THE NATIVES OF NEW HOLLAND. 



387 



as if it were their native element, and as if they were born 

 web-footed. 



On the 4th of January, 1688, they touched at New Holland, — 

 then known to be a vast tract of land, and by all except the 

 Dutch supposed to be a continent. Here they found a mise- 

 rable race of people, compared to whom Dampier declares the 

 Hodmapods, though a nasty race, to be gentlemen and Chris- 

 tians. They lived wretchedly on cockles, muscles, and shell- 

 fish. They were tall, straight-bodied, and thin, with small, long 

 limbs. They had bottle noses, big lips, and wide mouths. They 

 held their eyelids half closed, to keep the flies out. Their hair 

 was not long and lank, like that of Indians, but black, shorty 

 and curled, like that of negroes. A bit of the rind of a tree 

 and a handful of grass formed their only clothing. The crew 

 landed several times, and brought .the natives to some degree of 

 familiarity by giving them a few old clothes ; but they could not 

 prevail upon them to assist them in carrying water or any other 

 burden. When the savages found that the ragged jackets and 

 breeches which had been given them were intended to induce 

 them to work, they took them off and laid them down upon the 

 shore. 



Dampier was now tired of wandering about the world with 

 this mad crew, none of whom — not even the captain — had any 

 settled purpose or object in view. Read was afraid that Dampier 

 would desert, and when off Sumatra executed a scheme which 

 he hoped would render it impossible. He gave chase to a small 

 sail which was discovered making for Acheen in Sumatra. 

 Taking on board the four Malays who manned her and the 

 cocoanuts with which she was laden, he cut a hole in her bottom 

 and turned her loose. This he did in order to render Dampier 

 and any others who might be disaffected afraid to trust them- 

 selves among a people who had been thus robbed and abused. 

 At one of the Nicobar Islands, however, Dampier escaped, and 

 two Englishmen and one Portuguese followed him. The four 



