_The Run from the Island of Savu to Batavia, and an Account of the
Transactions there while the Ship was refitting_.
In the morning of Friday the 21st of September, 1770, we got under sail,
and stood away to the westward, along the north side of the island of
Savu, and of the smaller that lies to the westward of it, which at noon
bore from us S.S.E. distant two leagues. At four o'clock in the
afternoon, we discovered a small low island, bearing S.S.W. distant
three leagues, which has no place in any chart now extant, at least in
none that I have been able to procure: It lies in latitude 10° 47' S.,
longitude 238° 28' W.
At noon on the 22d, we were in latitude 11° 10' S., longitude 240° 38'
W. In the evening of the 23d, we found the variation of the needle to be
2° 44' W.; as soon as we got clear of the islands we had constantly a
swell from the southward, which I imagined was not caused by a wind
blowing from that quarter, but by the sea being so determined by the
position of the coast of New Holland.
At noon on the 26th, being in latitude 10° 47' S., longitude 249° 52'
W., we found the variation to be 3° 10' W., and our situation to be
twenty-five miles to the northward of the log; for which I know not how
to account. At noon on the 27th, our latitude by observation was 10° 51'
S., which was agreeable to the log; and our longitude was 252° 11' W. We
steered N.W. all day on the 28th, in order to make the land of Java; and
at noon on the 29th, our latitude by observation was 9° 31' S.,
longitude 254° 10' W.; and in the morning of the 30th, I took into my
possession the log-book and journals, at least all I could find, of the
officers, petty officers, and seamen, and enjoined them secrecy with
respect to where they had been.
At seven in the evening, being in the latitude of Java Head, and not
seeing any land, I concluded that we were too far to the westward: I
therefore hauled up E.N.E. having before steered N. by E. In the night,
we had thunder and lightning; and about twelve o'clock, by the light of
the flashes, we saw the land bearing east. I then tacked and stood to
the S.W. till four o'clock in the morning of the 1st of October; and at
six, Java Head, or the west end of Java, bore S.E. by E., distant five
leagues: Soon after we saw Prince's Island, bearing E. 1/2 S.; and at
ten, the island of Cracatoa, bearing N.E. Cracatoa is a remarkably
high-peaked island, and at noon it bore N. 40 E. distant seven leagues.
I must now observe that, during our run from Savu, I allowed twenty
minutes a-day for the westerly current, which I concluded must run
strong at this time, especially off the coast of Java, and I found that
this allowance was just equivalent to the effect of the current upon the
ship.[112]
[Footnote 112: This is a single but not an inconsiderable instance of
Cook's skill, in the important art of navigation.--E.]
At four o'clock in the morning of the 2d, we fetched close in with the
coast of Java, in fifteen fathom; we then stood along the coast, and
early in the forenoon, I sent the boat ashore to try if she could
procure some fruit for Tupia, who was very ill, and some grass for the
buffaloes that were still alive. In an hour or two she returned with
four cocoa-nuts, and a small bunch of plantains, which had been
purchased for a shilling, and some herbage for the cattle, which the
Indians not only gave us, but assisted our people to cut. The country
looked like one continued wood, and had a very pleasant appearance.
About eleven o'clock, we saw two Dutch ships lying off Anger Point, and
I sent Mr Hicks on board of one of them to enquire news of our country,
from which we had been absent so long. In the mean time it fell calm,
and about noon I anchored in eighteen fathom with a muddy bottom.[113]
When Mr Hicks returned, he reported that the ships were Dutch East
Indiamen from Batavia, one of which was bound to Ceylon, and the other
to the coast of Malabar; and that there was also a flyboat or packet,
which was said to be stationed here to carry letters from the Dutch
ships that came hither to Batavia, but which I rather think was
appointed to examine all ships that pass the Streight: From these ships
we heard, with great pleasure, that the Swallow had been at Batavia
about two years before.[114]
[Footnote 113: Mr Barrow advises that vessels should touch at Anger or
Angeire Point, for refreshments. He says it is vastly better than
stopping near North Island, on the Sumatra side, as the stores are much
superior, and the station is very healthy.--E.]
[Footnote 114: This is related in the preceding volume.--E.]
