nd at seven, we came to an anchor in ten fathoms,
about eight miles to the N. of the islands. The weather was close and
sultry, with, light winds, generally from the N.W.; but sometimes varying
round as far as the N.E.; and, during the night, we observed much lightning
over Sumatra.

We weighed the next morning at five, and at eight were close in with the
Sisters. These are two very small islands, well covered with wood, lying in
latitude 5 deg. 0' 1/2 S., longitude 106 deg. 12' E., nearly N. and S. from each
other, and surrounded by a reef of coral rocks; the whole circumference of
which is about four or five miles. At noon we got sight of the island of
Java to the southward; the N.W. extremity of which (Cape St Nicholas) bore
S.; North Island on Sumatra shore, S., 27 deg. W., and the Sisters N., 27 deg. E.,
distant four leagues; our latitude was 5 deg. 21' S., longitude 105 deg. 57' E.

At four in the afternoon we saw two sail in the Strait of Sunda; one lying
at anchor near the Mid-channel Island, the other nearer the Java shore. Not
knowing to what nation they might belong, we cleared our ships for action;
and at six came to an anchor in twenty-five fathoms, four miles E. by S.
from North Island. Here we lay all night, and had very heavy thunder and
lightning to the N.W.; from which quarter the wind blew in light breezes,
accompanied with hard rain.

At eight o'clock the next morning we weighed, and proceeded through the
Strait, the tide setting to the southward, as it had done all night; but
about ten, the breeze failing, we came to again in thirty-five fathoms; a
high, island, or rather rock, called the Grand Toque, bearing S. by E. We
were at this time not more than two miles from the ships, which now
hoisting Dutch colours, Captain Gore sent a boat on board for intelligence.
The rain still continued, with thunder and lightning.

Early in the afternoon the boat returned, with an account that the large
ship was a Dutch East Indiaman, bound for Europe; and the other a packet
from Batavia, with orders for the several ships lying in the Strait. It is
the custom for the Dutch ships, as soon as their lading is nearly
completed, to leave Batavia on account of its extreme unwholesomeness, and
proceed to some of the more healthy islands in the Strait, where they wait
for the remainder of their cargo and their dispatches. Notwithstanding this
precaution, the Indiaman had lost, since her departure from Batavia, four
men,