314 VOYAGE IN SEARCH 



feveral times in vain. This youth, who was of 

 a very mild, and at the fame time temperate 

 difpofition, had neverthelefs drunk, in the courfe 

 of the day, a fufficient quantity of fpirits to ex- 

 cite the molt lively inquietude rcfpecling his 

 fate. He might have fallen overboard, and it 

 was well known that he could not fwim. 



We all had the greater! occasion to remain on 

 fhore in order to recover our ftrength ; and the 

 Governor confented to our taking lodgings in 

 the town. 



It was of no fmall importance to the natura- 

 lifts to be known to the Governor of Amboyna, 

 that they might have every opportunity of profe- 

 euting the refearches which conftituted the ob- 

 ject of their mifTion : it was, no doubt, through 

 mere forget fulnefs, that the Admiral had fuffer- 

 ed us to remain ignorant of the hour of the firft 

 vifit which he had paid him. I requefted that 

 he would 'have the goodnefs to introduce us, 

 and we fct oft" about half paft ten o'clock to go 

 to the Governor's. M. Bourguclles and M. Van 

 Smiehl readily undertook to act as our inter- 

 preters. 



M. Van Smiehl was a German Baron, lately 

 arrived in the ifland. He was at prcfent, as he 

 told us, only afpiring to become one of the 

 Company's fcrvants. We congratulated our- 

 felvcs in the fcqucl, that he had cot yet much 



influence 



