Occurrences at Batavia and Passage thence to England.
OCTOBER 1789.
In the afternoon at four o'clock I went on shore and landed at a house by
the river where strangers first stop and give an account who they are,
whence they came, etc. From this place a Malay gentleman took me in a
carriage to Sabandar, Mr. Engelhard, whose house was in the environs of
the city on the side nearest the shipping. The Sabandar is the officer
with whom all strangers are obliged to transact their business: at least
the whole must go through his hands. With him I went to pay my respects
to the governor-general who received me with great civility. I acquainted
his excellency with my situation and requested my people might be taken
care of and that we should be allowed to take a passage to Europe in the
first ship that sailed. I likewise desired permission to sell the
schooner and launch. All this his excellency told me should be granted. I
then took leave and returned with the Sabandar who wrote down the
particulars of my wants in order to form from them a regular petition to
be presented to the council the next day. I had brought from the governor
of Coupang, directed for the governor-general at Batavia, the account of
my voyage and misfortune, translated into Dutch from an account that I
had given to Mr. van Este. So attentive had they been at Timor to
everything that related to us.
There is a large hotel at Batavia fitted up purposely for the
accommodation of strangers, who are not allowed to reside at any other
place. It is situated near the great river in a part of the city that is
reckoned the most airy and healthy. Nevertheless I found the air hot and
suffocating and was taken ill in the night with a violent pain in my
head.
Friday 2.
The next morning at nine the council sat and I attended, accompanied by
the Sabandar; and was informed that the council had complied with all I
had requested.
When I returned to the hotel my headache increased and a violent fever
came on. I sent to acquaint the Sabandar of my situation and was soon
after attended by the head surgeon of the town hospital Mr. Aansorp, by
whose care and skill in less than 24 hours the fever considerably abated
but a severe headache continued. I had an invitation from the
governor-general to dine with him, which of course I was obliged to
decline.
I hired a carriage which cost three dollars per day for the benefit of
taking an airing. My lodgings at the hotel were so close and hot that I
desired the Sabandar to apply to the Governor-General for leave to hire a
house in the country; which request his excellency not only immediately
complied with but gave directions for my being accommodated at the house
of the physician or surgeon-general Mr. Sparling.
One of my people, Thomas Hall, being ill with a flux I obtained leave for
him to be sent to the country hospital which is a convenient airy
building.
Tuesday 6.
This morning at sunrise I left the hotel and was carried to Mr.
Sparling's house, about four miles distant from the city and near the
convalescent hospital which at this time had also sick men in it, the
whole number of patients amounting to 800. I found everything prepared
for my comfort and convenience. Mr. Sparling would suffer me to take no
medicine though I had still considerable fever with headache: but I found
so much relief from the difference of the air that in the evening I was
able to accompany Mr. Sparling on a visit to the governor-general at one
of his country seats, where we found many ladies all dressed in the Malay
fashion, some of them richly ornamented with jewels. I had invitations
from several gentlemen and some very kindly pressed me to make their
country houses my abode till my health should be reestablished.
My indisposition increasing, Mr. Sparling advised me to quit Batavia as
speedily as possible and represented the necessity of it to the
governor-general. I was informed from his excellency that the
homeward-bound ships were so much crowded that there would be no
possibility of all my people going in one ship, and that they could be
accommodated no other way than by dividing them into different ships.
Seeing therefore that a separation was unavoidable I determined to follow
the advice of the physician and, as a packet was appointed to sail for
Europe on the 16th instant, I sent to request of the governor that I
might be allowed to take a passage in her for myself and as many of my
people as they were able to receive. In answer to this I was acquainted
that myself and two more could be accommodated in the packet, she being
too small to admit a greater number; but that I might rest assured of
passages being provided for those that remained by the earliest
opportunities.
Friday 9.
