We Came First To Anchor On The N.E. Side Of The Island, But Learning
From The Natives That The
City of Mindanao was on the W. side, we again
set sail and anchored on the 4th July on the
S.W. side of a very deep
bay in fifteen fathoms, the land within the bay on the E. side being
very high and woody, but watered by several rivers. On its W. side,
bordering on the sea, there were large plains covered with long grass,
on which were vast herds of deer, of which we killed as many as we
thought fit. We remained here till the 12th, when we again set sail, and
arrived on the 18th at the entrance of the river of Mindanao, in lat. 7 deg.
N. and long. 124 deg. 35' E. from Greenwich.[192] We here anchored in
fifteen fathoms on clean hard sand, two miles from the shore. Soon
afterwards Rajah Laut came on board, accompanied by one of the sultan's
sons, and asked in Spanish, Who we were? Being told we were English, he
asked if we came to settle among them, of which they had formerly some
promise, and were now in hopes of its being effected, to serve to
protect them against the Dutch, whom they greatly dreaded. Had we
properly considered the matter, it might have been much for our
advantage, Mindanao being conveniently situated between the Spice
islands and the Philippines, and besides the three islands of
Meangis,[193] only about twenty leagues from hence, abound with spice
and cloves.
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