Chapter II: Part 2

The island of Savu having been visited by the Portuguese almost at their first sailing into this part of the world, they established a settlement upon it; but in a little time they were succeeded by the Dutch, who, though they did not formally possess themselves of the island, sent a number of trading vessels to establish a commerce with the natives. It is thought that the Dutch purchases are chiefly confined to provisions for the supply of the Spice Islands, the inhabitants of which, cultivating almost every spot of ground for the spice trade, breed but a small number of cattle. A few years ago the Dutch East India Company made an agreement with the several Rajas of the island, by which it was covenanted, that a quantity of rice, maize, and calevances should be annually furnished to the Dutch, who, in return, supply the Rajas with arrack, cutlery wares, linen, silk, and some other things. Small vessels, each of which is manned by ten Indians, are sent from Timor, to bring away the maize and calevances, and a ship which brings the articles which are furnished by the Dutch, receives the rice on board once a year: and there being three bays on the coast, this vessel anchors in each of them in its turn. The Rajas accept the Dutch articles of commerce as a present; and they and their chief attendants drink incessantly of the arrack till it is all gone. In the agreement abovementioned, the Rajas stipulated, that a Dutch resident should be constantly on the island, to observe that their part of the contract was fulfilled.

The Dutch having thus concluded the treaty, sent Mr. Lange to act as their resident, and a kind of assistant to him, whose father was a Portuguese, and his mother a native of Timor, with one Frederick Craig, whose father was a Dutchman, and his mother an Indian. Once every two months Lange is attended by fifty slaves on horse-back, and in this state visits each of the Rajas, and, if the crops are ripe, orders vessels to convey them immediately to Timor, so that they are not even housed on the island. It is a part of Lange’s business to persuade the land-owners to plant, if he sees that there has been any neglect on their part. He constantly takes with him a quantity of arrack, by the help of which he does not fail of making advantageous bargains with the Rajas.

Lange had been on this island ten years, during all which time he had not seen a white person, except those who came annually in the Dutch ship to carry off the rice. He is married to an Indian woman, a native of the island of Timor, and he lives in the same manner as the inhabitants of Savu, whose language he speaks better than any other; like them too he sits on the ground and chews betle, and has so perfectly adopted their manners, that he is an absolute Indian, except in dress and complexion.

Mr. Craig is employed in teaching the children to write and read, and instructing them in the principles of Christianity. The new testament, a catechism, and some other small books of divinity, have been printed in the language of Savu, and the adjacent islands, at the expence of the Dutch. Mr. Craig said, there were six hundred Christians in the township of Seba only; yet there is neither a church nor a clergyman throughout the island.

The religion of such of the natives of Savu as have not embraced Christianity, is a singular sort of Paganism, as every man makes choice of his own God, and worships him according to his own fancy; so that the variety of Deities, and the methods of adoring them, are scarcely fewer than the number of inhabitants. The morality of these people, however, is of the purest kind. A robbery is scarce ever committed, and a murder is never perpetrated. When any disputes arise between the natives, they instantly submit the point in debate to the decision of the Raja, and rest perfectly satisfied with his determination. No man is permitted to marry more than one wife; yet a violation of the marriage bed, or even the crime of simple fornication, is almost wholly unknown among them. Happy people! the purity of whose morals renders them fit objects of the envy and emulation of the Christian world.

Of the islands in the neighbourhood of Savu, the principal is Timor, which is annually visited by the Dutch residents on the other islands, in order to make up their accounts. Some of the towns on the north side of Timor are in the hands of the Portuguese; but the Dutch possess the far greater proportion of the island, on which they have built a fort, and erected several store-houses.

There are three small islands, called the Solars, which produce a great abundance of the various necessaries of life, that are carried in small vessels to the Dutch settlement on the island of Timor: these islands are low and flat, and one of them has a commodious harbour.

Westward from the Solars lies the little island of Ende, which is yet in the possession of the Portuguese, who have built a considerable town, called Larntuca, on the north east point of it; and close to the town is an harbour where ships may ride in safety.

The island of Rotte has a Dutch resident on it, whose business is similar to that of Mr. Lange on the island of Savu: Rotte produces, besides such things as are common to the other islands, a considerable quantity of sugar, which is now made to a great degree of perfection.

There is likewise a small island lying to the westward of Savu, the chief produce of which is areca-nuts, of which the Dutch receive, in exchange for European commodities, as large a quantity every year as will load two vessels.

A French ship was wrecked on the coast of Timor, about two years before the Endeavour was in these seas. She had been lodged on the rock several days, when the wind tore her to pieces in an instant, and the Captain, with the greater number of the seamen, were drowned; but a Lieutenant and about eighty men having reached the shore, travelled across the country of Concordia, where their immediate necessities were relieved, after which they returned to the wreck, in company with some Dutch and Indians, who assisted them in recovering all their chests of bullion, some of their guns, and other effects: which being done, they returned to Concordia, where they remained several weeks; but, in this interval, death made such havock among them, that not above half their number remained to be sent to their native country, which was done as soon as a vessel could be fitted out for that purpose.

