emy of the Portuguese, whom
he had expelled from his dominions, would gladly agree to aid him,
and to enter into treaties by which all ships of his nation might
come to Ternate, and trade for such things as they required, all
other white men being excluded.

On arriving at the shore, the deputation were met by many
personages. They were dressed in white cloths of Indian
manufacture, and the party marveled much at the difference between
their stately manners and ways, and those of the people whom they
had lately left. Accompanied by these personages, and with great
honor, they were conducted to the interior of the island; where, in
a house surprisingly large for a people so far removed from
civilization, and which, indeed, they afterwards learned had been
built by the Portuguese, they found the king, who received them
with much honor He was a tall and stout man, with much dignity in
his manner. It was clear that his authority among his people was
very great, for even the nobles and councilors whom he had sent to
greet them bowed to the dust in his presence.

Ned had consulted with his comrades on the way, and had agreed
that, as the messengers of the admiral, and therefore in some way
as the representatives of the Queen, it was their duty to comport
themselves as equal, at least, in dignity to this island monarch.
Therefore while all the people knelt in the dust in humility, they
walked straight to his majesty, and held out their hands in English
fashion. His majesty was in no whit offended at this: and indeed,
by his manner, strove to express his respect. A certain amount of
conversation was carried on with him, for in the island were an
Italian and a Spaniard; who, having been made prisoners by the
Portuguese, had escaped to Ternate. These men, acting as
interpreters, conveyed to the king the messages sent by the
admiral; and in return informed Ned that the king was, in all ways,
most anxious to express his pleasure to the admiral; and that, on
the morrow, he would himself visit him on board ship. He also, as a
pledge, delivered his own signet ring to Ned, to carry on board.

Having returned on board ship with these messages, they waited for
the morrow, when three large canoes put off from the shore. In
these were the greatest personages on the island. They sat in the
canoes in accordance with their rank, the old men in the stern.
Next to these were divers others, also attired in white, but with
differences in the