A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels, Vol. II - Robert Kerr
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In the same year 1502, Columbus entered upon his fourth voyage of
discovery, with four ships, taking with him his son Don Ferdinando. The
particular object of this voyage, by command of King Ferdinand, was to look
out for the strait which was supposed to penetrate across the continent
of the new world, and by which a route to India by the west was expected
to be discovered. He sailed by Hispaniola and Jamaica to the river Azua,
Cape Higueras, the Gamares islands, and to Cape Honduras, which signifies
the Cape of the Depths. From thence he sailed eastwards to Cape Garcias a
Dios, and discovered the province and river of Veragua, the Rio Grande,
and others, which the Indians call Hienra. Thence to the river of
Crocodiles, now called Rio de Chagres, which rises near the South Sea,
within four leagues of Panama, and runs into the Caribbean Sea. He went
next to the Isle of Bastimentos, or of Provisions, and after that to
Porto Bello; thence to Nombre de Dios and Rio Francisco, and the harbour
of Retreat. Then to the Gulf of Cabesa Cattiva, the islands of Caperosa
and Cape Marmora; having discovered two hundred leagues along the coast.
He thence returned to the island of Cuba, and from that to Jamaica, where
he laid his ships aground, on account of their bottoms being much eaten
by the worms.
On the tenth of February 1S02, Don Vasques de Gama, now admiral, sailed
from Lisbon for India, with nineteen or twenty caravels. On the last day
of February he reached Cape de Verd, whence he went to Mosambique, and
was the first who crossed over from thence to India. In this passage he
discovered the islands of Amirante, in four degrees of south latitude.
Having taken in a cargo of pepper and drugs, de Gama returned to Lisbon,
leaving Vincent Sodre to keep the coast of India, with four stout ships.
These were the first of the Portuguese who navigated the coast of Arabia
Felix, which is so barren, that the inhabitants are forced to support
their camels and other cattle on dried fish. The sea on that coast is so
abundant in fish, that the cats are in use to take them. One Antonio de
Saldania is reported to have discovered Socotora, formerly named Coradis,
and the Cape of Guardafu in 1503.
In 1504, Roderigo de Bastidas, formerly mentioned, with the aid of John
de Ledesma, and others of Seville, fitted out two ships, and taking John
de Cosa as his pilot, went on discovery to the Terra Firma of America,
where Carthagena now stands. He is said to have here met with Lewis de la
Guerra, and they in conjunction landed in the island of Codego, where
they made prisoners of 600 savages. Going a little farther along the
coast, they entered the Gulf of Uraba, where they found sand mingled with
gold, being the first of that kind which was brought to Spain. From
thence they sailed for St Domingo, loaded with slaves, but almost
famished for want of victuals, as the natives refused to traffic with
them for any. In the end of this year Isabella, queen of Castile, died.
While she lived, no subject of Arragon, Catalonia, Valencia, or any other
of the provinces, depending on her husband King Ferdinand, was allowed to
sail to any of the newly-discovered countries; but only her own subjects
of Castile and Biscay, by whom all these lands were discovered; excepting
only such of her husbands subjects as might be in a servile capacity to
her own, or a few that could procure special licenses.
In 1505, on the twenty-fifth of March, Francisco de Almeida, the viceroy
of India, sailed from Lisbon with a fleet of twenty-two sail. On his way
to India, he stopped at Quiloa, where he built a fort, appointing Peter
Fereira to command it. From beyond Melinda he passed over to the island
of Anguediva, of which he appointed Emanuel Passavia to be captain. He
built a fort also at Cananor, of which he gave the command to Laurence de
Brito; and one at Cochin, which was given in charge to Alphonso de
Noronha. This year likewise, Peter de Anahay built a fort at Sofala, of
which he was made captain. In the latter end of this year the viceroy
commanded his son Laurenco to go to the islands of Maldivia. Beating up
against contrary winds, he arrived at these islands which in ancient
times were called Traganae[19], but Ytterubenero by the Moors, and by us
Ceilan. Here he went on shore, and entered into treaty with the people,
and returned to Cochin. In the middle of this island there is a high rock,
having the print of a mans foot, said to have been that of Adam when he
ascended to heaven, which the Indians hold in great reverence.
In 1506, after the death of Isabella, King Philip and Queen Joan came to
take possession of the crown of Castile, and. King Ferdinand retired into
his own dominions of Arragon. In that same year Philip died, and
Ferdinand resumed the government, giving license to all Spaniards to go
to the new discovered countries; but not allowing the Portuguese to go
there. In this year, likewise, Christopher Columbus died, in the month of
May, and was succeeded in his dignities by his son Don Diego.
