in the gulf between the bab and Cape Guard-da-fui.  The 12th September we saw several snakes swimming on the surface of the sea, which seldom appear in boisterous weather, and are a strong sign of approaching the coast of India.  The 13th we saw more snakes, and this day had soundings from 55 fathoms diminishing to 40.  At sunrise of the 14th we descried high land, bearing E. by N. about 16 leagues distant, when we stood E. by S. till four p.m. when the nearest coast between us and the high land bore E. eight leagues off.  We then directed our course south along the coast of India or Malabar, and on the 22d at nine a.m. descried Cape Comorin.  The 24th we had sight of the island of Ceylon, and next day about noon we descried Cape de Galle, the southernmost part of that island.  The 30th we found much injury done to the wheat in our bread room by wet; also of our coarse dutties, or brown calicoes of Pormean, we found twenty pieces quite rotten.

The 19th October, at three p.m. we anchored in the road of Tekoa,[366] where we found the Darling, which had been there ever since July in a great part of the rains, which were not yet ended, having buried before we arrived three of their merchants and three sailors.  Most of their men were sick, and they had got but little pepper, and little more was to be had till next season, in April and May.  The great cause of their want of trade was owing to civil wars in the country.  We found here likewise the Thomas, a ship belonging to the eighth voyage, newly come from Priaman, where she had as poor success as the Darling had here.  We here learnt the safe return and prosperous voyage of Captain David Middleton; also of the four ships of the ninth voyage, two of which were already arrived at Bantam; likewise that Captain Castleton had been lately here in his ship of war, and had left information of fifteen sail of Hollanders, already come or near at hand, and of two ships come for trade from New-haven in France; all which sorely damped the hopes of our tired, crossed, and decayed voyage.  The 22d, finding little to be done here, the Pepper-corn departed towards Bantam, leaving me to remain in the Trades-increase till the 16th of next month.  The 2d November all the men of any condition went away to the wars along with Rajah Bunesu, so that we could expect little trade till their return.  The 20th we took on board the remains of the pepper weighed the day before, in which we found much deceit, the people having in some bags put in bags of paddy or rough rice, and in some great stones, also rotten and wet pepper into new dry sacks, yet had we no remedy.

[Footnote 366:  Tekoa, Ticu, or Ticoo, is a port on the south-west coast of Sumatra, almost under the equator.—­E.]