er in the king's service, and that although I
was not at that port in the command of one of his Majesty's
ships, that I nevertheless was in actual service, and had at that
time a ship's company, and their proper officers, under my
command; that he would be pleased, therefore, to understand me
correctly, that it was for his Majesty's service I was then
making the application he had heard; and I hoped, and believed,
that himself and the council would find no difficulty or
inconvenience to the company's concerns, in deviating a little
from their established rules for the accommodation of his
Britannick Majesty's service.

To this he only replied, he could do nothing of himself, and
that my application must be made to the council; to which, I
informed him, I had no sort of objection.

The Shebander, therefore, wrote an application from me in the
Dutch language, founded on the letter which I had written to him
on that subject; to which he added one paragraph that, he said,
would very much facilitate the business, and prevent delay; this
was, after having desired permission to let the vessel proceed to
Europe, "That if it were impossible, consistent with the
established rules of the company, to grant such a request, that
they would be pleased to give permission for my purchasing the
vessel, if I could settle the business with the proprietor."

I waited on the governor and council in person, and received
my answer from the governor, which was, that the council had
complied with my request, and would permit me to purchase the
vessel; a business which the proprietor and I had previously
settled. I cannot help noticing here, that this vessel was
sometimes considered as belonging to the company, and at other
times as the sole property of a private individual; probably,
those gentlemen who hold considerable appointments under the
company, and are at the same time employed in an extensive
commerce on their own account, may be authorised to use the name
of the company, whenever it may be necessary to promote their own
private interest.

This gentleman, whose name was Engelhard, acted with much
liberality in the equipment of his ship, although those whom he
employed on that business did not act with the same good
intention: he was, upon every occasion, civil and attentive.

A short time before we arrived here, the town of Batavia had
been very unhealthy, and was, though much better, still sickly.
Our sailors continued to enjo