To close the account of the island of Savu, it now only remains to give the following specimen of the language of its inhabitants.

Specimen of the language of the inhabitants of the island of SAVU.

Momonne, _A man_.
Monama, _An old man_.
Monecopai, _A boy_.
Anawuneekee, _A child_.
Madda, _The eyes_.
Otaile, _The temples_.
Sivanga, _The nose_.
Tangarei, _The forehead_.
Cavarànga, _The cheeks_.
Vaio, _The tongue_.
Lacoco, _The neck_.
Dùloo, _The belly_.
Pagàvee, _The chin_.
Càmaccoò, _The arms_.
Wùlalea, _The hand_.
Roòtoo, _The knees_.
Baibo, _The legs_.
Duneeala, _The feet_.
Row, _Hair_.
Gnaca, _A dog_.
Vavee, _A hog_.
Doomba, _A sheep_.
Maio, _A cat_.
Doleela, _A bird_.
Dulloo, _An egg_.
Nudoo, _A fish_.
Unjoo, _A turtle_.
Vooe, _Fruit_.
Nai, _Tobacco_.
Yirroo, _Oranges_.
Arre, _Rice_.
Lodo, _The sun_.
Wurroo, _The moon_.
Booro, _Bread_.
Cova, _A coat_.
Capa, _A ship_.
Sooree, _Red_.
Bulla, _Black_.
Sao-lodo, _The morning_.
Munda-lodo, _The evening_.
O, _Yes_.
Gnaa, _To eat_.
Neenawei, _To drink_.
Ta eaco, _To walk_.
Ta rai, _To run_.
Ta mudje, _To talk_.
Ta bunge, _To sneeze_.
Isse, or usse, _One_.
Rooe, _Two_.
Tulloo, _Three_.
Uppa, _Four_.
Lumee, _Five_.
Unna, _Six_.
Petoo, _Seven_.
Aroo, _Eight_.
Saio, _Nine_.
Singooroo, _Ten_.
Singooroo isse, _Eleven_.

The Endeavour sailed from the island of Savu on the 21st of September 1770, and bent her course westward. In the afternoon of this day a little flat island was discovered in 10 degrees 47 minutes south latitude, and 238 degrees 28 minutes west longitude, which has not been laid down in any of the charts hitherto published.

When the ship got clear of the several islands before-mentioned, there was a continual swell of the sea from the south, which Captain Cook imputed to the position of the coast of New South Wales, imagining it to have determined the sea in that direction.

On the 28th they steered north-west the whole day, in order to get sight of the land of Java; and on the 30th the Captain received from most of the officers and seamen their respective journals of the voyage, regarding which he advised them to observe the most profound secrecy: and he likewise possessed himself of the log-book. In the night following there was a storm of thunder and lightning, when the land of Java was seen to the eastward by the brightness of the lightning. In the morning they had sight of the island of Cracatoa, which is singular for the height of its peak.

Early in the morning of the 2d of October, when the ship was in fifteen fathom water, she was close in with the coast of Java, along which they now steered. As their faithful Indian friend Tupia was at this time extremely ill, the Captain dispatched a boat to the shore, to endeavour to bring him some refreshing fruits, and likewise to procure grass for the buffaloes. As soon as the boat landed, the inhabitants assisted the seamen in cutting grass for the cattle, and in gathering a bunch of plantains and a few cocoa-nuts, for which they received a shilling, and which were brought off to the ship. The land of Java had a delightful appearance, being every where well covered with trees.

This day they had sight of two Dutch vessels, and an officer being dispatched to one of them, to learn any interesting intelligence, he brought word back, that the Swallow had reached the English channel in safety, that disputes were carried to great lengths at home, in regard to the ministers, and in America, on account of taxes; and that the Russians, Poles and Turks, were embroiled in a war. The officer said, that the vessels were Dutch East Indiamen, bound from Batavia, one of them to the coast of Malabar, and the other to the island of Ceylon: he said likewise, that there was a kind of packet-boat, which he had been told, was appointed to carry letters from such Dutch ships as came thither to Batavia; but Captain Cook conjectured, that her business was to examine such ships as should pass the Streight.

The ship had now been some hours at anchor; but a light breeze springing up in the evening, they got under sail, and continued to proceed at a slow rate during the night. On the 3d, in the morning, the Dutch packet-boat was observed sailing after the Endeavour; but she bore away again on the shifting of the wind.

This changing of the wind obliging the Endeavour to come to an anchor, the master of the packet-boat came along-side of her, in one of the boats belonging to the country, bringing with him rice-birds, monkies, parrots, parroquets, ducks, fowls, turtle, and other things, with an intention to sell them; but as the stock which had been laid in at Savu was not yet consumed, and he had fixed very high prices on his commodities, very few articles were purchased: the Captain, however, bought twenty or thirty fowls, and a small turtle.

