So8 LIEUTENANT COOK' s VOYAGE
1770. the next morning, having got it tranflated into Dutch, we
October. , . n v — — . all went ainore.
Wednef. 10, . . . . We repaired immediately to the houfe of Mr. Leith, the
only Englifliman of any credit who is refident at this place ;
he received us with great politenefs, and engaged us to
dinner: to this gentleman we applied for inflruftions how to
provide ourfelves with lodgings and neceflaries while we
fhould flay afliore, and he told us, that there was a hotel, or
kind of inn, kept by the order of government, where all
merchants and drangers were obliged to refide, paying half
per cent upon the value of their goods for warehoufe room,
which the mailer of the houfe was obliged to provide ; but
that as we came in a King’s fliip, we fhould be at liberty to
live where we pleafed, upon alking the Governor’s permif-
fion, which would be.granted of courfe. He faid, that it
would be cheaper for us to take a houfe in the town, and
bring our own fervants aihore, if we had any body upon
whom we could depend to buy in our provifions; but as
this was not the cafe, having no perfon among us who could
fpeak the Malay language, our gentlemen determined to go
to the hotel. At the hotel, therefore, beds were immediately
hired, and word was fent that we fhould deep there at
night.
At five o’clock in the afternoon* I was introduced to the
Governor-General, who received me very courteoully; he
told me, that I Ihould have every thing I wanted, and that
in the morning my requell Ihould be laid before the council,
which I was defired to attend.
About nine o’clock, we had a dreadful florm of thunder,
lightning, and rain, during which the main-mall of one of
the Dutch Eall Indiamen was fplit, and carried away by thé
deck; the main-top-mall and top-gallant-mall were Ihivered
2 all
ROUND THE WORLD. S°9
all to pieces; lhe had an iron fpindle at the main-top-gallant-
mall-head, which probably directed the llroke. This Ihip
lay not more than the dillance of two cables’ length from
ours, and in all probability we fhould have lhared the fame
fate, but for the electrical chain which we had but juft got
up, and which conducted the lightning over the fide of the
fhip j but though we efcaped the lightning, the explofion
fhook us like an earthquake, the chain at the fame time appearing
like a line of f ir e a centinel was in the aCtion of
charging his piece, and the fhock forced the mufket out of
his hand, and broke the rammer rod. Upon this occafion, I
cannot but earneltly recommend chains of the fame kind to
every fhip, whatever be her dellination, and I hope that the
fate of the Dutchman will be a warning to all who lhall read
this narrative, againll having an iron fpindle at the maft-
head.
1770.
Oftober.
Wednef. 10»
The next morning, I attended at the council-chamber, and Thurfdayn.
was told that I fhould have every thing I wanted. In the
mean time, the gentlemen aihore agreed with the keeper of
the hotel for their lodging and board, at the rate of two rix-
dollars, or nine Ihillings flerling a day for each ; and as there
were five of them, and they would probably have many
vilitors from the Ihip, he agreed to keep them a feparate
table, upon condition that they Ihould pay one rix-dollar for
the dinner of every flranger, and another for his fupper and
bed, if he fhould fleep aihore. Under this flipulation they
were to be furnifhed with tea, coffee, punch, pipes and tobacco,
for themfelves and their friends, as much as they
could confume ; they were alfo to pay half a rupee, or one
fhilling and three pence a day for each of their fervants.
They foon learnt that thefe rates were more than double
the common charges of board and lodging in the town, and
their