Not long after the West-India Company set out twelve Ships more, under the Command of Derick Simonszon Uitgeest, (who had the year before brought home the two fore-mention’d great Prizes,) who setting Sayl and getting into the large Bay of the Rocky Island Vincent, catch’d several Goats and Tortels. Before the Coast of Brasile he took two rich Carvels, one from Pernambuco, and another from the Inlet Todos los Sanctos; which Prizes having sent home with three Ketches, he sayl’d towards Sierra Leona, known by high and thick Woods, which grow on a high Coast; from whence returning again to Pernambuco, he took six rich laden Vessels, amongst which was one Gallioon from Goa, with a great Treasure of Diamonds.
Peter Hein’s Expedition.
He gives chace to the Spanish Plate-Fleet, & takes several of them.
These successful Expeditions of the Fleets set out from time to time by the West-India Company, enabled and encourag’d them to undertake Matters of greater consequence, viz. They fitted out one and thirty Sail, which carryed four thousand Men, one hundred and thirty Brass Guns, and five hundred fifty eight Iron Guns; of which Peter Peterszoon Hein being Admiral, took near the Soundings of Tortuga, two Barques from Havana, the Men whereof inform’d him, that the Plate-Fleet was not yet arriv’d there, nor that from Terra Firma, but were both expected every day. The strong Current drove Peter Hein farther Eastward beyond Havana than he expected, insomuch that he got sight of Matanca, where he overtook a Barque sent out by Landronce de Cabrera, Governor of Havana, to give notice to the Plate Fleet of the Hollanders Ships, which he had seen from the Castle Morro before Havana: Mean while John Van Hoorn took a Vessel which was sent out before by the Plate Fleet, the Men whereof inform’d him that the Fleet it self was near at hand; which Peter Hein found to be true, when the next Morning before Sun-rising he descry’d ten Sayl, of which some had ignorantly sayled to Leeward, and others to Windward of the Dutch Fleet; nine of them which were Laden with Hides, Meal, Campeche-Wood, Cochinele, Indigo, and other rich Goods, were taken by several Mann’d Sloops, because the Ships were not able to come up to them by reason of the Calm. About Noon Peter Hein discovering nine Gallions more, made sudden Chace after them; which they perceiving, made toward the Shore, and about Twilight in the Evening they ran aground in the Bay of Matanca, where the Commanders Landing saved themselves, each carrying with him what Jewels they could. About Break of Day Peter Hein made all the Sayl he could possible to come up with them, and seeing them fast aground, leapt into a Boat and Rowed up to the Admiral, who fired eight Guns, whilest his Men got ashore: Hein approaching the Gallioon, saw no way to get up, till at last one of his Men spying a Rope, climb’d up the same, and made fast other Ropes for his Companions to get up by, the Spaniards standing still gaping upon him, as if their feet and hands had been ty’d, which made Peter Hein grant them their Lives; which the other Gallions seeing, surrender’d themselves upon promise of Quarter; by which the Spanish Crown lost, besides the Musk, Bezoar, Ambergreece, and the Cargo of two Gallioons and a rich Prize, above One hundred and fifty Tun of Gold.
The Night succeeding this great Victory being somewhat Tempestuous, drove the Gallioons from the Bank on which they stuck the Day before, into deeper Water: Five Days they spent in unlading of the taken Vessels, after which Peter Hein set Sayl with four Gallioons, a new Spanish Merchant-Man, and his own Fleet, out of the Bay of Matanca, on the Seventh of September, Anno 1628. for Holland, where in a short time he safely arriv’d.
The Expedition of Lucas Pol.
The Tyger Frigat sent from Zealand, and Commanded by Lucas Pol, Anchor’d before Blanca, where he brought away above five hundred Goats: This Island which is six Leagues in circumference, hath on the West a Sandy Inlet, fit for great Ships to Ride at Anchor; Moreover, it is deep and Rocky, in the Valleys the Grass grows above half a Mans length. The Woods are overgrown with Thorns; the Soyl also would produce much more fruit, did not the Rats, Leguanes, Hedge-hogs, and other Animals, devour and spoil the Plants.
Pol leaving this Island ran to Tortuga, a low Isle, except on the West side; it produces Guaiacum, or Pock-wood, in great abundance, and nourishes great Flocks of Goats, and hath an eminent Salt-Pan; in all which things it is parallel’d with the Island Orchilla, known by its high Mountains on the East and West; the other part thereof not being above six Foot above the Water: Pol Landing here, carry’d off above two hundred Goats near the Western Shore, whose bryny Soil produces neither Grain, nor Grass. The Trees which are on the same are so dry and weak, that they may be pusht down with one hand; Neither are there any Birds to be found here, except Owls; nor Beasts, except Goats and great Hedge-hogs. Pol sayling from hence, steer’d by the nine Wooddy Isles call’d Roccas, and the three call’d Aves, to Bonaire, a pretty large rising Isle, which on the North-West hath a convenient Road, a fresh Water-spring, store of Sheep, on which the Spaniards live; Pock-wood, and Cotton Trees: Then steering to the Isle Mona, he found the same to be surrounded with Rocks, and full of Horned Cattel difficult to be catch’d because of the thick Woods, in which grow exceeding good Oranges. Pol leaving this Isle, set sayl and steer’d for Flushing, where he safely arriv’d without having perform’d any remarkable Exploits.
Adrian Pater his Expedition.
Mean while the West-India Company fitted out twelve Sayl more, under the Command of Adrian Johnzon Pater, who set sayl in the middle of August, and Cruised in vain about the Flemmish Isles for Spanish Ships: About the beginning of the Year 1629. he sent away three Ships under the Command of Martin Landrode, from the Island of St. Vincent, whilest he himself ran with the rest of the Fleet into the Inlet Todos los Sanctos, within a League from the City Salvador, where there lay onely seven Barques near the Shore, which he judging not worth the while to hazard his Ships and Men for, steer’d to Pernambuco, took a rich Laden Barque in his Voyage, and was inform’d by a Brasilian that came aboard of him on floating Pieces of Timber, that three Sayl of Ships full of Goods were return’d to Reciffa, so soon as they heard of the Dutch Fleet: But Pater judging no good to be done there, return’d back to the Caribbee Islands, where near Granada he found three Dutch Vessels, which had likewise Cruis’d in vain before the Coast of Brasile. Moreover, the Pegasus, Raven, and Hart Frigats, parted from the Fleet to Cruise about Monges, touching at Blanca, they took above a thousand Goats, and between the Cliffs of the little Isles Monges, abundance of Fish; but descrying no Spanish Ships, they Sail’d to the Island De Vacca, which hath a brave Harbor, delightful Woods, pleasant Pastures, fresh-water Brooks, and abundance of wild Horses, Hogs, and Lyons, of which the Sea-men took an infinite number. Before the low Promontory Corientes, overgrown with Trees, they got two Prizes laden with Campeche Wood.