Wind Rises in North America 1625

Chapter 381 Defeated
January 8, San Diego Bay.

Captain Dirk van Hollen of the Seawolf held a rapier to Old Pang's neck, but the new Chinese man kept his head up, his eyes as calm as still water.

Seeing his expression of resignation to death, after a moment of stalemate, Dirk snorted coldly and slowly withdrew his sword.

"You led us to Black Shark Island to our deaths before, and now you're trying to lure us to the northern seas. Do you want us all to perish at the hands of you Chinese?" Dirk sheathed his rapier, his sinister gaze slicing across Old Pang's face like a knife.

Old Pang merely turned his head and gave him a cold glance before looking back at the distant blue sea.

Damn it, if this thing is killed and thrown into the sea, it will most likely be eaten clean by the fish, leaving not even a complete corpse.

I hope that in my next life, I can be reborn into the land of Xinhua.

Otherwise, you might not have enough to eat in other places.

"You want to die, but I'll make sure you live." Dirk kicked him to the ground and said hatefully, "And I'll make sure you suffer a fate worse than death!"

He then turned to several Dutch sailors and ordered, "Lock him in the bottom deck and don't let him die easily."

"Dirk, what should we do next?" Lou Vettel, who had been silent all along, suddenly asked. "Should we go back to the Caribbean, or continue to linger here?"

Luvitt had a bandage wrapped around his forehead, from which a trace of crimson blood seeped, and there was a deep bloodstain on his right cheek, making him look quite horrifying.

A dozen days ago, when they arrived at the smuggling island filled with countless gold and silver, they thought that what followed would be a feast of wealth for them.

Unexpectedly, they were met with a fierce artillery barrage.

Huge projectiles rained down like meteors.

Seeing the huge splashes of water being stirred up around the ship, all the Dutch crew members were utterly horrified.

Clearly, the enemy had already marked the firing range and impact points at sea, and the shells were flying at high speed, almost grazing the hull of the ship.

If they hadn't been incredibly lucky, narrowly escaping several deadly shells during the initial rounds of shelling, they might all have been sent to the bottom of the sea and become fish food.

Even so, both armed privateers were hit in multiple places, resulting in more than ten people being injured to varying degrees.

Without any delay, the Seawolf and the Flyer immediately adjusted their sails, turned their rudders, and fled rapidly to the southeast.

As for engaging in a firefight with the island's coastal defense batteries and destroying their defense system, they never even considered it.

Don't be ridiculous. To send your own wooden boats to fight against someone else's sturdy gun emplacements—how crazy would you have to be to issue such a stupid order?

Although there were only a few cannons on the island, perhaps only a dozen or so, they were still more than the two pirate privateers could handle.

Compared to ordinary merchant ships with little or no armament, the Seawolf and the Flyer were equipped with more than twenty cannons, possessing powerful firepower that could easily deal with many roaming prey at sea.

However, they generally avoid provoking trouble to prevent serious damage to themselves.

The so-called tough nut to crack is that the warships of various countries' navies are their biggest threat. If they encounter them at sea, they will stay as far away as possible.

Aside from professional naval warships, these privateers and pirates least wanted to touch ports with complete defensive capabilities.

Although they may be able to suppress the coastal defense forts to some extent due to their superior number of artillery pieces.

But the problem is, they can't afford to lose!

If the enemy's coastal defense batteries accidentally break the mast and cause the ship to lose power, or if they shoot through the waterline and cause the ship to capsize, then there will be no way to escape.

Even minor damage to the ship and some casualties are unacceptable.

They were privateers, not naval warships used for conquering cities and seizing territories.

Robbery sometimes requires calculating costs and benefits.

After avoiding the firepower of the Black Shark Island coastal defense batteries, the Seawolf and Flyer did not leave. Instead, they circled around to the southern end of the island to see if there was a chance to reach it.

However, to their surprise, the southern end of the island was a desolate scene, devoid of any vegetation or rivers.

If one were to land on the island here, one could certainly bypass the garrison's defenses.

But the question is, how do you get across such a desolate area?

I'm afraid everyone will collapse from dehydration halfway through.

The Dutch lingered near Black Shark Island for two days, hesitant about whether to launch a full-scale attack and where to land.

Since the other side has deployed coastal defense batteries, there must also be a considerable number of armed personnel stationed on the island to protect this maritime smuggling base with a large amount of goods and gold and silver.

