Bawean

land muster-rolls for the year 1785, indicate the existence of a VOC post referred to as Bavian: 'op 't Eijlandt Lubok te Bavian'. The land muster-rolls of 1790 refer to the place as 'Baviaan'. It is likely that these references pertain to the island of Bawean, which lay to the north of Madura, East Java. The island, which was also known as 'Liibok' during the VOC era, was not large but was densely populated. It numbered 70 to 80 vessels that plied the waters en route to Java and Borneo.