THE DUTCH IN PERAK. 253 
to Bengal, but were scarcely beyond the straits of Pera and 
out at Sea again, when we were overtaken by sucha v-olent 
storm from the North and such a heavy Sea that our Topsails 
nearly flew away and were torn in many pieces; the Fore-yard Having 
was broken in the middle and fell down, so that ina distressed put to Sea 
condition we were obliged to go back again to Dinding, there are overte - 
to make another Fore-yard and avoid the rage of the violent ken by hea- 
tempests and yawning billows. Sailing back, we arrived again, vy storms 
towards evening, at the anchorage between the Island Dinding and obliged 
and the Coast of Pera, and we soon got accustomed to the to return to 
place where we had been before and to which we had now Dinding end 
again returned. At night we again hal rough and stormy anchor there 
weather, but we now lay quiet encircled by Land and secured for the se- 
against stormy winds and rolling Sea. cond time. 
Our Sailors went on shore early in the morning, cut down 
one of the largest Trees, and. having made out of ita new yard, 
put it up and also other sails, then weighed anchor and went 
to sea again. Steered towards the North with a handsome Pass Poelo 
wind, passed the Islands Poelo Pinang,* Perack and Lada, met Pinang, Pe- 
here a Malay Junk coming from Queda which steered close rack and 
behind us for the Kingdom of Achin; and we sailing on Lada, Button 
passed the wooded Island of Button and now lost sight of and the King- 
the mainland of Queda in 6 degrees and 44 minutes.” dom of Queda. 
Perhaps the old records of Malacca, if any are still preserved among 
the archives in Batavia, could tell the result of this Mission of the 
“black envoys” of Perak to Malacca. That the object of the 
Dutch—“ the furtherance of peace’—was attained, is exceedingly 
doubtful, as the station on the Perak river was abandoned after 
this, and the island of Dinding (or Pangkor) occupied instead. It 
was uninhabited when Wouter ScHouren touched there, but at 
the time of Damprer’s visit, twenty-six years later, a fort had 
been constructed and was garrisoned by Dutch soldiers. Dam- 
PIERS description of the Dutch fort and garrison has often been 
quoted in works on the Far East, but it is so vivid and amusing 
that this paper would be incomplete without it :— 
““We stood in pretty near the Shore, in Hopes to gain a fresh Land Wind, 
About ten a Clock the Land Wind came off, a gentle Breeze, and we coast- 
ed along the Shore. But a small Tornado coming off from the Shore about 
Midnight, we broke our Mizen Yard, and being near a Dutch Island called 
Pulo Dinding, we made in for it, and anchored there the Night ensuing, and 
found there a Dutch Sloop, mann’d with about thirty Soldiers, at an anchor. 
This is a small Island lying so nigh the Main, that Ships passing by can- 
not know it to be an Island. It is pretty high Land and well watered with 
Brooks. The Mould is blackish, deep and fat in the lower Ground: but the 
Being ready 
we leaveagain 
[ *I have met with but one earlier mention of Penang, namely, in the account 
of the voyages of Sir JAMES LANCASTER, who visited the island in 1592, and 
buried twenty-six of his men there. ] 
