could in order to keep the same alongside; but they lost sight of the land all the same, and became aware that the said land lay at least one degree more to southward than the chart had led them to believe.  On the 24th of May they again sighted the land in 12 deg. 18’ S. Lat.; it showed as a very low-lying coast, whose trend they followed close inshore.  In Lat. 12 deg. 26’ South they cast anchor in 10 fathom good anchoring-ground.  As they were lying at anchor at about 1 or 11/2 mile’s distance from the shore, they saw two of the prows above described paddle up to the ship, each of them containing two men, who, when they had got near the ship, by signs and cries began to signify to our men that they wished them to come ashore.  The following day, being the 26th of May, our men went ashore at daybreak, and on landing found several persons there, who, however, all took to flight directly.  They also saw two dogs, not unlike so-called Bengal jackals.  The persons who had fled, shortly after returned to them, when they found them armed with the assagays above described.  They were accompanied by a number of females who had their privities covered with a kind of small mats.  The natives then all of them sat down on the beach near our men, who made signs to them that they were seeking fresh water; upon which the natives got up and signified to our men their willingness to show them the places where water was obtainable.  Nor were our men deceived, for after walking on along the beach for some time, they were conducted to a pleasant valley with fine trees such as those above described.  This seemed to be the dwelling-place of the natives, for our men saw here more women and children and also a number of primitive dwellings, merely consisting of sheltered places under the trees partly covered in with bark.  The water which they found here, welled up out of the earth in pits dug by human hands.  After having inspected the whole place, they went back to the beach, where they found the two prows in which the natives had previously approached the ship.  As our men were seated on the beach, nineteen natives came up to them, all of them with bodies daubed over with red; when the said natives were by our men treated to some arrack with sugar, they began to make merry and even struck up a kind of chant, at the conclusion of which they retired to the wood again.

In the morning of the 27th our men went ashore again for the purpose of attempting to get hold of one or two natives, but did not succeed in doing so that day, because they landed too late to lure the natives to the beach.  Early in the morning of the 28th they again landed in order to execute their plan; on their arrival the natives came up to them dancing and singing, sat down close to them, laid aside their so-called assagays or weapons, and again enjoyed the liquor with which our men plied them.  While they were thus making merry, our men seized hold of two of them [*], upon which the others jumped to their