A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels Volume Viii Part 37

A _Samaca_ came aboard on the 18th, who made great offers of kindness.

He was accompanied by two Dutchmen, who were very inquisitive to know who had directed us into this road, saying it must have been one of the natives, and if they knew him, they would cut him in pieces before our faces. To this they added, that we did wrong in coming into these parts, as the country belonged to the Dutch by right of conquest. I ordered them back to their fort, desiring them to tell their captains, that I was ready to let them have any thing I could spare, at reasonable rates, before all others, because we acknowledged them as our neighbours and brethren in Christ; but that we could not acknowledge the country to be their property, and would therefore continue to ride there while we thought proper, and would trade with whoever was pleased to come to us.

The two Dutchmen then departed, threatening the natives then aboard, that they would all be put to death if they brought us any cloves. The natives made light of this threat, saying they looked on us as friends, and would come aboard in spite of the Dutch; and this day we bought 300 cattees of cloves in exchange for Cambaya cloth, and some sold for ready money.

Next day the two Dutchmen came again on board, and immediately begun to write down in their table books the names of all the natives which came aboard our s.h.i.+p, on which I made our boatswain turn them out of the s.h.i.+p, with orders not to return. Several of our men were sent ash.o.r.e, to see what entertainment the natives would give them; and on going to the towns of Tahanne and Pelebere, they were hospitably used. The natives told our men, that the Dutch had so wrought with _Key Chillisadang_, son to the king of Ternate, who was newly come to this island, that he had prohibited them from selling us any cloves on pain of death, otherwise we should have had them in preference to the Dutch, who greatly oppressed them. Towards night that prince pa.s.sed by our s.h.i.+p in his curracurra, and I sent our pinnace to him, handsomely fitted with a fine Turkey carpet awning, and curtains of crimson silk and gold, requesting he would come aboard. He seemed to take this message kindly, but excused himself; saying he would visit me in the morning.

The 21st an _Orankey_ came aboard, telling us that a curracurra belonging to the Dutch had searched three or four proas, or canoes, bringing cloves to us, which they had confiscated, and threatened to put the natives to death for the next offence. He told us likewise, that the Dutch, since our arrival, had dispersed the whole garrison of their forts round about the island, to prevent the natives from bringing us any more spice; and had sent a message to Tidore, for two large s.h.i.+ps to come and anchor beside us, one a-head and the other a-stern, that they might force us away without trade or refreshments. The 22d, we saw one of these s.h.i.+ps coming round the point, after which we had little trade, as the natives were afraid to come near us; and they waited to see what we might do, as the Dutch reported we would run away at the sight of their s.h.i.+p. This vessel was the Red Lion, carrying thirty guns, which came to anchor astern Of our s.h.i.+p. I this day received a present from Key Malladaia, who was not yet come to the island.

The 24th, _Key Chillisadang_, prince of Ternate, sent to tell me that he was coming to make me a visit, on which I made preparations to give him a handsome reception. He came attended by several great curracurras, and rowed thrice round the s.h.i.+p before coming aboard. On entering, we fired five guns, and immediately conducted him to the cabin, where I had prepared a banquet that might have been set before the king of Ternate, with a concert of music, with which he was much delighted. He promised to give the people leave to bring us cloves, but requested me to have patience for a day or two, till he had advice from his brother, who was then at Tidore. At parting, I gave him several presents, and saluted him with seven pieces of cannon.

In the morning of the 25th, a curracurra of the Dutch rowed past our s.h.i.+p, scoffing at our people, and singing a song which they had made to deride us, which they often repeated, to the great displeasure of our people, who were likewise much offended by their rowing several times over our _can-bodies_, endeavouring to sink them. Thereupon I ordered the pinnace to be well manned and armed, and directed, if the Dutch on their return continued their scoffs, to run aboard and sink their curracurra. They accordingly came back, singing and scoffing as before, on which the pinnace ran aboard them with such violence, that the water came through her sides. There were on board this curracurra two Dutch captains of their forts, and plenty of men armed with shot and darts; but our pinnace was well provided, and had two good _fowlers_[428] at her head. She lay a good s.p.a.ce aboard the curracurra, desiring the Dutchmen to take this for a warning to leave off their impertinent scoffs, or we should teach them better manners in a worse way the next time. So they went away, promising to do so no more.

