Their way is to Truck for some of our Commodities so I agreed to what they ask'd me for the Fish which was some Nails Thread and Tobacco-Pipes which I immediately fetch'd for 'em and gave to the Javian who was then busie about something that others had bought likewise I was so pleased with the thoughts of the rare Feast I was to have and withal in such haste to be at it that I could not stay any longer but bidding the Fellow leave my Fish with any of our Men I ran down in the mean while into the Cook 's Room to get me some Water hung on ready and I think never went so chearfully about any business in my life But no sooner had I turned my back but the Dog push'd off his Boat and went off with my Dish of Fish and left me to Dine on my Water and I must confess that from that time I could never have a hearty love for one of the Nation It was a sort of a satisfaction to me that in three or four days after we were Landed I had an opportunity to be revenged on a Javian which I never let slip for his sake when ever it offer'd it self They are generally very great lovers of Shooting tho' they are so stupid as never to understand it as they should do And as I was one day Shooting at a Mark one of them comes up to me and wanted mightily to have a Shoot I told him he should So I shot and loaded again with a double Charge of Powder and a vast deal of Paper which I took care to ram down as hard as ever I was able and then offer'd it him He very joyfully received it and went to fire it But the Piece recoiled so furiously and gave him such a knock on the shoulder that down fell my Booby and could hardly stir his Arm for a fortnight or three weeks after it But to return to our purpose all our Affairs were in a very good posture at Bantam And there was a very good understanding between the young King and our Major General St. Martin But the Javans were ever and anon upon us in small Bodies and came quite up to our Rampiers So that we had many Skirmishes with them but so inconsiderable that they were not worth the speaking of One would admire how quickly our Recruits were made at Batavia for in a few months we had again a considerable Army on foot and they had got together Men from all parts of the Indies which were all sent to us with speed And as soon as they were got together it was resolved to go directly against the Royal Fort of Dorjasse Our Major General St. Martin left Captain De Ruyter to Command Bantam in his absence and himself went straightway with some of the best Ships thither and in some days after sent Orders for the rest of the Fleet and most of the Men to follow him leaving only what was necessary in Bantam for the security of the Place which had little to fear from the Enemy without and less to suspect from the young King within who had but a very inconsiderable number of Men of his own with him So three thousand Men were order'd to be imbark'd and of that Squadron I was and had that time the Command of the Ship call'd the Middleburgh When we had joyned the Major General we made together a very fine Fleet and indeed such a one as had never been seen before in those parts of the World For we had there fifty two fine large Men of War besides some hundreds of Prawen Fire-Ships Tenders small Boats c. Major General St. Martin soon after these were all come together went back to Batavia and we continued our way under the Command of the General and Admiral whose name was Tack As soon as we came to cast Anchor before Dorjasse the Javians got together in prodigious numbers to the Sea Shore and covered the ground for several Miles which was all level from the Sea to the Fort and all Fields of Rice Just by the Shore were several Sconces at some distance from each other Some big some little but all vastly strong being all made with a double Row of Trunks of Coco-Trees that were set very deep into the ground and the space fill'd up with Earth ram'd down very hard The space between each of these Sconces was all Ditches and Rampiers with Pallisado's The Sconces were so broad that two or three Waggons might drive abreast upon them In the middle of them within were the dwellings for the Soldiers Some of them were built up square and flat at top for the Soldiers to stand there and fight From all these places the Javians were continually firing upon us but to little purpose because we were far enough out at Sea yet were we near enough to hear them make many hideous Out-crys and to see their Troops hurry from one place to another In the mean time we made all ready to Land Admiral Tack going all the while from one Ship to another to give Orders to the several Captains Which done we went to Prayers and then the usual portions of Brandy Sack c. were distributed with strict Injunctions to be all ready Presently after they brought us some Schappons or Pontons which is a flat sort of Boat like a Horse-Ferry-Boat which were fenced with a kind of Breast-work and four Pieces for Small Shot to each and to these Gunners a sufficient number with some Sea-men with Hand-Granado's Then went in the Soldiers After this manner we kept our Easter which was now come but was none of the merriest for us The third day after Easter we unladed seven large Ships and sunk them in the place where we had a mind to Land at And upon them we raised Batteries upon which we planted above forty heavy Pieces of Cannon to shelter us when we Landed and to annoy the Enemy and their Sconces The next day after about two of the Clock in the Morning the Signal being given we all in general left the Ships upon which I went down into the Boat with the other Surgeons which were above seventy in number upon our Vessel which was attended always by two or three small Boats that were ready in case of any wounded that they might carry them off to any place and upon ever so shallow a Water All this while we kept a hideous Shooting with our great Cannon which was all we fired under the shelter of which we drew all the while still nearer and nearer to Land from whence the Enemy kept firing very hotly upon us When we came to have no more than knee-deep of Water we got out and then our Gunners played the more freely from their Schappons upon the Enemy and the Sea-men could then make the better use of their Hand-shells In this manner we Charged for above two hours and lost a great many of our Men Their Sconces lying so high that they had a
within Cannot-shot of the Town and we could both hear and see the old King who kept continually firing upon the Castle and he had raised his Batteries above the tops of the houses that were in the City so that the Enemy might see us with ease so they immediately prepared to prevent our Landing and for that purpose order'd the Main Body to march to the Sea-shore and there raised Batteries to hinder our coming any nearer In the mean while it was not a little satisfaction to the young King to see our Fleet so near at hand as well as to hear of our Forces by Land And besides it gave him some time to take breath and freed him from the danger he was in continually of a Storm for the Walls being almost all down But now the Enemy could not go on with that Design having enough to do to look after us They took most care of a certain place where they thought we designed to Land as indeed we did But in the night time we weighed Anchor with all the stilness that might be and saild on about a League higher and drawing as near to the Shore as we could possibly we let fall our Anchors again Our Cannon on Board was all loaden and all things were order'd so that where-ever we Landed we might fire them upon the Enemy and upon the City The Tenders and other small Vessels were all Mann'd immediately for Landing some with a hundred Men some more some less all which went with all speed to Shore The Enemy having notice of this were ready as soon as we but had not time to raise any Batteries there against us or to fortifie themselves for ' ere the day begun to peep we had got all things ready for our Landing Major General St. Martini with his Life-guard which consisted of sixty Men and the Surgeons came into my Schappon and stood ready to give Order for the Signal by Drums and Trumpets for the whole Body of our Army to Land all together But the Enemy made a very vigorous Defence and being advantageously Posted in a Wood that was there they charged us after so terrible a manner that what with their Fire and what with our Great Guns that played all this while cross-wise upon the City there was need of more than ordinary Courage to stand it out Besides that we all this while being still up to the knees in Water had a very great disadvantage In this condition we Charged them for three hours and could not come to Land all that while at last five of our Companies were quite routed and of the twelve Surgeons that we brought with us there were but five left and we that did remain were not able to do any great feats by reason that we all this while stood in the Water When we saw that we could not get any ground we got some small Vessels which fetch'd us some Haubitzes which is a kind of Field-Piece to load with small Shot with which we rattled so upon the Javans that we obliged them to give ground enough for us to get on upon dry Land and at last we forced them to quit the Wood and to to retire to their Breast-works so we remained Masters of the Field that night And the next morning at break of day we marched to Attack them in their Intrenchments The Major General considering that the Dutch Companies were mightily weakned commanded Captain Jochem who led the Blacks to march in the Front and he sell upon them straightway with admirable Courage and Conduct The Major General behaved himself like a true Soldier and gave such tokens of his Invincible Valour Wise Conduct and Indefatigable Diligence as cannot be well described And tho' he had the mis-fortune to have two of his Fingers shot off from his right hand as he was Riding to and fro to give Orders he could hardly afford himself time to have his hand drest and I had no sooner done but he straight mounted again The best of this Engagement was that most of the Enemies Bullets flew over our heads But I found that they did not all of them take the same course and was a little surprized when talking with the Sergeant of our Company and jeering them for not being good Marks-men a Bullet came and laid him dead at my foot In the mean while our Men made but little on 't And the Captain was not able to do any thing more than just to keep his ground against the Enemy Wherefore the Major General having given some new Orders and briskly encouraged the Soldiers by telling them that the beating the Enemy out of that place would be the chief part of their work and the sure fore-runner of a total Victory promising to the three first that should break into the Enemies Camp an hundred Gilders two Slaves and a Pipe of Sack for a Reward and having by such like Speeches and Promises infused as it were new Spirits into them he took upon him the Management of the Front himself and drawing out Captain Bleutner and Captain Winkler's Companies together with some others he led them in Person fell upon the Enemy with such fury that we soon carried the day for he had so animated the Soldiers that every Man was worth two Our Men being now come too near to use their Muskets took their Cutlaces in one hand and their Hand Granado's in the other and when the Blacks saw the Dutch drive so hard upon the Enemy they took such heart too that with their Sword and Buckler they poured in upon the Enemy and drove all before them So that the Slaughter we made of the King's Army in this place was nothing less than that of Dangerang The Enemy was wholly put to flight and left most of their Arms behind them And we having gained that Post the Admirable gave Orders that the Ships should no longer Fire upon the City lest we our selves might receive some of their Shot amongst us All this while we push'd on forward to their Pallisado's and came to the Forr which they called Speelwick where we found a great many of the King's Men but yet most of our Officers found that we should quickly become Masters of it We sent for some heavy Cannon from our Ships and batter'd it down in a very little time The Seamen forced open the Gate with Hammers and Axes and so enter'd throwing of Granado's But all the Javaus being fled we became Masters of it without any further opposition This served our purpose mighty well and saved us the trouble of any further Entrenchments except a few Gaps that we made up with Wood which our Blacks cut down and brought to us Here we took a little breath and rested that night and the following day and a portion of Biscuit Sack and Brandy was distributed to each Soldier in the Army After this fine Refreshment the Army was put into a new Order and the Right and Left Wings formed anew and provided with
