Page:Early English adventurers in the East (1917).djvu/97

 fourth voyage, which, as we have seen, consisted of the Ascension and the Union, commanded by Captain Alexander Sharpeigh. A vivid account of the expedition is given by John Jourdain, who accompanied the ships as one of the factors, and whose journal, published by the Hakluyt Society, under the erudite editorial supervision of Mr. Wm. Foster, is not the least valuable of the many interesting historical documents of this eventful period. Jourdain, who came of good Dorsetshire stock—his father was in 1584 Mayor of Lyme Regis—drifted into the Company's service from the Western shipping trade, which was a veritable nursery of the early East India commanders. His education must have been above the common, for his diary is a work of some elaboration, containing not only an account of the professional aspects of the voyage, but much in the nature of topographical description and narrative of personal experiences. He appears through his writings in the light of a strong, self-reliant character, not afraid of responsibility, and, like most of his fellows, keen for the honour of his country. On this voyage he figured in a subordinate part, which did not allow him any great scope for distinguishing himself, but later, as will be found as the story progresses, he earned a niche in the Hall of Fame which is tenanted by the sailor worthies of the early seventeenth century.

Many months were consumed in the voyage to the Cape and the subsequent effort to beat up the African coast to Aden. After some exciting experiences at Pemba, near Zanzibar, and subsequently in a conflict with the crews of several native vessels overhauled at sea, the Ascension and the Union, towards the middle of January, 1609, found themselves in the vicinity of the Seychelles. As his