Dutch; but, from the vast extent of territory lately acquired in India,
we have plenty of that commodity without going to the Dutch market. Close
to the Dutch town is a Chinese town and temple. They have a governor of
their own nation, but pay large tribute to the Dutch. Notwithstanding
their trade is under very severe restrictions, they soon make rich; and,
as soon as they become independent, return to their own country. For
European and India goods the natives barter their produce, and sell their
prisoners of war, who are carried to Batavia as slaves, and the natives
of Java sent from Batavia to this place in return. As they hold their
tenure more from policy than strength, it would be impolitic to irritate
them, by exposing their countrymen, subjugated to the lash of slavery and
oppression.
An instance of this soul-couping business fell under our inspection while
here. One of the petty princes, in settling his account with a merchant
of this place, was some dollars short of cash. He just stepped to the
door, and casting his eye on an elderly man who was near him, he laid
hold of him; and, with the assistance of some of his myrmidons, gave him
up as a slave, and so settled his account. We felt more interested in the
fate of this poor wretch, on account of his having been a prince himself,
but never before saw the face of his oppressor. He went passenger in the
ship with us to Batavia.
It was a pleasing and flattering sight to an Englishman, at this remotest
corner of the globe, to see that Wedgewood's stoneware, and Birmingham
goods, had found their way into the shops of Coupang.
During our five weeks stay here, the Governor, Mynheer Vanion, by every
act of politeness and attention endeavoured to make us spend our time
agreeably. We were sumptuously regaled at his table every day, and the
evening was spent with cards and concerts. I could dwell with pleasure
for an age in praise of this honest Dutchman; it is the tribute of a
grateful heart, and his due. This is the third time he has had an
opportunity of extending his hospitality to shipwrecked Englishmen.
About a fortnight before we arrived, a boat, with eight men, a woman, and
two children, came on shore here, who told him they were the supercargo,
part of the crew, and passengers of an English brig, wrecked in these
seas. His house, which has ever been the asylum of the distressed, was
open for their reception. They drew bills on the British government, and
were supplied with every necessary they stood in need of.
The captain of a Dutch East Indiaman, who spoke English, hearing of the
arrival of Capt. Edwards, and our unfortunate boat, run to them with the
glad tidings of their Captain having arrived; but one of them, starting
up in surprise, said, "What Captain! dam'me, we have no Captain;" for
they had reported, that the Captain and remainder of the crew had
separated from them at sea in another boat. This immediately led to a
suspicion of their being impostors; and they were ordered to be
apprehended, and put into the castle. One of the men, and the woman, fled
into the woods; but were soon taken. They confessed they were English
convicts, and that they had made their escape from Botany Bay. They had
been supplied with a quadrant, a compass, a chart, and some small arms
and ammunition, from a Dutch ship that lay there; and the expedition was
conducted by the Governor's fisherman, whose time of transportation was
expired. He was a good seaman, and a tolerable navigator. They dragged
along the coast of New South Wales; and as often as the hostile nature of
the savage natives would permit, hauled their boat up at night, and slept
on shore. They met with several curious and interesting anecdotes in this
voyage. In many places of the coast of South Wales, they found very good
coal; a circumstance that was not before known. Our men were now
beginning to regain their strength; and Captain Dadleberg of the Rembang
Indiaman was making every possible dispatch with his ship to carry us to
Batavia.
During this time, the interment of Balthazar, King of Coupang, was
performed with much funeral pomp. The Governor, Lieutenant-Governor, and
all the Europeans were invited. Six months had been spent in preparations
for this fête, at which an emperor and twenty-five kings assisted and
attended in person with all their body-guards, standards, and
standard-bearers, were present. When the corpse was deposited in the
sepulchre, the Company's troops fired three vollies, and victuals and
drink were immediately served to four thousand people.
The Dutch and English officers were invited to a very sumptuous dinner,
at a table provided for the emperor and all the kings. The first toast
after dinner was the dead king's health. Next they drank Mynheer
Company's health, which was accompanied with a volley of small arms and
paterreros. The singularity of Mynheer Company's health, led us to
request an explanation; when we were informed, they found it necessary to
make them believe that Mynheer Company was a great and powerful king,
lest they should not be inclined to pay that submission to a company of
merchants.
The inaugural ceremony at the installation of the young king, was
performed by his drinking a bumper of brandy and gunpowder, stirred round
with the point of a sword. After being invested with the regal dignity,
he came down in state, to pay his respects to the governor. As he was
preceded by music, and colours flying, every one turned out to see him.
