Leaving New Holland They Pass By The Island Cocos, And Touch At Another Woody Island Near It

On March 12, 1688, we sailed from New Holland norhtward for the island Cocos. But the winds obliged us to keep a more easterly course. We soon encountered very bad weather with much thunder and lightning, rain and high blustering winds.

On March 26 we reached the latitude of the island Cocos which is in 12 degrees 12 minutes and then, by judgment, we were 40 or 50 leagues to the east of it. The wind was now at south-west.

Therefore we did rather choose to bear away towards some islands on the west side of Sumatra than to beat against the wind for the island Cocos. I was very glad of this; being in hopes to make my escape from them to Sumatra or to some other place. We met nothing of remark in this voyage beside the catching two great sharks till the 28th day.

Then we fell in with a small woody island in latitude 10 degrees 20 minutes. Its longitude from New Holland, from whence we came, was by my account 12 degrees 6 minutes west. It was deep water about the island, and therefore no anchoring; but we sent two canoes ashore; one of them with the carpenters to cut a tree to make another pump; the other canoe went to search for fresh water and found a fine small brook near the south-west point of the island; but there the sea fell in on the shore so high that they could not get it off. At noon both our canoes returned aboard; and the carpenters brought aboard a good tree which they afterwards made a pump with, such a one as they made at Mindanao. The other canoe brought aboard as many boobies and men-of-war birds as sufficed all the ship’s company when they were boiled.

A LAND-ANIMAL LIKE LARGE CRAWFISH

They got also a sort of land animal somewhat resembling a large crawfish without its great claws. These creatures lived in holes in the dry sandy ground like rabbits. Sir Francis Drake in his Voyage round the World makes mention of such that he found at Ternate, or some other of the Spice Islands, or near them. They were very good sweet meat and so large that two of them were more than a man could eat; being almost as thick as one’s leg. Their shells were of a dark brown but red when boiled.

This island is of a good height, with steep cliffs against the south and south-west, and a sandy bay on the north side; but very deep water steep to the shore. The mould is blackish, the soil fat, producing large trees of divers sorts.

About one o’clock in the afternoon we made sail from this island with the wind at south-west and we steered north-west. Afterwards the winds came about at north-west and continued between the west-north-west and the north-north-west several days. I observed that the winds blew for the most part out of the west or north-west and then we had always rainy weather with tornadoes, and much thunder and lightning; but when the wind came any way to the southward it blew but faint and brought fair weather.

COCONUTS, FLOATING IN THE SEA.

We met nothing of remark till the 7th day of April, and then, being in latitude 7 degrees south, we saw the land of Sumatra at a great distance, bearing north. The 8th day we saw the east end of the island Sumatra very plainly; we being then in latitude 6 degrees south. The 10th day, being in latitude 5 degrees 11 minutes and about seven or eight leagues from the island Sumatra on the west side of it, we saw abundance of coconuts swimming in the sea; and we hoisted out our boat and took up some of them; as also a small hatch, or scuttle rather, belonging to some bark. The nuts were very sound, and the kernel sweet, and in some the milk or water in them and was yet sweet and good.

THE ISLAND TRISTE BEARING COCONUTS, YET OVERFLOWN EVERY SPRING-TIDE.

The 12th day we came to a small island called Triste in latitude (by observation) 4 degrees south; it is about 14 or 15 leagues to the west of the island Sumatra. From hence to the northward there are a great many small uninhabited islands lying much at the same distance from Sumatra. This island Triste is not a mile round and so low that the tide flows clear over it. It is of a sandy soil and full of coconut-trees. The nuts are but small; yet sweet enough, full, and more ponderous than I ever felt any of that bigness; notwithstanding that every spring tide the salt-water goes clear over the island.

We sent ashore our canoes for coconuts and they returned aboard laden with them three times. Our strikers also went out and struck some fish which was boiled for supper. They also killed two young alligators which we salted for the next day.

