Jakarta, or Batavia as it used to be, was a stopping point on the way home on Cook's first voyage. During that voyage he was experimenting with substances to prevent scurvy, and was forcing the crew to eat sauerkraut (against their wishes) daily. /1 By the time he reached Batavia (2 years and 2 months after departing Plymouth) he had not lost a member of the crew to disease on the whole journey, which was unheard of in the 1760s (he had lost a few men overboard, and some eaten by Maoris!). /2