They strike fish very ingeniously with wooden fishgigs, and have a very ingenious way of making the fish rise:  for they have a piece of wood, curiously carved and painted much like a dolphin (and perhaps other figures) these they let down into the water by a line with a small weight to sink it; when they think it low enough they haul the line into their boats very fast, and the fish rise up after this figure; and they stand ready to strike them when they are near the surface of the water.  But their chief livelihood is from their plantations.  Yet they have large boats, and go over to New Guinea where they get slaves, fine parrots, etc., which they carry to Goram and exchange for calicos.  One boat came from thence a little before I arrived here; of whom I bought some parrots; and would have bought a slave but they would not barter for anything but calicos, which I had not.  Their houses on this side were very small, and seemed only to be for necessity; but on the other side of the island we saw good large houses.  Their proas are narrow with outlagers on each side, like other Malayans.  I cannot tell of what religion these are; but I think they are not Mahomedans, by their drinking brandy out of the same cup with us without any scruple.  At this island we continued till the 20th instant, having laid in store of such roots and fruits as the island afforded.

On the 20th at half hour after 6 in the morning I weighed and, standing out, we saw a large boat full of men lying at the north point of the island.  As we passed by they rowed towards their habitations, where we supposed they had withdrawn themselves for fear of us (though we gave them no cause of terror) or for some differences among themselves.

We stood to the northward till 7 in the evening; then saw a rippling; and, the water being discoloured, we sounded, and had but 22 fathom.  I went about and stood to the westward till 2 next morning, then tacked again and had these several soundings:  at 8 in the evening, 22; at 10, 25; at 11, 27; at 12, 28 fathom; at 2 in the morning 26; at 4, 24; at 6, 23; at 8, 28; at 12, 22.

Arrival at Mabo, the north-west cape of new guinea.  A description of it.

We passed by many small islands and among many dangerous shoals without any remarkable occurrence till the 4th of February, when we got within 3 leagues of the north-west cape of New Guinea, called by the Dutch Cape Mabo.  Off this cape there lies a small woody island, and many islands of different sizes to the north and north-east of it.  This part of New Guinea is high land, adorned with tall trees that appeared very green and flourishing.  The cape itself is not very high, but ends in a low sharp point; and on either side there appears another such point at equal distances, which makes it resemble a diamond.  This only appears when you are abreast of the middle point; and then you have no ground within 3 leagues of the shore.