we did in a very little while and made the place so hot for 'em and sowed the ground so thick with their dead Bodies that they betook themselves to their Heels and fled in all haste to Anier which is a strong and well-forfied place about two miles from thence and is the chief Pass into the Province of Tangburang Wherefore we provided our selves immediately with Breast-works to secure us selves from the Enemies sallies Every one that work at the casting them up had a Rix Doller as a present The next day when we had hardly finish'd them the Enemy made a sally upon us which turned much to our advantage for being pretty well prepared for 'em we made shift to cut off seven hundred of 'em and took some of 'em prisoners whom we gave quarter to for six or seven days and then took them into a Wood and cut them in pieces The next night we raised three Batteries upon one of which we planted four large Pieces of Cannon that were sent us from Bantam together with two thousand Men. These were loaden immediately with Small Shot in case of their sallies in the night time and in the day time we drew 'em out again and loaded with Bullets to send into the Enemy's Works When we had lain here about six days before the Town we began to make our Lines of Approach and a General Assault was agreed upon In three days time we put it in execution We had a Water to go over which we passed with great ease by means of some Fascines which our Blacks cut and laid for us but we found so brisk a reception that we were forced to retire with a considerable loss of Men on our side If the Enemy had made the best of their opportunity at that time they might with the greatest ease imaginable have cut most of us off and raised the Siege but it pleased God they did not pursue us any further than their Works And this was owing chiefly to some English who were amongst them and who persuaded them that this was but a Sham-Assault of ours and not the Body of our Army and that that lay in the Trenches to cut off those that should sally out which if they had done they would have utterly routed us for we were at first but five thousand strong reckoning the two thousand Men sent us with the Cannon and of them we had above an hundred killed and an hundred and twenty wounded Notwithstanding this repulse and disadvantage we still continued in our Resolution of carrying on the Siege In the mean while our wounded Men were carried to a place about a mile distant from us where there were ten Surgeons to look after them and those that were not dangerously ill were sent to the Hospital at Bantam and with them Captain Ruyter sent a Letter to the Admiral to desire him to send him a recruit of about a thousand Men telling him that with that he did not doubt but he should get master of the Town in a short time Three days after our Assault we begun still to make good our Approaches to the Town being our number of Men increased and being come pretty near to it the Blacks came over to us in in abundance out of the Town We did not receive them into our Army but posted them between our Lines and the Town However this gave us hopes that the besieged were weary of us Wherefore we begun to make ready some Mines which being finished we again resolved to make another Assault While we were deliberating on these matters an English Man with his Arms came over to us out of the Garrison and gave us a good account of their condition and withal told the Captain that the Besieged seem'd now to wish for nothing more than that we would attempt another Assault and that in order to receive us they had pulled down the Houses in the Streets and levell'd that part of the Town that they had guarded all Avenues and Streets with double Pallisadoes and that behind them they had planted several Pieces of Small Shot to receive us And likewise that they had laid several Mines ready to blow us up We on the other side were in hopes that we should surmount all these difficulties We mounted Mortars upon our Batteries and sent such a number of Bombs and Granadoes into the Town that we thought it impossible they should keep within it long and so it proved for by and by we heard a sudden Alarm the Besieged having a mind to try the success of a second Sally upon us But we who were well prepared for 'em upon all accounts did send such shoals of Hand Granado's amongst them that we forced them to retire with very great loss and all the while we pursued them to the very Town This being done and our two Mines being finished and having laid several hundred weight of Gun-powder in each of them Orders were given to set fire to 'em which was accordingly done And in an instant the Mines having been dug very deep in under the Town as we might do easily the Town being scituated pretty high we saw half the Town in the Air and some part of it and of the Men came tumbling into our Camp and within some thousands lost their Lives at that one blow No sooner was this done but we who stood all ready and in expectation of this rusht in furiously upon them while they were in this confusion and disorder and put all to the Sword that came in our way except those that we saw were Europeans Two of them we took who were Dutchmen that had deserted the Dutch Company but these we immediately hung up without any further examination as it is the constant custom which the Dutch observe when-ever they catch any of their Deserters But besides that they deserved this death by Law they doubly merited this from us for knowing that there was no pardon to be expected from the Company they had been great instruments of the obstinate resistance we met with here for their condition being desperate so was the advice they gave to our Enemies to hold out longer than they would have done I could not but be exceedingly sorry at the fate of one of 'em in particular being one of my intimate acquaintance and who came over with me from Holland He was of a very good Family his Father was an eminent Merchant at Bergen in Norway Being now Masters of this Pass we fortified our selves with the greatest diligence it being the strongest In-land fortification and the direct Pass from Bantam to Batavia by Land We had already got all the Sea-port Towns and Forts in our Hands and having likewise possessed our selves of this we did not doubt but the Javians would be obliged to come and surrender themselves seeing they could not come at the Sea Yet in case there should be some small desperate Parties abroad Captain Ruyter commanded fifty Men to go and stroul a little
less at a time I was glad to have the opportunity to send some Letters by 'em and I did so but charging only one Friend with 'em my Friends in Holland never received any of ' em But what made me the more negligent was that I was near the time of my freedom and in full design of going over my self in a very little while As soon as that Fleet had hoisted sail I went to Church to join with the Prayers of the Congregation for the Fleets Prosperity and good Voyage as there is always on those occasions Our Ship lay still at Anchor here for three Weeks which made me very weary of it at last we had Orders to go with a smaller Vessel call'd the Bali to a small Island about four Leagues from Batavia to fetch Timber to repair the Ships that lay at the Island Onrust and to carry it thither This Isle hath nothing but Timber upon it Here we spent our time in catching of Tortoises with which we feasted our selves rarely and having carried what was requisite to the Isle of Onrust we return'd to Batavia The Bali being but a small Vessel we ran up the River with ease to the very Gate of the Castle The Chief Surgeon of India's Lodging being very near to us I took the opportunity to wait upon him and desired him to take care I might be appointed to go with the next that should be sent to any distant part of the Indies where I had not been which he promised to do seeing it was my desire He represented to me sufficiently and I knew it well enough that I had a better Post already and that any Post at Land was more considerable than the best at Sea and that those who had a settled Charge there were more regarded and better esteemed But I was for seeing of strange Countries and variety of Things and besides a continuance upon Land required a continual expence which the Sea doth not give such opportunity for But in a word I would not have been penn'd up in one Town only as some are there for all the Credit and Advantage they can propose to themselves or attain to and indeed except in Bengal Surat Camron in Persia Japan or some few other places it is hardly worth a Man's while to rest in hopes of being advanced for Preferment goes there by Favour as well as in these parts of the World And when it doth so I think no wise Man will depend upon it Thus I continued upon the Bali and as soon as she had taken in her lading of Linnen and Striped Stuffs together with some Chests of Mony we fell down the River and set sail for Bantam whither she was bound We were above two hours sail but we were forced back by a contrary Wind which blew so excessive hard for the space of two days that we were very happy that we ridded our selves out of it so luckily As soon as it was over we set sail again and in forty eight hours we reached the Road of Bantam where we immediately unladed When we went to Shore there we saw some thousands of Javians got together at the Mouth of the River We were a little surprized at first not knowing what the meaning of it should be but coming nearer and seeing several Hollanders amongst 'em and then discovering their Nets Hooks and other Instruments we found they were only catching of Crocodiles When we landed we saw several they had caught and knock'd in the Head already their King was amongst 'em to see the Sport No body can think what a strange kind of a Noise these silly Javians made and how they rent their Throats at it Whereas my Comrade and I had caught almost as many without any kind of Noise and not half that Trouble The Bali was only to unlade here which being done we set out fot Batavia again and as we came by the Island Onrust we heard all the Cannon fire both in the Castle and in the City we could not tell then what it was for but we kept going on and not long after when we came to cast Anchor we heard that the Fleet from Cameron in Persia was safe arrived and had brought the good news with 'em that all the Old Differences between the Viceroy there and us were perfectly adjusted and that there was a Good Correspondence settled between us And another Ship was come in from Holland which had also brought the good news of the quarrel being made up between the English Danes and French and ourselves concerning the Injury done to them at Bantam Which good news coming together could not but make us all exceeding joyful So that all the Streets of Batavia were all illuminated with Bon-fires and Fire-works The latter were chiefly the work of the Chineeses who delight much in them and are so ingenious at 'em that one would wonder especially being a People who never have any Instruments of War where Powder is used They likewise entertained us with their Comedies which are very diverting if seen but seldom We Germans had over and above these good news that which more nearly concerned us which was that of the good success of the Emperors Arms against the Turks so that some of my Countrymen and I joined so much the more chearfully in the common Rejoicings which continued all that Night The next Morning the General Camphuysen went to the Maleysh Church where publick thanks were return'd to God for our Prosperity then the Service being over the Guns were again fired round the City and Castle Three or four days after as I was returning to see my Patients on board the Bali I met with a Company of Soldiers that were going on board the Flessingen These were very prettily accoutred with Silk-Stockings on their Legs and Shoos made of Sail-Cloath These Men were designed for Camron Surat and Macaran to fill up the vacancies there of such as keep Guard before the Houses of the Company But I would not have a private Soldier to fancy by this that they are all to meet with such treatment there for this good usage is only to a few that are to credit the Factories in those places and those are some of those that have a great many Friends and great Recommendations Whereas many a brave Soldier is forced to spend his time in Bantam Amboina Banda and other unhealthy Islands where they must trudge it without either Shoos or Stockings and it may be perish miserably Our Ship was once again order'd to go to Onrust to carry Rice and other Provisions which we did and returned in four or five days As we were come back it was my fortune to fall once more into the Sea for as I went to ease Nature on the outside of the Ship according to the usual way I held fast by the Rope which broke so in I dropt The Ships Crew was more ready to laugh at me than to lend me their Hand and I was doubly put to
with variety I sent for some Gomgomers the Musicians of that Country and some Javian Baliar Dancers who made us a great deal of Pastime The Baliar Dancers which come from Babylon I have spoken of before but these were Javians which are a sort far inferiour to them and differ from them much in the same manner as there is between a Dance performed by a Dancing-Master and one danced by a Rustick But what was most Diverting to us especially to my Friend was some Tumblers and Jugglers that were amongst 'em who shew'd us several Tricks which do usually so much surprize even those that see them that I know a Man runs some risk in relating of them However some of their most considerable Tricks of Activity I cannot wholly pass pass by They were five in number One of 'em laid himself flat down upon his Belly upon a Mat they had spread on the Ground and in the twinkling of an Eye raised himself upon his Legs then laying himself down again as before he rais'd himself after the same manner and stood upon his Head only After this he laid himself upon his Back and gave several Leaps in the Air like a Fish The other four did the same Tricks over one after the other and still better and better After this they took a Ladder of about 12 Rounds and set it against one of 'em one of the other four got up to the top of it and laid himself a cross it the second went up and sat a-cross theother's Shoulders the third climb'd up and pitch'd himself on his Head upon the Head of the second and there stood with his Feet directly upwards upon which the fourth came and stood upright on the Feet of the third And after playing several Tricks there he leapt down on the Ground and stood still the next Fellow that was still standing on his Head gave a spring upwards and falling down lighted on the Shoulders of him that stood below the next who was on the Ladder came down likewise with a Leap and fell a-cross the Shoulders of him and so did the fourth and last who had been the first on the Ladder He that had stood all this while and held the foot of the Ladder took it and climb'd up with it to the top of the other four and there made a sort of Harangue to us in Japponnese which concluded the Sight There was a great many other Tricks intermixt with these which were well worth the taking notice of but I thought these would suffice to shew you how far these Men out-do any thing we commonly see in Europe This being over we call'd for our Reckoning in which came to no more than Two thousand Butgis An European at first is frightned at such a reckoning as this and thinks that such a Sum of Money should be enough to Treat a King and all the Nobility or to defray the Charges of a Lord Mayor's Feast but he must understand that these Butgis are but little thin pieces of Lead with holes in the middle of 'em a certain number of them is put upon a String to save the trouble of telling them over upon every occasion and three Hundred of 'em are worth but Two Pence of Dutch Money so that our Dinner amounted but to 13 or 14 d. Besides this our Musick and Dancers cost us a Shilling and we gave a Ducatoon to the Juglers and Tumblers having paid all we went back again down the River to Batavia At this very time the Streight