A briefe note of a voyage to the East Indies, begun the
10 of April 1591, wherein were three tall ships, the
Penelope of Captaine Raimond, Admirall, the Merchant
royall, whereof was Captaine, Samuel Foxcroft, Viceadmirall, the Edward Bonaventure, whereof was Captaine, M. James Lancaster, Rere-admirall, with a small
pinnesse. Written by Henry May, who in his returne
homeward by the West Indies, suffred shipwracke upon
the isle of Bermuda
, wherof here is annexed a large
description.
THE tenth of April 1591 we departed from Plymmouth
with the ships aforesayd. In May following wee arrived
at Grand Canaria one of the fortunate Islands. Also
toward the end of this moneth we tooke a Portugall shippe
being bound for Brasil
, within three degrees to the Northward of the Equinoctiall, which served greatly to our
refreshing. The 29 of July following we came to Aguada
Saldania a good harbour neere the cape of Buona Speranza
where we stayed about a moneth with the Merchant royall,
which by reason of sicknesse in our fleet was sent home
for England
with divers weake men. Here we bought an
oxe for a knife of three pence, a sheepe for a broken knife
or any other odde trifle, of the people which were Negros,
clad in cloaks or mantles of raw hides, both men and
women. The 8 of September the Penelope & the Edward
Bonaventure weyed anker, and that day we doubled the
cape of Buona Speranza. The 12 following we were
taken with an extreame tempest or huricano. This evening we saw a great sea breake over our admirall the
Penelope, and their light strooke out: and after that we
never saw them any more. In October following we in
the Edward fell with the Westermost part of the isle of
S. Laurence about midnight, knowing not where we were.
Also the next day we came to an anker at
Quitangone a
place on the main land of Africa
, which is two or three
leagues to the Northward of Mozambique, where the
Portugals of the isle of Mozambique fetch all their fresh
water. Here we tooke a pangaia, with a Portugall boy
in it; which is a vessell like a barge, with one matsaile
of Coco nut leaves. The barge is sowed together with
the rindes of trees, and pinned with woodden pinnes. In
this pangaia we had certeine corne called millio, hennes,
and some fardels of blew Calicut
cloth. The Portugall
boy we tooke with us, and dismissed the rest. From this
place we went for an island called Comoro, upon the coast
of Melinde, which standeth about 11 degrees to the South
of the equinoctial: in which island we stayed all November, finding the people blacke and very comly, but very
treacherous and cruell: for the day before we departed
from thence they killed thirty of our men on shore, among
whom was William Mace our master, and two of his
mates; the one of them being in the boat with him to
fetch water, the other being on shore against our ship;
they having first betrayed our boat. From hence we went
for the isle of Zanzibar
, on the coast of Melinde, whereas
wee stayed and Wintered untill the beginning of February
following.
The second of February 1592 wee weyed anker, and set
saile directly for the East Indies; but having calmes and
contrary windes, wee were untill the moneth of June
before wee could recover the coast of India
neere Calicut
;
whereby many of our men died for want of refreshing.
In this moneth of June we came to an anker at the isles
of Pulo
pinaom, whereas we stayed untill the first day
of September, our men being very sicke, and dying apace.
This day we set saile, and directed our course for Malaca
:
and wee had not bene farre at sea, but wee tooke a shippe
of the kingdome of Pegu
of some fourescore tunnes with
wooden ankers, and about fiftie men in her, with a pinnesse of some eighteene tunnes at her stearne, both laden
with pepper. But their pinnesse stole from us in a gust
in the morning. Here we might have taken two shippes
more of Pegu
laden likewise with pepper and rice. In
this moneth also we tooke a great Portugall ship of six
or seven hundred tun, laden chiefly with victuals, chests
of hats, pintados, and Calicut
clothes. Besides this we
tooke another Portugall ship of some hundred tun, laden
with victuals, rice, Calicos, pintados, and other commodities. These ships were bound for Malaca
with
victuals: for those of Goa, of S. Thomas, and of other
places in the Indies doe victuall it, because that victuals
there are very scarce.
