chap, xxiii THE TAVERNIERS VISIT BANTAM 209
a
sufficiently large profit, but he lost 5,000 or 6,000 ecus of it to the
King, who invited him to gamble with him and five of the principal
nobles of his court, as he was much pleased at meeting a European who
spoke the Malay language so well. It cannot be doubted that the profits
are great in this kind of trade, since those who advance the money to
traders, on loan, obtain for it cent, per cent. But it is also true
that they risk much, because if the vessel is lost the money is lost to
them also, and this is called ' the great speculation '. He also made
some voyages to the King of Macassar, but they did not yield so much
profit as those to the Kingdoms of Siam, Tonquin, and Cochinchina.
Having,
then, resolved to go to Bantam, and not knowing the Malayan language, I
took with me my brother who was then at Batavia. It was necessary for
me to have the permission of the General, according to custom, and he
refused because he was not on good terms with the King of Bantam. But
two hours afterwards M. Caron, who was at that time Director-General,
sent to me to say that I might leave on my voyage for Bantam in all
safety, as soon as I wished. Accordingly I set out with my brother in a
small barque which we hired to carry us to Bantam, where, on arrival,
our first visit was to the English President, who gave us a grand
reception, and desired that we should not take other quarters but stay
with him. He had still about fifty pots of Mantua wine with which he
desired to regale us. This wine is not exported in glass bottles, in
which it goes bad, but in earthen pots, in which it always keeps good.
On
the following morning my brother went to the King's palace, where he
was well known and welcome, in order to ascertain when His Majesty
would be able to receive us. But as soon as the King knew that he was
there, he would not allow him to return to fetch me, but ordered a
messenger to be sent to seek me, and tell me that if I had any rare
jewels I should please him by bringing them.
When
the King's people came to conduct me to the palace, and I did not see
my brother with them, I was on the point of refusing to follow them,
and I recalled the manner in which the King of Achin had treated M.
Renaud, who had
