Spice
Islands, to load with Spice; for the Young Man before mentioned, who I
said was sent by his Unkle, the Sultan of a Spice Island near Ternate,
to invite the English to their Island, came aboard at this time, and
after some private Discourse with Captain Swan, they both went ashore
together. This Young Man did not care that the Mindanaians should be
privy to what he said. I have heard Captain Swan say that he offered
to load his Ship with Spice, provided he would build a small Fort,
and leave some Men to secure the Island from the Dutch; but I am
since informed, that the Dutch have now got possession of the Island.

The next Day after Christmas the General went away again, and five or
six Englishmen with him, of whom I was one, under pretence of going
a hunting; and we all went together by Water in his Proe, together
with his Women and Servants, to the hunting place. The General always
carried his Wives and Children, his Money and Goods with him: so we
all imbarked in the Morning, and arrived there before Night. I have
already described the fashion of their Proes, and the Rooms made in
them. We were entertained in the General's Room or Cabbin. Our Voyage
was not so far, but that we reached our Port before Night.

At this time one of the General's Servants had offended, and was
punished in this manner: He was bound fast flat on his Belly, on a
Bamboe belonging to the Proe, which was so near the Water, that by
the Vessel's motion, it frequently delved under Water, and the Man
along with it; and sometimes when hoisted up, he had scarce time to
blow before he would be carried under Water again.

When we had rowed about two Leagues, we entered a pretty large
deep River, and rowed up a League further, the Water salt all the
way. There was a pretty large Village, the Houses built after the
Country fashion. We landed at this place, where there was a House
made ready immediately for us. The General and his Women lay at one
end of the House, and we at the other end, and in the Evening all
the Women in the Village danced before the General.

While he staid here, the General with his Men went out every Morning
betimes, and did not return till four or five a Clock in the Afternoon,
and he would often complement us, by telling us what good Trust and
Confidence he had in us, saying that he left his Women and Goods
under our Protection, and that he thought them as secure with us six,
(for we had all our Arms with us) as if he h