They found likewise Corall on this land, and many trees which we call Palmitos, whereout droppeth wine as out of the Coco-tree: which wine being kept hath his operation as our new prest wine, but after some time it commeth vnto the ful vertue and perfection.
The said Palmitos they esteemed to bee a kinde of wilde date-trees.
We sought all the Island ouer for men, but could find none, for that it was wholly destitute of Inhabitants.
Vpon this Island we built an house with a pulpit therein, and left behind vs certaine writings as a token and remembrance of our being there, and vpon the pulpit we left a Bible and a psalter lying.
[Sidenote: A good watering place.] Thus after 12. daies aboad at this Island, being well refreshed, they tooke in excellent fresh water being easie to get, and very sweet and sauory to drinke, and then set saile, meeting the three other ships their consorts at the time and place before mentioned.
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A briefe description of the voiage before handled, in manner of a Iournall.
The first of Maie 1598. with the eight shippes before mentioned, we set saile in the name of God from Texell in Holland.
The third of May we passed along the coast of England, descrying some of her Maiesties ships, and they vs, whom we honoured with discharge of our artillery.
The fourteenth we had sight of the Isle of Porto Santo lying in thirty two degrees.
The sixteenth, wee came within sight of the Canaries.
The twenty two, we first saw flying fishes.
The twenty three, we passed by the Isle Dell Sall.
The thirty one, we had a great storme, so that we lost sight one of another: but by night we came together againe.
The eighth of Iune wee crossed the Equinoctiall line.
The twenty foure we sayled by the sholdes of Brasile lying vnder eighteene degrees of Southerly Latitude.
The twenty one of Iuly we got to the height of the Cape of buona esperanza.
From the thirtith of Iuly till the second of August, we continually sayled in sight of the land of the aforesaid Cape.
The seuenth and eighth of August wee had such foule and stormy weather, that fiue ships of our company were separated from vs, whom we saw no more vntill they came to vs before Bantam.
The twenty sixt we descryed the Island of Madagascar.
The twenty nine came by us the ship called the Long barke of Zeland, hauing in her but nine sound men, tenne dead, and the rest all sicke: but the same night we lost the sight of her againe.
The seauenth of September, we came before the Island of Santa Maria, and afterward wee put into the great bay of Antogill.
The sixteenth of September, wee set saile from thence, directing our course for Iaua.
The first of October, wee got to the heighth of Bantam.
The fifteenth, died the first man in our Admirall.
The nineteenth of November, we came within sight of Sumatra.
The twenty-ninth, we road before the citty of Bantam: And the thirtieth, we payed our toll to the gouernour.
And vpon Newyeares daie 1599. Stilo Nouo, we began to take in our lading.
Then came vnto vs before Bantam, with great ioie and triumph, our fiue separated shippes, all the people standing vpon the shore gazing, and suspecting some harme intended against them.
The eighth of Ianuary, foure of the said 5. newcome shippes (God send them a prosperous voyage) set saile toward the Moluccas.
Moreouer our foure shippes being well and richly laden at Bantam made saile homewarde the eleuenth of Ianuary, and the thirteenth, wee were shot as farre as the Isles of Sumatra.
The nineteenth, we proceeded thence on our voige, and the same day, to the great griefe of vs all died the Pilot of our Admirall.
The third of Aprill, we descried the land of Capo de buona esperanza.
The eighth, wee doubled the same Cape, thence shaping our course for the Island of Saint Helena, where the twenty sixt we happily arriued, and departed from thence vpon the fourth of Maie.
The tenth of Maie, wee sailed by the Isle of Ascension.
The seuenteenth, we passed the Equinoctiall line.
The twenty one, we saw the North starre.
The ninth and tenth of Iune, we had sight of the Canaries.
The twenty seauen, wee sayled vpon the Spanish Sea.
The twenty nine, we were in fortie four degrees.
The fourth of Iuly, we saw behind vs two sailes, one before the other, which were the first that we had seene for a long time.
The sixt of Iuly our Admirall had both his foremast and mainemast blowne ouer boord.
The eleuenth, we passed the Sorlings, the thirteenth, Falmouth, Plimmouth and the Quasquets.
The seauenteenth, we came before Dover.
The nineteenth, wee had foule and stormy weather, at what time by Gods good blessing wee arriued in our natiue countrey at Texell in Holland, hauing performed in the short space of one yeare, two moneths and nineteene daies, almost as long a voiage, as if we should haue compassed the globe of the earth, and bringing home with vs our full fraight of rich and gainfull Marchandize.