The Swan Being Thus Taken And Sore
Battered In The Action, Was Carried Away Under The Guns Of The Castle At
Nero.
The Dutch gloried much in their victory, boasting of their exploit
to the Bandanese, saying, That the king of England was not to be
compared with their great king of Holland:
That Saint George was now
turned a child, and they cared not for the king of England; for one
Holland ship was able to take ten English ships. They landed all our men
at Nero, and kept them all strict prisoners, many of them in irons.
The Swan left us at Puloroon on the 16th of January, and we expected her
back in eight or ten days at farthest, but never heard of her till the
25th of February, when Robert Fuller came over to us from Rosinging and
Wayre; to acquaint us that be had heard of an English ship being under
the guns of Nero castle. We immediately sent away Robert Hayes, the
purser of the Defence, accompanied by some of the chief men of Puloroon,
with directions to land on that side of Lantore which was in friendship
with us, and to go as near as possible to the Dutch ships with a flag of
truce, to enquire into the matter. After staying almost two hours, there
came at last a boat to fetch him off, but made him wade to the middle
before they would take him in. Being taken on board one of the Dutch
ships, the president and assistants of Nero met him, when he demanded to
know why they had made prize of the Swan, what was become of her men,
and wherefore they detained our ship and goods. They answered, that
time should bring all to light. Still urging for an answer, they used
many opprobrious words against the English, threatening to come over to
Puloroon with their forces, and to drive us from there and other places.
To this Hayes replied, that they had already done much more than they
could answer for, and was obliged to come away without seeing any one
belonging to the Swan. He could however see our poor ship all rent and
torn, in view of the natives, as an ill-got and dishonourable trophy of
Dutch treachery and ingratitude. In a short time after, they sent over a
messenger to us with a letter, which we answered, as we did others
afterwards, their messengers frequently coming over with flags of truce,
all of which letters, together with the surrenders, I brought over with
me to Bantam, and delivered to Captain Ball.
The Dutch continually threatened us, by their letters and messengers,
that, as they had now taken tee Swan, they would soon come and take
possession of the Defence, and drive us from the island of Puloroon. We
always answered, that we expected them, and would defend ourselves to
the last. They made many bravados, daily shooting off forty, fifty, or
sixty pieces of ordnance at Nero and Puloway, thinking to frighten us.
Also the people of Lantore brought us word that they were fitting out
their ships, and shipping planks and earth, which we imagined was for
land service. They had then seven ships, four gallies and frigates, and
a great number of men, with all which force they threatened to come
against us. We were told likewise, that they had endeavoured to prevail
on their black slaves, by promise of freedom and great rewards, to come
over secretly to Puloroon and set fire to the Defence. The Hollanders
also, threatened that we should carry no spices from Puloroon or any
other of the Banda islands. Thereupon, considering our engagements with
the people of Puloroon, Wayre, and Rosinging, to all of whom we had
trusted our goods, and that we had ready at Puloroon a good quantity of
nutmegs and mace, and the threats of the Hollanders, we resolved to
maintain the honour of our king and country, and to defend the interest
of our employers, the honourable Company, to the utmost of our power.
For this purpose, we determined to land all the guns, provisions, and
stores, from the Defence, and to fortify the small island of Nylacka
adjoining to Puloroon; which the Hollanders proposed to have fortified
formerly; which, if they had done, would have commanded the road, and
done us much injury, as the people of Puloroon would have been prevented
from fishing, and English ships could not have come into the roads.
Having therefore landed all the ordnance of the Defence, except four
pieces of cannon, and being busied in erecting a fortification with the
assistance of the Bandanese, Mr Hinshley also, the master of the
Defence, being ashore, and every one hard at work landing the things,
except a few left on board to keep the ship, a conspiracy was entered
into by some of the men on the 20th March, 1617; and that same night
they cut the cables and so drove out to sea. Perceiving this from the
small island, we immediately sent a boat after them, advising them to
return with the ship: But the mutineers would neither listen to them,
nor suffer the boat to come near the ship, pointing their pieces at
them, and even fired one musket-shot to keep off the boat; which was
therefore compelled to return to the small island. There went away in
the Defence nine of our men, including John Christmas, the boatswain's
mate, and we could distinctly see them next day going into Nero roads
under sail, and come to anchor under the guns of the castle. As we
afterwards learnt, some of the runaways went immediately on shore to
inform the Dutch of their exploit, contending among themselves which of
them had piloted the ship. They even brought a can of wine ashore with
them, and drank to the Hollanders on landing.
The Dutch took immediate possession of the Defence, and brought all our
rascally deserters into their castle, where they examined them as to our
proceedings at Puloroon and Nylacka, in regard to our fortifications
and means of defence.
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