468 A V O Y A G E T O 



i78o. light breeze; and, at eight, were abreaft of the Second Point, 



February. 



\ , — / and pafTed it within two miles, in feventeen fathoms water, 



a fullicient proof, that this point may be bordered upon 

 with fafety. At midnight, we again came to anchor, on 

 account of the tide, in thirteen fathoms, Mount PermiiTang, 

 on the ifland of Banca, bearing North y° Eaft, and the Firft 

 Point South 54 Eaft, diftant about three leagues. 



Saturday 5. In the morning of the 5th, we weighed, and kept on to 

 the South Eaft ; and, at ten, pafTed a fmall flioal, lying in a 

 line with Lufepara and the Firft Point, at the diftance of 

 five miles from the latter. At noon, the ifland of Lufepara, 

 bearing South, $f t F- a ft> rour miles diftant, we deter- 

 mined its latitude to be 3 107 South, and longitude 106 15' 

 Eaft. The difference of longitude between the ifland Lufe- 

 para, which lies in the South entrance of the Straits of 

 Banca, and Monopin Hill, which forms one fide of the en- 

 trance from the North, we found to be 55', which is only 

 two miles lefs than what is given in D'Apres' chart. 



In pafling thefe Straits, the coaft of Sumatra may be ap- 

 proached fomewhat clofer than that of Banca. At the dif- 

 tance of two or three miles from the fhore, there are ten, 

 eleven, twelve, or thirteen fathoms, free from rocks or 

 fhoals ; however, the lead is the fureft guide. The country 

 is covered with wood down to the water's edge, and the 

 mores are fo low, that the fea overflows the land, and 

 wafhes the trunks of the trees. To this flat and marfhy 

 fituation of the fhore, we may attribute thofc thick fogs and 

 vapours, which we perceived, every morning, not without 

 dread and horror, hanging over the ifland, till they were 

 difperfed by the rays of the fun. The fliores of Banca are 

 much bolder, and the country inland rifes to a moderate 

 1 height, 



