Put To Sea In An Open Boat, Designing For Achin

On May 15, 1688 about 4PM, we left Nicobar Island going towards Achin with 8 men of us in company:

• 3 English
• 4 Malayans born at Achin
• 1 mongrel Portuguese

Our vessel, the Nicobar canoe, was not one of the biggest nor of the least size.

She was much about the burden of one of our London wherries below bridge, and built sharp at both ends like the fore part of a wherry.

She was deeper than a wherry, but not so broad, and was so thin and light that when empty four men could launch her or haul her ashore on a sandy bay.

We had a good substantial mast and a mat sail, and good outlayers lashed very fast and firm on each side the vessel, being made of strong poles. So that while these continued firm the vessel could not overset which she should easily have done without them, and with them too had they not been made very strong; and we were therefore much beholden to our Achinese companions for this contrivance. These men were none of them so sensible of the danger as Mr. Hall and myself, for they all confided so much in us that they did not so much as scruple anything that we did approve of.

Neither was Mr. Hall so well provided as I was, for before we left the ship I had purposely consulted our chart of the East Indies (for we had but one in the ship) and out of that I had written in my pocket-book an account of the bearing and distance of all the Malacca coast and that of Sumatra, Pegu, and Siam, and also brought away with me a pocket-compass for my direction in any enterprise that I should undertake. The weather at our setting out was very fair, clear and hot.

The wind was still at south-east, a very small breeze just fanning the air, and the clouds were moving gently from west to east, which gave us hopes that the winds were either at west already abroad at sea, or would be so in a very short time. We took this opportunity of fair weather, being in hopes to accomplish our voyage to Achin before the western monsoon was set in strong, knowing that we should have very blustering weather after this fair weather, especially at the first coming of the western monsoon.

We rowed therefore away to the southward, supposing that when we were clear from the island we should have a true wind, as we call it; for the land hauls the wind; and we often find the wind at sea different from what it is near the shore. We rowed with four oars taking our turns: Mr. Hall and I steered also by turns, for none of the rest were capable of it.

We rowed the first afternoon and the night ensuing about twelve leagues by my judgment. Our course was south-south-east; but the 16th day in the morning, when the sun was an hour high, we saw the island from whence we came bearing north-west by north. Therefore I found we had gone a point more to the east than I intended for which reason we steered south by east.

In the afternoon at 4 o’clock we had a gentle breeze at west-south-west which continued so till nine, all which time we laid down our oars and steered away south-south-east. I was then at the helm and I found by the rippling of the sea that there was a strong current against us. It made a great noise that might be heard near half a mile. At 9 o’clock it fell calm, and so continued till ten. Then the wind sprang up again and blew a fresh breeze all night.

The 17th day in the morning we looked out for the island Sumatra, supposing that we were now within 20 leagues of it; for we had rowed and sailed by our reckoning 24 leagues from Nicobar Island;

The distance from Nicobar to Achin is about 40 leagues. But we looked in vain for the island Sumatra; for, turning ourselves about, we saw to our grief Nicobar Island lying west-north-west and not above eight leagues distant. By this it was visible that we had met a very strong current against us in the night.

But the wind freshened on us and we made the best use of it while the weather continued fair. At noon we had an observation of the sun, my latitude was 6 degrees 55 minutes and Mr. Hall’s was 7 degrees north.

A Halo Around The Sun, And A Violent Storm.

The 18th day the wind freshened on us again and the sky began to be clouded. It was indifferent clear till noon and we thought to have had an observation; but we were hindered by the clouds that covered the face of the sun when it came on the meridian.

This often happens that we are disappointed of making observations by the sun’s being clouded at noon though it shines clear both before and after, especially in places near the sun; and this obscuring of the sun at noon is commonly sudden and unexpected, and for about half an hour or more.

We had then also a very ill presage by a great circle about the sun (five or six times the diameter of it) which seldom appears but storms of wind or much rain ensue.

Such circles about the moon are more frequent but of less import. We do commonly take great notice of these that are about the sun, observing if there be any breach in the circle, and in what quarter the breach is; for from thence we commonly find the greatest stress of the wind will come.

I must confess that I was a little anxious at the sight of this circle and wished heartily that we were near some land. Yet I showed no sign of it to discourage any consorts, but made a virtue of necessity and put a good countenance on the matter.

Their Great Danger And Distress; Cudda, A Town And Harbour On The Coast Of Malacca.

I told Mr. Hall that if the wind became too strong and violent, as I feared it would, we must steer away before the wind and sea till better weather presented

Instead of about 20 leagues to Achin, we would be driven 70 leagues to the coast of Cudda or Queda, a kingdom and harbour of trade on the coast of Malacca.

But the wind still increased about 1 pm but but did us no damage.

The evening of this 18th day was very dismal.

The sky looked very black, being covered with dark clouds. The wind blew hard and the seas ran high.

he sea was already roaring in a white foam about us; a dark night coming on and no land in sight to shelter us, and our little ark in danger to be swallowed by every wave; and, what was worst of all, none of us thought ourselves prepared for another world.

I had been in many imminent dangers before. But the worst of them all was but a play-game in comparison with this.

Here I had a lingering view of approaching death and little or no hopes of escaping it.

My courage failed me here. I made very sad reflections on my life. I looked back with horror and detestation on actions which before I disliked but now I trembled at the remembrance of.

I also remembered the many miraculous acts of God’s providence in my life.

For all these I returned thanks in a peculiar manner.

Submitting ourselves therefore to God’s good providence and taking all the care we could to preserve our lives, Mr. Hall and I took turns to steer and the rest took turns to heave out the water.

The wind at first blew harder than before, but within half an hour it abated and became more moderate.

The sea also assuaged of its fury; and then by a lighted match, of which we kept a piece burning on purpose, we looked on our compass to see how we steered, and found our course to be still east.

We had no occasion to look on the compass before, for we steered right before the wind, which if it shifted we had been obliged to have altered our course accordingly.

But now it being abated we found our vessel lively enough with that small sail which was then aboard to haul to our former course south-south-east, which accordingly we did, being now in hopes again to get to the island Sumatra.

Around 2AM of the 19th day we had another gust of wind with much thunder, lightning, and rain, which lasted till day, and obliged us to put before the wind again, steering thus for several hours.

It was very dark and the hard rain soaked us so thoroughly that we had not one dry thread about us. The rain chilled us extremely; for any fresh water is much colder than that of the sea.

For even in the coldest climates the sea is warm, and in the hottest climates the rain is cold and unwholesome for man’s body.

In this wet starveling plight we spent the tedious night. Never did poor mariners on a lee shore more earnestly long for the dawning light than we did now.

At length the day appeared; but with such dark black clouds near the horizon that the first glimpse of the dawn appeared 30 or 40 degrees high; which was dreadful enough; for it is a common saying among seamen, and true as I have experienced, that a high dawn will have high winds, and a low dawn small winds.

PULO WAY

We continued east before wind and sea till about 8AM of this 19th day.

Then one of our Malayan friends cried out “Pulo Way.”

Mr. Hall and Ambrose and I thought the fellow had said “pull away,” an expression usual among English seamen when they are rowing.

Then we saw an island, and all our Malayans said it was an island at the north-west end of Sumatra called Way; for Pulo Way is the island Way.

We were wet, cold and hungry. So we were all overjoyed at the sight of the land.