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| author | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-15 04:41:17 -0700 |
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| committer | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-15 04:41:17 -0700 |
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diff --git a/13055-h/13055-h.htm b/13055-h/13055-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..e1f8c99 --- /dev/null +++ b/13055-h/13055-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,24580 @@ +<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> +<html> +<head> +<title>Voyages and Travels Volume 9</title> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content= +"text/html; charset=UTF-8"> +<style type="text/css"> +<!-- +body {background: #ffffcc; margin:10%; text-align:justify} +h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 {color:green; text-align:center} +blockquote {font-size: .9em} +p.poem {text-align:center} +p.external {font-weight: bold} +--> +</style> +</head> +<body> +<div>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 13055 ***</div> + +<h2>A</h2> + +<h2>GENERAL</h2> + +<h2>HISTORY AND COLLECTION</h2> + +<h2>OF</h2> + +<h1>VOYAGES AND TRAVELS,</h1> + +<h2>ARRANGED IN SYSTEMATIC ORDER:</h2> + +<h2>FORMING A COMPLETE HISTORY OF THE ORIGIN AND PROGRESS</h2> + +<h2>OF NAVIGATION, DISCOVERY, AND COMMERCE,</h2> + +<h2>BY SEA AND LAND,</h2> + +<h2>FROM THE EARLIEST AGES TO THE PRESENT TIME.</h2> + +<hr align="center" width="25%"> +<h2>BY</h2> + +<h2>ROBERT KERR, F.R.S. & F.A.S. EDIN.</h2> + +<hr align="center" width="25%"> +<h2>ILLUSTRATED BY MAPS AND CHARTS.</h2> + +<h2>VOL. IX.</h2> + +<h3>WILLIAM BLACKWOOD, EDINBURGH:</h3> + +<h3>AND T. CADELL, LONDON.</h3> + +<h3>MDCCCXXIV.</h3> + +<hr align="center" width="50%"> +<h2>CONTENTS OF VOLUME IX.</h2> + +<p><a href="#part2"><b>PART II.--(Continued.)</b></a></p> + +<p><a href="#book2-3"><b>BOOK III.--(Continued.)</b></a></p> + +<p><a href="#chapter3-10"><b><i>CHAPTER +X.--(Continued.)</i></b></a></p> + +<p>Early Voyages of the English to India, after the Establishment +of the East India Company SECTION XV. (<i>Continued</i>)--Eighth +Voyage of the English East-India Company, in 1611, by Captain +John Saris</p> + +<p>SECTION 5. Further Observations respecting the Moluccas, and +the Completion of the Voyage to Japan</p> + +<p>SECTION 6. Arrival at Brando, and some Account of the Habits, +Manners, and Customs of the Japanese</p> + +<p>SECTION 7. Journey of Captain Saris to the Court of the +Emperor, with his Observations there and by the Way</p> + +<p>SECTION 8. Occurrences at Firando during the Absence of +Captain Saris</p> + +<p>SECTION 9. Continuation of these Occurrences</p> + +<p>SECTION 10. Conclusion of these</p> + +<p>SECTION 11. Occurrences at Firando, after the return of +Captain Saris</p> + +<p>SECTION 12. Voyage from Japan to Bantam, and thence to +England</p> + +<p>SECTION I3. Intelligence concerning Yedso or Jesso, received +from a Japanese at Jedo, who had been twice there</p> + +<p>SECTION 14. Note of Commodities vendible in Japan</p> + +<p>SECTION 15. Supplementary Notices of Occurrences in Japan, +after the departure of Captain Saris</p> + +<p>SECTION XVI. Ninth Voyage of the East-India Company, in 1612, +by Captain Edward Marlow</p> + +<p>SECTION XVII. Tenth Voyage of the East-India Company, in 1612, +written by Mr Thomas Best, Chief Commander</p> + +<p>SECTION 1. Observations during the Voyage from England to +Surat</p> + +<p>SECTION 2. Transactions with the Subjects of the Mogul, Fights +with the Portuguese, Settlement of a Factory and Departure for +Acheen</p> + +<p>SECTION 3. Occurrences at Acheen in Sumatra</p> + +<p>SECTION 4. Trade at Tecoo and Passaman, with the Voyage to +Bantam, and thence to England</p> + +<p>SECTION XVIII. Observations made during the foregoing Voyage, +by Mr Copland, Chaplain, Mr Robert Boner, Master, and Mr Nicholas +Whittington, Merchant</p> + +<p>SECTION 1. Notes extracted from the Journal of Mr Copland, +Chaplain of the Voyage</p> + +<p>SECTION 2. Notes extracted from the Journal of Mr Robert Boner, who +was Master of the Dragon</p> + +<p>SECTION 3. Extract from a Treatise by Mr Nicholas Whittington, +who was left as Factor in the Mogul Country by Captain Best, +containing some of his Travels and Adventures</p> + +<p>SECTION XIX. Eleventh Voyage of the East-India Company, in +1612, in the Salomon</p> + +<p>SECTION XX. Twelfth Voyage of the East-India Company, in 1613, +by Captain Christopher Newport</p> + +<p>SECTION 1. Observations at St Augustine, Mohelia, and divers +Parts of Arabia</p> + +<p>SECTION 2. Proceedings on the Coast of Persia, and Treachery +of the Baloches</p> + +<p>SECTION 3. Arrival at Diul-ginde, and landing of the +Ambassador: Seeking Trade there, are crossed by the slanderous +Portuguese: Go to Sumatra and Bantam; and thence to England</p> + +<p><a href="#chapter3-11"><b><i>CHAPTER XI.</i></b></a></p> + +<p>Continuation of the Early Voyages of the English East India +Company to India</p> + +<p>Introduction</p> + +<p>SECTION. I. Voyage of Captain Nicholas Downton to India, in +1614</p> + +<p>SECTION 1. Incidents at Saldanha, Socotora, and Swally; with +an Account of the Disagreements between the Moguls and +Portuguese, and between the Nabob and the English</p> + +<p>SECTION 2. Account of the Forces of the Portuguese, their +hostile Attempts and Fight with the English, in which they are +disgracefully repulsed</p> + +<p>SECTION 3. Supplies received by the Portuguese, who vainly +endeavour to use Fire-boats. They seek Peace, which is refused, +and depart. Interview between the Nabob and Captain Downton, and +Departure of the English</p> + +<p>SECTION II. Relations by Mr Elkington and Mr Dodsworth, in +Supplement to preceding Voyage</p> + +<p>SECTION 1. Continuation of the Voyage from Surat to Bantam, by +Captain Thomas Elkington</p> + +<p>SECTION 2. Brief Observations by Mr Edward Dodsworth, who +returned to England in the Hope</p> + +<p>SECTION III. Journey of Richard Steel and John Crowther, from +Agimere, in India, to Ispahan, in Persia, in the Years 1615, and +1616</p> + +<p>SECTION IV. Voyage of Captain Walter Peyton to India, in +1615</p> + +<p>SECTION 1. Occurrences during the Voyage from England to +Surat</p> + +<p>SECTION 2. Occurrences at Calicut and Sumatra. Miscarriage of +the English Ships, Abuses of the Dutch, and Factories in +India</p> + +<p>SECTION 3. Brief Notice of the Ports, Cities, and Towns, +inhabited by, and traded with, by the Portuguese, between the +Cape of Good Hope and Japan, in the Year 1616</p> + +<p>SECTION V. Notes, concerning the Proceedings of the Factory at +Cranganore, from the Journal of Roger Hawes</p> + +<p>SECTION VI. Journal of Sir Thomas Roe, Ambassador from James +I. to Shah Jehanguire, Mogul Emperor of Hindoostan</p> + +<p>Introduction</p> + +<p>SECTION 1. Journey from Surat to the Court of the Mogul, and +Entertainment there, with some Account of the Customs of the +Country</p> + +<p>SECTION 2. Occurrences in June, July, and August, 1616, from +which the Character and Dispositions of the Mogul and his +Subjects may be observed</p> + +<p>SECTION 3. Of the Celebration of the King's Birth-day, with +other Occurrences, in September, 1616</p> + +<p>SECTION 4. Broils about Abdala Khan, and Khan-Khannan: +Ambitious Projects of Sultan Churrum to subvert his eldest +Brother: Sea-fight with a Portuguese Carrack; and various other +Occurrences</p> + +<p>SECTION 5. Continuation of Occurrences at Court, till leaving +Agimere, in November, 1616</p> + +<p>SECTION 6. Sir Thomas Roe follows the Progress of the Court, +and describes the King's Leskar, &c.</p> + +<p>SECTION 7. A New-year's Gift--Suspicion entertained of the +English--Dissatisfaction of the Persian Ambassador--English Ships +of War in the Indian Seas</p> + +<p>SECTION 8 Asaph Khan and Noormahal protect the English from +Hope of Gain.--Arrival of Mr Steel.--Danger to the Public from +private Trade--Stirs about a Fort</p> + +<p>SECTION VII. Relation of a Voyage to India in 1616, with +Observations respecting the Dominions of the Great Mogul, by Mr +Edward Terry</p> + +<p>SECTION 1. Occurrences during the Voyage from England to +Surat</p> + +<p>SECTION 2. Description of the Mogul Empire</p> + +<p>SECTION 3. Of the People of Hindoostan, and their Manners and +Customs</p> + +<p>SECTION 4. Of the Sects, Opinions, Rites Priests, &c. of +the Hindoos; with other Observations</p> + +<p>SECTION VIII. Journey of Thomas Coryat by Land, from Jerusalem +to the Court of the Great Mogul</p> + +<p>SECTION 1. Letter from Agimere to Mr L. Whitaker, in 1615</p> + +<p>SECTION 2. Do. from Agra to his Mother, in 1616</p> + +<p>SECTION 3. Some Observations concerning India, by Coryat</p> + +<p>SECTION IX. Account of the Wrongs done to the English at Banda +by the Dutch, in 1617 and 1618</p> + +<p>SECTION X. Fifth Voyage of the Joint-stock by the English East +India Company, in 1617, under the Command of Captain Martin +Pring</p> + +<p>SECTION 1. Occurrences on the Voyage out, and at Surat, +Bantam, and Jacatra</p> + +<p>SECTION 2. Dutch Injustice, and Sea-fight between them and Sir +Thomas Dale</p> + +<p>SECTION 3. Departure for Coromandel, with Occurrences there, +and Death of Sir Thomas Dale.--Capture of English Ships by the +Dutch; and Occurrences at Tecoo</p> + +<p>SECTION 4. News of Peace between the English and Dutch</p> + +<p>SECTION 5. Voyage of Captain Pring from Bantam to Patania and +Japan</p> + +<p>SECTION 6. Voyage from Japan to Bantam, and thence to +England</p> + +<p>SECT. XI. Voyage of the Ann-royal, from Surat to Mokha, in +1618</p> + +<p>SECTION XII. Journal of a Voyage to Surat and Jasques in +1620</p> + +<p>SECTION 1. Voyage from England to Surat</p> + +<p>SECTION 2. Voyage from Surat towards Jasques</p> + +<p>SECTION 3. Account of a Sea-fight with the Portuguese</p> + +<p>SECTION 4. Second Sea-fight with the Portuguese</p> + +<p>SECTION 5. Sequel of the Voyage</p> + +<p>SECTION XIII. Relation of the War of Ormus, and the Capture of +that Place by the English and Persians, in 1622</p> + +<p>SECTION XIV. Account of the Massacre of Amboina, in 1623</p> + +<p>SECTION XV. Observations during a Residence in the Island of +Chusan, in 1701, by Dr James Cunningham; with some early Notices +respecting China</p> + +<p>SECTION 1. Voyage to Chusan, and short Notices of that +Island</p> + +<p>SECTION 2. Ancient and modern State of the Country, and coming +of the English to reside there</p> + +<p>SECTION 3. Manner of cultivating Tea in Chusan</p> + +<p>SECTION 4. Of the famous Medicinal Root called H-tchu-u</p> + +<p>SECTION 5. Removal of Dr Cunningham to Pulo-Condore, with an +Account of the Rise, Progress, and Ruin of that Factory</p> + +<p>SECTION 6. Some Account of the Factory at Pulo-Laut, with the +Overthrow of that Factory, and of the English Trade in Borneo</p> + +<hr align="center" width="25%"> +[Illustration: CHART OF NORTH EASTERN AFRICA] + +<p>Published 1st July 1813</p> + +<h2>A GENERAL HISTORY AND COLLECTION OF VOYAGES AND TRAVELS.</h2> + +<hr align="center" width="25%"> +<h2><a name="part2" id="part2">PART II.--Continued</a></h2> + +<h2><a name="book2-3" id="book2-3">BOOK III.--Continued.</a></h2> + +<hr align="center" width="25%"> +<h2><a name="chapter3-10" id="chapter3-10">CHAPTER +X.--<i>Continued</i>.</a></h2> + +<p>EARLY VOYAGES OF THE ENGLISH TO INDIA, AFTER THE ESTABLISHMENT +OF THE EAST INDIA COMPANY.</p> + +<p>SECTION XV.--<i>Continued</i>.</p> + +<p><i>Eighth Voyage of the English East India Company, in 1611, +by Captain John Saris</i>.</p> + +<p>SECTION 5. <i>Farther Observations respecting the Moluccas, and the +Completion of the Voyage to Japan</i>.</p> + +<p>The 10th of April, 1613, the Spanish commandant sent me a +message, requesting me to stop till the next morning, when he +would visit me along with the sergeant-major of Ternate, who had +arrived with a letter from Don Jeronimo de Sylva, allowing them +to trade with me for different things of which they were in want, +and to satisfy me in what I had requested; wherefore I resolved +to stop a while longer, to see if we could do any good. Expecting +Don Fernando next day, according to promise, and hearing nine +guns from their fort, we supposed he was coming: But it proved to +be for the arrival of the prince of Tidore from the wars, who was +returned with the heads of 100 Ternatans. His force in the +expedition in which he had been engaged, consisted of sixty men +armed with matchlocks, two brass <i>bases</i> and three or four +<i>fowlers</i>. He had over-thrown <i>Key Chilly Sadang</i>, the +son of the king of Ternate, whom the Dutch had brought over from +Ternate to prevent the natives of Machian from supplying us with +cloves. While on his return to Ternate after our departure, he +was drawn into an ambush by the son of the king of Tidore, who +lay in wait for the purpose, and slew him, together with 160 men +who were along with him, not one of the whole being spared. The +prince of Ternate brought home the head of Key Chilly Sadang to +his wife, who was sister to the slain prince. Key Chilly Sadang +in a great measure owed this discomfiture to a barrel of powder +he had bought from us at Machian, as it exploded at the +commencement of the rencounter, and threw his whole party into +confusion. Along with the prince of Ternate, one of his younger +brothers and the king of Gilolo were both slain. Towards evening, +the sergeant-major of Ternate, who was also secretary of the +government, came aboard, and made many compliments, requesting me +to come to Ternate, where they would do for me every thing in +their power. I consented to do this the more readily, as Ternate +was in my way.</p> + +<p>I received a message on the 12th from the prince of Tidore, +apologising for not having yet visited me, and saying that he had +a quantity of cloves which I might have, for which I thanked him, +and requested they might be sent soon. They promised to send the +cloves before next morning; wherefore, to guard against +treachery, I kept double watch, with match in cock, and every +thing in readiness: For this prince of Tidore was a most resolute +and valiant soldier, and had performed many desperate exploits +against the Dutch, having shortly before surprised one of their +ships of war when at anchor not far from where we then lay. +Before day, a galley, which the Spaniards told us they expected, +came over from <i>Batta China</i>, and were very near us in the +dark before we were aware. On hailing, they answered us that they +were Spaniards and our friends, and then made towards the shore +in all haste. She was but small, having only fourteen oars of a +side. We this day found our latitude to be 0° 50' N.</p> + +<p>We weighed on the 13th with the wind at N. and a current +setting to the S. In passing the fort we saluted with five guns, +which they returned. Several Spaniards came off with +complimentary messages, and among these a messenger from the +prince, saying we should have had plenty of cloves if we had +waited twenty-four hours longer. But we rather suspected that +some treachery was intended, by means of their gallies, frigates, +and curracurras, which we thus avoided by our sudden departure. +On rounding the western point of Tidore, we saw four Dutch ships +at anchor before their fort of Marieca; one of which, on our +appearance, fired a gun, which we supposed was to call their +people aboard to follow us. We steered directly for the Spanish +fort on Ternate, and shortened sail on coming near, and fired a +gun without shot, which was immediately answered. They sent us +off a soldier of good fashion, but to as little purpose as those +of Tidore had done. Having little wind, our ship sagged in, but +we found no anchorage. Having a gale of wind at south in the +evening, we stood out to sea, but lost as much ground by the +current as we had gained by the wind. The 14th, with the wind at +S.S.W. we steered N.N.W. being at noon directly under the +equinoctial. We had sight of a galley this day, on which we put +about to speak with her; but finding she went away from us, we +shaped our course for Japan.</p> + +<p>Before leaving the Moluccas, it may be proper to acquaint the +reader with some circumstances respecting the trade and state of +these islands. Through the whole of the Moluccas, a <i>bahar</i> +of cloves consists of 200 <i>cattees</i>, the <i>cattee</i> being +three pounds five ounces <i>haberdepoiz</i>, so that the bahar is +662 pounds eight ounces English averdupois weight. For this bahar +of cloves, the Dutch give fifty dollars, pursuant to what they +term their perpetual contract; but, for the more readily +obtaining some loading, I agreed to pay them sixty dollars. This +increase of price made the natives very desirous of furnishing +me, so that I certainly had procured a full lading in a month, +had not the Dutch overawed the natives, imprisoning them, and +threatening to put them to death, keeping strict guard on all the +coasts. Most of these islands produce abundance of cloves; and +those that are inhabited of any note, yield the following +quantities, one year with another. Ternate 1000 bahars, Machian +1090, Tidore 900, Bachian 300, Moteer 600, Mean 50, Batta China +35; in all 3975 bahars, or 2,633,437 1/2 English pounds, being +1175 <i>tons</i>, twelve <i>cwts.</i> three <i>qrs.</i> and nine +and a half <i>libs.</i> Every third year is far more fruitful +than the two former, and is therefore termed the great +monsoon.</p> + +<p>It is lamentable to see the destruction which has been brought +upon these islands by civil wars, which, as I learnt while there, +began and continued in the following manner: At the discovery of +these islands by the Portuguese, they found fierce war subsisting +between the kings of Ternate and Tidore, to which two all the +other islands were either subjected, or were confederated, with +one or other of them. The Portuguese, the better to establish +themselves, took no part with either, but politically kept +friends with both, and fortified themselves in the two principal +islands of Ternate and Tidore, engrossing the whole trade of +cloves into their own hands. In this way they domineered till the +year 1605, when the Dutch dispossessed them by force, and took +possession for themselves. Yet so weakly did they provide for +defending the acquisition, that the Spaniards drove them out next +year from both islands, by a force sent from the Philippine +islands, took the king of Ternate prisoner, and sent him to the +Philippines, and kept both Ternate and Tidore for some time in +their hands. Since then the Dutch have recovered some footing in +these, islands, and, at the time of my being there, were in +possession of the following forts.</p> + +<p>On the island of Ternate they have a fort named: +<i>Malayou</i>, having three bulwarks or bastions, <i>Tolouco</i> +having two bastions and a round tower, and <i>Tacome</i> with +four bastions. On Tidore they have a fort called <i>Marieka</i>, +with four bastions. On Machian, <i>Tufasoa</i>, the chief town of +the island, having four large bastions with sixteen pieces of +cannon, and inhabited by about 1000 natives: At <i>Nofakia</i>, +another town on that island, they have two forts or redoubts, and +a third on the top of a high hill with five or six guns, which +commands the road on the other side. Likewise at <i>Tabalola</i>, +another town in Machian, they have two forts with eight cannons, +this place being very strongly situated by nature. The natives of +all these places are under their command. Those of <i>Nofakia</i> +are not esteemed good soldiers, and are said always to side with +the strongest; but those of Tabalola, who formerly resided at +<i>Cayoa</i>, are accounted the best soldiers in the Moluccas, +being deadly enemies to the Portuguese and Spaniards, and as +weary now of the Dutch dominion. In these fortified stations in +Machian, when I was there, the Dutch had 120 European soldiers; +of whom eighty were at <i>Tafasoa</i>, thirty at <i>Nofakia</i>, +and ten at <i>Tabalola</i>. The isle of Machian is the richest in +cloves of all the Molucca islands; and, according to report, +yields 1800 bahars in the great monsoon. The Dutch have one large +fort in the island of Bachian, and four redoubts in the isle of +Moteer. The civil wars have so wasted the population of these +islands, that vast quantities of cloves perish yearly for want of +hands to gather them; neither is there any likelihood of peace +till one party or the other be utterly extirpated.</p> + +<p>Leaving them to their wars, I now return to our traffic, and +shall shew how we traded with the natives, which was mostly by +exchanging or bartering the cotton cloths of Cambaya and +Coromandel for cloves. The sorts in request and the prices we +obtained being as follows: <i>Candakeens</i> of Baroach six +<i>cattees</i> of cloves; candakeens of <i>Papang</i>, which are +flat, three cattees; <i>Selas</i>, or small <i>bastas</i>, seven +and eight cattees; <i>Patta chere Malayo</i> sixteen cattees; +five <i>cassas</i> twelve cattees; coarse of that kind eight +cattees; red <i>Batellias</i>, or <i>Tancoulas</i>, forty-four +and forty-eight cattees; <i>Sarassas chere Malayo</i> forty-eight +and fifty cattees; <i>Sarampouri</i> thirty cattees; <i>Chelles, +Tapsiels</i>, and <i>Matafons</i>, twenty and twenty-four +cattees; white <i>Cassas</i>, or <i>Tancoulos</i>, forty and +forty-four cattees; the finest <i>Donjerijus</i> twelve, and +coarser eight and ten cattees; <i>Pouti Castella</i> ten cattees; +the finest <i>Ballachios</i> thirty cattees; <i>Pata chere +Malayo</i> of two fathoms eight and ten cattees; great +<i>Potas</i>, or long four fathoms, sixteen cattees; white +<i>Parcallas</i> twelve cattees; <i>Salalos Ytam</i> twelve and +fourteen cattees; <i>Turias</i> and <i>Tape Turias</i> one and +two cattees; <i>Patola</i> of two fathoms, fifty and sixty +cattees; those of four fathoms and of one fathom at proportional +prices; for twenty-eight pounds of rice, a dollar; <i>Sago</i>, +which is a <i>root</i> of which the natives make their bread, is +sold in bunches, and was worth a quarter of a dollar the bunch; +velvets, sattins, taffetics, and other silk goods of China were +much in request. This may suffice for the trade of the +Moluccas.</p> + +<p>Proceeding on our voyage, it was calm all day on the 16th of +April, but we, had a good breeze at night from the west, when we +steered N.N.W. In the morning of the 17th, we steered north, with +the wind at E. by S. but it afterwards became very variable, +shifting to all points of the compass, and towards night we had +sight of land to the northwards. On the 18th we had calms, with +much rain, and contrary winds at intervals, for which reason I +resolved to go for the island of <i>Saiom</i>, which was to the +westward, and to remain there and refresh the crew, till the +change of the monsoon might permit me to proceed on my intended +voyage. But almost immediately the wind came round to the west, +and we stood N. and N. by E. On the 19th, with little wind at W. +we continued our course N. by E. the weather being extremely hot, +with much rain. It was quite calm in the morning of the 20th, but +we had a constant current setting us to the eastwards, which +indeed had been the case ever since we left Ternate. In the +afternoon, the wind came round to the northward, a brisk gale, +and we stood west to stem the current, bearing for a large island +called <i>Doy</i>, where we proposed to rest and refresh.</p> + +<p>In the morning of the 21st, we were fairly before that island, +near its northern extremity, which was a low point stretching +southwards. We stood in E. by S. with the wind at N. by E. and at +noon sent our skiff in search of a convenient place for +anchoring; but the current set so strong to the eastwards, that +we were unable to stem it, and could merely see at a distance a +very large bay, having a great shoal off its northern point half +a league out to sea, while we had sixty fathoms water off the +shore upon a bottom of sand. As night approached, we stood off +till morning; and next day, about sun-set, we came to anchor in +the large bay, having on standing in fifty-six, thirty-five, +twenty-six, and twenty-four fathoms water.</p> + +<p>I sent some people ashore in the skiff on the 23d, to look out +for a convenient watering-place, and for a proper situation in +which to set up a tent to defend our men from the rain when on +shore. They accordingly found a fit place right over against the +ship, and saw many tracks of deer and wild swine, but no +appearance of any inhabitants. The country was full of trees, +and, in particular, there were abundance of <i>cokers</i>,[1] +<i>penang, serie</i>, and <i>palmitos</i>, among which were +plenty of poultry, pheasants, and wood-cocks. I went ashore along +with our merchants, and had a tent set up. Our carpenter made +several very ingenious pitfalls for catching the wild-hogs. We +took some fish among the rocks with much labour, and got one +pheasant and two wood-Pigeons, which last were as large in the +body as ordinary hens. Some of our company staid all night ashore +to look for the wild-hogs coming into the traps, and some very +large ones were seen on the 24th, but none were caught. This +morning, about half past seven, the moon, being at the full, was +eclipsed in a more extraordinary manner than any of us had ever +seen, being three hours and a half obscured before she recovered +her entire light, <i>which was very fearful</i>.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 1: Cocoa-nut trees.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The 25th, our people searching about the woods, brought great +store of <i>cokers</i> to the ship, together with some fowls, and +the heads of the palmito trees, which we boiled with our beef, +and found them to eat like cabbages. The 28th, the company were +busily employed in taking in wood and water. The skiff was sent +out to sound the shoal, and found ten and twelve fathoms at the +northern point of the bar, near the shoal. All this time we had +prodigious rain both day and night. The 29th and 30th were +employed in bringing wood aboard, which we found as good as our +English billets. The skiff was sent on the 1st of May to sound +the western point of the bay, where the water was found very +deep. On landing at that part of the coast our people found the +ruins of several huts, among which were some brass pans, which +shewed the place had been lately inhabited, but, as we supposed, +the inhabitants had been hunted from their houses by the +wars.</p> + +<p>We set sail on the 12th May, 1613, from this island of +<i>Doy</i>, being the north-eastmost island of +<i>Batta-China</i>, or Gilolo, in the Moluccas, in latitude +2° 35' N.[2] The variation here was 5° 20' easterly. By +noon of this day we were fourteen leagues N. by E. from the place +where we had been at anchor for twenty days.[3] The 1st June, +passed the tropic of Cancer. The 2d, being in lat 25° 44' N. +we laid our account with seeing the islands of <i>Dos Reys +Magos.</i>[4] Accordingly, about four p.m. we had sight of a very +low island, and soon afterwards of the high land over the low, +there being many little islands, to the number of ten or eleven, +connected by broken grounds and ledges, so that we could not +discern any passage to the westward. At night we stood off and +took in our top-sails, and lay close by in our courses till +morning. The islands stretch from S.W. to N.E. The 3d, we stood +in for the land, which appeared to us a most pleasant and fertile +soil, as much so as any we had seen from leaving England, well +peopled, and having great store of cattle. We proposed to have +come to anchor about its north-east point, and on sounding, had +sixty fathoms. We saw two boats coming off to us, and used every +means to get speech of them, wishing for a pilot, and desiring to +know the name of the island, but the wind was so strong that we +could not get in, wherefore we stood away N.W. and had sight of +another island bearing N.N.W. for which we steered, and thence +descried another, N.E. half E. about seven or eight leagues off. +Coming under the western island, we observed certain rocks about +two miles offshore, one of which was above water, and the other, +to the north, under water, a great way without the other, and the +sea breaking on it.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 2: The latitude in the text, which we have +reason to believe accurate, as Captain Saris was so long at this +place, indicates the northern end of the island of <i>Morty</i>, +east and a little northerly of the northern peninsula or leg of +Gilolo.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 3: We have omitted in the text the naked +journal of daily winds, courses, and distances, as tending to no +useful information whatever.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 4: The indicated latitude, considering the +direction of the voyage between Morty and Japan, nearly coincides +with the small islands of Kumi and Matchi, west from the south +end of the great Liqueo.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>On the 7th, we supposed ourselves about twenty-eight or thirty +leagues from <i>Tonan</i>.[5] In the morning of the 8th, we had +sight of a high round island, bearing E. six leagues off, with +various other islands, in six or seven directions westwards, five +or six leagues off.[6] In the morning of the 8th we had sight of +land bearing N.N.E. and of six great islands in a row N.E. from +the island we descried the preceding evening; and at the northern +end of all were many small rocks and hummocks. In a bay to the +eastwards of these, we saw a high land bearing E. and E. by S. +and E.S.E. which is the island called <i>Xima</i> in the charts, +but named <i>Maihma</i> by the natives, while the former island +is called <i>Segue</i>, or <i>Amaxay</i>.[7] The 10th, four great +fishing-boats came aboard, about five tons burden each, having +one large sail, like that of a skiff. They had each four oars of +a side, resting on pins fastened to the gunwales, the heads of +the pins being let into the middle of the oars, so that they hung +in just equipoise, saving much labour to the rowers. These people +make much more speed in rowing than our men, and perform their +work standing, by which they take up less room. They told us we +were just before the entrance to <i>Nangasaki</i>, which bore +N.N.E.; the straits of <i>Arima</i> being N.E. by N. and that the +high hill we saw yesterday was upon the island called +<i>Uszideke</i>,[8] making the straits of <i>Arima</i>, at the +north end of which is good anchorage, and at the south end is the +entrance to <i>Cahinoch</i>.[9] We agreed with two of the masters +of these fishing-boats for thirty dollars each, and rice for +their food, to pilot us to <i>Firando</i>, on which agreement +their people came aboard our ship, and voluntarily performed its +duty as readily as any of our own mariners. We steered N. by W. +the pilots reckoning that we were thirty leagues from Firando. +One of the boats which came to us at this time belonged to the +Portuguese who dwelt at Nangasaki, being Christian converts, and +thought our ship had been the Portuguese ship from Makao; but, on +finding we were not, made all haste back again to advise them, +refusing every entreaty to remain with us.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 5: The island of Tanao-sima is probably +here meant, being the most southerly of the Japanese islands. It +may be proper to remark, that the termination <i>sima</i>, in the +names of islands belonging to Japan, obviously means +<i>island</i>, like the prefix <i>pula</i> in the names of +islands in the Malay Archipelago.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 6: There is a considerable cluster of small +islands south from Tanaosima, between the latitudes of 29° +30' and 30° N.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 7: Xima, or sima, only means island. +Perhaps Mashama may be that named Kaba-sima in modern maps, and +Amaxay may possibly be Amacusa, these islands being in the way +towards Nangasaki.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 8: This seems the same island called before +Amaxay, or Amacusa.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 9: Cochinotzu is the name of a town on the +south-west peninsula of the island of Kiusiu; but Cochinoch in +the text seems the sound leading to Nangasaki, and the straits of +Arima appear to be the passage between the north side of Amacusa +and Kiusiu.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>S.6. <i>Arrival at Firando, and some Account of the Habits, +Manners, and Customs of the Japanese</i>.</p> + +<p>We came to anchor about half a league short of Firando, about +three p.m. of the 11th June, 1613, the tide being then so much +spent that we could not get nearer. I was soon afterwards visited +by <i>Foyne Sama</i>, the old king of Firando, accompanied by his +nephew, <i>Tone Sama</i>, who governed the island under the old +king.[10] They were attended by forty boats or gallies, some +having ten, and others fifteen oars of a side. On coming near our +ship, the king ordered all the boats to fall astern, except the +two which carried him and his nephew, who only came on deck, both +dressed in silk gowns, under which were linen shirts and +breeches. Each of them wore two <i>cattans</i>, or Japanese +swords, one of which was half a yard long in the blade, and the +other only a quarter of a yard. They wore neither turbans nor +hats, the fore part of their heads being shaven to the crowns, +and the rest of their hair very long, and gathered into a knot +behind. The king seemed about seventy-two years of age, and his +nephew, or grandchild, twenty-two, who governed under him, and +each was attended by an officer, who commanded over their slaves +as they directed.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 10: As the Portuguese, who first visited +Japan, chose to designate the sovereign of that country by the +title of emperor, they denominated all its provinces kingdoms, +and their governors kings.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>Their manner of salutation was thus: On coming into the +presence of him they mean to salute, they put off their shoes, so +that they are barefooted, for they wear no stockings. Then +putting their right hand within the left, they hold them down to +their knees, bending their bodies, then wag or swing their joined +hands a little to and fro, making some small steps to one side +from the person they salute, and say <i>augh! augh!</i> I +immediately led them into my cabin, where I had prepared a +banquet for them, and entertained them with a good concert of +music, to their great delight. I then delivered the letters from +our king to the king of Firando, which he received very joyfully, +saying he would not open it till <i>Ange</i> came, who would +interpret it. <i>Ange</i>, in their language, signifies a pilot, +and by this name was meant one <i>William Adams</i>, an +Englishman. He had come this way in a Dutch ship from the South +Seas, about twelve years ago; and, in consequence of a mutiny +among the people, the ship was seized by the emperor, and Adams +had remained in the country ever since. After staying about an +hour and a half, the king took his leave, bidding us welcome to +the country, and promising me kind entertainment.</p> + +<p>He was no sooner ashore than all his nobility came to see the +ship, attended by a vast number of soldiers, every person of any +note bringing a present; some of venison, some of wild-fowl, and +some of wild-boar, the largest and fattest we had ever seen, +while others brought us fish, fruits, and various things. They +greatly admired the ship, and seemed never to be satisfied with +looking at her; and as we were much pestered by the number of +these visitors, I sent to the king, requesting he would order +them to remove, to prevent any inconveniences that might arise. +The king immediately sent a principal officer of his guard, with +orders to remain aboard, to see that no injury was done to us, +and ordered a proclamation to that effect to be made in the town. +The same night, Hendrik Brewer, who was chief of the Dutch +factory at Firando, came to visit me, or rather to see what had +passed between the king and us. I wrote this day to Mr Adams, who +was then at <i>Jedo</i>,[11] nearly 300 leagues from Firando, to +inform him of our arrival. King <i>Foyne</i> sent my letter next +day by his admiral, to <i>Osackay</i> (<i>Osaka</i>,) the nearest +port of importance on the principal island, whence it would go by +post to Jedo, and he sent notice to the emperor by the same +conveyance, of our arrival and purposes.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 11: Called <i>Edoo</i>, in +Purchas.]</blockquote> + +<p>In the morning of the 12th, we had fish brought to us in +abundance, and as cheap as we could desire. We this day weighed +to make sail for the road; and, on this occasion, the king sent +at the least threescore large boats, or gallies, well manned, to +tow us into the harbour. On seeing this multitude of boats, I was +in some doubts of their intentions, and sent my skiff to warn +them not to come near the ship. But the king was in the headmost +boat, and observing my suspicions, waved his handkerchief for all +the boats to wait, and came aboard himself, telling me that he +had ordered all these boats to assist in bringing me round a +point which was somewhat dangerous, on account of the strength of +the tide, and could not be stemmed by even a good breeze of wind, +and if the ship fell into the eddy, we should be driven upon the +rocks. Having got this explanation, we sent our hawsers to the +Japanese boats, on which they fell stiffly to work, and towed us +into the harbour. In the mean time, the king breakfasted with me, +and when I proposed rewarding his people for towing me in, after +we were at anchor, he would not allow them to accept of any +thing.</p> + +<p>We now anchored in five fathoms, on soft ooze, so near the +shore that we could have talked with the people in their houses. +We saluted the town with nine guns, but had no return, as there +are no cannon at this place, neither any fortifications, except +barricades for small arms. Several nobles came off to bid me +welcome, two of whom were men of high rank, named <i>Nobusane</i> +and <i>Simmadone</i>. I entertained them well, and, at their +departing, they used extraordinary state, one remaining on board +till the other was landed, their children and chief followers +using the like ceremony. There came continually such numbers of +people on board, both men and women, that we were not able to go +about the decks. The ship likewise was quite surrounded by boats +full of people, greatly admiring her head and stern. I permitted +several women of the better sort to come into my cabin, where the +picture of Venus and Cupid was hung, rather wantonly executed. +Some of these ladies, thinking it to be Our Lady and her blessed +Son, fell down to worship with appearance of much devotion, +whispering our men, so that their companions might not hear, that +they were Christians, having been converted by the Portuguese +jesuits.</p> + +<p>The king came aboard again, bringing four principal women +along with him, who were attired in silken gowns, overlapped in +front, and girt round them. Their legs were bare, except that +they had half buskins bound about their insteps with silk ribbon. +Their hair was very black and long, tied up in a knot on the +crown, in a very comely manner, no part of their heads being +shaven, like the men. They had comely faces, hands, and feet, +with clear white complexions, but wanting colour, which they +supplied by art. Their stature was low, but they were very fat, +and their behaviour was very courteous, and not ignorant of the +respect due according to their fashions. The king requested that +no person might remain in the cabin except myself and my +linguist, who was a native of Japan, brought along with me from +Bantam. He was well skilled in the Malay language, in which he +explained to me what was said by the king, in Japanese. The women +were at first somewhat bashful, but the king desired them to be +frolicsome. They sung several songs, and played on certain +instruments, one of which resembled our lute, being bellied like +it, but longer in the neck, and fretted like ours, but had only +four gut strings. They fingered with their left hands, as is done +with us, and very nimbly; but they struck the strings with a +piece of ivory held in the right hand, as we are in use to play +with a quill on the citern. They seemed to delight much in their +music, beating time with their hands, and both playing and +singing by book, prickt on lines and spaces much like our own. I +feasted them, and gave them several English commodities, and +after two hours stay, they returned on shore. At this interview I +requested the king to let us have a house in the town, which he +readily granted, taking two of my merchants ashore with him, to +whom he pointed out three or four houses, desiring them to make +their choice, paying the owners as we could agree.</p> + +<p>On the 13th I went ashore, attended by the merchants and +principal officers, and delivered our presents to the king, to +the value of about £140, which he received with great +satisfaction, feasting me and my whole company with several kinds +of <i>powdered</i> wild-fowl and fruits. He called for a standing +cup, which was one of the presents, and ordering it to be filled +with their country wine, which is distilled from rice, and as +strong as brandy, he told me he would drink it all off to the +health of the king of England, which he did, though it held about +a pint and a half, in which he was followed by myself and all his +nobles. As only myself and the Cape merchant sat in the same room +with the king, all the rest of my company being in another room, +he commanded his secretary to go and see that they all pledged +the health. The king and his nobles sat at meat cross-legged, on +mats, after the fashion of the Turks, the mats being richly edged +with cloths of gold, velvet, sattin, or damask. The 14th and 15th +were spent in giving presents; and on the 16th I agreed with +<i>Audassee</i>, captain of the Chinese quarter, for his house, +paying ninety-five dollars for the monsoon of six months; he to +put it into repair, and to furnish all the rooms conveniently +with mats, according to the fashion of the country, and we to +keep it in repair, with leave to alter as we thought fit.</p> + +<p>This day our ship was so pestered with numbers of people +coming on board, that I had to send to the king for a guardian to +clear them out, many things being stolen, though I more suspected +my own people than the natives. There came this day a Dutchman in +one of the country boats, who had been at the island of +<i>Mashma</i>, where he sold good store of pepper, broad-cloth, +and elephants teeth, though he would not acknowledge to us that +he had sold any thing, or brought any thing back with him in the +boat; but the Japanese boatmen told us he had sold a great +quantity of goods at a mart in that place, and had brought his +returns in bars of silver, which he kept very secret.</p> + +<p>The 21st the old king came aboard again, bringing with him +several women to make a frolic. These women were actors of +comedies, who go about from island to island, and from town, to +town, to act plays, which are mostly about love and war, and have +several shifts of apparel for the better grace of their +interludes. These women were the slaves of a man who fixes a +price that every man must pay who has to do with them. He must +not take a higher price than that affixed, on pain of death, if +complained against. At the first, he is allowed to fix upon each +woman what price he pleases, which price he can never afterwards +raise, but may lower it as he likes; neither doth the party +bargain with the women for their favours, but with the master. +Even the highest of the Japanese nobility, when travelling, hold +it no disgrace to send for these panders to their inn, and +bargain with them for their girls, either to fill out their drink +for them at table, as is the custom with all men of rank, or for +other uses. When any of these panders die, although in their life +they were received into the best company, they are now held +unworthy to rest among the worst. A straw rope is put round their +neck, and they are dragged through the streets into the fields, +and cast on a dung-hill to be devoured by dogs and fowls.</p> + +<p>The 23d, there arrived two Chinese junks at Nangasaki, laden +with sugar. By them it was understood that the emperor of China +had lately put, to death about 5000 persons for trading out of +the country contrary to his edict. Yet the hope of profit had +induced these men to hazard their lives and properties, having +bribed the <i>Pungavas</i>, or officers of the sea-ports, who had +succeeded those recently put to death for the same offence.</p> + +<p>The 29th, a <i>soma</i>, or junk, belonging to the Dutch, +arrived at Nangasaki from Siam, laden with Brazil wood and skins +of all kinds. On their arrival, they were said to be Englishmen, +as, before our coming, the Dutch used generally to pass by the +name of English, our nation being long known by report in Japan, +but much scandalised by the Portuguese jesuits, who represent us +as pirates and rovers on the sea. In consequence of this report, +the Japanese have a song, which they call <i>English +Crofonio</i>, shewing how the English take the Spanish and +Portuguese ships, which, while singing, they act likewise with +catans, and so scare their children, as the French used to do +theirs with the name of Lord Talbot.</p> + +<p>The 1st July two of our company happened to quarrel, and had +nearly gone out to the field to fight, which had greatly +endangered us all, as it is the law here, that whoever draws a +weapon in anger, although no harm be done, is presently cut in +pieces; and if they do even but small hurt, not only they are so +executed themselves, but all their relations are put to death. +The 2d, I went ashore to keep house at Firando, my household +consisting of twenty-six persons. At our first coming, we found +that the Dutch sold broad-cloths of £15 or 16 a-cloth, for +forty dollars, or £8 sterling the <i>mat</i>, which is a +measure of two yards and a quarter. Being desirous to keep up the +price of our cloth, and hearing that the Dutch had a great +quantity, I had a conference with Brower, the chief of their +factory, proposing that we should mutually fix prices upon such +cloths as we both had, and neither of us, in any respect, sell +below the prices agreed upon; for performance of which, I offered +to enter into mutual bonds. In the morning, he seemed to approve +of this proposal, but ere night he sent me word that he disliked +it, alleging that he had no authority from his masters to make +any such agreement. Next morning he shipped away a great store of +cloth to different islands, rating them at low prices, as at +twenty, eighteen, and sixteen dollars the <i>mat</i>, that he +might the more speedily sell off his own, and glut the market +before ours came forwards.</p> + +<p>Pepper, ungarbled, which cost 1 3/4 dollars at Bantam the +sack, was worth at our coming ten <i>tayes</i> the <i>pecul</i>, +which is 100 <i>cattea</i> of Japan, or 130 pounds English. A +<i>taye</i> is worth five shillings sterling. A rial of eight, or +Spanish dollar, is worth there in ordinary payment only seven +<i>mas</i>, or three shillings and sixpence sterling, one mas +being equal to a single rial. The <i>pecul</i> of tin was worth +thirty <i>tayes</i>; the <i>pecul</i> of elephants teeth eighty +<i>tayes</i>: Cast iron six tayes the pecul: Gunpowder +twenty-three tayes the pecul: Socotrine aloes the cattee, six +<i>tayes</i>: Fowling-pieces twenty tayes each: Calicos and such +little commodities, of Guzerat or Coromandel, were at various +prices, according to their qualities.</p> + +<p>On the 7th of July the king of the Gotto islands, which are +not far from Firando to the S.W. came upon a visit to king +<i>Foyne</i>, saying he had heard of an excellent English ship +being arrived in his dominions, which he greatly desired to go +aboard of. King Foyne requested of me that this might be allowed, +the king of Gotto being an especial friend of his; wherefore he +was banqueted on board, and several cannon were fired at his +departure, which he was much pleased with, and told me he would +be glad to see some of our nation at his islands, where they +should meet a hearty welcome. Three Japanese, two men and a +woman, were put to death for the following cause: The woman, in +the absence of her husband, had made separate assignations with +both the men. He who was appointed latest, not knowing of the +other, and weary of waiting, came too soon, and enraged at +finding her engaged with another man, drew his <i>cattan</i> and +wounded both very severely, almost cutting the man's back in two. +Yet the wounded man, getting hold of his <i>cattan</i>, wounded +the aggressor. This fray alarming the street, word was sent to +king Foyne and to know his pleasure, who accordingly gave orders +to cut off all their heads. After their execution, all who +thought proper, as many did, came to try the temper of their +weapons upon the dead bodies, which they soon hewed in small +pieces, which were left to be devoured by the ravens.</p> + +<p>The 10th three others were executed in the same way with the +former, being beheaded and afterwards cut in pieces, for stealing +a woman long since from Firando and selling her at Nangasaki. +When any are to be executed, they are led out of town in the +following manner: First there go two men, one having a mattock +and the other a shovel, to dig the grave, if that be allowed to +the criminal. Then a third person carrying a small table or +board, on which is written the crime of the party, which is +afterwards affixed to a post on the grave in which he is buried. +Next comes the party to be executed, having his hands bound +behind him by a silken cord, and having a small paper banner, +much like one of our wind-vanes, on which the offence is written. +The criminal is followed by the executioner, having his +<i>cattan</i> or Japanese sword by his side, and holding in his +hand the cord with which the hands of the criminal are bound. On +each hand of the executioner walks a soldier armed with a pike, +the head of which rests on the criminal's shoulder, to intimidate +him from attempting to escape. In this manner I saw one man led +out to execution, who went forwards with a most wonderful +resolution, and apparently without fear of death, such as I had +never seen the like in Europe. He was condemned for stealing a +sack of rice from a neighbour, whose house was burning.</p> + +<p>The 11th there arrived three Chinese junks at Nangasaki, laden +with silks. The 19th the old king begged a piece of +<i>poldavy</i> from me; and though a king, and famed as the +bravest soldier in Japan for his conduct in the wars of Corea, he +had it made into coats, which he wore next his skin, some part of +it being made into handkerchiefs. The 20th, a <i>soma</i> or junk +arrived at Nangasaki from Cochinchina, laden with silk and +benzoin, which last was exceedingly clear and good. The 29th Mr +Adams arrived at Firando, having been seventeen days in coming +from Sorongo, while we had waited no less than forty-eight days +for his coming.[12] After receiving him in a friendly manner, I +conferred with him in the presence of our merchants, as to our +hopes of trade in this country. He said the trade was variable, +but doubted not we might do as well as the Dutch, and gave great +commendations of the country, to which he seemed to be much +attached.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 12: The first messenger, for not making +haste with the letters to Adams, was banished by the angry +king.--<i>Purch.</i>]</blockquote> + +<p>On the morning of the 30th, an officer of the young king was +cut to pieces in the street, as it was thought for being too +intimate with the young king's mother; and one of the officer's +slaves was slain along with him, for endeavouring to defend his +master. This day there came two Spaniards to Firando, who were +acquainted with Mr Adams, to request a passage in our ship for +Bantam. They had belonged to the crew of a Spanish ship, sent +from New Spain about a year before to make discoveries to the +north of Japan, and coming to Jedo to wait the monsoon which +serves for going to the northward, which begins in the end of +May, the crew mutinied against their captain, and every one went +away whither he listed, leaving the ship entirely unmanned. On +receiving this account of the Spaniards, I thought it best not to +let them enter my ship.</p> + +<p>On the 3d of August, king <i>Foyne</i> sent to know what was +the size of the present from our king to the emperor, as also the +number of people I meant to take along with me to the court, that +he might provide accordingly for my going up in good order, in +regard to barks, horses, and palanquins. This day likewise I +caused the presents to be assorted, for the emperor and those of +chief consideration about him, of which presents respectively the +values were as follow:--</p> + +<pre> + For <i>Ogoshosama</i>, the emperor, ---------------------£87 7 6 + <i>Shongosama</i>, the emperor's son, ----------------43 15 0 + <i>Codskedona</i>, the emperor's secretary, ----------15 17 6 + <i>Saddadona</i>, secretary to the emperor's son,-----14 3 4 + <i>Iccocora Juga</i>, judge of <i>Meaco</i>, -----------------4 10 6 + <i>Fongodona</i>, admiral of <i>Orungo</i>,-------------------3 10 0 + <i>Goto Shozavero</i>, the mint-master, --------------11 0 0 + ---------- + Total, £180 3 10 +</pre> + +<p>S.7. <i>Journey of Captain Saris to the Court of the Emperor, +with his Observations there and by the Way</i>.</p> + +<p>The 7th August, 1613, being furnished by king <i>Foyne</i> +with a proper galley, and having taken leave of him, I went +aboard ship to put all things in order for my departure.[13] This +galley rowed twenty-five-oars of a side, and was manned by sixty +Japanese; and I fitted her out handsomely in our fashion, with +waste cloths, ensigns, and all other necessaries. Leaving +instructions with the master of the Clove and the cape merchant, +for the proper regulation of the ship and the house on shore +during my absence, and taking with me ten Englishmen and nine +other attendants, as the before-mentioned sixty were only to take +charge of the galley, I departed from Firando on my voyage and +journey for the court of the Japanese emperor. We rowed through +among various islands, all or most of which were well inhabited, +and had several handsome towns upon them, one of which, called +<i>Facata</i>, has a very strong castle built of freestone, but +without any cannon or garrison. The ditch of this castle is five +fathoms deep and ten broad, all round about the walls, and is +passed by means of a drawbridge, and the whole is kept in good +repair. The tide and wind were here so strong against us that we +could not proceed, for which reason I landed and dined at this +town, which was very well built, and seemed to be as large as +London is within the walls. All its streets are so even, that one +may see from one end to the other. This place is exceedingly +populous, and the people very civil and courteous; only that at +our first landing, and indeed at all places to which we came in +the whole country, the children and low idle people used to +gather about and follow us a long way, calling <i>coré, +coré, cocoré, Waré</i> that is to say, +<i>You Coreans with false hearts</i>; all the while whooping and +hallooing, and making such a noise that we could not hear +ourselves speak; and sometimes throwing stones at us, though +seldom in any of the towns, yet the clamour and shouting was +every where the same, as nobody reproved them for it. The best +advice I can give to those who may come after me, is to pass on +without attending to these idle rabblements, by which their ears +only will be disturbed by the noise. All along this coast, and +indeed the whole way to Osaka, we found various women who lived +continually with their families in boats upon the water, as is +done in Holland. These women catch fish by diving even in the +depth of eight fathoms, that are missed by the nets and lines; +and by the habit of frequent diving their eyes become excessively +red and bloodshot, by which mark these divers may be readily +distinguished from all other women.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 13: The old king sent 200 tayes, worth five +shillings each, to Captain Saris, for his expences in the +journey.--<i>Purch.</i>]</blockquote> + +<p>In two days we rowed from Firando to Facata. When eight or ten +leagues short of the straits of <i>Xemina-seque</i>,[14] we came +to a great town, where there lay in a dock a junk of 800 or 1000 +tons burden, <i>all sheathed with iron</i>,[15] and having a +guard appointed to keep her from being set on fire or otherwise +destroyed. She was built in a very homely fashion, much like the +descriptions we have of Noah's ark; and the natives told us she +served to transport troops to any of the islands in case of +rebellion or war.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 14: The editor of Astley's Collection has +altered the orthography of this name to <i>Shemina seki</i>. In +modern maps, we find a town named <i>Sunono sequi</i>, on one +side of these straits, which divide the island of Kiusiu from the +south-west end of the great island of Niphon.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 15: It is not a little singular, that +metallic sheathing should have been observed by English mariners +in Japan so long ago as 1613, and yet never attempted in the +British or any other European navy till more than 150 years +afterwards, and then brought forwards as a new +invention.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>We met with nothing extraordinary after passing through the +straits of Xemina-seque till we came to Osaka, where we arrived +on the 27th of August. Our galley could not get nearer the town +than six miles; wherefore we were met by a smaller vessel, in +which came the <i>goodman or host</i> of the house where we were +to lodge in Osaka, and who brought with him a banquet of wine and +<i>salt fruits</i> to entertain me. A rope being made fast to the +mast-head of our boat, she was drawn forwards by men, as our west +country barges are at London. We found Osaka a very large town, +as large as London within the walls, having many very high and +handsome timber bridges which serve to cross the river +<i>Jodo</i>, which is as wide as the Thames at London. Some of +the houses here were handsome, but not many. It is one of the +chiefest sea-ports in all Japan, and has a castle of great size +and strength, with very deep ditches all round, crossed by +drawbridges, and its gates plated with iron. This castle is all +of freestone, strengthened by bulwarks and battlements, having +loop-holes for small arms and arrows, and various passages for +throwing down stones upon the assailants. The walls are at least +six or seven yards thick, all built of freestone throughout, +having no packing with trumpery within, as I was told, but all +solid. The stones are large and of excellent quality, and are so +exactly cut to fit the places where they are laid, that no mortar +is used, only a little earth being occasionally thrown in to fill +up any void spaces.</p> + +<p>In the castle of Osaka, when I was there, dwelt the son of +<i>Tiquasama</i>, who was the true heir of Japan; but being an +infant at the death of his father, he was left under the +guardianship of four chiefs or great men, of whom Ogoshosama, the +present emperor, was the principal. The other three guardians +were each desirous of acquiring the sovereignty, and being +opposed by Ogoshosama, levied armies against him; but Ogoshosama +defeated them in battle, in which two of them were slain, and the +other saved himself by flight. After this great victory, +Ogoshosama attempted what he is said not to have thought of +before. Seizing the true heir of the throne, he married the young +prince to his own daughter, and confined them in the castle of +Osaka, under the charge of such persons only as had been brought +up from their childhood under the roof of the usurper, so that by +their means he has regular intelligence of every thing they +do.</p> + +<p>Right opposite to Osaka, on the other side of the river Jodo, +there is another town called <i>Sakay</i>, not so large as Osaka, +but of considerable extent, and having great trade to all the +neighbouring country. Having left samples and lists of prices of +all our commodities with our host at Osaka, we departed from that +place on the night of the 29th of August in a bark, and arrived +at <i>Fusima</i> next night, where we found a garrison of 3000 +men, maintained there by the emperor, to keep Miaco and Osaka +under subjection. This garrison is shifted every third year, and +the relief took place while we were there, so that we saw the old +bands march away and the new enter, which they did in a most +soldier-like manner. They marched five abreast, and to every ten +files or fifty men there was a captain, who kept his men in +excellent order. Their shot marched first, being <i>calivers</i>, +for they have no muskets and will not use any, then followed +pikes, next swords or <i>cattans</i> and targets, these were +followed by bows and arrows, and then a band armed with weapons +called <i>waggadashes</i>, resembling Welsh hooks: These were +succeeded by calivers, and so on as before; but without any +ensigns or colours; neither had they any drums or other warlike +instruments of music. The first file of the band armed with +cattans had silver scabbards, and the last file which marched +next the captain had their scabbards of gold. The companies or +bands were of various numbers, some 500, some 300, and some only +of 150 men. In the middle of every band there were three horses +very richly caparisoned, their saddles being covered by costly +furs, or velvet, or stammel broad-cloths. Every horse was +attended by three slaves, who led them in silken halters, and +their eyes were hoodwinked by means of leathern covers.</p> + +<p>After each troop or band, the captain followed on horseback, +his bed and all his necessaries being laid upon his own horse +equally poised on both sides, and over all was spread a covering +of red felt of China, on the top of which sat the captain +crosslegged, like a huckster between two paniers. Such as were +old or weak in the back had a staff artificially fixed on the +pannel, on which he could lean back and rest himself as if +sitting in a choir. We met the captain-general of this new +garrison two days after meeting his first band, having in the +mean time met several of these bands in the course of our +journey, some a league, and others two leagues from each other. +The general travelled in great state, much beyond the other +bands, yet the second band had their arms much more richly +decorated than the first, and the third than the second, and so +every successive band more sumptuous than another. The +captain-general hunted and hawked all the way, having his own +hounds and hawks along with him, the hawks being hooded and lured +as ours in England. The horses that accompanied him for his own +riding were six in number, and were all richly caparisoned. These +horses were not tall, but of the size of our middling nags, short +and well knit, small-headed, and very mettlesome, and in my +opinion far excelling the Spanish jennet in spirit and action. +His palanquin was carried before him, being lined with crimson +velvet, and having six bearers, two and two to carry at a +time.</p> + +<p>Such excellent order was taken for the passing and providing +of these soldiers, that no person either inhabiting or travelling +in the road by which they passed and lodged, was in any way +injured by them, but all of them were as cheerfully entertained +as any other guests, because they paid for what they had as +regularly as any other travellers. Every town and village on the +way being well provided with cooks-shops and victualling houses, +where they could get every thing they had a mind for, and diet +themselves at any sum they pleased, between the value of an +English penny and two shillings. The most generally used article +of food in Japan is rice of different qualities, as with our +wheats and other kinds of grain, the whitest being reckoned the +best, and is used instead of bread, to which they add fresh or +salted fish, some pickled herbs, beans, radishes, and other +roots, salted or pickled; wild-fowl, such as duck, mallard, teal, +geese, pheasants, partridges, quails, and various others, +powdered or put up in pickle. They have great abundance of +poultry, as likewise of red and fallow deer, with wild boars, +hares, goats, and kine. They have plenty of cheese, but have no +butter, and use no milk, because they consider it to be of the +nature of blood.</p> + +<p>They have great abundance of swine. Their wheat is all of the +red kind, and is as good as ours in England, and they plough both +with oxen and horses, as we do. During our residence in Japan, we +bought the best hens and pheasants at three-pence each, large fat +pigs for twelve-pence, a fat hog for five shillings, a good ox, +like our Welsh runts, at sixteen shillings, a goat for three +shillings, and rice for a halfpenny the pound. The ordinary drink +of the common people is water, which they drink warm with their +meat, holding it to be a sovereign remedy against worms in the +<i>maw</i>. They have no other drink but what is distilled from +rice, as strong as our brandy, like Canary wine in colour, and +not dear: Yet, after drawing off the best and strongest, they +still wring out a smaller drink, which serves the poorer people +who cannot reach the stronger.</p> + +<p>The 30th of August we were furnished with nineteen horses at +the charge of the emperor, to carry up my attendants and the +presents going in our king's name to <i>Surunga</i>. I had a +palanquin appointed for my use, and a led horse, well +caparisoned, to ride when I pleased, six men being appointed to +carry my palanquin on plain ground, but where the road grew +hilly, ten were allowed. The officer appointed by king +<i>Foyne</i> to accompany me, took up these men and horses by +warrants, from time to time, and from place to place, just as +post-horses are taken up in England, and also procured us +lodgings at night; and, according to the custom of the country, I +had a slave to run before me, carrying a pike. We thus travelled +every day fifteen or sixteen leagues, which we estimated at three +miles the league, and arrived on the 6th of September at +<i>Surunga</i>,[16] where the emperor resided. The road for the +most part is wonderfully even, and where it meets with mountains, +a passage is cut through. This is the main road of the whole +country, and, is mostly covered with sand and gravel. It is +regularly measured off into leagues, and at every league there is +a small hillock of earth on each side of the road, upon each of +which is set a fair pine-tree, trimmed round like an arbour. +These are placed at the end of every league, that the hackney-men +and horse-hirers may not exact more than their due, which is +about three-pence for each league.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 16: Suruga, Surunga, or Sununnaga, is a +town in the province of that name, at the head of the gulf of +Totomina, about 50 miles S.W. from Jedo.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The road is much frequented, and very full of people. Every +where, at short distances, we came to farms and country-houses, +with numerous villages, and frequent large towns. We had often +likewise to ferry over rivers, and we saw many <i>Futtakeasse</i> +or <i>Fotoquis</i>, being the temples of the Japanese, which are +situated in groves, and in the pleasantest places of the country, +having the priests that attend upon the idols dwelling around the +temples, as our friars in old time used to do here in England. On +approaching any of the towns, we saw sundry crosses, having the +dead bodies of persons who had been crucified affixed to them, +such being the ordinary mode of punishment for most malefactors. +On coming near Surunga, where the emperor keeps his court, we saw +a scaffold, on which lay the heads of several malefactors that +had been recently executed, with the dead bodies of some +stretched on crosses, while those of others had been all hewn in +pieces by the natives, trying the tempers of their +<i>cattans</i>, as formerly mentioned when at Firando. This was a +most unpleasant sight for us, who had necessarily to pass them on +our way to Surunga.