Travels in India (Tavernier) 158.1

158.1

After having been twenty-two days at the Cape of Good Hope, seeing that the wind was very favourable to us, our Vice-Admiral ordered the anchor to be hoisted, and we directed our course for the Island of St. Helena. As soon as the sails were set and prayers had been said, all the sailors and soldiers declared they would go to rest and sleep till they got to St. Helena. For one steady wind always prevails and bears you, generally in sixteen or eighteen days, to the anchorage at that island. During the whole course the sails were not touched, because the wind was always astern, and the only trouble which the sailors had was that fourteen days after our departure two of them were sent to the mainmast top to watch, in order to sight the island; for as soon as it is sighted the pilots should take good care to be ready to cast anchor on the side facing northwards, and it is necessary to approach the land in order to cast it, otherwise there is no bottom found. If these precautions are not properly taken, and if the anchors do not find bottom, the currents in the air and ocean quickly carry the vessel past the anchorage and there is then no hope of returning, because the wind is always contrary and never changes. As soon as two of our anchors were cast into the sea the soldiers and sailors were summoned, and the crew made the vessel as tight as they could. They also fixed stages outside to scrape the hull and grease it; this was accomplished in two days.