besides managing their small plantations of roots and a few coconuts, do fish, strike turtle, and hunt buffaloes, killing them with swords, darts, or lances.  But I know not how they get their iron; I suppose by traffic with the Dutch or Portuguese, who send now and then a sloop and trade thither, but well armed; for the natives would kill them, could they surprise them.  They go always armed themselves; and when they go a-fishing or a-hunting they spend 4 or 5 days or more in ranging about before they return to their habitation.  We often saw them after this at these employments; but they would not come near us.  The fish or flesh that they take, besides what serves for present spending, they dry on a barbecue or wooden grate, standing pretty high over the fire, and so carry it home when they return.  We came sometimes afterwards to the places where they had meat thus a-drying, but did not touch any of it.

But to proceed:  I did not think to stop anywhere till I came near the fort; which yet I did not see:  but, coming to the end of this passage, I found that if I went any farther I should be open again to the sea.  I therefore stood in close to the shore on the east side, and anchored in 4 fathom water, sandy ground; a point of land still hindering me from seeing the fort.  But I sent my boat to look about for it; and in a short time she returned, and my men told me they saw the fort, but did not go near it; and that it was not above 4 or 5 miles from hence.  It being now late I would not send my boat thither till the next morning:  meanwhile about 2 or 300 Indians, neighbours of the fort, and sent probably from thence, came to the sandy bay just against the ship; where they stayed all night, and made good fires.  They were armed with lances, swords and targets, and made a great noise all the night:  we thought it was to scare us from landing, should we attempt it:  but we took little notice of them.

The author’s parley with the governor of the Dutch fort.  They, with great difficulty, obtain leave to water.

The next morning, being September the 23rd, I sent my clerk ashore in my pinnace to the governor to satisfy him that we were Englishmen:  and in the King’s ship, and to ask water of him; sending a young man with him who spoke French.  My clerk was with the governor pretty early; and in answer to his queries about me, and my business in these parts, told him that I had the King of England’s commission, and desired to speak with him.  He beckoned to my clerk to come ashore; but as soon as he saw some small arms in the stern-sheets of the boat he commanded him into the boat again, and would have him be gone.  My clerk solicited him that he would allow him to speak with him; and at last the governor consented that he should come ashore, and sent his lieutenant and 3 merchants with a guard of about a hundred of