ances,
broad swords, like those of Mindanao; their lances are pointed with bone:
they strike fish very ingeniously with wooden fish-spears, 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,
&c, which they carry to Goram and exchange for calicoes. 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 calicoes, 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 prows are narrow, with
outriggers on each side, like other Malayans. I cannot tell of what
religion these are; but I think they are not Mahometans, 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 an hour after six 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we supposed they had withdrawn themselves for fear of us, though we gave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 seven in the evening, then saw a rippling;
and, the water being discoloured, we sounded, and had but twenty-two
fathom. I went about and stood to the westward till two next morning
then tacked again, and had these several soundings: at eight in the
evening, twenty-two; at ten, twenty-five; at eleven, twenty-seven; at
twelve, twenty-eight fathom; at two in the morning, twenty-six; at four,
twenty-four; at six, twenty-three; at eight, twenty-eight; at twelve,
twenty-two.

We passed by many small islands, and among many dangerous shoals without
any remarkable occurrence till the 4th of February, whe