138 Tr ansae tio ns. — Mis cellaneous. 



persons, men of tall stature, so far as they could see, with 

 staves or clubs, who called to them in gruff, loud voices which 

 they could not understand. In walking they took great steps 

 and strides. In rowing round they saw a few more people on 

 the hills, whereupon they resolved (as may well be believed) 

 to be well on their guard, and to hold their boats and small 

 weapons in readiness. On this island they reckoned there 

 would not be more people than had shown themselves, for on 

 rowing round our people saw no dwellings, nor cultivated land 

 except that near the fresh water. Here, on both sides of the 

 waterfall, there were everywhere square enclosures after the 

 manner of our country, green and pleasant. But what kind 

 of vegetables they could not tell from the distance. It 

 was quite possible their dwelling-places were round here on 

 account of the fresh water. In this aforesaid bay there were 

 two prows lying, hauled upon shore — one navigable, the other 

 broken. They saw no other boats anywhere. Our people then 

 returned. We immediately endeavoured to get under the 

 land, and about evening anchored a short pedereroe [apiece for 

 firing stones and gravel] shot from shore in good ground. We 

 at once made preparations for taking in water next day. The 

 island lies in south latitude 34° 25', and longitude 190° 40 . 



6th. — At early morning we sent both boats — to wit, ours 

 and the Zeehaen's — to the watering-place with casks to get 

 water. Each one mounted with two pedereroes, six mus- 

 keteers. The rowers had pikes and side - weapons. With 

 one shallop were Pilot -major Francoys Jacobs^, and the 

 master, Gerrit Jansz. As they rowed towards the land they 

 saw, standing in different places on the heights, big men, each 

 with a long stick like a pike, who seemed to be watching us, 

 and, as our people passed by, called loudly to them. But when 

 tliey had got about half-way to the watering-place, between a 

 safe point and another great high crag or little islet, the cur- 

 rent ran so strongly against the wind that the boats could 

 scarcely stem it ; whereupon the pilot-major and Gerrit Jansz, 

 master of the Zeehaen, with the other officers, held counsel, 

 resolving not to imperil the boats and men, as they had a long 

 voyage before them, and the ships could not afford then- loss ; 

 and so they returned on board, the more so as a heavy surf 

 was rolling on the land near where the watering-place was, 

 and, the breeze beginning to increase, they would have found it 

 difficult to reach land. We signalled from our ship by hoist- 

 the flag and firing a cannon that they should come back ; but 

 they were then near us, and seen to approach. The pilot- 

 major, with our boats, came on board, reporting that, from the 

 wind and the innumerable hard rocks all around, without any 

 sandy ground, it was too dangerous, and they would be sub- 

 ject to the peril of being attacked by the natives, and of having 



