wind went over to W., upon which
we made for the land {Page 40} and cast anchor in 2 fathom; I went ashore
myself in the pinnace which was duly armed; the blacks here attacked us
with their weapons, but afterwards took to flight; upon which we went
landinward for some distance, and found divers of their weapons, such as
assagays and callaways, leaning against the trees; we took care not to
damage these weapons, but tied pieces of iron and strings of beads to
some of them, in order to attract the blacks, who, however, seemed quite
indifferent to these things, and repeatedly held up their shields with
great boldness and threw them at the muskets; these men are, like all the
others we have lately seen, of tall stature and very lean to look at, but
malignant and evil-natured.

In the morning of the 6th, the wind being East, we set sail on a N.
course along the land in 3 and 4 fathom; at noon when we were in 13 deg. 29'
Lat., the wind was W.; in the evening it went round to East, upon which
we dropped anchor in 3 fathom.

In the morning of the 7th the wind was S.E. with fine weather; the
skipper went ashore with the pinnace, with strict orders to treat the
blacks kindly, and try to attract them with pieces of iron and strings of
beads; if practicable, also to capture one or more; when at noon the men
returned they reported that on their landing more than 100 blacks had
collected on the beach with their weapons, and had with the strong arm
tried to prevent them from coming ashore; in order to frighten them, a
musket was accordingly fired, upon which the blacks fled and retreated
into the wood, from where they tried every means in their power to
surprise and attack our men; these natives resemble the others in shape
and figure; they are quite black and stark naked, some of them having
their faces painted red and others white, with feathers stuck through the
lower part of the nose; at noon, the wind being E., we set sail on a N.
course along the land, being then in 13 deg. 26 Lat.; towards the evening the
wind went round to W. and we dropped anchor in 31/2 fathom.

(The River Coen is 13 degrees 7 minutes Lat.)

In the morning of the 8th, the wind being E.S.E. with good weather, I
went ashore myself with 10 musketeers; we saw numerous footprints of men
and dogs (running from south to north); we accordingly spent some time
there, following the footprints aforesaid to a river, where we gathered
excellent vegetables or pot-herb