</p> + +<p>The city of Surunga is fully as large as London, with all its +suburbs.[17] We found all the handicraft tradesmen dwelling in +the outward parts and skirts of the town, while those of the +better sort resided in the heart of the city, not choosing to be +annoyed by the continual knocking, hammering, and other noise +made by the artisans in their several callings. As soon as we +were settled in the lodgings appointed for us in the city of +Surunga, I sent Mr Adams to the imperial residence, to inform the +secretary of our arrival, and to request as speedy dispatch as +possible. He sent me back for answer, that I was welcome, and +that after resting myself for a day for two, I should be admitted +to an audience of the emperor. The 7th of September we were +occupied in arranging the presents, and providing little tables +of sweet-smelling wood on which to carry them, according to the +custom of the country.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 17: It is hardly necessary to remark, that +this applies to London in the year 1613, then vastly smaller than +now, when Westminster was a separate city, at some miles distance +from London; the Strand, Piccadilly, and Oxford Street, country +roads; Whitehall a country palace; and the whole <i>west end</i> +of the town, fields, farms, or country villas.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>On the 8th of September I was carried in my palanquin to the +castle of Surunga, in which the emperor resides, and was attended +by my merchants and others, the presents being carried before me. +In entering the castle, we had to pass three draw-bridges, at +each of which there was a guard of soldiers. The approach to the +presence was by means of a fair and wide flight of stone stairs, +where I was met and received by two grave and comely personages; +one of whom was <i>Codske dona</i>, the emperor's secretary, and +the other named <i>Fongo dona</i>, the admiral. By these officers +I was led into a handsome room, the floor of which was covered by +mats, on which we sat down cross-legged. Shortly after, they led +me into the presence-chamber, in which stood the chair of state, +to which they wished me to do reverence. This chair was about +five feet high, covered with cloth of gold, and very richly +adorned on its back and sides, but had no canopy. We then +returned to the former room, and in about a quarter of an hour +word was brought that the emperor was in the presence-chamber. +They then led me to the door of the room where the emperor was, +making signs for me to go in, but dared not even to look up +themselves. The presents sent from our king to the emperor, and +those which I offered as from myself according to the custom of +the country, had all been placed in a very orderly manner upon +mats in the presence-chamber, before the emperor came there.</p> + +<p>Going into the chamber, of presence, I made my compliments to +the emperor according to our English fashion, and delivered our +king's letter to the emperor, who took it in his hand and raised +it towards his forehead, and commanded his interpreter, who sat +at a good distance behind, to desire Mr Adams to tell me that I +was welcome from a long and wearisome journey, that I might +therefore rest me for a day or two, and then his answer should be +ready for our king. He then asked me if I did not intend to visit +his son at <i>Jedo</i>.[18] Answering, that I proposed to do so, +the emperor said, that orders should be given to provide me with +men and horses for the journey, and that the letters for our king +should be ready against my return. Then, taking leave +respectfully of the emperor, and coming to the door of the +presence-chamber, I found the secretary and admiral waiting to +conduct me down the stairs where they formerly met me, when I +went into my palanquin and returned with my attendants to our +lodgings.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 18: Always called <i>Edoo</i> in Purchas, +but we have thought it better to use the form of the name now +universally adopted in geography; but which name, from the +orthography used by Captain Saris, is probably pronounced in +Japan, <i>Idu</i>, or <i>Eedoo</i>.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>On the 9th I sent the present intended for the secretary to be +delivered to him, for which he heartily thanked me, but would in +no wise receive it, saying, the emperor had so commanded, and +that it was as much as his life was worth to accept of any gift. +He took, however, five pounds of Socotorine aloes, to use for his +health's sake. I this day delivered to him the articles of +privilege for trade, being <i>fourteen</i> in number, which we +wished to have granted. These he desired to have abbreviated into +as few words as possible, as in all things the Japanese are fond +of brevity. Next day, being the 10th September, the articles so +abridged were sent to the secretary by Mr Adams; and on being +shown by the secretary to the emperor, they were all approved +except one, by which, as the Chinese had refused to trade with +the English, we required permission, in case of taking any +Chinese vessels by force, that we might freely bring them into +the ports of Japan, and there make sale of the goods. At the +first, the emperor said we might take them, since they refused to +trade with us; but, after conference with the Chinese resident, +he altered his mind, and would not allow of that article. All the +rest were granted and confirmed under his great seal, which is +not impressed in wax as with us in England, but is stamped in +print with red ink. These articles of privilege were as +follow:--</p> + +<p><i>Privileges granted by OGOSHOSAMA, Emperor of Japan, to the +Governor and Company of the London East India +Company</i>.[19]</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 19: This copy Captain Saris brought home +and gave me--<i>Purch.</i>]</blockquote> + +<p>1. We give free licence to the subjects of the king of Great +Britain, viz. To Sir Thomas Smith, governor, and the Company of +the East Indian Merchants Adventurers, for ever, safely to come +into any of the ports of our empire of Japan, with their ships +and merchandize, without any hinderance to them or their goods; +and to abide, buy, sell, and barter, according to their own +manner, with all nations; to remain here as long as they think +good, and to depart at their pleasure.</p> + +<p>2. We grant to them freedom from custom for all such goods as +they have brought now, or may hereafter bring into our empire, or +may export from thence to any foreign part. And we authorise all +ships that may hereafter arrive from England, to proceed +immediately to sell their commodities, without any farther coming +or sending to our court.</p> + +<p>3. If any of their ships shall happen to be in danger of +shipwreck, we command our subjects not only to assist them, but +that such parts of the ship or goods as may be saved, shall be +returned to the captain, or the cape merchant, or their assigns. +That they may build one house, or more, for themselves, in any +part of our empire that they think fittest for their purpose; +and, at their departure, may sell the same at their pleasure.</p> + +<p>4. If any English merchant, or others, shall die in our +dominions, the goods of the deceased shall remain at the disposal +of the cape merchant; and all offences committed by them shall be +punished by the said cape merchant at his discretion, our laws to +take no hold of their persons or goods.</p> + +<p>5. We command all our subjects trading with them for any of +their commodities, to pay them for the same without delay, or to +return their wares.</p> + +<p>6. For such commodities as they have now brought, or may bring +hereafter, that are fitting for our proper use and service, we +command that no arrest be made thereof, but that a fair price be +agreed with the cape merchant, according as they may sell to +others, and that prompt payment be made on the delivery of the +goods.</p> + +<p>7. If, in the discovery of other countries for trade, and the +return of their ships, they shall need men or victuals, we +command that our subjects shall furnish them, for their money, +according as their needs may require.</p> + +<p>8. Without other passport, they shall and may set out upon the +discovery of <i>Yeadso</i>, or <i>Jesso</i>, or any other part in +or about our empire.</p> + +<p>From our castle in Surunga, this first day of the ninth month, +in the eighteenth year of our <i>dary</i>, or reign. Sealed with +our broad seal, &c. (<i>Underwritten</i>)</p> + +<p>MINNA MOTTONO.</p> + +<p><i>Yei. Ye. Yeas</i>.[20]</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 20: Kempper writes this other name of +<i>Ongosio Sama</i>, as he calls him, <i>Ijejas</i>; which, +according to the English orthography, is <i>Iyeyas</i>.--Astl. I. +489. b.]</blockquote> + +<p>On the 11th of September, the present intended for the +mint-master was delivered to him, which he received very +thankfully, and sent me in return two Japanese gowns of taffeta, +quilted with silk cotton. The 12th Mr Adams was sent to the +mint-master, who is the emperor's merchant, having charge of the +mint and all the ready money, being in great estimation with the +emperor, as he had made a vow, whenever the emperor dies, to cut +out his own bowels and die with him. The purpose of Mr Adams +waiting upon him at this time, was to carry a list of the prices +of our English commodities. About noon of this same day, being +furnished with horses and men by the emperor, as formerly +specified, we set out for Jedo. The country between Surunga and +Jedo we found well peopled, with many <i>Fotoquis</i>, or idol +temples. Among others which we passed, was one having an image of +great reputation, called <i>Dabis</i>, made of copper, hollow +within, but of substantial thickness. We estimated its height to +be twenty-one or twenty-two feet, being in the form of a man +kneeling on the ground, and sitting on his heels; the whole of +wonderful size, and well proportioned, and being dressed in a +gown cast along with the figure. Some of our men went into the +inside of this idol, and hooped and hallooed, which made an +exceeding great noise. It is highly reverenced by all native +travellers who pass that way. We found many characters and marks +made upon it by its visitors, which some of my followers +imitated, making their marks in like manner. This temple and idol +stand in the main road of pilgrimage to <i>Tencheday</i>, which +is much frequented for devotion, as both night and day people of +all ranks and conditions are continually going or returning from +that place.</p> + +<p>Mr Adams told me that he had been at the <i>Fotoqui</i>, or +temple dedicated to Tencheday, to which image they make this +devout pilgrimage. According to his report, one of the fairest +virgins of the country is brought monthly into that +<i>Fotoqui</i>, and there sits alone in a room neatly fitted up, +in a sober manner; and, at certain times, this <i>Tencheday</i>, +who is thought to be the devil, appears unto her, and having +carnally known her, leaves with her at his departure certain +scales, like unto the scales of fishes. Whatever questions she is +desired by the <i>bonzes</i>, or priests of the <i>Fotoqui</i>, +to ask, <i>Tencheday</i> resolves. Every month a fresh virgin is +provided for the temple, but Mr Adams did not know what became of +the former.[21]</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 21: The editor of Astley's Collection, vol. +I. p. 487, note b. very gravely informs his readers what they +certainly are aware of, that the gallant must have been one of +the <i>bonzes</i>, or priests.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>We arrived at <i>Jedo</i> on the 14th September. This city is +much larger than <i>Surunga</i>, and much better and more +sumptuously built, and made a very glorious appearance to us on +our approach; all the ridge-tiles and corner-tiles of the roofs +being richly gilded and varnished, as also the door-posts of the +houses. They have no glass in their windows, but have large +windows of board, opening in leaves, and well adorned with +paintings, as in Holland. In the chief street of the town there +is a great <i>cawsay</i> all through from end to end, underneath +which flows a river, or large stream of water; and at every fifty +paces there is a well-head, or pit, substantially built of +free-stone, having buckets with which the inhabitants draw water, +both for their ordinary uses and in case of fire. This street is +as broad as any of our best streets in England.</p> + +<p>On the 15th I gave notice of my arrival to <i>Sadda-dona</i>, +the secretary of the young king, or son of the emperor, +requesting him to inform the king. I had access to the king on +the 17th, and delivered to him the presents sent by our king, as +also some from myself, as is the custom of the country. The king +holds his court in the castle of Jedo, which is much stronger and +more sumptuous than that of Surunga; and the king was besides +better guarded and attended than his father the emperor. +<i>Saddadona</i>, his secretary, is father to <i>Codskedona</i> +the emperor's secretary, his years and experience fitting him to +have the government and direction of the king or prince +successor, who appeared to us to be about forty-two years of +age.</p> + +<p>My entertainment and access to the king here at Jedo was much +like that formerly mentioned with the emperor his father at +Surunga. He accepted very kindly the letters and presents from +our king, bidding me welcome, and desiring me to rest and refresh +myself, and that his letters and presents in return should be +made ready with all speed. On the 19th I delivered the presents +to <i>Saddadona</i>. This day, thirty-two men being committed +prisoners to a certain house, for not paying their debts, and +being in the stocks within the same, it took fire in the night by +some casualty, and they were all burnt to death. Towards evening, +the king of Jedo sent me two suits of varnished armour, as a +present to our king; and sent likewise for myself a <i>tatch</i> +and a <i>waggadash</i>, the former being a long sword which is +only worn in Japan by soldiers of the highest rank, and the +latter being a singular weapon resembling a Welsh hook. I was +informed that the distance from Jedo to the norther-most part of +Japan, was estimated at twenty-two days journey on horseback.</p> + +<p>I left Jedo on the 21st September by boat, and came to +<i>Oringgaw</i>,[22] a town upon the sea-side, where is an +excellent harbour, in which ships may ride with as much safety as +in the river Thames, and the passage from which by sea to Jedo is +very safe and good; so that it would be much better for our ships +to sail to this port than to Firando, as Oringgaw is on the main +island of Japan or <i>Niphon</i>, and is only fourteen or fifteen +leagues from Jedo, the capital and greatest city of the empire. +Its only inconvenience is, that it is not so well supplied with +flesh and other victuals as Firando, but is in all other respects +much preferable. From thence we proceeded on the 29th to Surunga, +where we remained in waiting for the letters and presents from +the emperor. On the 8th of October I received the emperor's +letter, of which a translation is subjoined, and I then also +received the privileges of trade, formerly quoted, the original +of which I left with Mr Cocks.[23]</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 22: No such place as Oringgaw is to be +found in modern maps of Japan. Jedo is situated at the head of a +deep gulf of the same name, in the south-east corner of Japan. +About the distance indicated in the text, there is a town and bay +named <i>Odavara</i>, on the western side of the gulf, and in the +direct way back to Surunga, which may possibly be the +<i>Oringgaw</i> of the text.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 23: The characters have by some been +thought to be those of China, but I compared them with Chinese +books, and they seemed to me quite different, yet not +<i>letters</i> to compound words by spelling, as ours, but +<i>words</i> expressed in their several characters, such as are +used by the <i>Chinais</i> and as the brevity manifesteth. I take +them to be characters peculiar to Japan.--<i>Purch.</i> + +<p>In a marginal reference in the plate given by Purchas, the +lines are said to read downwards, beginning at the right hand. It +may possibly be so: But they appear <i>letters</i>, or literal +characters, to <i>compound words by spelling</i>, and to be read +like those used in Europe, from left to right horizontally. In a +future portion of our work, the subject of the Japanese language +and writing will be farther elucidated; when, we believe, it will +appear that they have two modes of writing, one by <i>verbal</i> +or <i>ideal</i> characters like the Chinese, and the other by +<i>literal</i> signs like all the rest of the world.--E.]</p> +</blockquote> + +<p><i>Letter from the Emperor of Japan to the King of Great +Britain</i>.</p> + +<p>Your majesty's kind letter, sent me by your servant Captain +Saris, who is the first of your subjects that I have known to +arrive in any part of my dominions, I heartily embrace, being not +a little glad to understand of your great wisdom and power, as +having three plentiful and mighty kingdoms under your powerful +command. I acknowledge your majesty's great bounty, in sending me +so undeserved a present of many rare things, such as my land +affordeth not, neither have I ever before seen: Which I receive, +not as from a stranger, but as from your majesty, whom I esteem +as myself, desiring the continuance of friendship with your +highness: And that it may consist with your good pleasure to send +your subjects to any part or port of my dominions, where they +shall be most heartily welcome, applauding much their worthiness +in the admirable knowledge of navigation, as having with much +facility discovered a country so remote, not being amazed by the +distance of so mighty a gulf, nor the greatness of such infinite +clouds and storms, from prosecuting the honourable enterprises of +discovery and merchandising, in which they shall find me to +encourage them as they desire. By your said subject, I return to +your majesty a small token of my love, desiring you to accept the +same as from one who much rejoices in your friendship. And, +whereas your majesty's subjects have desired certain privileges +for trade and the settlement of a factory in my dominions, I have +not only granted what they desired, but have confirmed the same +to them under my broad seal, for the better establishment +thereof. Given from my castle of <i>Surunga</i>, this fourth day +of the ninth month, in the eighteenth year of our reign, +according to our computation; resting your majesty's friend, the +highest commander in the kingdom of Japan.</p> + +<p>Subscribed</p> + +<p><i>Minna Muttono</i>[24]. <i>Yei. Ye. Yeas</i>.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 24: In the copy of the privileges, Purchas +gives this name <i>Mottono</i> while the editor of Astley's +Collection has altered it to <i>Monttono</i>. In the privileges +formerly inserted, the date is made in the <i>nineteenth</i> +month, perhaps an error of the press in the Pilgrims, which we +have therefore corrected to <i>ninth</i>.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>At my return to Surunga, I found a Spanish ambassador from the +Philippine islands, who had only been once introduced to the +emperor, and delivered his presents, being certain Chinese +damasks, and five jars of European sweet wine, and could not +obtain any farther access to the emperor. The purpose of his +embassy was, to require that such Portuguese and Spaniards as +were then in Japan, not authorised by the king of Spain, might be +delivered up to him, that he might carry them to the Philippines. +This the emperor refused, saying his country was free, and none +should be forced out of it: But, if the ambassador could persuade +any to go with him, they should not be detained. The cause of the +ambassador making this request was on account of the great want +of men to defend the Molucca islands against the Dutch, who were +then making great preparations for the entire conquest of these +islands. After the ambassador had waited for an answer till the +time limited by his commission was expired, and receiving none, +he went away much dissatisfied: And when at the sea side, an +answer was returned, as mentioned above, together with a slender +present of five Japanese gowns, and two <i>cattans</i> or +swords.</p> + +<p>About a month before I came to Surunga, being displeased with +the Christians, the emperor issued a proclamation commanding that +they should all remove immediately, and carry their churches to +Nangasaki, a maritime town about eight leagues from Firando, and +that no Christian church should be permitted, neither any mass be +sung, within ten leagues of his court, on pain of death. Some +time after, twenty-seven natives, men of good fashion, being +assembled in an hospital or Christian Leper-house, where they had +mass performed, and this coming to the knowledge of the emperor, +they were all commanded to be shut up in a house for a night, and +to be led to execution next day. That same evening, another man +was committed to the same house for debt, who at his coming was a +heathen and quite ignorant of Christ or his holy religion; but, +next morning, when the officer called at the door for the +Christians to come forth for execution, and those who renounced +it to remain behind, this man had been so instructed during the +night by the others, that he came resolutely forth along with the +rest, and was crucified with them.</p> + +<p>We departed from Surunga on the 9th of October, and during our +journey towards <i>Miaco</i> we had for the most part much rain, +by which the rivers were greatly swelled, and we were forced to +stop by the way, so that it was the 16th of October before we got +there. <i>Miaco</i> is the largest city in Japan, depending +mostly upon trade, and having the chief <i>Fotoqui</i> or temple +of the whole empire, which is all built of freestone, and is as +long as the western end of St Paul's in London from the choir; +being also as high, arched in the roof and borne upon pillars as +that is. Many <i>bonzes</i> are here in attendance for their +maintenance, as priests are among the papists. They have here an +altar, on which the votaries offer rice and small money, called +<i>cundrijus</i>, twenty of which are equal to an English +shilling, which offerings are applied to the use of the bonzes. +Near this altar is an idol, called <i>Mannada</i>, much +resembling that of <i>Dabis</i> formerly mentioned, and like it +made of copper, but much higher, as it reaches up to the arched +roof. This <i>Fotoqui</i> was begun to be built by +<i>Taicosama</i>, and has since been finished by his son, having +been ended only while we were there. According to report, there +were buried within its enclosure the ears and noses of 3000 +Coreans, who were massacred at one time; and upon their grave a +mount is raised, having a pyramid on its summit, the mount being +grown over with grass, and very neatly kept. The horse that +Taicosama last rode upon is kept near this <i>Fotoqui</i>, having +never been ridden since, and his hoofs have grown extraordinarily +long by age.</p> + +<p>This <i>Fotoqui</i> stands on the top of a high hill, and on +either side, as you ascend the hill, there are fifty pillars of +freestone, at ten paces each from the other, having a lantern on +the top of each, which are all lighted up with oil every night. +There are many other Fotoquis in this city. In Miaco the +Portuguese jesuits have a very stately college, in which there +are several native Japanese jesuits, who preach, and have the New +Testament printed in the Japanese language. Many of the native +children are bred up in this college, where they are instructed +in the Christian religion, according to the doctrines of the +Romish church; and there are not less than five or six thousand +natives professing Christianity in this city. The tradesmen and +artificers of all kinds in this city are all distributed by +themselves, every trade and occupation having its own particular +streets, and not mingled together as with us. We remained some +time in Miaco, waiting for the emperor's present, which was at +length delivered, being ten <i>beobs</i>, or large pictures, for +being hung up in a chamber.</p> + +<p>The 20th of October we departed from Miaco, and came that +night to <i>Fushimi</i>.[25] We arrived about noon of the next +day at Osaka, where the common people behaved very rudely to us, +some calling after us <i>Tosin! Tosin!</i> that is, Chinese, +while others called us <i>Coré! Coré!</i> or +Coreans, and flung stones at us; even the greatest people of the +city animating and setting on the rabble to abuse us. We here +found the galley waiting for us which had brought us from +Firando, having waited for us all the time of our absence at the +expence of king <i>Foyne</i>. We embarked in this galley on the +24th of October, and arrived at Firando on the 6th November, +where we were kindly welcomed by old <i>Foyne</i>. During the +time of my absence, our people had sold very little goods, as +according to the customs of Japan no stranger can offer goods for +sale without the express permission of the emperor. Besides, as +our chiefest commodity intended for this country was broad cloth, +which had latterly been sold there at the rate of forty Spanish +dollars the <i>matte</i>, which is two yards and a quarter as +formerly mentioned, and as the natives saw that we were not much +in the habit of wearing it ourselves, they were more backward in +buying it than they used to be. They said to us, "You commend +your cloth to us, while you yourselves wear little of it; your +better sort of people wearing silken garments, while the meanest +are clothed in fustians, &c." Wherefore, that good counsel, +though late, may come to some good purpose, I wish that our +nation would be more inclined to use this our native manufacture +of our own country, by which we may better encourage and allure +others to its use and expenditure.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 25: Fusimo, a town about ten miles from +Miaco, on a river that runs into the head of the bay of +Osaka.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>S.8. <i>Occurrences at Firando, during the Absence of Captain +Saris</i>.[26]</p> + +<p>The 7th August, 1613, all things being in readiness, our +general Captain Saris departed from Firando in company with Mr +Adams, for the court of the emperor of Japan, taking along with +him Mr Tempest Peacock, Mr Richard Wickham, Edward Saris, Walter +Carwarden, Diego Fernandos, John Williams a tailor, John Head a +cook, Edward Bartan the surgeon's mate, John Japan +<i>Jurebasso</i>,[27] Richard Dale coxswain, and Anthony Ferry a +sailor; having a cavalier or gentleman belonging to king Foyne as +their protector, with two of his servants, and two native +servants belonging to Mr Adams. They embarked in a barge or +galley belonging to the king, which rowed twenty oars of a side, +and we fired thirteen pieces of ordnance at their departure. The +old king sent 100 <i>tayes</i> of Japanese money to our general +before his departure, for his expenditure on the way, which I +placed to account, by our general's order, as money lent.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 26: This subdivision is taken from +observations written by Richard Cockes, Cape merchant, or chief +factor at Firando. These observations are a separate article in +the Pilgrims of Purchas, vol. I. pp. 395--405, and in Astley's +Collection, vol. I. pp. 509--517; but are inserted in this place +as calculated to render this first account of the English trade +in Japan a complete and unbroken narrative.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 27: John Japan seems a fabricated name; +perhaps a Japanese Christian named John, and the addition of +<i>Jurebasso</i> may signify that he acted as +interpreter.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>Next day, I went to wait upon the two kings, as from our +general, to thank them for having so well provided for his +journey, which they took in good part. I suspect the old king had +notice that some of our men had behaved ill last night; as he +desired me to remind the master to look well to the people on +board, and that I should look carefully to the behaviour of those +on shore, that all things might go on as well in the absence of +the general as when he was present, otherwise the shame would be +ours, but the dishonour his. On the 9th, a Japanese boy named +Juan, who spoke good Spanish, came and offered to serve me for +nine or ten years, and even to go with me to England if I +pleased, asking no wages but what I was pleased to give. I took +him into my service, and that the rather, because I found Miguel, +the <i>jurebasso</i> left with me by Mr Adams, was somewhat +stubborn, and loved to run about at his pleasure, leaving me +often without any person who could speak a word of the Japanese +language. This Juan is a Christian, most of his kindred dwelling +at Nangasaki, only one living here at Firando, who came along +with him and passed his word for his honesty and fidelity. Juan +had served a Spaniard at Manilla for three years, where he had +acquired the Spanish language. I engaged him, and bought for him +two Japanese garments, which cost me fourteen <i>mas</i>.</p> + +<p>The 13th I shewed our commodities to some merchants of +<i>Maioco</i>, [Miaco] but they bought nothing, and seemed +chiefly to desire to have gunpowder. This day <i>Semidono</i> +went to visit our ship, accompanied by several stranger +gentlemen, and came afterwards to see our English house, where I +gave them the best entertainment in my power. The 19th at night +began the great feast of the pagans, when they banquet and make +merry all night by candle-light at the graves of their deceased +kindred, whom they invite to partake.[28] It lasts three nights +and the intermediate days; when, by command of the king, every +house must new gravel the street before its door, and hang out +candles all night. I was not slack in obeying this order, and I +was informed that a poor man was put to death and his house shut +up, for neglecting to comply with the order. On this occasion, +the China captain furnished me with two very decent paper +lanthorns. Being informed that the kings intended to ride about +the streets, and to make me a visit, I provided a banquet for +them, and waited till after midnight, but they came not. The +20th, 21st, and 22d, I sent presents to both the kings, being +informed that such was the custom of the country, sending them +wine and confections; as likewise to <i>Nobesane</i> the young +king's brother; to <i>Semidono</i>, the old king's governor, and +to <i>Unagense</i>, which were all very thankfully accepted. Some +<i>cavalliers</i>, or Japanese gentlemen, came to visit me during +the festival, to whom I gave the best entertainment I could +procure.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 28: This pagan feast is a kind of Candlemas +or Allsouls.--<i>Purchas</i>.]</blockquote> + +<p>The 23d we made an end of landing our gunpowder, being in all +ninety-nine barrels, of which I advised our general by letter, +requesting him to reserve a sufficiency for the ship, in case he +sold it to the emperor. We landed several other things, which the +master thought had best be sent ashore, as our men began to filch +and steal, that they might go to taverns and brothels. This day +Mr Melsham the purser and I dined with Semidono, who used us +kindly. The master and Mr Eaton were likewise invited, but did +not go. The great festival ended this day, when three troops of +dancers went about the town, with flags or banners, their music +being drums and <i>pans</i>,[29] to the sound of which they +danced at the doors of all the great men, as also at their +pagodas and at the sepulchres.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 29: Probably <i>gongs</i>, which very much +resemble a brass frying-pan.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The 24th at night, all the streets were hung with candles, as +the young king and his brother, with <i>Semidono, Nabesone</i>, +and many others, went in masquerade to dance at the house of the +old king. The young king and his brother were on horseback, +having canopies carried over them, all the rest being a-foot, and +they were accompanied by drums and <i>kettles</i>, as the +before-mentioned dancers, <i>Nabesone</i> playing on a fife. I +was informed they meant to visit our house on their return, +wherefore I provided a banquet and sat up for them till after +midnight; but they returned in disorder, I think owing to some +discontent, and none of them entered our house. Captain +<i>Brower</i> likewise passed our door, but would not look at us, +and we made as little account of him. The 27th we landed three +pieces of ordnance, having three landed formerly, all whole +<i>culverins</i> of iron. The old king came down to the shore +while our men were about this job, and seeing only twenty men, +offered seventy or a 100 Japanese to help them; but our people +landed them all very quickly in his sight, at which he expressed +much astonishment, saying that an hundred of his men could not +have done it so soon. He was so much pleased with the activity of +our men on this occasion, that he sent for a barrel of wine and +some fish, which he gave among them as a reward for their +labouring so lustily.</p> + +<p>The 28th, I received two letters from our general, dated the +19th and 20th of the month, as also two others from Mr Peacock +and Mr Wickham, which were brought me by the governor of +<i>Shimonoseke</i>.[30] This governor did not land at Firando, +but delivered these letters on board our ship to the master, +proceeding directly for Nangasaki, and promising to return hither +shortly. I also carried a letter for the old king <i>Foyne</i>, +which was brought by the same governor, being accompanied on the +occasion by Mr Melsham and <i>Hernando</i>. Foyne at this visit +made a present of a <i>cattan</i> or Japanese sword to Mr +Melsham, and another with a Spanish dagger to Hernando, giving +likewise both to them and me several bunches of garlic. He also +gave us leave to dry our gunpowder on the top of the fortress, +offering some of his own people to help ours, if we had need of +them. This day I brought on shore to our house twenty-two bars of +lead, together with 125 culverin shot, round and langridge. When +we were about to sit down to supper, the old king came to visit +us, and being very merry he sat down to supper with us, and took +such fare as we had in good part.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 30: Simonosequi is a town on the north side +of the straits between the island of Kiusiua and the +north-western end of Niphon.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The 1st September, the old king and all his nobles made a +masquerade, and went next night to visit the young king his +grandson, accompanied by music, as formerly mentioned, all the +streets being hung with lanterns. As I was told he meant to visit +our house on his return, I made ready for him and waited till +after midnight; but he passed by with all his company without +coming in. I reckoned he had more than 3000 persons in his train, +for which, as I think, he passed by, not wishing to trouble us +with so great a multitude. On the 2d <i>Semidono</i> and others +who were appointed by the king, measured all the houses in the +street, ours among the rest; which I understood was for the +purpose of a general taxation, to be levied by appointment of the +emperor, for the construction of fortresses. I entertained them +to their satisfaction. The 4th we had news that the queen of +Spain was dead, and that the king was a suitor for the princess +Elizabeth of England. The 6th, a nobleman came to visit our +English house, and brought me a present of two great bottles of +wine and a basket of pears. I entertained him as well as I could, +and he went away contented.</p> + +<p>We had much rain in the morning of the 7th September, +accompanied by wind, which increased in force all day, varying +between the east and south. In the night between the 7th and 8th, +the wind rose to a <i>tuffoon</i> or storm of such extreme +violence as I had never witnessed, neither had the like been +experienced in this country during the memory of man. It +overturned above an hundred houses in Firando, and unroofed many +others, among which was the house of old king Foyne. An extensive +wall surrounding the house of the young king was blown down, and +the boughs and branches of trees were broken off and tossed about +with wonderful violence. The sea raged with such fury, that it +undermined a great wharf or quay at the Dutch factory, broke down +the stone wall, carried away the landing stairs, sunk and broke +to pieces two barks belonging to the Dutch, and forty or fifty +other barks, then in the roads, were broken and sunk. At our +house, the newly built wall of our kitchen was broken down by the +sea, which likewise flowed into and threw down our oven. The +tiles likewise were blown off from the roofs of our house and +kitchen, both of which were partly unroofed. Our house rocked as +if shaken by an earthquake, and we spent the night in extreme +fear, either of being buried under the ruins of our factory, or +of perishing along with it by fire; for all night long, the +barbarous unruly common people ran up and down the streets with +lighted firebrands, while the wind carried large pieces of +burning wood quite over the tops of the houses, as it whirled up +the burning timbers of the several houses previously thrown down, +hurling fire through the air in great flakes, very fearful to +behold, and threatening an entire conflagration of the town; and +I verily believe, if it had not been for the extreme quantity of +rain, contrary to the usual nature of tuffoons, that the whole +town had been consumed. This terrible wind and prodigious rain +were accompanied the whole night by incessant flashes of +lightning and tremendous peals of thunder. Our ship rode out the +gale in the roads, having out five cables and anchors, of which +one old cable gave way, but, thanks be to God, no other injury +was sustained, except that our long boat and skiff both broke +adrift, but were both afterwards recovered. We afterwards learnt +that this tuffoon did more damage at Nangasaki than here at +Firando; for it destroyed above twenty Chinese junks, together +with the Spanish ship which brought the ambassador from +Manilla.</p> + +<p>On the 12th, two merchants from Miaco came to our English +house, to whom I shewed all our commodities. They laid aside two +pieces of broad cloth, one black and the other <i>stammel</i>, +the best they could find, for which they offered seven +<i>tayes</i> the yard. They also offered for out <i>Priaman</i> +gold eleven tayes of silver for one of gold. But they went away +without concluding any bargain. This day, one of our men named +Francis Williams, being drunk ashore, struck one of the servants +of king Foyne with a cudgel, although the man had given him no +offence, and had not even spoken to him. The Japanese came to our +house making great complaints, and was very angry, not without +cause, and told me he would complain to his king of the bad usage +he had received. He had three or four others along with him, who +had seen him abused, and who said the aggressor was just gone off +to the ship. I gave them fair words, desiring them to go on board +and find out the man who had committed the offence, and they +should be sure of having him punished, and for that purpose I +sent Miguel, our <i>jurebasso</i>, on board along with them. He +did so, and pointed out Williams as the culprit, who stoutly +denied the accusation with many oaths, but the affair was too +notorious, and the master ordered him to be seized to the capstan +in presence of the complainants, upon which even they entreated +for his pardon, knowing that he was drunk. But the fellow was so +unruly, that he took up an iron crow to strike the Japanese in +the master's presence, and even abused the master in the grossest +terms.[31]</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 31: Of many misdemeanours, I permit some to +pass the press, that the cause of so many deaths in the Indies +might be seen, rather to be imputed to their own misconduct, than +the intemperature of the climate, and for a caveat to others, who +may send or be sent into <i>ethnicke</i> regions: Yet do I +conceal the most and worst.--<i>Purch.</i>]</blockquote> + +<p>Learning, on the 13th, that old king Foyne was sick, I sent +our jurebasso Miguel to visit him, carrying as a present a great +bottle of our general's sweet wine, and two boxes of conserves, +comfits, and sugar-bread. Miguel was likewise directed to offer +my best service, and to say that I was sorry for his sickness, +and would have waited on him myself, but that I supposed company +was not agreeable to a sick man. Foyne accepted my present in +very good part, returning many thanks, and desiring me to ask for +any thing we were in need of, either for the use of the ship or +our factory, which he would take care we should be provided +with.</p> + +<p>The master came to the factory on the 14th early in the +morning, telling me that most of the ship's company had lain +ashore all night without leave, although the ship was aground, +and there had been a heavy wind all night. He wished therefore, +that I would allow our jurebasso, Miguel, to accompany him in +seeking them out. He went accordingly accompanied by Miguel and +Mr Melsham our purser, and found several of the men drinking and +domineering, among whom he bestowed a few blows, ordering them +aboard. Two of the men, named Lambert and Colphax, though ordered +aboard, remained ashore all day, notwithstanding the great need +of hands in the ship, where it had been necessary to hire several +Japanese to assist. Lambert and Colphax being drunk, went out +into the fields and fought, on which occasion Lambert was hurt in +the arm, and remained drunk ashore all night; as did Boles and +Christopher Evans, who had done so for two or three nights +before, and had a violent quarrel about a girl.</p> + +<p>On the 17th, being informed that <i>Bastian</i>, the keeper of +the brothel frequented by our men, had threatened to kill me and +such as came along with me, if I came any more to his house to +seek for our men, I went and complained to the young king, the +old one being sick. At my request, he issued a proclamation, that +no Japanese should admit our people into their houses after +day-light, under severe penalties; and that it should be lawful +for me, or any other in my company, to enter any of the native +houses in search of our men, not only without molestation or +hinderance, but that the native inhabitants should aid and assist +me; and if the doors were not opened at my desire, I was +authorised to break them open. A soldier was sent to inform +<i>Bastian</i> to be careful not to molest or disturb me, as he +might expect to be the first that should pay for it. This gave +much offence to our people, insomuch that some of them swore they +would have drink in the fields if they were not suffered to have +it in the town, for drink they would.</p> + +<p>The 26th, <i>Novasco-dono</i> came to visit me at the factory, +bringing me a present of two bottles of wine, seven loaves of +fresh bread, and a dish of flying-fish. While he was with me, the +old king came past our door, where he stopt, saying he had met +two men in the street whom he thought strangers, and not +belonging to us; he therefore desired that Swinton and our +jurebasso might go with one of his attendants to see who they +were. They turned out to be John Lambert and Jacob Charke, who +were drinking water at a door in the street through which the +king had gone. I was glad the king looked so narrowly after them, +as it caused our men to be more careful of their proceedings.</p> + +<p>Mr William Pauling, our master's mate, who had been long ill +of a consumption, died at the English house upon the 27th of +September, of which circumstance I apprised the king, requesting +permission to bury him among the Christians, which was granted. +We accordingly put the body in a winding-sheet, and coffined it +up, waiting to carry it to the grave next morning. Our master, +and several others of the ship's company, came ashore in the +morning to attend the funeral, when we were given to understand +that the body must be transported by water as far as the Dutch +house, because the <i>bonzes</i>, or priests, would not suffer us +to pass with the corpse through the street before their pagoda, +or idol temple. Accordingly the master sent for the skiff, in +which the coffin was transported by water to the place appointed, +while we went there by land, and carried it thence to the +burial-place; the purser walking before, and all the rest +following after the coffin, which was covered by a Holland sheet, +above which was a silk quilt. We were attended by a vast number +of the natives, both young and old, curious to see our manner of +burial. After the corpse was interred, we all returned to the +factory, where we had a collation, and then our people returned +to the ship. I had almost forgotten to remark, that we had much +ado to get any native to dig the grave in which a Christian was +to be buried, neither would they permit the body to be conveyed +by water in any of their boats.</p> + +<p>At this time the king commanded that all the streets in +Firando should be cleaned, and that gutters should be made on +each side to convey the water from them, all the streets to be +new gravelled, and the water-channels to be covered with flat +stones. This work was all done in one day, every one performing +so much of it as was in front of his own house, and it was +admirable to see the diligence every person used on this +occasion. Our house was not the last in having this task +performed, as our landlord, the Chinese captain, set a sufficient +number of men to do the work.</p> + +<p>The 30th, some other merchants of Miaco came to look at our +commodities, who offered twelve tayes the fathom for our best +<i>stammel</i>, or red cloth; but they went away without making +any bargain. At this time we had very heavy winds, both by day +and night, so that we were in fear of another tuffoon, on which +account all the fishers hauled their boats ashore, and every one +endeavoured to secure the roofings of their houses. A week before +this, a <i>bose</i>, bonze or conjurer, had predicted to the king +that this tempest was to come. About this time our surgeon, being +in his cups, came into a house where a <i>bose</i> was conjuring +for a woman who wanted to know if her husband or friends would +return from sea. So when the <i>bose</i> was done, the surgeon +gave him three-pence to conjure again, and to tell him when our +general would return to Firando. In the end, the <i>bose</i> told +him that the general would return within eighteen days, +pretending that he heard a voice answer from behind a wall, both +when he conjured for the woman, and now when he conjured for the +surgeon.</p> + +<p>On the 2d of October, the master sent me word that some of the +men had run away with the skiff. These were John Bowles, John +Saris, John Tottie, Christopher Evans, Clement Locke, Jasper +Malconty, and James the Dutchman. While in the way to the king to +get boats to send after them, our Dutch <i>jurebasso</i> came +running after me, and told me our people were on the other side +making merry at a tippling-house. On this information I returned +to the English house to get a boat for the master to go and look +them out, but they proved to be three others, William Marinell, +Simeon Colphax, and John Dench, who had hired a boat and gone to +another island, not being allowed to walk by night in Firando. By +this mistake our deserters had the more time to get away. This +night, about eleven, the old king's house, on the other side of +the water, took fire, and was burnt to the ground in about an +hour. I never saw a more vehement fire for the time it lasted, +and it is thought his loss is very great. The old king is said to +have set it on fire himself, by going about in the night with +lighted canes, some sparks from which had fallen among the mats +and set them on fire.</p> + +<p>I went next day to visit the old king, giving him to +understand, by means of his governor, that I was extremely sorry +for the misfortune that had befallen him, and would have come in +person to give all the assistance in my power, but was doubtful +if my presence would have been acceptable, being a stranger; and +begged leave to assure him, that he should find me ready at all +times, even with the hazard of my life, to do him every service +in my power. He gave me many thanks for my good will, saying, +that the loss he had sustained was as nothing in his estimation. +On my return to our house, I was met by the young king going to +visit his grandfather. Before noon, we had word that our runaways +were upon a desert island about two leagues from Firando, of +which I gave notice to both kings, requesting their aid and +council how we might best bring them back. They answered, that +they would fetch them back dead or alive, yet would be loth to +kill them, lest we might want hands to navigate the ship back to +England. I returned many thanks for the care they had of us, yet +sent them word we still had a sufficiency of honest men to carry +our ship to England, even although we should lose these knaves. +In fine, the king fitted out two boats full of soldiers to go +after them, with positive orders to bring them back dead or +alive, which I made known to our master, who wished much to go +along with them, and did so accordingly.</p> + +<p>9. <i>Continuation of Occurrences at Firando, during the +Absence of the General</i>.</p> + +<p>On the 4th of October, a report was current in Firando that +the <i>Devil</i> had revealed to the <i>bose</i>, [bonzes] or +conjurers, that the town was to be burned to ashes that night, on +which criers went about the streets the whole night, making so +much noise that I could hardly get any rest, giving warning to +all the inhabitants to extinguish their fires. But the devil +turned out a liar, for no such thing happened. The 5th, old king +<i>Foyne-same</i> came to our house, and was entertained to the +best of our ability, when he told me our runaway seamen could not +escape being taken, as he had sent two other armed boats after +them, besides the two formerly mentioned. While I was talking +with him, there came a gentleman from the emperor's court with a +letter, and told me that our general would be back to Firando in +eight or ten days, as he had received his dispatches from the +emperor before this gentleman left the court. At this time king +Foyne told me that <i>Bon-diu</i>, the king or governor of +Nangasaki, who is brother to the empress, was to be at Firando +next day, and that it would be proper for our ship to fire off +three or four pieces of cannon as he passed. He told me likewise, +that the king or governor of a town called <i>Seam</i>, was then +in Firando.</p> + +<p>The master of our ship, Mr James Foster, returned from +Nangasaki on the 7th, bringing our skiff with him, but all the +deserters had got sanctuary in that town, so that he had not been +able to see or speak with any of them. I was informed that +Miguel, our jurebasso, whom I had sent along with the master as +linguist, had dealt fraudulently both with the master and me, for +several Japanese told me that he had spoken to our people and +advised them to absent themselves. Knowing this, and being +doubtful of ever recovering our people unless <i>Bondiu</i> were +extraordinarily dealt with, I resolved to give that personage a +present to secure him in our interest. In the afternoon, as he +was passing on foot along the street in which was our house, +along with the young king who gave him the post of honour, +attended by about five hundred followers, I went out into the +street and saluted them. Bon-diu stopped at our door and thanked +me for the salute given him in passing our ship. I requested he +would excuse me if I had hitherto neglected any part of my duty +towards him, which was owing to my small acquaintance with the +country and its customs, but that I meant to wait upon him either +at his lodgings or aboard his junk, before he left Firando. He +answered, that I should be heartily welcome, and remained so long +in conversation, that it was quite dark before he got to his +lodgings. At this time I carried the present to him, which he +accepted in good part, offering to do our nation all the good in +his power at court, whither he was now bound, or to serve us all +he could any where else. Of his own accord, he began now to speak +about the deserters, asking me if they should all be pardoned for +his sake, if he brought them back to us? I answered, that the +power of pardon belonged to our general, not to me, and that I +had no doubt they might easily get free, except one or two of the +chiefs in this and other disorders, who richly deserved +punishment. He then said that he wished them all pardoned, +without any exception: to which I answered, that I was sure our +general would most willingly do any thing desired by his +highness, or the two kings of Firando. In conclusion, he said, if +I would give it under my hand on the faith of a Christian, that +all should be pardoned for this time, and that I would procure +the general to confirm this at his return, he would then send to +Nangasaki for the deserters, and deliver them into my custody, +otherwise he would not meddle in the matter, lest he might +occasion any of their deaths. I answered, I was contented with +any thing his highness was pleased to command, and so gave him +the desired writing under my hand, conditioning that they were +all to be sent back. I then returned to our house after which the +Dutch waited upon him with their present, but we were before hand +with them.</p> + +<p>On the 8th <i>Semidono</i> passed our house, and told me that +king <i>Bon-diu</i> had a brother along with him, to whom it +would be proper that we should give a present, but not so large +as that given to Bon-diu. On this, advising with the other +gentlemen, I laid out a present for him, and on going to deliver +it, I found the Dutch before me with theirs, Captain Brower going +with it himself. He accepted it very kindly, promising his +interest and assistance to our nation, both at court and any +where else. He came soon afterwards to our house, accompanied by +many gentlemen, when they looked over all our commodities, yet +went away without making any purchases. On this occasion he gave +me a small <i>cattan</i>, and I gave him two glass bottles, two +gally-pots, and about half a <i>cattee</i> of picked cloves, +which he said he wanted for medicinal purposes. I likewise gave +him and his followers a collation, with which they all seemed +contented.</p> + +<p>Soon afterwards, <i>Bon-diu</i> sent a gentleman to me, +desiring to have my written promise for pardon to our deserters, +to which I consented, after consulting with the other gentlemen. +If I had not done this, we certainly had never got them back, and +the Spaniards would have sent them to Manilla or the Moluccas. +Immediately after this, I got notice that <i>Bon-diu</i> and his +brother meant to visit our ship, wherefore I sent some banqueting +stuff aboard, and went myself to meet them, when they were +entertained as we best could. Bon-diu gave two <i>cattans</i>, +and we saluted them with seven guns at their departure. The +brother returned soon after, and requested to have one of the +little monkeys for his brother's children; so I bought one for +five dollars from our master-gunner, and sent it to +<i>Bon-diu</i>. He being ready to go on shore, desired to have me +along with him in his boat, which I complied with, and he was +saluted with three guns at his departure, which, as I learnt +afterwards, was much esteemed by both brothers. When ashore, he +insisted to accompany me to our factory, much against my +inclination, as I was again forced to give him a collation in Mr +Adamses chamber, after which he and his companions went away +seemingly satisfied. Late at night, old king Foyne sent a man to +me to enquire the particulars of the presents I had given to both +brothers, all of which he set down in writing, but I could never +know the reason of this. I forgot to mention that Bon-diu, just +before going aboard our ship, went to bathe in a new warm-bath at +the Dutch factory. The 9th Bon-diu sent one of his men to give me +thanks for the kind entertainment he had on board, and sent me by +the messenger two barrels of Miaco wine. Soon after, his brother +sent me a similar message and present. They were both very +earnest to have a perspective-glass, wherefore I sent them an old +one belonging to Mr Eaton; but it was soon after returned with +thanks, as not suiting them.</p> + +<p>On the 10th, two sons of another governor of Nangasaki who +dwells in the town, came to see our house, both of them being +Christians. After shewing them our commodities, I gave them a +collation, accompanied with music, Mr Hownsell and the carpenter +happening both by chance to be at the factory. While we were at +table, old king Foyne came in upon us quite unexpectedly, and sat +down to partake. I then desired our jurebasso to request the +speedy sending back of our runaways, which they all promised, +provided they should be pardoned, as I had formerly promised, and +which promise I now renewed. Old Foyne desired that I would send +him next day a piece of English beef; and another of pork, sodden +with onions. I accordingly sent our jurebasso next day with the +beef and pork, together with a bottle of wine, and six loaves of +white bread, all of which he very kindly accepted. He had at +table with him his grandson the young king, <i>Nabison</i>, his +brother, and <i>Semidono</i>, his kinsman.</p> + +<p>On the 12th I went to visit both kings, and found the old one +asleep, but spoke with his governor, after which I went to the +young king, who received me.[32] He gave me thanks for the kind +entertainment I had given the strangers, which he said his +grandfather and he took in as good part as if done to themselves. +Towards night, Foyne sent to say that he understood the +strangers, who were now departed, had taken away various +commodities from me, paying only as they thought good themselves, +and not the prices I required. I answered, that they had +certainly done so, but I knew not whether it were the custom of +the country, being given to understand that they were in use to +do so at Nangasaki both with the Chinese and Portuguese, and that +in reality what they had taken from me was not worth the speaking +of. I was answered, that although this was done at Nangasaki with +the Chinese, who were forbidden to trade at Japan, they had not +authority to do so with those strangers who had the privilege of +trade, more especially here at Firando, where these people had no +authority. I sent back my humble thanks to the king for the care +he used to see justice done both to strangers and natives, +saying, I would wait upon his highness myself to inform him of +the whole truth. Captain Brower sent me word that they had taken +various commodities from him, paying him just as they pleased; he +also sent an empty bottle, desiring to have it filled with +Spanish wine, as he had invited certain strangers, and had none +of his own.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 32: It was now a great festival among the +pagans, which began on this day, said to be like the Lent of the +papists.--<i>Purch.</i>]</blockquote> + +<p>I heard three or four guns or chambers discharged on the 13th, +which I supposed had been done at the Dutch house, in honour of +the king; but I afterwards learnt that they were shot by a +Chinese junk which was passing for Nangasaki. Shortly after, the +old king sent for me to come to dinner at the Dutch house, and to +bring Mr Eaton with me, and a bottle of wine.[33] Mr Eaton had +taken medicine, and could not go out, but I went. We had an +excellent dinner, the dishes being dressed partly in the Japanese +fashion, and partly according to the Dutch way, but no great +drinking. The old king sat at one table, accompanied by his +eldest son and two brothers of the young king, as the young king +had sent to say he was not well. At the other table there sat, +first, <i>Nabesone</i>, the old king's brother, then myself, next +me <i>Semidono</i>, then the old king's governor, and below him +<i>Zanzebar's</i> father-in-law, and various other Japanese +gentlemen on the other side of the table. Captain Brower did not +sit down, but carved at table, all his own people attending and +serving on their knees. Captain Brower even gave drink to every +one of his guests with his own hands, and upon his knees, which +seemed very strange to me. When they had dined, Foyne and all his +nobles went away, and Captain Brower accompanied me to our house. +I asked him why he served these people on his knees, when he told +me it was the custom of the country, even the king serving his +guests on his knees when he made a feast, to do them the more +honour. Before night the old king came to the English house, and +visited all its apartments. I gave him a collation, and after +staying an hour, and taking one thing and another, he went his +way.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 33: These things are mentioned to shew how +poor Cockes was imposed upon among them; as, taking advantage of +his weak side, they seem all to have wished to get from him all +they could, without any design of serving him in return.--Astl. +I. 518. b.]</blockquote> + +<p>On the 16th, learning that two Christians were arrived from +Nangasaki, I went to visit them, and to enquire about our +runaways. One was George Peterson, a Dutchman, born in Flushing; +the other was Daman Maryn, a native of Venice. They told me that +our runaways had been conveyed away in a small bark for +<i>Macoro</i>,[34] and that they two had deserted in hope of +procuring a passage in our ship to return to their own countries; +they said they were well known to Mr Adams, and were desirous to +have gone immediately on board, being both seafaring men. The +Dutchman had served three or four and twenty years with the +Spaniards, and came master's mate in one of their ships from +<i>Agua-pulca</i> [Acapulco.] for Manilla in the Philippine +islands. They had plenty of money, and would have sent it to our +ship or to our factory; but I told them that I durst not presume +to entertain them in the absence of our general, yet would do +them all the service in my power at his return. I accordingly +sent Miguel to inform the king that these two strangers were come +to seek a passage in our ship, not being Spaniards nor subjects +of Spain. The king sent me back for answer, that they were +welcome, if they were such as they reported themselves; but, if +Spaniards or Portuguese, he could not allow them to remain in +Firando, as the Spanish ambassador had procured an order from the +emperor that all Spaniards should retire to Manilla.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 34: Called in the sequel Macow, or Macao, +the Portuguese settlement on the coast of China, at the mouth of +the <i>Bocca-tigris</i>, or river of Canton.--E]</blockquote> + +<p>The two strangers came to me early on the 17th, requesting me +to accompany them to wait upon the king, to give them the better +countenance, which I agreed to. On the way, they told me that our +fugitives had given out at Nangasaki that more of our people +would follow them, as none of any account would stay to navigate +the ship home, because their officers used them more like dogs +than men. They alleged also, that twenty resolute Spaniards might +easily get possession of our ship in one or two small boats. The +old king received us very kindly, and asked the strangers many +questions about the wars in the Molucca islands between the +Spaniards and Dutch. They said the Spaniards were resolved to +prosecute this war with much vigour, having prepared a strong +force for that purpose. They also told the king that all our +fugitives had, as they believed, been secretly conveyed away from +Nangasaki seven days before, in a <i>soma</i> that went from +thence for <i>Macow</i>.[35] The king would not believe them, +saying it was impossible such a man as Bon-diu, having given his +word to restore them, should be found false to his promise. In +the end, he agreed to allow these men to remain, and to go along +with our ship, if our general pleased to take them. So the poor +men returned much contented to their lodgings, assuring me they +would prove faithful to us, and that we need not wish any worse +punishment to our fugitives than the bad treatment they would +receive from the Spaniards.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 35: Macow, or Macao, a town of the +Portuguese near the continent of China. Miguel, the jurebasso, +servant to Mr Adams, was suspected of double-dealing in this +affair of the fugitives: the circumstances I +omit.--<i>Purch.</i>]</blockquote> + +<p>The 18th we had a total eclipse of the moon, which began about +eleven p.m. The 19th, about the same hour, a fire began in +Firando, near the young king's house, by which forty houses were +burnt down; and, had not the wind fallen calm, most of the town +had been destroyed. Had not our Englishmen bestirred themselves +lustily, many more houses had gone to wreck, for the fire took +hold three or four times on the opposite side of the street to +our house, which they as often extinguished, for which they were +very much commended by the king and other principal people. Old +Foyne came to our door on horseback, and advised us to put all +our things into the <i>godown</i>, and daub up the door with wet +clay, which would place them in safety. Captain Brower likewise, +and some of his people, came very kindly to our house, offering +to assist us either by land or water, if needful. It could not be +known how this fire began, but there were reports among the +Japanese that there would soon be a still greater fire, which had +been predicted by the devil and his conjurers. I pray God it may +not be done purposely by some villainous people, on purpose to +rob and steal what they can lay hold of during the trouble and +confusion.</p> + +<p>The 20th I went to visit Captain Brower at the Dutch house, to +return thanks for his friendly assistance the night before. +Towards night, Hernando the Spaniard and Edward Markes returned +from Nangasaki, where they could not procure sight of any of our +fugitives, though they were still at that place. A Portuguese or +Spaniard at Nangasaki, in high authority about sea affairs, told +Markes we should never have our men back; but that if all the +rest of our people would come, leaving the ship empty, they would +be well received, and would be still more welcome if they brought +the ship with them. The Japanese, who had been sent by king Foyne +along with our people to look for our runaways, would not allow +Markes to stir out of doors for a night and half a day after +their arrival at Nangasaki, he going abroad himself, and Hernando +lodging at a different place, whence I suspect there was some +fraudulent understanding between the Japanese and Hernando, and +have now lost hope of ever getting our men back. I blamed the +jesuits, and the old king agreed with me, and told me he would +take care that no more of our people should be carried to +Nangasaki, except they stole the ship's boats, as the others had +done, of which I gave notice to Mr James Foster, our master. +Foyne at this time issued an edict, strictly forbidding any of +the Japanese from carrying away any of our people, without +previously making it known to him and me.