the 18th October, and found a better bay about a league farther within the straits.  The 22d they were nearly destroyed by a violent storm, but the weather became calm next day.  The constant employment of the seamen was to go on shore in search of muscles for their sustenance at low water, and when the tide was in to fetch wood and fresh water, so that they had no time to dry themselves, though they kept up a good fire continually.  In short, during the whole nine months spent in these straits, now and formerly, they scarcely had an opportunity once to dry their sails, so frequent were the returns of rain and storms.  The men also were exposed to wet, cold, and high winds, which kept them continually uncomfortable, and always at work.  The seamen now began to murmur, alleging there would not be enough of biscuit for their return to Holland, if they remained here any longer.  Having notice of this, de Weert went into the bread-room, as if to examine their store; and, on coming out, he declared, with a cheerful countenance, there was enough of biscuit and other provisions for eight months, though in fact there was not more than sufficient for four.

At length, on the 2d December, the wind changed to the N.E. and they immediately weighed anchor, but could not get out into the South Sea, owing to whirlwinds rising from between the high hills and the bottom of the bay.  The Faith was driven at one time so near the shore that a person might have stepped ashore from her gallery, and had certainly been lost if the wind had not abated.  Next day, the storm being over, the two ships got out of Close bay, as they called it, with the ebb, but they never afterwards anchored together, and that day they cast anchor at the distance of a league from each other.  The 8th of December they had a more violent storm than ever, which lasted two days, and during which the waves rose sometimes higher than the masts.  The storm abating on the 10th, de Weert went in his boat, intending to go aboard the Fidelity; but on doubling the point which lay between them, was overwhelmed with grief to see no ship, nor any signs of shipwreck, so that he thought she had foundered.  Going next day farther towards a gulf, he was rejoiced to see a mast behind a low point, where he found the Fidelity, with which ship he had to leave his small boat to assist in fishing for her anchors and cables, which she had lost in the late storm.  He then took his leave, returning to his own ship, little dreaming he had taken his last farewell of Captain de Cordes.

The 10th, going ashore in the boat for victuals as usual, and having doubled a point, they saw three canoes with savages, who went immediately on shore, and scrambled up the mountains like monkeys.  The Dutch examined the canoes, in which were only a few young divers, some wooden grapnels, skins of beasts, and other things of no value.  Going on shore to see if the savages had left any thing, they found a woman and two children, who endeavoured to run away,