part of it bearing WSW W. At the fame time high land appeared from SW to SW by WW; but the weather was fo hazy, that it was doubtful whether the two lands were feparated, the opening only extending one point of the compafs. I, for this reafon, stood towards the outer land, and found it to be the island Roti.

I returned to the fhore I had left, and in a fandy bay I brought to a grapnel, that I might more conveniently calculate my fituation. In this place we faw feveral fmokes, where the natives were clearing their grounds. During the little time we remained here, the mafter and car. penter very much importuned me to let them go in fearch of fupplies; to which, at length, I affented; but, finding no one willing to be of their party, they did not choose to quit the boat. I ftopped here no longer than for the purpose just mentioned, and we continued fteering along fhore. We had a view of a beautiful-looking country, as if formed by art into lawns and parks. The coaft is low, and covered with woods, in which are innumerable fan palm-trees, that look like cocoa-nut walks. The interior part is high land, but very different from the more eastern parts of the island, where it is exceedingly mountaineous, and to appearance the foil better.

Sunday, June 14. A ftrong gale at ES E, with hazy weather, all the afternoon; after which the wind became moderate. At two o'clock this afternoon, having run through a very dangerous breaking fea, we difcovered a spacious bay or found, with a fair entrance about two or three miles wide. I now conceived hopes that our voyage was nearly at an end, as no place could appear more eligible for fhipping, or more likely to be chofen for an European fettlement: I therefore came to a grapnel near the east fide of the entrance, in a small fandy bay, where we faw a hut, a dog, and fome cattle; and I immediately fent the boatfwain and gunner away to the hut, to discover the inhabitants. They presently returned, bringing five Indians with them, and informed me that they had found two families, where the women treated them with European politenefs. From thefe people I learned, that the governor refided at a place called Coupang, which was fome diftance to the NE. I made figns for one of them to go in the boat, and fhow me Coupang, intimating that I would pay him for his trouble; the man readily complied, and came into the boat. These people were of a dark tawny colour, and had long black hair; they chewed a great deal of beetle, and wore a fquare piece of cloth round their hips, in the folds of which was ftuck a large knife. They had a handkerchief wrapped round their heads, and at their fhoulders hung another tied by the four corners, which served as a bag for their beetle equipage.

They brought us a few pieces of dried turtle, and fome ears of Indian corn. This laft was most welcome to us; for the turtle was fo hard, that it could not be eaten without being first soaked in hot water. Had I ftaid they would have brought us fomething more; but, as the pilot was willing, I was determined to push on. It was about half an hour paft four when we failed.

By direction of the pilot we kept close to the east fhore under all our fail: but as night came on, the wind died away, and we were obliged to try at the oars, which I was surprised to fee we could use with

fome

fome effect. However, at ten o'clock, as I found we got but little a head, I came to a grapnel, and for the first time I iffued a double allow ance of bread and a little wine to each person.

At one o'clock in the morning, after the most happy and fweet fleep that ever men had, we weighed, and continued to keep the eaft fhore on board, in very smooth water; when at laft I found we were again open to the fea, the whole of the land to the westward, that we had paffed, being an island, which the pilot called Pulo Samow. The northern entrance of this channel is about a mile and a half or two miles wide, and I had no ground at ten fathoms.

Hearing the report of two cannon that were fired, gave new life to every one; and foon after we discovered two fquare-rigged veffels and a cutter at anchor to the eastward. I endeavoured to work to windward, but we were obliged to take to our oars again, having loft ground on each tack. We kept close to the shore, and continued rowing till four o'clock, when I brought to a grapnel, and gave another allowance of bread and wine to all hands. As foon as we had rested a little, we weigh ed again, and rowed till near day-light, when I came to a grapnel, off a fmall fort and town, which the pilot told me was Coupang.

Among the things which the boatswain had thrown into the boat before we left the fhip, was a bundle of fignal flags that had been made for the boats to fhow the depth of water in founding; with these I had in the course of the paffage, made a fmall jack, which I now hoifted in the main shrouds, as a fignal of diftrefs; for I did not choose to land without leave.

Soon after day-break a foldier hailed me to land, which I inftantly did, among a croud of Indians, and was agreeably furprised to meet with an English failor, who belonged to one of the veffels in the road. His captain, he told me, was the fecond perfon in the town; I there. fore defired to be conducted to him, as I was informed the governor was ill, and could not then be spoken with.

Captain Spikerman received me with great humanity. I informed him of our miferable fituation; and requested that care might be taken of those who were with me, without delay. On which he gave di. rections for their immediate reception at his own house, and went himfelf to the governor, to know at what time I could be permitted to fee him; which was fixed to be at eleven o'clock.

