Page 187 - Early English Adventurers in the Middle East_Neat

ENGLISH AND DUTCH RIVALRY IN THE EAST 187

In the Straits of Amboina, whither the Concord pro­
ceeded, a welcome reinforcement was met in the vessel
Thomassin which had been sent on from Bantam. En­
couraged by the appearance of English strength, the natives
were everywhere extremely friendly, and both at Luhu
and Cambello sites for factories were offered. But the
Dutch were speedily upon the scene in such force that
after an exchange of shots with them the English were
compelled to withdraw and return to Bantam.
On their departure the Dutch turned on the unfortunate
natives intent on wreaking revenge on them for the encou­
ragement they had given to their hated rivals. Their first
efforts were marked by a disaster which might have had
grave consequences for them if the English had been at
hand to give the natives efficient backing. On landing a
large body of men on Banda the force was attacked by
natives and had to retire with a loss of upwards of three
hundred men—a very substantial proportion of the total
garrison in the Moluccas at the period. Encouraged
by this success the natives sent an envoy to the English
authorities at Bantam to implore their support in the
further stages of the contest. Jourdain, who was in
charge, in response to the appeal re-equipped the TJiom-
assm, the Concord and the Speedwell, and with the ships
Clove and Defence, which had just arrived from England,
despatched them to Banda in the early days of 1616.
The little squadron arrived at Poolo Ai on March 2,
and found that the Dutch were concentrating a large force
at Neira, a port opposite Lonthor,. in Banda, intent on
wiping out the reverse of the previous year. The moment
seemed at last to have come when conclusions would be
tried between the Dutch and the English. On March 11