Page 41 - Early English Adventurers in the Middle East_Neat

IIOW LANCASTER INITIATED EASTERN TRADE 41

Elizabeth for presentation to Asiatic princes in whose
dominions he might find himself. The communications
were identical in terms, and there was a blank left for the
name of the royal recipient to be filled in. As a final
touch to the equipment each unit of the fleet was provided
with twelve streamers, two flags and one ancient, so that
on ceremonial occasions there might be a fitting display of
decorative bunting. The flag flown in the place of honour
was the broad cross of St. George. More than a hundred
years were to elapse before the first Union flag appeared
in the Company’s vessels and twice that length of time ere
the Union Jack was hoisted on them.
On a cold dull day in 1601 the five ships, which had been
anchored off Woolwich, dropped down the river on their
eventful voyage. Contrary winds were encoimtered, so
that some weeks elapsed before those on board caught
what was, for many of them, their last glimpse of the white
cliffs of England. A successful run was made as far as the
coast of Guinea, where there was a diversion in the shape
of the capture of a Portuguese vessel which had the ill
fate to sail into the track of the fleet. From her hold were
taken 146 butts of wine—Canary, no doubt—and 176 jars
of oil, with sundry hogsheads and casks of meal.
From Africa Lancaster stood over to the coast of Brazil
to catch the favouring trade wind which he hoped to find
to help him on his voyage. When off Cape St. Augustine
on July 20 the Guest was dismantled and abandoned. The
step was rendered necessary by the ravages of the dread
scurvy, which had decimated the crews of some of the ves­
sels. A course was now laid for the Cape, but baffling
winds so delayed the fleet that it was not until September 9
that the shelter of Table Bay was reached. None too soon