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On 29 October 1645, in Amsterdam, a legal agreement was made in front of the notary Wilhelmus Silvius and witnesses Jacobus Beverlanden and Pieter Boommeester.

Additionally, on the same day, a sworn broker named Sacharia van twaelf stver appeared before the same notary for a separate matter related to the guild of brokers in Amsterdam.

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In 1623, a letter was sent to the directors of the Dutch East India Company (VOC) regarding the delayed arrival of the ship Salmander near Narden. The Salmander had not yet arrived, and it was feared it might have passed Ceylon. There was hope, however, as a ship had been spotted near Matura four days earlier, though it was unclear whether it was the Salmander or an enemy vessel. The writer expressed concern about running low on water and mentioned that the ship's captain, Olphert Brouwer, had separated from the fleet, which caused difficulties.

The fleet had waited near the eastern side of Cabo Comorin until December 28, 1622, but due to the loss of two ships, the Arckers, and limited supplies, they were forced to abandon their position. They decided to sail to Ceylon and eventually reached Malacca with great effort and damage to their sails.

The writer had already prepared a force of 780 soldiers, along with sailors and 300 lascars (local soldiers), to be transported by several ships, including the Goes, Avondster, Taytjens Manaer, Mosambique, Romeijn Boterblom, Taijoan Caneelschilder, and Waterpas, as well as smaller vessels like the Japarna, Colombo, and eight thonis (small boats).

The news of the directors' safe arrival with an additional 270 men was welcome, as it strengthened their forces. The writer remained hopeful, under God’s protection, that their combined forces would succeed. Though their original plan was to attack the enemy by surprise, they now had to reconsider their strategy due to new circumstances.

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Around 150 to 200 men were left behind, but the city (sad) and the fort in Ceylon were to remain under the control of Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie (VOC) until further orders. The writer expected the ships Avondster and Leeuwin to arrive soon to help transport the remaining prisoners. Afterward, they planned to return from Coromandel to the VOC.

The ships Goes and Worcum were mentioned as impossible to send due to the remaining goods blocking their departure. Experienced sailors judged it impossible to get these well-suited ships to Cape Comorin by September 1, 16. However, the writer asked the VOC to ensure these ships would join the upcoming fleet near Comorin as soon as possible. They also warned that the ships’ crews and supplies should be loaded onto other vessels for 8 to 10 months, as these ships currently lacked everything they needed.

Earlier, the writer had planned to send 20 men from Tuticorin to Nagapattinam on August , hoping to follow by mid-August. The goal was to complete the mission and then join the remaining forces—either by sea with small ships or by land—to reach Tuticorin. There, they would assess the enemy’s next moves and secure Colombo, Mannar, and Tuticorin for further VOC support.

The writer assured the VOC that they did not intend to risk significant forces at Nagapattinam or São Tomé. Instead, the plan was to keep the soldiers actively engaged. They would hold Nagapattinam until at least early August.

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In 1621, a report discussed the trade of spices from Asia to Europe. The quality and quantity of cinnamon shipped to Batavia (now Jakarta) on recent voyages met expectations, which was well-received. However, there was a significant issue with pepper from Malabar (a region in southwestern India): nearly 9% less was delivered than agreed.

The officials responsible for overseeing this trade were instructed to pay closer attention to ensure accuracy in future shipments. If shortages continued, they would face serious consequences. The merchants, including Reinier Serooskerck and Francois Coijs de Haese, warned that due to increased competition, securing high-quality pepper at previous prices would be difficult. They advised accepting this reality as part of the nature of trade.

Additionally, there was an unfortunate incident on July 2, 1621. The ship Avondster (Evening Star), anchored in Galles Bay (likely Galle, in modern-day Sri Lanka), was lost after its anchor cables failed during rough weather. The helmsman, Bartel Schagh, was blamed for not responding quickly enough. He allegedly ignored the situation, instead accusing the ship’s pilot, Coert Alberse, and the quartermaster, Dircq Willemsz, of neglect. Suspicion arose that the small night watch crew may have contributed to the mishap.

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A group of Dutch ships, including the Reijger, Concordia, Avondster, and Utrecht, sailed from Gamron (modern-day Bandar Abbas, Iran) bound for different destinations. The Reijger was headed to Pulicat (on India's southeast coast), while the other ships were destined for Coromandel (eastern India) and Bot (likely a misspelling of Batavia, modern-day Jakarta).

