A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels — Volume 08Kerr, Robert
History
A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels — Volume 08
Kerr, Robert
Voyages and travels
The Hollanders gave but a small present, though they made a mighty brag
about it. Neither do they spare bragging of their king, as they called
Prince Maurice, whom at every word in those parts they styled _Raia
Hollanda_. Many quarrels took place between their men and ours, the
Hollanders always beginning in their drink to brawl, and usually having
the worst. I had much ado to restrain our men, which yet was necessary,
considering our great charge of goods, all of which lay on me. We were
also in a dangerous country, and but badly housed; and if we had come to
blows, it was likely that a great number would come upon us, and we
being few, could not have defended ourselves without bloodshed, which
would occasion revenge. Now of them there were above an hundred men,
including those in their house, ship, and fly-boat, all of whom would
have come against us, while we were only thirteen in a straw house.
The king of Jackatra came on the 18th of July to present his shew before
the king, attended by a guard of several hundred persons. Immediately on
his coming in sight, the guards of the king of Bantam rose up, and
handled their weapons, not from fear of the king of Jackatra offering
any violence, but because there were a number of other petty kings
present, who were mortal enemies to the king of Jackatra. On coming near
the innermost rank of the Bantam guards, and seeing that he had to pass
through among a number of these inimical petty kings, and being afraid
of the cowardly stab so usual among this people, he appeared much
alarmed, though as brave as any in those parts; wherefore he would not
pass through them, but sat down on a piece of leather, which every
gentleman has carried along with him for that purpose. He then sent to
the king, to know if it was his pleasure he should wait upon him; upon
which the king sent two principal noblemen to escort him into the
presence. And when the king of Jackatra had made his obeisance, the
young king embraced him, and he of Jackatra took his seat in the place
appointed for him.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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