At seven o'clock a breeze sprung up at S.S.W., with which having
weighed, we stood to the N.E. between Thwart-the-way-Island and the Cap,
sounding from eighteen to twenty-eight fathom: We had but little wind
all night, and having a strong current against us, we got no further by
eight in the morning than Bantam Point. At this time the wind came to
the N.E., and obliged us to anchor in two-and-twenty fathom, at about
the distance of two miles from the shore; the point bore N.E. by E.,
distant one league, and here we found a strong current setting to the
N.W. In the morning we had seen the Dutch packet standing after us, but
when the wind shifted to the N.E. she bore away.[115]
[Footnote 115: There is considerable difficulty at certain seasons, in
working up this strait. Thus it is not unusual for a vessel going at a
wrong time, to be six weeks in accomplishing a distance, which at
another time may be gone over in twelve hours. This, however, is when
the Great Channel, as it is called, is attempted at a wrong season. The
Secured Passage or Bahonden, viz. betwixt Java and Prince's Island, is
more generally navigated, except by vessels coming from Bengal, Surat,
&c. which cannot reach the windward shore of Java against the south-east
monsoon. Those which take the Secured Passage soon get into anchoring
depth off the Java shore, which is one of its greatest advantages,--E.]
At six o'clock in the evening, the wind having obliged us to continue at
anchor, one of the country boats came along side of us, on board of
which was the master of the packet. He seemed to have two motives for
his visit, one to take an account of the ship, and the other to sell us
refreshments; for in the boat were turtle, fowls, ducks, parrots,
paroquets, rice-birds, monkies, and other articles, which they held at a
very high price, and brought to a bad market, for our Savu stock was not
yet expended: However, I gave a Spanish dollar for a small turtle, which
weighed about six-and-thirty pounds: I gave also a dollar for ten large
fowls, and afterwards bought fifteen more at the same price; for a
dollar we might also have bought two monkies, or a whole cage of
rice-birds. The master of the sloop brought with him two books, in one
of which he desired that any of our officers would write down the name
of the ship and its commander, with that of the place from which she
sailed, and of the port to which she was bound, with such other
particulars relating to themselves, as they might think proper, for the
information of any of our friends that should come after us: And in the
other he entered the names of the ship and the commander himself, in
order to transmit them, to the governor and council of the Indies. We
perceived that in the first book many ships, particularly Portuguese,
had made entries of the same kind with that for which it was presented
to us. Mr Hicks, however, having written the name of the ship, only
added "from Europe." He took notice of this, but said, that he was
satisfied with any thing we thought fit to write, it being intended
merely for the information of those who should enquire after us from
motives of friendship.
Having made several attempts to sail with a wind that would not stem the
current, and as often come to an anchor, a proa came along-side of us in
the morning of the 5th, in which was a Dutch officer, who sent me down a
printed paper in English, duplicates of which he had in other languages,
particularly in French and Dutch, all regularly signed, in the name of
the governor and council of the Indies, by their secretary: It
contained nine questions, very ill expressed, in the following terms:
"1. To what nation the ship belongs, and its name?
"2. If it comes from Europe, or any other place?
"3. From what place it lastly departed from?
"4. Whereunto designed to go?
"5. What and how many ships of the Dutch Company
by departure from the last shore there layed, and their
names?
"6. If one or more of these ships in company with this,
is departed for this or any other place?
"7. If during the voyage any particularities is happened
or seen?
"8. If not any ships in sea, or the Streights of Sunda,
have seen or hailed in, and which?
"9. If any other news worth of attention, at the place
from whence the ship lastly departed, or during the voyage,
is happened?
BATAVIA, in the Castle.
"By order of the Governor-General
and the Counsellors of India,
J. BRANDER BUNGL, Sec."
Of these questions I answered only the first and the fourth; which when
the officer saw, he said answers to the rest were of no consequence: Yet
he immediately added, that he must send that very paper away to Batavia,
and that it would be there the next day at noon. I have particularly
related this incident, because I have been credibly informed that it is
but of late years that the Dutch have taken upon them to examine the
ships that pass through this Streight.[116]
[Footnote 116: The Dutch East-India Company claimed the absolute
sovereignty of the Straits of Sunda, as possessing the kingdom of
Bantam, on the shore of Java, and having conquered the land of Lampon
and other provinces on the opposite side.--E.]
