Fail’d not to make your constant Trickry-mate.
Thus stands th’ Account, and now we’re even just,
Discharging[Discharging] you of what we did intrust,
If not quite broke, for some new Credit look,
You ne’re shall enter more into our Book.
I shall not trouble you with the particulars of an exact Journal of our voyage from Surrat till we came to Venice, to which part we were bound, but only give you some light touches by the way.
The last day of April we cross’d the Æquator, and the first of May made a new way by judgement, and by observation our way was four Leagues to the South-wards, having a rowling Sea out of the Souther board. The fourth of June in the morning we saw the Island Mauritius and a little after three or four small Islands appeared also; we stood in betwixt Mauritius and these Islands, and when we were thwart the point of Rocks which lye on Mauritius side, we edg’d off towards the Island, giving that point and breach a good birth; our depth was twenty, and two and twenty fathom hard ground, and being within one mile of the westermost rock, we had twenty four fathom, the wind being at south east, we left into the shore about a mile distant from it we anchored that night. Here we rode near ten days, refreshing our selves with what the Island afforded, as Goats, Hogs, and fresh fish good store. It is reported here are many fish rank poyson, we did eat all sorts, as Mullets, Lantarasks, Whiskers, Rockfish and Garfish, and many others, but found no harm by feeding on them. We set sail hence and about 28 Leagues distance from Mauritius, we pass’d by an Island call’d the Moschachenas, near which we sprung a leak, that each hour we pumpt above two hundred and fifty strokes, it being gusty whether and a great Sea out of the South-east, but by our Carpenters it was happily stopt, although it was under the next timber abaft the well near the Keel, which by rummidging the Hold they found it so to be. The next place we anchored at was the Island of Johanna, here we had much lightning and thunder, the wind having been out of the Sea in the day, and off shore in the night. This place affordeth very good flesh great quantity of fish and fowl, we had a Bullock for ten long red Cornelion heads; we had also excellent Oranges and Lemmons, the people are very loving and friendly, having two Governours or Captains among them, the one call’d Androm Pela, and the other Masse Core, they desired of us no other money for ought we bought than those red heads. Sailing from hence we sprung our main top-mast, which our Carpenters taking down fisht it and got it up again the same day. On the third of September in latitude 16. d. 33 the wind at South east, we saw the Island of St. Helena, to the west-ward of the Chappel thereof we anchored a mile distant, the Captain caused the skiff to be hoisted out and so my Jinny, the Scrivener, Drugster, and Doctor &c. we landed at Lemmon-valley. Here with some Guns we carried with us we kill’d Hogs and Goats, otherwise it is hard to take them, running at the sight of us up inaccessible craggy Rocks. In ranging through the Isle, our men found divers Oranges and Lemmon-trees but no fruit thereon, the Dutch having been there as we suppose, had gathered them, as appeared by their names on certain Stones and Trees; we caught here Mackrel, Breams and Borettoes good store.
FINIS.
To the Reader instead of the Errata.
The Author hath his faults the Printer too