A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels Volume Viii Part 36

Be it remembered, that I, _Mahomed Ha.s.san Comal Adin Ashen_, captain of the _Ha.s.sani_ of Surat, have bartered and sold to Captain John Saris, general of the eighth voyage to the East Indies, for the sum of 7400-11/48 rials of eight, in the following goods, viz.

Indigos of all sorts, 86 bales, amounting, with profit, to rials 3046-7/48 Cambaya cloth, 316 _corges_, 7-1/2 pieces, amount, &c. 4136 Three carpets, valued at 20 Two cotton quilts, at 80 rials a _corge_, 8 Rice, b.u.t.ter, ginger, and sugar, amount 53-7/24 For 18 yds. broad cloth, received back in account, 96 Four bales gum-lac, with profit 40-10/24 ---------- Sum total of merchandise sold, Rials 7400-11/48

And I have received in payment these following goods, viz.

Broad cloths, 28-1/2 pieces, amounting, in rials, 4574-30/48 Ten pieces of kersies, 501-1/3 Thirty _bahars_ of lead, 720 Twenty bahars of iron, 480 Four and a half bahars of tin, 679-1/2 Fifteen fowling-pieces, 445 ---------- Sum total of these goods received, Rials 7400-11/48

_In Mokha Road, in the Red Sea, the 12th August, 1612._

Be it remembered, that I, Nakhada Ha.s.san, captain of the good s.h.i.+p Caderi of Diu, have bartered and sold to Captain John Saris, &c. for the sum of 2947-9/10 rials of eight, in these following goods, _viz_.

Indigo of both sorts, 31 bales, amounting, with profit, to rials 1694-11/16 Brought over, Rials 1694-13/16

Spikenard, one bale; turbith,[421] one bale; cinnamon, five bales; amount, with profit, 64-1/4

Cambaya cloth, 137 _corges_ and 3 pieces, amount, with profit, 1188-1/2 ________________ Sum total, Rials 2947-9/16

And I have received in payment these goods following, viz.

Broad cloths, six pieces, amounting, in rials, 890-2/3 Kersies, ten pieces, 477-1/3 Lead, 31-3/4 bahars, 762-17/48 Iron, 10 bahars, 240 Tin, 1-1/2 bahar, 226-2/3 Fowling-pieces, fourteen, 350 Received in money to balance 0-17/24

Sum total of goods received, Rials 2947-9/16

The 13th of August, 1612, we set sail from Mokha in the Clove, having on board seventy-five men, all in perfect health. The 14th we got sight of the _Bab,_ but the wind being large at N.W. we steered through the great channel on the Abyssinian side, having 18 fathoms water about one league from the island of _Babo,_ where is a good and safe harbour for s.h.i.+pping, but the place is barren. The 3d September we arrived at Socotora in Delisha road; when we understood the Thomas had been here three months before, but made no stay, as they could not agree for the aloes. The 4th the merchant and linguist went ash.o.r.e, and were kindly treated by the king, but could not agree in the price, as he asked 40 dollars the quintal of 104 pounds, saying he had only 25 quintals, and was much solicited for it by the Portuguese. At length we agreed to give 30 dollars for one parcel, and 38 for another, and he delivered us 4067 pounds, which cost 1418-1/2 rials of eight, or dollars. On this occasion we found the king false both in his weights and word, yet we treated him well for the good of future voyages. We sailed for Bantam on the 8th September.

[Footnote 421: Perhaps turmeric is here meant--E.]

The 22d, in lat. 8 12' N. by the stars, steering E. by S. with the wind W.S.W. we fell at midnight into the strangest and most terrifying s.h.i.+ning water that any of us had ever seen, the water throwing so great a glare about the s.h.i.+p that we could discern the letters in a book perfectly, whereas it had been so dark only half an hour before, that we could not see half the length of our s.h.i.+p any way. We doubted it had been the breach of some sunken ground, and thought to have cast about; but after sailing in it half an hour without any alteration, we held on our course, and at length it proved to be cuttle-fish that made this fearful show.

