Simon de Cordes
Simon de Cordes (born around 1559 – died 11 November 1599) was a Dutch merchant and explorer who after the death of Admiral Jacques Mahu, became leader of an expedition with the goal to achieve the Indies,[2] which was replaced for Chile, Peru and other kingdoms (in New Spain: Nueva Galicia; Captaincy General of Guatemala ; Nueva Vizcaya; New Kingdom of León and Santa Fe de Nuevo México).
In that case, they were supposed to obtain silver in Japan and to buy spices in the Moluccas, before heading back to Europe around Cape of Good Hope.
No full account of the voyage is in existence, but details can be gathered from an unofficial journal kept by Potgieter, a surgeon, letters from William Adams (pilot) and from the facts gleaned by Oliver Van Noort's squadron.
[citation needed] In 1598 several Dutch merchants organized a fleet to sail to South America to trade and attack their enemy.
After leaving Goeree and Brielle on 27 Juni 1598 the ships sailed to the Channel, but anchored in the Downs till mid July.
When the ships approached the shores of North Africa Simon de Cordes realized he had been far too generous in the early weeks of the voyage and instituted a 'bread policy'.
[11] At the end of August they landed on Santiago, Cape Verde and on 1 September on Mayo off the coast of Africa because of a lack of water and need for fresh fruit.
Because of contrary wind the fleet was blown off course (NE in the opposite direction) and arrived at Cape Lopez, Gabon, Central Africa, early November.
(In the account given to Van Noort it was said that Simon der Cordes was slain at the Punta de Lavapie, but Adams gives Mocha Island as the scene of his death.
In March Baltazar de Cordes, who had succeeded Van Boekhout and had lost the "Faith", landed on Chiloé, an island near the coast.
[21] The Dutch received aid from the Cunco or Huilliche people in Lacuy and made an alliance to seize Castro and finish off the Spanish at end of the conquest of Chile and involved in the Arauco War.
[22] The "Hope" and "Love" lost a large part of the crew in battles with Araucans (who presumably thought the Dutch were Spanish) and then decided to leave for Japan on 27 November 1599.
The "Hope" was lost in a heavy storm, but the "Love", with Quaeckernaeck and Adams reached Bungo in Japan, on 19 April 1600 with 24 people.
On 4 December 1602 a notary left Isaac le Maire, his brother Salomon, Balthasar Coymans (1555–1634) and others a deed as four ships were not yet back, ordering the insurers to cash out.
