being good, but it did not continue so long.
Opposite Gravesend there is a strong castle well fortified, and
another one of less importance on the lower side. Whenever ships pass
up or down, they must strike [the flag] here in going between the two
fortifications.[466] We arrived at evening before the river of
Chatham, where we anchored.

[Footnote 466: Tilbury Fort on the north side of the Thames, opposite
Gravesend, and probably Shorne Battery on the south side. The "river
of Chatham" is of course the Medway, where Admiral de Ruyter in 1660
had burned King Charles's ships.]

_30th, Monday._ The wind was easterly and light. We scratched along as
far as to get in the King's Channel, as also did the Rotterdammer,
which sailed down with us.

OCTOBER _1st, Tuesday._ The wind as before; we therefore tacked with
the tide before the Naze,[467] intending to run into Harwich, both for
the purpose of waiting for a good wind, and to buy a store of
provision which the skipper through his drunkenness had forgotten. The
Rotterdammer, which had not kept along the shore with us, but had
continued through the King's Channel, finding no good harbor there,
returned again to Chatham, in order, as the wind continued south
southeast, to go out along the south shore, and thus we separated.

[Footnote 467: The easternmost point of the Essex coast, just south of
Harwich.]

_2d, Wednesday._ The wind still easterly. We therefore made several
tacks, and ran into Harwich; a miserably poor little fort stands on
the east point of the bay, yet you must strike your flag as you sail
by it. The bay is large and suitable to harbor a great number of
ships. The town is on the west side, passing which, a small river runs
up into the land. We anchored about ten o'clock in the morning. We
went ashore and dined, and I then, in company with some others, walked
out of town; but my comrade returned, having concluded to cross over
in the packet boat, and went to inquire about it. When I returned he
told me it would leave that evening, and would save much time. He
spoke to our skipper, who was not willing to release us without our
paying him the whole passage money, namely two ducatoons apiece. Many
words passed and hard enough they were on both sides, in which the
skipper was very impertinent, yet not altogether in the wrong. We went
aboard, and his passion having subsided, we satisfied him with two
ducats,[468] and took our goods to the packet boat. We went