Hicks, however, having written the name of the ship, only added “from Europe.” He took notice of this, but said, that he was satisfied with any thing we thought fit to write, it being intended merely for the information of those who should inquire after us from motives of friendship. Having made several attempts to sail with a wind that would not stem the current, and as often come to an anchor, a proa came alongside of us in the morning of the 5th, in which was a Dutch officer, who sent me down a printed paper in English, duplicates of which he had in other languages, particularly in French and Dutch, all regularly signed, in the name of the Governor and Council of the Indies, by their secretary: it contained nine questions, very ill expressed in the following terms: “1. To what nation the ship belongs, and its name? “2. If it comes from Europe, or any other place? “3. From what place it lastly departed from? “4. Whereunto designed to go? “5. What and how many ships of the Dutch Company by departure from the last shore there layed, and their names? “6. If one or more of these ships in company with this, is departed for this or any other place? “7. If during the voyage any particularities is happened or seen? “8. If not any ships in sea, or the Streights of Sunda, have seen or hailed in, and which? “9. If any other news worth of attention, at the place from whence the ship lastly departed, or during the voyage, is happened? “BATAVIA, in the Castle. “By order of the Governor-General “and the Counsellors of India, “J. BRANDER BUNGL, Sec.” Of these questions I answered only the first and the fourth; which when the officer saw, he said answers to the rest were of no consequence: yet he immediately added, that he must send that very paper away to Batavia, and that it would be there the next day at noon. I have particularly related this incident, because I have been credibly informed that it is but of late years that the Dutch have taken upon them to examine ships that pass through this Streight.