A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels Volume X Part 14

Though they had now sailed so long upon this new land, yet were they unable to determine with any certainty if it actually were the coast of New Guinea, as their charts neither agreed with each other, nor with the coast in view. This coast for the most part ran N.W. by W. sometimes more westerly, and at other times more northerly. Yet they held on their course W.N.W. along the coast, having quiet weather though dull winds, but a.s.sisted by a stream or current setting along the coast to the westwards. Proceeding in this manner, they came into the lat. of 2 58'

S. at noon of the 12th. Continuing their course on the 13th and 14th, the coast in sight was sometimes high and at other times low. The 15th, still pursuing the same course, they reached two low islands about half a league from the main, about the lat.i.tude of 2 54' S. where they had good anchorage in 45 and 46 fathoms. Seeing the country well stored with cocoas, two boats well armed were sent with orders to land and procure some cocoa-nuts. But they were forced to retire by the Indians, in spite of their muskets, at least sixteen of the Dutch, being wounded by arrows and stones thrown from slings.

In the morning of the 16th, they sailed in between the two low islands, and anch.o.r.ed in a safe place in nine fathoms. They landed that day on the smaller island, where they burnt some huts of the natives, and brought away as many cocoa-nuts as gave three to each man of the company. The barbarous natives became now more tractable; as on the 17th they came to make their peace-offerings of cocoas, bananas, ginger, and certain yellow roots [turmeric] used instead of saffron. They even trusted the Dutch so far as to come on board, when peace was entirely restored, and their hearts won by a few nails and beads. They continued bartering on the 18th, for cocoas and bananas, procuring fifty nuts and two bunches of bananas for each man of the company, with a smaller quant.i.ty of ca.s.sava and _papade_. These ca.s.savas and papades are East India commodities, the former being also to be had particularly good in the West Indies, and far preferable to what they got here. The people make all their bread of this substance, baking it in large round cakes.

This smaller island, which is the more easterly, the natives named _Mosa_; the other over against it they call _Jusan_, and the farthest off _Arimea_, which, is very high, and about five or six leagues from the coast of New Guinea.[129] These places had probably been visited before by Europeans, as they had among them some Spanish pots and jars.

They were not nearly so much surprised at the report of the great guns as the others had been, neither were they so curious in looking at the s.h.i.+p.

[Footnote 129: These names are not to be found in our modern general maps, though certainly infinitely better for all the uses of geography than the absurd appellations so much in use among voyagers.--E.]

On the 21st at noon, sailing along the land as before N.W. they were in lat. 1 13' S. The current drove them to a cl.u.s.ter of islands, where they anch.o.r.ed in thirteen fathoms, and were detained all day of the 22d by storms of thunder and rain. Setting sail in the morning of the 23d, six large canoes overtook them, bringing dried fish, cocoas, bananas, tobacco, and a small sort of fruit resembling plums. Some Indians also from another island brought provisions to barter, and some vessels of China porcelain. Like other Savages, they were excessively fond of beads and iron; but they were remarkably distinguished from the natives in the last islands, by their larger size, and more orange-coloured complexions. Their arms were bows and arrows, and they wore gla.s.s earrings of several colours, by which latter circ.u.mstance it appeared that they had been previously visited by other Europeans, and consequently that this was not to be considered as a discovery.

The 24th, steering N.W. and W.N.W. and being in lat. 0 30' S. they sailed along a very pleasant island, which they named Schouten's Island, after their master,[130] and called its western point Cape of Good Hope.

The 25th they pa.s.sed an extensive tract of uneven land on their larboard hand, stretching from E.S.E. to W.N.W. The 26th they saw three other islands, the coast stretching N.W. by W. The 27th they were in lat. 0 29' S. still seeing much land to the south, some of which were very high and some low, which they pa.s.sed, continuing their course to the north of west. The 29th they felt the shock of an earthquake, which shook the s.h.i.+p to that degree that the men ran terrified out of their births, believing the s.h.i.+p had run a-ground, or had bilged against some rock. On heaving the lead they found the sea unfathomable, and their s.h.i.+p clear from all danger of rocks or shoals. The 30th they put into a great bay, out of which they could find no opening to the west, and resumed therefore a northern course. Here the s.h.i.+p trembled again with loud claps of thunder, and was almost set on fire by the lightning, had it not been prevented by prodigious rain.

