Chap. I. G e o e. e e S 
a Cruize. On May 30. they failed for that Purpofe, but 
were foon after recalled, and found, on their Return, 
Twelve large Dutch Ships from Amboina, in the Road of 
Malaya ; and, as they were then a very formidable Fleet, 
it was debated whether they ftiould attack Tidore , or any 
other of the Enemy’s Settlements in thofe Parts ; but it 
was debated only, and-, their Chiefs differing, there was no- 
thing put in Execution, Thefe Debates Ihewing the Ne- 
eeffity of having a Commander in chief, the Council Ge- 
neral of the Indies , June 19. proceeded to the Eleftion of 
a Governor and General ; and the next Day Eaurence de 
Real was inftalled in that Command. Soon after Admiral 
Spilbergen received this Governor’s Orders and Commiffion 
to fail with the Two Ships, viz. the Amjierdam and Zeland, 
to the Eland of Java , and City of Bantam , with Inftrifetions 
to fettle the Trade there, on fuch Terms, and in fuch man- 
ner, as he fhould think fit. On June 27. they put into 
Japara for a Supply of Provifions, and then proceeded to 
jaccatra (now Batavia) where they arrived September 7. 
and where they found it neceffary to careen their Ships, and 
provide them with double Sheathings, which, notwithstand- 
ing they did with greatCaution, onaccountof the near Neigh- 
bourhood of Don Juan de Sylva , who was expected to fail 
from Malacca , in order to cruife upon the Dutch. They 
were, however, very foon fet at Liberty from thefe Ap- 
prehenfions, by certain Intelligence, that came the laft of 
that Month, of his dying fuddenly, not without Sufpicion 
of Poifon, at Malacca ; and that, in confequence of this 
Accident, his Fleet, which was before much weakened, 
was returned to the Manillas without performing any thing; 
fo that Four Tears Trouble and Expence, which the Spa- 
niards had been at in order to equip it, were all thrown away, 
which exceedingly leffened their Reputation and Influence 
in the Indies ; as will always be the Cafe of maritime 
Powers, when they fuffer their Affairs to fink in this man- 
ner, by attending more to the amaffing of Wealth, than 
the Support of Government. While they were thus em- 
ployed at Jaccatra, they had the Satisfaction of perceiving 
the mighty Increafe of the Dutch Trade ; for, in that 
Email Space of Time, there arrived no lefs than Four Ships 
from the Maine c as , laded with the richeft Spices, and Four 
more from Holland , with very rich Cargoes ; and, what 
in thofe Countries was of much greater Confequence, well 
manned, with feveral hundred Soldiers on board for the 
Supply of their Garifons. There came in there alfo a very 
rich Ship from Japan , having on board a large Quantity 
of Rials of Plate, uncoined Silver, and other Valuable 
Goods taken out of a Portuguefe Prize, in its Paffage to 
Macao . On the 20th, arrived there a Veffel, called the 
Concord of Horn, commanded by Jaques le Maire, which 
had paired round by the Streights of Magellan , and by that 
Route was arrived in the Eaji Indies. But as it was known, 
that he did not make this Voyage on Account of the Eaji 
India Company, or fo much as by their Participation, the 
Prefident, John Peterfon Coen , caufed his Ship and Cargo 
to be confifcated, and his Crew distributed amongft the 
Ships in the Company’s Service. I cannot help obferving 
here, how very foon exclufive Corporations begin to exercife 
Adis of Severity. This Eaji India Company had not been 
founded above Fourteen Years, and yet they already took 
upon them to break the Spirits, and cramp the Trade, of 
their Countrymen : And, to Ihew this Spirit in its full Ex- 
tent, I fhall tranflate literally the Very next Sentence in this 
Voyage, giving a very injurious Account of this Expedi- 
tion of Jaques le Maine, with whofe Merit the Reader will 
be quickly better acquainted, on purpofe to poffefs the 
whole Dutch Nation with a Notion, that Encouragement 
was only due to* the Eaji India Company. “ In the Courfe 
“ of their long Voyage, fays the Author of Admiral 
“ Sfilbergen’s Expedition, thele People difcovered ho new 
Countries, no new Nations, with whom we might trade. 
