close to the Towne agayne, shooting with our great Peeces into it, slaying
diuers of the people (as after we were informed:) They likewise shot with
their Peeces agaynst vs, which the Portingalles did, for that the Iauars
haue little or no skill at all therein, and are very fearefull of them, and
although they had many peeces in the towne, yet they did vs no other hurt
then onely shot one of Molenares halfe masts in peeces.
[Sidenote: A skirmish betweene the Pinace and 24. boats.] The seuenth of
September wee had a skirmish, which was in this manner, we perceyuing a
Iauan ship vnder sayle, sent our Pinace with sixe and twentie men in her to
fetch it in, which the Iauan shippe perceyuing fledde behinde an Islande,
where our Pinace followed him so fast that shee fell a grounde, which the
townes men perceyuing, made them readie with foure and twentie boates full
of men, all armed after their manner, and set forwarde in good order, being
diuided in two companies, seuen on starre bord, and 17. on lardde bord of
the Pinace, in order like a halfe Moone, threatning vs with great speares,
they thought by reason of their great number of men that they had already
taken it, but it fell out otherwise, for they in the Pinace, perceyuing
them comming, shotte among them: and when they were harde by the Pinace,
shee gotte a flote, as they thought to take her, hauing cast out an anker
in good time, and thereby wounde themselues off the grounde, but for haste
they were forced to cutte their Cable, because they had not time enough to
winde it vppe, and with all they shotte one of their boates vnder water.
The Pinace drawing her boate after her, the Iauans presently leapt into it,
and cutte a sunder the roape that helde it, which they immediately stole
from vs, thrusting with their Speares in at the loope holes. Seuen of their
Boates being round about vs were so sharpely paide with the iron peeces,
stone peeces, and Caliuers, that the 17. others durst not come so neere vs:
I thinke there were at the least 100. of them that neuer carryed newes how
they sped in that skirmish, for euery boate had at the least 60. men in it,
and they were so thicke in them, that they could not help themselues, nor
did any thing els but shake their speares, and they shot but one base:
their arrowes hurt vs not, and so the Pinace returned agayne vnto our
shippes, sayling close before the towne, and shooting into it with her
ordinance: They shot out of the towne, but it hit her not, because they
shot with stone pellets, wherewith you cannot shoote so certainly as with
iron bullets.
The 8. 9. and 10. of September we had letters from our men out of Bantam,
by the which they willed vs not to shoot any more, for that the Gouernour
threatned to set them vpon stakes: Houtman wrote they were in good hope
that they shoulde bee put to raunsome, which wee counselled them to doe as
well as they might.
[Sidenote: The contents of the Gouernours letter.] The 11. of September we
had a letter from Houtman, and one from the Gouernour wherein hee wrote
that he would set our men at libertie, so we would be quiet, but if we
desired warre, he would once againe come and visite vs in another sort: wee
aunswered him that there he should find vs, that wordes were but wind, and
that he should set our men at a reasonable ransome, and thereof send us an
answere the next day.
The 12. and 13. of September wee had no answere out of the towne, and we
had want of water, and could get none thereabouts but that which came out
of the towne, for that the Gouernour had taken order that we should get no
water about the towne, so that we hoised ankers to go seeke some.
The 17. of September we came before 3. or 4. Islands which Molenare and
Shellenger sayled betweene, and for that the streame ranne so strong there,
they were forced to goe so nigh the shore, that they might almost leape on
lande, whereby they escaped great danger, but the other shippe and the
Pinace sayled about the Islands, and so met with the other two, and casting
forth their ankers, went on shore, where wee spake with men that saide they
would shew vs where wee shoulde haue water, so we would giue them two
Caliuers.
The 18. 19. 20. 23. and 24. we sayled to lade water, for it was hard to
get, and we were forced to keep good watch, which done hoysing ankers
againe, wee sayled towardes Bantam, holding our course Eastwarde.
The 27. we sayled Northeast towardes the lande of Iaua maior.
The 28. setting sayle agayne, we kept East Northeast along by the coast of
Iaua, and about noone because of the great streame that runneth in the
straight, wee were forced to anker, and the 30. day wee set sayle againe.
The first of October in the euening wee came to a great Islande, being
three miles from the towne, and there we ankered finding good clay ground.
