direction of this most
ignorant and disagreeable man. If he had felt himself qualified
to have navigated a ship in the seas we had to pass through, his
conduct would in all probability have been more unsufferable, if
possible, than it was; but our assistance was absolutely
necessary, otherwise I believe his vessel had never reached
Batavia.

At eight o'clock in the evening we weighed from the road and
put to sea; one unfortunate Javanese seaman was by accident left
on shore, but he spoke a language which most of these people
understand. I therefore hope it might be the means of saving his
life, but as their rage, when once roused, does not quickly
subside, I feared much for the safety of this innocent man: this
unlucky affair prevented our being able to complete our water, or
cut any wood; however, we had filled as much as would prevent our
being distressed for some time, and the sailors had received many
refreshments, of which they were much in need.

These islands, I have already mentioned, are three in number:
Hummock Island, on which the Raja resides, is exceedingly
fertile, and seemed to produce most of the tropical fruit; we
found here rice, sugar cane (exceedingly fine and large), pine
apple, mango, sour oranges, limes, jack, plantain, cocoa-nut,
sago, sweet potatoes, tobacco, Indian corn, and a small kind of
pea: dogs, goats, fowls (very fine), parrots, and many other more
useful articles; but I judge that their principal article of
trade with the Dutch is bees-wax, of which they appear to have a
considerable quantity, and of course much honey.

The islands lie about five leagues south, from the southern
point of Mindanao: the road where we anchored is on the
north-east side of Hummock Island, and is in latitude 5 deg. 27'
north, longitude 125 deg. 12' east: there appeared to be a
passage between this island and the next to it, lying in a north
and south direction, but there is a long rocky spit, which runs
from a low point on Hummock Island, and seems to throw the
channel through upon the other shore: we had not an opportunity
to examine it, but we found here a regular tide, which was high
at full and change of the moon at seven o'clock, and rose by the
shore six or seven feet. There were several inlets or openings on
the west shore of the other island, which may be probably
convenient and well sheltered coves.

The articles, which seemed of most value here in exchange for
stock, were light cloathing o