The Swan Then Set Sail For Geulegola, Which Is Only A Little Way From
Wayre, And There Watered, After Which She Again Set Sail.
When about
eight leagues from the land, a Holland ship or two gave them chace.
The
people of the Swan now asked Mr Davey what he proposed to do. He
answered, "They see my colours and I see theirs: I know them to be
Dutch, and they know us to be English: I know of no injury I have done
them, and I will continue my course for Puloroon." In short time, the
Star, for such was the Dutch ship, got up within shot of the Swan, and
without hailing, or giving the smallest intimation of her intention,
let fly both with great guns and small arms in the most violent manner.
The Swan received two or three great shot through and through before she
replied, and even had some of her men slain. After this, as Mr Davey
writes, the fight continued an hour and a half, during which five men
were killed in the Swan, viz. Mr Sophonie Cozocke, merchant, who was
driven to pieces by a cannon-ball, Robert Morton, quartermaster and
drummer, Christopher Droope, Edward Murtkin, and a Bantianese passenger
from Wayre. Three others were maimed, having lost arms or legs, with
very little hopes of recovery; and eight others were wounded, most of
them mortally. During the engagement, a Dutchman stood upon the poop of
the Star with a drawn sword, calling out in the Dutch language, English
villains and rogues, we will kill you all.
The people of the Swan were much discouraged, on seeing so many of their
companions dead and wounded, insomuch that none of them would stand by
the sails to trim the ship to the best advantage so that the Hollander
lay upon her quarter pouring in great and small shot, and at last look
her by boarding, both with soldiers and others. They immediately broke
open and pillaged the cabins, plundered the men basely of their clothes
and every thing else worth taking, and throwing overboard whatever did
not please their fancies. Even the Spaniards never used more stern
cruelty in their professed wars, than did now the Dutch to us, with whom
they were in peace and amity. The Star had on board 160 men, mostly
soldiers taken from the castles of Nero and Puloway, while the Swan had
not above thirty able to stand to quarters, the rest being sick or lame,
and all much worn out in toilsome labour at Puloroon, in landing the
ordnance and constructing the two forts. Ten also of their complement
had been left in Puloroon to defend the two forts, two of whom, Herman
Hammond and John Day, were gunners. 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:
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 374 of 474
Words from 194673 to 195188
of 247546
