chap, xx ESCAPE FROM SHIPWRECK 245
we
had taken the rice, they do not generally pass inside these rocks ; but
our captain, as he had but little time to spare for loading, brought
his vessel as close as possible to the mouth of the river for the
convenience of those who carried the rice, who were in consequence able
to make more frequent trips. At length by God's grace we were, at
daybreak, some 3 or 4 leagues from the land. Then we held a
consultation in order to settle what direction we should take, because
we had no anchors left. Some advised that we should return to Goa to
winter 1 there, others that we should go to Pointe de
Galle, the first town which the Dutch took from the PortuÂguese in the
Island of Ceylon, for we .were about equidistant from both, and the
wind was equally favourable for both places. My opinion was that we
should not sail for Goa, but for Pointe de Galle ; because it was to be
feared that at Goa the sailors, who are much addicted to drink, would
say or commit some folly which would give an occasion to the
Inquisition for arresting them, joined to which there are in that town
many facilities for dissipation, so that when time came to put to sea
again, the captain would not find, it may be, a single man on board.
But in going to Point de Galle there would be no danger, we would meet
friends, and we should be able to change to another vessel in order to
continue the voyage ; this in fact happened. However, we were always in
terror lest some tempest might come and throw us on land, as not a
single anchor was left to moor the vessel.
Among
our sailors there was, by chance, one who had served for many years in
this vessel, who assured us that there was a very heavy anchor at the
bottom of the hold, but that it had only one arm. Although we desired
to get it, we foresaw great difficulty on account of the quantity of
goods in the vessel. Nevertheless it was resolved to move the whole
cargo, and four or five very skilful carpenters, who had worked at the
house at Gombroon for the Company, and were returning to Batavia, said
that if they could only get up the anchor they would fix it so as to
work as well as if it had two arms. This they did, and in two days both
1 That is, to remain during the monsoon (Yule, Hobson-Jobson, 970 i.).
