fitted out expressly to come and buy his commodities.  He said farther, that he saw I had kept my promise; and swore by the head of Mahomet he would have so done likewise, had not God laid that scourge of fire upon him, by which several of his wives and other women were burnt.  He was now, he said, engaged from home in war with all his forces, the event of which could not be foreseen, and could not therefore spare any of his people to make any provision for me; as, if we had not come, he had by this time been in the field against another king who was his enemy.  He pointed out the town belonging to the king with whom he was at war, and requested me to fire against it as I went past:  I answered that I was a stranger, and had no cause of quarrel with that king, and it would be improper for me to make myself enemies; but if the other king should come while I was there, and offer any injury to him or his subjects, I would do my best to send them away.  The king was quite satisfied with this, and took his leave, and we presently made sail.

The 24th January we arrived at the island of Bangaia,[309] whence the king and most of the people were fled for fear of some enemy, though I could not learn the truth.  There was a Hollander there, who told me that the king had fled for fear of the King of Macassar, who, he thought, wanted to force him to become a Mahometan, as he was an idolater.  But I rather think they had fled for fear of the Hollanders, who intended to have built a fort here, but desisted on seeing that the people fled.  This single Hollander bore such sway, that none of those who remained in the island dared to displease him.  He had two houses full of the young women of the island for his own use, taking as many women as he pleased, and had many slaves, both men and women.  He is a pleasant companion, and will dance and sing from morn to night, almost naked like the natives.  He has won the hearts of the people, along with whom he will often drink for two whole days.  He lives here alone, and will not submit to be commanded by any other Hollander.  Being over against Amboyna, when the governor of that place wants to speak with him, he must send two of his merchants to remain as hostages till his return.  He collects the duties for the King of Ternate in all the islands hereabout, serving himself in the first place, and sending to the king what he pleases to spare.

[Footnote 309:  From the sequel, Bangaia seems to have been near Amboyna, on the south-west of Ceram.—­E.]

We had here abundance of good refreshments for our people, who were now, thank God, in better state than when we left England, not having hitherto one sick man on board.  I had my long-boat sheathed at this place, for fear of the worms destroying her bottom, as we now towed her always astern.  We sailed from Bengaia on the 29th of January, and on getting out to sea, found the wind right in our teeth in the way we wanted to go; so that striving all we could to get to windward, we found the current set so strong against us along with the wind, carrying us directly south, so that we lost fifteen leagues in two days.  I then found myself constrained to change my purposed voyage for the Moluccas, and bore up the helm for Banda, to which we could go with a flowing sheet.