They only pretended to have difcovered a new Paffage, 
different from that through which Ships had hitherto 
* 6 failed ; but there was little Appearance of this, fmee, ac- 
cording to their own Account, they had lpeht Fifteen 
Months and Three Days in their Paffage from the 
“ Streights to the Illand of I’ernate, though they had fair 
Winds all the Way, and notwithstanding the vail Advan- 
tage a Angle Ship has over a Fleet, where the quickefl 
Numb. 4* 
f 1 L I B k G t N -, 4p 
u Sailor muff Stay for the flowed. Thefe pretended Makers 
<c of Difcoveries, therefore, who boafted of having found 
t£ out a new Streight, were very much furprifed 1:0 hear, 
“ that Admiral Spilbergen had waited fo long at Dentate \ 
“ and arrived fo much fooner, than they, notwithstanding 
<c his Fleet was compofed of fuch large Ships, and had 
<c been fo much and fo often retarded, had fought fo many 
“ times, had been put back, ftopt, and trafficked in fo 
“ many Parts, and yet came out but bare Eight Months 
<c before them, and fpent only a Year and Seven Months 
ic in all their Expeditions, to the Time of their Arrival 
a in the Moluccas.” There is a great Mixture of Vanity 
and Injuftice in this Account ; for though, without Que- 
stion, great Commendation is due to Admiral Spilbergen, 
and his Voyage ought to be regarded as one of the molt 
fuccefsful, all Things confidered, that ever was undertaken, 
by the Dutch , or any other Nation, yet there is lefs Reafon 
fure for his undervaluing the Labours of another, or pre- 
tending to call in queftion a Fad that was fo well attefted, 
and which has been verified by future Experience, elpeci- 
ally when the Man was under Misfortunes, which; as wd 
fhall prefently fee, had filch an Effed upon him as to break 
his Heart. 
14. The Admiral on December 14. 1616. hoiffed Sail at 
Bantam , in order to proceed For Holland w T ith the Two 
Ships under his Command, of which the Amjierdam was of 
the Burden of Fourteen hundred, and the Zeland of 
Twelve hundred Ton. On the 2 2d of the fame Month 
died Jaques le Maine , a Manjuftly renowned for his great 
Skill in the Art of Navigation, and for his excellent Tem- 
per, as well as unblemished Character. On January 1. 
1617. th t Amjierdam loft Sight of the Zeland. Oh the 
24th, they anchored at the Ifland of St. Maurice. On 
March 6 . they doubled the Cape ; on the 30th, they ar- 
rived at St. Helena , where they found the Zeland , which 
had anchored there fome Days before. On April 6 . both 
Ships put to Sea ; on the 24th of the fame Month, they 
palled the Line ; and on July 1. 1617. they arrived fafely 
in Holland , having been out near Two Years and Eleven 
Months. Their Return was extremely grateful to the Com- 
pany, the Diredors of which bellowed the higheft Com- 
mendations on the Admiral, who had indeed behaved with 
the utmoft Prudence, and fo condiided this Voyage, as 
that it contributed alike to the Advantage of the Com- 
pany, his own Reputation, and the Glory of his Country. 
Multitudes of People reforted to fee him, and hff Ships ; 
an Extrad of his Voyage was immediately made '(public, 
and the Dutch Eaji India Company may be faid to have 
dated their Grandeur, in relped both to Reputation and 
Power, from the Day of his Return : The former, in 
fome meafure, refuited from his very Ad of furrounding 
the Globe ; and the latter took Rife from their Conquefts 
in the Moluccas , in which he not only affiled, but likewife 
brought Home the firfb Account. 
15. It is oblervable, that this great Commander took 
the utmoft Pains, not only to have an exad Account of 
his own Voyage drawn up, but to examine ciofely into 
what Difcoveries had been made by others. On his Return 
to Holland , he juftified the Report of Magellan , with re- 
fped to the gigantic People that inhabit the Streights, and 
known to the World by his Name. Admiral Spilbergen 
faid, that they had gone afhore in their Voyage, and had 
examined feveral Graves ot thofe People that inhabit them ; 
and always found their Bodies of the ordinary Size, or ra- 
ther below it ; and that the Savages they faw, from time 
to time, in their Canoes, Were likewife of the ordinary Size ; 
but that they had one Day obferved a Man on the Shore; 
who firft climbed one Hill, then another, to look at the 
Fleet ; and came at laft to the Sea-fide for the fame Pur- 
pofe ; fo that he was Seen by every body, arid they unarm 
moufly concluded him taller than Magellan Speaks of; which 
confirms the Account given to Oliver van Noort , and Se- 
bdld de Weert , by the Boy they took from the Savages; 
viz. that there are but Two Tribes of thefe Giants, and 
that the reft of the Savages are of die common Size. He 
likewife reported, that on the South Side of the Streight 
he had obferved an open Paflage into the South Sea ; but; 
as his Instructions dire&ed him copals through the Streights 
of Magellan, he would not rifque die Pioiecutioii of this 
Q Difcovery, 
