Purchas his pilgrimes. part 1 In fiue bookes. The first, contayning the voyages and peregrinations made by ancient kings, patriarkes, apostles, philosophers, and others, to and thorow the remoter parts of the knowne world: enquiries also of languages and religions, especially of the moderne diuersified professions of Christianitie. The second, a description of all the circum-nauigations of the globe. The third, nauigations and voyages of English-men, alongst the coasts of Africa ... The fourth, English voyages beyond the East Indies, to the ilands of Iapan, China, Cauchinchina, the Philippinæ with others ... The fifth, nauigations, voyages, traffiques, discoueries, of the English nation in the easterne parts of the world ... The first part.

§ I. Their diasters and putting backe for Sierra Leona, and what happened till they departed from Saldania. [ 20]

APrill the first 1607. the Dragon and Hector were fallen as low as the Downes: and after their departure from thence their hopes were by diuers disasters so fallen downe, and crossed, that after they had passed the Line in the beginning of Iune, piercing foure or fiue degree of Southerly Latitude, they were inforced by Gusts, Calmes, Raines, Sicknesses, and other Marine inconueniences to returne North-ward: and missing the Ile of Fernando de Loronha, certaine of nothing but vncer∣tainties which much amazed them, The Generall on Iuly the thirtieth, hauing consulted with Tauerner the Master, and hearing his answere that they must bee driuen to returne for England, the whole Company expecting no other (all which to recite would at once both becalme and be∣storme [ 30] the Reader) they consulted for their best course, wherein (you shall haue it in his owne words) we had some speech of Sierra Leona. I, hauing formerly read well of the place, sent for the * 1.1 Booke, and shewed it my Master, who as my selfe, tooke good liking to the place. Where∣vpon, my Company beginning to bee grieuously diseased, wee, without hope to get Fernando de Loranha, (water being our speciall want, and a watering place so nigh) I called a counsell: and after Dinner propounded what was fittest for vs to doe. They were generally of opinion, that we had no reason to stand to the South any longer, for many reasons: and demanding their o∣pinions, concerning a place of watering, Churchward, Sauadge, and Tauerner, opined Mayo the fittest, how much without reason, I leaue to iudgement. Earming, Pokham, Mollineux, and my Master, held Sierra Leona fittest; and my selfe, the Author thereof, for many causes. Wherefore, [ 40] we concluded to seeke for Sierra Leona. I acquainted my Company with our determinations, to their great comfort.

This morning the fourth of August, we saw many Flowres, a signe of Land, and this euening we had ground from twentie eight to sixteene fathome Ozy, but no sight of land.

I hoysed out my Schiffe, and sent her to ride neere vs, to proue the set of the Current: she found by the Log-line, the Current to set South-east by East two miles a watch: howbeit the Schiffe roade wind-road. We steered all this morning East, and East by South, and had from thirtie to twentie, and ten fathome water: no sight of land, and the greatest depth was Ozy, the least a grosse yellow sandie ground.

About nine of the clocke, we espyed the land, being a round plot of meane altitude, bearing [ 50] North-east from vs, about eight leagues.

We were at noone in the latitude of seuen degrees and fiftie sixe minutes, and haue steered all day East, sometimes North, sometimes Southerly, one point, as our water deepned or shoaled: for we had oftentimes ten fathome vpwards, and at the next cast seuen fathome vnder pittie ground. And when we found shoale water, as we bare vp Northerly, we deepned, instantly (a perswasion that we borrowed vpon the shoales of Saint Anna, alias Madera Bomba) I allow since yesterday at noone, fourteene leagues East, and fiue leagues West, wind at South, and South by West, and South by East.

In the after-noone we had nine, ten, eleuen and twelue fathome water. [ 60]

The first land proued Ilha Verde, being a very round land, and a notable marke, for whosoeuer is bound for the place,* 1.2 from the Southwards.

About seuen in the euening, we anchored in twentie fathome water, hard sand, hauing steered six leagues or more North-east, and North North-east, the South part of Ilha Verde, bearing East off vs: and the Cape of Sierra Leona, being a low point North by East, about eight leagues from vs: but the said land ouer the said Cape, is very high land, and may bee seene in a cleere, fifteene leagues off.

