Page 402
An.1687
A bloody Fray with a Malayan Veffel.
fides. The Canoas crew, not minding the Cap- tains orders, went aboard, all but one man that stay'd in the Canoa. The Malayans, who were about 20 of them, seeing our men all armed, thought that they came to take their Veffel : therefore at once, on a signal given, they drew out their Creffets, and stabbed 5 or 6 of our men before they knew what the matter was. The reft of our men leapt over-board, some into the Canoa, and some into the Sea, and so got a- way. Among the reft, one Daniel Wallis leapt into the Sea, who could never swim before nor fince : yet now he swam very well, a good while before he was taken up. When the Canoas came aboard, Captain Read manned two Canoas, and went to be revenged on the Malayans : but they seeing him coming, did cut a hole in their Veffels bottom, and went ashore in their Boat. Cap- tain Read followed them, but they run into the Woods and hid themselves. Here we stayed ten or eleven days, for it blew very hard all the time. While we stayed here, Herman Coppin- ger our Surgeon went ashore, intending to live here : But Captain Read sent some men, and fetcht him again. I had the same thoughts, and would have gone ashore too, but waited for a more convenient place. For neither he nor I, when we went last on board at Mindanao, had any knowledge of the Plot that was laid to leave Captain Swan, and run away with the Ship; and being sufficiently weary of this mad Crew, we were willing to give them the slip at any place from whence we might hope to get a paffage to an English Factory. There was nothing elfe of moment happened whilst we stayed here.
CHAP.