15 



opportunity of inflicting an exemplary punishment on the 

 enemy.* 



Since their expulsion from Japan the Portuguese had con- 

 trived to keep a share of the trade by importing their wares 

 under the Cambodian flag. On the Oosthappets arrival, a rich 

 cargo of silks from Macao (the Portuguese settlement at the 

 mouth of the Canton River) was being transhipped into two 

 junks flying the Cambodian flag in order to be sent to Japan. 

 Tasman had express instructions to attack and make prizes of 

 all Spanish, Portuguese, and other foreign ships not provided 

 with free passes from the Dutch Company giving them permis- 

 sion to trade. He therefore rapidly discharged his cargo, loaded 

 for Formosa, and then weighed anchor and cruised outside the 

 river to look out for the Portuguese junks. A h\v days after 

 leaving the river the junks hove in sight, and Tasman gave 

 chase. He soon overhauled one of them, and after a sharp 

 light the junk surrendered, and her silks, worth 5500 dollars, 

 were transferred to the Oosthappel. The other junk (with 

 a cargo worth 5000 dollars), aided by the gathering dark- 

 ness, succeeded in escaping, and Tasman, abandoning further 

 pursuit, proceeded with his spoil to Formosa. His conduct 

 in this matter did not, however, meet with the approval 

 of the authorities at Batavia, and Abel, for his alleged neg- 

 ligence in not capturing the second junk, was condemned 

 to forfeit two months' wages. On leaving Formosa, the 

 Oosthappel was overtaken by a violent storm. She lost 

 her mainmast, and was so disabled that the ship's council 

 judged it impossible to proceed with the voyage to Japan. 

 The ship therefore made for Formosa, and after a most perilous 

 voyage contrived to reach Fort Zealandia. Here the cargo for 

 Japan was transhipped to the Zaijer, and the Oosthappel was 

 sufficiently repaired to be able to sail under jury rig with a 

 cargo oi silks for Batavia, where she arrived on 20th December. 



Although Tasman, as we have said, was fined two months' 

 wages for dereliction of duty in allowing the Portuguese junk 

 to escape him, it would appear that this was but a necessary 

 part oi the rigid discipline of the Company, and involved no 

 real disgrace. His voyage with Quast in search of the 

 ■'golden island" had tested his qualities of hardihood and 

 endurance ; his voyages to Japan had proved his skill and 

 resource in seamanship ; his services in the Banda Sea, and 

 his smart action at Lauwek (in spite 'of nominal blame) had 

 shown his courage and capacity, and his Zealand determination 

 as a stout upholder of the rights and privileges — not to say of 

 the arrogant assumptions — of the Company. Van Diemen, 



* Voormeulen van Bockercn, p. 33. 



