ARRIVAL AT COUPANG. 55 
vessels and a cutter at anchor to the eastward. 
Out of a bundle of signal flags, which the boat- 
swain had thrown into the launch before they 
left the Bounty, they had made a small jack, 
which was hoisted in the main shrouds, as a 
signal of distress ; " for," says Bligh, " I did not 
think proper to land without leave." 
Soon after daybreak, at the Dutch settlement 
of Coupang, a soldier who had been sent down 
to the beach, hailed them to land. He con- 
ducted them to the fort; and what was their 
delight in making their way through a crowd of 
people, who stood gazing with wonder and 
pity upon their emaciated forms, to meet an 
English Sailor ! This man, who belonged to 
one of the vessels in the road, at once stepped 
forward to give them a hearty welcome, adding 
that his captain, who was the second person in 
the town of Coupang, would gladly be of use. 
To him the party were conducted; and cer- 
tainly Captain Spikerman, though not quite the 
second man in the place, was a living example 
of the truth of the good old proverb, " A friend 
in need is a friend indeed." He received them 
into his house, took care- of them, and intro- 
duced them to the governor. They met with 
the most friendly and hospitable treatment from 
the governor, Mr. Adrian Van Este, though he 
was in a very ill state of health. He sent a 
message, regretting that illness prevented his 
befriending them in person ; but he committed 
them, to the care of Mr. Wanjon, his son-in-law; 
who, with other leading persons at Coupang, 
made every effort to render their situation com- 