In March 1506, Tristan de Acunha and Alphonso de Albuquerque went to
India with fourteen ships, and refreshed by the way at Bezequiche, in the
Cape de Verd islands. Before reaching the Cape of Good Hope they
discovered certain islands, in 37 deg. S. which are now called the islands of
Tristan de Acunha. During this voyage, the fleet was dispersed by a
tempest, and Alvaro Teliz ran so far that he came to Sumatra, whence he
returned to Cape Guardafu, having discovered many islands, seas, and
countries, not known before that time to the Portuguese. At the same time,
Emanuel Telez de Meneses was driven on the outside of the great island of
St Lawrence, or Madagascar, and having surveyed its coasts, came to
Mosambique, where he met with Tristan de Acunha, who was the first
captain that wintered there. Meneses, having reported that there was
plenty of ginger, cloves, and silver in Madagascar, was sent back there,
and traversed a considerable part of the island; but not finding any
thing of value, returned to Mosambique, whence he went to Melinda, and
Brava, and thence to Socotora, where he built a fort, of which he
appointed one Antonio de Noronha to be captain. In 1507, Tristan de
Acunha returned to Europe, and Alphonso de Albuquerque remained in India
with five or six ships, to keep the command of the sea. In the course of
that year or the next, Albuquerque stood over to discover the coast of
Arabia, which he explored, and doubled the Cape of Rosalgate, which is
under the tropic of Cancer.
In 1509, Diego Lopez de Sequiera went from Lisbon for India with four
ships; and stopping at the island of Madagascar was almost a year on his
voyage. Arriving at Cochin in the month of May, the viceroy gave him
another ship, in which he went to Malacca in September passing between
the islands of Nicubar and many others. He went also to Sumatra; to the
cities of Pedir and Pacem; and all along that coast to the island of
Puloreira, and the fiats of Capacia; thence he stood over to the city of
Malacca, in lat. 2 deg. N. where the people took and slew some of his men.
After this he returned to Cochin, having discovered five hundred leagues
in this voyage. The island of Sumatra is the first land in which we knew
of mens flesh being eaten, by certain people in the mountains called
Bacas, who gild their teeth. In their opinion the flesh of the blacks is
sweeter than that of the whites. The flesh of the oxen, kine, and hens in
that country is as black as ink. A people is said to dwell in that
country, called _Daraqui-Dara_, having tails like sheep[20]. There are
likewise springs of rock oil or bitumen. In the kingdom of Pedir,
likewise, there is said to be a river of oil; which is not to be wondered
at, as we are assured there is also a well of oil in Bactria. It is
further said that there is a tree in that country, the juice of which is
a strong poison if it touch a mans blood; but if drank, it is a sovereign
antidote against poison. They have here also certain gold coins, called
drachms, brought, as they say, into their country by the Romans[21],
which seems to have some resemblance to truth, because beyond that
country there are no gold coins.
In 1508, Alphonso de Hojeda went with the license of King Ferdinand, but
at his own charges, to conquer the province of Darien, in the Terra Firma
of the new world. Landing in the country of Uraba, he called it Castilia
del Oro, or Golden Castile, because of the gold found in the sand along
its coast. He went first from the city of San Domingo, in Hispaniola,
with four ships and three hundred soldiers, leaving behind him the
bachelor Anciso, who afterwards compiled a book of these discoveries. He
was followed by a fourth ship with provisions and ammunition, and a
reinforcement of 150 Spaniards. Hojeda landed at Carthagena, where the
natives took, slew, and devoured seventy of his men, by which his force
was much weakened. Some time after but in the same year, Diego de Niquesa
fitted out seven ships in the port of Beata, intending to go to Veragua
with 800 men; but coming to Carthegana, where he found Hojeda much
weakened by his losses, they joined their forces, and avenged themselves
of the natives. In this voyage Niquesa discovered the coast called Nombre
de Dios, and went into the sound of Darien, on the river Pito, which he
named Puerto de Misas. Coming to Veragua, Hojeda went on shore with his
soldiers, and built there the town of Caribana, as a defence against the
Caribbees; being the first town built by the Spaniards on the continent
of the new world. He also built another at Nombre de Dios, and called it
Nuestra Seniora de la Antigua. A town was built at Uraba, in which
Francis Pisarro was left with the command, who was there much annoyed by
the natives. They likewise built other towns, the names of which I omit.
In this enterprize the Spaniards did not meet with the success they
expected.
