The iournall, or dayly register, contayning a true manifestation, and historicall declaration of the voyage, accomplished by eight shippes of Amsterdam, vnder the conduct of Iacob Corneliszen Neck Admirall, & Wybrandt van Warwick Vice-Admirall, which sayled from Amsterdam the first day of March, 1598 Shewing the course they kept, and what other notable matters happened vnto them in the sayd voyage.

A breefe repetition of the Island of Madura.

MAdura is a very fruitfull land, hauing such plentie of Rise, that it spareth and nourisheth al the adioyning and bordering places thereabouts. This graine or Rise groweth there on a most fat fruitful clayey ground, com∣parable to any ground in our ground, and is so plenti∣fully watered, that when the ground is plowed, the Ox∣en and plowmen goe in the water halfe knee deepe or more, and the Rise like wise groweth knee high in great aboundance, so that their neighbours cannot misse the helpe of this Island, but it wanteth shipping, by reason of the sands or shallowes that stretch all along the coast thereof. The people thereof liue most by théeuerie and spoyle of others, taking with their smal boats or prawes, all they can get at Sea, as wel from their neighbours, as

from strangers, and yet their neighbours so robbed and daily spoyled by them, dare not reuenge themselues, for feare lest they should shut vp the passages, and not suf∣fer any thing to bee transported out of their Countrey, whereby they should want meanes of sustentation and food: neither is it an easie matter to hurt them, for that no shipping can come neere them.

Touching their weapons and vse thereof, they are like vnto the same of Iaua, as well for Elephants, Hor∣ses, Pikes, Launces, and Targets: and besides, they haue the vse of Curtelares and Daggers, with the Diuels picture on them. The Kings seruants are all Gentle∣men, hauing their Kruiislen or Daggers trimmed and garnished with siluer, but none else of the land may weare the like.

The 15 day we cast the dead Shipper aforesaid ouer∣boord, within sight of the Clifts of little Iaua.

The 16. day the Admirals boat fetched the Ʋice-Ad∣mirall aboord their ship, to choose new officers for the Ad∣mirall, in place of those that were lost at Madura: wée held our course East and by North with a fine gale.

The 17. and 18. dayes we had sight of the Island Ce∣lebes, kéeping our course East, and East and by North.

The 19. day in the morning, we saw the Island Com∣bayna, which lyeth some 18. leagues from Celebes, and the same day we had sight of another Island called Bou∣ton, and stretcheth East South-east from Combayna some eight leagues.

The 20. day wee sayled about the Island Bouton, where the Admirall called aboord him all the Masters and Committees, to aduise themselues in their affayres.

The 21. day in the morning, wee were vnder the Is∣land Cebesse, where wee found a shole, which appeared not vnto vs in the Card: we had sayled the same night be∣yond

it aboue the length of a shot with a great péece, be∣fore we perceiued the danger: wherefore wee must ac∣knowledge that the Almightie God preserued vs. This banke or shole is some two leagues long, stretching for the most part East and West, and ought to bee regarded and well noted: it lyeth betwéene these two Islands Bouton and Cebessa, almost in the mid-way: heere wee found that our Compasse drew againe towards the North-east.

The 22. and 23. dayes, the weather was raynie, wee holding our course North-east towards Amboyna.

The 24. day the Ʋice-Admirall came aboord the Ad∣miral, to conferre with him, at which time the Commis∣sioner of the Zealand was shipped into the Vtrecht, and the Commissioner of the Vtrecht was placed in the Zea∣land. The same day died a boy aboord our shippe of the Bloudy Flix, called Lieuen Rooeckessen, and was kee∣per of the Masters Cabben: in the euening we threw him ouer-boord.

The 25. day we had sight of the Island Boora: in the morning was a great gust of wind and raine, so that wée were forced to take in our top-sayles: at which time one of the Quarter-masters fell out of the top into the Sea, but he chaunced to hold fast by a small rope, whereby we haled him againe into the shippe without any hurt at all, which was greatly to be wondred at: for it blew so ••••out a gale, that wee were hardly able to beare our courses: the wind came about to the South-west, wee held our course North-east towards the next land in sight.

The 26. and 27. dayes, the weather being calme, we droue along the shore of the Island of Blau, hauing now and then a small gale of wind, very variable.

The 28. day in the morning, wee rowed aboord the Admirall to fetch the Preacher: for there were two of

our saylers, both yong men, which desired to be instructed by him in some poynts of the Sacrament of Baptisme, and to be baptized.

The first day of March wee arriued néere vnder the Island of Blau, which lieth on the East end of Boera: then might wee behold before vs three other small Is∣lands, the one called Atybotty, the second Manipa, and the third Gyra: these little Islands lie before Amboyna.

The second day we sayled beyond Blau, and towards the euening came two Prawes or little boates vnto our Admirall, refusing to come into his ship, but kept them∣selues behind, and lying by the Admirals boate: in the meane while the Ʋice-Admirall sent his boate aboord the Admirall, to know what newes those Prawes brought: but so soone as they marked that our long boate rowed towards the Admirall, they presently rowed a∣way in al haste towards the shore, we holding our course directly towards Amboyna.

The third day in the morning, wee came before the Straight of Amboyna, which was verie narrow, after we were entred into the mouth thereof, the weather fell calme, so that we droue backe againe, by reason of the strong streame or currant.

About noone there came thrée Prawes or small boates aboord vs from a little towne called Matel, lying on the Mountaines of Amboyna, and in the euening we came before a little towne called Itou or Iton, situated in the Island of Amboyna.

Notes

• Descrip∣tion of the Isle of Ma∣dura.
• A sandy banke not no∣ted in the Card.
• 25. Fe∣bruarie, 1599. a quar∣ter-ma∣ster fell from the top into the sea.
• March.