Billeder på siden
PDF
ePub

trifles. Their island is both rich and fruitful; rich in gold, silver, copper, tin, sulphur, &c. Neither are they only expert to try those metals, but very skilful also in working of them artificially into divers forms and shapes, as pleaseth them best. Their fruits are diverse likewise and plentiful, as nutmegs, ginger, long pepper, lemons, cucumbers, cocoas, figs, sago, with divers other sorts, whereof we had one in reasonable quantity, in bigness, form, and husk, much like a bay-berry, hard in substance, but pleasant in taste, which being sodden becomes soft, and is a most profitable and nourishing meat. Of each of these we received of them whatsoever we desired for our need, insomuch that (such was God's gracious goodness to us) the old proverb was verified with us, "After a storm cometh a calm, after war peace, after scarcity followeth plenty : so that in all our voyage, Ternate only excepted, from our departure out of our own country, hitherto we found not anywhere greater comfort and refreshing than we did at this time in this place. In refreshing and furnishing ourselves here we spent two days, and departed hence February 10th. When we were come into the height of 8° 4′, February 12th, in the morning we espied a green island to the Southward; not long after, two other islands on the same side, and a great one more towards the North: they seemed all to be well inhabited, but we had neither need nor desire to go to visit them, and so we passed by them. The 14th day we saw some other reasonably big islands; and February 16th we passed between four or five big islands more, which lay in the height1 9° 40'. The 18th, we cast anchor under a little island, whence we departed again the day following; we wooded here, but other relief, except two turtles, we received none. The 22d, we lost sight of three islands on our starboard side, which lay in 10° and some odd minutes. After this we passed on to the Westward without stay or any

1 Latitude (South of the Line).

thing to be taken notice of till the 9th of March, when in the morning we espied land, some part thereof very high, in 8° 20' South latitude. Here we anchored that night, and the next day weighed again, and bearing further North and nearer shore, we came to anchor the second time. The 11th of March we first took in water, and after sent our boat again to shore, where we had traffic with the people of the country; whereupon, the same day, we brought our ship more near the town, and having settled ourselves there that night, the next day our General sent his man ashore to present the King with certain cloth, both linen and woollen, besides some silks; which he gladly and thankfully received, and returned rice, cocoas, hens, and other victuals in way of recompense. This island we found to be the Island of Java, the middle whereof stands in 7° 30′ beyond the Equator. The 13th of March our General himself, with many of his gentlemen and others, went to shore, and presented the King (of whom he was joyfully and lovingly received) with his music, and shewed him the manner of our use of arms, by training his men with their pikes and other wea pons which they had, before him. For the present, we were entertained as we desired, and at last dismissed with a promise of more victuals to be shortly sent us.

In this island there is one chief, but many under-governors, or petty kings, whom they call Rajahs, who live in great familiarity and friendship one with another. The 14th day we received victuals from two of them; and the day after that, to wit the 15th, three of these kings in their own persons came aboard to see our General, and to view our ship and warlike munition. They were well pleased with what they saw, and with the entertainment which we gave them. And after these had been with us, and on their return had, as it seems, related what they found, Rajah Donan, the chief King of the whole land, bringing victuals with him for our relief, he also the next

1580.]

VISIT FROM THE RAJAHS OF JAVA.
Few were

day after came aboard us.
the days that one or more of these
kings did miss to visit us, insomuch
that we grew acquainted with the
names of many of them, as of Rajah
Pataiara, Rajah Cabocapalla, Rajah
Manghango, Rajah Boccabarra, Rajah
Timbanton: whom our General al-
ways entertained with the best cheer
that we could make, and shewed them
all the commodities of our ship, with
our ordnance and other arms and
weapons, and the several furnitures
belonging to each, and the uses for
which they served. His music also,
and all things else whereby he might
do them pleasure, wherein they took
exceeding great delight with admira-
tion. One day, amongst the rest,
March 21st, Rajah Donan coming
aboard us, in requital of our music
which was made to him, presented
our General with his country music,
which though it were of a very strange
kind, yet the sound was pleasant and
delightful. The same day he caused
an ox also to be brought to the water's
side and delivered to us, for which he
was to his content rewarded by our
General with divers sorts of very
costly silks, which he held in great
esteem. Though our often giving en-
tertainment in this manner did hinder
us much in the speedy despatching
of our businesses, and made us spend
the more days about them, yet there
we found all such convenient helps,
that to our contents we at last ended
them. The matter of greatest impor-
tance which we did, besides victual-
ling, was the new trimming and wash-
ing of our ship, which by reason of
our long voyage was so overgrown
with a kind of shellfish sticking fast
unto her, that it hindered her exceed
ingly, and was a great trouble to her
sailing. The people, as are their
kings, are a loving, a very true, and
a just-dealing people. We trafficked
with them for hens, goats, cocoas,
plantains, and other kinds of victuals,
which they offered us in such plenty,
that we might have laden our ship if
we had needed.1

