52 ■ DEEP-SEA SOUNDING. 



go to the Straits of Sunda to assist in warning vessels. 

 Fortunately the Enterprise had already been there ; and 

 although it was not really necessary that the Juniata 

 should go, as the Dutch authorities had detailed several 

 vessels for this work, still, to carry out the Department's 

 order, the Juniata left at once and remained a few days. 

 A large number of men were calking our decks when 

 the Juniata arrived, and before the work was finished 

 and the bunkers filled with coal the Juniata returned to 

 Batavia, as her services were not needed. 



We remained at Batavia until the 19th, giving 

 liberty to the crew and preparing for sea. For a few 

 days previous to our departure fears were entertained 

 that the iron-clad Prins Hendrick had come to grief, as 

 the Dutch admiral had heard nothing from her captain 

 for some time and no incoming vessel had seen her. 

 I at once volunteered to search for the missing vessel, 

 and agreed to cruise outside Flat Cape to Engano and 

 300 miles beyond, thence to Bencoolen and back, as 

 there was a possibility that she had become disabled in 

 some way near the entrance to the straits and had 

 drifted out to sea. The small Dutch vessels were to 

 examine the bays and indentations on the Sumatra side 

 of the straits. 



On the 1 8th, therefore, I took on board an extra 

 amount of coal, intending to sail the following morn- 

 ing, but before dark a vessel arrived bringing the wel- 

 come news that the Prins Hendrick had been seen in 

 Semanka Bay, Sumatra. This intelligence was at once 



