only they were wild. But I told him the Truth, and advised him not
to be too credulous of the General's Promises. He seemed to be very
angry, and stormed behind the General's Back, but in his Presence
was very mute, being a Man of small Courage.

It was about the 20th Day of December when we returned from Hunting,
and the General designed to go again to another place to Hunt for Beef;
but he stayed till after Christmas-day, because some of us designed
to go with him; and Captain Swan had desired all his Men to be aboard
that Day, that we might keep it solemnly together: And accordingly
he sent aboard a Buffaloe the Day before, that we might have a good
Dinner. So the 25th Day about 10 a Clock, Captain Swan came aboard,
and all his Men who were ashore: For you must understand that near
a third of our Men lived constantly ashore, with their Comrades and
Pagallies, and some with Women servants, whom they hired of their
Masters for Concubines. Some of our Men also had Houses, which
they hired or bought, for Houses are very cheap, for five or six
Dollars. For many of them having more Money than they knew what to do
with, eased themselves here of the trouble of telling it, spending it
very lavishly, their prodigality making the People impose upon them,
to the making the rest of us pay the dearer for what we bought, and
to the endangering the like impositions upon such Englishmen as may
come here hereafter. For the Mindanaians knew how to get our Squires
Gold from them (for we had no Silver,) and when our Men wanted Silver,
they would change now and then an Ounce of Gold, and could get for
it no more than 10 or 11 Dollars for a Mindanao Ounce, which they
would not part with again under 18 Dollars. Yet this, and the great
prices the Mindanaians set on their Goods, were not the only way to
lessen their stocks; for their Pagallies and Comrades would often be
begging somewhat of them, and our Men were generous enough, and would
bestow half an Ounce of Gold at a time, in a Ring for their Pagallies,
or in a Silver Wrist-band, or Hoop to come about their Arms, in hopes
to get a Nights Lodging with them.

When we were all aboard on Christmas-day, Captain Swan and his
two Merchants; I did expect that Captain Swan would have made some
proposals, or have told us his designs; but he only dined and went
ashore again, without speaking any thing of his Mind. Yet even then I
do think that he was driving on a design, of going to one of the