ours were made to enter into traffic
with the natives of this island. The chief and his son dined on board
the admiral, seemingly rejoiced to see such large and well-armed ships
sent against the Spaniards, and all the native Chilese were delighted to
see the soldiers mustered and exercised. The Dutch here procured great
plenty of sheep, in exchange for hatchets and ornaments of coral and
such like toys, getting two sheep for one hatchet. But the natives
brought every thing to the boats, and would not suffer any of the Dutch
to go near their houses, being very jealous of their wives, even more so
than Spaniards. These sheep resembled camels, having long legs and
necks, hare lips, hunches on their backs, and are used as beasts of
draught and burden.

They left Mocha on the 27th of May, and next day came to the coast not
far from the island of St Mary, where the land was much broken and very
rocky. The 29th they cast anchor at the island of St Mary, whence a
Spaniard came on board, having a pledge left for him ashore. This man
invited the admiral and others to dine on shore; but one of the boats
observed a body of soldiers marching to the place at which they were to
have dined; on which appearance of treachery, the Spanish messenger was
made prisoner. The Dutch landed next day in force, on which the
Spaniards set their church on fire and fled; having four of their men
slain, while two of the Dutch were wounded. They here found much
poultry, and took 500 sheep, with other spoil. Learning at this place of
three Spanish ships fitted out in April expressly against them, the
admiral of which carried forty brass guns, and the whole manned by 1000
Spaniards, Spilbergen resolved to go in search of them at Conception and
Valparaiso, and afterwards on the coast of Arica. A farther squadron, of
similar force, was also said to be in preparation at _Calao de Lima_. In
consequence of this intelligence, the Dutch gunners were ordered to have
every thing in readiness for battle, rules of military discipline were
established, and each ship and every person received distinct orders for
conducting the expected battle, in which it was resolved to conquer or
die.

Sailing from the island of St Mary on the 1st June, 1615, they passed
not far from the town of _Aurora_,[93] where the Spaniards kept a
garrison of 500 men, which were continually disquieted by the
unconquered natives of Chili. On the 3d they came to the island of
_Quinquirina_, wi