On
Coming Up, Our Captain Sent Our Surgeon, Francis Kelly, As An Hostage
For The King's Safety; When He Came On Board, And Was Kindly Welcomed
By Our Captain, Who Invited Him To Partake Of A Banquet Of Sweetmeats,
Which He Readily Accepted.
Captain Middleton then made enquiry as to
what commodities the king had for sale in his dominions.
He made answer,
that they had pearls, tortoise-shell, and some cloth of their own
manufacture, which we supposed might be of striped cotton. The king said
farther, as we were unacquainted with the place, he would send a pilot
to conduct us. Captain Middleton then requested to see some of the
pearls; but he said he had not brought any with him, meaning only a
jaunt of pleasure, but if we would come to Booton, which was only a day
and night's sail from thence, we should see great store of pearls, and
such other things as he had for sale. The captain and factor,
considering that this was very little out of the way to Bantam, thought
best to agree to this offer, and presented the king with a musket, a
sword, and a pintado, thanking him for his kindness. The king replied,
that he had not now any thing worth giving, but promised to repay these
civilities before we left Booton, giving at the same time two pieces of
their country cloth.
[Footnote 268: Something has probably been here omitted by Purchas, as
we hear nothing of their transactions between the 24th March and 19th
April. - E.]
About three p.m. the king took his leave, promising to send a pilot in
all speed to carry us to the town of Booton, and by the time we weighed
anchor the pilot came on board. At night the king sent one of his
caracols to us, to see if we wanted any thing, and to accompany us to
Booton; sending at the same time a goat to the captain. We stood for
Booton with a small gale, which at night died away, so that we had to
drop anchor in 22 fathoms, not willing to drift to leeward with the
current; and next morning we again weighed and stood for Booton.
The 22d, about ten a.m. our purser came on board, having been sent on
shore the night before, and brought with him some cocks and hens. He
told us that the Indians had carried him to a king, who was glad to see
him, having never before seen any Englishmen.[269] At his first coming
to the king's house, he was carousing and drinking with his nobles, all
round where he sat being hung with human heads, whom he had recently
slain in war. After some little stay, the purser took his leave, and lay
all night on board the caracol. This night we anchored in 20 fathoms,
in a strait or passage not half a mile wide. The 23d, in the morning,
we again weighed, and, having very little wind, our long-boat towed us
through the straits, and as the tide was with us we went a-head a-main;
so that by eleven o'clock a.m. we were in sight of the town of Booton,
and came to anchor in 25 fathoms, about a mile and a half from the town,
where we waited for the king to come on board, but he came not that
night. We sent, however, our boat on shore, and bought fresh fish for
our company.
[Footnote 269: There is some strange obscurity in the text about this
new king, called in the margin by Purchas the king of Cobina. - E.]
The king came up under our stern about one p.m. of the 24th, having with
him some forty caracols, and rowed round us very gallantly, hoisting his
colours and pendants; after which they rowed back to the town, and our
captain saluted them with a volley of small arms and all his great guns.
He then caused man our long-boat, and went ashore to the town of Booton,
accompanied by Mr Siddal and others. The king saluted our captain on
landing, both with small arms and ordnance, saying that his heart was
now contented, as he had seen the English nation, promising to shew our
captain all the kindness in his power. The captain humbly thanked him,
and took his leave for the present, coming again on board.
Next morning, the 25th April, we weighed anchor and stood farther into
the road, anchoring again in 27 fathoms within half a mile of the shore.
This morning there came on board a Javan nakhada, or ship-master, who
had a junk in the roads laden with cloves, which he had brought from
Amboina, with whom Mr Siddal our factor talked, as the Javan offered to
sell all his cloves to our captain.
This day the king invited our captain to dine with him, begging him to
excuse the homely fashion of their country. The meat was served up in
great wooden chargers, closely covered up with cloths, and the king with
our captain and Mr Siddal dined together, where we had great cheer, our
drink being Irea-pote, which was sweet-tasted and very pleasant, the
king being very merry. After dinner we had some talk about the cloves
which we proposed to purchase; and the king promised to come next day on
board himself or to send some of his attendants, to examine our cloth.
The captain then gave the king great thanks for his kindness, and went
on board.
The 26th, the king's uncle came off to see our ship, and was kindly
entertained by the captain. The king's brother came afterwards on
board, and remained to dinner with the captain, and after took leave. We
expected the king, but he came not that day, sending his son and the
pilot to view our cloth, which they liked very well. The king and his
son came on board on the 27th, and dined with the captain, who gave them
good cheer; and the king being very merry, wished to see some of our
people dance, which several of them did before him, when he was much
pleased both with our dancing and music.
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