106 VOYAGE EKOM INDIA TO SIAM AND MALACCA. 



anchor was soon cast, as the current was agamst us. As soon 

 as it g'rew dark w^e had hghtning all around us. 



29. — During' the nigiit the anchor was hoisted, and at day- 

 break we were near the coast of Sumatra and the island Pullu 

 Einpet, but we had to keep our ship off on account of the coast 

 being' dang-erous in these parts. Before evening- we succeeded in 

 reaching' the land and we cast anchor between the mountain Moor 

 and Cape Formosa near a point of land stretching out into the sea. 



30. — During' the early hours we sailed on, making use of the 

 weak wind and the current, but soon afterwards we had contrary 

 wind, which w^as follow^ed by perfect calm, so we remained near 

 a place which was indeed called Formosa, which however for us 

 was very inconvenient. We had strong lightning all around. 



October 1. — We passed the Strait of Malacca. The wea- 

 ther did not change; we had some wind in the early morning, 

 Avhich however passed away very soon. 



2. — The anchor was hoisted to-day, because we had favour- 

 able wind ; we passed the island of Pullu Pisang at about one 

 mile's distance. Towards the afternoon the anchor was cast 

 again, because the wind was contrary. Much seed of the 

 JtiJdzophoni, Fuci and other seeds drifted past our ship carried by 

 a strong current and also some single laaves of the Acorus Marinus 

 Rum ph. ^ 



Then there was some water of a bright-red colour floating past 

 the ship, forming either large veins or spots. Some pails were let 

 down in order to obtain some of this water. I took much trouble 

 to discover the cause of this red colour. I strained a pail full 

 through a piece of new linen without finding anything but a few 

 flea-crabs. Under the microscope which was a quarter of an inch 

 I saw many Volroces pobjiiiorplm ; at times they had the shape 

 of a bell or that of a triang'le and sometimes they had a tail. All 

 of them were of a dark g-reen colour. | I could nor find out wdie- 

 ther the cause of the red colour was some kind of seed floating 

 on it or some solution of gold particles w^hich are formed in the 

 mountains and at this time might be washed down by the heavy 

 rains. 



We could not advance in these days on account of the con- 

 trary wind and so we crossed between the head land Mount For- 

 mosa and the Bisangs islands. These islands are four in numlcr, 

 * Enhalus cccoroides. f Infusoria. 



