The Anchoring Ground All Along The North Side Of Java, From Madura To
Batavia, Is A Fine Oozy Bottom, Free From Rocks.
The principal places on
this side of the island are Batavia, Bantam, Japara, Samarang, Surabon,
Taggal, Quale, and Rambang;
All of which are possessed by the Dutch.
These settlements afford abundance of rice, with which the Dutch supply
all their out-factories near Java, and also produce excellent plank for
ship-building. The principal place for ship-building is Rambang, where
the free burgesses of Batavia usually go to build their small vessels,
as sloops and brigs. Ships of five, six, and seven hundred tons, often
load with timber at Rambang, Quale, Japara, and other places; and each
ship, after being fully laden, takes a great raft or float of the
largest timber, which she tows along with her to Batavia. Some of these
rafts are said to be thirty feet square, and draw twenty feet water.
There are commonly six ships employed in this timber trade, and they
usually make four voyages yearly in the good monsoon, for in the bad
they cannot do any thing. Ail this timber is for the most part landed on
the island of Ormrust, between four and five leagues from Batavia,
where there are about 200 ship-carpenters, who are constantly in full
employ, and here the Dutch careen their ships. This island is well
fortified, being, to use a sea phrase, all round a bed of guns.
We had notice on the 2d December, 1705, that all of us who wished to
return to England should immediately go on board the homeward-bound
Dutch East India fleet, which we did accordingly, and sailed next day.
This fleet consisted of twelve ships, as well provided in all respects
as any I had ever seen, and we made the voyage in good order.
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