Page 188 - Early English Adventurers in the Middle East_Neat

186 EARLY ENGLISH ADVENTURERS IN THE EAST

a fleet of nine Dutch ships appeared of! Poolo Ai with the
declared determination of either driving the English ships
away or sinking them.
At a council of war held on the English Admiral’s
ship it was decided to “ stand the coming of the Holland­
ers.” Two days later, when the Dutch ships had approached
much nearer a second council was held at which the reso­
lution was formed to “ cut hawsers, let slip their cables
and go out to meet the Hollanders.” The Dutch, on their
side, were not idle. Four of their ships “ worked to the
windward and seized the weathergage,” while the re­
j
mainder spread to leeward to block the progress of the
■ ships in that direction. The manoeuvre brought home to
the English Commander the risks which he would run in
forcing an action. While the Dutch ships were all well
found and well manned, his own vessels were small and had
only weak crews. On resurveying the situation he came
to the conclusion that he ought not to incur the great
responsibility of fighting with the odds so heavily against
him. He therefore concluded an arrangement with the
Dutch by which he withdrew his vessels, leaving the un­
fortunate natives once more to the tender mercies of their
|! taskmasters. An attempt was made by the so-called rebels
on Poolo Ai to secure immunity by hoisting the English
flag, but the Dutch landed on the island, tore down the
flag and afterwards built a strong fort, which they chris­
tened Fort Revenge, to strengthen their hold upon the
island.
!

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