Page 207 - Early English Adventurers in the Middle East_Neat

FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH 207

cruelly shot at him with a musket and shot him in the
bodie neere the heart, of which wound hee dyed within
halfe an hour after.” It is difficult to say whether this
episode was deliberate or was due to a misunderstanding.
The Dutch afterwards strongly repudiated the former
hypothesis and there is reason to think that the business
was in the nature of an accident. Whether so or not its
effect was greatly to exacerbate the feelings of Jourdain’s
countrymen in the East by whom he was highly respected.
So deadly did the feud now become that according to a
letter of the period had their fleets met at sea at this
juncture “ there had never been such a day among Chris­
tians.”
And what, it may be asked, was the position of Courthope
in this acute phase of the feud of the two nations ? The
answer is not difficult to guess. Brave soul as he was he
fought his fight to a glorious finish. How it came about
is easily told. When the disheartening news reached
Poolo Roon that Dale’s fleet had returned to India and
that the little body of Englishmen on the island had been
abandoned to their fate, Courthope did not, as he might
very well have done with honour, surrender to the Dutch.
He just went on the same as usual, living his hard life
and keeping his weather eye open for the enemy who he
knew would come sooner or later.
Eventually what could not be accomplished by force
was effected by guile. A Dutch deserter—more probably
spy—on learning of Courthope’s departure for Lonthor on an
expedition connected with some of his people, promptly
sailed across to the Dutch headquarters with the informa­
tion. A boat heavily armed and fully manned was secretly
sent over by night to intercept the English commander