ding contrary, for the space of
a fortnight, brought us back almost as far as the Isle Del Principe;
during which time many of our men fell sick, and some dyed, but at
the end of that time it pleased God the wind favoured us again, and
we steered on our course merrily, for the space of ten days: when on a
sudden we were encountered with such a violent storm, as if all the four
winds together had conspired for our destruction, so that the stoutest
spirit of us all quailed, expecting every hour to be devoured by that
merciless element of water, sixteen dayes together {{3 }} did this storm
continue, though not with such violence as at the first, the Weather
being so dark all the while, and the Sea so rough, that we knew not in
what place we were, at length all on a sudden the Wind ceased, and
the Air cleared, the Clouds were all dispersed, and a very serene Sky
followed, for which we gave hearty thanks to the Almighty, it being
beyond our expectation that we should have escaped the violence of that
storm.

At length one of our men mounting the Main-mast espyed fire, an
evident sign of some Countrey near adjoyning, which presently after we
apparently discovered, and steering our course [57]more nigher, we
saw several persons promiscuously running about the shore, as it were
wondering and admiring at what they saw: Being now near to the Land, we
manned out our long Boat with ten persons, who approaching the shore,
asked them in our Dutch Tongue What Eyland is dit? to which they
returned this Answer in English, "that they knew not what we said." One
of our Company named Jeremiah Hanzen who understood English very well,
hearing their words discourst to them in their own Language; so that
in fine we were very kindly invited on shore, great numbers of them
flocking about us, admiring at our Cloaths which we did wear, as we on
the other side did to find in such a strange place, so many that could
speak English and yet to go naked.

Four of our men returning back in the long Boat to our Ships company,
could hardly make them believe the truth of what they had seen and
heard, but when we had brought our ship into harbour, you would have
blest your self to see how the naked Islanders flocked unto us, so
wondering at our ship, as if it had been the greatest miracle of Nature
in whole World. {{4 }}

We were very courteously entertained by them, presenting us with such
food as that Countrey afforded, which indeed was not to be despis