</p> + +<p>The 23d I was informed of a great pagan festival to be +celebrated this day, both kings and all the nobles being to meet +at a summer-house erected before the great pagoda, to see a +horse-race. I think there must have been above 3000 people +assembled together on this occasion. All the nobles went on +horseback, each being accompanied by a retinue of slaves, some +armed with pikes, some with fire-arms, and others with bows and +arrows. The pikemen drew up on one side of the street, and the +shot and archers on the other, the middle being left open for the +race. Right before the summer-house, where the king and nobles +were seated, was a large round target of straw, hung against the +wall, at which the archers running at full career on horseback +discharged their arrows. The street was so crowded, that neither +the present we sent, nor we ourselves, could get admission, so we +passed along the street and returned by another way to our house. +Late at night, the brother of Zanzibar's wife came to our house, +bringing me a present of a haunch of venison and a basket of +oranges, being accompanied by Zanzibar himself. About ten at +night, the Chinese captain, our landlord, came to inform us that +the king had ordered a tub of water to be kept ready on the top +of every house, as the devil had given out that the town was to +be burnt down that night: Yet the devil proved a liar: We got +however a large tub on the top of our house, which held twenty +buckets of water; and all night long people ran about the streets +calling out for every one to look well to their fires, so that it +was strange and fearful to hear them.</p> + +<p>This report of burning the town was still current on the 24th, +and every one was making preparations to prevent it. I made ready +fifteen buckets, which cost six <i>condrines</i> each, which I +filled with water and hung up in our yard, setting a large tub +beside them full of water, besides that on the house top. I gave +orders likewise to get two ladders ready for carrying water to +the roof, and provided nine wine casks filled with tempered clay, +ready for daubing up the doors of the <i>gadonge</i>, [godown or +fire-proof warehouse,] if need should require in consequence of a +conflagration, from which dire necessity may God defend us. All +night long, three or four men ran continually backwards and +forwards in the streets, calling out for every one to have a care +of fire, and making so horrible a noise, that it was both strange +and fearful to hear them.</p> + +<p>On the 25th, the Chinese captain, our landlord, was taken +sick, and sent for a piece of pork, which I sent him, and +immediately afterwards I went to visit him, carrying a small +bottle of Spanish wine. While I was there, Semidono and our +guardian's father-in-law came likewise to visit him. The king +sent me word, by Miguel, our jurebasso, that he had a bad opinion +of Hernando Ximenes our Spaniard, and that he meant to have run +away when lately at Nangasaki. But I knew this to be false, as he +had then free liberty to go where he pleased, and did not run +away. I had another complaint made against him, that he was a +notorious gambler, and had enticed several to play, from whom he +won their money, which I believe rather than the other +accusation. I find by experience, that the Japanese are not +friendly to the Spaniards and Portuguese, and love them at +Nangasaki the worse, because they love them so well.[36] In the +night between the 24th and 25th, some evil-disposed persons +endeavoured to have set the town of Firando on fire in three +several places, but it was soon extinguished, and no harm done; +but the incendiaries were not discovered, though doubtless owing +to the conjurers and other base people, who expected an +opportunity of making spoil when the town was on fire.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 36: This is quite obscure, and may perhaps +allude to the efforts of the Jesuits at Nangasaki, to convert the +Japanese to a new idol worship, under the name of +Christianity.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The 26th of October, Mr Melsham being very sick, +<i>Zanzibar</i> came to visit him, and urged him to use the +physic of the country, bringing with him a <i>bonze</i>, or +doctor, to administer the cure. Mr Melsham was very desirous to +use it, but wished our surgeon to see it in the first place. So +the bonze gave him two pills yesterday, two in the night, and two +this morning, together with certain seeds; but, for what I can +see, these things did him no good. God restore his health! At +this time, all our waste-cloths, pennants, brass sheaves, and +other matters, were sent aboard, and our ship was put into order +to receive our general, whose return was soon expected. Last +night another house was set on fire by some villains, but was +soon extinguished with very little harm; yet our nightly criers +of fire continue to make such horrible noises, that it is +impossible for any one to get rest. The Chinese captain still +continued sick, and sent to beg some spiced cakes and two +wax-candles, which I sent him, as I had done before. Mr Melsham +now grew weary of his Japanese doctor and his prescriptions, and +returned to our surgeon Mr Warner, to the great displeasure of +Zanzibar and the bonze.</p> + +<p>S.10. <i>Conclusion of Observations by Mr Cockes</i>.</p> + +<p>Our Chinese landlord came to our house on the 30th October, to +inform me of a general collection of provisions of all kinds, +then making at every house in Firando, to be sent to the two +kings, in honour of a great feast they were to give next day, +together with a comedy or play. By his advice, and after +consulting with the other gentlemen of the factory, I directed +two bottles of Spanish wine, two roasted hens, a roasted pig, a +small quantity of rusk, and three boxes of confections and +preserves to be sent, as a contribution towards their feast. +Before night the young king sent one of his men to me, requesting +me to furnish him with some English apparel, for the better +setting out their comedy, and particularly to let him have a pair +of red cloth breeches. I answered, that I had nonesuch, and knew +not any of our people who had; but any clothes I had that could +gratify his highness were much at his service. At night the old +king sent to invite me to be a spectator of their comedy on the +morrow, and to bring Mr Foster, our master, along with me.</p> + +<p>Next day, being the 31st, I sent our present, formerly +mentioned, to the kings by our jurebasso before dinner, desiring +their highnesses to excuse the master and myself, and that we +would wait upon them some other time, when they had not so much +company. This however did not satisfy them, and they insisted on +our company, and that of Mr Eaton; so we went and had a place +appointed for us, where we sat at our ease and saw every thing. +The old king himself brought us a collation in sight of all the +people; Semidono afterwards did the like in the name of both +kings, and a third was brought us in the sequel by several of +their principal nobles or attendants. But that which we most +noted was their play or comedy, in which the two kings, with +their greatest nobles and princes, were the actors. The subject +was a representation of the valiant deeds of their ancestors, +from the commencement of their kingdom or commonwealth to the +present time, which was mixed with much mirth to please the +common people. The audience was very numerous, as every house in +the town of Firando, and every village, place, or hamlet in their +dominions brought a present, and all their subjects were +spectators. The kings themselves took especial care that every +one, both high and low, should eat and drink before they +departed. Their acting, music, singing, and poetry, were very +harsh to our ears, yet the natives kept time to it, both with +hands and feet. Their musical instruments were small drums or +tabors, wide at both ends and small in the middle, resembling an +hour-glass, on one end of which they beat with one hand, while +with the other they strained the cords which surround it, making +it to sound soft or loud at their pleasure, and tuning their +voices to its sound, while others played on a fife or flute; but +all was harsh and unpleasant to our ears. I never saw a play of +which I took such notice, as it was wonderfully well represented, +yet quite different from ours in Christendom, which are only +dumb-shews, while this was as truth itself, and acted by the +kings themselves, to preserve a continual remembrance of their +affairs.</p> + +<p>On this occasion, the king did not invite the Dutch, which +made our being present seem the greater compliment. When I +returned to our house, I found three or four of the Dutchmen +there, one of whom was in a Japanese habit, and came from a place +called <i>Cushma</i>,[37] which is within sight of Corea. I +understood they had sold pepper there and other goods, and +suspect they have some secret trade thence with Corea, or are +likely soon to have, and I trust if they do well that we shall +not miss, as Mr Adams was the man who put them upon this trade, +and I have no doubt he will be as diligent for the good of his +own countrymen as he has been for strangers. Hernando Ximenes was +with Captain Brower when the two men came from Cushma, and asked +them whence they came, at which Brower was very angry, telling +him he should have no account of that matter.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 37: Key-sima, an island considerably to the +N.E. of Firando, and nearly midway between Niphon and Corea, from +which it may be about forty miles distant.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>Towards night, I was informed that two Spaniards were arrived +from Nangasaki, and were lodged with <i>Zanzibar</i>. They sent +for our jurebasso to come to them, but I did not allow him, on +which they and Zanzibar came to our house. One of them was +<i>Andres Bulgaryn</i>, a Genoese, who had passed Firando only a +few days before, and the other <i>Benito de Palais</i>, +pilot-major of the Spanish ship lately cast away on the coast of +Japan, the same person who came here formerly from Nangasaki to +visit Captain Adams. They said they had come to visit their +friends, me in the first place; and used many words of +compliment, after which they entered into conversation respecting +our fugitives. They pretended that it was not the fathers, as +they called the jesuits, who kept our people from being seen and +spoken with, but the natives of Nangasaki, who they said were +very bad people. In fine, I shrewdly suspected these fellows of +having come a-purpose to inveigle more of our people to desert, +as the others did, wherefore I advised our master to have a +watchful eye both to the ship and boats, and to take special +notice who kept company with our men, as it was best to doubt the +worst, for the best will save itself.</p> + +<p>On the night of the 1st November, two houses were set a-fire +on the other side of the water, which were soon extinguished, but +the villains could not be found out. This day I sent word to Mr +Foster on board, to look well to the ship and the boats, and to +the behaviour of our people, as I strongly suspected the two +Spaniards of being spies, come to entice away our men. I sent him +word likewise, that I understood the Spaniards meant to invite +him that day to dinner, but wished him to beware they did not +give him a <i>higo</i>.[38] He answered, that he had the same +opinion of them I had, and should therefore be mainly on his +guard. He came soon after on shore, and the Spaniards came to our +house, where by much entreaty they prevailed on Mr Foster and Mr +William Eaton to go with them to dinner at Zanzibar's house, +along with Hernando and the other two Spaniards. But these two +Spaniards came to me, and desired me to tell Mr Foster and those +who went with him, to take heed they did not eat or drink of any +thing they did not see tasted by others, as they were not to be +trusted, which I communicated to Mr Foster and Mr Eaton. Ximenes +told me that Mr Adams had goods in his hands belonging to the +pilot-major, who had come in the hope of finding Mr Adams here, +and meant to wait his return. He said they had likewise brought +letters from the bishop and other fathers to the other two +Spaniards, advising them to return to Nangasaki, but which I +think they will not do. I this day sent our jurebasso to both +kings and the other nobles, to give them thanks for the kind +entertainment we had received the day before.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 38: From the sequel, this unexplained term +seems to imply treachery.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The 2d, some villains set fire to a house in the fish street, +which was soon put out, and the incendiaries escaped. It is +generally thought these fires were raised by some base renegados +who lurk about the town, and who came from Miaco: Yet, though +much suspected, no proof has hitherto been brought against them. +There has, however, been orders given to construct gates and +barriers in different parts of all the streets, with watches at +each, and no person to be allowed to go about in the night, +unless he be found to have very urgent business. Another villain +got this night into the house of a poor widow, meaning to have +robbed her; but on her making an outcry, he fled into the wood +opposite our house, where the Pagoda stands.[39] The wood was +soon after beset all around by above 500 men, but the robber +could not be found. At night, when we were going to bed, there +was a sudden alarm given that there were thieves on the top of +our house, endeavouring to set it on fire. Our ladders being +ready, I and others went up immediately, but found nobody, yet +all the houses of our neighbours were peopled on the top like +ours on similar alarms. This was judged to be a false alarm, +risen on purpose to see whether any one would be found in +readiness. At this very time there was a house set on fire, a +good way from our house, but the fire was soon quenched. The +night before, three houses were set a-fire in different parts of +the town, but the fires were all extinguished at the beginning, +so that no hurt was done. At this time, an order was issued to +give notice of all the inhabitants dwelling in every house, +whether strangers or others; and that all who were liable to +suspicion should be banished from the dominions of the two kings +of Firando. Bars or gates were erected to shut up the passages at +the ends of all the streets, and watches were appointed in +different places, with orders not to go about crying and making a +noise, as had been done hitherto without either form or fashion. +Yet, notwithstanding these precautions, a villain set fire about +ten o'clock this night to a house near the Pagoda, opposite our +house. He was noticed by the watch, who pursued him in all haste, +but he escaped into the wood above the Pagoda. The wood was +immediately beset by more than 500 armed men, and old king Foyne +came in person with many of his nobles to assist in the pursuit; +yet the incendiary escaped, and I verily believe he ran about +among the rest, crying <i>stop thief</i> as, well as the +best.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 39: This word signifies either the idol, or +the idol temple, or both.--<i>Purch.</i>]</blockquote> + +<p>On the night of the 4th, fire was set to several houses, both +in the town and country round. An order was now given, to have +secret watches in various parts of the town every night, and that +no person should go out during the night except upon important +occasions, and then to have a light carried before them, that it +might be seen who they were. If this rule be duly enforced, our +house-burners will be put to their wits end. I proposed these +measures to the king and others above a week before, and now they +are put in execution.</p> + +<p>On the 5th I received a letter from Domingo Francisco, the +Spanish ambassador, dated five days before from +<i>Ximenaseque</i>, [Simonoseki,] and another from George the +Portuguese. The ambassador went over land from that place to +Nangasaki, and sent the letter by his servant, to whom I shewed +the commodities he enquired after, referring him for others till +the return of our general, but gave him an answer, of which I +kept a copy. The man chose two pieces of fine <i>Semian +chowters</i> and eight pieces of white <i>bastas</i>, paying +seven <i>tayes</i> each for the <i>chowters,</i> and two +<i>tayes</i> each for the <i>bastas</i>. A Spanish friar or +Jesuit came in the boat along with the ambassador's servant, and +asked to see our ship, which the master allowed him at my +request, and used him kindly; for the old saw has it, That it is +sometimes good to hold a candle to the devil. This day Mr Eaton, +Hernando, and I dined with Unagense, and were kindly +entertained.</p> + +<p>About ten o'clock of the 6th November, 1613, our general and +all his attendants arrived at Firando from the emperor's court, +accompanied by Mr Adams. Immediately after his arrival, he sent +me, with John Japan, our jurebasso, to visit both the kings, and +to thank them for their kindness, for having so well accommodated +him with a barge or galley, and for the care they had taken of +the ship and every thing else during his absence. They took this +message in good part, saying they would be glad to see our +general at their houses. At this time certain merchants of Miaco +came from Nangasaki to our house to look at our commodities, and +among the rest took liking to ten pieces of <i>cassedy nill</i>, +for which they agreed to give three <i>tayes</i> each. As had +been done by other merchants, I sent the goods to their lodging, +expecting to receive the money as usual; but they only sent me a +paper, consigning me to receive payment from <i>Semidono</i>, who +was newly gone from Firando on a voyage, and was met by our +general. I sent back word to the merchants that I must either +have payment or the goods returned, to which they answered, I +should have neither one nor the other; and as the person with +whom they lodged refused to pass his word for payment, I was +forced to apply to both the kings for justice; but I first sent +word aboard our ship, if the boat of Miaco weighed anchor to go +away, that they should send the skiff to make her stay, which +they did, and made her come to anchor again. In the mean time I +went to the kings. The younger king said that <i>Semidono</i> was +able enough to pay me; but when I asked him if Semidono refused +to pay, whether he would, he answered no. While we were talking +about the matter, the old king came in, and told me he would take +order that I should be satisfied; so in the end the person with +whom the merchants lodged passed his word for payment of the +thirty <i>tayes</i>; yet the orders of old <i>Foyne Same</i> had +come too late, if our skiff had not stopt the Miaco merchants. +This day Captain Brower and all the merchants of the Dutch +factory came to visit our general, and <i>Nobisone</i> sent him a +young porker as a present, with a message saying he would come to +visit him in a day or two.</p> + +<p>S.11. <i>Occurrences at Firando after the Return of Captain +Saris</i>.[40]</p> + +<p>The 7th of November, 1613, I sent in the first place some +presents to the two kings of Firando, and afterwards went to +visit them. On the 8th, Andrew Palmer, the ship's steward, and +William Marnell, gunner's mate, having been ashore all night and +quarrelled in their cups, went out this morning into the fields +and fought. Both are so grievously wounded, that it is thought +Palmer will hardly escape with his life, and that Marnell will be +lame of his hands for life. The 9th I went aboard ship early, and +called the master and all the officers into my cabin, making +known to them how much I was grieved at the misconduct of some of +them, particularly of Palmer and Marnell, who had gone ashore +without leave, and had so sore wounded each other, that one was +in danger of his life, and the other of being lamed for ever; and +besides, that the survivor ran a risk of being hanged if the +other died, which would necessarily occasion me much vexation. I +also said, I was informed that Francis Williams and Simon Colphax +were in the boat going ashore to have fought, and that John Dench +and John Winston had appointed to do the like. John Dench +confessed it was true, and that he had seen Palmer and Marnell +fighting, and had parted them, otherwise one or both had died on +the field. I told them these matters were exceedingly distressing +to me, and I trusted would now be remedied, otherwise the ship +would be unmanned, to the overthrow of our voyage, and the vast +injury of the honourable company which had entrusted us. After +much contestation, they all engaged to amend what was amiss, and +not to offend any more, which I pray God may be the case. I told +them also, that old king Foyne had complained to me, threatening, +if any more of them went ashore to fight and shed blood, contrary +to the laws of Japan, he would order them to be cut in pieces, as +he was determined strangers should have no more licence to +infringe the laws than his own subjects.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 40: We here resume the narrative of Captain +Saris. Purch. Pilgr. I. 378. The observations of Mr Cockes, +contained in the three preceding sub-sections, break off abruptly +in the Pilgrims, as above.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>At my return ashore, old <i>Foyne Same</i> came to visit me at +the English house, and told me that the piece of <i>Poldavy</i>, +and the sash I gave him, were consumed when his house was burnt +down. This was in effect begging to have two others, which I +promised to give him. I likewise got him to send some of his +people aboard, along with John Japan, our jurebasso, to intimate +to our men that if any of them went ashore to fight, he had given +strict orders to have them cut in pieces. This I did in hopes of +restraining them in future from any more drunken combats. Towards +night, Juan Comas, a Spaniard, came from Nangasaki, bringing two +letters from Domingo Francisco, one for me, and the other for Mr +Cockes, together with three baskets of sugar as a present to me, +and a pot of conserves, with many no less sugared words of +compliment in his letters, saying how sorry he was that our seven +fugitives had gone away during his absence, excusing himself and +the Jesuits, who he pretended had no hand in the matter, and +pretending they had never spoken against us, calling us heretics. +He said our men had gone from Nangasaki, three of them in a +Chinese or Japanese <i>soma</i> for Manilla, and four in a +Portuguese vessel. Yet I esteem all these as vain words to excuse +themselves, and throw the blame on others; for the Spaniards and +Portuguese mutually hate each other and the Japanese, as these +last do them.</p> + +<p>The 11th I visited <i>Nobesane</i>, who used me kindly, and +would have had me dine with him next day, but I excused myself on +account of the press of business in which I was engaged, and the +short time I had to stay. I met old king Foyne at his house, who +requested to have two pieces of English salt beef, and two of +pork, sodden by our cook, with turnips, radishes, and onions, +which I sent him. The 12th, the governors of the two kings came +to visit me at our factory, whence they went aboard the Clove, +accompanied by Mr Cockes, to signify to our crew that they should +beware of coming ashore to fight and shed blood; as, by the law +of Japan, those who went out to fight and drew weapons for that +purpose, were adjudged to death, and all who saw them were +obliged to kill both offenders, on pain of ruining themselves and +all their kindred if they neglected putting the combatants to +death.</p> + +<p>The 14th I sent Mr Cockes and our jurebasso to wait upon the +kings, to entreat they would provide me twelve Japanese seamen +who were fit for labour, to assist me in navigating the ship to +England, to whom I was willing to give such wages as their +highnesses might deem reasonable. The kings were then occupied in +other affairs, so that my messengers spoke with their +secretaries, who said they needed not to trouble the kings on +that business, as they would provide me twelve fit persons; but +that there were several vagrant people about the town who would +be willing enough to go, yet were very unfit for my purpose, as +they would only consume victuals, and of whom the Dutch made use +without making any request on the matter, and it was not known +what had become of these men or of the ship; but, as the matter +was now referred to them, they would look out for such as were +fit for our purpose.</p> + +<p>The 18th, Foyne sent me word he would visit me, and meant to +bring the dancing girls of the country along with him, which he +did soon after, accompanied by three courtezans, and two or three +men, who all danced and made music after their fashion, though +harsh to our ears. The 19th, the Chinese captain, and George +Duras, a Portuguese, came to visit me, requesting me to send to +<i>Semidono</i> to procure pardon for two poor fellows who were +like to lose their lives for bidding a poor knave flee who had +stolen a bit of lead not worth three halfpence; and though the +malefactor was taken and executed, these men were in danger of +the same punishment, had I not sent Mr Cockes to <i>Semidono</i> +with my ring, to desire their pardon for my sake, which he +engaged to procure, and did in effect.</p> + +<p>The 20th, <i>Samedon</i>, king of <i>Crats</i>,[41] sent me +word he meant to go on board our ship, so I went there to meet +him, and he came along with both the kings of Firando, when we +saluted them with five pieces of ordnance; and we afterwards +fired three with bullets at a mark, at the request of Samedon, +who gave me two Japanese pikes, having <i>cattans</i> or +<i>sables</i> on their ends. At their departure we again saluted +them with seven guns, one being shotted and fired at the mark. +The 22d I sent a present to the king of <i>Crats</i>, which was +delivered to him at the house of <i>Tomesanes</i> the young king, +where he was at breakfast. Samedon accepted it very kindly, +sending me word by Mr Cockes that he was doubly obliged to me for +his kind entertainment aboard, and for now sending him so +handsome a present of such things as his country did not produce, +all without any desert on his part, and the only recompence in +his power was, if ever any of the English nation came into his +dominions, he would give them a hearty welcome, and do them all +the service in his power.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 41: This personage must have been governor +of one of the provinces, islands, or towns of Japan; but no place +in that eastern empire bears a name in modern geography which in +the smallest degree resembles Crats.--E]</blockquote> + +<p>The 25th, the purser and Mr Hownsell came ashore, and told me +that Andrew Palmer, the steward, had died the night before, +Thomas Warner, our surgeon, affirming that he owed his death to +his own obstinacy, his wound being curable if he would have been +ruled. I desired that he might be buried on an island as secretly +as possible, as we were about to get some Japanese into our ship, +who might be unwilling to embark if they heard of any one having +died. On the 28th a Japanese was put to death, who some said was +a thief, and others an incendiary. He was led by the executioner +to the place of punishment, a person going before him carrying a +board, on which the crime for which he was to be punished was +written, and the same was exhibited on a paper flag carried over +his head. Two pikemen followed the culprit, having the points of +their pikes close to his back, ready to slay him instantly if he +offered to resist.</p> + +<p>The ship being ready to depart, several of the natives +complained that the ship's company owed them money, and desired +to be paid. To prevent greater inconvenience, I listened to these +people, and wrote to the master to make enquiry aboard as to who +were in debt, that I might satisfy their creditors, making +deductions accordingly from their wages.</p> + +<p>On the 26th I assembled my mercantile council to consult about +leaving a factory here in Firando, upon these considerations. 1. +The encouragement we had privately received at the Moluccas. 2. +That the Dutch had already a factory here. 3. The large +privileges now obtained from the emperor of Japan. 4. The certain +advice of English factories established at Siam and Patane. 5. +The commodities remaining on hand appointed for these parts, and +the expected profit which farther experience might produce. It +was therefore resolved to leave a factory here, consisting of +eight Englishmen, three Japanese <i>jurebassos</i> or +interpreters, and two servants. They were directed, against the +coming of the next ships, to explore and discover the coasts of +Corea, <i>Tushmay</i>, other parts of Japan, and of the adjoining +countries, and to see what good might be done in any of them.</p> + +<p>The 5th of December, 1613, Mr Richard Cockes, captain and +<i>Cape</i> merchant of the English factory now settled at +Firando in Japan, took his leave of me aboard the Clove, together +with his company, being eight English and five others, as before +mentioned. After their departure, we mustered the company +remaining aboard, finding forty-six English, five <i>swarts</i> +or blacks, fifteen Japanese, and three passengers, in all +sixty-nine persons. We had lost since our arrival in Japan ten +Englishmen; two by sickness, one slain in a duel, and seven who +deserted to the Portuguese and Spaniards, while I was absent at +the court of the emperor. The English whom we left in the factory +were Mr Richard Cockes, William Adams, now entertained in the +service of the company at a hundred pounds a year, Tempest +Peacock, Richard Wickham, William Eaton, Walter Carwarden, Edward +Saris, and William Nelson.</p> + +<p>S.12. <i>Voyage from Japan to Bantam, and thence Home to +England</i>.</p> + +<p>That same day, being the 5th December, we set sail with a +stiff northerly gale, steering S. by W. 1/2 a point westerly. By +exact observation on shore, we found the island of Firando to be +in lat. 33° 30' N. and the variation 2° 50' easterly.[42] +We resolved to keep our course for Bantam along the coast of +China, for which purpose we brought our starboard tacks aboard, +and stood S.W. edging over for China, the wind at N.N.E. a stiff +gale and fair weather. The 7th it blew very hard at N.W. and we +steered S.S.W. encountering a great current which shoots out +between the <i>island</i> of Corea[43] and the main land of +China, occasioning a very heavy sea. The 8th, being in lat. +29° 40' N. we steered W.S.W, on purpose to make Cape +<i>Sumbor</i> on the coast of China. The sea was very rough, and +the wind so strong that it blew our main course out of the bolt +ropes. The 9th, in lat. 28° 23', we sounded and had +forty-nine to forty-five fathoms on an oozy bottom. The weather +was clear, yet we could not see land. The 11th we had ground in +forty-nine, forty-three, thirty-eight, thirty-seven, and thirty +fathoms, the water being very green, and as yet no land to be +seen.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 42: The town of Firando is in lat. 33° +6' N. and even the most northern part of the island of that name +only reaches to 33° 17'. The town is in long. 128° 42' E. +from Greenwich.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 43: Corea was long thought to be an island +after the period of this voyage. Astl. I. 492. c.--It is now +known to be an extensive peninsula, to the east of China, having +the Yellow sea interposed.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The 12th, in thirty-five fathoms, and reckoning ourselves near +the coast of China, we had sight of at least 300 sail of junks, +of twenty and thirty tons each and upwards, two of which passed +us close to windwards, and though we used all fair means to +prevail upon them to come aboard we could not succeed, and seeing +they were only fishing vessels we let them pass. Continuing our +course we soon espied land, being two islands called the +<i>Fishers islands</i>.[44] At noon our latitude was 25° 59' +N. and we had ground at twenty to twenty-six fathoms. About seven +p.m. while steering along the land, we came close by a rock, +which by good providence we had sight of by moonlight, as it lay +right in our course. When not above twice our ship's length from +this rock, we had thirty fathoms water, on which we hauled off +for one watch, to give the land a wide birth, and resumed our +course S.W. after midnight. The wind was very strong at N.E. and +continually followed as the land trended. The 13th, in lat. +24° 35' N. and variation 1° 30' easterly, having the wind +strong at N.E. with fair weather, we steered S.W. keeping about +five leagues off the islands along the coast of China. The 15th +we came among many fisher boats, but had so much wind that we +could not speak any of them, but they made signs to us, as we +thought to keep to the westwards. At noon our lat. was 21° +40' N. and having the wind at N.N.E. a stiff gale, we steered +W.N.W. northerly, to make the land, and about two hours +afterwards had sight of it, although by our dead reckoning we +ought still to have been fifty-six leagues from it. It is to be +noted, that the islands along the coast of China are considerably +more to the southward than as laid down in the charts. About +three p.m. we were within about two leagues of an island called +<i>Sancha</i>[45].</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 44: By the latitude indicated in the text, +Captain Saris appears to have fallen in with the coast of +Fo-kien, and to have passed through between that province and the +island of Formosa, without discovering the existence of that +island.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 45: Probably the island of Tchang-to-huen, +to the S.W. of the bay of Canton, the situation of which agrees +with the latitude in the text, and the sound of the two first +syllables of which name has some affinity with that given by +Saris, evidently from Spanish or Portuguese charts. At this part, +of his voyage, Saris entirely misses to notice the large island +of Hai-nan.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The 18th, in lat. 15° 43' N. we had sight of an island +called Pulo-cotan, being high land, and is about twenty leagues, +according to report, from the shoal called <i>Plaxel</i>. In the +morning of the 19th the coast of Cambodia was on our starboard +side, about two leagues off, along which we steered S.E. by E. +easterly, our latitude at noon being 13° 31' N. estimating +the ship to be then athwart <i>Varella</i>. We have hitherto +found the wind always <i>trade</i> along shore, having gone +<i>large</i> all the way from Firando, the wind always following +us as the land trended. The 20th at noon we were in latitude +10° 53', and three glasses, or an hour and half after, we had +sight of a small island, which we concluded to be that at the end +of the shoal called <i>Pulo-citi</i>. We found the book of <i>Jan +Huyghens van Linschoten</i> very true, for by it we have directed +our course ever since we left Firando. The 22d we had sight of +<i>Pulo Condor</i> about five leagues off, our latitude at noon +being 8° 20' N.</p> + +<p>About four a.m. on the 25th we made the island of <i>Pulo +Timon</i>, and two hours afterwards saw <i>Pulo Tinga</i>. The +28th at three p.m. we had oosy ground at twenty fathoms, having +divers long islands on our starboard and sundry small islands on +our larboard, forming the straits of China-bata, which we found +to be truly laid down in a chart made by a Hollander called +<i>Jan Janson Mole</i>, which he gave to Mr Hippon, who gave it +to the company. <i>Pulo Bata</i>, one of these islands, is low +land, and is full of trees or bushes at the S.W. end.</p> + +<p>A little before noon on the 29th, we perceived the colour of +the water a-head of the ship to change very much, by which +observation we escaped an imminent danger. This shoal seemed of a +triangular shape, the S.W. end being the sharpest, and is not far +from the entrance into the straits of <i>China-bata</i>. At noon +our latitude was 4° 6' N. At eight p.m. we came to anchor in +seven fathoms, the weather threatening to be foul in the night, +the place very full of shoals, and our experience little or +nothing. Before our anchor took hold, we had six 1/4, five 1/2, +six, and then seven fathoms, soft sandy ground.</p> + +<p>In the morning of the 30th we spoke the Darling, then bound +for Coromandel, her company consisting of twenty-one English and +nine blacks. By her we first learnt of the death of Sir Henry +Middleton, the loss of the Trades-increase, and other incidents +that had occurred during our voyage to Japan. In the night of the +30th God mercifully delivered us from imminent danger, as we +passed under full sail close by a sunken ledge of rocks, the top +of which was only just above water within a stone's throw of our +ship; and had not the noise of the breakers awakened us, we had +not cleared our ship. We instantly let go our anchor, being in a +rapid current or tide-way, in seventeen fathoms upon oozy ground. +When morning broke on the 31st we had sight of the high land of +Sumatra, having an island a-stern, the ledge of rocks we had +passed on our starboard, and three small islands forming a +triangle on our larboard bow. We were about eight leagues off the +high land of Java, but could not then get into the straits of +Sunda, as the wind was quite fallen.</p> + +<p>The 1st January, 1614, being quite calm, was mostly spent at +anchor. The 2d, having a little wind, we set sail, and about +eight o'clock fell in with the Expedition, homewards bound for +England, laden with pepper, by which ship we wrote to our friends +in England. The 3d we came to anchor in the road of Bantam, end +to our great grief found no lading ready for us, for which +neglect I justly blamed those I had left to provide the same, +while they excused themselves by alleging they did not expect us +so soon back. I questioned <i>Kewee</i>, the principal Chinese +merchant, who came to visit me on board, as to the price of +pepper. He answered, that it was already known ashore I was +homewards bound, and must necessarily load pepper; and, as my +merchants had not provided any before hand, I might be assured it +would rise. He said the price was then at twelve dollars for ten +sacks, but he could not undertake to deliver any quantity at that +price. I offered him twelve dollars and a half the ten sacks, but +he held up so high, that we had no hope of dealing for the +present. Of the ten persons left by us in the factory when we +departed for Japan, we found only five alive at our return, while +we only lost one man between Firando and Bantam.</p> + +<p>I went ashore on the 4th to visit the governor of Bantam, to +whom I presented two handsome <i>cattans</i>, or Japanese swords, +and other articles of value; and this day I bargained with +<i>Kewee</i> for 4000 sacks of pepper at thirteen dollars the ten +sacks, bating in the weight 3 per cent and directed the merchants +to expedite the milling thereof as much as possible. I employed +the 5th in reducing the several English factories at Bantam under +one government, settling them all in one house; also in +regulating the expences of diet, that all might be frugally +managed, to prevent extravagance in rack-houses abroad, or in +hanger-on blacks at home, which had lately been the case. I +directed also that there should be fewer warehouses kept in the +town, and that these might be better regulated, and the goods +stowed in a more orderly manner. Hitherto the multiplication of +factories, having one for each voyage, had occasioned great +expence, and had raised the price of pepper, as each outbid the +other, for the particular account of their own several voyages, +with great loss to the public.</p> + +<p>The 6th was employed in re-weighing the pepper received the +day before, most of the sacks being found hard weight, and many +to want a part of what was allowed by the king's beam; wherefore +I sent for the weigher, whom I used kindly, entreating him to +take a little more care to amend this fault, which he promised to +do, and for his better encouragement I made him a present to the +value of five dollars. The 16th being Sunday, I staid aboard, and +about 2 p.m. we observed the whole town to be on fire. I +immediately sent our skiff ashore to assist the merchants in +guarding our goods. The wind was so violent, that in a very short +space of time the whole town was burnt down, except the English +and Dutch factories, which it pleased God of his mercy to +preserve.</p> + +<p>Being ashore on the 20th, I procured two Chinese merchants, +named <i>Lackmoy</i> and <i>Lanching</i>, to translate the letter +which the king of Firando in Japan had given me to deliver to our +king, James I. It was written in the Chinese character and +language, which they translated into the Malay, and which in +English was as follows:</p> + +<p><i>To the King of Great Britain, &c.</i> "Most mighty +king, I cannot sufficiently express how acceptable your majesty's +most loving letter, and bountiful present of many valuable +things, sent me by your servant Captain John Saris, has been to +me; neither the great happiness I feel in the friendship of your +majesty, for which I render you many thanks, desiring the +continuance of your majesty's love and correspondence. I am +heartily glad at the safe arrival of your subjects at my small +island, after so long a voyage. They shall not lack my help and +furtherance to the utmost, for effecting their so worthy and +laudable purposes, of discovery and commerce, referring for the +entertainment they have received to the report of your servant, +by whom I send to your majesty an unworthy token of my gratitude; +wishing your majesty long life. Given from my residence of +Firando, the sixth day of the tenth month. Your majesty's loving +friend, commander of this island of Firando in Japan,</p> + +<p>FOYNE SAM-MASAM."</p> + +<p>My interpreters could not well pronounce his name, Lanching +saying it was <i>Foyne Foshin Sam</i>, while Lackmoy said it was +written as above. This comes to pass by reason of the Chinese +characters, which, in proper names, borrow the characters of +other words, of the same or nearest sound, and thereby occasion +frequent mistakes.</p> + +<p>The 22d, such houses as had escaped in the former fire of the +16th, were now burnt down; yet the English and Dutch houses +escaped, for which we were thankful to God. On the 26th, a Dutch +ship of 1000 tons arrived from Holland, called the Flushing. At +the island of Mayo, the company mutinied against the captain, +whom they would have murdered in his cabin, had it not pleased +God that a Scotsman revealed the plot when the mutineers were +already armed to carry it into effect, so that they were taken +between decks with their weapons in their hands. In this ship +there were several English and Scots soldiers. She did not remain +at Bantam, but sailed towards evening for Jacatra.</p> + +<p>The 27th, our lading being fully procured, and several of our +company fallen sick, I went ashore to hasten our merchants to get +us ready for sailing. The 1st February, the Darling was forced +back to Bantam; and order was taken by mutual consultation for +the proper care of her goods, and for her immediate departure for +<i>Succadanea</i> in the island of Borneo, and thence to Patane +and Siam.</p> + +<p>The 13th of February we got out from the straits of Sunda, in +which the tide of flood sets twelve hours to the eastwards, and +the ebb twelve hours to the westwards. On the 16th of May we +anchored in the bay of Saldanha, where we found the Concord of +London, being the first ship set out by the united company. We +now found the natives of this place very treacherous, making us +to understand by signs; that two of their people had been +forcibly carried off. They had sore wounded one of the people +belonging to the Concord; and while we were up in the land, they +assaulted the people who were left in charge of our skiff, +carried away our grapnel, and had spoiled the boat-keepers if +they had not pushed off into deep water. The 19th a Dutch ship +arrived bound for Bantam, the master being Cornelius van +Harte.</p> + +<p>We remained here twenty-three days, where we thoroughly +refreshed the ship's company, and took away with us alive +fourteen oxen and seventy sheep, besides good store of fish and +beef, which we <i>powdered</i> there, finding it to take salt +well, contrary to former reports. For ten days after leaving +Saldanha, we had the wind N.W. and W.N.W. but after that we had a +fine wind at S.W. so that we could hold our course N.W. On the +27th September, thanks be to God, we arrived at Plymouth; where, +for the space of five or six weeks, we endured more tempestuous +weather, and were in greater danger of our lives, than during the +whole voyage besides.</p> + +<p>S.13. <i>Intelligence concerning Yedzo, or Jesso, received +from a Japanese at Jedo, who had been twice there</i>.[46]</p> + +<p>Yedzo, or Jesso, is an island to the N.W. of Japan, from which +it is ten leagues distant. The natives are of white complexions, +and well-conditioned, but have their bodies covered all over with +hair like monkies. Their weapons are bows and poisoned arrows. +The inhabitants of the south extremity of this country understand +the use of weights and measures; but those who inhabit the inland +country, at the distance of thirty days journey, are ignorant of +these things. They have much silver and gold-dust, in which they +make payment to the Japanese for rice and other commodities; rice +and cotton-cloth being of ready sale among them, as likewise iron +and lead, which are carried there from Japan. Food and cloathing +are the most vendible commodities among the natives of that +country, and sell to such advantage, that rice often yields a +profit of four for one.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 46: This article is appended to the Voyage +of Saris, in the Pilgrims, vol. I. p. 384.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The town where the Japanese have their chief residence and +mart in Yetizo is called <i>Matchma</i>,[47] in which there are +500 households or families of Japanese. They have likewise a fort +here, called <i>Matchma-donna</i>. This town is the principal +mart of Yedzo, to which the natives resort to buy and sell, +especially in September, when they make provision against winter. +In March they bring down salmon and dried fish of sundry kinds, +with other wares, for which the Japanese barter in preference +even to silver. The Japanese have no other settled residence or +place of trade except this at Matchma [48]. Farther northward in +Yedzo there are people of a low stature like dwarfs.[49] The +other natives of Yedzo are of good stature like the Japanese, and +have no other cloathing but what is brought them from Japan. +There is a violent current in the straits between Yedzo and +Japan, which comes from the sea of Corea, and sets E.N.E. The +winds there are for the most part like those usual in Japan; the +northerly winds beginning in September, and ending in March, when +the southerly winds begin to blow.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 47: In modern maps, the southern peninsula +of Yesso, or Yedso, is named <i>Matsaki</i>, apparently the same +name with that in the text.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 48: In our more modern maps, there are four +other towns or residences on the western coast of the peninsula +of Matsaki, named Jemasina, Sirekosawa, Famomoli, and +Aria.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 49: The island of Kubito-sima, off the +western coast of Yedzo, is called likewise in our maps, the Isle +of Pigmies.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>S.14. <i>Note of Commodities vendible in Japan</i>.[50]</p> + +<p>Broad-cloths of all sorts, as black, yellow, and red, which +cost in Holland eight or nine gilders the Flemish ell, two ells +and three quarters, are worth in Japan, three, four, to five +hundred.[51] Cloth of a high wool is not in request, but such as +is low shorn is most vendible. Fine <i>bayes</i> of the +before-mentioned colours are saleable, if well cottoned, but not +such as those of Portugal. Sayes, <i>rashes</i>, single and +double bouratts, silk grograms, Turkey grograms; camblets, +<i>Divo Gekepert, Weersetynen, Caniaut, Gewart twijne</i>;[52] +velvets, musk, sold weight for weight of silver; India cloths of +all sorts are in request; satins, taffetas, damasks, Holland +linen from fifteen to twenty stivers the Flemish ell, but not +higher priced; diaper, damasks, and so much the better if wrought +with figures or branches; thread of all colours; carpets, for +tables; gilded leather, painted with figures and flowers, but the +smallest are in best demand; painted pictures, the Japanese +delighting in lascivious representations, and stories of wars by +sea or land, the larger the better worth, sell for one, two, or +three hundred. Quick-silver, the hundred cattees sell from three +to four hundred.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 50: This forms a part of the Appendix to +the Voyage of Saris, Purch. Pilg. I. 394; where it is joined to +the end of observations by the same author on the trade of +Bantam, formerly inserted in this Collection under their proper +date.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 51: This account is very vaguely expressed; +but in the title in the Pilgrims, the sales are stated to be in +<i>masses</i> and <i>canderines</i>, each canderine being the +tenth part of a masse. The information contained in this short +subdivision is hardly intelligible, yet is left, as it may +possibly be of some use towards reviving the trade of Japan, now +that the Dutch are entirely deprived of their eastern +possessions.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 52: These articles, in italics, are +unknown.]</blockquote> + +<p>The hundred cattees of vermilion are worth from three to six +hundred. Paint for women's faces, the hundred cattees are worth +twenty-eight. Cooper in plates, 125 Flemish pounds are worth from +90 to 100. Lead in small bars, the 100 cattees from 60 to 88. +Lead in sheets is in greater request, the thinner the better, and +100 pounds Flemish sell for 80. Fine tin, in logs or bars, 120 +pounds Flemish bring 350. Iron, twenty five Dutch ounces worth +four. Steel, the 100 cattees, worth from one to two hundred. +Tapestry. Civet, the cattee worth from 150 to 200. China root, +the 100 cattees or pekul worth 40. China sewing gold, the paper +worth three masse three. Powdered Chinese sugar, the 100 cattees +or pekul worth forty to fifty. Sugar-candy, the pekul or 100 +cattees, from fifty to sixty. Velvets, of all colours, eight ells +the piece, from 120 to 130. Wrought velvets, from 180 to 200. +Taffetas of all colours, and good silk, worth, the piece, from +twenty-four to thirty or forty. Satin, seven or eight ells long, +the piece worth from 80 to 100. Figured satin, from 120 to 150. +<i>Gazen</i>, of seven pikes or ells, from forty to fifty. Raw +silk, the cattee of twelve pounds Flemish, from thirty to forty. +Untwisted silk, the weight of twenty-eight pounds Flemish, from +thirty to forty. Twisted silk, from twenty-eight to forty.</p> + +<p>Drinking-glasses of all sorts, bottles, canns, cups, +trenchers, plates, beer-glasses, salt-sellers, wine-glasses, +beakers, gilt looking-glasses of large size, <i>Muscovy +glass</i>, salt, writing-papers, table-books, paper-books, +<i>lead to neal</i> pots. Spanish soap is in much request, and +sells for one masse the small cake. Amber beads, worth 140 to +160. Silk stockings, of all colours. Spanish leather, neats +leather, and other kinds of leather used for gloves, worth six, +eight, or nine. Blue <i>candiques</i> of China, from fifteen to +twenty. Black <i>candiques</i>, from ten to fifteen. Wax for +candles, 100 pounds Flemish worth from 200 to 250. Honey, the +pekul, worth sixty. <i>Samell</i> of Cochin-China, the pekul, +worth 180. Nutmegs, the pekul, twenty-five. Camphor of Borneo, or +<i>barous, the pound hollans</i>, from 250 to 400. Sanders of +<i>Solier</i>, the pekul, worth 100. Good and heavy Callomback +wood, the pound, worth one, two, three, to five. Sapan, or red +wood, the pekul, from twenty to twenty-six. Good and large +elephants teeth, from 400, to 500, 600, 700, and even 800. +Rhinoceros horns, the Javan cattee, worth thirty. Gilded +harts-horns, the piece, worth 300, 400, 500. Roch allum in +request, in so much that what cost only three gilders has sold +for 100 gilders; but not in demand by every one.</p> + +<p>The Chinese in Japan will commonly truck for silver, giving +gold of twenty-three carats, at the rate of from fifteen to +twenty times its weight in silver, according as silver is plenty +or scarce.</p> + +<p>The following commodities are to be bought in Japan, and at +the rates here quoted. Very good hemp, 100 cattees, being 120 +pounds of Holland, are worth from sixty-five to seventy. +<i>Eye-colours</i> for dying blue, almost as good as indigo, made +up in round cakes, and packed 100 cakes in a fardel, worth fifty +to sixty. Dye-stuff for white, turning to red colour, made up in +fardels of fifty <i>gautins malios</i>, worth five to eight. Very +good white rice, cased, worth, the <i>fares</i>, eight +three-fifths. Rice of a worse sort, the bale, worth seven +three-tenths. At Jedo, Osaka, and Miaco, there is the best dying +of all sorts of colours, as red, black, and green; and for +gliding gold and silver, is better than the Chinese varnish. +Brimstone is in great abundance, and the pekul may be bought for +seven. Saltpetre is dearer in one place than another, being worth +one and a half. Cotton-wool, the pekul, may be bought for +ten.</p> + +<p>S.15. <i>Supplementary Notices of Occurrences in Japan, after +the Departure of Captain Saris</i>.[53]</p> + +<p>"This subdivision consists entirely of letters from Japan, and +conveys some curious information respecting the transactions of +the English in Japan, whence they have been long excluded. They +are now perhaps of some interest, beyond the mere gratification +of curiosity, as, by the entire expulsion of the Dutch from +India, there seems a possibility of the British merchants in +India being able to restore trade to that distant country. In the +<i>Third</i> PART of our Collection, various other relations of +Japan will be inserted."--E.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 53: These are appended in the Pilgrims, +vol. I. pp. 406--413, to the observations of Mr. Richard Cocks, +already given in conjunction with the voyage of Captain +Saris.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>No. I. <i>Letter from Mr Richard Cocks, dated Firando, 10th +December, 1614</i>.[54]</p> + +<p>To this day, I have been unable to complete my old books of +accounts, owing to the dispatching of our people, some to one +place and some to another, and owing to the rebuilding of our +house, and afterwards buying a junk, and repairing her. She is +now ready to set sail for Siam, having been at anchor these ten +days, waiting for a fair wind to proceed on her voyage, at +<i>Couchi</i>, a league from Firando, where your ship rode at +your departure from hence. She is called the Sea-Adventure, of +about 200 tons burden, in which Mr Adams goes as master, with Mr +Wickham and Mr Edward Sayers as merchants, in consequence of the +death of Mr Peacock, slain in Cochin-China, and the probability +that Mr Carwarden has been cast away in his return from thence, +as we have no news of him or of the junk in which he sailed, as I +have at large informed the worshipful company.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 54: This letter appears to have been +written to Captain Saris.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>Since your departure from Japan, the emperor has banished all +jesuits, priests, nuns, and friars, from the country, shipping +them off for <i>Anacau</i> [Macao] in China, or Manilla in the +Philippine islands, and has caused all their churches and +monasteries to be pulled down or burnt. <i>Foyne Same</i>, the +old king of Firando, is dead, and <i>Ushiandono</i>, his +governor, with two other servants, cut open their bellies to bear +him company, their bodies being burned, and their ashes entombed +along with his. Wars are likely to ensue between <i>Ogusho +Same</i>, the old emperor, and <i>Fidaia Same</i>, the young +prince, son of <i>Tico Same</i>, who has strongly fortified +himself in the castle of <i>Osaka</i>, having collected an army +of 80,000 or 100,000 men, consisting of malcontents, runaways, +and banished people, who have repaired from all parts to his +standard, and he is said to have collected sufficient provisions +for three years. The old emperor has marched against him in +person, with an army of 300,000 men, and is at the castle of +<i>Fusima</i>. The advanced parties of the two armies have +already had several skirmishes, and many have been slain on both +sides. The entire city of Osaka has been burned to the ground, +excepting only the castle, so that Mr Eaton had to retire with +his goods to <i>Sakey</i>,[55] yet not without danger, as a part +of that town has likewise been burnt. So great a tempest or +tuffoon has lately occurred at <i>Edoo</i> [Jedo,] as had never +been before experienced at that place. The sea overflowed the +whole city, obliging the people to take refuge on the hills: and +the prodigious inundation has defaced or thrown down all the +houses of the nobles, which you know were very beautiful and +magnificent.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 55: It has been formerly explained that +<i>Sakey</i> was a town on the river Jodo, directly opposite to +Osakey or Osaka, the river only being +interposed.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>Let this suffice for Japanese news; and I now proceed to +inform you of our success in selling our goods. The emperor took +all our ordnance, with most of our lead, and ten barrels of +gunpowder, with two or three pieces of broad-cloth. Most of our +other broad-cloths are sold, namely, black, hair-colour, and +cinnamon-colour, at fifteen, fourteen, thirteen, and twelve tayes +the <i>tattamy</i>; but they will not even look at Venice-reds +and flame-colours, neither are <i>stammels</i> in such request as +formerly, but they enquire much for whites and yellows. As the +Dutch sold most of their broad-cloths at low prices, we were +forced to do so likewise. In regard to our Cambaya goods, they +will not look at our <i>red Zelas</i>, blue <i>byrams</i>, or +<i>dutties</i>, being the principal part of what is now left us; +and only some white bastas sell at fourteen or fifteen masses +each. <i>Cassedys nill, alleias</i>, broad <i>pintados</i>, with +spotted, striped, and checquered stuffs, are most in request, and +sell at good profit. We have also sold nearly half of our Bantam +pepper for sixty-five <i>masse</i> the <i>pekull</i>, and all the +rest had been gone before now, had it not been for the war. I am +in great hope of procuring trade into China, through the means of +Andrea, the China captain, and his two brothers, who have +undertaken the matter, and have no doubt of being able to bring +it to bear, for three ships to come yearly to a place near +<i>Lanquin</i>,[56] to which we may go from hence in three or +four days with a fair wind. Of this I have written at large to +the worshipful company, and also to the lord-treasurer.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 56: As Nangasaki is uniformly named +<i>Langasaque</i> in this first English voyage to Japan, I am apt +to suspect the <i>Lanquin</i> of the text may have been +Nan-kin.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>Some little sickness with which I have been afflicted is now +gone, for which I thank God. Mr Easton, Mr Nealson, Mr Wickham, +and Mr Sayer, have all been very sick, but are all now well +recovered, except Mr Eaton, who still labours under flux and +tertian ague. May God restore his health, for I cannot too much +praise his diligence and pains in the affairs of the worshipful +company. Jacob Speck, who was thought to have been cast away in a +voyage from hence to the Moluccas, is now returned to Firando in +the command of a great ship called the Zelandia, together with a +small pinnace called the Jacatra. The cause of his being so long +missing was, that in going from hence by the eastward of the +Philippines, the way we came, he was unable to fetch the +Moluccas, owing to currents and contrary winds, and was driven to +the west of the island of Celebes, and so passed round it through +the straits of Desalon, and back to the Moluccas. The Chinese +complain much against the Hollanders for robbing and pilfering +their junks, of which they are said to have taken and rifled +seven. The emperor of Japan has taken some displeasure against +the Hollanders, having refused a present they lately sent him, +and would not even speak to those who brought it. He did the same +in regard to a present sent by the Portuguese, which came in a +great ship from Macao to Nangasaki. You thought, when here, that +if any other ship came from England we might continue to sell our +goods without sending another present to the emperor; but I now +find that every ship which comes to Japan must send a present to +the emperor, as an established custom. I find likewise that we +cannot send away any junk from hence without procuring the yearly +licence from the emperor, as otherwise no Japanese mariner dare +to leave the country, under pain of death. Our own ships from +England may, however, come in and go out again when they please, +and no one to gainsay them.</p> + +<p>We have not as yet been able by any means to procure trade +from <i>Tushma</i> into Corea; neither indeed have the +inhabitants of Tushma any farther privilege than to frequent one +small town or fortress, and must not on pain of death go beyond +the walls of that place. Yet the king of Tushma is not subject to +the emperor of Japan.[57] We have only been able to sell some +pepper at Tushma, and no great quantity of that. The weight there +is much heavier than in Japan, but the price is proportionally +higher.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 57: No place or island of any name +resembling <i>Tushma</i> is to be found in our best maps. The +name in the text probably refers to <i>Tausima</i>, called an +some maps <i>Jasus</i>, an island about forty miles long, about +midway between Kiusiu and Corea.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>I have been given to understand that there are no great cities +in the interior of Corea, between which inland country and the +sea there are immense bogs or morasses, so that no one can travel +on horseback, and hardly even a-foot; and as a remedy against +this, they have great waggons or carts upon broad flat wheels, +which are moved by means of sails like ships. Thus, by observing +the monsoons or periodical winds, they transport their goods +backwards and forwards, by means of these sailing waggons. In +that country they make damasks, sattins, taffaties, and other +silk stuffs, as well as in China.</p> + +<p>It is said that <i>Fico Same</i>, otherwise called +<i>Quabicondono</i>, the former emperor of Japan, pretended to +have conveyed a great army in these sailing waggons, to make a +sudden assault upon the emperor of China in his great city of +Pekin, where he ordinarily resides; but was prevented by a +nobleman of Corea, who poisoned himself to poison the emperor and +many of the nobles of Japan. On which occasion, as is said, the +Japanese lost, about twenty-two years ago, all that they had +conquered in Corea.</p> + +<p>James Turner, the youth who used to play the fiddle, left a +girl here with child; and though I gave her two tayes in silver +to bring up the child; she killed it as soon as it was born, +which is a common thing in this country. The whistle and chain +belonging to Mr Foster, the master of the Clove, are found, and +are under the charge of Mr Adams, who will be accountable for +them. I meant to have sent you a Japanese almanack by a former +letter to the same effect as this, dated the 25th <i>ultimo</i>, +and sent by the Sea Adventure by way of Siam, but forgot to do +so; and which I now send along with this letter. I pray you that +this letter may suffice for your brother, Mr George Saris, and +the rest of my loving friends: And, with hearty commendations in +general, I leave you all to the holy protection of the Almighty; +resting always your ever loving friend at command, RICHARD +COCKS.</p> + +<p><i>No. 2. Letter from Mr Richard Cocks, dated Firando, 10th +December, 1614, to the Worshipful Thomas Wilson, Esq. at his +House in the Britain-burse[58] in the Strand.</i></p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 58: Perhaps that now called Exeter +Change.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>My last to you was of the 1st December, 1613, from this island +of Firando in Japan, and sent by Captain John Saris in the ship +Clove. In that letter, I advised you how unkindly the Hollanders +dealt with us at the Moluccas; since which time there has not +occurred any matter of moment to communicate, except what I have +detailed in another letter to my good Lord Treasurer. It is given +out here by the Hollanders, that our East India Company and that +of Holland are likely to join into one; and if this prove true, +it is thought it will be an easy matter to drive the Spaniards +and Portuguese out of these eastern parts of the world, or else +to cut them off from all trade. You would hardly believe how much +the Hollanders have already daunted the Portuguese and Spaniards +in these parts, especially in the Moluccas, where they daily +encroach on the Spaniards, who are unable to withstand them, and +are even in fear that they may shortly deprive them of the +Philippine islands. The Portuguese also are in great fear of +being driven by them out of the trade they now carry on from +Ormus to Goa, and with Malacca and Macao in China.</p> + +<p>There is one thing of which I cannot yet conceive the issue, +and that is the robbing and plundering the Chinese junks, which +is daily done by the Hollanders in these parts, the goods whereof +must amount to great value, and suffice to fit out and maintain a +great fleet, which is worthy of consideration. Should the emperor +of Japan fall out with the Hollanders, and debar them from the +trade of his dominions, which is not unlikely, the Hollanders +will then make prize of the Japanese junks as well as of those of +China; for their strength at sea in these parts is sufficient to +do what they please, if only they had a place to retire to for +revictualling and refitting their ships; for they are of late +grown so stout, that they mock at those who were formerly their +masters and teachers. It is very certain that they have got +possession of several fortresses at the Moluccas and other parts; +yet, to my certain knowledge, the natives in these parts are more +inclined towards the Spaniards, although at the first they were +glad of the arrival of the Hollanders, having been disgusted by +the intolerable pride of the Spaniards. But now they have time to +reflect, that the Spaniards brought them abundance of money, and +were liberal though proud; while the poor Hollanders, who serve +there both by sea and land, have such bare pay, that it can +hardly supply clothes and food; and their commanders allege, that +all the benefits derived from conquest or reprisals, belong to +the states and the <i>Winthebbers</i>, as they call them. It is +hard to judge how all these things may end.</p> + +<p>Were it not for the misbehaviour of the Hollanders, I am of +opinion that we should procure trade with China, as we only +demand leave for three ships to come and go there, and merely to +establish factors there to transact our business, without +bringing any Jesuits or <i>padres</i>, whom the Chinese cannot +abide to hear of, because they came formerly in such great +numbers to inhabit the land, and were always begging and craving, +to the great displeasure of the pagans. I am however in good hope +of success, as our English nation has acquired a good fame and +character since our arrival, which I am given to understand has +come to the ears of the emperor of China, who has heard how we +have been received by the emperor of Japan, having large +privileges allowed us, and also that we have at all times held +the Castilians in defiance both by sea and land. I have been +informed of these things by the Chinese who come hither, and that +the emperor and other great men of China delight to hear accounts +of our nation. I had almost forgotten to mention, that some China +merchants lately asked me, if we were allowed to trade with +China, whether the king of England would prevent the Hollanders +from robbing and spoiling their junks? Which question was rather +doubtful to me, yet I answered that his majesty would take +measures to prevent the Hollanders from injuring them.