O^fcrvallons on the Straits ofMalacca, 205 



lacca, and were laden with rotangs. This, however, did not 

 fatisfy the captain, and he immediately began to fire among 

 them. Bemg much alarmed at this conduct, they cut their 

 cables and rowed with all their nvght towards the land, 

 where they were in danger of ruuwiug on iliore. In the 

 mean time we paHed the other two, which being without us 

 were not able to efcape, but, verv fortunately, our captaia 

 did not obferve them on account t/f his ideas being deranged, 

 and becaufe his attention was diieilcd to the other fide. As 

 foon as we had paded, all the Malays on board bent them- 

 felves three times with their foreheads towards the deck, 

 which in all probability was bv wav of returning thanks to 

 Providence for the danger they had efcapcd. 



In the ftraits there are a great many ifiands which abound 

 with excellent frelh water; i)ut It cannot be at all times 

 ufed, as the Malays poifon the fprlngs : to fuch length do 

 thefe men proceed in their hatred towards the Europeans. 

 When (hips enter the firaits, they are generally vifited by 

 fmall Malay boats, which bring fiOi and tortoifes for fale. 

 The tortoifes are of that kind called the green tortoife, which 

 is three feet in length, about tvi'o in hreydih, and vieighs 

 from two to three hundred pounds. A Spanifli dollar, a 

 fmall quantity of rice, and a bottle of brandy, are in general 

 the price of a tortoife and a certain number of fifh. The 

 flefh of thefe tortoifes is well tailed and much like that of 

 veal, but difficult of digellion. The eggs, on the other 

 hand, a hundred of which are fometimcs found in one ani- 

 mal, are a great delicacy, and made into foup. The greateft 

 advant.-ige to feamen in purchafing thefe tortoifes is, that they 

 live a long time ; we kept many of them alive frtmi three to 

 four weeks on the deck without any nourilhment, and with- 

 out any other care than throwing fea- water over them in the 

 morning and evening. The whole ftraits are a real paradife 

 interfiierfed with a nuiltitude of fmall iflands. Thofe who 

 vifit them cannot help williing that they could fpend their 

 \*hole lives on them, but while the Malays exill they mud 

 \it uninhabitable for Europeans. 



II. Chemical 



