Expecting Don Fernando Next Day, According To
Promise, And Hearing Nine Guns From Their Fort, We Supposed He Was
Coming:
But it proved to be for the arrival of the prince of Tidore from
the wars, who was returned with the heads of 100 Ternatans.
His force in
the expedition in which he had been engaged, consisted of sixty men
armed with matchlocks, two brass bases and three or four fowlers. He
had over-thrown Key Chilly Sadang, the son of the king of Ternate,
whom the Dutch had brought over from Ternate to prevent the natives of
Machian from supplying us with cloves. While on his return to Ternate
after our departure, he was drawn into an ambush by the son of the king
of Tidore, who lay in wait for the purpose, and slew him, together with
160 men who were along with him, not one of the whole being spared. The
prince of Ternate brought home the head of Key Chilly Sadang to his
wife, who was sister to the slain prince. Key Chilly Sadang in a great
measure owed this discomfiture to a barrel of powder he had bought from
us at Machian, as it exploded at the commencement of the rencounter, and
threw his whole party into confusion. Along with the prince of Ternate,
one of his younger brothers and the king of Gilolo were both slain.
Towards evening, the sergeant-major of Ternate, who was also secretary
of the government, came aboard, and made many compliments, requesting me
to come to Ternate, where they would do for me every thing in their
power. I consented to do this the more readily, as Ternate was in my
way.
I received a message on the 12th from the prince of Tidore, apologising
for not having yet visited me, and saying that he had a quantity of
cloves which I might have, for which I thanked him, and requested they
might be sent soon. They promised to send the cloves before next
morning; wherefore, to guard against treachery, I kept double watch,
with match in cock, and every thing in readiness: For this prince of
Tidore was a most resolute and valiant soldier, and had performed many
desperate exploits against the Dutch, having shortly before surprised
one of their ships of war when at anchor not far from where we then lay.
Before day, a galley, which the Spaniards told us they expected, came
over from Batta China, and were very near us in the dark before we
were aware. On hailing, they answered us that they were Spaniards and
our friends, and then made towards the shore in all haste. She was but
small, having only fourteen oars of a side. We this day found our
latitude to be 0 deg. 50' N.
We weighed on the 13th with the wind at N. and a current setting to the
S. In passing the fort we saluted with five guns, which they returned.
Several Spaniards came off with complimentary messages, and among these
a messenger from the prince, saying we should have had plenty of cloves
if we had waited twenty-four hours longer.
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