Page:History of the Indian Archipelago Vol 2.djvu/478

 t 454 DUTCH HISTORY of the west coast of that island, from Sillebar to Bancs. In the same year they captured and burnt the town of Palemhang, and forced upon the prince of that country, from the value of its productions, and the advantages of its situation, one of the finest trading positions of the Archipelago, one of their commercial, or rather anti-commercial treaties. The country of the Lampungs they got possession of in virtue of their influence over the councils of the king of Bantam, who pretended a claim to it. In the same manner, they got possession of LandaJx and Succadana^ in Borneo ; and their mercantile influence was in time established, with all its de- structive influence, in Bmyermassin, Whatever na- tive state was, from distance, or natural strength of situation, incapable of being brought under this thral- dom, Was proclaimed to be hostile, barbarous, and piratical. Their avarice was stimulated by two pro- ducts, for which those iwo islands are distinguish, ed, gold and pepper ; and to obtain these, under the.r compulsory regulations, constituted the whole objects of their administration, which, in every branch, was constantly subservient to these con- temptible and unattainable views. In their etfbrts to draw a profit from the gold mines, their cupidi- ty was signaliy punished by a heavy loss in the pur- suit, and tiieir persecution of the industry of the natives, in regard to the pepper, was accompanied by the almost toud annihilation of that important article ot traffic. The weakness of their power in