The master of the packet-boat had brought with him two books, in one of which he wrote down the Captain’s name, and that of the vessel, to be sent to the Governor and Council of the Indies; and in the other book he requested that some of the gentlemen on board would likewise write down the name of the vessel, with that of the Captain; where she came from, to what port she was bound, and as many particulars respecting any person on board, as themselves might think necessary, to satisfy the curiosity of any of their friends who might afterwards enquire for them. In this book many Portuguese vessels, and some of other countries had made entries of the same kind; but a Lieutenant on board the Endeavour having written the ship’s name, added only the words, “from Europe;” yet of this the master of the packet took no other notice, than by saying he was content with whatever they were pleased to write, which was intended solely for the information of their friends.

They now weighed the anchor, and made repeated attempts to sail; but the wind not blowing so as to enable the vessel to stem the current, she lay to till the morning of the 5th, when a Dutch officer came along-side the ship, and sent a printed paper to the Captain, in exceeding bad English; the contents of which were to enquire,

1st, The ship’s name, and to what nation she belonged?

2d, Whether she came from Europe, or any other place?

3d, What place she had last departed from?

4th, To what place she was bound?

5th, How many ships belonging to the Dutch Company had been seen at the last coast the ship had left, and their names?

6th, If one or more of these ships had been in company with the Endeavour, and was or were sailed for that, or any other place?

7th, If, during the voyage, any thing remarkable had happened, or been seen?

8th, If any ships had been seen and hailed at sea, or in the streight of Sunda, and what they were?

9th, If they had brought any other news worthy of attention, from the place whence the ship took her last departure; or if any thing else had happened during the voyage, that was worth communicating.

These questions were undersigned, “Batavia, in the castle. By order of the Governor General, and the Counsellors of India, J. BRANDER BUNGL, Sec.”

It was observed, that the officer had many other papers of the same kind, in French, Dutch, and other languages. Captain Cook did not think proper to answer any of the above questions, except the first and the fourth. When the Dutchman observed this, he said, that answers to the other questions were not material; yet he seemed to contradict what he had just advanced, by saying, that he must dispatch the paper to Batavia, and that it would reach that place by noon on the following day. This incident is particularly recorded, because the examining the ships which sail through the streight, is said to be a piece of Dutch policy of very modern date.

As soon as the Dutch officer was departed, the anchor was weighed; but the ship was obliged to come to an anchor again in about four hours, for want of wind to enable her properly to stem the current. A breeze soon springing up, the vessel held on her way till the following morning, when she was again obliged to be brought to an anchor, owing to the rapidity of the current. This day and the next they weighed the anchor, and brought to several times. On the 8th they weighed, and stood clear of a large ledge of rocks, which they had been near running fowl of the preceding day; but before noon this day they were once more obliged to anchor near a little island, which was not laid down in any chart that they had on board. It is one of those that bear the name of the Milles isles; and Messrs Solander and Banks having landed upon it, collected a few plants, and shot a bat which was a yard long, being measured from the extreme points of the wings; they also killed a few plovers, in all respects like the English golden plover. On this island, the breadth of which does not exceed one hundred yards, and the length five hundred, they found a house, and a little spot of cultivated ground, and on it grew the _Palma Christi_, from which the West Indians make the castor oil.

In a little time after the gentlemen came back to the snip, some Malays came along-side, in a boat, bringing with them some pumpkins, dried fish, and turtle for sale: one of the turtles, which weighed near one hundred and fifty pounds, they sold for a dollar, and seemed to expect the same piece of money for their pumpkins; but it being hinted to them that a dollar was too much, they desired that one might be cut, and a piece of it given to them: but this not being complied with, they at length sold six and twenty pumpkins for a Portuguese petacka. When they departed they intimated their wishes, that this transaction might not be mentioned at Batavia.

The ship now made but slow way till night, when the land breeze springing up, they sailed to the east south-east, and on the following day, by the assistance of the sea breeze, they came to an anchor in the road of Batavia. At this place they found a number of large Dutch vessels, the Harcourt East Indiaman from England, which had lost her passage to China, and two ships belonging to the private trade of our India Company.

The Endeavour had no sooner anchored, than a ship was observed, with a broad pendant flying, from which a boat was dispatched to demand the name of the vessel, with that of the Commander, &c. To these enquiries Captain Cook gave such answers as he thought proper, and the officer who commanded the boat departed. This gentleman and the crew that attended him were so worn down by the unhealthiness of the climate, that they appeared but as the shadows of men; which the Captain deemed a sad presage of the havock which death would soon make among his crew; yet at present there was not one invalid on board, except the Indian Tupia: the English tars, whose want of foresight and defiance of danger is notorious, seemed not to entertain the least idea that even sickness would attack a set of men so hardened as they were by different climates; but alas! they had very little idea of the fatal contagion which impregnates the air of Batavia.

The Captain now dispatched an officer to the Governor of the town, to apologize for the Endeavour’s not saluting; for he had but three guns proper for the purpose, except swivels, and he was apprehensive that they would not be heard.

The ship was at this time so leaky, that she made about nine inches water an hour, on the average; part of her false keel was gone; one of her pumps was totally useless, and the rest so very much decayed, that they could not last long. The officers and seamen concurring in opinion, that the ship could not safely put to sea again in this condition, the Captain resolved to solicit permission to heave her down; but as he had learnt that this must be done in writing, he drew up a petition, and had it translated into Dutch.

