We passed through the Straits of Dryan, with a fine breeze from the north-east. On the morning of the 20th, we spoke the Honourable Company’s ship, Marquis of Huntley, about the entrance of the Banca Straits, from China, bound to the Cape, and England. We passed the Banca Straits, and Lucepara Shoals, and entered the Java Sea on the 22nd, having experienced much rain during our passage from Singapore. On the 26th, we passed the beautifully picturesque and umbrageous _Zutphen Islands_; the adjacent coast of Sumatra had also a rich wooded appearance: the grand and majestic peaked mountain of Rajah Bassa rose from the forest land, towering to the clouds, and clothed in verdure, but was sometimes concealed by the fleecy mists which passed over it, as well as over the lower land, discharging themselves in occasional light and refreshing showers. The moisture of the atmosphere occasioned a delightful fragrance to visit us from the shore. The island of _Thwart-the-way_ was passed about eight A.M.; and in the afternoon we were becalmed off the lofty-peaked _Crokatoa Island_, which was densely wooded from the base to the summit; and, from the very close view we had, displayed a rich and beautiful appearance. On the 30th of December, we had the commencement of the south-east trade, being then in lat. 8° 49′ south, and long. 101° 20′ east. On the 31st of December, I nearly lost one of the _Crowned pigeons_, from some of the bamboos of the cage in which they were confined having been broken. This accident was not perceived at the time it occurred: it was even fortunate that the bird was seen to escape, and the cause discovered, previously to the whole of them coming out. The bird, now at liberty, got upon one of the quarter-boats; and from the motion of the ship throwing it occasionally nearly off its balance, I was fearful every moment of seeing it meet with a watery grave. As it stood upon the edge of the boat, surveying the expansive ocean before it, the bird seemed, as the vessel gave an occasional lurch, to be in danger of falling into the waves; or by mistaking the _field of sea_ for a large plain, might have plunged itself, unconsciously, into destruction: fortunately, however, the second officer of the ship succeeded in capturing and returning it to the cage it had forsaken. As the bird stood upon the boat, it had a very graceful and elegant appearance, gazing upon the wide view before it, with its beautiful bright-red eyes, and delicate crest; uttering at the same time, whilst gently bending its head, the usual humming, mournful sounds, which resembled those of a person suffering bodily torture.