three small isles, about thirteen leagues from
the Ridang islands, and two leagues from the continent. The 26th, we saw
Pulo Tyaman, twenty-eight leagues S.S.E. from the Capas. The 29th, being
calm, we came to Pulo Tingi, where, if you keep in eighteen fathoms,
there is nothing to be feared but what maybe seen. The 1st November we
saw the point of Jantana, or Johor, and the mount on the island of
Bintam, and came next morning in sight of Piedra-branca; about ten
o'clock a.m. we came to the dangerous reef that projects four leagues
out to sea from the point of Johor. John Huigens van Linschoten
describes this shoal well, which we passed not without danger, having
the point and three little islands W.S.W. from us. It is good to keep to
leewards till you bring these little islands in one line with the point
of Johor, and Piedra-branca open with the isle of Bintam. Piedra-branca
is a rock all covered with sea-fowl, and so bedunged as to make its top
appear white, whence its name, which signifies the white-rock, or stone.
Till the 7th, we were every day turning up against the current till we
got past the river of Johor, and about two leagues from Sincapura. On
the 8th, when close to the strait, several proas came aboard us, those
in them being _Salettes_, who were subjects to the king of Johor, who
live mostly by fishing, always remaining in their proas with their wives
and children. From these people we learnt that the king of Acheen had
sent back Rajah Bouny Soe to Johor, who was younger brother to the
former king; and, having married him to his sister, gave him thirty
proas and 2000 Acheen soldiers, with a good supply of ordnance and other
necessaries, ordering him to rebuild the fort and town of Johor, and to
reign there as a dependant on Acheen. We here took a pilot to carry us
through the straits.
We arrived on the 19th December at Masulipatam, where we found an
English ship and two Holland ships. We were told that _Mir Sadardi_ was
now out of place, and that the government was in the hands of _Atma
Khan_ and _Busebulleran_. The English ship was the James, which was sent
expressly to second us in our voyage, and brought us letters, with which
Messrs. Marlow, Davis, Gumey, and Cob came aboard the Globe. The 21st I
went ashore with the others, when we were met by _Wentacadra_, the son
of _Busebulleran_, together with the _sabandar_, and other Moors, and
were well received. They presented us with several _tesseriffes_,
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