We Answered, That We
Knew A Person Of That Name, But Knew Not If He Were Upon The Coast, Nor
Whether he had taken the Guzerat vessel, except by the report of the
Hollanders, which we held to be false,
And were more apt to believe it
had been done by one of the Dutch-ships, which sailed from Bantam two
days before the departure of that Guzerat ship. We were then desired to
depart till further proof could be had.
[Footnote 134: This piece of information is placed as a marginal note by
Purchas, and confirms an idea formerly hazarded, that mariners were in
these old times of a higher description than sailors; the former being
thoroughbred seamen, the latter only ordinary. - E.]
Sir Edward Mitchelburne came here to anchor in the road of Bantam on the
29th, when Mr Towerson and I went on board to visit him, and were well
entertained. He then informed us of having taken the Guzerat vessel, and
we entreated of him that he would not capture the Chinese junks, which
he promised not to do on the word of a gentleman. He set sail from
Bantam on the 2d November, directing his course for the straits of
Palinbangan.
The 18th November, a small Dutch pinnace sailed for the exploration of
the land called New Guinea, which was said to produce great abundance of
gold. The 2d January, 1606, a junk set sail for Timor, freighted by
Chinese merchants. Besides English iron, coarse porcelain, taffetas,
Chinese pans and bells, they carried with them what are called brand
pieces of silver, being beaten out very thin and a hand-breadth in size.
On the 20th there arrived a Chinese junk, which Sir Edward Mitchelburne
had captured notwithstanding his promise to Mr Towerson and me. We were
called upon to make restitution, the nokhada or pilot of the junk
alleging to have lost many rich commodities, and the governor and
principal courtiers were grievously offended; but by the favour of the
admiral and sabander we were let off.
On the 23d May, there arrived a small vessel belonging to the Hollanders
from Ternate, bringing away the merchants left there by Bastianson,
who were sent away by the Spaniards, by whom that island was now taken,
together with all their goods, the Spaniards having allowed them to
depart, but had carried off the King of Ternate as a prisoner to
Manilla; and it was said they meant to send him to Spain. While about
ten leagues from Jackatra, this small vessel fell in with the king of
Bantam's fleet, by which they were pillaged of every thing they had
saved from the Spaniards; and though they now used every endeavour to
procure restitution, they could have no redress.
On the 15th June, Nokhada Tingall, a cling-man, arrived in a Javan
junk from Banda with a cargo of mace and nutmegs, which be sold here to
the Guzerats for 150 dollars the Bantam bahar, which is 450 cattees.
He told me that the Dutch pinnace, which went upon discovery to New
Guinea, had found the island; but that, on sending their men ashore to
endeavour to procure trade, nine of them had been slain by the natives,
who are canibals or man-eaters; so that the Dutch were forced to come
away, and had gone, to Banda.
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