Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Hope were planned. Many never got beyond the drawing board and
those expeditions that did put to sea were frustrated by bad weather
or poor leadership. Nor was England the only nation interested in
wresting long-distance trade from the hands of Spanish and Por-
tuguese captains. Dutch mariners, enthusiastically backed by their
government, were catching up fast in the study and practice of navig-
ation. It was, therefore, only a matter of time before someone began
to reap rich rewards from the Orient trade. Cavendish, now in the
prime of life, was not prepared to yield to others the primacy in a
commerce he had pioneered.
In the years 1589-91 he spent money freely but not on self-in-
dulgent luxury. Most of his funds went on ships. He completely refit-
ted the Desire and he bought other vessels for his projected voyage.
Some of these were sent on privateering ventures, to earn their keep
while preparations were completed for the next expedition. Those
preparations dragged on month after month, eating up capital and
repaying it only with frustration. One ship was lost in the Thames Es-
tuary. Another proved unsuitable and had to be replaced. There were
the usual wrangles with chandlers. Ships' suppliers were notorious
for trying to palm off their customers with inferior gear and stale
food. They knew all the tricks of the trade, such as rotten cordage
refurbished to look new, barrels half-filled with mouldy flour, then
topped up with fresh and the substitution of inferior merchandise
for items bought and paid for. Amidst the bustle of crowded quay-
sides and warehouses it was easy to swindle ships' captains who
had a hundred and one other problems on their minds. By the time
deceptions were discovered the victims were hundreds of ocean
leagues away, perhaps never to return. Over the centuries dishonest
chandlers were probably responsible for as many maritime disasters
as storms, shoals and poor navigation. So Cavendish and his agents
needed extreme vigilance if the expedition was to be properly sup-
plied. In the event they were not careful enough.
 
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