The 2. of October wee had a letter from our men, how they were separated
one from the other, and kept by the Gentlemen of the towne, and their wares
parted among them.
The 3. 4. and 5. when wee were againe before the towne, we had other
letters, that by our comming they were better vsed, and hoped to bee set at
a reasonable ransome, and that they promised that one of our men should
come aborde, so he would returne againe into towne, that shoulde by worde
of mouth certifie vs what hope they were in, and the cause thereof, that we
might the better believe it.
[Sidenote: How the Iauars vsed our men being prisoners.] The 6. of October
in the night, one of our men came aborde, and shewed vs what had past, when
we shotte into the towne, how they were separated and kept close prisoners,
and cruelly threatned by the Iauars, whereby they still expected when they
should bee put to death, and howe they sought all the meanes they coulde to
make them to deny their faith, and become Mores, but they remayned
constant, and saide they woulde rather die, and that they had by force
shauen three of our men after the Morish manner, and how the Portingals had
sought all the meanes they coulde to buy them for slaues, offering money
for them that they might sende them to Malacca, how they were set at
libertie againe, and might goe where they woulde within the towne, and so
they hoped all would be well, and that they shoulde bee set at libertie for
some small ransome, and that the Gouernour asked them 3000. Rialles of 8.
but they hoped to bring him to 2000. whereat we much reioyced.
The 8. 9. and 10. of October we passed ouer to make some agreement with
them that we might be quiet.
[Sidenote: The maner of the ransome.] The 11. of October they agreede vppon
a ransome of 2000. Ryalles of eyght, and were content, that what goodes,
soeuer we had taken from them, wee shoulde keepe as our owne, and for our
goodes that they had stolen, and forcibly taken from our men within the
towne, they would keepe them, and so exchange one for the other, they
likewise were content to quit vs of all our debts, that we ought within the
towne eyther to the Gouernour or to any other man, and that from thence
forwarde we should be free, and traffique in the towne, both to buy and
sell when it pleased vs, and with their good willes as we had done, and
before we paide our money, the towne was to sende two men aborde our ships,
which done we were to pay the halfe of our ransome, which was 1000. Ryalles
of eyght; which being performed, their two men, and their other halfe of
our men were on both sides to bee deliuered and sette free, and without
contradiction it was performed.
The 12. and 13. this agreement being ended, diuers victuailers came aborde
our shippes to sell vs Hennes, Egges, and all other kind of victuailes.
The 14. we gaue certaine presentes in signe of good will, to such as had
shewed vs fauour when we were in contention with them.
The 15. 16. 17 and 18. some of our Factors went into the towne, where they
bought certaine Pepper, and brought it abord our ships.
[Sidenote: Why the Gouernour forbad us trafficke.] The 19. they went again
into the towne, and bought a greater quantitie at 5. sackes for one Catti,
minding in that sorte euery day to take in our lading, but it fell not out
as wee desired, for the Portingalles that coulde not brooke our company,
made such means to the Gouernour, that he gave commandment that we should
buy no more Pepper, before we had paide 1400. Rialles of 8. which he
challenged of vs because we had cast anker within his streame, wherevpon
our Marchantes went and agreed with him, which done wee thinking to buy
Pepper as we did before, the Gouernour againe commanded to the contrarie,
whereby we perceyued their deceipt, in that he wold not hold his word. The
countrymen would gladly haue solde their Pepper, as also the Chinars,
Arabians, Mahometitians, and secretly some Portingalles, but when we saw
wee could not get it out but with great daunger, wee thought it not
conuenient to buy: and when we spake vnto the Gouernour, touching the
holding of his worde, he made vs answere, that he had no bones in his
tongue, and that therefore he coulde not speake that which he ment not to
doe: and to say the truth most part of the Iauars are a kind of deceitfull
people, for whatsoeuer they say and presently performe, that shall you be
sure of and no more.
The 25. of October there came an Ambassador into Bantam sent from Malacca
to the Gouernour with a present of 10000. Rials of 8. desiring him to
forbid vs both his towne and streame, that wee might not traffique there.
