than a century later, would all fit easily inside a single Chinese treasure ship.
In addition to sailors and soldiers there were merchants, astrologers, craftsmen and priests on board. Zheng He’s fleet had a number of technological innovations, including magnetic compasses and watertight compartments, which would not be seen in European vessels for hundreds of years. There were even on-board vegetable patches.
Zheng He sailed to western Asia, Africa and Arabia, visiting 40 countries. Some speculate that he reached America and even circumnavigated the world. Others believe he touched on the shores of Australia. Of all the wonders he brought back, the most exciting to his countrymen was a giraffe from Somalia.
The Admiral of the Western Seas died in 1433 on the return voyage of the seventh expedition. Thereafter there were no more heroic voyages: a new Chinese ruler ushered in 500 years of isolation; the logs of the seven remarkable voyages were destroyed, and the giant treasure ships abandoned and left to decay.
The Chinese artist Shen Du, a favourite of Emperor Yong Le painted the giraffe Zheng He brought back from the east coast of Africa .
T HE BEACON OF LIGHT
Until the end of the seventeenth century one of the great threats facing shipping heading to Plymouth on the southern coast of England was the isolated and treacherous Eddystone reef, 23 km directly offshore. Much of the hazard is underwater, creating complex currents, and extraordinarily high seas are often kicked up when conditions are very windy. In 1620 Captain Christopher Jones, master of Mayflower described the reef: ‘Twenty-three rust red… ragged stones around which the sea constantly eddies, a great danger… for if any vessel makes too far to the south… she will be swept to her doom on these evil rocks.’
As trade with America increased during the 1600s a growing number of ships approaching the English Channel from the west were wrecked on the Eddystone reef.
King William III and Queen Mary were petitioned that something be done about marking the infamous hazard. Plans to erect a warning light by funding the project with a penny a ton charge on all vessels passing initially foundered. Then an enterprising character called Henry Winstanley stepped forward and took on the most adventurous marine construction job the world had ever seen.
Work commenced on the mainly wooden structure in July 1696. England was again at war, and such was the importance of the project that the Admiralty provided a man-of-war for protection. On one day, however, HMS Terrible did not arrive and a passing French privateer seized Winstanley and carried him off to France. When Louis XIV heard of the incident he ordered his release. ‘France is at war with England, not humanity,’ said the king.
Winstanley’s was the first lighthouse to be built in the open sea. It was a true feat of human endeavour. Work could only be undertaken in summer and for the first two years nothing could be left on the rock or it would be swept away. There was some assistance from Terrible in transporting the building materials, but much had to be rowed out in an open four-oared boat in a journey that could take nine hours each way.
Winstanley’s lighthouse was swept away after less than five years, during the great storm of 1703. Winstanley was on it at the time supervising some repairs – he had said that he wished to be there during ‘the greatest storm that ever was’.
The next lighthouse was built by John Rudyerd and lit in 1709. Also made largely of timber and with granite ballast, it gave good service for nearly half a century until destroyed by fire in 1755. During the blaze the lead cupola began to melt, and as the duty keeper, 94-year-old Henry Hall, was throwing water upwards from a bucket he accidentally swallowed 200 g of the molten metal. No one believed his incredible tale, but when he died 12 days later doctors found a lump of lead in his stomach.
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