On Wednesday the 10th of October 1770, the Captain and the rest of the gentlemen went on shore, and applied to the only English gentleman then resident at Batavia: this gentleman, whose name was Leith, received his countrymen in the politest manner, and entertained them at dinner with great hospitality. Mr. Leith informed them, that a public hotel was kept in the town, by order of the Dutch government, at which place merchants and other strangers were obliged to lodge, and that the landlord of the hotel was bound to find them warehouses for their goods, on the condition of his receiving ten shillings on every hundred pounds of their value; but that as the Endeavour was a King’s ship, her officers, and the other gentlemen, might reside where they thought proper, only asking leave of the Governor, whose permission would be instantly obtained. Mr. Leith added, that they might live cheaper in this way than at the hotel, if they had any person who spoke the Malay tongue, on whom they could rely in the purchase of their provisions: but as there was no such person among the whole ship’s crew, the gentlemen immediately bespoke beds at the hotel.

In the afternoon Captain Cook attended the Governor General, who received him politely, and told him to wait on the Council the next morning, when his petition should be laid before them, and every thing he solicited would be readily granted.

Late in the evening of this day there happened a most terrible storm of thunder and lightning, accompanied with very heavy rain. In this storm the main-mast of a Dutch East Indiaman was split and carried away by the deck; and the main-top-mast and top-gallant-mast were torn to pieces; it is supposed, that the lightning was attracted by an iron spindle at the main-top-gallant-mast-head. The Endeavour, which was at a small distance from the Dutch ship, escaped without damage, owing, in Captain Cook’s opinion, to an electrical chain, which conducted the lightning over the side of the vessel: and he recommends chains of the same kind to be taken on board all ships, to whatever part of the globe they may be bound. A centinel on board the Endeavour, who was charging his musket at the time of the storm, had it shaken out of his hand, and the rammer-rod was broken in pieces: the electrical chain looked like a stream of fire, and the ship sustained a very violent shock.

On Tuesday the 11th Captain Cook waited on the gentlemen of the Council, who informed him, that all his requests should be complied with. In the interim, the other gentlemen made a contract with the master of the hotel, to furnish them and their friends with as much tea, coffee, punch and tobacco, as they might have occasion for, and to keep them a separate table, for nine shillings a day, English money; but on the condition that every person who should visit them, should pay at the rate of four shillings and six pence for his dinner, and the same sum for his supper and bed, if he chose to sleep at the hotel: they were likewise to pay for every servant that attended them fifteen pence a day.

It was soon discovered, that they had been vilely imposed on; for these charges were above twice as much as would have been demanded at a private house. They appeared to live elegantly, but at the same time were but ill supplied. Their dinner consisted of fifteen dishes, all served up at once; and their supper of thirteen; but of these, nine or ten were of the most ordinary, because the cheapest, poultry, that could be purchased; and even some of these dishes were observed to be served up four times successively: a duck, which was hot at dinner, brought cold in the evening; the next day it appeared in the form of a fricasee, and was converted to forced meat at night. Our countrymen, however, only fared as others had done before them: it was the constant custom of the conscientious master of the hotel, to treat all his guests in the same manner, when they first took up their residence at his house: if they took no notice of it, all was well, for the landlord had the better customers of them; if they remonstrated against such treatment, the table was better and better supplied from time to time, till, in the end, they had no reason to complain.

The gentlemen having found fault with their fare, were afterwards supplied in a better manner; but Mr. Banks, not approving the conduct of the master of the hotel, he hired lodgings for himself and his attendants at the adjoining house, for which he agreed to pay five and forty shillings a month: but here Mr. Banks was disappointed in the hope he had formed of living retired; for scarce a Dutchman had occasion to pass by the house, but he ran in without ceremony, to enquire what was to be sold; for it is a very unusual thing at Batavia, for strangers who are in a private capacity not to be furnished with some articles of traffick. In this house no person was permitted to sleep, as a guest of Mr. Banks, without his bed being separately paid for. It is the universal custom here to hire a carriage; and Mr. Banks engaged two, for which he paid eighteen shillings a day: these carriages are open chaises, in which two persons sit commodiously, and are driven by a man sitting on a kind of coach-box.

Their Indian friend Tupia had been till this time on board very dangerously ill, yet persisted to refuse every medicine that was offered him: Mr. Banks now sent for him to his house, in the hope that he might recover his health. While he was in the ship, and even after he was put into the boat, he was indisposed, and low spirited, in the utmost degree; but the moment he came into the town, his whole frame appeared as if re-animated. The houses, the carriages, the people, and many other objects, were totally new to him and astonishment took possession of his features at sights so wonderful: but if Tupia was astonished at the scene, his boy, Tayota, was perfectly enraptured, dancing along the streets in an extacy of joy, and examining the several objects as they presented themselves, with the most earnest inquisitiveness and curiosity.