</p> + +<p>We have lately had news that a tuffon or tempest has done vast +injury at Jedo, a city of Japan as large as London, where the +Japanese nobility have very beautiful houses, now mostly +destroyed or greatly injured. The whole city was inundated, and +the inhabitants forced to take shelter in the hills; a thing +never before heard of. The palace of the king, which is a stately +building in a new fortress, has had all its gilded tiles carried +away by a whirlwind, so that none of them could be found. The +pagans attribute this calamity to some charms or conjurations of +the Jesuits, who were lately banished: but the Japanese converts +to popery ascribe it to the vengeance of God, as a punishment for +having banished these holy men.</p> + +<p>We have lately had a great disaster in Cochin-China, to which +place we sent a quantity of goods and money, to the value of +£730, as it cost in England, under the care of Mr Tempest +Peacock and Mr Walter Carwarden, who went as merchants in a +Japanese junk, carrying our king's letters and a handsome present +for the king of Cochin-China. They arrived at the port called +<i>Quinham</i>,[59] delivered his majesty's letters and present, +and were entertained with kind words and fair promises. The +Hollanders, seeing that we adventured to that country, would +needs do the same, and were at first kindly entertained; but in +the end, Mr Peacock and the chief Dutch merchant going ashore one +day in the same boat, to receive payment from the king for +broad-cloth and other commodities they had sold him, they were +treacherously assailed on the water, their boat overset, and both +were killed in the water with harpoons, as if they had been +fishes, together with their interpreters and other attendants, +who were Japanese. Mr Carwarden being aboard our junk escaped +sharing in this massacre, and came away, but neither he nor the +junk have ever been since heard of, so that we fear he has been +cast away.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 59: <i>Turon</i> is the port of +Cochin-China in the present time, and <i>Quinham</i> is unknown +in modern geography; perhaps the old name of some island or +village at the port or bay of Turon.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>It is commonly reported here, both among the Chinese and +Japanese, that this was done by order of the king of Cochin-China +in revenge against the Hollanders, who had burnt one of his +towns, and had slaughtered his people most unmercifully. The +origin of this quarrel was occasioned by a large quantity of +false dollars, sent to <i>Quinham</i> by the Hollanders some +years ago, and put off in payment for silks and other Chinese +goods, to the great injury of the merchants of that country. When +the falsehood of the money was discovered, they laid hands upon +the Dutch factors, and are said to have put some of them to +death. Upon this the Dutch ships came upon the coast, and landed +a body of men, who burnt a town, putting man, woman, and child to +the sword. This, as reported, was the occasion of our present +mischance, and of the slaughter of Mr Peacock, because he was in +company with the Hollanders. Along with this letter, I send you a +Japanese almanack, by which you will see the manner of their +printing, with their figures and characters. And so I leave you +to the holy protection of the Almighty, resting always, +&c.</p> + +<p>RICHARD COCKS.</p> + +<p>No. 3. <i>Letter from Edmond Sayer, dated Firando, 5th +December, 1615. But having no Address</i>.</p> + +<p>I received a letter from you by the hands of Captain Copendall +of the Horiander, who arrived here on the 29th of August this +year, by which I learnt your safe arrival at the Cape of Good +Hope, homewards bound, and of the loss of some of your company; +and I make no doubt that, long ere now, you are safe arrived in +England, by the blessing of God. I sent you a letter, dated in +November, 1614, by the Dutch ship called the Old Zealand, in +which I informed you of the death of Mr Peacock and Walter +Carwarden, both betrayed in Cochin-China, to our great grief, +besides the loss of goods to the company.</p> + +<p>The last year, Mr Wickham, Mr Adams, and I, when bound for +Siam in a junk we had bought, and meeting with great storms, our +vessel sprung a leak, and we were fain to bear up for the +<i>Leukes</i>[60] islands, where we had to remain so long, before +we could stop our leaks, that we lost the monsoon, and had to +return here. We have fitted her out again this year, and are now +ready to sail again for Siam. My greatest hope in these parts is, +that we shall be able to establish trade with China, of which we +seem to have a fair prospect through the efforts of the China +captain and his brothers; and I make no doubt that we shall have +a factory there ere long.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 60: The Liqueo islands are here obviously +meant, a group to the south of the south-western extremity of +Japan, in 28° N. and long. 129° 30' W. from Greenwich; +such being the latitude and longitude of the centre of the great +Liqueo, the principal island of the group.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>This last summer we have had great troubles, in consequence of +war between the emperor and <i>Fidaia Same</i>, and we do not +certainly know whether the latter be slain or fled; but the +emperor gained the victory, with a vast loss of men on both +sides.[61] Having no other news to write, I commit you to the +protection of the Almighty, and am, &c. EDMOND SAYER.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 61: In the text of the Pilgrims, this loss +is estimated at 400,000, and in a marginal note at 40,000, both +in words at length; for which reason the number is omitted in the +text.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>No. 4. <i>Letter, with no address, from Edmond Sayer, dated +Firando, 4th December, 1616.</i></p> + +<p>Worshipful Sir,--My duty always remembered. Having a +favourable opportunity, I could not omit to trouble you with a +few lines. I am but newly arrived here in Firando from a +difficult and tedious voyage to Siam, to which country we went in +a junk belonging to the right honourable company, in which Mr +Adams was master, and myself factor. Having bought there more +goods than our own junk could carry, we freighted another junk +for Japan, in which Mr Benjamin Fry, the chief in the factory at +Siam, thought it proper for me to embark, for the safety of the +goods. The year being far spent, we were from the 1st June to the +17th September in our voyage between Siam and <i>Shachmar</i>, +during which we experienced many storms and much foul weather, +and lost twenty of our men by sickness and want of fresh water. +The great cause of our tedious and unfortunate voyage was in our +not having a good pilot. The one we had was a Chinese, who knew +nothing of navigation; for, when out of sight of land, he knew +not where he was, nor what course to steer. Besides he fell sick, +and was unable to creep out of his cabin, so that I was obliged +to do my best to navigate our junk; which, with what small skill +I possessed, and by the aid of God, I brought safe to +<i>Shachmar</i>, where we arrived on the 17th of September, +having then only five men able to stand on their legs. In +consequence, I arrived so late at Firando that I could not go +this year to Siam. But Mr William Eaton has gone there in the +company's junk, having two English pilots, named. Robert and John +Surges.--I am, &c. EDMOND SAYER.</p> + +<p><i>No. 5. Letter from Richard Cocks to Captain John Saris, +dated Firando, 15th February, 1617.[62]</i></p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 62: Perhaps the date of this letter, +according to modern computation, ought to have been 1618, as in +those days the year did not begin till Lady-day, the 25th +March.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>My last letter to you was dated 5th January, 1616, and sent by +way of Bantam in the ship Thomas, which went from hence that year +along with another small ship called the Advice. In that letter I +wrote you at large of all things that had then occurred, and +mentioned having received two of your letters from London; one +dated 4th November, 1614, and the other 15th August, 1615. The +Advice has since returned to Japan, and arrived at Firando on the +2d of August last, and by her I had a letter from the honourable +company, dated 30th January, 1616.</p> + +<p>You will perhaps have heard that Captain Barkeley, while on +his death-bed, narrowly escaped losing 6000 dollars, paid out for +custom on pepper; for, if he had died before it was found out, +perhaps some other man might have taken credit for paying that +sum. It is a common saying, that it is easy for those who live at +Bantam to grow rich, as no man dies <i>without an heir</i>. We +have been again this year before the emperor of Japan, but could +not procure our privileges to be enlarged, having still only +leave to carry on trade at Firando and Nangasaki, and our ships +to come only to Firando.</p> + +<p>Mr Edmond Sayer went last year to Cochin-China with a cargo +amounting to about 1800 tayes, in goods and money; and when ready +to cone away, was defrauded of 650 tayes, by a Chinese and +others, of whom he had bought silk for the worshipful company. He +had weighed out the money, waiting to receive the silk, and the +money lay in the room where he sat; but some of the thievish +people made a hole through the cane-wall of the room, and stole +away the money unperceived. I am sorry for this mischance; but Mr +Sayer is in hopes to recover it this year, as he left a person to +follow out the suit, and goes back himself in a Chinese junk, +with 2000 tayes in silver to purchase silk. He is to be +accompanied by one Robert Hawley, as his assistant and successor, +in case be should die, and Mr William Adams goes pilot, in place +of the Chinese. God send them a prosperous voyage, and that they +may recover the lost money. Our own junk, the Sea Adventure, made +another voyage last year to Siam, Mr William Eaton being +merchant; and has gone back again this year. God send them a +prosperous voyage.</p> + +<p>Last year, the Hollanders sent a fleet of ships from the +Moluccas to Manilla, to fight the Spanish fleet: But the +Spaniards kept safe in port for five or six months, so that the +Hollanders concluded they durst not come out at all, and +therefore separated to look out for Chinese junks, of which some +say they took and plundered twenty-five, while others say +thirty-five. It is certain that they took great riches, and all +under the assumed name of Englishmen. At length the Spanish fleet +put to sea, and set upon five or six of the Dutch ships, the +admiral of which was burnt and sank, together with two other +ships, the rest escaping. The Spaniards then separated their +fleet, to seek out the remaining Dutch ships. The Spanish +vice-admiral fell in with two Dutch ships one morning and fought +them both all day; but was at length constrained to run his ship +ashore and set her on fire, that she might not be taken by the +Hollanders. These two Dutch ships, and one that was in the former +fight, came afterwards to Firando, together with two other large +Dutch ships from Bantam, as big as the Clove, intending to have +intercepted the Macao ship, which they narrowly missed. Thus five +great Holland ships came this year to Firando, the smallest of +them being as large as the Clove. One of these, called the Red +Lion, which was she that rode beside us at the Moluccas, was cast +away in a storm at Firando, together with a Chinese junk they +brought in as a prize. All the goods were recovered, but were all +wet. The emperor allows them to make good prize of all they +take.</p> + +<p>The Black Lion, one of their ships, of 900 tons burden, was +sent away for Bantam, fully laden with raw silk and other rich +Chinese commodities. Another, called the Flushing, of 700 or 800 +tons, is gone for the Moluccas, fully laden with provisions and +money. The Sun, a ship of 600 or 700 tons, with a galliass of +above 400 tons, are left to scour the coast of China, to make +what booty they can, and to return next monsoon. The galliass has +sailed already, but the Sun waits for the Macao ship departing +from Nangasaki, that she may endeavour to take her. The Macao +ship had actually sailed, but seeing the galliass, she returned +to Nangasaki, and will, as I think, hardly venture to sail this +year. As I said before, the Dutch have always robbed the Chinese +under the name of Englishmen, which has greatly injured our +endeavours to procure trade in that country; so that we have been +obliged to send people to give notice to the Chinese governors, +that they were Hollanders who have taken and plundered their +junks, and not Englishmen. In fine, I have advised the worshipful +company at large of every thing of moment, which I doubt not will +be communicated to you. I send you here inclosed a copy of my +last year's letter; and so, committing you to God, I rest your +loving friend at command,</p> + +<p>RICHARD COCKS.</p> + +<p>No. 6. <i>Extract of a Letter from Richard Cocks, without Date +or Address</i>.</p> + +<p>There came two friars in that ship as ambassadors from the +viceroy of New Spain, with a present for the emperor; but he +would neither receive the present, nor speak with them that +brought it, even sending Mr Adams to order them to quit his +dominions, as he had formerly banished all men of their cloth, +and continued still in the same mind. It is said that <i>Fidaia +Same</i> had promised to receive the jesuits again into Japan, if +he had got the victory and been settled in the empire. Had this +taken effect, we and the Hollanders had doubtless been turned out +of Japan, so that it is better as it is.</p> + +<p>Last year, when we fitted out our junk, we employed a +Spaniard, called Damian Marina, the same person who thought to +have gone with you in company with George Peterson. This Damian +was a good helmsman, and was therefore employed by us, and +another Spaniard, named Juan de Lievana, went with them as +passenger. The junk however lost her voyage, and they returned to +Nangasaki, where the carrak of Macao soon afterwards arrived. +Understanding that these two Spaniards had gone in our vessel, +the Portuguese arrested them and put them in irons in their ship, +condemning them to death as traitors to their king and country, +for serving their English enemies. I took their defence in hand, +and procured an order from the emperor to set them at liberty, to +the great displeasure of the Spaniards and Portuguese; and these +two men are going passengers to Bantam in the Hosiander.</p> + +<p>We have had great troubles in Japan, in consequence of the +wars, by transporting our goods from place to place, to save +them. Mr Adams is gone again in the junk for Siam, accompanied +only by Mr Edmond Sayer. Mr Nealson is very sick; but Mr Wickham +and Mr Eaton are both well. I long to hear from you, and I pray +you to deliver the inclosed to my brother. Yours, most assured at +command,</p> + +<p>RICHARD COCKS.</p> + +<p>No. 7. <i>Letter from Richard Cocks, without Address, dated +Firando, 10th March, 1620</i>.[63]</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 63: In the Pilgrims, the date of this +letter is made 1610, evidently by error of the press; and, as +observed of No. 5, the real date, according to modern +computation, ought to be 1621. The introductory paragraph is a +note by Purchas, distinguished by inverted commas, retained as a +curious specimen of his mode of writing.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>"Hollanders abuses of the English in those parts, are here +published for knowledge of these eastern affairs and occurrents, +as it is meet in a history. But neither were these national, but +personal crimes, and done in time and place of pretended +hostility; and now, I hope, satisfaction is or shall be made. +Neighbourhood of region, religion, and customs, are easily +violated by drink, covetousness, and pride, the three furies that +raised these combustions. This history hath related the worth of +many worthy Hollanders: If it yields a close-stool for +Westarwood, as excrements rather than true Dutch, or a grain-tub +or swill-tub for some brave brewers and bores, that embrued with +nobler blood than themselves, prefer their brutish passions to +God's glory, religion, and public peace let it be no imputation +to the nation, which I love and honour, but to such baser spirits +as have [like scorbutical humours in these long voyages, and +their longer peace and want of wonted employments,] been bred as +diseases to their, and infections to our bodies. My intent is to +present others with their acts, and myself with prayers, that all +may be amended."--<i>Purchas</i>.</p> + +<hr align="center" width="25%"> +<p>It is now almost three years since I wrote your worship any +letter. The purpose of this is to inform you of the unlooked for +and unruly proceedings of the Hollanders against our English +nation, in all these parts of the world, not sparing us even in +this empire of Japan, contrary to the large privileges granted to +us by the emperor, that the Japanese should not meddle with or +molest us. But these Hollanders, having this year seven ships +great and small in this port of Firando, have, with sound of +trumpet, proclaimed open war against our English nation, both by +sea and land, threatening to take our ships and goods, and to +kill our persons, as their mortal enemies. This was done by one +Adam Westarwood, their admiral or lord-commander, as they call +him, and was openly proclaimed aboard all their ships. They have +even come to brave us before our own doors, picking quarrels with +us, and forcibly entering our house, thinking to have cut all our +throats, yet only wounded two persons; and, had it not been for +the assistance of the Japanese our neighbours, who took our +parts, they had assuredly slain us all, as there were an hundred +Hollanders to one Englishman. Not contented with this, they took +our boat when going about our business, in which was one +Englishman, whom they carried prisoner to their house, +threatening to put him to death; and indeed he was in imminent +danger, among a crowd of drunken fellows, who threatened to stab +him with their knives. This young man was Richard King, son to +Captain King of Plymouth. Besides this, as two of our barks were +passing their ships, within the town and harbour of Firando, they +pointed a cannon at them, which missed fire, yet shot at them +with muskets, which missed the Englishmen and killed a Japanese. +For all this there is no justice executed against them by the +king of Firando, though he has received the commands of the +emperor to that effect.</p> + +<p>Yon will also please to understand, that two of these ships +which they have brought to Firando are English ships, taken by +them from Englishmen in the Indies. They also took two other +ships from us, which were riding at anchor in the road of +Patania, where we have a factory, and had not the least suspicion +of any such event. In this unwarrantable affair, they killed +Captain John Jordaine,[64] our chief president for the right +worshipful company in the Indies. Several others were then slain, +and the Hollanders carried the ships and goods away; but six of +the mariners, which were in these captured English ships, escaped +from them here at Firando, and came to our house. The Hollanders +sent to me, demanding to have these men given up to them. But I +answered, that I must first see their commission, that I might +know by what authority they presumed to take our ships and goods, +and to slay our men, the faithful subjects of his majesty. Upon +this, they went to the <i>Tono</i>, or king of Firando, desiring +to have their <i>English slaves</i>,[65] as they were pleased to +call our men, delivered up to them. But they were told, that they +must first demand of the emperor, and whatever he ordained should +be obeyed; but that, in the meantime, he did not consider the +English to be their slaves. This was the grand occasion on which +they grounded their quarrel against us, and meant to have killed +us all. But I trust in God and his majesty, by the solicitations +of our right honourable and right worshipful employers, that his +majesty will not suffer his true and loyal subjects to lose their +lives, ships, and goods by this thievish and unthankful rabble, +who are assembled in these parts of the world, and who make a +daily practice to rob and steal from all, whether friends or +foes: And I trust that you will become a solicitor in this so +just cause, against so inveterate an enemy.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 64: This Captain Jordaine is said to have +been treacherously slain in the time of a +treaty--<i>Purch.</i>]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 65: And who was the happy instrument of +their own delivery, from what they accounted slavery, but the +English nation?--<i>Purch.</i>]</blockquote> + +<p>This Adam Westarwood, their lord-commander, set my life to +sale; offering fifty dollars to any one that would kill me, and +thirty dollars for every other Englishman that they could slay: +But hitherto God hath preserved me and the rest in this place; +for though they have wounded two or three of our men, none have +died. This villainous proceeding[66] of their lord-commander was +secretly told me by some of their own people, who advised me and +the rest of us to take heed to our safety. They also informed me +of the noble parentage of this their lord-commander Westarwood, +telling me that his father is a close-stool maker at Amsterdam, +or thereabouts; and that the best of their captains are the sons +of shoemakers, carpenters, or brewers. God bless their honourable +and worshipful generation! I would say, God bless me from them. +To make an end of this matter, I went up this year to the +emperor's court at Meaco, to complain of the abuses offered to us +in his dominions, contrary to the privileges his majesty had +granted us. I had very good words, and fair promises made me that +we should have justice, and that the <i>tono</i> or king of +Firando should be ordered to see it performed: But as yet nothing +has been done, though I have many times made earnest suit on the +subject.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 66: Unchristian, uncivil, inhumane, immane, +devilish impiety.--<i>Purch.</i>]</blockquote> + +<p>While I was at the court, and in the emperor's palace at +Meaco, there were several Spaniards and Portuguese there to pay +their obeisance to the emperor, as is their custom every year on +the arrival of their ships. There was also a Hollander at the +court, who had lived almost twenty years in Japan, and speaks the +Japanese language very fluently. In my hearing, and that of +others, this fellow began highly to extol their king of Holland, +pretending that he was the greatest king in Christendom, and held +all the others under his command. He little thought that we +understood what he said; but I was not slack in telling him, that +he need not be so loud, for they had no king in Holland, being +only governed by a count, or rather that they governed him. Nay, +if they had any king at all in whom they could boast, it +certainly was the king of England, who had hitherto been their +protector, and without whose aid they had never been able to brag +of their States. This retort made the Spaniards and Portuguese +laugh heartily at the poor Hollander, and made him shut his +mouth.</p> + +<p>And now for the news of this country. The emperor is great +enemy to the name of Christians, especially to the Japanese who +have embraced the faith; so that all such as are found are put to +death. While at Meaco, I saw fifty-five martyred at one time, +because they would not forsake the faith, and among them were +some children of five or six years old, who were burnt in the +arms of their mothers, calling on Jesus to receive their souls. +Also, in the town of Nangasaki, sixteen others were martyred for +the same cause, of whom five were burnt, and the rest beheaded +and cut in pieces, and their remains put into sacks and cast into +the sea in thirty fathoms deep: Yet the priests got them up +again, and kept their remains secretly as relics. There are many +others in prison, both here and in other places, who look hourly +to be ordered for execution, as very few of them revert to +paganism. Last year, about Christmas, the emperor deposed one of +the greatest princes in all Japan, called <i>Frushma-tay</i>, +lord of sixty or seventy <i>mangocas</i>, and banished him to a +corner in the north of Japan, where he has a very small portion +in comparison with what was taken from him, and he had the choice +of this or of cutting open his own belly. It was thought that +this would have occasioned great troubles in Japan, for all the +subjects of <i>Frushma-tay</i> were up in arms, and meant to hold +out to the utmost extremity, having fortified the city of +<i>Frushma</i>, and laid in provisions for a long time. But the +<i>tay</i> and his son, being then at the emperor's court, were +commanded to write to their vassals, ordering them to lay down +their arms and submit to the emperor, or otherwise to cut open +their own bellies. Life being sweet, they all submitted, and +those were pardoned who had taken up arms for their <i>tay</i>. +The emperor has given their dominions, which were two kingdoms, +to two of his own kinsmen; and this year the emperor has ordered +the castle belonging to Frushma to be pulled down, being a very +beautiful and gallant fortress, in which I saw him this year, and +far larger than the city of Rochester. All the stones are ordered +to be conveyed to Osaka, where the ruined castle, formerly built +by <i>Fico-Same</i>, and pulled down by <i>Ogosha-Same</i>, is +ordered to be rebuilt three times larger than before; for which +purpose all the <i>tonos</i> or kings have each their several +tasks appointed them; to be executed at their several charges, +not without much grumbling: For they had got leave, after so many +years attendance at court, to return to their own residences, and +were now sent for again all of a sadden to court, which angreth +them not a little: "But go they must, will they nill they, on +pain of belly-cutting."</p> + +<p>At this time there runs a secret rumour, that <i>Fidaia +Same</i> is alive, and in the house of the <i>Dairo</i>[67] at +Meaco; but I think it has been reported several times before this +that he was living in other places, but proved untrue. There are +some rich merchants here that belong to Meaco, who are much +alarmed by this report, lest, if true, the emperor may burn +Meaco; and who are therefore in haste to get home. Were Fidaia +actually alive it might tend to overthrow the emperor's power, +for, though a great politician, he is not a martial man: But be +this as it may, things can hardly be worse for us. I advised you +in my last of the destruction of all the Christian churches in +Japan; yet there were some remnants left at Nangasaki till this +year, and in particular the monastery of Misericiordia was +untouched, as were all the church-yards and burying-places; but +now, by order of the emperor, all is destroyed, all the graves +and sepulchres of the Christians opened, and the bones of the +dead taken out by their parents and kindred, to be buried +elsewhere in the fields. Streets have been built on the scites of +these churches, monasteries, and burying-grounds, except in some +places, where pagodas have been erected by command of the +emperor, who has sent heathen priests to occupy them, thinking +utterly to root out Christianity from Japan. There were certain +places near Nangasaki where several jesuit fathers and other +Christians were martyred, in the reign of <i>Ogosha Same</i>, and +where their parents and friends had planted evergreen-trees, and +erected altars near each tree, where many hundreds went daily to +say their prayers; but now, by command of the emperor, all these +trees are cut down, the altars destroyed, and the ground all +levelled, it being his firm resolution utterly to root out the +remembrance of all matters connected with Christianity.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 67: The Dairo was formerly the sovereign of +Japan, uniting the supreme civil and spiritual power, committing +the military affairs to a kind of generalissimo, who usurped +supreme authority, and reduced the Dairo to be a kind of +sovereign pontiff or chief-priest.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>In the months of November and December, 1618, there were two +comets seen all over Japan. The first, rising in the east, was +like a great fiery beam, rent to the southwards, and vanished +away in about the space of a month. The other rose also in the +east, like a great blazing star, and went northwards, vanishing +quite away within a month near the constellation of Ursa-Major or +Charles-waine. The wizards of Japan have prognosticated great +events to arise from these comets, but hitherto nothing material +has occurred, excepting the deposition of <i>Frushma-tay</i>, +already related.</p> + +<p>I am almost ashamed to write you the news which the Spaniards +and Portuguese report, though some of them have shewn me letters +affirming it to be true, of a bloody cross having been seen in +the air in England; and that an English preacher, speaking +irreverently of it from the pulpit, was struck dumb: On which +miracle, as they term it the king of England sent to the pope, to +have some cardinals and learned men brought to England, as +intending that all the people of England should become Roman +catholics. I pray you pardon me for writing of such nonsense, +which I do that you may laugh; yet I assure you there are many +Spaniards and Portuguese here who firmly believe it. I know not +what more to write you at this time: But I hope to come to +England in the next shipping that comes here; and I trust in God +that I may find your worship in good health.</p> + +<p>RICHARD COCKS.</p> + +<p>SECTION XVI.</p> + +<p><i>Ninth Voyage of the East India Company, in 1612, by Captain +Edmund Marlow</i>.[68]</p> + +<p>We sailed from the Downs on the 10th February, 1612, in the +good ship James, and crossed the equator on the 11th April.[69] +The 27th of that month, at noon, we were in latitude, by +observation, 19° 40' S. and in longitude, from the Lizard, +11° 24' W. We this day saw an island fourteen leagues from us +in the S.E. which I formerly saw when I sailed with Sir Edward +Michelburne. It is round like Corvo, and rises rugged, having a +small peaked hill at its east end. Its lat. is 23° 30' S. and +long. 10° 30' W. from the Lizard; and there is another island +or two in sight, seven or eight leagues E.N.E. from this.[70]</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 68: Purch. Pilg. I. 440.--The relation of +this voyage in the Pilgrims is said to have been written by Mr +John <i>Davy</i>, the master of the ship: Probably the same John +<i>Davis</i>, or <i>Davies</i>, formerly mentioned as having +frequently sailed as master to India in these early voyages, and +from whose pen Purchas published a <i>Rutter</i>, or brief book +of instructions for sailing to India. On the present occasion, +this voyage has been considerably abbreviated, especially in the +nautical remarks, which are now in a great degree obsolete and +useless, and have been already sufficiently enlarged upon in the +former voyages to India.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 69: From some indistinct notices, in the +commencement of this voyage, the Dragon and Hosiander appear to +have belonged to the <i>tenth</i> voyage of the East India +Company, and the Solomon to the <i>eleventh</i> voyage; and that +these three ships sailed from England at the same time with the +James, which belonged to the <i>ninth</i> +voyage.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 70: This seemeth the island of Martin +Vaz.--<i>Purch.</i> The island of Trinidad, or Martin Vaz, is +only in lat. 20° 15' S. and long. 29° 32' W. from +Greenwich.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>We saw the island of St Lawrence on the 29th June, and +anchored in five fathoms water in the bay of St Augustine on the +28th at night. Next day we weighed, and brought the ship to +anchor in the river, one anchor being in thirty-five and the +other in ten fathoms. A ship may ride here in shallower water at +either side, the deep channel being narrow. In this anchorage no +sea can distress a ship, being protected by the land and shoals, +so that it may well be called a harbour, from its safety. We +remained here twenty days, and sailed for Bantam on the 18th of +July.</p> + +<p>In the morning of the 24th September we saw the islands of +Nintam, in lat. 1° 30' S.[71] The sound between the two great +islands is eighteen leagues from Priaman, and eleven leagues from +the shoals before <i>Ticoo</i>, which must be carefully avoided +during the night, by laying two or three or four leagues off till +day-light. When you see three hummocks that resemble three +islands, take care always to have a person stationed on the outer +end of the boltsprit to give warning of any spots in your way, as +there are coral beds, which may be easily seen and avoided. The +course from this sound for Ticoo or Priaman is E.N.E. to these +shoals. In passing this sound, keep your lead always going, and +come no nearer the large southern island than the depth of +sixteen fathoms, as there are shoals towards the east side, and a +breach or ledge also off the northern island, on the larboard +going in for Priaman. When nearing the shoals of Ticoo, set the +three hummocks on the main, which look like islands, as all the +land near them is very low; and when you have these hummocks N.E. +by E. then are you near the shoals, and when the hummocks are +N.N.E. you are past the shoals. But great care is necessary +everywhere, as it is all bad ground hereabout, till past the high +land of <i>Manancabo</i>, which is in lat 4° 30' S. or +thereby.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 71: Pulo Mintao is probably here meant, +which is to the south of the line, but touches it at its northern +extremity. The sound in the text, is probably that between Pulo +Botoa and Pulo Mintao.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>We came to anchor in the road of Priaman on the 26th +September, where we found the Thomas, and remained fourteen days +to refresh our sick men, when the Hector and our ship sailed for +Bantam, where we arrived in company with the Janus and Hector on +the 23d October. The 4th November we weighed from the road of +Bantam, intending to proceed by the straits of Sunda for +Coromandel; but the winds and currents were so strong against us, +that we were forced back into the straits of Sunda to refit our +ship, which was much weather-beaten. The 11th December, we +anchored again at Pulo Panian, and went to work to trim our ship +and take in ballast. Being ballasted, watered, and refitted, we +sailed again on the 10th January, 1613, for the straits of +Malacca. But, being too late in the monsoon, and both wind and +current against us, we got no farther than seventy leagues from +Bantam by the first of March, with much toil to the men. +Wherefore we concluded to take in wood and water, and to return +for Bantam by the outside of Sumatra.</p> + +<p>Having again sailed for Coromandel, we were at noon of the 5th +June, 1613, in lat. 12° N. and long. 23° W. from the salt +hills, having been carried by the currents 4° 30', or ninety +leagues out of our reckoning. Whoever sails from Bantam, either +up or down, will find such uncertain reckoning that he may well +miss his destined port, unless he looks well to the variation of +the needle, which will help materially in ten or fifteen leagues, +and indeed there is no other way of dealing with these currents. +We now got sight of the land, which is so very low that the +pagodas or pagan churches are first descried. With the aid of the +lead, you may sail boldly on this coast of Coromandel in fifteen +fathoms by night, and ten by day; but a steady man must always be +kept at the lead on such occasions, as the sea shoals suddenly; +for after thirteen fathoms, it will suddenly fall off to shoal +water, being like a well or steep bank, and the ground ooze. The +course along the coast is N. by E. to Pullicate, and so to +Masulipatam.</p> + +<p>The 6th June we anchored at noon in the road of Pullicate, in +eight fathoms on sand. There is a middle ground, having only five +fathoms, and within that another, having six, seven, and eight. +The marks for the road where we anchored, are the round hill by +the other hill, W. by N. and the Dutch fort S.W. by W. The +latitude is 13° 30' N. and the variation 18° 10'. +Departing from Pullicate roads on the night of the 7th, we were +on the 8th in lat. 14° 40' at noon, having sailed +twenty-three leagues since last night, our depth of water being +twenty-three to twenty-fire fathoms, and our course N. by E. but +the lead is our sure guide on this coast, under God. The 9th at +noon we were in lat. 15° 30', having the land in sight, but +not the high land of <i>Petapoli</i> [Putapilly]. During the last +twenty-four hours, we sailed seventeen leagues north, in fifteen +and sixteen fathoms. The high land now in sight is known by a +pagoda or pagan temple, and is five leagues from the high land of +Putapilly, in the road of which place we anchored on the 10th in +five fathoms on sand, this new high land bearing from us N.N.W. +the platform of palm trees upon the island E.N.E. by E. and the +bar N.W. by N. The whole sea coast is low land. The latitude here +is 15° 52'. Having established a factory, in which we left Mr +George Chansey and our purser as merchants, with other seven men +to assist in taking care of our goods, we sailed from Putapilly +on the forenoon of the 19th.</p> + +<p>We anchored in the road of Masulipatam on the 21st, where we +found a ship belonging to Holland. We remained here for six +months, until the 6th January, 1614, and then set sail for +Putapilly, where we arrived on the 19th of that month, and +remained there, taking in the merchants and their goods till the +7th February, when we sailed for Bantam. We arrived there on the +20th April, and on the 10th June set sail for Patane. By noon of +that day, being in lat. 5° 44' S. we had sight of the islands +nine leagues from Bantam, our course, after getting clear of the +road, being N.N.E. in five, six, seven, eight, twelve, fourteen, +and so to twenty-four fathoms. At six in the morning of the 11th, +we were close beside the two islands that are north from Bantam +near Sumatra, in lat. 5° S. and in twenty fathoms; this being +the surest course both going to and from Bantam, but it is +necessary to keep a good look-out for the sand-banks which are +even with the water. The 12th, being involved in a strong adverse +current, we were forced to anchor in a quarter less four fathoms, +in sight of a reef, twelve leagues short of Lucapara, and +forty-eight from Bantam.</p> + +<p>The 14th, we came in with the island of Banda and the main of +Sumatra, and went through between them in five 1/2 fathoms. In +this passage it is proper to keep nearer the Sumatra shore, +though the water is deeper on the Banda side of the strait; as +that side is rocky, while the side towards Sumatra is oozy. The +16th we came to Palimbangan point; and the 17th at noon, being in +lat, 1° 10' S. we anchored in nine fathoms, on account of it +falling calm with a strong current, the isle of Pulo Tino being +to seawards. The 30th, we anchored in the road of Patane in three +1/2 fathoms. On the 1st August we sailed to Sangora to trim our +ship, being a good place for that purpose under shelter of two +islands hard by the main, and fourteen or fifteen leagues from +Patane. We anchored in Sangora road, under the eastermost of the +two islands, on the 4th; and having put our ship into good trim, +we came away on the 9th September, and returned to Patane next +day. We remained there a month taking in the goods of the Globe, +to carry them to Bantam, for which place we sailed on the 9th +October, and arrived at Bantam on the 9th November. We continued +there till the 27th January, 1615, to load our ship, and to get +all things in readiness for our voyage home to England.</p> + +<p>The 29th we set sail from Bantam, homewards bound; and when +some hundred leagues from thence, our captain, Mr Edmund Marlow, +died. He was an excellent man, and well skilled in the +mathematics and the art of navigation. The first place at which +we anchored was Saldanha bay, where we arrived on the 29th April, +1615, and next day our consort the Globe came in. Having well +refreshed and refitted our ships, we set sail from thence on the +17th May, and arrived at St Helena on the 3d June. Sailing from +thence along with our consort, on the 7th of that month, we +arrived in England on the 3d of August, giving praise to God for +our safety.</p> + +<p>SECTION XVII.</p> + +<p><i>Tenth Voyage of the English East India Company, in 1612, +written by Mr Thomas Best, chief Commander</i>.[72]</p> + +<p>From the full tide of this voyage, in the Pilgrims, we learn +that there were two ships employed in this <i>tenth</i> voyage, +named the Dragon and the Hosiander, in which were about 380 +persons; and these were accompanied by two other ships, the James +and the Solomon, which belonged to other voyages, each voyage +being then a separate adventure, and conducted by a separate +subscription stock, as formerly explained in the introduction to +the present chapter. We learn from other parts of the Pilgrims, +that the James belonged to the <i>ninth</i> voyage, related +immediately before this, and the Solomon to the <i>eleventh</i>, +to be afterwards narrated.--E.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 72: Purch. Pilgr. I.456.]</blockquote> + +<p>S.1. <i>Observations during the Voyage from England to +Surat</i>.</p> + +<p>We sailed from Gravesend on the 1st of February, 1612. At noon +on the 22d March we made the latitude 15° 20' N. and at two +p.m. were abreast of Mayo, one of the Cape Verd islands, being +S.W. by S. about twelve leagues from Bonavista. To the N. and +N.N.W. of Mayo the ground is all foul, and due N. of the high +hummocks a great ledge of rocks runs out from the land for five +or six miles, a mile without which ledge there are twenty fathoms +water. On the west side of the island, you may borrow in twelve +or fifteen fathoms, till you come into the road, where we +anchored in twenty-four fathoms.</p> + +<p>On the morning of the 28th March, we came close by an island +in lat. 23° 30', and long. from the meridian of Mayo, 1° +50' E. We did not land upon this island, but came within two or +three miles of it, and in my opinion there is hardly any +anchorage to be found. It may probably produce some refreshment, +as it certainly has wood, which we saw, and it may have water, as +we observed a fair plain spot and very green on its southern +part; but we could find no ground within two or three miles of +its coast. E.N.E. some seven or eight leagues from this, there is +another island; and E. by S. or E.S.E. from the first island, +about four or five leagues, there are two or three white +rocks.[73]</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 73: In the text it is not said if the +latitude be N. or S. yet S. is probably meant. No island is +however to be found in the indicated situation. In the +<i>eleventh</i> voyage, an island is said to have been discovered +in lat. 19° 34'S. certainly known to have been Trinidad, +Santa Maria d'Agosto, or Martin Vaz, of which +hereafter.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>We remained twenty-one days in Saldanha road, and bought for +the three[74] ships thirty-nine beeves and 115 sheep, which we +paid for with a little brass cut out of two or three old kettles. +We got the sheep for small pieces of thin brass, worth about a +penny or three halfpence each; and the beeves in the same manner +for about the value of twelve-pence a-piece. This is an excellent +place of refreshment, as besides abounding in beef and mutton, +there is plenty of good fish, all kinds of fowls, and great store +of fat deer, though we could not kill any of these. It has +likewise excellent streams of fresh water, and a most healthful +climate. We landed eighty or ninety sick, who were lodged in +tents, and they all recovered their health in eighteen days, save +one who died. From the 7th to the 28th June, when we set sail +from Saldanha bay, we had continual fine weather, the sun being +very warm, and the air pleasant and wholesome.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 74: One of the ships appears to have been +separated from the fleet, but it does not appear +which.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>We sailed from Saldanha road on the 28th June, and were 100 +leagues to the east of <i>Cabo das Aguilhas</i> before we found +any current, but it was then strong. The 31st July at noon, we +found the latitude 17° 8' S. our longitude being 20° 47' +E. and at four p.m. we saw the island of <i>Juan de Nova</i>, +distant four leagues E.S.E.[75] Its size, and I think we saw it +all, is about three or four miles long, all very low and rising +from the sea like rocks. Off the west end we saw breakers, yet +could not get ground with a line of 150 fathoms, sounding from +our boat. The latitude of this island, observed with great +accuracy, is 17°,[76] and it seems well laid down in our +charts, both in regard to latitude and longitude. It is a most +sure sign of being near this island, when many sea fowl are seen, +and we accordingly saw there ranch fowl, some white, having their +wings tipped only with black, and others all black.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 75: St Juan de Nova is in lat. 17° 50' +S. and long. 45° 30'E. from Greenwich--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 76: In lat. 17° S. and long. 60° E. +is an island or bank called Nazareth, Corados, or Garajos, a long +way however from St Juan de Nova.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The 3d August, in lat 13° 35' by observation, and +longitude 22° 30' from the Cape, we saw <i>Mal-Ilha</i>, one +of the Comoros, about twelve leagues off, having on the east part +of it a very fair sugar-loaf hill.[77] At the same time with this +island, we had sight of that named Comoro, bearing N.N.W. by W. +being high land. At six a.m. of the 4th we were close in with +<i>Mal-Ilha</i>, and standing in for some place in which to +anchor, while some eight or nine miles from the shore, we saw the +ground under the ship in not less than eight or ten fathoms. The +Hosiander, two miles nearer the land, had four or five fathoms, +and her boat was in three fathoms. We then sent both our boats to +sound, which kept shoaling on a bank in eight, ten, and twelve +fathoms, and off it only half a cable's length had no ground with +100 fathoms. At the north end of Mal-Ilha there is a fair big +high island, about five or six miles in circuit.[78] A bank or +ledge of rocks extends all along the west side of Mal-Ilha, +continuing to the small high island; and from this little island +to Mal-Ilha may be some eight or nine miles, all full of rocks, +two of them of good height. Being at the north end of this ledge, +and the little island bearing S.E. you may steer in with the +land, keeping the island fair aboard; and within the rocks or +broken ground and Mal-Ilha there is a bay with good anchorage. To +the eastwards, on coming in from the ledge of rocks, there is a +great shoal, the outermost end of which is N.E. or N.E. by E. +from the small island five or six miles, and no ground between +that we could find with forty or fifty fathoms line. In fine, all +the north side of Mal-Ilha is very dangerous, but the +above-mentioned channel is quite safe. I would have come to +anchor here, as there is a town about a mile east from the +before-mentioned bay, the people being very good, and having +abundance of refreshments, as beeves, goats, hens, lemons, +cocoa-nuts in great plenty, and excellent water, but could not +get in, owing to the wind being directly south.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 77: Mohilla, the Mal-ilha of the text, is +in lat. 16° 44° S. and long. 44° E. from Greenwich. +Its difference of long. from the Cape of Good Hope is 23° 45' +E. Thus, in every instance hitherto, the observations of lat. and +long. by Captain Best, at least as printed by Purchas, are +grossly erroneous.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 78: This description seems rather to refer +to the island of Mayotto, about thirty leagues E. of S. from +Mohilla; the small island to the north, or N. by W. being called +Saddle Isle.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>Two of my men had belonged to a Dutch fleet, that year when +they assaulted Mosambique, on which occasion they put in here, +and recovered the healths of 400 or 500 men in five weeks. Yet it +is well named Mal-Ilha, or the bad island, for it is the most +dangerous of any place I ever saw. It is next to Comoro, from +which it is distant some twelve or fourteen leagues S.S.E.</p> + +<p>At dawn on the 1st September we got sight of land to the +eastwards, four or five leagues distant, my reckoning being then +eighty or ninety leagues short, owing, I suppose, to some current +setting east from the coast of Melinda; neither from the latitude +of Socotoro to Damaun could we see the sun, to know our +variation. The 3d at seven a.m. we spoke two country boats, which +informed us that the town, church, and castle in sight was +Damaun. From these boats I got two men, who engaged to carry the +Dragon to the bar of Surat, promising not to bring us into less +than seven fathoms. On the 5th a Surat boat came on board with +<i>Jaddow</i> the broker, who had served Captain William Hawkins +three years, and Sir Henry Middleton all the time he was here. +There were likewise in this boat the brother of the customer of +Surat, and three or four others. All these remained with us till +the 7th, when we came to anchor at the bar of Surat, in eight 1/4 +fathoms at high water, and six 1/2 at neap tides. At spring +tides, however, I have found the tide to rise in the offing three +fathoms, and even three 1/2. The latitude of our anchorage was +21° 10' N. and the variation 16° 20' or 16° 27'.[79] +On the 11th, <i>Thomas Kerridge</i> came aboard, with a +certificate or licence under the seals of the justice and +governor of Surat, for our quiet and peaceable trade and +intercourse, and with kind entreaties to come ashore, where we +should be heartily welcomed by the people. They also brought off +a letter or narrative, written by Sir, Henry Middleton, which had +been left in charge of the <i>Moccadam</i> of Swally. On the same +day, I again sent Mr Kerridge ashore, accompanied by Hugh +Gettins.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 79: Sorat bar is in lat. 21° 2' N. and +long. 72° 50' E. from Greenwich--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>S.2. <i>Transactions with the Subjects of the Mogul, Fights +with the Portuguese, Settlement of a Factory, and Departure for +Acheen</i>.</p> + +<p>On the 13th September, 1612, sixteen sail of Portuguese +frigates, or barks, put into the river of Surat. The 22d, we +determined in council to send a dispatch to the king at Agra, +signifying our arrival, and to require his explicit answer, +whether he would permit us to trade and settle a factory; and if +refused, that we would quit his country. The 30th, I got notice +that Mr Canning, our purser, and William Chambers, had been +arrested ashore; wherefore I caused a ship of Guzerat to anchor +close beside me, determining to detain her till I should see how +matters went ashore. We also stopped a bark laden with rice from +Bassare, belonging to the Portuguese, out of which we took twelve +or fourteen quintals of rice, for which we paid at the rate of +thirteen-pence the quintal. When I had taken possession of the +Guzerat ship, I wrote to the chiefs of Surat, requiring them to +send me all my men, together with the value of the goods I had +landed; on which I should deliver up their ship and people, +allowing them till the 5th of October to give me an answer; at +which time, if I had not a satisfactory answer, I declared my +determination to dispose of the ship and her goods at my +pleasure. There were some 400 or 450 men aboard that ship, ten of +the chiefest among whom I brought into my ship, to serve as +hostages.</p> + +<p>On the 6th October, <i>Medi Joffer</i> came aboard my ship, +accompanied by four chiefs and many others, bringing me a great +present, and came to establish trade with us, and to solicit the +release of the Guzerat ship. On the 10th I left the bar of Surat, +and came to Swally roads, where I anchored in eight fathoms at +high water. This road-stead is ten or twelve miles north from the +bar of Surat. The 17th, the governor of <i>Aamadavar</i> +[Ahmedabad] came to the water side. I landed on the 19th, having +four principal persons sent aboard my ship, as pledges for my +safety. On the 21st I concluded upon articles of agreement with +the governor and merchants, of which the tenor follows:</p> + +<p>"Articles agreed upon, and sealed, by the governor of +Ahmedabad, the governor of Surat, and four principal merchants; +and to be confirmed by the firmaun and seal of the Great Mogul, +within forty days from the date and sealing hereof, or else to be +void; for the settlement of trade and factories in the cities of +Surat, Cambaya, Ahmedabad, Goga, or in any other part or parts of +the dominions of the Great Mogul in this country. Witnessed by +their hands and seals, the 21st of October, 1612."</p> + +<p>1. All that concerns Sir Henry Middleton is to be remitted, +acquitted, and cleared to us; so that they shall never make +seizure, stoppage, or stay of our goods, wares, or commodities, +as satisfaction for the same.</p> + +<p>2. They shall procure at their own proper cost, from the King +or Great Mogul, his grant and confirmation of all the articles of +this agreement, under the great seal of his government, and shall +deliver the same to us, for our security and certainty of +perpetual amity, commerce, and dealing, within forty days from +the date and sealing hereof.</p> + +<p>3. It shall be lawful for the king of England to keep his +ambassador continually at the court of the Great Mogul, during +all the time of this peace and trade, there to accommodate and +conclude upon all such great and weighty matters as may in any +respect tend to disturb or break the said peace.</p> + +<p>4. At all times, on the arrival of any of our ships in the +road of Swally, proclamation shall be made in the city of Surat, +during three successive days, that all the people of the country +shall be free to come down to the shore, and there to have free +trade, dealing, and commerce with us.</p> + +<p>5. That all English commodities shall pay custom, according to +the value or price they bear, at the time of entry at the +custom-house, after the rate of three 1/2 per cent. ad +valorem.</p> + +<p>6. All petty and pedlar ware to be free from duty, that does +not exceed the value of ten dollars.</p> + +<p>7. The English are to have ten <i>manu</i> carried from the +water side to Surat for a <i>manuda</i>,[80] and at the same rate +back; and are to be furnished with carts on application to the +<i>moccadam</i> of Swally for sending to Surat, and at that place +by a broker with carts downwards to the sea side at Swally.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 80: This unexplained rate of carriage was +probably ten <i>manuda</i> for one +<i>mahinoodic</i>.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>8. If any of our people die in the country, neither the king, +the governor, nor any inferior officer should pretend any title +or claim to any thing that had belonged to the deceased, neither +should demand any fees, taxes, or customs, upon the same.</p> + +<p>9. In case all the men left in these parts should die before +the return of any of our ships, then some officer appointed for +the purpose shall make a true inventory and schedule of all +monies, goods, jewels, provisions, apparel, or other things, +belonging to our nation, and shall safely preserve and keep the +same, to be delivered over to the general, captain, or merchants +of the first English ships that arrive afterwards, from whom a +regular receipt and discharge shall be given for the same.</p> + +<p>10. That they shall guarantee all our men and goods on land, +redeeming all of both or either that may happen to be taken on +the land by the Portuguese; delivering both to us again free of +all charges, or in lieu thereof the full value of our said goods +and men, and that without delay.</p> + +<p>11. Insomuch as there are rebels and disobedient subjects in +all kingdoms, so there may be some pirates and sea-rovers of our +nation, who may happen to come into these parts to rob or steal. +In that case, the trade and factory belonging to the English +shall not be held responsible or liable to make restitution for +goods so taken; but we shall aid the subjects of the Great Mogul, +to the best of our power who may happen to be thus aggrieved, by +application to our king for justice against the aggressors, and +for procuring restitution.</p> + +<p>12. That all victuals and provisions, required during the stay +of our ships in the roads of Surat and Swally, shall be free of +custom, provided they do not exceed the value of 1000 +dollars.</p> + +<p>13. That in all questions of wrongs and injuries offered to us +and to our nation, we shall receive speedy justice from the +judges and others in authority, according to the nature of our +complaints and the wrongs done to us, and shall not be put off by +delays, or vexed by exorbitant charges or loss of time.</p> + +<p>On the 24th October, I landed the present intended for the +Great Mogul, which I brought to the tent of the governor of +Ahmedabad, who took a memorandum of all the particulars, as also +a copy of our king's letter to their sovereign. After which, as +before agreed upon with the governor, I sent them back aboard +ship: For I had told him, unless his king would confirm the +articles agreed upon, and likewise write our king a letter, that +I would neither deliver the present nor our king's letter; for, +if these things were refused, then was their king an enemy not a +friend, and I had neither present nor letter for the enemy of our +king. At this time, however, I delivered our present to the +governor, and another to his son.</p> + +<p>The 14th November, a great fleet of frigates or barks, +consisting of some 240 sail, came in sight. I thought they had +come to attack us, but they were a <i>caffila</i> of merchantmen +bound for Cambaya; as there comes every year a similar fleet from +Goa, Chaul, and other places to the southwards, for Cambaya, +whence they bring the greatest part of the loading which is +carried by the caracks and galleons to Portugal.</p> + +<p>The 27th I received notice from Mr Canning and Edward +Christian, who were both ashore, that four galleons were fitted +out from Goa, and were coming to attack us, having been in full +readiness, and at anchor on the bar of Goa on the 14th November. +The Portuguese fleet came in sight of us on the 28th; and on the +29th drew near us with the tide of flood. At two in the afternoon +I got under weigh, and by four was about two cables length from +their vice-admiral, fearing to go nearer lest I might have got my +ship aground. I then opened a fire upon him, both with great guns +and small arms, and in an hour had peppered him well with some +fifty-six great shot. From him we received one small ball, either +from a minnion or saker, into our mizen-mast, and with another he +sunk our long-boat, which we recovered, but lost many things out +of it.</p> + +<p>The 30th at day-light, I set sail and steered among the midst +of the Portuguese fleet, bestirring ourselves manfully, and drove +three of their four ships aground on the bar of Surat; after +which I anchored about nine a.m. This morning the Hosiander did +good service, coming through also among the enemy's ships, and +anchored beside me. At the tide of flood, the three ships that +were aground floated. We then weighed and made sail towards them, +they remaining at anchor. On getting up to them, we spent upon +three of them 150 great shot, and the morning after some fifty +more. At night, we gave the admiral a salute from our four stern +guns as a farewell; in return for which he fired one of his bow +guns, a whole or demi-culverine, the shot from which came even +with the top of our forecastle, went through our <i>Davie</i>, +killed William Burrel, and carried off the arm of another of our +men. The Hosiander[81] spent the whole of this day in firing +against one of the ships that was aground, and received many +shots from the enemy, one of which killed Richard Barker the +boatswain.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 81: Nathaniel Salmon of Leigh was master of +the Hosiander.--<i>Purch.</i>]</blockquote> + +<p>Night coming on, we anchored some six miles from the +Portuguese ships; and at nine p.m. they sent a frigate down +towards us, which came driving right <i>athwart halse</i> of the +Hosiander, and being discovered by their good watch, was speedily +saluted by shot. The first shot made them hoist sail, the second +went through their sails, and, they immediately made off.[82] +Their intention certainly was to have set our ships on fire, if +they had found us off our guard.[83]</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 82: This frigate was sunk by the shot, as I +was assured by Mr Salmon the actor, and eighty of her men were +taken up drowned.--<i>Purch.</i>]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 83: On this occasion the Portuguese had +four great galleons and some twenty-six frigates, or armed barks. +In these fights they lost all their <i>quondam</i> credit, and +160 men, or as others say 500; and the English settled trade at +Surat in spite of all their efforts.--<i>Purch.</i>]</blockquote> + +<p>We remained at anchor all the first December, the Portuguese +not coming to us nor we to them; though they might easily have +come to us without danger from the sands, but not so we to them. +This day I called a council, and it was concluded to go down to +the south, that we might have a broader channel, hoping that the +galleons would follow us. We accordingly went down some six or +seven leagues on the 2d, but they did not follow us; wherefore on +the 3d we stood up again, and anchored fairly in sight of them. +We weighed again on the morning of the 4th, and stood away before +them, they following: But in the afternoon they gave us over, and +hauled in with the land, and at night we directed our course for +Diu. At night of the 5th, we anchored in fourteen fathoms near +the shore, four or five leagues eastwards of Diu.</p> + +<p>The 9th we came to <i>Madafaldebar</i>[84] which is ten or +eleven leagues E. by N. from Diu, the coast between being very +fair, and having no unseen dangers. The depth near Diu is fifteen +or sixteen fathoms, halfway to <i>Madafaldebar</i> twelve +fathoms, then ten and nine, but not less; and in nine fathoms we +anchored in a fine sandy bay, on the west side of which is a +river coming from a considerable distance inland. This place is +some five or six miles west from the isles of <i>Mortie</i>[85] +The 15th we set sail to explore the bay of <i>Mohar</i>,[86] +having been reported by some of the people who had belonged to +the Ascension to be a good place for wintering in, or waiting the +return of the monsoon for sailing to the southwards. We +accordingly anchored that night in the bay, which is nine or ten +leagues E.N.E. from Madafaldebar, finding the coast and +navigation perfectly good, with ten fathoms all the way, and no +danger but what is seen. I sent my boat ashore, and got twenty +excellent sheep for three shillings each, the best we had seen in +the whole voyage. We found the ruins of a great town at this +place, but very few inhabitants.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 84: From the indications in the text, this +must be <i>Jaffrabat</i> on the coast of Guzerat, about +thirty-one miles E. by N. from Diu. The name used in the text +must be taken from the native language, while that of modern +geography is the Persian, Mogul, or Arabic name of the +place.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 85: Called <i>Searbett</i> in Arrowsmith's +excellent map of Hindostan, eight miles E.N.E. from +Jaffrabat.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 86: Called on the margin of the Pilgrims, +<i>Moha, Mona</i>, or <i>Mea</i>; and which from the context +appears to be a bay immediately west from +<i>Wagnagur</i>.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>There happened to be an army encamped in the neighbourhood of +this place, and on the 17th, the general sent four men to me, +requesting a conference. I landed on the 21st, and had much +conversation with the general, who greatly desired to have two +pieces of ordnance from us, making many fair promises of favour +to our nation, and even presented me with a horse and furniture +and two Agra girdles or sashes; but I refused him, having none to +spare, and needing all we had for our defence. I presented him in +return with two vests of stammel cloth, two firelocks, two +bottles of brandy, and a knife.</p> + +<p>The 22d, we saw the four galleons coming towards us, and at +nine p.m. they anchored within shot of where we lay. At sun-rise +next morning we weighed and bore down upon them, and continued to +fight them till between ten and eleven a.m. when they all four +weighed and stood away before the wind. We followed them two or +three hours, but they sailed much better large than we, so that +we again came to anchor, and they likewise anchored about two +leagues from us. In this days fight, I expended 133 great shot, +and about 700 small. At sunrise of the 24th we again weighed and +bore down upon the galleons, and began to fight them at eight +a.m. continuing till noon, having this day expended 250 great +shot, and 1000 small. By this time both sides were weary, and we +all stood to sea, steering S. by E. The galleons followed us till +two or three p.m. when they put about and come to anchor. I now +took account of our warlike ammunition, and found more than half +our shot expended, the store of the Hosiander being in a similar +situation. We had now discharged against the enemy 625 great +shot, and 3000 small.</p> + +<p>Being about four or five leagues from the land, we met with a +sand, on which there was only two or two 1/2 fathoms, laying +S.S.E. or thereabout from <i>Mosa</i>. I went over it in nine +fathoms, at which time the two high hills over <i>Gogo</i> were +nearly N. from us. Upon this sand the Ascension was cast away. +Between the main and this sand, the channel is nine and ten +fathoms, and the shoaling is rather fast. We continued steering +S. with the tide of ebb, and anchored in eight fathoms, finding +the tide to set E.N.E. and W.S.W. by the compass. At midnight of +the 24th we weighed, standing S.S.E. and at two p.m. of the 25th +we anchored in seventeen fathoms at high water, full in sight of +Damaun, which bore E.S.E. In the afternoon of the 26th we +anchored off the bar of Surat. The 27th we went to Swally road, +when Thomas Kerridge and Edward Christian came aboard.