I now defired every one to come on fhore, which was as much as fome of them could do, being scarce able to walk: they, however, got at laft to the house, and found tea with bread and butter provided for their breakfast. The abilities of a painter, perhaps, could never have been displayed to more advantage than in the delineation of the two groups of figures, which at this time prefented themselves. An indif ferent fpectator would have been at a lofs which most to admire; the eyes of famine sparkling at immediate relief, or the horror of their prefervers at the fight of so many spectres, whose ghaftly countenances, if the cause had been unknown, would rather have excited terror than pity. Our bodies were nothing but skin and bones, our limbs were full of fores, and we were cloathed in rags; in this condition, with the tears of joy and gratitude flowing down our cheeks, the people of Timor beheld us with a mixture of horror, furprife, and pity.

VOL. XIX. Sept. 1796.

The

The governor, Mr. William Adrian Van Efte, notwithstanding his extreme ill-health, became fo anxious about us, that I faw him before the appointed time. He received me with great affection, and gave me the fulleft proofs that he was poffeffed of every feeling of a humane and good man. Sorry as he was, he faid, that fuch a calamity could ever have happened to us, yet he confidered it as the greateft bleffing of his life that we had fallen under his protection; and, though his infir mity was fo great that he could not do the office of a friend himself, he would give fuch orders as I might be certain would procure me every fupply I wanted. In the mean time a houfe was hired for me, and till matters could be properly regulated, victuals for every one were ordered to be dreffed at his own houfe. With refpect to my people, he faid I might have room for them either at the hospital or on board of captain Spikerman's fhip, which lay in the road; and he expreffed much uneafinefs that Coupang could not afford them better accommodations, the houfe affigned to me being the only one uninhabited, and the fituation of the few families fuch, that they could not accommodate any one. After this converfation an elegant repast was set before me, more accord ing to the cuftom of the country, than with defign to alleviate my hun ger: fo that in this inftance he happily blended, with common politenefs, the greatest favour I could receive.

On returning to my people, I found every kind relief had been given to them. The furgeon had dreffed their fores, and the cleaning of their perfons had not been lefs attended to, befides feveral friendly gifts of apparel.

I now defired to be shewn to the house that was intended for me, and I found it ready, with fervants to attend, and a particular one, which the governor had directed to be always about my perfon. The house confifted of a hall, with a room at each end, and a loft over-head; and was furrounded by a piazza, with an outer apartment in one corner, and a communication from the back part of the house to the street. I therefore determined, inftead of feparating from my people, to lodge them all with me; and I divided the houfe as follows: One room I took to myself, the other I allotted to the mafter, furgeon, Mr. Nelson, and the gunner; the loft to the other officers; and the outer apartment to the men, the hall was common to the officers, and the men had the back piazza. Of this I informed the governor, and he sent down chairs, tables, and benches, with bedding and other neceffaries for the use of every one.

The governor, when I took my leave, had defired me to acquaint him with every thing of which I ftood in need; but I was now informed it was only at particular times that he had a few moments of ease, or could attend to any thing; being in a dying ftate, with an incurable disease. On this account, whatever business I had to transact would be with Mr. Timotheus Wanjon, the fecond of this place, and the governor's fon-in-law; who now alfo was contributing every thing in his power to make our fituation comfortable. I had been, therefore, misinformed by the feaman, who told me that captain Spikerman was the next perfon to the governor.

At noon a very handfome dinner was brought to the houfe, which was fufficient to make persons, more accustomed to plenty, eat too much. Cautions, therefore, might be fuppofed to have had little effect; but I believe few people in such a situation would have obferved more mode.

ration,

Fation. My greatest apprehenfion was, that they would eat too much fruit.

Having feen every one enjoy this meal of plenty, I dined with Mr. Wanjon; but I found no extraordinary inclination to eat or drink. Reft and quiet, I confidered, as more neceffary to my doing well, and therefore retired to my room, which I found furnished with every convenience. But, inftead of reft, my mind was difpofed to reflect on our late fufferings, and on the failure of the expedition; but, above all, on the thanks due to Almighty God, who had given us power to fupport and bear fuch heavy calamities, and had enabled me at laft to be the means of faving eighteen lives.

