ed by this time; about noon
the skipper having returned, informed us that he had caused pits to be
dug in various places on the coast, but had found no fresh water. _Item_
that on the strand they had seen 7 small huts made of dry hay, and also 7
or 8 blacks, who refused to hold parley with them. In the afternoon I
went up a salt river for the space of about half a mile with the two
pinnaces; {Page 38} we then marched a considerable distance into the
interior, which we found to be submerged in many places, thus somewhat
resembling Waterland in Holland, from which it may be concluded that
there must be large lakes farther inland; we also saw divers footprints
of men and of large dogs, running from the south to the north; and since
by resolution it has been determined to begin the return-voyage at this
point, we have, in default of stone caused a wooden tablet to be nailed
to a tree, the said tablet having the following words carved into it:
"Anno 1623 den 24n April sijn hier aen gecomen twee jachten wegen de
Hooge Mogende Heeren Staten Genl."

[A.D. 1623, on the 24th of April there arrived here two yachts dispatched
by their High Mightinesses the States-General]. We have accordingly named
the river aforesaid Staten revier in the new chart. (The Staten Revier is
in 17 degrees 8 minutes.)

On the 26th, seeing that there was no fresh water here, of which we stood
in great need, that we could hold no parley with the natives, and that
nothing of importance could be effected, we set sail again, the wind
being E.N.E., with a stiff breeze, course held N. along the land; at noon
we were in Lat. 16 deg. 44'; at night we came to anchor in 4 fathom close
inshore.

* * *

NOTE

That the yacht Aernem, owing to bad sailing, and to the small liking and
desire which the skipper and the steersman have shown towards the voyage,
has on various occasions and at different times been the cause of serious
delay, seeing that the Pera (which had sprung a bad leak and had to be
kept above water by more than 8000 strokes of the pump every 24 hours)
was every day obliged to seek and follow the Aernem for one, two or even
more miles to leeward.

* * *

(The yacht Aernem left the Pera.)

On the 27th, the wind being E. by S. with good weather, the skipper of
the Pera rowed ashore with the two pinnaces duly provided for defence, in
order to seek fresh water, but when he had caused several pits to be dug,
no water was found; we therefore set sa