[287] Large merchantmen. The word “hulk” expresses a different meaning, nearer the original, derived from the Greek [a]ὅλκας], a ship which is towed, from [a]ἕλκειν], to draw, drag. Hence the sense of something bulky or unwieldy.
One of these twenty-five ships was a beautiful newly built vessel, which had only made one voyage from Antorff[288] to Spain; the merchants advised me to sail with that ship, of which the captain was named Heinrich Schetz. He was an honest and religious man, with whom I now came to terms as to the payment for the voyage and the victual and other things necessary on sea. I finally agreed with him and provisioned myself during the same night, and had my plunder, bread, and several other things, as well as the parrots which I brought from India, all put on board. And, lastly, I arranged with him that he should tell me the time of departure, which he faithfully promised me, and that he would not sail without me, but would certainly let me know.
[288] Antwerp.
However, the said skipper that very night drank somewhat too much, so that he forgot all about me and left me alone in the lodgings. Two hours before daylight the steersman, who had the command of the ship, had the anchor lifted and sailed away, and in the morning when I looked out for the ship it was already a mile off. So I had to see after another and make terms with its skipper, to whom I had to give as much as to the former.
Then we soon sailed away along with the other twenty-four ships and had a fairly good wind the first three days, but afterwards we had a contrary wind, so much so that we were unable to continue our voyage. We remained in great danger for five days and hoped for better weather, but the longer we hoped, the more violent became the sea, so we had to return to where we came from.
Now it is the custom at sea for the mariners and skippers to elect for themselves a chief commander, called in Spanish Almiranda.[289] This commander directs all the ships, and all his orders have to be obeyed. The mariners and skippers have to swear an oath to the effect that they will not separate from one another, for H. I. Majesty had ordered that no less than twenty ships should sail from Spain to the Netherlands, because there was war between H. I. Majesty and the King of France.
[289] The Spanish word is Almirante.
Further, it is also usual at sea that one ship should not separate from another for more than the distance of one mile, and at sunrise and sunset that the ships should all come together, and salute the admiral with three or four shots, and this must be done twice a day.
The admiral is bound to have on the stern of his ship two iron lanterns, called farol,[290] which are alight all night through, and the others have to follow the ship that shows this light, and must not separate from each other.
[290] “Farol” is a Spanish word, meaning a box or case with sides of glass or some other transparent substance, for placing a light in, so that it may not be extinguished by the wind.