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Updated: May 10, 2025
In the P.M. I waited upon the Superintendent of Onrust, with an order from the Shebander, to receive us at that Island, but this order, the Superintendent told me, was not sufficient to impower him to give me the conveniences and assistance I wanted, and when I came to call upon the Shebander, I found this mistake was owing to the word "heave down" being wrong translated; this Circumstance, trifling as it is, will cause a delay of some days, as it cannot be set to rights until next Council day, which is not till Friday.
Finding, by a strict inquiry, that there were no private person or persons in the place that could at this time advance me a sufficient sum of money to defray the charge I might be at in repairing and refitting the Ship at least, if there were any, they would be afraid to do it without leave from the Governor wherefore I had nothing left but to apply to the Governor himself, and accordingly drew up the following request, which I laid before the Governor and Council this morning, in consequence of which the Shebander had orders to supply me with what money I wanted out of the Company's Treasure:
The Shebander, therefore, wrote an application from me in the Dutch language, founded on the letter which I had written to him on that subject; to which he added one paragraph that, he said, would very much facilitate the business, and prevent delay; this was, after having desired permission to let the vessel proceed to Europe, "That if it were impossible, consistent with the established rules of the company, to grant such a request, that they would be pleased to give permission for my purchasing the vessel, if I could settle the business with the proprietor."
In the P.M. I sent a Petty Officer to Mr. Hicks, who Lodges ashore at Batavia for the recovery of his health, with orders to desire him to wait upon the Shebander, in order to get the necessary orders respecting us dispatched to this place as soon as possible. Saturday, 20th. Employ'd unrigging the ship, etc. Sunday, 21st.
I had previously told the Shebander, in writing, what my business was, which he thought necessary for enabling him the better to interpret between us.
Upon these terms we parted, and soon after I received a letter from Mr Hicks, containing indubitable proof that the seaman in question was a subject of his Britannic majesty. This letter I immediately carried to the shebander, with a request that it might be shewn to the governor, and that his excellency might at the same time be told I would not upon any terms part with the man.
Ball would contract with him to pay eighty rix-dollars a ton for the voyage; the Shebander to take all risques upon himself, with respect to the loss of the vessel. As the necessity for a supply of provisions was very great, and as there was no other vessel to be procured, Lieutenant Ball was obliged to make the agreement, and the snow was sent for.
The next morning, I waited on the general, at the request of Lieutenant Ball, and settled the salute, which took place at five in the evening, when the Supply saluted the fort with nine guns, which were returned by an equal number. On the 8th, Lieutenant Ball waited on the general, accompanied by the Shebander and myself.
As the general could not speak any other language than Dutch, and the Shebander could not speak sufficient English to explain himself, I was obliged to interpret between Lieutenant Ball and the latter; and I beg here to remark, that during this conversation, which was in the general's office, we were not asked to sit down; indeed, had the general been polite enough to have made the offer, there was not a second chair in the room; so unusual a thing is it to be seated in the general's presence, when talking to him on business.
In this difficulty I applied to the governor himself, by a written request, in consequence of which, the shebander had orders to supply me with what money I should require, out of the Company's treasury.
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