A F R I C A, 487 
la fa£l we had ftruck, but by good fortune it 
was oft the mud; had it been fifty pacCvS 
lower, the veffel muft have gone to pieces. 
She lay on her fide ; and in that fituation we 
pafled the night. 
When day appeared, the weather vv^as more 
moderate. Twenty boats came to tow us off, 
and get us afloat. At length we entered the 
road of Flulhing; where, which was fingular 
enough, we anchored along-fide of the Held 
Voltemaade, the very veffel that had carried 
me to the Cape of Good Flope, and which 
the Dutch Eaft-India Company had purchafed 
from the Engliili, by whom Ihe was taken, 
as every one knows, on her departure from 
the Cape for the Ifle of Ceylon. In the 
morning the commiffioners of the company 
of Zealand capxie on board. One of them 
brought' me letrers from Amfterdanl, in an- 
fwer to thofe which I had written at fea, and 
fent by the fifhing veffels. Temmiinck had 
recommended me to the dirc£lors of the com- 
pany, Vv^ho received me with every civility; 
and my baggage was fuffered to pafs untouch- 
ed. The m.oment I fet my foot on fhcre, I 
hired a fmal! veffel, to convey myfelf and my 
effedls 
