Page 209 - Early English Adventurers in the Middle East_Neat

CHAPTER XIV

The Black Tragedy of Amboina
Conclusion of the treaty of defence—Disagreements as to its inter­
pretation—The English in the Eastern Islands—Gabriel
Towerson, the chief agent—Von Speult, the Dutch governor—
Description of Amboina—A Japanese arrested for conspiring
against the Dutch—He implicates the English—Abel Price
under torture confirms the story—Arrest of Towerson and
the other English officials—They are examined and under
torture confess their guilt—Subsequent protestations of inno­
cence—The infamy of the transactions
npHE great drama of English and Dutch ascendancy
JL in Eastern seas is now rapidly moving towards its
tragic denouement. When the curtain lifts again nearly
three years have passed since the gallant Courthope made
his plunge to death near the scene of his hard-fought
struggle for the honour of his country’s flag. In the inter­
val much has happened in the West to alter the current
of Eastern events. The slow wheels of diplomacy revolving
in England have ground out with m^ny checks and much
s creaking that famous instrument known as the Treaty of
Defence which was designed to set at rest the vexed con­
: troversies that for so long had disturbed the harmony of
the representatives of the two races in the East. It had
been received on its first promulgation in the theatre of
war with manifestations of joy in the rival camps. The
I two fleets instead of falling upon each other in deadly
combat, as they would inevitably have done in the absence
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