State Library of NSW
From New Guinea to Batavia Octr 1770 [in margin] Monday 1st First & Latterpt. fresh breezes at SE & fair wind, the Middle squally with Lightning & rain at 7pm being then in the Lat.de of Javahead & not seeing any land assures us that we had got too far to the W.ward upon which we hauld up ENEn having before Steerd NbE at 12 o'clock saw the land bearing En. Tack'd & stood to the SW, until 4 then stood again to the Eastward having very unsettled squally wea.r which split the Main Topsail very much & obliged us to bend the other, many of our Sails are now so bad that they will hardly stand the least puff of Wind. At 6 o'clock Javahead or the Wnend of Java bore SEbE dist, 5 Leags soon after this saw Princes Island bearing EbS & at 10 o'clock saw the Island of Cracatoa [Krakatoa] bearing NE. This is a remarkable high peaked Island which at noon bore N.40E distant 7 Leags Princes Island extending from So.53E to SbW. distant 3 Leagues Course & distance sail'd since yesterday at Noon is No 24:30 E 70 Miles Latde in Observ n. 6o 29' So Longde 251o:54 but either our Longde must be erroneous or the Straits of Sunda must be faltily laid [margin]Straits of Sunda [/margin] down in all Books & Charts, but this no doubt we shall have an opportunity to settle. Tuesday 2d In the pm had the wind at SSE.SEbS & SSE with which we stood to the Eastward close upon a wind at 6 o'clock the Hill on Princes Island bore SWbS & Crackatoa[Krakatoa] Island N 10 Miles, in this situation 58 fa.om, standing still to the Eastwd. at 8 o'clock have 52 fa.om muddy bottom, at 10:23 fa.om. By 4 in the morning we fetched close in with the Java shore in 5 fa.om, then steer'd along shore, at 5 it fell calm which continued with some Variable light Airs until noon, at which time Angar Point bore NE distant 1 League & Hawrt the way Island N. In the morning I sent a Boat ashore to try to get some fruits for Tupia who is very ill, & likewise to get some grass for the Buffaloes we have still left, the Boats return'd with only 4 Cocoa Nutts, a small bunch of Rantsins which they purchased of the Natives for a Shilling & a few shribs for the Cattle. Wednesday Soon after 12 o'clock it fell quite Calm which obliged us to Anchor in 18 fa.om, Muddy bottom about 2 Miles from shore where we found a strong Currt. setting to the SW not long before we Anchor'd we saw a Dutch Ship laying off Anger Point on board which I sent Mr Hicks to enquire after News upon his return he inform'd me that these were 2 Dutch ships from Batavia one bound to Ceylon & the other to the Coast of Mallabar, besides a small Hybra or Packet, which is stationed here to carry all Packets, Letters, &t [etc], from all Dutch Ships to Batavia, but it seems more Probable that she is stationed here to examine all Ships that pass & repass these Straits. We now first heard the agreeable news of His Majs. Sloop the Swallow being at Batavia about 2 Years ago. At 7 o'clock a breeze sprung up at SSW with which we weighed & stood to the NE, between Thwart the ways Island and
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