me on again; and some of them who were
farthest off, seeing the ship swim, as it were, upright, began, as we
suppose, to see their mistake, and gave over the enterprise, finding it
was not as they expected. Thus we got clear of this merry fight; and
having got some rice and some roots and bread, with about sixteen hogs,
on board two days before, we resolved to stay here no longer, but go
forward, whatever came of it; for we made no doubt but we should be
surrounded the next day with rogues enough, perhaps more than our pitch-
kettle would dispose of for us. We therefore got all our things on board
the same evening, and the next morning were ready to sail: in the
meantime, lying at anchor at some distance from the shore, we were not so
much concerned, being now in a fighting posture, as well as in a sailing
posture, if any enemy had presented. The next day, having finished our
work within board, and finding our ship was perfectly healed of all her
leaks, we set sail. We would have gone into the bay of Tonquin, for we
wanted to inform ourselves of what was to be known concerning the Dutch
ships that had been there; but we durst not stand in there, because we
had seen several ships go in, as we supposed, but a little before; so we
kept on NE. towards the island of Formosa, as much afraid of being seen
by a Dutch or English merchant ship as a Dutch or English merchant ship
in the Mediterranean is of an Algerine man-of-war.

When we were thus got to sea, we kept on NE., as if we would go to the
Manillas or the Philippine Islands; and this we did that we might not
fall into the way of any of the European ships; and then we steered
north, till we came to the latitude of 22 degrees 30 seconds, by which
means we made the island of Formosa directly, where we came to an anchor,
in order to get water and fresh provisions, which the people there, who
are very courteous in their manners, supplied us with willingly, and
dealt very fairly and punctually with us in all their agreements and
bargains. This is what we did not find among other people, and may be
owing to the remains of Christianity which was once planted here by a
Dutch missionary of Protestants, and it is a testimony of what I have
often observed, viz. that the Christian religion always civilises the
people, and reforms their manners, where it is received, whether it works
saving effects upon them or no.

From thence we sailed still north, keeping the coast of China a