r Sumatra, to the company's stores on
-Onrust_, which is sent in their ships to China. The company
send annually from hence to Europe 20,000 pekul of pepper, for
which they pay on an average two stivers and an half per pound,
and sell it in Europe for fourteen stivers per pound: they also
export annually 200,000 pekul of coffee, at two stivers and an
half per pound, which is sold in Holland at ten stivers per
pound.

[* A pekul is equal to 130 pounds.]

Onrust is a very small island, about a quarter of a mile in
circumference, and situated about two leagues and an half from
Batavia: here the company's ships refit and heave down, there
being very good wharfs for that purpose, at which five ships may
heave down at one time; there are also large machines for
dismasting vessels. Small as this island is, there are generally
from five to six hundred people on it; of which number, one
hundred are European carpenters, but, excepting a few officers
and a few other Europeans, the rest are slaves. The _baas_,
or master carpenter, is the commandant of the island: an under
merchant is also resident here, to receive and take care of the
tin, pepper, and coffee, which is brought into the company's
stores here, from Sumatra and different parts of Borneo and Java.
Onrust is surrounded by guns, and there is a kind of citadel on
it; but as no troops are kept there, in the war, the carpenters
were trained to the use of great guns.

It is supposed that Onrust is more healthy than Batavia, and
it may be so; but when I say that twenty men are constantly
employed in making coffins for those who die on this island, it
cannot be supposed to have a very healthy scite.

During my stay at Batavia, I lived at the hotel, which was the
governor-general's house at the time Captain Cooke was here: it
is a large and spacious building, divided into two parts, one of
which is occupied by strangers, and the other by Dutch. Every
person, who is a stranger, is obliged to live at this hotel: the
terms are three rix-dollars a day, for which you have good
lodging, and a well furnished table is provided. Gratitude
induces me to say, that I received the greatest attention and
civility from many of the first people at Batavia, who, not
content with showing me every politeness in their power during my
stay there, extended their good offices to me after my
departure.

On the 21st of July, the _Snelheid_, a packet of 140
tons, belonging to the company, arriv