Amongst the rest was a captive king in chains, who was employed blowing
the bellows to our armourer, whilst he was forging bolts and fetters for
our prisoners and convicts. Here the sunshine of prosperity, and the
mutability of human greatness, were excellently pourtrayed.
By a policy in the Dutch, in supplying the petty princes with ammunition
and warlike stores, feuds and dissentions are kindled amongst them; and
they are kept so completely engaged in civil war, that they have no time
to observe the encroachments of strangers. That domestic strife serves
likewise amply to supply the slave trade from the prisoners of both
parties. They, however, some time since, made head against the common
enemy, and forced the Dutch to retire within their trenches.
It is the custom, in this climate, to bathe morning and evening. A fine
river, which runs in the centre of the town, is conveniently situated for
that purpose; and we availed ourselves of it when our strength would
permit. Nature has been profusely lavish, in producing, in the
neighbourhood of this place, all the varied powers of landscape that the
most luxuriant fancy can suggest. But, while enjoying the picturesque
beauties of the scene, or sheltering in the translucent stream from the
fervour of meridian heat, you are suddenly chilled with fear, from the
terrific aspect of the alligator, or crested snake, and a number of
venomous reptiles, with which this country abounds. There is one in
particular called the cowk cowk; it is the most disgusting looking animal
that creeps the ground, and its bite is mortal. It is about a foot and a
half long, and seems a production between the toad and lizard. At stated
periods it makes a noise exactly like a cuckoo clock. Even the natives
fly from it with the utmost horror. The alligators are daring and
numerous. There are instances of their devouring men and children when
bathing in the shallow part of the river above the town.
The Governor, Mynheer Vanion, relates a circumstance that happened to him
while hunting. In crossing a shallow part of the river, his black boy was
snapped up by an alligator; but the Governor immediately dismounted,
rescued the boy out of his mouth, and slew him.
The natives of Timor are subject to a cutaneous disease during their
infancy, something similar to the small pox, but of longer duration. It
seldom terminates fatally, and only seizes them once in their
lives.[165-1]
On the 6th of October, we embarked on board the Rembang Dutch Indiaman,
taking with us the prisoners and convicts. Our crew became very sickly in
passing the Straits of Alice [Allas]. We had frequent calms and sultry
weather until the 12th. In passing the island of Flores, a most
tremendous storm arose. In a few minutes every sail of the ship was
shivered to pieces; the pumps all choaked, and useless; the leak gaining
fast upon us; and she was driving down, with all the impetuosity
imaginable, on a savage shore, about seven miles under our lee. This
storm was attended with the most dreadful thunder and lightning we had
ever experienced. The Dutch seamen were struck with horror, and went
below; and the ship was preserved from destruction by the manly exertion
of our English tars, whose souls seemed to catch redoubled ardour from
the tempest's rage. Indeed it is only in these trying moments of
distress, when the abyss of destruction is yawning to receive them, that
the transcendent worth of a British seaman is most conspicuous. Nor would
I wish, from what I have observed above, to throw any stigma on the
Dutch, who I believe would fight the devil, should he appear in any other
shape to them but that of thunder and lightning.
It may be remarked, that the Straits of Alice are not so dangerous as
those of Sapy [Sapi], and are for many reasons preferable; but it is so
intricate a navigation that a Dutchman bound from Timor to Batavia,
after beating about for twelve months, found himself exactly where he
first started from.
On the 21st, we got through Alice, and saw three prow-vessels, who are a
very daring set of pirates that infest those seas. On the 22nd, saw the
islands of Kangajunk and Ulk, and run through the channel that is between
them. Next day we saw the island of Madura.
On the 26th, saw the island of Java; and on the 30th, anchored at
Samarang.
Immediately on our coming to anchor, we were agreeably surprised to find
our tender here which we had so long given up for lost. Never was social
affection more eminently pourtrayed than in the meeting of these poor
fellows; and from excess of joy, and a recital of their mutual
sufferings, from pestilence, famine, and shipwreck, a flood of tears
filled every man's breast.
They informed us, the night they parted company with us, the savages
attacked them in a regular and powerful body in their canoes; and their
never having seen a European ship before, nor being able to conceive any
idea of fire-arms, made the conflict last longer than it otherwise would;
for, seeing no missive weapon made use of, when their companions were
killed, they did not suspect any thing to be the matter with them, as
they tumbled into the water. Our seven-barrelled pieces made great havoc
amongst them. One fellow had agility enough to spring over their
boarding-netting, and was levelling a blow with his war-club at Mr.
Oliver, the commanding-officer, who had the good fortune to shoot him.
On not finding the ship next day, they gave up all further hopes of her,
and steered for Anamooka, the rendezvous Captain Edwards had appointed.
