being within a small distance of the north end of Rotte, we hauled up N.N.W. in order to go between it and Semau:  After steering three leagues upon this coarse, we edged away N.W. and W., and by six, we were clear of all the islands.  At this time, the south part of Semau, which lies in latitude 10 deg. 15’ S., bore N.E. distant four leagues, and the island of Rotte extended as far to the southward as S. 36 W. The north end of this island, and the south end of Timor, lie N. 1/2 E. and S. 1/4 W., and are about three or four leagues distant from each other.  At the west end of the passage between Rotte and Semau, are two small islands, one of which lies near the Rotte shore, and the other off the south-west point of Semau:  There is a good channel between them, about six miles broad, through which we passed.  The isle of Rotte has not so lofty and mountainous an appearance as Timor, though it is agreeably diversified by hill and valley:  On the north side, there are many sandy beaches, near which grew some trees of the fan-palm, but the far greater part was covered with a kind of brushy wood, that was without leaves.  The appearance of Semau was nearly the same with that of Timor, but not quite so high.  About ten o’clock at night, we observed a phaenomenon in the heavens, which in many particulars resembled the aurora borealis, and in others, was very different:  It consisted of a dull reddish light, and reached about twenty degrees above the horizon:  Its extent was very different at different times, but it was never less than eight or ten points of the compass:  Through and out of this passed rays of light of a brighter colour, which vanished, and were renewed nearly in the same time as those of the aurora borealis, but had no degree of the tremulous or vibratory motion which is observed in that phaenomenon:  The body of it bore S.S.E. from the ship, and it continued, without any diminution of its brightness, till twelve o’clock, when we retired to sleep, but how long afterwards, I cannot tell.

Being clear of all the islands, which are laid down in the maps we had on board, between Timor and Java, we steered a west course till six o’clock the next morning, when we unexpectedly saw an island bearing W.S.W., and at first I thought we had made a new discovery.  We steered directly for it, and by ten o’clock were close in with the north side of it, where we saw houses, cocoa-nut trees, and to our very agreeable surprise, numerous flocks of sheep.  This was a temptation not to be resisted by people in our situation, especially as many of us were in a bad state of health, and many still repining at my not having touched at Timor:  It was, therefore soon determined to attempt a commerce with people who appeared to be so well able to supply our many necessities, and remove at once the sickness and discontent that had got footing among us.  The pinnace was hoisted out, and Mr Gore, the second lieutenant, sent to see if there was any convenient place to land, taking with him