Beknopte aantekeningen van een Oost-Indische reys, gedaan uyt Engeland, met 3 scheepen de Samaritaan, de ...

1615

North-West Monsoon.

and so had fallen into the North-West Monsoon seasonal wind, which lasts there from September to the end of March. The skippers judged that one should turn back down to 13 or 14 degrees South to catch the South-East wind, which one generally finds between 28 and 11 degrees, and then set our course Northward.

Deliberation on the course they had to take.

But others were of the opinion that one should sail around the island and so come to Bantam, just as some Hollanders had done on a certain occasion, arriving there in 6 weeks. That which was first proposed was, however, judged to be best.

Nature of the land.

The land here is generally very high, and on the sea-side it is full of large trees, and the air is unhealthy due to the stench coming from the land, which is subject to much lightning, thunder, rain, and sudden squalls.

Displeasure over their incorrect sailing.

The day after, at noon, we found ourselves at a latitude of 8 degrees, 35 minutes. The General decided to tack back and forth to see if one could discover anything toward the West. He attributed their mistake to Mr. Wilson, between whom and the captain words and blows were exchanged, but they were reconciled on the 11th of January through the intercession of the General.

On the 18th of January 1615, we had land at 7 degrees, 10 minutes, which in all probability was not far West of our first landfall, even though we had sailed about 100 miles Westward according to our course, which was caused by the strong current from the East.

Arrive at a land where there was a strong current.

The land toward the sea-side is low and flat, but inland it is full of high mountains. We dropped our anchor at the mouth of the bay, where we had calm, but a flood tide, which set East-South-East so strongly that it would push a ship, in calm weather, 4 miles in one watch. There is an abundance of wood and water, which comes from the cliffs, but it is brackish. Near the land, we found a constant calm, even though there was