>9« COO K.’s VOYAGE. 
About nine o’clock, we had a dreadful ftorm of thunder,, 
lightning, and rain, during which the main-maft of one of the 
35utch Eail Indiamen was fplit, and carried away by the deck; 
.the main-top-maft and top-gallant-maft were /hivered ail to 
pieces; fib e had an iron fpindle at the main-top-gallant-maft- 
Jiead, which probably direfled the ilroke. This Ihip lay not 
more than the diilance of two cables length from ours, and in 
all probability .we fhould have fhared the fame fate, but for the 
eledrical chain which we had but juft got up, and which con- 
duced the lightning over the fide of the fh ip ; but though we 
efcaped the lightning, the explcfion Ihook us like an earth- 
quake, the chain at the fame time appearing like a line of 
lire : a ceutinel was in the aftion of charging his piece, and 
the fhock forced the mufquet out of his hand, and broke the 
rammer rod. Upon this occafion, I cannot but earneftly re- 
commend chains of the fame kind to every fhip, whatever be 
her deftination, and I hope that the fate of the Dutchman will 
be a warning to all who fhail read this narrative, againft hav- 
ing- an iron fpindle at themaft-head. 
The next morning, I attended at the council-chamber, and 
was told that I fhould have every thing I wanted. In the mean 
time, the gentlemen aftiore agreed with the keeper of the hotel 
for their lodging and board, at the rate of two rix-dollars, or 
nine drillings fterling a day for each ; and as there were live of 
them, and they would probably have many vifitors from the 
ihip, he agreed to keep them a feparate table, upon condition 
that they fhould pay one rix-dollar for the dinner of every 
ilranger, and another for his fupper and bed, if he lhould deep 
aihore. Under this llipulation they were to be furnilhed with 
tea, coffee, punch, pipes and tobacco, for themfelves and their 
friends, as much as they could confume ; they were alfo to 
pay half a rupee, or one drilling and three pence a day for each 
of their fervants. 
They foon learnt that thefe rates were more than double the 
common charges of board and lodging in the town, and their 
table, though it had the appearance of magnificence, was 
wretchedly ferved. Their dinner confided of one courfe of 
fifteen dilhes, and their fupper of one courfe of thirteen, but 
nine or ten of them confided of bad poultry, varioudy drefied, 
and often ferved up the fecond, third, and even the fourth 
time: the fame duck having appeared more than onceroaded, 
found his way again to the table as africafee, and a fourth time in 
the form of forced meat. It was not long, however, before they 
learnt that this treatment was only by way of eflay, and that 
it was the invariable cuftom of the hpufe, to fupply all ftrangers, 
at their firit coming, with fuch fire as could be procured for 
the leaft money, and confequently would produce the mod 
gain : that if either through indolence or good-nature they 
were 