Whereof wee were aduertised by the Sabander and other of our friendes
counselling our men to get them out of the towne, and not to returne
againe, otherwise they would be in daunger to be stayed againe, and we
hauing sent a man into the towne to saue him from being holden prisoner,
our host where we lay being on shore was forced to bring him out couered
with certaine mattes; so that vppon the 26. of the same month all our
trafficke and friendship with them ceased: but our hoast being our friende,
came secretly aborde our ships, and shewed vs that he and his company had
two ships lying before the towne, laden with Nutmegges and Mace that came
from Banda, for the which hee agreed with vs at a price, vpon condition
that we should seeme to take them by force; that thereby he might colour
his dealing with vs: [Sidenote: How they tooke two Iauan ships.] wherevpon
the first of Nouember we sailed close to the towne with all our ships, and
set vpon to two Iauan shippes, wherein we found to the number of 30.
slaues, that knew nothing of their maisters bargaine made with vs, so that
they began to resist vs, wherewith we shot among them, and presently slew
4. or 5. of them, the rest leapt ouer borde, and swamme to land, which done
we tooke the two ships, and put their lading into ours; [Sidenote: They
fought with a Portingall shippe.] The Portingalles shippe that brought
their Ambassadour, lay close vnder the shore, wherevnto we sent two of our
boats, but the Portingals that were in her shot so thicke with their peeces
vppon our men, that our boates were forced to leaue them with losse of one
of our men, but our shippes shot in such sorte with their ordinance vppon
the Portingall shippe, that they spoyled and brake it in peeces, wherein
their Captaine was slaine, and the victuailers that stil brought vs
victuailes to sell, told vs that with our peeces we had slain three or
foure men within the towne, and that the townes men began to make an armie
of ships to set vpon vs.
[Sidenote: They fought with a Iauan shippe.] The 2. of Nouember we espyed a
shippe that came towards Bantam, which we ioyned vnto with our boats, and
being neere vnto it, they spread their fights, which were of thicke mattes,
and began to defend themselues; our men shot among them with stone peeces
and Caliuers, and they defended themselues with great courage, hauing halfe
pikes wherewith they thrust at vs, and that serued likewise to blow arrows
out of them, for they were like trunkes, out of the which trunkes they shot
so great numbers of arrowes, that they fell as thick as hayle, and shot so
certaineiy, that therewith they hurt at the least eyght or nine of our men,
but the arrowes are thinne and light, so that their blaste coulde not make
them enter into the flesh aboue the thicknes of two fingers, onely the head
of the arrowe (which is made of reede, and loose stayeth in the flesh) when
we shot with our Caliuers they ranne behind their fightes, but when they
perceiued that their matted fights could not defende them, and that they
were killed through them, they entered into their boate, and by strength of
oares rowed from vs, leauing their shippe, wherein we founde two dead men,
and we slew three more of them as we rowed after their boat, so that in all
they lost fiue men, as we after heard, and that they were to the number of
40. which done, wee brought their shippe to ours, wherein we found good
store of Ryce and dryed fish.
The 6. of Nouember, perceyuing not any hope of more trafficke for vs with
those of Bantam, wee hoised anker and set sayle, setting our course
towardes the straight of Sunda.
[Sidenote: The marchants follow them with wares.] The seuenth of Nouember
wee came and ankered before a Riuer of freshe water, about sixe miles from
Bantam, where wee tooke in our prouision of water: thither certaine
Merchants followed vs with Porseline, telling vs that they were sory for
our departure, and that they longed for our returne againe.
The thirteenth of Nouember we set sayle, and about euening wee came before
Iacatra, in time past called Sunda Calapa, which hath beene a rich Towne of
marchandise, but vppon some occasions and by reason of their hard vsage the
Marchants had withdrauen themselues from thence, therefore at this present
there is little or nothing to doe. Iohn Hughen in his booke saith this to
be the principal towne of trafficke; but that is long sithence, for now
there is not any trade of marchandise.
The fourteenth of Nouember wee sent two of our men into the towne, hauing
some of theirs in pawne, who tolde vs that many of the inhabitants were
gone out of the towne with all their goodes, being in great feare of our
peeces, and there wee had great store of victuailes, and much more then wee
required brought abord our ships.
The 18. wee set saile from Iacatra, and being about two miles from the
towne, our shippe called Amsterdam fell vppon a cliffe, but it got offe
again without any hurt, and therewith wee presently made towardes the
straight.
