At daylight, on the 2nd of June, I left Batavia for the Pedir Coast, on the north-east part of the large island of Sumatra; and, about noon, it being calm, anchored off Hoorn Island, in the Great Channel. This island is a mere reef, or sand-bank, with trees of some elevation upon it, which impart a higher aspect to it than on landing it is in reality found to possess. The passage, by the western coast of Sumatra, was tedious; light and variable winds and calms being very often experienced, although we kept some hundred of miles from the coast;[138] it was, therefore, not until the morning of the 28th of June, that elevated land was seen, being the islands about the “Bengal Passage,” which we entered about half past ten o’clock, A.M., having on one side the lofty wooded island of “Pulo Brasse,”[139] and “Pulo Nancie,” and opposite to them, the elevated island, rich in vegetation, of “Pulo Way.” “Pulo Rondo” was also visible in the distance. Our progress through the passage was but slow, with a moderate south wind; and a strong westerly current considerably impeded the vessel. On entering further in the passage, we became more under the influence of the high land, and the breeze diminished. The weather was showery and unsettled, and the ship anchored in the evening in “Gingiong roads,” in eleven fathoms, about five or six miles distant from the wooded coast. The land had a lofty aspect, abounding in profuse vegetation, and was possessed of much romantic and picturesque beauty. Since we entered the passage, and proceeded along the coast, the mountains rose in peaked and various fantastic groups, forming the back view of the landscape; the low land, near the beach, was covered with timber; hills rose gradually one beyond another, terminated by lofty mountains, towering in the distance; the whole covered by a dense vegetation. At this time, the view was occasionally impeded by fleecy clouds passing over, giving afterwards an increased, animated appearance to the scene, by the refreshing showers they produced. At some distance from the main land, straggling rocks were sometimes seen, either rising solitary, or in clusters from the ocean’s depths; some covered with a scanty vegetation, whilst the bare summits and declivities of others had a volcanic character: around their bases, the breakers dashed furiously, and the white foam raged against those rugged sides, which had stood the violence of a thousand tempests, serving as a place of refuge for boobies, tropic, and other oceanic birds, which here congregate and rear their progeny, free from molestation.