Their distress for want of water, if possible, surpassed that of our own,
and had so strong an effect on one of the young gentlemen, that the day
following he became delirious, and continued so for some months after it.
They at last made the island of Tofoa, near to Anamooka, which they
mistook for it. After trading with the natives for provisions and water,
they made an attempt to take the vessel from them, which they always will
to a small vessel, when alone; but they were soon overpowered with the
fire arms. They were, however, obliged to be much on their guard
afterwards, at those islands which were inhabited.
After much diversity of distress, and similar encounters, they at last
made the reef that runs between New Guinea and New Holland, where the
_Pandora_ met her unhappy fate; and after traversing from shore to shore,
without finding an opening, this intrepid young seaman boldly gave it the
stem, and beat over the reef. The alternative was dreadful, as famine
presented them on the one hand, and shipwreck on the other. Soon after
they had passed Endeavour Straits, they fell in with a small Dutch
vessel, who shewed them every tenderness that the nature of their
distress required.
They were soon landed at a small Dutch settlement; but the governor
having a description of the _Bounty's_ pirates from our court, and their
vessel being built of foreign timber, served to confirm them in their
suspicions; and as no officer in the British navy bears a commission or
warrant under the rank of lieutenant, where, by seal of office, their
person or quality may be identified, they had only their bare _ipse
dixit_ to depend on. They, however, behaved to them with great precaution
and humanity. Although they kept a strict guard over them, nothing was
withheld to render their situation agreeable; and they were sent, under a
proper escort, to this place.
This settlement is reckoned next to Batavia, and is so lucrative, that
the governor is changed every five years. The present governor's name is
Overstraaten, a gentleman of splendid taste and unbounded hospitality,
who lives in a princely style; and to the _otium dignitate_ of Asiatic
luxury, has the happiness to join an honest hearty Dutch welcome.
A regiment of the Duke of Wirtemburg is doing duty here, amongst whom
were several men of rank and fashion, who shewed us much civility and
politeness.
The town is regular and beautiful, and the houses are built in a style of
architecture, which has given loose to the most sportive fancy. Each
street is terminated with some public building, such as a great marine
school, for the education of young officers and seamen; an hospital for
decayed officers in the Company's service; churches; the Governor's
palace, &c. &c. Here the _utile dulce_ has not been neglected, and those
objects of national importance are placed in a proper point of view, as
the just pride and ornament of a great commercial people.
Such is the effect of early prejudices, that, under the muzle of the sun,
a Dutchman cannot exist without snuffing the putrid exhalations from
stagnant water, to which they have been accustomed from their infancy.
They are intersecting it so fast with canals, that in a year or two this
beautiful town will be completely dammed.
In a few days, we arrived at Batavia, the emporeum of the Dutch in the
East; and our first care was employed in sending to the hospital the
sickly remains of our unfortunate crew. Some dead bodies floating down
the canal struck our boat, which had a very disagreeable effect on the
minds of our brave fellows, whose nerves were reduced to a very weak
state from sickness. This was a _coup de grace_ to a sick man on his
_premier entree_ into this painted sepulchre, this golgotha of Europe,
which buries the whole settlement every five years.
It is not the climate I am inveighing against; it is the Gothic,
diabolical ideas of the people I indite.
Were they only Dutchmen who supplied the ravenous maw of death, it would
be impertinence in me to make any comment on it; but when the whole globe
lends its aid to supply this destructive settlement, and its baneful
effects arising more from the letch a Dutchman has for stagnant mud than
from climate, I hope the indulgent reader will pardon my spleen, when I
tell them professionally that all the mortality of that place originates
from marsh effluvia, arising from their stagnant canals and
pleasure-grounds.
The Chinese are here the Jews of the East, and as soon as they make their
fortune, they go home. Let the amateurs of the Republican system read and
learn. Be not surprised when it is observed, that these little great men,
those vile hawkers of spice and nutmegs, exact a submission that the most
absolute and tyrannical monarch who ever swayed a sceptre would be
ashamed of. The compass of my work will not allow me to be particular;
but I must instance one among many others. When an edilleer, or one of
the supreme council, meets a carriage, the gentleman who meets him must
alight, and make him a perfect bow in spirit; not one of Bunburry's long
bows, but that bow which carries humility and submission in it, that sort
of bow which every vertebræ in an English back is anchylosed against.
In our passage from this to the Cape, before we left Java, one of the
convicts had jumped over board in the night, and swam to the Dutch
arsenal at Honroost. In passing Bantan, we viewed the relics of Lord
Cathcart. We met nothing particular in passing the island of Sumatra, but
experienced great death and sickness in going through the Straits of
Sunda; and after a tedious passage, arrived at the Cape of Good Hope.
