PULO DINDING. 
452 
where I dined with the Governor. Presently after dinner, 
our Captain, with Mr Richards and his wife, came ashore, 
and I went aboard. The Governor met them at landing, and 
conducted them into the dining-room I spoke of, where they 
treated the Governor with punch, made of brandy, sugar, and 
lime-juice, wjnch they brought with them from aboard : for 
here is nothirg, not so much as the Governor’s drink, but 
what is brought from Malacca: no herbs or fruit growing 
here: but all is either fetched from Malacca, or is brought 
by the Malayans from the Main. Jt is not through any steri¬ 
lity in the soil, for that is very fat and fruitful: neither is it 
through laziness of the Dutch, for that is a vice they are not 
guilty of: but it is from a continual fear of tie Malayans, 
with whom though they have a commerce, yet dare they not 
trust them so far, as to be ranging about the island in any 
work of husbandry, or indeed to go far from the fort, for there 
only they are safe. But to return to the Governor, he, to re¬ 
taliate the Captain’s and Mr Richard’s kindness, sent a boat 
a fishing, to get some better entertainment for his guests, than 
the fort yielded at present. About four or five o’clock the 
boat returned with a good dish of fish. These were imme¬ 
diately drest for supper, and the boat was sent out again to 
get more, for Mr Richards and his lady to carry aboard with 
them. In the mean time the food was brought into the dining¬ 
room, and placed on the table. The dishes and plates were 
of silver, and there was a silver punch-bowl full of liquor. 
The Governor, his guests, and some of his officers were 
seated, but just as they began to fall to, one of the sol¬ 
diers cried out, “Malayans,” and spoiled the entertainment; 
for immediately the Governer, without speaking one word, 
leapt out of one of the windows, to get as soon as he could to 
the fort. His officers followed, and all the servants that at¬ 
tended vvere soon in motion. Every one of them took the 
nearest way, some out of the windows, others out of the doors, 
leaving the 3 guests by themselves, who soon followed with all 
the haste they could make, without knowing the meaning of 
this sudden consternation of the Governor and his people. 
Rut by that time the Captain and Mr Richards and his wife 
were got to the fort., the Governor, who was arrived before, 
stood at, the door to receive them. As soon as they were 
enlred the fort, the door was shut, all the soldiers and servants 
being within already : nor was any man suffered to fetch away 
the victuals, or any of the plate: but they fired several guns to 
give notice to the Malayans that they were ready for them ; 
but none of them came on. For this uproar was occasioned 
by a Malayan canoa full of armed men that lay skulking under 
