.

floats on the surface of the heavier body, and remains unmixed as long as the current retains its force. This is obviously not to be expected, however, neither is it found to exist in those parts of the world, where there is an ebb and flow of tide in the rivers to any considerable degree, and is therefore observed exclusively within the tropics and in mediterranean seas.

The chief discomfort of the boat-voyage proceeded from being so crowded, and being obliged to sit so long in a particular posture, and the great distress arising from thirst. It was very difficult indeed to prevent the people from drinking salt water. One man became delirious, and it was attributed to this cause. But the delirium arose more probably from the extreme irritation occasioned by thirst and exposure to the strong heat of the sun; for salt water, although an article of Materia Medica in very extensive use, has never been known to take the direction of the head.

About the 21st March the ship Princess Charlotte, Captain M'Kean, which had sailed

for the purpose of relieving us, in company with the Ternate, returned to Batavia, having on board Messrs, Mayne, Blair, and Marrige. After beating against wind and current, from the 24th February to the 16th March, without being able to fetch farther than the south-east end of Banca, the current constantly sweeping them to leeward the moment they opened the straits, Mr. Mayne, finding nothing was to be done in the ship, resolved to shove off in the barge, accompanied by the above gentlemen, and Mr. Thompson, the supercargo, with two casks of water and one of beef for us, in the event of our being still on the island. They tugged at the oars until the next day, when arriving in sight of the place we had occupied, they found a large flotilla of the pirates at anchor there, three of whom immediately gave chase to our boat. There was no time to be lost; the barge made sail; but, in addition to their sails, the Malays pulled furiously, and were gaining fast. The beef and water were now thrown overboard, to lighten the barge; and, knowing whom they had to deal with, and that they

had no mercy to expect, they prepared, being tolerably armed, to sell themselves as dearly as possible. Fortunately at this moment a strong squall occurred, which compelled the Malays to lower their sails; whilst the barge, carrying through all, got a-head and escaped, the pirates hauling their wind again towards the island.

These proas were probably of the more distant islands, who, having only lately heard of the wreck, had arrived a day after the fair, and were hungry, and annoyed at finding no plunder.

The ready acquiescence of Lord Amherst to proceed in the boats, appears to have been attended with the happiest consequences; for the indecision of a single day in this respect would in all probability have placed him in the hands of these savages, and thereby occasioned the most fatal results.

CHAPTER VII.

Remarks on Java-Passage homewards-Touch at the Cape of Good Hope and St. HelenaArrival in England.

NOTHING could exceed the deplorable state of Java at the period of its conquest by the British forces in 1811. The natives had at all times been enslaved and oppressed by the Dutch colonists; and, from the strict blockade of our cruizers, the produce of the soil which they were unable to export, was rotting in their warehouses, and reducing the latter to a state of bankruptcy.

The system of government immediately introduced by Lord Minto, under the able superintendence of Mr. (now Sir Thomas) Raffles, corresponding with that existing in British (and what is here termed Western) India, very much altered the state of affairs; but it more especially ameliorated the condition of the native Javanese. It

had been usual to compel the people to labour at the public works, whenever occasion required, without any, or at least for a very inadequate, remuneration. They were also obliged to deliver in a certain quantity of produce, often exceeding what they were able to afford; whilst they were tyrannically restricted to the cultivation of those articles only which best answered the purposes of the Dutch monopolists. By the new order of things, these forced services were immediately abolished. The people were paid a reasonable price for their voluntary labour; and, instead of arbitrary and compulsory deliveries, encouragement was given to grow what were considered the most valuable productions of the island, and the Javanese were stimulated to exertion by having an interest in the fruits of their industry. The revenue was now raised (except in one or two immaterial instances, which could not at once be conveniently altered) by a moderate land-tax on the whole. The Rajahs or Regents of the different districts. were allowed, and indeed preferred, a