our salute was in honour of his master; who indeed had sent me word by this person, that he would have come aboard to visit me, but was hindered by the Dutch.  In this fort there were thirteen pieces of artillery, one being a brass demi-culverine, the others sackers and minions.  The Hollanders here are more feared than loved by the natives, which yet is the cause of their greater profit; for, as soon as we arrived, the natives told us, they durst not for their lives bring us a catty of cloves.

At our anchorage here, the outermost point bore S.S.W. and the other S.W. distant from us four leagues.  The king sent his admiral and others of his nobles aboard to bid me welcome, saying that they knew what nation we were of by our flag.  They used many ceremonious compliments, wishing we were seated among them instead of the Dutch, that they might get clear of them, as they had almost ruined their country by civil wars.  I entertained them in a friendly manner, saying we had come among them for trade, and would leave a factory with them, if their king were so inclined.  They answered, that such a thing would please them much, but could not now be granted; yet they would acquaint their king with what I said.  The captain of the Dutch fort made me a visit on board, from whom I understood that his force consisted of thirty men, most of whom were married, some to natives of the country, and some to Dutch women; eleven of whom, as he told me, were able to do military duty even against the Spaniards or any other nation, being large and strong viragoes, with few other good qualities.  No sooner was the captain on board but he was followed by this Amazonian band, who complained that they suffered great misery, and readily sat down along with our sailors to partake of such as our ship afforded; after which they returned ashore with the captain.

The 3d March we sent our skiff to sound the east side of the bay, and at an opening or entrance near a little island, she found an anchorage in twelve, sixteen, and twenty fathoms on coral ground, out from under the command of the fort; but having a shoal to the southwards, the length of three cables.  This is in latitude 0 deg. 50’.  The 4th, the king of Ternate sent me a present by his priest.  The 5th, at sun-rise, we observed the variation to be 4 deg. 48’ easterly.  This day a Moor came aboard with a sample of cloves, and offered to sell us some quantity if we would go for them to Machian; being sent on this errand by his master, who was now on this island of Bachian.  For this reason we deemed it proper to stay a day longer to have some conference with this person, whose name was Key Malladaia, being brother to the old king of Ternate.  The 6th he came aboard, and promised to go with us to Machian, and to bring us to a place there called Tahannee.[425] He accordingly left two of his chief men with me as pilots, desiring us to go before and wait for him at an island by the way, where he promised to be with