of Sunda was very much infested with Pickaroons They had only Praws or small Boats of their own with which they run with ease in and out of several Rivers of the Kingdom of Bantam and did a great deal of mischief about the Islands of Toppers-hoedie Dwarsin-de-zee and others They used to wait there for their Prey and when they had gotten their Booty they made immediately to their lurking holes where finding safety for a great while they were at last so bold that not a Ship could scape them and the more because the Company never concerned themselves about it nor took any Measures to suppress them But at length the Bali the Ship in which I had been some time before coming that way bound for Jambi on the Coast of Sumatra and being obliged to cast Anchor near the aforesaid Islands these Pyrates joyning their Forces together came and surrounded her and notwithstanding a stout Defence made on Board the Bali for some hours they made themselves Masters of her killed all the Men they could come at and having taken what they could conveniently carry away set it on Fire While the Ship was all in Flames a Ship from Malabar coming luckily by made towards the Fire to see what it was Two Men who in the Engagement had hid themselves below Deck and were now got out but knew not how to dispose of themselves stood upon the Fore-Castle ready to throw themselves into the Sea to avoid being burnt But they sent them a Boat by which means these poor Creatures were preserved and being brought on Board the Ship they continued their Course to Batavia where they gave the General an Account of what had happen'd The Company now being Sufferers by this thought fit to send after these Pyrates which they never minded before while they came by no loss themselves and while the Fishermen only c. were in danger Immediately two Men of War were ordered to go after 'em together with eight small Boats well Mann'd to give them Chace It being requisite there should be Chirurgions more than ordinary in those Ships and this being like to be a short Expedition and near home my Friend and I who could not be employed in a long Voyage were appointed to go with them We were very well pleas'd with our Commission and accordingly we got ready our Chests and went on Board the Ceylon which carried 300 Men and 48 Guns The other Ship was about the same Rate The Boats had each of them from 60 to 70 Men and about 16 Patterero's When we were got past the Island Onrust we kept along the Sea-shore till we came beyond Bantam and there we lay before the Mouth of some Rivers as close to the Land as we could And so as to lye to the Windward At Night we divided our Fleet and sent two of our Boats out to Sea to entice the Pirates out after them if they should chance to see them and we stood ready to clap in between them and the River so to cut off their Pass and hedge them in We lay two days close to the Shore within a Stone 's throw of Land but very safe with no less than 60 Fathom Water Atlength about Sun-set we saw five Boats making Sail towards our two Boats at about two Leagues distance from us upon which we moved altogether forwards along the Shore and by that time it was quite dark we made directly towards 'em taking still care to be
their Voyage What places they passed What extremity they were come to At last by God's Assistance they came safe home p. 345 A Relation of a Voyage made to the East-Indies by Christopher Fryke one of the Surgeons to the E. India Company from the year 1680. to the year 1686. CHAP. I. The Author gives an account of his mighty desire to travel Of his Country and Profession He sets out on his Travels and passing first thro' several Countries of Europe he comes at length to Amsterdam Where he makes his application to the East-India Company to be admitted into their service and is accordingly chosen one of the Surgeons The manner of his setting out on his Voyage The Orders Laws Castoms c. that are constantly observed on board the East-India Fleet. Reflections on the Voyage and those that undertake it EVer since I came to years that I could tell my own inclinations I found the chiefest of my desires was to travel and to see strange Countries And whilst by reason of my youth and my more absolute dependance and subjection to my Parents I could not think of moving in person yet in my thoughts I was often transported from one Country to another And by the help of Books I did in some measure enjoy that satisfaction in imagination which I hoped one day to enjoy in reality and that too as soon as might be for the more I read Voyages Journals and other such Books which gave me an account of strange Adventures places things c. which Men had met with in those more distant parts of the World the more my desires encreased to see those things they gave so pleasant a description of Nor did the greatest of dangers which those accounts represented to me so much affright me from the like undertakings as the joyful deliverances out of them encouraged me to trust so much the more firmly in Divine Providence And I proposed to my self so much the greater a degree of satisfaction in as much as I might be induced so much more effectually thereby to admire the great power and wisdom of God which tho' visible enough every where yet are more conspicuous in those wonderful works of Nature which being less common and less familiar to us are more apt to raise our admiration and love of him who is the Creatour of them all As soon then as my years and affairs did fairly permit me I prepared my self to be gone and to spend the best part of my time in Travels In order therefore to put my resolution into practise I set out from home in the year 1677. on the 28th of February and took my shortest way to Vienna the chief City of the Empire from whence I went and took a view of most part of Hungary after that I went into Bohemia Moravia Silesia Saxony and other Countries adjacent thence I went into Swisserland where I spent about six months at Zurich But my earnest desire to be a travelling something farther would not permit me to stay and afford my self much ease at any of these neighbouring Countries but I went away for Baden taking a Boat that carried me all up the River Limat which is a little River that flows from the Zurich-Zee and passes thro' the Country of Zurichgow and below Baden runs into the River Aar Above Waldshut I took a Boat on the Rhine which carried me all down that River to Nimeguen whence I went by Land to Utretcht and from thence by Water to Amsterdam where I arrived about Christmas A. D. 1679. The vastness and beauty of that famous City and my being a stranger there made me not a little to stand amazed and look about me as well to admire the rarities that offer'd themselves to my view every where as to consider whither I should go first and where it was most likely I should meet with what I sought after which was a fair opportunity of undertaking some Voyage to the East-Indies While I stood in this doubtful manner considering what I should do next a good Woman in all appearance observing me to be a stranger and full of thoughts askt me whom I wanted or whither I would go I told her that the first thing I was to see after was a Lodging for I was but just come and the night was drawing on apace But withal I told her what sort of one I wanted for I had not much money left Upon which she very compassionately told me I should be very welcome to her poor Apartment as she call'd it if I pleased I did not stand long to consider of the matter but took hold of the opportunity and went straightway with her to her house Being come in there she bid me stay a while till her Husband came home It was pretty late at night ' ere he came being abroad at work a Bricklayer by Trade when he came he shewed himself very courteous and being all sate down we fell a talking and he asking me several questions as it is natural to do to a stranger and amongst others to what intent I was come thither I told him the truth of the matter and the only thing I proposed to my self was to find an occasion to go to the East-Indies and begg'd his assistance and advice the better to go about my design and to compass it The honest Man did not seem a little surprized at my design and endeavoured by all means he could to dissuade me from it by setting before me all the dangers I was to run viz. of hardships excesses of heat hunger and thirst and oftentimes of losing life it self But the more lively he presented all these and other kind of dangers to me the more eager it made me to go thro' 'em and the more it established me in my resolutions as if the dangers had been the only charm that drew me Which my honest Landlord observing he found it was in vain to attempt to turn me from my design and upon that turn'd all his persuasions into a friendly promise that he would assist me to the utmost of his power and he accordingly recommended me to some of the Chief Men of the East-India Company and did me very considerable service Having in this friendly manner broke the Ice for me and prepared some of the Gentlemen to receive my applications I went chearfully to wait upon them my self and told them that it was my desire to be employed by those honourable Members in any service suitable to my profession which was Physick They carefully examined the reasons that induced me to go the Voyage and advised me to weigh well what I was about before I fixt my resolution that I might not have cause to repent of my rashness when it was too late and withal they told me that I must expect to engage my self for five years I told them that I had not wanted leisure to consider of it and that I was fully satisfied of the reality of my intention and
another so that whatever they get between them they bite clear through They are about 20 or 24 Foot in length and they keep about the Ships in hopes of Prey but are much more frequent in the Indies than in the Way where they do abundance of Mischief among the Seamen when they go to swim as we afterwards found when we came in the Road near Batavia where one swimming at a distance from the Ship a Shark came up to him and drew him under Water and we never could hear of him more or so much as see any remnant of him which made all the old Seamen wonder who said They never knew a Shark take any more of a Man than a Leg or it may be a good Part of the Thigh with it But for this Man we did not perceive so much as the Water bloody Near Japara we had a Man who had lost a Limb by this means under our Hands to cure and he lived seven Days after it but at the end of that time he died being mightily tortured with a vehement Cramp Another time at the Isle of Onrust about eight Leagues from Batavia our Ship being layed up to mend something of the side of it the Carpenter going to do something to it about a Knee deep under Water had his Arm and Shoulder snap'd off I took him and bound him up but to no purpose for in less than three Hours time he was dead But now to return to my Purpose which is To give you an Account of our Voyage We had now been above eight Weeks at Sea and had had very favourable Winds in which time most of our Provisions of Brandy Cheese and Tobacco being consumed and the Heat daily increasing to which we must add That many were not used to such sort of Sea-Diet and that at last we could hardly get neither viz. Bacon as salt as Brine Gray-Pease half boyl'd Grout and stinking Water Our Ship became a meer Hospital so many fell sick The chief Distempers were the Dropsie the Bloody-Flux and Scurvey Upon this the sick were divided from the rest and had the Larboard side allotted them which is the side on the left-hand The Starboard was for the others Thus we continued our Course till we reached the Island call'd The Island of St. Paul which we left about 30 Miles off on the left-hand and steered our Course for the Cape of Good Hope After about seven days sail from the said Island of St. Paul with very little Wind the number of our sick increased daily and the distempers that now reigned most were the Scurvy and the Small-Pox which carried off almost all the oldest of our Men but the younger sort quickly recover'd Many were light-headed and ailed nothing more which was occasioned as I presume only from the excessive heat we suffer'd as we passed under the Line and came to the other side of the Globe In this dismal condition we went on our only hope being that we should not be long ere we should reach the Cape Bonne Esperance or the Cape of Good Hope But our hopes were strangely frustrated for we quite lost our course For the Snow fell so mighty thick as it is usual about Africa that our Men could not see one another the length of the Ship Then our Master gave Orders that one should go up the Main Top-Mast head and keep strict watch because we were continually in expectation of coming to Land Early the next morning I got me above Deck and went to take my allowance of Brandy at the usual place After which my Comrade and I who had been old acquaintance before we went to Sea and between whom an inviolable friendship was contracted we agreed to go and smoak our Pipes and fell into a chearful conference about our approaching Joy of setting our feet on dry ground While we were thus talking we heard of a sudden cry of Land Land which mightily increased our Joy little knowing after what manner we were drawing nigh to the Shore But we quickly saw our mistake when the Master upon this out-cry comes out and with death in his looks crys our Oh my poor Ship we are all undone At which we stood in amaze not knowing what to say or to take in hand to help our selves All this while the Ship was running violently to shore the Wind being very high and having no time to hand our Sails we were forced to cut the Gears upon which the Wind carried off our Sails over-board with such a violent noise that one would have thought Heaven and Earth were coming together While we were all running hither and thither in a miserable confusion the Ship begun to crack which made us all cry out with a loud voice to Almighty God to receive our poor Souls It is easie to imagine what a dismal condition we were in with the noise the Ship made and the crying and sighing that so many of us made for we were still 343 persons on Board and the Ship kept still cracking more and more till at last the After-part broke and the Sea beating in violently sunk our Stern in an instant None now expected to escape and we saw nothing but death round about us by reason of the depth of the Sea on one side and on the other the Shore so high that it was inaccessible Yet every body was willing to try what they could do and to prolong their lives as long as they possibly could We resolved therefore to leap into the Sea and if possible to make to Shore which was near enough to us if haply we might reach it But we foresaw it almost impossible to come to it by reason of its steepness and the violent beating of the Waves Thus recommending my self to Almighty God and having implored his pardon and assistance I committed my self to the Sea and strove with the utmost of my power to get to the Rocks I toucht them twice or thrice but the Waves carried me off again by this time some of our Company were got out safe and they could not help us any otherwise than by calling to us and advising us what was best to do which was no small help to those that swom for the directions they gave from the Shore was a great guide to those poor people who were still in the Sea and whom fear made so insensible and so hasty that they could not of themselves think to take the advantages they might have done had they been less terrified After I had been carried off again from the Rock so far that I had little or no hopes of ever recovering it again it pleased God that I was thrown on again and I luckily struck my hand into a claiy part of it and thus got safe to shore Seven more got out after me and 35 before so that 43 of us only escaped viz. the Master the Steers-man two Surgeons besides me three Carpenters the Cook 's men the Swabber the Gunner 22 Sea-men
