Mr. Bechade, for Batavia, and the remainder were to proceed in a Chinese vessel to the same place. As I before stated, the carpenter (who had, since his arrival in port, been offered great inducements to remain), and five of the crew, accompanied me in the Amity. It was not without regret that I again parted from my other shipwrecked companions, particularly Captain Young, whom I much esteemed.
Having passed the Straits of Semao, the sea being smooth, and the breeze fevourable for beating, we endeavoured to work to the eastward, but owing to the strength of the current, we could not make any progress; it was therefore deemed advisable to run through the Straits of Rottee, and then to stretch across to the New Holland shore; as it was probable, that a quicker passage might be made by pursuing this course, than by beating up directly in the teeth of the monsoon. In the evening, we accordingly bore up, shortened sail, so as to pass leisurely and cautiously through the Straits, lest we might be suddenly brought up by some unknown danger. Next morning, we hauled up, passed between Rottee and Pulo Dama, and stretched to the southward.
As Captain King's charts were not on board, and as several islets, reefs, and shoals, whose positions are far from being accurately ascertained, are said to exist in the Timor Sea, more particularly in that part of it which we intended to traverse, arrangements were
