Page 183 - Early English Adventurers in the Middle East_Neat

ENGLISH AND DUTCH RIVALRY IN THE EAST 183

such existed they did not concern him. Acting on this
independent view he commenced to trade at Hitoe, but had
not proceeded far before he discovered that the islanders
were in such deadly fear of the Hollanders that he could
do little business. Jourdain now turned his attention to
Ceram, an adjoining island of the group, which appeared
to offer better prospects, as the Dutch influence there was
not so powerful as at Amboina. At Luhu, one of the
principal ports of the island, the English Commander saw
the native chief and preferred to him a request for a site
for a factory. The chief replied that the application must
be made to the King of Ternate, but he allowed it to be
understood that the English would be welcomed if they
could be sure that they would not suffer for their display
of friendliness at the hands of the Dutch.
In consequence of this declaration Jourdain decided to
seek an interview with the Dutch Governor in order to
satisfy himself as to the precise attitude that was assumed.
At the Dutch headquarters he found in the supreme official
position Jan Pietersoon Coen, thereafter to become famous
in Dutch history as the greatest of Governor Generals of
Netherlands India. Coen was a man of stern, unyielding
disposition, ambitious, and, according to his fights, intensely
patriotic. He was largely the inspirer of the Dutch mono­
polistic policy and he pursued it throughout his career
with a determination and a skill which largely contributed
to the measure of success which ultimately attended it.
The meeting between two such men on an occasion in
which clashing interests were so sharply opposed was
bound to be of a stormy character. It was all that, if we
may accept the account of the interview which Jourdain
sets forth in his diary. From this it is to be gathered that

-