Page 205 - Early English Adventurers in the Middle East_Neat

FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH 205

by remaining at Jakatra, a target for native attack by
land and Dutch attack by sea. It was too late now, at
all events, to retrieve the original blunder of proceeding
eastward in pursuit of Coen. That worthy had had time
to combine his scattered forces and replenish his ammuni­
tion stores, and was not to be attacked with impunity by
any force that the English could now bring to bear.
Shipping all his merchandise and stores Dale started on
his voyage with the rankling conviction that he had failed
egregiously where he should have been triumphant. His
disappointment was accentuated by dissensions which now
broke out in an aggravated form amongst his officers. There
was resentment in this quarter at his masterful ways and
especially at the dictatorial tone he was in the habit of
assuming towards every one however highly placed they
might be or whatever the question at issue. It was always,
says one of his colleagues, “ ‘ I will and require,’c this must
be done,’ and f this shall be done,’ and yet in the end we
must signe what he says ”
Under the weight of his accumulating troubles Dale
sickened and died soon after the fleet reached India. Thus
the final tragic seal was set on a disastrous venture. It
would be unfair, perhaps, to saddle Dale’s memory too
heavily with the responsibility for the failure. Something
must be allowed for the inevitable weakness of a fleet
operating many thousand miles from its base against
one scarcely inferior in size which had open to it several
strong bases. Still, the error of judgment committed
in permitting the quiet withdrawal of the Dutch fleet to :
the Moluccas was too far reaching in its consequences
to be lightly overlooked in any estimate of Dale’s achieve­
ments.