Indian Antiquary Vol 10

Author(s): Jas Burgess
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 35

JANUARY, 1881.]
BOOK NOTICES.
25
ness of deduction that ought to entitle them to time, employed in any great enterprise. He gerious attention and a long life. Dr. Legge's brought out, however, two important works; The volume, though written in quite a popular style, is Seaman's Secrets, 1594; and the Worlde's Hydroone of sterling value on account of both these graphical Description, 1595; and had also. features, and is thus a valuable contribution to the apparently, a hand in the construction of the comparative study of religions, which ought to be great globes of the Middle Temple; on one of welcomed by every student. He does not suppose which his name has honourable mention. Salithat the Divine origin of Christianity "imprints derson, at whose expense these globes were conthe brand of falsehood on other religions. They structed (the first ever made in England), was an are to be tested according to what they are in old and staunch friend of Davis's. themselves;" the good is to be approved; the Captain Markham thinks that Davis served as defective to be noted; and the wrong to be disa pilot under the Earl of Essex in his Atlantic approved. “The study of them continues to be Expeditions of 1598-7; but he evidently still haria duty, full of interest and importance." But kered after the Indies; and on the 15th of March this unprejudiced study will dissipate the imagi- 1598, he sailed from Middelburg as Pilot of the nation of some, that "we shall find one truth of Leeuw (Lion) despatched by “Mushrom, Clark. importance here and another there, and that, and Monef, Owners and only Adventurers." Cor. bringing these together, we may, by an electic nelis van Houtman, who had already made the process, frame a universal religion that will super- first Dutch voyage to the East Indies, was general sede Christianity itself.”
of the Expedition; Pieter Stockman Captain of the
Lion; and Frederick Van Houtman of the Lioness. TAE VOYAGES AND WORKS OF JOHN Davis the Navigator. It had been proposed to send four vessels, but only
Edited, &c., by Albert Hastings Morkham, Captain, R. N., &c. London: Printed for the Hakluyt Society,
these two sailed. Another Englishman named 1880.
Tomkins was on board the Lion, apparently as an Captain John Davis, of Sandridge, Devon, officer, but it does not exactly appear of what rank "stands foremost among the navigators of the or duty. He was certainly inferior to Davis. great Queen as a seaman, combining scientific whose position as pilot was much higher in those knowledge and skilled pilotage with the qualities days than that which landsmen now associate with of a fearless and determined explorer." So for his the title. He was, in fact, the principal navigating biographer; who has well earned the right to use officer of the ship, as well at sea as when nearing such language.
port: and owed that position not to mere local Davis's greatest exploits were connected with knowledge but to superior scientific acquirethat fatal and heroic mare's nest the North-West ments. He was the only historian of the expediPassage; whereof he was the inventor. Three tion. On the 9th June the ships made the times he essayed it with courage and (circum- coast of Brazil in 7 south lat., and on the 15t stances considered) success equal to those of any (having bad winds) Fernando Noronha. On the of his followers on that path. When the Court 11th of November they anchored in Saldanha and City had had enough of the North-west Pas- Bay. Here they found a people "blacker than sage for one generation, we find him sailing for the Brasilians, their haire curled and blacke as the already discovered South-west Passage of the the Negroes of Angola, their words are for the Straits of Magellan, with the unfortunate Caven. most part in-articulate ; and in speaking they dish. But neither by this route was he to gain clocke with the Tongue like a brood Hen, which the "Golden Indies." The squadron failed to clocking and the word are both pronounced pass the Straits; and put back, intending to together verie strangely" (p. 135). Davis had harry the Brazilian ports as a pis allor.
good ear for language; and had already compiled They were scattered by tempest; some lost; an Eskimo vocabulary which Captain Markham and the few survivors brought nothing back to gives in its place (p. 21), with some interesting England but accusations against each other. comments by Dr. Rink. Davis himself was accused of desertion by Caven- These people had many sheep and oxen, the dish, in his testamentary letter to Sir Tristram latter "large, and under several markes having Gorges. He is, however, acquitted by Captain upon the backe by the fore shoulders a great lumpe Markham; and no one will wish to dispute the of flesh like a Camels backe." Captain Markham verdict. It would appear, however, that his repu- thinks that this is an exaggerated account of tation suffered; for we do not find him, for some domesticated specimens of Bubalus Caffer. It
Vide the Hawkins Voyages ; published by the Hakluyt Society, London, 1877. The editor of that volume, Mr. Clements Markham, identifies Saldania with Table Bay.
Captain Markham thinks it the bay now so called. Vide also Ind. Ant. vol. VIII, p. 235.