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214 ACCOUNT OF JAVA AND BATAVIA.

In the year 1730, under the government of the governor-general Durven, a fmallchurch with a fteeple was erefted here ; where fervice is performed on Sundays by aclergyman, who comes hither from Batavia, for that purpofe, every week.

The Company have here ten or twelve large warehoufes, which are almoft alwaysquite full of goods: pepper, japan copper, faltpetre, tin, caliatour-wood, fapan-wood,&c. They are under the diredion of two adminiftrators, who, as we have before men-tioned, have very lucrative places.

On the north fide of the ifland ftand two faw-mills; and on the fouth fide there is along pier-head, on which are three large wooden cranes ereded for the purpofe offixing marts in ihips, or unftepping them. Three fhips can lie here behind each other,alongfide of the pier, in deep water, to be repaired, or to receive or difcharge theircargoes. There is another pier a little more to the weftward, called the Japan pier,where one more fhip can lie to load or unload.

There is twenty and more feet water againft the piers, and it rifes and falls aboutfive feet once in four-and-twenty hours. All the Company’s fhips that require it arehove down at the wharfs along the piers, and receive every necefiary reparation witheafeand difpatch* *.

The government of the ifland, and the diredion over the repairs of fhips whichtake place here, is entrufted to a mafter carpenter, who has the management of everything, except what relates to the departments of the adminiftrators of the warehoufes.His office is efteemed a very profitable one, and he has the rank of fenior merchant.Though the ifland is but fmall, the number of people dwelling upon it is fuppofedto be near three thoufand, among whom there are three hundred European work-men.

About fixteen hundred feet from Onruft, is the ifland de Kuiper, or Cooper’s Ifle,which is one-third lefs in fize than the former. The Company have feveral ware-houfes upon it, in which coffee is chiefly laid up. There are two pier-heads, whereveffels may load and difcharge, at its fouth-fide. There are feveral large tamarindtrees interfperfed over the ifland, which afford an agreeable fhade. The workmenwho are employed here in the day-time are fetched away at night to Onruft, and onlytwo men remain behind as a watch, together with a number of dogs, who are remark-ably fierce, fo that no one dares to fet his foot on the ifland at night.

To the eaftward of Onruft, and at twice the diftance of Cooper’s Ifle, is the iflandPurmerend, which is half as large again as Onruft. It is planted with fhady trees;and in the centre is a building which ferves for a hofpital, or lazaretto, for perfonsafflided with the leprofy, or other incurable difeafes, who are fent thither from Batavia.

It is fupported by the alms of both Europeans and Javanefe, but the latter contributethe largeft fhare.

its baftions were fmall and low, not more than twelve feet the higheft ; and not always connected by cur-tains. A few' batteries were lately conftru&ed on the outfide of this w'ork, that bore towards the fea.On thefe, and on the baftions, about forty guns were mounted, in different dire&ions. South of this, wasanother ifland” (this muft be that called de Kuiper) “ at the diftance of a few hundred yards, on whichtwo batteries, mounting together twelve guns, had been lately erefted.” This account dates in 1793,and proves that the Dutch have become lenfible of what is alleged in this work, page 253, that the forti-fications at the mouth of the river are infufficient to protedl the road. Tr.

* “ It would be injuftice,” fays Captain Cook , “ to the officers and workmen of this yard, not to de-clare, that, in my opinion, there is not a marine-yard in the world, where a ship can be laid down withmore convenience, fafety, and difpatch, nor repaired with more diligence and fkill.” T r.

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