The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 10: Asia, Part IIIHakluyt, Richard
History
The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 10: Asia, Part III
Hakluyt, Richard
Discoveries in geography -- English; Voyages and travels
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.
The 10. of Iune in the euening we were vnder 5. degrees and a halfe on the
North side of the line, and then we began again to see the North star,
which for the space of 2. years we had not seene, holding our course North
Northwest, there we began to haue smal blasts, and some times calmes, but
the aire all South and South east.
The 11. of Iune we had a calme, and yet a darke sky, that came
Southeastwarde.
The 12. of Iune wee had a close sky with raine, and the same euening our
fore top maste fell downe.
The 13. we strake all our sailes and mended our ship.
The 14. we had the wind Northward, holding our course West Northwest as
neare as we coulde, but by reason of the thick sky wee could not take
height of the Sun. The 15. of Iune we had the wind North, and North
Northwest.
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