The Voyage of Captain John Saris to Japan, 1613

Sir Ernest Mason Satow, Sir Ernest Mason Satow

• Publisher: Hakluyt Society
• Year: 2017
• ISBN:
  9781317012429
• Edition: 1
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: Early Modern History
• Index: History

Saris's journal, with two of his reports to the East India Company, a letter, and extracts from Purchas. Contents: Introduction.-The journal from Bantam to Japan and back to England.-App. A: Two letters written by Saris on his return. I. From the Cape, June 1, 1614. II. From Plymouth, October 17, 1614.-App. B: Observations of Saris on the Eastern trade, compiled during his residence at Bantam as factor. This is a new print-on-demand hardback edition of the volume first published in 1900.

The Voyage of Captain John Saris to Japan, 1612–13.

JANUARY 14, 1612.¹—The 14th in the morning we wayed out of the roade of Bantam for Japan, hauing taken in heare for that place 700 sacks pepper for a Tryall theare.

My Companye 81 persons, viz., 74 English, I spanniar, I Japan, and 5 swarts.² God Allmightie send them health and be our protector. I sent Mr. Cocks³ to buy a Treble voyall⁴ and a Tabor and pipe on board the Trade,⁵ cost 7 rials 8.⁶ I gave the Hector and Thomas 15 pieces at parting, and was answered with 13 out of the Hector, 11 out of the Thomas. Allowance Sack and biskett, 2 meales beefe.

The 15^th [January] in the morning before daye we wayed, little wynd at W., and haling¹ into 14 Fathams, we steered E. by S. and E.S.E., leuing poolooe lacke² one our starboard side, and a 11 or 12 one our larboard side, our deapth from 14 to 10 Fathames, going within 2 Ilands which lyeth to the E.wardes of pooloo lacke afforesaid. And in the faire waye theare lyeth a shoale which hath not above 6 foote one the top of it, and is not aboue halfe a cables lenght long everye waye, and hard aboard it is 10 Fathames and the next cast aground, As by experyence, for here we laye 3 howeres beating with a reasonable stiff gaile, but by gods providence and the willing indeauors of my Companye in this great extremitye we gott hir of; But sprung a leake, that for all night and tell 10 of the clock the next daye at noon we contynued pumping, everye man but my selfe taking his torne, and all no more then to keepe it from increasing, To my greate Sorrowe, douting that perforce I must haue put back to Bantam, to the ouerthrowe of my men and voyage for Japan. But through the mercyes of god and the Carpenters dilligence it was found out and made thite.³ God make me for ever thankfull and deliuer us from the like. And To goe cleere of this shoale keepe cloase to the Hands, for the maine is shoale. And to goe with it is to keepe pooloe lacke, which you leave, on your starboard side, and the high E. land of the outer point of Jaua, called Pallimban,⁴ Right over the boddye of Poolo Lacke, or to keepe the N.er-most part of pallingban and the N.ermost point of pooloo lake a littell opening and shutting, which will bring you upone the verye top of it, and your thwart marke¹ is a high peeked hill up in the Countery, which hill is to the westwards of the hill that is ouer Jakatra,² the next to it. And when you haue it S. by E. ½ point Easterly that is your thwart marke, and the pointe of the watring place S.E. ½ point Easterly, and the poynt opening and shutting with the S.ermost Ilands of the 4 that lyeth in a ranke. But there is 2 or 3 Hands without them 4. All these markes are to meete with it. But ether opening the 4 Ilands a good waye without the point, or the point of Java a good waye without pooloo lacke, or to keepe close to the Ilands the which you leaue one your larboard side, will carrye you cleare of it. And the nearer the Hand which lyeth of the point, being the westermost Iland of 2, you shall have the deepest water. But if you doe borowe one the mayne³ to goe within the said shoale, you shall haue water enoffe tell you com somme league unto the poynt, for of the wester part of the poynt there lyeth a shoale N.N.W. somme league of, and you shall see the sea flur⁴ one it yf there be any wynd, and haue 8 Fathams, the next cast aground. Edward Footeman dyed. Allowance Sack and biskett, 2 meals wheate and honye; more to everye man 1 pynt of wyne for laboring in getting of the ship of the rocks.

The 16^th [January] we anchored at the watring place called Tinga Jaua,⁵ being 14 leagues from Bantam and somme 3½ leagues to the westwards of Jackatra, riding between 2 Ilands¹ which lyeth of the point distant 5 miles. Depth 10 and 9 Fathams cloase to the Iland, but the mayne is shoale. And of the watring place S. by W. is a bushey point, and the pointe to the westward, from whence the shoale commeth, S.W. by W., and the opening betwene boath the Ilands N. by W., and the outward part of the shoale W. by N., and the Hand pooloo lacke W. by N. ½ point N.ly. I sent Mr. Wickham² and hernando the Spannyard ashoare to buy provityone, and with presents to the king, Sabandare³ and the Admyrall, viz. to the king 1 doble lockt peece, 1 pees white Bafta,⁴ 1 peece cassa:⁵ To the Sabandare and Admerall each of them a doble lockt peece and a peece white Bafta: desiring them to excuse me for not coming ashoare, and to giue me leaue to buy such necessaryes as I haue sent for; willing Mr. Wickham not to suffer the Flemminges to search his boate for what he had leaue of the king to bring aboard (as they did to Capt. Sharpigh⁶ bound for Sacadanna).⁷ Allowance Sack and biskett 2 meales; this daye they had dubble allowance of all things for that they pumpt hard.

