[* An allusion perhaps to the "provincia aurifera", as the so-called
Beach was sometimes styled; VAN LINSCHOTEN, we know, had also surmised
the presence of gold in the South-land.]
* * *
In the morning of the 10th, the wind being N.W. by north, being close
inshore, we again held our course for the land; somewhat later in the day
we had West wind with a hard gale, with which we sailed along the coast;
about noon we cast anchor in 12 fathom clayey bottom without any shelter
from the W.N.W. wind; when we were at anchor there, the pinnace of the
Pera, in conformity with the above resolution was sent ashore well-manned
and armed, under command of the sub-cargo, but the heavy rolling of the
sea made it impossible to effect a landing. We accordingly made a man
swim ashore through the surf, who deposited a few small pieces of iron on
the beach, where he had observed numerous human footprints; but as
nothing more could be done, the pinnace went back to the yacht, which we
could not get round to eastward owing to the strong current; we were
accordingly forced to weigh the anchor again, and drift with the current,
and thus ran on along the coast till the first watch, when we cast
anchor, it being a dead calm and we having no knowledge of the water.
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