By Yundi Aditya
Batavia, 23rd November 1647
""What is this then?"" growled the ragged, bearded sea captain as he stomped into the darkened room. The suspended wooden floorboards creaked and bounced a little under the heavy weight of this mountain of a man. His confidence in himself and all round arrogance gave him the look of an ill-tempered and stubborn man.
With a look of contempt, Jan Leidenz, an upper merchant with the VOC translated for his Javanese friend: ""What my companion,"" he began -- and upon this last word, his upper lip was raised in a visible show of disdain, indicating that ""companion"" was not a word easily used -- ""means to say is, who do I have the pleasure of meeting?""
Then to his ""companion"" he emphasized with a continuing snarl, ""He may be from England, but this Englishman has a singular lack of command over polite English language.""
""That may be so, sire, but I do command my ship and for that you are sure to be grateful,"" rebutted the corpulent captain.
This time the upper merchant's lip contorted and his nose snorted in such a way as to suggest that he had just smelled something particularly rancid. Setting aside his ill feelings, Leidenz chose to answer the old sea captain's question for his Javanese friend.
""This is, as I like to call him in a rather Roman and Javanese way, Agustus Suparno. He is a Javanese noble and like you, Jack Masterson, he has sailed the seas extensively. He is familiar with the entire archipelago and has even sailed far across the seas to China and beyond,"" he introduced.
""Please, call me Agus,"" interrupted Agus Suparno, almost embarrassed.
Masterson's face, for a moment, seemed to reflect some surprise and even respect for his local host, but this was soon replaced by a far more familiar look of superiority mixed with doubt.
With obvious and leering contempt he said, ""A local sailor lad, huh. Well, these seas is easy when you thinks of it."" Addressing Leidenz, Masterson practically turned his back on Suparno: ""But why are we a-wasting our time talking to this here local? We needs to be getting under sail soon.""
""Indeed we do!"" replied Leidenz, trying to avoid the now evident racism and remain upbeat. ""And that is precisely why we are talking to Agus. He can take us to an uncharted island, just two days' sail from here, that he says bears great riches for us and for him. With the right, let's say `encouragement', Agus will guide us there and we may be free from the Company, once and for all.""
""An island huh, well there's plenty of `em hereabouts. So speak up lad, where is it and what is this 'riches'?"" Masterson now addressed the Javanese sailor -- obviously his interest was raised, but still the underlying contempt was there.
Agus paused and when he finally spoke, he showed that he was an articulate and well-educated man; but gone were the pleasantries of introductions. Clearly the old English sea captain did not appeal to him and Leidenz was worried.
""The island is well known to me and, I would say, I will be happy to share knowledge of it with Mr. Leidenz. I fully understand that he has been used by the Company. I know how he came here to make his fortune but the Company has, essentially, robbed him of that possibility.
""But you, sir, what are you? You seem more like a pirate than a ship's captain. An English captain working for the Company, how can this be so? And now you will take a Company ship and seek your fortune, taking from an island of innocents for your own gain. How do you justify yourself? Why should I or anyone else trust you?""
He spoke calmly but with apparent authority and even outrage. Though the captain might have been furious, he seemed to be smiling.
Leidenz was sweating, thinking that the deal was at an end before it had even been started. His mind hurried to find the words to mediate, but nothing would come.
""Um, er... Well now, Agus is a strong-willed individual and ... well...,"" Masterson broke in on Leidenz' stuttering, fumbling attempt to avoid conflict
""And I am strong willed too and `tis good we understands each other! 'Tis right we was to proceed!"" he made a knowing and respectful smile at Agus.
Leidenz looked simultaneously surprised and relieved, but still held some doubts about what lay ahead.
""So... a pirate is what I am, is it?"" Masterson's voice rose again, adding to Leidenz' doubts and worries still more. ""Well, true enough it is! But then the Company is the biggest pirate of `em all and what we's be taking won't be theirs anyways.""
""True -- but taking is what we will be doing, Captain Masterson,"" replied Agus still seeming to want to reprimand the captain.
""Ay, but from who? Are there natives on this island of yours?""
""A few ... but they have no need of the gold that is there.""
The mention of that word changed the tone of the conversation completely. The English sea captain had been flippantly playing with this surprisingly erudite young Javanese man until then, but at the mention of gold his humor departed and in its place came narrowed eyes, lips squeezed tightly together and a deep breath.
Finally he spoke without looking at Leidenz, eyes fixed on Agus.
""Mr. Leidenz, the time for talking is done. Our host is a serious man and I am too. We can make this here detour to a golden island and be back on course before any of them good-for-nothing businessmen back in the Provinces knows anything about it. Let's get moving.""
Eyes open wide for emphasis, Agus confirmed, ""Just two days' sail.""
""And then what?"" Masterson spat out the words as a challenge.
""And then we shall see,"" Leidenz interjected, hoping to be positive but fearing that he had left a negative doubt in both men's minds.
17th December 1647
Report to the VOC at Batavia -- to be communicated on to Amsterdam:
""On this day, it is reported that the Dordrecht merchant ship, named in honor of the Southern Province city of the same name, has run aground on reefs in the strait between the Java and Sumatra islands. Some remains of the ship's cargo -- boxed herbs and spices -- have washed up on the shores at Anyer, West Java.
""No survivors have, as yet, been recovered nor victims reclaimed from the sea. We are to assume that all have perished.""
***
Perhaps they did. But tales are told of a ship filled with gold, and how the greed of men from distant lands, led to their deaths at each other's hands.
* Upper merchant: a commercial agent for the VOC on its merchant ships who had authority over the captain
* VOC/the Company: Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie, the Dutch East India Company
