Drawing of the coast at Banten

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.

Joris Joostenz. Laerle drew this map of the coastline bay of Bantam and the city in the journal of the Gelderland. The text on the top right says that this drawing shows the bay of Bantam as seen when one is anchored in front of the city.

‘A’ shows the big market of Bantam; ‘B’ shows the river on which the Dutch lodge is located; ‘C’ shows where the ships anchored; ‘D’ shows the ‘pepper mountain’; ‘E’ shows an island called ‘Pulo Paman’ by Laerle; ‘F’ shows where the Portuguese armada lay; ‘G’ shows where the junks lay; ‘H’ shows where the Chinese junks lay; ‘I’ shows five island together named ‘Pulo Lima’, ‘K’ shows the Chinese quarter and ‘L’ shows the fresh-water river.