We must now again return to Philip and Krantz, who had a long
conversation upon the strange reappearance of Schriften. All that they
could agree upon was, that he should be carefully watched, and that
they should dispense with his company as soon as possible. Krantz had
interrogated him as to his escape, and Schriften had informed him, in
his usual sneering manner, that one of the sweeps of the raft had been
allowed to get adrift during the scuffle, and that he had floated on
it, until he had gained a small island; that on seeing the peroqua, he
had once more launched it and supported himself by it, until he was
perceived and picked up. As there was nothing impossible although much
of the improbable in this account, Krantz asked no more questions. The
next morning, the wind having abated, they launched the peroqua, and
made sail for the island of Ternate.
It was four days before they arrived: as every night they landed and
hauled up their craft on the sandy beach. Philip's heart was relieved
at the knowledge of Amine's safety, and he could have been happy at
the prospect of again meeting her, had he not been so constantly
fretted by the company of Schriften.
There was something so strange, so contrary to human nature that the
little man, though diabolical as he appeared to be in his disposition,
should never hint at, or complain of, Philip's attempts upon his life.
Had he complained--had he accused Philip of murder--had he vowed
vengeance and demanded justice on his return to the authorities, it
had been different; but no--there he was, making his uncalled-for and
impertinent observations, with his eternal chuckle and sarcasm, as if
he had not the least cause of anger or ill-will.
As soon as they arrived at the principal port and town of Ternate,
they were conducted to a large cabin, built of palmetto leaves and
bamboo, and requested not to leave it until their arrival had been
announced to the king. The peculiar courtesy and good breeding of
these islanders was the constant theme of remark of Philip and Krantz;
their religion, as well as their dress, appeared to be a compound of
the Mahometan and Malayan.
After a few hours, they were summoned to attend the audience of the
king, held in the open air. The king was seated under a portico,
attended by a numerous concourse of priests and soldiers. There was
much company, but little splendour. All who were about the king
were robed in white, with white turbans, but he himself was without
ornament. The first thing that struck Philip and Krantz, when they
were ushered into the presence of the king, was the beautiful
cleanliness which everywhere prevailed; every dress was spotless and
white, as the sun could bleach it.
Having followed the example of those who introduced them, and saluted
the king after the Mahommedan custom, they were requested to be
seated; and through the Portuguese interpreters--for the former
communication of the islanders with the Portuguese, who had been
driven from the place, made the Portuguese language well known by
many--a few questions were put by the king, who bade them welcome, and
then requested to know how they had been wrecked.
Philip entered into a short detail, in which he stated that his wife
had been separated from him, and was, he understood, in the hands of
the Portuguese factory at Tidore. He requested to know if his majesty
could assist him in obtaining her release, or in going to join her.
"It is well said," replied the king. "Let refreshments be brought in
for the strangers, and the audience be broken up."
In a few minutes there remained of all the Court but two or three
of the king's confidential friends and advisers; and a collation of
curries, fish, and a variety of other dishes was served up. After it
was over, the king then said, "The Portuguese are dogs, they are our
enemies--will you assist us to fight them? We have large guns, but do
not understand the use of them as well as you do. I will send a
fleet against the Portuguese at Tidore, if you will assist me. Say,
Hollanders, will you fight? You," addressing Philip, "will then
recover your wife."
"I will give an answer to you to-morrow," replied Philip; "I must
consult with my friend. As I told you before, I was the captain of the
ship, and this was my second in command--we will consult together."
Schriften, whom Philip had represented as a common seaman, had not
been brought up into the presence of the king.
"It is good," replied the king; "to-morrow we will expect your reply."