[Footnote 428: Probably some species of ordnance, as swivels or musquetoons.--E.]

Towards evening the Dutch sent one of their merchants to me, with a writing from their _doctor-of-laws_, who was their chief in the absence of De Bot, or Blocke, who had come from Holland as general over eleven s.h.i.+ps. The purport of this writing was, that all the inhabitants of the Moluccas had entered into a perpetual contract with the Dutch for all their cloves, at fifty dollars the bahar, of 200 cattees, in reward for having freed them from the Spanish yoke, at great expence of blood and treasure; and required therefore, that I should not excite the people to disobedience, to their great disadvantage, as the country was certainly theirs by right of conquest. He added, that the islanders were indebted in large sums to the Dutch, advanced on promise of repayment in cloves.

I answered, that I had no intention to interfere in any of the concerns of the Dutch, and had only come for the purpose of trading with whoever might be inclined to trade with us.

The 27th, the Dutch made the prince Key Chillisadang moor his curracurra astern of us, to prevent the natives from coming aboard of us; and, in our sight, we saw him stop a canoe, which we thought was bringing us spice, and obliged it to go back to the land: yet, towards night, two of the natives brought us off some refreshments. Next day, understanding that we were dissatisfied with his proceedings, the prince removed behind a point at some distance, which much displeased the Dutch. In the afternoon, I went with the skiff, well manned, to endeavour to bargain with the prince for a parcel of cloves, but found him gone to another place. Seeing my skiff going into the bay, Captain Blocke followed in his curracurra, and would have landed where I was, but I would not suffer him. On the natives seeing this, and that Captain Blocke went back to his s.h.i.+p without landing, many of the better sort came down to us with much respect, and sent for cocoas and other fruits, which they distributed to the boat's crew. When the master of my s.h.i.+p saw Captain Blocke following me in great haste, he manned our long-boat to a.s.sist us in case of need, but on a signal to that effect from me, he returned on board.

On the 30th, the Dutch brought the prince to ride in his old place, and towards evening another Dutch s.h.i.+p came into the roads, called the Moon, having thirty-two pieces of good cannon, but not more than fifty men.

She came to anchor a-head of us, and so near, that we could hardly swing clear of each other. The prince sent an apology for coming back, but we now saw that he was forced to do as the Dutch thought proper. On the 31st, several harsh dealings and discourtesies pa.s.sed between us and the Dutch. The 1st of April, 1613, the Dutch mustered about 120 men ash.o.r.e, gathered from their s.h.i.+ps and forts, and every morning and evening relieved guard with drum and fife, and displayed ensign. On the 2d, seeing no appearance of Key Malladaia, according to his promise, I ordered our water-casks to be filled, and every thing to be in readiness for setting sail with the first fair wind. At noon this day, we found the lat.i.tude of this road of _Pelebre_, or _Pelabry_, to be 26' N. of the equator, the variation being 3 28', and the highest land in the island of Machian bearing W.N.W. half a point westerly.

On the 5th of April we weighed anchor with little wind, and the current setting to the southwards, we drove to sea under our foresail, pa.s.sing a-head of the Moon, the larger of the Dutch s.h.i.+ps, which made a fair shot under our stern, which we presently answered close a-head of his admiral, expecting farther, but heard no more of them. At noon they both weighed and followed us; but having the wind at S.W. we were far to windward, so that the natives came aboard of us with cloves for a time, as fast as we could weigh and pay for them, the Dutch being unable to hinder. There came also an Orankey aboard, who promised us a good parcel of cloves, if we could come near the sh.o.r.e in the evening. The 6th, about fifty cattees of cloves were brought to us in several canoes.

