Transactions at Batavia
Index
Search
Contact us
THE next day, which by our account was the 28th, but by the account of the Dutch at this place, was the 29th, we having lost a day by having steered westward a year, we anchored nearer to the town, and saluted the water fort with eleven guns, which were returned. We found here above a hundred sail great and small, and among others, a large English ship belonging to Bombay, which saluted us with thirteen guns.
There is always lying here a Dutch Commodore belonging to the Company, who, among his countrymen, is a person of very great consequence. This gentleman thought fit to send his boat on board of me, with only the cockswain in her, who was a very dirty ragged fellow: as soon as he was brought to me, he asked whence I came, whither I was bound, and many other questions, which I thought equally impertinent, at the same time pulling out a book, and pen and ink, that he might set down the answers; but as I was impatient to save him this trouble, he was desired immediately to walk over the ship’s side, and put off his boat, with which he was graciously pleased to comply.
When we came to this place, we had not one man sick in either of the ships; but as I knew it to be more unhealthy than any other part of the East Indies, as the rainy season was at hand, and arrack was to be procured in great plenty, I determined to make my stay here as short as possible. I went on shore to wait upon the Dutch Governor, but was
 |
Voyaging Accounts |  |
© Derived from Volume I of the London 1773 Edition: National Library of Australia call no. FERG 7243, page 131, 2004
Published by kind permission of the Library
To cite this page use: https://paulturnbull.org/project/southseas/journals/hv01/167.html