[Footnote 111:  Dog Island is in lat. 15 deg. 18’ S. and long. 137 deg.  W. about 1200 marine leagues west from the coast of Peru under the same parallel.  By the description in the text it seems one of those which are usually termed lagoon islands—­E.]

The 14th, sailing W. and W. by N. they saw a large low island in the afternoon, reaching a considerable way N.E. and S.W.  At sun-set, being about a league from this island, a canoe came to meet them, in which were some naked Indians of a reddish colour, having long black hair.  They made signs to the Dutch to go on shore, and spoke to them in a language which was not understood; neither did the Indians understand them, though spoken to in Spanish, Moluccan, and Javan.  Getting near the coast, no bottom could be found, though only a musket-shot from land.  They now sailed S.S.W. along the island, making ten leagues during the night, and continued along the shore on the 15th, many naked people continually inviting them to land.  At length a canoe came off, but the natives would not venture into the ship, yet came to the boat, where the Dutch gave them beads, knives, and other trifles; but they found them thievishly disposed, much like the natives of the Ladrones, and were so fond of iron, that they stole the nails from the cabin windows, and the bolts from the doors.  Their skins were all pictured over with snakes, dragons, and such like reptiles, and they were entirely naked, except a piece of mat before them.  A boat was sent ashore well armed, and immediately on landing, about thirty of the natives rushed from a wood, armed with clubs, slings, and long staves or spears, and would have seized the boat and taken away the arms from the soldiers; but on receiving a discharge of musquetry they run off.  Not being able to anchor here, they called this the Island without ground.  It is low, and mostly composed of white sandy ground, on which are many trees, which were supposed to be cocoas and palmitos.  It is not broad, but of considerable length, being in lat. 15 deg.  S. and about 100 leagues from Dog Island.[112]

[Footnote 112:  Sondre-ground, or Without-ground, is in lat. 15 deg. 12’ S. and 143 deg. 25’ W. long.—­E.]

Finding nothing could be done here, they held on their course to the west, and on the 16th came to another island, about fifteen leagues north from the former.  This seemed all drowned land, yet its skirts were well clothed with trees.  Here also they found no ground, and it yielded nothing but a few herbs, with some crabs and other shell-fish, which they found good eating.  It afforded them also good fresh water, which they found in a pit not far from the shore.  The pottage or soup, which they made of certain herbs gathered here, proved serviceable to those who were afflicted with the flux.  They called this Water Island,[113] because it supplied them with fresh water.

[Footnote 113:  Water-land is in lat. 15 deg.  S. and 146 deg.  W. long.—­E.]