Java - Henri Chatelain, 1720

JAVA, WITH THE ACCOUNT OF HOW THE DUTCH TOOK BATAVIA "Carte de l'Ile de Java", copper engraving by Henri Abraham Châtelain, published in Amsterdam in 1720 as part of the Atlas Historique. Coloured by a later hand. Size (incl. text): 38 x 87 cm. The map shows the island of Java, both its western and eastern parts, "newly compiled from the most accurate sources." Dutch trading posts are marked with flags. The accompanying text describes the island and recounts the remarkable way in which the Dutch "established themselves" in the city of Batavia. As follows: The island of Java is about 210 miles long from east to west, 40 miles from north to south, and has a circumference of 460 miles. The climate is not excessively hot, although it lies between the 6th and 9th degrees of southern latitude. The soil is fertile and yields large quantities of indigo, considered the best in the world. Most of it is collected in the region of Bantam. The island also produces rice, sugar, and benzoin resin. There are forests, rivers, springs, and mines of gold, silver, and copper, as well as some diamonds, rubies, and emeralds — though only in small quantities. The island is plagued by snakes and mosquitoes. It was formerly divided into nine or ten kingdoms; today there are only two rulers: the emperor (Pakubuwono I) and the Dutch, as the king of Bantam is under the control of the Company. After having traded for several years in the Indies and grown wealthy from their spoils and commerce, the Dutch judged that they could not firmly establish their operations in these parts without a place of refuge — somewhere to repair their ships and rest from the hardships of the sea. They set their sights on Java and chose the location where the English had built a small trading post for their commercial convenience, near the town of Jacatra. There is a stretch of coast there where ships can safely anchor year-round, at the mouth of a river that allows large sloops to sail half a mile inland. The water is so pure that it does not spoil during long sea voyages — a quality it shares with that of the Ganges and the Thames. Having decided to settle on Java, the Dutch began building a trading lodge in the town of Jacatra around the year 1617. Their commerce quickly flourished to such an extent that the islanders became highly jealous. The following year, the Dutch were attacked — incited by the English, who even provided support to the local forces. The Dutch, exposed in open ground, constructed a barricade using large bales of merchandise, which they reinforced with the cannons from their ships. In this way, they managed to repel the enemy attacks and set about improving their defences. They built a tower on a dike near the Antsioll river, bringing in large quantities of stone and lime by ship. Once this tower was equipped with cannons, they were able to withstand repeated assaults by the emperor (Sultan Agung of Mataram), who sought to destroy it. After defeating these attacks, they dispatched ships to nearby islands to gather more stone, with which they built the four bastions of Fort Batavia — which still stand today. As the Dutch fortified their position, the sultan feared that if he allowed them to complete their stronghold, he would never be able to dislodge them. He assembled a large army and many small boats to cross a swamp in the area, and moved to attack the fort, which by then was already well established. The assault was fierce and met with equal resistance. A second attack followed, no less intense than the first. One of the enemy commanders, disaffected with the sultan, sought refuge in the Dutch fort and informed them of the strength and plans of their opponents. He also gave them one particularly effective piece of advice: to collect their own excrement and hurl it at the attackers during the assault. Since the enemy were all Muslims, their religion required them to undergo six days of ritual purification if they were defiled by such "Christian filth.