466 
A VOYAGE TO 
1780. through the Straits with a light breeze; and, at eight, were 
Febru ary.^ Q f the Second Point, and paffed it within two miles, 
in feventeen fathoms water, a fufflcient proof, that this 
point may be bordered upon with fafety. At midnight, we 
again came to anchor, on account of the tide, in thirteen 
fathoms, Mount Permiffang, on the illand of Banca, bear¬ 
ing North 7 0 Eaft, and the Firft Point South 54 0 Eaft, diftant 
about three leagues. 
Saturday 5, In the morning of the 5th, we weighed, and kept on 
to the South Eaft; and, at ten, paffed a fmall fhoal, ly¬ 
ing in a line with Lufepara and the Firft Point, at the 
diftance of five miles from the latter. At noon, the illand 
of Lufepara bearing South, 57T Eaft, four miles diftant, 
we determined its latitude to be 3 0 io'f South, and longi¬ 
tude 106 0 15' Eaft. The difference of longitude between 
the illand Lufepara, which lies in the South entrance of 
the Strait of Banca, and Monopin Hill, which forms one 
lide of the entrance from the North, we found to be 55', 
which is only two miles lefs than what is given in D’Apres’ 
chart. 
In palling this Strait, the coaft of Sumatra may be ap¬ 
proached fomewhat clofer than that of Banca. At the dif¬ 
tance of two or three miles from the fhore, there are ten, 
eleven, twelve, or thirteen fathoms, free from rocks or 
fhoals ; however, the lead is the fureft guide. The country 
is covered with wood down to the water’s edge, and the 
fhores are fo low, .that the fea overflows the land, and 
waffles the trunks of the trees. To this flat and marffiy 
lituation of the fhore, we may attribute thofe thick fogs 
and vapours, which we perceived, every morning, not with¬ 
out dread and horror, hanging over the illand, till they 
were difperfed by the rays of the fun. The fhores of Banca 
are 
