Chap. I. 
Captain William FunnellI 
I (lands, and you will be fafe : Although the Dutch , in 
their Maps, have laid down the Dangers to the Southward, 
which fhould have been laid down to the Northward of 
thofe two Ides 5 and the fafe Sholes, which we and they 
always go over, they have laid down to the N orthward of 
thofe two Iflands, whereas we and they always went over to 
the Southward of them. We had a Draught on board be- 
longing to the Captain of the Vefifel, which fhewed all this 
very exaftly as we found it : I compared it with feveral 
others which were on board, and found a great deal of Dif- 
ference : I asked the Captain the Reafon of their Differ- 
ence ; and he told me, that the Hollanders knew all the 
Sholes and dangerous Places hereabouts very well ; but did 
not defire any body elfe fhould know them ; fo that, if any 
Foreigner fhould come into thofe Parts amongft thefe Sholes, 
and fail by their Draughts, they might unexpectedly be 
amongft Rocks and Sholes, where they would certainly 
lofe their Ship, as we had done, if we had fail’d by the com- 
mon Draughts, it being the Dutch Policy to keep all Ships, 
belonging to the EngUJh or French , as far off thefe Iflands 
as they can ; or, at leaft, if they come amongft them, 
and happen into their Hands, as we did, they take care to 
fend them away, and let them know as little of them as may 
be. How far tMDuphmm be able to juftify fuch a Method 
of acfting, from the Conducft of other Nations, where they 
conceive either their Safety or Intereft as nearly concerned, 
I cannot take upon me to determine : But this, I think, is 
very plain, that Mankind in general fuffer by all thefe nar- 
row Schemes of Thinking, which undoubtedly contribute 
to the keeping us in Ignorance of thofe Parts of the World, 
which the Divine Providence never meant to conceal. If, 
in private Life the Welfare of the Family ought to be 
preferred to the Caprice, and even to the Intereft, of any 
fmgle Perfon ; if, from the jiift Maxims of Policy, the 
Good of Society ought always to take place of private In- 
tereft ; their, methmks, the lame Method of Reafoning 
fhould have Force with regard to the Concerns of a Cornu 
pany, and even of a whole Nation, when they interfere 
with the common Good of Mankind. It may be thought 
a little enthufiaftic, but, I muft confefs, it has been al- 
ways my private Opinion, that, as all thefe great Difco- 
veries have been made, not only fmce the Chriftian Difpen- 
fation took place, but fmce the fundamental Doblrines of 
Chriftianity have been fet free from the Errors of Superfti- 
tion, it looks as if the Almighty defigned, that all the in- 
habited Parts of the Globe fhould have an Opportunity 
afforded, them of embracing fo excellent a Rule of Life ; 
and. therefore 1 perfuade myfelf, that all the Attempts made 
to limit or prevent this, are not only impious in their Na- 
ture, but will likewife be found impracticable in the End. 
To feek new Countries for the fake of (polling them of 
tiieii Wealth, or making Slaves of the People who dwell 
in them, is a Defign fo bafe and barbarous, that no Na- 
tion certainly will avow it ; but to aim at the Dilcovery 
of Counties hitherto unknown, in order to employ our 
i oor at home, and to extend the Bleflings we poffefs to 
the moft diftant and diftreffed People in the Univerfe, is a 
great and good Defign ; and feems fo exactly to coincide 
with the Views of Providence, that I think the Nation can 
fcarce fail of becoming rich, happy, and glorious, that pur- 
fues it with a Spirit worthy or fo noble, generous, and hu- 
mane an Undertaking. 
34. . On Odlober 2 1 . 1705. we entered the Harbour of 
Batavia ; and, as foon as we landed, we were lent to the reft 
or our Men, who were ftill in Cuftody. A little after, the 
Major of the Caftle was fent to us, and defired we would 
tranfmit the General, by him, an Account of our Lodes 
which we received by our being taken at Amboyna ; and 
that we fhould be fatisfiedon all Accounts as to our Effects, 
Lois of Time, and Imprifoninent. Accordingly, we each 
°i ? 'w U P an Account or our Loffes, and fent it by 
the Major to the General, . who returned us for Anfwer, 
that very fpeedily we fhould have our Freedom. On Oc- 
tober 2 7 we were all fent for to the Fort, and moft of our 
ieady Money was returned to us again ; but for our Goods, 
i^ots °1 1, ime, and Imprifonment, we could have no Sa~ 
tis.acftion 5 only the General told us, he had given us all 
R rW e Goyernor u of ^%^ had fent to him ; and that, 
It there was any thing more, lie knew nothing of it 5 and 
* 4 ? 
that we were now at our Liberty to go whither we pleafed. 