This day anchored in the road the General Elliot, an English ship
commanded by Captain Lloyd. In the Straits of Banca he had met with some
boats belonging to the East India Company's ship Vansittart that was lost
in the straits of Billaton by having struck on a rock that went through
her bottom. Captain Wilson, who commanded the Vansittart, I was informed
had just finished a survey of those Straits and was hoisting his boat in
when the ship struck. Immediately on receiving the intelligence Captain
Lloyd, in the General Elliot and another ship in company called the
Nonsuch, sailed for the wreck. They found the ship had been burnt down to
the water's edge by the Malays. They however saved 40 chests of treasure
out of 55 which were said to have been on board. Most of the ship's
company were saved: one man only was lost in the ship, and five others in
a small boat were missing who were supposed to have taken some of the
treasure. The greater part of the people went with Captain Wilson to
China, and some were with Captain Lloyd.
Saturday 10.
This morning the Resource was sold by public auction: the custom at
Batavia is to begin high and to lower the price till some person bids;
and the first bidder is the buyer. She was accordingly put up at 2000
rix-dollars but to my great disappointment no one offered to purchase
before the auctioneer had lowered the demand to 295 rix-dollars, for
which price she was sold, the purchaser being an Englishman, Captain John
Eddie, who commanded an English ship from Bengal. If no strangers had
been present at the sale I imagine they would have let her run down to
200 dollars, in which case I should have had no alternative.
The launch likewise was sold. The services she had rendered us made me
feel great reluctance at parting with her; which I would not have done if
I could have found a convenient opportunity of getting her conveyed to
Europe.
Little as the schooner had sold for I found I was in danger of having the
sum lessened; for the Sabandar informed me that by an order of the
council there was a duty on the sale of all vessels. With this demand I
would by no means comply for I thought I had sufficiently suffered in
sustaining a loss of 705 rix-dollars out of 1000 by the purchase and sale
of the vessel, she having cost 1000 rix-dollars.
This day Thomas Hall, whom I had sent to be taken care of at the
hospital, died. He had been ill of a flux from the time of our arrival at
Timor.
Monday 12.
I agreed with the captain of the packet for a passage to Europe for
myself, my clerk, and a servant. The Sabandar informed me it was
necessary that my officers and people should be examined before a notary
respecting the loss of the Bounty, as otherwise the governor and council
were not legally authorised to detain her if she should be found in any
of the Dutch settlements. They were therefore at my desire examined, and
afterwards made affidavit before the governor and council at the
Stadthouse.
My officers complaining to me of the unreasonableness of some tradesmen's
bills I spoke to the Sabandar. A bill of 51 dollars for five hats he
reduced to 30 dollars and in other articles made proportionable
deductions.
Paper money is the currency of Batavia and is so understood in all
bargains. At this time paper was at 28 per cent discount: there is
likewise a difference in the value of the ducatoon which at Batavia is 80
stivers and in Holland only 63 stivers: this occasions a loss of 21 1/4
per cent on remittance of money. It therefore follows that if any person
at Batavia remits money by bills of exchange to Europe they lose by the
discount and the exchange 49 1/4 per cent.
Those who have accounts to pay and can give unexceptionable bills on
Europe will find a considerable saving by negotiating their bills with
private people who are glad to give for them a premium of 20 per cent at
the least. This discovery I made somewhat too late to profit by.
One of the greatest difficulties that strangers have to encounter is
their being obliged to live at the hotel. This hotel was formerly two
houses which by doors of communication have been made one. It is in the
middle of a range of buildings more calculated for a cold country than
for such a climate as Batavia. There is no free circulation of air and
what is equally bad it is always very dirty; and there is great want of
attendance. What they call cleaning the house is another nuisance; for
they never use any water to cool it or to lay the dust, but sweep daily
with brooms in such a manner that those in the house are almost
suffocated by a cloud of dust.
The months of December and January are reckoned the most unhealthy of the
year, the heavy rains being then set in. The account of the seasons as
given to me here I believe may be relied on.
The middle of November the west monsoon begins and rain.
December and January. Continual rain with strong westerly wind.
February. Westerly wind. Towards the end of this month the rain begins to
abate.
March. Intervals of fine weather. Wind westerly.
April. In this month the east monsoon begins. Weather generally fine with
showers of rain.
May. East monsoon fixed. Showery.
June and July. Clear weather. Strong east wind.
August and September. Wind more moderate.
