Coquille.
Feb. 18th.—Before leaving Macassar, I had written to the Governor of
Amboyna requesting him to assist me with the native chiefs of Aru. I now
received by a vessel which had arrived from Amboyna a very polite answer
informing me that orders had been sent to give me every assistance that I might
require; and I was just congratulating myself on being at length able to get a boat
and men to go to the mainland and explore the interior, when a sudden check
came in the form of a piratical incursion. A small prau arrived which had been
attacked by pirates and had a man wounded. They were said to have five boats,
but more were expected to be behind and the traders were all in consternation,
fearing that their small vessels sent trading to the "blakang tana" would be
plundered. The Aru natives were of course dreadfully alarmed, as these
marauders attack their villages, burn and murder, and carry away women and
children for slaves. Not a man will stir from his village for some time, and I must
remain still a prisoner in Dobbo. The Governor of Amboyna, out of pure
kindness, has told the chiefs that they are to be responsible for my safety, so that
they have au excellent excuse for refusing to stir.
Several praus went out in search of the pirates, sentinels were appointed, and
watch-fires lighted on the beach to guard against the possibility of a night attack,
though it was hardly thought they would be bold enough to attempt to plunder
Dobbo. The next day the praus returned, and we had positive information that
these scourges of the Eastern seas were really among us. One of Herr
Warzbergen's small praus also arrived in a sad plight. It had been attacked six
days before, just as it was returning, from the "blakang tana." The crew escaped
in their small boat and hid in the jungle, while the pirates came up and plundered
the vessel. They took away everything but the cargo of mother-of-pearl shell,
which was too bulky for them. All the clothes and boxes of the men, and the
sails and cordage of the prau, were cleared off. They had four large war boats,
and fired a volley of musketry as they came up, and sent off their small boats to
the attack. After they had left, our men observed from their concealment that
three had stayed behind with a small boat; and being driven to desperation by the
sight of the plundering, one brave fellow swam off armed only with his parang,
or chopping-knife, and coming on them unawares made a desperate attack,
killing one and wounding the other two, receiving himself numbers of slight
wounds, and then swimming off again when almost exhausted. Two other prams
were also plundered, and the crew of one of them murdered to a man. They are
said to be Sooloo pirates, but have Bugis among them. On their way here they
have devastated one of the small islands east of Ceram. It is now eleven years