Page:Voyage in search of La Perouse, volume 2 (Stockdale).djvu/380

318 Five days elapsed without our receiving any news of our pinnace. We were apprehensive that she had fallen in with pirates; and, on the 23d, another was sent out, upon the supposition that the former had not arrived at the place of her destination; for we could not have imagined that she had been detained by the Dutch, who were well acquainted with the purpose of our expedition: but on the 25th, we received a letter from the officer who had the command of the pinnace, acquainting us that he was detained prisoner by the Dutch, who were then at war with France. Soon, however, a message was brought us from the Council of Sourabaya, informing us that in pursuance of the instructions which they had just received from Batavia, they were willing to afford us every assistance in their power; and on the 26th two pilots were sent us. We were obliged to cast anchor several times before we could get into the roads of Sourabaya, where we cast anchor on the 28th, about 1,000 toises northward of the river that runs through the town; the flag of the fort bearing S. 2° E. and the village of Grissé W. 30′ N.

The dysentery had already carried off six of our crew since our departure from Bouton.

31st. We soon obtained permission to reside in the town of Sourabaya, where I procured a lodg-