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ship's leaks were every day increasing, and urged, in 1768.
June.
more preffing terms, my request, that she might be
repaired, and that the use of wharfs and ftorehouses
might be afforded me.

On the 18th the shebander came again to me, and Saturd. 18.
acquainted me, that the Council had given orders for
the repair of the ship at Onruft, and, as there was no
ftore-house empty, had appointed one of the Company's
veffels to attend me, and take in my ftores. I inquired
whether there was not an answer to my letter in writ-
ing? To which he answered in the negative, adding,
that it was not ufual; a meffage by him, or fome
other officer, having been always thought fufficient.

After this I was fupplied, for my money, with every thing I could defire, from the Company's ftores, without any farther difficulty.

A pilot was ordered to attend me, and on the 22d Wednef. 22. we anchored at Onruft, where having cleared the fhip, and put her stores on board the Company's veffel, we found the bow-fprit and cap, as well as the main-yard, rotten, and altogether unferviceable, the fheathing every where eaten off by the worms, and the main planks of the ship's bottom fo much damaged and decayed, that it was abfolutely neceffary to heave her down, before she could be fufficiently repaired to fail for Europe; but as other ships were already heaved down, and confequently the wharfs at this time pre-occupied, the carpenters could not begin their work till the 24th of July.

July.

Sunday 24.

Under the hands of these people the ship continued till Tuesday the 16th of Auguft. When they came to Auguft. examine her bottom, they found it fo bad that they Tuesd. 16. were unanimously of opinion it should be shifted: this, however, I ftrenuously opposed; I knew she was an old Yhip, and I was afraid that if her bottom was opened it might be found ftill worse than it was thought, and poffibly fo bad as that, like the Falmouth, the might be condemned; I therefore defired that a good sheathing only might be put over all; but the bawfe, or master carpenter, would not confent, except I would certify under my hand, that what should be done to the ship was not according to his judgment but my own,

1768.

which he said was neceffary for his juftification, if, after fuch repairs only as I thought fit to direct had been made, the thip should come short of her port. As I thought this a reasonable propofition, I readily complied; but as I was now become answerable for the fate of the fhip, I had her carefully examined by my own Carpenter and his Mate, myself and officers always attending. The but-ends of the planks that joined to the ftern were fo open, that a man's hand might be thrust in between; feven chain-plates were broken and decayed, the iron-work, in general, was in a very bad state: feveral of the knees were loose, and fome of them were broken.

While I remained here, two ships belonging to our India Company put into this port, and we found, among other private fhips from India, one called the Dudly, from Bengal, which had proved fo leaky that it was impoffible to carry her back. Application had been made to the Governor and Council for leave to careen her, which had been granted; but as the wharfs had been kept in continual ufe, fhe had been put off above four months. The Captain, not without reason, was apprehensive that he might be kept here till the worms had eaten through the bottom of his veffel, and knowing that I had received particular civilities from Admiral Houting, applied to me to intercede for him, which I was very happy to do with fuch fuccefs, that a wharf was immediately allotted her. M. Houting is an old man, and an Admiral in the service of the States, with the rank of Commander in Chief of their marine, and the ships belonging to the Company in India. He received his firft maritime knowledge on board an English man of war, fpeaks English and French extremely well, and does honour to the fervice both by his abilities and politenefs: he was fo obliging as to give me a general invitation to his table, in confequence of which I was often with him, and it is with pleasure that I take this opportunity of making a public acknowledgment of the favours I received from him, and bearing this teftimony to his public and private merits: he was indeed the only officer be

longing

longing to the Company from whom I received any
civility, or with whom I had the least communication;
for I found them, in general, a reserved and fupercili-
ous fet of people. The Governor, although the fervant
of a republic, takes upon himself more ftate, in fome
particulars, than any sovereign prince in Europe.
Whenever he goes abroad, he is attended by a party
of horse guards, and two black men to go before his
coach, in the manner of running footmen, each having
a large cane in his hand, with which they not only clear
the way, but severely chaftife all who do not pay
the homage that is expected from people of all ranks,
as well those belonging to the country, as strangers. Al-
most every body in this place keeps a carriage, which
is drawn by two horses, and driven by a man upon a
box, like our chariots, but is open in front: whoeyer,
in fuch a carriage, meets the Governor, either in the
town or upon the road, is expected not only to draw
it on one fide, but to get out of it, and make a most
respectful obeifance while his Excellency's coach goes
by; nor must any carriage that follows him drive past
on any account, but keep behind him, however pref-
fing be the neceffity for hafte. A very mortifying ho-
mage, of the fame kind, is also exacted by the mem-
bers of the Council, called Edele Heeren; for whoever
meets them is obliged to stop his coach, and, though
not to get out, to stand up in it, and make his reverence
these Edele Heeren are preceded by one black man
with a stick, nor must any perfon prefume to pass their
carriage any more than that of the Governor. These
ceremonies are generally complied with by the Captains
of Indiamen, and other trading ships; but, having the
honour to bear his Majesty's commiffion, I did not
think myself at liberty to pay, to a Dutch Governor,
any homage, which is not paid to my own fo-
vereign; it is, however, constantly required of the
King's officers; and two or three days after I came
hither, the landlord of the hotel where I lodged, told
me, he had been ordered by the fhebander to let me
know, that my carriage, as well as others, must stop,
if I fhould meet the Governor or any of the Council;
but I defired him to acquaint the shebander that I could
not confent to perform any fuch ceremony; and upon his
intimating fomewhat about the black men with sticks,
VOL. I.
A a