97

We took our leaves and departed from them the 26th of March, and set our course WSW., directly towards the Cape of Good Hope, or Bon Esperance, and continued without touch of aught but air and water until the 21st of May, when we espied land-to wit, a part of the main of Africa-in some places very high, under the latitude of thirty-one and a half degrees. We coasted along till June 15th, on which day, having very fair weather, and the wind at Southeast, we passed the Cape itself so near in sight, that we had been able with our pieces to have shot to land." July 15th we fell with the land again about Rio de Sesto, where we saw many negroes in their boats a-fishing, whereof two came very near us, but we cared not to stay, nor had any talk or dealing with them. The 22d of the same month we came to Sierra Leone, and spent two days for watering in the mouth of Tagoine, and then put to sea again; here also we had oysters,3

inform us, was a house of assembly or public hall, where the people met twice daily to partake of a common meal and enjoy the pleasures of conversation. To this festival every one contributed, at his pleasure or convenience, fruits, boiled rice, roasted fowls, and sago. The viands were spread on a table raised three feet, and the party gathered round, one rejoicing in the company of another." 2 The Cape is described by another chronicler as "a most stately thing, and the fairest cape we saw in the whole circumference of the earth." They passed it in perfectly calm and clear weather; making them affirm, that the Portuguese had not less falsely alleged the extreme peril of the passage from continual tempests, than the Spaniards, to deter voyagers of other nations, had exaggerated the dangers of the course round the southern extremity of America.

3 The voyagers came here upon a kind of oysters which "was found on trees, spawning and increasing infinitely; the oyster suffering no bud

1 In every village, other narratives to grow."

G

and plenty of lemons, which gave us | minds and thankful hearts to God, good refreshing. We found ourselves arrived at Plymouth, the place of our under the Tropic of Cancer, August first setting forth, after we had spent 15th, having the wind at North-east, two years, ten months, and some few and we fifty leagues off from the nearest odd days besides, in seeing the won land. The 22d day we were in the ders of the Lord in the deep, in disheight of the Canaries. covering so many admirable things, in going through with so many strange adventures, in escaping out of so many dangers, and overcoming so many difficulties, in this our encompassing of this nether globe, and passing round about the world, which we

And the 26th of September (which was Monday in the just and ordinary reckoning of those that had stayed at home in one place or country, but in our computation was the Lord's Day or Sunday1) we safely, with joyful

[ocr errors]

The same circumstance, which every schoolboy" can now explain, had also astonished the companions of Magellan, who, on their return from their circumnavigation to San Lucar in 1522, discovered that they

[ocr errors]

have related.

Soli rerum maximarum Effectori,
Soli totius mundi Gubernatori,
Soli suorum Conservatori,
Soli Deo sit semper Gloria.

had "lost a day.' Dampier notes of his Fourteenth Chapter. See page the same thing at the commencement | 251.

END OF DRAKE'S VOYAGE ROUND THE WORLD.

DRAKE'S LAST VOYAGE.

1595.

[An account of Drake's unfortunate expedition to the West Indies in 1595, written by Thomas Maynarde, one of his companions on the occasion, is still preserved, and is given here-though a little apart from the main purpose of the present volume-as an appropriate sequel to Mr Fletcher's narrative of his most brilliant achievement.]

Ir appears by the attempts and carelessness in losing the strongholds known purposes of the Spaniard-as and towns which he possessed in the by his greedy desire to be our neigh-Low Countries, not following those bour in Britain, his fortifying upon wars in that heat which he wonted, the river of Brest, to gain so near us the rebellious rising of the Earl of a quiet and safe road for his fleet, his Tyrone (wrought or drawn thereto

EXPEDITION TO THE WEST INDIES.

99

ently seen to better judgments before our going from Plymouth, that whom the one loved, the other smally esteemed. Agreeing best, for what I could conjecture, in giving out a glorious title to their intended journey, and in not so well victualling the navy as, I deem, was Her Majesty's pleasure it should be, both of them served them to good purpose; for, from this having the distributing of so great sums, their miserable providing for us would free them from incurring any great loss, whatsoever befell of the journey. And the former1 drew unto them so great repair of voluntaries, that they had choice to discharge such few as they had pressed, and to enforce the stay of others who gladly would be partakers of their voyage. But notwithstanding matters were very forward, and that they had drawn together three thousand men, and had ready furnished twenty-seven ships, whereof six were Her Majesty's, yet many times was it very doubtful whether the journey should proceed ;3 and had not the news of a galleon of the King of Spain, which was driven into Saint John de Puerto Rico with two millions and a half of treasure, come unto them by the report of certain prisoners, whereof they advertised Her Majesty, it is very likely it had been broken, but Her Majesty, persuaded by them of the easy taking thereof, commanded them to hasten their departure.