We got sight of the island of Ceylon on the 27th in the morning, bearing N.E. by E. about 7 leagues off, being very high land up the country, but very low near the sea. The 29th we saw Cape Comorin about 14 leagues off, being very high land. This cape is in the lat.i.tude of 7 42' [more accurately 7 57' N.] whereas our charts lay it down in 6 10'. During our course we did not fall in with any of the islands laid down in our charts, neither did we see any of the Maldive islands, which are said to be so numerous.

The 15th October, when in lat. 4 49' S. we got sight of Sumatra, where we found a strong current setting us from the land. Such as are bound for the straits of Sunda, must keep the coast of Sumatra on board after they get into lat. 1 30' S. as the current begins there. It is proper to keep thirty leagues off the coast of that island and with a good look-out, as there are many _cayos_[422] fifteen or twenty leagues out at sea, but which we did not see, as we were kept farther out by the current. The 24th we came to anchor in the road of Bantam, all our people being in as good health, or better, than when we left England.

Contrary to our expectation, we here found the Hector, which had arrived only the day before, in company with the James and several Dutch s.h.i.+ps.

The arrival of all these s.h.i.+ps, and the daily expectation of the Trades-increase, Pepper-corn, Darling, and Thomas, occasioned a great and sudden alteration in the prices of commodities. Such as were in considerable request, were raised nearly to three times the price for which they sold the day before the Hector arrived. Cloves, which the people of the Hector and James had bought the day before at sixteen dollars the pekul, were now risen to forty dollars and upwards. Pepper, which was ten dollars for ten sacks, rose upon our coming to twelve and a half dollars; and so of other commodities.

[Footnote 422: Keys, islands and rocks.--E.]

We went to court on the 26th, accompanied by our merchants, and gave divers presents to _Pangran Chamarra_, who enjoyed the entire authority of government as protector, although the king was now of full age. From him we procured a licence to land our goods, providing the royal officers were made acquainted with all that were brought on sh.o.r.e, that the king might not be wronged of his duties. The 28th a letter from Mr William Adams, written from j.a.pan, was read in presence of all our merchants, that they might consider what hopes there were of trade in that country. It was now concluded in a council of commerce, considering the power of the Dutch in the Moluccas and Banda, where they were almost absolute masters, and that Bantam was exceedingly unhealthy, where besides our people injured themselves greatly on sh.o.r.e with drink and loose women, that the Hector should be dispatched in all speed to England, and that 14,000 sacks of pepper should be provided for her and the Thomas without delay, fearing that pepper might be raised still higher when the natives got news of the other expected s.h.i.+ps. We accordingly bargained with _Lackmoy_ for 2000 sacks of pepper, at 127-1/2 dollars the 100 sacks; and with _Keewee_ for 1000 sacks at 125 dollars the 100 sacks, and for 3000 more at 150 dollars the 100. We now tried ash.o.r.e what was the weight of a pekul of cloves, which we found to be 132 pounds English.

The 9th November, Sir Henry Middleton arrived at Bantam in the Pepper-corn. The 15th, at the earnest request of _Chamarra_ the protector, we mustered before the palace eighty of our men in arms from our different s.h.i.+ps, to a.s.sist in celebrating the breaking up of the Mahometan Lent, which gave him much content, more especially as the Dutch refused to gratify him. The 16th we agreed with _Keewee_ for 4000 sacks of pepper at 160 dollars the 100 sacks, with an allowance of three in the hundred _ba.s.se_. The 18th eleven large Dutch s.h.i.+ps arrived, the Thomas being in their company. She had only got at Priaman 312 bahars of pepper, and twenty _tael_ of gold. On the 22d, 100 Dutchmen, armed with firelocks and pikes, all in brave array, marched to the front of the palace, where they drew up in a ring and gave three vollies. The protector sent word in the king's name to thank them, saying they had done enough, and might depart with their iron hats; for so the Javanese call head-pieces. The 28th, three Dutch s.h.i.+ps sailed homewards bound, mostly laden with pepper and mace, and five more of their s.h.i.+ps sailed for Banda and the Moluccas.

