fresh water, which
they found in a pit not far from the shore. The pottage or soup, which
they made of certain herbs gathered here, proved serviceable to those
who were afflicted with the flux. They called this _Water Island_,[113]
because it supplied them with fresh water.

[Footnote 113: Water-land is in lat. 15 deg. S. and 146 deg. W. long.--E.]

Sailing from this island westwards, they came on the 18th to another
island 20 leagues distant from the last, and extending a considerable
way N.W. and S.E. Dispatching the boat in search of anchorage, a bottom
was found near a point of land, in 25 and 40 fathoms, about a
musket-shot from the shore, where also was a gentle stream of fresh
water. This news induced them to send back the boat with some casks for
water: But after using much pains to get on shore, and searching in the
wood to find a spring, they were frightened away by seeing a savage. On
getting back to their boat, five or six more of the savages came to the
shore, but on seeing the Dutch put off they soon retired into the woods.
Although they thus got rid of the savages, they encountered other
adversaries of a formidable nature; for they were followed from the
woods by innumerable myriads of black flies, so that they came on board
absolutely covered with them from head to foot, and the plague of flies
began to rage in the ship in a most intolerable manner. This persecution
lasted three or four days, on which account they called this _Fly
Island_,[114] and by the help of a good breeze of wind, they left it as
fast as they could.

[Footnote 114: The next island W. or rather S.W. from Water-land, and
nearly at the distance in the text, is now called Palliser's
island.--E.]

Continuing their course westwards from the 19th of April to the 9th of
May, when they were in lat. 15 deg. 20' S. and estimated their distance from
Peru 1510 leagues to the west, they perceived a bark coming towards
them, on which they fired a gun or two to make them strike. But those
who were in her, either not understanding the language of cannon, or
unwilling to obey, made off as fast as they could; on which the Dutch
sent their boat with ten musqueteers to intercept them. Some of the
savages in the bark leapt overboard, and the rest surrendered without
resistance, on which the Dutch used them kindly, dressing those that
were wounded, and saving the lives of some who had leapt into the sea.
Besides the men, there were eight women and se