Some were worn away by the dysentery, and others were racked with
excruciating rheumatism, while others again dragged their dead limbs
after them, having lost feeling through the palsy. To these
numerous and complicated diseases of the body, many had superadded
distemperature of the mind. An anabaptist of twenty-five years old
called out continually to be baptized, and when told with a sneer that
there was no parson on board, he became quiet, and died with great
resignation. Two papists on board gave what little money they had to
their friends, beseeching them, if they ever got back to Holland, to
lay it out in masses to St Anthony of Padua for the repose of their
souls. Others again would listen to nothing that had the smallest
savour of religion, for some time before they died. Some refused
meat and drink for twenty-four hours before death, while others were
suddenly carried off in the midst of conversation.

All these various appearances of disease are attributed by the author
of this voyage principally to the bad quality of their provisions;
their salt meat being corrupted, their bread full of maggots, and
their water intolerably putrid. Under these circumstances medicines
were of no avail, being utterly unable to work a cure, and could at
best only defer death for a little, and protract the sufferings of
the sick. Though as well as any one in either ship, the author of this
journal had the scurvy to such a degree that his teeth were all loose,
his gums inflamed and ulcerated, and his body all over covered with
livid spots. Even such as were reputed in best health, were low, weak,
and much afflicted with the scurvy. Nothing could effectually relieve
or even alleviate their sufferings, except fresh meat, vegetables,
and sweet water. At length it pleased God to put a period to their
miseries, by giving them sight of the coast of New Britain, the joy of
which filled the sick with new spirits, and encouraged those who were
still able to move, with the enlivening hope of once more revisiting
their native land. Our author was fully of opinion, that if they
had been many days longer at sea, they must all have perished by the
continuance and necessary increase of the miseries which they endured,
which no description can possibly express in any thing like adequate
terms.

SECTION VI.

_Description of New Britain, and farther Continuation of the Voyage
till the Arrival of Roggewein at Java._

The country of New Brita