In the moneth of November 1592 we shaped our course
for the island of Nicubar lying certeine leagues to the
Northwest of the famous island of Sumatra; whereas
within short time wee came to anker: and here wee had
very good refreshing: for after wee arrived there, the
people (whom we found in religion Mahumetans) came
aboord us in their canoas, with hennes, cocos, plantans,
and other fruits: and within two dayes they brought unto
us reals of plate, giving us them for Calicut
cloth: which
reals they found by diving in the sea, which were lost not
long before in two Portugall ships which were bound for
China
, & were cast away there. This was the furthest
place that we were at to the Southeast: and heere because
our company by this time was much wasted and diminished, we resolved to turne backe to the isle of Zeilan.
Wherfore we weyed anker in the moneth of November,
and arrived at
Zeilan about the end of the same moneth.
In this island groweth great store of excellent cinamom,
and the best diamonds in the world. Here our captaine
meant to stay to make up our voyage: whereof hee conceived great hope, by certeine intelligence which wee had
received; but the company, which were in all but 33 men
and boyes, being in a mutiny, and every day ready to go
together by the eares (the captaine being sicke and like
for to die) would not stay, but would needs go home.
The 8 of December 1592 we set saile homeward, but
some 15 dayes before we had sight of the cape of Good
hope, we were forced to share our bread, by reason we
had certeine flies in our ship, which devoured most part
of our bread before we were aware: so that when we
came to sharing, we had but 31 pound of bread a man
to cary us into England
, with a small quantity of rice a
day.
The last of March 1593 we doubled the cape of Bona
Speranza.
In April next ensuing we came to anker at the island
of S. Helena, whereas we found an English man a tailer,
which had bene there 14 moneths before we came thither:
so we sending our boat on shore with some ten men, they
found this English man in the chapell; who by reason
of the heat of the climat was inforced to keepe himselfe
out of the Sun. Our company hearing one sing in the
chapell, supposing it had bene some Portugall, thrust
open the doore, and went in unto him: but the poore man
seeing so many come in upon him on the sudden, and
thinking them to be Portugals, was first in such a feare,
not having seene any man in 14 moneths before, and afterwards knowing them to be Englishmen, and some of them
of his acquaintance, in such joy, that what betweene
excessive sudden feare & joy, he became distracted of his
wits, to our great sorowes. Here we found of his drying
some 40 goats. The party had made him for want of
apparell two sutes of goats skinnes with the hairy side
outwards, like unto the Savages of Canada. Here we
stayed all this moneth. This man lived untill we came to
the West Indies, and then he died.
In the moneth of June 1593 we arrived at the island of
Trinidad
in the West Indies, hoping there to finde refreshing: but we could not get any, by reason that the
Spanyards had taken it. Here we were imbayed betweene
the island and the maine; and for want of victuals the
company would have forsaken the ship: whereupon the
captaine was inforced to sweare every man not to forsake
the ship untill we should see further occasion. Out of
this bay, called Boca de Dragone, it pleased God to deliver
us; from whence we directed our course for the isle of
S. Juan de Puerto rico, but fell with the small isle of
Mona
, where we abode some fifteene dayes, finding in that
place some small refreshing. And heere arrived a ship
of Caen
in Normandy
, whereof was captaine one Monsieur
Charles de la Barbotiere, who greatly refreshed us with
bread and other provision, which we greatly wanted.
And so we tooke our leaves the one of the other.
