Mfl ^T^uTiStT 90 "' CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. sixain of Baac 



On my arrival at Singapore, various reports 

 wore ma do to nie- of defects existing in the tender 

 Flying-Fish. It was to bo expected, after the 

 arduous service she had performed; yet, having 

 brought her safely thus far, 1 felt a natural d<-sire 

 to carry her home with oh; and in this all the 

 officers seemed to partake. But lh« idea of risking 

 the lives of her officers and crew, after tin* disaster 

 thnt had already befallen her sister craft, was not 

 to be endured; and I saw that it was necessary to 

 have a thorough examination of her before I ven- 

 tured her in the hoi inward voyage. I therefore 

 ordered a survey by the most experienced persons 

 in tho squadron, who, although they could not 

 point out any conspicuous defects, were satisfied 

 that from long and hard service she had become 

 weakened in her frame, and that she would not 

 only need much time, but a largo expense, to place 

 her in a lit condition to make the voyage heme. I 

 must say that even after I had received the report 

 1 still felt a strong inclination to persist in bring- 

 ing her back to the United States; but my final 

 decision was against it. The consul was therefore 

 desired to advertise her for sale, and in the mean 

 time all her stores and armament were removed. 



Sho was, agreeably to tho notice, sold at public 

 sale for three thousand seven hundred dollars. To 

 part with this vessel was unpleasant on many ac- 

 counts; for she hud been daily, f»r nearly four 

 years, my first and last thought. The attachment 

 I had felt for her was great; the efficient aid .she 

 had occasionally afforded in the pprformanee of 

 my duties, caused me- to value her highly; and ns 

 a vessel of her class, she was almost faultless. 



JJy the !2«ith of February, we had completed fill- 

 ing onr water, which is hero conveniently supplied 

 by tank-boats; aud having obtained for the passage 

 home all the stores we needed, except bread, we 

 made every preparation for sailing. 



In consequence of the short supply of the latter 

 article, ] determined to touch with the Vincennes 

 at tho Cape of Good Hope; while the two brigs 

 were ordered to stop at Rio Janeiro, for the same 

 purpose, as welt as to obtain some further obser- 

 vations, and additional specimens of natural his- 

 tory. 



At five o'clock on the morning of the 2Gth, I 

 took advantage of the land-breeze, and made signal 

 to the Porpoise and Oregon to get under way. 



CHAPTER XXXIX. 

 CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. 



nnPAJlTCKE FROM I IKOA PORX— ITS AIT* 07 RHtO — STRAITS OF 7IAXCA- — STRA IT1 OF It'SDA— INDIA!? OCEAN — DEATH 

 OF MR. TAXOERFOBU — VENOOTl'* IJHt EP — AKR I VA L IX TABLE HAT— CAPS TOWW — GOV ERK1I EM OF THE cni-ORV 

 —TAXES — IlAMEtSrn— WISE Tl\ A UK — r 1 TT LE— I M PORT TR A I)E— HOTTENTOTS— 1 A rmE TK1 BE*— V I »IT TO COS- 

 5TANTIA— ACTRONONT AND MAGNETIC niUERVATIOKI — ASCKNT OF TAR LE MOOHTAIff— URXEN FOIJJT— I.IUHT- 

 HOL'IX — EXrHAKOE — HARDEN OF THE HA ROB VOX LUDW 1U— CL1M ATK OF THE CAPE — FIIEKOME5A OF Hf n:u 

 TIOW— TKBVRK* OF LAXTV — DF. P ARTCHB FROM TAHT.fi DAT— VOYAOE TO »T. HELEN A— JAMERT0V5— V1IJT TO THE 

 TOMB 1>P NAPOLEON AND LOXOWOOU — MAGNETIC l>nsER VaTORY — PLANT ATIQN-HOUAE — 'DEPARTURE FROM ft. 

 HELKSA— PAtJAOE TO THE UNITED «T ATE» — A HKI V A L AT XEW YORK — COX CLCItOM. 



After leaving Singapore, I determined to pass 

 through the Strain nf Rhio, a route which I deemed 

 the shortest find best fur vessels bound through 

 the Strait* of Sunda. We had light winds and 

 rain-ajualls at the eut ranee of the strait; but to- 

 wards the afternoon we were favoured with the 

 mirth-cast bree/e, whb'h carried us rapidly nji- 

 wanl. At night I anchored, wishing to examine 

 more particularly the charts extant, and to make 

 what corrections i might deem necessary. 



The next morning at daylight we again resumed 

 our route, but in consequence of fog were obliged 

 to anchor off the Dutch factory at Rhio, where a 

 fort is established. This was first occupied in 

 \U-2-l, after the cession of Malacca, 



The island contains but few inhabitants, and 

 those few are not inclined to come under the 1 Hitch 

 authority. From all J could learn, there is very 

 little inducement for a vessel to resort, here for 

 trade. The island is considered extremely un- 

 healthy for foreigners during several mouths of the 

 year. 



When the weather cleared off, wo again passed 

 down the strait, and on our arrival off the southern 

 point of the islands, we steered for the east point 

 of l.intin. which island we passed on the 2iHh, on 

 our way to the Straits of lianea. 



On the morning of the 1st of March, we ap- 

 proaehed the northern entrance of the Straits of 

 Baoca, ami got a view uf these low and uuin:- j. I 

 tug coasts. 



The same afternoon, we Ml in with a barque, 

 under Dutch colours, which refused to answer uur 

 hail as we passed; we immediately wore ship, and 

 tired a shot; upon which they let fly all their hal- 

 yards and sheets. A boat was seut on board with 

 an officer, who discovered that she was manned by 

 Malays, and that no ono on board could speak 

 English; however, ho managed to understand that 

 the\ were, from J 'aJainbam, Sumatra, and bound to 

 Singapore. Soon afterwards, we saw the Dutch 

 establishment of Mintow; it is situati d on a Kind'-, 

 at the northern end of Uanca, and had the Dutch 

 flag flying over it. The greater part of Banca is 

 low land; the northern >n<l particularly so. There 

 are, how i \. i\ a f. w detached hills, of considerable 

 altitude, which servo as sailing-marks during the 

 passage, through the straits. The southern end of 

 the island rises, and appears to be of a different 

 formation from the other parts, as its soil is thickly 

 wooded. In the forest were seen numerous clear- 

 ings, where people had been and were then binn- 

 ing charcoal, to obtain fuel for smelling the tin 

 ores. The principal mining district Lies towards 



