through the passage.  Lingan rises at first in three islands, the northermost being larger than both the other two, being near two leagues long and full of hummocks.  Among these three islands there are certain fragments of isles intermixed, like so many hay-cocks, which is a good mark whereby to know these islands.  From the smooth hill which is the north end of Banka, to the south-westermost isle of Lingan, it is N. by W. ten leagues.  From the middle of the largest isle of Lingan, which is the north-eastermost, there is another smooth island nine leagues off, E.N.E. 1/2 N. From that there is another flat island, and off the north point of the round smooth island, there is a little fragment like a rock.  In the fair way between this island and Lingan, there are 14 and 13 f. the course being midway between, and to the N. to pass along by the E. side of Bintang.  This day at noon, being the 12th May, our latitude was 1 deg.  S.[278] the greatest isle of the Lingan group being S.W. from us five leagues, whence we estimated its latitude to be 1 deg. 10’ nearly.

[Footnote 278:  This is an evident error, as the northern side of the largest island of the Lingan group is exactly on the equator, and Bintam, or Bintang, is in lat. 1 deg.  N.—­E.]

At noon of the 14th, having made way twenty-four leagues to the northward, by aid of the wind and a current setting to the north, we had sight of the high land of Bintang, rising with two hills and a deep swamp or hollow between, and, as we judged, twelve leagues from us.  At this time, likewise, we had sight of three or four hummocks, S.W. by W. eight leagues off, which seemed separate islands.  We had here 20 f. our soundings from Lingan being 14, 15, 17, 18, 19, and 20 f.  From noon of the 14th till noon of the 15th, we made twenty-seven leagues N. 1/3 W. our soundings in these twenty-four hours being 21, 22, 23, and 24 f.  From noon till three p.m. of the 15th we made 3 1/2 leagues, and then had sight of Pulo Laor, N.W. 1/2 N. about twelve leagues off, having then 27 f. the ground resembling fuller’s earth.  At night, Pulo Laor being N.W. by W. eight leagues off, we had 39 f. on ooze.  From noon of the 15th till eight a.m. of the 16th, we made our course N.N.W. 1/2 W. fifteen leagues.  At night of the 16th, Pulo Laor bore S.W. by S. five leagues; the body of the island of Hermano de Layo W.S.W. 1/2 W. seven leagues; and the S. end of Pulo Timon W. 1/2 N. ten leagues, its N.E. end being W.N.W. 1/2 W. ten leagues.  We anchored this evening within four leagues of the N. point of Pulo Timon, in 24 f. streamy ground, that point bearing W. by S. 1/2 S. In the evening I sent my boat round the point, where they observed a town, with a junk riding close by the shore, and several proas fishing.  One of these came to enquire what nation our people were of, and told them there was good fresh water at the town, with plenty of buffaloes, goats, and poultry.