The
Moment We Touched Ground Our Men All Jumped Out, And, Assisted By
Those On Shore, Attempted To Haul Up The Boat High And Dry, But
Not Having Sufficient Hands, The Surf Repeatedly Broke Into The
Stern.
The steepness of the beach, however, prevented any damage
being done, and the other boat having both crews to haul at it,
was got up without difficulty.
The next morning, the water being low, the breakers were at some
distance from shore, and we had to watch for a smooth moment
after bringing the boats to the water's edge, and so got safely
out to sea. At the two next villages, Tobo and Ossong, we also
took in fresh men, who came swimming through the surf; and at the
latter place the Rajah came on board and accompanied me to
Kissalaut, where he has a house which he lent me during my stay.
Here again was a heavy surf, and it was with great difficulty we
got the boats safely hauled up. At Amboyna I had been promised at
this season a calm sea and the wind off shore, but in this case,
as in every other, I had been unable to obtain any reliable
information as to the winds and seasons of places distant two or
three days' journey. It appears, however, that owing to the
general direction of the island of Ceram (E.S.E. and W.N.W.),
there is a heavy surf and scarcely any shelter on the south coast
during the west monsoon, when alone a journey to the eastward can
be safely made; while during the east monsoon, when I proposed to
return along the north coast to Wahai, I should probably find
that equally exposed and dangerous.
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