34? ADVENTURES OF A JAVANESE. 



under Dutch colours, at anchor ; one was com- 

 manded by an Englishman, and the other, the pro- 

 perty of a rich Chinaman living in Banda, by an 

 old friend, who piloted us last year into Dobbo 

 Harbour. His history was a strange one. He was 

 a half-caste, born in Java, who, after various ad- 

 ventures in different parts of the world, had been 

 pressed into our naval service, and served some 

 time on board a man-of-war, where he learned the 

 English language. On his discharge from her, he 

 was for some time in distress in London, and even- 

 tually he found his way back to his native country, 

 where his enterprise, knowledge of seamanship, 

 and facility in acquiring languages, of which he 

 spoke seven or eight, soon got him employment. 



The commandant of the troops, Capt. De Stuers, 

 nephew to the Governor-General of the Moluccas, 

 who had very civilly pointed out the best anchorage 

 to us, and given us every information in his power, 

 on our first arrival, finding that we were interested 

 in the manners and customs of the natives, very 

 kindly invited us to see a menado dance performed by 

 some of the native soldiers of the garrison. We 

 landed with him in his Oram- bay, a large native boat, 

 pulled by twelve men, who kept time by striking 



net, which they leave down in shoal water during the night, and 

 generally find a good supply in the morning. 



On another part of the shoal we observed a number of large 

 stones, which are said to have been projected from the volcano, 

 during a violent eruption some years ago. 



