Their Legs, Arms, And
Bodies Were So Lacerated As Was Quite Wonderful To Behold.
Such was the
desperate valour of these Japanese, that they never once asked quarter
during the whole of this sanguinary contest, though quite hopeless of
escape.
One only leapt overboard, who afterwards swam back to our ship
and asked for quarter. On coming on board, we asked him what was their
purpose? To which he answered, that they meant to take our ship and put
us all to death. He would say no more, and desired to be cut in pieces.
Next day, being the 28th December, we went to a small island to leeward;
and when about five miles from the land, the general ordered the
Japanese who had swum back to our ship to be hanged; but the rope broke,
and he fell into the sea, but whether he perished or swam to the island
I know not. Continuing our course to that island, we came to anchor
there on the 30th December, and remained three days to repair our boat
and to take in wood and water. At this island we found a ship belonging
to Patane, out of which we took the captain, whom we asked whether the
China ships were yet come to Patane? He said they were not yet come, but
were expected in two or three days. As he knew well the course of the
China ships, we detained him to pilot us, as we determined to wait for
them. The 12th January, 1606, one of our mates from the top of the mast
descried two ships coming towards us, but which, on account of the wind,
fell to leeward of the island. As soon as we had sight of them, we
weighed anchor and made sail towards them, and came up with the larger
that night. After a short engagement, we boarded and took her, and
brought her to anchor.
Next morning we unladed some of her cargo, being raw silk and silk
goods. They had fifty tons of their country silver, but we took little
or none of it, being in good hope of meeting with the other China ships.
So we allowed them to depart on the 15th January, and gave them to the
value of twice as much as we had taken from them. Leaving this ship, we
endeavoured to go back to China Bata, but could not fetch it on account
of contrary wind, so that we had to go to leeward to two small islands,
called Palo Sumatra by the people of Java, where we anchored on the 22d
January. On the 24th there arose a heavy storm, during which we parted
our cable, so that we were under the necessity of taking shelter in the
nearest creek.
The 5th February, five homeward-bound ships belonging to Holland put
into the same road where we lay. Captain Warwick, who was general of
these ships, invited our general to dine with him, which he accepted.
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