308: The passage between the Salayr islands and the
south-western peninsula of Celebes, is probably here meant: Yet that
passage is in lat. 6 deg. S. while the text speaks of being under the line.
No other supposition, however, can agree with the circumstance of
falling in next day with the fleet of Booton.--E.]

The king likewise sent me word, that he wished I would remain all night
at anchor, as he proposed coming next morning aboard to visit me and see
the ship. As it remained calm, we continued at anchor, and next day on
the king coming aboard, I made a banquet for him and his nobles, making
the king a present worthy of his dignity and friendship. A gale of wind
springing up, we prepared to make sail, on which the king wept, saying,
I might think him a dissembler, as he had no goods for me; but that four
months before his house was burnt down, in which he had provided for me
somewhat of every thing, as nutmegs, cloves, and mace, with a large
quantity of sanders wood, of which he had a whole housefull, as likewise
a great warehouse full of his country cloth, which was very vendible in
all the islands thereabout. All this great loss, he said, had not
formerly grieved him so much as now, when I told him I had got the ship
fitted out expressly to come and buy his commodities. He said farther,
that he saw I had kept my promise; and swore by the head of Mahomet he
would have so done likewise, had not God laid that scourge of fire upon
him, by which several of his wives and other women were burnt. He was
now, he said, engaged from home in war with all his forces, the event of
which could not be foreseen, and could not therefore spare any of his
people to make any provision for me; as, if we had not come, he had by
this time been in the field against another king who was his enemy. He
pointed out the town belonging to the king with whom he was at war, and
requested me to fire against it as I went past: I answered that I was a
stranger, and had no cause of quarrel with that king, and it would be
improper for me to make myself enemies; but if the other king should
come while I was there, and offer any injury to him or his subjects, I
would do my best to send them away. The king was quite satisfied with
this, and took his leave, and we presently made sail.

The 24th January we arrived at the island of _Bangaia_,[309] whence the
king and most of the people were fled for fear of some enemy, though I
could not learn the truth.