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twelve leagues: Its latitude is 2 deg. S. From the Seven Islands we steered S.W. by S. and had regular soundings from twelve to seven fathom, and soon after saw the coast of Sumatra, bearing from W.S.W. to W. by N. at the distance of about seven leagues. In the evening, we anchored in seven fathom; and the next morning at four we made sail again, and continued our course S. by E. till the peak of Monopin Hill bore east, and Batacarang Point, on the Sumatra shore, S.W. to avoid a shoal, called Frederick Hendrick, which is about midway between the Banca and Sumatra shore: The soundings were thirteen and fourteen fathom. We then steered E.S.E. and kept mid channel to avoid the banks of Palambam river, and that which lies off the westernmost point of Banca. When we were abreast of Patambam river, we regularly shoaled our water from fourteen to seven fathom; and when we had passed it, we deepened it again to fifteen and sixteen fathom. We continued to steer E.S.E. between the third and fourth points of Sumatra, which are about ten leagues distant from each other: The soundings, nearest to the Sumatra shore, were all along from eleven to thirteen fathom; and the high land of Queda Banca appeared over the third point of Sumatra, bearing E.S.E. From the third point to the Second, the course is S.E. by S. at the distance of about eleven or twelve leagues. The high land of Queda Banca, and the second point of Sumatra, bear E.N.E. and W.S.W. of each other. The strait is about five leagues over, and in the mid-channel there is twenty-four fathom. At six o'clock in the evening we anchored in thirteen fathom, Monopin Hill bearing N.1/2 W. and the third point of Sumatra, S.E. by E. distant between two and three leagues. Many small vessels were in sight, and most of them hoisted Dutch colours. In the night we had fresh gales and squalls, with thunder and lightning, and hard rain; but as our cables were good, we were in no danger, for in this place the anchor is buried in a stiff clay. In the morning the current or tide set to the S.E. at the rate of three knots; at five we weighed, with a moderate gale at west and hazy weather, and in the night the tide shifted, and ran as strongly to the N.W. so that it ebbs and flows here twelve hours. On the 19th we spoke with an English snow, belonging to the East India company, which was bound from Bencoolen to Malacca and Bengal. We had now nothing to eat but the ship's provisions, which were
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