Occurrences at Batavia and Passage thence to England.

OCTOBER 1789.

In the afternoon at four o’clock I went on shore and landed at a house by the river where strangers first stop and give an account who they are, whence they came, etc.  From this place a Malay gentleman took me in a carriage to Sabandar, Mr. Engelhard, whose house was in the environs of the city on the side nearest the shipping.  The Sabandar is the officer with whom all strangers are obliged to transact their business:  at least the whole must go through his hands.  With him I went to pay my respects to the governor-general who received me with great civility.  I acquainted his excellency with my situation and requested my people might be taken care of and that we should be allowed to take a passage to Europe in the first ship that sailed.  I likewise desired permission to sell the schooner and launch.  All this his excellency told me should be granted.  I then took leave and returned with the Sabandar who wrote down the particulars of my wants in order to form from them a regular petition to be presented to the council the next day.  I had brought from the governor of Coupang, directed for the governor-general at Batavia, the account of my voyage and misfortune, translated into Dutch from an account that I had given to Mr. van Este.  So attentive had they been at Timor to everything that related to us.

There is a large hotel at Batavia fitted up purposely for the accommodation of strangers, who are not allowed to reside at any other place.  It is situated near the great river in a part of the city that is reckoned the most airy and healthy.  Nevertheless I found the air hot and suffocating and was taken ill in the night with a violent pain in my head.

Friday 2.

The next morning at nine the council sat and I attended, accompanied by the Sabandar; and was informed that the council had complied with all I had requested.

When I returned to the hotel my headache increased and a violent fever came on.  I sent to acquaint the Sabandar of my situation and was soon after attended by the head surgeon of the town hospital Mr. Aansorp, by whose care and skill in less than 24 hours the fever considerably abated but a severe headache continued.  I had an invitation from the governor-general to dine with him, which of course I was obliged to decline.

I hired a carriage which cost three dollars per day for the benefit of taking an airing.  My lodgings at the hotel were so close and hot that I desired the Sabandar to apply to the Governor-General for leave to hire a house in the country; which request his excellency not only immediately complied with but gave directions for my being accommodated at the house of the physician or surgeon-general Mr. Sparling.

One of my people, Thomas Hall, being ill with a flux I obtained leave for him to be sent to the country hospital which is a convenient airy building.