[ 2 93 ] 
in port the men are ordered under cover, and the 
hatches are laid over and covered. The fcuttle to 
the powder-room is well covered with wet fwabs, 
and the pafiage fecured. 
Before I end this account, I (hall give you the re- 
lation of an accident from thunder at Batavia. 
Anno 1746. A Dutch fhip, lying in the road of 
Batavia, having taken leave of the governor, was 
ready to depart for Bengal. The afternoon was 
calm, and towards evening they had loofed their 
fails, and lay ready to take up their anchor upon the 
coming off of the wind from the land, which is 
common every night. A black cloud was gathering 
over the hills, and the wind brought it towards the 
fhip : by the time the cloud and the wind reached 
the fhip, a clap of thunder burft from it juft over 
the fhip, and fet fire to the main-top-fail, which be- 
ing very dry, burnt with great fury ; and this fet fire 
to the rigging and mail. They immediately attempt- 
ed to cut away the maft, but were hindered by the 
falling of the rigging, which was burnt, from the 
head of the maft. By degrees the fire communicated 
to the other mafts, and obliged the people to defert 
the fhip ; and afterwards it took hold of the body of 
the fhip, and burning down to the powder, the 
upper part of the hull blew up, and the bottom 
part funk in the place, where fhe was at anchor. 
Anno 1741. Bencoolen road on the S. W. fide 
of the Ifland of Sumatra, Lat. 4 0 o' South.. There 
lay here two fhips, one an European, the other a 
country trading fhip, both belonging to the Eaft. 
India. 
