Travels in India. Part II. 



CHAP. XXIL 



The Author goes to vifit the King of Bantam , and relates fever at 

 Adventures upon that occafion. 



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BEing fo ill treated in Batavia, I refolv'd to vifit the King of Bantam ; to 

 which purpofe I took my own Brother along with me, becaufe he fpoke 

 the Language cal I'd Malaje ; which in the Eaft is as univerfal as Latin among 

 us. Being arriv'd at Bantam in a fmall Bark, which we hir'd for our felves ; 

 we went firft and vifited the Englijh Prefident, who kindly entertain'd and 

 iodg'd us. 



The next day I fent my Brother to the Palace, to know when it would be 

 feafonable for me to come and kifs the Kings Hands. When the King few him 

 (for he was well known to him) he would not flftFer him to return., but fent 

 others to fetch me, and to tell me withal!, that if I had any rare Jewels, I 

 ihould do him a kindnefs to bring them along with me. 



When I faw my Brother return'd not with the perfons which the King fent, 

 I was almoft in the mind not to have gone 5 remembring how the King of A- 

 chen had ferv'd the Sieur Renaud. For the French having fet up an Eaft India 

 Company, fent away four VelTels, three great ones, and one of eight Guns, 

 for the fervice of the Company. Their Voyage was the lhorteft that ever was 

 heard of ; arriving at Bantam in left than four months. The King alfo cour- 

 teoufly receiv'd them, and let them have as much Pepper as they defird, 

 and cheaper by twenty in the hundred then he fold it to the Hollanders. But 

 the French not coming only for Pepper., fent away their fmall Ship wjth the 

 greateft part of their Money to Macaffar, to try the Market for Cloves, Nut- 

 megs, and Mace. 



The French being fo foon difpatch'd at Bantam, had not patience to ftay 

 till the return of the fmall Veffel which they had fent to Macaffar ; but to 

 pafs the time, muft needs rurj over to Batavia } being not above fourteen 

 Leagues off 5 fo that you may be at Batavia from Bantam in a tide with a 

 good wind. When they came to an Anchor, the General of the French Fleet 

 lent to Complement the General, of Makayia, '.who fail'd not to anfwer his ci- 

 vility, and invited the Admiral afhore. Moreover he fent to thofe that ftay'd 

 aboard, great ftore of excellent chear, and a good quantity of Spanijh and 

 Rhemjh Wine, with particular order to them that carry 'd it, to makç the French 

 drunks His* order 1 'was fo well foflow'd,. that 'twas eafte. to fet the Ships on 

 fire, according to the private ihftructions \tohich they had; So foon a& the flame 

 was difcover'd from the Generals window:,, which overlook'd all the Road;, there 

 was a wonderful pretended aftonimment among the Dutch. But the French Ad- 

 miral 'too truly conjecturing the ground and Authors of the treachery, behold- 

 ing the company with an undaunted courage J Come, come, cry 'd he, lets drink 

 On j. they that/ fèê the Ships a-fire fhall pay. for ? em. However the French Ships 

 were all burnt, though the men were all fav'd in Boats, which were forth- 

 with-ifent. to theicijrelief. After that, the General of ' Bktmviu made them great 

 offers^ which they réâis'd, and return'd to Batavia, in expectation- of their fmall 

 VeiTel; ^ When it returned they could find out no better way then to fell Ship, 

 and goods, and! all to the J^ngUJh, and to fhare the Money among themfelves, 

 every one according to their condition. ■ ■ > ' . 



But the trick which they put upon the Englijh was far more bloody* The 

 Englijh were the firft that found out the danger of failing from Surat, Majli- 

 patan , or any other diftant parts , to fapon Avithout touching by the way. 

 Whereupon they thought it convenient to build a Fort in the Ifland of For- 

 tnofa, which not only fav'd the lofs of feveral Velfels, but alfo brought them 

 in great gain. The Hollanders mad that the Englijh were poffefs'd of fuch an 

 advantageous fcituation, being the only place in all the Ifland where Veffels 

 could ride in fafety 5 and finding they could not carry it by force, bethought 



.. . - them- 



