Schouten sailed from Cocoa Island that same day, holding a course to the W. and W. by S. and came on the 14th to another island, about thirty leagues from Cocoa Island, to which he gave the name of Hope Island,[119] because expecting there to meet with refreshments. Finding no ground for anchorage, the boat was sent to sound along shore, and found a stony bottom about a musket-shot from the shore, in some places having forty, and in others twenty and thirty fathoms, and then no bottom at all next throw of the lead. Some ten or twelve canoes came off to the ship, bartering a small quantity of flying fishes for beads, the articles being reciprocally exchanged by means of a rope let down from the stern of the ship. From this peddling traffic the Indians soon after withdrew, and endeavoured to board and carry away the boat which was employed in sounding; but met with such a reception from guns, pikes, and cutlasses, that after two of them were slain, they were glad to hurry away as fast as they could. This island was mostly composed of black cliffs, which were green on the top, and seemed well stocked with cocoa-trees. There were several houses seen along the sea side; and in one place was a large village close beside a strand, or landing-place. As there was no convenient anchorage at this place, the ground being extremely rough, Schouten proceeded on his voyage to the S.W. meaning to pursue the originally intended discovery of a southern continent.
[Footnote 119: Hope Island is in lat. 16 deg. 32’ S. and in 177 deg. 25’ W. longitude.—E.]
The 18th May, being in lat. 16 deg. 5’ S. and the west wind becoming very unsteady, they began to consult as to the farther prosecution of their voyage. Schouten represented that they were now at least 1600 leagues westward from the coast of Peru, without having made the expected discovery of a southern land, of which there was now no great probability of success, having already sailed much farther west than they at first intended. He said also, if they persisted in following their present course, they would assuredly