hips, assisted by sundry
mates,--Purch.

[Footnote 122: Purch. Pilg. I. 500.--Extracted from the journal of
Captain Downton]

Sec.1. _Incidents at Saldanha, Socotora, and Swally; with an Account of
Disagreements between the Moguls and Portuguese, and between the Nabob
and the English._

We sailed from England on the 1st March, 1614, and arrived in the road
of Saldanha, or Table Bay, on Wednesday the 15th June, being saluted on
our arrival by a great storm. While every person was busy in mooring the
ship, John Barter, who had lost his reason in consequence of a long
fever, was suddenly missing, and was supposed to have made away with
himself. The 16th we erected our tents, and placed a guard for their
defence. We landed half our casks on the 17th, to be overhauled and
seasoned; and this day _Choree_, the Saldanian or Hottentot, presented
me a young steer. The 18th we landed more of our beer casks, to be
washed, repaired, and seasoned. This day, _Choree_ departed into the
interior, carrying with him his copper armour, javelins, and all things
belonging to him, promising to be back the third day after, but he never
returned.

The 29th I sent George Downton ashore, to take observations of the
latitude and variation, in consideration of the great difference in the
variations, as observed in this and my former voyage in the Pepper-corn.
We made the latitude exactly 34 deg. S. and the variation 1 deg. 45' W. by an
azimuth, whereas most of the former variations at this place were
easterly. We this night took down our tents, and brought every thing on
board, making our ships ready to depart next day, which we did
accordingly.

We came to anchor in the bay of St Augustine in Madagascar on the 6th
August, when the inhabitants abandoned the place, so that we could have
no intercourse with them, but we afterwards got some refreshments from
them. We here cut down some straight timber for various uses. We set
sail on the 12th August, and anchored in Delisa bay in Socotora on the
9th September. Next day we went ashore to wait upon the king, who was
ready with his attendants to receive me, and gave me an account of the
existing war in India, where the Mogul and the kings of the Deccan had
united to drive the Portuguese from the country, owing to their having
captured a ship coming from Juddah in the Red Sea, in which were three
millions of treasure. He also informed me of two great fights which
Captain Best had with the Portugu