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The Voyage to Iasques.
THe fifth of Nouember, I went ouer the Barre of Swally, bound for Iasques in Persia.* 1.1 The tenth, the Iland of Diu did beare North from vs three leagues distant. The eleuenth, latitude twentie degr. twelue min. I sent my long Boat and Pinnasse, thinking to haue spoken with a Fisher-man, and they found him a man of warre, and seuen or eight in the Pinnasse were hurt with their arrowes, the long Boat not able to succour them.
The two and twentieth, wee were in latitude foure and twenty degrees, ten minutes,* 1.2 varia∣tion [ 10] eighteene degrees from North to West. This day wee saw the Land of Goudel North and East, nine or ten leagues distant. When you are within fiue leagues of the shoare, you shall see the Cliffes whitish, like the Forland in most places.
The fiue and twentieth▪ in foure and twentie degrees, seuen and forty minutes, we were off a ragged mouldy Land, called by the Portugals Sete Setheayes, by vs the seuen Cities, shewing like seuen Castles, standing a league from each other, the highest like a walled City, and lyeth West North-west from Cape Goudel sixe and twentie leagues, you may see it fourteene or fif∣teene leagues off, like Ilands, and may runne within a league of the shoare, in ten or twentie fa∣thome, within a mile soft Ozie ground without danger: Variation eighteene degrees, I found no Current out or in.
On the seuen and twentieth, latititude fiue and twenty degrees, two minutes: variation [ 20] eighteene degrees, thirty minutes land, as before.
The first of December, we stood off with the Persian shoare,* 1.3 hauing been put ouer on the Coast of Arabia, with a North-west and North North-west wind, we had much raine diuers dayes: and on the second at night, we anchored fiue or sixe leagues to the West of Iasques, in two and twenty fathome Ozie ground.
The next I rode still, and sent the Pinnasse to see if they could speake with any people, but they could see no mention of any. At three of the clocke I set saile,* 1.4 and stood toward the Cape about a league, and anchored in eleuen fathome Ozie ground.
The fourth, I sent my chiefe Mate with the Frigat and Pinnasse, to see if hee could discouer the Road of Iasques; but before he came ashoare, the Gouernour of the place, seeing vs lye off [ 30] and in with the shoare, sent a Fisher-boat to them, and they returned aboord with her. After some conference, wee sent Master Bell ashoare to the Gouernour, with his man and a Guze∣rat, to his Castle, a little mile from the waters side, with a Present, to sound what welcome: I kept two of their men for a pawne.
The fift, I weighed and went two leagues neerer the shoare, and anchored within a league of it, in fiue fathome at low water, tough Ozie ground, and a faire Bay. There runs no streame, but it flowes a fathome in the spring, and three or foure foot otherwise: a South-east and by East Moone makes high water. The Eastermost low point hath a Pagod or Meskite on it, and the Fisher-towne did beare North-east, in latitude fiue and twentie degrees, fiue and thirtie mi∣nutes, [ 40] and longitude from the Cape of Diu ten degrees, fortie minutes West, and the Varia∣tion nineteene degrees, twen••y minutes, from North to West, M. Bell returned with two of the Gouernours Souldiers, commending his entertaynment, and promised welcome to vs.
The eight, M. Conock our Cape Merchant went ashoare, with M. Barker, and two other Fa∣ctors, and returned at night with like newes.
The seuenth, the Purser bought vs foure Beeues and Goates, not fat at that time of the yeere, but such as gaue vs content.
The tenth, our Merchants went ashoare with their baggage, for their iourney to Mogustan, and on the twelfth tooke their way thither.* 1.5
The thirteenth, I sent the Boat and P••nnasse to fetch water: the country-people that brought it downe, had after foure shillings English-money the tunne: it was raine-water (for they haue [ 50] no other) it raines but little in December, but in Ianuary it will raine sixe or seuen dayes toge∣ther, that it fils all their Cisternes and places of prouision for the whole yeere following.* 1.6 I take it not wholesome being full of small wormes, that we were faine to straine our beuerage.
The sixteenth, I sent my Mate about Ballast, wherein they found them vnreasonable. I sent the Pinnasse to the Eastermost low point, for stones for Ballast.* 1.7 It is the worthiest place for fish in all the Indies. They laded eighteene or twentie tunne of Ballast.
On the nineteenth, we receiued a Letter from M. Connock, halfe on-ward of his way to Mogustan, of their peaceable trauell.
The first of Ianuary I receiued a Letter from Iasques, which came from our Merchants,* 1.8 & made vs glad. On the fifth, M. Connock would haue had me gone with the ship to a place called Costake [ 60] within seuen leagues ouer against Ormus, whereto I was loath to yeeld, being out of season of the yeere. The next day they talked of Piloting the ship to Sireck; but I was the same man.* 1.9 The Mer∣chants reported that they hoped it would be a good place of Trade, and in time, as good as any in India. The Pilot confessed it was dangerous then to carry the ship to Sireck, it was so foule,