f the duke of Courland had bought an island from the natives
in 1651. On this island they built a small fort, called St. Andre,
from which they traded to several factories up the river[4]. Besides
the Courlanders, the French and the Dutch carried on a very precarious
trade on the river. In the early part of 1659, as a result of the war
in the northern part of Europe, the duke of Courland became a prisoner
of the king of Sweden. Under these circumstances the Amsterdam chamber
of the Dutch West India Company[5] induced the Duke's commissioner,
Henry Momber, to enter into a contract turning over to it all the
duke's possessions in the Gambia River. The Dutch were to maintain the
factories and to enjoy the trade until the duke was able to resume
possession. The contract was of very doubtful value, since Momber
himself admitted that he had no power to make it, but notwithstanding
this fact he undertook to carry out its terms[6]. Shortly after the
Dutch took possession of the island belonging to the duke of Courland
it was surprised and plundered by a French pirate who, in return for a
consideration, handed it over to a Groeningen merchant of the Dutch
West India Company. The Groeningen chamber of this company was not
anxious to retain the island and therefore signified to Momber its
willingness to return it to Courland. Momber, who feared to have
caused the displeasure of the duke by his contract, was glad to
regain the island in June, 1660. Notwithstanding this fact, several
ships belonging to the Amsterdam chamber of the West India Company
entered the Gambia River and took possession of the island, keeping
the Courlanders prisoners for a month. The natives, however,
interfered in behalf of the Courlanders and the Dutch were finally
compelled to retire to Cape Verde, leaving Otto Steele, the duke's
commander, in possession[7].

It was during this state of affairs on the African coast that the
Company of Royal Adventurers was organized in England. It received its
charter December 18, 1660. In the same month, Captain Robert Holmes
sailed from England in command of the five royal ships which composed
the first expedition. In March, 1661, he arrived at Cape Verde where
he at once informed the Dutch commander that he had orders from
Charles II to warn all persons of whatsoever nation that the right of
trade and navigation from Cape Verde to the Cape of Good Hope belonged
exclusively to the king of England. Holmes ordered the Dut