In July having foule weather at Mona
, we were forced
to wey anker, and to set saile, directing our course for
Cape Tiburon: and in doubling of the cape we had a gust
from the shore, which caried away all our sailes from the
yards: so that we had left but one new forecourse to helpe
our selves withall: which canvas the aforesayd Frenchman did helpe us withall. Also having doubled the foresayd cape in the distresse aforenamed, the forsayd capitan
de la Barbotiere with his pinnesse gave chase unto us
againe; who being come nere unto us, I went aboord
him, certifying him what distresse we were in. The
gentleman replied to me againe, that there was not any
thing in his shippe, but what he could spare he would
helpe us withall. So to conclude, we agreed with him for
canvas. Moreover, he sayd that if we would go with him
to an harbour called Gonnavy, which is to the Northward
of
Cape Tiburon, that then he would helpe us with fresh
victuals enough. Whereupon I returned aboord our ship,
and certified our captaine of all: who made it knowen
unto the company; which no sooner heard of it, but they
would all go in. So here we staied with the aforesaid
Frenchman 15 dayes: but small refreshing we could get,
because the Spaniards stood in some feare of the Frenchman of war, supposing our ship to be a Portugal
, and
that we were his prize: neverthelesse hee certified them
to the contrary. And in staying so long with him, and
having little refreshing, our company began to be in a
mutiny, and made report that the captaine & I went
aboord the Frenchman but to make good cheere, and had
not any care of them: but I protest before God, that our
care was to get victuals wherby we might have bene gone
from him. But in the meane time a great part of our
company had conspired to take away the Frenchmans
pinnesse, and with her to boord the man of warre. While
these things were in complotting, one of their consorts
went aboord the Frenchman, and certified him of all the
conspiracy. Whereupon the captaine of the French ship
sent for our captaine and me to come aboord to dinner:
and we stayed with him all the afternoone, being invited
unto supper: and being at supper, he himselfe would not
a great while come to us: but at length hee came. At
his comming wee asked of him what newes. Who
answered us, that either we must depart from him, or
els he must goe seeke some other harborow. Whereupon
I tolde captaine Lancaster
; who prayed me to tell him
that rather then we would be any hindrance unto him,
we would be gone. But in the mean time, while we were
thus talking together, the Frenchman weyed & set saile:
which we perceived, and asked him what he meant by it.
He replied to the captaine & me, that he kept us for his
security, and that our men had purposed as is aforesayd.
When he came thwart our shippe, it blew a prety gaile
of winde: the boat being asterne of them, having in her
two Moores & two men of Pegu
, which we had given
them, brake away. Then was the Frenchman worse then
before, & did threaten us very sore that we should pay
his voyage. In the meane time the Edward seeing us
past, weyed and set saile to go for England
: and they
did share among them all the captaines victuals & mine,
when they saw the Frenchman keepe us as prisoners.
So the next morning we went to seeke out the Frenchmans pinnesse: which being at Laguna
we shot off a
piece, & so she came to us, having in her three more of
our company, Edmund Barker our lieutenant, and one
John West, and Richard Lucland one of the mutinous
crew. The which I told the Frenchman of; & he could
not deny, but that there was such a thing pretended.
Then I was put into the French pinnesse to seeke their
boat: and in the meane time they would go to see if they
could overtake our shippe. And the next day we should
meet againe at
Cape S. Nicolas: so the next morning we
met together all three of us, but heard no newes of his
boat. So he having Spanyards and Negros aboord of us,
requested to have them. Our captaine desired him to
send his boat aboord our shippe, and he should have them
with all his heart. So with much adoe he sent his boat
and had them. Then he demanded of them, if his boat
were not aboord the ship. They answered no. So that
then Monsieur de la Barbotiere was satisfied: and then
we were great friends againe, to all our joyes.
The 12 of August 1593 our captaine was sent aboord
our ship: but before his departure he requested the captaine of the French ship that he would give mee passage
home with him, to certifie the owners what had passed in
all the voyage, as also of the unrulinesse of the company.
And this day we tooke our leaves the one of the other;
the Edward for England
: and we bare in for Gonnavy,
where afterwards we found the Frenchmans boat.
