nge customs. He is very tyrannical and cruel to his
subjects, daily cutting off the hands, arms, and legs of many, on very
small and frivolous causes; or causing them to be thrown to the
elephants, he himself commanding a sagacious elephant to toss the
culprits so high and so often, as either to bruise or kill them,
according to his caprice at the time. No one that arrives at his port
may land without his _chop_ or licence. On one occasion, a Dutch general
came on shore without his licence, by desire of the principal factor,
who presumed on his favour with the king. When the general came to the
palace-gate, where another chop is necessary, the king found this
irregularity to have proceeded from the presumption of the resident,
whom he sent for and laid before the elephant, who tossed him three
times, but so gently as not to bruise him much, giving him thus a
warning how he should neglect the king's commands another time. The
Dutch general stood by the while, fearing to come in for his share of
this strange discipline; but the king forgave him, as ignorant of the
law. The poor factor, being called into the king's presence, humbly
acknowledged his punishment to have been merited, yet fled with the rest
of the factory at the departure of the ships; on which the king placed
us in their house.

We sailed from Bantam, homeward bound, on the 1st November 1616. The 5th
January 1617, I was unable to weigh our anchor, owing to the violence
of the wind, to follow the Dragon to Penguin island. Ships that go round
the Cape of Good Hope from India, at this season of the year, ought not
to anchor short of Saldanha road, [Table Bay,] but ought to bear to
leeward for Penguin island, and anchor there with two anchors at once,
till the wind serve. In December, January, and February, the S.S.E. wind
blows there with great violence from new to full moon. Yet I hold it
dangerous to neglect this place, trusting to refreshments at St Helena,
a certainty for an uncertainty; as the obscurity of the sun and moon,
owing to thick mists at this season, may disappoint the most experienced
navigators, and occasion the loss of ship, cargo, and men. While at the
Cape, Corey came down with three sheep, and promised more, but went away
in great haste to his wife and family, who dwelt now farther from the
bay than formerly. It appears that the Hollanders had frightened the
natives, by landing and going up the country with above an hundred men
at once. Owin