At ten o'clock the same morning, we weighed, with a light breeze at
S.W.; but did little more than stem the current, and about two o'clock
anchored again under Bantam Point, where we lay till nine; a light
breeze then springing up at S.E. we weighed and stood to the eastward
till ten o'clock the next morning, when the current obliged us again to
anchor in twenty-two fathom, Pulababi bearing E. by S. 1/2 S. distant
between three and four miles. Having alternately weighed and anchored
several times, till four in the afternoon of the 7th, we then stood to
the eastward, with a very faint breeze at N.E. and passed Wapen Island,
and the first island to the eastward of it; when the wind dying away, we
were carried by the current between the first and second of the islands
that lie to the eastward of Wapen Island, where we were obliged to
anchor in thirty fathom, being very near a ledge of rocks that run out
from one of the islands. At two the next morning we weighed with the
land-wind at south, and stood out clear of the shoal; but before noon
were obliged to come-to again in twenty-eight fathom, near a small
island among those that are called the Thousand Islands, which we did
not find laid down in any chart. Pulo Pare at this time bore E.N.E.
distance between six and seven miles.
Mr Banks and Dr Solander went ashore upon the island, which they found
not to be more than five hundred yards long, and one hundred broad; yet
there was a house upon it, and a small plantation, where among other
things was the _Palma Christi_, from which the caster-oil is made in the
West Indies:[117] they made a small addition to their collection of
plants, and shot a bat, whose wings when extended measured three feet
from point to point: They shot also four plovers, which exactly
resembled the golden plover of England. Soon after they returned, a
small Indian boat came along-side with two Malays on board, who brought
three turtles, some dried fish, and a few pumpkins: We bought the
turtle, which altogether weighed a hundred and forty-six pounds, for a
dollar, and considering that we had lately paid the Dutchman a dollar
for one that weighed only six-and-thirty pounds, we thought we had a
good bargain. The seller appeared equally satisfied, and we then treated
with him for his pumpkins, for which he was very unwilling to take any
money but a dollar; we said that a whole dollar was greatly too much; to
which he readily assented, but desired that we would cut one and give
him a part: At last, however, a fine shining Portuguese petack tempted
him, and for that he sold us his whole stock of pumpkins, being in
number twenty-six. At parting, he made signs that we should not tell at
Batavia that any boat had been aboard us.
[Footnote 117: The Ricinus Communis: The oil is obtained from the seeds,
either by expression or decoction.--E.]
We were not able to weather Polo Pare this day, but getting the
land-wind at south about ten o'clock at night, we weighed and stood to
the E.S.E. all night. At ten in the morning, we anchored again, to wait
for the sea-breeze; and at noon it sprung up at N.N.E. with which we
stood in for Batavia road, where at four o'clock in the afternoon we
came to an anchor.
We found here the Harcourt Indiaman from England, two English private
traders of that country, thirteen sail of large Dutch ships, and a
considerable number of small vessels.
A boat came immediately on board from a ship which had a broad pendant
flying, and the officer who commanded having enquired who we were, and
whence we came, immediately returned with such answers as we thought fit
to give him: Both he and his people were pale as spectres a sad presage
of our sufferings in so unhealthy a country; but our people, who, except
Tupia, were all rosy and plump seemed to think themselves so seasoned by
various-climates that nothing could hurt them.[118] In the mean time, I
sent a lieutenant ashore to acquaint the governor of our arrival and to
make an excuse for our not saluting; for as I could salute with only
three guns, except the swivels, which I was of opinion would not be
heard, I thought it was better to let it alone. As soon as the boat was
dispatched, the carpenter delivered me an account of the defects of the
ship, of which the following is a copy:
"The defects of his Majesty's bark Endeavour,
"Lieutenant James Cook Commander.
"The ship very leaky, as she makes from twelve to six
inches water an hour, occasioned by her main keel being
wounded in many places, and the scarfs of her stern being
very open: The false keel gone beyond the midships from
forward, and perhaps farther, as I had no opportunity of
seeing for the water; when hauled ashore for repairing:
Wounded on the larboard side under the main channel,
where I imagine the greatest leak is, but could not come at
it for the water: One pump on the larboard side useless; the
others decayed within an inch and a half of the bore.