The last of November 1593 Monsieur de la Barbotiere
departed from a port called Laguna
in Hispaniola. The
17 of December next insuing it was his fortune to have
his ship cast away upon the Northwest part of the isle of
Bermuda
about midnight; the pilots making themselves
at noone to be to the Southward of the island twelve
leagues, certified the captaine that they were out of all
danger. So they demanded of him their wine of heigth:
the which they had. And being, as it should seeme, after
they had their wine, carelesse of their charge which they
tooke in hand, being as it were drunken, through their
negligence a number of good men were cast away: and
I being but a stranger among 50 and odde Frenchmen &
others, it pleased God to appoint me to be one of them
that were saved, I hope to his service & glory. We made
account at the first that we were cast away hard by the
shore, being hie clifs, but we found our selves seven
leagues off: but with our boat and a raft which we had
made & towed at our boats sterne, we were saved some
26 of us; among whom were no more English but my
selfe. Now being among so many strangers, & seeing
not roome for the one halfe, I durst neither presse into
the boat, nor upon the raft, for feare lest they should have
cast me over boord, or els have killed me: so I stayed
in the ship which was almost full of water, untill the
captaine being entred the boat, called me unto him being
at hand, for that it stood upon life or death: and so I
presently entred, leaving the better halfe of our company
to the mercy of the sea. After this we rowed all the day
until an houre or two before night yer we could come on
land, towing the raft with the boat. When we came on
shore, being all the day without drinke, every man tooke
his way to see if he could finde any: but it was long
before any was found. At length one of the pilots digg
ing among a company of weeds found fresh water to all
our great comforts, being only raine water: and this was
all the fresh water that we found on shore. But there
are in this Island many fine bayes, wherin if a man did
dig, I thinke there might be found store of fresh water.
This Island is divided all into broken Islands: and the
greatest part I was upon, which might be some 4 or 5
miles long, and two miles & a halfe over; being all
woods, as Cedar & other timber, but Cedar is the chiefest.
Now it pleased God before our ship did split, that we
saved our carpenters tooles, or els I thinke we had bene
there to this day: and having recovered the aforesaid
tooles, we went roundly about the cutting downe of trees,
& in the end built a small barke of some 18 tun, for the
most part with tronnels and very few nailes. As for
tackling we made a voyage aboord the ship before she
split, and cut downe her shrowds, and so we tackled our
barke, and rigged her. In stead of pitch we made lime,
and mixed it with the oile of tortoises; and assoone as
the carpenters had calked, I and another, with ech of us
a small sticke in our hands, did plaister the morter into
the seames, and being in April, when it was warm and
faire weather, we could no sonner lay it on, but it was
dry, and as hard as a stone. In this moneth of April
1594, the weather being very hot, we were afrayd our
water should faile us; and therfore made the more haste
away: and at our departure we were constrained to make
two great chests, and calked them, and stowed them on
ech side of our maine mast, and so put in our provision
of raine-water, and 13 live tortoises for our food, for our
voyage which we intended to Newfoundland
. In the
South part of this
Island of Bermuda there are hogs, but
they are so leane that you can not eat them, by reason
the Island is so barren: but it yeeldeth great store of
fowle, fish and tortoises. And to the Eastward of the
Island are very good harbours, so that a shippe of 200
tun may ride there land-locked, without any danger, with
water enough. Also in this Island is as good fishing for
pearles as is any in the West Indies, but that the place
is subject to foule weather, as thundering, lightning and
raine: but in April and part of May we had very faire
and hot weather. The 11 of May it pleased God to set
us cleere of the Island, to the no little joy of us all, after
we had lived in the same almost the space of 5 moneths.
And the 20 of May we fell with the land nere to
Cape
Briton, where we ran into a fresh water river, whereof
there be many, and tooke in wood, water, and ballast.
And here the people of the countrey came unto us, being
clothed all in furs, with the furred side unto their skins,
& brought with them furres of sundry sorts to sell, besides
great store of wild ducks: so some of our company having
saved some small beads, bought some of their ducks.
Here we stayed not above foure houres, and so departed.
This should seeme to be a very good countrey. And we
saw very fine champion ground, and woods. From this
place we ranne for the banke of Newfoundland
, whereas
we met with divers, but none would take in a man of us,
untill it pleased God that wee met with a barke of Falmouth
, which received us all for a little time; and with
her we tooke a French ship, wherein I left capitan de la
Barbotier my deere friend, and all his company, and
stayed my selfe aboord the English barke: and having
passage in the same, in the moneth of August I arrived
at Falmouth
1594.
