The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 09: Asia, Part IIHakluyt, Richard
History
The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 09: Asia, Part II
Hakluyt, Richard
Discoveries in geography -- English; Voyages and travels
to the Castle, which is situated on the very toppe of a hill. [Sidenote:
The description of the Castle of Zante.] This Castle is very strong, in
compasse a large mile and a halfe, which being victualed, (as it is neuer
vnfurnished) and manned with men of trust, it may defende itselfe against
any Princes power. This Castle taketh the iust compasse of the hill, and no
other hill neere it, it is so steepe downe, and so high and ragged, that it
will tyre any man or euer he be halfe way vp. Very nature hath fortified
the walles and bulwarkes: It is by nature foure square, and it commandeth
the towne and porte. The Venetians haue alwayes their Podesta, or
Gouernour, with his two Counsellours resident therein. The towne is welle
inhabited, and hath great quantity of housholders. The Iland by report is
threescore and tenne miles about, it is able to make twentie thousand
fighting men. They say they have alwayes fiue or sixe hundred horsemen
readie at an houres warning. They saye the Turke hath assayed it with 100.
Gallies, but he could neuer bring his purpose to passe. It is strange to
mee how they should maintains so many men in this Iland, for their best
sustenance is wine, and the rest but miserable.
The first of August we were warned aboord by the patron, and towards
euening we set sayle, and had sight of a Castle called Torneste, which is
the Turkes, and is ten miles from Zante, it did belong to the Venetians,
but they haue now lost it, it standeth also on a hill on the sea side in
Morea. All that night we bare into the sea, because we had newes at Zante
of twelue of the Turkes gallies, that came from Rhodes, which were about
Modon, Coron, and Candia, for which cause we kept at the sea.
The second of August, we had no sight of land, but kept our course, and
about the thirde watch the winde scanted, so that we bare with the shore,
and had sight of Modon and Coron.
The third we had sight of Cauo Mattapan, and all that day by reason of
contrary windes, which blew somewhat hard, we lay a hull vntill morning.
The fourth we were still vnder the sayd Cape, and so continued that day,
and towardes night there grewe a contention in the ship amongst the
Hollanders, and it had like to haue bene a great inconuenience, for we had
all our weapons, yea euen our kniues, taken from vs that night.
The fift, we sayled by the Bowline, and out of the toppe we had sight of
the Iland of Candia, and towardes noone we might see it plaine, and towards
night the winde waxed calme.
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