850 
A VOYAGE TO 
[ From, Timor. 
1803. 
November. 
Thurs. 17. 
Friday 25. 
December. 
Sunday 4. 
pass southward of all the Sunda Islands and direct for the Cape oi 
Good Hope ; but if impeded, to run through some one of the eastern 
straits, get into the north-east monsoon, and make for Batavia, or 
any port were the vessel could be repaired. The veering of the 
wind to the westward of south, accompanied by a swell and tho 
occasional appearance of lightning in the north-western quarter, 
made me apprehensive of being forced to this latter plan ; and we 
prepared a boarding netting to defend us against the Malay pirates, 
with which the straits between Java and Timor were said to be in- 
fested ; the wind however came back to the eastward, although the 
south-west swell continued, and we had frequent rain with sometimes 
thunder and lightning. 
On the 25th, our latitude was 12 0 48' and longitude 103 0 6', 
which was past the meridian of Java Head, and beyond the ordinary 
limits of the north-west monsoon. The schooner was leaky, more 
so than before, and the pumps were getting worse ; but hoping to 
reach the Cape of Good Hope, I had wholly given up the idea of 
Batavia as lying too far out of the track ; Mauritius besides was in 
the way, should the vessel become incapable of doubling the Cape 
without repairs. 
Our course by compass was W. by S. for three days, and after- 
afterwards W. S. W., with fresh south-eastern breezes and cloudy 
weather; but in the upper regions of the atmosphere the wind was 
unsettled, showers of rain were frequent, and it appeared that we 
were only just in time to saVe our passage. On the 4th of December, 
in 19 0 2' south and 83° 50' east, we had a good deal of following 
sea from the eastward, whilst the ground swell came from the south- 
west ; and the jumble caused by these different movements in the 
water made the vessel labour exceedingly. I varied the course a point 
on either side, to keep the wind in the easiest direction; but during 
this and the following day the leaks augmented so much, that the 
starbord pump, which was alone effective, was obliged to be worked 
almost continually, day and night ; and had the wind been on the 