Otherwise masts, yards, boats, and hull, in pretty good condition."
As it was the universal opinion that the ship could not safely proceed
to Europe without an examination of her bottom, I determined to apply
for leave to heave her down at this place; and as I understood that it
would be necessary to make this application in writing, I drew up a
request, and the next morning, having got it translated into Dutch, we
all went ashore.
[Footnote 118: It is of some consequence to remember the circumstance of
the crew's good health on arriving at Batavia. So far the precautions
used for their welfare had been found very efficacious.--E.]
We repaired immediately to the house of Mr Leith, the only Englishman of
any credit who was resident at this place; he received us with great
politeness, and engaged us to dinner: To this gentleman we applied for
instructions how to provide ourselves with lodgings and necessaries
while we should stay ashore, and he told us that there was a hotel, or
kind of inn, kept by the order of government, where all merchants and
strangers were obliged to reside, paying half per cent, upon the value
of their goods for warehouse room, which the master of the house was
obliged to provide; but that as we came in a king's ship, we should be
at liberty to live where we pleased, upon asking the governor's
permission, which would be granted of course. He said that it would be
cheaper for us to take a house in the town, and bring our own servants
ashore, if we had any body upon whom we could depend to buy in our
provisions; but as this was not the case, having no person among us who
could speak the Malay language, our gentlemen determined to go to the
hotel. At the hotel, therefore, beds were immediately hired, and word
was sent that we should sleep there at night.
At five o'clock in the afternoon I was introduced to the
governor-general, who received me very courteously; he told me that I
should have every thing I wanted, and that in the morning my request
should be laid before the council, which I was desired to attend.
About nine o'clock we had a dreadful storm of thunder, lightning, and
rain, during which the main-mast of one of the Dutch East Indiamen was
split, and carried away by the deck; the main-top-mast and
top-gallant-mast were shivered to pieces; she had an iron spindle at the
main-top-mast-head, which probably directed the stroke. This ship lay
not more than the distance of two cables' length from ours, and in all
probability we should have shared the same fate, but for the electrical
chain which we had but just got up, and which conducted the lightning
over the side of the ship; but though we escaped the lightning, the
explosion shook us like an earthquake, the chain at the same time
appearing like a line of fire: A centinel was in the action of charging
his piece, and the shock forced the musket out of his hand, and broke
the rammer-rod. Upon this occasion I cannot but earnestly recommend
chains of the same kind to every ship, whatever be her destination, and
I hope that the fate of the Dutchman will be a warning to all who shall
read this narrative, against having an iron spindle at the
mast-head.[119]
[Footnote 119: Thunder storms are particularly frequent in this climate,
especially about the ends of the monsoons, at which times scarcely an
evening passes without one. But in general, it has been remarked, they
are not productive of much mischief; the reason, perhaps, why the
Indiaman was not furnished in the manner recommended. The Dutch are
scarcely to be charged with want of foresight, or with inattention to
their interests. Nevertheless, the advice here given is worthy of
attention, as well to them as to others.--E.]
The next morning I attended at the council-chamber, and was told that I
should have every thing I wanted. In the mean time, the gentlemen ashore
agreed with the keeper of the hotel for their lodging and board, at the
rate of two rix-dollars, or nine shillings sterling a-day for each; and
as there were five of them, and they would probably have many visitors
from the ship, he agreed to keep them a separate table, upon condition
that they should pay one rix-dollar for the dinner of every stranger,
and another for his supper and bed, if he should sleep ashore. Under
this stipulation they were to be furnished with tea, coffee, punch,
pipes and tobacco, for themselves and their friends, as much as they
could consume; they were also to pay half a rupee, or one shilling and
three-pence a-day for each of their servants.[120]
[Footnote 120: Captain Bligh, who got to Batavia in 1739, speaks very
indifferently of the hotel there. "One of the greatest difficulties,"
says he, "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 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." His officers, he tells us, complained of the tradesmen
imposing on them as to the price of goods, in consequence of which he
spoke to the sabander, who gave redress. He himself was obliged; on
account of his health, to have a house in the country.--E.]