We defired, that, fmce our Veffel was taken from us by the 
Company, he would be pleafed to take care to find us feme 
Ship, in which we might return home , which he promifed 
he would. We were forced to be content, and went and 
took Lodging in the Town, till we could meet with an 
Opportunity of returning home. In the Space of about 
feven Weeks that I remained here, I made all the Qbfer- 
vations I could on the Place, and its Inhabitants. The for- 
mer I found in as good Condition as it was poflible, and 
the latter appeared to me as prudent and induftrious a Peo- 
ple as ever I faw ; but the Defcriptions that have been al- 
ready publilhed of both are fo exact, as to render it unne- 
ceftary for me to trouble the World with my Collections. 
I fhall content myfelf, therefore, with making a very fhort 
Defcription of the Place, as I think it neceffary to render my 
Work all of a Piece-, and ftiall refer the curious Reader, 
for further Satisfaction, to the large Accounts that have 
been publilhed by Dutch , French , and EngUJh Writers * 
but efpecially the firft, who are equally capable and willing 
to reprefent it fairly. 
35. This City of Batavia is the chief Place the Dutch 
have in India , receiving, by Shipping, the Product of In- 
dia, Japan , and China. It is inhabited by feveral forts of 
People, as Dutch , Portuguese , Chinefe , Perfians , and Ne- 
groes ; but the Malayans are the Natives : The Dutch are 
Mailers of the Place, and have a very fine large Town, in 
which are feven Churches, Dutch, Portuguefe, Malays , 
and Chinefe , with feveral very fpacious Houfts, built after 
the European manner : The Town is all walled and moted 
round; and die Walls are abundantly provided with Can- 
non. In the Middle of the Town, in a great fquare Place, 
is a very fine Stadt-houfe, where all public Affairs 
are tranfacted. The Town, wirh all the Fortifications, is 
commonly governed by one of the States of Holland, who 
has the Title of General of India, and all other Governors 
are fubordinate to him. The Inhabitants here do not care 
how often they change their General ; for, at the coming 
of a new one, all Prifoners are releafed, except fuch as have 
committed Murder. He has twelve to affift him, who 
have always the Title of Rads, or Lords of India : Thefe 
are fuch as have been formerly chief Governors in feveral 
Places in India, as of Ceylon , Amboyna , Malacca , &c. 
The Town is divided by Canals, over which, almoft in 
every Street, there are Bridges laid, and Boombs to hale 
acrofs, which let no Boats go in or out after Sun-fet. The 
chief Produce of the Place is Pepper, of which the Dutch 
yearly export great Quantities : Here are alio feme few 
Diamonds, and other Precious Stones. Of Fruits here are 
Plantains, Bananas, Oranges, Lemons, Pomegranates, 
Mangaftans, and Rumboftans. The Mangaftan is about 
the Bignefs of a Golden-runnet ; it is quite round, and looks 
like a fmall Pomegranate. The outfide Rind is like that 
of a Pomegranate, only of a darker Colour ; but the Xn- 
fide of the Rind is of a fine Red ; within this Rind is the 
Fruit, which is of a fine White, and lies in Cloves a'lmoft 
like Garlick ; there are commonly -four or five Cloves in 
each, and they are very foft and juicy ; within the Clove is 
a fmall black Stone. We commonly fuck the Fruit from 
the Stone, and the Fruit is very delicious ; the Stone we 
throw away, being very bitter, if chewed. The Rumboftan 
is about the Bignefs of a Walnut, when the green Peel is 
off. It is alfo pretty near the Shape of a Walnut, and 
hath a thick tough outer Rind, which is of a deep Red, full 
of little Knobs of the fame Colour ; within the Rind is the 
Fruit,, which is quite white, and looks almoft like a Jelly ; 
and within the Fruit is a large Stone ; it is very delicate, 
and though a Man eat ever fo much, yet it never does him 
any.PIarm, provided he fwallows the Stones as well as the 
Fruit but otherwife they are faid to caufe Fevers. The 
Ifland of Java , on the North Side of which Batavia ftands, 
is in Length, from Eaft to Weft, about ten Degrees. The 
Wind and Weather is extremely regular at Batavia , and 
the Dutch Inhabitants know how to make ufe of it at all 
Seafons to the beft Advantage. In the Eaftern Monfoon 
the Land-winds are at South-eaft, fometimes more South- 
erly ; and the Sea-wunds at North-eaft fine pleafant Gales. 
This. Eafterly Monfoon is accounted the good Monfoon, 
it being fine fair dear Weather, beginning in April, and 
2 ending 
