we only wanted a good smith for great work; which we might have had at Mindanao.. We were very well provided with iron, lead, and all forts of tools, as faws, axes, hammers, &c. We had powder and fhot enough, and very good fmall arms. If we had defigned to build a fort, we could have fpared eight or ten guns out of our ship, and men enough to have managed it, and any affair of trade befide. We had also a great advantage above raw men that are fent out of England into thefe places, who proceed ufually too cautioufly, coldly and formally, to compafs any confiderable defign, which experience better teaches than any rules whatsoever; befides the danger of their lives in fo great and fudden a change of air: whereas we were all inured to hot climates, hardened by many fatigues, and in general daring men, and fuch as would not be easily baffled. To add one thing more, our men were almost tired, and began to defire a quietus eft; and therefore they would gladly have feated themfelves any where. We had a good ship too, and enough of us (befide what might have been spared to manage our new fettlement) to bring the news with the effects to the owners in England: for Captain Swan had already five thoufand pounds in gold, which he and his merchants received for goods fold moftly to Captain Harris and his men which if he had laid but part of it out in fpice, as probably he might have done, would have fatisfied the merchants to their hearts' content. So much by way of digreffion.

To proceed therefore with our firft reception at Mindanao; Raja Laut and his nephew fat ftill in their canoa, and would not come aboard us; because as they faid, they had no orders from the Sultan. After about half an hour's discourse they took their leaves; first inviting Captain Swan afhore, and promifing to affift him in getting provifion; which they said at prefent was fcarce, but in three or four months' time the rice would be gathered in, and then he might have as much as he pleased: and that in the mean time he might fecure his fhip in fome convenient place, for fear of the westerly winds, which they faid would be very violent at the latter end of this month, and all the next, as we found them.

We did not know the quality of these two perfons till after they were gone; elfe we fhould have fired fome guns at their departure: when they were gone a certain officer under the Sultan came aboard and measured our fhip. A custom derived from the Chinese, who always measure the length and breadth, and the depth of the hold of all fhips that come to load there: by which means they know how much each fhip will carry. But for what reason this custom is used either by the Chinese, or Mindanao men, I could never learn; unless the Mindanayans defign by this means to improve their skill in shipping, against they have a trade.

Captain Swan confidering that the feafon of the year would oblige us to spend fome time at this island, thought it convenient to make what intereft he could with the Sultan; who might afterwards either obftruct or advance his defigns. He therefore immediately provided a prefent to fend afhore to the Sultan, viz. three yards of scarlet cloth, three yards of broad gold lace, a turkish scimiter and a pair of pistols : and to Raja Laut he fent three yards of fcarlet cloth, and three yards of filver lace. This prefent was carried by Mr. Henry More in the evening. He was firft conducted to Raja Laut's house; where he remained till report thereof was made to the Sultan, who immediately gave order for all things to be made ready to receive him. About nine o'clock at night, a meffenger came from the Sultan to bring the prefent away. Then Mr. More was conducted all the way with torches and armed men, till he came to the house where the Sultan was. The Sultan with eight or ten men of his council were feated on carpets, waiting his coming. The present

that

that Mr. More brought was laid down before them, and was very kindly accepted by the Sultan, who caufed Mr. More to fit down by them, and asked a great many queftions of him. The difcourfe was in Spanish by an interpreter. This conference lafted about an hour, and then he was dismist, and returned again to Raja Laut's houfe. There was a fupper provided for him, and the boat's crew; after which he returned aboard.

The next day the Sultan fent for Captain Swan; he immediately went on fhore with a flag flying in the boat's head, and two trumpets founding all the way. When he came afhore, he was met at his landing by two principal officers, guarded along with foldiers and abundance of people gazing to fee him. The Sultan waited for him in his chamber of audience, where Captain Swan was treated with tobacco and betel, which was all his entertainment.

