They had a regular trade-wind, and a reasonably quick passage across the
Pacific Ocean, except that their men were mostly ill of the scurvy; and
on the 14th of March, 1685, being in lat. 13 deg. 2' N. they came in sight
of the island of Guam. By Captain Cowley's calculation, this run across
the Pacific Ocean extended to 7646 miles, from the island of Gorgona to
Guam.[157] They came next day to anchor in a bay on the west side of the
island, and sent their boat on shore with a flag of truce. The
inhabitants of a village at that place set fire to their houses, and ran
away into the interior, on which the boat's crew cut down some cocoa
trees to gather the fruit, and on going again on board were threatened
by a party of the natives, who sallied out from some bushes on purpose
to attack them. A friendly intercourse was however established between
the English and the natives, and trade took place with them till the
17th, when the natives attacked the English suddenly, but were beat off
with heavy loss, while none of the English were hurt.

[Footnote 157: Gorgona is in long. 78 deg. 33' Guam in 216 deg. 40', both W.
from Greenwich. The difference of longitude is 138 deg. 07', which gives
9530 statute miles, or 2762 marine leagues, so that the computation in
the text is considerably too short.--E.]

On the 19th the Spanish governor of the island came to a point of land
not far from the ship, whence he sent his boat on board with three
copies of the same letter, in Spanish, French, and Dutch, desiring to
know who they were, whence they came, and whither they were bound.
Captain Eaton answered in French, saying that they had been fitted out
by some gentlemen in France to make discoveries, and were come in quest
of provisions. In reply the governor invited Captain Eaton on shore, who
landed with a guard of twenty men doubly armed, and was politely
received. On the 18th the governor sent ten hogs on board, together with
a prodigious quantity of potatoes, plantains, oranges, papaws, and red
pepper, in return for which Captain Eaton sent a diamond ring to the
governor worth twenty pounds, and gave swords to several Spanish
gentlemen who came off with the provisions. Next day the governor sent
to procure some powder, of which he was in want, as the natives were in
rebellion, and Captain Eaton gave him two barrels, for which to the
value of 1400 dollars were offered in gold and silver, but Eaton refused
to accept the money, in consequ