They soon learnt that these rates were more than double the common
charges of board and lodging in the town, and their table, though it had
the appearance of magnificence, was wretchedly served. Their dinner
consisted of one course of fifteen dishes, and their supper of one
course of thirteen, but nine or ten of them consisted of bad poultry,
variously dressed, and often served up the second, third, and even the
fourth time: The same duck having appeared more than once roasted, found
his way again to the table as a fricasee, and a fourth time in the form
of forced meat. It was not long, however, before they learnt that this
treatment was only by way of essay, and that it was the invariable
custom of the house to supply all strangers, at their first coming, with
such fare as could be procured for the least money, and consequently
would produce the most gain: That if either through indolence or good
nature they were content, it was continued for the benefit of the host,
but that if they complained, it was gradually amended till they were
satisfied, which sometimes happened before they had the worth of their
money. After this discovery, they remonstrated, and their fare became
better; however, after a few days, Mr Banks hired a little house, the
next door on the left hand to the hotel, for himself and his party, for
which he paid after the rate of ten rix-dollars, or two pounds five
shillings sterling a-month; but here they were very far from having
either the convenience or the privacy which they expected; no person was
permitted to sleep in this private house occasionally, as a guest to the
person who hired it, under a penalty, but almost every Dutchman that
went by ran in without any ceremony, to ask what they sold, there having
been very seldom any private persons at Batavia who had not something to
sell. Every body here hires a carriage, and Mr Banks hired two. They are
open chaises, made to hold two people, and driven by a man sitting on a
coach-box; for each of these he paid two rix-dollars a-day.
As soon as he was settled in his new habitation, he sent for Tupia, who,
till now, had continued on board upon account of his illness, which was
of the bilious kind, and for which he had obstinately refused to take
any medicine. He soon came ashore, with his boy Tayeto, and though while
he was on board, and after he came into the boat, he was exceedingly
listless and dejected, he no sooner entered the town than he seemed to
be animated with a new soul. The houses, carriages, streets, people, and
a multiplicity of other objects, all new, which rushed upon him at once,
produced an effect like the sudden and secret power that is imagined of
fascination. Tayeto expressed his wonder and delight with still less
restraint, and danced along the street in a kind of extasy, examining
every object with a restless and eager curiosity, which was every moment
excited and gratified. One of the first things that Tupia remarked, was
the various dresses of the passing multitude, concerning which he made
many enquiries; and when he was told that in this place, where people of
many different nations were assembled, every one wore the habit of his
country, he desired that he might conform to the custom, and appear in
that of Otaheite. South-Sea cloth was therefore sent for from the ship,
and he equipped himself with great expedition and dexterity. The people
who had seen Otouron, the Indian, who had been brought hither by M.
Bougainville, enquired whether Tupia was not the same person: From these
enquiries, we learnt who it was that we had supposed to be Spaniards,
from the accounts that had been given of two ships by the
islanders.[121]
[Footnote 121: Should our limits allow it, an abstract of Bougainville's
voyage will be given as an appendix, in which mention will be made of
the Indian here alluded to.--E.]
In the mean time, I procured an order to the superintendant of the
Island of Onrust, where the ship was to be repaired, to receive her
there; and sent by one of the ships that sailed for Holland, an account
of our arrival here, to Mr Stephens, the secretary to the Admiralty.
The expences that would be incurred by repairing and refitting the ship,
rendered it necessary for me to take up money in this place, which I
imagined might be done without difficulty, but I found myself mistaken;
for after the most diligent enquiry, I could not find any private person
that had ability and inclination to advance the sum that I wanted. In
this difficulty I applied to the governor himself, by a written request,
in consequence of which, the shebander had orders to supply me with what
money I should require, out of the Company's treasury.
On the 18th, as soon as it was light, having by several accidents and
mistakes suffered a delay of many days, I took up the anchor, and ran
down to Onrust: A few days afterwards we went alongside of the wharf, on
Cooper's Island, which lies close to Onrust, in order to take out our
stores.
