Dutch
Ships to Batavia; but it seems more Probable that she is stationed here
to examine all Ships that pass and repass these Straits. We now first
heard the agreeable news of His Majesty's Sloop The Swallow being at
Batavia about 2 Years ago.* (* The Swallow, Captain Cartaret, had sailed
with the Dolphin in 1766, but separated from her on emerging from the
Strait of Magellan. The Dolphin had reached England some months before
Cook sailed, but nothing had been heard of the Swallow, and fears were
entertained of her loss.) At 7 o'Clock a breeze sprung up at
South-South-West, with which we weighed and stood to the North-East
between Thwart-the-way Island and the Cap:* (* Thwart-the-Way is an
island that lies right across the fairway of Sunda Strait. The Cap is
another smaller island that lies North-East of it.) soundings from 18 to
26 fathoms. We had but little Wind all night, and having a Strong Current
against us, we got no further by 8 o'Clock in the morning than under
Bantam Point. At this time the wind came to North-East, and obliged us to
Anchor in 22 fathoms about 2 Miles from the Shore. The above point bore
North-East by East, distant 1 League. Here we found a strong Current
setting to the North-West. In the morning we saw the Dutch packet
standing after us, but after the wind Shifted to the North-East she bore
away. One of the Dutch Captains told Mr. Hicks yesterday that the Current
sets constantly to the South-Westward, and that it would continue to set
so for a Month or Six Weeks longer.

[In Sunda Strait.]

Thursday, 4th. In the P.M. had the wind at North-East by North, which
obliged us to lay fast. About 6 o'Clock in the evening one of the Country
Boats came alongside in which was the Commander of the Packet before
mentioned; he seem'd to have 2 Motives for coming, one to take an account
of the Ship, and the other to sell us refreshments, for in the Boat were
Turtle, Fowls, Birds, etc., all of which they held at a pretty high
Price, and had brought to a bad market, as our Savu stock was not all
expended. I gave a Spanish Dollar for a small Turtle which weighed only
36 pounds. With respect to the Ship, he wanted to know her name, the
Captain's, the place we came last from and were bound, as I would not see
him myself. I order'd that no account should be given him from whence we
came; but Mr. Hicks, who wrote the Ship's name down in his book, put down
from Europe. Seeing this he expressed some surprise, and sa