This Island
Is Uninhabited, But Full Of Trees And Bushes, Being Daily Resorted To By
The Men Of Puloroon For Fishing; And As Belonging To Puloroon, Belonged
Now To The English.
On coming near the island, the people in the pinnace
were observed continually sounding, wherefore we made four shots towards
her from Fort Defence; but, not intending to strike her, shot wide.
At
every shot, the pinnace answered with a base, or some such piece, firing
into the small island among the trees and bushes, where were some
Englishmen and Bandanese of Puloroon, who were in no small danger from
the shot. Seeing they braved us in this manner, the gunner was desired
to do his best, and his next shot fell close over the stern of the
pinnace or frigate, which made her presently go away. Their purpose of
coming thus to sound about the small island, seemed to be to look out
for a landing-place; meaning to come there with their forces, and there
to fortify themselves, on purpose to compel us to quit the large island.
On the 13th, Mr Davey complained that he was in want of water, and
proposed to go over for that purpose to Wayre upon Lantore; but on the
people of Puloroon being informed of this, they would by no means
consent to his going out of the roads, and indeed neither would we,
fearing the Hollanders might do us some injury in his absence. The
people of Puloroon, said they would rather bring him water from Lantore,
in their proas. I went on board Mr Davey to acquaint him with this; but
he and his people would not consent, saying the Bandanese would bring
them rain water, or such other as was unwholesome, and that they would
only be six days absent, or eight at most.
At this time, the principal people of Wayre, a free town on the island
of Lantore, and of the separate island of Rosinging, came over to us, to
enter into a parley respecting the surrender of both to the sovereignty
of his majesty; and the formal deed of surrender being agreed upon and
drawn up, they desired that some Englishmen might go over to receive the
same in a public manner from all their hands, and to witness the
ceremonial. As Mr Davey still persisted to go over with his ship, it was
resolved upon, that Messrs Sophonie Cozocke, George Muschamp, Robert
Fuller, and Thomas Hodges, should go over in the Swan to Wayre and
Rosinging, to see that business accomplished, while the Swan was
procuring water; after which, it was appointed that Mr Cozocke was to
return in the Swan, while the other three were to remain upon the island
of Rosinging for possession, till farther orders. All business being
there concluded to our satisfaction, several persons in Wayre and
Rosinging desired to load nutmegs and mace in the Swan, and to have a
passage for Puloroon, there to sell us their spices for rice and cloths.
All this was agreed to, and twelve of these persons came on board, with
a great quantity of nutmegs and mace.
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