[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Dark Ages](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages) › [Travellers (1500–1858)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel) › [Les six voyages de Jean-Baptiste Tavernier](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier) › [Travels in India (Ball)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball) › 155 # Travels in India (Tavernier) 155: CHAPTER XXV · Concerning the Dutch war with the Emperor of Java. Travels in India (Ball) 155 - **Language:** English ### CHAPTER XXV · Concerning the Dutch war with the Emperor of Java. ### [155.1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.155.1) Before leaving the English President, with whom I dined on the day I left Bantam, he discussed with me the reasons why the General of Batavia and his Council had refused me a passage to enable me to return to Surat or the coast of Bengal, where they often send vessels. The President, to compensate me for this refusal, kindly offered me a passage to England; for the season was then past for returning to India. Being attracted by his offer, I accepted without ceremony; and he told me he would be much gratified at having my company, because he himself intended to go home, the period of his service having expired. But the vessels, whether English or Dutch, could not leave for Europe for more than three months; and I thought I should do best to pass that time at Batavia, where I should be able to buy something to make my money yield a profit during the voyage. Accordingly, I took leave of the President till the time when the vessels should sail; and he presented me with a large cask of English beer to take with me to Batavia, where he said I should find scarcely any, because the General had made it contraband, knowing that it had come to the English Company. ### [155.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.155.2) “ But if he only does us this injury,” continued the President, “the Company will not trouble itself, and will not be the poorer because its beer remains unsold.” It is not really the case that if this prohibition of the Dutch General and his Council had continued it would not have been injurious to the English, for they make a considerable profit on beer, and it yields them a large sum of money annually. I have above said that it is the principal delight of the people of Batavia to see new drinks arrive, especially English beer, and that which they call mom, which comes from Brunswick. It is thought that they contribute to health ; and the majority fear that they will not survive for the remainder of the year if they do not receive these supplies. Accordingly all the people murmured loudly against the General and his Council ; and even the publicans risked going to buy the beer from the English, the General closing his eyes, and the wives of the Councillors being very glad to drink it. ### [155.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.155.3) As soon as I had landed at Batavia one of the guards ran to the entry office to give notice that I had arrived with a cask of beer ; which, however, I landed from the barque and placed near the guard. The chief of the office having come to me, said that he could not give permission for the cask to be carried to my lodging ; that I must be aware of the order of Council ; and that it would be best to reship it on the barque, and send it back to Bantam. Seeing that there was no favour to be hoped for, and as there are close to the guard-house cannons, in position, for the defence of the port, and an abundance of cannon balls, I took one of these balls and with it stove in one end of the cask. That being done, I cried out to the soldiers and passers-by: — “Children, come to empty this cask, and drink the health of the King of France, my sovereign lord, and that of the Prince of Orange,” after which I mentioned the General and the members of the Council. As no one refused to drink, the cask was already half emptied when an officer on the part of the General came to tell me that I might carry my cask of beer to my lodging. Immediately I replaced the end (of the cask) and had it carried away, after which I filled a canteen of six bottles, which I sent as a present to the General, knowing well that it would be the first he had to drink that year, and with the rest I regaled my friends. ### [155.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.155.4) I had designed, as I have said, to spend at Batavia the three months which remained till the departure of the vessels for Christendom, but the life which is led in that place being one of idleness is tiresome, and not having any other amusement than gambling and drinking, I resolved to employ a part of the time in going to see the King of Japara, who is otherwise called the Emperor of Java. He it is who was formerly King of all the island, before the King of Bantam, who was only governor of a province, rebelled against him, the Dutch being maintained in this country by the division of these two powers. For whenever the King of Japara wished to besiege Batavia, the King of Bantam immediately aided the Dutch, and when they have been attacked by the King of Bantam, which has happened many times, the King of Japara has come to their aid. In the same way, when these two Kings make war upon one another, the Dutch assist whichever of them is the weakest. The King of Japara resides in a town of which he bears the name. It is about 30 leagues distance from Batavia, and is only accessible by sea from the coast, but lies nearly 8 leagues inland. From the town you pass down a fine river to the sea, where there is a good port and finer houses than there are in the town. The King would prefer to make his ordinary residence at this place, but thinks he would not be safe there. ### [155.5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.155.5) On the eve of the day upon which I had intended to start, I went to take leave of one of the Councillors of India, and having mentioned to him that I was going to the King of Japara, he was much astonished, because this King and the Dutch were then mortal enemies. He explained the matter to me in this way. The deceased King, he said, father of the King who reigns at present, ever since the Dutch Company had built