Hither then we resolved to go and, accordingly, though after atedious course, and very much straitened for provisions, we camewithin sight of the coast very early in the morning and uponreflection on the past circumstances of danger we were in, weresolved to put into a small river, which, however, had depthenough of water for us, and to see if we could, either overland orby the ship's pinnace, come to know what ships were in any portthereabouts.This happy step was, indeed, our deliverance:forthough we did not immediately see any European ships in the bay ofTonquin, yet the next morning there came into the bay two Dutchships and a third without any colours spread out, but which webelieved to be a Dutchman, passed by at about two leagues'distance, steering for the coast of China and in the afternoonwent by two English ships steering the same course and thus wethought we saw ourselves beset with enemies both one way and theother.The place we were in was wild and barbarous, the peoplethieves by occupation and though it is true we had not much toseek of them, and, except getting a few provisions, cared not howlittle we had to do with them, yet it was with much difficulty thatwe kept ourselves from being insulted by them several ways.Wewere in a small river of this country, within a few leagues of itsutmost limits northward and by our boat we coasted northeast tothe point of land which opens the great bay of Tonquin and it wasin this beating up along the shore that we discovered we weresurrounded with enemies.The people we were among were the mostbarbarous of all the inhabitants of the coast and among othercustoms they have this one:that if any vessel has the misfortuneto be shipwrecked upon their coast, they make the men all prisonersor slaves and it was not long before we found a spice of theirkindness this way, on the occasion following.
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