The Sultan fent for two English letters for Captain Swan to read, purposely to let him know, that our Eaft India merchants did design to fettle here, and that they had already fent a fhip hither. One of these letters was fent to the Sultan from England, by the Eaft India merchants. The chiefeft things contained in it, as I remember, for I faw it afterwards in the fecretary's hand, who was very proud to fhew it to us, was to defire fome privileges, in order to the building of a fort there. This letter was written in a very fair hand; and between each line there was a gold line drawn. The other letter was left by Captain Goodlud, directed to any Englishmen who fhould happen to come thither. This related wholly to trade, giving an account at what rate he had agreed with them for goods of the island, and how European goods fhould be fold to them, with an account of their weights and measures, and their difference from ours.

The rate agreed on for Mindanao gold was fourteen Spanish dollars, (which is a current coin all over India) the English ounce, and eighteen dollars the Mindanao ounce. But for bee's-wax and clove-bark, I do not remember the rates, neither do I well remember the rates of Europe commodities; but I think the rate of iron was not above four dollars a hundred. Captain Goodlud's letter concludes thus: "Trust none of them, for they are all thieves, but tace is Latin for a candle." We understood afterwards that Captain Goodlud was robbed of fome goods by one of the general's men, and that he that robbed him was fled into the mountains, and could not be found while Captain Goodlud was here. But the fellow returning back to the city fome time after our arrival here, Raja Laut brought him bound to Captain Swan, and told him what he had done, defiring him to punish him for it as he pleased: but Captain Swan excufed himself, and faid it did not belong to him, therefore he would have nothing to do with it. However, the general Raja Laut would not pardon him, but punifhed him according to their own cuftom, which I did never fee but at this time.

He was ftript stark naked in the morning at fun rising, and bound to a poft, fo that he could not stir hand nor foot, but as he was moved; and was placed with his face eastward against the fun. In the afternoon they turned his face towards the west, that the fun might ftill be in his face; and thus he stood all day, parched in the fun (which fhines here exceffively hot) and tormented with the mofkitos or gnats: after this the general would have killed him, if Captain Swan had confented to it. I did never fee any put to death: but I believe they are barbarous enough in it. The general told us himself that he put two men to death in a town where fome of us were with him; but I heard not the manner of it. Their common way of punishing is to strip them in this manner, and place them in the fun; but fometimes they lay

them flat on their backs on the fand, which is very hot; where they remain a whole day in the scorching fun, with the mofkitoes biting them all the time.

This action of the general in offering Captain Swan the punishment of the thief, caufed Captain Swan afterwards to make him the fame offer of his men, when any had offended the Mindanao men: but the general left fuch offenders to be punished by Captain Swan, as he thought convenient. So that for the leaft offence Captain Swan punished his men, and that in the fight of the Mindanaians; and I think fometimes only for revenge; as he did once punish his chief mate Mr. Teat, he that came Captain of the bark to Mindanao. Indeed at that time Captain Swan had his men as much under command as if he had been in a King's fhip: and had he known how to ufe his authority, he might have led them to any fettlement, and have brought them to affift him in any defign he had pleased.

Captain Swan being difmiffed from the Sultan, with abundance of civility, after about two hours difcourfe with him, went thence to Raja Laut's house. Raja Lauť had then fome difference with the Sultan, and therefore he was not prefent at the Sultan's reception of our captain; but waited his return, and treated him and all his men with boiled rice and fowls. He then told Captain Swan again, and urged it to him, that it would be best to get his fhip into the river as foon as he could, because of the usual tempeftuous weather of this time of the year; and that he should want no affistance to further him in any thing. He told him alfo, that as we muft of neceffity stay here fome time, fo our men would often come afhore; and he therefore defired him to warn his men to be careful to give no affront to the natives; who he said, were very revengeful. That their customs being different from ours, he feared that Captain Swan's men might fome time or other offend them, though ignorantly; that therefore he gave him this friendly warning to prevent it: that his houfe fhould always be open to receive him or any of his men, and that he, knowing our customs, would never be offended at any thing. After a great deal of fuch discourse he dismist the captain and his company, who took their leave and came aboard.

