Sep 23, 1789 Home Resource Sep 25, 1789
Revised May 24 2021
Fair Wr. and Hazy with Variable Winds both with respect to Strength and direction being all round the Compass.
AM rec'd on board Fresh Beef & Bread which I directed to be served to all Hands. Rec'd also 4 Casks of Water. Lat'de Obs'd by ye Master 6..14S
As the Custom among the dutch is to go to Sleep immediately after Dinner their time of Dining being precisely at Noon, I left the Governor about ½ past One O'Clock and on my return found the necessary people were Employed making the Mast.
A Letter was now presented to me from my Master on Board the Prow begging and beseeching me to forgive him and take him with me again promising to behave well in future and to make any concessions I would please to point out at the same time giving me up the paper he got at Timor which he had shown at Sourabya, signed by Wm. Adriaan Van Este the Opperhooft with a design to injure my Character acknowledging that the paper was got Signed for him by a Captain Spikerman and that he did not get it from Van Este. I only wished to make an example of this Man in England & I therefore took all these concessions as a putiation of his offence & determined to take him on board lest he might die by ill health and having sent orders to that purport he was sent out of the Prow in the Evening.
Masters Letter
Sir / I find that while I was at Sourabya you have been informed I uttered things tending to hurt your Character both as an Officer & as a Man. I therefore think it my duty to appologize to you for such conduct. In the first place the paper Signed Wm Adriaan Van Este which I showed was sent to me by Capt. Spikerman for I did not see that Gentlemen and I present that paper to you to compare the Signature for I do not wish to hurt the Character of that Man and am sorry for such a transaction. As for the villanous report and disgrace designed for you by those who said on Shore that you would be hanged on your return to England demands my most regular & perfect declaration that you have most perfectly in my opinion done your utmost to secure the Health and Happiness of your Officers and Men, that you never have behaved with the least [povitical?] of Tyrranny or oppression, that unless you had been more than a Human Being you could not have foreseen the loss of the Ship and that Even as it was no Man could do more than you did to bring to a sense of their duty the Mutineers, for your hands was tied behind your back and you was kept under a Guard abaft of the Miz'n Mast and no One allowed to come near you.
Under these circumstances the misfortune fell upon
us unforeseen and I think I am by integrity bound to give you this avowal
of my own feelings & to say (conscious that I have done Wrong) I beg your pardon
and you may depend I shall ever do my utmost to induce you to forget what
is past. I therefore hope you will allow me to be with you
& no longer suffer me to be a Prisoner to go to England
or have any intention to try me by
a Court Martial. If this concession is not sufficient I will make any
other that you may point out and with many thanks I shall ever consider myself
Sir
Your much Obliged
& Very humble Serv't.
Jno. Fryer
Besides the former on the following Morning I rec'd another Letter enclosing the paper Signed Van Este certifying the prices of Provisions &c at Timor
Sir
I have enclosed the paper which was given me at Coupang and beg if you can possibly do without showing it, not to do it & I likewise humbly request of you not to mention any thing about it at Batavia as it will give me a great deal of uneasyness to hear my name mentioned as I am co[n]scious that I have used those people Ill in suffering the paper to be seen at Sourabya in Complying with my request you will much oblige
Sir Your most Obliged
and most Obedient
hble Serv't. Jno. Fryer
In the Morning Mr. de Bose did me the favour to show me the environs of this place and the Town about which as there is nothing very remarkable a description cannot be interesting. Its situation is pleasant, with fine Roads like Bowling Greens, for the Country except far back is level without any rising Grounds and is well Watered. The generality of the Houses are not well calculated for the Country but none of the superior ones particularly this of Mr. de Bose are Airy and built with Taste.
The Chinese Town is apart from the Europeans, and so are the industrious people. The Markets are Large and supplied with great abundance of Legumes and Fruit and every article of Food is to be got at a very cheap rate.
But what does great honor to the Europeans here is a publick Hospital under the direction of Mr. Johannes Jacobus Abegg who is first Surgeon. Perhaps a more Airy, or a Situation more desirable for a Sick Man cannot be found, or is it possible for more cleanliness to be observed in any place whatever.
Here's also a public School supported by contributions and some other Helps from such Scholars as are able to pay for their education.
The Mathematical Sciences are regularly and well taught and every young person may be properly educated to form a Complete Sea Officer. The Head Master Mr. Stainmitz is possessed of a few necessary Instruments but he wants a little practical knowledge of the use of them and of the manner of making Observations.
The Town is fortified and surrounded by a Wall & Ditch, on the whole perhaps they can mount 80 peices of Cannon. The Troupes are Commanded by a Colonel and their number may amount to 300 effective Europeans. Among those Officers who have honord me with a Visit was a Mr. C. C. Van Arnschild an Hanovarian Officer now in the Company Service whose Father is a General in Hanover.
Sep 23, 1789 Home Resource Sep 25, 1789