On the 2d of October, the master sent me word that some of the men had run away with the skiff.  These were John Bowles, John Saris, John Tottie, Christopher Evans, Clement Locke, Jasper Malconty, and James the Dutchman.  While in the way to the king to get boats to send after them, our Dutch jurebasso came running after me, and told me our people were on the other side making merry at a tippling-house.  On this information I returned to the English house to get a boat for the master to go and look them out, but they proved to be three others, William Marinell, Simeon Colphax, and John Dench, who had hired a boat and gone to another island, not being allowed to walk by night in Firando.  By this mistake our deserters had the more time to get away.  This night, about eleven, the old king’s house, on the other side of the water, took fire, and was burnt to the ground in about an hour.  I never saw a more vehement fire for the time it lasted, and it is thought his loss is very great.  The old king is said to have set it on fire himself, by going about in the night with lighted canes, some sparks from which had fallen among the mats and set them on fire.

I went next day to visit the old king, giving him to understand, by means of his governor, that I was extremely sorry for the misfortune that had befallen him, and would have come in person to give all the assistance in my power, but was doubtful if my presence would have been acceptable, being a stranger; and begged leave to assure him, that he should find me ready at all times, even with the hazard of my life, to do him every service in my power.  He gave me many thanks for my good will, saying, that the loss he had sustained was as nothing in his estimation.  On my return to our house, I was met by the young king going to visit his grandfather.  Before noon, we had word that our runaways were upon a desert island about two leagues from Firando, of which I gave notice to both kings, requesting their aid and council how we might best bring them back.  They answered, that they would fetch them back dead or alive, yet would be loth to kill them, lest we might want hands to navigate the ship back to England.  I returned many thanks for the care they had of us, yet sent them word we still had a sufficiency of honest men to carry our ship to England, even although we should lose these knaves.  In fine, the king fitted out two boats full of soldiers to go after them, with positive orders to bring them back dead or alive, which I made known to our master, who wished much to go along with them, and did so accordingly.

9. Continuation of Occurrences at Firando, during the Absence of the General.