104 COMPENDIUM OF GEOGRAPHY AND TRAVEL 



Polo, who passed through the archipelago in about 

 1290, makes mention of it by name, he did not visit 

 it, and Ludovic Varthema, the Itahan traveller, was 

 probably the first European to land upon its shores, 

 in 1505. 



The taking of Malacca by Albuquerque in 1511 

 l^rought the Portuguese in close proximity to Java, and 

 Antonio d'Abreu's fleet, despatched to the Spice Islands a 

 month or two later, coasted its shores and passed through 

 the narrow straits dividing it from Madura. But in spite 

 of its known richness the Moluccas were considered to 

 'offer greater advantages, and d'Abreu did not attempt to 

 open negotiations with the people, although he touched 

 at Agacim, the present Gressi. The Portuguese, indeed, 

 never established themselves upon the island, and had 

 only a few trading posts upon its coasts. So little was 

 it known, that fifty-two years after the taking of Malacca 

 it was described by Barros as consisting of two islands. 

 The Dutch landed for the first time in 1 5 9 5 under Hout- 

 man, and in 1610 built a fort at Batavia, which, nine 

 years later, the English helped the natives to take, but 

 on its being relieved by the Dutch fleet the assailants 

 retired. It was not imtil 1677 that any territorial 

 acquisition was made, the principality of Jacatra being 

 then ceded. From that time up to 1830 the Dutch 

 have been engaged in five great wars, lasting from 

 five to fifteen years each, but all ending in important 

 acquisitions of territory. The last was the final effort 

 of the natives, and Java is now securely in the hands 

 of Holland. 



The British temporarily occupied Java for the five 

 years from 1811 to 1816, a period which will always be 

 remembered for the energetic, though not altogether 

 successful, administration of Sir Stamford Baffles. 