Of all the circumstances which engaged the attention of Tupia, nothing struck him so much as the vast variety of dresses worn by the inhabitants of Batavia: he enquired the reason of what appeared so very extraordinary in his eyes, and being informed that the people were of a variety of nations, and that all were dressed according to the mode of their own country, he requested permission to follow the fashion: this request being readily complied with, a person was dispatched to the ship for some South Sea cloth, with which he soon clothed himself in the dress of the inhabitants of Otaheite. The people of Batavia, who had seen an Indian, brought thither in M. Bougainville’s ship, named Otourou, mistook Tupia for that man, and frequently enquired if he was not the same.

As the necessary repairs of the ship were to be made at Ourust, Captain Cook obtained an order to the superintendant of that island to receive her; and he wrote to the Secretary of the Admiralty, an account of the safe arrival of the Endeavour in the road of Batavia, and dispatched his letter by a Dutch ship that was bound to Europe.

Captain Cook now applied to several persons to advance him money sufficient to defray the expence of repairing the ship; but not one could be found in the whole town who had the requisite sum in his possession, or, if he had, was willing to advance it: he therefore made application to the Governor, who issued his orders, that he should be supplied out of the treasury of the Dutch East India Company.

Early in the morning of the 18th of October 1770, the ship got under sail, and proceeded to Ourust; and, in a day or two, the crew began to take out her stores, which were deposited in the wharf on Cooper’s Island; but this business was rendered unavoidably tedious, by several Dutch ships being at the same wharf, taking in their ladings of pepper.

After little more than a week spent at Batavia, the ill effects of the climate began to be severely felt. Dr. Solander and Mr. Banks were indisposed with fevers; Mr. Banks’s two servants were exceedingly ill; the Indian boy, Tayota, had an inflammation on his lungs; and Tupia was so bad, that his life was despaired of. Their indisposition was attributed partly to the heat of the climate, and partly to the swampy situation of the town, and the stench of the dirty canals with which it abounds.

By the 26th of the month, very few of the crew were well enough to do duty; and on this day a tent was erected for their reception. Tupia now requested to be conveyed to the ship, in the hope of breathing a purer air than in the town; but his request could not be granted, as she was unrigged, and preparations were making to lay her down, in order that she might undergo a thorough repair: on the 28th, however, Mr. Banks attended Tupia to Cooper’s Island, where a tent was pitched for him, in such a situation, where he was alternately refreshed by the land and sea breezes; and the poor creature was extremely thankful that he was so agreeably lodged. By this time the Surgeon was so ill, that he could not leave his bed; Mr. Banks’s fever was greatly encreased, and Dr. Solander grew worse every day.

The ship was at length laid down on the 5th of November, on which day died Mr. Monkhouse, the Surgeon, whose loss was the more severely felt, as he was a man of skill in his profession, and fell a sacrifice to the pestiferous air of the country, at a time when his abilities were most wanted. Dr. Solander, though extremely ill, had strength sufficient to see his remains committed to the ground, but Mr. Banks was unable even to pay this last sad duty to a worthy man.

Death now advanced with hasty strides among our adventrous countrymen, who were equally unable to resist his power, or shun his embraces. Several Malay servants were engaged, to wait on those who were ill; but these people were so remiss in their duty, that it was no uncommon thing for the sick man to leave his bed in search of his attendant. The Indian boy, Tayota, paid the debt of Nature on the 9th of this month, and Tupia, whose tender affection for the youth can be equalled only by that of a parent for a favourite child, was so shocked at the loss, that it was evident he could not long survive him.

By this time the ship’s bottom having been carefully surveyed, our countrymen had ample reason to be grateful to that Providence, by which they had been preserved during a passage of several hundred miles, through the most dangerous seas on the face of the globe: for the sheathing in several places was torn from the vessel, the false keel was in a great measure gone, the main keel was damaged in many parts, several of the planks had received great injury, and a part of three of them was thinner than the sole of a shoe!

Messrs. Solander and Banks were now so worn down by their disorders, that the Physician, who attended them, recommended the country air, as the only thing that could possibly restore them to the wishes of their friends. In consequence of this advice, they hired a country-house of the master of the hotel, who engaged to supply them with slaves, and to furnish their table; but as they had sufficiently experienced the worthlessness of these slaves, they bought two Malay women, who soon became excellent nurses, from that tenderness of Nature which does so much honour to the sex. While these gentlemen were taking measures for the recovery of their health, poor Tupia fell a victim to the ravages of his disorder, and to his grief for the deceased Tayota. When Tayota was first seized with the fatal disorder, he seemed sensible of his approaching end, and frequently said to those that were about him, Tyau mate see, “My friends, I am dying:” he was very tractable, and took any medicines that were offered to him; they were both buried in the island of Edam.

Captain Cook bestows great encomiums on the officers and workmen of the Marine Yard at Ourust, by whose skill and diligence the bottom of the ship was perfectly repaired by the 14th of the month; and he warmly recommends the heaving down with two masts, instead of one, which, he says, is undoubtedly the more expeditious, as well as the safer method.

