Part 264: The Dutch of Tayouan

“These detestable yellow-skinned monkeys, they only understand cannons and matchlocks! Only a good whipping will teach them how to get along with people!” As Putmans thought this, he looked with considerable disgust at the workers expanding the new Fort Zeelandia. Most of them were local Han Chinese immigrants. The lack of labor had always been a headache for the Governor of Taiwan. The company personnel transported to the island by the Dutch, even including slaves and hired East Indian natives, had never exceeded a thousand people, and their numbers were constantly dwindling due to illness and death. He had to hire Chinese to complete most of the civil engineering and reclamation work, which was quite expensive and further strained Tayouan’s already deficit-ridden finances.

But he did not dare to be careless about defense. The company’s trading post in Tayouan held hundreds of thousands of guilders in cash and goods. If anything went wrong, the company would certainly not forgive him. The directors in the Seven Provinces were ruthless towards those who harmed their profits—the fate of Pieter Nuyts was a living example.

However, recently, there had been a turn of events in the trade with China. The rise of Liu Xiang had softened Zheng Zhilong’s attitude, at least in terms of trade cooperation, which was not as rigid as before. Last month, Zheng Zhilong’s envoy had even brought him a letter, probing the possibility of Dutch support.

Putmans had received news that the Council had agreed to secretly support Liu Xiang. Two old two-masted ships had already been sold to him. The more pressure Zheng Zhilong was under, the more amicable his attitude towards the Dutch would be. Of course, Putmans thought, if Liu Xiang became too powerful, it would also be quite disadvantageous for Tayouan. Pirates were always difficult to control.

However, he now had another worry. From the natives who came to Zeelandia to sell deerskins, they had learned that a fleet of “countless giant ships” had arrived at Takao and was unloading goods and preparing to build houses.

Putmans was somewhat skeptical of this news. Firstly, the natives’ concept of numbers was poor. When the quantity was large, they couldn’t count properly and could only use concepts like “many” or “countless.” However, for the natives to say “countless,” there must have been at least a dozen or two dozen ships that had arrived at Takao, and they were all “giant ships.” Although the natives were not very civilized, they often saw small boats of a few dozen tons and would certainly not consider small Chinese coastal fishing boats as “giant ships.”

To be called a “giant ship,” it had to be at least two hundred tons. The only ones who could mobilize so many ships at once in the East Asian waters were Zheng Zhilong, Liu Xiang, the Spanish, and the Australians.

No matter who the newcomers were, their landing less than ten Dutch miles from Tayouan was certainly not with good intentions. Putmans had already sent a reconnaissance ship to Takao to investigate the detailed situation there.

In fact, Putmans had some prediction as to who the newcomers were: it was very likely the Australians. A few months ago, an Australian two-masted fast boat had been to Takao and had killed dozens of Tagarian people at the time. This was very likely a reconnaissance mission for this landing.

“Australians, why are you interested in this place? Don’t you already have Hong Kong Island?” Putmans thought to himself. If the company could occupy such a good large island in the Pearl River Estuary, they would have been more than content to carry out large-scale trade there. Why would they come to this barren island full of savages? Not to mention, the diseases here alone killed dozens of soldiers and sailors every year.

As a seventeenth-century merchant and soldier, Putmans could not understand the important position of Taiwan in the new industrial system established by the Senate.

He looked worriedly at the busy construction site. He hoped the newcomers were not enemies with ill intentions towards Tayououan. His gaze shifted from the expanding Fort Zeelandia to the other side of the harbor, to the east of the Taijiang River. There was now only a simple fort there. Although it had been rebuilt with brick and stone, it was very small and could only accommodate fifty soldiers and a few cannons. If this fort could be converted into a strong bastion, the two forts could support each other. With the addition of the fort on Baxemboy Island, the entire security of Tayouan could be fully guaranteed.

Unfortunately, his current resources were only enough for the expansion of Fort Zeelandia. He could only be satisfied with slightly repairing the other fortifications.

“Your Excellency, the communication ship Bonaes Speranza has returned,” a servant reported.

“Have the captain come to me immediately!”

The news brought by the communication ship Bonaes Speranza confirmed his speculation: it was indeed the Australians.

“The Australians have a total of twenty-seven ships anchored at Takao, all of them two-masted ships,” the captain reported. “The smallest ship is at least 150 lasts.”

