Imperial Orders on this head; but the Severity of the Court being ſomewhat allay’d, partly by length of time, partly by the interceſſion of Mr. Buteman, then Reſident of the Dutch Eaſt-India Company, they at laſt, in conſideration of their good Intention, obtain’d leave to return to Macao, and Proviſions were offer’d them conſiſting chiefly in Rice and Water. The unhappy Japaneſe, after a rude Impriſonment of two years, were ſet at Liberty, and under a ſtrict Guard ſent to their native Towns. One of our Reſidents, upon his return from Jedo to Nangaſaki, met ſome upon the road. Thus this Voyage ended without the leaſt advantage to the City of Macao. But to proceed on our own Voyage.
We weigh’d anchor after midnight, and on the Ninth in the Morning made the Thouſand Iſlands, as they are here call’d. We were in Sight of the high Land Lampon, in Sumatra oppoſite to Bantam. We ſaw likewiſe the Weſtern Mountains both of Java and Sumatra, and particularly one in Sumatra, remarkable for its height, which to our great Grief we had had ſo long in Sight, ſome Months before in our Voyage from Atſijn to Batavia. The Wind was variable, moſtly S. We were almoſt becalm’d in the afternoon, and could not make the Iſland Norderwachten, that is Northern Guard, before Evening. After Sunſet a freſh favourable Gale ſprung up.
It was cloudy all the Tenth. The Wind E.S.E. We ſteer’d North out of ſight of Land or Iſlands, excepting ſome few of the higheſt Mountains in Sumatra, the tops of which we perceiv’d indiſtinctly through the Clouds. We caſt Anchor late at Night in ſix Fathoms, to avoid running againſt Land in the Night, which was ſeen from the great Maſt the evening before, and ſuppos’d to be the Iſland Lucipara, lying at the mouth of the Strait of Banca.
On the Eleventh of May we weigh’d anchor early in the morning, but a Calm enſuing forc’d us to drop it again, and to lie by for ſome hours. About two hours after Sun riſing, a brisk Gale ſprung up at S. and we ſteer’d North between Land, which we ſaw laſt evening, and found to be the Iſland Lucipara, and the Coaſts of Sumatra towards the Straits of Banca.
Before I proceed further, I cannot forbear obſerving in general that the Voyage from Batavia to Siam is attended with no ſmall difficulties and dangers, becauſe of the many ſmall low Iſlands, Rocks, Shoals and Sands. A careful and prudent Pilot muſt always keep at a due diſtance from Land, that is, neither too near it, nor too far off, that in caſe of ſtrong ſtormy Winds and Turnado's, which frequently and unawares ariſe in this Paſſage, he may have an opportunity of coming to an anchor, and by this means preſerve the Ship from running a-ground, or from being caſt away too far out of her Courſe. For this Reaſon Ships commonly lie at anchor over night, the rather if Land was ſeen the day before, or ſome Signs appear’d of its be
Voyage from
Batavia to Siam dangerous
