A Continuation of a Voyage to New Holland | Page 9

again to the sea. I therefore
stood in close to the shore on the east side, and anchored in 4 fathom
water, sandy ground; a point of land still hindering me from seeing the

fort. But I sent my boat to look about for it; and in a short time she
returned, and my men told me they saw the fort, but did not go near it;
and that it was not above 4 or 5 miles from hence. It being now late I
would not send my boat thither till the next morning: meanwhile about
2 or 300 Indians, neighbours of the fort, and sent probably from thence,
came to the sandy bay just against the ship; where they stayed all night,
and made good fires. They were armed with lances, swords and targets,
and made a great noise all the night: we thought it was to scare us from
landing, should we attempt it: but we took little notice of them.
THE AUTHOR'S PARLEY WITH THE GOVERNOR OF THE
DUTCH FORT. THEY, WITH GREAT DIFFICULTY, OBTAIN
LEAVE TO WATER.
The next morning, being September the 23rd, I sent my clerk ashore in
my pinnace to the governor to satisfy him that we were Englishmen:
and in the King's ship, and to ask water of him; sending a young man
with him who spoke French. My clerk was with the governor pretty
early; and in answer to his queries about me, and my business in these
parts, told him that I had the King of England's commission, and
desired to speak with him. He beckoned to my clerk to come ashore;
but as soon as he saw some small arms in the stern-sheets of the boat he
commanded him into the boat again, and would have him be gone. My
clerk solicited him that he would allow him to speak with him; and at
last the governor consented that he should come ashore, and sent his
lieutenant and 3 merchants with a guard of about a hundred of the
native Indians to receive him. My clerk said that we were in much want
of water, and hoped they would allow us to come to their
watering-place and fill. But the governor replied that he had orders not
to supply any ships but their own East India Company; neither must
they allow any Europeans to come the way that we came; and
wondered how we durst come near their fort. My clerk answered him
that, had we been enemies, we must have come ashore among them for
water: but, said the governor, you are come to inspect into our trade and
strength; and I will have you therefore be gone with all speed. My clerk
answered him that I had no such design but, without coming nearer
them, would be contented if the governor would send water on board

where we lay, about 2 leagues from the fort; and that I would make any
reasonable satisfaction for it. The governor said that we should have
what water we wanted, provided we came no nearer with the ship: and
ordered that as soon as we pleased we should send our boat full of
empty casks, and come to an anchor with it off the fort, till he sent
slaves to bring the casks ashore and fill them; for that none of our men
must come ashore. The same afternoon I sent up my boat as he had
directed with an officer and a present of some beer for the governor;
which he would not accept of, but sent me off about a ton of water.
On the 24th in the morning I sent the same officer again in my boat;
and about noon the boat returned again with the two principal
merchants of the factory and the lieutenant of the fort; for whose
security they had kept my officer and one of my boat's crew as hostages,
confining them to the governor's garden all the time: for they were very
shy of trusting any of them to go into their fort, as my officer said: yet
afterwards they were not shy of our company; and I found that my
officer maliciously endeavoured to make them shy of me. In the
evening I gave the Dutch officers that came aboard the best
entertainment I could; and, bestowing some presents on them, sent
them back very well pleased; and my officer and the other man were
returned to me. Next morning I sent my boat ashore again with the
same officer; who brought me word from the governor that we must
pay 4 Spanish dollars for every boat-load of water: but in this he spoke
falsely, as I understood afterwards from the governor himself and all
his officers, who protested to me that no such