I had no opportunity at this place to make any escape as I would have done and gone over hence to Sumatra, could I have kept a boat to me. But there was no compassing this; and so the 15th day we went from hence, steering to the northward on the west side of Sumatra. Our food now was rice and the meat of the coconuts rasped and steeped in water; which made a sort of milk into which we did put our rice, making a pleasant mess enough. After we parted from Triste we saw other small islands that were also full of coconut-trees.

THEY ANCHOR AT A SMALL ISLAND NEAR THAT OF NASSAU.

The 19th day, being in latitude 3 degrees 25 minutes south, the south-west point of the island Nassau bore north about five miles distant. This is a pretty large uninhabited island in latitude 3 degrees 20 minutes south and is full of high trees. About a mile from the island Nassau there is a small island full of coconut-trees. There we anchored the 29th day to replenish our stock of coconuts. A reef of rocks lies almost round this island so that our boats could not go ashore nor come aboard at low-water; yet we got aboard four boat-load of nuts. This island is low like Triste and the anchoring is on the north side; where you have 14 fathom a mile from shore, clean sand.

The 21st day we went from hence and kept to the northward, coasting still on the west side of the island Sumatra; and having the winds between the west and south-south-west with unsettled weather; sometimes rains and tornadoes, and sometimes fair weather.

HOG ISLAND, AND OTHERS.

The 25th day we crossed the Equator, still coasting to the northward between the island Sumatra and a range of small islands lying 14 or 15 leagues off it. Amongst all these islands Hog Island is the most considerable. It lies in latitude 3 degrees 40 minutes north. It is pretty high even land, clothed with tall flourishing trees; we passed it by the 28th day.

A PROA TAKEN BELONGING TO ACHIN.

The 29th we saw a sail to the north of us which we chased: but it being little wind we did not come up with her till the 30th day. Then, being within a league of her, Captain Read went into a canoe and took her and brought her aboard. She was a proa with four men in her, belonging to Achin, whither she was bound. She came from one of these coconut islands that we passed by and was laden with coconuts and coconut-oil. Captain Read ordered his men to take aboard all the nuts and as much of the oil as he thought convenient, and then cut a hole in the bottom of the proa and turned her loose, keeping the men prisoners.

It was not for the lucre of the cargo that Captain Read took this boat but to hinder me and some others from going ashore; for he knew that we were ready to make our escapes if an opportunity presented itself; and he thought that by abusing and robbing the natives we should be afraid to trust ourselves among them. But yet this proceeding of his turned to our great advantage, as shall be declared hereafter.

May the 1st we ran down by the north-west end of the island Sumatra, within seven or eight leagues of the shore. All this west side of Sumatra which we thus coasted along our Englishmen at Fort St. George call the West Coast simply, without adding the name of Sumatra. The prisoners who were taken the day before showed us the islands that lie off of Achin Harbour, and the channels through with ships go in; and told us that there was an English factory at Achin. I wished myself there but was forced to wait with patience till my time was come.

NICOBAR ISLAND, AND THE REST CALLED BY THAT NAME.

We were now directing our course towards the Nicobar Islands, intending there to clean the ship’s bottom in order to make her sail well.

The 14th day in the evening we had sight of one of the Nicobar Islands. The southernmost of them lies about 40 leagues north-north-west from the north-west end of the island Sumatra. This most southerly of them is Nicobar itself, but all the cluster of islands lying south of the Andaman Islands are called by our seamen the Nicobar Islands.

AMBERGRIS, GOOD AND BAD.

The inhabitants of these islands have no certain converse with any nation; but as ships pass by them they will come aboard in their proas and offer their commodities to sale, never enquiring of what nation they are; for all white people are alike to them. Their chiefest commodities are ambergris and fruits.

Ambergris is often found by the native Indians of these islands who know it very well; as also know how to cheat ignorant strangers with a certain mixture like it. Several of our men bought such of them for a small purchase. Captain Weldon also about this time touched at some of these islands to the north of the island where we lay; and I saw a great deal of such ambergris that one of his men bought there; but it was not good, having no smell at all. Yet I saw some there very good and fragrant.

