In the afternoon, fome people came off'to us, in a boat, from Angor-Point, to.
enquire who we were, and brought plantains, pumplenofes, oranges, turtles,
parrots, domeftic poultry, fome fmall' birds, and monkeys, which they offered tofale..
They told us that the Prince-George, captain Riddle, was l’oft laft June off Batavia,,
and that the crew were carried by a Dutch fhip to Bengal.
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 direitly againft us,, and'the
current ran very ftrong. Finding that we had loft ground, we anchored at night
off Pulo'Pifane; and, while we lay at anchor,, fome of our people went On fhore
in a boat, and bought fome cocoas, and Paddy, or-rice in the huik.. On the evening
of the next day, a light breeze fprang up from-the Weft; but we were foon
becalmed, and dropped anchor again.. The weather. was very fultry. Thermometer
86.
On the 7th, we weighed and dropped anchor feveral times, haying light breezes
and calms: - however, the tide ihifting in our favour, we reached, that day, as far as
Pulo Babi, which lies in the bay of Bantam, and paifed Pulb Parijang.
On the 8th, having light breezes, with calms, and the current running, ftrong
againft us, we made but very little way. This day we failed between the Milles
liles, Pulo Tidong, and Pulo Pare. Thefe are moftly ihiall and low iilands, covered
with trees; and, by the" lights which we faw on fhore, we concluded that
fome of them were inhabited and were-not deceived in our conjectures; for, at
night, fome of the natives came off to us, and brought fome turtles, pumpkins,
and dried fifh.
On the 10th, we anchored in the road of Batavia, in which we found fixteen
large fhips,' three of which were Britifh; one of them an Indiaman that had loft
itspaifageto China, and the other two private merchantmen. A lifcutenant; in the
pinnace, was diipatched to the deputy-governor with a meifage, who told him, he
ihould
fhould be glad to-fee captain Cook, and that it-would be proper to prefent his re-
quefts to the council in writing, who were to meet the next day. The pinnace returned
to thevihip, loaded with pine-apples, plantain.s, water-melons,, and a bundle
of. London new-s-papers, which were very acceptable prefents-.
The Dutch commodore fent a meffenger on-board . of, us, to enquire who we
were ; and by him we learned that the Falmouth man-of-war fell to pieces in this-
road about four months before we arrived.
Batavia, formerly called Jocatra, is iituated in a very large open bay, in which
is a great number of low iilands j the principal of which, called the Milles liles,
lie off the bay. It is walled round* and has many canals cut through it, fupplied
by a river, which is divided into feveral ftrcams* that run through the town. The
main canal, which is large enough to admit fmall veflels, is carried a long way into
the fea by means of a mole. The mountainous part of this country is at a great
diftance within land j and the plain flat land, which-furrounds the city,- is of con fi-
derable extent, very fertile, and watered with a great many rivulets j. which renders
the communication between different parts very eafy.- The roads which lead from
the city are many, aqd as- good . as • ours in England; they extend a long way
into the country, and are fo many avenues, planted with Tamarind,, Coeoa,. Pi-
.fang, Bread-fruit; Jacca, Durianv and Allango, trees, which render them very
pleafant. There is a great number of villas all along thefe roads,, many of which- have
a magnificent appearance. In brief, the whole country looks like a garden, divided
into different plantations by hedge-rows of trees and canals. But-thefe canals, which
are fo convenient and- enrich the views- of the country,, are fuppofed to be prejudicial
to the health of the inhabitants : for,- in the dry- feafoh, they flagnate, become
putrid, and, being exhaled by the fun, the air is charged-with noxious vapours:
while the'great number of trees prevents them from being difperfed* by the winds,
and cccafions that kind of putrid fever,, which; is fo common,, rages fo much, and is
fo fatal amongft them, infomuchahat.it carries off a patient ina.few daysj. and indeed
the climate is fo unhealthy, that even the (laves, brought here from other parts
of India, feel the effects of it. Fluxes too are alfo very commori and dangerous at
Batavia j and their intermittents, which the inhabitants think trivial, are very ■prejudicial