Page 500

An.1688

The Authors kind Reception at Passange Jonca.

mile of the Rivers mouth, called also by the name of the River, Passange Jonca. The hardships of this Voyage, with the scorching heat of the Sun, at our first setting out, and the cold Rain and our con- tinuing wet for the last two days, cast us all into Fevers, so that now we were not able to help each other, nor so much as to get our Canoa up to the Village; but our Malayans got some of the Townsmen to bring her up.

The news of our arrival being noised abroad, one of the Oramkai's or Noblemen of the Island, came in the night to fee us. We were then lying in a small Hut, at the end of the Town, and it being late, this Lord only viewed us, and having spoken with our Malayans, went away again ; but he returned to us again the next day, and pro- vided a large house for us to live in, till we should be recovered of our sickness ; ordering the Towns- people to let us want for nothing. The Achinese Malayans that came with us, told them all the cir- cumstances of our Voyage ; how they were taken by our Ship, and where, and how we that came with them were Prisoners aboard the Ship, and had been set ashore together at Nicobar, as they were. It was for this reason probably, that the Gentlemen of Sumatra were thus extraordinary kind to us, to provide every thing that we had need of ; nay, they would force us to accept of Presents from them, that we knew not what to do with ; as young Buffaloes, Goats, &c. for these we would turn loose at night, after the Gentle- men that gave them to us were gone, for we were prompted by our Achinese Consorts to accept of them, for fear of disfavouring by our refusal. But the Coco-nuts, Plantains, Fowls, Eggs, Fish and Rice, we kept for our use. The Malayans that accompanied us from Nicobar separated them- selves from us now, living at one end of the house by