behind those Breast-works which we had made which were to pour small Shot upon them and there were Men ready besides these with their Granado's Fire-Pikes c. to give them a welcome at their entrance All this while the Javians continually fired upon us but did little Execution And being come up close to us they scaled us and in an instant our large Ships were filled with Javans who upon their Boarding of us set up such a Huzza or rather an Out-cry after their manner that it made the Air to tremble But we straightway falling to our works opened our Breast-works and fired our small Shot upon them together with our Granado's so that never were Men destroyed after that rate Those that were still coming up and those that were in the Prawen we swept down like a swarm of Bees with our Fire-Pikes and other Fire-arms and Hand-Granado's into the Sea all that remained begun then to Provide for running off But out Prawen and light Vessels followed them so close that they killed infinite numbers of them and took up some that were fallen into the Sea and made them Prisoners who we immediately hang'd up altogether upon the said Island The Sea all about us was pure Blood and we were all in a Cloud of Smoke tho' we had not fired one Great Gun There was no less than two hundred and sixty of the Enemy lay dead Aboard my Ship the Europa The dead and wounded we threw one with another over-board which caused a bitter Out-cry among those who were yet sensible or but slightly wounded After this great Victory our Ships came all together again and upon a Review we found our loss to be two Masters of Ships seven Steers-men eight Officers and about three hundred and eighty private Soldiers and seven hundred of our Blacks We lost two Ships the Victor and the Ameland besides eighteen Prawen three Galliots and seven Fire Ships all which were burnt But of the Enemies Ships which were a hundred and twenty in number there did not one single one escape their Men were computed to have been 24000. CHAP. V. The Fleet comes together again and falls upon the Javians at Sea The Author is order'd to Bantam to take care of the wounded that were sent thither The Council resolves to pursue the Javians Their Malice and inveterate Hatred against the Dutch Several Skirmishes with them The Expedition of the Dutch from Bantam against Dorjasse which was the old King's residence A Bloody Fight mantain'd by the Dutch against the Javians with a great loss of the former Some Javian Nobles sent to desire a Peace which was refused The Garrison of Dorjasse set fire on Dorjasse and fly The Dutch plunder what was left of it The Author discovers a very considerable Treasure buried under ground but receives little advantage from it The Admirals Expedition in pursuit of the Enemy where he meets with an unlucky accident HAving put our selves into a pretty good posture again our Men had all the Refreshment that could be with great plenty of Brandy Sack Biscuit and such like The next thing we did was to dispatch a Ship to Batavia to carry the news of our Victory to the General After this we went to joyn the rest of our Fleet again The Javians all this while made several offers to come out of the River Dorjasse But our Fleet lying just in the mouth of it they could not attempt it with safety but were forced to make their way out at some other small Rivers so that some of them came in sight of us but we no sooner made towards them but they retired Yet were we obliged to keep Cruising between that place and Batavia to prevent their doing us any mischief So that there was continually some little Skirmish with them but never any Engagement worth speaking of In a matter of two months the greatest part of our Ships and the best of our Men were sent again to Bantam the rest of 'em kept still Cruising before Dorjasse Being come to Bantam under the Command of Captain Jochem the Men were put on Shore and Quarter'd amongst the others that were in the Fort. It fell to my share to be of the number too So I took my Lodging in the Chineesen Straet where I was very commodiously seated for my business There were also two Assistants with me and three Under-Surgeons who were Lodged in their several Quarters for the better looking after their Patients Those were obliged to come to me ever and anon to give me an account of those they had under their hands and to fetch the Remedies which were all in my custody and to take my directions Only those other necessaries as Linnen for Plaisters Arack Sack Salad Oyl and such like were to be fetched from the Steward who had them in keeping but they were never delivered without I sent an especial Order under my hand The number of our Sick and Wounded was great and that of the former increased by reason of the Flux which was very rief among them And some were seized with a Lameness in all their Limbs so that we had enough to keep us in employment All this while we were making all preparations for carrying on the War with utmost vigour both by Sea and Land But we wanted Men wherefore we were forced to stay till our Recruits came from Batavia We had an especial Eye upon the Royal Fort Dorjasse for we saw very well that we laboured in vain while that stood and we had reason to think that if we did but once ferret them out of their strong hold we should not find it difficult to give them a total Overthrow I must confess that besides the pleasure I had out of a publick love for my Country to see them in a fair way of overcoming their Enemies and enlarging their Territories I had also a secret satisfaction to see that they were the Javians that were the Object of our Conquests they being the most faithless treacherous and base of all the Indians They are fit for all manner of mischief but never fit to be employed in any action that 's noble or generous In short they are skill'd in nothing but in cheating filching and all manner of knavery I have often found it to my cost but that which was most notorious tho' of no great moment was the trick they put upon me at my first coming which was this When our Ship was just arrived from Europe some of these Javians came to meet us as it is their usual manner to come and meet all Ships that are newly come in to welcome them and to sell them fruits fresh meat and other refreshments I who was very much fatigued with my long Voyage and quite tired with our Sâ—â— Provisions was not long a fixing upon some of their things and amongst others I was so set upon some fine fresh Fish that they hâ—d brought with them that I was resolved I would have it at any rate
upon them I saw my self once two Buffels let loose in a small inclosed piece of ground with five Dogs against ' em One of the Buffels desended himself very well of the first Dog that came at him and tossed him up a vast height but a second coming upon him before he had well rid himself of the first and seizing him fast by the Testicles it so enraged the Buffel that he run directly to a little Shed that stood there in a Corner upon which three Blacks and two Dutchmen had got the better to see the Sport and throwing all down before him and the Dogs still holding him fast three of them viz. two Javians and a Dutch Carpenter were trampled to death and indeed almost all to pieces And the other Javian with the Admiral 's Baker came off luckily with no other wound than what they got by their fall They had no other way to put an end to this or to part 'em but by firing upon them altogether for now the other Buffel was deeply engaged too So that with their Musquets they killed the two Buffels and two of the Dogs and unfortunately another Javian So that this Sport ended very tragically and it generally proves so thro' their want of management The next day another ill accident happen'd for as there was in that place a great Mast which the English had taken formerly out of a Ship and set up there in order to get up and spy the Ships a-far off at Sea One of our Seamen would needs go up for a frolick and being come almost to the top one of his holds broke and let him down and was as you may well imagine killed with the fall Upon which Admiral Tack immediately ordered this Mast to be cut down and another to be set up upon the Speelwick Bastion which was much less than the other and not near so high but commanded a farther prospect the Bastion it self being very high and upon a much higher ground While I resided in the Hospital at Bantam which was some Months several of our Company which we had left at Dorjasse dropt in by degrees having destroyed all in their way and being all come in they were almost all sent back again to Batavia especially all the Blacks so that there were not left both within and without the Castle above five thousand Men to keep the Garrison which was little enough for so great a place it being as far as I can judge fourteen or fifteen miles in circuit and the number of its Inhabitants was computed to be 700000 besides the Foreigners which might amount to half the number more Towards Land the City lies open but to the Sea it is guarded by a very strong Wall six yards broad besides some hundreds of Bastions little Forts Redoubts c. all which are very well provided with Cannon All things were now in good order and the Government very prudently managed so that all those that were in the Companies Service even the Soldiers themselves had no reason to complain But their Condition was much mended their Provisions were cheap and their Usage and Treatment very civil and I must confess that I had all the enjoyment I could well wish But notwithstanding all this I was still dissatisfied and restless and wanted to be going to visit some other parts of the Indies But it was in vain to wish for I was under Obligations not to move yet The time now drawing near that our Captain was to return to Batavia a Council of War was held where it was resolved that a general Muster should be made and that those who had served out their time should come out and claim their liberty But withal notice was given them that if they would engage themselves afresh they should not only be kindly received but should have their Pay raised by four Gilders Then our Captain Tack went back to Batavia to be President of that City and Captain Harzing succeeded him in his place of Governour of Bantam About this time the Muck Speelers were very troublesom about the City and daily committing great disorders Their way is to make themselves mad by eating of the Herb they call Avion i. e. Opium Then ye shall see 'em run about the Streets like Men distracted and kill all they meet But our custom was as soon as we spied them a coming to cry out Amuck Amuck upon which every body stood ready with his Weapon in his hand and these Blockheads would run themselves upon a Pike or upon a Musquet and be shot through and in the heat of the Fury run it may be an hundred or two hundred paces before they dropt And these Disorders could not by any means be prevented tho' the Company had made it death for any one to be found with any of that Herb about him in any part of the East-Indies There being now no more Action here nor any Novelty that this Place afforded me I was very desirous to be gone But I found the only way to attain my wish was to get some Sea-Surgeon in the mind to exchange Places with me Wherefore I waited impatiently for the coming in of any Ships that were to go to Batavia And in a little time the Tidor from Bali came into the Road of Bantam She had no sooner cast Anchor but I was with her to welcome her and to feel the Pulses of her Surgeons but I found their Designs were much the same as mine and they were all dispos'd for a longer Course so that I found no hopes there of success But being told that they expected another Ship in toward night if the Wind did not cross 'em wherein were four Master Surgeons my hopes quickly revived and I resolved to stay there that Night in the Evening the Ship came in according to their expectation and the next Morning early I went on board of it and after the usual salutations I applied my self to the Master Surgeons and freely declared to 'em my Intentions One of 'em a Gentleman of Delf at first liked my Proposal and after some further discourse was fully in the resolution of changing with me which did not a little rejoyce me The thing being thus agreed upon he asked leave of the Captain after having acquainted him with his design and having got his leave he came away with me to Shore My business now was to have leave my self which indeed I had moved for at a distance before but not doubting of having leave given me when-ever I should desire it because I had behaved my self well and what made more yet on my side I had now and then greased the Chief Surgeons Fist I deferr'd speaking for it directly till I had met with one that would change with me No sooner had I declared my Mind to the Chief Surgeon but he gave me an ample and honourable Testimonium to carry to the Governour who with a Complement of Thanks gave me a Pass and entred the other in