By this time not above ten men, out of the whole ship’s crew, were able to do duty, and these were employed in getting the water and stores aboard, and in putting up the rigging: the water was purchased at Batavia, at the rate of one hundred and fifty gallons for six shillings and eight pence.

Captain Cook was now taken ill, and Mr. Sporing and a sailor, who attended Messrs. Banks and Solander at their country-house, were attacked with intermitting fevers; but those two gentlemen grew something better, though their recovery was very slow. Their house was situated on the borders of a rivulet, which, of course, assisted the circulation of the air; and it was likewise open to the sea breeze.

In the night of the 25th there fell such a shower of rain, for the space of four hours, as even our voyagers had scarce ever remembered. The water poured through every part of Mr. Banks’s house; and the lower apartments admitted a stream sufficient to have turned a mill. As this gentleman was now greatly restored in health, he went to Batavia the following day, and was surprized to see, that the inhabitants had hung out their bedding to dry. The westerly monsoon set in about the 26th of this month: it blows in the day-time from the north, or north-west, and from the south-west during the night: previous to this, there had been violent thunder, and hard showers of rain for several nights.

The musquitos and gnats, whose company had been sufficiently disagreeable in the dry weather, now began to swarm in immense numbers, rising from the puddles of water like bees from a hive: they were extremely troublesome during the night, but the pain arising from their sting, though very severe, seldom lasted more than half an hour; and in the day-time they seldom made their attacks. The frogs kept a perpetual croaking in the ditches; a certain sign that the wet season was commenced, and that daily rain might be expected.

The ship being repaired, the sick people being received on board her, and the greater part of her water and stores taken in, she sailed from Ourust on the 8th of December, and anchored in the road of Batavia. Twelve days were employed in receiving the remainder of her provisions, water, and other necessaries; though this business would have been done in much less time, but that some of the crew died, and the majority of the survivors were so ill, as to be unable to give their assistance.

On the 24th Captain Cook took leave of the Governor, and some other gentlemen, who had distinguished themselves by the civilities they shewed him: but at this juncture an incident occurred, that might have produced consequences by no means desirable. A sailor belonging to one of the Dutch snips in the road of Batavia, deserted from that vessel, and entered himself on board the Endeavour. The Captain of the Dutch ship having made application to the Governor, claiming the delinquent as a subject of the States General, the Governor issued his order for the restoration of the man: Captain Cook had but just taken a formal leave of the Governor when this order was delivered to him; and he said, that the man should be given up, if it appeared that he was a Dutchman. As the Captain was at this time on shore, and did not intend going on board till the following day, he gave the Dutch officer a note to the Lieutenant, who commanded on board the Endeavour, to deliver the deserter on the condition above-mentioned. On the following day the Dutchman waited on Captain Cook, informing him, that the Lieutenant had absolutely refused to give up the seaman; saying, that he was an Irishman, and of course a subject of his Britannick Majesty. Captain Cook applauded the conduct of his officer, and added, that it could not be expected, that he should deliver up an English subject. The Dutch officer then said, he was authorized, by the Governor, to demand the fugitive as a Danish subject, adding, that his name was entered in the ship’s books, as having been born at Elsineur: to this Captain Cook very properly replied, that the Governor must have been mistaken, when he gave this order for delivering the deserter, who had his option whether he would serve the Dutch or the English; but that in compliment to the Governor, the man should be given up, as a favour, if he appeared to be a Dane; but that, in this case, he should by no means be demanded as a right, and that he would certainly keep him, if he appeared to be a subject of the crown of Great Britain. The Dutchman now took his leave, and he had not been long gone, before the Captain received a letter from the commanding officer on board, containing full proof, that the man was an English subject. This letter the Captain carried to the Shebander, desiring him to lay it before the Governor, and to inform him, that the man should not be delivered up on any terms whatever. This spirited conduct on the part of Captain Cook had the proper effect; and thus the matter ended.

This day the Captain, attended by Mr. Banks and the other gentlemen who had hitherto lived in the town, repaired on board the ship, which got under sail the next morning. The Endeavour was saluted by the fort, and by the Elgin East Indiaman, which then lay in the road; but soon after these compliments were returned, the sea breeze setting in, they were obliged to come to an anchor. Since the arrival of the ship in Batavia road, every person belonging to her had been ill, except the sail-maker, who was more than seventy years old, yet this man got drunk every day while they remained there. The Endeavour buried seven of her people at Batavia, viz. Tupia and his boy, three of the sailors, the servant of Mr. Green, the astronomer, and the Surgeon: and at the time of the vessel’s sailing, forty of the crew were sick, and the rest so enfeebled by their late illness, as to be scarcely able to do their duty.

The town of Batavia is situated in six degrees ten minutes south latitude, and one hundred and six degrees fifty minutes east longitude, from the meridian of Greenwich. It is built on the bank of a large bay, something more than twenty miles from the Streight of Sunda, on the north side of the island of Java, in low boggy ground. Several small rivers, which rise forty miles up the country, in the mountains of Blaeuwen Berg, discharge themselves into the sea at this place, having first intersected the town in different directions. There are wide canals of nearly stagnated water in almost every street, and as the banks of these canals are planted with rows of trees, the effect is very agreeable; but these trees and canals combine to render the air pestilential. Some of the rivers are navigable, more than thirty miles up the country; and, indeed, the Dutch appear to have chosen this spot to build the town on, for the sake of water-carriage, in which convenience Batavia exceeds every place in the world, except the towns of Holland.

