Thomas Morgan, Our Second Factor, Died On The 25th Of April, After
Having Been Long Sick; And Mr Starkie Began To Grow Very Weak.
The 28th,
our pinnace which had gone to Banda came back to Bantam, having lost
William Chace, one of her factors, and all the others in her were weak
and sickly.
The new protector now forbade us from proceeding with our
house; but by the favour of the Sabander, and Cay Tomogone Goboy the
admiral, we were with much ado allowed to finish it. Mr Starkie, our
principal factor, died on the 30th June, whose burial General Warwicke
caused to be honoured by the attendance of a company of shot and pikes,
with the colours trailed, as at the funeral of a soldier.
The great market-place on the east side of the river was set fire to on
the 4th July, in which fire several Chinese who were indebted to us lost
their all, so that we sustained some loss. Thomas Dobson, one of the
factors appointed for Banda, died on the 17th July. The town was fired
again on the east side of the river on the 27th. The 5th, several Dutch
captains came to our house, saying that the regent had asked if they
would take our parts in case he did us any violence; when they told him
we were their neighbours, and they would not see us wronged. I went
immediately to the regent, to whom I gave a small present, and thanked
him for the men he had lent us to help our building; but I could see by
his countenance that he was angry. The same day the admiral of Bantam
sent his son to the regent to enquire why he used threats against us,
which he denied; and, sending for me next morning, he asked me who had
said he meant to harm us. Saying it was the Dutch captains, he answered
if any Javan or Chinese had said so, he would have sent for them and cut
their throats before my eyes. He then blamed me for not coming to him
when we had any suits, and going always to the sabander and admiral;
upon which, I said that he was only newly appointed, and we were not yet
acquainted with him, but should apply to him in future.
About this time an affray broke out between the Hollanders and the
Chinese, in which some on both sides were slain and wounded, owing to
the disorderly and drunken behaviour of the lower Dutchmen when on
shore. They got the worst on this occasion, not indeed from the Chinese
themselves, but from some Javan slaves of turn-coat Chinese, who would
steal unawares on the Hollanders of an evening, and stab them in a
cowardly manner. One day, when the Hollanders were very importunate
about one of their men who had been assassinated, the regent asked,
whether they brought a law along with them into a foreign country, or
whether they were governed by the laws of the country in which they
resided?
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