By this time, having been here only three days, we began to feel the
fatal effects of the climate and situation. Tupia, after the flow of
spirits which the novelties of the place produced upon his first
landing, sank on a sadden, and grew every day worse and worse. Tayeto
was seized with an inflammation upon his lungs, Mr Banks's two servants
became very ill, and himself and Dr Solander were attacked by fevers; in
a few days, almost every person both on board and ashore were sick;
affected, no doubt, by the low swampy situation of the place, and the
numberless dirty canals which intersect the town in all directions. On
the 26th, I set up the tent for the reception of the ship's company, of
whom there was but a small number able to do duty. Poor Tupia, of whose
life we now began to despair, and who till this time had continued
ashore with Mr Banks, desired to be removed to the ship, where, he said,
he should breathe a freer air than among the numerous houses which
obstructed it ashore: On board the ship, however, he could not go, for
she was unrigged, and preparing to be laid down at the careening-place;
but on the 28th, Mr Banks went with him to Cooper's Island, or, as it is
called here, Kuypor, where she lay, and as he seemed pleased with the
spot, a tent was there pitched for him: At this place both the
sea-breeze and the land-breeze blew directly over him, and he expressed
great satisfaction in his situation. Mr Banks, whose humanity kept him
two days with this poor Indian, returned to the town on the 30th, and
the fits of his intermittent, which was now become a regular tertian,
were so violent as to deprive him of his senses while they lasted, and
leave him so weak that he was scarcely able to crawl down stairs: At
this time, Dr Solander's disorder also increased, and Mr Monkhouse, the
surgeon, was confined to his bed.
On the 5th of November, after many delays in consequence of the Dutch
ships coming alongside the wharfs to load pepper, the ship was laid
down, and the same day, Mr Monkhouse, our surgeon, a sensible skilful
man, fell the first sacrifice to this fatal country, a loss which was
greatly aggravated by our situation. Dr Solander was just able to attend
his funeral, but Mr Banks was confined to his bed. Our distress was now
very great, and the prospect before us discouraging in the highest
degree: Our danger was not such as we could surmount by any efforts of
our own; courage, skill, and diligence were all equally ineffectual, and
death was every day making advances upon us, where we could neither
resist nor fly. Malay servants were hired to attend the sick, but they
had so little sense either of duty or humanity, that they could not be
kept within call, and the patient was frequently obliged to get out of
bed to seek them.[122] On the 9th, we lost our poor Indian boy, Tayeto,
and Tupia was so much affected, that it was doubted whether he would
survive till the next day.
[Footnote 122: The Malays are not indebted to the representations of any
author who has ever been at the pains to paint their character. What
every body says, is at least likely to be true; and if so, they are a
compound of every thing that is terrific in the rudest of the species,
and of every thing that is odious in human nature, when corrupted to the
extreme. Desperadoes in courage, and gluttons in revenge, they have also
the low cunning and the treacherous plausibility with all the licentious
propensities of the most designing and profligate of mankind. Their
advancement in the arts which render life comfortable, and sometimes,
too, embellish even vice, cannot in any measure redeem them into
favourable estimation. They are in most points inferior (perhaps in
every respect, save navigation,) to all the nations that inhabit the
vast peninsula of Eastern India.--E.]
In the mean time, the bottom of the ship being examined, was found to be
in a worse condition than we apprehended: The false keel was all gone to
within twenty feet of the stern-post; the main keel was considerably
injured in many places; and a great quantity of the sheathing was torn
off, and several planks were much damaged; two of them, and the half of
a third, under the main channel near the keel, were, for the length of
six feet, so worn, that they were not above an eighth part of an inch
thick, and here the worms had made their way quite into the timbers; yet
in this condition she had sailed many hundred leagues, where navigation
is as dangerous as in any part of the world: How much misery did we
escape by being ignorant that so considerable a part of the bottom of
the vessel was thinner than the sole of a shoe, and that every life on
board depended upon so slight and fragile a barrier between us and the
unfathomable ocean! It seemed, however, that we had been preserved only
to perish here; Mr Banks and Dr Solander were so bad that the physician
declared they had no chance for recovery but by removing into the
country; a house was therefore hired for them at the distance of about
two miles from the town, which belonged to the master of the hotel, who
engaged to furnish them with provisions, and the use of slaves. As they
had already experienced their want of influence over slaves that had
other masters, and the unfeeling inattention of these fellows to the
sick, they bought each of them a Malay woman, which removed both the
causes of their being so ill served; the women were their own property,
and the tenderness of the sex, even here, made them good nurses.[123]
While these preparations were making, they received an account of the
death of Tupia, who sunk at once after the loss of the boy, whom he
loved with the tenderness of a parent.[124]
[Footnote 123: Dr Hawkesworth seems to have forgotten here the
superiority of a simple diet over the tribe of nurses; it would seem,
too, as if nature did not possess in this climate any considerable
skill in surgery or medicine.--E.]
