d of
us, at about four leagues' distance.

A little after noon we saw smoke on the islands to the west of us, and
having a fine gale of wind, I steered away for them. At seven o'clock in
the evening we anchored in thirty-five fathom, about two leagues from an
island, good soft oozy ground. We lay still all night, and saw fires
ashore. In the morning we weighed again, and ran farther in, thinking to
have shallower water; but we ran within a mile of the shore, and came to
in thirty-eight fathom good soft holding ground. While we were under
sail two canoes came off within call of us. They spoke to us, but we did
not understand their language nor signs. We waved to them to come
aboard, and I called to them in the Malayan language to do the same, but
they would not. Yet they came so nigh us that we could show them such
things as we had to truck with them; yet neither would this entice them
to come on board, but they made signs for us to come ashore, and away
they went. Then I went after them in my pinnace, carrying with me
knives, beads, glasses, hatchets, &c. When we came near the shore, I
called to them in the Malayan language. I saw but two men at first, the
rest lying in ambush behind the bushes; but as soon as I threw ashore
some knives and other toys, they came out, flung down their weapons, and
came into the water by the boat's side, making signs of friendship by
pouring water on their heads with one hand, which they dipped into the
sea. The next day, in the afternoon, several other canoes came aboard,
and brought many roots and fruits, which we purchased.

The island has no name in our drafts, but the natives call it Pub Sabuda;
it is about three leagues long, and two miles wide, more or less; it is
of a good height, so as to be seen eleven or twelve leagues; it is very
rocky, yet above the rocks there is good yellow and black mould, not
deep, yet producing plenty of good tall trees, and bearing any fruits or
roots which the inhabitants plant. I do not know all its produce, but
what we saw were plantains, cocoa-nuts, pine-apples, oranges, papaes,
potatoes, and other large roots. Here are also another sort of wild
jacas, about the bigness of a man's two fists, full of stones or kernels,
which eat pleasant enough when roasted. 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
tr