The libby-tree grows here in the swampy valleys, of which they make sago cakes:  I did not see them make any but was told by the inhabitants that it was made of the pith of the tree in the same manner I have described in my Voyage round the World.  They showed me the tree whereof it was made, and I bought about 40 of the cakes.  I bought also 3 or 4 nutmegs in their shell, which did not seem to have been long gathered; but, whether they be the growth of this island or not, the natives would not tell whence they had them, and seemed to prize them very much.  What beasts the island affords I know not:  but here are both sea- and land-fowl.  Of the first boobies and men-of-war-birds are the chief; some galdens, and small milk-white crab-catchers.  The land-fowls are pigeons, about the bigness of mountain-pigeons in Jamaica; and crows about the bigness of those in England, and much like them; but the inner part of their feathers are white, and the outside black; so that they appear all black, unless you extend the feathers.  Here are large sky-coloured birds, such as we lately killed on New Guinea; and many other small birds unknown to us.  Here are likewise abundance of bats, as big as young coneys; their necks, head, ears and noses, like foxes; their hair rough; that about their necks is of a whitish yellow, that on their heads and shoulders black; their wings are 4 foot over from tip to tip:  they smell like foxes.  The fish are bass, rock-fish, and a sort of fish like mullet, old-wives, whip-rays, and some other sorts that I know not, but no great plenty of any; for it is deep water till within less than a mile of the shore; then there is a bank of coral rocks within which you have shoal water, white clean sand:  so there is no good fishing with the seine.

This island lies in latitude 2 degrees 43 minutes south and meridian distance from Port Babao on the island Timor 486 miles.  Besides this island here are 9 or 10 other small islands, as they are laid down in the charts.

The inhabitants of this island are a sort of very tawny Indians, with long black hair; who in their manners differ but little from the Mindanayans, and others of these eastern islands.  These seem to be the chief; for besides them we saw also shock curl-pated New Guinea negroes; many of which are slaves to the others, but I think not all.  They are very poor, wear no clothes, but have a clout about their middle, made of the rinds of the tops of palmetto-trees; but the women had a sort of calico cloths.  Their chief ornaments are blue and yellow beads, worn about their wrists.  The men arm themselves with bows and arrows, lances, broad swords like those of Mindanao; their lances are pointed with bone.

The Indians’ manner of fishing there.