Inscriptions left by Early European Navigators. 25 



The Lesser James was a vessel of 450 tons, commanded by John 

 Roberts. She left Batavia, homeward bound, in the last day of 

 August, 1622. The ship reached England in the middle of 

 June, 1623. 



The Abigail was a new ship which sailed from England for 

 Batavia in 1622. In his journal, the Master, James Burgess, 

 makes the following entry : " 1622. 17th December. Arrived at 

 Saldania. Ther I mete the Littell James and to Hollandars 

 bounde home." 



The third inscription, set at right angles to the upper one, is 

 much weathered and was badly graved. It is as follows : 

 "Bartholomew Goodall (almost indistinct on the stone), Captain 

 of the Hart, John Pashley, Master, arrived 10th of July, departed 

 20th ditto, 1627, for Surat." 



The Hart was one of the six vessels forming Captain Hall's Meet 

 bound for Surat; the others were Star, Scout, Refuge, Mart/, and 

 Hopeiuell. They left Dover Eoads on March 23, 1627. " Anchored 

 at Coney (Dassen) Island, and got some refreshments, July 7th. 

 Sailed again, and at night got into Table Bay, where they found 

 General Coen with five Dutch ships bound for Batavia. Pitched a 

 tent ashore and landed the sick men." The fleet sailed on the 20th. 



Pashley, after the death of Goodall in October of the same year, 

 was transferred as Master to the Hopewell. He was again in one 

 of the three vessels of the return fleet, Star, Exchange, and Blessing, 

 that left for England on December 27, 1628, and " anchored on the 

 bay of Salldayny " on March 12th, sailing again on March 20th. 



Judging from the inscriptions of the Lesser James and the Abigail, 

 it would seem that each vessel of the fleet left its own record. For, 

 the instructions of the East India Company to their Captains were 

 very explicit. " When you arrive in the Bay of Saldania (for such 

 was still the aame of Table Bay, although changed into its present 

 one by the Dutch Admiral Joris Spilbergen at the time of his visit 

 in 1601) you shall make search Jor letters, and in like manner 

 at your departure thence, leave behind you in writing fitt remem- 

 brances of all matters useful." 



The "remembrances" did not, however, always reach those for 

 whom they were intended, or, when they did, without having been 

 occasionally pryed into by people for whom they were not intended. 

 Those taken cognisance of by Beaulieu are a case in point ; but we 

 have other instances. 



Thus : Thomas Kerridge, aboard the Jonas, at Svvally, writes to 

 the East India Company, November 15, 1624. They endeavoured 