</p> + +<p>On the 6th of January, 1613, the <i>Firmaun</i> from the Great +Mogul, in confirmation of peace and settlement of a factory for +trade, came to Swally as a private letter; wherefore I refused to +receive it, lest it might be a counterfeit, requiring that the +chief men of Surat should come down and deliver it to me, with +the proper ceremonials. Accordingly, on the 11th, the sabandar, +his father-in-law Medigoffar, and several others, came to Swally, +and delivered the Firmaun to me in form, making great professions +of respect for our nation in the name of their king. The 14th we +landed all our cloth, with 310 elephants teeth, and all our +quicksilver. This day likewise the Portuguese galleons came +within three or four miles of us. The 16th, I landed Anthony +Starkey, with orders to travel over land for England, carrying +letters to give notice of our good success.[87]</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 87: Mr Starkey and his Indian companion or +guide were poisoned on the way by two +friars.--Purch.]</blockquote> + +<p>The 17th, having received all my goods from Surat, I set sail +at night, leaving these coasts. The 18th we passed the four +galleons, which all weighed and followed us for two or three +hours; but we finally separated without exchanging shots. The +19th, when abreast of Basseen, we stopt three Malabar barks, +which had nothing in them, and from one of which we took a boat. +The 20th at night we were abreast of Chaul, both town and castle +being full in sight. In the afternoon of the 21st we were abreast +of Dabul, where we boarded three junks belonging to Calicut, +laden with cocoanuts. The 22d in the morning, the Hosiander sent +her boat aboard two junks, and at noon we were at the rocks, +which are ten or eleven leagues N. of Goa, and six or eight miles +from the main. Two or three of these rocks are higher than the +hull of a large ship. At six p.m. we were abreast of Goa, which +is easily known by the island at the month of the river, on which +island there is a castle. All the way from Damann to Goa, the +coast trends nearly N. and S. with a slight inclination to N.W. +and S.E. the whole being very fair and without danger, having +fair shoaling and sixteen or seventeen fathoms some three or four +leagues off shore, with good-anchorage every where.</p> + +<p>The 24th we saw a fleet of sixty or eighty frigates or barks +bound to the southwards, being in lat. 13° 00' 30". The high +land by the sea now left us, and the shore became very low, yet +with fair shoaling of sixteen and seventeen fathoms some three or +four leagues off. In the afternoon we went into a bay, where all +the before-mentioned frigates were at anchor, together with three +or four gallies. We brought out a ship with us, whence all the +Portuguese fled in their boats, and as two frigates lay close +aboard of her, they had carried away every thing valuable. Next +day we examined our prize, and found nothing in her except rice +and coarse sugar, with which we amply supplied both ships; and +having taken out her masts, and what firing she could afford, we +scuttled and sunk her, taking out likewise all her people, being +twenty or twenty-five Moors. The 26th we met a boat belonging to +the Maldives laden with cocoa-nuts and bound for Cananor, into +which I put all the people of the prize, except eight, whom I +kept to assist in labour, one of them being a pilot for this +coast.</p> + +<p>The 27th we were a little past Calicut, abreast of Paniany, +our lat. at noon being 10° 30' N. In the morning of the 28th, +we saw Cochin, which is known by the towers and castle, being in +lat 9° 40' N. or thereby. All the way from Goa to Cochin we +never had above twenty fathoms, though, sometimes four or five +leagues from the land; and when only three, four, or six miles +off, the depths were from ten to twelve fathoms. From lat 11° +30' N. to Cochin, the land was all very low by the water side; +but up the country it was very high all along. Four or five +leagues to the north of Cochin, there is a high land within the +country, somewhat like a table mountain, yet rounded on the top, +having long high mountains to the north of this hill. All this +day, the 28th, we sailed within six or eight miles of the land, +in nine, ten, and twelve fathoms.</p> + +<p>We anchored on the 30th in fifteen fathoms, about twenty-six +leagues to the north of Cape Comorin right over against a little +village, whence presently came off six or eight canoes with water +and all kinds of provisions; the name of this place is +<i>Beringar</i>, which our mariners usually call Bring-John, +being in the kingdom of Travancor. The 1st February, the king +sent me a message, offering to load my ship with pepper and +cinnamon, if I would remain and trade with him. The 5th we were +abreast of Cape Comorin, where we had a fresh gale of wind at E. +by N. which split our fore-top-sail and main bonnet, yet a canoe +with eight men came off to us three or four leagues from the +land. We were here troubled with calms and great heat, and many +of our men fell sick, of which number I was one. On the 8th we +were forced back to the roads of <i>Beringar</i>. This place has +good refreshments for ships, and the people are very harmless, +and not friends to the Portuguese. From this place to Cape +Comorin, all the inhabitants of the sea coast are Christians, and +have a Portuguese priest or friar residing among them. It is to +be remarked, that the whole coast, even from Damaun to Cape +Comorin, is free from danger, and there is fair shoaling all the +way from Cochin to that cape, having sixteen, eighteen, and +twenty fathoms close to the land, and no ground five or six +leagues off, after you come within twenty-five or thirty leagues +of the Cape. The variation at Damaun was 16° 30'; halfway to +the Cape about 15°, and 14° at the cape, the latitude of +which is 7° 30' N. [<i>exactly</i> 7° 57'].</p> + +<p>In the afternoon we were fair off the Cape, and found much +wind at E.S.E. giving small hope of being able to go eastwards +till the end of the monsoon, which our Indians reported would be +about the end of April. So I bore up, and came to anchor, four or +five leagues within the Cape, in twenty fathoms close by two +rocks. About two miles right off these two rocks is a sunken +rock, which is very dangerous, especially if sailing in twenty +fathoms, but by keeping in twenty-four fathoms all danger is +avoided. We remained here nine days, when we again made sail. In +the morning of the 28th we had sight of Ceylon, some eight or +nine leagues E.S.E. being in lat. 7° N. At 4 p.m. we were +close in with that island, in thirteen, fifteen, and sixteen +fathoms. The 1st of March, at 6 p.m. we were abreast of Columbo, +the lat. of which is about 6° 30' N. [7° 2']; having +twenty-four and twenty-five fathoms three leagues off. The 12th +we stood in with the land, and anchored in twenty-four fathoms, +the wind being S.E. and S. I sent my boat ashore four leagues to +the north of <i>Punta de Galle</i>, and after some time a woman +came to talk with one of our Indians who was in the boat. She +said we could have no provisions: but by our desire she went to +tell the men. Afterwards two men came to us, who flatly refused +to let us have any thing, alleging that our nation had captured +one of their boats; but it was the Hollanders not the English. +The 14th, in the morning, the southern point of Ceylon, called +<i>Tanadare</i> [Dondra], bore E.S.E. of us, some five leagues +off. This point is in lat. 5° 30' [5° 54' N.], and is +about ten or twelve leagues E.S.E. from Punta de Galle. The 17th +we were near one of the sands mentioned by Linschoten, being two +leagues from the land. We had twenty-five fathoms water, and on +the land, right opposite this sand, is a high rock like a great +tower. The land here trends E.N.E.[88]</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 88: Owing probably to careless abbreviation +by Purchas, this solitary notice is all that is given of the +voyage between Dondra-head in Ceylon and Acheen, in the +north-west end of Sumatra, to which the observation in the text +seems to refer.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>S.3. <i>Occurrences at Acheen, in Sumatra</i>.</p> + +<p>At noon of the 12th April, 1613, we came to anchor in the road +of Acheen, in twelve fathoms, but ships may ride in ten or even +eight fathoms; the best place in which to ride being to the +eastward of the castle, and off the river mouth. I landed the +merchants on the 13th; but the king did not come to town till the +15th, when he sent me his <i>chop</i> or licence to land, which +was brought by an eunuch, accompanied by the <i>Xabander</i> and +six or eight more, to whom I gave 120 <i>mam</i>. I landed along +with them, and two hours afterwards the king sent me a present of +some provisions, I having sent him on my landing a present of +<i>two pieces</i>;[89] the custom being to make the king some +small present on landing, in return for which he sends several +dishes of meat.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 89: These <i>pieces</i>, so often mentioned +in the early voyages, were probably fowling-pieces, or European +fire-arms.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>On the 17th, the king sent an elephant, with a golden bason, +for our king's letter, which I accompanied to court, attended by +forty of our men, who were all admitted into the king's presence. +After many compliments, the king returned me our king's letter, +that I might read it to him; and accordingly the substance of it +was explained in the native language, with the contents of which +he was well pleased. After some time, the king told me that he +would shew me some of his diversions, and accordingly caused his +elephants to fight before us. When six of them had fought for +some time, he caused four buffaloes to be brought, which made a +very excellent and fierce fight; such being their fierceness that +sixty or eighty men could hardly part them, fastening ropes to +their hind-legs to draw them asunder. After these, some ten or +twelve rams were produced, which fought very bravely. When it was +so dark that we could hardly see, these sports were discontinued, +and the king presented me with a banquet of at least 500 dishes, +and such abundance of hot drinks as might have sufficed to make +an army drunk. Between nine and ten at night, he gave me leave to +depart, sending two elephants to carry me home; but as they had +no coverings I did not ride either of them.</p> + +<p>On the 18th, I went again to court by appointment of the king, +when we began to treat concerning the articles formerly granted +by his grandfather to Mr James Lancaster; but when we came to +that in which all goods were to be brought in and carried out +free from customs, we broke off without concluding any thing. The +19th the ambassador of Siam came to visit me, and told me, that +about thirty months before, three Englishmen had waited upon his +king, who gave them kind entertainment, being rejoiced at +receiving letters from the king of England. He also said that his +king would be much pleased if our ships came to his ports, +telling me what great quantities of Portugal cloth, for so he +called our English cloth, would sell in his country. According to +his opinion, the colours most saleable in his country are, +<i>stammel</i> and other reds, yellows, and other light, gay, and +pleasing colours, such as those already in most request at Surat. +He also told me, that his king had made a conquest of the whole +kingdom of Pegu, as that he is now the most powerful sovereign in +the east, except the emperor of China, having twenty-six +tributary kings under his government and authority, and is able +to equip for war 6000 elephants. Their coin is all of silver, +gold being less esteemed, and of less proportional value than +with us. That country produces great abundance of pepper and raw +silk; and he said the Hollanders have factories at Patane, an +excellent port, where they are called English. Siam likewise, +according to him, is a good port, and nearer the court than +Patane: Those who go to the city in which the king resides land +always at the port of Siam, whence the royal residence is twenty +days journey by land. I requested from the ambassador to give me +a letter to his sovereign, and letters also to the governors of +the maritime towns in Siam, in favour of the English nation, when +we should come upon these coasts, which he promised me. And, +lastly, in token of friendship we exchanged coins; I giving him +some of our English coin, and receiving from him the coins of +Siam. I had often, after this first interview, friendly +intercourse with this ambassador.</p> + +<p>I went to court on the 20th, butt had no opportunity to speak +with the king; whereupon I sent to the king's deputy, or chief +minister, and complained of having been dishonoured, and of +having been abused by the <i>shahbander</i>. He promised me +speedy redress, and that he should inform the king without delay, +which indeed he did that same day. On the day following, the king +sent two officers of his court to me, to intimate that I might +repair freely to his court at all times, passing the gate without +hindrance or waiting for his <i>criss</i>. He also removed the +shahbander of whom I had complained, and appointed a gentleman, +who had formerly been his vice-ambassador to Holland, to attend +upon me at all times to court, or any where else, at my pleasure. +The 24th I went to court, and had access to the king, who +satisfied me in all things, and promised to ratify and renew all +the articles formerly agreed upon between his predecessor and Mr +James Lancaster. After many compliments, he gave me leave; and +presently after my return, he sent me an elephant to attend upon +me, and to carry me at all times to any place I pleased. This is +a sign of the highest honour and esteem, as no person may have an +elephant, or ride upon one, but those whom the king is pleased to +honour with that privilege.</p> + +<p>The 2d of May, the king invited me to his fountain to swim, +and I was there accordingly along with him, the place being some +five or six miles from the city; and he even sent me two +elephants, one to ride upon, and the other to carry my provision. +Having washed and bathed in the water, the king made me partake +of a very splendid banquet, in which there was too much arrak, +the whole being eaten and drank us we sat in the water; and at +this entertainment all his nobles and officers were present. Our +banquet continued from one till towards five in the evening, when +the king allowed me to depart. Half an hour afterwards, all the +strangers were permitted to go away, and presently afterwards he +came away himself.</p> + +<p>On the 14th, some Portuguese came to Acheen on an embassy from +the governor of Malacca to the king; and as the wind was scant, +they landed three leagues to the east of Acheen road. I +immediately sent the Hosiander, of which I appointed Edward +Christian captain, to go in search of the bark from Malacca, +which was brought to me on the 17th: But the king sent me two +messengers, desiring me to release her and her people and cargo; +which I refused, till I had examined the bark and her contents; +saying, however, that in honour and respect for his majesty, I +should then do whatever he was pleased to desire. Afterwards, I +was informed by Mr Christian, that there were only four or five +bales of goods in the bark, and that nothing she contained had +been meddled with. Being satisfied of this I went ashore, and +found my merchants were at the court. They returned presently, +saying, that the king was greatly displeased at the capture of +the Portuguese bark in his port, protesting by his god that he +would make us all prisoners, if she were not released. Having +notice that I was ashore, the king presently sent for me; and, as +I was on my way to the court, I met with a gentleman from the +king, who desired me in his name to release the bark; but I told +him I must first see and speak to the king. I was then brought +into the king's presence, and, after much discourse with him, I +gave him the bark and all her contents; with which he was so much +pleased, that he gave me the title of <i>Arancaia Puto</i>, +signifying the <i>honourable white man</i>, requiring all his +nobles to call me by that name. In farther proof of his +satisfaction with my conduct on this occasion, he sold me all his +benzoin at my own price, being twenty <i>tailes</i> the bahar, +though then selling commonly at thirty-four and thirty-five +tailes. He at the same time expressed his esteem and affection +for me in the strongest terms, desiring me to ask from him +whatever I thought proper. I only requested his letters of +recommendation and favour for Priaman, which he most readily +promised; and, at my taking leave, he both made me eat some +mangoes, of which he was then eating, and gave me some home with +me.</p> + +<p>On the 27th, <i>Malim Cairy</i> came to Acheen, by whom I +received letters from our merchants at Surat, as also a copy of +the <i>firmaun</i>, sent them from Agra, bearing date the 25th +January, in the seventh year of the then reigning Great Mogul, by +which everything was confirmed that had been agreed upon between +the governor of Ahmedabad and me. The 17th of June, a Dutch +merchant came to Acheen from Masulipatam, who had been eight +months on his way, from whom we learnt the death of Mr Anthony +Hippon at Patane, and of Mr Brown, master of the Globe, who died +at Masulipatam, where our people had met with evil usage. The +24th I received of the king his present for the king of England, +consisting of a <i>criss</i> or dagger, a <i>hasega</i>, four +pieces of fine Calicut lawn, and eight camphire dishes.[90]</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 90: In the translation of the letter +accompanying these presents, to be noticed hereafter, they are +thus described:--"A criss wrought with gold, the hilt being of +beaten gold, with a ring of stones; an Assagaya of Swasse, half +gold half copper; eight porcelain dishes small and great, <i>of +camfire one piece of souring stuff</i>; three pieces of callico +lawns."--The passage in Italics is inexplicable, either in the +words of the letter, or in the description in the +text.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The 3d of July, the fleet of armed vessels belonging to Acheen +arrived, being only twenty days from the coast of Johor, at which +place they had captured the factory of the Hollanders, making +prize of all their goods, and had brought away some twenty or +twenty-four Dutchmen as prisoners. The 7th, I received the king's +letter for Priaman, together with a <i>chop</i> or licence for my +departure; and on the 12th, taking my leave of Acheen, I +embarked. In the morning of the 13th I set sail. It is to be +noted, that, from the 12th April to the middle of June, we had +much rain here at Acheen, seldom two fair days following, and +accompanied, by much wind in sudden gusts. From the 15th June to +the 12th July, we had violent gales of wind, always at S.W. or +W.S.W. or W.</p> + +<p>S.4. <i>Trade at Tecoo and Passaman, with the Voyage to +Bantam, and thence Home to England</i>.</p> + +<p>Leaving Acheen, as said before, on the 13th July, 1613, we +came in sight of <i>Priaman</i> on the 3d of August, it being +then nine or ten leagues off, N.E. by E. and clearly known by two +great high hills, making a great <i>swamp</i> or saddle between +them. We saw also the high land of <i>Tecoo</i>, which is not +more than half the height of that of Priaman, and rises somewhat +flat. At the same time likewise we saw the high land of +<i>Passaman</i>, some seven or eight leagues north of Tecoo, +mid-way between Tecoo and Priaman, which mountain is very high, +and resembles Aetna in Sicily.[91] In the afternoon of the 7th we +came to Tecoo, and anchored to the eastward of the three islands +in seven fathoms, the southmost isle bearing W.S.W. the middle +isle W.N.W. and the northern isle N. 1/2 E. our anchorage being a +mile from them.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 91: Perhaps this observed similarity with +Aetna is meant to indicate that this hill also is a +volcano.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>I sent ashore my merchants on the 19th, and landed myself in +the afternoon. Next day, by advice of our council, the Hosiander +was sent to Priaman, with the letter of the king of Acheen. She +sailed from Tecoo on the 12th, and came back on the 18th, when +she was dispatched to Bantam. The 25th there came a junk from +Bantam, the owners of which were Chinese. They confirmed to me +the reported death of Sir Henry Middleton, with the loss of most +of the men belonging to the Trades-increase, in consequence of +her main-mast breaking, while heaving her down for careening her +bottom. She was now returned from Pulo-Pannian to Bantam, and +they said that three hundred Chinese had died while employed at +work upon her.</p> + +<p>The 28th a boat I had sent to Passaman returned, having been +well entertained at that place, and brought with them the +<i>Scrivano</i> to deal with me, with whom accordingly I +concluded a bargain. The 29th, the governor of Tecoo sent for me +to come ashore, when I went to wait upon him. He was in council, +with all the chiefs of the district, and, after a long +discussion, we agreed on the following price of pepper. In the +first place, we were to pay eighteen dollars the bahar; then +there was 8d. the bahar for lastage or weighing, 30d. for +<i>canikens</i>, and 35 d. for <i>seilars</i>: Besides all which +they bargained for presents to sixteen chiefs or great men. On +the 30th, Henry Long came from Passaman, and informed me that Mr +Oliver had fallen sick, and that several others of our men had +died there; upon which I sent my pinnace to bring back Mr Oliver +and all others who survived, and to discontinue our factory at +that place.</p> + +<p>The 21st October, the Hosiander returned from Bantam, bringing +me letters from the English merchants at that place; saying that +they had 17,000 bags of pepper ready, all of which I might have, +or any part of it I thought proper, if I chose to come for it, at +thirteen dollars the <i>timbane</i>. On this, and several other +considerations, I held a mercantile council, in which it was +agreed that the Hosiander should be left at <i>Tecoo</i> for the +sale of our Surat goods, all of which were accordingly put on +board her for that purpose, and I departed in the Dragon for +Bantam from the road of Tecoo on the 30th October. I remained in +this road of Tecoo eleven weeks, in which time I bought 115 or +120 tons of pepper, and buried twenty-five of our men. All of +these either died, or contracted their mortal illnesses at +Passaman, not at Tecoo; and surely, if we had not attempted to +trade at Passaman, all, or at least most of these, might have now +been living. Wherefore, I earnestly advise all of our nation to +avoid sending any of their ships or men to Passaman, for the air +there is so contagious, and the water so unwholesome, that it is +impossible for our people to live at that place.</p> + +<p>I set sail from Tecoo on the 30th October, and arrived in the +road of Bantam on the 11th November, where I anchored in a +quarter less four fathoms, [3-3/4 fathoms.] Next day I convened +our English merchants on board my ship, and agreed on the price +of pepper at thirteen dollars the <i>bahar</i>, which is 600 +pounds of our weight. Having concluded my business at this place, +I set sail for Saldanha bay; where I bought for a small quantity +of copper, worth perhaps between three and four pounds, 494 +sheep, 4 beeves, and 9 calves. We sailed again from that place on +the 4th March, 1614; and on the day of our departure, the natives +brought us more live-stock than we knew how to dispose of; but we +brought away alive, eighty sheep, two beeves, and one calf.</p> + +<p>The 24th of March we saw St Helena, eight or nine leagues to +the W.N.W. its latitude, by my estimation, being 16° S. and +its long, from the Cape of Good Hope, 22° W. At three p.m. we +anchored in the road of that island, right over-against the +Chappel. While at St Helena, finding the road from the Chappel +[church valley], to where the lemon-trees grow, a most wicked +way, insomuch that it was a complete day's work to go and come, I +sent my boats to the westward, in hopes of finding a nearer and +easier way to bring down hogs and goats. In this search, my +people found a fair valley; some three or four miles to the S.W. +which leads directly to the lemon-trees, and is the largest and +finest valley in the island, after that at the Chappel, and is +either the next, or the next save one, from the valley of the +Chappel. At this valley, which is some three or four miles from +that of the Chappel, and is from it the fourth valley or swamp +one way, and from the point to the westward the second, so that +it cannot be missed, it is much better and easier for getting +provisions or water, and the water is better and clearer. The +road or anchorage is all of one even ground and depth, so that it +is much better riding here than at any other part of the island; +and from this place, a person may go up to the lemon-trees and +back again in three hours. We here got some thirty hogs and pigs, +and twelve or fourteen hundred lemons; but if we had laid +ourselves out for the purpose, I dare say we might have got 200 +hogs, besides many goats.</p> + +<p>Continuing our voyage home, we got sight of the Lizard point +on the 4th June, 1614, our estimated longitude from the Cape of +Good Hope being then 27° 20', besides two degrees carried by +the currents; so that the difference of longitude, between the +Cape and the Lizard, is 29° 20', or very nearly. Though we +had then only left the Cape of Good Hope three months before, and +were only two months and nine days from St Helena, more than half +our company was now laid up by the scurvy, of which two had died. +Yet we had plenty of victuals, as beef, bread, wine, rice, oil, +vinegar, and sugar, as much as every one chose. All our men have +taken their sickness since we fell in with Flores and Corvo; +since which we have had very cold weather, especially in two +great storms, one from the N. and N.N.E. and the other at N.W. so +that it seemeth the sudden coming out of long heat into the cold +is a great cause of scurvy. All the way from the Cape of Good +Hope to the Azores, I had not one man sick.</p> + +<p>The 15th of June, 1614, we came into the river Thames, by the +blessing of God, it being that day six months on which we +departed from Bantam in Java.</p> + +<p>SECTION XVIII.</p> + +<p><i>Observations made during the foregoing Voyage, by Mr +Copland, Chaplain, Mr Robert Boner, Master, and Mr Nicholas +Whittington, Merchant</i>.[92]</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 92: Purch. Pilgr. I. 466. On this occasion, +only such notices as illustrate the preceding voyage are +extracted.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>S.1. <i>Notes extracted from the Journal of Mr Copland, +Chaplain of the Voyage</i>.</p> + +<p>The bay of Saldhana, and all about the Cape of Good Hope, is +healthful, and so fruitful that it might well be accounted a +terrestrial paradise. It agrees well with our English +constitutions; for, though we had ninety or an hundred sick when +we got there, they were all as well in twenty days as when we +left England, except one. It was then June, and we had snow on +the hills, though the weather below was warmish. The country is +mixed, consisting of mountains, plains, meadows, streams, and +woods which seem as if artificially planted on purpose, they are +so orderly; and it has abundance of free-stone for building. It +has also plenty of fish and wild-fowl, as geese, ducks, and +partridges, with antelopes, deer, and other animals. The people +were very loving, though at first afraid of us, because the +Dutch, who resort hither to make train-oil, had used them +unkindly, having stolen and killed their cattle; but afterwards, +and especially on our return, they were more frank and kind. They +are of middle size, well limbed, nimble and active; and are fond +of dancing, which they do in just measure, but entirely naked. +Their dress consists of a cloak of sheep or seals-skin to their +middle, the hair side inwards, with a cap of the same, and a +small skin like that of a rat hanging before their privities. +Some had a sole, or kind of sandal, tied to their feet. Their +necks were adorned with greasy tripes, which they would sometimes +pull off and eat raw; and when we threw away the guts of beasts +and sheep we bought from them, they would eat them half raw and +all bloody, in a most beastly and disgusting manner. They had +bracelets about their arms of copper or ivory, and were decorated +with many ostrich feathers and shells. The women were habited +like the men, and were at first very shy; but when here on our +return voyage, they became quite familiar, even lifting their +rat-skins: But they are very loathsome objects, their breasts +hanging down to their waists. The hair both of the men and women +is short and frizzled. With these people copper serves as gold, +and iron for silver. Their dwellings are small tents, removable, +at pleasure; and their language is full of a strange +<i>clicking</i> sound, made by doubling their tongues in their +throats. There is a high hill, called the <i>Table Mountain</i>, +which covers all the adjoining territory for an hundred miles. +The natives, who are quite black, behaved to us very peaceably, +but seemed to have no religion, yet their skins were slashed or +cut, like the priests of Baal; and one seemed to act as chief, as +he settled the prices for the whole. Some of our people went a +considerable way into the country, and discovered many bays and +rivers.</p> + +<p>When at Surat, the Guzerats took some of our sea-coal to send +to their sovereign, the Great Mogul, as a curiosity. At this +place there came against us a Portuguese squadron of four +galleons, attended by twenty-five or twenty-six armed barks or +frigates, commanded by an admiral named Nuno de Accunna, and +having all red colours displayed, in token of defiance. When +advised by the sabander to keep between us and the shore, he +proudly answered, That he scorned to spend a week's provisions on +his men in hindering us from trade, as he was able to force us to +yield to his superior force in an hour. After three fights, they +sent one of their frigates against us, manned with six or seven +score of their best men, intending to set us on fire, but they +were all sunk.</p> + +<p><i>Medhaphrabad</i>,[93] formerly a fine walled city, has been +entirely ruined in the wars of the Moguls. It has still a strong +castle, held by a refractory chief of the Rajapoots, and was +besieged by the nabob, having fifty or sixty thousand men in his +camp. The nabob dwelt in a magnificent tent, covered above with +cloth of gold, and spread below with Turkey carpets, having +declared he would not desist from the siege till he had won the +castle. He sent a horse, and two vests wrought with silk and +gold, to our general Captain Best, with four vests for four +others. On the 23d and 24th of December, we fought again with the +Portuguese, in view of the whole army of the Moguls, and forced +them to cut their cables and flee from us, being better sailing +vessels than ours.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 93: Called Madafaldebar in the preceding +section, and there supposed to be the place now named Jaffrabat, +on the coast of Guzerat.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>I rode from Swally to Surat in a coach drawn by oxen, which +are ordinarily used in this country for draught, though they have +plenty of excellent and handsome horses. On the way I was quite +delighted to see at the same time the goodliest spring and +harvest combined I had ever seen any where, often in two +adjoining fields, one as green as a fine meadow, and the other +waving yellow like gold, and ready to cut down; their grain being +wheat and rice, of which they make excellent bread. All along the +road there were many goodly villages, full of trees which yield a +liquor called <i>toddy</i>, or palm-wine, which is sweet and +pleasant, like new wine, being strengthening and fattening. They +have grapes also, yet only make wine from the dried raisins. In +Surat there are many fair houses built of stone and brick, having +flat roofs, and goodly gardens, abounding in pomegranates, +pomecitrons, lemons, melons, and figs, which are to be had at all +times of the year, the gardens being continually refreshed with +curious springs and fountains of fresh water. The people are +tali, neat, and well-clothed in long robes of white callico or +silk, and are very grave and judicious in their behaviour. The +sabander assured us that we had slain 350 of the Portuguese; but +we heard afterwards, that above 500 were killed or maimed. Our +general sent letters for England by land, but the messenger and +his Indian attendant were poisoned by two friars. A second letter +was entrusted to a mariner, which reached its destination.</p> + +<p>We anchored in the road of Acheen on the 12th April, 1613, +where we were kindly received by the king. On the 2d of May, all +the strangers then at Acheen were invited to a banquet at a place +six miles from the town, and on this occasion two elephants were +sent for our general. To this place all the dishes were brought +by water by boys, who swam with one hand, while each carried a +dish in--the other; and the drink was brought in the same manner. +When the guests had satisfied themselves with tasting any of the +dishes, which indeed they must of all, the remainder was thrown +into the river. In this feast there were at least 500 dishes +served, all well dressed. It continued from one o'clock till +five; but our general, who was wearied with sitting so long in +the water beside the king, was dismissed an hour before the other +guests. The captain or chief merchant of the Dutch factory, +either by taking too much strong drink, or from sitting too long +in the cold water, caught an illness of which he died soon +after.</p> + +<p>The 2d June we were entertained by a fight of four elephants +with a wild tyger, which was tied to a stake; yet did he fasten +on the legs and trunks of the elephants, making them to roar and +bleed extremely. This day, as we were told, one eye of a nobleman +was plucked out by command of the king, for having looked at one +of the king's women, while bathing in the river. Another +gentleman, wearing a sash, had his head cut round, because it was +too large. Some he is said to throw into boiling oil, some to be +sawn in pieces, others to have their legs cut off, or spitted +alive, or empaled on stakes. The 25th of June, the king of Acheen +sent our general a letter for the king of England, most +beautifully written and painted, of which the following is a +translation of the preamble.[94]</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 94: Being merely complimentary, it has not +been deemed necessary to give any more of this letter than the +hyperbolical titles assumed by the petty Mallay +rajah.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>PEDUCKA SIRIE, Sultan, King of kings renowned in war, sole +king of Sumatra, more famous than his ancestors, feared in his +dominions, and honoured in all the neighbouring countries. In +whom is the true image of a king, reigning by the true rules of +government, formed as it were of the most pure metal, and adorned +by the must splendid colours. Whose seat is most high and +complete; whence floweth, as a river of fine crystal, the pure +and undefiled stream of bounty and justice. Whose presence is +like the most pure gold: King of Priaman, and of the mountain of +gold: Lord of nine sorts of precious stones: King of two +Umbrellas of beaten gold; who sitteth upon golden carpets; the +furniture of whose horses, and his own armour, are of pure gold; +the teeth of his elephants being likewise of gold, and every +thing belonging to them. His lances half gold half silver; his +small shot of the same; a saddle also for an elephant of the +same; a tent of silver; and all his seals half gold half silver. +His bathing-vessels of pure gold; his sepulchre also entire gold, +those of his predecessors being only half gold half silver. All +the services of his table of pure gold; &c.</p> + +<p>This great king sendeth this letter of salutation to James, +king of Great Britain, &c.</p> + +<p>This king of Acheen is a gallant-looking warrior, of middle +size, and full of spirit. His country is populous, and he is +powerful both by sea and land. He has many elephants, of which we +saw 150 or 180 at one time. His gallies are well armed with brass +ordnance, such as demi-cannons, culverins, sackers, minions, +&c. His buildings are stately and spacious, though not +strong; and his court or palace at Acheen is very pleasant, +having a goodly branch of the main river surrounding and +pervading it, which he cut and brought in from the distance of +six miles in twenty days, while we were there. At taking leave, +he desired our general to offer his compliments to the king of +England, and to entreat that two white women might be sent him: +"For," said he, "if I have a son by one of them, I will make him +king of Priaman, Passaman, and the whole pepper coast; so that +you shall not need to come any more to me, but may apply to your +own English king for that commodity."</p> + +<p>S.2. <i>Notes concerning the Voyage, extracted from the +Journal of Mr Robert Boner, who was Master of the Dragon</i>.</p> + +<p>The regular trade-wind is seldom met with till two or three +degrees south of the equator. Tornados are sure to be encountered +in two or three degrees north of the line, and sometimes even +four degrees. It is necessary to use the utmost diligence in +getting well to the south, as in that consists the difference +between a good and bad voyage, and the health of the men depend +greatly on that circumstance. In passing the line, it is proper +so to direct the course from the island of Mayo as to cross +between the longitudes of <i>seven</i> and <i>nine</i> degrees +<i>west</i> of the Lizard, if possible. At all events be careful +not to come within <i>six</i> degrees, for fear of the calms on +the coast of Guinea, and not beyond <i>ten</i> degrees west from +the Lizard if possible, to avoid the W.N.W. stream which sets +along the coast of Brazil to the West Indies; and in crossing the +line, in 7°, 8°, or 9° west of the Lizard, you shall +not fear the flats of Brazil: For the general wind in these +longitudes is at E.S.E. or S.E. so that you may commonly make a +S.S.W. course, so as to keep the ship full that she may go +speedily through; for there is much loss of time in hauling the +ship too close by the wind, and it is far better therefore to +give her a fathom of the sheet.</p> + +<p>In making for the bay of Saldanha [<i>Table bay,</i>] keep +between the latitudes of 33° 50' and 34° 20' of S. lat. +so as to be sure of coming not much wide of the bay. If, on +seeing the land, it appear high, you are then to the S.W. of the +bay: if low sand-hills, you are then to the northward of the bay. +In falling in with, the high land to the southward, which is +between the Cape of Good Hope and the bay, the land trends N.N.W. +and S.S.E. seven leagues from the Cape, and then trends away N.E. +and S.W. towards the point of the Sugar-loaf, some four leagues. +From this point of the <i>Sugar-loaf</i> lieth <i>Penguin</i> +island; but keep fair by the point, as two miles from Penguin +island there are two shoals. From the point to the island there +are some seven or eight miles N. and S. and so, borrowing on that +point, in eight or nine fathoms, steer a course S.E. and E.S.E. +till you bring the <i>Table</i> S.S.W. and the <i>Sugar-loaf</i> +S.W. by W. when you may anchor in 6 or 6 1/2 fathoms as you +please; and then will the point of land by the <i>Sugar-loaf</i> +bear W.N.W. some two leagues off, and <i>Penguin</i> island +N.N.W. some three leagues distant. The latitude of the point +going into the bay of Saldanha [<i>Table bay,</i>] is 34° 5' +S.[95] On coming in there is nothing to fear, though the air be +thick, as the land is bold within a cable's length of the +shore.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 95: Only 33° 54'--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>In my opinion, the current near Cape <i>Aguillas</i> sets to +the southward not above fifty or sixty leagues from the land: +Wherefore, in going to the eastwards, it is right to have sixty +leagues from land, so that you may miss that current. For 90 or +100 leagues beyond Cape <i>Aguillas</i>, the land trends E. by N. +and not E.N.E. as in the charts.</p> + +<p>In my opinion the gulf of Cambaya is the worst place in all +India for worms; wherefore ships going to Surat ought to use +every precaution against injury from them. At Acheen our general +was denominated <i>Arancaya Pattee</i> by the king, who showed +him extraordinary favour, sending for him to be present at all +sports and pastimes; and all our men were very kindly used by the +people at this place, more so than any strangers who had ever +been there before.</p> + +<p>S.3. <i>Extracts from a Treatise, written by Mr Nicholas +Whittington, who was left as Factor in the Mogul Country by +Captain Best, containing some of his Travels and +Adventures</i>.</p> + +<p>The sheep at the Cape of Good Hope are covered with hair +instead of wool. The beeves are large, but mostly lean. The +natives of that southern extremity of Africa are negroes, having +woolly heads, flat noses, and straight well-made bodies. The men +have only one testicle, the other being cut out when very +young.[96] Their apparel consists of a skin hung from their +shoulders, reaching to their waist, and two small rat-skins, one +before and the other behind, and all the rest of their body +naked, except a kind of skin or leather-cap on their heads, and +soles tied to their feet, considerably longer and broader than +the foot. Their arms are very scanty, consisting of bows and +arrows of very little force, and lances or darts very +artificially made, in the use of which they are very expert, and +even with them kill many fish. They are in use to wear the guts +of sheep and oxen hanging from their necks, smelling most +abominably, which they eat when hungry, and would scramble for +our garbage like so many dogs, devouring it quite raw and +foul.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 96: Captain Saris told me that some have +two; but these are of the baser sort and slaves, as he was told +by one of these marked by this note of +gentility.--<i>Purch.</i>]</blockquote> + +<p>At Surat, although Sir Henry Middleton had taken their ships +in the Red Sea, they promised to deal fairly with us, considering +that otherwise they might burn their ships and give over all +trade by sea, as <i>Mill Jaffed</i>, one of the chief merchants +of Surat, acknowledged to us. While at Surat, every one of us +that remained any time ashore was afflicted with the flux, of +which Mr Aldworth was ill for forty days. The custom here is, +that all strangers make presents on visiting any persons of +condition, and they give other presents in return.</p> + +<p>Finding it impossible to have any trade at Surat, as the +Portuguese craft infested the mouth of the river, our general +removed with the ships to Swally roads, whence we might go and +come by land without danger, between that place and Surat. Mr +Canning had been made prisoner by the Portuguese, but the viceroy +ordered him to be set ashore at Surat, saying, "Let him go and +help his countrymen to fight, for we shall take their ships and +all of them together." He was accordingly liberated, and came to +us at Swally. The purser had likewise been nearly taken; but he +escaped and got on board. The 3d October, <i>Seikh Shuffe</i>, +governor of <i>Amadavar</i>, [Ahmedabad], the chief city of +Guzerat, came to Surat and thence to Swally, where he entered +into articles of agreement for trade and friendship.</p> + +<p>The 29th of October, four Portuguese galleons and a whole +fleet of frigates, or armed grabs, hove in sight. Our general +went immediately to meet them in the Dragon, and fired not one +shot till he came between their admiral and vice-admiral, when he +gave each of them a broadside and a volley of small arms, which +made them come no nearer for that day. The other two galleons +were not as yet come up, and our consort the Hosiander could not +get clear of her anchors, so that she did not fire a shot that +day. In the evening both sides came to anchor in the sight of +each other. Next morning the fight was renewed, and this day the +Hosiander bravely redeemed her yesterday's inactivity. The Dragon +drove three of them aground, and the Hosiander so <i>danced the +hay</i> about them, that they durst never show a man above +hatches. They got afloat in the afternoon with the tide of flood, +and renewed the fight till evening, and then anchored till next +day. Next day, as the Dragon drew much water, and the bay was +shallow, we removed to the other side of the bay at +<i>Mendafrobay</i>, [Jaffrabat], where <i>Sardar Khan</i>, a +great nobleman of the Moguls, was then besieging a castle of the +<i>Rajaputs</i>, who, before the Mogul conquest, were the nobles +of that country, and were now subsisting by robbery. He presented +our general with a horse and furniture, which he afterwards gave +to the governor of Gogo, a poor town to the west of Surat.</p> + +<p>After ten days stay, the Portuguese having refreshed, came +hither to attack us. Sardar Khan advised our general to flee; but +in four hours we drove them out of sight, in presence of +thousands of the country people. After the razing of this castle, +Sardar Khan reported this gallant action to the Great Mogul, who +much admired it, as he thought none were like the Portuguese at +sea. We returned to Swally on the 27th December, having only lost +three men in action, and one had his arm shot off: while the +Portuguese acknowledged to have lost 160, though report said +their loss exceeded 300 men.</p> + +<p>The 13th January, 1613, I was appointed factor for the +worshipful company, and bound under a penalty of four hundred +pounds. Our ships departed on the 18th, the galleons not offering +to disturb them: and at this time Anthony Starkey was ordered for +England. Mr Canning was seventy days in going from Surat to Agra, +during which journey he encountered many troubles, having been +attacked by the way, and shot in the belly with an arrow, while +another Englishman in his company was shot through the arm, and +many of his peons were killed and wounded. Two of his English +attendants quitted him, and returned to Surat, leaving only two +musicians to attend upon him. He arrived at Agra on the 9th +April, when he presented our king's letter to the Great Mogul, +together with a present of little value; and being asked if this +present came from our king, he answered that it only came from +the merchants. The Mogul honoured him with a cup of wine from his +own hand, and then referred him, on the business of his embassy, +to Morak Khan. One of his musicians died, and was buried in the +church-yard belonging to the Portuguese, who took up the body, +and buried it in the highway; but on this being complained of to +the king, they were commanded to bury him again, on penalty of +being all banished the country, and of having all the bodies of +their own dead thrown out from the church-yard. After this, Mr +Canning wrote that he was in fear of being poisoned by the +jesuits, and requested to have some one sent up to his +assistance, which was accordingly agreed to by us at Surat. But +Mr Canning; died on the 29th of May, and Mr Kerridge went up on +the 22d of June.</p> + +<p>At this time I was to have been sent by the way of Mokha to +England; but the master of the ship said it was impossible, +except I were circumcised, to go so near Mecca. The 13th October, +1613, the ship returned, and our messenger made prisoner at the +bar of Surat by the Portuguese armed frigates, [grabs] worth an +hundred thousand pounds, and seven hundred persons going to +Goa.[97] This is likely to be of great injury here, for no +Portuguese is now permitted to pass either in or out without a +surety; and the Surat merchants are so impoverished, that our +goods are left on our hands, so that we had to send them to +Ahmedabad. John Alkin, who deserted from Sir Henry Middleton to +the Portuguese, came to us at this time, and told us that several +of their towns were besieged by the Decaners, and other +neighbouring Moors, so that they had to send away many hundred +Banians and others, that dwelt among them, owing to want of +provisions; and indeed three barks came now with these people to +Surat, and others of them went to Cambaya. Their weak behaviour +in the sea-fight with us was the cause of all this.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 97: Probably owing to careless abridgement +by Purchas, this passage is quite unintelligible. The meaning +seems to be, That the ship in which was the English messenger, +having a cargo worth 100,000<i>l</i>. sterling, and 700 persons +aboard, bound on the pilgrimage to Mecca, was taken and carried +into Goa.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>About this time also, Robert Claxon of the Dragon, who had +deserted to the Portuguese for fear of punishment, came to us +accompanied by a German who had been a slave among the Turks. One +Robert Johnson, who was with the Portuguese, and meant to have +come to us, was persuaded by another Englishman, while passing +through the Decan, to turn mussulman, and remain in that country, +where he got an allowance of seven shillings and sixpence a-day +from the king, and his diet from the king's table. But he died +eight days after being circumcised. Robert Trully, the musician, +fell out with Mr Kerridge at Agra, and went to the king of Decan, +carrying a German with him as interpreter. They both offered to +turn Mahometans, and Trully, getting a new name at his +circumcision, received a great allowance from the king, in whose +service he continues; but the German, who had been, formerly +circumcised in Persia, and now thought to have deceived the king, +was not entertained; whereupon he returned to Agra, where he +serves a Frenchman, and now goes to mass. Robert Claxon, above +mentioned, had also turned Mahometan in the Decan, with a good +allowance at court; but, not being contented, he came to Surat, +where he was pitied by us for his seeming penitence; but being +entrusted with upwards of forty pounds, under pretence of making +purchases, he gave us the slip and returned to the Decan. Thus +there are at present four English renegadoes in the Decan, +besides many Portuguese. The 27th October, 1613, we received +letters sent by Mr Gurney of Masulipatam, written by Captain +Marlow of the ship Janus, informing us of his arrival and trade +at that place.</p> + +<p>From Surat I went to <i>Periano</i>? three <i>coss</i>; thence +to Cossumba, a small village, ten <i>coss</i>; and thence to +Broach, ten <i>coss</i>. This is a very pretty city on a high +hill, encompassed by a strong wall, and having a river running by +as large as the Thames, in which were several ships of two +hundred tons and upwards. Here are the best calicoes in the +kingdom of Guzerat, and great store of cotton. From thence I went +to <i>Saninga</i> [Sarang], ten coss; to <i>Carrou</i>? ten c. +and then fourteen c. to <i>Boldia</i> [Brodrah], a smaller city +than Broach, but well built, having a strong wall, and garrisoned +by 3000 horse under <i>Mussuff Khan</i>. I went thence ten c. to +a river named, the <i>Wussach</i>, [the Mahy?] where Mussuff was +about to engage with the rajaputs who lay on the opposite side of +the river, the chief of whom was of the race of the former kings +of Surat. Thence other fourteen coss to <i>Niriand</i>,[Nariad] a +large town where they make indigo; and thence, ten c. more to +<i>Amadabar</i>, or Ahmedabad, the chief city of Guzerat, nearly +as large as London, surrounded by a strong wall, and seated in a +plain by the side of the river Mehindry. There are here many +merchants, Mahometans, Pagans, and Christians; with great +abundance of merchandize, which chiefly are indigo, cloth of +gold, silver tissue, velvets, but nothing comparable to ours, +taffeties, <i>gumbucks</i>, coloured <i>baffaties</i>, drugs, +&c. <i>Abdalla Khan</i> is governor of this place, who has +the rank and pay of a commander of 5000 horse. From, thence, on +my way to Cambay, I went seven c. to <i>Barengeo</i>, [Baregia] +where every Tuesday a <i>cafilla</i> or caravan of merchants and +travellers meet to go to Cambay, keeping together in a large +company to protect themselves from robbers. From thence sixteen +c. we came to Soquatera, a fine town with a strong garrison; +whence we departed about midnight, and got to Cambay about eight +next morning, the distance being ten <i>coss</i>.</p> + +<p>In November, we rode to <i>Sarkess</i>, three coss from +Ahmedabad, where are the sepulchres of the Guzerat kings, the +church and handsome tombs being kept in fine order, and many +persons resort to see them from all parts of the kingdom. At the +distance of a coss, there is a pleasant house with a large +garden, a mile round, on the banks of the river, which +<i>Chon-Chin-Naw</i>,[98] the greatest of the Mogul nobles, built +in memory of the great victory he gained at this place over the +last king of Guzerat, in which he took the king prisoner, and +subjugated the kingdom. No person inhabits this house, and its +orchard is kept by a few poor men. We lodged here one night, and +sent for six fishermen, who in half an hour caught more fish for +us than all our company could eat.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 98: This name seems strangely corrupted, +more resembling the name of a Chinese leader than of a Mogul Khan +or Amir. Perhaps it ought to have been +Khan-Khanna.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The 28th November, we received intelligence at Ahmedabad, that +three English ships had arrived at <i>Larry Bunder</i>, the port +town of <i>Guta-Negar-Tutla</i>, [Tatta] the chief city of +<i>Sindy</i>. I was sent thither, and came on the 13th December +to <i>Cassumparo</i>, where I overtook a cafilla or caravan +travelling to <i>Rahdunpoor</i>, six days journey on my way. We +went thence to <i>Callitalouny</i>, a fair castle; thence seven +c. to <i>Callwalla</i>, a pretty village, given by the emperor +Akbar to a company of women and their posterity for ever, to +bring up their children in dancing and music. They exhibited +their talents to our caravan, and every man made them some +present, and then they openly asked if any of us wanted +bedfellows. On the 16th we went eight <i>coss</i> to +<i>Cartya</i>, where is a well-garrisoned fortress. We remained +here till the 18th, waiting for another caravan for fear of +thieves, and then went to <i>Deccanaura</i>,[99] on which day our +camel was stolen and one of our men was slain. The 19th we +travelled ten c. to <i>Bollodo</i>, a fort held by <i>Newlock +Abram Cabrate</i> for the Mogul, and who that day brought in 169 +heads of the Coolies, a plundering tribe. The 20th in thirteen c. +we came to a fort named <i>Sariandgo</i>, and the 21st in ten c. +we arrived at <i>Rhadunpoor</i>, a large town with a fort. We +remained here till the 23d, to provide water and other +necessaries for our journey through the desert.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 99: It singularly happens, in the excellent +map of Hindoostan by Arrowsmith, that none of the stages between +Ahmedabad and Rahdunpoor are laid down, unless possibly +<i>Decabarah</i> of the map may be <i>Decanauru</i> of the text; +while Mr Arrowsmith actually inserts on his map the route of +Whittington across the sandy desert of Cutch, between Rahdunpoor +and the eastern branch of the Indus, or <i>Nulla Sunkra</i>, and +thence through the Delta to Tatta.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The 23d, leaving Rhadunpoor, we travelled seven coss, and lay +all night in the fields, having that day met a caravan coming +from Tatta that had been plundered of every thing. On the 24th I +sent off one of my peons with a letter to Larry Bunder, who +promised to be there in ten days, but I think he was slain by the +way; we went twelve c. that day. The 25th we travelled fourteen +c. and lodged by a well, the water of which was so salt that our +cattle would not drink it. The 26th ten c. to such another well, +where our camels took water, not having had any for three days. +The 27th after fourteen c. we lodged on the ground; and the 28th, +in ten c. we came to a village called <i>Negar Parkar</i>. In +this desert we saw great numbers, of wild asses, red deer, foxes, +and other wild animals. We stopt all the 29th, and met another +caravan, that had been robbed within two days journey of Tatta. +<i>Parkar</i> pays tribute yearly to the Mogul; but all the +people from thence to <i>Inno</i>, half a day's journey from +Tatta, acknowledge no king, but rob and spare at their pleasure. +When any of the Moguls come among them, they set their own houses +on fire, and flee into the mountains; and as their houses are +only built of straw and mortar, they are soon rebuilt. They exact +customs at their pleasure, and even guard passengers through the +desert, not willing they should be robbed by any but themselves. +The 30th we left Parkar, and after travelling six coss, we lay at +a tank or pond of fresh water. The 31st we travelled eight c. and +lay in the fields beside a brackish well. The 1st January, 1614, +we went ten c. to <i>Burdiano</i>, and though many were sick of +this water, we had to provide ourselves with a supply for four +days. The 2d we travelled all night eighteen c. The 3d, from +afternoon till midnight, we went ten c. The 4th twelve c. This +day I fell sick and vomited, owing to the bad water. The 5th, +after seven c. we came to three wells, two of them salt and one +sweetish. The 6th, having travelled ten c. we came to +<i>Nuraquimire</i>, a pretty town, where our company from +Rhadunpoor left us. We who remained were two merchants and myself +with five of their servants, four of mine, ten camels, and five +camel-drivers.</p> + +<p>This town of <i>Nuraquimire</i> is within three days journey +of Tatta, and to us, after coming out of the desert, seemed quite +a paradise. We agreed with a kinsman of the Rajah, or governor, +for twenty <i>laries</i>, or shillings, to conduct us on the +remainder of our journey. We accordingly departed on the 8th, and +travelled ten c. to <i>Gaundajaw</i>, where we had been robbed +but for our guard. The 9th we were twice set upon, and obliged to +give each time five <i>laries</i> to get free. We came to +<i>Sarruna</i>, a great town of the <i>rajputs</i> with a castle, +fourteen <i>coss</i> from Tatta. We visited the governor, +<i>Ragee Bouma</i>, eldest son to sultan <i>Bulbul</i>, who was +lately captured by the Moguls and had his eyes pulled out, yet +had escaped about two months ago, and was now living in the +mountains inviting all his kindred to revenge. The <i>Ragee</i> +treated me kindly as a stranger, asking me many questions about +my country. He even made me sup with him, and gave me much wine, +in which he so heartily partook, that he stared again. A banian +at this place told me that Sir Robert Sherly had been much abused +by the Portuguese and the governor of <i>Larry Bunder</i>, having +his house set on fire, and his men much hurt in the night; and +that on his arrival at Tatta, thirteen days journey from thence, +he had been unkindly used by the governor of that city. He +likewise told me of the great trade carried on at Tatta, and that +ships of 300 tons might be brought up to Larry Bunder; and +advised me to prevail upon <i>Ragee Bouma</i> to escort us to +Tatta.</p> + +<p>According to this bad advice, we hired the <i>Ragee</i> for +forty <i>laries</i> to escort us with fifty horsemen to the gates +of Tatta. We departed from <i>Sarruna</i> on the 11th January, +and having travelled five coss we lay all night by the side of a +river. Departing at two next morning, the Ragee led us in a +direction quite different from our right road, and came about +daybreak into a thicket, where he made us all be disarmed and +bound, and immediately strangled the two merchants and their five +men by means of their camel ropes. After stripping them of all +their clothes, he caused their bodies to be flung into a hole dug +on purpose. He then took my horse and eighty rupees from me, and +sent me and my men up the mountains to his brothers, at the +distance of twenty coss, where we arrived on the 14th, and where +I remained twenty days a close prisoner. On the 7th February, an +order came to send me to <i>Parkar</i>, the governor of which +place was of their kindred, and that I should be sent from thence +to Rhadunpoor; but I was plundered on the way of my clothes and +every thing else about me, my horse only being left me, which was +not worth taking away.</p> + +<p>Arriving at Parkar on the 28th February, and finding the +inhabitants charitable, we were reduced to the necessity of +begging victuals; and actually procured four mahmoodies by that +means, equal to as many shillings. But having the good fortune to +meet a banian of Ahmedabad, whom I had formerly known, he +relieved me and my men. We were five days in travelling from +Parkar to Rhadunpoor, where I arrived on the 19th March, and went +thence to Ahmedabad on the 2d April, after an absence of 111 +days. Thence to Brodia and Barengeo, thence sixteen c. to +Soquatera, and ten c. to Cambay. We here crossed the large river, +which is seven coss in breadth,[100] and where many hundreds are +swallowed up yearly. On the other side of the river we came to +<i>Saurau</i>,[101] where is a town and castle of the +<i>razbootches</i> or rajputs. The 16th of April I travelled +twenty-five coss to Broach. The 17th I passed the river +[Narbuddah], and went ten c. to <i>Cossumba</i>; and on the 18th +thirteen c. to Surat.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 100: The great river in the text is +assuredly the upper part of the gulf of Cambay, where the tide +sets in with prodigious rapidity, entering almost at once with a +vast wave or bore, as described on a former occasion in the +Portuguese voyages.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 101: Probably Sarrode, on the south side of +the entry of the river Mahy.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>According to general report, there is no city of greater trade +in all the Indies than Tatta in Sinde; its chief port being Larry +Bunder, three days journey nearer the mouth of the river. There +is a good road without the river's mouth, said to be free from +worms; which, about Surat especially, and in other parts of +India, are in such abundance, that after three or four months +riding, were it not for the sheathing, ships would be rendered +incapable of going to sea. The ports and roads of Sinde are said +to be free. From Tatta they go in two months by water to Lahore, +and return down the river in one. The commodities there are +<i>baffatys</i>, stuffs, <i>lawns</i> [muslins], coarse indigo, +not so good as that of Biana. Goods, may be carried from Agra on +camels in twenty days to <i>Bucker</i> on the river Indus, and +thence in fifteen or sixteen days aboard the ships at the mouth +of the Indus. One may travel as soon from Agra to Sinde as to +Surat, but there is more thieving on the Sinde road, in spite of +every effort of the Mogul government to prevent it.</p> + +<p>The inhabitants of Sinde consist mostly of Rajputs, Banians, +and Baloches, the governors of the cities and large towns being +Moguls. The country people are rude; going naked from the waist +upwards, and wear turbans quite different from the fashion of the +Moguls. Their arms are swords, bucklers, and lances; their +bucklers being large and shaped like bee-hives, in which they are +in use to give their camels drink, and their horses provender. +Their horses are good, strong, and swift, and though unshod, they +ride them furiously, backing them at a year old. The Rajputs eat +no beef or buffalo flesh, even worshipping them; and the Moguls +say that the Rajputs know how to die as well as any in the world. +The Banians kill nothing, and are said to be divided into more +than thirty different casts, that differ somewhat among them in +matters of religion, and may not eat with each other. All burn +their dead; and when the husband dies, the widow shaves her head, +and wears her jewels no more, continuing this state of mourning +as long as she lives.</p> + +<p>When a Rajput dies, his wife accompanies his body to the +funeral pile in her best array, attended by all her friends and +kindred, and by music. When the funeral pile is set on fire, she +walks round it two or three times, bewailing the death of her +husband, and then rejoicing that she is now to live with him +again: After which, embracing her friends, she sits down on the +top of the pile among dry wood, taking her husband's head on her +lap, and orders fire to be put to the pile; which done, her +friends throw oil upon her and sweet perfumes, while she endures +the fire with wonderful fortitude, loose not bound. I have seen +many instances of this. The first I ever saw was at Surat, the +widow being a virgin of ten years old, and her affianced husband +being a soldier slain in the wars at a distance, whence his +clothes and turban were sent to her, and she insisted on burning +herself along with these. The governor refused to give her +permission, which she took grievously to heart, and insisted on +being burnt; but they durst not, till her kindred procured leave +by giving the governor a present, to her great joy. The kindred +of the husband never force this, but the widow esteems it a +disgrace to her family not to comply with this custom, which they +may refrain from if they choose: But then they must shave their +heads, and break all their ornaments, and are never afterwards +allowed to eat, drink, sleep, or keep company with any one all +the rest of their lives. If, after agreeing to burn, a woman +should leap out of the fire, her own parents would bind her and +throw her in again by force; but this weakness is seldom +seen.</p> + +<p>The Banian marriages are made at the age of three years or +even under; and two pregnant women sometimes enter into mutual +promises, if one of their children should prove male and the +other female, to unite them in marriage. But these marriages are +always in the same cast and religion, and in the same trade and +occupation; as the son of a barber with the daughter of a barber, +and so on. When the affianced couple reach three years of age, +the parents make a great feast, and set the young couple on +horseback dressed in their best clothes, a man sitting behind +each to hold them on. They are then led about the city in +procession, according to their state and condition, accompanied +by bramins or priests and many others, who conduct them to the +pagoda or temple; and after going through certain ceremonies +there, they are led home, and feasts are given for several days, +as they are able. When ten years of age, the marriage is +consummated. The reason they assign for these early marriages is, +that they may not be left wifeless, in case their parents should +die. Their bramins are esteemed exceedingly holy, and have the +charge of their pagodas or idol temples, having alms and tithes +for their maintenance; yet they marry, and follow occupations, +being good workmen and ready to learn any pattern. They eat but +once a day, washing their whole bodies before and after meat, and +use ablutions after the natural evacuations.</p> + +<p>The <i>Baloches</i> are Mahometans, who deal much in camels, +and are mostly robbers by land or on the rivers, murdering all +they rob; yet are there very honest men among them in Guzerat and +about Agra. While I was in Sinde, they took a boat with seven +Italians and a Portuguese friar, all the rest being slain in +fight. This was ripped up by them in search of gold.[102]</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 102: This is obscurely expressed, leaving +it uncertain <i>what</i> was ripped up in search of gold: The +boat, the bodies of the slain, or the +prisoners.