Page:Early English adventurers in the East (1917).djvu/191

 In the Straits of Amboina, whither the Concord proceeded, a welcome reinforcement was met in the vessel Thomassin which had been sent on from Bantam. Encouraged by the appearance of English strength, the natives were everywhere extremely friendly, and both at Luhu and Cambello sites for factories were offered. But the Dutch were speedily upon the scene in such force that after an exchange of shots with them the English were compelled to withdraw and return to Bantam.

On their departure the Dutch turned on the unfortunate natives intent on wreaking revenge on them for the encouragement they had given to their hated rivals. Their first efforts were marked by a disaster which might have had grave consequences for them if the English had been at hand to give the natives efficient backing. On landing a large body of men on Banda the force was attacked by natives and had to retire with a loss of upwards of three hundred men—a very substantial proportion of the total garrison in the Moluccas at the period. Encouraged by this success the natives sent an envoy to the English authorities at Bantam to implore their support in the further stages of the contest. Jourdain, who was in charge, in response to the appeal re-equipped the Thomassin, the Concord and the Speedwell, and with the ships Clove and Defence, which had just arrived from England, despatched them to Banda in the early days of 1616.

The little squadron arrived at Poolo Ai on March 2, and found that the Dutch were concentrating a large force at Neira, a port opposite Lonthor, in Banda, intent on wiping out the reverse of the previous year. The moment seemed at last to have come when conclusions would be tried between the Dutch and the English. On March