tolde vs that the towne of
Ballaboam was besieged by a strange King, that had marryed the King of
Ballaboams daughter, and after he had laine with her he caused her to bee
slaine, and then came to besiege her father. This towne of Ballaboam lyeth
on the East end of the Island of Iaua, and is the same towne where M.
Candish was when hee passed that way, and the old King wherof he writeth
was as then yet liuing, being at the least 160. years of age. There we saw
great numbers of Battes, that flew ouer our shippes, and were as bigge as
Crowes, which in that Countrey they vse to eat, as they say: About noone we
came before the towne of Ballaboam, so neare vnto it, that we might easily
see it, and there we lay behind a high point of lande, thinking to take in
water.

The 22. of Ianuarie we tooke our Pinace, and sayled about the shore as
neere the land as possible we might, to seeke for fresh water, but we found
none, for the Riuer that ran through the towne was paled vp (by them that
lay before it) so that no man might passe either out or in, but onely on
the lande side, and that with great daunger: The same day there came 2. or
3. men abord our shippe, that stole out of the towne by night, and came
from the King, to desire our help with our great shot, which wee could not
doe; because that thereabouts it was very shallow, and we might not go
neere it with our shippes; they tolde vs they had great want of victuailes
within the towne, whereby many of them were already deade for hunger, and
much desired our aide, but it was not in vs to doe. Those that besieged the
towne were Mores, but they in the towne were heathens, and as yet had not
receyued Mahomets lawe and that (as wee heard after) was the cause of their
warre: There wee sawe many Storkes flying and sitting in the fielde: with
vs we cannot imagine where the Storkes remaine in winter time, but here wee
sawe them in the winter time.

The 24. of Ianuarie we sayled from thence, perceyuing nothing for vs to
get, and tooke our course right ouer to the Island of Bally.

The 25. we came to Bally, where one of their barks borded vs, telling vs
that there we should find a Riuer of fresh water, and of all thinges els
sufficient to serue our necessities, wherevpon we ankered.

The 26. of Ianuarie our Pinace sent her boat to land, to see the Riuer, and
there one of our men was sent on shore, but when he was on land he found
nothing, but an armie of ten thousand men, that ment to