Philip and Krantz took their leave, and, on their return to the
cabin, found that the king had sent them, as a present, two complete
Mahommedan dresses, with turbans. These were welcome, for their own
garments were sadly tattered, and very unfit for exposure to the
burning sun of those climes. Their peaked hats too, collected the rays
of heat, which were intolerable; and they gladly exchanged them for
the white turban. Secreting their money in the Malayan sash, which
formed a part of the attire, they soon robed themselves in the native
garments, the comfort of which was immediately acknowledged. After a
long consultation, it was decided that they should accept the terms
offered by the king, as this was the only feasible way by which
Philip could hope to re-obtain possession of Amine. Their consent was
communicated to the king on the following day, and every preparation
was made for the expedition.
And now was to be beheld a scene of bustle and activity. Hundreds and
hundreds of peroquas, of every dimension, floating close to the beach,
side by side, formed a raft extending nearly half a mile on the smooth
water of the bay, teeming with men, who were equipping them for the
service: some were fitting the sails; others were carpentering
where required; the major portion were sharpening their swords, and
preparing the deadly poison of the pineapple for their creezes.
The beach was a scene of confusion: water in jars, bags of rice,
vegetables, salt-fish, fowls in coops, were everywhere strewed about
among the armed natives, who were obeying the orders of the chiefs,
who themselves walked up and down, dressed in their gayest apparel,
and glittering in their arms and ornaments. The king had six long
brass four-pounders, a present from an Indian captain; these, with
a proportionate quantity of shot and cartridges, were (under the
direction of Philip and Krantz) fitted on some of the largest
peroquas, and some of the natives were instructed how to use them. At
first the king, who fully expected the reduction of the Portuguese
fort, stated his determination to go in person; but in this he was
overruled by his confidential advisers and by the request of Philip,
who could not allow him to expose his valuable life. In ten days all
was ready, and the fleet, manned by seven thousand men, made sail for
the island of Tidore.
It was a beautiful sight, to behold the blue rippling sea, covered
with nearly six hundred of these picturesque craft, all under sail,
and darting through the water like dolphins in pursuit of prey; all
crowded with natives, whose white dresses formed a lively contrast
with the deep blue of the water. The large peroquas, in which were
Philip and Krantz with the native commanders, were gaily decorated
with streamers and pennons of all colours, that flowed out and snapped
with the fresh breeze. It appeared rather to be an expedition of
mirth and merriment, than one which was proceeding to bloodshed and
slaughter.
On the evening of the second day they had made the island of Tidore,
and run down to within a few miles of the Portuguese factory and
fort. The natives of the country, who disliked, though they feared
to disobey the Portuguese, had quitted their huts near the beach and
retired into the woods. The fleet, therefore, anchored and lay near
the beach, without molestation, during the night. The next morning
Philip and Krantz proceeded to reconnoitre.
The fort and factory of Tidore were built upon the same principle
as almost all the Portuguese defences in those seas. An outer
fortification, consisting of a ditch, with strong palisades embedded
in masonry, surrounded the factory and all the houses of the
establishment. The gates of the outer wall were open all day for
ingress and egress, and closed only at night. On the seaward side
of this enclosure was what may be termed the citadel or real
fortification; it was built of solid masonry with parapets, was
surrounded by a deep ditch, and was only accessible by a drawbridge,
mounted with cannon on every side. Its real strength however, could
not well be perceived, as it was hidden by the high palisading which
surrounded the whole establishment. After a careful survey, Philip
recommended that the large peroquas with the cannon should attack by
sea, while the men of the small vessels should land and surround the
fort--taking advantage of every shelter which was afforded them, to
cover themselves while they harassed the enemy with their matchlocks,
arrows, and spears. This plan having been approved of, one hundred and
fifty peroquas made sail; the others were hauled on the beach, and the
men belonging to them proceeded by land.
But the Portuguese had been warned of their approach, and were fully
prepared to receive them; the guns mounted to the seaward were of
heavy calibre and well served. The guns of the peroquas, though
rendered as effectual as they could be, under the direction of Philip,
were small, and did little damage to the thick stone front of the
fort. After an engagement of four hours, during which the Ternate
people lost a great number of men, the peroquas, by the advice of
Philip and Krantz, hauled off, and returned to where the remainder of
the fleet were stationed; and another council of war was held. The
force, which had surrounded the fort on the land side, was, however,
not withdrawn, as it cut off any supplies or assistance; and, at the
same time, occasionally brought down any of the Portuguese who might
expose themselves--a point of no small importance, as Philip well
knew, with a garrison so small as that in the fort.