A writer, who published an account of this place near fifty years ago, makes the number of houses at that time 4760, viz. 1242 Dutch houses, and 1200 Chinese houses, within the walls; and 1066 Dutch houses, and 1240 Chinese houses, without the walls, with twelve houses for the vending of arrack. The streets of Batavia being wide, and the houses large, it stands on more ground than any other place that has only an equal number of houses.

In dry weather a most horrid stench arises from the canals, and taint the air to a great degree; and when the rains have so swelled the canals that they overflow their banks, the ground-floors of the houses, in the lower parts of the town, are filled with stinking water, that leaves behind it dirt and slime in amazing quantities. The running streams are sometimes as offensive as the stagnant canals; for the bodies of dead animals are frequently lodged on the shallow parts, where they are left to putrify, and corrupt the air, except a flood happens to carry them away: this was the case with a dead buffaloe, while the crew of the Endeavour were there, which lay stinking on the shoal of a river, in one of the chief streets, for several days.

They sometimes clean the canals; but this business is performed in such a manner, as scarcely to make them less a nuisance than before; for the bottom being cleared of its black mud, it is left on the side of the canal till it is hard enough to be taken away in boats; and as there are no houses for necessary retirement in the whole town, the filth is thrown into the canals regularly once a day, so that this mud is a compound of every thing that can be imagined disagreeable and offensive.

There is a new church in Batavia, which is a fine piece of building, and the dome of it may be seen far off at sea. This church is illuminated by chandeliers of the most superb workmanship, and has a fine organ: most of the other public buildings are ancient, constructed in an ill taste, and give a very compleat idea of Dutch clumsiness.

Their method of building their houses seems to have been taught them by the climate. On the ground-floor there is no room but a large hall, a corner of which is parted off for the transaction of business: the hall has two doors, which are commonly left open, and are opposite each other, so that the air passes freely through the room, in the middle of which there is a court, which at once encreases the draft of air, and affords light to the hall: the stairs, which are at one corner, lead to large and lofty apartments above. The female slaves are not permitted to sit in any place, but in the alcove formed by the court; and this is the usual dining-place of the family.

The town of Batavia is encompassed by a river of shallow water, the stream of which is very rapid: within this river, which is of different widths in various places, is an old stone wall, much decayed in many places, and within the wall is a canal that is likewise much wider in some places than in others: so that there is no entering the gates of the town but by crossing two draw-bridges: there are but few guns on the ramparts, and no persons are permitted to walk there. There is a kind of citadel, or castle, in the north-east corner of the town, the walls of which are both broader and higher than they are in other parts; it is furnished with a number of large guns, which command the landing-place.

Apartments are provided in this castle for the Governor General and all the Council; and in case of a siege they have orders to retire thither.

In the castle are likewise a number of store-houses, in which the effects belonging to the Company are deposited. The Company have in their possession large quantities of gun-powder, which is kept in different places, that the lightning may not destroy the whole stock at once; a great number of cannon are likewise laid up within the castle.

There are a great many forts built in different parts of the country, several miles distant from Batavia, most probably erected to keep the natives in submission; and besides these there are a number of fortified houses, each mounting eight guns, and these are so stationed as to command the canals, and the roads on their borders. There are houses of this kind in many parts of the island of Java, and the other islands in its neighbourhood, of which the Dutch have obtained the possession. The Chinese having rebelled against the Dutch in the year 1740, all their principal houses were demolished by the cannon of one of these fortified houses, which is in the town of Batavia, where, likewise, there are a few more of them.

The roads of this country are simply banks between the ditches and canals; and the fortified houses being erected among the morasses near these roads, nothing is easier than to destroy them, and consequently to prevent an enemy from bringing any heavy artillery near the town; if, indeed, an enemy be only hindered a short time in his approach, he is effectually ruined, for the climate will preclude the necessity of the use of weapons for his destruction. Before the Endeavour had been a week at Batavia they began to feel the ill effects of the climate; half the crew were rendered incapable of doing their duty before the expiration of a month. They were informed, that it was a very uncommon thing for fifty soldiers, out of a hundred brought from Europe, to be alive at the expiration of the first year, and that of the fifty who might happen to be alive, not ten of those would be in sound health, and, probably, not less than half of them in the hospital. One would imagine that no man of common sense would be tempted to reside at Batavia, for any consideration of interest whatever; yet such is the insatiable thirst of gold, that men will voluntarily risk the loss of life to obtain it, and even ensure the loss of that health, without which the most splendid fortune cannot be enjoyed.

