12', and they judged it to be 925 leagues west
from the coast of Peru.[111] The interior of this island is so low, that
it seemed mostly overflowed at high water, its outskirt being a sort of
dike or mound, overgrown with trees, between which the salt water
penetrates in several places.
[Footnote 111: Dog Island is in lat. 15 deg. 18' S. and long. 137 deg. W. about
1200 marine leagues west from the coast of Peru under the same parallel.
By the description in the text it seems one of those which are usually
termed lagoon islands - E.]
The 14th, sailing W. and W. by N. they saw a large low island in the
afternoon, reaching a considerable way N.E. and S.W. At sun-set, being
about a league from this island, a canoe came to meet them, in which
were some naked Indians of a reddish colour, having long black hair.
They made signs to the Dutch to go on shore, and spoke to them in a
language which was not understood; neither did the Indians understand
them, though spoken to in Spanish, Moluccan, and Javan. Getting near the
coast, no bottom could be found, though only a musket-shot from land.
They now sailed S.S.W. along the island, making ten leagues during the
night, and continued along the shore on the 15th, many naked people
continually inviting them to land. At length a canoe came off, but the
natives would not venture into the ship, yet came to the boat, where the
Dutch gave them beads, knives, and other trifles; but they found them
thievishly disposed, much like the natives of the Ladrones, and were so
fond of iron, that they stole the nails from the cabin windows, and the
bolts from the doors.
