themselves of this place after the provinces had declared war against
Great Britain, and lost more men during its short occupancy, by disease,
than by the casualties of war. Bantam is also neighboring to Anger, with
which a post route is also kept up; it was once a place of considerable
importance, but has fallen into decay, Batavia obtaining its trade, and
rising upon its ruins.

Anger itself, from its advantageous position in the Straits of Sunda,
with an enterprising population, might become a place of considerable
importance, and rival in time its neighbor, Sincapore, in the Straits of
Malacca. It is now the stopping place for nearly every vessel passing
through these Straits for water and provisions, and there is nothing to
prevent its becoming an emporium for the products of this fertile
Island, excepting the short-sighted policy of the Dutch, who wishing to
centre all the trade at Batavia, force the merchantmen to a sickly city
for the pepper, coffee, rice, &c., raised upon it. Nothing is allowed to
be exported from Anger, and when we wished to procure some coffee for
use on board ship, found it only could be obtained in an underhand
manner. If the English when they took possession of the island, had but
made a settlement and retained this point, they would have found it
greatly to their advantage, even more profitable than Sincapore.

CHAPTER XXVI.

Pass through Sunda Strait--H. B. M. S. Rattler--Catch
the Trades--A learned opinion on Diaries--Extracts from
Diary--Isle of France--Its Romance--Bourbon--Mauritius--
Cape of Good Hope--Description--Trouble in getting in--
Table Bay and Mountain.

In passing through the Straits, after leaving Anger, H. B. M. screw
propeller "Rattler" went up on her way to China. Did not envy her
officers, nor feel at all inclined to exchange with them.

Ran out of the Straits with a fine leading wind, taking our departure
from Java-Head at early daylight on the morning of the 19th of March;
struck the "trades" at once, and held them to the 28th, when had made
1550 miles.

The distance run, by log, from Hong-Kong to Anger, was just nineteen
hundred forty-five and three-fourth miles, making us at that time
exactly three thousand four hundred and ninety-six on our way home. This
was done in a little over thirty days, including stoppage.

The learned Baron of Verulam has said: "It is a strange thing in sea
voyages, when there is nothing to be seen but sea and