October. In this month the wind begins to be variable with showers of
rain.
The current is said always to run with the wind. Nevertheless I found the
reverse in sailing from Timor to Java. Between the end of October and the
beginning of the ensuing year no Dutch ship bound for Europe is allowed
to sail from Batavia for fear of being near the Mauritius at the time of
the hurricanes which are frequent there in December and January.
My illness prevented me from gaining much knowledge of Batavia. Of their
public buildings I saw nothing that gave me so much satisfaction as their
country hospital for seamen. It is a large commodious and airy building
about four miles from the town, close to the side of the river, or rather
in the river: for the ground on which it stands has by labour been made
an island of, and the sick are carried there in a boat: each ward is a
separate dwelling and the different diseases are properly classed. They
have sometimes 1400 patients in it: at this time there were 800, but more
than half of these were recovered and fit for service, of whom 300 were
destined for the fleet that was to sail for Europe. I went through most
of the wards and there appeared great care and attention. The sheets,
bedding, and linen of the sick were perfectly neat and clean. The house
of the physician, Mr. Sparling, who has the management of the hospital is
at one extremity of the building: and here it was that I resided. To the
attention and care of this gentleman, for which he would receive no
payment, I am probably indebted for my life.
The hospital in the town is well attended, but the situation is so ill
chosen that it certainly would be the saving of many lives to build one
in its stead up the river, which might be done with great advantage as
water carriage is so easy and convenient. A great neglect in some of the
commanders of the shipping here was suffering their people to go dirty
and frequently without frock, shirt, or anything to cover their bodies,
which, besides being a public nuisance, must probably be productive of
ill health in the most robust constitution.
The governor-general gave me leave to lodge all my people at the country
hospital which I thought a great advantage and with which they were
perfectly satisfied. The officers however at their own request remained
in the town.
The time fixed for the sailing of the packet approaching, I settled my
accounts with the Sabandar, leaving open the victualling account to be
closed by Mr. Fryer the master previous to his departure, who I likewise
authorised to supply the men and officers left under his command with one
month's pay to enable them to purchase clothing for their passage to
England.
I had been at great pains to bring living plants from Timor, in six tubs,
which contained jacks, nancas, karambolas, namnams, jambos, and three
thriving breadfruit plants. These I thought might be serviceable at the
Cape of Good Hope if brought no farther: but I had the mortification of
being obliged to leave them all at Batavia. I took these plants on board
at Coupang on the 20th of August: they had experienced a passage of 42
days to my arrival here. The breadfruit plants died to the root and
sprouted afresh from thence. The karambolas, jacks, nancas, and namnams I
had raised from the seed and they were in fine order. No judgment can
hence be formed of the success of transporting plants, as in the present
trial they had many disadvantages.
Friday 16.
This morning being sunrise I embarked on board the Vlydte packet
commanded by Captain Peter Couvret, bound for Middleburgh. With me
likewise embarked Mr. John Samwell, clerk, and John Smith, seaman. Those
of our company who stayed behind the governor promised me should follow
in the first ships and be as little divided as possible. At 7 o'clock the
packet weighed and sailed out of the road.
Sunday 18.
On the 18th we spoke the Rambler, an American brig belonging to Boston,
bound to Batavia. After passing the Straits of Sunda we steered to the
north of the Cocos Isles. These islands, Captain Couvret informed me, are
full of coconut trees: there is no anchorage near them but good landing
for boats. Their latitude 12 degrees 0 minutes south. Longitude 96
degrees 5 minutes east.
In the passage to the Cape of Good Hope there occurred nothing worth
remark. I cannot however forbear noticing the Dutch manner of navigating.
They steer by true compass, or rather endeavour so to do, by means of a
small movable central card, which they set to the meridian: and whenever
they discover the variation has altered 2 1/2 degrees since the last
adjustment they again correct the central card. This is steering within a
quarter of a point, without aiming at greater exactness. The officer of
the watch likewise corrects the course for leeway by his own judgment
before it is marked down in the log board. They heave no log: I was told
that the company do not allow it. Their manner of computing their run is
by means of a measured distance of 40 feet along the ship's side: they
take notice of any remarkable patch of froth when it is abreast the
foremost end of the measured distance, and count half seconds till the
mark of froth is abreast the after end. With the number of half seconds
thus obtained they divide the number 48, taking the product for the rate
of sailing in geographical miles in one hour, or the number of Dutch
miles in four hours.
