In the morning of the 15th the wind blew hard from the East; course held S. by E. in 3 and 21/2 fathom along a sandbank, situated about one mile from the mainland; at noon we were in 14 deg. 36.  The land which we have hitherto seen and followed, extends S. and N.; it is low-lying and without variety, having a fine sandy beach in various places.  In the afternoon we dropped anchor owing to the calm, having sailed {Page 36} 11 miles South.  Great volumes of smoke becoming visible on the land, the subcargo [*] got orders to land with the two pinnaces, duly manned and armed, and was specially enjoined to use his utmost endeavours for the advantage of Our Masters; when the pinnaces returned at nightfall, the subcargo reported that the pinnaces could get no farther than a stone’s throw from the land, owing to the muddy bottom into which the men sunk to their waists, but that they had in various places seen blacks emerging from the wood, while others lay hid in the coppice; they therefore sent a man ashore with some pieces of iron and strings of beads tied to a stick, in order to attract the blacks; but as nothing could be effected and the night was coming on, they had been forced to return to the yachts.

[* Pieter Lintiens. (Summary).]

In the morning of the 16th, being Easter-day, the wind was East; we set sail, holding our course S. by E.; at noon we were in 14 deg. 56’; in the evening we came to anchor in 5 1/2fathom, having sailed 101/2 miles, course kept South.

In the morning of the 17th the wind was S. by W., with rain and the tide setting to the south; at noon the wind went round to East, so that we made sail, course held S. by W., along the land in 41/2 fathom; towards the evening, it fell a calm, so that we dropped anchor with the ebb, after which I went ashore myself with the two pinnaces duly provided with men and arms; we went a considerable distance into the interior, which we found to be a flat, fine country with few trees, and a good soil for planting and sowing, but so far as we could observe utterly destitute of fresh water.  Nor did we see any human beings or even signs of them; near the strand the coast was sandy with a fine beach and plenty of excellent fish.

In the morning of the 18th the wind was E.N.E., course held S. by W. along the land; about noon, as we saw persons on the beach, we cast anchor in 31/2 fathom clayey bottom; the skipper of the Pera got orders to row to land with the two pinnaces, duly provided for defence; in the afternoon when the pinnaces returned, we were informed by the skipper that as soon as he had landed with his men, a large number of blacks, some of them armed and others unarmed, had made up to them; these blacks showed no fear and were so bold, as to touch the muskets of our men and to try to take the same off their shoulders, while they wanted to have whatever they could make use of; our men accordingly diverted their attention by showing them iron and