late colour, with lank black hair: they are under the common size, and seem to be a timorous, inoffensive race of men. They spoke a very different language from any we had met with. Men, women, and children, go wholly naked. It is said of our first parents, that after they had eaten the forbidden fruit, they saw themselves naked, and were ashamed; these people are naked, and are not ashamed. They live chiefly on fish, and wild fowl, and such other articles as the land naturally produceth; for they do not cultivate one foot of it. These people may truly be said to be in the pure state of nature, and may appear to some to be the most wretched upon earth; but, in reality, they are far more happy than we Europeans, being wholly unacquainted not only with the superfluities, but with many of the necessary conveniences, so much sought after in Europe: they are happy in not knowing the use of them. They live in a tranquillity, which is not disturbed by the inequality of condition: the earth and sea, of their own accord, furnish them with all things necessary for life; they covet not magnificent houses, household stuff, &c.; they sleep as sound in a small hovel, or even in the open air, as the King in his palace on a bed of down.
After quitting New Holland, we steered for the coast of New Guinea, where we landed but once: then made the best of our way to Batavia, and in our way touched at an island, partly under the Dutch East India Company. Here we got plenty of refreshments, which were very acceptable. We arrived at Batavia in Oct., all in good health and high spirits. On our arrival at a European settlement, we thought all our hardships at an end; but
