ing ready for
us, for which neglect I justly blamed those I had left to provide the
same, while they excused themselves by alleging they did not expect us
so soon back. I questioned _Kewee_, the principal Chinese merchant, who
came to visit me on board, as to the price of pepper. He answered, that
it was already known ashore I was homewards bound, and must necessarily
load pepper; and, as my merchants had not provided any before hand, I
might be assured it would rise. He said the price was then at twelve
dollars for ten sacks, but he could not undertake to deliver any
quantity at that price. I offered him twelve dollars and a half the ten
sacks, but he held up so high, that we had no hope of dealing for the
present. Of the ten persons left by us in the factory when we departed
for Japan, we found only five alive at our return, while we only lost
one man between Firando and Bantam.

I went ashore on the 4th to visit the governor of Bantam, to whom I
presented two handsome _cattans_, or Japanese swords, and other articles
of value; and this day I bargained with _Kewee_ for 4000 sacks of pepper
at thirteen dollars the ten sacks, bating in the weight 3 per cent and
directed the merchants to expedite the milling thereof as much as
possible. I employed the 5th in reducing the several English factories
at Bantam under one government, settling them all in one house; also in
regulating the expences of diet, that all might be frugally managed, to
prevent extravagance in rack-houses abroad, or in hanger-on blacks at
home, which had lately been the case. I directed also that there should
be fewer warehouses kept in the town, and that these might be better
regulated, and the goods stowed in a more orderly manner. Hitherto the
multiplication of factories, having one for each voyage, had occasioned
great expence, and had raised the price of pepper, as each outbid the
other, for the particular account of their own several voyages, with
great loss to the public.

The 6th was employed in re-weighing the pepper received the day before,
most of the sacks being found hard weight, and many to want a part of
what was allowed by the king's beam; wherefore I sent for the weigher,
whom I used kindly, entreating him to take a little more care to amend
this fault, which he promised to do, and for his better encouragement I
made him a present to the value of five dollars. The 16th being Sunday,
I staid aboard, and about 2 p.m. we observed the whol