State Library of NSW
From New Guinea to Batavia Sept 1770 lies N1/2E & 11/2 W. distn.t about 3 or 4 Leag.s from each other, At the W.n end of the passage between Rotte & Anaboa are 2 small islands. the one lays near the Rotte shore & the other off the SW. point of Anaboa, there is a good channel between the 2 of 5 or 6 miles broad which we came thro', - Being now clear of the islands we steer'd a W. course all night until '6am, when we unexpectedly saw an island bearing WSW. for by most of the maps we had onboard we were to the southar.d of all the isles that lay between Timor & Java at least there were none laid down so near to Timor in this Lat.de & by almost one half which made me at first think it a new discovery, but in this I was mistaken. We now steer'd directly for it & by 10 oClock were close in with the N.o side, where we saw houses, cocoa nutt trees & flocks of cattle grazing there were temptations hardly to be withstood by people in our situation, especially such as were but in a very indifferent state of health, & I may say mind too, for in some this last was worse than the other since I refused to touch at the island of Timor. whereupon I thought I could do less than to try to procure some refreshments here as there appeared to be plenty. with this view we hoist'd out the pinnace in which Joint Lieut.t Gore in shore to see if there were any convenient place to land, sending some trifles along with him to give the natives in case he saw any. Mr Gore landed in a small sandy cove near to some houses & was met on the beach by 8 or 10 of the people, who from both their behaviour & what they had about them shewd that they had commerce with Europeans. upon Mr Gore's returning with this repast & likewise that there was no anchorage for the ship I sent him away again with both money & goods to try to purchase some refreshments while we kept standing on & off with the ship at Noon we were about a mile from the shore of the island which extend from SE to WNW Lat.de in 10°.'27' Long.d 237°.'31W. Tuesday 18th As soon as Mr Gore landed he was met on the beach by sev.l people both horse & foot who gave him to understand that there was a bay to leeward where we could anchor & likewise get refreshm.ts upon Mr Gore's return with this intelligence we bore away for the bay which we anch.d at 7 oClock in 38 fa.m. Water clean sandy bottom about a mile from shore the N.o point of the bay bore No30°E, 21/2 miles & the So point or West end of the island bore So. 63°W. three hours before we anch.d, we saw Dutch colours hoisted in a village which stands about a mile inland & at day light in the morning the same colours were hoisted on the beach abreast of the ship. by this I was no longer in doubt but what here was a dutch settlement & accordingly sent Lt. Gore ashore to wait upon the Govern.r or chief person residing here to acquaint him with the reasons that induced us to touch at this island. upon Mr Gore's landing we could perceive that he was received by a guard of the natives & not Dutch troops & conducted up
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