2S0 COMMERCE WITH their appearance than they were attacked by the Dutch. Beaulieu was informed, *' That the Dutch had represented to the governor and inhabitants of that place, (Tikao in Sumatra,) that the French were robbers, and meant only to observe the land- ing place in order to sack them ; that they would not assist our two commissaries any manner of way, whether in health or sickness, nor give the least relief to any of our men, bating some few sailors that they stood in need of ; and that the English had served our men to the utmost of their power." He added, " That the governor was very sensible of the malice of the Dutch, who meant only to en- gross the Indies to themselves, and had but lately abused the king of Jacatray and usurped his terri- tories ; for which reason the king of Achin thought fit to discharge them from Ticow." * The same writer aflPords, in the following anec- dote, a striking picture of the rancorous enmity and illiberality of the different European nations in India towards each other at this period. " On the 1st of February,** says he, " I went ashore again, and, by the way, met some Portuguese, whom the king of Achin had laid in irons, and who told me that the Dutch and English had a design to poison me. I told them I did not be- lieve the English would do me any harm j how- ever, I would be on my guard. They replied,
- Beaulieu's Voyage in Harris, Vol. I. p. 728.
