passage to Batavia exceeding 60 hours, the distance being only 197 miles; the inconvenience to which his Excellency would be subjected was, consequently, very limited in duration; and much additional expedition in the despatch of relief might be expected from his personal exertions at Batavia. The stock of liquors and provisions furnished to the boats was necessarily very small, and only sufficient on very short allowance to support existence for four or five days; only seven gallons of water could be spared for the whole party, consisting of 47 persons; but they were fortunately visited by a heavy fall of rain on the day after their departure, which more than supplied the place of what had already been expended. The following extracts from “Ellis’s Journal,”[1] contain a rapid outline of subsequent occurrences, which the interesting narrative of the late Dr. M‘Leod, Surgeon of the Alceste, have rendered a more detailed account of unnecessary.
“The boats left the island on the evening of the 19th, and after what may be considered a tedious passage, made Carawang Point on the evening of the 22d, to the great joy of all on board, and to the relief of the crews, who were beginning to sink under the continued exertion of rowing, and the privations to which all were equally subjected. It was judged advisable by Mr. Mayne, the Master, to come-to for the night, as well to rest the men, as from a consideration that little advantage could be derived from reaching the roads before daylight. During the night, one of the sailors suffered from temporary delirium, caused, no doubt, by a want of sufficient fluid aggravated, however, by large draughts of salt water, from which no injunctions or entreaties could induce some of the crew to desist[2]. All the provisions and liquors were distributed during the passage with the most scrupulous equality; if ever a difference was made, it was in favour of the men. Messrs. Hoppner and Cooke[3], and some of the other gentlemen, occasionally relieved the men at the oars; and, on the whole, it may be said, that as the danger and difficulty were common, the privations and fatigue were not less so.
“The boats had advanced but a short distance towards the roads on the- ↑ Henry Ellis, Esq. Third Commissioner of the Embassy.
- ↑ “Salt water,” says Dr. M‘Leod, “although an article of Materia Medica, in very extensive use, has never been known to take the direction of the head.”
- ↑ Lieutenant J. Cooke, R.M. commanded the Ambassador’s guard of honor during his travels through China, and was now sent with 7 marines to assist in protecting his Excellency in case of the boats being attacked by pirates between Pulo Leat and Batavia.