1595.] undoubtedly by his wicked practices) | it from meaner wits, yet was it appar -that he leaveth no means unattempted which he judged might be a furtherance to turn our tranquillity into accursed thraldom; so robbing us of that quiet peace which we, from the hands of Her Majesty (next under God), abundantly enjoy. This his bloodthirsty desire foreseen by the wisdom of our Queen and Council, they held no better means to curb his unjust pretences, than by sending forces to invade him in that kingdom from whence he hath feathers to fly to the top of his high desires; they knowing that if for two or three years a blow were given him there that might hinder the coming into Spain of his treasure, his poverty, by reason of his huge daily payments, would be so great, and his men of war, most of them mercenaries, that assuredly would fall from him, so would he have more need of means to keep his own territories, than he now hath of superfluity to thrust into others' rights. This invasion was spoken of in June 1594, a long time before it was put in execution; and it being partly resolved on, Sir Francis Drake was named General in November following a man of great spirit and fit to undertake matters: in my poor opinion, better able to conduct forces and discreetly to govern in conducting them to places where service was to be done, than to command in the execution thereof. But, assuredly, his very name was a great terror to the enemy in all those parts, having heretofore done many things in those countries to his honourable fame and profit. But entering into them as the child of fortune, it may be his self-willed and peremptory command was doubted, and that caused Her Majesty, as should seem, to join Sir John Hawkins in equal commission a man old and wary, entering into matters with so laden a foot, that the other's meat would be eaten before his spit could come to the fire; men of so different natures and dispositions, that what the one desireth the other would commonly oppose against; and though their wary carriages sequestered

:

So on Thursday, being the 28th of August, in the year 1595, having stayed two months in Plymouth, we went thence twenty-seven sail, and

1 That is, the "giving out a glorious title" to their intended expedition.

2 Resort of volunteers.

It was detained, among other causes, by artfully propagated rumours that another great Armada was being prepared for the invasion of England-the Spaniards thus gaining time to put their colonies in good defence against the formidable attack now menaced.

were two thousand five hundred men of all sorts. This fleet was divided into two squadrons; not that it was so appointed by Her Majesty, for from her was granted as powerful authority unto either of them over the whole as any part, but Sir Francis victualling the one half and Sir John the other, it made them, as men affecting what they had done,1 to challenge a greater prerogative over them than the whole; wherein they wronged themselves and the action,2 for we had not run sixty or seventy leagues in our course, before a flag of council was put out in the Garland, unto which all commanders with the chief masters and gentlemen repaired. Sir Francis complained that he had three hundred men more in his squadron than were in the other, and that he was much pestered in his own ship, whereof he would gladly be eased. Sir John gave no other hearing to this motion, but seemed to dislike that he should bring more than was concluded betwixt them; and this drew them to some choleric speeches. But Sir John would not receive any unless he were entreated; to this Sir Francis' stout 3 heart could never be driven. This was on the 2d of September, and after they were somewhat qualified, they acquainted us that Sir Thomas Baskerville, our Colonel-general, was of their council by virtue of the broad seal, and that they would take unto them Sir Nicholas Clifford and the other captains appointed by Her Majesty, who were, eleven for the land, four for the ships in which they themselves went not. They gave us instructions for directing our course, if, by foul weather or mischance, any should be severed, and orders what allowances we should put our men into for preservation of victuals, with other necessary instructions. In the

1 Taking a greater interest in what had engaged their own attention and touched their own pocket.

2 Enterprise.

8 Proud, stubborn.

After their passion had somewhat abated.

end, Sir John revealed the places whither we were bound, in hearing of the basest mariner; observing therein no warlike or provident advice, nor was it ever amended to the time of their deaths, but so he named Saint John de Puerto Rico, where the treasure before spoken of was to be taken, even without blows; from whence we should go direct to Nombre de Dios, and so over land to Panama. What other things should fall out by the way, he esteemed them not worth the naming, this being sufficient to make a far greater army rich to their content.

Some seven or eight days after this, we were called aboard the Defiance, where, Sir Francis Drake propounding unto us whether we should give upon the Canaries or Madeiras (for he was resolved to put for one of them by the way), we seeing his bent and the earnestness of the Colonelgeneral, together with the apparent likelihood of profit, might soon have been drawn thereto, but for considering the weighty matters we had undertaken, and how needful it was to hasten us thither. But General Hawkins utterly misliking this notion-it being a matter, as he said, never before thought of-knew no cause why the fleet should stay in any place till they came to the Indies, unless it should be by his taking in of so great numbers to consume his waters and other provision; the which, if Sir Francis would acknowledge, he would rid him and relieve him the best he could. Now the fire which lay hid in their stomachs began to break forth, and had not the Colonel pacified them, it would have grown farther; but their heat somewhat abated, and they concluded to dine next day aboard the Garland with Sir John, when it was resolved that we should put for the Grand Canaries, though, in my conscience, whatsoever his tongue said, Sir John's heart was against it. These matters were well qualified, and for that place we shaped our course; in which

5 Drake's.

« ForrigeFortsæt »