The 4th December, a Dutch s.h.i.+p arrived from Coromandel, from which we had intelligence that the Globe was at Patane bound for Siam. The 11th, the Hector, having taken in her lading, sailed from Bantam to the watering-place called _Morough,_ where the air is good and healthy, and where refreshment of oranges is to be had in abundance, besides other wholesome fruits, intending to wait there till the Thomas was fully laden. The 22d, the Trades-increase and Darling arrived from Priaman.

The 25th, in honour of the birth-day of the Saviour, certain chambers were discharged at our English factory, which were answered by ordnance from our s.h.i.+ps. The 28th, _Keewee,_ the chief China merchant, invited Sir Henry Middleton and me, with all our merchants, to dinner at his house, where he had a play acted by Chinese actors on a stage erected for the purpose, which they performed with good p.r.o.nunciation and gesture. The 12th January, 1613, the Thomas set sail for England, having a crew of thirty-six English and three Indians.

-- 4. _The Voyage of Captain Saris, in the Clove, towards j.a.pan, with Observations respecting the Dutch and Spaniards at the Molucca Islands._[423]

In the morning of the 4th January, 1613, we weighed anchor from the road of Bantam for j.a.pan, having taken in 700 sacks of pepper to make trial of trade at that place. Our crew consisted of seventy-four Englishmen, one Spaniard, one j.a.panese, and five _Swarts,_ [blacks] or Indians. The 15th, in the morning, having little wind, we hauled off into fourteen fathoms, and steered E. by S. and E.S.E. leaving _Pulo Lack_ on our starboard, and eleven or twelve small islands on our larboard; our depth shoaling from, fourteen to ten fathoms us we pa.s.sed between two islands to the east of _Palo Lack._ In this fair way there is a shoal which has not above six feet water, and does not exceed half a cable's length in extent either way. Close in with it there are ten fathoms water, and the very next cast is on ground, as we had sad experience, having lain three hours beating on it with a reasonably stiff gale, but got off through G.o.d's mercy, and the extraordinary exertions of the crew. Our s.h.i.+p sprung a leak, which kept every man at the pump, myself only excepted, during the whole night, and till ten o'clock next day. Every one took his spell in turn, and little enough to keep the leak from increasing, so that we were all doubtful of being obliged to put back for Bantam, to the great risk of losing our men by sickness, and disappointing our voyage to j.a.pan; but, thank G.o.d, our carpenter found the leak, and made it tight. To avoid this shoal it is necessary to keep close to the islands, as the main of Java is shoally.

[Footnote 423: In this voyage, being one not now usual, we have followed the course minutely along with Captain Saris--E.]

The 16th, we anch.o.r.ed at a watering-place called _Tingo Java,_ fourteen leagues from Bantam, and about three and a half leagues westwards of _Jacatra._ We rode between two islands, which are about five miles off the point, having nine and ten fathoms close to the islands, but towards the main land is shoally. I sent presents to the king of Jacatra and to his sabandar and admiral, requesting leave to purchase such necessaries as we wanted; and on the 18th the king sent his chief men aboard, thanking me for the presents, and offering me every thing his country afforded. The 21st we set sail, steering near the eastermost of the two islands that are over against the watering-place, having nine and ten fathoms, and so to seawards of all the islands E.N.E. from the watering-place. The outwardmost of them beareth E. by N. northerly; and off its northern point is a shoal half a league distant, on which the sea is seen to break, at which time the east point of Jacatra bears east-southerly, depth seventeen and eighteen fathoms, and all the way out from twenty to fourteen fathoms. You will here find a current setting E.S.E. for which you must allow according as you have the wind.

In the evening, having little wind at N. by W. and the current setting us to the S.E. upon the sh.o.r.e, we came to anchor in, thirteen fathoms, having shot three leagues to the eastward of the east point of Jacatra, with the wind at N.W.

