st, 1612, and arrived at
Tecu in Sumatra the 19th October. Our business there being ended, we
departed thence on the night of the 19th November, and struck that
night, three leagues off, on a bed of coral, in about three fathoms
water, but by the great mercy of God escaped being lost; yet we were
forced to put back to Tecu to stop our leaks, for which purpose we had
to unload our ship. The leaks being somewhat stopped, and our goods
reloaded, we departed again the 8th December, and arrived at Bantam the
21st of that month.

As Sir Henry did not think his ship, the Trades-increase, in sufficient
condition for going home that season, he was forced to remain and have
her careened. Having closed accounts with Sir Henry to his satisfaction,
I shipped my goods in the Solomon, _which came for our voyage_,[195] for
saving a greater freight, but could not be admitted in her myself;
Captain Saris, however, accommodated me in the Thomas, and it was agreed
that the Solomon and we were to keep company. We accordingly sailed from
Bantam on the 30th January, 1613, and arrived at Saldanha bay the 21st
April, having much foul weather for near 200 leagues from the Cape. We
here found four ships of Holland, which left Bantam a month before us.
The Hollanders were very kind to us all, and especially attentive to me,
as they had heard much of my favour and high estate at Agra, by an agent
of theirs who resided at Masulipatam. Some eight days afterwards the
Expedition came in,[196] and brought me a letter from your worships,
which was delivered two days after. The wind coming fair, we departed
from Saldanha the 21st May, 1613.[197]

[Footnote 195: This uncommon expression is not easily explicable, as the
ships under Saris appear to have been in the employ of the same company.
It probably refers to the partial subscriptions for particular voyages,
in use at the first establishment of the Company.--E.]

[Footnote 196: This alludes to the twelfth voyage fitted out by the
English East India Company, under the command of Christopher Newport, of
which hereafter.--E.]

[Footnote 197: We have formerly seen, from a side-note of Purchas, that
Captain Hawkins died before reaching England, and that his Armenian wife
afterwards married Mr Towerson. The journal here breaks off abruptly,
and Purchas remarks, that he had omitted many advices of the author,
respecting forts, Indian factories, &c. _not fitting for every
eye._--E.]

4. _A brief Discourse