THE MANNERS OF THE INHABITANTS OF THESE ISLANDS.

At that island where Captain Weldon was there were two friars sent thither to convert the Indians. One of them came away with Captain Weldon; the other remained there still. He that came away with Captain Weldon gave a very good character of the inhabitants of that island, namely, that they were very honest, civil, harmless people; that they were not addicted to quarrelling, theft, or murder; that they did marry or at least live as man and wife, one man with one woman, never changing till death made the separation; that they were punctual and honest in performing their bargains; and that they were inclined to receive the Christian religion. This relation I had afterwards from the mouth of a priest at Tonquin who told me that he received this information by a letter from the friar that Captain Weldon brought away from thence. But to proceed.

THEY ANCHOR AT NICOBAR ISLE.

The 5th day of May we ran down on the west side of the island Nicobar properly so-called and anchored at the north-west end of it in a small bay in eight fathom water not half a mile from the shore. The body of this island is in 7 degrees 30 minutes north latitude. It is about 12 leagues long, and 3 or 4 broad.

ITS SITUATION, SOIL, AND PLEASANT MIXTURE OF ITS BAYS, TREES, ETC.

The south end of it is pretty high with steep cliffs against the sea; the rest of the island is low, flat, and even. The mould of it is black and deep; and it is very well watered with small running streams. It produces abundance of tall trees fit for any uses; for the whole bulk of it seems to be but one entire grove. But that which adds most to its beauty off at sea are the many spots of coconut-trees which grow round it in every small bay. The bays are half a mile or a mile long, more or less; and these bays are intercepted or divided from each other with as many little rocky points of woodland.

THE MELORY-TREE AND FRUIT, USED FOR BREAD.

As the coconut-trees do thus grow in groves fronting to the sea in the bays, so there is another sort of fruit-trees in the bays bordering on the back side of the coconut-trees, farther from the sea. It is called by the natives a melory-tree. This tree is as big as our large apple-trees and as high. It has a blackish rind and a pretty broad leaf. The fruit is as big as the breadfruit at Guam, described in Chapter 10, or a large penny loaf. It is shaped like a pear and has a pretty tough smooth rind of a light green colour. The inside of the fruit is in substance much like an apple but full of small strings as big as a brown thread. I did never see of these trees anywhere but here.

THE NATIVES OF NICOBAR ISLAND, THEIR FORM, HABIT, LANGUAGE, HABITATIONS; NO FORM OF RELIGION OR GOVERNMENT: THEIR FOOD AND CANOES.

The natives of this island are tall well-limbed men; pretty long-visaged, with black eyes; their noses middle proportioned, and the whole symmetry of their faces agreeing very well. Their hair is black and lank, and their skins of a dark copper colour. The women have no hair on their eyebrows. I do believe it is plucked up by the roots; for the men had hair growing on their eyebrows as other people.

The men go all naked save only a long narrow piece of cloth or sash which, going round their waists and thence down between their thighs, is brought up behind and tucked in at that part which goes about the waist. The women have a kind of a short petticoat reaching from their waist to their knees.

Their language was different from any that I had ever heard before; yet they had some few Malayan words, and some of them had a word or two of Portuguese; which probably they might learn aboard of their ships, passing by this place: for when these men see a sail they do presently go aboard of them in their canoes. I did not perceive any form of religion that they had; they had neither temple nor idol nor any manner of outward veneration to any deity that I did see.

They inhabit all round the island by the seaside in the bays; there being four or five houses more or less in each bay. Their houses are built on posts as the Mindanayans are. They are small, low, and of a square form. There is but one room in each house, and this room is about eight foot from the ground; and from thence the roof is raised about eight foot higher. But instead of a sharp ridge the top is exceeding neatly arched with small rafters about the bigness of a man’s arm, bent round like a half moon, and very curiously thatched with palmetto-leaves.