We weighed on the 22d, with the wind at S.W. and steered E.N.E. to get into deep water, and had fourteen fathoms, when the high hill over Bantam bore W.S.W. half a point westerly. The morning of the 23d _we deckt up our sails_, the wind being at S.E. and had sight of an island off Cheribon, with three of those high-peaked hills of Java, the easternmost of which bore S.E. while Cheribon bore S. by E. Our lat.i.tude at noon was 6 10' S. The wind at N.N.W. and the island bearing E. by N.

three and a half leagues off. You may boldly keep in twenty-three or twenty-four fathoms water in the offing, and in twenty fathoms upon Java in the darkest night that is, and during the day upon Java in any depth you please. The 24th, in the morning, we had sight of the three high-peaked hills, and of three others farther eastwards, that looked like islands. Our depth was twenty fathoms, the point of j.a.para bearing S.E. by S. and the island [_Carimon Java_] bearing S.E. and N.W. about nine leagues off. We steered E. by S. and E.S.E. lat.i.tude 6 10' and made our course twenty leagues E.

At day-break of the 26th, we had sight of _Pulo Lubek_, bearing N.E. by E. eight leagues off, wind at W. by N. We steered E. by S. in thirty-four and thirty-five fathoms; and about nine a.m. saw land bearing S.E. and S.E. by S. the before-named island now bearing N.E. by N. At noon our lat.i.tude was 6 12' S. and our course twenty-two leagues E. and E. by N. By four p.m. _Pulo Lubek_ bore W. by N. nine leagues off, and our depth was thirty-four fathoms. Noon of the 27th our lat.i.tude was 6 4' S. our course twenty-eight leagues E. northerly, depth thirty-eight fathoms; and by three p.m. we had sight of an island N.N.E. seven leagues off. At five p.m. we had thirty-four fathoms.

At four a.m. of the 20th, we had twenty-five fathoms, steering E. till noon, when our lat.i.tude was 5 55' S. our course having been twenty leagues E. northerly, and our depth was now thirty-five fathoms. From noon we steered E. by S. Early in the morning of the 29th, having the wind at W. by N. we steered E. by S. and had no ground with forty fathoms line; but at noon we found fifty-two fathoms, with many _overfalls_. Our lat.i.tude was this day at noon 6 9' S. our course twenty-eight leagues E. by S. the wind W. and W. by N. and a current setting to the westwards. We steered E. and in the afternoon had no ground with 100 fathoms.

The 30th, in the morning, our lat.i.tude was 5 57' S. our longitude from Bantam 224 leagues E. our course E. northerly twenty-eight leagues, the _overfalls_ continuing, but had no ground at 100 fathoms. At three p.m.

we had sight from the topmast-head of a low flat island, bearing N.E. by N. five or six leagues off, full of trees. We had eighteen fathoms water, and the next cast eighty-five fathoms. We steered E. by S. and at four p.m. the island bore N. by E. half a point N. three or four leagues off. We then had sight of two other low flat islands, one opening to the eastwards, and the other to the westwards, so that the first seen lay in the middle between them. At six p.m. that first seen island bearing N.

half a point E. we sounded, and had no ground at eighty fathoms. We steered E. by S. constantly throwing the lead, in regard to the _overfalls_ or ripplings, which were very fearful, yet had no ground at sixty fathoms.

At day-break of the 31st, we had sight of Celebes, its western extremity rising like an island, and the outermost high land bearing E. by N. six leagues off, our lat.i.tude 5 52' S. our course E. northerly sixteen leagues, and a current setting N.W. At sun-set we took in our sails, that we might not overshoot the straits of _Desalon_, called _Solore_ by the natives.[424] Keeping our lead going all night, while under easy sail, we had first twenty fathoms, the high land being then north, and drove thence into thirty-three and forty-seven fathoms, fearing a shoal about two-thirds of a league from Celebes, on which the sea breaks at low-water. The pa.s.sage, or straits, on the Celebes side, is very dangerous, and full of sunken ground, wherefore we hauled off to the _Desalon_ side, giving it a good birth, having a peaked hill next the sea-side, rising like an island. When you are to the westward, this hill bears N.N.E. When it bears north, then you are athwart the west end of the shoal, and then will the island on your starboard-hand bear E.N.E.

so that you may boldly steer through in the middle between the two islands. When the peaked hill bears N. by W. then you are athwart the east end. This east end of Desalon shews like an island, and will deceive you till you come to it; but when you have brought the north end of the point E.N.E. you may be bold, as being now clear of the before-mentioned shoal. It is about four leagues between these islands, and we came within half a mile of the island on our starboard. While going through, the wind took us suddenly short, but on sounding, we had no ground at fifty-five fathoms.