In 1509, Don Diego Columbus, the second admiral of New Spain, went to the
island of Hispaniola with his wife and household; and she, being a noble
woman, carried with her many ladies of good families, who were there
married; by which means the Spaniards began to multiply in their new
colony, and Hispaniola became famous and much frequented. Columbus
likewise reduced Cuba into order, and took measures for its colonization,
where he placed one Diego Velasques as his lieutenant, who had
accompanied his father in his second voyage of discovery.
In April 1511, Alphonso de Albuquerque went to Malacca from Cochin; and
finding certain Chinese about to return from Malacca into their own
country, he sent a Portuguese along with them, named Duarte Fernandes,
with letters for the king of the Mantias, now called Siam. They passed
through the Straits of Cincapura, and sailed northwards along the coast
of Patane to the city of Cuy, and thence to Odia, the chief city of the
kingdom, in 14 deg. N.[22]. The king of this country received Duarte with
great honour, as he was the first Portuguese who had been in these parts,
and sent back ambassadors along with him to Albuquerque. They travelled
overland to the westwards, till they came to Tanacerim, on the Bay of
Bengal, in 12 deg. N. where they embarked in two ships and sailed to Malacca.
The inhabitants of Siam, through which they travelled, eat of all kinds
of beasts, and even of what we repute to be vermin. The people of this
country are reputed the most virtuous and honest of any in those parts of
the world, and pride themselves much on their poverty and chastity; yet
have a strange practice of carrying round bells within their foreskins,
which is not permitted to the king and priests. They do not rear any
poultry or pigeons about their houses. The kingdom is 250 leagues in
length and 80 in breadth[23].
Elephants are so numerous in this country, that on going to war, the king
is said to carry 30,000 into the field, besides others which are left in
the several garrisons. This king has great pride in the possession of a
white elephant, having red eyes, which glare like a flame of fire. In
this country there is a certain species of small vermin, which attaches
itself to the trunks of the elephants, to suck their blood, by which many
elephants die. The skull of this insect[24] is so hard as to be
impenetrable to a musket shot. They have on their livers the figures of
men and women, which the natives call Toketa, resembling a mandrake; and
it is affirmed, that whoever has one of these about him cannot be killed
by an iron weapon. They have also wild kine in this country, in the heads
of which certain stones are found, which have the virtue to bring good
fortune to merchants.
After the return of Duarte Fernandes from Siam, Albuquerque sent a knight
named Ruy Nunnez de Acunha, as ambassador to the king of the Sequies, the
country we now call Pegu. He went in a junk of the country, passing Cape
Rachado, and thence to the city of Pera, on the river Salano, on which
river are many other villages, where Duarte had been before; and he
afterwards went by Tanacerim to the city of Martavan, in 15 deg. N. and the
city of Pegu in 17 deg. N. This was the first Portuguese who travelled in
that kingdom, and who brought back a good account of the country and
people.
In the end of 1511, Albuquerque sent three ships to the islands of Banda
and Molucca, under command of Antonio de Breu and Francis Serrano, with
an hundred and twenty men. Passing through the Straits of Saban, and
along the island of Sumatra, and other islands on their left, named the
Salites, they came to the islands of Palimbang and Lu-Suparam, whence
they sailed by the noble island of Java, and eastwards between it and the
island of Madura. In this last island the men are strong and warlike, and
care little for their lives, even their women going out to war. These
people are almost continually engaged in war and mutual slaughter, like
the Mocos, and seem to place their only delight in bloodshed. Beyond Java
they came to another island called Bali, and afterwards to Avajave,
Sambaba, Solor, Galao, Malva, Vitara, Rosalanguin, and Arus; whence are
brought beautiful birds, in much estimation on account of their
feathers[25]. Beyond these islands they came to numbers of others, lying
in 7 or 8 degrees of south latitude, all so close together as to appear
like one entire mainland, and stretching near 500 leagues in length. The
ancient cosmographers describe all these islands by one general name, the
_Javos_; but more recent knowledge has found that they have all separate
names. Beyond these, and more to the north, there are other islands, which
are inhabited by a whiter people, clothed in shirts, doublets, and
trowsers, something like the Portuguese dress, and who also have silver
money. Their magistrates carry red staves in their hands, as badges of
command, and seem to have some affinity in this respect with the people of
China. There are other islands in these parts, or which the inhabitants
are red; and it is reported they are the same people with the Chinese.
De Breu went northwards to the small island of Gumnape or Ternate, from
the highest part of which flakes or streams like fire fell continually
into the sea. He went thence to the islands of Burro and Amboyna, and
came to anchor in the haven of Guliguli, where, in a village near a river,
they found dead men hanging up in the houses, as the people are cannibals.