About sixe in the morning, wee made saile for the Roade, and had no lesse then sixteene,* 1.3 fifteene, ten or nine fathomes, till we were North and South with the Rocke, (which lyeth to the Westward of the Cape of Sierra Leona) about 1. 1/••. miles; and one mile from the neerest shoare) within halfe a mile thereof, we had then, seuen fathome very good shoaling, betweene [ 10] vs, and the Rocke. And soone after we had passed the Rock, we had twentie fathome water, and shoalded to eighteene, sixteene, twelue, and ten fathome, all the way into the Roade,* 1.4 borrowing very neere the South shore. For there is a sand lying off the North shoare about two miles, or a league from the South shore, whereon the Sea breaketh. Wee road in ten fathome water, good ground, the point of Sierra Leona, bearing West Northerly,* 1.5 the North point of the Bay North Westerly, and the foresaid breach or Sand, North, North-east.

Note, that comming in, when we were North and South with the Rocke, it bare with the South point (for Sierra Leona is the North point of the South land making the Bay,* 1.6 or Riuer) and Ilha Verde, North by West and South by East.

This afternoone, being anchored, we espyed men to weaue vs a-shore. I sent my Boate, which [ 20] leauing two Hostages, brought foure Negroes, who promised refreshing.

My Schiffe sounded betweene vs, and the foresaid Breach, and found faire sholding, hauing two fathome water, within two Boats length of the Breach.

Note, that all the Obseruations of the Variation,* 1.7 since our comming from two degrees of North latitude to this place, proued erronious: for to each distance, hauing reference to any Me∣ridian Easterly thereof, there must be added thirtie leagues, and from such as are referred to Me∣ridians Westerly, must be substracted thirtie leagues. For it appeareth by our falling with the land, that the ship was so much more Westerly, then we supposed our selues; my selfe notwith∣standing the said errour, being as much, if not more Westerly, then any of our Mariners.* 1.8 How∣beit, I wish euery man to trust to his owne experience▪ for, Instruments may deceiue, euen the [ 30] most skilfull.

The seuenth, there came Negroes of better semblance, aboord with my Boate (for whom, as for all other, wee were faine to leaue one of my men, for two of them in hostage) who made signes, that I should send some of my men vp into the Countrey, and that they would stay a∣boord in hostage. I sent Edward Buckbury, and my Seruant William Cotterell with a Present, viz. One course Shirt, three foot of a barre of Iron, a few Glasse Beads, and two Kniues. They re∣turned towards night, and brought me from the said Captaine, one small earing of Gold, valued at seuen, eight, or nine shillings sterling: and because it was late, the Hostages would not goe a-shore, but lay aboord all night, without pawne for them.

I sent my Boate, and fetched fiue tunnes of fresh water, both very good and easie to [ 40] come by.* 1.9

The eleuenth, I went a-shore a fishing, where the people brought their women vnto vs, but feared, we would carry them away. I gaue some trifles, we bought good store of Limons, two hundred for a penny Knife, wind at East.

The twelfth, I went but tooke little fish, wind from North-west to South, rainie weather.

The thirteenth, It rayned without intermission: we got fish enough for a meale.

I bought an Elephants tooth of sixtie three pound English, for fiue yards blue Callico, and se∣uen or eight pound of Iron in barre.

The fourteenth, I kept aboord, all day rainie.

The fifteenth, I went and tooke within one houre and a halfe,* 1.10 six thousand small and good fish [ 50] Cauallos.

After noone, with Captaine Hawkins, and a conuenient Guard, I went ashore, and to the Village, where we bought two or three thousand Limons. We esteeme it a faire day, wherein we haue three houres dry ouer head.

The sixteenth, I licenced our weekly Workers to recreate themselues with me ashore, where in our large walke, we found not past foure or fiue acres of ground sowed with Rice: the superfi∣cies of the ground is generally an hard Rocke.

This only day, hitherto, we had faire weather.

The seuenteenth, It was all day faire weather. I appointed making of Limon-water.

The twentieth, Iohn Rogers returned and brought me a present of a piece of Gold, in forme of [ 60] an halfe Moone, valued at fiue, six, or seuen shillings sterling. Hee reporteth the people to bee peaceable, the chiefe without state, the landing two leagues vp, and the chiefe Village eight miles from the landing.

The two and twentieth, We went a-shore, where we made six or seuen Barricoes full of Li∣mon-water. I opened the Companies Firkin of Kniues ••o buy Limes withall.* 1.11

The seuenth of September in the after-noone, we went all together a shore, to see if we could shoot an Elephant:* 1.12 we shot seuen or eight bullets into him, and made him bleed exceedingly, as appeared by his tracke, but being neere night, we were constrayned aboord, without effecting our purposes on him.

