Travels in India (Tavernier) 159.6

159.6

After our vessel had been twenty days at anchor (for the others which arrived later had less time to refresh themselves) the Admiral fired three cannon shots, and hoisted a large flag on the poop of his vessel, as a signal to all the captains and pilots to come on board, where, having arrived, they held council in order to settle what route should be taken for Holland. The majority maintained that they should go to the west rather than to the south, because the season for navigation was much advanced, and by sailing towards the West Indies we should find the proper winds for Holland. But it happened altogether otherwise ; for as soon as we had passed the line we found the winds contrary to what our pilots had expected ; this was the reason why we were afterwards obliged to go to the 64th degree in the latitude of Iceland, and return to Holland from the north.