to wait for a Tartar ship of which they had information, bound from that
port, and half laden with silver. They even got sight of her, and chased
her a whole day to no purpose, as she was quite clean, and the Nicholas
was as foul as could well be. They then stood for a small island, to the
north of Luçonia, to wait for a fair wind to carry them to Bantam.
Instead of one island, they found several, where they procured
refreshments.[158] Learning from an Indian that in one of these islands
there were plenty of beeves, they sent a boat thither with thirty men,
who took what they wanted by force, though the island was well
inhabited.

[Footnote 158: The indications in the text are too vague to point out
the particular islands at which the Nicholas refreshed. Immediately
north from Luçonia are the Babuvanes Isles, in lat 19° 30', and still
farther, the Bashee Islands, in 20° 30', both N.]

Leaving these islands about the middle of September, 1685, they were for
three days in great danger on the banks of _Peragoa_, in lat. 10° N.
after which they came to a convenient bay in an island not far from the
northern coast of Borneo, where they set up a tent on shore and landed
every thing from the ship, fortifying themselves with ten small guns, in
case of being attacked by the natives, and hauled their ship on shore to
clean her bottom. At first the natives of the island avoided all
intercourse with the English; but one day the boat of the Nicholas came
up with a canoe in which was the queen of the country with her retinue,
who all leaped into the sea to get away from the English. They took up
these people with much difficulty, and entertained them with so much
kindness that they became good friends during two months which they
continued afterwards at this island. At this time the Spaniards were at
peace with the sovereign of Borneo, and carried on an advantageous trade