Even if they manage to conquer it, their own losses will be extremely heavy.

However, the thought of the wealth on the island filled them with excitement.

If they could seize back valuable goods worth tens or hundreds of thousands of guilders, or gold and silver of equivalent value, they would become the saviors of the West India Company.

While it cannot compare to the grand scale of Nepett Peterson Hein's exploits a decade earlier (who captured a Spanish treasure ship in the Gulf of Matanzas in 1628), it is enough to save the company from its current financial straits.

It should be noted that since the West India Company launched its war against Brazil in 1630, in order to maintain its military occupation, suppress local resistance, contain the Portuguese counterattack, and build a large number of castles and fortifications, the company has incurred huge expenses, its cash has gradually dried up, and it has been abandoned by many domestic investors.

At the same time, the company also opened a second front in Portuguese West Africa, forming a two-front war, which made the company's resources more dispersed and increased its financial pressure.

Not to mention the company's long-standing problems of mismanagement, including serious bureaucracy and redundant expenses, such as too many chambers of commerce, directors, accountants, servants, and a large number of redundant warehouses and outposts, which have led to the company's operating costs being almost out of control.

The fatal flaw was the board's short-sighted decision-making, which favored pursuing short-term gains. Especially after the interception of a Spanish treasure ship worth 1150 million Dutch guilders in the Gulf of Matanzas in 1628, the board began to rely excessively on plundering Spanish merchant ships as its main "business direction," rather than focusing on long-term and stable trade profits like the East India Company.

Because of this situation, the West India Company had to continuously invest its limited funds in military applications.

In the struggle for control of Brazil, the West India Company and Spain and Portugal fought each other constantly at sea and on land, which greatly drained the company's resources and left it in a state of constant financial strain.

In fact, as early as two years ago (1636), the West India Company was already in a state of de facto bankruptcy. Not only was it unable to distribute dividends to its many investors and shareholders, but it also frequently defaulted on wages and debts.

To make up for the deficit, the company racked its brains. In addition to constantly sending armed privateers to intercept Spanish merchant ships and plunder funds to maintain the company's basic operations, it also risked attacking Curaçao and Bonaire in order to obtain the salt mines on these islands and make up for the empty finances.

It was precisely because of the company's excessive military expansion, chaotic management, and frequent involvement in wars with countries such as Spain and Portugal that the West India Company's operations were in dire need of a large capital injection.

The "Seawolf" and "Flyer" were dispatched to the Pacific Ocean, naturally hoping to try their luck and plunder some valuables to help the company survive.

But to my utter surprise, the trip was far from as smooth as I had anticipated.

Although they captured several Spanish coastal towns in Chile after crossing the Strait of Magellan, the gains were minimal, consisting mainly of impoverished Spanish immigrants. Even digging deep, they could find very little.

When they reached Peruvian waters, the heavily fortified ports of Callao and Guayaquil prevented them from forcing their way in, and they were forced to leave in frustration. Having finally chosen Panama City as their target, they unexpectedly encountered a strong Spanish counterattack and suffered a humiliating defeat.

Perhaps out of God's mercy, they encountered two Chinese merchant ships in the Gulf of Parita near Panama. The ships were unarmed and thus became their targets.

After a fierce chase, they finally intercepted one of the Xinhua merchant ships, marking their first successful operation and a decent haul.

Later, through interrogation and torture, they learned that the Chinese had a smuggling island near the Baja California Peninsula that was piled with countless oriental goods and large amounts of gold and silver, which immediately aroused their great interest.

There were Ming Dynasty silk, exquisite porcelain, and fine raw silk, as well as hardware tools, woolen fabrics, steel bars, and various precious furs produced by their own Xinhua. There were also sugar cane, cocoa, wool, cotton, copper, and silver brought by the Spanish.

According to the confessions of the captured sailors, large warehouses were built on the island, all of which were crammed full of these goods.

If they were to capture the island, their two privateers would likely be unable to carry all the cargo.

Once these looted goods are transported back to Europe, they will cause a huge sensation. Not only will the crew members receive a large reward, but it will also give the struggling West India Company a much-needed boost.

However, when they arrived on the island with the help of the new Chinese man, harsh reality dealt them a heavy blow.

How could a maritime outpost storing a large amount of smuggled goods be without defenses?
After being thwarted by the fierce firepower of the coastal fortifications, the Dutch were extremely frustrated and filled with resentment.

