The 13th of February we got out from the straits of Sunda, in which the tide of flood sets twelve hours to the eastwards, and the ebb twelve hours to the westwards.  On the 16th of May we anchored in the bay of Saldanha, where we found the Concord of London, being the first ship set out by the united company.  We now found the natives of this place very treacherous, making us to understand by signs; that two of their people had been forcibly carried off.  They had sore wounded one of the people belonging to the Concord; and while we were up in the land, they assaulted the people who were left in charge of our skiff, carried away our grapnel, and had spoiled the boat-keepers if they had not pushed off into deep water.  The 19th a Dutch ship arrived bound for Bantam, the master being Cornelius van Harte.

We remained here twenty-three days, where we thoroughly refreshed the ship’s company, and took away with us alive fourteen oxen and seventy sheep, besides good store of fish and beef, which we powdered there, finding it to take salt well, contrary to former reports.  For ten days after leaving Saldanha, we had the wind N.W. and W.N.W. but after that we had a fine wind at S.W. so that we could hold our course N.W.  On the 27th September, thanks be to God, we arrived at Plymouth; where, for the space of five or six weeks, we endured more tempestuous weather, and were in greater danger of our lives, than during the whole voyage besides.

Sec.13. Intelligence concerning Yedzo, or Jesso, received from a Japanese at Jedo, who had been twice there.[46]

Yedzo, or Jesso, is an island to the N.W. of Japan, from which it is ten leagues distant.  The natives are of white complexions, and well-conditioned, but have their bodies covered all over with hair like monkies.  Their weapons are bows and poisoned arrows.  The inhabitants of the south extremity of this country understand the use of weights and measures; but those who inhabit the inland country, at the distance of thirty days journey, are ignorant of these things.  They have much silver and gold-dust, in which they make payment to the Japanese for rice and other commodities; rice and cotton-cloth being of ready sale among them, as likewise iron and lead, which are carried there from Japan.  Food and cloathing are the most vendible commodities among the natives of that country, and sell to such advantage, that rice often yields a profit of four for one.

[Footnote 46:  This article is appended to the Voyage of Saris, in the Pilgrims, vol.  I. p. 384.—­E.]

The town where the Japanese have their chief residence and mart in Yetizo is called Matchma,[47] in which there are 500 households or families of Japanese.  They have likewise a fort here, called Matchma-donna.  This town is the principal mart of Yedzo, to which the natives resort to buy and sell, especially in September, when they make provision against winter.  In March they bring down salmon and dried fish of