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OCTOBER, 1919]
EPISODES OF PIRACY IN THE EASTERN SEAS
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decapitated, as well as Pierre Mus[ ? Mazins], Pastor of Favorlang[?Kelang], and Winshemius, Pastor of Zijkam. Some of them saw their wives violated before their eyes and then cut in pieces with swords. Other women after being violated were given to the Islanders as slaves. In short there was no barbsrity or infamy which was not exercised on this occasion.
Governor Coyet, fearing that the two vessels which were left would be taken, sent the Gravelande to Kielang and the Marie to Batavia, where on its arrival the squadron mentioned above was fitted out [i.e., ten ships under Jacob Cacuw).
The enemy having pressed our people so closely that they were forced to abandon the town, they retired in all haste into the Fort with their cannon and set on fire the houses which were rearest to it. But the Chinese, who followed them up closely, extinguished the fire and saved and plundered all they could, and immediately filled with earth and sand the sugar boxes which they found, using them to entrench the streets. They raised cavaliers with batteries upon them : threw a quantity of fireworks; battered the Fort from several sides, after the return of Pastor Hambrouc, and hoped to make a breach, but in this they were disappointed.
On the contrary the besieged made a sortie and spiked the guns of the besiegers. They also made play with their mortars, and the Chinese, who had never before seen anything like them, ran to the places where the grenades were felling and were wounded by them. One of their Mandarins or Colonels, having been accused of cowardice, had his head cut off.
Herman Clenck [who had been sent to Taiovan as President and Commandant] having arrived at Taiovan and having unloaded a part of what he had with him was forced to go op to Japan. The enemy, continuing their attacks, made two new batteries at Baxamboi, whither up till then the besieged had been able to go to bury their dead, and in this way the Fort was battered on all sides.
On the 9th August twelve Dutch vessels appeared and this great reinforcement made our people hope that the Chinese would raise the siege. They were the ships which General Cæuw brought from Batavia. But it is in vain that men count upon their own forces if it does not please God to bless their designs. Scarcely had this agreeable sight struck the eyes of the besieged ; scarcely had the twelve ships cast anchor when there arose a terrible tempest, which obliged them to cut their cables and run out to sea, where the ships were carried to such a distance that the besieged lost all hope of anything like speedy succour, besides which a flyboat named the Urck having grounded, fell into the hands of the Chinese, who by this means got full information of the condition and forces of the squadron.
At length the other vessels returned and disembarked men and provisions. Five of them posted themselves in the harbour behind the town, in order to enfilade the streets. But the entrenchments had been so well made that instead of annoying the enemy, our vessels were so troubled by their batteries that they were forced to retire. In carrying out this manoeuvre the Kouwkerke also grounded and immediately afterwards was set on fire by the fireworks of the Chinese. The whole poop blew up. Some of the crew were cut to pieces and others, still living, were thrown into the flames which burst from the vessel. Others were drowned and very few indeed were saved.
Next a small flyboat named the Koertehoef ran aground, but the greatest part of the crew were so fortunate as to escape by swimming. Only the Master and a few of his men, who had jumped into a boat, were drowned by its capsizing.
