Sep 25, 1789 Home Resource Sep 27, 1789
Revised May 24 2021
| H | K | F | Courses | Winds | Remarks Saturday 26th Sept'r. 1789 | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | " | " | NNE | Fresh Breezes and Hazy. | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | " | " | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | " | " | " | N | Rec'd a new Main Mast but so much Swell in the Road could not Ship it. | ||||||||||||||||||
| 4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7 | " | " | " | ESE | I returned on Board. | ||||||||||||||||||
| 8 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 9 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 11 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 12 | " | " | NE | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | " | " | The swell less. Hauled along side a Snow and Shipped the Mast. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4 | " | " | " | Et. | |||||||||||||||||||
| 5 | " | " | " | " | Light Airs | ||||||||||||||||||
| 6 | " | " | " | " | Weighed and Sailed the Galley in Company Sailed also 4 Square rigged Vessels | ||||||||||||||||||
| 7 | 1 | " | NWbN | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 8 | 1 | 4 | NWbN | " | Samarang Church SE½S 4 Miles Sound'gs 3 to 5 fms. Extremes of Java EbS½S to West. | ||||||||||||||||||
| 9 | " | " | Calm | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 10 | 1 | " | Wt. | Served fresh Beef & Greens. Sent the Carpenter a Weeks provisions and Received on board Jno. Bevans out of the Galley as Pilot | |||||||||||||||||||
| 11 | 1 | NNW | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 12 | 1 | " | NNE | NW | Light Airs. Samarang Church SE½E 5 or 6 Miles. High land So. and the extreme of Java from ESE to W½N Soundings since 8 OClock 5 fathoms | ||||||||||||||||||
| 5 | Meridn.Alt. Center | 84° 30′ | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 1303 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1308 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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Having spent the day with Captain Bose at his Country seat he accompanied me this Evening to the Governor who had the politeness to wish me a good Voyage. This Gentlemans Name is John Greve. He is a person who from the lowest station has by an active mind rose to this Seat of Power which is next to the Governor General at Batavia. It is perhaps from hence that Java and Batavia are spoken of as Two seperate places for a Dutchman always make a disti[n]ction between them & it is a Common expression are you going to Java or Batavia? as if Batavia was not in Java
The precious Jewel of Java is Rice of which amazing Quantities of the finest kind in the World are produced and is of course their grand Staple commodity. Their Navigation is carried on with great ease and with little expence, few Europeans being Employed the other necessary hands being the Natives who they pay with Rice.
The Dutch have had much trouble with the Javans heretofore but at present are on a very happy situation with them. These people are Governed by an Emperor and a Sultan and the reigns of power being held by those two. The Dutch politically by that means preserve a ballance which procures tranquility.
The Javans can send large Armies into the Field on the shortest notice it therefore is certain that it would be an expensive expedition to any Potentate to attack the dutch in this quarter as landing on any part of the Coast can be obtained only by a powerfull Army. The Shoal Water round the Coast make it not at all necessary for them to have Forts against Shipping and it follows of Course that men of War will have nothing to fight against but what is a float. The Country also is Flat and very Level so that as there is no Commanding high Grounds, a choice of situation is of no Value I therefore think the only thing that can be done with success here against the Dutch by any Enemy is the Destruction of their Shiping.
Among the Amusements which are at Samarang is a small but pretty Theatre on which those who have a taste show their abilities in the Theatrical line it is however feared that they have so small a field to go on that the House will in a short time be turned to some other use.
Housekeeping to the people of this place must be very cheap. I bought Beef at 10 doits pr lb. Fowls at 12 doits each and I am told other Articles of Food are equally reasonable.
They Curry and dress Leather. Shoes therefore are to be got from 30 Doits a pair to One Dollar and Samarang is considered to be the principal place in Java for that Article.
I have only now to remark that I believe had I not saved my Commission and Uniform, and had been unfortunate enough to have put into this place that the whole of us would have been made prisoners of until I could have proved who we were, but at the same time I will do them the Justice to say that had I been a Smuggler loaded with Opium an Article highly Contraband they would have treated me with more politeness and Civility. Among the Gentlemen however who wished to render me every Service and would have done to their utmost had I been in want, were Mr. de Bose Mr. Abegg the fist Surgeon of the Hospital and a Mr. Van Basel and Capt. Arnschild.
To Mr. Abegg we are indebted for this Assistance in Medicines and advice for which by no means whatever would he receive payment.
At 6 O'Clock I left Samarang & was politely accompanied to my Boat by Mr. de Bose and Arnschild who there took leave of me. On my Arrival on Board I found they had not been able to put the Mast in owing to a troublesome sea in the Road. We got it done however in the Morning & I sailed with a Galley mounting 6 Swivels carrying one pound which the Governor had directed to accompany me to Batavia to protect us in Case of meeting with pirates as they are said to be about the Coast.
The Latitude of Samarang Church is 6°..57′ So. & Long'de. [blank]
Sep 25, 1789 Home Resource Sep 27, 1789