Here they burnt the ship of Serrano, as she was old and rotten; and going
to a place on the other side of the island, in 8 deg. S. they loaded cloves,
nutmegs, and mace, in a junk or barque, which Serrano bought. It is said,
that in an island not far from Banda, there are immense quantities of
snakes, especially in a cave in the centre of the island. The same is
said of Formentera, in the Mediterranean, anciently Ophiusa, between
Majorca and Minorca. On their return from Banda towards Malacca, in 1512,
Francis Serrano perished with his junk on the flats called Baxos de
Lucapinho, nine or ten of the Portuguese crew escaping to the island of
Mindanao, who were sent for by the kings of the Moluccas. These were the
first of the Portuguese who came to the Islands of Cloves, which are in
lat. 1 deg. N. and they remained there seven or eight years. Some Portuguese
and princes of the Moors once endeavoured to go near that part of the
isle of Ternate which throws out fire, but could not accomplish it. But
Antonio Galvano accomplished this enterprise, and found a spring so cold
that he could not bear his hand in the water, nor suffer any of it in his
mouth, though almost directly under the line.
In these Molucca islands, there are certain men who have spurs on their
ancles like cocks; and I was told by the king of Tidore, that in the
islands of Batochina, there are people with tails, who have a lactiferous
nipple on the scrotum. There are small hens also in these parts, many of
which are black in the flesh, and lay their eggs, larger than those of
ducks, in holes above nine feet under ground. They have likewise hogs
with horns, and excellent talking parrots, which they call _Noris_. There
is also a river so very hot that it takes off the skin of any living
creature that bathes in its waters, and yet contains living fish. Their
crabs are very sweet to eat, yet their claws are so strong that they will
break the iron of a pickax; and there are small hairy crabs in the sea
which are rank poison, as whoever eats of them immediately dies. In these
seas are certain oysters, called _Bras_, having shells of so great size,
that they might serve as fonts for baptizing children. In these seas
there are certain living stones, which grow and increase like plants, of
which excellent lime may be made by burning in the usual manner, when
taken fresh from the sea; but, if allowed to remain long in the air, it
loses all its strength, and will not afterwards burn into line. There is
a tree which bears flowers only at sunset, which fell off immediately
when blown. There is likewise a certain fruit, whereof if a woman who has
conceived shall eat, the child by and by moves. There is, farther, a
certain herb which followeth the sun, and removes after it, which is a
strange and marvellous thing.
In 1512, while on the voyage from Malacca to Goa, the ship in which
Albuquerque embarked was lost. Simon de Andrada and a few Portuguese were
driven among the Maldivia islands, where they remained till they learnt
the fate of the viceroy. These islands are low, small, and very numerous,
and are full of palm trees, or _Cocoas_, which are good against all kinds
of poison.
In this year 1512, John de Solis, a native of Lisbon, and chief pilot to
King Ferdinand, went from Spain by license to discover the coast of
Brazil. Following the course of the Pinsons, he went to Cape St Augustine,
and thence sailed along the whole coast to the harbour of De Lagoa; and
in lat. 35 deg. S. he discovered a river called Parana-guacu, or the Great
River, and from signs of silver he gave it the name of Rio de la Plata,
or the River of Silver. It is even said that he went farther at this time;
and returning into Spain, gave an account of his discovery to King
Ferdinand, from whom he demanded and obtained leave to colonize the
country, and received the appointment of governor. On this he provided
three ships, and returned to that country in 1515, but was slain by the
natives. The family of de Solis produced several great discoveries in
these parts[26].
In the same year 1512, John Ponce de Leon, who had been governor of the
island of St John in the Antilles, armed two ships, with which he went in
search of the island of Boyuca, where it was reported there was a spring
which made old men young again; but after searching for six months he
could not find it. In 25 deg. N. he discovered a point of the continent upon
Easter-day, which he called the country of Florida; and because he
expected the land would yield gold and silver, he begged it from King
Ferdinand, but died in the discovery of the country, as many had done
before.
In the year 1513, Vasco Nunnes de Valboa, or Balboa, hearing of the
_South Seas_, determined to go thither; and being a man of courage,
though strongly dissuaded by several of his company, he marched on the
enterprize with 290 men. Leaving Darien on the first of September, and
taking some Indians along with him as guides, he marched directly across
the isthmus, sometimes without opposition, and having at other times to
fight his way. In a certain place called Careca, he found some negroes
with curled hair, who were captives among the Indians. At length, on the
25th of the same month of September, being the festival of St Michael, he
came in sight of the South Sea: He there embarked in a canoe, much
against the will of _Chiapes_, the cacique of that part of the coast, who
endeavoured to persuade him that the navigation was very dangerous; but
he persisted in his design, that he might be the first who had navigated
this new discovered sea, and came back in safety. He returned thence to
Darien, bringing with him a good store of gold, silver, and pearls, which
he had taken during the march; and for this good service, he was much
honoured and favoured by King Ferdinand.
