On Friday, about nine or ten in the morning, we came among the inhabitants: for then we saw the footing [footprints] of people on the sand; and tame cattle with bells about their necks. Yet we kept on our way right down the river; knowing no other course to take, to shun the people. And as we went still forwards, we saw coracan corn sown in the woods; but neither town, nor people, nor so much as the voice of man: yet we were somewhat dismayed; knowing that we were now in a country inhabited by Malabars.
The Wanniounay or Prince of this people for fear, pays tribute to the Dutch; but stands far more affected towards the King of Kandy: which made our care the greater to keep ourselves out of his hands; fearing lest if he did not keep us himself, he might send us up to our old master. So that great was our terror again, lest meeting with people we might be discovered.
Yet there was no means now left us how to avoid the danger of being seen. The woods were so bad that we could not possibly travel in them for thorns; and to travel by night was impossible, it being a dark moon; and the river at night so full of elephants and other wild beasts coming to drink, as we did both hear and see, lying upon the banks with a fire by us. They came in such numbers, because there was water for them nowhere else to be had: the ponds and holes of water; nay the river itself, in many places being dry. There was therefore no other way to be taken, but to travel on in the river.
So down we went into the sand and put on as fast as we could set our legs to the ground: seeing no people, nor, I think, nobody us; but only buffaloes in abundance in the water.
