Page 360
An. 1686
Violent Rains and Floods.
befides, it was the very heighth of the wet Seafon, and therefore not fo proper for paftimes.
We had now very tempeftuous Weather, and exceffive Rains, which fo fwell'd the River, that it overflowed its Banks; fo that we had much ado to keep our Ship fafe: For every now and then we should have a great Tree come floating down the River, and fometimes lodge againft our Bows, to the endangering the breaking our Cables, and either the driving us in over the Banks, or carrying us out to Sea; both which would have been very dangerous to us, efpecially being without Ballaft.
The City is about a mile long (of no great breadth) winding with the banks of the River on the Right hand going up, tho it hath many houfes on the other fide too. But at this time it feemed to ftand as in a pond, and there was no palling from one houfe to another but in Canoas. This tem- peftuous rainy Weather happened the latter end of July, and lafted moft part of Auguft.
When the bad Weather was a little affwaged, Captain Swan hired a houfe, to put our Sails and Goods in, while we careen'd our Ship. We had a great deal of Iron and Lead, which was brought ashore into this houfe. Of thefe Commodities Captain Swan fold to the Sultan and General, 8 or 10 Tuns, at the rates agreed on by Captain Goodlud, to be paid in Rice. The Mindanaians are no good Accomptants; therefore the Chinefe 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 Ships bottom. He had two Whip-faws on board, which he brought out of England, and four or five men that knew the ufe of them, for they had been Sawyers in Jamaica.
When