north-west looked very black mornings and evenings, with lightning all night from that quarter, which made me very uneasy and desirous to depart hence; because this road lay exposed to the north-north-west and north winds, which were now daily expected and which are commonly so violent that it is impossible for any ship to ride them out:  yet on the other hand it was absolutely necessary for me to spend about 2 months time longer in some place hereabouts before I could prosecute my voyage farther to the eastward; for reasons which I shall give hereafter in its proper place in the ensuing discourse.  When therefore I sent the present to the governor I desired to have a pilot to Larentuca on the island Ende; where I desired to spend the time I had to spare.  He now sent me word that he could not well do it, but would send me a letter to Port Sesial for the natives, who would come to me there and supply me with what provision they had.

I stayed 3 days in hopes yet to get a pilot for Larentuca, or at least the letter from the governor to Port Sesial.  But seeing neither I sailed from hence the 22nd of October, coasting to the eastward, designing for Sesial; and before night was about 10 leagues to the east of Laphao.  I kept about 3 leagues offshore and my boat ranged along close by the shore, looking into every bay and cove; and at night returned on board.  The next morning, being 3 or 4 leagues farther to the eastward, I sent my boat ashore again to find Sesial.  At noon they returned and told me they had been at Sesial, as they guessed; that there were two Portuguese barks in the port who threatened to fire at them but did not; telling them this was Porto del Roy de Portugal.  They saw also another bark which ran and anchored close by the shore, and the men ran all away for fear:  but our men calling to them in Portuguese, they at last came to them, and told them that Sesial was the place which they came from, where the 2 barks lay:  had not these men told them they could not have known it to be a port, it being only a little bad cove, lying open to the north; having 2 ledges of rocks at its entrance, one on each side; and a channel between, which was so narrow that it would not be safe for us to go in.  However I stood in with the ship, to be better satisfied; and when I came near it found it answer my men’s description.  I lay by a while to consider what I had best do; for my design was to lie in a place where I might get fresh provisions if I could:  for, though my men were again pretty well recruited, and those that had been sick of the scurvy were well again, yet I designed if possible to refresh them as much and as long as I could before I went farther.  Besides my ship wanted cleaning; and I was resolved to clean her if possible.

Return to Babao in Kupang bay.