4th October 1770

[In Sunda Strait]

In the P.M. had the wind at North-East by North, which obliged us to lay fast. About 6 o'Clock in the evening one of the Country Boats came alongside in which was the Commander of the Packet before mentioned; he seem'd to have 2 Motives for coming, one to take an account of the Ship, and the other to sell us refreshments, for in the Boat were Turtle, Fowls, Birds, etc., all of which they held at a pretty high Price, and had brought to a bad market, as our Savu stock was not all expended. I gave a Spanish Dollar for a small Turtle which weighed only 36 pounds. With respect to the Ship, he wanted to know her name, the Captain's, the place we came last from and were bound, as I would not see him myself. I order'd that no account should be given him from whence we came; but Mr. Hicks, who wrote the Ship's name down in his book, put down from Europe. Seeing this he expressed some surprise, and said that we might write down what we pleased, for it was of no other use than for the information of such of our Country men as might pass these Streights.

At 7 o'Clock a light breeze sprung up at South-South-East, with which we got under sail. At 1 A.M. Anchor'd again, having not wind to stem the Current which we found to run 3 Knotts; at 2 o'Clock we weighed again, but, finding that we lost ground, we were obliged to Anchor in 18 fathoms, the Island Pulo Morack, which lies close under the Shore 3 Miles to the Westward of Bantam Point: bore South-East by South, distance 1 1/2 miles. Latitude observed, 5 degrees 55 minutes South.

Joseph Banks Journal

Lightning in the night. In the morn calms and light breezes not sufficient to stem the current which was very strong. To make our situation as tantalizing as possible innumerable Proas were sailing about us in all directions. A boat was sent ashore for grass and landed at an Indian town where by hard bargaining some Cocoa nuts were bought at about three halfpence a peice and rice in the straw at about 5 farthings a gallon; neither here or in any other place where we have had connections with them would they take any money but Spanish dollars. Large quantities of that floating substance which I have often mentiond before under the name of Sea Saw dust had been seen ever since we came into the streights and more particularly today; among it were many leaves, fruits, old stalks of Plantain trees, Plants of Pistia Stratiotes and such like trash, from whence we almost concluded that it came out of some river. At noon by a good Observation we found Pulo Pissang off which we lay at an anchor to be laid down 5 miles to[o] far to the Northward in La Neptune Oriental. In the Evening light breezes so that we got a little ahead.

Sydney Parkinson Journal

On the 4th, we had a northerly wind, which was directly against us, and the current ran very strong. Finding that we had lost ground, we anchored at night off Pulo Pisane; and, while we lay at anchor, some of our people went on shore in a boat, and bought some cocoas, and Paddy, or rice in the husk. On the even-ing of the next day, a light breeze sprang up from the West; but we were soon becalmed, and dropped anchor again. The weather was very sultry. Thermo-meter 86.