On the evening we anchored in the straits, we discovered twenty-one piratical proas off the north end of Pulo Leat, and fourteen off the southern point; rockets were thrown up by vessels stationed midway between the squadrons, during the night. The ship being in readiness for action, it is probable they discovered lights from the battle-lanterns on the gun-deck, during the night, for in the morning only a few scattered vessels were to be seen. We were at length released from this unpleasant strait, which has shipwrecked so many lives, either by being drowned, or else murdered by the savages which infest them, by a fine leading breeze, passed safely into the Java sea, through the great group called the “Thousand Islands,” and anchored on the fifth of June in the unhealthy roadstead of Batavia, where at length we found the United States’ schooner Boxer, Lieut. Comdt. Shields, at anchor awaiting our arrival. Having received a very hospitable invitation from Mr. Forrestice, an American merchant, of the first respectability, to reside with him at “Fancy Farm,” his beautiful country-seat, three miles from the city, I accepted his kind offer and remained there for nearly two months. According to history, the Portuguese first visited Java in 1511, an ambassador having been sent there from Malacca. The Dutch arrived in 1596, settling first at Bantam, but they afterward removed to Jacatia and in 1618 it was seized by them, and all the inhabitants put to the sword who did not seek safety in flight; the walls of the ancient city were razed to the ground, the town burnt, and nothing remained but the name. On this spot was the present city of Batavia founded. The island, with the exception of five years, from 1811 to 1816, when it was in the possession of the British, has been held by no European nation, but the Dutch. The island of Java, called generally by the natives Jawa, is in a straight line to its extreme points six hundred and sixty-six statute miles: and in breadth, from fifty-six to one hundred and thirteen.