Page 214 - Early English Adventurers in the Middle East_Neat
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214 EARLY ENGLISH ADVENTURERS IN THE EAST

                Leytimor, in such a position that it looks out upon the
                coast of the second and larger section designated Hitoe.
                Its main feature is a strong fortification called Fort Vic­
                toria, with solid masonry ramparts and bastions, and
                 based on one side by the sea. In this castle, as it was
                 termed, was in the early seventeenth century the Gover­
                 nor’s residence and the principal headquarter establish­
                 ments of the Government with a considerable garrison of
                 Dutch troops. So enormous was the strength of the
                 position that it could have been held almost independently
                 even without the support of the shipping that was nearly
                 always in the roads against any enemy that could be
                 brought against it.
                   The actual tragedy of Amboina opened with dramatic
                 fitness with a very simple scene. One evening as the
                 garrison were at prayers a Japanese mercenary in the
                 employ of the Dutch, wandering apparently aimlessly
                 about the castle, on the ramparts came upon a young
                 Dutch soldier acting as sentinel. Accosting him he asked
                 how many soldiers there were in the garrison and how
                 often the guards were relieved. There was nothing very
                 extraordinary about the questions, the answers to which
                 presumably could have been supplied by a little observa­
                 tion. But the Japanese had the previous evening made
                 precisely the same inquiries; and, moreover, he had
                 passed on to a portion of the fortifications which was
                 forbidden ground to him as a private soldier. What,
                 perhaps, was worse than these indiscretions was that he
                 and his countrymen had for some time past fraternized
                 overmuch with the Englishmen. Suspicion, consequently,
                 fastened so strongly upon him that orders were given for
                 his arrest.
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