The 2. of December we passed by 3. townes which we might easily perceiue,
we likewise passed by Tubam, and ankered vnder Sidaya. The 5. of December
there came men out of the towne, and desired vs to stay, saying that there
we might haue Cloues and Nutmegs as many as we woulde, bringing certaine
banketting stuffe (as a present from their king) vnto Schelengers ship,
because it lay nearest to the land, and they came most abord it.
The 4. of December they came again into Schellengers ship, bringing
certaine presentes with them, and among the rest a certayne birde that
coulde swallowe fyer, which is a very strange fowle, and was brought aliue
to Amsterdam, which after was giuen to the states of Hollande lying in the
Hage, and some good fruites, willing vs to sende a man on shore, to see
their spices, whereof they said they had great store: wherevpon we sent a
man out of the Amsterdam, and with him an interpreter, one of the
Portingalles slaues, they leauing three or foure of their men aborde our
shippes, for pawnes till his returne: when our men came to lande hee was
well vsed, and there they shewed him fortie or fiflie bals of Cloues; which
done they brought him before the King, that promised him great fauor, and
told him that the next day he wold himselfe come abord our ships, and deale
with our Captaines, and with that he let our man depart.
[Sidenote: How the Indians betrayed them.] The 5. of December we expected
the Kings comming aborde, putting out all our flagges and streamers, and
about noone there came 8. or 9. indifferent great shippes full of men from
off the shore, wherein wee thought the King to bee, but when they were
almost at vs, they diuided themselues, three of them rowing to Shellengers
ship, and when they borded him, they thinking the King had been there,
Reymer van Hel as Factor and the Maister came forth to receyue him and the
Iauars entering all at once, Reymer van Hel said, What will all these
people do aborde the shippe, for there was at the least two hundred men,
who all at one time drewe out their poinyardes, and stabbed our men that
neuer suspected them, so that presently they had slaine twelue of the
shippe, and two sore wounded, that boldly withstoode them: the rest of our
men being vnder hatches presently tooke their pikes, and thrust so fast out
at the grates, that the Iauars woulde haue forced the middle part of the
ship, wherein was two entries, but our men standing at them with their
swordes in hand draue them out, not ceasing still to thrust vp with their
pikes, meane time they kindled fier, lighted their matches, and shot off
their stone peeces that lay aboue the hatches, wherwith they began
presently to flie, most of them leaping ouer bord, and swam to their two
boates, that lay harde by our shippes, whereof one with a great peece was
presently stricken in peece: The rest of our shipps hearing vs shoote in
that manner, entered into their boats, and made towardes them, rowing harde
to the three Indian fustes, wherein were at the least 100. men, and shotte
among them with their peeces, wherewith they leapt into the water, euery
man swimming to shore, and we with two boates after them, hewing and
killing them as our deadly enemies, who vnder pretence of friendshippe
sought to murther vs, and wee handled them in such sort, that of two
hundred men there got not aboue thirty of them to lande, the rest of their
fustes lay farre off and beheld the fight: Three of their fustes thought to
rowe to the Pinnace to take her, which they might easily haue done, as
hauing not aboue 7. or 8. men in her, being busie to set vp a newe maste,
but when they perceyued their men to bee so handeled in the Amsterdam, and
that they leapt ouer horde, they turned backe againe, and in great haste
rowed to land, so that at that time they got not much by the bargaine, and
no small griefe to vs, for there wee lost 12. men, that were all stabbed
with poinyards, [Sidenote: The names of the men that were stabbed.] their
names were Iohn Iacobson Schellenger, maister of the ship, Reymer Van Hel
Factor, Gielis Gieleson Gentleman, Barent Bonteboter, Arent Cornedrager,
Cornelis van Alcmuer, Simon Ianson, Wiltschut Ioos the Carpenter, Adrian de
Metselar, one of the Portingalles slaues, and two boyes, whereof one was
but twelue yeares olde, whereby wee perceyued them to be a kinde of cruell
people, for they had giuen the little boy and all the rest of our men at
the least 12 stabbes a peece after they were dead.
The same day about euening we hoysed ankers, and set saile, hauing manned
the Amsterdam with men out of our other shippes, and so helde our course
Eastward.
The 6. of December we came to a great Island called Madura, where we
ankered, and in the evening two of their men came aborde our shippes, with
message from their Gouernour, saying that we were welcome, desiring vs to
stay there, for he would trafficke with vs, and sell vs some Pepper, as
they saide, but wee belieued them not.
