100 iarres of
oliues, certaine barrels of capers, three fats of peason, with diuers other
necessaries fit for our voyage; which wine, oyle, oliues and capers were
better to vs then gold. [Sidenote: Three occasions of sicknes neere the
line.] We had two men died before wee passed the line, and diuers sicke,
which took their sicknesse in those hote climates: for they be wonderfull
vnwholesome from 8 degrees of Northerly latitude vnto the line, at that
time of the yeere: for we had nothing but Ternados, with such thunder,
lightning, and raine, that we could not keep our men drie 3 houres
together, which was an occasion of the infection among them, and their
eating of salt victuals, with lacke of clothes to shift them. After we
passed the line, we had the wind still at Eastsoutheast, which carried vs
along the coast of Brasil 100 leagues from the maine, til we came in 26
degrees to the Southward of the line, where the wind came vp to the North,
at which time we did account, that the Cape of Buona esperansa did beare
off vs East and by South, betwixt 900 and 1000 leagues. Passing this gulfe
from the coast of Brasil vnto the Cape we had the wind often variable as it
is vpon our coast, but for the most part so, that we might lie our course.
The 28 of Iuly we had sight of the foresayd Cape of Buona esperansa: vntill
the 31 we lay off and on with the wind contrary to double the Cape, hoping
to double it, and so to haue gone seuentie leagues further to a place
called Agoada de S. Bras, before we would haue sought to haue put into any
harbour. But our men being weake and sicke in all our shippes, we thought
good to seeke some place to refresh them. With which consent we bare vp
with the land to the Northward of the Cape, and going along the shoare, we
espied a goodly Baie with an Iland lying to Seawards of it into which we
did beare, and found it very commodious for our ships to ride in.
[Sidenote: Agoada de Saldanha.] This Baie is called Agoada de Saldanha,
lying 15 leagues Northward on the hither side of the Cape. The first of
August being Sunday we came to an anker in the Baie, sending our men on
land, and there came vnto them certaine blacke Saluages very brutish which
would not stay, but retired from them. For the space of 15 or 20 dayes we
could finde no reliefe but onely foules which wee killed with our pieces,
which were cranes and geese: there was no fish but muskles and other
shel-fish, which we gathered on the rockes. [Sidenote: Great store of
Penguins and Seales.] After 15 or 20 dayes being here, our Admirall went
with his pinnasse vnto the Iland which lieth off this Baie, where hee found
great store of Penguines and Seales, whereof he brought good plenty with
him. And twise after that we sent certain of our men, which at both times
brought their bots lading vnto our ships. After we had bene here some time,
we got here a Negro, whom we compelled to march into the countrey with vs,
making signs to bring vs some cattel; but at this time we could come to the
sight of none, so we let the Negro goe with some trifles. [Sidenote:
Bullocks, oxen, and sheepe, dog-cheape.] Within 8 dayes after, he with 30
or 40 other Negroes, bought vs downe some 40 bullocks and oxen, with as
many sheepe: at which time we brought but few of them. But within 8 dayes
after they came downe with as many more, and then we bought some 24 oxen
with as many sheepe. We bought an oxe for two kniues, a stirke for a knife,
and a sheepe for a knife, and some we bought for lesse value then a knife.
The oxen be very large and well fleshed, but not fat. The sheepe are very
big and very good meat, they haue no woll on their backs but haire, and
haue great tailes like the sheepe in Syria. There be diuers sorts of wild
beests, as the Antilope, (whereof M. Lancaster killed one of the bignes of
a yong colt) the red and fallow Deere, with other great beasts vnknowen
vnto vs. Here are also great store of ouer-growen monkies. As touching our
proceeding vpon our voyage, it was thought good rather to proceed with two
ships wel manned, then with three euill manned: for here wee had of sound
and whole men but 198, of which there went in the Penelope with the Admiral
101, and in the Edward with the worshipfull M. captaine Lancaster 97. We
left behind 50 men with the Roiall marchant, whereof there were many
pretily well recouered, of which ship was master and gouernour Abraham
Kendal, which for many reasons we thought good to send home. The disease
that hath consumed our men hath bene the skuruie. Our souldiers which haue
not bene vsed to the Sea, haue best held out, but our mariners dropt away,
which (in my iudgement) proceedeth of their euill diet at home.