While in this sad dilemma, there came a Spaniard on board by composition to see our ship.  He came on board again the next day, and we allowed him quietly to depart.  The following day two Spaniards came, on board, without pawn or surety, to see if they could betray us.  When they had seen our ship, they were for going again on land; but we would not let them, saying, as they had come on board without leave, we should not permit them to go away till we thought fit, at which they were very much offended.  We then told them how much we were in want of victuals, and said if they would let us have such a number of sheep and ewes, that we would set them at liberty.  Thus, against their wills, they entered into a composition with us, which, within the time appointed, they accomplished.  Having procured so much refreshment, most of our men recovered.

In consequence of the death of the general, one Hudcopee, a young man, who knew nothing, and had served the former, was made general in his stead; and the master of our ship, Jacob Quaternack, of Rotterdam, was made captain of our ship, in the place of him who had been slain.  So the new general and vice-admiral called me and the other pilot, an Englishman, named Timothy Shorten, who had been with Mr Thomas Candish in his voyage round the world, and desired our advice how to prosecute the voyage for the best profits of our merchants.  It was at last resolved to go for Japan, as, by the report of one Dirrick Gerritson, who had been there with the Portuguese, woollen cloth was in great estimation in that island; and we concluded that the Moluccas, and most other parts of the East Indies, being hot countries, our woollen cloth would not be there in much request:  wherefore we all agreed to go for Japan.  Leaving, therefore, the coast of Chili, in lat. 36 deg.  S. on the 27th November, 1599, we shaped our course direct for Japan, and passed the equinoctial line with a fair wind, which lasted several months.  In our way we fell in with certain islands in lat. 16 deg.  N. of which the inhabitants are canibals.[63] Coming near these islands, our pinnace, with eight men, ran from us, and were eaten, as we supposed, by the savages, of whom we took one man.

[Footnote 63:  These islands seem to be the Ladrones.—­Purchas.]

In the latitude of 27 or 28 degrees north, we had variable winds and stormy weather; and on the 24th February, 1600, we lost sight of our admiral, and never saw his ship more; yet we still continued our course for Japan.  The 24th March we saw an island called Una Colona, at which time many of our men were again sick, and several dead.  We were in the utmost misery, not above nine or ten of our men being able to creep about on their hands and knees; while our captain and all the rest were expecting every hour to die.  The 11th April, 1600, we had sight of Japan, near to Bungo, at which time there were not more than five of us able to stand.