That they could not take the fort by means of their cannon was
evident; on the sea-side it was for them impregnable; their efforts
must now be directed to the land. Krantz, after the native chiefs had
done speaking, advised that they should wait until dark, and then
proceed to the attack in the following way. When the breeze set along
shore, which it would do in the evening, he proposed that the men
should prepare large bundles of dry palmetto and cocoa-nut leaves;
that they should carry their bundles and stack them against the
palisades to windward, and then set fire to them. They would thus burn
down the palisades, and gain an entrance into the outer fortification:
after which they could ascertain in what manner they should next
proceed. This advice was too judicious not to be followed. All the men
who had not matchlocks were set to collect fagots; a large quantity of
dry wood was soon got together, and before night they were ready for
the second attack.
The white dresses of the Ternates were laid aside: with nothing
on them but their belts, and scimitars, and creezes, and blue
under-drawers, they silently crept up to the palisades, there
deposited their fagots, and then again returned, again to perform the
same journey. As the breastwork of fagots increased, so did they more
boldly walk up, until the pile was completed; they then, with a loud
shout, fired it in several places. The flames mounted, the cannon
of the fort roared, and many fell under the discharges of grape and
hand-grenade. But, stifled by the smoke, which poured in volumes upon
them, the people in the fort were soon compelled to quit the ramparts
to avoid suffocation. The palisades were on fire, and the flames
mounting in the air, swept over, and began to attack the factory and
houses. No resistance was now offered, and the Ternates tore down the
burning palisades, and forced their way into the entrenchment, and
with their scimitars and creezes, put to death all who had been so
unfortunate as not to take refuge in the citadel. These were chiefly
native servants, whom the attack had surprised, and for whose lives
the Portuguese seemed to care but little, for they paid no attention
to their cries to lower the drawbridge, and admit them into the fort.
The factory, built of stone, and all the other houses, were on fire,
and the island was lighted up for miles. The smoke had cleared away,
and the defences of the fort were now plainly visible in the broad
glare of the flames. "If we had scaling-ladders," cried Philip, "the
fort would be ours; there is not a soul on the ramparts." "True,
true," replied Krantz, "but even as it is, the factory walls will
prove an advantageous post for us after the fire is extinguished; if
we occupy it we can prevent them showing themselves while the ladders
are constructing. To-morrow night we may have them ready, and having
first smoked the fort with a few more fagots, we may afterwards mount
the walls, and carry the place."
"That will do," replied Philip as he walked away. He then joined
the native chiefs, who were collected together outside of the
entrenchment, and communicated to them his plans. When he had made
known his views, and the chiefs had assented to them, Schriften, who
had come with the expedition unknown to Philip, made his appearance.
"That won't do; you'll never take that fort, Philip Vanderdecken. He!
he!" cried Schriften.
Hardly had he said the words, when a tremendous explosion took place,
and the air was filled with large stones, which flew and fell in every
direction, killing and maiming hundreds. It was the factory which had
blown up, for in its vaults there was a large quantity of gunpowder,
to which the fire had communicated.
"So ends that scheme, Mynheer Vanderdecken. He! he!" screamed
Schriften; "you'll never take that fort."
The loss of life and the confusion caused by this unexpected result,
occasioned a panic, and all the Ternate people fled down to the beach
where their peroquas were lying.
It was in vain that Philip and their chiefs attempted to rally them.
Unaccustomed to the terrible effects of gunpowder in any large
quantities, they believed that something supernatural had occurred,
and many of them jumped into the peroquas and made sail, while the
remainder were confused, trembling, and panting, all huddled together,
on the beach.