[Footnote 424: The pa.s.sage between the S.W. extremity of Celebes and the Sallyee islands seems here meant.--E.]

The afternoon of the 1st February we were abreast the point of the island, bearing S. of us, and the two islands which make the straits lay from each other N. and S. distant five small leagues. The morning of the 2d we had sight of the south part of _Desalon_, S.W. by S. and the north part W. by N. eight leagues off. We steered E. by N. the wind at N. by E. Our lat.i.tude being 5 52' S. and Desalon ten leagues off. The morning of the 3d the south end of the isle of _Cambyna_ bore N.E. by E. and a small island or hummock N.E. eight or nine leagues off. In the morning of the 4th we were in lat.i.tude 5 S. with the wind at N.E. and at 3 p.

m. we saw land E. by N. which we made to be _Boeton_ or_ Botun._ The 5th, being three or four leagues off Cambyna, we found the current carrying us to the northwards. The 7th at day-break we neared Botun, and the 8th saw another island called _Tingaba.s.se_, or _Tockan Bessy_, rising round and flat.

The 9th we had sight of two _Curra-Curras_ between us and Botun, on which we sent the skiff to one of them, which brought one Mr Welden, who had formerly belonged to the Expedition, and a Dutchman, both of them being bound for Banda. Mr Welden was in the employment of the king of Botun, in the trade between that place and Banda, and had the command of these two curra-curras. Our lat.i.tude was 5 20'. We had the wind at E.N.E. and steered north. At night the wind came southerly, and we steered N.N.E. From the east point of Botun the land falls away suddenly, forming two great bays to the N.N.W. and with three great islands which lie to the northward of Botun, forms the straits of that name. The strait of Botun is not above a league broad, the entrance being on the north side of the island. If you come from the westwards, when abreast the north-west point, the proper course is E.N.E. and E. by N. up to the road, with no danger but what may be seen; but you must leave the three great islands to the north of your course, not going between any of them; and on falling in with the west end of Botun, go not between and the island lying off it. There are two long islands, but leave both to starboard, as there is broken ground between them and Botun. If the wind serve, haul to the northward of all the islands, going either between Botun and Cambyna, or else to the northward of Cambyna likewise, and so you may keep the sh.o.r.e of Celebes, for it is bold.

The morning of the 13th we had sight of the island of _Buro_ or _Boero_, being high land; and the 14th, in the morning, we bore up with the east point of the island, to seek for some place where we might anchor. At noon of the 18th, we were within a mile of an island called _Sula_, and sent our skiff ash.o.r.e to speak with the natives. We had fifteen fathoms only the s.h.i.+p's length from sh.o.r.e, and no ground a mile off with 100 fathoms line. The west part of Boero bore S. 1/2 a point W. and N. 1/2 a point E. fourteen leagues one from the other, the land stretching N.N.E.

The morning of the 21st we were four or five leagues off an island called by our sailors _Haleboling_, being a high-capped round island, different in shape from all the islands in sight, the point of this island of _Haleboling_, or _Boa de Bachian_, bearing N.E. by N. four leagues off. The 22d, in the morning, we had sight of land N. by E.

being the island of _Machian_, which is very high land. The 23d, in the morning, we were three leagues from the land, having the wind at N.E.