Among them were the smoke-belching fast boats reported by the consul in Lingao. The size of one ship left a deep impression on the captain. It was a large ship, equivalent in size to the largest Spanish galleons, but its hull was much more slender and beautiful. It had two masts and also spewed black smoke. The captain believed this ship might be the flagship of the Australian fleet because it flew many different flags.

According to the captain’s report, the Australians had already built a wooden pier at Takao Harbor and a three-story circular fort next to it. At the same time, about a dozen wooden houses had been erected on the shore.

“Are you telling the truth?” Putmans’ eyes widened in surprise. It had only been ten days since he received the news of the Australian landing, and they had already built so many structures? Building a wooden pier alone was a huge project. In Tayouan, people and goods were initially transported by small boats.

“Yes, Your Excellency. I saw it with my own eyes.”

“Alright, did the Australians react to your arrival?”

“They only sent a small boat to inquire about my intentions,” the captain reported. “I said I was on my way to Xiaoliuqiu Island to transport trade goods. They then let me leave.” He added, “The small boats they use don’t have sails or long oars, they are very fast, and they constantly spew black smoke.”

“You answered well,” Putmans nodded. “You should rest for a while, then load some trade goods and go to Takao again. I am now appointing you as a junior merchant on the Bonaes Speranza. Your mission is to enter Takao under the pretext of trade, make contact with the supreme commander of the Australian fleet, and try to find out their true intentions there. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Your Excellency, I will arrange it at once,” the captain said. He bowed, took a few steps back, and was about to leave. Putmans stopped him.

“Captain, do you believe in witchcraft?”

The captain’s face turned pale. In both Catholic and Protestant countries, believing in witchcraft was a crime punishable by death.

“I do not, Your Excellency. I only believe in Almighty God.”

“Very good. What do you think of those small Australian boats that spew black smoke and use no sails or oars?”

“I do not know, Your Excellency,” the captain said. “Whether it is witchcraft or not, if necessary, I will not hesitate to fire upon them.”

“Very good.”

After the captain left, Putmans considered for a moment and then summoned the garrison commander, Captain Heinrich Weidenfeller. This German veteran commanded the approximately 400 soldiers of the East India Company stationed in Tayouan, a mixed force of Europeans, Acehnese from the East Indies, blacks, and Japanese.

“I must inform you that a battle is likely to break out here very soon,” Putmans said. “How confident are you in defending Tayouan?”

“Your Excellency, that depends on who the enemy is,” Captain Weidenfeller said respectfully. “If it’s the Chinese, whether it’s Liu Xiang or Iquan, or the Ming army, I am confident I can deal with them. One of my soldiers can fight twenty-five Chinese.”

“I am glad you are so confident. However, the opponent is likely to be a more formidable enemy than the Spanish…”

“Then I need to strengthen the fortifications and conscript everyone who can use a weapon.”

“You can start gathering personnel on a small scale. You must listen to my orders for conscripting sailors. I authorize you to immediately strengthen the existing defenses. I know the fortifications are being expanded and repaired, but you should first use the available resources to reinforce all fortifications. Double the guards every night! I do not want to be caught off guard.”

“Yes, Your Excellency.”

Watching the captain leave, Putmans thought of the goods and cash in the warehouse and on the ships. He was a little worried about his 25,000 livres worth of goods. The Dutch United East India Company was quite stingy with its employees. Even as a member of the Council, the governor of Formosa’s salary was very low. Without engaging in some smuggling on the side, it was almost impossible to save any money.

The Dutch immediately got busy in Tayouan. Captain Weidenfeller ordered landmines to be buried on the beach and the walls of the simple fortifications on Baxemboy Island and other places to be raised with bamboo poles. Some of the cannons stored in the warehouse were also taken out to strengthen the batteries.

The soldiers sent out to protect the missionaries and merchants were recalled. Volunteers were recruited from the Japanese village near Tayouan, and some of the native Sinkang people were also mobilized. A mixed team of natives and Dutch set out overland towards Takao, gathering intelligence along the way to see if there was any possibility of the Australians attacking from the land.

Under Putmans’ orders, all the ships anchored in the harbor were prepared for battle. Three large ships were moved to the entrance of the southern channel, ready to intercept any enemy ships attempting to break into the harbor. As for the northern channel, the water was very shallow, so the large Australian ships would not be able to pass through. In addition, there was already a fort on Baxemboy Island, and its cannons were sufficient to seal the northern channel.