The greatest pain in the world is seeing a mountain of gold right in front of you, but being unable to reach out and take it.

After lingering in the waters near the island for two days, the Dutch decided to take a risk and prepare for a night raid on the enemy fort.

Afterwards, Dirk would feel immense regret every time he recalled giving that order.

That night, two small boats carrying more than twenty armed sailors quietly sailed toward the shore, attempting to seize the fort and occupy the dock under the cover of darkness.

However, the island's guards did not slacken their vigilance in the slightest. They not only stood ready in their shore fortifications with muskets and swords, but they also kept many alert hunting dogs.

As soon as the Dutch armed sailors landed, they were spotted by hunting dogs, whose barking immediately shattered the tranquility of the night.

What started as a sneak attack turned into a bloody massacre.

More than twenty Dutch sailors were almost wiped out by the enemy, with only two managing to jump onto a small boat and frantically escape the island.

The next morning at dawn, a dozen or so wooden poles were erected on the shore, and the bodies of the Dutch sailors who had been killed were hung on them one by one, swaying gently from side to side with the sea breeze.

The sight is shocking.

The Dutch fired a few shots at the shore in a show of defiance, but after being met with a fierce and equally forceful counterattack, they could only retreat in frustration.

After this series of tests, the Dutch were completely out of options.

They can't take this small island.

Over the course of several days, more than twenty people were killed, more than ten were injured, and the ship sustained multiple damages.

If we continue down this path, the losses could be even greater.

At this point, the Dutch also came to their senses.

The new Chinese who led them to raid the island was clearly malicious and wanted to lure them into an extremely dangerous situation.

He must have known that the island was heavily fortified and well-armed, which is why he deliberately concealed this crucial information and then lured them there to their deaths.

Enraged, the Dutchmen beat him severely and prepared to kill him in the most brutal way.

Perhaps feeling the fear of death, the new Chinese man began to beg for mercy, claiming he was willing to take them to the new Chinese settlement in the north, or even to the headquarters.

There were not only more Ming Dynasty goods there, but also a much larger quantity of furs, and even gold mines. Any one of these settlements was far richer than any of the coastal towns in Spain. If one or two of them could be captured, one could obtain an unimaginable fortune.

The Dutch were skeptical and unsure whether they should trust him again.

After consulting with several senior crew members, the privateer fleet commander, Dirk, decided to try his luck again and head to the northern waters to see how much profit could be made from the settlements of the new Chinese.

On August 16, led by the new Chinese man, the two privateers arrived at San Diego Bay.

Sure enough, there was a settlement here, and its defenses were very lax.

Under the cover of naval gunfire, the Dutch landed and stormed the fortress at the cost of several casualties.

Disappointingly, there was nothing of value in the stronghold; after searching the entire place, they only managed to find a little over a hundred pesos.

Indeed, the currency used and accumulated by the residents of the fortress was silver pesos, minted locally in Spanish America.

This place is clearly a Spanish colonial outpost!

In other words, that new Chinese man led them into Spanish territory.

Dirk immediately realized that they had all been tricked.

This new Chinese not only tried to lure them to the remote northern seas, but also used them as a pawn to kill, getting them to attack the Spanish colonial outpost there.

If it weren't for the fact that this place was far enough from the heart of Mexico to prevent the supply of enough resources and personnel, resulting in the extremely poor condition of the outpost, they would have been able to capture it so easily.

If this place had even the slightest defensive capability, they might have suffered a great loss.

This damned Xinhua person is setting a trap to kill them!
So, should we continue heading north?

Who knows, he might lead them into another trap.

When Lloyd asked if they should return to the Caribbean, Dirk found himself in a dilemma.

Having arrived in the Pacific Ocean, it seems we haven't yet plundered enough riches!

"Perhaps there really is a gold mine in the north?" First mate Hendrick interjected hesitantly.

Dirk glared at him, startling the other man into immediately shutting up.

They were ruined by the same greed—the warehouses on Black Shark Island may have been filled with silk and porcelain, but the cannons clearly bore the inscription "No Entry".

And now, this insidious new Chinese wants to lead them to the far north!
Dirk instinctively looked towards the northern horizon.

There might be even greater wealth hidden there than on Black Shark Island, or perhaps another fortress is crouching there, its dark cannon muzzle pointed at the direction the compass is pointing.

"Raise the sails to full capacity." Dirk finally gritted his teeth and ordered, "We...return to port!"
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(End of this chapter)