he road of Japara, and
saluted the city and fort, after which the boats were hoisted out to
go on shore, where they were astonished to find that it was Saturday,
whereas on quitting their ships they conceived it to be Friday
morning. This was occasioned by having come round from the east
along with the sun, by which they had lost a day in their reckoning.
Roggewein immediately waited upon Ensign Kuster, a very civil and
well-behaved gentleman, who commanded there on the part of the
East-India Company, to whom he gave an account of his motives for
coming to this place. Kuster immediately assembled a council, to
consider what measures were to be taken on this occasion, and all
were much moved at the recital of the miseries which Roggewein and
his people had endured. In truth, never were men more worthy of
compassion. Only ten persons remained in any tolerable health, and
twenty-six were down in various sicknesses, by which, exclusive of
those who had been slain in their different engagements with the
Indians, they had lost seventy men during the voyage. Their next care
was to get the sick men on shore, which was done with all care and
diligence, slinging them in their hammocks into the boats. Four of
these poor people were in so low a condition that it was thought
impossible they could bear removal, and they were therefore left on
board, the very thoughts of which, after their companions went ashore,
soon killed them. Those who were carried on shore were lodged under
tents in an island, where they had every necessary afforded them that
the country produced, yet many of them died.

Mr Kuster sent an immediate account of their arrival to the
commandant of the coasts of Java, who instantly forwarded it to Mr
_Swaardekroon_, at that time governor-general of the East Indies. He
sent a favourable answer, promising every assistance in his power, and
adding, that they had nothing to do but to get to Batavia as soon as
possible. While waiting the answer of the governor-general and the
recovery of their sick, they passed their time agreeably enough at
Japara, as their countrymen used them with all imaginable kindness.
In a few days, the seamen became as frolicsome and gay as if they had
made a pleasant and fortunate voyage; insomuch, that those who, only
a few days before, were weeping, sighing, praying, and making warm
protestations of leading new lives, if God in his mercy were pleased
to save them, now ran headlong into the gre