the afternoon, that we might the better
consult together how to proceed in the important concerns committed to
our charge. The first thing proposed was the union of both fleets, which
was thought adviseable, and I was made choice of as admiral and chief
commander of the whole ships and men thus united, according to the
direction of the Honourable Company.

[Footnote 271: The true name of this place is Mutchelipatnam; in Purchas
it is called Messulapitan and Masulpatam.--E.]

The 18th of October, a ship belonging to Masulipatam arrived from Mokha,
by which we had news of the Lion being at Mokha, having a small frigate
or bark in her company. The same day the Bee arrived from
Narsipore-pete, with provisions for the fleet. The 19th, the Dragon's
Claw came from Narsipore-pete[272] almost laden with rice and
paddy.[273] On Thursday the 9th December, Mr Ball, Mr Methwould, and the
other merchants who were to remain in the country, went ashore in the
afternoon. In the morning of Friday the 10th, we left the road of
Masulipatam, and anchored in the afternoon off the headland, to wait for
the Pepper-corn, which came to us in the evening. By my estimation, the
difference of longitude between the island of Engano and Masulipatam is
19 deg. 30' of a great circle; and, although this does not give the true
longitude in these parts near the equator, as custom has so called it, I
do, that I may not savour of innovation.

[Footnote 272: This may designate the road of Narsipore; but petah
usually signifies in India the suburb or town connected with a
fortress.--E.]

[Footnote 273: Paddy is rice in its natural state as it comes from the
plant on which it grows; rice is paddy deprived by art of its coarse
husk.--E.]

Next morning, very early, we descried the land of Sumatra, the hill of
Passaman bearing E.N.E 1/2 N. twelve leagues distant,[274] and the high
land of Priaman E. 1/2 S. fourteen leagues off. We here met with two
shoals, within a mile of each other, E. and W. The Gift came over the
eastermost, and had not less than four and a half fathoms. I sent the
Claw over the other, on which were four fathoms where she first crossed,
but only two fathoms in returning, a little more to the northward. About
nine this morning the wind came to the S.E. and so continued till three
in the afternoon, by which time we had got to the southward of all the
shoals; and so, with little wind, we spent the night between these
shoals and the island