Attack at Kahouli river, Luhu, 29 July 1654

Attack on Kahouli, near Luhu on Western Seram, on 29 July 1654 (the inscription reads 1652, which is an error). At Kahouli, the Makasar fighters, allies of the Hoamoalese in the Great Ambon War (1651-1652) had thrown up two fortifications to protect the sago forests growing there, which were a vital source of food. VOC troops under major Verheijden took these forts by storm and temporarily occupied them. Rumphius describes how the stench of the dead Makasars soon made them abandon and burn the fortifications.

The drawing depicts Overburg, a VOC redoubt near Luhu, on the left, which served as a staging area for this attack. We see VOC troops march up to the two Makasar fortifications from there and storming them. At sea, kora-kora vessels of the VOC’s local allies. On the op left a poem praising the victory.

Legend: A: der vijanden vestingen, B: de revier Kahoulij, C: is ons kleen en inlands vaertuig, D: is onse redoubt Overburg, op Louhou, E: onse soldateska, den vijand bestormende.

Part of an illustrated manuscript version of Livinus Bor, Amboinse Oorlogen, describing the events of the Great Ambon War (1651-1656), and defending and glorifying the acts of the VOC commander in this conflict, Arnold de Vlamingh van Oudshoorn.

See also: Koninklijke Bibliotheek KW 75 D 23, na fol. 112v.

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