which stayed them from comming neere them: & comming to the Town, M. Herniman was gone by land to the ship. I offred the Gouernour mony to haue help to saue her, who said, he would ga∣ther the Country together within two or three daies, but I told him that if it blew, she would be lost within an houre. One of Puloway being there, who knew the Barke, and was earnest with the Gouernour to saue her, plainly told mee, that he gaped only to haue her bulged, that hee might haue the Planke to build him a Praw.
Then perceiuing there was no helpe, but must come from the shippe, I hired Guides to fol∣low Master Herniman, and tooke one of myne owne men to keepe me company, and so procee∣ded by land, being twelue miles from the ship. Being halfe way, we came to a great water, which we must swimme ouer: my man could not swimme, so I sent my clothes back, all but a Scarlet [ 10] Mandilian, which these Blackes must carrie ouer for me, who told me, the Riuer was full of A∣ligatds, and if I saw any, I must fight with him, else he would kill me: and for that purpose did carry a great Knife in his mouth. I being weary, not hauing slept in two nights, tooke the wa∣ter before the Indians, knowing they would bee ouer before me. The Riuer being broad, and a swift current, which the great raine (that had fallen) had made, the Indians would haue had me turned backe, but being the better halfe way, I was very vnwilling: being in the water, one of the Indians that carryed my Mandilion, had got a great Cane (which I knew not of) and strooke me on the side, who feeling the stroke, suspecting it had beene an Aligata, diued vnder water, where the current got such hold on mee, that before I could come vp, I was in the Sea, and there the Sea threw mee against the Beech, and bruised my backe and shoulder, till the time that hee [ 20] came, and gaue me the end of the Cane, whereof I got hold, and he pulled mee out, neere hand drowned: being tossed with the Sea, that euery Suffe washed mee into the Sea againe. I prayse God, I escaped this danger and got aboord, after I had rested my selfe a reasonable space, to the amazement of all my Company. So that night, I sent all that were able to crawle, to saue the Bark: which (God be praysed) they did with much toyle of so small help. The Country would not let any man lay his hand to saue her, expecting we would forsake her, that they might enioy her.
The next day after my comming aboord, the Hopewell arriued with her lading of Spice, who told me, they had been driuen to the East-wards of Banda thirtie leagues, in a most cruell storme, which continued long, and caused them to haue a long passage to get to the wind-wards, but arri∣ued the next day after. I went from Puloway in the Boat, and laded presently, and M. Dauis [ 30] was taking in of his lading, making all dispatch that might be, with a poore lame Crewe (the whole being absent as your Worships haue heard, about the Diligence) we presently vnladed her, and that night set saile in her my selfe, to see if I could come before M. Dauis came from thence: for they told me, the Iuncke was very leaky, and I desired to haue the Hope-well come in her com∣pany, whatsoeuer should befall: for she had neuer a naile in her, but such as we our selues put into her: and hauing none there of our owne, we caused the simple Smith that the countrey a foor∣ded, to make some Iron pinnes, for nayles they can make none; and in most needfull places wee bestowed them. As for my selfe in the Hopewell, striuing to attaine to Puloway, I was put by it by the streame, in a mighty storme; the more the wind, the stronger the Current: beeing put to Lee-wards, we were long before we could fetch the ship, and were faine to seeke to the Ceran shore, or else had been quite blowne away. Hauing made many Voyages, and still fallen to Lee-ward [ 40] of the ship, I caused M. Dauis to search the land for some Harbour, that when those prouisi∣ons (that we could make to get ouer the goods) should come ouer, they might come from Puloway to the ship directly, and not to boult it vp to windwards when she was deepe laden, which bee∣ing emptie, hauing discharged her burden, might better ply it to wind-wards: for beeing light, she would feele her oares, which was effected.
In my long stay from Puloway, and the Ilands of Banda, they had intelligence, that the ship had weighed anchor, and were perswaded, that I was gone in the ship for feare of the Hollanders, who were determined to come and looke me out, and surprise mee. Whereupon, the countrey people would not deale with my people any more, nor sell them victuals, and beganne to abuse them, and rayle vpon them: and said, that I was gone in the ship, and left them in the Countrey [ 50] as the Holanders did, and would come with a Fleete, as they haue done, and take their Countrey from them. Then they were determined to seize vpon the house, and take the people, and keep them prisoners vpon an high Rocke, and sent for the Sabandar, that by whole consent they might come, and take possession of all the goods. When the Sabandar was come, M. Spalding went vnto him, to shew him of the hard vsage of the Ilanders, who began to take things out of the house by force. He said, They would be sure we should not doe as the Holanders had done, and were deter∣mined to lay them fast▪ for the ship was gone, and our meaning was not good. All that Master Spalding could doe, would not perswade them, but they were left of purpose.
The next day, being in counsel in the Church: they resolued to send the men vp prisoners to the [ 60] Rocke. Then there came one and told them, that I was in sight in the Hopewell; whereupon they broke vp their deuillish determmation. At my comming a shore, M. Spalding told mee of their hard vsage of them, and what feare they were in. The Chiefe of all the Ilands sate before our doore to stay my comming: I went vnto them, and asked the reason, Why they dealt so with my people in my absence? They told me plainely, that if I had not come my selfe, they would haue