 At the time, Ming Emperor Yongle was in the midst of launching naval expeditions that would eventually reach all the way to eastern Africa.The island, known as "Bīnláng Yù" (), was mapped by Admiral Zheng He's fleet in the '"Nautical Charts of Zheng He"'.One of the first Englishmen to arrive on Penang Island was the privateer James Lancaster who commanded the "Edward Bonadventure".