found a large number of people, who made
signs for them to be off. On this Dampier presented his gun at them.
On seeing it, they all fell flat down on their faces, but he turned
round and fired it towards the sea, to show the savages that no harm was
intended them.

As soon as he had reloaded, they pulled gently in. Again the savages
made signs of their hatred, on which Dampier again fired off his gun,
when the greater number sneaked away, leaving only five or six men on
the beach. On this, Mr Hall landed, the only weapon he carried being
his sword. The natives did not stir, so he took one of them by the
hand, and making signs of friendship, a peace was concluded.

This evidently gave the greatest satisfaction to all the inhabitants,
who now brought down melory, a sort of cake, made from a fruit
resembling the bread-fruit. This they exchanged for old rags and strips
of cloth.

Going to the south of the island, Dampier and his party provided
themselves with more melory and a dozen large cocoa-nuts filled with
water, containing in all about three gallons and a half. They also
obtained three bamboos, which held three gallons more. This served for
their sea store. Their intention was to go to Achin, on the north-west
end of the island of Sumatra, from which they were about forty leagues
distant. It bore south-south-east.

On the 15th of May, 1688, the _Nicobar_ canoe commenced her perilous
voyage with her company of eight persons, viz., three Englishmen, four
Malays, and the Portuguese. She was about the burden of a London wherry
below bridge, built sharp at both ends. She was deeper than a wherry,
but not so broad, and so thin and light that when empty four men could
launch her or haul her ashore on a sandy bay. She had a substantial
mast and a mat sail, and good outriggers lashed very fast and firm on
each side. Without them she would easily have been upset, and even with
them, had not they been made very strong.

The Achinese placed such confidence in the Englishmen, that they would
do nothing which Dampier and Mr Hall did not approve of. Dampier had
made a sketch in his pocket-book from the chart on board the ship, and
as he had also brought off a small compass, he was thus able to steer a
right course. All night long they rowed on, relieving each other, while
Dampier and Mr Hall steered by turns. After rowing twenty leagues, as
soon as the morning of the 17th broke, they looked out for the island