cond of December we burned our
sconse, and fourteene of our men going further into the Islande brought
certaine of the countreymen prisoners, and being abord our ships taught
them what they shoulde doe. The thirteenth of December wee hoysed anker,
minding to holde on our course for the Islands of Iaua, and for that by
reason of the pleasantnesse of the ayre we had in a manner all recouered
our healthes, we set our course East and by North, and East Northeast. The
nineteenth of the same Month wee were separated by foule weather, and the
22. with great ioy we met againe. The tenth of Ianuarie Vechter Willemson
dyed, being a verie honest man, and Pilot in Molenaers shippe, for whome we
were much grieued, and the same day we determined to put backe againe for
the Islande of S. Laurence, for as then wee began againe to haue a great
scouring among our men, and many of them fell sicke: [Sidenote: The wilde
men brought things aborde to comfort them.] But presently therevpon we
espied the Islande of Saint Mary, and the next day being arriued there,
some of the inhabitants came abord our shippes with a basket of Ryce, Sugar
canes, Citrons, Lemons, and Hens, whereof we were very glad, as being
phisicke for vs.

The 13. 14. 15. 16. and 17. dayes we were on land, where we bought Ryce,
Hens, Sugar-canes, Citrons and Lemons in great aboundance, and other kinde
of fruites to vs vnknowne, also good fish, and greene Ginger: There we
tooke a Fish, which thirteen men could hardly pull into our shippe, and
because the Island was little, and we had many men, wee entred into the Bay
of the firme land with our Pinnace, where for a string of Beades of small
value we had a tunne of Ryce: [Sidenote: The description of one of their
kings.] The King came abord our Pinnace to see it, and was as blacke as a
Deuill, with two hornes made fast vpon his heade, and all his body naked
like the rest of the countrey people.

This Island lyeth about a small mile from Madagascar, about 19 degrees
Southward from the Equinoctiall line (Madagascar or S. Laurence is an
Islande belonging to the Countrey of Africa, and lyeth Southwarde vnder 26
degrees, ending Northwarde vnder 11 degrees by the inhabitants it is called
Madagascar, and by the Portingalles the Islande of S. Laurence, because it
was discouered on S. Laurence day: The riches of this Island is great, it
aboundeth in Ryce, Honnie, Waxe, Cotton, Lemons, Cloues, etc. The
inhabitants are blacke and go naked,