Here we met with many civilities from Colonel Gordon; a gentleman no less
eminent for his private virtues than his extraordinary military and
literary accomplishments. From his labours, all the host of voyagers and
historians of that part of the globe have been purloining; but it is to
be hoped the world will, at some future period, be favoured with his
works unmutilated.
The town is gay, and from length of habit, the inhabitants partake much
of the manners of Bath; and, for a short season, behave with the utmost
attention and tenderness. Their dress and customs are more characteristic
of the English than Dutch. An uncommon rage for building has lately
prevailed; and although they cannot boast of that chastity of style in
which Samarang is built it is gaudy, and calculated to please the
generality of observers.
Allow me to mention the singular manner in which the monkeys make
depredations on the gardens here. They place a proper piquet, or advanced
guard, as sentinels, when a party is drawn up in a line, who hand the
fruit from one to another; and when the alarm is given by the
piquet-guard, they all take flight, making sure that by that time the
booty is conveyed to a considerable distance. But should the piquet be
negligent in their duty, and suffer the main body to be surprised, the
delinquents are severely punished.
The same ill-fated rage for canalling-murder prevails here. They have
even contrived to carry canals to the top of a mountain. The boors, or
country-farmers, are a species of the human race, so gigantic and
superior to the rest of mankind, in point of size and constitution, that
they may be called nondescripts.
Their hospital, as to scite, surpasses any in the world. It may be
observed, however, that the architect, by the smallness of the windows,
which only serve to exclude the light and air, seems to have studied,
with much ingenuity, to render it a cadaverous stinking prison.
After being refreshed at the Cape, we passed St. Helena, the island of
Ascension, and arrived at Holland; and had the happiness, through the
interposition of divine Providence, to be again landed on our native
shore.
The Latitudes and Longitudes of the different places touched at or
discovered by his Majesty's ship _Pandora_, taken with the greatest
accuracy from the centre of the islands.
Names of Places. Latitudes. Longitudes.
Gomera, | 28 5 N | 17 8 W
Canary, N.E. point, | 28 13 N | 15 38 W
Teneriffe, Santa Cruz, | 28 27 N | 16 16 W
Palma, | 28 36 N | 17 45 W
St. Antonio, Cape de Verd Islands,
crossing the Line, | 17 0 N | 25 2 W
Rio Janeiro, | 22 54 S
Patagonia, Straits of Magellan,
Cape Julian, Staten Island, | 54 47 30 S | 63 58 27 W
Cape Horn, | 55 59 S | 67 21 W
Diego Ramarez,
Easter Island, | 27 7 S | 109 42 W
Ducie's Island, | 24 40 30 S | 124 40 30 W
Lord Hood's Island, | 21 31 S | 135 32 30 W
Carysfort Island, | 20 49 S | 138 33 W
Maitea, | 17 52 S | 148 6 W
Otaheite, Matavy Bay, | 17 29 S | 149 35 W
Huaheine, Owharre Bay, | 16 44 S | 151 3 W
Ulitea and Otaha, | 16 46 S | 151 33 W
Bolobola, | 16 33 S | 151 52 W
Mauruah, | 16 26 S | 152 33 W
Whytutakee, | 18 52 S | 159 41 W
Palmerston's Isles, | 18 0 S | 162 57 W
Duke of York's Island, | 8 33 30 S | 172 4 3 W
Duke of Clarence's Island, | 9 9 30 S | 171 30 46 W
Chatham's Island, | 13 32 20 S | 172 18 20 W
Ohatooah, | 13 50 S | 171 30 6 W
Anamooka, | 20 16 S | 174 30 W
Toomanuah, | 14 15 S | 169 43 W
Otutuelah, | 14 30 S | 170 41 W
Howe's Island, | 18 32 30 S | 173 53 W
Bickerton's Island, | 18 47 40 S | 174 48 W
Gardner's Island, | 17 57 S | 175 16 54 W
Pylestaart, | 22 23 S | 175 39 W
Eoah or Middleburgh, | 21 21 S | 174 34 W
Tongataboo, | 21 9 S | 174 41 W
Proby's Island, | 15 53 S | 175 51 W
Wallis's Island, | 13 22 S | 176 15 45 W
Grenville Island, | 12 29 S | 183 3 \ W
| | 176 57 / E
Pandora's Reef, | 12 11 S | 188 8 \ W
| | 171 52 / E
Mitre Island, | 11 49 S | 190 4 30 \ W
| | 169 55 30 / E
Cherry Island, | 11 37 30 S | 190 19 30 \ W
| | 169 55 30 / E
Pitt's Island, | 11 50 30 S | 193 14 15 \ W
| | 166 45 45 / E
Wells's Shoal, | 12 20 S | 202 2 \ W
| | 157 58 / E
Cape Rodney, \ Point of | 10 3 32 S | 212 14 5 \ W
M. Clarence in shore, | | | 147 45 45 / E
Cape Hood, / New Guinea | 9 58 6 S | 212 37 10 \ W
| | 147 22 50 / E
Murray's Isles, | 9 57 S | 216 43 \ W
| | 143 17 / E
Wreck Reef, | 11 22 S | 216 22 \ W
| | 143 38 / E
Batavia, | 6 10 S | 106 51 E
Straits of Sunda, | 6 36 15 S | 105 17 30 E
Cape of Good Hope, | 34 29 S | 18 23 E
St. Helena, | 15 55 S | 5 49 W
Ascension Island, | 7 56 S | 14 32 W
FINIS.