In times of difficulty there will generally arife circumstances that bear more particularly hard on a commander. In our late fituation, it was not the least of my diftreffes, to be constantly affailed with the melancholy demands of my people for an increase of allowance, which it grieved me to refule. The neceffity of obferving the most rigid œconomy in the diftribution of our provifions was fo evident, that I refifted their folicitations, and never deviated from the agreement we made at fetting out. The confequence of this care was, that at our arrival we had ftill remaining fufficient for eleven days, at our fcanty allowance; and if we had been fo unfortunate as to have miffed the Dutch fettlement at Timor, we could have proceeded to Java, where I was certain every fupply we wanted could be procured.

Another difagrecable circumftance, to which my fituation expofed me, was the caprice of ignorant people. Had I been incapable of acting, they would have carried the boat on fhore as foon as we made the island of Timor, without confidering that landing among the natives, at a distance from the European fettlement, might have been as dangerous as among any other Indians.

The quantity of provifions with which we left the fhip, was not more than we should have confumed in five days, had there been no neceffity for husbanding our ftock. The mutineers muft naturally have concluded that we could have no other place of refuge than the Friendly Iflands; for it was not likely they should imagine, that, fo poorly equipped as we were in every refpect, there could have been a poffibility of our attempting to return homewards: much less will they suspect that the account of their villany has already reached their native country.

When I reflect how providentially our lives were faved at Tofoa, by the Indians delaying their attack, and that, with scarce any thing to fupport life, we croffed a fea of more than 1200 leagues, without fhelter from the inclemency of the weather; when I reflect that in an open boat, with fo much ftormy weather, we escaped foundering, that not any of us were taken off by disease, that we had the great good fortune to país the unfriendly natives of other countries without accident, and at laft happily to meet with the most friendly and beft of people to relieve our distresses; I fay, when I reflect on all these wonderful escapes, the remembrance of such great mercies enables me to bear, with refignation and chearfulnefs, the failure of an expedition, the fuccefs of which I had fo much at heart, and which was frustrated at a time when I was congratulating myself on the faireft profpect of being able to complete it in a manner that would fully have answered the intention of his Ma jefty, and the honourable promoters of so benevolent a plan.

30 2

With

With refpect to the prefervation of our health, during a course of 16 days of heavy and almoft continual rain, I would recommend to every one in a fimilar fituation the method we practifed, which is to dip their cloaths in the falt-water, and wring them out, as often as they become filled with rain; it was the only refource we had, and I believe was of the greatest service to us, for it felt more like a change of dry cloaths than could well be imagined. We had occasion to do this so often, that at length all our cloaths were wrung to pieces: for, except the few days we paffed on the coast of New Holland, we were continually wet either with rain or sea.

Thus, through the affiftance of Divine Providence, we furmounted the difficulties and diftreffes of a most perilous voyage, and arrived safe in an hofpitable port, where every neceffary and comfort were adminiftered to us with a moft liberal hand.

As, from the great humanity and attention of the governor, and the gentlemen, at Coupang, we received every kind of affiftance, we were not long without evident figns of returning health: therefore, to secure my arrival at Batavia, before the October fleet failed for Europe, on the firft of July, I purchased a small schooner, 34 feet long, for which I gave 1000 rix-dollars, and fitted her for fea, under the name of his Majefty's fchooner Resource.

On the 20th of July, I had the misfortune to lofe Mr. David Nelfon: he died of an inflammatory fever. The lofs of this honeft man I very much lamented: he had accomplished, with great care and diligence, the object for which he was fent, and was always ready to forward every plan I propofed, for the good of the service we were on. He was equally ufeful in our voyage hither, in the course of which he gave me great fatisfaction, by the patience and fortitude with which he conducted himself.

July 21. This day I was employed attending the funeral of Mr. Nelfon. The corpfe was carried by twelve foldiers dreft in black, preceded by the minifter; next followed myself and fecond governor; then ten gentlemen of the town and the officers of the ships in the harbour; and after them my own officers and people. After reading our burial-fervice, the body was interred behind the chapel, in the buryingground appropriated to the Europeans of the town. I was forry I could get no tombstone to place over his remains,

This was the fecond voyage Mr. Nelfon had undertaken to the South Seas, having been sent out by Sir Jofeph Banks, to collect plants, feeds, &c. in Captain Cook's laft voyage. And now, after furmounting fo many difficulties, and in the midst of thankfulness for his deliverance, he was called upon to pay the debt of nature, at a time least expected.

August 20. After taking an affectionate leave of the hospitable and friendly inhabitants, I embarked, and we failed from Coupang, exchanging falutes with the fort and fhipping as we ran out of the harbour. I left the governor, Mr. Van Efte, at the point of death. To this gentleman our moft grateful thanks are due, for the humane and friendly treatment that we have received from him. His ill ftate of health only prevented him from fhowing us more particular marks of attention. Unhappily