islands, "the South Watcher," "the 1000 Islands," &c., through the Straits of Banca and Rhio, to Singapore.

The Isabella encountered during the voyage such imminent danger on many occasions, that had she met the average fate of other vessels, she would assuredly have been wrecked, her escape from the perilous situations in which she was repeatedly placed appearing almost miraculous. The passage through Torres Straits is considered so dangerous that vessels generally sail in company, in order that assistance may be within reach in the event of any misfortune arising. Three started with the Isabella, namely, the Clifford, the Somersetshire, and a French barque, the Gypsey. The Clifford, a beautiful ship of 600 tons, out on her second voyage only, and most completely stored and equipped, was wrecked on a patch of coral within a cable's length of the Isabella. The Gypsey having been under the necessity of slipping all her anchors in succession, the attempt to get them up being always frustrated by the firm hold which the coral rocks had of them, and the effort only tearing away her capstan and everything else in the barque capable of being heaved upon, was obliged to make sail for the Mauritius, instead of prosecuting her intended voyage to Pondicherry. The Isabella lost two anchors, forty-five fathoms of chain, a boat, and a variety of tackle of minor importance, whilst the Somersetshire also did not escape without suffering almost equal damage.

These losses all occurred within the Straits, and

4

the wrecks of other vessels which we saw during our passage showed that our misfortunes were not peculiar. It should be borne in mind that we sailed by what is called "the outer passage," and that "the inner passage" is considered to be much less hazardous, though of longer duration. The principal dangers arise from sand-banks and coral rocks of various depths below the surface of the water, and from the tide and numerous currents; but the risk they involve may be greatly reduced by the use of certain well known precautions such as keeping to the ordinary track and anchorages-never sailing when the sun is down, or so low that the banks and rocks may not be clearly discerned by the difference in the colour of the water upon them-keeping a good look out, chart in hand, from the fore-topmast cross trees-having all hands ready at a moment's notice to take in or trim sail, square yards, let go anchor, &c. If these precautions are neglected for a few minutes only, the ship stands no remote chance of being lost.

At Sydney, all endeavours to find a ship by which a passage could be engaged the whole way to India were unsuccessful. Many were sailing in that direc

* I subsequently met at Singapore, a lady who was on board the Two Sisters, one of the wrecks to which allusion is made, at the time that that ship was lost, and who had been confined only the day before the calamity happened. The vessel struck on a sharp rock and sunk to her topmast within three minutes and a half! The day was beautiful, and the shock came without the slightest preparation or expectation, but another ship being in company, all on board were fortunately rescued.

tion, but were "seeking freight;" and as they were expecting to procure it in the Island of Java, or at Singapore, a passage beyond those places could not be taken. I was also at the time very averse to touching at Batavia, on account of the character it had long suffered under of being extremely unhealthy, but the information which I obtained on the spot, convinced me that the extreme alarm felt by many on visiting the place is not justified by the real amount of risk they incur. Batavia and its roadstead are certainly very dangerous at night, owing to the exhalations from the marshy plain in which the town is unfortunately situate, at the junction of two small rivers, and from the canals intersecting itexhalations which, after infecting Batavia itself, are carried over the roadstead by the land wind which blows at night, alternately with a breeze from the sea during the day. All persons, therefore, who have it in their power take care to sleep some few miles in the interior of the country. Merchants' clerks, with sixty pounds a year only, contriving to keep a chaise and pony for the purpose of retreating from the town at night. Strangers, indeed, are obliged to go into the country, there not being a single hotel in Batavia, or within three miles of it. Such is the well known danger of passing the night there.

The interior of Java is far from unhealthy, whilst its scenery is generally very beautiful and its soil is of the richest character, yielding the most lavish crops of a tropical climate. Excellent roads traverse the whole island from one extremity to the other, the

go

posting upon which, under the management of the vernment, cannot be too highly praised. I took a carriage and four ponies, with some friends, and posted to Buitenzorg, the Governor's residence, about thirty-nine miles from Batavia, performing the journey in three hours and a half! We changed ponies

They scarcely stood strong and in good

every six miles and a half. eleven hands high, but were condition. A Malay drove, and two others stood on a foot-board behind the carriage, jumping down and running with wonderful alacrity by the side of the ponies whenever we had to pass or meet any object in the road, or to turn either left or right, our pace being severe, and the "Jehu" not having sufficient control over his team. With every fresh set of ponies, we had new runners in charge of them. There are no horses in the island. I greatly regret that my visit to Java was of so short a duration, and I would strongly recommend a traveller, instead of seeking to avoid the island, expressly to take a passage to it, and remain there some time, the sojourn will afford him much gratification, whilst at Batavia there is every facility for prosecuting his voyage to India whenever so disposed.

At Singapore, three weeks elapsed before any eligible opportunity occurred for proceeding to Bombay, a piece of bad luck which does not often occur. Singapore is a British settlement, under the government of the Madras Presidency, and has of late increased rapidly in importance. At anchor in its fine roads may be ordinarily seen thirty or forty

merchant ships, and a great variety of small craft. Every vessel sailing between India and China stops for a longer or shorter time at Singapore, whilst many visit it from all parts in quest of freight, and if unsuccessful in obtaining it, proceed, as their agent may advise, to some other of the numberless places with which our ships are in the habit of trading in the East.

From Singapore I sailed to Bombay, in a ship of about 570 tons, and having the euphonious name of Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy, which had been given her after the worthy Parsee knight of Bombay. She was returning from China laden with silk, cassia, aniseed, and, of course, cockroaches and rats. For a poop cabin the charge was 351. Our course was through the Straits of Malacca, nearing very close to Penang, then within three or four miles off the Nicobar Islands, and scarcely more off Ceylon to Cape Comorin, the extreme southern point of Hindostan, whence we stood off and on the coast until Bombay was reached. The voyage occupied exactly six weeks, which was not long when compared with the duration of similar passages effected at the same season (October and November) by other vessels of an ordinary class.

a

The Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy was what is called " country trader," i. e., a ship trading between India and the neighbouring countries, and never coming to Europe. She was officered by Englishmen, but had a Lascar crew, than whom a more wretched, unseamanlike motley set could not have been drawn together. Hindoos, Mussulmen, Chinese, Indo - Portuguese,