3rd October 1770

[Enter Sunda Strait]

Soon after 12 o'Clock it fell quite Calm, which obliged us to Anchor in 18 fathoms, Muddy bottom, about 2 Miles from shore, where we found a strong Current setting to the South-West. Not long before we Anchor'd we saw a Dutch Ship laying off Anger Point, on board which I sent Mr. Hicks to enquire after News.* (* It will be recollected that the Endeavour was now two years and two months from England, without the slightest chance of any news from home. We can imagine the anxiety and excitement on board on thus approaching civilisation, though they had no prospect of personal letters. With the frequent communication of modern times, we can scarcely realise such circumstances, and should certainly consider them as an exceeding hardship.) Upon his return he inform'd me that there were 2 Dutch Ships from Batavia, one bound for Ceylon, and the other to the Coast of Mallabar, besides a small Fly-boat or Packet, which is stationed here to carry all Packets, Letters, etc., from all Dutch Ships to Batavia; but it seems more Probable that she is stationed here to examine all Ships that pass and repass these Straits. We now first heard the agreeable news of His Majesty's Sloop The Swallow being at Batavia about 2 Years ago.* (* The Swallow, Captain Cartaret, had sailed with the Dolphin in 1766, but separated from her on emerging from the Strait of Magellan. The Dolphin had reached England some months before Cook sailed, but nothing had been heard of the Swallow, and fears were entertained of her loss.) At 7 o'Clock a breeze sprung up at South-South-West, with which we weighed and stood to the North-East between Thwart-the-way Island and the Cap:* (* Thwart-the-Way is an island that lies right across the fairway of Sunda Strait. The Cap is another smaller island that lies North-East of it.) soundings from 18 to 26 fathoms. We had but little Wind all night, and having a Strong Current against us, we got no further by 8 o'Clock in the morning than under Bantam Point. At this time the wind came to North-East, and obliged us to Anchor in 22 fathoms about 2 Miles from the Shore. The above point bore North-East by East, distant 1 League. Here we found a strong Current setting to the North-West. In the morning we saw the Dutch packet standing after us, but after the wind Shifted to the North-East she bore away. One of the Dutch Captains told Mr. Hicks yesterday that the Current sets constantly to the South-Westward, and that it would continue to set so for a Month or Six Weeks longer.

Joseph Banks Journal

Saild all night, in the morn were past the Cap; at 8 it fell calm and we were obligd to come to an anchor by reason of the strong current which ran to the Westward. The Duch Packet which we had been told of yesterday and provd to be a Sloop of no inconsiderable size had been standing after us all the morn and still continued, gaining however but little, till a foul wind sprung up on which she bore away. Our Buffaloes had so intirely lost their stomachs by their long fast that they eat scarce any thing; however least they should take to eating again a boat was sent ashore for grass, which returnd with some and a few plantains and unripe Papaws which when boild eat nearly as well as turnips only sweeter. At night an Indian Proa came on board bringing the Master of the Sloop before mentiond: he brought with him two books in one of which he desird that any of our officers would write down the name of the ship, Commanders name, where we came from and where bound, with any particulars we chose relating to our selves that might be for the information of any of our freinds who might Come after us: which we saw that some ships especialy Portugese had done. This book he told us was kept merely for the information of those who might come through these Streights; in the other which was a fair book he enterd the names of the Ships and Commanders which only were returnd to the Governor and council of the Indies. On our writing down Europe as the place we had Come from he said very well, any thing you please but this is merely for the information of your freinds. In the proa were some small turtle, many fouls and ducks, also parrots, paroquets, Rice birds and monkies, some few of which we bought at the rate of a dollar for a small turtle, the same at first for 10 afterwards for 15 large fowls, two Monkies or a whole cage of Paddy birds.

Sydney Parkinson Journal

On the 3d, we got up near to Bantam Point, or Point St. Nicholas, where we were becalmed, and dropped anchor. We saw a Chinese vessel pass along the Straits, with Chinese colours flying, which were white, and had a broad border, partly blue and partly black: in the middle of it several Chinese characters, and a star, which were painted of the latter colour. She had one mast; an oblong square sail, a bamboo yard, and an awning, or house, in the middle.

In the afternoon, some people came off to us, in a boat, from Angor-Point, to enquire who we were, and brought plantains, pumplenoses, oranges, turtles, parrots, domestic poultry, some small birds, and monkeys, which they offered to sale. They told us that the Prince-George, captain Riddle, was lost last June off Batavia, and that the crew were carried by a Dutch ship to Bengal.

In the evening we weighed anchor, but, having only a light breeze, we made no way.