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HISTORY OF THE SEA. 



across the South Sea. The first of these expeditions is known 

 as that of the Five Ships of Rotterdam, one of the five, however, 

 becoming separated, and forming a distinct enterprise, under 

 Sebald de Weert: the second was the voyage of Oliver Van 

 Noort. We shall narrate them in order of time. 



The Five Ships of Rotterdam were equipped at the charge 

 of several merchants called the Company of Peter Verhagen. 

 The flag-ship, commanded by Jacob Mahu, was named the 

 Hope; another, commanded by Sebald de Weert, was the Good 

 News, or Glad Tidings, or Merry Messenger, — all these names 

 being given in the various translations. They sailed from Goree, 

 in Holland, on the 27th of June, 1598. 



They were off the island of Brava — one of the Cape Verds, — 

 on the 11th of September, and sent boats ashore with empty 

 casks in search of water. The men were accosted by some 

 Portuguese and negroes, who told them that French and Eng- 

 lish ships were accustomed to water there, but always remained 

 under sail. Sebald de Weert noticed four or five ruinous huts, 

 ind found them full of maize, which he at once proceeded to 

 appropriate, — an act which the Portuguese endeavored to resent ; 

 but the Dutch flag-ship silenced their feeble resistance with her 

 guns. The death of Mahu now caused a transfer of captains, 

 by which Sebald de Weert left the Glad Tidings for the Good 

 Faith. The fleet lost thirty men by the scurvy during the pas- 

 sage across the Atlantic. They anchored off the Rio de la Plata 

 early in March, 1599, and observed the sea to be as red as 

 blood. The water was examined, and found to be full of small 

 worms, which jumped about like fleas, and which were supposed 

 to have been shaken off by whales in their gambols, as the lion 

 shakes dew-drops from his mane. 



On the 6th of April, they entered the Strait of Magellan, 

 and were compelled to pass the Antarctic winter there, — that is, 

 till late in August. Gales of wind followed each other in quick 

 succession; and the anchors and cables were so much damaged 