[Footnote 130: The centre of Schouten Island is in lat. 0 30' S. and long. 223 W. It is nearly 24 leagues long from E. to W. and about eight leagues from N. to S. In some maps this island is named _Mysory_, probably the native appellation, and it lies off the mouth of a great bay, having within it another island of considerable size, called _Jobie_, or Traitor's Island.--E.]

The 31st, continuing a northern course, they pa.s.sed to the north of the equator, and being encompa.s.sed almost all round by land, they anch.o.r.ed in twelve fathoms on good ground, near a desolate island which lay close by the main land. The 1st of August they were in lat. 0 15' N. The 2d and 3d being calm, they were carried by the current W. and W. by N. This day at noon their lat.i.tude was 0 35' N. when they saw several whales and sea-tortoises, with two islands to the westwards. They now reckoned themselves at the western extremity of the land of New Guinea, along which they had sailed 280 leagues. Several canoes came off to them in the morning of the 5th, bringing Indian beans, rice, tobacco, and two beautiful birds of paradise, all white and yellow. These Indians spoke the language of Ternate, and some of them could speak a little Spanish and Malayan, in which last language Clawson the merchant was well skilled. All the people in these canoes were finely clothed from the waist downwards, some with loose silken robes, and others with breeches, and several had silken turbans on their head, being Mahometans. All of them had jet black hair, and wore many gold and silver rings on their fingers. They bartered their provisions with the Dutch for beads and other toys, but seemed more desirous of having linen. They appeared so fearful and suspicious of the Dutch, that they would not tell the name of their country, which however was suspected to be one of the three eastern points of Gilolo, and that the people were natives of Tidore, which was afterwards found to be the case.

In the morning of the 6th they set sail, holding a northern, course, intending to go round the north point of Gilolo. The 7th they saw the north point of Morty, or Moraty, N.E. of Gilolo. Contending with variable winds and adverse currents it was the 19th before they could get into the bay of _Soppy_ in Gilolo, where they anch.o.r.ed in ten fathoms on sandy ground, about a cannon-shot from sh.o.r.e. Here they procured poultry, tortoises, sago, and rice, which was a great relief for the company, still consisting of eighty-five men in health and vigour. Leaving Soppy on the 25th August they came to the desert island of Moro on the 1st September, and, on closer examination, found it composed of several islands close together. They saw here a worm, or serpent, as thick as a man's leg and of great length. On the 5th they anch.o.r.ed off the coast of Gilolo. At this place some of the seamen went ash.o.r.e unarmed to catch fish, when four Ternatese soldiers rushed suddenly out of the wood sword-in-hand while the Dutchmen were drawing their net, intending to have slain them; but the surgeon called out to them _Oran Hollanda_, that is, _Holland men_, on which the soldiers instantly stopped, throwing water on their heads in token of peace, and approaching in a friendly manner, said they had mistaken the Dutchmen for Spaniards. At the request of the seamen they went on board, where, being well treated, they promised to bring provisions and refreshment to the s.h.i.+p, which they afterwards did.

Sailing thence on the 14th they got sight of Ternate and Tidore on the 16th, and anch.o.r.ed on the 17th in the evening before Malaya in Ternate, in eleven fathoms sandy ground. Here captain Schouten and Jaques Le Maire went ash.o.r.e, and were kindly entertained by the general Laurence Real, admiral Stephen Verhagen, and Jasper Janson, governor of Amboina.

On the 18th they sold two of their pinnaces, with most of what had been saved out of the unfortunate Horn, receiving for the same 1350 reals, with part of which they purchased two lasts of rice, a ton of vinegar, a ton of Spanish wine, and three tons of biscuit. On the 27th they sailed for Bantam, and on the 28th of October anch.o.r.ed at Jacatra, now Batavia.

John Peterson Koen, president for the Dutch East India Company at Bantam, arrived there on the 31st of October, and next day sequestered the Unity and her cargo, as forfeited to the India company for illegally sailing within the boundaries of their charter.

In consequence of the seizure of the Unity, captain Schouten and Jaques Le Maire, with others of their people, embarked at Bantam in the Amsterdam and Zealand on the 14th December, 1616, on which they set sail for Holland. On the 31st of that month Jaques Le Maire died, chiefly of grief and vexation on account of the disastrous end of an enterprise which had been so successful till the arrest of the s.h.i.+p and cargo. He was, however, exceedingly solicitous about his journal, which he had kept with the utmost care during the voyage, and left a recommendation that it should be published, that the world might know and judge of the usage they had received. The Amsterdam arrived in Zealand on the 1st July, 1617, where her consort had arrived the day before. Thus was this circ.u.mnavigation of the globe completed in two years and eighteen days; which, considering the difficulties of the course, and other circ.u.mstances of the voyage, was a wonderfully short period.[131]

[Footnote 131: In the Collection of Harris this voyage is succeeded by a dissertation on the high probability of a southern continent existing, and that this supposed continent must be another _Indies_. Both of these fancies being now sufficiently overthrown by the investigations of our immortal Cook, and other modern navigators, it were useless to enc.u.mber our pages with such irrelevant reveries.--E.]

