d their cargo of greens
immediately on board, which were more acceptable to the sick than if
they had brought them as much gold and silver. Next morning a larger
body of men were ordered on shore, both on purpose to gather herbs and
to examine the island. The first thing they did was to make a present
to the king or chief of a considerable assortment of trinkets, which
he received with an air of indifference and disdain, which did not
promise much good in their future intercourse, yet sent the Dutch
a considerable quantity of cocoa nuts in return, which were very
agreeable to them in their present circumstances. The chief was
distinguished from the ordinary inhabitants by wearing various
ornaments of pearls, as they judged to the value of 600 florins, or
L. 55 sterling. The women of the island seemed to admire the white men
much, and almost stifled them with caresses: But this was all employed
to lull the Dutch into security, that the plot contrived by the men
for their destruction might the more readily succeed.

When the Dutch had filled twenty sacks with greens, they advanced
farther into the country, till they came to the top of some steep
rocks, which hung over a large and deep valley, the natives going both
before and behind them, quite unsuspected of any evil intention.
At length, thinking they had the Dutch at an advantage, the natives
suddenly quitted them, and soon after prodigious numbers came pouring
out from caves and holes in the rocks, and surrounded the Dutch on all
sides, while they immediately formed in close order for defence. The
chief or king then made a signal for the Dutch to keep off, but as
they continued to advance, the chief made a signal of battle, which
was instantly followed by a prodigious shower of stones. The Dutch in
return made a general discharge of their fire arms, which did great
execution, and the chief was among the first who fell. Yet the
islanders continued to throw stones with great fury, so that most of
the Dutch were soon wounded and almost disabled, on which they retired
under shelter of a rock, whence they fired with such success that
great numbers of the islanders were slain. They still obstinately
maintained their ground, and the Dutch were at last forced to retreat,
having some of their number killed, and a great many wounded, most of
whom died not long after, in consequence of their scorbutical habit
of body, in spite of every care. As soon as they could disengage
them