Sept. 21. In the morning we had a fresh gale at N.N.E., and it so continued between N. and E. a fair wind for us. About half-an-hour after eleven we set sail out of the Downes, being seven general ships, for the Levant; Captain Partridge in the Turkey Merchant, for Scanderoon.
| Capt. Joh. Hill, in the London Merchant, | } | for Smyrna and Constantinople. |
| Capt. Pain, in the Speedwell, | } | |
| Capt. Dier Roles, in the Mary and Martha, | } | for Smyrna. |
| Capt. Kerington, in the Levant Merchant, | } | |
| Capt. Stoey, in the Pearl, | } | |
| Capt. Bromwell, in the Tho. and Frances, | } | for Smyrna and Scanderoon. |
Our convoy were, Capt. Robinson, in the Greenwich,[180] as Admiral (who was to leave us at the next end of Candia, and go on to Scanderoon with the Turkey Merchant), and Capt. Wild, in the Assurance, as Vice-Admiral, who was to go with all the rest of us as far as Smyrna, with Virginia men, and some coasters and streightsmen.[181] We made up in all about 100 sail going out of the Channel. I took my passage upon the London Merchant, with that very able and long-experienced Seaman, a most carefull and understanding commander, Capt. John Hill, whose honest, sober, and discreet management of all his affaires I can never sufficiently commend, as I must never forget his singular respect and kindnesse to myself.
Cap. 3.—Our Passage from the Land’s End to the Streightsmouth.
Saturday, Sept. 24. About ½ an hour past two, afternoon, we weigh’d anchor, and stood of with an easy sail. Next morning, by eight o’clock, we were clear of the Land’s End, leaving it N. 6 W. about nine leagues, and we told 75 sail in company.
Sept. 26. The wind came up at South. It blew hard, and brought much rain. We made several tacks, and our Freshmen passengers were all in a miserable, squeamish, and puking condition. I had held up perfectly well till that morning, when I began (as well as the rest) to find some odde wamblings in my stomack. Wherefore, counting it very healthfull, at first coming to sea, to evacuate what humours might overflow, I went and sat down in the Captaine’s Round-house[182] on purpose to provide that designe; for the higher any one sit within the ship, the motion of it affects him the more, and cause his giddinesse and mawkishnesse to be the greater. After I had sat there till I was sufficiently squeamish, I went down to the Cook and got at least thre pints of warme small beer into my belly, and then returned up to the Round-house again, where the reeling of the Ship had its desired effect. I then went down and took a second dose of warme beer, and so came up to the Round-house again; and after somewhat a longer pause then before, I fell to my former exercise. This I repeated several times, till at last, when I cam down to the wast[183] of the ship, and took a turn or two there, I found my stomack begin to settle. I immediately drank a spoonful of Purle[184] royall (as they call it), that is, sack and wormwood, and a little while after I took as much more. Thus for a while supping not above one spoonfull at a time (sometimes of old Hock, sometimes of sack, with wormwood), I afterwards continued walking gently and santering up and down the Ship, till by noon I could have eaten and drunk as well as any one. But I dined onely with a little fresh broth, and as much Cremor tartari in it as made it palatable; and with a cautious and moderate diet, I was very well in lesse than 24 houres, and I thank God I never was in the least sea-sick after in any weather whatever.
Sept. 29. The Admiral called all the Turkish commanders on board. He told them that the Dutch and we had chased six Algier men of War on shoar at Cape Spartel (which is the most northern Cape of Africk, just at the Streight’s mouth) not far from Tangier, and that we had sunk, and fired, and destroy’d them all, and released many English and Dutch prisoners. He had received the news by some Dutch Merchant ship, which that day past by us; for all ships, if friends, when they meet upon the sea, share up to one another, and sometimes lay by their sails, or send of their boats, mutually to hear and relate what newes they have.
Saturday, October 1st. The Admiral and Vice-Admiral, and several Commanders, came on board us, and dined with us; and on the 3rd we all dined on board the Turkey Merchant. When we thus treat one another, if the weather be fair and will permit it, we seldome fail of some merry fellows in every ship’s crew, who will entertain us with several diversions, as divers sorts of odde Sports and Gambols; sometimes with their homely drolls and Farses, which in their corrupt language they nickname Interlutes; sometimes they dance about the mainmast instead of a may-pole, and they have variety of forecastle songs, ridiculous enough.
Oct. 5. The wind blew hard all night, and with the labouring of the Ship the table and chaires in the great Cabin brok loose from the cords with which they were lash’t, and hurt our surgeon and some of the gentlemen that were up there.
Oct. 7. At 6 o’clock at night we saw to S.E. 25 sail going southward, and we saw them again, next morning, about 6 o’clock. We took them for Newfoundland men going for Lisbon and the Streights.