They live under no government that I could perceive; for they seem to be equal without any distinction; every man ruling in his own house. Their plantations are only those coconut-trees which grow by the seaside; there being no cleared land farther in on the island: for I observed that when past the fruit-trees there were no paths to be seen going into the woods. The greatest use which they make of their coconut-trees is to draw toddy from them, of which they are very fond.

The melory-trees seem to grow wild; they have great earthen pots to boil the melory fruit in which will hold 12 or 14 gallons. These pots they fill with the fruit; and, putting in a little water, they cover the mouth of the pot with leaves to keep the steam while it boils. When the fruit is soft they peel off the rind and scrape the pulp from the strings with a flat stick made like a knife; and then make it up in great lumps as big as a Holland cheese; and then it will keep six or seven days. It looks yellow, and tastes well, and is their chiefest food: for they have no yams, potatoes, rice, nor plantains (except a very few) yet they have a few small hogs and a very few cocks and hens like ours. The men employ themselves in fishing; but I did not see much fish that they got: every house has at least two or three canoes belonging to it, which they draw up ashore.

The canoes that they go a-fishing in are sharp at both ends; and both the sides and the bottom are very thin and smooth. They are shaped somewhat like the proas at Guam with one side flattish and the other with a pretty big belly; and they have small slight outlayers on one side. Being thus thin and light they are better managed with oars than with sails: yet they sail well enough and steered with a paddle. There commonly go 20 or 30 men in one of these canoes; and seldom fewer than 9 or 10. Their oars are short and they do not paddle but row with them as we do. The benches they sit on when they row are made of split bamboos, laid across and so neat together that they look like a deck. The bamboos lie movable so that when any go in to row they take up a bamboo in the place where they would sit and lay it by to make room for their legs. The canoes of those of the rest of these islands were like those of Nicobar; and probably they were alike in other things; for we saw no different at all in the natives of them who came hither while we were here.

THEY CLEAN THE SHIP.

But to proceed with our affairs: it was, as I said before, the 5th day of May about 10 in the morning when we anchored at this island: Captain Read immediately ordered his men to heel the ship in order to clean her: which was done this day and the next. All the water vessels were filled. They intended to go to sea at night: for, the winds being yet at north-north-east, the captain was in hopes to get over to Cape Comorin before the wind shifted. Otherwise it would have been somewhat difficult for him to get thither because the westerly monsoon was not at hand.

THE AUTHOR PROJECTS AND GETS LEAVE TO STAY ASHORE HERE, AND WITH HIM TWO ENGLISHMEN MORE, THE PORTUGUESE, AND FOUR MALAYANS OF ACHIN.

I thought now was my time to make my escape by getting leave if possible to stay here: for it seemed not very feasible to do it by stealth; and I had no reason to despair of getting leave: this being a place where my stay could probably do our crew no harm should I design it. Indeed one reason that put me on the thoughts of staying at this particular place, besides the present opportunity of leaving Captain Read, which I did always intend to do as soon as I could, was that I had here also a prospect of advancing a profitable trade for ambergris with these people, and of gaining a considerable fortune to myself: for in a short time I might have learned their language and, by accustoming myself to row with them in the proas or canoes, especially by conforming myself to their customs and manners of living, I should have seen how they got their ambergris, and have known what quantities they get, and the time of the year when most is found. And then afterwards I thought it would be easy for me to have transported myself from thence, either in some ship that passed this way, whether English, Dutch, or Portuguese; or else to have gotten one of the young men of the island to have gone with me in one of their canoes to Achin; and there to have furnished myself with such commodities as I found most coveted by them; and therewith at my return to have bought their ambergris.

I had till this time made no open show of going ashore here: but now, the water being filled and the ship in a readiness to sail, I desired Captain Read to set me ashore on this island. He, supposing that I could not go ashore in a place less frequented by ships than this, gave me leave: which probably he would have refused to have done if he thought I should have gotten from hence in any short time; for fear of my giving an account of him to the English or Dutch. I soon got up my chest and bedding and immediately got some to row me ashore; for fear lest his mind should change again.