Captain Swan having feen the two letters, did not doubt but that the English did design to settle a factory here: therefore he did not much scruple the honesty of these people, but immediately ordered us to get the fhip into the river. The river upon which the city of Mindanao ftands is but small, and hath not above ten or eleven foot water on the bar at a spring tide. Therefore we lightened our ship, and the spring coming on, we with much ado got her into the river, being affifted by fifty or fixty Mindanaian fishermen, who lived at the mouth of the river; Raja Laut himself being aboard our ship to direct them. We carried her about a quarter of a mile up, within the mouth of the river, and there moored her, head and stern in a hole, where we always rode afloat. After this the citizens of Mindanao came frequently aboard to invite our men to their houses, and to offer us pagallies. It was a long time fince any of us had received fuch friendship, and therefore we were the more easily drawn to accept of their kindneffes; and in a very short time most of our men got a comrade or two, and as many pagallies; especially fuch of us as had good clothes, and ftore of gold, as many had, who were of the number of those that accompanied Captain Harris over the Ifthmus of Darien, the reft of us being poor enough. Nay, the very poorest and meaneft of us could hardly pass the streets, but we were even hauled by force into their houses, to be treated by them: although their treats were but mean, viz. tobacco, or betel-nut, or a little fweet fpiced water; yet their feeming fincerity, fimplicity, and the manner of bestowing these gifts, made them very acceptable. When

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When we came to their houfes, they would always be praifing the English, as declaring that the English and Mindanaians were all one. This they expreft by putting their two fore-fingers clofe together, and faying that the English and Mindanaians were "famo, famo" that is, all one. Then they would draw their fore-fingers half a foot afunder, and fay the Dutch and they were Bugeto, which fignifies fo, that they were at fuch a distance in point of friendship: and for the Spaniards, they would make a greater reprefentation of diftance than for the Dutch: fearing thefe, but having felt, and fiarted from the Spaniards, who had once almost brought them under.

Captain Swan did feldom go into any houfe at first, but into Raja Laut's. There he dined commonly every day; and as many of his men as were afhore, and had no money to entertain themfelves, reforted thither about twelve o'clock, where they had rice enough boiled and well-dreft, and some scraps of fowls, or bits of buffaloe, drest very naftily. Captain Swan was ferved a little better, and his two trumpeters founded all the time that he was at dinner. After dinner Raja Laut would fit and difcourfe with him most part of the afternoon. It was now the Ramdam time, therefore the general excufed himself, that he could not entertain our captain with dances, and other paftimes, as he intended to do when this folemn time was paft; befides, it was the very heighth of the wet season, and therefore not fo proper for paftimes.

We had now very tempeftuous weather, and exceffive rains, which fo fwelled the river, that it overflowed its banks; so that we had much ado to keep our fhip safe: for every now and then we should have a great tree come floating down the river and fometimes lodge against our bows, to the endangering the breaking our cables, and either the driving us in, over the banks, or carrying us out to fea; both which would have been very dangerous to us, especially being without ballast.

The city is about a mile long, of no great breadth, winding with the banks of the river on the right hand going up, though it hath many houses on the other fide too. But at this time it feemed to ftand as in a pond, and there was no paffing from one houfe to another but in canoes. This tempeftuous rainy weather happened the latter end of July, and lafted moft part of Auguft.

When the bad weather was a little affuaged, Captain Swan hired a house to put our fails and goods in, while we careened our fhip. We had a great deal of iron and lead, which was brought afhore into this house. Of these commodities Captain Swan fold to the fultan or general, eight or ten tuns, at the rates agreed on by Captain Goodlud, to be paid in rice. The Mindanaians are no good accomptants; therefore the Chinese that live here do caft up their accompts for them. After this, Captain Swan bought timber trees of the general, and fet fome of our men to faw them into planks, to fheath the fhip's bottom. He had two whip-faws on board, which he brought out of England, and four or five men that knew the use of them, for they had been fawyers in Jamaica.

