fford delightful and profitable Groves. There are Hospitals,
Spin-houses, and so forth, as in Holland, where the idle and vicious are
set to work, and, when need arises, receive smart Discipline. The
Chinese have also a large Sick House, and manage their charity so well
that you never see a Chinaman looking despicable in the street. The
Dutch Women have greater privileges in India than in Holland, or,
indeed, anywhere else; for on slight occasions they are often divorced
from their Husbands, and share the Estate betwixt 'em. A Lawyer told me
at Batavia he had known, out of fifty-eight causes, all depending in the
Council Chamber, fifty-two of them were Divorces. The Governor's Palace
of Brick, very stately and well laid. He lives in as great splendour as
a king; he has a Train and Guards--viz. a Troop of Horse and a Company
of Foot with Halberds, in liveries of yellow satin adorned with silver
laces and fringe--to attend his Coach when he goes abroad. His Lady has
also her Guards and Train. The Javanese, or Ancient Natives, are
numerous, and said to be barbarous and proud, of a dark colour, with
flat faces, thin short Black hair, large eyebrows and cheeks. The Men
are strong-limbed, but the Women small. The Men have many Wives, and are
much given to lying and stealing. They are all Pagans, and worship
Devils. The Women tawny, sprightly, and Amorous, and very apt to give
poison to their Husbands when they can do it cunningly. There are at
least 10,000 Chinese who pay the Dutch a dollar a month for liberty to
wear their Hair, which they are not allowed to do at home since the
Tartars conquered 'em. There comes hither from China fourteen or sixteen
Junks a year, being flat-bottomed vessels. The Merchants come with their
goods, and marvellous queer folks they are. I don't think the whole City
is as large as Bristol; but 'tis much more populous.

October 12th. We, according to our Owners' orders to keep our Ships
full-manned, whether the War continued or not--and, oh, how we cursed
this plaguey Peace!--shipped here seventeen men that were Dutch. Though
we looked upon our hardships as being now pretty well over, several Ran
from us here that had come out of England with us, being straggling,
lazy, good-for-nothings, that can't leave their old Trade of deserting,
though now they had a good sum due to each of 'em for Wages. Their
shares for Plunder of course were forfeited, and equitably divided among
those that stuck by us. Fro