DAMPIER 313 



Spice Islands. Their enemy would still be the Dutch, 

 who " being seated among the Spice islands, have mono- 

 polised all the trade into their own hands, they will not 

 suffer the spice to grow on the uninhabited islands, but 

 send soldiers to cut the trees down." Yet spice was still 

 to be found by those who knew, and might be had in spite 

 of " the little deceitful arts of the Dutch seamen in these 

 parts I believe there are nowhere greater thieves." 



The pirates, Dampier thought, would make excellent Pirates 

 merchants. There were men among them who understood ^ c "if e nt 

 every useful trade. " We had sawyers, carpenters, joiners, merchants, 

 brickmakers, bricklayers, shoemakers, and tailors ; we 

 only wanted a good smith for great work, whom we might 

 have had at Mindanao." " We had a great advantage 

 above raw men sent from England, who proceed usually 

 too cautiously, coldly and formally to compass any con- 

 siderable design, for we were all inured to hot climates, 

 hardened by many fatigues, and in general daring men, 

 and such as would not be easily baffled." 



Dampier discusses his proposal in a thorough way Ships, on the 

 that enables him to explain his views about the whole ^X. to . the 



Philippines, 



problem of the Pacific. Suppose you have an English should 

 factory in the Philippines ; how are English men to get 

 there, and how are they to get back ? Not by the Cape 

 of Good Hope, for sailing that way you would have to 

 pass the Strait of Malacca, or the Strait of Sunda, or 

 some other Dutch-commanded Strait. To avoid the 

 Dutch, you must go round Cape Horn. Then you might 

 sail up the American coast as far as you chose, and th.ence 

 make for the Philippines. But there is a still better plan 

 in Dampier's mind. Why not take the opportunity, 

 as you go out or come home, to get some news of " Nova 

 Hollandia " and " Terra Australis " ? The reason of 

 men's ignorance of these countries is that, after rounding 

 Cape Horn, they have " designed some business on the 

 Peruvian or Mexican coast," and have therefore sailed 

 North instead of sailing North-West. Dampier suggests 

 that, after rounding Cape Horn, you might " stretch 

 over towards Nova Hollandia." And again, " returning, 



