Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
sels 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 an excel-
lent 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 re-
turned, 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 at-
tacked 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 praus 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 el-
even years since they have visited Aru, and by thus making their attacks at long and uncer-
tain intervals the alarm dies away, and they find a population for the most part unarmed and
unsuspicious of danger. None of the small trading vessels now carry arms, though they did
so for a year or two after the last attack, which was just the time when there was the least
occasion for it. A week later one of the smaller pirate boats was captured in the 'blakang
tana.' Seven men were killed and three taken prisoners. The larger vessels have been often
seen but cannot be caught, as they have very strong crews, and can always escape by rowing
out to sea in the eye of the wind, returning at night. They will thus remain among the innu-
merable islands and channels, till the change of the monsoon enables them to sail westward.
March 9 th .—For four or five days we have had a continual gale of wind, with occasional
gusts of great fury, which seem as if they would send Dobbo into the sea. Rain accompanies
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