All the white inhabitants of Batavia are soldiers, and, at the expiration of five years service, they are bound to hold themselves in readiness to go to war, if they should be wanted; and the younger inhabitants are frequently mustered; but as they are neither trained nor exercised after the expiration of the five years above-mentioned, the little they have learnt is soon forgotten, and they would probably, if called to action, make as _good soldiers as the militia of the city of London_. The Portuguese, who live in this country, employ themselves very much in shooting the deer, and the wild hog, whence they become excellent marksmen. The Indians, of whatever nation, who reside here, and have either been made free, or were born so, are called Mardykers; but neither these nor the Chinese are acquainted with the use of fire-arms; yet, as these people are said to possess great personal bravery, much might be expected from their expert use of their daggers, swords and lances.

From what has been above written it is evident, that it would be a laborious task to attack Batavia by land; and it is not possible to make any attack at all by sea, for the shallowness of the water would hinder any vessels from advancing within cannon shot of the walls; indeed there is barely depth of water for a ship’s long-boat, excepting a narrow channel, called the river, which extends about half a mile into the harbour, and is strongly bounded on each side with piers the other end of it being directly under the fire of the castle; while its communication with the canals of the town is prevented by a boom of wood, which is every night shut precisely at six o’clock, and never opened till the following day.

Any number of ships may anchor in the harbour of Batavia, the ground of which is so excellent, that the anchor will never quit its hold. This harbour is sometimes dangerous for boats, when the sea breeze blows fresh; but, upon the whole, it is deemed the best and most commodious in all India.

There are a considerable number of islands which are situated round the outside of the harbour, and all these are in the possession of the Dutch, who destine them to different purposes. On one of them, which is called Purmerent, an hospital is erected, on account of the air being purer than it is at Batavia. In a second, the name of which is Kuyper, are erected a number of warehouses, in which are lodged the rice, and some other commodities, the property of the Dutch East India Company: at this island those ships belonging to different nations, which are to be repaired at Ourust, unlade their cargoes; and it was here that the stores of the Falmouth Man of War were laid up, when she was condemned, on her return from Manilla; her warrant officers, of whom mention has been made in the account of Captain Wallis’s voyage, were sent to Europe in Dutch ships, about half a year before the Endeavour anchored in the road of Batavia. A third of these islands, the name of which is Edam, is appropriated to the reception of such offenders, whose crimes are not deemed worthy of death, and hither they are transported from Holland, and detained from five to forty years, in proportion to the turpitude of the offence they have committed; the making of ropes is the principal part of the employment of these criminals.

The environs of Batavia have a very pleasing appearance, and would, in almost any other country, be an enviable situation. Gardens and houses occupy the country for several miles; but the gardens are so covered with trees, that the advantage of the land having been cleared of the wood that originally covered it, is almost wholly lost; while these gardens, and the fields adjacent to them are surrounded by ditches which yield not the most fragrant smell; and the bogs and morasses in the adjacent fields are still more offensive.

For the space of more than thirty miles beyond the town the land is totally flat, except in two places, on one of which the Governor’s country-seat is built, and on the other they hold a large market but neither of these places are higher than ten yards from the level of the plain. At near forty miles from the town, the land rises into hills, and the air is purified in a great degree; to this distance the invalids are sent by their physicians, when every other prospect of their recovery has failed, and the experiment succeeds in almost every instance, for the sick are soon restored to health; but they no sooner return to the town, than their former disorders visit them. On these hills the most opulent of the inhabitants have country-seats, to which they pay an annual visit. Those who reside constantly on the hills enjoy an almost perpetual flow of health; and most of the vegetables of Europe grow as freely here as in their native ground: the strawberry, in particular, flourishes greatly, which is a sufficient proof of the coolness of the air.

The rice of this country is very plentiful, and, in order to be brought to perfection, should lie under water more than half the time it is growing: but they have a sort which grows on the sides of the hills, which is unknown in the West India Islands; this sort is planted when the wet season commences, and the crop is gathered in soon after the rains are over.

The maize which grows near Batavia is gathered while young, and toasted in the ear. The land likewise produces carrots, pigeon-peas, celery, parsley, asparagus, onions, rhadishes, cabbages, lettuces, cucumbers, lentiles, kidney-beans, hysop, sage, rue, Chinese white rhadishes, which, when boiled, are not unlike a parsnip, common potatoes, sweet potatoes, wet and dry yams, millet, and the egg plant, the fruit of which, when broiled and eaten with salt and pepper, is most exquisite food.

Amazing quantities of sugar are produced here, and, while the quantity is beyond comparison greater, the care of cultivation is inconceivably less than in the West India Islands. White sugar is retailed at two-pence and two-pence half-penny the pound, and arrack is made of the molasses, with a small addition of rice, and the wine of the cocoa-nut. The inhabitants likewise raise a little indigo for their own use, but do not export it.

The fruits of this country are near forty in number, and of some of these there are several kinds. Pine apples grow in such abundance that they may be purchased, at the first hand, for the value of an English farthing; and they bought some very large ones for a half-penny a piece at the fruit shops, though they are excellent eating, it is imagined they are reared to equal perfection in the hot-houses of England. They grow so luxuriantly, that seven or eight suckers have been seen adhering to one stem.