Hence he sailed for Bantam; by the way he recounts the danger he had like to have sustained, by ascending a burning Mountain.

Weighing Anchor, we steer’d our course for Bantam; but being much straitned by the way, for want of fresh water, we were compell’d to make up to the first Land we descry’d. Though the darkness of the night blinded our eyes from such discoveries, yet flames of fire not far distant from us, gave us perfect intelligence that land was not far off. That night we cast Anchor, fearing we might run foul of some rock or shelf: In the morning we saw a large track of Land before us, not knowing what place it should be. Our Captain commanded the Long-boat to be man’d out, to procure water, if any good were there: amongst the rest, I went for one; for I was very greedy to observe novelties. Coming on shore, and seeing this Hill now and then belch out flames, by my perswasions I made my fellows forget for a time their duty or errand they came about, to make some inquisition into this miracle of Nature. Whereupon we all resolved unanimously to ascend the Hill, and with much difficulty we came so nigh the top, that we heard a most hideous noise proceeding from the Concave thereof: so terrible it was, that we now began to condemn our rash attempt, and stood at a convenient distance, judging it the only medium of our safety. Whilst we were thus in a delirium, not knowing what was the best to be done; the Mountain was instantly possest with an Ague-fit, and afterwards vomiting up smoak and stones into the Air (which afterwards fell down in a shower upon our heads) we thought we could not escape without a miracle: and whilst we were all striving which way, with greatest expedition, we might eschew the danger, there rose in the midst of us such an heap of earth, ashes, and fire, with such kinde of combustible matter, as that we all seem’d as so many moveable burning Beacons: and without any thoughts of helping each other, every one endeavoured to secure himself. And although I was the last in the company, yet in this expedition it was much available to me; for my companions making more haste than good speed, tumbling down the Hill before me, fell several of them together; which blocks lying in my way, obstructed my passage, & so sav’d the breaking of my neck, which otherwise would have been inevitable. In this prodigious conflict, most of us lost the hair of our heads, not without receiving several batteries upon the Out-works of our bodies. At first sight we were much afraid; but the consequence made it appear, we were not more afraid than hurt. We made a shift to crawl down the rest of the way; and having fixt our unadvised feet on the bottom of the Mountain, we resolv’d we would never again pay so dearly for our curiosity, but forthwith went in search of some Spring, that might serve as well to quench our cloathes, as our thirst. What we sought for we quickly found; and so filling our empty Cask, we made what haste we could aboard. The Captain and the rest stood amaz’d to see us look so ghastly, and were very impatient to know what was the matter with us; we told them succinctly what had happened, and what great dangers we underwent: instead of pitying us, they only laught at us for being such adventurous fools. Having thus furnished our selves with what we wanted, we set sail again for Bantam; where we safely arriv’d in a short time.