One Of Them Said He Would Go First To Pulo-Way To See My
People, And Would Then Deliver My Message To Those Of Lantor.
When Mr Spalding came ashore, the people of Pulo-way flocked about him,
and made him welcome, but would fix no price with him till I should
come, offering to deliver spice on account till my arrival.
I desired Mr
Spalding to hire me a pilot, if possible, to bring my ship near; so the
people of the country hired two, to whom they gave twenty rials, saying
that I must give as much. Mr Spalding sent them aboard, and desired me
at the same time to send him more money and cloth, which I did that
night. We now bore up the helm for Ceram, and came to a place called
Gelagula, a reasonably good road, some thirty leagues from Banda. As
soon as possible we took a house, and brought the materials of our
pinnace ashore to set her up. Labouring hard to get her fitted, I called
her the Hopewell. The 27th March, 1610, we had all things in readiness
for going to Pulo-way, and arrived there the night of the 31st, but
could lade no spice till I had made agreement with the natives, who
asked many duties and great gifts. In fine, I agreed to pay the same as
had been paid by Captain Keeling. The chiefs had what they looked for,
as every one must have something, and unknown to the rest, so that one
can never have done giving, as they never cease begging, and it was not
convenient to deny them any reasonable request, especially as I was
situated.
After we had agreed, the Hopewell was loaded with mace, or filled
rather; for she was only nine tons burden, and could carry very little
of that commodity. So, after sending away the Hopewell, I hired a large
praw, which I proposed to build upon, which we loaded with nutmegs, and
sent to the ship, where she was built higher, so as to be of 25 tons
burden; but she made only one voyage, and then we heard no tidings of
her in three months. The Hopewell making two voyages, and hearing no
news of the praw, I verily thought she had sunk; for I came in company
with her myself in the Hopewell, and had so great a storm that I gave
her up as lost, having twelve of my stoutest men in her. It was no small
grief to me to see the season thus wear away, and could not get my
loading to the ship, neither durst I bring over my ship to Pulo-way, as
there was no safe anchorage for her. I made enquiry for some other
vessel, and heard of a junk belonging to Lantor, but she was old and lay
near the Dutch ships; yet I went and bought her, and got such help as I
could to trim her.
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