When I came aboard Hartog was overjoyed at my return. "I shall have to
keep thee tied up, Peter," he said to me, in jest at my frequent
mishaps. "You are for ever either falling overboard or running away."
But when I told him of my adventure on Amazon Island he listened with
great interest, expressing regret that I should have pledged my word
against the ship's calling there. His disappointment, however, was
modified when I told him that nothing of any commercial value was to be
found upon either of the Engano Islands; nothing, in fact, being worthy
of notice but the wonderful contentment of the inhabitants, a commodity
which could not be carried away.
"Let us up stick and home, then," answered Hartog merrily. So, having
presented Sylvia and her accompanying Amazons with gifts, in return for
which they showed us where excellent water was to be obtained with
which we might replenish our tanks, we bade farewell to the Great
Barren Island, and shaped a course for Holland.
On our arrival at Amsterdam Hartog arranged for the disposal and
division of our treasure. He and I, as joint promoters of the
expedition, each took to the value of twenty thousand English pounds,
giving the remainder to be divided among our officers and crew, who had
never in their lives before looked to possess so much money.
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