Page 358
An. 1686
They draw their Ship up the River.
time, so our men would often come ashore; and he therefore desired 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 some time or other offend them, though ignorantly; that therefore he gave him this friendly warning, to prevent it: that his house should 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 such discourse he dismiss't the Captain and his Company, who took their leave and came aboard.
Captain Swan having seen 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 or- dered us to get the Ship into the River. The Ri- ver upon which the City of Mindanao stands is but small, and hath not above 10 or 11 foot water on the Bar at a Spring-tide: therefore we lightned our Ship, and the Spring coming on, we with much ado got her into the River, being assisted by 50 or 60 Mindanaian Fishermen, who liv'd at the mouth of the River; Raja Laut himself being a- board 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 a- board, to invite our men to their houses, and to offer us Pagallies. 'Twas a long time since any of us had received such Friendship, and therefore we were the more easily drawn to accept of their kindnesses; and in a very short time most of our men got a Comrade or two, and as many Pagal- lies; especially such of us as had good cloaths, and store of Gold, as many had, who were of the number