"You'll never take that fort, Mynheer Vanderdecken," screamed the
well-known voice.
Philip raised his sword to cleave the little man in two, but he let it
fall again. "I fear he tells an unwelcome truth," thought Philip; "but
why should I take his life for that?"
Some few of the Ternate chiefs still kept up their courage, but
the major part were as much alarmed as their people. After some
consultation, it was agreed that the army should remain where it was
till the next morning, when they should finally decide what to do.
When the day dawned, now that the Portuguese fort was no longer
surrounded by the other buildings, they perceived that it was more
formidable than they had at first supposed. The ramparts were filled
with men, and they were bringing cannon to bear on the Ternate forces.
Philip had a consultation with Krantz, and both acknowledged, that
with the present panic nothing more could be done. The chiefs were
of the same opinion, and orders were given for the return of the
expedition: indeed, the Ternate chiefs were fully satisfied with their
success; they had destroyed the large fort, the factory, and all the
Portuguese buildings; a small fortification only was uninjured: that
was built of stone, and inaccessible, and they knew that the report of
what had been done, would be taken and acknowledged by the king as a
great victory. The order was therefore given for embarkation, and in
two hours the whole fleet, after a loss of about seven hundred men,
was again on its way to Ternate. Krantz and Philip this time embarked
in the same peroqua, that they might have the pleasure of each other's
conversation. They had not, however, sailed above three hours, when it
fell calm, and, towards the evening, there was every prospect of bad
weather. When the breeze again sprung up, it was from an adverse
quarter, but these vessels steer so close to the wind, that this was
disregarded: by midnight, however, the wind had increased to a gale,
and before they were clear of the N.E. headland of Tidore, it blew a
hurricane, and many were washed off into the sea from the different
craft, and those who could not swim, sank, and were drowned. The sails
were lowered, and the vessels lay at the mercy of the wind and waves,
every sea washing over them. The fleet was drifting fast on the shore,
and before morning dawned, the vessel in which were Philip and Krantz
was among the rollers on the beach off the northern end of the island.
In a short time she was dashed to pieces, and every one had to look
out for himself. Philip and Krantz laid hold of one fragment, and were
supported by it till they gained the shore; here they found about
thirty more companions who had suffered the same fate as themselves.
When the day dawned, they perceived that the major part of the fleet
had weathered the point, and that those who had not, would in all
probability escape, as the wind had moderated.
The Ternate people proposed, that as they were well armed, they
should, as soon as the weather moderated, launch some of the craft
belonging to the islanders, and join the fleet; but Philip, who had
been consulting with Krantz, considered this a good opportunity for
ascertaining the fate of Amine. As the Portuguese could prove nothing
against them, they could either deny that they had been among the
assailants, or might plead that they had been forced to join them. At
all risks, Philip was determined to remain, and Krantz agreed to share
his fate: and seeming to agree with them, they allowed the Ternate
people to walk to the Tidore peroquas, and while they were launching
them Philip and Krantz fell back into the jungle and disappeared. The
Portuguese had perceived the wreck of their enemies, and, irritated by
the loss they had sustained, they had ordered the people of the island
to go out and capture all who were driven on shore. Now that they were
no longer assailed, the Tidore people obeyed them, and very soon fell
in with Philip and Krantz, who had quietly sat down under the shade of
a large tree, waiting the issue. They were led away to the fort, where
they arrived by nightfall. They were ushered into the presence of the
Commandant, the same little man who had made love to Amine, and as
they were dressed in Mussulman's attire, he was about to order them to
be hung, when Philip told him that they were Dutchmen, who had been
wrecked, and forced by the King of Ternate to join his expedition;
that they had taken the earliest opportunity of escaping, as was very
evident since those who had been thrown on shore with them had got off
in the island boats, while they chose to remain. Whereupon the little
Portuguese Commandant struck his sword firm down on the pavement of
the ramparts, _looked_ very big, and then ordered them to prison for
further examination.