Page:Journal of the Right Hon. Sir Joseph Banks.djvu/424

366 9th. Before four we were at anchor in Batavia road. A boat came immediately on board us from a ship which had a broad pendant flying; the officer on board inquired who we were, etc., and immediately returned. Both he and his people were pale almost as spectres, no good omen of the healthiness of the country we had arrived at. Our people, however, who might truly be called rosy and plump (for we had not a sick man among us), jeered and flaunted much at their brother seamen's white faces. By this time our boat was ready and went ashore with the first lieutenant, who had orders to acquaint the commanding officer ashore of our arrival. At night he returned, having met with a very civil reception from the Shabandar, who, though no military officer, took cognizance of all these things. I forgot to mention before that we found here the Harcourt Indiaman, Captain Paul, and two English private traders from the coast of India.

10th. After breakfast this morning we all went ashore in the pinnace, and immediately went to the house of Mr. Leith, the only Englishman of any credit in Batavia. We found him a very young man, under twenty, who had lately arrived here, and succeeded his uncle, a Mr. Burnet, in his business, which was pretty considerable, more so, we were told, than our new-comer had either money or credit to manage. He soon gave us to understand that he could be of very little service to us either in introducing us, as the Dutch people, he said, were not fond of him, or in money affairs, as he had begun trade too lately to have any more than what was employed in getting more. He, however, after having kept us to dine with him, offered us his assistance in showing us the method of living in Batavia, and in helping us to settle in such a manner as we should think fit. We had two alternatives. We could go to the hotel, a kind of inn kept by order of the Government, where it seems all merchant strangers are obliged to reside, paying ½ per cent for warehouse room for their goods, which the master of the house is obliged to find for them. We, however, having come in a king's ship, were free from that obligation, and