Mines and smelting process. 

 Straits of Banca. Straits of Sunda. 



CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. 



Indian ocean. Death of Mr. 

 Vanderford. 



347 



the southern end of the island, in the swampy flat 

 land at the foot of the isolated hills before men- 

 tioned. The ore is usually found at the depth of 

 from six to twenty feet from the surface, in layers 

 that run horizontally for two or three miles; these 

 vary in thickness from six to twenty inches, and 

 consist of heavy granulated particles, of a dark 

 metallic lustre, mixed with white sand. The strata 

 above the vein consists of vegetable mould, red and 

 white clay, intermixed with pebbles of white quartz, 

 and white sand, like that which is found with the 

 metal. A stratum of steatite is said to be found 

 underlying these ores of tin. 



The process of working these mines is exceed- 

 ingly rude; both Malays and Chinese are employed 

 in them, but the latter are preferred on account of 

 their greater perseverance and industry. I was 

 told at Singapore that the amount of tin derived 

 from Banca by the Dutch was not half so great as 

 that obtained while it was under British manage- 

 ment, or that it is still capable of yielding. The 

 ore is washed after its removal from the veins, 

 which separates the earth, and leaves only the 

 metal and stones; the last are separated by hand, 

 and the metal is then smelted: to effect this, huge 

 piles of alternate layers of ore and charcoal are 

 formed ; the fused metal escapes into a hole dug in 

 the ground, from which it is dipped and poured 

 into moulds, forming, when cool, the tin of com- 

 merce. Tin ore is found at Banca in great quan- 

 tities, but its quality is inferior to that obtained 

 from other places; and it rarely yields more than 

 sixty per cent, of pure metal. The process of 

 smelting is but seldom performed, generally not 

 oftener than once or twice a year. Rude bellows 

 of various forms are used in kindling the smelting 

 fires; some of these are composed of large wooden 

 cylinders with moving pistons, which give a strong 

 continuous blast; others are nothing more than a 

 bamboo tube, through which the breath is forced 

 upon the flame. The process for working the 

 mines and extracting the metal from the ore, are 

 similar in all the mining districts, and differ but 

 little from those employed when the mines were 

 first opened. 



The Sumatra shore of the Straits of Banca is 

 low, and appears to be covered with a dense forest. 

 During the night we were visited by a heavy storm 

 of thunder and lightning, with much rain. The 

 next morning being pleasant, we got under way 

 again, and passed rapidly through the straits; the 

 southern outlet, however, called the Lucepara 

 Passage, was not attained until nearly dark, and 

 before reaching it we crossed many shoals, so near 

 the surface as to leave but little water under our 

 keels. An English vessel in advance of us hoisted 

 a light after dark, and by taking it for our guide, 

 we succeeded in passing through safely. This 

 vessel was soon overtaken by us, and proved to be 

 the barque Java, Lewis master, thirty-eight days 

 from Batavia, and bound to Singapore. Having 

 lost twelve of her crew by dysentery, and but few 

 of the survivors being able to perform their duty 

 in consequence, she was returning to Batavia. The 

 surgeon was sent on board, and the necessary 

 medicines, &c., of which they were in great want, 

 were supplied. 



On the 4th of March we arrived off Hout's 

 Island, at the entrance of the Straits of Sunda. 

 The wind dying away, we were left at the mercy 



of a strong current setting in towards the island. 

 We anchored to avoid danger, and lay until the 

 turn of the tide; we afterwards passed round Zut- 

 phen's Island and Hog Point, anchoring for the 

 night off Rajah Bassa. 



As far as my experience goes, I can testify that 

 Horsburgh's directions for the Straits of Sunda are 

 safe and good, although perhaps not the most suit- 

 able for our navigators, for he makes the safety of 

 the ship his principal aim, and gives directions so 

 to navigate a large class vessel as to insure it; 

 whilst my countrymen, although they always read 

 him, are not disposed to pursue his directions ex- 

 actly, believing that in following his advice more 

 time is lost than a regard to sufficient safety de- 

 mands. Although such may be the case, it ought 

 not to lessen the gratitude that navigators owe him 

 for his East India Directory, a contribution to 

 nautical information that cannot well be surpassed, 

 either for general accuracy, or as regards the great 

 number of satisfactory directions that it contains. 



On the morning of the 6th, we again got under 

 way, the men exhibiting their joy in taking this 

 first real step on their homeward course, by run- 

 ning up the anchor quickly to the bows, and by 

 the alacrity with which they performed their other 

 duties. With a light wind from the eastward, we 

 stood into the Indian Ocean, between the islands 

 of Pulo Bessy and Crockatoa; the day was a de- 

 lightful one, and being Sunday, when no unessen- 

 tial duty was performed, there was leisure to enjoy 

 it. After divine service, the wind shifted to the 

 northward and westward, and towards night we 

 experienced severe squalls from that quarter, ac- 

 companied by lightning and torrents of rain. In 

 the intervals between the gusts, the wind blew 

 freshly, and on the morning of the 7th we found 

 ourselves fairly launched on the blue waters of the 

 ocean, pursuing rapidly our homeward course. 



We were now truly on our route for home, and 

 finding that the brigs detained us by their slower 

 rate of sailing, I determined to part company with 

 them, having some days previously given them 

 directions what course to pursue in such an event. 

 We accordingly made all the sail that could be 

 carried, and soon left them behind us. 



On the 23rd, Benjamin Vanderford, master's 

 mate, died. During the cruise, I had often expe- 

 rienced his usefulness, and now regretted his loss. 

 He had formerly been in command of various ships 

 sailing from Salem, and had made many voyages 

 to the Feejee Islands. During our stay there he 

 was particularly useful in superintending all trade 

 carried on to supply the ships; he always proved 

 himself a good officer, and was one for whom I felt 

 a great regard. He had a presentiment of his own 

 death, and had long been impressed with the 

 opinion that he would not survive to return to his 

 country. His death produced a great impression 

 upon Vendovi, for Mr. Vanderford was the only 

 person with whom that chief could converse, and a 

 sort of attachment had sprung up between them, 

 arising from the officer's long residence with Tanoa 

 at Ambau, and his familiarity with the manners 

 and customs of the Feejee Islands. Besides, Ven- 

 dovi looked forward to his becoming a protector on 

 their arrival in the United States. While con- 

 versing with Mr. Vanderford, some time before 

 his death, he expressed his willingness to take 

 charge of Vendovi, and to befriend him on our 



