On Friday the 19th of February, Le Cerf, the military officer who commanded the soldiers on shore, was recalled, as it was said, to fit out an expedition for the island of Bally; on the 7th of March, the largest of our guard-boats, a sloop about forty-five tons, was ordered back to Macassar with part of the soldiers; and on the 9th, the Resident, Mr. Swellingrabel, received a letter from the Governor of that place, enquiring when I should sail for Batavia. I must confess, that I was surprised at the recal of the officer and the guardboat; but I was much more surprised at the contents of the Governor's letter, because he knew that it was impossible I should sail till May, as the eastern monsoon would not sooner set in. All matters however remained in the same situation till near the end of the month, when some of my people took notice, that for a short time past a small canoe had gone round us several times at different hours of the night, and bad disappeared as soon as those on board perceived any body stirring in the ship. On the 29th, while these things were the subjects of speculation, one of my officers who came from the shore brought me a letter, which he said had been delivered to him by a black man: it was directed, "To the Commander of the English ship at Bonthyn." That the Reader may understand this letter, it is necessary to acquaint him, that the island of Celebes is divided into several districts, which are distinct sovereignties of the native Princes. The town of Macassar is in a district called also Macassar, or Bony, the King of which is in alliance with the Dutch, who have been many times repulsed in an attempt to reduce other parts of the island, one of which is inhabited by a people called Buggueses, and another is called Waggs, or Tosora. The town of Tosora is fortified with cannon, for the natives had been long furnished with fire-arms from Europe, before the Dutch settled themselves at macassar in the room of the Portuguese.

Voyaging Accounts