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>John Mildnall, or Mildenhall, an Englishman, had been employed +with three other young Englishmen, whom he poisoned in Persia, to +make himself master of the goods. He was himself also poisoned, +yet, by means of preservatives, he lived many months afterwards, +though exceedingly swelled, and so came to Agra with the value of +20,000 dollars. On this occasion I went from Surat for Agra, on +the 14th May, 1614. I arrived first at <i>Bramport</i>, +[Bushanpoor] where Sultan <i>Parvis</i> lives, situated in a +plain on the river <i>Taptee</i> or of Surat, which is there of +great breadth, and at this place there is a large castle. Thence +I went to Agra in twenty-six days, having travelled the whole way +from Surat to Agra, which is 700 coss or 1010 English miles, in +thirty-seven days of winter, during which time it rained almost +continually. From Surat to Burhanpoor is a pleasant champain +country, well watered with rivers, brooks, and springs. Between +Burhanpoor and Agra the country is very mountainous, not passable +with a coach, and scarcely to be travelled on camels. The nearest +way is by <i>Mando</i>, passing many towns and cities on every +day's journey, with many high hills and strong castles, the whole +country being well inhabited, very peaceable, and clear of +thieves.</p> + +<p>Agra is a very large town, its wall being two coss in circuit, +the fairest and highest I ever saw, and well replenished with +ordnance; the rest of the city being ruinous, except the houses +of the nobles, which are pleasantly situated on the river. The +ancient royal seat was <i>Fatipoor</i>, twelve coss from Agra, +but is now fallen into decay. Between these two is the sepulchre +of the king's father, to which nothing I ever saw is comparable: +yet the church or mosque of <i>Fatipoor</i> comes near it, both +being built according to the rules of architecture. In Agra the +Jesuits have a house and a handsome church, built by the Great +Mogul, who allows their chief seven rupees a-day, and all the +rest three, with licence to convert as many as they can: But +alas! these converts were only for the sake of money; for when, +by order of the Portuguese, the new converts were deprived of +their pay, they brought back their beads again, saying they had +been long without pay, and would be Christians no longer. In +consequence of the Portuguese refusing to deliver back the goods +taken at Surat, the king ordered the church doors to be locked up +and they have so continued ever since; so the <i>padres</i> make +a church of one of their chambers, where they celebrate mass +twice a day, and preach every Sunday, first in Persian to the +Armenians and Moors, and afterwards in Portuguese for themselves, +the Italians, and Greeks.</p> + +<p>By them I was informed of the particulars of Mildenhall's +goods, who had given them all to a French protestant, though +himself a papist, that he might marry a bastard daughter he had +left in Persia, and bring up another. The Frenchman refusing to +make restitution, was thrown into prison and after four months +all was delivered up.</p> + +<p>Between Agumere and Agra, at every ten <i>coss</i>, being an +ordinary day's journey, there is a <i>Serai</i> or lodging house +for men and horses, with hostesses to dress your victuals if you +please, paying a matter of three-pence for dressing provisions +both for man and horse. And between these two places, which are +120 coss distant, there is a pillar erected at every <i>coss</i>, +and a fair house every ten coss, built by Akbar, on occasion of +making a pilgrimage on foot from Agra to Agimere, saying his +prayers at the end of every coss. These houses serve for +accommodating the king and his women, no one else being allowed +to use them. The king resides at Agimere on occasion of wars with +<i>Rabna</i>, a rajput chief, who has now done homage, so that +there is peace between them. I made an excursion to the Ganges, +which is two days journey from Agra. The Banians carry the water +of the Ganges to the distance of many hundred miles, affirming +that it never corrupts, though kept for any length of time. A +large river, called the <i>Geminie</i> [Jumna], passes by +Agra.</p> + +<p>On the 24th of May, 1616, while on our voyage home to England, +we went into Suldunha bay, where were several English ships +outwards bound, namely, the Charles, Unicorn, Janus, Globe, and +Swan, the general being Mr Benjamin Joseph. We arrived safe at +Dover on the 15th September, 1616.</p> + +<hr align="center" width="25%"> +<p>John Mildenhall, mentioned in the foregoing article, left +England on the 12th February, 1600, and went by Constantinople, +Scanderoon, Aleppo, Bir, Caracmit, Bitelis, Cashbin, Ispahan, +Yezd, Kerman, and Sigistan, to Candhar; and thence to Lahore, +where he arrived in 1603. He appears to have carried letters from +Queen Elizabeth to the Great Mogul, by whom he was well received, +and procured from him letters of privilege for trade in the Mogul +dominions. He thence returned into Persia, whence he wrote to one +Mr Richard Staper from Cashbin, on the 3d October, 1606, giving +some account of his travels, and of his negociations at the court +of the Mogul. This letter, and a short recital of the first two +years of his peregrinations, are published in the Pilgrims, vol. +I. pp. 114--116, but have not been deemed of sufficient +importance for insertion in this collection.--E.</p> + +<p>SECTION XIX.</p> + +<p><i>Eleventh Voyage of the East India Company, in 1612, in the +Salomon</i>.[103]</p> + +<p>We sailed from Gravesend on the 1st February, 1611, according +to the computation of the church of England, or 1612 as reckoned +by others. We were four ships in company, which were counted as +three separate voyages, because directed to several parts of +India: The James, which was reckoned the <i>ninth</i> voyage, the +Dragon and Hosiander the <i>tenth</i>, and our ship, the Salomon, +as the <i>eleventh</i>.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 103: Purch. Pilgr. I. 486. This unimportant +voyage is only preserved, for the sake of continuing the regular +series of voyages which contributed to the establishment of the +East India Company. We learn from Purchas that it was written by +Ralph Wilson, one of the mates in the Salomon, who never mentions +the name of his captain. This voyage, as given by Purchas, +contains very little information, and is therefore here abridged, +though not extending to two folio pages in the +Pilgrims.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>I would advise such as go from Saldanha bay with the wind at +E. or S.E. to get to a considerable distance from the land before +standing southwards, as otherwise the high lands at the Cape will +take the wind from them; and if becalmed, one may be much +troubled, as there is commonly in these parts a heavy sea coming +from the west. Likewise, the current sets in for the shore, if +the wind has been at N.N.W. or W. or S.S.W. And also the shore is +so bold that no anchorage can be had.</p> + +<p>The 18th October, we espied the land, being near +<i>Celeber</i> in the island of Sumatra, in about 3° of south +latitude. The 2d November, coming between Java and a ragged +island to the westwards of the point of <i>Palimbangan</i>, we +met a great tide running out so fast that we could hardly stem it +with the aid of a stiff gale. When afterwards the gale slacked, +we came to anchor, and I found the tide to run three 1/2 leagues +in one watch. I noticed that this tide set outwards during the +day, and inwards through the night. This day at noon the point of +Palimbangan bore N.E. by E. three leagues off, and from thence to +the road of Bantam is five leagues, S.S.E. 1/3 E. The latitude of +Bantam is 6° 10' S. and the long. 145° 2' E. This however +is rather too much easterly, as I think the true longitude of +Bantam is 144° E. from Flores.[104]</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 104: The long. of Bantam is 106° E. +from Greenwich. That in the text appears to have been estimated +from the island of Flores, which is 31° 20' W. from +Greenwich, so that the longitude of Bantam ought to have been +stated as 137° 20' E. from Flores, making an error of excess +in the text of seven or eight degrees.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The 7th March, at five p.m. while in lat. 20° 34' S. we +descried land nine leagues off, N.E. 1/2 N. The S.E. part of this +island is somewhat high, but falleth down with a low point. The +W. part is not very high, but flat and smooth towards the end, +and falls right down. The south and west parts of this island is +all surrounded with shoals and broken ground, and we did not see +the other sides; yet it seemed as if it had good refreshments. +The longitude of this island is 104° from Flores, but by my +computation 107°.[105] In these long voyages, we do not rely +altogether on our reckoning, but use our best diligence for +discovering the true longitudes, which are of infinite importance +to direct our course aright.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 105: No island is to be found in the +latitude and longitude indicated in the text.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>SECTION XX.</p> + +<p><i>The Twelfth Voyage of the East India Company, in 1613, by +Captain Christopher Newport</i>.[106]</p> + +<p>The full title of this voyage, as given in the Pilgrims, is as +follows:--"A Journal of all principal Matters passed in the +Twelfth Voyage to the East India, observed by me <i>Walter +Payton</i>, in the good ship the <i>Expedition</i>.--Whereof Mr +<i>Christopher Newport</i> was captain, being set out <i>Anno</i> +1612. Written by the said <i>Walter Payton</i>." The date of the +year of this voyage, according to our present mode of +computation, was 1613, as formerly explained at large, the year +being then computed to commence on the 25th March, instead of the +1st January.--E.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 106: Purch. Pilgr. I. 488.]</blockquote> + +<p>S.1. <i>Observations at St Augustine, Mohelia, and divers +Parts of Arabia</i>.</p> + +<p>The 7th January, 1613, we sailed from Gravesend for India, in +the good ship Expedition of London, about the burden of 260 tons, +and carrying fifty-six persons; besides the Persian ambassador +and his suite, of whom there were fifteen persons, whom we were +ordered to transport to the kingdom of Persia, at the cost of the +worshipful company. The names of the ambassador and his people +were these. Sir Robert Sherley the ambassador, and his lady, +named Teresha, a Circassian; Sir Thomas Powell, and his lady, +called Tomasin, a Persian; a Persian woman, named Leylye; Mr +Morgan Powell; Captain John Ward; Mr Francis Bubb, secretary; Mr +John Barbar, apothecary; John Herriot, a musician; John Georgson, +goldsmith, a Dutchman; Gabriel, an old Armenian; and three +Persians, named Nazerbeg, Scanderbeg, and Molhter.</p> + +<p>In the morning of the 26th April; we fell in with a part of +the land of Ethiopia, [Southern Africa,] close adjoining to which +is a small island, called <i>Conie island</i>, [Dassen island] +all low land, and bordered by many dangerous rocks to seawards. +It is in the lat. of 33° 30' S. The wind falling short, we +were constrained to anchor between that island and the main, +where we had very good ground in nineteen or twenty fathoms. We +sent our boat to the island, where we found Penguins, geese, and +other fowls, and seals in great abundance; of all which we took +as many as we pleased for our refreshment. By a carved board, we +observed that the Hollanders had been there, who make great store +of train-oil from the seals. They had left behind them the +implements of their work, together with a great copper cauldron +standing on a furnace, the cauldron being full of oil; all which +we left as we found them.</p> + +<p>Having spent two days here at anchor, and the wind coming +favourable, we weighed and proceeded for the Cape of Good Hope, +and arrived, by God's grace, at Saldanha on the 30th of April, +where we found six ships at anchor. Two of these, the Hector and +James, were English, and the other four Hollanders, all homeward +bound. We here watered, and refreshed ourselves well with +reasonable abundance of the country sheep and beeves, which were +bought from the natives, and plenty of fresh fish, which we +caught with our seyne. The 10th May the Pepper-corn arrived here, +likewise homewards bound; and as she was but ill provided with +necessaries, we supplied her from our scanty store as well as we +could spare.</p> + +<p>Being all ready to depart with the first fair wind, which, +happened on the 15th May, we then sailed altogether from the bay, +taking leave according to the custom of the sea, and we directed +our course for St Augustine. In our way we had sight of <i>Capo +do Arecife</i>,[107] part of the main land of Africa, in lat. +33° 25' S. on the 24th May, the compass there varying 6° +9'. The 15th June we got sight of the island of St Lawrence or +Madagascar, and on the 17th came to anchor close beside port St +Augustine, meaning to search the soundings and entrance into the +bay before we went in, as there was no one in the ship well +acquainted with it. Having done this, we went in next day, and +came to anchor in ten fathoms, yet our ship rode in forty +fathoms. We had here wood and water, and great abundance of fresh +fish, which we caught in such quantities with the seyne as might +have served for six ships companies, instead of our own. But we +could get no cattle from the natives, who seemed to be afraid of +us; for, though they came once to us, and promised to bring us +cattle next day, they seemed to have said so as a cover for +driving away their cattle, in which they were employed in the +interim, and they came no more near us. Some days after, we +marched into the woods with forty musketeers, to endeavour to +discover some of the natives, that we might buy cattle; but we +only found empty houses, made of canes, whence we could see the +people had only gone away very recently, as their fires were +still burning, and the scales of fish they had been broiling were +lying about. We also saw the foot-marks of many cattle, which had +been there not long before, and had to return empty handed.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 107: The latitude in the text indicates +Burtrenhook, near the mouth of the Groot river, this being +probably the Dutch name, while that in the text is the +Portuguese.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The entry into the port of St Augustine resembles that of +Dartmouth haven; and on going in, you must bring the wood, called +Westminster-hall, to which it has some resemblance, to bear N.E. +by E. and then steer due E. borrowing a little towards the south +side of the bay, where your soundings will be thirteen, nine, +eight, and seven fathoms, all good ground, till you be shut +within the shoal. After this you have deep water till you come +into the road, and then have seven, eight, and ten fathoms. But +if you go too far behind the hill on the larboard hand, which +resembles an old barn, you shall then have thirty and forty +fathoms. St Augustine is in lat 23° 30' S. the var. being +15° 40'.[108]</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 108: Long. 44° 20' E. from +Greenwich.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>We sailed from St Augustine on the 23d June, directing our +course for the island of Mohelia, and on the 3d July we had sight +of an island called Juan, nine or ten leagues E. by S. from +Mohelia. We came also this day to anchor at Mohelia, between it +and some broken land off its southern side. We had here great +abundance of refreshments, and very cheap; for we bought five +bullocks in exchange for one Levant sword, and had goats, hens, +pine-apples, cocoa-nuts, plantains, oranges, lemons, and limes, +for trifles worth little. Such bullocks as we had for money cost +a dollar each, or ten pieces of 4-1/2d.; at which rate we +purchased forty-one beeves. The natives of this island are +chiefly Moors [negroes], but there are Arabians, Turks, and +others also among them; and they are much engaged in wars with +the people of <i>Juan</i>, [Hinznan or Johanna,] and Comoro +islands in their neighbourhood. They told us that the king of the +island died the day we arrived, being succeeded by his son, +<i>Phanehomale</i>, who was only of tender years, and was to +reign under the protection of the queen his mother. His +brother-in-law, as chief man, accompanied by several other people +of condition, came down to bid us welcome, and used us very +kindly. Both he and many others of the islanders spoke tolerably +good Portuguese, so that I had much conversation with them, and +was informed of every thing I wished to know.</p> + +<p>In this island they build barks, in which they trade along the +coast of Melinda and Arabia, disposing of slaves and fruit, by +which means they supply themselves with dollars, and with such +articles as they need. I suspect also that they have some +dealings with the Portuguese, but they would not let us know +this, lest we might suspect them of treachery. They told me that +we were welcome, and that the whole island was at our command to +do us service; but, if we had been Portuguese, they would have +put us all to the sword. In my opinion, however, it would be +dangerous to repose too much confidence in them. The king's +brother-in-law shewed me a letter of recommendation of the place, +written in Dutch, and left there by a Hollander; and he requested +of us to leave a letter to the same purport, certifying their +honest and friendly dealings, that they might be able to show to +others of our nation. To this we consented, and I gave them a +writing, sealed by our captain, expressing the good entertainment +we had received, and the prices of provisions; yet recommending +to our countrymen, not to trust them any farther than might seem +consistent with their own safety. They speak a kind of Moorish +language, somewhat difficult to learn; so that I could only pick +up the few words following, which may serve to ask for provisions +and fruits, by such as do not understand Portuguese, or in +speaking to any of the natives who have not that language.</p> + +<p><i>Gumbey</i>, a bullock. <i>Buze</i>, a goat. <i>Coquo</i>, a +hen. <i>Sinzano</i>, a needle. <i>Seiavoye</i>, cocoa-nuts. +<i>Demon</i>, lemons. <i>Mage</i>, water. <i>Surra</i>, a kind of +drink. <i>Soutan</i>, the king. <i>Quename</i>, a pine-apple. +<i>Cartassa</i>, paper. <i>Tudah</i>, oranges. <i>Arembo</i>, +bracelets. <i>Figo</i>, plantains.</p> + +<p>This island of Mohelia is in lat 12° 10' S.[109] and has +good anchorage in its road in forty fathoms. Having watered and +refreshed ourselves sufficiently, we sailed from thence on the +10th of July, directing our course for the island of Socotora. +The 19th we passed to the north of the equator; and on the 25th +we had sight of land, which we supposed to have been Cape +Guardafui, at the entrance into the Red Sea; and so, taking a +departure for Socotora, we were unable to find it. We were +therefore obliged to consider how we might shelter ourselves +against the fury of the winter in these parts, and also to +procure refreshments; wherefore we determined to sail for the +islands of <i>Curia Muria</i>, which are in about the latitude of +18° N.[110] over against the desert of <i>Arabia Felix</i>. +In our way; the weather was continually so foggy, that we were +unable at any time to see half an English mile before us, such +being usual in these seas in the months of July, August, and +September. In all this time both the sun and stars were so +continually obscured, that we were never able to get an +observation, by which to regulate or correct our dead reckoning; +but, God being our guide, we at length groped out the land by +means of the lead. We could now clearly perceive the colour of +the water to be changed to white, with many yellow grassy weeds +floating on the surface; and heaving the lead continually as we +advanced, we at length struck ground in forty-three fathoms. +Proceeding nearer the land, our sounding lessened to twenty-two +fathoms, when we anchored on good ground; and though we +distinctly heard the rut of the shore at no great distance, we +could not perceive the land till next day, when the weather was +somewhat clearer. We then sent our skiff in shore, to see if any +place could be discovered of more security for our ship to ride +in; but, on account of the great sea that came rolling into the +bay, the surge was so violent that they could not come near the +shore, and had to return as they went; only that they had been +able to descry some fair stone-houses by the sea-side, which +proved to be <i>Doffar</i>, in Arabia Felix.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 109: Lat. 13° 35' S. Long. 45° 30' +E. from Greenwich.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 110: These islands are at the mouth of a +bay of the same name on the oceanic coast of that portion of +Arabia named Mahra, in long, 55° 30' E. from +Greenwich.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>When God sent us a little clear weather, we could perceive a +high cape on the western side of the bay, which we discovered +from our skiff the second time it was sent, and could plainly see +that it formed a very good road for all kinds of winds, except +between the E. and S. by E. points. We were thankful to God for +this discovery, and warped our ship to that road, with much toil +to our men, as it was six or seven leagues from the place where +we had anchored. On the 3d of August, having brought our ship to +anchor in that road, we went ashore in the boat to a little +village by the sea-side, called <i>Resoit</i>, inhabited mostly +by Arabian fishermen, who entertained us kindly, and gave us all +the information we desired respecting the country. The governor +also of <i>Doffar</i> came down to us, whose name was <i>Mir +Mahommed Madoffar</i>, who bade us kindly welcome, and presented +us with three bullocks, and some sheep, goats, hens, sugar-canes, +plantains, cocoa-nuts, and the like. In return we made him a +present of a fine damasked fowling-piece, double lockt, which he +greatly admired. He appeared to desire our friendship as much as +we did his; and he gave us licence to land at all times when we +were inclined. He also gave orders to have a market established +for us at the village of Resoit, that we might be supplied with +every kind of provision that the country affords. Their cattle +were both dear and lean, and fresh water so scarce, bad, and +difficult to be had, that we were forced to hire the natives to +bring it down to us in skins from a distance, paying them at the +rate of twenty-four shillings for the fill of five pipes.</p> + +<p>Before leaving this place, Mir Mahommed desired us to leave a +writing of commendation in his favour, specifying the kind and +good entertainment we had received. This was accordingly granted, +and I wrote it upon parchment, beginning it in large letters, the +purport being similar to that granted at Mohelia, and this also +was signed by the captain. The governor also sent us three notes +signed by himself, for the purpose of being given by us to other +ships, if they should happen to come upon this part of the coast, +as we had been constrained to do, by which he might know our +ships from those of other nations, and give them good +entertainment accordingly. Cape <i>Resoit</i> is in lat. 16° +38' N. and has good anchorage in 5-1/2 or 6 fathoms.</p> + +<p>The 28th August, we set sail from thence, directing our course +for the coast of Persia, coasting along the oceanic shore of +Arabia; it being our chiefest object to set the lord ambassador +on shore, as, by reason of the news we had received at the Cape +of Good Hope, our expectations of trade at Surat, Dabul, and all +other parts thereabouts, were frustrated. The 2d September, we +sailed close beside an island on the coast of Arabia, called +<i>Macyra</i>, in lat. 20° 30' N. And on the 4th of that +month we passed the eastermost point of Arabia, called Cape +<i>Rassalgat</i>, in lat. 22° 34' N.[111]</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 111: This Cape is in lat. 23° N. and +long. 58° 45'E. from Greenwich.--E.]</blockquote> + +<hr align="center" width="25%"> +<p><i>Note</i>.--In explanation of the disappointment of trade at +Surat, &c. there is the following marginal note in the +Pilgrims, vol. I. p. 490.--"These news at the Cape were, Captain +Hawkins coming away in disgust, as denied leave to trade; the +English being often wronged by the Mogul, in frequent breach of +promise, as already shewn; for which they forced a trade in the +Red Sea on the Mogul subjects. Which afterwards procured the +privileges granted to Captain Best, as already related, lest the +Moguls should have the sea shut up to them, and all their trade +stopt. They were the more induced to grant these privileges to +the English, on seeing them able to withstand the Portuguese, +whose marine force had held the Guzerat people under maritime +subjection, and made them afraid to trade with the +English."--<i>Purch.</i></p> + +<p>S.2. Proceedings on the Coast of Persia, and Treachery of the +Baloches.</p> + +<p>Having crossed the gulf from Cape Rasalgat, on the 10th +September we got sight of the coast of Persia, in the lat. of +25° 10' N. When some seven leagues from the land, we sent our +skiff ashore to make enquiry concerning the country, and to seek +out some convenient place in which to land his lordship, having +Sir Thomas Powell, with two of the ambassador's Persian +attendants, and <i>Albertus</i>, our own linguist, that we might +be able to converse with the natives. They came to a little +village called <i>Tesseque</i>,[112] where they spoke with some +camel-drivers and other country-people; from whom they learnt +that the country was called <i>Getche Macquerona</i> [Mekran], +and the inhabitants <i>Baloches</i>, all living under the +government of a king, named <i>Melik Mirza</i>, whose chief +residence was some five or six days journey from thence, at a +port named <i>Guadal</i>. They were farther informed, that all +the country of <i>Mekran</i> paid tribute yearly to the king of +Persia. When informed of our purpose to land the ambassador, they +told us that, by means of <i>Melik Mirza</i>, his lordship might +have a safe conveyance in nine days to <i>Kermshir</i>, in the +province of <i>Kerman</i>; and from thence might travel in eleven +days more to <i>Ispahan</i> in Persia.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 112: Tize is laid down upon this part of +the Persian coast, in lat 25° 25' N. and long. 60° 80' E. +from Greenwich: Perhaps the Tesseque of the +text.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>We then sailed along the coast, and on the 11th of the month +we sent our boat ashore with Sir Thomas Powell, accompanied as +before, to make farther enquiries, and to endeavour to hire a +pilot to direct our course for Guadal, as we were unacquainted +with the coast. They came to a place called <i>Pesseque</i>, +about a day's journey from Tesseque, where they had similar +accounts with the former, all commending the port of Guadal as +the best place at which the ambassador could land. Wherefore, +being unable to procure a pilot, we resolved, with God's +blessing, to sail to that place with all the speed we could. On +the 13th, while on our way, we espied coming towards us from the +eastwards, two great boats, called <i>teradas</i>, which were +sailing along shore for Ormus. Whereupon, that we might procure a +pilot from them, we manned our skiff sufficiently to bring them +by force to our ship, if entreaties were unavailing, yet without +meaning to offer them the smallest injury, or even to send them +away dissatisfied.</p> + +<p>When our skiff came up with them, instead of answering the +hails of our men, they waved our skiff to leeward with a drawn +sword; on which, thinking to fear them, and make them lower their +sail, our men fired a random shot towards them, which they +answered by firing another directly at our skiff, followed by +half a hundred arrows, to which our men answered by plying all +their muskets. But our skiff was unable to hold way with them, as +they were under sail, and had therefore to return to the ship, +with one man very dangerously wounded by an arrow in the breast, +who afterwards recovered. As we in the ship saw the skiff +returning without them, we hoisted out our long-boat, and sent +her after the two <i>teradas</i>, we following with the ship as +near the shore as we could with safety; for it was now of much +importance that we should speak with them, on purpose to avoid +their spreading scandalous reports of us in the country, which +might have frustrated our chief hopes of landing the ambassador +at <i>Guadal</i>, being the place we most depended upon, and +being destitute of any other place for the purpose, should this +fail, considering the unwelcome intelligence we had got +concerning Guzerat at the Cape.</p> + +<p>Our long boat, having fetched up with the <i>teradas</i>, +drove them into a bay whence they could not escape; on which the +native mariners sailed so far into the bay, that one of the +teradas was cast away on the beach, and the other had nearly +shared the same fate, but was saved by our men just without the +surf. Most of the <i>balloches</i> leapt overboard, and several +of them narrowly escaped drowning; while nine of them were +brought by our men to our ship along with the <i>terada</i>, part +of whom they had taken out of the water. There were originally +twenty-six balloches in the two teradas, but all the rest escaped +ashore by swimming through the surf. When these men came aboard +our ship, they were found to belong to Guadal; and when told that +we were sorry for the loss of their other bark, as we meant them +no harm, but only wished to speak with them, that we might learn +the navigation to their port, they were glad to learn we had no +evil intentions, thinking we had been as merciless as themselves, +and acknowledged their loss proceeded from their own folly.</p> + +<p>We then informed them that we were bound for Guadal, on +purpose to land a Persian ambassador there, and that we earnestly +entreated the master of the terada, whose name was +<i>Noradin</i>, to pilot us to that place, for which we would +satisfy him to his contentment. Knowing that he could not chuse, +he consented to go with us, on condition we would permit the +terada and his men to proceed to Muscat, whither they were +originally bound; but we did not think this quite safe, lest they +might communicate news of our arrival among the Portuguese, and +thought it better to take the bark along with us to Guadal, to +manifest our own good intentions. Noradin accordingly consented, +between fear and good will, and was much made of by us to +reassure his confidence. On the passage to Guadal, we had much +conference with him and his men, both respecting the state of the +country, the character of their king, and the means of the +ambassador travelling from thence into Persia. Their answers and +reports all confirmed what we had been already told on the coast, +and gave us hopes of success. The terada was about fifteen tons +burden, and her loading mostly consisted in the provisions of the +country, as rice, wheat, dates, and the like. They had a +Portuguese pass, which they shewed us, thinking at first we had +been of that nation. I translated this, to show in what +subjection the Portuguese keep all the natives of these +countries, as without such a pass they are not suffered to +navigate these seas, under penalty of losing their lives, ships, +and goods.</p> + +<p><i>Antonio Pereira de la Cerda, Captain of the Castle of +Muscat, &c.</i></p> + +<p>"Know all to whom these presents are shewn, that I have hereby +given secure licence to this <i>terada</i>, of the burden of +fifty <i>candies</i>, whereof is master Noradin, a Mahomedan +<i>baloche</i>, dwelling in Guadal, of the age of fifty years, +who carries for his defence four swords, three bucklers, five +bows, with their arrows, three calivers, two lances, and twelve +oars. And that in manner following: She may pass and sail from +this castle of Muscat, to Soar, Dobar, Mustmacoraon, Sinde, +Cache, Naguna, Diu, Chaul, and Cor. In going she carries goods of +<i>Conga</i>, as raisins, dates, and such like; but not without +dispatch from the custom-house of this castle, written on the +back hereof. In this voyage she shall not carry any prohibited +goods, viz. steel, iron, lead, tobacco, ginger, cinnamon of +Ceylon, or other goods prohibited by his majesty's regulations. +And conforming thereto, the said <i>terada</i> shall make her +voyage without let or hindrance of any generals, captains, or any +of the fleets or ships whatever of his majesty she may happen to +meet with. This licence shall be in force for one whole year, in +going and returning; and if expired, shall continue in force till +the completion of her voyage.</p> + +<p><i>Given at the Castle of Muscat, this</i> 16th November, +1611. <i>Written by Antonio de Peitas, notary of the said +factory, &c.</i></p> + +<p><i>Sealed and signed by</i> ANTONIO PEREIRA."</p> + +<p>The certificate on the back was thus: "<i>Registered in the +book of Certificates, folio xxxii, et sequ.</i> Signed, ANT. +PEITAS."</p> + +<p>The 17th September, we sailed past some high rugged cliffs, +close to which, as Noradin told us, was a good watering place, at +a village named <i>Ivane</i>, fifteen leagues west from Guadal. +That same evening we arrived at Guadal, and anchored for the +night off the mouth of the port, whence about thirty boats came +out next morning to fish, some of which came to speak with the +<i>balloches</i> we had aboard. What conversation passed among +them we did not understand, being in the <i>balloche</i> +language. Betimes on the 18th, we cleared our pilot and his boat, +and he departed well contented. Soon after, the ambassador sent +Nazerbeg, one of his Persian attendants, on shore in our skiff, +with a message to the governor concerning his landing and passing +through that country into Persia. While on the way, our skiff was +met by the governor's boat, coming off to our ship, and Nazerbeg +was taken into that boat, which carried him to the shore, whence +he was accompanied by many of the natives to the governor's tent. +He here delivered his message in Persian, which these people +understand as well as their own language, and was kindly +entertained. The answer from the governor was to this effect: +That, although this country of Mekran did not belong to the king +of Persia, it yet owed love and duty thereto, having been long +tributary to the king and his predecessors, and still was. He +farther said, that the king of Mekran was the king of Persia's +slave, with many other hollow compliments, and that the +ambassador should be made as welcome as in Persian all this only +tending to allure his lordship ashore by treachery to his ruin, +as appeared by the event.</p> + +<p>With this answer Nazerbeg returned, being accompanied on board +by about a dozen of the most ancient men of the balloches, to +confirm the same. On coming aboard, these men saluted the +ambassador most submissively, in the name of the governor of +Guadal, and on their own behalf some even offering to kiss his +feet; and told his lordship that he was most fortunate in coming +to their city at this time, as only the day before the viceroy +had come down with a troop of men, to visit a saint, and +therefore his lordship would be conducted with infinite safety +through the country, and protected from the danger of rebels and +thieves, who infested the country between Mekran and Persia, and +might either go through Kerman or Segistan to Ispahan. They +added, that the viceroy would supply his lordship with camels and +horses, and every other requisite for the journey, and would +gladly give him every other accommodation in his power. They +said, moreover, that they were much rejoiced at having such an +opportunity of shewing their unfeigned love and duty towards the +king of Persia, and that the ambassador should be dispatched on +his journey from Guadal in two days, if he were so inclined. They +told us, that our ship should be supplied with water, and every +other necessary of which we were in want; and they gave us three +bags of bruised dates, of about 300 pounds weight, with two +boats, saying the fishing-boats were ordered to give us two fish +a-piece daily, on account of their government, which they did +accordingly.</p> + +<p>By these shews of good-will, all men concurring in the same +fair story, both now and formerly, we were thoroughly satisfied, +and had no distrust that they meant not as well as they said. The +lord ambassador, especially, was much rejoiced at the prospect of +being thus enabled to reach Persia in twenty days, as they said; +and we not less so, in bringing our long-desired hopes to a +bearing. But God, from whom no secrets of the heart can be +hidden, knew their treacherous intentions towards us; and had not +his mercy exceeded his justice, we had been utterly destroyed, +and it had never been known what became of us, our ship, or our +goods.</p> + +<p>Being quite satisfied with these fair promises, the ambassador +got every thing in readiness, and in the morning of the 19th +September, sent his money and all his baggage on shore with the +<i>balloches</i> boats, which came aboard for the purpose. They +also brought a message from the viceroy and governor, saying they +had provided tents for his lordship and all his followers, close +to their own, where they would be happy to receive him as soon as +he pleased to land. Into this tent accordingly all the +ambassador's goods were carried, and some of his followers were +appointed by his orders to remain there in charge of them, till +he should himself land, intending to have gone ashore the same +day, about four in the afternoon, of which he sent word to the +viceroy. In the mean time our boat went ashore with empty casks +to bring off fresh water, and in her went the Persian followers +of the ambassador, and three or four more of his people, to see +the careful landing of his goods, and to accompany them to the +tents.</p> + +<p>While the ambassador's baggage was landing, some of the +natives asked, if these were all the things the ambassador had to +send ashore? To which it was answered, that these were all, +except jewels and such like things, which were to come along with +himself. Some other natives standing by, observed among +themselves, That it was no matter, as these were enough for the +soldiers. This was overheard and understood by Nazerbeg, who +concealed it for the time, though it raised some suspicion in his +mind, as he said afterwards: Yet so strongly was he prepossessed +by the agreement of all that had passed before, that he could not +bring himself to believe their intentions were bad. He listened, +however, more attentively to all that was said afterwards among +them, but could hear nothing that savoured of double-dealing.</p> + +<p>A little while afterwards, Nazerbeg met with one <i>Haji +Comul</i>,[113] whom God made an instrument to disclose the +devilish project of the balloches to circumvent and destroy us, +and who now revealed the particulars of their bloody designs. +Nazerbeg was amazed, and even chid <i>Comul</i> for not having +told this before the goods were landed. As the time appointed for +the landing of the ambassador was at hand, Nazerbeg was fearful +he might have come ashore before he could get to our ship to +forewarn him. Wherefore, hastening to the shore, where, as God +would have it, our skiff was still filling water, he told our men +there was treachery plotting against us on shore, and entreated +them to row him to the ship with all possible speed. He was +therefore brought off immediately, yet hardly a moment too soon, +as the ambassador and all his suite, together with our captain +and all the principal officers among us, willing to grace the +ambassador as far as we could for the honour of our country, were +already in the waste, and ready to go on shore. When Nazerbeg had +communicated his news, we were as ready to change our purpose as +we had been before to go ashore. The purport of what he had +learnt from <i>Haji Comul</i> was as follows:--</p> + +<p>The viceroy and governor had agreed together to entice as many +of us as they possibly could ashore, on purpose to cut all our +throats; which done, they meant to have set upon the ship, and +having taken her, to seize every thing she contained. They had +made minute enquiry into our numbers, and had got a particular +enumeration of the state and condition of every person in the +ship, all of whom they intended to put to death without mercy, +except the surgeon, the musicians, the women, and the boys. Their +reverence for the king of Persia, of which they had so boasted, +was all a mere pretence to deceive; for they were all rebels, and +it was death to talk of the king of Persia in Guadal. Though we +now understood their intended plot, for which God be praised, and +were sufficiently put upon our guard to prevent its execution by +arming ourselves, knowing that we were able to defend ourselves +from injury on board, although they had great numbers of boats, +and above 1500 men armed with muskets, besides others; yet were +we at a loss how we might recover his lordship's goods, and his +three men who were ashore along with them. But God, who had thus +miraculously delivered us from their cruel treachery, opened +likewise our understandings, so that we recovered all according +to our wish, in the following manner:--</p> + +<p>As the viceroy and his fellows expected the immediate landing +of the ambassador and followers, together with the captain and +others of us, we sent Nazerbeg again ashore, with instructions +what to do. He was to inform the viceroy that the ambassador was +not very well, and had therefore deferred his landing till next +morning, which was Monday the 20th September. He was also +directed to request the viceroy and governor, to send two or +three of their boats for him very early, to bring the women and +others of his company ashore, as the ship's boats were too small; +and to say, that the ambassador expected to be attended by some +men of condition from the viceroy, to come in the boats, out of +respect to the king of Persia, whose person he represented. This +message, being well delivered, took the desired effect, and the +viceroy readily promised to comply with every thing required. +Having finished this part of his introductions, Nazerbeg was to +repair to the tent where the baggage was lodged, and to fetch +from one of the trunks, two bags of money containing £200 +sterling, and some other things of value, if he could so contrive +without being noticed, as it was wished to conceal the knowledge +we had of the villainous intentions of these barbarians. Nazerbeg +was also desired to use dispatch, and to desire the three +servants of the ambassador to remain all night at the tents, with +promise of being relieved next morning. All was done as directed, +and not only was the money brought away, but a trunk also +containing Lady Shirley's apparel. When the balloches enquired +the reason of taking that trunk back to the ship, they were told +it contained the lady's night-clothes, and that it was to be +brought ashore again next day.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 113: In Purchas this person is named +<i>Hoge</i> Comul; but we suspect it ought to be <i>Haji</i>, +intimating that he had made the pilgrimage of Mecca and +Medina.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The ambassador having thus recovered his money, wished much to +get back one other large trunk, containing things of value, and +the three men which were ashore with his baggage, even if all the +rest were lost. For this purpose, we filled, over night, a large +chest and a night-stool, with billets of wood, rubbish, stones, +and other useless matters, to make them heavy, binding them up +carefully with mats and ropes to give them an air of importance. +Nazerbeg was instructed to take these on shore, to be left in +place of the large trunk which he was to bring away, under +pretence that it belonged to one of the merchants, and had been +landed by mistake. The three men at the tent were to accompany +him back to the ship, with their musical instruments, and the +<i>balloches</i> were to be told they were wanted by the lord +ambassador to accompany him with their music on his landing.</p> + +<p>Every thing being thus properly arranged, we saw next morning +early, the three boats coming off for the purpose of bringing his +lordship on shore, according to promise. We then manned our +skiff, and sent her ashore to put our plan into execution, by +which we hoped to entrap the <i>balloches</i> in the snare they +had laid for us. In the mean time, we received the people from +the three boats into our ship, consisting of seven or eight +persons of some condition, among whom was our friend <i>Haji +Comul</i>; all the rest being slaves and fishermen. We kept them +in discourse on various matters, to pass away time till our skiff +could get back. During this conversation, one of them said that +the viceroy earnestly desired we might bring our +<i>slurbow</i>[114] ashore with us, as he wished much to see it, +which we readily promised, to satisfy them. We soon after had the +pleasure to see our skiff returning, having been completely +successful, as it not only brought away the trunk and the three +men, but also one of the chief men among the <i>balloches</i>, +whom Nazerbeg enticed along with him. As soon as he came on +board, he and the rest desired to see our gun-rooms, in which +they had been told we had all our fire-works, of which they were +in great dread, particularly of our <i>slurbow</i> and +fire-arrows; and this answered exactly to our wishes, as we meant +to have enticed them below, that we might disarm them of their +long knives or daggers. When all these principal persons were +down below in the gun-room, all our people being armed and in +readiness, and dispersed in different parts of the ship, some on +deck, some between decks, and others in the gunroom, to arrest +and disarm the traitors; and when the concerted signal was given, +this was instantly accomplished, to their great astonishment, yet +without resistance.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 114: From circumstances mentioned in the +sequel, this seems to have been a species of cross-bow for +discharging fire-arrows.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>We then laid open to them our knowledge of their murderous +intentions, saying their lives were now in our hands, as they had +themselves fallen into the pit they had dug for us; and, if we +served them right, we should now cut them in pieces, as they +meant to have done by us. Yet they stoutly denied the whole +alleged plot. We detained six of the chiefest men among them, and +two of their boats, sending all the rest a-shore, being all naked +rascals, except one, by whom we sent a message to the viceroy and +governor, That, unless he sent us back all the goods and baggage +we had ashore, without abstracting even the smallest portion, we +would carry off those we had now in our custody. When this +message was delivered to the viceroy and governor, they sent back +word by the same messenger, that, if we would release the +<i>balloches</i>, all our goods should be sent to us, and at the +same time making many hollow declarations that no evil had ever +been intended against us. On receiving this message, and in sight +of the messenger, all our prisoners were immediately put in +irons; and two letters were wrote to the viceroy in Persian, one +by us and the other by the prisoners, intimating in the most +determined terms, that the prisoners would be all put to death, +if the goods were not safely returned without delay, giving only +two hours respite at the most, the sand-glass being set before +them as the messenger left the ship, that he might be induced to +make haste. By these sharp means, we constrained them to restore +every thing in the most ample manner; and this being done, we +released the men and boats, according to promise, and sent them +away. One man named <i>Malim Simsadim</i>, whom we had learnt, +from <i>Haji Comul</i>, was an experienced pilot for <i>Sinde</i> +and <i>Cambay</i>, we detained for that purpose, promising to +reward him according to his merits.</p> + +<p>Thus, by God's assistance, to whom be endless praise for our +deliverance, we happily extricated ourselves from this dangerous +and intricate affair, which was entirely concluded by six p.m. of +the 20th September. We set sail that same night with our new +pilot and <i>Haji Comul</i>, which last remained along with us, +as his life would have been in danger among that accursed crew, +for revealing their diabolical plot. We now bent out course for +Sinde, as willing to avoid all subsequent dangers which these +blood-thirsty balloches might attempt to plot against us. In our +way, we had much conversation with Comul, whom we much esteemed +and respected for the excellent service he had done towards us. +<i>Comul</i> was a native of Dabul in India, his father being a +Persian of the sect of Ali, in which <i>Comul</i> was a +churchman, or priest, having likewise some skill in medicine and +surgery, in which capacity he had resided in the tent of the +governor of Guadal, and owing to which circumstance he had +overheard their infernal plot. He had obtained leave to come +aboard our ship, under pretence of procuring certain ointments or +balsams, which he alleged had been promised him by our surgeons. +He said that, on hearing their murderous intentions, his heart +yearned within him, to think we should be led like sheep to the +slaughter by such bloody butchers, and that God willed him to +reveal their plot to us. He farther told us, that to his +knowledge, they had already betrayed three ships in the same +manner; that they were all rebels against the King of Persia, +refusing to pay the tribute which they and their ancestors had +been accustomed to; and that the king of Persia had levied an +army, which waited not for from Guadal, with the purpose to +invade the country next winter.</p> + +<p>This country of <i>Macquerona</i>, or Mekran, is on the main +land of Asia, bordering upon the kingdom of Persia. The port of +<i>Guadal</i> is nearly in the lat. of 25° N, the variation +being 17° 15' [lat. 24° 40' N. long. 61° 50' E.]. It +has good anchorage in four or five fathoms. At night of the 21st +September, the day after leaving Guadal, our <i>balloche</i> +pilot brought our ship in danger of running on a shoal, where we +had to come suddenly to anchor till next morning. The 24th at +night, while laying to, because not far from Cape Camelo, a +Portuguese frigate, or bark, passed close beside us, which at +first we suspected to have been an armed galley, for which cause +we prepared for defence in case of need.</p> + +<p>3. <i>Arrival at Diul-ginde,[115] and landing of the +Ambassador: Seeking Trade there, are crossed by the slanderous +Portuguese: Go to Sumatra and Bantam; and thence Home to +England</i>.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 115: This singular name ought perhaps to +have been Diul-Sinde, or Diul on the Indus, or Sinde river, to +distinguish it from Diu in Guzerat.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The 26th September, 1613, we came to anchor right before the +mouth of the river <i>Sinde</i>, or Indus, by the directions of a +pilot we had from one of the boats we found fishing at that +place. We rode in very good ground, in a foot less five fathoms, +the mouth of the river being E. by N. being in the latitude of +24° 38' N.[116] That same day, the ambassador sent two of his +people, to confer with the governor about his coming ashore, and +procuring a passage through that country into Persia. The +governor, whose name was <i>Arah Manewardus</i>, who was of +<i>Diul</i>,[117] was most willing to receive the ambassador, and +to shew him every kindness, both in regard to his entertainment +there, and his passage through his province or jurisdiction. To +this intent, he sent a principal person aboard, attended by five +or six more, to welcome his lordship with many compliments, +assuring him of kind entertainment. Presently after there came +boats from <i>Diul</i> for his accommodation, in which he and all +his people and goods went ashore on the 29th September, all in as +good health as when they embarked in our ship from England. At +his departure we saluted him with eleven guns, and our captain +entrusted him with a fine fowling-piece, having two locks, to +present to the governor of Tatta, a great city, a day's journey +from Diul,[118] both cities being in the dominions of the Great +Mogul. We also now set ashore our treacherous <i>balloche</i> +pilot, <i>Sim-sadin</i>, though he better merited to have been +thrown into the sea, as he endeavoured twice to have cast us +away; once by his own means, as formerly alluded to, and +afterwards by giving devilish council to the pilot we hod from +the fisher boat at this place.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 116: The river Indus has many mouths, of +which no less than <i>seventeen</i> are laid down in Arrowsmith's +excellent map of Hindoostan, extending between the latitudes of +24° 45' and 23° 15' both N. and between the longitudes of +67° 12' and 69° 12' both east. That mouth where the +Expedition now came to anchor, was probably that called the +<i>Pitty</i> river, being the most north-western of the Delta, in +lat 24° 45' N. and long. 67° 12' E. from Greenwich; being +the nearest on her way from Guadal, and that which most directly +communicates with Tatta, the capital of the Delta of the +Indus.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 117: Such is the vague mode of expression +in the Pilgrims; but it appears afterwards that he was governor +of Diul, at which place Sir Robert Shirley and his suite were +landed. It singularly happens, that Diul is omitted in all the +maps we have been able to consult; but from the context, it +appears to have been near the mouth of the Pitty river, mentioned +in the preceding note. It is afterwards said to have been fifteen +miles up the river, in which case it may possibly be a place +otherwise called <i>Larry Bunder</i>, about twenty miles up the +Pitty, which is the port of Tatta.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 118: Tatta is not less than seventy-five +English miles from the mouth of the Pitty, and consequently sixty +from Diul.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>When the lord ambassador left us, we requested he would send +us word how he found the country disposed, and whether we might +have trade there; and for this purpose, we gave his lordship a +note in writing of what we chiefly desired, which was to the +following purport: "That our coming to this port was purposely to +land his lordship; yet, as we had brought with us certain +commodities and money, we were willing to make sales of such and +so much of those as might suit, if we could obtain licence and +protection for quiet trade; and, with the governor's permission, +would settle a factory at this place, to which, though now but +slenderly provided, we would afterwards bring such kinds and +quantities of goods us might be most suitable for sale. The +commodities we now had, were elephants and morse teeth, fine +fowling-pieces, lead and tin in bars, and some Spanish dollars. +If we could not be permitted to trade, we requested leave to +provide ourselves, with refreshments, and so to depart."</p> + +<p>The 30th September, the ambassador had an audience of the +governor concerning all his business, to whom he shewed the +<i>firmaun</i> of the king of Persia, as also the pass of the +king of Spain, thinking thereby to satisfy the jealousy of the +Portuguese residents at that place, who reported, on pretended +intelligence from Ornus, that Don Roberto Shirley was come from +England with three ships to the Indies, on purpose to steal. They +peremptorily refused to give credence to the Spanish pass, saying +it was neither signed nor sealed by their king, in which they +could not possibly be mistaken, knowing it so well, and therefore +that it was assuredly forged. On this, the ambassador angrily +said, that it was idle to shew them any king's hand-writing and +seal, as they had no king, being merely a waste nation, forcibly +reduced under subjection to the king of Spain, and mere slaves +both to him and his natural subjects. Yet the Portuguese boldly +stood to their former allegations, insisting that the ambassador +had other two ships in the Indies. Then <i>Arah Manewardus</i> +sharply reproved them for their unseemly contradictions of the +Persian ambassador, and ordered them out of the room.</p> + +<p>The ambassador then made a speech to the governor concerning +our admittance to trade at his port, on which the governor +expressed his readiness to do so, all inconveniences understood, +and desired the ambassador to send for one or two of our +merchants, that he might confer with them on the subject. Upon +this the ambassador wrote to us on the 2d October, saying what he +had done in our affairs, and sending us assurance for our safe +going and returning. Being thereby in good hope of establishing +trade at this place, if not a factory, and to make sale of the +small quantity of goods we now had, Mr Joseph Salbank and I, by +advice of the captain and others, made ourselves ready and went +ashore that same morning in one of the country boats. Our ship +lay about four or five miles from the mouth of the river, from +whence we had fifteen miles to travel to <i>Diul</i>, where the +ambassador was, so that it was late in the evening before we +landed there.</p> + +<p>In our way we met a Portuguese frigate or bark, bound for +Ormus, on purpose to prevent any of their ships coming till we +were gone. This bark went close past our ship, taking a careful +review of her, and so departed. As soon as we were landed, three +or four Portuguese came up to us, asking if we had brought any +goods ashore, and such like questions; but we made them no reply, +pretending not to understand their language, that we might the +better understand them for our own advantage, if occasion served. +There then came another Portuguese, who spoke Dutch very +fluently, telling me many things respecting the country and +people, tending to their ill conduct and character, thinking to +dissuade us from endeavouring to have any trade there. Soon +after, the officers of the customs came, and conducted us to the +castle, but we could not have an audience of the governor that +night, as it was already late. The officers, who were mostly +banians, and spoke good Portuguese, searched every part about us +for money, not even leaving our shoes unsearched; and perceiving +that we were surprised at this, they prayed us to be content +therewith, as it was the custom of the country. To this I +replied, that though the Portuguese might give them cause for so +bad a fashion, yet English merchants did not hide their money in +their shoes like smugglers. Then the governor's servants came to +us, and lighted us from the castle to the house in which the +ambassador lodged, where we were made heartily welcome, and were +lodged all the time we staid in Diul, and at no expence to us. +Seeing us landed, and hearing we came to treat with the governor +for settling trade at that place, the Portuguese spread many +slanderous and malignant lies against our king, country, and +nation, reporting that we were thieves, and not merchants, and +that we derived our chief subsistence by robbing other nations on +the sea.</p> + +<p>In the morning of the 3d October, the governor sent word to +the ambassador that he would see and converse with us in the +afternoon. In the mean time, we had notice that the Portuguese +were using every effort with him and others to prevent our being +entertained, both by offering him gratifications if he would +refuse us, and by threatening to leave the place if we were +received, pretending that they would not remain where thieves +were admitted. Yet the governor sent for us, commanding four +great horses, richly caparisoned, to be sent to the ambassador's +house, for his lordship, Sir Thomas Powell, Mr Salbank, and me, +and sent also a number of his servants to conduct us to the +castle; all the ambassador's servants went likewise along with +him, each carrying a halbert. In this manner we rode through some +part of the city, the people in all the streets flocking out to +see us, having heard talk of Englishmen, but never having seen +any before, as we were the first who had ever been in that part +of the country.</p> + +<p>On coming to the castle, we were received in a very orderly +manner, and led through several spacious rooms, where many +soldiers were standing in ranks on each side, all cloathed from +head to foot in white dresses. We were then conducted to a high +turret, in which the governor and some others sat, who rose up at +our entrance and saluted us, bidding us kindly welcome. We then +all sat down round the room, on carpets spread on the floor, +according to their fashion. The governor again bid us welcome, +saying he was glad to see Englishmen in that country; but said, +in regard to the trade we desired to have there, that the +Portuguese would by no means consent to our having trade, and +threatened to desert the place if we were received. Yet, if he +could be assured of deriving greater benefit from our trade than +he now had from that of the Portuguese, he should not care how +soon they left him, as he thought well of our nation. In the mean +time, however, as he farmed the customs of that port from the +king, to whom he was bound to pay certain sums yearly for the +same, whether they were actually received or not, he was under +the necessity of being circumspect in conducting the business, +lest he might incur the displeasure of the king, to his utter +ruin. He then told us that the customs from the Portuguese trade, +together with what arose from their letting out their ships to +hire to the Guzerats and Banians, amounted to a <i>lack</i> of +rupees yearly, which is £10,000 sterling.[119]</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 119: A rupee is two shillings, or somewhat +more, and a <i>lack</i> is 100,000.--Purch.]</blockquote> + +<p>He then desired to know the kinds and quantities of the +commodities we had brought, and what amount we had in money? To +all which we gave him distinct answers, as nearly as we could +remember; adding, that though we now brought but small store, we +would engage to furnish his port at our next coming, which would +be in about twenty-two months, with such commodities as were now +brought by the Portuguese, and with such quantities of each kind +as might be requisite to satisfy the demands of that port. He +appeared to approve of this, and concluded by saying, as our +present stock of commodities were so small, the Portuguese would +only laugh at him and us if we were now admitted to trade, +wherefore he wished us to defer all trade till our next coming; +but that he was ready to give us a writing under his hand and +seal to assure us of good entertainment at our next coming, +provided we came fully prepared as we said, and on condition we +should leave him a written engagement not to molest any of the +ships or goods of the king of the Moguls, or his subjects. We +agreed to all this, and requested he would allow us to sell those +goods we now had; but which he would by no means consent to, for +fear of offending the Portuguese, as stated before.</p> + +<p>We then desired that we might have leave to provide our ship +with water, and other necessary refreshments, for our money, +after which we should depart as soon as possible. To this he +said, that as soon as we sent him the writing he desired, he +would send us the one he had promised, and would give orders to +his officers to see our wants supplied; but desired that the +Portuguese might know nothing of all this. Seeing no remedy, we +then desired to know what kinds of commodities he wished us to +bring, and also what were the commodities his country could +afford in return. We were accordingly informed, that the +commodities in request in Sinde were broad-cloths of various +prices, and light gay colours, as stammels, reds, greens, +sky-blues, indigo-blues, azures, &c. also elephants teeth, +iron, steel, lead, tin, spices, and money. The commodities to be +had there were, indigo of Lahore, indigo of <i>Cherques</i>, +calicoes of all sorts, pintadoes, or painted chintzes of all +sorts, all kinds of Guzerat and Cambay commodities, with many +kinds of drugs. We then took our leave, and returned to the +ambassador's house, whence I sent him a letter, according to his +desire, signed by Mr Salbanke and me, on which he sent us +another, in the Persian language, which is written backwards, +much like the Hebrew, and which was interpreted to us by the +ambassador, in English, as follows:</p> + +<p>"WHEREAS there has arrived at this port of Diul, an English +ship called the Expedition, of which is captain, Christopher +Newport, and merchants, Joseph Salbank and Walter Peyton, and has +landed here Don Robert Shirley, ambassador of the king of Persia, +who has desired us to grant them trade at this port under my +government, which I willingly would have granted, but not having +brought merchandize in sufficient quantity to begin trade, and +the Portuguese, from whom I reap benefit, refusing their consent, +threatening to go away if I receive the English nation, by which +I should be left destitute of all trade, whence arises those sums +I have yearly to pay to the king, and in default whereof I should +incur his majesty's displeasure, to my utter ruin. Yet, from the +love I bear to the king of Persia, by whose ambassador I am +solicited, and from affection for the English, together with the +faithful performance of the writing left with me under their +hands and seals by the two merchants before named, I hereby +promise the English nation, under my hand and seal, if they will +come like themselves, so fitted that I may derive more advantage +from them than from the Portuguese, that I will infallibly grant +them trade here, with such reasonable privileges as we may agree +upon."</p> + +<p><i>Given at Diul, this 3d of October</i>, 1613.</p> + +<p>ARAH MANEWARUS.</p> + +<p>Having received this writing on the 4th October, together with +orders from the governor to his officers for our being furnished +with water and refreshments, we made haste to return to our +ships. A little before we went away, the ambassador fell into +discourse with us about procuring a <i>firmaun</i> from the Great +Mogul, for which purpose he wished Mr Salbank to accompany him to +Agra, the principal residence of that sovereign, affirming that +he would procure that grant of trade for us in a short time, for +which he alleged there was now a favourable opportunity, both +because he had other business to transact at the court of the +Mogul, and in consequence of the willingness of <i>Manewardus</i> +to admit us to trade at his port. He alleged likewise that we +might never have so favourable an opportunity, and assured us +that he would therein shew himself a true-hearted Englishman, +whatever the company of merchants might think of him; and that Mr +Salbank should be an evidence of his earnest endeavours to serve +the merchants in procuring this <i>firmaun</i>, not only for +Diul, but for other parts of the Mogul dominions, and should also +carry the grant with him over-land to England. All this seemed +reasonable, and as Mr Salbank had been before in these parts, he +was very willing to go, provided it met with the approbation of +the captain and me, and the other gentlemen in the ship; for +which purpose the ambassador wrote a letter to our captain, to +urge his consent, which we carried with us.</p> + +<p>We left Diul that same day about four in the afternoon, and on +going to the river side to take boat, many of the natives flocked +about to look at us. We were likewise joined by about a dozen +Portuguese, who began to talk with us in Dutch, as before, asking +many frivolous questions. I now answered them in their own +language, on purpose that the Banians, who were present, might +understand what I said; telling them that they were a shameless +and lying people to spread so many slanderous and false reports +of our nation, while they knew their own to be much inferior to +ours in many respects, and that their scandalous conduct +proceeded merely from malignant policy to prevent us from +participating with them in the trade of India. To this I added, +that if they did not restrain themselves within due peaceful +bounds, amending their behaviour both in words and actions, they +should be all driven out of India, and a more honest and loyal +nation substituted in their place. Then one of the principal men +among them stepped forwards, and made answer, that they had +already too many enemies, and had no need of more; but that they +had substantial reasons for speaking of us as they had done, as +not long since one of their ships had been taken near Surat, and, +as they supposed, by an English ship. To which I answered, that +this was more like to have been done by the Hollanders. They then +became more civil, and finally wished that we might trade in all +parts of India with them, and they with us, like friends and +neighbours, and that our kings might enter into some agreement to +that effect. They then kindly took leave of us, and we +departed.