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Drawing of the coast at Tuban

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Drawing of the coast at Tuban

Laerle, Joris Joostensz.

After arriving at the port city of Bantam, Java, in early January 1602, the Dutch ships of the Moluccan fleet of the Fifth Expedition found access to be blocked by a Portuguese armada of approximately 30 ships. The Dutch fleet under Wolfert Harmensz. decided to engage the Portuguese. After several days of fighting the Portuguese withdrew after sustaining losses. This was a considerable blow to the Portuguese, who wished to keep the Dutch out of the trade in the East Indies. The Dutch then anchored at Bantam for several days before moving on to their final destinations in the Moluccas. On their way, they passed by the city of Jacatra and after continuing along the Javanese north coast arrived near the city of Tuban.

Joris Joostenz. Laerle drew this coastline of Tuban and other nearby cities in the journal of admiral Wolfert Harmensz. The text on the left gives a description of the location at which the ships lay anchored and notes that the clay ground off the coast made anchoring there very difficult.
A. is the city of Tuban. B. is the city of Sidayu (Cidaio). C. is the city of Brondong. D. is where the Dutch ships lay anchored in clay ground.

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Sources and literature

Morree, Perry, Dodo's en galjoenen: De reis van het schip Gelderland naar Oost-Indië, 1601-1603