FOOTNOTES:
[165-1] This seems to be the earliest description of Yaws (_Framboesia_)
in these islands. Originating in Africa this contagious disease is
believed to have been disseminated by the slave trade. The Dutch or
Portuguese traders carried it from Madagascar and East Africa to Ceylon,
where it still bears the name of _Parangi Lede_, or Foreigners' Evil.
Though Hamilton did not observe it in the South Sea Islands the disease
was probably there, for Mariner, who was in Tonga in 1810, described it
as a well-established disease under the name of _Tona_.
INDEX
A.
Aitutaki Island,
visit to, 10, 40 _note_, 123;
Bligh supposed to be there, 102
Ale brewed at Namuka, 73
Anti-scorbutics, 100
Apia, 50 _note_
_Astrolabe_,
Pérouse's ship, 19;
relics of, 68 _note_
Australia, Northern,
sighted, 76;
landing on, 149
B.
Banks, Sir Joseph, 2, 112
Baring, carries letters to England, 84
Bark cloth, 115
Batavia, arrival at, 81
Beads found in Samoa, 56
Becke, Louis,
_The Mutineers_, 1;
_First Fleet Family_, 24
Bentham, Mr., Purser, 79, 118, 119
Blacks attack boats, 66, 149
_Blenheim_, wreck of, 3
Bligh, Captain, 1;
his character, 2;
boat voyage of, 2;
public sympathy with, 3;
supposed to be in Aitutaki, 102
Boat lost at Palmerston Island, 86, 126
Boat voyage
of Bligh, 2;
of Pereira, 3;
of Edwards, 22, 75, 147, 154
Bolabola visited, 39, 122
Bougainville,
warning, 20;
discovery of Samoa, 51, 56
_Bounty_,
fitting out, 2;
mutiny of, 2;
driver yard found, 9, 124;
anchor found, 34
_Boussole_,
Pérouse's ship, 19;
relics of, 68 _note_
Bread fruit,
plan to acclimatize, 1;
its uses, 112
Brewing ale at Namuka, 143
Broad, Mary, 23
Brown, John, 31;
his character, 105;
identifies mutineers, 105
Bryant, William, 23, 82
Bull taken by Mutineers, 36
Burkitt,
trial of, 25;
arrest of, 34;
executed, 37
Burn, Michael, acquitted, 37
Butcher, Convict, 24
Byron, _The Island_, 1
Byron, Captain, 40
C.
Canoes,
war, 114;
sailing, 53
Capetown, description of, 170
Carteret visits Vanikoro, 68 _note_
Carysfort Island, discovered, 30, 102
Cattle, 118
Cherry's Island, sighted, 67
Christian, Fletcher, 2, 102, 127;
his plan of forming settlement, 38
Churchill, murder of, 30, 70, 110
Cloudy Bay, 69 _note_
Coal found in Australia, 162
Cockle, gigantic, 125, 146
Cocoa, as anti-scorbutic, 100
Coleman, Joseph,
surrenders, 30, 102;
works pump, 73 _note_;
acquitted, 37
Consumption, 117
Convict jumps overboard, 169
Convicts,
escaped, at Timor, 23, 80, 161;
list of, 85;
find coal in Australia, 162
Cook, portrait of, 118
Coral Islands, how formed, 126
Corner, Lieut.,
character of, 5;
blames Edwards, 22;
pursues mutineers, 31, 103;
examines sand key, 72;
voyage home, 83;
ships plants, 99;
eats food from native temple, 104;
robbed by natives, 60, 134
Coupang,
arrival at, 79, 159;
funeral of king, 163
Court martial on mutineers, 24
Cox, Captain, 31
Cox, James, escaped convict, 82
D.