The Trade's Increase, of which Sir Henry Middleton was General, the Peppercorn, and the Darling, accompanied by a store ship, sailed on the 1st of April, 1610, from the Downs. The fleet put into “Saphia” Roads to obtain timber to fish the Admiral's mainmast, but failed to do so ; and next touched at the Cape de Verde Islands, from whence they sailed on the 16th of May. At these islands the storeship parted company from the other vessels.

On the fourth of July, “the wind being very much, and fowle weather, our shipe (the Peppercorn) was very leake in the bowes, and the water ran into the powder rooine throw the sealinge and bulke head and was 5 foote deepe, and it wett us much powder. And the same day our Admirall borded us and brake our head, and bore her maynetopmaste by the bord”.

The fleet on the 23rd of July entered Saldanha Bay, and remained there at anchor until the 12th of August. In the Bay there was “a greate hollanse shipe, which was Admirall to 9 sayle, and by reason of fowle weather shee loste her company, being bound for the East India: and there were two savle more, Flemens, that were fishers for trayne oyle.”