species of the monkey; among which are the orang-outang and wow-wow. Here are also found the stag, deer, wild-hog, wildox, and buffalo; the rase, which produces musk, and the bezoor. Among the useful and domestic animals are the horse, the cow, and the ox. Neither the elephant nor the camel is a native of Java; the former is rarely imported, the latter unknown. Neither the ass nor mule is found; the island has a fine breed of small horses, strong, fleet, and well made. Bulls, cows, buffaloes, goats, sheep, and hogs, are plenty. Turkeys, geese, ducks, common fowls, and pigeons, abound on every farm. Here are also herons, falcons, crows, owls, peacocks, &c. The woodlands are tenanted with upwards of two hundred different species of birds, from the tiny hummingbird to the large emen, or cassowary, with every intermediate size; many of them are of beautiful plumage, and some of exquisite song. Here are found parrots, paroquets, Argos pheasants, crested pigeons, and the fulica pauphrio; also, the oriolus, or golden thrush; the alcedo, or kingfisher, the Java sparrow, or rice-bird; and several sorts of the bird of paradise. Likewise, the swallow, which builds the edible nests so highly valued by the Chinese. Besides the reptiles already mentioned, here are twenty different kinds of poisonous serpents; together with scorpions, centipedes, toads, and frogs.

The exports of the island are rice, sugar, coffee, pepper, indigo, teak, timber and plank; spices, which are brought from the Moluccas, tin from Banca, cotton, yarn, salt, edible bird'snests, which are produced in abundance, particularly in the hilly districts stretching through the Bantam country, and in the dominions of the emperor and sultan.

The imports are European articles of every description, chintses, silks, hats, tea, Japan goods, and China-ware, opium from Bengal, tin from Banca, &c. &c. On the establishment of the British authority in Java, great changes were made in the internal policy of the country, particularly in the mode of collecting the revenues, tenure of lands, &c. The delivery of goods at an inadequate rate, and all fendal services, were abolished; and lands, according to local circumstances, were leased out for a moderate term of years.

According to these rates, the land rental, exclusive of Batavia, on the kingdom of Jacatra, amounted, in eighteen hundred and

fourteen, to three millions eight hundred and eighty-three thousand six hundred and fifty-one rupees; and after deducting the amount of lands provisionally granted to chiefs, there remained a net land rental of three millions six hundred and sixty-three thousand six hundred and eleven rupees; add to the proceeds of farms and fixed taxes, provisionally continued, and the territorial revenue of the eastern provinces alone, will amount to four millions two hundred and six thousand three hundred and forty-one rupees; in addition to this, salt, opium, and customs, including town-duties in these provinces, and the total will be five millions three hundred and sixty-eight thousand and eighty-five rupees. The other great branches of revenue of Java are the teak forests, which are extensive and valuable. Those in the central districts, ceded on the fall of Djoejocarta, afford employment to no less than two hundred thousand labourers.

The political state of Java, after all the changes and revolutions it had experienced, had settled into a quiet calm previous to the arrival of the Potomac. Since its last cession to the Dutch, in eighteen hundred and fifteen, the insurrectionary movements of one of the native princes had occasioned an intestine war, which had been, in some instances, very sanguinary. In quelling this insurrection, the Dutch are said to have lost not less than thirty thousand well-disciplined European troops. The native chief who raised this disturbance is represented as an able warrior and a desperate man; and so much was he feared by the Dutch, that they set a price on his head. Despairing of success, he finally surrendered himself with all his force. and was honourably treated by the Dutch.

CHAPTER XVII.

Leaving Batavia-Illness of the Commodore's son-Once more at sea-Calms and opposing currents-Drag the bottom for shells-Augmentation of the sick-list— Heat of the weather-Gaspar Straits-Tardy progress in the China Sea-Harassing duty-Cross the equator-Island of St. Barbe-Pulo Aor-Sickness and death-Terrific thunder-storm-Death of N. K. G. Oliver, Esq.-Funeral obsequies-Contribution for his family-Tedious calms, and oppressive heat-Increasing mortality-Dreary prospects-Cheering sight of a sail-Speak an English bark-Mutual interchange of courtesies-A vertical sun-Coast of ChinaCanton Bay-A Chinese pilot-Anchor in Macao Road.

