Giles Milton

So this was, yeah, they had to keep the men entertained.

They have to keep boredom at bay.

And so Nathaniel Courtauld, when he arrives on Run Island, he's faced with a problem here.

Run Island is...

it should be pointed out, is a very, very small island.

It's a couple of miles wide, a mile or so long, and they're going to be stuck on this island for a very long time.

So Arak, this fiery alcohol, is going to play a very important role in their lives as they struggle to survive on this island.

Yes.

So the Dutch, as I said, they control the other five islands in the Banda Group, leaving run as this isolated sort of outpost, if you like.

The Dutch have dozens of ships in the Banda Islands at time.

They have thousands of soldiers.

And so this is a classic sort of David versus Goliath struggle that's going to take place.

But Nathaniel Courtauld on Run Island has one thing in his favour.

And that is that Run Island, most of Run Island is surrounded by extremely high precipitous cliffs that are almost impossible to scale.

And there's only one section of the island

where it will be possible for the Dutch to land.

And, you know, Nathaniel knows enough about cannon and warfare to know where to strategically place the cannon from his two ships to defend the island.

The Dutch then instigate a complete blockade on Run Island.

They try on repeated occasions to try and take the island by force.

But Nathaniel's cannon see them off, you know, a few shots over into the sea and the ships have to retreat.