Page:History of the Indian Archipelago Vol 2.djvu/461

OF THE ARCHIPELAGO. 417 new town, founded by the Dutch, took the name of Batavia, which afterwards acquired such cele- brity in the history of the Indian commerce. This narrative is an epitome of the whole history of Eu- ropean aggression in the East. For ten years, the Dutch enjoyed tranquillity in Java, and their establishments at Batavia grew great and prosperous from the influx of European capital ; and, the resort and settlement of the more industrious nations of Asia, encouraged thereto, by the comparative vigour and advantages of Euro- pean government. The Sultan of Mataram, master of the richest and greatest portion of Java, and called by his coun- trymen the Great, seeing his afnbitious scheme* circumscribed by the presence of the strangers, formed the scheme of expelling them from the island ; and, with this view, twice besieged the new city. The detail of these sieges is worth re- cording, as, of any transaction of the history of these countries, it affords the best illustration of the genius and resources of the European and na- tive character. The Sultan, agreeably to the character of a bar- barian, resolved upon a treacherous attack on Ba- tavia, hoping thus to take .the place by surprise. He sent, for this purpose, his commander, Baku Rcikso, with six hundred chosen men in fifty war boats, pretending to bring the Dutch a supply of VOL. ir. B d