Borneo Is The Largest Of All The Islands In The East-Indies; And Its
Capital, Of The Same Name, Contains About 300 Houses, But Is Built In A
Dirty Marshy Soil, Or Rather In The Water, So That The Inhabitants Have
To Go From One House To Another In Their Praws.
The inhabitants all go
constantly armed, from the noble down to the fisherman; and even the
women are of so martial a disposition, that on receiving an affront,
they instantly revenge it, either with a dagger or a javelin.
This a
Dutchman had nearly proved to his cost; for having offended one of these
viragoes, she set upon him with a javelin, and had surely dispatched
him, if she had not been prevented by main force. They are Mahometans,
and so very superstitious, that they would rather die than eat of
swine's flesh, nor will they keep any of these animals about them. The
better sort have a cotton garment from the waist down, with a turban on
their heads; but the common people go entirely naked. They continually
chew betel and areka, which is also a common practice in many other
parts of India.
On the 4th January, four Borneans came to the ship, intending to have
cut the cables, that she might drive on shore and become their prey; but
the Dutch fortunately discovered them, and drove them away with shot,
when they left their praw behind, which the Dutch took, to serve instead
of their own boat, which they had lost at the Philippines. Seeing no
hope of any profitable trade at this place, they now left it, intending
for Bantam, not much pleased either with the country or the people. The
day after leaving Borneo, they met a junk from Japan bound for Manilla,
which informed them of a great Dutch ship being forced by tempests into
Japan, all her company having died by sickness and famine except
fourteen. They came first to Bongo, in lat. 34 deg. 40' N. [Bungo in about
lat. 33 deg. N.] whence the emperor of Japan ordered them to remove to
Atonza, in lat. 36 deg. 30' N. [Osaka in lat. 34' 55' N.] They alleged
that they were allowed to trade, and to build a new ship, with liberty
to dispose of themselves afterwards as they pleased. From this account,
it was not doubted that this was the admiral of Verhagen's fleet;[80]
and dismissing the Japanese vessel, they passed the line a third time,
and proceeded for Bantam, in no little fear and danger, for want of an
experienced pilot and good charts.
[Footnote 80: This was the ship in which William Adams sailed as pilot,
as related on a former occasion, being the Hope, commanded by James
Mahu, one of five ships from Rotterdam. We have already had occasion to
meet with two of these in the Straits of Magellan. - E.]
The 16th they took a junk belonging to Jor or Johor, in which they
procured an experienced and skilful pilot, who came in good time to
save them from shipwreck, which they had otherwise most probably
suffered in these dangerous seas, so thick set with shoals and islands
on every side, with which they were entirely unacquainted; and besides,
they were now reduced to one anchor, and one solitary cable almost worn
out.
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