and were in search of a place wherein to anchor. Within a quarter of a mile from the sh.o.r.e we had forty fathoms, wherefore we bore up to the south part of the island, where we had twenty and nineteen fathoms for a few casts, and then no ground. We steered from this point E.S.E. for so the land lieth open, off the point of the high round island, being four leagues between the two points; but the western point is an island, with three or four others to the eastwards of it, which cannot be perceived till very near them. The land then falls away N.E. having a large and round bay or sound, very deep, with land on both sides of it. This round hill is _Bachian_, and yields great abundance of cloves; but by reason of the wars they are wasted, and as the people are not allowed the advantages of the cloves, they are not gathered, but are left to drop from the trees upon the ground to absolute waste. The natives are oppressed by the Hollanders and Spaniards, and induced by them to spoil and waste each other in civil wars; while both of these, their oppressors, remain secure in strong-holds, and look on till they can s.n.a.t.c.h, the bone from he who can wrest it from his fellow. Finding no ground on which to anchor, and being unable to get to the northwards, we stood off and on all night, hoping to get a s.h.i.+ft of wind to carry us to Machian.

The morning of the 24th; the high land of the island, laying from us S.

by E. ten or twelve leagues, had a rugged appearance. We stood in, however, and when a league from the point, sent off the skiff to look for water, and to sound for an anchorage. She returned on board, having neither found water nor place to anchor in; wherefore we stood into the bay, and presently got sight of a town and fort belonging to the Hollanders, called Boa de Bachian. The pinnace a-head found water in several places, which were all very steep and in the bottom of the bay, near to which is the Dutch fort very artificially built, and warlike, with a town hard by. We came here to anchor, a sacker shot from the fort, having very irregular soundings in going up, as seventy, sixty, eight, and ten fathoms, the ground all ooze. The Dutch saluted us with five pieces, which I returned with a like number. A messenger being on board of my s.h.i.+p from the king of the island, I told him our salute was in honour of his master; who indeed had sent me word by this person, that he would have come aboard to visit me, but was hindered by the Dutch. In this fort there were thirteen pieces of artillery, one being a bra.s.s demi-culverine, the others sackers and minions. The Hollanders here are more feared than loved by the natives, which yet is the cause of their greater profit; for, as soon as we arrived, the natives told us, they durst not for their lives bring us a _catty_ of cloves.

At our anchorage here, the outermost point bore S.S.W. and the other S.W. distant from us four leagues. The king sent his admiral and others of his n.o.bles aboard to bid me welcome, saying that they knew what nation we were of by our flag. They used many ceremonious compliments, wis.h.i.+ng we were seated among them instead of the Dutch, that they might get clear of them, as they had almost ruined their country by civil wars. I entertained them in a friendly manner, saying we had come among them for trade, and would leave a factory with them, if their king were so inclined. They answered, that such a thing would please them much, but could not now be granted; yet they would acquaint their king with what I said. The captain of the Dutch fort made me a visit on board, from whom I understood that his force consisted of thirty men, most of whom were married, some to natives of the country, and some to Dutch women; eleven of whom, as he told me, were able to do military duty even against the Spaniards or any other nation, being large and strong viragoes, with few other good qualities. No sooner was the captain on board but he was followed by this Amazonian band, who complained that they suffered great misery, and readily sat down along with our sailors to partake of such as our s.h.i.+p afforded; after which they returned ash.o.r.e with the captain.

The 3d March we sent our skiff to sound the east side of the bay, and at an opening or entrance near a little island, she found an anchorage in twelve, sixteen, and twenty fathoms on coral ground, out from under the command of the fort; but having a shoal to the southwards, the length of three cables. This is in lat.i.tude 0 50'. The 4th, the king of Ternate sent me a present by his priest. The 5th, at sun-rise, we observed the variation to be 4 48' easterly. This day a Moor came aboard with a sample of cloves, and offered to sell us some quant.i.ty if we would go for them to Machian; being sent on this errand by his master, who was now on this island of Bachian. For this reason we deemed it proper to stay a day longer to have some conference with this person, whose name was Key Malladaia, being brother to the old king of Ternate. The 6th he came aboard, and promised to go with us to Machian, and to bring us to a place there called Tahannee.[425] He accordingly left two of his chief men with me as pilots, desiring us to go before and wait for him at an island by the way, where he promised to be with us in two days, giving great encouragement to hope for abundance of cloves. He told us that the Dutch gave 50 dollars the bahar, but they would cost us 60, which I very readily promised to give. The 7th we weighed from this anchorage or road, called _Amascan_; and, by direction of our new pilots, steered W.

