s one of the vessels was wrecked
in India on the outward-bound voyage, and the other on the coast of
France in her return. The profits of the _sixth_ voyage were L121 13:4:
per cent. Of the _seventh_ L218 per cent. Of the _eighth_ L211 per cent.
Of the _ninth_ L160 per cent. The average profits of the _tenth,
eleventh, twelfth_, and _thirteenth_ voyages were reduced to L87-1/2 per
cent.

Captain James Lancaster, afterwards Sir James, who was general in this
voyage, was a member of the company; and is the same person who went to
India in 1591, along with Captain Raymond. Captain John Davis, who had
been in India with the Dutch, was pilot-major and second in command of
the Dragon, or admiral ship. It does not appear who was the author of
the following narrative; but, from several passages, he seems to have
sailed in the Dragon.[92]--E.

[Footnote 92: Astl. I. 262., a and b.]

Sec. 1. _Preparation for the Voyage, and its Incidents till the Departure
of the Fleet from Saldanha Bay_.

Having collected a joint stock of _seventy thousand pounds_, to be
employed in ships and merchandize in the prosecution of their privileged
trade to the East Indies, by means of which they were to bring spices
and other commodities into this realm, the company bought and fitted out
four large ships for their first adventure. These were the Dragon[93] of
600 tons, and 202 men, admiral, in which Mr James Lancaster was placed
as general;[94] the Hector of 300 tons, and 108 men, commanded by Mr
John Middleton, vice-admiral; the Ascension of 260 tons, and 82 men,
Captain William Brand;[95] and the Susan,[96] commanded by Mr John
Hayward, with 84 men:[97] Besides these commanders, each ship carried
three merchants or factors, to succeed each other in rotation in case of
any of them dying. These ships were furnished with victuals and stores
for twenty months, and were provided with merchandize and Spanish money
to the value of _twenty-seven thousand pounds_; all the rest of the
stock being expended in the purchase of the ships, with their necessary
stores and equipment, and in money advanced to the mariners[98] and
sailors who went upon the voyage. To these was added, as a victualler,
the _Guest_ of 130 tons.[99]

[Footnote 93: This ship, originally called the Malice Scourge, was
purchased from the Earl of Cumberland for 3,700l.--Ann. of the H.E.I.
Co. I. 128.]

[Footnote 94: In these early voyages the chief commander is usually
styled _genera