the fort at Batavia in his territories, has never been willing to make peace with it. That during the war the King had taken some Dutchmen prisoners, and the Dutch, on their side, had taken twenty times as many of his subjects, offering to give in exchange ten of his for one of theirs; but he would not give up one, either on that condition, or for money, and on his deathbed he advised his son, who succeeded him, never to give liberty to one of them. This obstinacy troubled the General and all the people of Batavia very much, and obliged them to think of some means to bring him to reason. It is the custom that as soon as a Muhammadan King is dead, his successor sends some of the principal nobles of his court to Mecca with presents in order to make the priests pray for the soul of the deceased, and also to give thanks to God and to Muhammad because the new King has come to the throne without any obstruction, and to pray that he may always be victorious over his enemies. ### [155.6](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.155.6) This new King and his Council were in much difficulty as to how they should make this voyage for two reasons, one because the King had only small vessels, and to undertake so long a journey on such vessels was risking much, joined to which the native pilots and sailors are only fit for going along the coasts, sighting from point to point, because they do not understand how to take observations. The other difficulty was that the King of Japara could not ignore the fact that the Dutch were always (cruising) about his harbours to capture his subjects if they went outside them. In order, then, to secure that those who went on the pilgrimage should be in safety, he bethought him that it would be best to come to an understanding with the English, believing that the Dutch would not dare to do anything to the pilgrims if they were in English vessels. With this object, an envoy was despatched to Bantam to the English President and his Council, who promised to give the King one of the largest and best appointed vessels of all those which the Company sent to India. They stipulated as a recompense that on the trade which the English might do in the future in the Kingdom of the King of Japara, they should not have to pay more than half the custom dues which they had hitherto paid, and that this privilege should continue to them always. This treaty being made, the English equipped a very fine vessel and placed a larger crew on her and more guns than usual. ### [155.7](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.155.7) The King of Japara’s Envoy and two English merchants embarked on the vessel in order to ratify the treaty with the King, who at once signed it, being very well satisfied, on seeing so fine a vessel, and concluded that both in going and coming the voyage would be accomplished in all safety. Nine of the principal persons of his court, and the majority of his relatives, with eighty or a hundred servants, and some other private persons, who were delighted to find so good an opportunity of accomplishing their pilgrimage, embarked with much joy on this large vessel. All this was not done without the Dutch being aware of it, as they had their spies everywhere, like the English. As it was necessary to pass in front of Bantam in order to get out of the Straits, there being no other route but that, the General of Batavia, who had notice of the time of departure, kept three large war-vessels ready, on which M. Chevres, a Councillor of India, and the Major were placed in command. They met the English vessel off Bantam, and as it was about to enter the Straits sent a cannon-shot as a signal to her to bring to; this the English were unwilling to do, on seeing which the Dutch commenced to fire their guns from all three vessels. The English, who well knew that if this continued they would be sent to the bottom, lowered sails and prepared to yield; ### [155.8](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.155.8) but all the Javanese nobles, and those who accompanied them, cried out to the English that they were traitors, and that the agreement which had been made was merely to sell them and deliver them over to the mercy of the Dutch. The Javanese at length seeing that no hope of safety was left to them, and that the Dutch commenced to board the vessel, seized their creases, or poisoned daggers, and began to run a muck against the English, of whom they killed a large number before the latter had time to place themselves on the defence. It is possible that not one would have escaped if the Dutch had not speedily come on board, and some of the Javanese nobles, and twenty or thirty of their servants, and the passengers refused to accept quarter. The combat was bloody, and seven or eight Dutchmen succumbed. The English vessel having been taken to Batavia, the General treated the crew with much civility, and sent them back with their vessel, and afterwards gave notice to the King of Japara that if he consented to make an exchange of the Dutch prisoners, he would give him all kinds of satisfaction. But the King would not listen to it, and replied that if the General had taken three times as many of his subjects he would not give up the Dutch prisoners whom he had in his power. ### [155.9](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.155.9) Thus the poor Dutch always remained as slaves, and the Javanese died of poverty at Batavia, although, through policy, they were assisted sometimes stealthily, so that the King of Japara coming to know of it, through his spies, it might cause him to treat the Dutch prisoners less harshly. The Javanese are very good soldiers. While Batavia was besieged by the King of Bantam in the year 1659, a Dutch soldier being in ambuscade in a marsh, a Javanese advanced to see what the enemy were doing, not thinking any of them were so close. The Dutchman thrust a pike into his body, and the Javanese feeling himself wounded, instead of withdrawing the pike, pushed it into his body up to the hilt, where the Dutchman held it, in order to be able to get near him, and give him two stabs with his dagger in the stomach, of which the Dutchman died. --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.155](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.155) · Pramāṇa