have made a shift to do it; but my carpenter was uncapable to set
her up. Besides, by the time the ship's sides were caulked, my pitch was
almost spent; which was all owing to the carpenter's wilful waste and
ignorance; so that I had nothing to lay on upon the ship's bottom. But
instead of this I intended to make lime here, which with oil would have
made a good coat for her. Indeed had it been advisable I would have gone
in between Cross Island and Timor, and have hauled my ship ashore; for
there was a very convenient place to do it in; but, my ship being sharp,
I did not dare to do it: besides, I must have taken everything out of
her; and I had neither boats to get my things ashore nor hands to look
after them when they were there; for my men would have been all employed;
and, though here are no Indians living near, yet they come hither in
companies when ships are here, on purpose to do any mischief they can to
them; and it was not above 2 years since a Portuguese ship riding here,
and sending her boat for water to one of the galleys, the men were all
killed by the Indians. But to secure my men I never suffered them to go
ashore unarmed; and while some were at work others stood to guard them.

We lay in this place from October the 28th till December the 12th. In
which time we made very good lime with shells, of which here are plenty.
We cut palmetto leaves to burn the ship's sides; and, giving her as good
a heel as we could, we burned her sides and paid them with lime and water
for want of oil to mix with it. This stuck on about 2 months where it was
well burned. We did not want fresh provisions all the time we lay here,
either of fish or flesh. For there were fair sandy bays on the point of
Babao, where in 2 or 3 hours in a morning we used with our seine to drag
ashore as much fish as we could eat all the day; and for a change of diet
when we were weary of fish I sent 10 or 11 men a-hunting for buffaloes;
who never came empty home. They went ashore in the evening or early in
the morning, and before noon always returned with their burdens of
buffalo, enough to suffice us 2 days; by which time we began to long for
fish again.

THE AUTHOR'S ENTERTAINMENT AT THE FORT OF CONCORDIA.

On the 11th of November the governor of Concordia sent one of his
officers to us to know who we were. For I had not sent thither since I
came to anchor last here. When the officer came aboard he asked me why we
fired so many guns the 4th and