[Footnote 307:  Purchas observes here in a side-note, that, by alterations in the state, the debts due to the English factory at Bantam had become almost desperate, and the governor would not allow them, as formerly, to imprison their debtors and distrain.  He also exacted most unreasonable sums for rent of the factory; although the ground had been formerly given, and the houses had been built at the expence of the company.]

I set sail that evening, the 18th December, 1609, for the Moluccas, as I proposed, and with a favourable wind.  The 27th of that month we passed the straits of Desolam,[308] after which we were becalmed for ten days, which was no small grief to me, in much heat under the line, being doubtful of the western monsoon failing me, which would have entirely disappointed my intended voyage to the Moluccas.  The 8th January, 1610, we came before the town of Booton, and sent on shore to enquire the news.  Finding very few people in the town, and the king being gone to the wars, I did not anchor, but went through the straits the same day.  Next day we saw a great fleet of caracols, which we imagined to belong to the King of Booton, which it actually did.  When we drew near, the king sent a small praw to enquire what we were.  I sent him word who I was, and being becalmed and in want of water, I requested to know if there were any to be had near.  So the people pointed out to me a place where I might have abundance of water, to which I went.  The king and all his caracols came sailing after me, and cast anchor near our ship; after which the king sent a messenger on board to welcome me in his name, and desired me to send Mr Spalding to him along with the messenger, to let him know the news.

[Footnote 308:  The passage between the Salayr islands and the south-western peninsula of Celebes, is probably here meant:  Yet that passage is in lat. 6 deg.  S. while the text speaks of being under the line.  No other supposition, however, can agree with the circumstance of falling in next day with the fleet of Booton.—­E.]

The king likewise sent me word, that he wished I would remain all night at anchor, as he proposed coming next morning aboard to visit me and see the ship.  As it remained calm, we continued at anchor, and next day on the king coming aboard, I made a banquet for him and his nobles, making the king a present worthy of his dignity and friendship.  A gale of wind springing up, we prepared to make sail, on which the king wept, saying, I might think him a dissembler, as he had no goods for me; but that four months before his house was burnt down, in which he had provided for me somewhat of every thing, as nutmegs, cloves, and mace, with a large quantity of sanders wood, of which he had a whole housefull, as likewise a great warehouse full of his country cloth, which was very vendible in all the islands thereabout.  All this great loss, he said, had not formerly grieved him so much as now, when I told him I had got the ship