(Ch. xviii.).—"It was the 15th day of May 1688, about four o'clock in the afternoon, when we left Nicobar Island, directing our course towards Achin, being eight men of us in company, viz., three English, four Malayans who were born at Achin, and the mongrel Portuguese.
"Our vessel, the Nicobar canoe, was not one of the biggest, nor of the least size. She was much about the burthen of one of our London wherries below Bridge, and built sharp at both ends, like the forepart of a wherry. She was deeper than a wherry, but not so broad, and was so thin and light that when empty four men could launch her or hale her ashore on a sandy bay. We had a good substantial mast, and a mat sail, and good outlayers lashed very fast and firm on each side the vessel, being made of strong poles. So that while these continued firm, the vessel could not overset, which she would easily have done without them, and with them too, had they not been made very strong; and we were therefore much beholden to our Achinese companions for this contrivance.
"These men were none of them so sensible of the danger as Mr Hall and myself, for they all confided so much in us, that they did not so much as scruple anything we did approve of. Neither was Mr Hall so well provided as I was, for before we left the ship, I had purposely consulted our draft of the East Indies (which we had but one in the ship), and out of that I had written in my pocket-book an account of the bearing and distance of all the Malacca coast, and that of Sumatra, Pegu, and all Siam, and also brought away with me a pocket compass for my direction in any enterprise that I should undertake.
"The weather at our setting out was very fair, clear, and hot. The wind was still at S.E., a very small breeze, just fanning the air, and the clouds were moving gently from west to east, which gave us hopes that the winds were either at west already abroad at sea, or would be so in a very short time. We took this opportunity of fair weather, being in hopes to accomplish our voyage to Achin before the western monsoon was set in strong, knowing that we should have very blusterous weather after this fair weather, especially at the first-coming of the western monsoon.
"We rowed, therefore, away to the southward, supposing that when we were clear from the island we should have a true wind, as we call it; for the land hales the wind; and we often find the wind at sea different from what it is near the shore. We rowed with four oars, taking our time. Mr Hall and I steered also by turns, for none of the rest were capable of it. We rowed the first afternoon and the night ensuing about 12 leagues by my judgment. Our course was S.S.E.; but the 16th day, in the morning, when the sun was an hour high, we saw the island whence we came, bearing N.W. by N. Therefore I found we had gone a point more to the east than I intended, for which reason we steered S. by E.
"In the afternoon at four o'clock we had a gentle breeze at W.S.W., which continued so till nine, all which time we laid down our oars, and steered away S.S.E. I was then at the helm, and I found by the ripplings of the sea that there was a strong current against us. It made a great noise that might be heard half a mile. At nine o'clock it fell calm, and so continued till ten. Then the wind sprung up again, and blew a fresh breeze all night.
"The 17th day, in the morning, we looked out for the island Sumatra, supposing that we were now within 20 leagues of it, and the distance from Nicobar to Achin is 40 leagues. But we looked in vain for the island Sumatra, for, turning ourselves about we saw, to our grief, Nicobar Island lying W.N.W., and not above 8 leagues distant. By this it was visible that we had met a very strong current against us in the night. But the wind freshened on us, and we made the best use of it while the weather continued fair. At noon we had an observation of the sun; my lat. was 6° 55', and Mr Hall's was 7° N.
"The 18th day the wind freshened on us again, and the sky began to be clouded. It was indifferent clear till noon, and we thought to have had an observation; but we were hindered by the clouds that came on the face of the sun when it came on the meridian. This oftens happens, that we are disappointed of making observations by the sun's being clouded at noon, though it shines clear both before and after, especially in places near the sun; and this obscuring of the sun at noon is commonly sudden and unexpected, and for about half an hour or more.
"We had then also a very ill passage (presage?), by a great circle about the sun (five or six times the diameter of it), which seldom appears but storms of wind, or much rain, ensue. Such circles about the moon are more frequent, but of less import. We do commonly take great notice of these that are about the sun, observing if there be any breach in the circle, and in what quarter the breach is; for from thence we commonly find the greatest stress of the wind will come. I must confess that I was a little anxious at the sight of the circle, and wished heartily that we were near some land. Yet I showed no sign of it to discourage my consorts, but made a virtue of necessity, and put a good countenance on the matter.
"I told Mr Hall that if the wind became too strong and violent, as I feared it would, it being even then very strong, we must of necessity steer away before the wind and sea till better weather presented; and that as the winds were now, we should, instead of about 20 leagues to Achin, be driven 60 or 70 to the coast of Cudda or Queda (Kedah) a kingdom and town and harbour of trade on the coast of Malacca.