Purchas, in a side note at this place, quaintly converts
the name of the Dutch general into Lawrence Ly-all.
- E.]
The eastern monsoon being now come, we fitted out a proa to send with
dispatches to Bantam, giving an account of what had passed; and it was
agreed that Mr Hinchley and I were to go, accompanied by four Englishmen
and fourteen natives of Puloroon, of whom five were chiefs, or
orancays, one of them being son to the sabander, who is the principal
man of the island. We set sail from Puloroon on the 17th April, 1617,
and when in sight of Bottone on our way for Macassar, we descried a
large ship and a pinnace, which gave us chase under a press of sail, so
that we had no means of escape, except by standing in for Bottone. After
being chased half a day, we got near the town of Bottone by night,
thinking the ships could not have got so far up the river; but seeing
the ship and pinnace almost within musket-shot of us next morning, we
presently landed most of what we had in the proa, taking refuge in the
woods. Having so done, we went immediately to the king, to whom we gave
a present of such things as we had, to the value of about thirty
dollars, desiring his protection, which he promised in the kindest
manner, and faithfully performed. He sent his servants along with us,
to put all our things into a house, giving us also two houses for our
lodging, desiring us to remain within, that we might not be discovered
by our enemies.
Almost immediately afterwards, the Hollanders went to the king, giving
him a present three times the value of ours, and enquired who we were
that had landed. To which the king answered that he knew not who we
were. On being asked by the king how long they meant to stay, the Dutch
said they proposed remaining six days; of which the king sent us notice,
advising us to keep close for that time, that we might proceed in
greater security after they were gone. But at the end of these six days
the Dutch said they would stay six days longer, pretending they had to
repair one of their masts. Seeing their intention, and because our proa
lay in view of the Dutch, we bought another proa, into which the king
made all our things be carried by his slaves, causing them to navigate
that proa past the Hollanders, and to carry her to the back of the
island, whither he sent us over land under the protection of fifty men.
We went immediately aboard, but remained under the island till near
night, when we stood our course for Macassar, and saw no more of the
Hollanders.
We arrived at Macassar on the 7th May, where we found the Attendance
intending for Banda, but was unable to beat up, owing to the change of
the monsoon.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 379 of 474
Words from 197223 to 197727
of 247546