[Footnote 124: Tupia merited some eulogium; and it is singular that Dr
Hawkesworth did not bestow it. This, however, has been done by Mr
Forster, in his account of Cook's second voyage.--E.]
By the 14th, the bottom of the ship was thoroughly repaired, and very
much to my satisfaction: It would, indeed, be injustice to the officers
and workmen of this yard, not to declare, that, in my opinion, there is
not a marine yard in the world where a ship can be laid down with more
convenience, safety, and dispatch, nor repaired with more diligence and
skill. At this place they heave down by two masts, a method which we do
not now practise; it is, however, unquestionably more safe and
expeditious to heave down with two masts than one, and he must have a
good share of bigotry to old customs, and an equal want of common sense,
who will not allow this, after seeing with what facility the Dutch heave
down their largest ships at this place.
Mr Banks and Dr Solander recovered slowly at their country-house, which
was not only open to the sea breeze, but situated upon a running stream,
which greatly contributed to the circulation of the air: But I was now
taken ill myself; Mr Sporing, and a seaman who had attended Mr Banks,
were also seized with intermittents; and, indeed, there were not more
than ten of the whole ship's company that were able to do duty.
We proceeded however in rigging the ship, and getting water and stores
aboard: The water we were obliged to procure from Batavia, at the rate
of six shillings and eight-pence a leager, or one hundred and fifty
gallons.
About the 26th, the westerly monsoon set in, which generally blows here
in the night from the S.W., and in the day from the N.W. or N. For some
nights before this, we had very heavy rain, with much thunder; and in
the night between the 25th and 26th, such rain as we had seldom seen,
for near four hours without intermission. Mr Banks's house admitted the
water in every part like a sieve, and it ran through the lower rooms in
a stream that would have turned a mill: He was by this time sufficiently
recovered to go out, and upon his entering Batavia the next morning, he
was much surprised to see the bedding every where hung out to dry.
The wet season was now set in, though we had some intervals of fair
weather.[125] The frogs in the ditches, which croak ten times loader
than any frogs in Europe, gave notice of rain by an incessant noise
that was almost intolerable, and the gnats and musquitos, which had been
very troublesome even during the dry weather, were now become
innumerable, swarming from every plash of water like bees from a hive;
they did not, however, much incommode us in the day, and the stings,
however troublesome at first, never continued to itch above half an
hour, so that none of us felt in the day the effects of the wounds they
had received in the night.
[Footnote 125: They reckon two seasons or monsoons in this climate. The
east, or good one, begins about the end of April, and continues till
about the beginning of October. During this, the trade-winds usually
blow from the south-east and east-south-east, and there is fine weather,
with a clear sky. The west, or bad monsoon, begins about the end of
November, or commencement of December, and continues till towards the
end of February, during which the winds are mostly from the west. This
is the most unhealthy season. It has been remarked, but not explained,
that the periods of the monsoons are not so regular as they once were,
so that neither their beginning nor end can be so confidently depended
on. The months not included in either of the monsoons are called
shifting-months.--E.]
On the 8th of December, the ship being perfectly refitted, and having
taken in most of her water and stores, and received the sick on board,
we ran up to Batavia Road, and anchored in four fathom and a half of
water.[126]
[Footnote 126: Batavia Road is reckoned one of the best in the world for
size, safety, and goodness of anchorage. It is open indeed from the
north-west to east north-east and east; nevertheless, ships lie quite
secure in it, as there are several islands on that side which break the
force of the waves. There is no occasion for mooring stern and stern in
it.--E.]
From this time, to the 24th, we were employed in getting on board the
remainder of our water and provisions, with some new pumps, and in
several other operations that were necessary to fit the ship for the
sea, all which would have been effected much sooner, if sickness and
death had not disabled or carried off a great number of our men.
While we lay here, the Earl of Elgin, Captain Cook, a ship belonging to
the English East India Company, came to anchor in the road. She was
bound from Madras to China, but having lost her passage, put in here to
wait for the next season. The Phoenix, Captain Black, an English country
ship, from Bencoolen, also came to an anchor at this place.
