to give the name of the Straits of Le Maire to the passage through which
they had come, in compliment to the worthy merchant who had promoted the
expedition, although that honour might justly have been bestowed upon
Captain Schouten.

The next land they saw was Juan Fernandez, but missing the proper
anchorage, they were unable to bring up. Captain Schouten sent a boat,
however, to look for a safe place to anchor; but the officer in command
of her, on his return, reported that the island was inaccessible, though
he brought off a large quantity of lobsters, crabs, and a few fish,
having also seen many sea-wolves. They next sighted another small
island, but here also were unable to anchor, and on sending a boat
ashore, her crew could only find some herbs, which tasted like
scurvy-grass, though they saw several dogs which neither barked nor
snarled, for which reason they called it Dog Island.

When about a league away from another low island, a canoe, in which were
six or eight reddish-coloured Indians with long black hair, came off to
the ship; but the explorers could not communicate with them, as they
understood none of the languages in which they were addressed.

Sailing along the coast, another canoe came off. The skins of her crew,
who were nearly naked, except a piece of matting hung from a belt round
their waists, were punctured over with snakes, dragons, and other
reptiles. They would not venture on board, but came to the boats, when
the Dutch gave them beads, knives, and other trifles. They quickly
showed their thievish disposition by stealing the nails from the cabin
windows and the bolts from the doors. The boat, with a well-armed crew,
was now sent on shore; but the moment they landed, about thirty natives
rushed from the woods, armed with clubs, slings, and spears, and tried
to take away the arms from the soldiers; but on receiving a discharge of
musketry, they took to flight.

This island was low and sandy, and was covered with cocoa-nut-trees. It
was about one hundred leagues from Dog Island. At the next island at
which they touched, on the 16th, they were fortunate enough to find
abundance of fresh water in a pit not far from shore, as also some
herbs, which proved serviceable to those who were afflicted with scurvy.
To this island they gave the name of Water Island.

Sailing westward, anchorage was found off another island about twenty
leagues distant from it, a musket-shot from the shore, where