SPICY ISLANDS. 1^7 



tions, executed with the moft cruel rigour all fmugglers ; and to 

 this day became fole mailers of the trade in nutmegs, mace, 

 cloves, and cinnamon. 



The EngliJJj vifited the Spice IJlands in the year 1602, in their English. 

 firil voypge to the Eajl Indies. Sir Jawes Lancajler, during his. 

 ftay at Bantam *, fitted out a fmall pinnace, and furnilliing it 

 with fuch articles as he thought would be acceptable to the 

 natives,, difpatched it to the Moluccas under the command of 

 Mr. William Starky. The pinnace returned after the departure 

 oi Lancajhr, and forwarded x.(y England the firll: cargo of nut- 

 megs and cloves it ever received in a bottom of its own. 



In our fecond voyage the fleet was commanded by ?>ix Henry. 

 MiddletOHy knight, who, in 1604, after a month's flay at Bantam^ 

 failed diredlly for Amboina, leaving two fliips to take in a cargo 

 of pepper. From Amboina the admiral went to the Moluccas^ 

 and difpatched the other fliip, commanded by Mr. CoJthurJl^ to- 

 Banda', we are not tokl the circumflance of this voyage, any 

 more than that Sir Henry returned to England, and that the 

 Dragon, his principal fliip, loft by ficknefs forty-three out of 

 jSfty-three men, between Bantam and the Cape. 



William Keeling, commander of the expedition which was 

 made in 1667, was the firfl who began a regular commerce with 

 the Spicy IJlands. He reached Banda on February^th., 1608 ; de- 

 livered his monarch's, James the Firft's, letter and prefents at 

 'Nera, the capital tow^n, and obtained leave to eftablifh a factory 

 7i\..Pulo%vay\ he adlually built a houfe, but the jealous Hollanders 

 pulled it down, when Keeling returned to England with a rich 



* Purchas, vol. i. p. 162, 



cargo 