The 7. of December there came another boat abord, bringing certaine
fruites, saying that the next day their Gouernour would come to see our
shippes.
The 8. there came a great fuste and three smal boats, from off the land all
full of men, saying their Gouernour was among them: we willed them not to
goe to the Amsterdam, but to the Mauritius, but they woulde not, but made
to the Amsterdam, thinking because there had beene so many murthered in
her, there was not many men aborde her at that time, and when they were
within a pykes length of her, (although they were directed to the other
shippes) they remembering their late mischance, shotte off three or foure
stone Peeces full laden, wherewith they slew and hurt many of the Indians,
wherevpon they presently leapt ouer board, and wee with our boates,
followed after and slew diuers of them, taking ten or twelue, thinking by
them to know what their intent was to doe, but they could not certifie vs,
and therefore we let them go againe onely keeping two boyes, who long after
stole out of the shippe, and swamme to lande: They tolde vs that the
Gouernour being a Bishoppe or chiefe instructor of the countrey, was within
the boate and slaine among the rest, hee had therein likewise a little boy
one of his sonnes who wee likewise tooke, and sent to lande: The Bishoppe
was of Meca, and much esteemed of among them, a great Clearke, and
Gouernour ouer all the rest of the Countrey: There was a Iewell found about
him, which as yet is kept.
About euening we hoysed ankers, and set sayle, and the 11. of December we
came to two small Islands, where wee ankered, there wee founde none but
poore people and fishermen, that brought vs fish, Hens, and other fruit to
sell.
[Sidenote: How farre they were from Moluccas.] The 13. wee set sayle, and
the 14. wee had a West winde, which they call the passage winde, that would
haue serued vs well to saile to Moluccas, from whence wee were not distant
aboue two hundred miles, and as then it was a good yeare for Cloues, which
happeneth euery three yeares: It was told vs that we might there haue a
Cabbin laden full of Cloues, wherevpon we determined to sayle thither, but
because wee had already indured a long and troublesome voyage, and but ill
manned, we woulde not, longing to bee at home: This contrary wind holding
vppon the foure and twentie of December wee came to an Islande where we had
beene before.
The 25. of December Iohn Molenaer maister of the Mauritius, dyed sodainely,
for an hower before hee was well, and in good health.
The 28. 29. 30. and 31. of December wee were busied to take all the wares,
sayles, and other things out of the Amsterdam, her victuailes and
furnitures seruing for our voyage homewarde, and lying vnder that Island,
we had victuailes brought vs euery day as much as wee needed, both fish,
Hens, venison and fruit, and at reasonable price, but there we could get no
water.
[Sidenote: The Amsterdam set on fire.] The 11. of Ianuary when we had
vnladen the Amsterdam we set her on fier, letting her burne, taking her men
in our shippes.
The 12. of Ianuarie we set sayle again, some desiring to sayle Eastward,
others Westward, but in fine wee set Westwarde to sayle once againe to
Bantam, wherewith the Mauritius sayled Southeastwarde, to gette about the
Island of Iaua, and we followed her. The 14. of Ianuary we once againe
perceyued the East point of the Island of Madura, and held our course
Southward: on that side of Madura there lyeth many small Islandes, through
which we sayled.
[Sidenote: The Pinace on ground.] The 16. in the morning our Pinace fell on
grounde vpon the coast of Iaua, not far from Pannorocan, where she shotte
off three peeces, at the which warning wee made thither with our boates,
and by the helpe of God got her off againe: There we saw a high hil that
burnt, vnder and aboue the fire hauing a great smoake, most strange to
behold.
The 18. of Ianuary we entered into the straight that runneth betweene Iaua
and Baly, and by reason of the hard and contrary streame that ran therin,
we were forced to anker vpon the coast of Iaua, where wee found good anker
ground.
The 19. wee set sayle, and when wee came neere to the coast of Baly, we
entered into a rough streame, and our shippes draue backeward, as swiftly
as an arrow out of a bow, and there we found no anker ground, nor any anker
could haue holden vs, but Molenaer got the coast of Iaua and ankered, which
in the ende wee likewise did, and ankered at the least three miles from
him, and so much we had driuen backe in the space of halfe an houre.
The 20. of Ianuarie wee went and lay by our other ships.