some lack of men,
because many have died of _bebes_, which is a disease of the legs
very common in those islands. [75]

In 1619, ships went to Olanda loaded with cloves and drugs and
other things of various values; we fear, therefore, that the power
of these Hollanders will increase in these parts, because what they
carry enriches them and enables them to send large fleets here. The
enemy, the Hollander, built another fortress besides the ones that he
had in the islands of Ternate; and we also built another in Tidore,
and are building still another. We may thus be able to inflict much
injury upon our enemies.

In Nambrino it happened that in a drunken revel of the Hollanders the
powder took fire, and a large part of the fortification was blown up;
but they have already repaired it. They say that in this accident
nearly two hundred men were burned. The inhabitants of the island
of Vanda are much of the time at war with the Hollanders, of whom
they have killed many--notable among them the commander-in-chief--by
poisoning the water that they used. It is said that they do not like
the Hollanders, but prefer the Portuguese, with whom they have been
friendly for many years. A Portuguese just now arrived from Maluca,
fleeing from the Hollanders who had held him prisoner more than three
years, and with whom he had been in various places. People say that
at present the Hollanders are on very bad terms with the nations
where they have factories. It is also said that there have come to
them from Olanda six ships and a new governor.

With oil of cloves and drugs people go to the Malucas from almost
all over the world; it is therefore believed that in these seas there
must be for a long time to come some of the hardest battles ever seen,
and that many in attempting to trade in cloves will have to encounter
iron. [76]

The French have a factory there. [77] Three of their ships came and
fought with the Hollanders, who took away one; the other two were sent
to France with cargoes. Some galleons have also come from the English,
who, according to report, now have fourteen. It is said that they
have had a fight with the Hollanders, from whom they took away two
ships. These two nations are unfriendly because of the above-mentioned
injury which the English received from the Hollanders, and also because
they are rivals. It is said that the English have an order from their
king to the effect that if the Hollanders should be stronger than