It is not usual to make any allowance to the sun's declination on account
of being on a different meridian from that for which the tables are
calculated: they in general compute with the numbers just as they are
found in the table. From all this it is not difficult to conceive the
reason why the Dutch are frequently above ten degrees out in their
reckoning. Their passages likewise are considerably lengthened by not
carrying a sufficient quantity of sail.
December 16.
In the afternoon we anchored in Table Bay.
December 17.
The next morning I went on shore and waited on his excellency M. Vander
Graaf who received me in the most polite and friendly manner. The
Guardian, commanded by Lieutenant Riou, had left the Cape about eight
days before with cattle and stores for Port Jackson. This day anchored in
table bay the Astree, a French frigate, commanded by the Count de St.
Rivel from the Isle of France, on board of which ship was the late
governor, the Chevalier d'Entrecasteaux. Other ships that arrived during
my stay at the Cape were a French 40-gun frigate, an East India ship, and
a brig, of the same nation: likewise two other French ships with slaves
from the coast of Mozambique bound to the West Indies: a Dutch packet
from Europe, after a four months passage: and the Harpy, a South Sea
Whaler with 500 barrels of spermaceti, and 400 of seal and other oils.
There is a standing order from the Dutch East India Company that no
person who takes a passage from Batavia for Europe in any of their ships
shall be allowed to leave the ship before she arrives at her intended
port. According to which regulation I must have gone to Holland in the
packet. Of this I was not informed till I was taking leave of the
governor-general at Batavia, when it was too late for him to give the
Captain an order to permit me to land in the channel. He however desired
I would make use of his name to governor Vander Graaf, who readily
complied with my request and gave the necessary orders to the Captain of
the packet, a copy of which his excellency gave to me; and at the same
time recommendatory letters to people of consequence in Holland in case I
should be obliged to proceed so far.
I left a letter at the Cape of Good Hope to be forwarded to governor
Phillips at Port Jackson by the first opportunity, containing a short
account of my voyage with a descriptive list of the pirates: and from
Batavia I had written to Lord Cornwallis, so that every part of India
will be prepared to receive them.
Saturday 2.
We sailed from the Cape in company with the Astree French frigate. The
next morning neither ship nor land were in sight. On the 15th we passed
in sight of the island St. Helena. The 21st we saw the island Ascension.
On the 10th of February, the wind being at north-east blowing fresh, our
sails were covered with a fine orange-coloured dust. Fuego, the
westernmost of the Cape de Verde islands and the nearest land to us on
that day at noon bore north-east by east half east, distance 140 leagues.
When we had passed the latitude of the Western Islands a lookout was kept
for some rocks which Captain Couvret had been informed lay in latitude 44
degrees 25 minutes north and 2 degrees 50 minutes east longitude from the
east end of St. Michael. This information Captain Couvret had received
from a person that he knew and who said he had seen them. On the 13th of
March we saw the Bill of Portland and on the evening of the next day,
Sunday March the 14th, I left the packet and was landed at Portsmouth by
an Isle of Wight boat.
Those of my officers and people whom I left at Batavia were provided with
passages in the earliest ships; and at the time we parted were apparently
in good health. Nevertheless they did not all live to quit Batavia. Mr.
Elphinstone, master's mate, and Peter Linkletter, seaman, died within a
fortnight after my departure, the hardships they had experienced having
rendered them unequal to cope with so unhealthy a climate as that of
Batavia. The remainder embarked on board the Dutch fleet for Europe, and
arrived safe at this country, except Robert Lamb, who died on the
passage, and Mr. Ledward the surgeon who has not yet been heard of. Thus
of nineteen who were forced by the mutineers into the launch it has
pleased God that twelve should surmount the difficulties and dangers of
the voyage and live to revisit their native country.
End of Project Gutenberg's A Voyage to the South Sea, by William Bligh