CHAPTER VII.

VOYAGE OF THE Na.s.sAU FLEET ROUND THE WORLD, IN 1623-1626, UNDER THE COMMAND OF JAQUES LE HERMITE.[132]

[Footnote 132: Harris I. 66. Callend. II. 286.]

INTRODUCTION.

The government of the United Netherlands, considering it proper to distress their arch enemy the king of Spain by every means in their power, determined upon sending a powerful squadron into the South Sea, to capture the s.h.i.+ps of his subjects, to plunder the coasts of his dominions, and to demolish his fortifications. Accordingly, in autumn 1622, a final resolution for this purpose was entered into by the States General, with the concurrence of their stadtholder, Prince Maurice of Orange, who even advanced a considerable sum of money towards it from his own funds; and a fleet of no less than eleven s.h.i.+ps of war, besides smaller vessels, were ordered to be fitted out for the expedition, by the several admiralties of the Union and the East India Company. This fleet was in condition for putting to sea in spring 1623, when the command was intrusted to Jaques Le Hermite, an able and accomplished seaman of great experience, who had been long in the service of the East India Company, and was now appointed admiral of the fleet; Hugo Schapenham being vice-admiral. The s.h.i.+ps fitted out on this occasion by the admiralty of Amsterdam were,--

1. The Amsterdam of 800 tons, admiral, carrying twenty bra.s.s cannon and twenty-two iron, with 237 men, commanded by Leenders Jacobson Stolk, as captain, Peter Wely being supercargo, Engelbert Schutte commander of the soldiers on board, Frederick van Reneygom fiscal or judge-advocate, John van Walbeck, engineer, and Justin van Vogelair engineer extraordinary.

2. The Delft of 800 tons, vice-admiral, having twenty bra.s.s and twenty iron cannon, with 242 men, commanded by captain Cornelius de Witte.

3. The Eagle of 400 tons, captain Meydert Egbertson, of twelve bra.s.s and sixteen iron cannon, with 144 men.

4. A yacht called the Greyhound, of sixty tons, captain Solomon Willelmson, carrying four bra.s.s cannons and twenty men.

The admiralty of Zealand fitted out only one s.h.i.+p for this expedition.

5. The Orange of 700 tons, captain Laurence John Quirynen, and carrying likewise the rear-admiral, John William Verschoor. Her complement of men was 216.[133]

[Footnote 133: Her number of guns is not mentioned, but she could hardly have less than thirty-six from her size--E.]

The admiralty of the Maes furnished the following s.h.i.+ps:

6. The Holland of 600 tons and 152 men, carrying ten pieces of bra.s.s and twenty of iron ordnance. In this s.h.i.+p was Cornelius Jacobson, who was counsellor to admiral Le Hermite, but the s.h.i.+p was immediately commanded by captain Adrian Troll.

7. The Maurice of 360 tons and 169 men, having twelve bra.s.s and twenty iron cannon, commanded by captain James Adrianson.

8. The Hope of 260 tons and eighty men, with fourteen iron cannon, captain Peter Hermanson s...o...b...

The admiralty of North Holland also provided the following s.h.i.+ps:

9. The Concord of 600 tons and 170 men, with eighteen bra.s.s and fourteen iron cannon, captain John Ysbrandtz.

10. The King David of 360 tons and seventy-nine men, with sixteen pieces of bra.s.s cannon, captain John Thomason.

11. The Griffin of 320 tons, and seventy-eight men, with fourteen iron cannon, captain Peter Cornelison Hurdloop.

The whole of this fleet of eleven sail, carrying 294 pieces of cannon, had 1637 men, of whom 600 were regular soldiers, divided into five companies of 120 men in each. The East India Company contributed largely to the expence, but does not appear to have equipped any s.h.i.+ps on this occasion.

SECTION I.

_Incidents of the Voyage from Holland to the South Sea_.

This armament, usually called the Na.s.sau fleet, was by far the most considerable that had hitherto been sent against the Spaniards in the new world, and none so powerful has since navigated along the western coast of America in an hostile manner. It sailed on the 29th April, 1622, from Goeree roads, all but the Orange, which joined next day.