The text criticizes Dirck Sarcerius, a shipper, for not ensuring the vessels bound for Coromandel departed earlier. This delay may have cost them potential profits from the voyage. Even if they arrived in October, they could still face significant losses.

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The ship Sluijs should not be delayed but sent quickly via Masulipatam and Malacca to Batavia. The monsoon winds won’t allow for further delay in sending the Mochase shipment.

The Nayak of Tanjore sent one of his nobles, Ragia Golpaneijck, as an ambassador to Negapatam to settle matters but continues to block the city, cutting off supplies that could reach the Dutch. The situation may change upon the writer’s arrival, and uE (likely a high-ranking official) will be notified promptly.

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Evert van der Laen sent the ships Salamander and Naerden near Cape Comorin on 5 December with orders to meet him near the Avondster (Evening Star). They were to wait for news from Ceylon before anchoring near the coast. Expecting to find the Salamander, Naerden, Avondster, and the galley Boterbloem (Butterflower) near Cape Comorin by 10 December, he set sail after arranging the necessary orders with his council.

However, things did not go as planned. The Avondster and Boterbloem were still anchored there, having failed to reach Ceylon. The Salamander and Naerden had already left, and due to strong north-easterly winds, there were concerns they might have passed the Cape or even reached Ceylon. After waiting until 25 December, fears grew stronger. To resolve the uncertainty, the decision was made to send the Avondster and Boterbloem to Ceylon, with plans to follow after a few more days if the other ships did not appear—just as they did, in fact, 3 days before the Avondster and Boterbloem departed.

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In October 1789, the following events were recorded:

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On 28 March 1729, in the Dutch trading post at Gamron (modern Bandar Abbas), two incidents occurred:

On the following Monday, envoys from Ormuz failed to appear with their promised letter, despite their earlier commitment on 21 March to deliver it for reading. Instead, they asked when the ship Samaritaan was set to depart. The authorities then ordered the Chealoup Cornelia to weigh anchor early the next morning and sail toward Larak Island. The plan was to deceive the islanders by pretending to leave, with further instructions to be given once the envoys’ letters were finally received.

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The council met for two days to discuss military strategy against an enemy threat. They considered reports from Commandeur Roothaes and his advisors, who warned that the enemy might send ships to Ceylon to bring reinforcements and strengthen their position, which could harm Dutch plans.

The second discussion focused on whether to send remaining forces north along the Malabar Coast or south toward Ceylon. While capturing Diu (a key Portuguese stronghold) would be profitable, concerns arose:

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In 1627, a decision was made to strengthen the fleet near Goa to confront the enemy with force and maintain a strong reputation. The following ships were placed under the command of:

The ships included: These were reinforced by the Salamander, Toes Naerden, and Avondster, equipped with the heaviest cannons. The fleet had a total of 352 large guns and was crewed by at least 1,100 sailors. The mission aimed to uphold the reputation of the Dutch East India Company (VOC) under God’s protection. After this preparation, the ships Veenburgh and Oyevaer continued their voyage to Surat and Persia. On November 29, 1627, the Avondster and Boterbloem were sent to Ceylon (Sri Lanka) with instructions for Governor Pieter van der Meijden. The goal was to bring Ceylon and its surrounding areas, including the Kingdom of Kandy and the fortress of Trincomalee (Tutucurin), under the control of the VOC. The governor was advised to prepare as much as possible for this operation.

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On 11 September 1704, a report was sent from Macasser (now Makassar) to Batavia (now Jakarta) by ship, carried by a trader named Nachoda Co. Soeko from Bugis. The shipment included official documents for the Dutch East India Company (VOC), such as:

The letter explained that since their last report, sent on 2 July 1704 via the ship Eenhoorn to Bima, this was the first chance they had to send updates. Many traders had been delayed—some by orders from their rulers, others out of personal curiosity—after a presentation by the governor to the united alliance of Celebes (now Sulawesi), led by Raja Bonij.

The report was signed by A. A. Froiville, secretary in Macasser, and addressed to:

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This document discusses two key events from 1689:

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In a letter to the respected and wise leader Willem Hart, who served as the president and highest authority in Macassar, along with the honorable council of Macassar, the writer acknowledged receiving their letter from March 31.

