In the evening we weighed anchor, but, having only a light breeze, we made no way.

On the 4th, we had a northerly wind, which was directly against us, and the current ran very strong. Finding that we had lost ground, we anchored at night off Pulo Pisane; and, while we lay at anchor, some of our people went on shore in a boat, and bought some cocoas, and Paddy, or rice in the husk. On the even-ing of the next day, a light breeze sprang up from the West; but we were soon becalmed, and dropped anchor again. The weather was very sultry. Thermo-meter 86.

On the 7th, we weighed and dropped anchor several times, having light breezes and calms: however, the tide shifting in our favour, we reached, that day, as far as Pulo Babi, which lies in the bay of Bantam, and passed Pulo Panjang.

On the 8th, having light breezes, with calms, and the current running strong against us, we made but very little way. This day we sailed between the Milles Isles, Pulo Tidong, and Pulo Fare. These are mostly small and low islands, covered with trees; and, by the lights which we saw on shore, we concluded that some of them were inhabited; and were not deceived in our conjectures; for, at night, some of the natives came off to us, and brought some turtles, pumpkins, and dried fish.

On the 10th, we anchored in the road of Batavia, in which we found sixteen large ships, three of which were British; one of them an Indiaman that had lost its passage to China, and the other two private merchantmen. A lieutenant, in the pinnace, was dispatched to the deputy-governor with a message, who told him, he should be glad to see captain Cook, and that it would be proper to present his requests to the council in writing, who were to meet the next day. The pinnace returned to the ship, loaded with pine-apples, plantains, water-melons, and a bun-dle of London newspapers, which were very acceptable presents.

Voyaging Accounts