Third Voyage:
Captain William Keeling (1607-1610)
Summary of Voyage
On March 12 1607 three ships left from the port of Tilbury, England to impart on a journey around Africa, through the Indian Ocean and before returning home travel deep into the East Indies. Purchas His Pilgrimes offers us the most insight on this excursion through the eyes of General and Captain William Keeling .One is able to read this account and learn of the importance of trade along the route and also see interesting encounters between the English and the people at ports they visit. This account also shows the power struggles and interactions between the English and other European powers (i.e Portugal, Dutch).
Map Showing Locations Visited (click on icon for data)
Heat Map Showing Areas of Activity
Sierra Leone
Due to bad weather and raging seas two ships (the Dragon and the Hector) had to make a detour to Sierra Leone. William Keeling says that he persuaded his men to visit this place because he had read of it in a book. While there he and his men enjoyed enjoyed the adventures that Sierra Leone offered. One day they went elephant hunting and another day they were successful at fishing. The people of this place were willing to trade and Keeling purchased ivory and food for his voyage.
Sierra Leone was a common place for Spaniards to purchase slaves. These slaves would then be shipped to Principe and sold. These slaves were referred to as Zape or Sape in the Spanish language. Alonso de Sandovai records inTreatise On Slavery that Sierra Leone “is neither excessively cold nor hot” and that the buildings were made of “mud and straw, but they were comfortable because cool, fresh breezes blew through them.” The climate was so appealing that people did not die of illnesses as Europeans would have but “of old age, poisoning, or evils caused by sins of the flesh.” The men would take as many wives as he could afford and the women would mark their virginity with blue strings hung around their waist that would attach to a piece of cloth linen. (sandovai, 24)
The Jesuits were the first missionaries to reach this region and set up churches and convert the peoples of the barbaric kingdoms that lived there. These Jesuits suffered persecution from the rulers and were called upon and robbed when the local king of this region was in need.
When Keeling and his crew arrived in Sierra Leone their was peace. One writer states, “so abundant are the natural products of this land that it is difficult to mention any one thing that is lacking, blessed is it with all kinds of foods, fine rivers, fruit trees such as oranges, lemon, and lime, also sugar-cane, palm trees in plenty and timber of good quality.” (Kup, 13) This region was a successful stop for Keeling. The men were able to elephant hunt and purchase ivory.
Ortelius, Abraham,1527-1598.
“Africae tabula noua.” Copperplate map, with added color, 37 x 49 cm. From Ortelius’s Theatrum orbis terrarum (Antwerp, 1584). [Historic Maps Collection]
Blaeu, Willem Janszoon, 1571-1638.
“Africae nova descriptio.” Copperplate carte à figures map, with added color, 35 x 45 cm. From the second volume of Blaeu’s Le theatre dv monde; ov Novvel atlas contenant les chartes et descriptions de tous les païs de la terre (Amsterdam, 1644). Gift of J. Monroe Thorington, Class of 1915. [Rare Books Divisions]
William Keeling probably would have viewed the Ortelius map before embarking on his journey for the East India Company. It can be seen that the later map (drawn after William Keeling's travels) shows more locations on the continent of Africa. This increase in ports along the coast of Africa shows the expanse in trade between 1584 and 1644.
About The Author: William Keeling
William Keeling was the captain of the Susan in the second voyage of the East India Company. His ship left England in 1604 and arrived in Bantam eight months later. The men on the journey had encountered sickness and many men were lost. He transferred to the Hector and on the way home the Susan which was traveling with his ship disappeared and his crew was reduced to only 14 men when he arrived at the Cape of Good Hope in Africa. Middleton offered him relief and in May 1606 he returned home.
After this brutal journey he was appointed general of the third East India Company voyage and led a more successful trip even though he faced bad weather, a change of plan, and disputes with the Dutch. He set up a factory in Bantam and started trade relations with Banda.
He would later lead a final voyage with the East India Company and then come home and die three years later. His death was in 1620. (DNB)
Bibliography
Kup, Alexander Peter. (1961). History of Sierra Leone, 1400-1787. CUP Archive.
Sandovai, Alonso de: translated by Germeten, Nicole Von. (2007). Treatise on Slavery. Hackett Publishing.
William Keeling (1577/8-1620). In Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004. Retrieved from http://www.oxforddnb.com.libez.lib.georgiasouthern.edu/view/article/15243?docPos=1
Text of Voyage
PDF of Purchas
Murray Ruffner, last updated April 21, 2015