A voyage to the South Sea : $b Undertaken by command of His Majesty for the purpose of conveying the bread-fruit tree to the West Indies in His Majesty's ship the Bounty commanded by Lieutenant William Bligh; including an account of the mutiny on board the said ship and the subsequent voyage of part of the crew in the ship's boat from Tofoa, one of the Friendly Islands, to Timor, a Dutch settlement in the East IndiesBligh, William
History
A voyage to the South Sea : $b Undertaken by command of His Majesty for the purpose of conveying the bread-fruit tree to the West Indies in His Majesty's ship the Bounty commanded by Lieutenant William Bligh; including an account of the mutiny on board the said ship and the subsequent voyage of part of the crew in the ship's boat from Tofoa, one of the Friendly Islands, to Timor, a Dutch settlement in the East Indies
Bligh, William
Bounty (Ship); Bounty Mutiny, 1789; Oceania -- Description and travel -- Early works to 1800; Voyages and travels
I left the governor Mr. van Este at the point of death. To this gentleman
our most grateful thanks are due for the humane and friendly treatment
that we received from him. His ill state of health only prevented him
from showing us more particular marks of attention. Unhappily it is to
his memory only that I now pay this tribute. It was a fortunate
circumstance for us that Mr. Wanjon, the next in place to the governor,
was equally humane and ready to relieve us. His attention was unremitting
and, when there was a doubt about supplying me with money to enable me to
purchase a vessel, he cheerfully took it upon himself; without which it
was evident, I should have been too late at Batavia to have sailed for
Europe with the October fleet. I can only return such services by ever
retaining a grateful remembrance of them.
Mr. Max the town surgeon likewise behaved to us with the most
disinterested humanity: he attended everyone with the utmost care, for
which I could not prevail on him to receive any payment, or to render me
any account, or other answer than that it was his duty.
CHAPTER 19.
From Timor to Batavia.
AUGUST 1789.
Thursday 20.
From Coupang we steered north-west by west having a moderate breeze at
south-east with fair weather.
Saturday 22.
At daylight we saw the island Flores to the northward. At noon latitude
observed 9 degrees 27 minutes south, and longitude by account from
Coupang 2 degrees 10 minutes west. Our distance from the coast of Flores
was about 10 leagues; and two high peaked mountains bore north half east
and north-north-west. These two mountains resemble each other in shape
and the westernmost is a volcano. The interior parts of Flores are
mountainous and woody: but near the sea-coast is a fine open country. A
Dutch map with which I was provided places the south part of Flores in 9
degrees 3 minutes south which I am of opinion is too far south. We
steered along the south side of Flores, mostly with light winds and hazy
weather, so that we did not constantly keep sight of the coast.
Tuesday 25.
At noon we were off Toorns island which bore north-west by north three or
four leagues distant. Our latitude observed was 8 degrees 57 minutes
south and longitude made by dead reckoning from Coupang 3 degrees 27
minutes west. Toorns island is about four leagues in circuit and has a
craggy and uneven appearance. There is a curious high peak on the
south-west part: the land near the shore is low and woody.
Thursday 27.
On the 27th at noon we were near the entrance of the Straits of Mangaryn,
which not appearing so open and clear as represented in the map, I
steered for the straits of Sapi, intending to pass through; but was
obliged to give up this plan by strong currents setting to the south-east
which there was not sufficient wind to enable us to stem.
Saturday 29.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account