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One of
life's little pleasures as an English expat is being able to sit in a
bar on a Saturday night necking Dutch beer and watch Dennis Bergkamp
glide gracefully through an English Premier League match. As an artist
would use a brush, a writer a pen, so Bergkamp his cultured right foot
which he uses to optimal effect as he spays quality passes across his
easel.
Bergkamp of course is Dutch. A Dutch master in the manner of van Basten
or van Gogh and to appreciate his artistry over a Dutch beer on these
Indonesian isles may seem as normal as a traffic jam in Kemang, but way
back when sailors risked scurvy and malaria after an 8 month journey
from more temperate climes things weren't so neighbourly.
The
Dutch had been trading in the fabled Spice Islands and Banten since the
end of the 16th century and were quite content for the status quo to
continue. By the logic of the time, they were here first, that came with
monopolistic rights. They did however tolerate a British presence in
Java, far from the spice producing islands but handy enough for the
trade; tolerate is probably too strong a word. The English and the Dutch
would frequently brawl in the streets of Banten much to the disgust, or
amusement, of the local sultan.
But as
the English grew more assertive on the sea routes and islands, the Dutch
became more protective of their produce. The Dutch were well settled on
the Bandas, home to many of the islands vital to the spice trade and set
up 'agreements' with local chiefs. In 1614 the English tried to get
serious and set up a permanent position on the island of Ai. 5 miles
distant of the Bandas and till then untouched really by the Dutch.
The
islanders were keen enough. Their brethren weren't too happy on the
other islands and the English were perceived as better trading partners.
As a matter of colonial courtesy the English called on the Dutch
governor to explain their actions but this gentleman, named Reynst was
not so welcoming. The English returned to Ai, did a roaring trade and
headed back to Banten, leaving behind a couple of traders to fly the
flag and organise resistance to the expected Dutch attack.
The
English' arrival coincided with Gunung Api exploding big time and the
local chieftains saw great significance in this as indeed did some of
the Dutch forces. Old man Reynst however was no superstitious freak and
carried on planning for the attack which was fixed for June 1615. He was
convinced 1000 well armed Dutch and Japanese would handle 500 locals and
promised the island would be Dutch in a couple of hours.
It
wasn't so easy though. 36 invaders were killed on the first day, a
couple of hundred wounded and even a couple of defectors. The Dutch
would not give up and returned a year later with stronger forces. The
English too had some back up though they were no help. The new Dutch
commander was named Lam and it appears that previously he had been of
service to the new English commander Casteton. They met and dined
together and Casteton agreed to withdraw his fleet and advise the
English traders, led by Richard Hunt, to be neutral in the up coming
battle. Rather than face the likely to be upset Ai natives he then
headed for Ceram
Hunt
ignored the advise of his erstwhile supporter, fought and fled to nearby
Run after the island fell. The Dutch had long memories though and after
he managed to return to Banten, poor old Hunt, having been let down by
his military, suffered the indignity of being attacked in the narrow
streets and, in that quaint language of the time, 'sett him in boltes
at their gate in the hotte sunne, without hatte.' One is left wondering
what the greater effrontery was, being attacked or being left outside
without a hat on.
The
English rose up in revenge and threatened to pick off the Dutch
merchants one by one till wiser heads counseled caution and a sort of
peace hung in the unhealthy air. The truce may have been official but it
didn't stop the 2 neighbours attacking one another and even some lives
were still taken. All very unofficial of course.
Back
on the Spice Islands, the English were putting up a heroic resistance on
the island of Run, the only one not yet under Dutch control. So me
sailors who tried to make a break sailed straight into a Dutch ambush
and were chained in Fort Revenge on Ai where the Dutch took great
delight in pissed and shitting on the heads of their captives. I guess
they weren't wearing hats either.
The
Dutch were on edge. They saw the English as a serious threat and
cautioned all mtheir governors to be awaqre of thisthreat. One such
governor van Speult on Ambon. He got on fairly well with the rag tag
assortment of English eking out a living often forgotten by their
employers far across the seas. One night a chance conversation on guard
duty on the battlements led to one of the most bloodthirsty episodes a
bloodthirsty time.
A
Japanese guard was talking about the defense capabilities of the fort to
a Dutch guard whose suspicions were aroused. The unlucky Japanese was
placed in the cells and tortured. He protested his innocence but
eventually admitted that the English and the Japanese were planning an
attack. This was a surprise to the English who would often visit the
fort while being denounced but the betrayal played into the fevered mind
of the governor. He had the whole English contingent arrested. A drunken
doctor took one look at what had happened to the Japanese and agreed
that yes, the English were planning an assault
The
governor was surprised to hear such a confession, as of course were the
English who possessed 2 swords, 3 muskets and no ships. The number was
18 and included barbers, traders, sailors. The governor arrested all and
set about torturing all. Candles were used, water liberally imbibed
until the bodies expanded s much. The screams hung around the fort for a
week or so and even on he Sabbath the Dutch were studiously digging for
information. As they finished with one he was cast to the floor, his
wounds untreated, a breeding ground for maggots that could soon be
crawling in and out the open wounds. Of the 18, all but two were to be
executed. Poignant final words scribbled in the Psalms helped fueled
outrage whe n they reached England long after the event and the two
countries came close to war. The massacre ultimately was to becom4e a
bargaining chip along with the island of Run but surely the greatest
insult came when the Dutch invoiced the English for a cloth rag that had
been so bloodied during the tortures it couldn’t be used again.
They
were hard times, no doubt about it with hard men doing a hard job. The
English of course were no angels on the balance sheet of torture. I'm
just glad that we have moved on and it is indeed a pleasure to sit in a
Dutch bar, like BuGils, drinking with Dutch people whose English is often better than
a native speakers, and not worry about being tied to a gate without a
hat for non payment of bills.
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