of Min-danao, and from thence the nearest way to Ternate.  In the afternoon of the 14th April we made land, which bore from us W.N.W. ten leagues, and which we supposed to be the N.E. part of Celebes.  This day we saw three water-spouts, one of which had like to have fallen on board the Marquis, but the Duchess broke it before it reached her by firing two guns.  On the 18th May, we passed through between the high land of New Guinea and the island of Gilolo, and on the 20th we made another high island which we took to be Ceram, yet, notwithstanding the skill and experience of Captain Dampier, we were at a loss to know whether it were Ceram or Bouro.  On the 24th, at noon, we made our latitude 4 deg. 30’ S. and estimated our longitude at 237 deg. 29’ W. from London, and being in the latitude of the southern part of Bouro,[229] we imputed our not seeing it to the currents setting us to the westwards.  We designed to have touched at Amboina for refreshments, but the S.E. monsoon was already set in, and we were out of hope of being able to reach that place.  In a consultation on the 25th, we resolved not to spend time in searching for Bouro, and also to desist from attempting to go to Amboina, and to make the best of our way for the Straits of Bouton, where we hoped to get sufficient provisions to carry us to Batavia.  We got into a fine large bay in Bouton, where we sent our pinnace on shore, which brought off some cocoa nuts, reporting there were plenty to be had, and that the Malay inhabitants seemed friendly.

[Footnote 229:  The south part of Bouro is only in lat. 3 deg. 50’ S. and about 283 deg.  W. from Greenwich, or London.—­E.]

Up this bay we saw several houses and boats, and many of the Malay natives walking about on the beach.  We here sent our boats for provisions and pilots while the ships turned up the bay nearer to the town.  On sounding frequently we could find no ground, but the natives told us of a bank opposite the town on which we might anchor.  In the meantime abundance of people came off to us, bringing wheat, cocoa-nuts, yams, potatoes, papaws, hens, and several other kinds of birds, to truck for cloths, knives, scissars, and toys.  These people were to appearance very civil, being Mahometans of middle stature and dark tawny complexions, but their women somewhat clearer than the men.  The men that came off were all naked, except a cloth round their middles, but some of the better sort had a sort of loose waistcoat, and a piece of linen rolled round their heads, with a cap of palm leaves to keep off the scorching rays of the sun.  Along the shore we saw several weirs for catching fish.  In turning up, the prize lost ground considerably, as the current was strong against us, wherefore the Duchess fired a gun in the evening to recall us and the Marquis, and which we ran out and drove all night.  The names of these two islands forming this bay are Cambava and Waushut, being in lat. 5 deg. 13’ S. and long 238 deg.  W. from London.[230]