THE Potomac lay anchored at Batavia, from the twentieth of March until the tenth of April, a period of twenty-one days; during which time the commodore and officers had an opportunity of seeing much of the inhabitants and of the adjacent country. They had shared the hospitality of their own countrymen, of Europeans, and of the colonists; visited all the places of interest and curiosity, and taken notes of whatever they thought worth remembering. They had witnessed the curious religious ceremony of the Chinese, in walking barefooted over coals of fire; they had made many excursions into the country, to the distance of forty miles; had visited the governor at his palace, and enjoyed the wild, rich, and luxuriant scenery of its neighbourhood. In one word, they had luxuriated on every innocent and rational enjoyment which this "garden of the east" could bestow; and yet every bosom experienced a thrill of delight when the inspiring word was given—“ all hands, unmoor!” For every one felt suspicious of the land breezes of Batavia, and ardently panted once more to inhale the pure air of the ocean.

The commodore's little son, a fine lad, in the tenth year of his age, who accompanied his father on the present expedition, was seized with the Batavia fever on the first of April, having fallen asleep in a draught of air while in a state of perspiration on shore, at a villa some distance from the city. For several days the youthful sufferer was not expected to recover, and during this painful suspense, the commodore, who was constantly with him

on shore, delayed naming a day for the sailing of the frigate. The crisis at length took place, which was succeeded by a favourable change, so that on Monday, the ninth of April, the lad was so far convalescent as to be conveyed on board the Potomac, which sailed on the following morning.

During her stay at Batavia, the sick-list had increased to fortyone, and two had died, who were buried on a neighbouring island. The invalids on board were principally afflicted with dysentery, and young Downes, the commodore's son, was the only individual who experienced an attack of the Batavia fever, which finally, on the passage across the Pacific, changed to an intermittent, from which he did not recover until he passed through the process of having the smallpox, on the coast of Chili.

On Tuesday morning, the tenth of April, a little after daylight, the anchor was weighed and the frigate got under way. The wind being light, every sail was spread to catch its soft breathings, as the gallant ship moved slowly on the glassy bosom of Batavia Bay, standing directly north. At meridian, the South Watcher Island bore north-by-west-half-west. This island is about twentyseven miles from our recent anchorage.

On leaving Batavia, the Strait of Sunda, or Malacca, during the months of March, April, or May, the navigator will most probably be doomed to experience a long and unpleasant passage to China. Though the strength of the northeast monsoon may have greatly relaxed in its force, the currents may still be unfavourable, and the calms which are liable to happen between the two monsoons often render a passage most perplexingly tedious. Had not the various incidents of the voyage delayed the Potomac in her departure from the Sunda Isles, the commodore would have been compelled to take another and very different route than that through the China Sea. During the months of January or February, it would have been almost impossible to make way against the northeast monsoon, either by the inner route, along the coast of Cochin China, or by Macclesfield Bank through the China Sea, so that he would have been compelled to go through the Straits of Macassar, and leaving the great Island of Borneo, as well as Luconia, to the west, again stood in to the northwest, through the channel of Formosa, and from thence to Lintin and Canton river. The lateness of the season, however. did not

make this route necessary; and though many prefer the inner passage between the Islands of Banca and Sumatra, the commodore determined to proceed through the Straits of Gaspar, and the middle of the China Sea.

On Wednesday, the eleventh, the Potomac made but little headway; the wind was light, varying from northwest to northeast: at seven in the evening she came to anchor in twenty-four fathoms water, and veered to fifty fathoms chain cable. The next morning she was under way at an early hour; wind light, but fair, and at seven o'clock A. M., passed the South Watcher Island, about three miles distant. A short distance to the northwest of the South Watcher Island lie the Thousand Islands; a group or chain of numerous small islands extending from northwest to southeast, that bound the west side of the passage between the North and South Watcher Islands. There are many dangerous shoals around them, to which a good birth should be given. Pulo Etau is the most westerly, and is separated from the other islands. A squall, with heavy rain, occurred on Wednesday night.

On Thursday, the twelfth, two Chinese junks were seen standing to the southward and eastward. The lead was now kept constantly going, finding scarcely any variation from thirteen to fifteen fathoms water. The northeast monsoon was now entirely gone, being succeeded by light winds, with sultry and enervating weather. The current too, which had been put in motion by the wind blowing several months in the same direction, still continued its opposing course at the rate of half a mile an hour. Even light showers, attended with thunder and lightning, scarcely seemed to give any relief to the oppressive influence of the sultry atmosphere. On this and the following day the frigate's drag was put in requisition, for the purpose of getting possession of such curious shells as might be found on the bottom. The experiment was successful, and many beautiful specimens of conchology were added to the collections of the commodore and his officers.

The fourteenth and fifteenth passed heavily; the frigate being most of the time anchored with a kedge, waiting to catch the first puff of air that could move her through the water. The sick-list had now swollen to the number of fifty-one, being every tenth