On the 7th June, while chasing a Barbary corsair, a Christian slave, who happened to be at the helm, ran the corsair on board the Dutch vice-admiral, and immediately he and other slaves took the opportunity of leaping on board to escape from slavery. The captain of the corsair, who happened to be a Dutch renegado, followed them, and demanded rest.i.tution of his slaves; but the vice-admiral expostulated so strongly with him on the folly and infamy of deserting his country and religion, that he sent for every thing belonging to him out of the corsair, and agreed to go along with the fleet, to the regret of the Turks, who thus lost their captain and seventeen good men.

On the 5th July the fleet anch.o.r.ed in the road of St Vincent, which is extremely safe and commodious, where they procured refreshments of sea-tortoises, fish, goats, and oranges. The islands of St Vincent and St Antonio are the most westerly of the Cape Verds, being in from 16 30' to 18 N. lat.i.tude, and about two leagues from each other. The bay of St Vincent, in which they anch.o.r.ed, is in lat. 16 56' N. and has a good firm sandy bottom, with eighteen, twenty, and twenty-five fathoms water. The island of St Vincent is rocky, barren, and uncultivated, having very little fresh water, though they found a small spring which might have served two or three s.h.i.+ps. By digging wells they procured plenty of water, but somewhat brackish, to which they attributed the b.l.o.o.d.y flux, which soon after began to prevail in the fleet. The goats there, of which they caught fifteen or sixteen every day, were very fat and excellent eating. The sea-tortoises which they took there were from two to three feet long. They come on sh.o.r.e to lay their eggs, which they cover with sand, leaving them to be hatched by the heat of the sun.

Their season of laying eggs is from August to February, remaining all the rest of the year in the sea. They caught every night great numbers of these animals while ash.o.r.e to lay their eggs, and the sailors found them wholesome and pleasant food, eating more like flesh than fish.

This island is altogether uninhabited, but the people of St Lucia come here once a year to catch tortoises, for the sake of an oil they prepare from them; and to hunt goats, the skins of which are sent to Portugal, and their flesh, after being salted and dried at St Jago, is exported to Brazil. There are no fruit-trees in this island, except a few wild figs in the interior; besides which, it produces colocinth, or bitter apple which is a very strong purge.[134] This island has a very dry climate, except during the rainy season, which begins in August and ends in February, but is not very regular.

[Footnote 134: Cuc.u.mis Colocynthis, a plant of the cuc.u.mber family, producing a fruit about the size of an orange, the medullary part of which, when ripe, dried, and freed from the seeds, is a very light, white, spongy substance, composed of membranous leaves, excessively bitter, nauseous, and acrid.]

The island of St Antonio is inhabited by about 500 negroes, including men, women, and children, who subsist chiefly on goats, and also cultivate a small quant.i.ty of cotton. On the sea-side they have extensive plantations of lemons and oranges, whence they gather great quant.i.ties every year. These were very readily supplied to the Dutch by the negroes in exchange for mercery goods, but they saw neither hogs, sheep, nor poultry in the island.

Sailing from St Vincent's on the 25th July, they anch.o.r.ed in the road of Sierra Leona on the 11th August. Here on the 15th some of the crew being on sh.o.r.e, eat freely of certain nuts resembling nutmegs, which had a fine taste, but had scarcely got on board when one of them dropt down dead, and before he was thoroughly cold he was all over purple spots.

The rest recovered by taking proper medicines. Sierra Leona is a mountain on the continent of Africa, standing on the south side of the mouth of the river Mitomba, which discharges itself into a great bay of the sea. The road in which s.h.i.+ps usually anchor is in the lat. of 8 20'

N. This mountain is very high, and thickly covered with trees, by which it may be easily known, as there is no mountain of such height any where upon the coast. There grow here a prodigious number of trees, producing a small kind of lemons called _lima.s.ses_, (limes?) resembling those of Spain in shape and taste, and which are very agreeable and wholesome, if not eaten to excess. The Dutch fleet arrived here at the season when this fruit was in perfection, and having full leave from the natives, the people eat them intemperately; by which, and the bad air, the b.l.o.o.d.y flux increased much among them, so that they lost forty men between the 11th of August and the 5th September. Sierra Leona abounds in palm-trees, and has some ananas, or pine-apples, with plenty of wood of all sorts, besides having an exceedingly convenient watering-place opposite to the anchorage.