to anchor on the N.E. side of the island, but learning
from the natives that the city of Mindanao was on the W. side, we again
set sail and anchored on the 4th July on the S.W. side of a very deep
bay in fifteen fathoms, the land within the bay on the E. side being
very high and woody, but watered by several rivers. On its W. side,
bordering on the sea, there were large plains covered with long grass,
on which were vast herds of deer, of which we killed as many as we
thought fit. We remained here till the 12th, when we again set sail, and
arrived on the 18th at the entrance of the river of Mindanao, in lat. 7 deg.
N. and long. 124 deg. 35' E. from Greenwich.[192] We here anchored in
fifteen fathoms on clean hard sand, two miles from the shore. Soon
afterwards Rajah Laut came on board, accompanied by one of the sultan's
sons, and asked in Spanish, Who we were? Being told we were English, he
asked if we came to settle among them, of which they had formerly some
promise, and were now in hopes of its being effected, to serve to
protect them against the Dutch, whom they greatly dreaded. Had we
properly considered the matter, it might have been much for our
advantage, Mindanao being conveniently situated between the Spice
islands and the Philippines, and besides the three islands of
_Meangis_,[193] only about twenty leagues from hence, abound with spice
and cloves. We were also well filled for such a settlement, having among
our company all manner of artificers, as carpenters, bricklayers,
shoemakers, tailors, and the like, as also abundance of tools, arms,
cannon, and sufficient ammunition to begin with; and, notwithstanding
the great distance from England, we might easily have had supplies from
thence, providing ships set out the latter end of August, proceeding
round Cape Horn, and so directly across the Pacific for Mindanao, or
else coasting along the western shore of America as far as was
necessary, and then stretching across to have the advantage of the
trade-wind. By this way the voyage might be accomplished in six or seven
months, which would at least require eight or nine by the Cape of Good
Hope.

[Footnote 192: In Harris, this longitude is made 23 deg. 12' W. from the
Lizard by some strange error, being 235 deg. 25' W. from Greenwich.--E.]

[Footnote 193: It does not appear what islands these were, unless
perhaps the Silibabo islands, about half way between Mindanao and the
northern end of Gilolo, but considerably