nearly 70 years of age. He advised the Commandeur Hakkius that he would be happy to come ashore, if he were received according to his rank. To this a reply was sent; but, whether he was displeased by it, or because of his own doubts and the rumours current of a war with France, he set sail as soon as he had taken in water and firewood, before this was expected.
[Although he does not mention it, Nieuhof must have taken part in the ‘cursory examination’ of the route for the canal* mentioned in item 26, nor does he mention having taken part in any inland expedition*: see his map, plate 24].
We were busy until the seventeenth of March in providing ourselves with our needs and wants and refreshing. [Decided by the Broad Council* to sail without waiting for the two return-ships that had remained behind. All ships to make ready to defend themselves, in view of the war-rumours.]
On the 20th the crew went ashore by turns, according to custom, to refresh themselves....
On the twenty-second [dr], after the farewell feast, the commander gave the signal to depart. We were then five ships, Vryheit, Wapen van ter Veer, Hof van Breda, Zuid-polsbroek, and Spanbroek. At this each did his best to get up the anchor before the bow, but because of the strong wind this took more than three hours....
Next day the commander hoisted the white flag, in order to consult regarding the declination* of the compass, which was established as three degrees westerly....
Council* near Saint Helena to decide on the course for Ascension. Sargasso: ‘the ships got whole fields of the weed before their prows, and could go through only with difficulty’. Death of Coopman, corpse put in a coffin ‘aft on the kampanje’ [poop*], for burial on land later. Northabout*. Near Foula news that peace still reigned: shirts and shoes bartered for codfish. Cruisers* met, warships. Many sick. Several deaths ‘from the water, from which many suffer in the return-journeys from the Indies’ [? dropsy]. Texel July 9, 1691.
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