IT is said that the Ship that discovered the Island, of which I hinted
to you in my last, is departed from Rochel, on her way to Zealand,
several persons here have writ thither to enquire for the said Vessel,
to know the truth of this business. I was promised a Copy of the Letter
[54]Amsterdam, June the 29th 1668, that came from France, advising the
discovery of the Island above-said, but its not yet come to my hand;
when it cometh, or any further news about this Island, I shall acquaint
you with it,

Your Friend and Brother,

A. Keck.

{{1 }} [55]Discovered Near to the Coast of Terra Australis Incognita,
by Henry Cornelius Van Sloetten, in a Letter to a friend in London,
declaring the truth of his Voyage to the East Indies.

SIR,

I Received your Letter of this second instant, wherein you desire me
to give you a further account concerning the Land of Pines, on which we
were driven by distress of Weather the last Summer, I also perused the
Printed Book thereof you sent me, the Copy of which was surreptiously
taken out of my hands, else should I have given you a more fuller
account upon what occasion we came thither, how we were entertained,
with some other circumstances {{2 }}of note wherein that relation is
defective. To satisfie therefore your desires, I shall briefly yet sully
give you a particular account thereof, with a true Copy of the Relation
itself; desiring you to bear with my blunt Phrases, as being more a
Seaman then a Scholler.

April the 26th 1667. We set sail from Amsterdam, intending for the
East-Indies; our ship had to name the place from whence we came, the
Amsterdam burthen 350. Tun, and having a fair gale of Wind, on the 27 of
May following we had a sight of the high Peak Tenriffe belonging to the
Canaries, we have touched at the Island Palma, but having endeavoured it
twice, and finding the winds contrary, we steered on our course by the
Isles of Cape Ferd, or Insula Capitis Viridis, where at St. James's we
[56]took in fresh water, with some few Goats, and Hens, wherewith that
Island doth plentifully abound.

June the 14. we had a sight of Madagascar, or the Island of St Laurence,
an Island of 4000 miles in compass, and scituate under the Southern
Tropick; thither we steered our course, and trafficked with the
inhabitants for Knives, Beads, Glasses and the like, having in exchange
thereof Cloves and Silver. Departing from thence we were incountred
with a violent storm, and the winds hol