Jul 30-31, 1789 Home Logbook Aug 2-5, 1789
Revised Jun 30 2021
Light Variable Winds and Fair Wr. Employed about the Vessel. Two men in the Sick list. The Governor continues very ill. Mr. Wanjon continues to be peculiarly attentive to every thing I express a Desire to have done, and furnishes the Chinese with material articles to enable them to complete our little Vessel for Sea.
I took a ride to day into the Country to a Pen of the Governors called Oloomee about 8 miles from hence, in the Course of which I took a Circuit of about 25 Miles. I found in general any part of the high grounds very Rocky, and to produce nothing but Trees and Bushes which seemed equally to Suffer by the extreme heat and want of Rain to the soil itself which was so burnt that nothing appeared to be growing. The Valleys and lower Grounds however were very different. These Parts were well watered, the Trees grew luxuriantly, particularly the Cocoa nutt and I had many beautifull Views of extensive Plantations of Rice, of these Places one is called Laidamatta about 4 miles from Coupang.
The only Trees I was acquainted with that I saw growing and to be considered Natives, for I presume they never had been planted or touched by the hand of man, was the Anona or Custard Apple and the Sosac or Nanka, also the Tamarind. The Cocoanutt I imagine is always allowed to be a native of the Climate. With respect to those which appeared to me as extraordinary and curious I saw only one kind. They were very large Trees and at a little distance appeared to have lost the Rind and the milk white Trunk and branches indicated they had no life, but the senses are very agreeably surprized to find the Tree in full Vigor and the most beautifull Glossy white Sattin the natural appearance of the Bark.
I crossed one very large River. The water was low at this time, but there were evident proofs of great Torrents passing through in the Rainy Season. Many branches lead off from this River and the lower Grounds are well watered.
Oloomee is in a pleasant Valley where the Governor keeps two Dutchmen to look after his Cattle Poultry and Hogs, who with a dozen Malays are the whole of the Inhabitants. Several Malay settlements are within a few Miles of each other but a half dozen Houses is the largest I met with.
Except the Valleys as I have mentioned before, the Country is very barren and good for nothing. The Rainy Season may produce a little Grass, but during the Rest of the Year the country is burnt up and but for the Bushes one would only see perforated Rocks and Stones which are equally offensive to the Ear from a horrid jingling sound they have as one Rides or walk among them.
The only Cattle I saw was the Karabow or wild Ox and some Goats. The Karabow is the only Cattle of the Ox kind that the Malays have. They are very poor and coarse eating. The Country appears to me to be very thinly inhabited. It was the middle of Harvest, yet I did not see about any one property above 6 persons and what was extraordinary, the way they took in their Grain was by each person carrying a basket and striping the Ears off by hand.
This day I applied to the Governor and Raad to be supplied with Cash for His Majesty's Service and Engaged to give Bills on Government to the Amount.
Jul 30-31, 1789 Home Logbook Aug 2-5, 1789