Page 113 - Early English Adventurers in the Middle East_Neat

A GALLANT BUT UNFORTUNATE COMMANDER 113
off with his ships without paying the usual parting compli­
ment of a salute to his colleague. Middleton was greatly
incensed at this conduct, and though he tried to put the
best face on the situation he soon came to realize that the
attempt to extract further monetary advantage out of the
misfortunes of the past was illusory. With a heavy heart,
he, about the middle of August, ordered his ships to follow
in the wake of the Hector and the Clove to Bantam.
On arrival at Teco in Sumatra, Middleton heard of the
safe arrival home of Captain David Middleton and his
fleet of the eighth voyage, that of the four ships of the
ninth voyage two had already reached Bantam, and that
news had been received of the advent of fifteen Dutch
ships as well as two vessels from France. The information
was received with a feeling of depression by Middleton and
his associates, reflecting as it did the failure of their
own, “ tried, crost and decayed voyage.”
When the Trade's Increase and her consorts reached
Bantam the vessels were found to be in such a decayed
condition, owing to their long and arduous service, that
an extensive refitting was imperatively necessary. Having
deliberated upon the position, Middleton decided to load
the Peppercorn, after a partial overhaul, with spice and
dispatch her to England with Downton, and to send the
Darling to Patani, on the north-east coast of the Malay
Peninsula. The Trade's Increase, it was discovered, could
not be again used without extensive repairs, which would
occupy several months. The Peppercorn's fortunes have
already been traced in an earlier chapter. It may now be
stated that an untoward end was reached by both the other
vessels. The Darling, on arrival at Patani, was found to be
too unseaworthy for further use and was broken up.
H