TERRA AUSTRALIS. 
255 
Coepang Bay.] 
Leffow still remained ; but these have all .gradually declined, and 
the governor of Diely was now said to be the sole white Portuguese 
resident on the island. The Dutch territory at Coepang did not 
extend beyond four or five miles round Fort Concordia ; and the 
settlement affording no other advantage to the Company than that 
of keeping out other nations, it seemed to be following, with accele- 
rated steps, the ruin of their affairs. During the war which termi- 
nated in 1801, the communication with Batavia was interrupted, 
and the town taken by the English forces ; an insurrection was raised 
by the half-cast people, and some of the troops left as a garrison 
were massacred, and the rest abandoned the island. During these 
troubles the town had been set on fire ; and at this time, all the best 
houses were in ruins. The few troops kept by the Dutch were 
mostly Malays, some of the officers even, being mulattos ; and the 
sole person amongst them, who had any claim to respectability, was 
a Swiss who had the command of Fort Concordia, but with no 
higher rank that that of serjeant-major. Besides the governor and 
two or three soldiers, I saw only two European residents at Coepang; 
one was the surgeon of whom captain Bligh speaks so handsomely 
in his narrative, the other a young gentleman named Viertzen, who 
had lately arrived. 
Coepang has little other trade than with Batavia. Sandel 
wood, bees- wax, honey, and slaves, are exported; and rice, arrack, 
sugar, tea, coffee, beetel nut, and the manufactures of China, with 
some from India and Europe, received in return ; and the duties 
upon these were said to suffice the expense of keeping up the estab- 
lishment. A vessel laden with ammunition, clothing, 'k’nd other 
supplies for the troops, is annually sent from Batavia ; but what 
may be called the trade of Coepang, is mostly carried on by the 
Chinese, some of whom are settled in the town, and have intermixed 
with the Malays. 
Coepang Bay is exposed to the westward ; but from the be- 
ginning of May to the end of October, the anchorage is secure ; and 
1803. 
April. 
