The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 10 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 429 pages of information about The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 10.

The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 10 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 429 pages of information about The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 10.

The 23. of May, by reason of the cloudy sky, about noone we could not take the height of the Sunne, but as we gest we had the height of the Island of S. Helena, and held our course West and by South to keepe vnder that height, for there the compasses decline a whole strike or line:  in the euening we found that we were vnder 16. degrees.

The 24. of May in the morning wee discouered a Portingall ship, that stayed for vs, and put out a flagge of truce, and because our flagge of truce was not so readie as theirs, and we hauing the wind of him, therefore he shot two shootes at vs, and put forth a flagge out of his maine top, and we shot 5 or 6. times at him, and so held on our course without speaking to him, hauing a South East winde, holding our course West and by South to find the Island of S. Helena, which the Portugal likewise sought.

The 25. of May we discouered the Island of S. Helena, but we could not see the Portingal ship, still sayling with a stiffe Southeast wind, and about euening we were vnder the Island, which is very high lande, and may be seene at the least 14. or 15. miles off, and as we sayled about the North point, there lay three other great Portingal ships, we being not aboue half a mile from them, wherevpon wee helde in the weather and to seawarde Northeast as much as we might.  The Portingalles perceyuing vs, the Admiral of their fleet shot off a peece to call their men that were on land to come aborde, [Sidenote:  Foure Portingal ships richly laden.] and then wee saw foure of their shippes together, that were worth a great summe of money, at the least 300. tunnes of gold, for they were all laden with spices, precious stones, and other rich wares, and therefore wee durst not anker vnder the Island, but lay all night Northeastwarde, staying for our company.

The 26. of May in the morning wee made towardes the Island againe, with a good Southeast winde, and about noone or somewhat past we discried two shippes, and about euening as we made towards them, we knew them to be our company, which made vs to reioyce, for we had been asunder the space of a whole Month, and so we helde together and sayled homeward, holding our course Northwest:  for as yet our men were well and in good health, and we found a good Southeast winde, and had water enough for foure or fiue monthes.

The 27. 28. 29. and 30. of May wee had a Southeast winde, with faire weather, and the 27. day we were vnder 14. degrees.  The first of Iune we were vnder 6. degrees, with a Southeast wind, holding our course North West, but by means of the Compasse that yeelded North eastward, we kept about Northwest and by North.  The 6. of Iune wee were vnder one degree on the South side of the line, there wee founde that the streame draue vs fast into the West, and therefore wee helde our course more Northernely and sayled Northwest and by North, with an East and South East wind. [Sidenote:  They passed the Equinoctiall line.] The 7. of Iune wee past the Equinoctiall line, with an East winde, holding our course North Northwest.

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The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 10 from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.