256 
A VOYAGE TO 
\_At Timor . 
1803 . 
April. 
there is little to apprehend from north-west winds after the middle 
of March, or before the middle of November; but the standing re- 
gulations of the Dutch company were, that until the first of May 
their vesssls should lie under the north-east end of Pulo Samow, 
about five miles from Coepang ; although Babao Road on the north 
side of the bay, of which Dampier speaks, was said to be a more 
secure and convenient anchorage. The commander of the American 
ship Hunter had gone under Samow, because he found the Dutch 
brig there ; and although assured there was almost nothing to be 
apprehended in the bay, he feared to come up till encouraged by 
our example. 
This ship was upon a trading speculation, and the commander 
was buying here saridel wood and bees-wax. For the best kind of 
wood he paid twenty dollars per picol, for the inferior sort thirteen, 
and seven dollars for the refuse; and bees-wax cost him twenty-five 
dollars. *Upon all these he expected to make three hundred per 
cent, at Canton, besides the advantage of paying for them with cut- 
lasses, ax.es, and other iron tools, at an equally great advance; he 
reported, however, that iron was still more valuable at Solor, h lores, 
and the neighbouring islands ; and that supplies of fresh provisions 
were more plentiful. The usual profits of trade here, seemed to be 
cent, per cent, upon every exchange ; and this the commander of the 
Hunter proposed to make many times over, during his voyage. At 
Solor he had bought some slaves for two muskets each, which 
muskets he had purchased at the rate of 18s. in Holland, at the 
conclusion of the war; these slaves were expected to be sold at 
Batavia, for eighty, or more probably for a hundred dollars indivi- 
dually, making about thirty capitals of the first price of his muskets. 
If such advantages attend this traffic, humanity must expect no weak 
struggle to accomplish its suppression; but what was the result of 
this trading voyage? That the commander and his crew contracted a 
fever at Diely, and nearly the whole died before they reached Batavia. 
Spanish dollars were rated at 5s. 4d. according to the Dutch 
