each of our four ships, to our great surprize.
After this they went about among our ships with their
canoes, and conversed with us so peaceably that we
thought them in every respect friendly disposed.
About this time likewise a vast number of people came
swimming towards our ships from the town before-mentioned,
and we did not in the least suspect any evil intention.
By and by we beheld several old women at the doors
of the houses, who set up violent outcries, tearing
their hair in token of great distress, by which we
began to suspect some evil was intended towards us.
The young women who had been put on board our ships
leapt all of a sudden into the sea, and those in the
canoes removing to some distance bent their bows and
plied us briskly with arrows. Those likewise who
were swimming towards the ships were all armed with
lances, which they concealed under water. Being
now convinced of their treachery, we stood on the defensive,
and in our turn attacked them so hotly that we destroyed
several of their canoes and killed a considerable
number of the natives. The survivors abandoned
the remaining canoes, and made for the shore by swimming,
after twenty of the natives were slain and many wounded.
On our side only five men were wounded, all of whom
are restored to health by the blessing of God.
We took two of the before-mentioned young women, and
three men, after which we visited the houses of the
natives, where we only found two old women and a sick
man. We returned to the ships, not choosing to
burn the town, and put the five prisoners in fetters;
but the two girls and one of the men made their escape
from us next night.
Leaving this harbour on the day following, we sailed
eighty leagues farther along the coast, when we found
another nation quite different from the former, both
in language and behaviour. We agreed to anchor
at this place and to go ashore in our boats, when
we saw a crowd of near 4000 people, who all fled into
the woods on our approach, leaving every thing behind
them. On landing we proceeded about a gun-shot
along a road leading into the woods, where we found
many tents which the natives had erected for a fishing
station, and in which we found fires on which abundance
of victuals were boiling, and various kinds of wild
beasts and fishes roasting. Among these was a
certain strange animal very like a serpent, without
wings, which seemed so wild and brutal that we greatly
admired its terrible fierceness. As we proceeded
farther among the tents, we found many more serpents
of this description, having their feet bound, and their
mouths tied to hinder them from biting. They had
so hideous and fierce an aspect that none of us dared
to touch them, from fear of being poisoned. They
were equal in size to a wild goat, and about a yard
and a half long, having long and strong feet, armed
with strong claws. Their skins were variegated,
with many colours, and their snouts and faces resembled
those of real serpents. From their nostrils to