</p> + +<p>We got back to our ship on the 6th, when it was agreed that Mr +Salbank should accompany the ambassador to Agra, as proposed. For +which purpose he got himself in readiness, meaning to have gone +ashore next day. In the mean time, the captain, the purser, and +his man, went on shore to buy fresh victuals and necessaries to +take with us to sea; but, on coming to the city, they were +presently ordered away by the governor, and an express order +issued by proclamation, that none of the natives should hereafter +bring any of the English ashore, on pain of death. We were much +astonished at this sudden alteration of affairs, for which we +could not divine any cause: but, on the 9th, finding we could get +nothing done here, nor any farther intercourse, we set sail, +directing our course for Sumatra. All the time we were here in +Sinde, we had not the smallest intimation of trade having been +settled at Surat, for if we had, we might have taken a different +course.</p> + +<p>We came to anchor in the road of Priaman on the 20th November, +going in between the two northermost little islands, and anchored +close by the northermost of these, in five fathoms. We +immediately began to bargain for pepper, the price of which we +beat down from twenty-two dollars, as first asked, to seventeen +dollars the bahar, at which price we got two bahars, which were +brought to us on board: but the governor would not allow us, +although we made him a present of a musket, to hire a house, or +to buy pepper ashore, unless we would consent to bestow presents +on some twenty of the officers and merchants of the place. On the +22d, we received a letter from Captain Christen, of the +Hosiander, then at Tecoo, earnestly advising us to come there +immediately, as we could not fail to get as much pepper as we +wished at that place, and in a short time; and, as we were not +acquainted with the place, Captain Chrisen sent Richard Hall, one +of his master's mates, to pilot us through among the dangerous +shoals that lay about the roads of Tecoo. Accordingly we went to +that place, and anchored in four fathoms, Richard Hall returning +on board the Hosiander, where he died that same night, being ill +of the flux.</p> + +<p>Before our arrival, the natives had offered their pepper to +Captain Christen at twelve and thirteen dollars the bahar, taking +payment in Surat commodities; but they now demanded twenty-two +dollars in ready money, refusing to barter with them any longer +for goods. They also demanded at this place as many presents as +had been required at Priaman; beside which, they insisted upon +having seventy-two dollars for anchorage duty. Being now in a +worse situation than before, and having no time to waste in +delays, we determined to come to short terms with them; wherefore +we told them roundly, that we would on no account submit to their +unreasonable demands, even though we might not get a single +<i>cattee</i> of pepper. For this purpose I drew out a letter +from our captain, which he signed and sealed, addressed to the +head governor, stating that he had not used our nation so well as +we had reason to expect, both in unreasonable demands of +presents, which were not usually given upon compulsion, but +rather from good-will, or in reward of good behaviour, and +likewise by their improper delay in implementing their promises, +so very unlike mercantile dealings; since our ships have at +various times remained at their port for three, four, and even +five months, depending on their promises of having full lading, +which might as well have been accomplished in one month, in so +far as respected the small quantity of pepper they had to dispose +of. This letter was translated by the interpreter in the +Hosiander, an Indian, named Johen, who perfectly understood their +language.</p> + +<p>The governor, in consequence of this remonstrance, gave orders +that we might purchase pepper from any one who was inclined to +sell; but sent us a message, wishing that one of us might come on +shore, that the pepper might be there weighed. But still doubting +that they meant to teaze us with delay, we sent back word that we +could not remain so long as it would require for weighing the +pepper ashore, and therefore if they would bring it to us on +board, we would pay them eighteen dollars a bahar for their +pepper, together with two dollars as custom to the governor, +making exactly twenty dollars. As they still put off time, we set +sail, as if meaning to have gone away, on which the governor sent +another messenger, who spoke Portuguese tolerably, entreating us +to come again to anchor, and we should have as much pepper as we +could take in. We did so accordingly, and they brought pepper off +to us in proas as fast as we could conveniently weigh it, and +continued to do so till we had got about 200 bahars. They then +began to grow slack in their proceedings, on which, fearing to +lose the monsoon by spending too much time at this place, we +weighed and proceeded for Bantam.</p> + +<p>We left Tecoo on the 8th December, three of our men remaining +in the Hosiander, which needed their assistance, and proceeded +towards Bantam, mostly keeping in sight of Sumatra. At our +entrance into the straits of Sunda, on the 16th of that month, we +met the Dragon on her homeward voyage, by which ship we sent +letters to England. Next day, the 17th, we anchored in Bantam +roads, and went immediately ashore to provide our lodging, and by +the 29th our whole cargo was completed.</p> + +<p>We set sail from Bantam on the 2d January, 1614, for England, +not having hitherto lost a single man by sickness during our +whole voyage, for which we were thankful to God. This same day, +as we were going out by way of Pulo Panian, we met General Saris +in the Clove, then returning from Japan; and we came to anchor, +that we might have his letters for England, together with four +chests. We likewise spared him two of our hands, of which he was +in great need; one being a youth, named Mortimer Prittie, and the +other a carpenter's mate, named Thomas Valens, as he had not a +single carpenter alive in his ship.</p> + +<p>Having settled all these matters with the Clove, we resumed +our voyage for England on the 4th January, and came to anchor in +Saldanha bay on the 21st March, where we got a sufficient supply +of beeves and sheep from the natives, with abundance of fish, +caught in our own seine. We left that place on the 9th April, +with prosperous winds, which continued favourable till we were +three degrees north of the equator, which we crossed the 11th +May. When in lat. 00° 22' N. many of our men began to fall +sick, some of them of the scurvy, and with swelled legs. On the +10th July, 1614, by the blessing of God, we came to anchor in the +Downs.</p> + +<h2><a name="chapter3-11" id="chapter3-11">CHAPTER XI.</a></h2> + +<p>CONTINUATION OF THE EARLY VOYAGES OF THE ENGLISH EAST INDIA +COMPANY TO INDIA.</p> + +<p>INTRODUCTION.</p> + +<p>In the immediately preceding chapter, we have given a series +of the first twelve voyages fitted out by the English East India +Company, in the prosecution of their exclusive trade to India, as +preserved by Samuel Purchas; and we now mean, chiefly from the +same source, to continue the series for a few years longer. At +the close of the last voyage of the foregoing chapter, Purchas +informs us, that "The order of reckoning must be now altered, +because the voyages of the company were for the future set forth +by means of a <i>joint stock</i>, instead of by particular ships, +each upon a separate subscription, having separate stocks and +factories; the whole proceedings being, in the sequel, at the +general risk of, and accountable to the entire society or company +of adventurers." He farther adds, "That the whole of these +joint-stock voyages had not come into his hands; but that such as +he had been able to procure, and were meet for publication, he +had inserted in his Collection."</p> + +<p>The learned historiographer of the East India Company[120] +gives rather a different account of the former series of separate +or unconnected voyages, than that which we have taken from +Purchas, terming the last voyage in our former chapter only the +<i>ninth</i>, while Purchas denominates it the +<i>twelfth</i>.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 120: Ann. of the Hon. E.I. Co, I. +162.]</blockquote> + +<p>This difference, which is not at all material, may have arisen +from Purchas having considered some of the ships belonging to +<i>single</i> adventurers or subscriptions, which made separate +voyages or parts of voyages, as <i>separate</i> adventures. We +come now to a new era in the mode of conducting the English +exclusive trade to India, of the motives for which the Annals +give the following account.[121]</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 121: Id. I. 165.]</blockquote> + +<p>"The inconveniences which had been experienced from separate +classes of adventurers, partners in the East India Company, +fitting out equipments on their own particular portions of stock, +induced the directors, or committees, to resolve, in 1612, that, +in future, the trade should be carried on by a joint stock only; +and, on the basis of this resolution, the sum of £429,000 +was subscribed: and, though portions of this joint stock were +applied to the equipment of four voyages, the general +instructions to the commanders were given in the name, and by the +authority, of the governor, deputy-governor, and committees of +the company of merchants in London trading to the East Indies, +who explained that the whole was a joint concern, and that the +commanders were to be responsible to the company for their +conduct, both in the sale and purchase of commodities in the East +Indies, and for their general conduct, in extending the commerce, +within the limits of the company. The transition, therefore, from +trading on <i>separate adventures</i>, which has been described +as an imitation of the Dutch, to trading on a <i>joint stock</i>, +arose out of the good sense of the English nation, which, from +experience, had discovered the evil consequences of internal +opposition, and had determined to proceed on a system better +calculated to promote the general interest of the East India +Company.</p> + +<p>"Notwithstanding this resolution, the proportions of this +aggregate sum were applied to what has been termed the <i>tenth, +eleventh, twelfth</i>, and <i>thirteenth</i> voyages, in the +following manner: In 1613, the <i>tenth</i> voyage was +undertaken, the stock of which was estimated at £18,810 in +money, and £12,446 in goods, the fleet consisting of +<i>eight</i> vessels. In 1614, the stock for the <i>eleventh</i> +voyage was £13,942 in money, and £23,000 in goods, +the fleet being <i>eight ships</i>. In 1615, the stock for the +<i>twelfth</i> voyage was £26,660 in money, and +£26,065 in goods, with <i>six ships</i>. In 1616, the stock +for the <i>thirteenth</i> voyage was £52,087 in money, and +£16,506 in goods, the fleet containing <i>seven ships</i>. +The purchase, repair, and equipment of vessels during these four +voyages amounted to £272,544, which, with the specified +stock and cargoes, accounts for the disbursement of the +£429,000, the sum subscribed on the joint stock in +1613.[122]</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 122: The enumerated particulars amount to +£462,060, and exceed the subscribed joint stock by +£33,060.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>"The profits on this joint stock are stated to have amounted, +on the first two voyages, to £120 per cent. on the original +subscription; but they were subsequently much diminished, by the +difficulties which the English trade to the East Indies began to +experience, from the opposition of the Dutch in the Spice +Islands; so that, at the conclusion of this first joint stock, in +1617, the average profits of the four voyages did not exceed +£87:10s. per. cent on the original subscription, +notwithstanding the cargo of one of the vessels (the New-year's +Gift) cost only 40,000 rials of eight, and the sale produce, in +England, amounted to £80,000 sterling."</p> + +<p>It is not the purpose of this Collection to enlarge on the +history of the East India Company, any farther than by giving +relations of its early voyages, so far as these have come down to +us in the Pilgrims of Purchas, their only published record; and +we now therefore proceed with such of these voyages as are +contained in that curious collection, and seem to be worth +including in this work.--E.</p> + +<p>SECTION I.</p> + +<p><i>Voyage of Captain Nicholas Downton to India, in +1614.</i>[122]</p> + +<p>The ships employed on this voyage, the <i>second</i> set forth +by the <i>joint</i> stock of the East India Company, were the +New-year's Gift admiral, of 650 tons, on board of which Captain +Downton sailed as general or chief commander; the Hector of 500 +tons, vice-admiral; the Merchant's Hope, of 300 tons; and the +Salomon of 200 tons. We have thus only four ships enumerated by +Purchas, as employed in the <i>second</i> voyage of the new joint +stock, instead at <i>eight</i> mentioned in the <i>Annals</i>, as +before stated in the introduction to the present chapter. In this +voyage, Mr William Edwards was lieutenant, or next in command +under Captain Downton, being likewise Cape merchant, and +commander of the Hector. Mr Nicholas Easworth was Cape merchant, +and commander of the Merchant's Hope. Mr Thomas Elkington, Cape +merchant, and commander of the Salomon. Mr Peter Rogers minister; +Martin Pring. Arthur Spaight, Matthew Molineux, and Hugh Bennet, +masters of the four ships, assisted by sundry mates,--Purch.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 122: Purch. Pilg. I. 500.--Extracted from +the journal of Captain Downton]</blockquote> + +<p>S.1. <i>Incidents at Saldanha, Socotora, and Swally; with an +Account of Disagreements between the Moguls and Portuguese, and +between the Nabob and the English.</i></p> + +<p>We sailed from England on the 1st March, 1614, and arrived in +the road of Saldanha, or Table Bay, on Wednesday the 15th June, +being saluted on our arrival by a great storm. While every person +was busy in mooring the ship, John Barter, who had lost his +reason in consequence of a long fever, was suddenly missing, and +was supposed to have made away with himself. The 16th we erected +our tents, and placed a guard for their defence. We landed half +our casks on the 17th, to be overhauled and seasoned; and this +day <i>Choree</i>, the Saldanian or Hottentot, presented me a +young steer. The 18th we landed more of our beer casks, to be +washed, repaired, and seasoned. This day, <i>Choree</i> departed +into the interior, carrying with him his copper armour, javelins, +and all things belonging to him, promising to be back the third +day after, but he never returned.</p> + +<p>The 29th I sent George Downton ashore, to take observations of +the latitude and variation, in consideration of the great +difference in the variations, as observed in this and my former +voyage in the Pepper-corn. We made the latitude exactly 34° +S. and the variation 1° 45' W. by an azimuth, whereas most of +the former variations at this place were easterly. We this night +took down our tents, and brought every thing on board, making our +ships ready to depart next day, which we did accordingly.</p> + +<p>We came to anchor in the bay of St Augustine in Madagascar on +the 6th August, when the inhabitants abandoned the place, so that +we could have no intercourse with them, but we afterwards got +some refreshments from them. We here cut down some straight +timber for various uses. We set sail on the 12th August, and +anchored in Delisa bay in Socotora on the 9th September. Next day +we went ashore to wait upon the king, who was ready with his +attendants to receive me, and gave me an account of the existing +war in India, where the Mogul and the kings of the Deccan had +united to drive the Portuguese from the country, owing to their +having captured a ship coming from Juddah in the Red Sea, in +which were three millions of treasure. He also informed me of two +great fights which Captain Best had with the Portuguese, and of +other news in these parts. I here procured such refreshments as +the place could furnish, and bought 2722 pounds of aloes from the +king.</p> + +<p>Leaving Delisa on the 14th September, we got sight of the +Deccan coast near Dabul on the 2d October, where we found great +hindrance to our navigation, till we learnt by experience to +anchor during the ebb tide, and continue our course with the tide +of flood. Continuing this procedure, we anchored in the evening +of the 14th, two and a half miles short of the bar of Surat; when +presently a fleet of fourteen frigates or barks came to anchor +near us, which we discovered by their lights, as it was quite +dark. But as they could easily see us, by the lights at our +ports, that we were in readiness for them, they durst not come +any nearer, so that we rode quietly all night. Early of the 15th, +we weighed with the land-wind, and coming somewhat near the +frigates, they also weighed and stood to the southwards. We held +on our course past the bar, towards South Swally, where we soon +after arrived, though much opposed by contrary winds.</p> + +<p>Soon after we were anchored, I sent Molineux in his pinnace, +and Mr Spooner with Samuel Squire in my <i>gellywatte</i>,[123] +to take the soundings within the sands. In a channel where we +found only five feet at low water in our former voyage, Mr +Molineux had now three fathoms; and Mr Spooner had now seven or +eight feet, where our boats could not pass at all formerly. +Seeing some people on the shore in the afternoon, whom I supposed +might be some of our merchants from Surat, I sent my pinnace to +them; but they were some of the people belonging to <i>Coge +Nozan</i>, sent to discover what nation we were of. From them I +got farther information respecting the wars with the Portuguese, +being told that the Moguls were besieging Damaun and Diu, Mocrib +or Mucrob Khan being the general of the Mogul forces against +Damaun; and I also learnt to my sorrow, that Mucrob Khan was +governor and viceroy, as it may be called, not only over Surat, +but all the country round, as, from former experience, I +considered him to be a great enemy of our nation, and a friend to +the Portuguese. From these people likewise, I heard of the health +of Mr Aldworth and the rest of our factory, and wrote to hasten +his presence, sending my letters by the servants of Coge +Nozan.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 123: From this singular term, what is now +called the <i>jollyboat</i> has probably derived its +name.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>I sent my purser on shore in the pinnace, early of the 16th, +to purchase such necessaries as I thought might easily have been +got; but he returned about ten o'clock a.m. without buying any +thing for our purpose, bringing with him Mr Aldword, the chief +merchant of our factory at Surat, along with whom was one Richard +Steel, who had come over-land to Surat from Aleppo.[124] Mr +Aldworth endeavoured to persuade me that Mucrob Khan was our +friend, and that we had now an excellent opportunity to obtain +good trade and satisfactory privileges while the Moguls were +engaged in war with the Portuguese; and as both the Nabob and all +the natives were rejoiced at hearing of our arrival, they would +assuredly give us a most favourable reception. Pleased with these +hopeful circumstances, I yet still wished some other person here +in command instead of Mucrob Khan, of whom I remained doubtful, +and that we should have no free trade from him, but in his +accustomed manner, which I believed to have been, of his own +accord to cross us, and not as so constrained by direction of his +king; and the event turned out accordingly, though we were wise +behind the band, as will appear in the sequel. Even the name he +bore ought to have opened our eyes as to his influence with the +Great Mogul: as <i>Mocrub</i> signifies as much as <i>his own +bowels, Khan</i> meaning <i>great lord</i>. Yet I was deluded to +believe that his favour with the king was tottering, and that he +might easily be brought into disgrace, by complaint of any thing +done contrary to the will or humour of the king; so that we were +too bold, and injured our business when we found him opposing us, +as we thought unreasonably. On enquiring into the state of our +business, and the health of our factory, Mr Aldworth informed me +that Paul Canning and several others had died; that Thomas +Kerridge had long since been agent in his room at the court of +the Mogul, and that the factory at Surat now only contained +himself and William Bidulph.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 124: Mr Richard Stell, or Steel, had gone +to Aleppo, to recover a debt from a merchant of that city, who +had fled to India; and, following him through Persia, Mr Steel +had arrived at Surat. On his report, the factors at Surat made an +experiment to open a trade with Persia, which will form the +subject of a future section of this chapter.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>In the morning of the 17th, I called a council to advise upon +the best manner of conducting our affairs here, and to consider +who might be the best person to send to Agraas resident. Then +entering upon the six interrogatories, inserted in the second +article of our commission, I required Mr Aldworth to give direct +answers to every question.--1. In what favour was Paul Canning +with the emperor and his council, and how did he conduct himself +at court in the business entrusted to him? He answered, That on +his first arrival at court, he was well respected by the emperor, +till the Jesuits made known that he was a merchant, and not sent +immediately from our king; after which he was neglected, as he +himself complained: and, as for his carriage and behaviour there, +so far as he knew, it was sufficiently good;--3. Then demanding, +whether it were needful to maintain a resident at court? Mr +Aldworth answered, That it was certainly necessary, as the +emperor required that one of our nation should reside there; and +therefore, that the person ought to be a man of good respect, for +preventing and counteracting any injuries that might be offered +by the Jesuits, our determined adversaries; as he might also be +extremely useful in promoting and directing the purchase and sale +of various commodities.--6. Being questioned as to the expences +of a resident at court? he said, according to the estimate of +Paul Canning, it might be about £300 per annum; but, some +time afterwards, his estimate was found to extend to five, six, +and seven hundred pounds a year.--Being afterwards questioned, +Whether he thought it fit that Mr Edwards should proceed to court +under the designation of a merchant, according to the strict +letter of the company's commission? his opinion was, by the +experience of the late Mr Canning, that such a resident would not +be at all respected by the king.</p> + +<p>In the morning of the 24th, Coge Nozan came down to the water +side, and rested in my tent till I landed. I repaired to him, +accompanied by all our merchants, and attended by a strong guard, +armed with halberts, muskets, and pikes, having a coach to carry +me from the landing place to the tent. On alighting from my +coach, Coge Nozan came immediately to meet me. Before entering on +business, he was told that a present for the Nabob was to be +delivered to him, which was brought in. This consisted of a case +containing six knives, two pair of knives, six sword-blades, six +Spanish pikes, one case of combs, one mirror, one picture of Mars +and Venus, one ditto of the Judgment of Paris, two Muscovy hides, +and one gilded case of bottles filled with strong rich cordials. +I then made the following present to himself: Six knives in +single sheaths, four sword-blades, two pikes, one comb-case, a +mirror, a picture of Moses, and a case of bottles, in +consideration of the promise made by the nabob to our people, +that whatever Coge Nozan agreed to, he the nabob would +perform.</p> + +<p>I then moved for the enlargement of our privileges, and +lessening of our customs, especially at Baroach, and that we +might have a daily bazar or market at the water side, where we +might purchase beef for our people, according to the +<i>firmaun</i> already granted by the Mogul, and because other +flesh did not answer for them. He answered, that the nabob would +shew us every favour in his power, if we would assist him against +the Portuguese; that the customs of Baroach were out of his power +to regulate, as the king had already farmed these to another +person at a stipulated rent; and that we should have a regular +market, but that bullocks and cows could not be allowed, as the +king had granted a firmaun to the Banians, in consideration of a +very large sum of money, that these might not be slaughtered. In +fine, I found he had no power to grant us any thing; yet, willing +to leave me somewhat contented, he proposed that I should send +some of our merchants along with him to the nabob, where our +business might be farther discussed.</p> + +<p>I accordingly sent along with him, Mr Aldworth, Mr Ensworth, +Mr Dodsworth, Mr Mitford, and some others. Two or three days +afterwards, they had access to the nabob, to whom they explained +our desires, as before expressed. He then desired to know whether +we would go with our ships to fight for him against Damaun, in +which case, he said, we might count upon his favour? To this it +was answered, that we could not on any account do this, as our +king and the king of Spain were in peace. He then asked if we +would remove our ships to the bar of Surat, and fight there +against the Portuguese ships, if they came to injure the subjects +of the Mogul? This likewise was represented to be contrary to the +peace between our kings. On which he said, since we would do +nothing for his service, he would do nothing for us. Several of +the merchants of Surat endeavoured to persuade our merchants, +that I ought to give way to the reasonable request of the nabob, +and might still do what I thought proper; as, notwithstanding of +our ships riding at the bar, the Portuguese frigates could go in +and out on each side of me, owing to their light draught of +water. To this I answered, that the proposal was utterly unfit +for me to listen to; as whatever I promised I must perform, +though at the expence of my own life and of all under my command, +and that I could not possibly lend myself to fight against the +Portuguese on any account whatever, unless they first attacked +me, as it was absolutely contrary to my commission from my own +sovereign. I added, that, if the Portuguese provoked me by any +aggression, I would not be withheld from fighting them for all +the wealth of the nabob: But he made small account of this +distinction, and, seeing that we refused to fulfil his wishes, he +opposed us in all our proceedings as far as he could, so that we +nearly lost all our former hopes of trading at this place. In +this dilemma, I made enquiry respecting <i>Gengomar</i> and +<i>Castellata</i>, and also of <i>Gogo</i>:[125] but could get +poor encouragement to change for better dealing, so that we +remained long perplexed how to act, and returned to our business +at the ships.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 125: Gogo is on the west shore of the gulf +of Cambay. In an after passage of this voyage, what is here +called Gengomar <i>and</i> Castellata, is called Gengomar +<i>or</i> Castelletto, which may possibly refer to Jumbosier, on +a river of the same name, about sixty miles north from Surat. +Castelletta must have been a name imposed by the +Portuguese.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The 27th, in the morning, when Nicholas Ufflet went ashore, he +found all the people belonging to Swally had gone away from the +water-side in the night, as also all those who used to stay +beside the tents, in consequence of an order from the nabob; and +was farther informed that our merchants were detained at Surat, +having been stopped by force when attempting to cross the bridge, +and had even been beaten by the guard set there by the nabob. The +gunner's boy and his companion, formerly supposed to have run +away, and who were in company at the time with our merchants, +being on their return to the ships, were also well beaten, and +detained with the rest. The 31st we began to take in fresh water, +to be ready for departing, as our stay here seemed so very +uncertain. This day, Thomas Smith, the master's boy, had most of +the outer part of one of his thighs bitten off by a great fish, +while swimming about the ship. The ravenous fish drew him under +water, yet he came up again and swam to the ship, and got up to +the bend, where he fainted. Being brought into the gun-room, the +surgeon endeavoured to do what he could for his recovery; but he +had lost so much blood that he never recovered out of the swoon, +and shortly died.</p> + +<p>In the evening of the 2d November, Mr Aldworth and Mr +Elkington came down from Surat, where they left Mr Ensworth very +sick. They reported to me their proceedings with the nabob, as +formerly stated; but said they were now reconciled, and that he +had made fair promises of future respect, with a free trade +through all the country under his government. I do not attribute +his severe proceedings hitherto to any hatred or ill-will to our +nation, but to his fears lest we might unite with the Portuguese +against him, owing to my refusing to assist him against Damaun. +These his doubts and fears were increased by a knavish device of +the subtle and lying Jesuits; who, taking advantage of my refusal +to fight against the Portuguese without cause, at Damaun or +elsewhere, pretended with the nabob that they had a letter from +the viceroy, saying, That he and his friends the English meant to +join their forces and come against Surat. This devilish device +gave much hindrance to our business, by occasioning continual +doubt in the nabob's mind of our friendly intentions; and +unfortunately likewise, Mr Aldworth had strengthened these doubts +and fears, though ignorant of the lying inventions of the +jesuits; for, thinking to mollify their rigour, he rashly advised +them to beware, lest their ill usage might force us to join with +the Portuguese against them. We likewise believed that the order +of the nabob, forbidding the people to trade with us on board, +proceeded entirely from his desire to thwart us: But we +afterwards learnt, by letter from Thomas Kerridge, that Mucrob +Khan, and all other governors of sea-ports, had express orders +from the Mogul, not to allow any trade with us till they had +first chosen and purchased, for the king's use, all kinds of +strange and unusual things we might have to dispose of.</p> + +<p>On the 3d I called a council to deliberate concerning our +business, and especially how far we might proceed in aid of the +natives against the Portuguese, for which purpose we carefully +examined our commission and instructions. We also arranged the +appointments of the merchants for their several places of +employment, both such as were to remain in the factory at Surat, +and those who were to proceed on the voyage. This day likewise, +sixty bales of indigo, and eleven packs of cotton-yarn, came +aboard from Surat, being goods that belonged to the +<i>twelfth</i> voyage. It was my desire to have been ashore among +our merchants, that I might assist in arranging our business at +Surat; and this the rather because of the turbulent, head-strong, +and haughty spirit of----,[126] who was ever striving to sway +every thing his own way, thwarting others who aimed at the common +good, and whose better discretion led them to more humility. But +such was the uncertain state of our business, partly owing to the +nabob and his people, and partly to the Portuguese, who I heard +were arming against us; and besides, because I understood that +the nabob proposed to demand restitution for the goods taken by +Sir Henry Middleton in the Red Sea, at under rates, as they say, +though I know they had goods for goods even to the value of a +halfpenny. On all these accounts, therefore, I thought it best to +keep nearest my principal charge, referring all things on shore +to the merchants of my council, in most of whom I had great +confidence.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 126: This name is left blank in the +Pilgrims, probably because Purchas, a contemporary, did not wish +to give offence.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The 22d November, I finished my letters for Persia; being one +for the company, to be forwarded over land, one for Sir Robert +Shirley, and one of instructions for Richard Steel. The 23d, +<i>Lacandus</i>, the Banian, came down to us, with news of +discontent and hard speeches that had passed between the nabob +and our merchants, but who were now again reconciled. This was +occasioned by Mr Edwards refusing to let him see the presents, +which he was at last obliged to consent to. All these merchants +wrote me at this time separately, that the viceroy was certainly +arming against us. At this time Mr Ensworth and Timothy Wood died +within an hour of each other. John Orwicke, Robert Young, and +Esay But, were now dispatched to provide such cloths and +cotton-yarns as we had formerly agreed on. The 25th Mr Edwards +wrote me of the coming of three great men, bringing seven +firmauns from the Great Mogul; in whose presence the nabob +bestowed upon him 850 <i>mahmudies</i>, ten fine <i>basties</i>, +thirty <i>top-seels</i>, and thirty <i>allizaes</i>; at the same +time he gave ten <i>top-seels</i> to Mr Elkington and Mr +Dodsworth, a cloak to Mr Aldworth and another to Mr Elkington, Mr +Dodsworth having had one before. He likewise promised free trade +to all places under his command, and abundant refreshments for +our people in the ships.</p> + +<p>The 27th, John Crowther came from Surat, to inform me he had +been appointed by the chief merchants at Surat to accompany Mr +Steel into Persia, and had therefore come to take leave of me, +and to fetch away his things from the ship. This day also Mr +Edwards wrote to me, by Edmund Espinol, to send him fifty +elephants teeth, indifferently chosen as to size, as a banian +merchant was in treaty for them all, if they could agree on +terms. The 6th December, the nabob seemed ashamed that he had not +shewn me the smallest respect since my arrival, and, being +desirous to excuse himself, he this day entreated Mr Edwards to +go on board along with the great banian who had bought our ivory, +and Lacandas, the banian merchant of the junk belonging to the +king of <i>Cushan</i>.[127] He chose this last, on account of his +former familiarity with our people, and commissioned him to buy +sword-blades, knives, and mirrors. By them he sent me a present, +consisting of two <i>corge</i> of coarse <i>bastas</i>, ten fine +<i>bastas</i>, ten <i>top-seels</i>, ten <i>cuttonies</i>, and +three quilts, together with a message, certifying that the nabob +proposed to come down to visit me in a day or two at the most. At +their going ashore, I gave them a salute of five guns.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 127: Kessem, on the coast of Arabia Felix, +is probably here meant.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>They told me, that the nabob had certain intelligence from +Goa, that the viceroy was fitting out all the force he could +muster to come against us; and expressed a wish, on the part of +the nabob, that I would convoy one or two of his ships for two or +three days sail from the coast, which were bound for the Red Sea. +To this I answered, that I could not do this; as, if once off the +coast, the wind was entirely adverse for our return: But, if he +would further our dispatch, so that we might be ready in any +convenient time, I would do any thing reasonable that he could +desire. The 9th, the nabob's son came to the shore, but would not +venture on board, wherefore I went ashore to him. He had a horse +ready for me on landing to fetch me, and desired me to sit down +beside him, which I did. He then commanded some horsemen, who +accompanied him, to amuse me, by shewing their warlike evolutions +on the sands, chasing each other after the fashion of the Deccan, +whence they were; and at his desire I caused eleven guns to be +fired, to do him honour. Though he refused to drink any wine at +this interview, he sent for it after his departure, as also for a +fowling-piece he had seen in the hands of one of our people, both +which I sent him, together with a bowl from which to drink the +wine.</p> + +<p>S.2. <i>Account of the Forces of the Portuguese, their hostile +Attempts, and Fight with the English, in which they are +disgracefully repulsed</i>.</p> + +<p>On the 16th of December, 1613, Mr Elkington wrote me, That the +nabob had told him the Portuguese frigates had burnt Gogo, with +many <i>gouges</i> or villages in its vicinity, together with ten +large ships, of which the <i>Rehemee</i> was one, and an hundred +and twenty small vessels. He said likewise, that the nabob was +much displeased with me for not having fired upon the Portuguese +vessels, as they passed our anchorage, which circumstance had +renewed his suspicions of our friendly intelligence with the +Portuguese; and, although Mr Elkington had said every thing he +could to explain the reason of our conduct, as stated formerly, +he could not satisfy the nabob of its propriety. The 23d two +boats came off to us for lead; and on the same day we saw +twenty-two Portuguese frigates, which came to anchor in the night +between, us and the mouth of the river, where they continued most +part of next day.</p> + +<p>The 24th, in the morning, we saw four boats coming down the +river towards us; but, on seeing the Portuguese frigates, they +immediately turned back, and were chased up the river by two of +the frigates. Finding they could not get up with the boats, the +Portuguese landed and set fire to two or three poor cottages, and +carried off two or three cattle, and then returned to their +squadron at the mouth of the river. In the afternoon, they all +went up the river in company. In the morning early of the 25th, +we saw five or six frigates under sail. An hour or two after, we +saw a boat standing towards us, which was presently chased by two +frigates, on which the men in the small boat ran her a-ground and +forsook her; but as the frigates could not float near where the +boat was, and the tide was ebbing fast, they departed without +farther harm. The 26th in the morning, I sent the Hope a good way +to the northward from the rest of our fleet, to see whether the +Portuguese would assail her.</p> + +<p>Early in the morning of the 27th, the Portuguese frigates came +and made a bravado before our ship, and then before the Salomon, +which was next us; and from thence went directly against the +Hope, which rode a great way from us, in which manoeuvre they had +all their men close stowed below, and not one to be seen. The +master of the Hope hailed them twice, but they would give no +answer; on which they let fly at them from the bow-chases of the +Hope, which only could be brought to bear, and by which they were +forced with some loss to stand away. The master of the Hope was +satisfied, if he had not shot at them, that they would have +attempted to board, or to have set his ship on fire, as they had +the advantage of both wind and tide, and were so directly a-head +of his ship that he could hardly get any of his guns to bear upon +them, while the rest of our ships could not have come up to his +rescue. In the afternoon, I sent the Salomon to keep company with +the Hope; and, going to the northwards of her, she made several +shots at the frigates, but we did not perceive that any harm was +done. I therefore ordered a gun to be fired, as a warning to +desist, on which the Salomon stood in again and came to +anchor.</p> + +<p>In the morning of the 28th, I went in the pinnace aboard the +Hope and Salomon, to enquire the reason of their firing. And the +Portuguese, seeing our boats pass to and fro, removed in the +afternoon, and anchored a little way without us, obviously for +the purpose of cutting off our intercourse. In the meantime, the +boat which had been chased ashore on the 25th, came aboard the +Gift, bringing some letters from Mr Elkington, which our master +sent to me, as I was then in the Hope. Having answered Mr +Elkington's letter, I sent back the <i>gelliwat</i> to the Gift, +with directions to go thence to Surat in the night. But, as the +<i>gelliwat</i> [galivat] returned, she was chased by the +frigates; which perceiving, I waved her to return, but she held +on her way, not observing my signal. The frigates held her so +close in chase, that they got within shot of her, and even fired +one gun; and had not the Gift slipped one cable and veered +another, and plied her ordnance at the Portuguese, they had +surely taken or sunk the <i>gelliwat</i>. This forced the +Portuguese to give over the chase, not without damage. Late at +night, on the tide of ebb, I made the Hope and Salomon set sail +and come near the other two ships, and then returned on board the +Gift.</p> + +<p>Perceiving on the 29th, that my continuing off the bar of +Surat was quite unavailing, as the Portuguese frigates could pass +and repass to and from the river, by going across the sands, +where there was not water to float my ships; and that no boats +could come to us to fetch away our goods, for fear of the +frigates, neither could we have any intercourse with our friends +ashore, to know what passed; I therefore set sail for Swally +roads, where I arrived next day, having very little wind.</p> + +<p>On the 14th January, 1614, we heard of many frigates being +arrived, which rode at the bar of Surat all next day till night; +and, leaving that place after dark, they came and rode within +shot of us till next morning, when they weighed and stood back to +the southwards. While they remained at anchor, supposing they +might be the Mallabars, which the nabob had formerly promised to +send me, I put forth a flag of truce, and sent Mr Spooner, one of +our master's mates, towards them, directing him to keep a +watchful eye to our signals, which we should make if we saw any +reason of suspicion. Seeing our gallivat draw near, and no sign +of friendship in answer to ours, I hoisted my flag and fired a +shot to recall our boat, which immediately came back. At this +time, our sentinel at the mast-head descried another fleet of +frigates, which afterwards assembled at the bar of Surat, and +went all into the river. By this I was satisfied they were all +Portuguese, and was glad our men and boat had escaped their +hands. Thinking these frigates were forerunners of a greater +force, I ordered the decks to be cleared, all our guns thrown +loose, and every thing to be in readiness for action, both for +the great guns and small arms, and to fit up barricades for close +quarters. In the night of the 17th, all the frigates came out of +the river, and in the morning were all at the point of the +bar.</p> + +<p>The 18th, Maugie, the banian captain formerly mentioned, +accompanied by another great man, who was son to <i>Clych +Khan</i>, came to the water side to speak with me, to whom I went +ashore. Not long after, word was brought from on board, that they +had descried a fleet of ships far off, which looked very big, but +which we could not see from the shore, owing to its being very +low. Taking leave of my visitors, I returned aboard, and made +every thing be put in readiness, which was done immediately. +Towards night, we made them out to be six galleons, with three +smaller ships, besides the sixty frigates which were here before. +Two gallies belonging to this armament were not yet come up. The +tide being spent, they came to anchor till next day. The 19th, +they plied up to the entrance of our new channel, where they came +to anchor, and where they were joined by the two gallies. One of +their great ships, being too forward, came too near the sands and +grounded, but was soon got off again.</p> + +<p>On this occasion, Mucrob Khan, the nabob of Surat, sent the +sabandar and several others of the principal men of Surat, with a +great present of provisions to the Portuguese, and to endeavour +to enter into terms of peace; but though great policy was used on +both sides, they broke off without coming to any terms. This was +done by the nabob to my great mortification, for he and all the +country despaired of my being able to resist such +disproportionate force, and he was therefore willing before hand +to conciliate the viceroy by presents; considering, if I were +once overthrown, his own turn would come next, either to endure a +severe assault, or to make such a peace as the enemy chose to +dictate. Peace was certainly most desirable for the viceroy, that +he might restore trade with the Moguls. Yet, seeing the +tractableness of the nabob, and his apparent earnestness for +peace, the viceroy made light of it for the present, expecting to +bring it to bear with great advantage after he had overthrown us, +which he made no doubt easily to accomplish. When this was +performed, he expected to receive great presents, and great +submission from the Moguls to the dictates of the conqueror. But +it pleased God, who beheld the injustice of his attempt, to turn +the event contrary to the expectations both of the viceroy and +the nabob. After failing in all his attempts against me, and +finding he could not even gain a <i>boats thole</i> from me in +all the time he spent here, with loss and disgrace, the viceroy +was fain to revive the former despised proffer of peace with the +nabob: While the nabob on the other hand, confirmed by the +experience of a month, and seeing that the viceroy, after all his +boastful threatenings, and with so vast an armament, was unable +to prevail against our four merchant ships, or even to remove our +small force one foot from their place, gave for answer, that he +would not make peace with the viceroy. Thus was the viceroy +frustrated in both his hopes, of an easy victory over us, and an +advantageous peace with the Moguls. After this digression, I now +return to our proceedings.</p> + +<p>When we formerly heard of the force which the viceroy was +fitting out against us; we had no conception it would be so +formidable as it now appeared, and therefore deemed it expedient +to consult how, by God's help, we might best resist. The odds and +advantages on their side, made me calculate every thing that made +against me. Being far out-numbered by his forces, which I +esteemed the principal ships and means belonging to the +Portuguese in India, and having all the people of greatest rank +and valour, I considered it might be too hazardous for us to put +out into deep water, as by their numbers they would be able to +intercept and overcharge me, and to force me irrecoverably +aground, on one side or other. Such were my apparent +disadvantages in going out to sea; while I knew, on the other +hand, that their numerous smaller vessels might much annoy us +with fire-works, or put us otherwise into great hazard, in the +place where we now rode at anchor, where I was hopeful their +great ships could not or durst not come, owing to the shoal +water. Though my numbers were considerably lessened by sickness +and deaths, all my people, from the highest to the lowest, seemed +quite courageous, yet ignorant both of our danger and how it was +to be prevented; but their brave spirit gave me great hope. Yet +my anxiety was not small, how I might best act in maintaining the +honour of my country, and not neglect the valuable property +entrusted to my care by my friends and employers; as not only was +the present charge to be put in hazard, but all hopes also of +future benefits, if I were now overthrown; as the enemy, if he +now got the mastery, would be able to make peace with the Moguls +on his own terms, to the expulsion of our nation for ever.</p> + +<p>Besides these considerations, I leave to such parents as are +tender for the safety of their dutiful and obedient children, to +imagine how great was my anxiety for the safety of the people +under my command. So great was my cares all this time, that I had +little time for conversation, or even almost to shew myself +sensible of the approaching dangers. Whenever I could get free +from others, I very earnestly craved the aid and direction of the +almighty and ever merciful God, who had often delivered me before +from manifold dangers, praying that he would so direct me that I +might omit nothing having a tendency to the safety of my charge, +and our defence against the enemy. I had strong confidence that +the Almighty would grant my request, and yet was often led to +doubt, through my manifold and grievous offences. I resolved at +length what to do, by God's assistance, providing the masters of +the ships would agree to second me. Being satisfied, if we +should-receive a defeat while at anchor, our disgrace would be +great, and our enemies could in that case be little injured by +us; while by setting sail, the viceroy, in his greediness and +pride, might do himself some wrong upon the sands, by which he +might cripple his own force, and thereby open a way for our +getting out through the rest. Yet this plan seemed only fit for +ultimate necessity, considering that much of our goods were now +on their way, and others were expected from day to day; and, if +once out, unless it pleased God to make us the conquerors, so as +to drive the viceroy clean away, I should on no account be able +to return to my anchorage, where only I could get in my lading. +Considering also that the viceroy would hold his honour in such +high estimation, that he would rather die than give way; and +besides, that my people would be tired and half spent with +labour, before going to fight, by heaving at the capstan to get +up our anchors, setting the sails, and so forth, which in this +hot country makes them both weary and faint, to the great +diminution of their courage; while the viceroy and his soldiers +being troubled with no labour, which among them is done by slaves +and inferior mariners, would come fresh into the battle. +Likewise, even supposing the viceroy to lose many men in the +fight, he could be again supplied from the nearest towns +belonging to the Portuguese, by means of his frigates; whereas we +could not have a single man replaced, whatever number we might +have slain or disabled.</p> + +<p>Having none of our merchants aboard, as they were all employed +in the country, or with Mr Elkington in our factory at Surat, I +sent for all the masters, on the night of this Thursday the 19th +January, desiring them and some of the mates to come to supper +with me on board the Gift. I then made them a speech on our +present situation, desiring every one to give his opinion freely, +how we might best proceed in our present straits. I declared to +them my confidence in God, notwithstanding all the force of these +bragging Portuguese, that their injurious attempts would not +prevail against us, who had been careful not to wrong them in the +Indies. I represented also to them, the jealousy entertained of +us by the nabob and other chief men of the country, because we +had refrained from firing at the saucy bragging frigates.</p> + +<p>I found all the masters willing and tractable to my heart's +desire. We had some few discourses about our provident mooring, +as also about removing a little lower down. I then proposed my +plan to them, desiring to have their free opinion. I represented +that our ships were now in as good condition for battle as we +could make them, yet our danger by night, if we continued where +we were, was not small, however provident we might be. Wherefore, +I thought it fit in the morning at low water, to send one ship to +ride as far down as we could have water for all our ships at the +lowest ebb, at which time none of the enemies ships could come to +annoy her. This, as I thought, might induce the viceroy to make +some attempt at high water, when our other three ships might bear +down against the stream, the springs being now at the highest, +when we should see what efforts the viceroy might make, and might +attend to the same and act accordingly, in the hope that the +viceroy might commit some error to the weakening of his own force +and our advantage. And if such should happen, it would then be +proper for us to put out to sea, in the darkness of the following +night, when the viceroy would not be in condition to make sail to +hinder us. Or, if we saw reason, we might make sail daily on the +flood, working to and again, which would somewhat dismay the +Portuguese, and encourage our own men. My proposal was +unanimously agreed to, as the best way of proceeding; and finding +Mr Molineux quite willing to fall down with the Hope at low water +next morning, this was directed accordingly.</p> + +<p>In the morning of the 20th, at low water, the Hope went down +to induce the enemy to make some attempt against her when the +tide rose, and then we in the other ships stood after her. The +viceroy, and all the worthy knights about him, thinking I was +about to flee, hastened as soon as the flood would permit to stop +the passage, and prevent our getting out. We all came to anchor +short of the Hope, yet not so as to leave her destitute of our +help, but rather doubting of sufficient depth for our ships at +low water so far down. On coming to anchor, I went down into my +cabin, meaning to have given our friends ashore notice of my +purposes, that they might know it proceeded from no rashness, but +in good discretion to wait upon advantages to the prejudice of +our enemies. But presently I had notice, that three of the +Portuguese ships and most of their frigates were coming stem on +before the wind upon the Hope, followed by all the galleons.</p> + +<p>We endeavoured to weigh our anchor, but having no time for +that, we cut our cables, and made sail for the rescue of the +Hope. Before we could get sufficiently near, the enemies ships +were close aboard of her, and had entered their men, boarding her +with great appearance of resolution. But they had no quiet abode +there, nor could they rest in their own ships, neither could they +cast them loose from the Hope, so greatly were they annoyed by +our great guns and small arms. At length, their principal +officers being slain, the rest in great numbers leapt into the +sea, whence many of them were taken up by their frigates. But, +before quitting their ships, they set them on fire, thinking to +have burnt the Hope along with them. But, praised be the Lord of +Hosts, they were burnt without harm to the Hope; for, so soon as +the fire had well kindled, the flaming ships were cast loose and +drifted on the sands, where they continued burning till quenched +by the flowing tide. So long as day-light lasted, we continued +exchanging shots from all our ships with the galleons, they being +on the outside of a spit of sand, and we on the inside. They did +us little injury in our hulls, but much to our ropes and sails +overhead. In this conflict, besides those who were wounded, we +had five men slain. By a great mischance, the main-top-sail, +top-mast, and shrouds got afire, communicated from the main-top, +in consequence of the fire-works lodged there taking fire, the +man being slain who had the charge there. All these were burnt +quite away, together with a great part of the main-mast; and this +misfortune prevented us from going out into deep water to try our +fortune with the viceroy in close fight. We were likewise put to +our shifts, not knowing by what means we might get the mast +replaced.</p> + +<p>The 21st I got the anchor weighed, which we had been obliged +to cut from the day before. On the 22d, I was informed that many +great men, accompanied by a Portuguese friar, and escorted by +five or six hundred horse, had come down to Swally, meaning to +send the friar next day, with three or four principal Moors, to +negociate a peace with the viceroy. But the nabob sent me word, +that he sought for no such thing, and was resolved to conclude no +peace, unless we were included. He also granted me what timber we +might need, of which we availed ourselves, and promised to supply +us with provisions. The Portuguese remaining quiet on the 25th, +the <i>muccadam</i> of Swally came to me, saying that the +before-mentioned friar had sent to entice him to poison the well +whence we had our water, which he would not consent to, and had +therefore put some live tortoises into it, that these might shew +by their deaths, if poison should be put therein by the +Portuguese. At night, part of the 120 bales of indigo we had +purchased came to the water side, and was presently got aboard. +This day <i>Isaac Beg</i> sent me a present of fruit from his own +garden; and this day likewise the rest of the timber for +repairing the Hope's mast was brought down to us.</p> + +<p>The 27th, I sent all our boats to sound the <i>Swash</i> at +low water, being chiefly on purpose to keep the Portuguese in +ignorance of my real intentions. They sent one galley and five +frigates, thinking to have cut off our boats; but in this they +failed, as in every thing else they attempted against us. The +28th, the nabob sent great store of provisions to the viceroy, as +goats, bread, plantains, and the like, together with a banquet of +sweetmeats. Coge Nozan sent me a present of five bullocks. +Several of our men died about this time of fluxes and other +diseases. The 31st, we received aboard from Cambay, fifty bales +of indigo. In the afternoon, one <i>Coge Arson Ali</i> came +aboard, and presented me with several goats, a large supply of +bread, roast-meat, plantains, sugar, and other such things. Along +with him came an old acquaintance of mine, a Persian, who said +there were news from Damaun, that the Portuguese had sent there +350 men to be buried; and we computed, that there could not be +less than 100 more, killed and burnt in their ships, besides +those who were drowned. They also told me, that not only were the +Portuguese opposed here in India, but also by the Persians at +Ormus, and that the Malays were in arms against them at Malacca. +They likewise assured me, that the negociations between Mucrob +Khan and the viceroy were entirely at an end, and that no peace +would take place between them.</p> + +<p>I had long wished to see this man, who, till now, could never +get leave of the nabob, without which no one dared use that +freedom. This jealousy of the nabob proceeded, as he said, from a +great charge enjoined by the king to procure for his use all +curious things of value, and he is fearful lest any of these +should pass through other hands, to his disgrace, which forces +him to employ strange and severe means to prevent this happening. +Day being nearly spent, I sent them ashore, making them a +present, and giving money to all their people, having first shewn +them how far some of our great guns could throw a ball. They then +took their leave and departed.</p> + +<p>S.3<i>Supplies received by the Portuguese, who vainly +endeavour to use Fire-boats. They seek Peace, which is refused, +and depart. Interview between the Nabob and Captain Downton, and +Departure of the English</i>.</p> + +<p>On the 3d February, 1615, there arrived at the waterside +twenty-four bales of indigo, seven packs of white, seven of +black, and four of blue <i>bastas,</i> six packs of cotton yarn, +three of <i>candikens,</i> and one pack of <i>crecany,</i> all of +which were brought immediately on board. This day also the +supplies for the viceroy came in sight, being two ships of +burden, two junks, and eight or ten of the country boats. The +nabob sent me a message by <i>Lacandas,</i> that these were not +for the purpose of fighting, but were full of combustibles, meant +to be set on fire, and allowed to drift with the tide upon our +ships in the night. I was glad of this information, and took +immediate measures to prevent the consequences of such an +attempt, as well as to defend ourselves from the smaller vessels. +The spring-tides were now near the highest, and were consequently +fittest for their attacks, so that I expected them every tide; +and to let them see I was ready for their reception, and how +little I cared for them, I directed the setting and clearing our +watch, mornings and evenings, to be announced by a volley of shot +from every ship, pointing the best piece in my ship at the prow +of the viceroy's ship, to try his temper, and to daunt the +courage of his people. It pleased God this morning, when I had +least leisure for mourning, to call my only son, George Downton, +to his mercy, who was buried next morning ashore, and the volleys +intended to insult the viceroy, served also to honour his +obsequies.</p> + +<p>This morning also, while expecting an assault from the +Portuguese, I was visited by one <i>Mousa Attale,</i> a Malabar +captain, together with his troop, from whom I got a description +of the principal ports and harbours of his country, expressing my +anxious desire to become acquainted with them, and to have league +and intercourse between them and the English, with mutual trade +and friendship. He seemed willing to encourage this proposal, and +requested letters to that effect from me, which their ships might +shew to my countrymen when they happened to meet, which I gave +him, as also a letter for his king, requesting kind usage for my +countrymen if any of their ships should come into his harbours. +After some conference, he departed, and I presented him with a +sword-blade, and three or four knives.[128] This day the master +of the Hope represented that he had several men killed in the +former engagement, and many hurt, bruised, and disabled from +service, on which I sent him three men from my ship, four from +the Hector, and four from the Salomon.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 128: These knives, so often mentioned as +presents in India, were probably daggers.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The 5th I had letters from Mr Aldworth, informing of his +arrival at Baroach with his companions, and saying that he had +been set upon by 200 Rajput thieves, nine <i>coss</i> from +Baroach, the day before, the thieves being armed with pikes, +matchlocks, and bows and arrows; but, after some skirmishing, +they fled, three of them being slain, and more wounded. In this +affair Humphrey Elkington was shot through the thigh with an +arrow, one of the horsemen sent by Surder Khan to guard our +people was killed, and Mr Aldworth's horse sore wounded. The +nabob sent me word that the viceroy proposed to assault me this +day, and therefore sent Coge Nozan to guard the land. Nozan came +accordingly to the water side, and sent his son, <i>Mamud +Iehad,</i> to visit me on board, accompanied by a chief named +<i>Kemagee,</i> the son of <i>Leckdarsee, rajput</i> chieftain of +<i>Guigamar</i> or <i>Castelletto,</i>[129] who had for a long +time maintained war with the Moguls and Portuguese. These chiefs +entreated permission to see and partake in the fight, and as no +assault was made that day, they remained all night on board. The +<i>rajput</i> chief went ashore next morning, but the other +remained on board two or three days, and seeing the enemy would +do nothing, he went likewise ashore.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 129: On a former occasion supposed to have +been Jumbosier.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>On the forenoon of the 8th, we received more indigo aboard, +and in the afternoon all the Portuguese frigates, with the two +junks, and two gallies, came driving up with the flood, as if for +some attempt against us, either by fire, which I most doubted, or +otherwise. We therefore got under weigh and advanced to meet +them, upon which they all made off as fast as they could, and we +came again to anchor. This was merely a device, to make us +believe their fire-boats were to come against us from the south, +and that we might have no suspicion of their coming from the +northwards; wherefore they again assembled all their junks, +frigates, and galleys next night, a little without the sands, to +call our attention from the northern quarter. But I was aware of +that being the place of greatest danger; and though I commanded a +careful outlook to be kept both ways, I especially enjoined to be +watchful in the north quarter, as it fell out accordingly. A +little within the night, between us and a great light to the +westwards, upon the island of Gogo, we could discern them +creeping up to the north upon the flood; and then, about ten +o'clock at night, when very dark, and before the moon rose, upon +the last quarter of the ebb tide, there came down towards us two +fire-boats, towed by two frigates, which we happily descried +before they came nigh, and plied them heartily both with great +guns and small arms. By this we soon beat off the frigates, which +set the fire-boats adrift, and made sail from us.</p> + +<p>One of the fire-boats drifted clear of the Gift, Hector, and +Salomon, but got athwart the cable of the Hope, and presently +blew up; but, blessed be God, the Hope received no harm, having +cut her cable and got clear. The other fire-boat came up likewise +on the quarter of the Hope, all in flames, but did no harm, as +she drifted past with the ebb. She came up again with the tide of +flood, and was like to have got foul of us; but our boats towed +her ashore continually burning. The former one floated likewise +back with the flood, but sank near us in the morning. This day I +had a letter from Thomas Kerridge, specifying that Nicholas +Whittington had gone distracted, and expressing some doubts of +Richard Steel.</p> + +<p>The 10th, at night, about the same time as before, two other +fire-boats came against us, towed by four or five frigates, +bearing directly on the Hector. Immediately on perceiving them, +the Gift and Hector let drive at them with great guns and small +arms, so that the frigates threw them adrift, firing them sooner +than they otherwise would. The burning boats floated toward the +Hector, but having a stiff breeze, drifted past to leewards. +Within half an hour after, we perceived many boats drifting +towards the Hector, against which we again let drive, forcing the +frigates to abandon them in such a hurry that they only set two +of them on fire, there being four of them chained together. +Fortunately we had a stiff gale, and by edging up to windward, +they all floated clear to leeward. While passing, our gunner made +a shot at one of the boats that was unfired, which struck her and +set her on fire. The vehemence of the flames reached the fourth +boat, and set her likewise on fire; so they all drifted ashore in +flames, hard by our landing-place. My pinnace took three of the +actors in a small canoe, in which they thought to have escaped. +Two of these men were brought aboard my ship, the third being +left in the Hector. Besides these, our <i>gelliwat</i> picked up +another, which she brought with her. Thus did God disappoint all +the malicious practices of our enemy.