288 cook's first voyage oct. - 



fore, beds were immediately hired, and word was sent 

 that we should sleep there at night. 



At rive o'clock in the afternoon, I was introduced 

 to the Governor-general, who received me very cour- 

 teously ; he told me, that I should have every thing 

 I wanted, and that in the morning my request should 

 be laid before the council, which I was desired to 

 attend. 



About nine o'clock, we had a dreadful storm of 

 thunder, lightning, and rain, during which the main- 

 mast of one of the Dutch East Indiamen was split, 

 and carried away by the deck ; the main-top-mast 

 and top-gallant-mast were shivered all to pieces ; she 

 had an iron spindle at the main-top-gallant-mast- 

 head, which probably directed the stroke. This ship 

 lay not more than the distance of two cables' length 

 from ours, and in all probability we should have 

 shared the same fate, but for the electrical chain 

 which we had but just got up, and which conducted 

 the lightning over the side of the ship ; but though 

 we escaped the lightning, the explosion shook us 

 like an earthquake, the chain at the same time ap- 

 pearing like a line of fire : a centinel was in the 

 action of charging his piece, and the shock forced 

 the musket out of his hand, and broke the rammer 

 rod. Upon this occasion, I cannot but earnestly 

 recommend chains of the same kind to every ship, 

 whatever be her destination, and I hope that the fate 

 of the Dutchman will be a warning to all who shall 

 read this narrative, against having an iron spindle at 

 the mast-head. 



The next morning I attended at the council- 

 chamber, and was told that I should have every 

 thing I wanted. In the mean time, the gentlemen 

 ashore agreed with the keeper of the hotel for their 

 lodging and board, at the rate of two rix -dollars, or 

 nine shillings sterling a day for each ; and as there 

 were five of them, and they would probably have 

 many visitors from the ship, he agreed to keep them 



