Page 482
An.1688
The Author leaves the Ship and goes ashore.
the time of the year when most is found. And then afterwards I thought it would be easie for me to have transported my self from thence, ei- ther in some Ship that past this way, whether English, Dutch, or Portuguese ; or else to have gotten one of the young Men of the Island, to have gone with me in one of their Canoas to Achin; and there to have furnished my self with such Commodities, as I found most coveted by them ;. and therewith, at my return, to have bought their Ambergrease.
I had, till this time, made no open show of go- ing ashore here: but now, the water being fill'd, and the Ship in a readiness to sail, I desired Cap- tain Read to set me ashore on this Island. He, sup- posing that I could not go ashore in a place less frequented by Ships than this, gave me leave : which probably he would have refused to have done, if he thought I should have gotten from hence in any short time ; for fear of my giving an account of him to the English or Dutch. I soon got up my Chest and Bedding, and immediately got some to row me ashore ; for fear left his mind should change again.
The Canoa that brought me ashore, landed me on a small sandy Bay, where there were two Houses, but no person in them. For the Inhabitants were removed to some other House, probably, for fear of us; because the Ship was close by: and yet both Men and Women came aboard the Ship without any sign of fear. When our Ships Canoa was going aboard again, they met the Owner of the Houses coming ashore in his Boat. He made a great many signs to them to fetch me off again: but they would not understand him. Then he came to me, and offered his Boat to carry me off: but I refused it. Then he made signs for me to go up into the House, and, according as I did under- stand him by his signs, and a few Malayan words that