Towards evening; stood rather nearer the sh.o.r.e than I wished, in consequence of seeing a weft, on which I sent a skiff to the Orankey, who said his cloves were ready, and should be brought aboard in the dark. But in consequence of a Dutch curracurra pa.s.sing by, he was in such fear, that though our people offered to guard him, he durst not venture aboard.

In the morning of the 16th, we were abreast of _Mootiere_, four leagues from the western point of Machian, N. by E. half a point easterly; and three leagues from it to the north is the island of _Marro_, two leagues beyond which is _Tidore_, between and around all which islands is clear pa.s.sage on all sides, without any danger. Our lat.i.tude at noon was 0 25'; and we could see the two Dutch s.h.i.+ps to the southwards, plying after us. In sailing from _Marro_ to Tidore, it is proper to keep a sharp look-out, as there is a long shoal in the fair way, quite even with the sea at high-water, close to which the water has a whitish look.

This shoal stretches N.E. and S.W. between _Marro_ and _Battachina_. It is seen at low-water, the ebb being six feet, the tide setting six hours to the north, and six to the south; but if you keep close to the islands, there is no fear.

The Spanish fort is on the east side of Tidore, where there is deep water close in sh.o.r.e; and, while off that place, the wind suddenly fell quite calm, so that the current set us in upon the land, when the fort made a shot at us, but willingly sent it short, to which we made answer by one shot to seawards. The fort then fired other two guns, which were meant to strike us, one being aimed between the mizen and ancient staff, and the other between the main and foremasts. They then fired one gun without shot, to which we answered in like manner; on which they sent off a boat with a flag of truce, the current still setting us towards the sh.o.r.e, there being no wind to fill our sails, and no ground at 100 fathoms, so that we could in no way keep off. There were two gallies riding under the fort, which, on their boat putting off, fired two blank shots. The boat came and made fast to our stern, having two Spaniards of some rank, who were known to Hernando, the Spaniard we brought from Bantam. These Spaniards were sent from Don Fernand Byseere, the captain-general of Tidore, to enquire who we were, what we came for, and why we did not come to anchor under the fort. Being requested to come aboard, they said they were enjoined to the contrary, wherefore I made wine and bread be handed down to them from the p.o.o.p, which they fell to l.u.s.tily, although under the heaviest rain I ever saw, yet would not come aboard. I told them we were subjects of the king of Great Britain, as they might well see by our colours; but they said the Dutch had often pa.s.sed by scot-free by shewing British colours, which was the reason they had fired the second sharp-shot at us, thinking we were Dutch. I sent word to the Spanish commandant, that I had every inclination to serve the subjects of the king of Spain, as far as in my power, but meant to anchor farther on, where, if Don Fernando pleased to come aboard, I should give him the best welcome I could.

The Spaniards went away well satisfied with this answer, and as a fine breeze immediately sprung up, we stood along sh.o.r.e. The captain-general sent off to me the pilot-major of the gallies, Francisco Gomez, a man of good presence, to bid me welcome, offering his a.s.sistance to bring my s.h.i.+p into the best anchorage under the fort; or any where else about the island. Being dark, he brought us to an anchorage, about a league and a half from the fort, at a place where he said there was no force; and, after supper, he entreated to be set ash.o.r.e, as the captain-general meant to dispatch letters to Don Jeronimo de Sylva, the _maestre del campo_ at Ternate, for instructions concerning our visit. On the morning of the 9th, before sun-rise, we found ourselves within command of a battery of eight cannon, wherefore we hoisted our anchor, and removed a league farther to the southwards, where we again anch.o.r.ed in thirty-five fathoms. The pilot Gomez came aboard soon after, accompanied by other two Spaniards of good family, whom I received with such welcome, that they took their lodging on board. They brought me a present of eatables from their general, to whom I sent back a suitable return; offering to supply his wants with any thing in my s.h.i.+p he desired, taking cloves in payment, and desiring a speedy answer, as I could not tarry long. The two Dutch s.h.i.+ps continued to ply after us, as if they would have anch.o.r.ed beside us, but they afterwards went to anchor at their new fort of _Maracco_, or _Marieca_.

END OF THE EIGHTH VOLUME.