Page 203 - Early English Adventurers in the Middle East_Neat

FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH 203

“ It was a puzzling dilemma,” as the official Dutch record
says, and the members of the council came to the conclu­
sion that it would be better to sleep over it.
When the morning dawned the council was resumed,
but the discussions had not continued very long before
they were abruptly closed by the news of the appearance
of a reinforcement of three ships to Dale’s fleet. This
addition to the enemy’s strength it was felt decided
affirmatively the question of the fleet’s withdrawal from
an unequal contest. Without loss of time the order was
passed through the fleet for a return to Jakatra with a
view of seeking there the protection of the guns of the
fortifications. Anchor was weighed accordingly and the
Dutch ships set a course for Jakatra closely followed by
the English ships. Before the destination was reached a
further council of war was held, as grave doubts were
entertained by some as to the wisdom of the plan of taking
refuge in harbour. On second thoughts it was deter­
mined to leave Jakatra to its fate and to steer a course for
the Moluccas where with the resources available a stand
might be made with a reasonable prospect of success.
Eventually this course was successfully followed.
Dale maintained a curiously supine attitude in the face
of this daring retreat of the Dutch. With his strengthened
fleet his plain duty was to pursue and overwhelm the
enemy, but instead he practically did nothing. His plea
in his account of the fight is that he could not imagine
that Coen would abandon the position ashore to its fate,
but, even so, it is not clear why he did not keep in touch
with the Dutch fleet. By allowing it to escape he not only
rendered his own sacrifices nugatory, but he sealed
the fate of the English cause in the Eastern seas. Never