my Place So I took my leave of 'em all and having got my Chest and Hammock ready I got me a-board my new Ship called the Enckhuysen it was laden with nothing but Rice and had but twenty eight Seamen besides the Officers and us four Master-Surgeons I parted very chearfully from Bantam the only thing that I was loath to part with was a little Summer-House I had order'd to be made in the Garden of the Hospital which was very delightful It was made of Bamboos and so contrived that I might have removed it very well but being I could not move that with it which made it so extream pleasant I left the whole standing for my Successor to enjoy but not without grudging it him heartily The Top of it was cover'd very neatly with Fig-leaves and the Sides were sweetly shaded with Pepper-planks which hung like a Vine over the Windows and made it extreamly agreeable But now that I am speaking of this Pepper it will not be amiss to give you a description of its growth c. This part of Java is the most famous for it and the great Blauwe Peper Bergh which I have so often mentioned hath its denomination from it and signifies Blew-Pepper-Mountain it being full of it there the best of all grows Indeed Malabar Malacca and Sumatra do produce vast quantities of it too but it is all white and long like the Canary Pepper and is not to compare with the Javian Pepper for goodness and for that reason hardly any but the latter is transported into Europe They plant it at the bottom of other Trees to which it clings in the nature of our Hops and winds round as that does but higher It s Leaf is like that of the Orange-Trees but less and of a more pleasant Green and tasts pretty sharp if one bites ' em The Fruit grows much like Grapes tho' every one knows much smaller and closer to one another They are ever green till they dry which is in November December and January at which time they gather 'em and spread them upon Mats in the Sun to dry then they run 'em thro' a Sieve and pack 'em up ready for the Merchants to take away Now tho' Pepper is as plenty in India as Stones in the Streets and only serves for Ballast very often and to pack up other Goods tire and altho' sometimes several whole Shiploads of it be thrown into the Sea and many hundred thousand pound weight of it burnt yet dares no Man in the service of the Company take one single Corn of it but every one is obliged to buy it of the Indians who deal with the Company for it And the same rule is observable in respect to other Spices But now the Enckhuysen lay still but one day so that the next morning after I had boarded her we weighed Anchor and sailed to Batavia with a half wind It lies but six Leagues from Bantam yet were we seven days before we could reach it for we were ever and anon forced to cast Anchor and weigh it again which fatigued our Men mightily Being now come before Batavia our Master went immediately on Shore and the next day our Ship was unlading I went to Shore too with all speed in a Chineese Praw and went to wait upon the Head Surgeon there one Mr. John Streckelberger who was my old Acquaintance but I found him now raised to the highest pitch of Preferment the Profession is capable of there which was the place of Overseer General over all the Surgeons in the whole Indies in the place of Dr. Kleyer I told him upon what design I had left Bantam to come to Batavia which was in order to get me a Deputation to some other part of India that I might travel farther still He seemed very ready at the first but afterwards he desired me to come again in three or four days time In the mean while I went to visit all my old Acquaintance in the Fort where I once lived and to divert my self with ' em But unhappily I took out an old Gentleman with me one day to go to a small Island hard by where there were a great many Oysters we had got a good many but as we were coming back it blew at so excessive a rate that our Boat was turned over The poor old Gentleman could not reach the Shore meerly for want of strength and so lost his Life within a hundred yards of the Land but the old Chineese and I câ—me safe to Shore and the Boat was driven quickly after us so that we took that up Instead of paying the Chineese I beat him soundly for being the main cause of all this And from that time I never saw him more without doubt he run away for fear the Fiscael should call him to an account for the death of my Companion This was the fourth time that God in his infinite goodness delivered me out of that Element of Water once in my own Country once in Africa once in the River of Bantam and this time at Batavia It was now time to go and wait upon the Surgeon General to know what was determined as to my affair When I came there I was surpriz'd to find a Deputation to go and Board the Phoenix for Banda and Amboina for besides that it crossed my design which was to go to Japan I knew that those two Countries were the most unhealthful of all India However after a little pause I resolved to go thither or any where rather than to stay there So taking my Orders with me I went aboard the Enckhuysen and told by Brother Surgeons how I was serv'd who instead of condoling with me laught at me very heartily I was now to be gone in two days time so I made haste and provided my self with Arac Tobacco and Long-Pepper preserved all which are found to be of greater use in those unhealthy parts than in any other And having made all other necessary Provision I went on board the Phoenix The next day we weighed Anchor and sailed from Batavia the wind N. E. passed the Streights of Sunday and in three Weeks time we arrived before Banda which is reckon'd to be three hundred Miles from Batavia There fell nothing out worth any notice in our passage thither but that a poor Seaman was blown down by a sudden puff of Wind from the Fore-Mast upon the Anchor which tore his very Guts out of his Belly CHAP. VIII Their arrival to Banda The Author falls very ill there how recovered Description of the growth of the Nutmeg and Mace Departure from thence for Amboina An account of Clove-Trees and Cloves Return to Batavia The Island Onrust why so called A vast quantity of Tortoises there The manner of taking them They are a mighty Food amongst them How Sharks are taken and the use of that Fish's Liver A Voyage from Batavia to Ceylon Columbo the Chief City there The Stratagems which the Portugueeze used in that Country to
vigilant and wisely Model'd Government without which they could not support the weight of their several Dominions which contain several Empires Kingdoms and large Provinces all which would be too tedious to setdown and it would amaze one to think what a vast number of Deputies Presidents Governours and Officers they are forced to maintain for the Preservation of their Power besides some Hundreds of Ships And I dare say by good Computation they have above a Hundred thousand Men by Sea and Land But as their Expence is great so their Wealth is unaccountable for where-ever you go you shall not see one Thing in a thousand little or great but if you ask whose that is all the answer is the Company 's We departed from Japara and came the next day into the Road before Batavia and an hour or two after us came in the Ship that had those Rebels on board so that there we saw them Executed and disposed of as I have said already Before our Ship was quite Unladen here arose a most terrible Hurricane which tore most of the Ships off their Anchors and drove two of them upon some of the little Islands that lie near there one of which being old and decayed was dasht into pieces It lasted but half an hour and so the Damage was the less else there would hardly a Ship have escaped Ours had cast out five Anchors two of which we lost and two of our Men being in the Long-Boat the Storm coming upon them so suddenly could not make to the Ship but the Rope breaking were torn off from us When the Wind ceased we went to see after'em and found our poor Seamen still alive but that was all tied fast by Cords to the Boat which floated with the bottom upwards So that all were recover'd But it was a Miracle that being so far spent as they were and not able to help themselves their Brains were not knockt out against the Boat or that they were not devoured by Sharks Besides all this abundance of small Vessels Prawen c. were cast away and many Persons drown'd The next day I went to shore with the Master and the Factors who design'd to stay there all Night and ordered the Seamen to go back to their Ship I desired they might stay till the Evening because I had a mind to go with ' em But it being pretty dark and the Wind very high our Seamen keeping up the Sail without Fear or Wit we were all over-turn'd within a Stone 's throw of the Ship but by the Blessing of God and the speedy Assistance of the Ship 's Crew we were all took up Safe The next Morning I return'd to Land where I was no sooner come but a Muck Speeler who had done a great deal of Mischief and put the People in an Uproar came running by me and by good Fortune did me no harm but kill'd a Boy within 20 Steps of me and was presently Shot himself in the Head and dropt down but it was after he had kill'd five or six People Nothing saved me but the corner of the Street by means of which as he run so furiously he over-shot me and got past me before I could get aware of him and so God be prais'd I was safe but ever since I was always upon my guard at Turnings and Crossings of Streets Here I spent my time with a great deal of variety of Diversions as Fishing Walking Shooting going by Water and chiefly seeing my Friends Most days I took a Praw and went to some small Islands that lie hard by there where the chief Fishing is to be seen Upon one of these Islands lived a rich Chinese near to the Chinese's Temple He having a numerous Family of Children and Servants I had frequent Business in his House and got a great deal of Money by him One Night as I had taken my leave of him and was going home I saw a bright Flame at a mighty distance and heard some Shooting Being Landed I took some of my Friends with me to a high part of the Shore to see it We were all amazed to think what it should be and in giving our several Opinions we spent all the Night looking upon it In the Morning the Flame could no longer be seen but we hearing still a Gun go off now and then we went and acquainted the General with it who order'd a Boat to be set out with 20 Men and an Officer ready to go at Night in case the Flame appeared again and the Shooting continued As the Day shut in the Flame begun to be seen more and more and somewhat nearer than the Night before I desired the Officer that I might go with him which he readily granting we set forward and made directly up to the Fire Coming nearer we saw it was a small Bark and People in it we Hail'd them upon which they gave over Shooting but made us no Answer This made us the more Earnest to get up to 'em and to Board 'em which we did And there we saw a most lamentable Sight eight poor Englishmen three of 'em Dead and the five others little better not able to speak one Word but endeavouring to mutter We took them into our Boat with us together with some Chests of Tanges and Larines which is a certain Money of that Country which they had in their Boat with them we used them as gently as we could and made all speed possible to the Place from whence we came and there gave them all Kind of Refreshment It was five or six hours e'er they came to themselves so as to speak At length they gave us an Account of themselves and told us they belong'd to an English Ship that came from Bengal richly laden and was Bound for Batavia to joyn the English Merchant-men that lay there but coming by the Island Engano it being hard Weather they were thrown upon a Shelf where their Ship was sunk so that of 78 Men they had on Board but 15 got into that little tatter'd Boat and that of them there was but those we saw left the rest having perished one after another for want of Water which they had not had a Drop of in 15 or 16 days time When we had this Account from them we took them to Batavia and carried them to the English House where we were heartily Thank'd and treated with great Civility Besides all which the next Morning a Reward was sent to every one of the Soldiers and to the Officer And as for me Having been very Helpful to them and managed them with some Cordials and taking Care lest their sudden Refreshment should do them an Injury I had 20 Ducatoons sent me as a Present While I remain'd here there happen'd nothing more worth taking Notice of And now Orders were sent me to repair on Board the Bergen in Norweegen which was to go Commadore with two other Ships bound for Odia the capital City of Siam so that I went and provided
