o shots, one of which went through the
ship's side under the half-deck, and the other through the steerage.
They had no sooner begun than they were as quickly answered from my
ship, and in such measure, that, in the space of two hours, they became
as quiet as lambs; their admiral, who gave the onset with so much
arrogance, being the first to run away, followed by all the rest. We
chased them till night, and then finding them too swift of foot, we gave
over the chase, standing over towards Pulo Tunda. We came to anchor
again on the 2d of March in the road of Bantam, on which day we had
intelligence that one of the two ships lately come to Jacatra had got
aground near the castle, and had been set on fire by themselves on
seeing Sir Thomas Dale. The other ship, which had taken in a valuable
loading from the castle, was also cast away on some rocks, ten leagues
east of Jacatra.
On the 4th, we had a letter from John Powell, residing at Jacatra,
stating that Sir Thomas Dale had sailed on the 1st, with the Moon,
Hound, Rose, and Bee, in search of the stranded Dutch ship. The 14th we
heard from Sir Thomas that he had got almost within shot of the four
Dutch ships we met with, but had been taken by a dead calm for twelve
hours, succeeded in the night by a tempest, which scattered them so far
asunder by next morning, that they lost all hopes of the chase, and had
therefore returned to Point Ayre, whence he proposed bringing the Moon
immediately to Bantam, leaving the rest of his ships to take in
provisions at Jacatra. In a consultation as to the best course to be
taken with the fleet, it was resolved to go to the coast of Coromandel,
which we were informed was a good country for recovering the health of
our men, and abounding in rice, wheat, butter, and other, provisions,
which could not be procured here for any money.
Sec.3. _Departure for Coromandel, with Occurrences there, and the Death of
Sir Thomas Dale,--Capture of English Ships by the Dutch; and Occurrences
at Tecoo_.
On Monday the 19th of April, 1619, all our ships being together in
Bantam roads, with three Chinese junks riding among us, it was resolved
in council to execute the commission given us by the Honourable Company,
by appropriating to them the goods in these junks, in payment of former
debts due by the Chinese. Next day _Kewee_ came aboard to the president,
accompanied by the three _nockhadas_, or captains of the junks, to know
his intentions. He gave hi
|