The 17^th [January] In the morning it pleased God nwe stopt our leake. The wynd at N.W. with Raine. Allowance sack and biskett, dubble allowance to breckfast, 2 meales beefe.

The 18^th [January] the King sent his cheife man vnto me to thanke me for his present, and to make profer of what his counterye affoarded; directed vs to a verye good watring place, and profered many other curtesies, earnestly desiring me to leaue a factorye there ashoare, which should be well vsed, for he was wearye of the Flemings. Giuen to his seruants 2 blewe byrammes,¹ cost 15 rials per corge.² The wynd this daye at N.W. with Raine. Allowance sack and biskett, 2 meales wheate with honye.

The 19^th [January] Giuen to Keygus varro one peece Blewe biramme, one peece white baffta. The wynd at N.W. with Raine. Allowance sack and biskett, 2 meales Beefe.

The 20^th [January] The ould Sabandare sent a present by his sonne Keygoose Gooloo viz. 200 Cokers³ and 2 Goates, in requitall wheareof giuen him 1 pees chauter⁴ I shash,⁵ I pes fine duttye,⁶ to 2 of the Kings men which helped Mr. Wickham to bring the provityon he had bought aboard. I intertaned the Captain and marchants of the Flemishe howse to dynner, and at parting gaue them 5 peeces, and at parting of Keygoose 3 peeces. Whiting Chinesa brought me from his wyfe I praman⁷ matt and pillowe and too hangings from himselfe, which in requitall I gaue him a faire damasked peece and 1 peece Chauter. Bought here 2½ pipes Rack¹ for the Companye. The wynd at N.W. Allowance, sack and Biskett, 2 meales wheate with honye. Taken in heare 32½ Tonnes water and 2 boates lading of wood.

The 21^th [January] I willed the Master to sett saile; a smale gaile and Raine. We steered neare vnto the E.most Iland of the too that is aganst the watring place, deapth 10 and 9 Fatham, and so to seaboard of all the Ilands E.N.E. from the watring place, for the outermost of them beareth E. by N. N.ly, and of the Norther point of the said Iland lyeth a shoale, which you shall see breake distant from the Iland ½ a league. And having that S. of you, the E. point of Jaua² will beare E. southerly. Deapth 17 and 18 fathams, And all the waye out from 20 to 14 Fathams, but heare you shall find a Currant setting E.S.E., which you must alio we for, as you haue the wynd. In the eauening we anckored; little wynd at N. by W., the Currant setting vs to the S.E. vpone the shoare, deapth 13 and 13} Fathams, being shott 3 leagues to the E.wards of the E. point of Jackatra. Wynd at N.W. Allowance sack and biskett, 2 meales beefe.

The 22^th [January], the wynd at S.W., we wayed and steered E.N.E. to gett deepe water, and finding 14 Fatham, the hie hill over Bantam did beare W.S.W. ½ point W.ly. The outward point that is to the E.wards of Jackatra S.W. by S. 3 and ½ leagues of, and another point to the E.ward bering S.E. by E., with a great round hill ouer it vp in the land that was the outwardmost land we did see, steering E.N.E., and at noone had 16 and 17 Fathams; esteeming the shipp to be somme 10 leagues from the E. land of Jackatra, and at 4 in the afternoone we had 23 Fatham and steered E. by S., and all night E. by S. and E.S.E., and had 23 and 24 Fatham. Allowance sack and biskett, 2 meales wheate and honye.

The 23^th [January] in the morning, we dockt¹ vp our sailes, the wynd at S.E., and had sight of an Hand which lyeth of Cherrybon,² with 3 of those hie peeked hills of Jaua, the E.most bearing S.E., and cherybon S. by E. Lattytude at noone 6^d 10^m, the wynd at N.N.W., the Hand bering E. by N. 3½ leagues of. I sent my skiff to sound about the said Iland, and found 23 and 24 Fatham within saker³ shott of the shoare, and then no ground at 30 Fatham, and of the N. point there lyeth a ledge of Rocks aboue water, and on the S.E. ende a low spott with a tree or too one it; hauing made an E. by S. waye 15 leagues since yesterdye at noone, and in longitude from Bantam 44 leagues. NOTE that you maye bouldly keepe betwene 23 and 24 Fatham water in th...