The French fleet at Annobon

Joris van Spilbergen’s 1601-1604 expedition first sailed past the Cape Verde islands and the western coast of Africa. Here they fought a battle with Portuguese ships, in which Van Spilbergen van seriously injured. The voyage continued along the West African coast. By 26 July 1601, the expedition reached the island Annobon, which was held by the Portuguese. Considering the lack of supplies, Van Spilbergen wanted to restock at the island. He tried a ruse, pretending to be commissioned by the King of Spain, to get permission from the Portuguese garrison to take in fresh supplies. The Portuguese, however, did not fall for the trick. When Van Spilbergen tried to send an armed contingent on shore to take the supplies by force they were met with such resistance that he decided to withdraw from the island. On 27 December they reached the Cape of Good Hope, where they encountered two French ships. They spoke with the French, who told them that they too had passed Annobon and a number of them had been murdered by the Portuguese while attending mass on the island.

This image depicts the events at Annobon experienced by the French fleet. 1. A priest. 2. The Frenchmen. 3. The Portuguese killing the French. 4-5. The boat of the French ships. 6-7. The ships. 8. A canoe used by the indigenous people of Annobon to go back and forth along the island. 9, 10 and 11. Rafts used by the people of the island to fish. 12. A ?? ter grote van een bruinvis? 13. A bonito. 14. A dorado. 15. A banana tree with large leaves and “fruits like cucumbers”. 16. A ‘Cotton tree”. 17. An orange tree. On land there were many mountain goats.