Could fetch the ship, and fain
to take shelter on the Ceram shore, or else be blown away. After many
trips, and still falling to leeward of the ship, I desired Mr Davis to
look out for some harbour for our ship, to which we might come over
direct from Pulo-way, without being obliged to ply to windward with our
craft when deeply laden, which was effected.
[Footnote 315: This paragraph is utterly inexplicable, at least with any
certainty, the abbreviation by Purchas having reduced it almost to
absolute nonsense. Conjectural amendment being inadmissible, the subject
is of so little moment as not to warrant any commentary. - E.]
[Footnote 316: Even to the present times, the boasted empire of China is
unable to make a head to a nail. All their smiths can do for a
substitute, is to bend the head of a small piece of iron like the letter
z, which flattened, but not welded, serves as a substitute for the
nail-head. Every chest of tea affords numerous examples of this clumsy
qui pro quo. - E.]
In my long stay from Pulo-way and Banda on this occasion, the islanders
had intelligence that our ship had weighed; and they were persuaded I
had gone away for fear of the Hollanders.
