Page 186 - Early English Adventurers in the Middle East_Neat

186 EARLY ENGLISH ADVENTURERS IN THE EAST

to hand many urgent messages from the Bandanese, im­
ploring English help against their Dutch oppressors. Since
Jourdain’s visit a state of almost open warfare had existed
on the islands in which the Dutch, imder Coen, had acted
with ruthless severity. Eager as the Company’s agents
were to intervene, it was not until the opening weeks of
1615 that they were in a position to send ships. At that
juncture they dispatched, with George Ball and Cokayne,
the Maccasar agent, in command, the ship Concord and
a small pinnace called the Speedwell, to the Bandas and
Ceram.
Ignoring the protests of the Dutch, the Englishmen
occupied Poolo Ai, a small island off Banda, and entered
into close relations with the natives on the adjacent and
larger islands. They were received with an enthusiasm
which spoke eloquently of the islanders’ hopes of relief
from the oppressive yoke which had been imposed upon
them. In touching language the natives gave vent to their
feelings as to the Dutch. Visiting the town of Lonthor,
the Englishmen were received by two of the principal men,
one of whom, pointing to the Dutch castle burst out:—
“ It makes old men to weep and wish that the child that is
unborn shall be born dead: as God hath given them a
country to them and theirs, so He hath sent the Hollanders
as a plage 'unto them, making wars upon them and by
unjust proceedings seeking to take their country from
them.”
The Dutch appear to have been equally communicative
to the Englishmen and quite as outspoken. Cokayne was
told by the Dutch “ General ” that the English were
“ rogues and rascals,” and the Honourable Company was
“ most vilely railed at ” by the same functionary.

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