Early of the 23d May, a Dutch corporal and two soldiers came on board, and read to us a general order from the Dutch East-India Company, that if any ships, except their own, came there to anchor, they were not to be supplied with any thing whatever.  We told him that extreme want of provisions had constrained us to put in here, and that we should not have touched any where before reaching Batavia, if we could possibly have subsisted; wherefore we requested he would inform the governor of our urgent wants.  This he engaged to do, seeing us in a very weak condition, and came back about four in the afternoon, saying that we could have no provisions here, but might be supplied at Amboina.  We were forced therefore to leave this unfriendly place, and to attempt going to Amboina, if the wind would serve. Manissa is about fifteen miles from S.E. to N.W. and about eight in breadth, in lat. 3 deg. 25’ S. and about twenty miles west from the island of Bonou.  It is a remarkably high island, and pretty well inhabited by Malays, as are all the Molucca Islands.  It is surrounded by shoals almost on every side, and some of these stretch a league and a half from the shore, so that it is very dangerous to come near, unless with very good charts, or with an experienced pilot.  It has several good springs of fresh water, and the Dutch have a small fort with six guns on its S.W. side.  It is governed by a Dutch serjeant, having under him three corporals, a master gunner, and twenty European soldiers; and produces vast plenty of rice and cloves, both of which are sent to Amboina.  The inhabitants are mostly fishers, and catch such abundance of fish as not only supplies themselves, but enables them also to carry a great deal to Amboina.

We stood to the S.W. having the wind at S.S.E. and blowing fresh, so that we sailed under our courses, and were now much out of heart, not expecting to reach Amboina, the S E. monsoon being now set in; which was right against us.  Almost in despair, we continued our course till we were over against the island of Bouro, and then the wind veering to the S.S.W. we stood away S.E. but finding a strong current setting to leeward, we rather lost ground, and seeing no likelihood of getting to Amboina, we, by general consent, shared among us all that was eatable on board, each man’s share being six pounds and three quarters of flour, and five pounds of bran, every one resolving to use his share as sparingly as possible.  On the 25th, the wind veered to S.S.E. when we tacked to S.W. and soon weathered the island of Amblow.  This is a small island of moderate height, in lat. 4 deg. 5’ S. tolerably furnished with trees, but not inhabited.  On the 26th, we had a fine fresh gale at S.E. when we tacked and stood away N.E. for the island of Amboina.  Continuing the same course all the 27th, we got sight of Amboina early in the morning of the 28th, bearing due N. about six leagues distant.  We now stood directly for the island, and about noon came just off the harbour, a joyful sight to us then, though we soon had cause to think it the worst thing that had befallen us.