and W. by N. for Machian, leaving two islands to larboard, four or five miles from Amascan; we had twenty-two, thirty, and even forty fathoms, two cables length only off the island. The 10th we had sight of _Machian_, being a high and capped island, bearing N.E. and the island of _Tidore_ opening like a sugar-loaf on its western side, but not such high land as Machian. We anch.o.r.ed in twenty-three fathoms, a mile from a little island in the mouth of a strait or pa.s.sage among islands five leagues from the straits of _Namorat_, and fourteen leagues from the road of Amascan, where is the Dutch fort we had been near in Bachian.

The 11th in the morning, we weighed with the wind at S.S.E. and the current setting to the northwards, enabled us to pa.s.s the straits. The wind then veered to N.W. by N. on which we stood east till noon, when we tackt to westwards, and had sight of _Gilolo_, a long land. Our depth going out of the strait was from twenty-nine to thirty-four fathoms, and we had many islands to the E. and E.S.E. The point of old Bachian was three or four leagues north of the strait, leaving four islands to starboard. The island which makes that side of the strait is called _Tavally Backar_, where we anch.o.r.ed and remained till the 12th, waiting for Key Malladaia, being the place where he appointed to come to us, being ten leagues from Machian. In this island of Tavally we had plenty of wood, but no water. The 13th our coopers provided themselves with _rattans_, which make excellent hoops, and of which there was abundance to be had here of all sizes.

[Footnote 425: Tahannee is a town on the island of Machian, where the Portuguese formerly had a fort, but there is none now, neither for them nor the Hollanders. There is here the best anchorage in the whole island, and though very near the sh.o.r.e, yet perfectly safe.--_Purchas._]

As Key Malladaia did not make his appearance on the 14th, his people doubted that the Dutch had detained him, on seeing us making our way among the islands, and suspecting he was in treaty with us. Wherefore we set sail with the wind at N.W. and plied up towards Machian. The channel between Bachian, Machian, Tidore, and Ternate, stretches N. by W. and S.

by E. and is six leagues across in its narrowest part. In the morning of the 15th, we pa.s.sed between Gilolo, otherwise called Batta-china and Caia, our lat.i.tude at noon being 0 17' N. so that Machian was not truly placed on our chart, in which the equator is made to pa.s.s through its middle, whereas we found it five leagues more to the northwards. The 16th in the morning we were close by the island of Caia, and had sight of a sail to the northwards, which we learnt from a fisherman to be a Dutch vessel, bound from. Machian to Tidore with _sago_, of which the natives make use instead of bread.[426] In the morning of the 17th we were near a fort of the Hollanders, called _Tabalda_; and at four p.m.

we came to anchor in the road of _Pelebere_, hard by _Tahanue_, in fifty fathoms water, so near the sh.o.r.e as to be within call;, having one point of land to the S.S.W. two miles off, another N.E. by N. one and a half mile off, and the island of _Caia_ five leagues distant. This night some small quant.i.ties of cloves were brought to us, and a price fixed at sixty dollars the bahar of 200 _cattees_, each _cattee_ being three pounds five ounces English.[427] I received a letter from Key Malladaia at Bachian, excusing his absence, promising to be with me shortly, and saying he had sent orders to his people to supply me with all the cloves they could procure.

[Footnote 426: In the test of the Pilgrims, Captain Sons calls sago a root, while Purchas, in a marginal note, informs us that some say it is the tops of certain trees. Sago is a granulated dried paste, prepared from the pith of certain trees that grow in various of the eastern islands of India, and of which a bland, mucilaginous, and nutritive jell; is made by maceration and boiling in water.--E.]

[Footnote 427: The bahar in this instance may be called 662 pounds, and the agreed price for the cloves rather below 5d the pound.--E.]