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tailed Arabaya, on the ifland of Madura, that lies on the north-eall end of Java. It isa place very convenient both for victualling and watering, and the inhabitants are avery civil people.
The town hands on the north-wefl end of Madura, about eight leagues from theweftermoft land, about a quarter of a mile up a fmall river, which lies to the weftwardof the firfl large and moll north point of land ; though in all the fea-charts that I everfaw it is laid down to the eaftward of the point: it is at the bottom of a deep bay, inwhich you may anchor, but more commodioufly oft' the point. You cannot mils yourway into the river, becaufe there are flakes ftuck on both fides of the channel for aquarter of a mile out to fea. In the dry feafon it affords water fufficient at half tidefor a large long boat loaden to go over the bar, and in the rainy feafon at low water."When I was there, I faw two Chinefe, who called themfelves Shabanders, which fig-nifies governor of a port, and were very ferviceable in keeping the natives in fubjection,and managing the whole trade of the place. The town is large, and the pleafantefl Ihave feen belonging to the Javans. On the muddy banks of the river, at low water,are great numbers of alligators, and variety of fea-fowls; we fhot feveral of both kinds,they fuffering us to come very near them.
The 14th of June 1714, we all anchored under the little ifland of Carimon-Java,Captain Boadum’s cargo being partly faltpetre, we agreed with him for fifteen tonsa piece, the better to enable our fhip to make fail when laden with pepper : but whenwe came to pay for it we foon found the reafon of the black defign hatched againft us inthe road of Batavia ; for having called for a certain fmall cheft of the Company’s treafure,containing about five hundred pounds fterling, to our great furprife it was not to befound ; and notwithftanding all the ftridt fearch and enquiry we made among the Ihip’scompany, we could hear nothing of it. . We fent for another cheft, which when broughtwe opened, and found upon examination half the money gone which it fhould havecontained according to the invoice; fo that what was miffing of this, with the otherentire cheft, amounted to near one thoufand pounds. This made the, cafe plain, thatwhoever ftole the money, the fame were the perfons that attempted to blow up thefhip, with all thofe that had not a hand in their villainy, that there might be nobody leftto call them to an account; as it has often happened that thieving fervants, when they ,have robbed their mailer’s houfe of plate or money, fet it on fire in the night, and ifthey can, burn the whole family in order to cover the theft. This was a heavy mif-fortune, and particularly affefted me, being the firft time I ever had the honour toferve the honourable Eaft India Company. This villainy would not have Hopped here,but would have been of farther evil confequence, had it not been prevented, as (hallappear hereafter.
However, we paid Captain Boadum ; and having weighed anchor the 17th in theevening, we parted with him, and made the bell of our way towards the port of BanjarMafieen, where we arrived the 29th of June at twelve o’clock at night, and anchoredm the road without the bar, called Tomberneo, in eight fathoms water. At five nextmorning we held a confultation, and agreed to run over the bar a little way up theriver, where we might have a better opportunity of proceeding on our defigns ; which
* acc ? r dingly did, keeping the little ifland of Poolo-Cocket open off the eail point ofthe river half its breadth. I came to anchor at twelve at noon about a quarter of amile within the river’s mouth, in four fathoms and a half water, over againft a rivercalled Biajo fmall river. The Borneo had not fo good fortune as we in getting over the
• a jT’ J or ^ ne ftuck fall aground until the next tide, when Ihe got off and came to anchorjult by us.
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CHAP.