On April 19, they continued the voyage, and twelve days later were close to the American coast. In the morning of May 2 they entered the Bay of Virginia. Here a severe thunderstorm overtook them. The sails were quickly removed; yet the ship turned on her side with the masts in the water, making it necessary to cut the main mast, before the ship righted herself. “Several men on the upper deck were thrown into the sea and lost.” As a result of the misfortunes the Swedes were delayed several days in the bay. On the fifth they again turned north with a favorable wind, but the weather was cloudy, making it impossible for the mariners to take their bearings. On the ninth day of sailing, the captain, thinking that they had passed the Bay of New Sweden, gave orders to go south again. On the twelfth they arrived at Cape Henry, supposing they were in the mouth of the South River. In the bay they experienced another gust of wind. The ship was pressed down till her nettings were almost under water. Her masts stood, but the fore and mizzen sails snapped from the rigging like paper and were carried far out to sea. After an unsuccessful attempt to establish connections with two English vessels, which fled from them in the belief that they were pirates, information as to their whereabouts was gained from an Englishman, who came on board the _Örn_. The passengers were now very sick, some dying daily, but the fresh water, which was brought on board, revived them a little. On May 16 they continued their journey, and reached New Sweden Bay two days later. “Here the wind again betrayed them,” but on May 20 the sails were swelled, and in the evening they arrived before Fort Elfsborg, where they cast anchor. When the commander of Fort Casimir observed the _Örn_ riding at anchor before Elfsborg, he raised the Prince’s flag and sent Andrian van Tienhoven with four freemen on board the ship “to ascertain whence she came.” They remained on board over night, “being well treated,” and from these Rising learnt the condition of the Swedish colony and the weakness of the Dutch fort. He told the Dutch that he would demand the surrender of Fort Casimir, which had been placed on land belonging to the crown of Sweden, while they in turn assured him “that they cared not who possessed the fort as long as they were allowed to dwell there safely and freely.”