* 1.13The best Roade and watering place is the fourth Bay, to the East-ward of the point Sierra Leona. It floweth neerest West South-west, within where we roade: and the water highest vp∣on a Spring-tyde at the least, twelue foote.

After noone, the wind came at West South-west, and wee anchored in ten fathome water, Ilha Verde bearing from vs South-east ½. South, and the point of Sierra Leona North-east by East ½ Easterly, about three leagues from vs, where wee found the floud to set North-east by [ 10] North, a strong tyde.

I haue at no time obserued the Sunne in the Roade, howbeit I haue sundry times purposed the same, both aboord and ashore, but the Master made the Roade by his obseruation, in eight de∣grees and thirtie sixe minutes of North Latitude,* 1.14 and the point of Sierra Leona, bare neerest West about a league or foure miles off. The Master also made the Variation to bee one degree, fiftie minutes North-easting: but my Instrument was out of order, and I had no time to mend it.

The fourteenth in the morning, we wayed the wind all Easterly: but about eight it calmed, and we draue to the North againe: after with the ebbe, draue to the South-west by South, to∣ward night, the floud being come, we anchored in 25. 1/••. fathome water: the point of Sierra Leo∣na bearing North-east by East, about seuen leagues off vs. We haue not had lesse then ten fathome [ 20] water, all day. They found a Current setting North by West, on the sixteenth day.

* 1.15The seuenteenth of December, About two in the after-noone, we saw the land, the Table at Saldania very plaine, and stood in to make it, till three, then I caused the Master to steere East South-east, and South-east by East, to put about the Cape: what time sicke, and whole, desired to put into Saldania. Whereupon wee bare vp for Saldania, and about noone wee got into the Roade anchoring in 5. 1/••. fathome water: the West point bearing West North-west, the Iland North North-west,* 1.16 and the Sugar-lofe South-west.

* 1.17The Westermost Cape Land, and Pengwin Iland bare South by West, &c. There is a breach South of the Iland, about a mile distant.

Betweene the Iland and shore are seuen miles distance. The Sugar-loafe and the Ile, beare [ 30] South by East, and North by West. From the West point of the Bay, halfe a mile off is a flat. The Westermost South land, and point of the Sugar-loafe, beareth South South-west, and North North-east.

There is another breach, which lyeth East South-east from the Iland halfe a league off.

As soone as I was anchored, I sent a shore, finding the people very bold, but deare. I found a∣shore these words engrauen vpon a Rocke,* 1.18 viz. The foure and twentieth of Iuly, 1607. Cap∣taine Dauid Middleton in the Consent.

The one and twentieth, I went ashore, where we bought a hundred and two sheepe, twelue Bullockes and two Calues, whereof I allowed the Hector a proportionable share, and this conti∣nued diuers dayes in which they bought much Cattell. [ 40]

Notes

• * 1.1

  M. Hackluits books of Voy∣ages are of great profit. This saued the Company, as Sir Th. Smith affirmed to me, 20000. pounds, which they had bin enda∣maged if they had returned home, which necessitie had constrayned, if that Booke had not giuen light.

  Conclusion to seeke Sierra Leona.

  Many flowres, a signe of land. Currents.

  Sight of land.
• * 1.2

  Ilha Verde a very round Land.
• * 1.3

  The Rocke▪
• * 1.4

  A sand on the North shore.
• * 1.5

  Sierra Leona.
• * 1.6

  Note.
• * 1.7

  A special note. Variations.
• * 1.8

  Good admoni∣tion.
• * 1.9

  A good wate∣ring place.
• * 1.10

  Six thousand fishes taken in an houre an halfe. Weather.
• * 1.11

  Limon-water.
• * 1.12

  An Elephant shot.
• * 1.13

  The best road.
• * 1.14

  Latitude of Si∣erra Leona, 8.36. North. The Variation 1. degr. 50. min.
• * 1.15

  Saldania.
• * 1.16

  The Sugarloafe.
• * 1.17

  Penguin Iland.
• * 1.18

  The arriuall of the Consent at Saldania Iu∣ly 24. 1607. 102. sheepe. 12. bullocks. 2. calues. They bought for 200. yron hoopes, 450. sheepe, 46. cowes 19. stee••••s, 9. calues, and one Bull.