When the Ramdam time was over, and the dry time fet in a little, the general to oblige Captain Swan, entertained him every night with dances. The dancing women that are purpofely bred up to it, and make it their trade, I have already defcribed. But befide them all the women in general are much addicted to dancing. They dance forty or fifty at once; and that standing all round in a ring, joined hand in hand, and finging and keeping time. But they never budge out of their places, nor make any motion till the chorus is fung; then all at once they throw out one leg, and bawl out aloud; and fometimes they only clap their hands when the chorus is fung. Captain Swan to retaliate the general's favours fent for his violins, and fome that could . dance

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dance English dances; wherewith the general was well very pleased. They commonly spent the biggest part of the night in these fort of paftimes.

Among the rest of our men that did use to dance thus before the general, there was one John Thacker, who was a seaman bred, and could neither write nor read; but had formerly learnt to dance in the mufic-houses about Wapping: this man came into the South-feas with Captain Harris, and getting with him a good quantity of gold, and being a pretty good husband of his fhare, had ftill fome left, befides what he laid out in a very good fuit of cloaths. The general fuppofed by his garb and his dancing, that he had been of noble extraction; and to be fatisfied of his quality, afked of one of our men, if he did not guess aright of him? The man of whom the general asked this question told him he was much in the right; and that most of our fhip's company were of the like extraction, especially all those that had fine cloaths; and that they came aboard only to fee the world, having money enough to bear their expences whereever they came; but that for the reft, thofe that had but mean cloaths, they were only common feamen. After this, the general fhewed a great deal of respect to all that had good cloaths, but especially to John Thacker, till Captain Swan came to know the business, and marred all; undeceiving the general, and drubbing the noble. man: for he was fo much incenfed against John Thacker, that he could never endure him afterwards, though the poor fellow knew nothing of the matter.

and

About the middle of November we began to work on our fhip's bottom, which we found very much eaten with the worm: for this is a horrid place for worms. We did not know this till after we had been in the river a month; and then we found our canoes bottoms eaten like honey-combs; our bark, which was a single bottom, was eaten through; fo that she could not fwim. But our fhip was fheathed, and the worm came no further than the hair between the fheathing plank, and the main plank. We did not mistrust the general's knavery till now: for when he came down to our ship, and found us ripping off the fheathing plank, and faw the firm bottom underneath, he shook his head, and feemed to be difcontented; faying, he did never fee a fhip with two bottoms before. We were told that in this place, where we now lay, a Dutch fhip was eaten up in two months' time, and the general had all her guns; it is probable he did expect to have had ours: which I do believe was the main reason that made him so forward in affifting us to get our fhip into the river, for when we came out again we had no affistance from him. We had no worms till we came to this place for when we careened at the Marias, the worm had not touched us; nor at Guam, for there we fcrubbed; nor after we came to the island Mindanao; for at the fouth-east end of the island we heeled and scrubbed alfo. The Mindanaians are fo fenfible of these destructive infects, that whenever they come from fea, they immediately hale their fhip into a dry dock, and burn her bottom, and there let her lie dry till they are ready to go to fea again. The canoes or prows they hale up dry, and never fuffer them to be long in the water. It is reported that those worms which get into a fhip's bottom in the falt water, will die in the fresh water; and that the fresh water worms will die in falt water; but in the brackish water both forts will increase prodigioufly. Now this place where we lay was fometimes brackish water, yet commonly fresh; but what fort of worm this was I know not. Some men are of opinion, that these worms breed in the plank; but I am persuaded they breed in the fea for I have seen millions of them fwimming in the water, particularly in the bay of Panama; for there Captain Davis, Captain Swan, and myfelf, and most of our men, did take notice of them divers times, which was the reafon of our cleaning fo often while we were there: and these were the largest worms that I did ever fee. I have alfo feen

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