me up and he handling me a little roughly after all his pushing and tossing of me I open'd my Eyes Those that were about me were not a little startled and said it was high time for me to open 'em for if I had winck'd but a little longer over I had gone Our chief Merchant gave me a Glass of Sack which refreshed me very much From the 6th to the 18th of April we had a very fair Wind and good Weather In that time we saw some of the Northern Capers and a great many Whales which kept us Company till we came on The 20th within sight of the Devil's Mount in Africa which is very remarkable for its height The 22th We came happily into the Road near the Land call'd Capo de Bonne Esperance or the Cape of Good Hope And here we met again with two of our Ships Cortgeene and Tidor which had been parted from us and we had not seen since the 2d of March They gave us an Account That they had been busie with the Turkish Privateers that fell upon us and that they had wetted their Feet which was that they had sunk ' em However They took up 36 of their Men that could Swim best and brought them along with them This News gave us a great deal of Joy The Prisoners we sent hence immediately to the Robin-Island to gather Mussel-shells and others for the burning of Lime CHAP. II. The Cape how far from Amsterdam Fruitfulness of that Country It s fullness of Inhabitants call'd Hottentots their Customs and Manners It s Wealth Their going off from the Cape The day of Humiliation kept in the Fleet. A certain Merchant's son falls into the Sea and is drown'd Two more drown'd Their allowance lessned Arrival at Iava Major The Road of Sunda Bantam A Man swallow'd up by a Crocodile Arrival at Batavia Description of its Fort with sour Bastions Custom of the Chinese's there when one of them dies What Heathens live at Batavia Amboineses great Conjurers The best Soldiers sent to quell the Inhabitants of Jappara The Dutch land but are beaten A remarkable Accident Ships arrive from Holland to Batavia Account of the troublesome Voyage of one of ' em A Pellican of a Purple colour A strange Bird call'd a Casswari Great Execution of Malefactors A Crocodile 22 foot long catch'd A Hunts-man tore in pieces by a Tyger A wonderful Leap given by a Man Twelve of the Heer Spelman's Slaves that were run away brought back and broke upon the Wheel How that is done at Batavia The Square in Batavia why so called and by whom built By what means the Dutch took Batavia from the English A very Comical thing that happen'd by one of the Casswari-Birds that were kept in the Fort of Batavia A strange Accident between a Peacock and an old Chinese that had game'd away all his Money and Goods The manner of living of the Chineses at Batavia The Rich Chinese THE 23th of April early in the morning I went on Shore of Africa with our Admiral From this place to Amsterdam they reckon usually 2000 miles At this Cape we lay still nine days and in that time provided our selves with Water Wood and other Necessaries As to the Qualities of this Land by what Observation I could make of it I found it to be First Fruitful And for that Reason our East-India Company hath caused some years ago many very strong Places to be Built there by the Water-side close under the Duyvel's-bergh Lewen-bergh and Tafel-bergh well stored with Soldiers and all things necessary and are sufficiently provided against the Incursions of the Wild-Men so that their Ships going to and from the Indies may safely and without any danger put in there at any time and take in Provisions whether it be of Cattle Water Wood or other Refreshments And here are already a great many Boors that are come from Holland and by reason of the great Priviledges that are granted them have settled there and have Tilled the Land and made it very fruitful for a matter of 20 or 30 miles round about those Places Secondly Very populous The Inhabitants are called wild Africans or Hottentots Their Colour is like that of the Egyptian Heathens or as we call them corruptly Gypsies The Hair of their Head grows entangled in one another like the Wool of a young Lamb upon which they hang for Ornament all manner of Sea-shells They are of a middle stature and well proportioned only that they have their Noses a little too flat and broad They wear no manner of Cloaths only a Sheeps-skin or Calf-skin on their Shoulders and that 's besmeared with Grease to make it soft and pliant when it is a little Cold or when it Rains They wear the Tail of a Fox or of a wild Dog hanging before their Privy-Parts The Women among these Hottentots have a different Ornament from the Men which is the Gutts of their Cattle fresh killed These they wrap about their Legs not minding the inconveniency it puts 'em to which is such that they can hardly go and they leave 'em there till they are quite dry I had often-times been told that these Women had naturally a little kind of a Flap growing over their Privities like that of a Turkey-Cock's Bill which I had a mind to see if it were true but upon Examination I found nothing of Truth in it My Experience cost me only some Tobacco These People have a very strange Speech and make such a disagreeable Noise with their Mouth as other Nations cannot imitate but a great many of them that live near to the Cape of Good Hope can speak some Dutch They have no manner of Religion Prayers or Laws only they Worship the Moon The first time that they see it they spend that whole Night in Dancing Singing and Bawling Ha ha ha ha They do not at all trouble themselves with Building or Planting So that they have no constant abode but move from place to place with their Children and Wives where they can find Pasture for their Cattle They Eat all sorts of Fruits and Roots that grow either above or under-ground They make no difference whether their Meat is kill'd or dead with any Distemper or whether it be Man's Flesh Whatever it be they throw it upon some Coals leave it there a little while and so Eat it They lie in small Hutts or Holes every one with his Wife If any of the Women have two Children at one Birth they kill the weakest that the other may have the Breasts to himself and grow stronger and lustier As soon as the Boys come to be about Twelve years of Age they cut off his right Testicle that he may be the fitter for Running They have some Kings amongst them and a great many Captains and have cruel Wars between one another They shoot Darts and are excellent at hitting a Mark with a Stone The Women too will come in often and carry their Husband's Arms If they
and take him up which they did and in about two hours time brought him safe to us The 19th We had a very fair Wind and fine Weather Two of our Seamen quarrel'd and fell at last to their Knives and wounded each other As soon as the Master knew of it he had 'em both Duck'd from the Main-mast as wilful Transgressors of the Laws of the Ship The 20th about 6 in morning our Boatswain a very expert Seaman climb'd up the Main-top-gallant-Mast which is the highest part of the Ship no sooner had he look'd about him but he cry'd out aloud Land Land The Master ask'd him which way and he told him to the North-East streight we changed our Course from North West thither The Helmsman threw out the Plummet and found a sandy bottom at 80 Fathoms In the afternoon we got sight of the high steep Mountain call'd Adam's Pick and by that we knew that this was the place we wanted to be at viz. the Island Ceylon Towards night we changed our Course again to the East and sometimes to the E. and by N. for we had no mind to be near Land that night and we could not have reach'd the Road that day In the first Watch between 6 and 10 we could feel ground still but in the 2d and 3d we could not The 21th in the morning at break of day We chang'd our Course again and went directly towards Land lying South-East of us with the Wind at S. W. About 10 a Clock before Noon we saw the Ships that lay at Anchor upon the Road by the City of Columbo In the mean while the Wind veer'd four Points more to the W. and so much the fitter for us About Noon we felt a sandy ground at 40 Fathoms but we kept Sounding still till we were quite out of the deep and in full sight of the Land This day every one had plenty enough of boil'd Rice and the Water Vessels were free to any body We had suffer'd a great while Hunger and Thirst notwithstanding that we had Course Diet enough and above 40 Barrels of Dutch and Batavian Water The Soldiers now begun to Equip themselves to make a shew at their Landing and dress'd themselves very sine with great Joy and Satisfaction Their Arms which till then had been kept up in the Gunner's Room were delivered to 'em to go out Arm'd as is usual to Shore All our Flags were out till about three in the afternoon when we cast our Anchors and found still 12 Fathom Water The Gunner was ordered to fire one Gun and one Seaman was to strike our Admiral 's Main-mast Flag before the City of Columbo but immediately again to set it up After this we fired all our Guns to which the Fort of Columbo answer'd with seven of their Cannon The Governor of this City sent two great Sloops of Ceylon to fetch us ashore in which our Lieutenant and Men went up to the Governor's House who welcomed us all very heartily and gave all our Men three days liberty to refresh themselves after their hard Voyage The distance between Columbo and Batavia is about 500 Dutch miles which we had reach'd in 49 days from the 3d of October to the 21th of November The 22th I went to Board with an old Cingulaish Woman because she could speak a little Dutch and she got her living by keeping a House to entertain the Dutch of which she had generally 20 or 30 in her House I paid 15 s. a Month and 40 pound of black Rice We had every one his own Dish served up with Flesh Fish Figs and such like Diet twice every day at 8 a Clock in the morning and 4 in the afternoon Our House was only a Hut made up of Boughs of Trees And here I met with three of my old Acquaintance who On the 23th took me Abroad to a very large Orchard call'd Tang Salgato where we drank some Sury fresh from the Coco-Trees This was in the morning and about noon we bespoke a hot sort of Liquor called Massack which is made in the following manner They put into a Vessel 8 Quarts of Suri and to that one Quart of Arack or Brandy All this boil'd together and about 20 or 25 Eggs are broke into 't which gives it substance and a good colour Then they add to all this some Kings Sugar which they get from some certain Trees there and some Nutmeg and Mace All this came to half a Rixdollar We had some Women to wait upon us which they call Bulliatoses who diverted us with various Leaping and Dancing Their Ears are about a Span long with Golden Pendants in them They saw by my Dress that I was newly come from Europe and I found they had a great mind to Converse with me but I not understanding them made them understand by shaking my Head that I did not Care for their Company The 24th We took a walk about two or three miles out of Columbo to see some tame Elephants that were kept in Orchards there And having seen them we went into the House which belong'd to a Portuguese who treated us very nobly and at night had us home upon an Elephant of his This day an Ambassador named Myn Heer Bucquoi was sent from Ceylon with a Lion for a Present to the King of Candy From the 25th to the 30th Our Men were daily Exercised and at night our turn began to be upon the Guard where my Post obliged me to be till The 25th of April 1677. which was five months in which time I learned the Cingulaish and Portuguese Languages finding them not only useful but necessary to those that are to stay there The 22th I was sent with 30 Soldiers to the Fort of Galture 8 Leagues from Columbo to have some new Ramparts added to it Of this Fort I intend to speak by and by designing now to give an Account of the Cities Inhabitants Cattle and Fruits of the Island Ceylon as far as I could observe of them while I staid there CHAP. IV. A Description of the Isle of Ceylon its Cities Forts and Inhabitants which are chiefly of two sorts An Account of the King of Candi's Court Officers Counsellors and his other Subjects Their Customs Manners Religion c. Their Houses over-run with Fleas and Pismires Their manner of Eating and Trading The King of Candi's a Cruel Tyrant The Cingulayans Customs in War Their Arms and Exploits The other Inhabitants of Ceylon are Malabarians who are Subjects of the Dutch They Worship the Devil Crocodiles Serpents c. Their Burials The Dutch took Columbo and other Cities of Ceylon from the Portugueses and the King of Candi tho' he had help'd them against the Portugueses The King of Candi's Resentment of it to this very day Vnhealthy Climate of this Country THE Island Ceylon is about 200 Dutch miles in compass It lies in the Indian Sea not far from the Maldivian Islands and the Wild Coasts of Cormandel and Malabar It was found out
lies in the Sea not far from the Land It is about twenty miles long and two broad from seven to ten Fathoms deep It belongs at this time to the Hollanders The Oysters in which the Pearls are found are about the breadth of one's hand They stick to the bottoms of Rocks some twenty or thirty together There are People to look every year and see whether the Pearls are ripe when they are so they write to all the neighbouring Kings to let them know what time the Fishing is to begin Then the Divers are sent who are Malabarian Fishermen who come with their Boats and some Stones along with them Each Diver hangs a Stone upon his Foot to sink him the sooner when he is at the bottom he fills his Net with Oysters and then loosens himself from the Stone Then the Stone together with the Net is drawn up by another Malabarian in the Boat whilst the Man shoots himself up to fetch breath When they have thus fill'd their Boat with Oysters they row to Land and throw them out There is a Dutch Soldier waits on each Boat to see that the Malabarians do not take any of the Pearls away The three first days these Boats are all employ'd for the East-India Company after this they may Fish for themselves paying a Rixdoller a day for every Diver The Oysters are laid in heaps on the Shore and the Merchants come there to buy them They are sold at the rate of eight hundred for a Rixdollar The gain or loss of the Buyer depends on meer chance For some may be find no Pearls in all they buy others make vast advantage of their Bargain There hath been no Fishing here for these eight years Some superstitiously think that the place is bewitched Others give this for a reason which I rather approve of that the boisterousness of the Sea hath cover'd the Oysters with Sand so that they cannot come at them The 6th In the morning all our Company went in the Boat call'd the Elephant and having the Wind for us we expected to reach to Columbo by night The number of the Soldiers and Officers was in all 110. We had but a small Vessel with Water a bushell of Rice a small Buffler and a young Buck which two last things were for a present to the Governor Thus the Boat was quite full and no Man had room to lye down but was forc'd to keep his Seat The Wind blew North But at noon it ceas'd and then we went but flowly but we kept in sight of Land all along on our left hand Toward night the Wind arose again and and then we made some speed Therefore the Steers-men bad us all look out sharp for Columbo where we earnestly desir'd to be especially because our Water Vessel was every drop drunk out The 7th By break of day we found that we were carry'd wide off of it by the strength of the current and partly by the oversight of our Steersman For we could see no Columbo nor Land neither All the Officers were very angry with him for 't and would certainly have thrown him into Sea if he had not got up to the top of the Mast where they made him stay all that day for his Punishment Our Captain consulted the Map of the Island Ceylon and he directed us somewhat in our course and about night we got in sight of Picod ' Adam or Adam's-Hill and at six of the Clock next morning we got happily to Columbo It was high time for us to get thither considering that we had been two days and three nights without Meat or Drink The Steersman begg'd we would pardon him and not complain of him to the Governor The 8th As