In February 1513, Alphonsus de Albuquerque went from Goa towards the
Straits of Mecca with twenty ships, and arriving at the city of Aden,
battered it with his cannon, and passing the Straits entered the Red Sea,
and wintered at the island of Camaran. This was the _first_ Portuguese
captain who gave an account of the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf, which
are of great importance in regard to trade.
In May 1514, Pedro Arias de Avila was sent out from St Lucar, as governor
of Castilia del Oro, or the Golden Castile, for so the Spaniards named
the countries of Darien, Carthagena, and Uraba. He carried with him
fifteen hundred men and seven ships; and Vasco Nunnes de Balboa, who
discovered the South Seas, was sent out at the same time as admiral of
the coasts of that newly discovered sea. In the beginning of the year
1515, de Avila sent Gaspar Morales with 150 men to the Gulf of St Michael,
to discover the islands of Tararequi[27], Chiapes, and Tumaccus. A
cacique, the friend of Balboa, gave him many canoes, or boats made of one
tree, with which they passed to the Isle of Pearls, where they were at
first resisted; but Chiapes and Tumaccus pacified the cacique of that
island, who submitted himself, and received baptism, taking the name of
the governor, Pedro Arias, and presented Morales with a basket of pearls
weighing 110 pounds, some of which were as large as hazel nuts, weighing
20, 25, 26, and even 31 carats, each of four grains; and one of these
pearls was sold for 1200 ducats. In March 1515, de Avila sent Gonsalva de
Badajos, with 80 soldiers, to discover new lands, who went to Nombre de
Dios, where he was joined by Lewis de Mercado with a reinforcement of 50
men. They resolved to proceed to the south, as the richest country; and
taking some Indians as guides, they found some slaves along the coast
marked with the irons used by the Portuguese. They marched a considerable
way through the country with much difficulty, but made a considerable
booty in gold, and took forty serviceable slaves. But a cacique, named
Pariza, attacked them and slew or took most of the party. After this the
governor sent out his son, John Arias de Avila, to be revenged and to
explore the country. This party went westwards to Cape de Guerra, in
little more than 6 deg. N. and thence to Punta de Borica, and to Cape Blanco,
in 8 deg. 30' N. having, as they affirm, discovered 250 leagues; and besides
this they founded the city of Panama.
In the month of May 1515, Alphonsus de Albuquerque, the Portuguese
viceroy of India, sent Fernando Gomes de Limos from Ormus, as ambassador
to the Xec or Shah Ismael, king of Persia; and it is said they travelled
300 leagues through a country as pleasant as France. This Xec, or Shah
Ismael, went much a-hunting, and was fond of trout fishing, which are
abundant in the rivers of his kingdom. The women of Persia are the most
beautiful in the world; insomuch that Alexander the Great used to call
them the _golden-eyed women_. In this year died the viceroy Alphonsus de
Albuquerque, who was succeeded by Lopez Suares.
In 1516, Fernando Perez de Andrada was commanded by the king of Portugal
to pass to the great kingdom of China and likewise to Bengala, with a
dispatch to John Coelo, who was the first Portuguese who drank of the
waters of the Ganges. In April 1517, Andrada took in a loading of pepper
at Cochin, as the principal merchandize for sale in China, for which
country he sailed with eight ships, four Portuguese and four Malayans. On
his arrival in China, finding he could not be allowed to land without an
embassy, he dispatched Thomas Perez, with instructions for that purpose,
from the city of Canton, where they came to anchor. The embassy travelled
400 leagues by land to the city of Pekin, where the king resided; for
China is the largest kingdom in the world. From Sailana in the south,
which is in 20 deg. N. it reaches to the latitude almost of 50 deg. N. which must
be 500 leagues in length, and it is said to be 300 leagues in breadth[28].
Fernando Perez was fourteen months in the isle of Veniaga, endeavouring
to acquire as much knowledge as he could of the country; and although one
Raphael Perestrello had formerly been there, in a junk belonging to some
merchants of Malacca, yet Perez certainly deserves the merit of this
discovery; as well because he acted by the command of the king his master,
as in discovering so much by land by means of Thomas Perez, and by sea
through George Mascarenhas, who sailed to the city of Foquiam, in 24 deg. N.