In the afternoon of Christmas-eve, the 24th, I took leave of the
governor, and several of the principal gentlemen of the place, with whom
I had formed connexions, and from whom I received every possible
civility and assistance; but in the mean time an accident happened which
might have produced disagreeable consequences. A seaman had run away
from one of the Dutch ships in the road, and entered on board of mine:
The captain had applied to the governor to reclaim him as a subject of
Holland, and an order for that purpose was procured: This order was
brought to me soon after I returned from my last visit, and I said, that
if the man appeared to be a Dutchman, he should certainly be delivered
up. Mr Hicks commanded on board, and I gave the Dutch officer an order
to him to deliver the man up under that condition. I slept myself this
night on shore, and in the morning the captain of the Dutch commodore
came and told me that he had carried my order on board, but that the
officer had refused to deliver up the man, alleging not only that he was
not a Dutchman, but that he was a subject of Great Britain, born in
Ireland; I replied, that the officer had perfectly executed my orders,
and that if the man was an English subject, it could not be expected
that I should deliver him up. The captain then said, that he was just
come from the governor to demand the man of me in his name, as a subject
of Denmark, alleging that he stood in the ship's books as born at
Elsineur. The claim of this man as a subject of Holland being now given
up, I observed to the captain that there appeared to be some mistake in
the general's message, for that he would certainly never demand a Danish
seaman from me who had committed no other crime than preferring the
service of the English to that of the Dutch. I added, however, to
convince him of my sincere desire to avoid disputes, that if the man was
a Dane, he should be delivered up as a courtesy, though he could not be
demanded as a right; but that if I found he was an English subject, I
would keep him at all events. Upon these terms we parted, and soon after
I received a letter from Mr Hicks, containing indubitable proof that the
seaman in question was a subject of his Britannic majesty. This letter I
immediately carried to the shebander, with a request that it might be
shewn to the governor, and that his excellency might at the same time be
told I would not upon any terms part with the man. This had the desired
effect, and I heard no more of the affair.[127]
[Footnote 127: Whatever may be thought of the advantage of such policy,
it is certain that Cook acted here in the full spirit of a British
officer and _minister_. Every reader must be aware how materially the
same determination on the part of our government has tended to embroil
us with the Americans, betwixt whom and us, the question of fact, as to
country, is often much more difficult of solution than it can well be
where any other people oppose our claims.--E.]
In the evening I went on board, accompanied by Mr Banks, and the rest of
the gentlemen who had constantly resided on shore, and who, though
better, were not yet perfectly recovered.
At six in the morning of the 26th, we weighed and set sail, with a light
breeze at S.W. The Elgin Indiaman saluted us with three cheers and
thirteen guns, and the garrison with fourteen; both which, with the help
of our swivels, we returned, and soon after the sea-breeze set in at N.
by W. which obliged us to anchor just without the ships in the road.
At this time the number of sick on board amounted to forty, and the rest
of the ship's company were in a very feeble condition. Every individual
had been sick except the sail-maker, an old man between seventy and
eighty years of age; and it is very remarkable, that this old man,
during our stay at this place, was constantly drunk every day:[128] We
had buried seven, the surgeon, three seamen, Mr Green's servant, Tupia,
and Tayeto, his boy. All but Tupia fell a sacrifice to the unwholesome,
stagnant, putrid air of the country, and he who, from his birth, had
been used to subsist chiefly upon vegetable food, particularly ripe
fruit, soon contracted all the disorders that are incident to a sea
life, and would probably have sunk under them before we could have
completed our voyage, if we had not been obliged to go to Batavia to
refit.
[Footnote 128: Cases similar to this are of constant occurrence, and are
familiarly known to medical men who have a principle to account for it.
The _continual_ operation of exciting causes so as to produce a certain
degree of action of the system, will prevent, as well as remedy,
diseases of debility. The plague has been kept off by a like treatment
on the same principle, and so has the ague, an intermitting fever so
formidable in some countries. Giving over or abating of this stimulating
treatment, however, if other circumstances remain the same, will, of
course, render the person as obnoxious as ever to attack, or rather more
so. It is evident that at times this cure is as bad as the disease; for
scarcely any state of health is more deplorably fatal than constant
drunkenness.--E.]