The Admiral
Proposed The Use Of A Long Bow And Arrows For This Service, But In My
Opinion A Musket Would Have Answered Better.
We meant likewise to have
shot red-hot bullets among them from the king's ordnance, which would
have made
Sad work among their thatched houses and fortifications of
canes; for as Mandelicko had sought all means to set us on fire, we now
meant to try if we could return the compliment. But, whether from fear
of the King of Jackatra, or hearing that we were employed, the rebels
and pangrans came to an agreement two days after, by which Mandelicko
engaged to depart from the dominions of Bantam within six days, with
only thirty followers, which he did. The Javans are very unwilling to
fight if that can be avoided, as their wealth consists chiefly in
slaves, so that they are beggared if these be slain; wherefore they had
always rather come to a set feast than a pitched battle.
In November and the beginning of December, we were constantly busy in
completing our buildings, and getting in and cleaning pepper. A Dutch
pinnace came into the roads on the 14th December, by which we were
informed of the death of Queen Elizabeth, and the great plague and
sickness that had prevailed over all Christendom. This occasioned more
distress to us than all our late troubles; but they told us that the
King of Scots was crowned, that our land was in peace, and that peace
was likely to be concluded between England and Spain; which news was
very comfortable to us. They could give us no intelligence of our ships,
having no letters for us: But the Dutch fleet soon followed, on which I
went immediately on board their admiral to welcome him, and enquire for
letters, which were found in the vice-admiral.
Uniete, the chief of those who undermined and set fire to our house,
having long lurked in the mountains, was now forced by want of food to
repair to certain houses near Bantam, whence he was brought to the house
of the rich Chinese merchant. As soon as I heard of this, I sent Mr
Towerson to inform the protector, and that we meant shortly to execute
him. Since the time of the mischief this man occasioned, I had never
gone out of our house, but once when the protector crossed us about the
pepper, as before mentioned, being in constant fear that our house would
be fired before my return; and three times a week I used to search all
the Chinese houses in our neighbourhood, for fear of more undermining.
Sec. 5. Arrival of General Middleton, and other Occurrences.
In the evening of the 22d December, 1604, we joyfully descried our ships
coming into the roads; but when we went on board the admiral, and saw
their weakness, and also heard of the weakly state of the other three
ships, we were greatly grieved; well knowing that Bantam is not a place
for the recovery of sick men, but rather to kill men who come there in
health. At my first going on board, I found the general, Captain Henry
Middleton, very weak and sickly, to whom I made a brief relation of the
many troubles we had endured. I also told him we had lading ready for
two ships, which was some comfort to his mind, being much grieved for
the weakness of his men; as they had scarcely fifty sound men in the
four ships, and had lost many of their sick men. Even of those who came
here in health, many never went out of Bantam roads.
The 24th we executed the arch-villain Uniete, who was the fourth of
these rascals we had put to death, besides a fifth who was slain for
stealing a woman. At my coming away four remained alive; two of whom
were at Jackatra, one with the rebel Mandelicko, and one with Cay
Sanapatta Lama, whom we could not then get at. The same day our
vice-admiral, Captain Coulthurst, came on shore with some merchants, and
we accompanied him to court, to notify to the king that our general had
letters for him from the King of England, and a present, but being weary
and sick with his long voyage, would wait upon him as soon as he was
refreshed.
On Christmas-day we dined on board the general. But I ought to have
previously mentioned, that, on the 23d, it was agreed the Dragon and
Ascension were to be sent to the Moluccas, and the Hector and Susan to
be loaded with pepper, and sent home. We busied ourselves to procure
fresh victuals, vegetables, and fruits, for the recovery of our men, who
were in a most pitiable case with the scurvy.
The 31st December, our general came on shore, and being accompanied by
all the merchants who were in sufficient health, and by several others,
he went to court with the king's letter, which he delivered along with
the following present: A fair basin and ewer, with two handsome standing
cups, and a spoon, all of silver parell gilt, and six muskets with their
furniture. The general employed two or three days following in visiting
our chiefest friends, as the sabander, the admiral, and the rich Chinese
merchant, making them presents, which they thankfully received. We then
fell to work to pack up goods for the Moluccas; but as our men recovered
from the scurvy they fell ill of the flux, so that it seemed quite
impossible for us to accomplish our business.
The 7th January, 1605, the Dutch fleet, being nine tall ships,[126]
besides pinnaces and sloops, set sail for Amboyna and the Moluccas, so
that we were long in doubt of getting any loading in those parts this
year for our ships, so many having gone before us; nor was it possible
for ours to go earlier, owing to their weakness. The 10th January, our
two ships that were to go home began taking in pepper, but were so
oppressed with sickness that they could make no dispatch.
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