The writer reported that:

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On 10 September 1701, officials in Timor received reports from the people of Lamakera about several incidents:

Due to the inability of the head officer, Captain Focanus, to act, Joannes van Alphen, the bookkeeper and second-in-command, was sent to Lifau on 4 July to purchase wax. Upon his return, he reported the following:

Van Alphen also brought disappointing news, though the text cuts off before detailing what it was.

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In April 1693, the following events took place in Castle Nassau in the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia):

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On 24 January 1667, Dutch officials near Macassar (modern-day Makassar, Indonesia) observed that the local people were shocked by the sudden arrival of their fleet. The ruler, Radja (the local king), had earlier sworn loyalty to the Dutch East India Company (VOC) but was now fearful because his forces were weak. Reports suggested:

The Dutch believed that if they attacked Macassar at that moment, they would likely succeed. However, their orders strictly forbade attacking the city or its forts unless absolutely necessary. Instead, they decided to continue their voyage along the southern coast of Celebes (modern Sulawesi) to cause as much damage as possible.

On 22 January 1667, near the reef of Banakeka, they captured a small boat from Banjarquam (modern Banjar, Borneo). The captain, a Javanese man, claimed he had been driven off course by storms. The Dutch took 350 bundles of rattan and 296 pounds of wax from him before letting him go with a letter for the VOC officials.

Upon reaching Curata (near modern Takalar, South Sulawesi), the Dutch split their forces. Radja (the Dutch-aligned local leader, not the king) and his men attacked the village of Callois Paugheka, burning it and capturing 14 people. Meanwhile, another group, led by Captain Poolman, marched to the highlands and burned the village of Mayenbing, along with five or six nearby villages. They destroyed rice and other supplies, sparing only a few houses. The Dutch then continued their campaign along the southern coast, targeting enemy settlements.

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In 1682, several documents were submitted to the Governor-General in Batavia (modern-day Jakarta), detailing events involving Dutch and foreign ships, personnel, and local interactions:

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On 24 June, a letter was sent from Ternate to Bata (likely referring to Batavia, modern-day Jakarta) via the citizen Barent Steenhoff. A copy of this letter was sent on 2 July with the yacht Cochin. The current letter, dated 16 [month unclear], was sent with the small ship Suijlen and arrived in Ternate's harbor.

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Merchants who had been in Westmonsoon the previous season often sold or secretly transported enslaved people to Batavia, making it difficult to detect theft. To prevent this, officials began confiscating travel documents during inspections of departing ships. However, many traders bypassed this by secretly transferring their documents to associates who remained behind and followed later. Despite these efforts, confiscation was deemed ineffective and eventually abandoned.

Officials learned that 3 to 4 ships from Malay were docked near Batoukeke. They ordered Laurens Vosch, a ship’s captain sailing from Batoukeke to Mandahar in May, to investigate. He found 5 small vessels, two of which had passes—one from Batavia (held by a captain named Intchie Moeda) and another from the resident of Japara (held by Intchie Fakiero). Vosch seized 15 enslaved people and 55 reals (a type of currency) in cash, sending them to the castle on the ship Rambangh. The five vessels never arrived, likely because they had acquired stolen people and feared questioning. The seized enslaved individuals were sold at a public auction, and the 55 reals were turned over to the Dutch East India Company (VOC).

Recently, in the Grissee River, a Maleijer captain named Intchie Paniang was caught secretly trading 10 enslaved people before authorities noticed. The assistant Evert Pietersz was sent to bring him in. Intchie Paniang had a pass from the officials but complained about losing his large ship, claiming he barely escaped with a small boat. He fled that same night, leading officials to suspect his larger vessel was hidden nearby, and he was using the small boat to avoid suspicion while engaging in illegal trade.

Similarly, traders licensed to sail to Macassar had also been at the castle and properly registered, as noted on their passes and confirmed by the president.

On 19th of the month, the president was informed of a vessel near the Bougijse Quarter that had come from Mandahar. Upon inspection, it was a small Javanese boat with 8 Maleijers. Seven claimed they lost their ship in the previous Westmonsoon and had no supplies, so they resorted to coastal trading. The eighth man, however, said he came with a captain named Intchie Bone on a small ship from Radja Sopingh on the coast of Java. They admitted to making a trip to Mandahar with Intchie Bone's knowledge and funding, bringing back some rice and old cloth. Intchie Bone denied involvement, claiming they only asked Radja Sopingh for permission to sail to Tanete.

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