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is very dry and barren for, during all the time we have searched and examined this part of the coast to our best ability, we have not seen one fruit-bearing tree, nor anything that man could make use of: there are no mountains or even hills, so that it may be safely concluded that the land contains no metals, nor yields any precious woods, such as sandalwood, aloes or columba.
    In our judgment this is the most arid and barren region that could be found anywhere on the earth. The inhabitants, too, are the most wretched and poorest creatures that I have ever seen in my age or time; as there are no large trees anywhere on this coast, they have no boats or canoes whether large or small. This is near the place which we touched at on the voyage out on Easter Day, April the 16th; in the new chart we have given to this spot the name Waterplaets.† At this place the beach is very fine, with excellent gravelly sand and plenty of delicious fish…
    In the morning of the 5th the wind was E , course held N ; at noon we were in 14° 5’ latitude; shortly after the wind went over to W , upon which we made for the land and cast anchor in two fathom; I went ashore myself in the pinnace which was duly armed. The blacks here attacked us with their weapons, but afterwards took to flight, upon which we went landinward for some distance, and found divers of their weapons, such as assegais and callaways, leaning against the trees. We took care not to damage these weapons, but tied pieces of iron and strings of beads to some of them, in order to attract the blacks who, however, seemed quite indifferent to these things, and repeatedly held up their shields with great boldness and threw them at the muskets. These men are, like all the others we have lately seen, of tall stature and very lean to look at, but malignant and evil-natured…
    In the morning of the 7th the wind was SE with fine weather. The skipper went ashore with the pinnace, with strict orders to treat the blacks kindly, and try to attract them with pieces of iron and strings of beads; if practicable, also to capture one or more. When at noon the men returned they reported that on their landing more than 100 blacks had collected on the beach with their weapons, and had with the strong arm tried to prevent them from coming ashore. In order to frighten them, a musket was accordingly fired, upon which the blacks fled and retreated into the wood, from where they tried every means in their power to surprise and attack our men. These natives resemble the others in shape and figure: they are quite black and stark naked, some of them having their faces painted red and others white, with feathers stuck through the lower part of the nose…
    In the morning of the 8th, the wind being ESE with good weather, I went ashore myself with ten musketeers. We saw numerous footprints of men and dogs (running from south to north). We accordingly spent some time there, following the footprints aforesaid to a river where we gathered excellent vegetables or pot-herbs. When we had got into the pinnace again, the blacks emerged with their arms from the wood at two different points; by showing them bits of iron and strings of beads we kept them on the beach, until we had come near them, upon which one of them, who had lost his weapon, was by the skipper seized round the waist, while at the same time the quartermaster put a noose round his neck, by which he was dragged to the pinnace.
    The other blacks, seeing this, tried to rescue their captured brother by furiously assailing us with their assagais. In defending ourselves we shot one of them, after which the others took to flight, upon which we returned on board without further delay. These natives resemble all the others in outward appearance: they are coal-black and stark naked with twisted nets round their heads…
    We cannot, however, give any account of their customs and ceremonies, nor did we learn anything about the thickness of the