ilot and
two gentlemen of the town, to go with me to Larentuca on the island Ende:
and they were to come on board my ship the night before I sailed. But I
was hindered of this design by some of my officers who had here also been
very busy in doing me all the injury they could underhand.

But to proceed. While I stayed here I went ashore every day and my men
took there turns to go ashore and traffic for what they had occasion for;
and were now all very well again: and to keep themselves in heart every
man bought some rice, more or less, to recruit them after our former
fatigues. Besides, I ordered the purser to buy some for them, to serve
them instead of peas which were now almost spent. I filled up my
water-casks again here, and cut more wood; and sent a present to the
lieutenant, Alexis Mendosa, designing to be gone; for while I lay here we
had some tornadoes and rain, and the sky in the north-west looked very
black mornings and evenings, with lightning all night from that quarter,
which made me very uneasy and desirous to depart hence; because this road
lay exposed to the north-north-west and north winds, which were now daily
expected and which are commonly so violent that it is impossible for any
ship to ride them out: yet on the other hand it was absolutely necessary
for me to spend about 2 months time longer in some place hereabouts
before I could prosecute my voyage farther to the eastward; for reasons
which I shall give hereafter in its proper place in the ensuing
discourse. When therefore I sent the present to the governor I desired to
have a pilot to Larentuca on the island Ende; where I desired to spend
the time I had to spare. He now sent me word that he could not well do
it, but would send me a letter to Port Sesial for the natives, who would
come to me there and supply me with what provision they had.

I stayed 3 days in hopes yet to get a pilot for Larentuca, or at least
the letter from the governor to Port Sesial. But seeing neither I sailed
from hence the 22nd of October, coasting to the eastward, designing for
Sesial; and before night was about 10 leagues to the east of Laphao. I
kept about 3 leagues offshore and my boat ranged along close by the
shore, looking into every bay and cove; and at night returned on board.
The next morning, being 3 or 4 leagues farther to the eastward, I sent my
boat ashore again to find Sesial. At noon they returned and told me they
had been at Sesial, as they guessed; that