I told

1768. Auguft.

1768.

Auguft.

I told him that if any infult should be offered me, I knew how to defend myself, and would take care to be upon my guard; at the fame time pointing to my piftols, which then happened to lie upon the table: upon this he went away, and about three hours afterwards he returned, and told me he had orders from the Governor to acquaint me that I might do as I pleased. The hotel at which I refided is licenfed by the Governor and Council, and all strangers are obliged to take up their abode there, except officers in his Majesty's fervice, who are allowed private lodgings, which, however, I did not chufe.

At this place I continued between three and four months, and during all that time I had the honour to fee the Governor but twice: the first time was at my arrival, when I waited upon him at one of his houses, a little way in the country; the next was in town, as he was walking before his house there, when I addreffed him upon a particular occafion. Soon after the news of the Prince of Orange's marriage arrived here, he gave a public entertainment, to which I had the honour of being invited; but having heard, that Commcdore Tinker, upon a like occafion, finding that he was to be placed below the gentlemen of the Dutch Council, had abruptly left the room, and was followed by all the Captains of his fquadron; and being willing to avoid the difagreeable dilemma of either fitting below the Council, or following the Commodore's example, I applied to the Governor to know the station that would be allotted me, before I accepted his invitation, and finding that I could not be permitted to take place of the Council, I declined it. On both these occafions I spoke to his Excellency by an English merchant, who acted as an interpreter. The first time he had not the civility to offer me the least refreshment, nor did he the last time fo much as afk me to go into the house.

The defects of the fhip were at length repaired, much to my fatisfaction, and I thought she might then fafely proceed to Europe, though the Dutch carpenters were of a different opinion. The proper feafon for failing was not yet arrived, and my worthy friend, Admiral Houting, reprefented that if I went to fea before

the

the proper time, I fhould meet with fuch weather off the Cape of Good Hope as would make me repent it; but being very ill myself, and the people being sickly, I thought it better to run the risk of a few hard gales off the Cape, than remain longer in this unhealthy place, especially as the weft monfoon was setting in, during which the mortality here is yet greater than at other times.

On Wednesday the 15th of September, therefore, September. we fet fail from Onruft, where the fhip had been re- Wednef. 15 fitted, without returning, as is ufual, into Batavia Road; and as I was not well, I fent my Lieutenant to take leave of the Governor on my behalf, and offer my service, if he had any dispatches for Europe. It was happy for me that I was able to procure a fupply of English feamen here, otherwife I should not at last have been able to bring the fhip home, for I had now loft no less than four and twenty of the hands I had brought out of Europe, and had four and twenty more fo ill, that seven of them died in our paffage to the Cape.

On the 20th we anchored on the fouth-eaft fide of Monday 20: Prince's Ifland, in the Streight of Sunda, and the next morning I fent out the boats for wood and water: of water, however, we could not get a fufficient quantity to complete our stock, for there had not yet been rain enough to fupply the springs, the wet monsoon having but just fet in. At this time we had the wind fo fresh from the fouth-eaft, which made this part of the island a lee shore, that I could not get under fail till the 25th, Friday 25. when, it being more moderate, we weighed, and worked over to the Java fhore. In the evening we anchored in a bay called by fome New Bay, and by others Canty Bay, which is formed by an ifland of the fame name. We had fourteen fathoms water, with a fine fandy bottom. The peak of Prince's Ifland bore N. 13 W. the westermoft point of New Island S. 82 W. and the eastermoft point of Java that was in fight, N. E. Our distance from the Java fhore was about a mile and a quarter, and from the watering-place a mile and an half. New Bay is the best place for wooding and watering of any in these parts: the water is extremely clear, and fo good that I made my people A a 2

ftave