. To this they added, that we did wrong in coming into these parts,
as the country belonged to the Dutch by right of conquest. I ordered
them back to their fort, desiring them to tell their captains, that I
was ready to let them have any thing I could spare, at reasonable rates,
before all others, because we acknowledged them as our neighbours and
brethren in Christ; but that we could not acknowledge the country to be
their property, and would therefore continue to ride there while we
thought proper, and would trade with whoever was pleased to come to us.
The two Dutchmen then departed, threatening the natives then aboard,
that they would all be put to death if they brought us any cloves. The
natives made light of this threat, saying they looked on us as friends,
and would come aboard in spite of the Dutch; and this day we bought 300
cattees of cloves in exchange for Cambaya cloth, and some sold for
ready money.

Next day the two Dutchmen came again on board, and immediately begun to
write down in their table books the names of all the natives which came
aboard our ship, on which I made our boatswain turn them out of the
ship, with orders not to return. Several of our men were sent ashore, to
see what entertainment the natives would give them; and on going to the
towns of Tahanne and Pelebere, they were hospitably used. The natives
told our men, that the Dutch had so wrought with _Key Chillisadang_, son
to the king of Ternate, who was newly come to this island, that he had
prohibited them from selling us any cloves on pain of death, otherwise
we should have had them in preference to the Dutch, who greatly
oppressed them. Towards night that prince passed by our ship in his
curracurra, and I sent our pinnace to him, handsomely fitted with a fine
Turkey carpet awning, and curtains of crimson silk and gold, requesting
he would come aboard. He seemed to take this message kindly, but excused
himself; saying he would visit me in the morning.

The 21st an _Orankey_ came aboard, telling us that a curracurra
belonging to the Dutch had searched three or four proas, or canoes,
bringing cloves to us, which they had confiscated, and threatened to put
the natives to death for the next offence. He told us likewise, that the
Dutch, since our arrival, had dispersed the whole garrison of their
forts round about the island, to prevent the natives from bringing us
any more spice; and had sent a message to Tidore, for two large ships to
com