On June 24, 1724, a group from Macassar reported they had spotted Dewakan Island from their mast but couldn't sail to it. Their boat sank, and only those who managed to get into a small rescue boat survived. Initially there were 18 people, but 5 Burgynese left them at an island where a native vessel was anchored.
Johannes van Namen, a mixed-race resident from Batavia, reported that after leaving the harbor, he had been sick. The crew was constantly busy bailing water due to severe leaks. When trying to sail toward land, the vessel was overwhelmed by water and sank. He swam to the already full rescue boat. He stated that no one was to blame and it was purely an accident.
Multiple witnesses confirmed this account:
They all testified that the vessel had developed serious leaks after leaving port, which worsened until the ship sank on a Saturday, nine days before their report. 18 people survived in the rescue boat that brought them to safety.
National Archives / Archives South Holland, archive number 1.04.02, Inventaris van het archief van de Verenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie (VOC), 1602-1795 (1811), inventory number 8193, Kamer Zeeland, INGEKOMEN STUKKEN VAN GOUVERNEUR-GENERAAL EN RADEN BIJ DE HEREN XVII EN DE KAMER ZEELAND, Kopie-missiven en -rapporten ingekomen bij gouverneur-generaal en raden van de kantoren in Indië, Makassar, Kopie-missiven en -rapporten ingekomen bij gouverneur-generaal en raden uit Makassar, 1727 mei 30 - okt. 14
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