soon as the Gates were open'd we enter'd the City and went to our respective Posts The Captain with whom I spent some time when I was here before sent to me to desire me to make his House my own again if I pleased I did not make any refusal of so advantagious a proffer but accepted of it and I staid with him till The 16th When I was order'd to go with several others to carry a Present which the Governor sent to the King of Candi during which time I had the Title and Office of Captain The Presents were two Persian Horses with sine Velvet Cloaths and Trappings each Horse led by two Malabarian Slaves Ten Falcons each carry'd by a Malabarian dress'd all in white Six Musk-Cats each in a different Cage carry'd by two Slaves Six very large Cocks from Tutucurini each of them likewise in a Cage cover'd with green Velvet Two Persian Sheep each with a Tail that weigh'd 20 or 25 pound A Box that had two Bottles in it that held each of them six Gallons of Persian Wine Besides this a great piece of Sandel Wood that weigh'd 200 pound wrapp'd up in sine white Linnen The Letter that was to be deliver'd to the King was carry'd in a Silver Cap by a Serjeant bare-headed and a Canopy was carry'd over it by four Cingulayan Nobles By each of which another went with a large Wax-Candle lighted as long as a half Pike Our march began in order at the Governor's House Some Companies of Cingulaish Soldiers went first then some Companies of Dutch then the Presents after them two Companies more of Dutch These were order'd to go as far as the King of Candi's residential Town Ruenel All the City was in Arms and all the Cannon was Fir'd round and a Dutch Company that conducted us out of Town gave three Vollies and went back again We together with the others before-mention'd went on with the Presents At night we came to a place where Dutch Potters live two Leagues from Columbo there we lay that night and the next morning march'd on and came The 17th At night to Hanquelle or Gourwebel a Dutch Fort where we lay The 18th We had a very unpleasant and dirty way and were not a little tormented with Blood-suckers till we came to the Fort Sittawack which is in possession of the Dutch and 12 Leagues distant from Columbo Immediately Letters were written on leaves of Sugar-trees and dispatch'd to the Coral of Candi at Ruenel to acquaint him with our being come thither with a Present for the King his Master and that he should permit them to come forwards if he pleas'd to receive them But not a word of answer did we get and we staid here in expectation of it six whole Weeks till the end of September At last we had Directions sent us from Columbo which were That we should go four Leagues farther beyond Ruenel and deliver them to the Coral and then come back And accordingly The 1st of October We went and after having crossed seven little Rivers we came to Ruenel This Fort heretofore belong'd to the Dutch but was abandon'd by them tho' themselves had built it There we cross'd over and having march'd a League further we came to a large Plain where we halted
River of Bibliogam and that it was at his service and that he could get another stone to do his business as well This innocent answer satisfied the King that he did not know the value of his Jewel for had he known it it would have cost him his life The King dismist him and commanded some Land and Cattle to be given him ordering him for the time to come to let such stones lie whenever he found ' em The 3d Instant these two poor English Men were sent in a Boat to Columbo I went along with them to introduce them to the Governor who received us with extraordinary courtesie and after a great many questions to satisfie his curiosity sent for Cloaths which he freely presented them with and then took them to his Table and very civilly desired them to stay in his House till some opportunity offer'd it self to send them to Batavia where they might easily get an English Ship to carry them to Bantam The 4th I went back with two Soldiers to Sittawack where I continued till The 12th when we were all relieved by a fresh Company from Columbo The 15th we march'd from Sittawack in the Morning and came at Night to Columbo I pack'd up amongst my things two or three hundred of Bulat Leaves which two Cingulayans carried after me These Leaves I have already told you are chew'd commonly by the Inhabitants so I brought them to make a present of to my Landlady I can't tell whether Heaven design'd me an occasion of making my Fortune or no but however it was I refus'd laying hold on it and how it was I will relate in short My Landlady treated me very civilly from the first time of my coming to her House where I paid her 3 Rixdollers by the Month and had a very good Table and what Suri I pleas'd at Meals Her entertainment grew in time kinder and kinder and then it broke out into some preliminary interrogations why I would not settle there Why I would not Marry and many things of that kind at last it came to a close application and to a plain offer of her self if I would marry When I considered her on one side as to her Fortune I must confess she did not altogether displease me Her first Husband was a substantial free Merchant at Columbo call'd John Christantz he was owner of of a Ship with which he had often been at Bengal at the River Ganges and drove there a considerable Trade but going there again in the year 1678 was cast away with a Hurrican and he and his ship lost What she lost by this accident I do not know but she was left worth near thirty thousand Ducats and twenty Slaves from Bengal which she used very inhumanly But the Figure she made never would permit me to entertain a thought of marrying her but that other People may judge whether I was too nice or but reasonably so I will give some description of her I did not dislike her merely for her being Black but methoughts her Ears though they were richly set out with Gold look'd but hideously being longer than my Hand Her Hair that would reach down to her Heels she would besmear every Day with Oyl made of Coco-Nuts and then wind it up on her Head just as we serve Horses in Holland when they have long Tails She wore a little short sort of a Wastcoat that hardly covered her Breasts fastned with Gold Buttons from the Breast down to beneath the Navel she was Naked The best part of her Dress was from beneath the Navel downwards having a Linnen Garment down to the Feet and another-like one at top of that something longer than the under one She had a great Necklace round her Neck made of Gold and Ivory She spoke no Dutch but Portuguese and Cingulaish which were her Father and Mother's Languages and the Malabarian which is much the same All these things together were so far from raising any Passion for her that they were a preservative against it so I e'en left her as I found her There were at this time two Sloops and a Yacht ready to set sail for the Coast of Malabar there to hinder the Malabarians Boats in their Pepper Trafsick I was sent to command them and had my choice of Men out of all the Company After that I pick'd them out that I liked best I took twenty of them with my self on board the Yatch call'd the Trinconomala and in each of the two Sloops went 12 Men and 7 Seamen The 18th in the Evening we set sail I had with me besides my twenty Men a Steersman and 15 Seamen and I put off with our Flags and Pendants as Commadore from Columbo The 19th 20th 21st and 22d we saw no Land We had the wind for us but the stream was contrary to us The 23d we espied land in the Forenoon and in the Afternoon we came before the Town Couchin which belong'd heretofore to the Portuguese I went to the Commadore that lay there and deliver'd my Letter to him from the Governor of Columbo The next Day he joyn'd us with another Sloop well Mann'd and gave us instructions how we might best annoy the Malabarians The 25th we went to Sea again and there Cruised along the Coast up to Goa a Portuguese Town We were in a continual Chase and all the Boats that we met loaden with Cardamunga and Pepper and could not produce a Dutch Pass we took Their Provisions and Goods we stow'd in our Vessels and sunk theirs but many of the Malabarian Vessels being little ones kept in the Shallows near the Land where we could not come ours drawing much more Water than theirs did and those were secure enough The 6th of October we went back to Couchin and brought thither fifty Malabarian Prisoners with us and a great deal of Onions Pepper Cardamunga Rice and Dry Fish I acquainted the Commadore with what I had done and brought with me and he left all the Booty amongst us except the Pepper which he kept to himself Here we stay'd till the 20th of November and found it much better living than in Ceylon The 21st we went back homewards and arrived happily at Columbo on the 29th about three of the Clock in the Afternoon I deliver'd to the Governor my Letters from Couchin and every one went to his respective Post We had but two Men dy'd in the Expedition they were shot with two Poyson'd Assagayen or Darts and one Seaman had his Arm shot off by a Gun that burst in the firing The 30th a Master Gunner call'd Henry Scholten was shot to death he was a Lutheran and would not hearken to any instructions or advice that our Protestant Minister offer'd him But being come to the place of Execution he pray'd for himself Three Muskets were fired upon him which dispatch'd him in an instant Then his Friends took him and put him in a Coffin and buried him The same day two Moors of Volkendal that had been
are very neat and wash themselves all over every day The Man hath all the Care of the House upon him and they have generally two Slaves the one to go to Market the other to dress the Victuals I will now I am treating of Columbo give you some Description of that City I have already told you how it was built by the Portuguese but when the Dutch East-India Company took possession of it they Demolish'd many parts and Re-built others after the Dutch manner and to this day they are building at the Castle and City The Castle hath on the West-side the Sea on the North-East the City on the South-East a sweet River It is fortify'd with several Bulwarks each of which hath 20 or 30 Guns a very good Counterscarp and there are so many Rocks on the Sea-side that no Ships can come near it There is a broad Channel runs all round it where one may see every day Crocodiles in abundance It hath three Gates one to the South-West call'd Port de Gala about a Musquet-shot off on the side that goes to Galture the Land about it is richly fill'd with Orchards and Gardens full of fine Fruit-trees which reach a mile or two The other Gate is call'd the Delfsche Port from the Bastion which is just by it that bears that Name This Gate is toward the City and the way to it hath the Sea all along on one side and a deep Ditch on the other and a large Field call'd the Buffler's Plain which they can lay all under Water when they please by opening a Sluce The third Gate which is Northward hath the Name of Water-Port on the left side of that is the Water-Pass guarded by many Cannon that command all the Ships that lye in the Road. Within the Castle are many pretty Walks of Nut-trees set in an uniform Order but they bear no Fruit only red and white Flowers The Streets are pleasant walks themselves having Trees on both sides and before the Houses The Castle contains about 40 Acres of Land The Governor all the Merchants Officers and Soldiers have their Dwelling within it and without the Walls between them and the Sea are the Huts where near four thousand Slaves belonging to the Company lye at night They are of different Nations and are constantly kept at work Their Huts are very little made up with nothing but Straw and Leaves There are Dutch-men to look over 'em who are call'd Mucadons each of these have 70 80 90 or 100 to oversee and must give an account of ' em There is likewise a very large place for Ammunition two strong Cellars for Gun-powder and Magazines for the Merchants and a Church and behind that a very fine Stable commonly full of Persian Horses There is also a Powder Wind-mill by Port de Gala and by the Water-Pass a Wind-mill to saw Boards c. The City of Columbo is much larger than the Castle by reason of the large Trees and Gardens that are in it and it is very well fortify'd with five Bulwarks call'd Victoria Constantia Concordia Haerlem and Euckhuysen It hath on the North the Road where the Ships lye on the other side the River that is full of Crocodiles It hath three Gates the one as I said just now is call'd the Delfsche-Port the second is not far from that and goes toward the Sea the third is the Port-Victoria or Negumbo The Inhabitants are a mixture of Officers Soldiers Burghers and Tradesmen Blacks and Whites and others For which reason the Hollanders are oblig'd to keep a careful watch every night The Streets are always very clean tho' it Rain never so much There is an Hospital for the Dutch very well provided with able Surgeons and they with very good Medicines and Slaves allow'd them The chief Doctor that had the Care of it in my time was in very ill Repute for his ill Management of those that came under his Hands and for several ill Actions he was accus'd of and amongst others of having a pretty while been too familiar with a Slave of his and then Killing of her and Burying her in his Garden Not far from that is an Hospital for Dutch Orphans The Boys are taught to Read and Write after that they are made either Drummers or Soldiers The Girls besides Reading and Writing are taught to Sew or any other Employment proper to their Sex and there they are kept to work till some-body comes to marry 'em which commonly happens by that time they are 12 or 13 years of Age. The Dutch Church-yard is in the middle of the City enclos'd with a Wall on which a Malabarian School stands On the out-side of the Church-yard there is Sold all the Week long Silks Stuffs and Linnen by the Moors and Persians and all sorts of Fruits dry'd Fish Onions Sugar and Rice by the Malabarians Maldivians and Cingulayans and other Inhabitants of Columbo CHAP. IX A sad Accident happens before Columbo by Gun-powder Two Ships come to Columbo from Persia bound from thence for Holland The Author is discharg'd at his request tho' with some difficulty Is to go to Punt de Gala by Sea to Embark there The Master being drunk they run the Vessel against a Rock and all sunk The Author and fourteen others save their Lives by swimming to shore but lost all their Goods They come Naked to Punt de Gala whence he Embarks aboard the Wester-Amstel Their departure and arrival to the Cape where they find the Ships from Batavia that had waited seven Weeks for them A French Pirate comes amongst them under a disguise All come away from the Cape An Account of their Voyage What places they passed What extremity they were come to At last by God's Assistance they came safe home IN the Year 1680 We had three unlucky Accidents The one was That a Ship being come from Holland by Batavia and lying at Anchor in the Road near Columbo it had brought a great quantity of Gun-Powder for the use of this City the Inhabitants thereof had already loaded their Boats with 80 Barrels of it and were so near Land that they prepar'd for haling of it to shore A Boy belonging to the Master of the Boat stood smoaking with a Pipe in his Mouth which the Master seeing gave him such a box on the Ear that he dash'd his Pipe into the next Boat where some Powder being scatter'd took Fire and blew up that Boat and in the twinkling of an Eye the two next and not only so but also all the People that stood upon the shore had a toss in the Air. Another was That two Ships lying at Anchor in the Road and the Wind growing very violent broke their Cables and stranded them against the Fish-market but all the Men saved their Lives The 9th of December Two great Ships call'd the Africa and the Cortegeene came from Persia Having now staid seven months over and above the five years I was oblig'd to in the Service of the East-India
Company I design'd to have gone off with those Ships but the Governor refus'd to discharge me for that time under pretence of affection to me They sail'd away on the 10th from Columbo to the City Punt de Gala to take in Pepper and Cinnamon I made my complaint that I was detain'd wholly against my will to the chief Merchant of the Company he told me I should go and that I should stay but some days that a Vessel was daily expected to come from Bengal and was to take up several other Persons here and then to go for our Country The 11th News came from Punt de Gala by Land that the said Vessel was come in there from Bengal well loaded with Salt-peter but had no Masts left On the 12th Some Carpenters and three Masts were sent in a small Vessel to refit the Ship and get it ready to go with the two others for Holland The 14th I went to the Aldee or Village call'd Batalamulo two miles from Columbo where I took my leave of our General Dissave Tennekool that was come over to us from the King of Candi He entertain'd me very civilly at Dinner and order'd four Cingulayans to carry me back in a Palankin to Columbo and presented me with 200 preserv'd Citrons for my Voyage The 15th My Captain invited me at night to a very handsom Supper On the 16th A very rich Portuguese call'd Don de Pairo living at Matual a league from Columbo sent an Elephant for me to come to his House where he receiv'd me with a noble Entertainment of Musick and a splendid Feast I spent that night with him during which he used a great deal of Rhetoric to perswade me to stay and ask'd me why I would venture so hazardous a Voyage seeing I liv'd so pleasantly there and so much belov'd in that Country but all this was in vain My Inclinations for my own Country were to me the most prevailing Arguments On the 17th I took my leave of him and thank'd him very heartily and he lent me an Elephant to carry me back On the 18th I took my leave of my Friends at the Office at Columbo and On the 19th My Landlady invited me with some others of her Friends and Acquaintance She seem'd very much discontented with my leaving of her thus yet would shew her self kind to the last and presented me with abundance of Fruit and Spices But when I came to Sea I threw all over-board for fear some trick or philter should have been play'd with them which is usual here The 20th The Governor sent us word that we should get us all ready to go aboard that night about four of the Clock in the afternoon we went on board and took all our Goods with us Our Ship was but small yet it had four Pieces of Cannon twelve Seamen besides the Master and the Steersman Our Maker was one Cornelius Erasmus a Jutlander a true Pitcherman who staid at Columbo to take his leave of his Wife and Friends his Wife was a Papist when I knew her first but he was a Lutheran While I was at Columbo I took a great deal of pains to convert her and at last effected it but I believe she only embrac'd Luther's faith because it was her Husband 's I thought however she had chang'd somewhat for the better and I believe if I had staid I might still have advis'd her better She had a Sister one of the prettiest Women I almost ever saw at least the finest that ever was in that Country She was a white Woman and her Mother was a Babylonian The dress she went in was a great disadvantage to her Beauty being the same dress as I describ'd before when I spoke of the Habit my long-ear'd Widow used to wear Being oblig'd to lye still here till the 21th to stay for Letters I went in a Fisher-boat to Columbo to our Master's House where he was making very merry having staid a while he took his leave of his Wife and Sister who were very much griev'd at his departure but they little thought it was their last farewel as it prov'd the next day for being got into the Ship and having weigh'd Anchor we sett sail The Wind toward night grew something boysterous and as we came within a mile of Punt de Gala our Ship by the carelessness of the Master and Steersman who were carrousing in the Cabbin struck upon a great Rock call'd the Whale which is but just cover'd over with Water and sprung a large Leak which made the Ship begin immediately to sink The Master hearing the knock and being sensible of the Danger came out to give orders and cry'd out we should turn the Ship about but it was too late to give Directions so we prepar'd our selves for swimming and I stripp'd my self to my Drawers and with several others I leap'd into the Sea we guess'd by the scum where-abouts the shore was we made that way and in less than half an hour we reach'd the Land We were fifteen of us that sav'd our selves by swimming the rest being the Master the Steersman and ten others were all drown'd We went to the first House we saw which belong'd to a Cingulaish Nobleman who receiv'd us very kindly had a great Fire made for us and gave us all the refreshment his House did afford The 23th In the morning we came before the Town of Punt de Gala. The Serjeants Corporals and Soldiers that kept the Guard were mov'd with Compassion and before we went any further gave every one of us some old Garments to cover our Nakedness After this we were brought before the Governor who examin'd us all to know who was to blame for this miscarriage The Master was in all the fault we told him but he had his Punishment already The Governor order'd every one of us to have 12 Rixdollars paid us to equip our selves again which was to be abated in our Accompts Six of the Men that came from Columbo with me would not venture to Sea again so they engag'd themselves a-new for three years in the service of the Company their Pay was augmented with two Guldens a month and they were now to have twelve Guldens whereas they used to have but ten Orders were given to a Serjeant to take twelve men with him to go that very morning and see if they could recover any thing of our Shipwrack I went thither my self in the afternoon and saw a great many pieces of the Ship and pieces of Chests a-shore But I shrewdly suspected that they were broke by the Soldiers and that they had bury'd the Goods under Ground The 14th Some of the Men that were drown'd were drove upon the Land the rest I suppose had feasted the Sharks that are there in abundance The 25th I went on board the Wester-Amstel and gave my Pass to the Master of it The form of it was thus To N. N. Master of the Ship call'd the Wester-Amstel You may receive on board the
did not please him Upon which without more ado he gives Orders to Fire the Great Guns from the Castle upon the City and particularly that some of them should play upon his Fathers Quarters against which sixteen Pieces of Demi-Cannon were planted which were fired briskly upon him by his positive Orders and some of them too by his own hand Being thus satisfied that his Fathers Intentions were to Depose him he wholly forgot all Duty and sent him word by one of his Concubines that he did not reckon himself now bound to him in any Bond of Duty and that he would pay him no other Homage but Powder and Ball which he would not spare for he had enough of it and that should be at his service Besides the Message that had made him so desperate he relied much upon the strength of the Castle which was very well fortified with very good Walls lined with Earth like those of Batavia and very strong Bastions upon them besides very large Canals round them with Draw-Bridges Neither did he want Provisions or Ammunitions and the Bastions were provided with very good heavy Cannon But the number of his Men was not above three hundred yet with them he had resolved to stand it out to the last So that his Garrison was not so considerable as his Court which as it chiefly consists of Women according to the general Custom of Heathen Princes so he had of them no less than one thousand two hundred that were his Concubines With this continual Firing the City was miserably shatter'd and lookt like a Wilderness for every Man had got away that could and all the English and Danes together with the Nobility and the most considerable Inhabitants went over to the old King And having formed a considerable Body they went and besieged the Castle raised several Batteries and planted their best Cannon upon them and then fired briskly in their turn upon the Castle Notwithstanding all these preparations the young King remained undaunted and only applied himself to get supplies and support abroad and by Advice of two Dutchmen who were of his Party and who had formerly run away from Batavia to shelter themselves from Justice he resolves to send to the Company of Batavia for Assistance One of these Dutch-men was appointed for the Negotiation and immediately was let down from the Wall of the Castle and having pass'd the Canals in a little Boat that used to lye there he came to the Enemies Army thro' which he was unavoidably to pass but he being very ready in the Javan and Malleish Languages having been fifteen years in those Countries and having been Circumcised at his Abjuration of the Christian Religion he easily pass'd thro' all difficulties and came to the General at Batavia and by word of mouth without any further Credentials delivered his Message to him in the young King's name This was an opportunity which the Dutch had long wish'd for so that the Messenger needed no great Rhetorick or Art to induce them to take it by the forelock But immediately Orders were dispatched and the Forces had their Rendezvous appointed I my self had Orders to attend the Major General St. Martini's own person and was in the whole Expedition so that I may justly speak of the matter and be the more particular in the relation of it The Major General above mentioned commanded the whole Fleet and one Captain Harzing of Cassel had the whole command of the Land-Forces Both set out at one time as I said before the one march'd out straight upon Dangerang The Fleet went directly to Bantam Captain Hartzing was forced first to Attack Dangerang by which means he reckon'd he should have drawn off the old King and his Army from Bantam but found himself very much mistaken For the place made such a vigorous Resistance that it appeared they neither wanted necessary Assistance nor Courage We lost there a great many of our best Men insomuch that we found our selves forced to Intrench left they should have routed us quite so we made our Lines of Approach which we fortified with as good Pallisado's as we could and so secured our selves that the Enemy could not come at us In the mean while we continued our Approaches with all the diligence that might be till we came within Musket-shot of the Fort. There we made use of a cover'd way with which we came up close to the Enemies works and in some measure within them And having finished our Mines we set them on fire with a resolution that as soon as they should blow up to any purpose we would assault them One of our Mines made a breach that three or four Waggons might stand abreast in Upon which it was order'd we should immediately enter And so we did but so with much ado that we had reason to fear we must have retired but after a little resistance they seeing us pour in so thick upon them took their heels and most of them threw down their Arms. All this while we pursued them and made the most heavy slaughter amongst them that ever any History can shew For the Gates of their Castle or rather their Doors being so little that one could not go under them without stooping they were all forced almost to creep thro' them one by one and as they were all in a cluster and unarm'd to the number of near five thousand we fired continually upon them so that they lay like heaps of Stones one on another which made the most dismal fight in the World And to prevent the Air being infected with them we made our Blacks to carry them off and throw them in the River Dangerang Having gotten this Post we fortified our selves in the best manner we could for we were sure that we should not enjoy our rest there long and that we were to be upon our Guard In this six weeks time that we had besieged this place we had lost a great many Men and a great many were fallen sick by reason of the bad Water which had much of the tast of Salt-peter in it which made Captain Hartzing at a stand whether we should go on or not At last he thought it best for us to stay there till we could hear of the safe Arrival and Landing of our Fleet before Bantam which we did in a few days after Major General St. Martini being come before Bantam with twenty stout Men of War each of which carried between four and five hundred Men besides a hundred Fire-ships Tenders c. gave Orders for their Landing about two a Clock the next Morning But first he took a general Review of the Men and a Gill of Brandy was given to every one of the Soldiers and after that six and thirty of the lustiest Soldiers were provided with a good quantity of Powder and some hundreds of Sea-men were set out with Pole-Axes or Hatchets and eight or nine Hand-Granado's to each Man all which were to Land with the Army We lay