</p> + +<p>Seeing himself foiled in all his injurious attempts, the +viceroy set sail on the 11th, and fell down to the bar of Surat, +where he anchored. Being suspicious that he meant to attempt +taking Surat, I resolved, in that case, to have gone with my +ships to set upon his fleet, which must have constrained him to +desist from his enterprise against Surat, as I was desirous to +assist in defending a place where we had so great a stock, and so +many of our merchants. But the viceroy durst not trust me so far +as to unman his ships, lest I should come against him. In the +night he sent all his frigates into the river, and sent some +person to propose peace, but received a flat denial. The 12th, +the nabob sent <i>Lacandas</i> to inform me that five or six +frigates had gone to the northwards, having four or five +fire-boats, which they meant to let drive upon us in the night, +and therefore wished me to keep a good look-out. I acknowledged +his kindness, and was glad of his care, though needing no such +admonition, as I was equally suspicious of their practices when +out of sight as when they rode near us. The nabob had this +intelligence from the Jesuits, with whom he kept on fair terms, +for his better security, if he should have been put to the worst. +As the frigates, or other vessels in the offing, could not well +discern the place where our ships rode during the darkness of the +night, by reason of the shadow of the shore, they had lights made +for them ashore for guiding them where to find us during their +hellish incendiary plans. Having observed this light, night after +night, always in the same place, and seeing it as before on the +night of the 13th, I sent William Gurdin ashore with twenty men, +armed with muskets and pikes, directing them to endeavour to +surround this fire-blazer, supposing him to be some traitor +inhabiting the neighbourhood. But, on coming near, the fire was +presently put out, and was again seen at another place, quite +contrary to the direction of their pursuit; and so going up and +down for a long time, they gave it over, esteeming it some +delusion of the devil. This night the viceroy set sail from the +bar of Surat, leaving about twenty of his frigates in the river +to keep in check the Malabar frigates which were there for the +defence of the town.</p> + +<p>The 14th, the nabob sent a great man, who, in token of +friendship, was called his brother, to visit me. This person gave +as his opinion that the viceroy was gone with all his fleet to +Goa, leaving some frigates to keep possession of the river, and +others to return to Diu and Ormus. But my own opinion is, that +the viceroy has only gone somewhere to refresh his people, and to +reinforce his ships, against our putting to sea, when no sands +will be in the way of his greatest ships coming against me. He +also told me that the king had sent down forces for the purpose +of conquering Damaun and all the sea coast. He said likewise, +that they were more willing to give entertainment and trade to +our nation than the Portuguese, which I thought very reasonable, +as the Portuguese had always been injurious, and had done many +vile things against them. Yet, unless we continue able to resist +the Portuguese, they will soon unsay that speech for their own +ease. When he had viewed our ship, with our ordnance and +defensive preparations, we sent him and his train on shore in oar +boats, in all courtesy.</p> + +<p>We now set seriously to work in clearing and loading the Hope +for England, having hitherto taken in our goods confusedly and by +hasty snatches, some into one ship, and some into others, not +deeming it proper to hazard all in one bottom while exposed to so +much danger from the Portuguese. I had resolved to send home the +Hope, not that I esteemed her burden the fittest for the goods we +had provided, but because of the many impediments and +disabilities of that ship, as daily complained of by the master +and carpenter; in particular, that her stern-post within the +rudder was unsheathed, a strange and dangerous neglect and +unaccountable oversight, on which account it was fitting she +should soonest return; besides, we were in danger of losing our +quicksilver which was in her, and lay on her keel and bilges.</p> + +<p>The 18th, the nabob sent to me Cage Arson Ali, the sabandar, +and other merchants of Surat, requesting me to remain for fifteen +days, which I would in no sort consent to. They then importuned +me to stop for ten days, which likewise I refused, shewing them +how prejudicial so long delay might be to my voyage. The cause of +their request was, lest the viceroy might come with all his +forces against Surat after my departure. Seeing them discontented +at my denial, and loth to give displeasure to the nabob, which +might be prejudicial to our affairs afterwards, and considering +that it would require six days of the ten before we could get the +Hope ready, I at last consented to their request, to their great +satisfaction. At night on the 22d I had a letter from Surat, +informing me that the nabob meant to visit me next day, and +accordingly two elephants and six camels came down in the morning +of the 23d, bringing his tents and other matters for his +reception. The 24th, Mr Aldworth came down with the rest of the +merchants to finish all business with me previous to our +departure.</p> + +<p>In the morning of the 25th, the nabob came down with a great +train, with six other elephants, and was two hours at the water +side before I knew of his arrival. When told, I was sorry for the +neglect, and sent Mr Aldworth, Mr Elkington, and Mr Dodsworth +ashore to compliment him, and to keep him in discourse till I +could go on shore, which I did soon after. I proposed to have +gone to him as a son to his father, in my doublet and hose, +without arms or any great train, according to custom, to shew the +trust and confidence I reposed in him; but my friends persuaded +me to the contrary, insisting that I should go well appointed, +and attended by a sufficient guard, to which I consented, though +I afterwards repented that I had not followed my own way. I went +accordingly ashore with about 140 men, part pikes, and part +firelocks, who gave me a volley of small arms as I entered the +nabob's tent. The nabob received me with much kindness, seeming +much pleased at my coming ashore to him. We sat for some time +under a very fair tent, open on all sides, and surrounded by many +people, both his attendants and mine.</p> + +<p>At length he brought me into a more private room, near +adjoining, having only along with him Ali Khan, a great Persian +captain, with Henie the Banian as his interpreter; while I was +accompanied by Messrs. Aldworth, Elkington, and Dodsworth. We +there conferred about the state of his country, and about our +affairs. At last I invited him to go on board to view our ship, +to which he readily consented. He then presented me with his own +sword, with many complimentary speeches, saying it was the custom +of his country to honour with arms such captains as had deserved +well. This sword, as he said, was made in his own house, the hilt +being of massy gold. In return, I presented to him my own arms, +being sword and dagger, together with my girdle and hangers, by +me much esteemed, and making a much finer shew than his, though +of less value. We came forth together from the private tent, and +I walked down to the shore to wait for his coming, whither he +sent me a present of ten <i>cuttonee</i> quilts and twenty +<i>topseels</i>.</p> + +<p>Soon after the nabob came to the shore, and we took boat +together, going on board my ship. Having shewn our ordnance, and +the manner of pointing the guns, and explained all our other +preparations for defence, I presented him with a very handsome +gilt cup and cover, some fair knives, a rundlet of Muscadine +wine, and some other toys. Desiring to see some of our ordnance +shot off, and how far they could carry their balls on the water, +I caused three guns to be fired. He would then have taken leave, +but I accompanied him ashore, and ordered him to be saluted at +his departure with eleven guns. When we parted at the water side, +the nabob gave me four baskets of grapes. He likewise gave among +the gunners and trumpeters 200 mahmoodies, and 500 among the +ship's company, together with 100 <i>books</i> of white +<i>bastas</i>, worth two mahmoodies each. Thus, after some +compliments, we took leave of each other and parted. While rowing +up along shore for my better getting on board, as the tide ran +very swiftly, <i>Lacandas</i> came running towards the boat, +bearing a message from the nabob to ask if he should erect a tomb +over the grave of my son. I returned my hearty thanks for the +kind offer, desiring Lacandas to say that I had already begun to +do so. The nabob then went away to Surat, and not long after his +tent was taken down and went after him, with all the rest of his +carriages.</p> + +<p>The 26th, the nabob's son and son-in-law, a very ingenious +young man, came to visit me, upon whom I bestowed some knives and +other things, such as I had left, which could not be much, as I +had every now and then some great man or other to visit me, to +all of whom I had to give something. The 27th, the three sons of +Ali Khan came to visit me, the eldest of whom, named Guger Khan, +presented me with two antilopes, a male and a female, of which I +was very glad, having endeavoured before ineffectually to send +some home to Sir Thomas Smith. After viewing all our ship, with +our ordnance and warlike preparations for defence, I gave him +four Spanish pikes, and some other things of my own, and saluted +him with eleven guns at his departure.</p> + +<p>In the afternoon of the 3d March, upon the tide of ebb, and +having a light gale from the north, sufficient to give +steerage-way to our ships, we hastened to get up our anchors, +meaning to set sail in the prosecution of our voyage, though our +friends, the Malabars, who had desired to go with us, made no +attempt to come out. At this time we saw another fleet of +Portuguese frigates standing in from the westwards, and being +willing to do my best to hinder them from going into the river of +Surat, were it only to shew our good-will to the country people, +we shot at the nearest of them, though without hope of doing them +any hurt, as there was room for them to pass on either side of +us, beyond reach of our shot. I was willing also to shew our +friends on land, as also to those who I made no doubt would go +down the coast to give notice to the galleons of our coming, that +we shot at their frigates going into Surat, that they might also +expect that we cared little for their greater strength.</p> + +<p>In our passage this night we had various flaws of inconstant +winds, which obliged us to come to anchor for some time. As the +wind became afterwards steady, though faint, we again made sail, +continuing our course S. by E. along shore. At day-light nest +morning we began to descry, between us and the shore, the +Portuguese galleons and two gallies; all of which made sail on +perceiving us, following with a light breeze, while we stood +somewhat out of our course with all our sails, partly to gain +time to prepare ourselves perfectly for battle, and partly to +give rest to my people, who had taken much fatigue the night +before, as also to draw the enemy farther from the coast, and +from having the convenience of fresh supplies. Ere long, the tide +of flood obliged us to anchor, not having sufficient wind to stem +the current. The enemy, resting his hopes on the wind, kept +longer under sail, to his great disadvantage. But as I did not +consider this at the time as an error in them, I was is great +doubt lest they might intend going against Surat with all their +force, now that we were at sea, and there work their wills upon +our friends and goods, which I could only prevent by following +them. Yet the season was now so far advanced that I doubted, even +with our best haste, we should hardly get off the coast before +the foul weather set in; and this gave me hope that the viceroy +would not expose himself to the danger of the approaching winter. +While considering these things, the tide of flood was spent, and +it was time for us to use the ebb, when, to my great +satisfaction, I saw the viceroy and his whole fleet standing +towards us, with a fresh breeze. We likewise made sail, and stood +our course before him all that ebb, and so spent that night to +the best advantage, partly at anchor, and partly under sail, +according as wind and tide served.</p> + +<p>In the morning of the 5th, the enemy had gained very little +way upon us. We spent this day, as before, in riding or sailing, +as the tide answered. This night the viceroy gained much ground +upon us, and by this time we had got a good way from the coast, +and had advanced well to the southwards, so that I was now +satisfied the Portuguese forces could not this year give any +annoyance to Surat. I considered that my purposes in these parts, +both by the authority of my king, and to fulfil the designs of my +employers, were, in merchant ships, fitted indeed for defence, to +seek honest commerce, without striving to injure any; wherefore I +held it fit for me to proceed soberly and discreetly, neither +basely to flee from the enemy, nor to tempt danger by proudly +seeking it, if it might be honourably avoided. The viceroy was +quite differently situated. He had been sent by his master with +the principal ships of all India, and all the gallants and +braggarts of these parts, not only to disturb and intercept the +peaceable trade of the English with the subjects of the Mogul, +but to take and burn them in the harbours of that great king. The +viceroy was furnished with abundance of all things the country +could afford, and only wanted an upright cause. He found what he +was in search of,--four poor merchant ships, having few men, many +being dead, and more sick; and these bragadocios, measuring our +hearts by their own, thought we could never stand against what +they esteemed so superior a force; and, seeing their intent, I +baited my hook, which the fish presently ran after.</p> + +<p>The Hope, being heavily laden, was in tow of the Hector, and +being sternmost, three of the Portuguese ships, and thirty or +forty of their frigates, as I had expected, boarded her with the +flower of all their chivalry. But, by the hand of God, and to +their great amazement, they received such a blow that few of them +escaped, and these by extraordinary chance, and three of their +ships were burnt.[130] Thus it pleased God to baffle this their +first assault. Ever after, though they beleaguered us round about +for many days together, with all sorts of ships, our people still +in action, and sadly worn out with continual labour, even +shifting goods from ship to ship in that time, yet did they never +gain from us even the value of a <i>louse</i> in all that time, +except our bullets, which we most willingly gave them roundly, +their fire-boats always failing, and nothing prospering in all +their efforts. For many days together I sent the viceroy a +defiance once every twenty-four hours, which must needs lie heavy +on the stomach of so courageous a gentleman. Craving pardon for +this digression, I now proceed with my narrative.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 130: I strongly suspect this to be a mere +recapitulation of what happened in Swally roads, as already +related, as this second attack on the Hope by the Portuguese is +entirely omitted by Elkington and Dodsworth.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The 6th, in the morning, I sent for my master, letting him +know that I proposed, when the viceroy should come up near us, to +cast about and charge him suddenly, that we might strike +unexpected terror in his people, who now bragged us, seeing us +flee before them. To this end I went on board all the ships, +giving them directions how to act, and gave orders to the Hector, +by means of her pinnace and mine, to take in an hundred bales of +goods from the Hope, to lighten her, and even staid to see it +done. By this time it was mid-day, when my ship struck sail for +my better getting on board; at which, the viceroy thinking it +staid for him in contempt, as we imagined, be and his consorts +bore up with the shore, and gave up all hope of mending their +fortunes by following us any farther; which course I very well +liked, as there is nothing under his foot to make amends for the +loss of the worst man's finger in all our ships. Besides, I +wished for no occasion of fighting unless for the honour of my +king and country as I would rather save the life of one of my +poorest sailors than kill a thousand enemies.</p> + +<p>Having now finished with the viceroy, I set myself to write +letters for the dispatch of the Hope, yet still thinking to have +stood in for the bar of Goa to endeavour to have left some +compliments there for the viceroy at his return. This was my +earnest desire, but we were so long delayed in dispatching the +Hope, that by the time we had finished, we were far beyond +Goa.</p> + +<hr align="center" width="25%"> +<p>"The rest of this journal is wanting, as he is also wanting +who should have finished it. But, alas! this is the imperfection +of man's best perfections; death lying in ambush to entrap those +whom by open force he could not devour. He dying in this voyage, +and following his son, hath left this glorious act, <i>memoriae +sacrum</i>, the memorable epitaph of his worth, savouring of a +true heroic disposition, piety and valour being in him seasoned +by gravity and modesty."--<i>Purch.</i></p> + +<p>SECTION II.</p> + +<p><i>Relations by Mr Elkington and Mr Dodsworth, in Supplement +to the former Voyage</i>.[131]</p> + +<p>"Since writing the voyage of Captain Downton, I have obtained +the journal of Captain Elkington, in which the reader may proceed +with this worthy captain to Bantam, and thence to his grave; this +history succeeding the former, as its author did in +command."--<i>Purch.</i></p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 131: Purch. Pilgr. I. 514.]</blockquote> + +<p>In employing the journals of Mr Elkington and Mr Dodsworth, to +continue the account of the voyage set forth under the command of +Captain Downton, only so much of both are here inserted as +answers that purpose, to avoid prolix repetition of +circumstances, already sufficiently related. The journal of +Elkington breaks off abruptly, like that of Downton, and probably +from the same cause; as we learn from Purchas, in the preceding +notice, that Elkington died at Bantam. The journal of Dodsworth +entirely relates to the voyage of the Hope to England, after +parting company with the other two ships, except that it mentions +several incidents of the transactions previous to the departure +of that ship, most of which are here omitted, as already +sufficiently explained.--E.</p> + +<p>S.1. <i>Continuation of the Voyage from Surat to Bantam, by +Captain Thomas Elkington</i>.</p> + +<p>On the 4th March, 1615, we descried the Portuguese fleet, +which immediately gave us chace, which it continued all that day +and the next. On the 6th, the general came aboard us, wishing us +to make ready, as he proposed to turn suddenly round and give an +onset upon the enemy: But, about noon that day, the Portuguese +bore up and stood for the coast, and in three hours after we lost +sight of them. At night of the 10th, the Hope departed from us. +The 15th we saw three water-spouts at no great distance; one of +them, which was very large, continued for the space of half an +hour. The 19th we doubled Cape Comorin.</p> + +<p>The 10th May, the wind and current both against as, the +general went to a green island, to the north or the salt hill, +where we came to anchor in twenty fathoms on good sand. We here +sought fresh water, but found none. There were plenty of bogs and +pigs on this island, where likewise we gathered abundance of +cocoa-nuts. All about this island is good anchorage, within a +stone's throw of the shore, in twelve fathoms. The pinnace +brought water from another island, about four leagues off but it +was brackish.[132] The 2d June we came to anchor in Bantam +road.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 132: So vaguely is this journal expressed, +or rather so miserably abbreviated by Purchas, that there are no +indications by which to guess even where this island lay, except +that it was on the way between Cape Comorin and +Bantam.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The 3d July we weighed mace, and received silk towards +furnishing the Salomon for Masulipatam, to which place we agreed +to send the following merchants: George Chancie, Ralph Preston, +Humphry Elkington, Timothy Mallory, George Savage, and Robert +Savage. The 8th we loaded porcelain into the Salomon. This day we +had news by a junk from the Moluccas, that the Thomasine was +there; and that there were twelve sail of Hollanders at Ternate, +who endeavoured to prevent all others from trading. The 11th our +old house very narrowly escaped burning, in conscience of a fire +very near. The 20th, Mr Jordan had letters from. Mr Ball at +Macasser, complaining of violent ill usage from the Hollanders, +who had driven him from thence, and stating that they proposed +coming with all their force to take possession of Bantam, and to +place the king of <i>Motron</i> in the government. The 21st Mr +Bennet set sail in the Salomon. The 25th, the Advice and +Attendance arrived from England, after a voyage of eight months. +They met the Globe and James at the Cape, to which ships they +spared eighteen men. These ships departed for England on the 17th +July, and the Advice and her consort on the 18th, meeting a ship +near the Cape, which we suppose might be either the Samaritan or +the Hope, bound for England.</p> + +<p>The 5th of August I went aboard to visit the general, Captain +Nicholas Downton, who was then very ill, and we got word of his +death next day.[133] Mr Evans the preacher, and Mr Hambdon, +followed him, on the 8th, as we supposed by taking laudanum, as +they were both well a little before. On the 11th the Advice was +sent to Japan, having a complement of twenty-two Englishmen, +together with five blacks, and Fernando the Spaniard. The Concord +returned on the 14th from Succadanea in Borneo and Macasser. That +night we had a prodigious tempest of rain, with thunder and +lightning, and the mosque of Bantam was split in two by a +thunderbolt, on which occasion the chief priest was nearly slain, +which the king and people took for a bad omen, and therefore +determined to make peace with Jacatra. The 16th the boat +belonging to the Thomasine came to Bantam, with twenty-two +English and five blacks, bringing intelligence of that ship +having been lost on certain flats the night before, twenty-two +leagues from Macasser, owing to the carelessness of Wilson the +master, while all the people were asleep, he only being at the +helm. They saved all the money, which they brought along with +them; and as Mr Bailey told us that his wrecked crew had +compelled him to pay them their wages, we caused them to restore +the money.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 133: By order in the box, Mr Elkington +succeeded in the command.--<i>Purch.</i>]</blockquote> + +<p>On the 19th, the Hollanders clapped three blacks into the +bilboes, whom Mr Bailey had brought with him from Celoar, +pretending they were caught, climbing over the rails of their +house, and also, as they were brought from a place under their +protection, they refused to give us them back. We are in various +ways most vilely abused by these Hollanders, neither do I see any +means to right ourselves, unless we go to war with them; for we +believe this matter to have been done on purpose, and these +blacks enticed by them to it, as if taken by force. I was much +offended with Mr Bailey for his conduct in taking away these +blacks, as the means of making us hated as man-stealers, in, +places where we used to be well received, which the Hollanders +will take care to blaze abroad to our disgrace.</p> + +<p>In the night of the 13th September, the watch discovered a +fire in the thatch over the house in which Mr Jordan lodged, +which was soon extinguished; but we could plainly perceive it had +been done apurpose, as we found the cane by which it had been +kindled sticking in the thatch, for which we suspected a Spaniard +named Francisco, who had appostatized and turned Javan. The 2d +October, Sophonee Cossock, a merchant, came in a small pinnace +from Puloway, accompanied by an <i>Orancay</i>, to confer on +trade with that place. The 22d, I went ashore, accompanied by Mr +Pring and Mr Bailey, to confer with the Dutch general, concerning +certain idle complaints made by them against our mariners. I +found him and the president of their factory very impatient, +calling us insolent English, threatening that our pride would +have a fall, with many other disgraceful and opprobrious +words.[134] Such was the entertainment we received from that +boorish general, named Garrat Reynes, in his own house. He had +formerly shewn the like or worse to Mr Ball, on going aboard his +ship at Banda: And four of our men, who took passage with him +from thence to <i>Cambello</i>, were brought all the way in the +bilboes, for no cause.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 134: Quis tulerit Gracchos de seditione +querentes? It was Dutch policy to cry <i>rogue</i> +first.--<i>Purch.</i>]</blockquote> + +<p>I went ashore on the 3d November, when Captain Jordan called +together the merchants, and sent for the <i>orancay</i> of Banda, +whose letter he got translated; the purport of which was, that, +in regard to the ancient friendship between them and the English, +especially with Captain Keeling, and provoked by the cruelty and +injustice of the Hollanders, their earnest desire was to trade +only with the English for the spices of Puloway, Puleron, and +Nera, on condition that the English would supply them with +provisions, ordnance, and ammunition, and help them to recover +the castle of Nera, desiring that some person might be sent to +Banda, to confer with the orancays. To this we answered, That we +could not give them assistance to recover the castle of Nera, +without orders from England, and that at present we had no +ordnance to spare; but would willingly supply them with +provisions, and every thing else in our power, till we had +farther orders from England, and would trade with them for +spices, for which purpose we proposed to send a ship, and a +person to confer with the <i>orancays</i>, and particularly to +know how we might have security, and whether they would grant us +permission to build a fort for that purpose.</p> + +<p>The 23d five Hollanders anchored in the outer road, four of +which came last from the Mauritius, having been nineteen months +on the voyage from Holland. At that island they found that +General Butt had been cast away with three ships, two being +totally lost, the men and goods of the third being saved. A +fourth, which was in company, went home under jury-masts, along +with a pinnace that came there by chance. One of these ships that +was at the Mauritius came away before the rest, and they found +her driving up and down off the mouth of the straits, having lost +160 men, and having only eight remaining. The 25th, by letters +from Priaman, we had notice of the death of Mr Ozewicke and +Samuel Negus.</p> + +<p>S.2. <i>Brief Observations by Mr Edward Dodsworth, who +returned to England in the Hope</i>.</p> + +<p>The 16th October, 1614, while in the bay of Surat, Mr Aldworth +and Mr Steel came on board, and next day Mr Aldworth was +examined, according to the company's commission and +instructions,[135] concerning the behaviour of Paul Canning to +the king, and the king's conduct towards him. To which he +answered, That his behaviour was right, and the king's +entertainment of him satisfactory, till the Jesuits insinuated he +was only a merchant, and not sent immediately by the king of +England. After this he was neglected, and died since.[136] Also, +that he thought it fit that some one of our nation of good +respect should remain at court, to procure redress of any wrongs +that might be offered; to which function Mr Edwards was chosen to +go to Agra, as the person most answerable to the company's +instructions, on which occasion some question was made, whether +it would be proper he should proceed in the character of a +merchant, according to the strict letter of the instructions, +which Mr Aldworth conceived would procure him disrespect with the +king; and, after some contest, some way was given to Mr Edwards +in this affair, lest they should disagree in their proceedings, +especially as it had been reported by some already, that he was a +messenger from the king of Britain.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 135: This commission had six questions, of +which I only insert what is fit for the public +eye.--<i>Purch.</i>]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 136: It has been said on a former occasion, +that he died of poison, given, as was thought, by the +jesuits.--<i>Purch.</i>]</blockquote> + +<p>After much opposition to our desire of trade, there came a +<i>firmaun</i> from the king on the 24th November, which, +according to custom, the nabob met in state two miles from the +city, attended by 600 horse. Next day we were kindly entertained, +and the nabob gave Mr Edwards 850 mahmoudies, thirty pieces of +<i>topseels</i>, ten of fine calicoes, and other things. The +money being to bear the charges of carrying up the present to the +king, who was not willing we should incur any expence on that +account, and the stuffs as a gratification to those who carried +them up. To the merchants also he gave fifteen pieces of +<i>topseels</i>, five to each, with his <i>chop</i> or licence +for our departure, and promises of kind usage, all this being +done in presence of those who brought the <i>firmaun</i>. The +30th, Mr Edwards and we set out for <i>Amadavar</i> +[Ahmedabad.]</p> + +<p>The 2d of December we reached Broach, whence the governor sent +a guard of horse with us to <i>Demylode</i>, and there we had a +new escort of horse and foot to <i>Charmondo</i>;[137] whence we +departed on the 7th with twenty-five soldiers, all notorious +thieves, as we afterwards found. With these we went ten coss, +when we pitched our tents in a plain, barricading ourselves as +usual with our carts. While at supper, we had nearly been +assaulted by fifty horse, who passed close by us, but they found +us well provided for our defence, and it appeared that the charge +we carried was well known in all the country through which we +travelled. The 8th we came to <i>Brodera</i>, [Brodrah] and made +a present to the governor, who received it very kindly, and +particularly requested to see our mastiff dog. Brodrah stands in +a plain, which seemed fertile, and is well watered, a thing +rather uncommon in those parts. We departed thence with an escort +of 100 horse and foot, voluntarily offered from respect for the +king's present, yet were they a considerable charge to us. We +came next to Arras,[138] a town mostly inhabited by banians, and +where their superstition of not killing any thing occasioned us +to have very bad fare. On the 13th we came to Ahmedabad, whence +we gave a commission to Richard Steel and John Crowther to +proceed on their journey to Persia; and hence Mr Edwards departed +from us for Agra.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 137: On this part of the indicated route, +between Broach and Brodrab, no stations are to be found in our +best maps resembling these two names, unless Simlode may have +been corrupted into Demylode by typographical +error.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 138: No such name is now to be found in the +road between Brodrah and Ahmedabad, neither is it of much +importance in any view, as the route is so vaguely indicated in +the text.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>All this time, the merchants at Ahmedabad, being in hopes of +peace with the Portuguese, held up the price of their indigos, on +which we resolved to proceed for <i>Sarques</i> [Sarkess,] to +make trial with the country people who are the makers of that +commodity. We did so on the 7th, and found plenty of employment, +packing in four days no less than 400 bales: after which Mr +Edwards returned to Ahmedabad, where he found the merchants +greatly more tractable. <i>Sarkess</i> is a town of no great +size, three coss from Ahmedabad, its territory being considered +the best soil in all these parts for the production of indigo. +All of the dealers in this commodity are apt to put tricks upon +us, by mingling or otherwise. At Sarkess there are two of the +most ancient monuments that are to be found in all that country; +one being the tomb of a saint or prophet who was buried there, to +which many pilgrims resort from great distances; and the other is +the sepulchres of their ancient kings. To the north of the town, +is the place where <i>Khan-Khana</i> first put the Guzerates to +flight, who were the original inhabitants of the country, all the +rest of the kingdom being shortly after reduced under the +subjection of Akbar, father to the present Great Mogul. This +field of victory is strongly walled round with brick, about a +mile and half in circuit, all planted within with fruit-trees, +and delightfully watered; having a costly house called by a name +signifying <i>Victory</i>; in which Khan-Khana resided for some +time, but he now resides at Burhanpoor.</p> + +<p>The 24th of December we had leave from the governor of +Ahmedabad to depart; but hearing that several persons had been +robbed and murdered that night close by the city, order was given +for us to wait till a sufficient guard could be provided for us. +The 26th we departed, having with us forty carts, loaded with +indigo and other goods, and came on the 27th to +<i>Mundeves</i>,[139] where the gates were shut upon us by order +of <i>Sarder Khan</i>. This put us in much doubt, and we procured +a person to speak with the governor, who told him of letters he +had received from Mucrob Khan, nabob of Surat, informing of the +gallant action of our general at Swally and the safety of Surat +from the Portuguese, through the bravery of the English. It was +therefore agreed that we should not depart without a sufficient +guard, which was to be ready for us next day. We did not however +depart till the 29th; and, at Brodrah, the men belonging to +Sarder Khan procured more soldiers to assist them, as there were +several companies of rajputs lying in the way to intercept us, +and many robberies and murders were committed daily in that part +of the country.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 139: This name also is so corrupted as not +to have any resemblance in the modern geography of +Hindoostan.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>On the 2d of February, while passing through a narrow lane +inclosed on both sides with hedges, we were assaulted by above +300 rajputs, where we could not hurt them, as they did our +caffila or caravan by their arrows and shot. We therefore made +all the haste we could to gain the plain, while they in the mean +time cut off two of our carriages. Having got to the open ground +we made a stand; but the rajputs betook themselves again to their +hedges, to look after their prey, lest one thief should rob +another. Many of our party were hurt on this occasion, among +which was Humphrey Elkington. Next day we got to Baroach, and on +the 5th to Surat, where we returned thanks to Macrob Khan for the +care he had taken of our safety.</p> + +<p>Hearing of an assault to be made next day on our ships by the +Portuguese, we got his leave to go down to Swally and went +aboard, but the Portuguese deceived our expectation. On occasion +of the last attempt of the Portuguese to set our ships on fire, +by means of four fire-boats chained together, four of them were +taken in smaller boats, which captives confessed that this was +the last attempt of the viceroy for this year, as he was now +under the necessity of returning to Goa, for want of water and +provisions. One of these captives, taken in Swally roads, and +carried aboard the New-year's Gilt, emitted the following +declaration:--</p> + +<p><i>Examination of Domingo Francisco, on the 20th of +February</i>, 1615.</p> + +<p>"He saith, that he was born in Lisbon, being the son of a +mariner, and served under Nunna d'Acunha in the seafight against +Captain Best, in one of the four galleons. He afterwards went to +Macao on the coast of China, and returned thence to Goa; where, +after remaining ten months, he was ordered on board a galleon +called the St Antonio, in this expedition for the road of Swally, +where he was made prisoner on the 8th of this month. The purpose +of the viceroy, <i>Don Jeronimo de Savedo</i>, in this +expedition, as the examinant says, was to destroy the English at +Surat. The viceroy's ship was called the All-saints, of 800 tons, +with 300 men, and twenty-eight cannon. Michael de Souza was +captain on the St Bennet of 700 tons, 150 men, and twenty guns. +John Cayatho of the St Lawrence, of 600 tons, 160 men, and 18 +guns. Francisco Henriques of the St Christopher, of 600 tons, 155 +men, and 18 guns. Francisco de Mirande of the St Jeronymo, of 500 +tons, 180 men, and 16 guns. Gaspar de Meall of the St Antonio, of +400 tons, 140 men, and 14 guns. These were the galleons: The +ships were, the St Peter of 200 tons Captain Francisco Cavaco, +150 men and eight guns; the St Paul of 200 tons, Captain Don Juan +de Mascarenha, 150 men and eight guns; a pinnace of 120 tons, +Captain Andrea de Quellio, eighty men and four guns. Lewis de +Bruto was captain of one galley, and Diego de Suro of the other, +each having fifty men. There were sixty barks or frigates, each +having twenty soldiers, and rowing eighteen oars of a side. The +reinforcement which joined afterwards, consisted of two ships of +200 tons each, two India junks, and eight small boats, which were +employed to endeavour to set us on fire. In the viceroy's ship, +the ordnance were all of brass, those in the other galleons being +half brass and half iron:" Against all which the Almighty +protected us, blessed be his name for ever.</p> + +<p>On the 11th March, 1615, we parted from the general, he and +the other two ships being bound for Acheen and Bantam, and we in +the Hope for England. On the 12th we passed by the north end of +the Maldives, where we found many shoals and islands most falsely +laid down in the charts, as if purposely to render the navigation +of these seas more dangerous. We arrived on the 17th of June in +Saldanha bay, where we found a fleet of four English ships bound +for Surat, under the command of Captain Keeling; which fleet, +after consultation held with us, and receiving intelligence of +the state of affairs there, departed on its voyage. On the 20th I +met with <i>Crosse</i> and his company, left there for +discovery,[140] and entreated some of them to acquaint +<i>Coree</i> with my arrival. These were set upon by the savages +and wounded, wherefore I delivered four muskets to Crosse at his +earnest request; after which he procured Coree to come down with +his whole family, and we afterwards got some cattle. He told me +that there was discord among the savages, through which the +mountaineers had come down and robbed them. We departed on the +26th June, leaving our longboat with Crosse, together with +powder, shot, and provisions.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 140: Of Crosse and his company of condemned +persons, set on shore at the Cape of Good Hope, see afterwards in +Peyton's voyage.--<i>Purch.</i>]</blockquote> + +<p>In the latitude of 29° N. we fell in with a Dutch ship +from the Mauritius, having gone there to cut timber, which seemed +a bastard ebony. Contrary to their expectation, they found there +the lamentable wreck of four ships come from Bantam and the +Moluccas, which had gone to pieces on the rocks. The goods and +men of two of these were totally lost, most of the goods of the +third were saved, with part of which this ship was laden. The +fourth was driven out to sea in a storm, and returned under +jury-masts. The master of this ship promised to keep us company, +but finding us a hindrance, he left us after ten days, without so +much as a farewell or offering to carry a letter, which I imputed +to their inbred boorish disposition. Ill weather followed, and we +were much weakened; yet, I thank God, we lost none till my +arrival in Ireland off the river of Limerick on the 27th October, +1615; where also we had to endure a storm, till we hired a +Scottish bark, detained by contrary winds, to pilot us into +harbour. There also, a remainder of Captain M. his ungodly crew, +who had lately obtained their pardon, put me in great fear; till +Sir Henry Foliat secured us by a supply of men, and I sent off +letters for London.</p> + +<p>SECTION III.</p> + +<p><i>Journey of Richard Steel and John Crowther, from Ajmeer in +India, to Ispahan in Persia, in the Years</i> 1615 <i>and</i> +1616.[141]</p> + +<p>Having been detained at Agimere[142] from February, Mr Edwards +received a letter on the 17th March, 1615, from the Great Mogul, +of which he delivered a copy, together with his other letters, to +Richard Steel, promising to procure the king's firmaun for our +safety and furtherance, and to send it after us to Agra, where he +directed us to wait for its reception. We went that night two +coss to <i>Mandill</i>.[143]We had four servants, two horses, and +a camel. The 18th we went twelve coss to <i>Bander Sandree</i>, +[Bunder-Sanory,] a small <i>aldea</i>.[144] The 19th, ten coss to +<i>Mosobade</i>, [Morabad.] The 20th to <i>Pipelo</i>, [Peped,] +thirteen coss. The 21st to a town called <i>Chadfoole</i>, +[Gohd?] seven coss. The 22d to <i>Lalscotte</i>, thirteen coss. +The 23d to <i>Mogolserai</i>, twelve coss. The 24th to +<i>Hindone</i>, fourteen coss. the 25th to <i>Bramobad</i>, +twelve coss. The 26th to <i>Futtipoor</i>, twelve coss. This has +been a fair city, which was built by Akbar, and contains a goodly +palace belonging to the king. It is walled round in a handsome +manner, and has many spacious gardens and sumptuous pleasure +houses; but is now falling to ruin, and ranch ground within the +walls is now sown with corn, the king having carried off much of +the best stone to his new city of Agra. The 27th we went twelve +coss to Agra. In the English house there, we found one Richard +Barber, an apothecary, who came over with Sir Robert Shirley, and +had been sent here by Mr Kerridge to take care of Nicholas +Whithington.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 141: Purch. Pilgr. I. 519.--In the title of +this article in the Pilgrims, Agimere, or Azmere, as it is there +called, is said to have been the residence of the Great Mogul at +the commencement of this journey, and Spahan, or Ispahan, the +royal seat of the kings of Persia.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 142: This place, named Azmeer in the +Pilgrims, is known in modern geography under the name of Ajmeer, +or Agimere.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 143: A coss, or course, as it is uniformly +denominated in the Pilgrims, is stated on the margin by Purchas, +to be equal to a mile and a half, and in some places two English +miles. As more precisely determined in modern geography, the +Hindoostanee coss is equal to 1 4/7th English miles, and the +Rajput coss to 2 1/6th miles nearly. It would overload this +article to attempt critically following all the stations in the +present journal, in which the names of places are often so +corrupt as to be unintelligible. Such corrections of the text as +can be ventured upon are included within +brackets.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 144: This is a Spanish or Portuguese term, +signifying country village.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>Within two days journey of Agra, we passed by the country and +city of Biana, where the finest indigo is made, the best being +then worth thirty-six rupees the maund at Agra, but much cheaper +in the country. Finding the promised firmaun came not, and the +hot season of the year fast approaching, we departed on the 3d +April in the prosecution of our journey, leaving directions with +Richard Barber to send it after us. We came that night to a serai +called Boutta, six coss. The 4th to the town of <i>Matra</i>, +fourteen coss, where we lay in a fair <i>serai</i>,[145] and +there we received the firmaun. The 5th we went twelve coss to a +serai called <i>Chatta</i>, [Chautra.] The 6th to a serai built +by Azam Khan, nine coss. The 7th to a serai built by Sheic +Ferreede, called <i>Puhlwall</i>, eleven coss. The 8th to a serai +built by the same person, ten coss. The 9th to <i>Dillee</i>, +[Delhi,] nine coss. This being a great and ancient city, formerly +the seat of the kings, where many of them are interred. At this +time, many of the great men have their gardens and pleasure +houses here, and are here buried, so that it is beautified with +many fine buildings. The inhabitants, who are mostly Banians or +Hindoos, are poor and beggarly, through the long absence of the +court.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 145: These are fair buildings for the +accommodation of travellers, many of which were erected by great +men.<i>Purch.</i>]</blockquote> + +<p>The 10th we went ten coss from Delhi to <i>Bunira</i>. The +11th to <i>Cullvower</i>, twelve coss. The 12th to +<i>Pampette</i>, [Paniput,] twelve coss. This is a small handsome +city, where they manufacture various sorts of girdles and sashes, +and great quantities of cotton-cloth, and have abundance of +handicrafts. The 13th to <i>Carnanl</i>, twelve coss. The 14th to +<i>Tanisera</i>, [Tahnessir,] fourteen coss. The 15th to +<i>Shavade</i>, [Shahabad,] ten coss. The 16th to +<i>Mogol-Sera</i>, or <i>Gaugur</i>, fifteen coss. The 17th to +<i>Sinan</i>,[146] fourteen coss, which is an ancient city, where +they manufacture great store of cottons. The 18th to +<i>Duratia</i>, fifteen coss. The 19th to <i>Pullower</i>, +[Bullolepoor,] eleven coss. We this day passed in a boat over a +great river called Sietmege[147] which is very broad, but full of +shoals, and runs westward to join the Sinde, or Indus. The 20th +we came to a small town called <i>Nicodar</i>, eleven coss. The +21st to <i>Sultanpoor</i>, an old town having a river which comes +from the north, over which is a bridge of six arches. At this +place great store of cotton goods are made. Four coss beyond this +place we passed another small river. The 22d to +<i>Chiurmul</i>,[148] eleven coss. We were this day boated across +a river as broad as the Thames at Gravesend, called <i>Vian</i>, +which runs westwards to join the Sinde. On its banks Allom Khan, +ambassador from the Great Mogul to the king of Persia, had +pitched his camp, which looked like a little city. The 23d we +went to <i>Khan Khanum Serai</i>, seventeen coss, and the 24th we +reached Lahore, seven coss.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 146: This is probably Sirhind, which is +directly in the route, but so disguised in the text as to defy +emendation.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 147: This is clearly the Sutuluge, or +Setlege, called likewise the Beyah-Kussoor, and Chato dehr, being +the easternmost of the Punjab or five rivers, which form the +Indus. It was called Hesudrus by the ancients.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 148: From the river mentioned in the text +as passed, on this day's journey, this may have been what is now +called Gundwall, a little beyond the river Beyab, which is here +100 yards broad.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>All the country between Agra and Lahore is exceedingly well +cultivated, being the best of India, and abounds in all things. +It yields great store of powdered sugar, [raw sugar] the best +being worth two 1/2 to two 3/4 rupees the great <i>maund</i> of +forty pounds. The whole road is planted on both sides with trees, +most of which bear a species of mulberry. In the night, this road +is dangerously infested with thieves, but is quite secure in the +day. Every five or six coss, there are serais, built by the king +or some great man, which add greatly to the beauty of the road, +are very convenient for the accommodation of travellers, and +serve to perpetuate the memory of their founders. In these the +traveller may have a chamber for his own use, a place in which to +tie up his horse, and can be furnished with provender; but in +many of them very little accommodation can be had, by reason of +the banians, as when once any person has taken up his lodging, no +other may dispossess him. At day-break the gates of these serais +are opened, and then all the travellers prepare to depart; but no +person is allowed to go away sooner, for fear of robbers. This +made the journey very oppressive to us, as within two hours after +the sun rose we were hardly able to endure the heat.</p> + +<p>Lahore is a great and goodly city, being one of the fairest +and ancientest in India. It stands on the river Indus or +Sinde;[149] and from this place came the most valuable of the +Portuguese trade when they were at peace with the Moguls, as it +formed the centre of all their traffic in Hindoostan. They here +embarked their goods, which were carried down the river to Tatta, +and were thence transported by sea to Ormus and Persia; and such +native merchants as chose to go that way between India and +Persia, paid them freight. They had also a great trade up this +river, in pepper and other spices, with which they furnished that +part of India. At this time, the merchants of India assemble at +Lahore, where they invest a great part of their money in +commodities, and, joining in caravans, they pass over the +mountains of Candahar into Persia; by which way it is computed +there now pass yearly twelve or fourteen thousand camel loads, +whereas formerly there did not go in this way above three +thousand, all the rest going by way of Ormus. These merchants are +put to great expences between Lahore and Ispaban, besides being +exposed to great cold in winter and fervent heat in summer, and +to bad and dangerous roads, usually spending six or seven months +in the journey, and they estimate the charges of each camel's +load at 120 or 130 rupees. In this way Persia is furnished with +spiceries, which are brought all the way from Masulipatam by +land. We remained in Lahore from the 24th of April to the 13th of +May, refreshing both ourselves and our horses, and providing +servants and necessaries for the journey. We also procured here +recommendatory letters from an ambassador to the king of +Persia.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 149: Lahore is upon the Ravey, the second +of the five rivers forming the Indus, counting from the east, and +was the Hydroates of the ancients. The Indus proper, or Nilab, is +considerably farther west.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>We left Lahore on the 13th May, proposing to overtake a +caravan which set out two months before, and went that day eleven +c. to a small town named <i>Chacksunder</i>. The 14th to +<i>Non-serai</i>, fifteen c. The 15th to <i>Mutteray</i>, eight +c. The 16th to <i>Quemal khan</i>, nineteen c. The 17th to +<i>Herpae</i>, sixteen c. The 18th to <i>Alicasaca</i>, twelve c. +The 19th <i>Trumba</i>, twelve c. and this day we overtook a +small caravan that left Lahore eight days before us. The 20th to +<i>Sedousehall</i>, fourteen c. The 21st to +<i>Callixechebaut</i>, fifteen c. The 22d to <i>Multan</i>,[150] +twelve c. This is a great and ancient city, having the river +Indus at the distance of three coss. All caravans must remain +here ten or twelve days, before leave can be procured from the +governor to proceed, on purpose that the city may benefit by +their stay. It yields white plain cotton cloth and diaper. We +remained five days, and were then glad to get leave to depart, by +means of a present.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 150: In the whole of this itinerary, from +Lahore to Multan or Mooltan, down the Ravey river, not a single +name in the text, except the two extremities, bears the smallest +resemblance to any of those in modern +geography.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>We passed the river on the 28th, and went twenty c. to a small +village named <i>Pettoallee</i>. The 29th we passed another great +river by a boat, and came that same night to a small river called +<i>Lacca</i>, where we found the caravan we wished to +overtake.[151] We presented the caravan <i>basha</i> with a +mirror and knife, when he directed us to pitch our tent near his +own, that we might be more immediately under his protection. This +caravan had been here ten days, and remained till the 2d of June, +waiting for an escort of cavalry to convoy them to +<i>Chatcza</i>,[152] a small fort in the mountains, having +received information that a former caravan had been injured by +the mountaineers. The 2d June we resumed our journey, and +travelled twelve c. entering into the mountains, where we were +much distressed for want of fresh water, what water we met with +being brackish. The 3d and 4th we travelled all night, climbing +high mountains, and following water-courses with various turnings +and windings, insomuch that in travelling twelve coss our direct +course did not exceed six c. The 5th we again followed the bed of +a water-course or river, full of large pebbles, travelling eight +c. The 6th we rested. The 7th we went four c. still along the +water-course, the 8th eight c. the 9th twelve c. and the 10th +three c. when we came to <i>Chatcza</i>, [Chatzan] a small fort +with mud walls, inclosed with a ditch, where the Mogul keeps a +garrison of eighty or 100 horse, to scour the road from thieves, +yet these are as great thieves as any, where they find an +opportunity. The captain of this castle exacted two +<i>abacees</i> for each camel in the caravan, though nothing was +legally due, as he and his troops have their pay from the king. +In the whole of our way, from the river Lacca to Chatzan, we +found no sustenance for man or beast, except in some places a +little grass, so that we had to make provision at Lacca, hiring a +bullock to carry barley for our horses. The <i>Agwans</i> or +<i>Afgans</i>, as the people of the mountains are called, came +down to us every day at our resting place, rather to look out +what they might steal, than to buy as they pretended.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 151: The great river passed on the 29th +must have been the Sinde, Indus, or Nilab, and from the +circumstance of falling in next day with the <i>Lacca</i> or +Lucca, Pettoallee in the text may possibly be what is named +<i>Joghiwallah</i>, on the east side of the Indus, almost +opposite the mouth of the Lacca.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 152: Chatzan, a town or fortress in Sewee, +or the country of the Balloges; to the west of a ridge of rocky +mountains, described as consisting of hard black stone, which +skirt the western side of the vale of the Indus, and on the north +join the mountains of Wulli in Candahar. Chatzan is in lat. +31° 3' N. and long 69° 42' W. from +Greenwich--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>Having made provision for three days at Chatzan, we went +thence on the 12th June, and travelled fourteen c. The 13th ten +c. The 14th ten c. This day the mountaineers brought down to us +sheep, goats, meal, butter, and barley, in abundance, sufficient +both for us and our cattle, all of which they sold at reasonable +prices; and from this time forwards, they did the same every day, +sometimes also bringing felts and striped carpets for sale. The +15th we went six c. the 16th four c. the 17th ten c. the 18th +nine c. the 19th nine c. when we came to a small town of the +Afgans called <i>Duckee</i>, [Dooky], where the Mogul keeps a +garrison in a small square mud fort, the walls of which are of a +good height. This fort is a mile from the town. We stopt here +three days, as the caravan could not agree with the captain of +the fort, who demanded a duty on every camel, and at last an +<i>abacee</i> and a half was paid for each camel. The 23d we went +six c. the 24th we passed a place called <i>Secotah</i>, or the +three castles, because of three villages standing near each other +on the side of a hill, forming a triangle. We this day went eight +c. The 25th we rested, on account of bad weather. The 26th we +went ten c. The 27th fourteen c. This day we passed through the +<i>durues</i> or gates of the mountains, being narrow straits, +with very high rocks on both sides, whence with stones a few men +might stop the passage of a multitude, and where many caravans +have been accordingly cut off. We this night, where we lodged, +suffered much insolence from the Afgans; and next day, as we +passed a small village called <i>Coasta</i>, they exacted from us +two 1/2 <i>abacees</i> for each camel. The 28th we went five c. +the 29th, passing a village called <i>Abdun</i>, eight c. the +30th six c. The 1st. July in seven c. we came to a place called +<i>Pesinga</i> [Pusheng or Kooshinge], where there is a small +fort like that at <i>Dooky</i> in which is a garrison for +securing the way. At this place the captain exacted half an +<i>abacee</i> for each camel. The 3d we left the caravan and went +forwards six c. The 4th we passed over a mighty mountain, and +descended into the plains beyond, having travelled that day +fourteen c. The 5th we went twenty c. and were much distressed to +get grain for our cattle. The 6th, in like distress both for them +and ourselves, we went twelve c. and on the 7th, after eight c. +we got to the city of Candahar.</p> + +<p>These mountains of Candahar are inhabited by a fierce people, +called <i>Agwans</i> or <i>Potans</i>, [Afgans or Patans] who are +very strong of body, somewhat fairer than the natives of +Hindoostan, and are much addicted to robbery, insomuch, that they +often cut off whole caravans. At present they have become more +civil, partly from fear of the Mogul, and partly from +experiencing the advantages of trade, by selling their grain, +sheep, and goats, of which they have great store, and by +purchasing coarse cotton goods and other necessaries. Still, +however, if they find any one straggling or lagging behind, they +are very apt to make them slaves, selling them into the +mountains, and houghing them to prevent their running away, after +which they are set to grind grain in handmills, or to other +servile employments. The chief city, called likewise Candahar, is +very ancient, and was in old times inhabited by Banians. At this +place the governor of the whole country resides, who has a +garrison of twelve or fifteen thousand horse, maintained there by +the Great Mogul, in regard of the neighbourhood of the Persians +towards the north. To the west, the city is environed by steep +and craggy rocks, and to the south and east by a strong wall. In +consequence of the frequent passage of caravans, it has been +considerably increased of late, so that the suburbs are larger +than the city. Within the last two years, in consequence of the +Persian trade by way of Ormus being stopped, through war with the +Portuguese, all the caravans between Persia and India must +necessarily pass through this place; and here they hire camels to +go into India, and at their return for Persia have to do the +same. They cannot return without leave of the governor, who +causes them to stop a month here, or at the least fifteen or +twenty days; owing to which, it is inhabited by many lewd people, +as all such places of resort commonly are.</p> + +<p>Victuals for man and beast are to be had in great abundance at +Candahar, yet are very dear owing to the great concourse of +trade, occasioned by the meeting at this place of many merchants +of India, Persia, and Turkey, who often conclude their exchanges +of commodities here. At this place the caravans going for India +usually unite together, for greater strength and security in +passing through the mountains of Candahar; and those that come +here from India generally break into smaller companies, because +in many parts of the route through Persia, a greater number would +not find provisions, as all Persia, from hence to Ispahan, is +extremely barren, so that sometimes not a green thing is to be +seen in two or three days travel; and even water is scarce, and +that which is to be got is often brackish, or stinking and +abominable. We remained at this city for fourteen days, partly to +procure company for our farther journey, and partly for +refreshment after the fatigues and heats of our late journey, +especially on account of John Crowther, who was so weak that he +at one time doubted being able to proceed any farther.</p> + +<p>We joined ourselves to three Armenians and a dozen Persian +merchants, along with whom we left the city of Candahar on the +23d July, and went ten c. to a village called +<i>Seriabe</i>.[153] The 24th we came in twelve c. to +<i>Deabage</i>, a small <i>dea</i> or village. The 25th in eight +c. to <i>Cashecunna,</i> a small castle in which the Mogul has a +garrison, being the utmost boundary of his dominions westwards, +and confining with Persia. The 26th we travelled seventeen c. and +lodged in the open fields by the side of a river. The 27th, after +four c. we came to a castle called <i>Greece</i>, the first +belonging to the king of Persia. Here we delivered to the +governor the letter we had got from the Persian ambassador at +Lahore, and presented him a mirror and three knives. He would +take nothing for our camels, while the others had to pay five +<i>abacees</i> for each camel. He promised to give us a safe +conduct under an escort of horse to the next governor, but we saw +none; neither were we sorry for the omission, for he was little +better than a rebel, and all his people were thieves.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 153: We here lose the almost infallible +guide of Arrowsmith's excellent map of Hindoostan, and are +reduced to much inferior helps in following the route through +Persia.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The 28th we departed at night, going two <i>parasangs</i>, and +lodged at a <i>dea</i> or village called <i>Malgee</i>. A +<i>farcing</i> or parasang is equal to two Indian cosses and a +half.[154] The 29th we went ten p. and lodged in the open fields, +where we could get nothing but water. The 30th we went five p. to +a small castle named <i>Gazikhan</i>. The 31st other five p. to +an old ruined fort, where we could get nothing but water, and +that was stinking. The 1st August we proceeded other five p. to +an old fort called <i>Dilaram</i>, where we paid an <i>abacee</i> +and a half for each camel. We staid here one day to rest our +cattle, which was termed making <i>mochoane</i>; and on the 3d we +went seven p. to an old castle called <i>Bacon</i>. The 4th four +p. and lodged in the open fields, where we found nothing but +water. The 5th four p. and the 6th five p. to +<i>Farra</i>.[155]</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 154: In a side-note, Purchas says a +parasang consists of sixty furlongs. This is a most egregious +error, as the parasang or farsang is exactly equal to 2.78 +English miles, or twenty-two two-5ths furlongs.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 155: Farra, the capital of a district of +the same name in the north of Segistan, is in lat 33° 40' N. +long. 62° 40' E.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p><i>Farra</i> is a small town, surrounded by a high wall of +bricks dried in the sun, as are all the castles and most of the +buildings in this country, and is of a square form, about a mile +in circuit. It has a handsome bazar or market-place, vaulted over +head to keep out the rain, and in which all kinds of necessaries +and commodities are sold. It is situated in a fertile soil, +having plenty of water, without which nothing can be raised in +this country; and it is wonderful to see with what labour and +ingenious industry they bring water to every spot of good ground, +which is but seldom to be found here, often carrying it three or +four miles in trenches under ground. At this town, all merchants +going into Persia must remain for seven, eight, or ten days; and +here the king's treasurer sees all their packs weighed, +estimating the value of their commodities at so much the maund, +as he thinks fit, and exacts a duty of three per cent. ad valorem +on that estimate. On their way into Persia, merchants are used +with much favour, lest they should make complaints to the king, +who will have merchants kindly treated; but on their return into +India, they are treated with extreme rigour, being searched to +the very skin for money, as it is death to transport any gold or +silver coin from Persia, except that of the reigning king. They +likewise look narrowly for horses and slaves, neither of which +are allowed to be taken out of the country.</p> + +<p>We remained here two days waiting for certain Armenians, with +whom we travelled the rest of the journey, leaving our former +companions. The 9th of August we went only one parasang to a +river. The 10th we travelled seven p. and lodged in the open +fields. The 11th, four p. to a small village, where we had plenty +of provisions. The 12th, four p. where we had to dig for water. +The 13th, eight p. and the 14th five p. to a village named +<i>Draw,</i> [Durra,] where we remained a day, as it is the +custom of those who travel with camels to rest once in four or +five days. The 16th, we advanced three p. The 17th, four p. The +18th, five p. to <i>Zaide-basha,</i> [Sarbishe,] where abundance +of carpets are to be had. The 19th we came to a village named +<i>Mude,</i> [Moti,] where also are carpets. The 20th, five p. to +<i>Birchen,</i> [Berdjan,] where are manufactured great +quantities of fine felts, and carpets of camels hair, which are +sold at the rates of from two to five abacees the <i>maund.</i> +At this place we rested a day. The 22d, we went to +<i>Dea-zaide,</i> [Descaden,] where all the inhabitants pretend +to be very religious, and sell their carpets, of which they have +great abundance, at a cheap rate. The 23d, three p. The 24th, +five p. to <i>Choore,</i> [Cors or Corra,] an old ruined town. +The 25th, three p. The 26th, seven p. when we had brackish +stinking water. The 27th we came to <i>Dehuge,</i> [Teuke,] where +is a considerable stream of hot water, which becomes cool and +pleasant after standing some time in any vessel. The 28th we went +seven p. to <i>Dea-curma.</i></p> + +<p>The 29th we went five p. to <i>Tobaz,</i>[156] where we had to +pay half an abacee for each camel. At this plce all caravans take +four or five days rest, the better to enable them to pass the +adjoining salt desert, which extends four long days journey, and +in which many miscarry. We found here a small caravan of an +hundred camels, which set off the next day after our arrival. +Here, and in the former village, there is great store of dates; +and 3000 maunds of the finest silk in Persia are made here +yearly, and is carried to <i>Yades</i>, [Yezd,] a fair city, +where likewise they make much raw silk, and where it is +manufactured into taffaties, satins, and damasks. The king does +not allow the exportation of raw silk, especially into Turkey; +but the Portuguese used to carry it to Portugal. <i>Yades</i>, +[Yezd,] is about twelve days journey from Ispahan, and is twelve +p. out of the way from the Indian route to the capital.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 156: Tabaskili, or Tobas Kileke, in +Cohestan, is probably the place here meant, in which case the +route appears to have passed from Farra by the south of the +inland sea or lake of Darrah, but which is not noticed by our +travellers. Our conjectural amendments of the names of places on +the route are placed within brackets.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The 30th of August we advanced nine p. into the desert, and +lay on the ground, having to send our beasts three miles out of +the way for water, which was very salt. The 31st, after +travelling ten p. we came to water which was not at all brackish. +The 1st September we went five p. and had to send two miles for +water. The 2d we went nine p. to a small castle, where we +procured a small quantity of provisions. The 3d, five p. and lay +in the fields, having to send far for water. The 4th, ten p. to +<i>Seagan</i>. The 5th, four p. The 6th, ten p. to a castle +called <i>Irabad</i>, [Hirabad,] where we paid half an +<i>abacee</i> for each camel. The 7th, six p. The 8th, eight p. +to <i>Ardecan</i>, where we rested till the 10th, when we went +four p. to <i>Sellef</i>. The 11th, three p. to a small castle +named <i>Agea Gaurume</i>. The 12th, nine p. to a spring in the +fields. The 13th, three p. to <i>Beavas</i>. The 14th, four p. to +<i>Goolabad</i>, whence Richard Steel rode on to Ispahan, without +waiting for the caravan. The 15th we came to <i>Morea +Shahabad</i>, five p. The 16th, to <i>Coopa</i>, five p. The +17th, to <i>Dea Sabs</i>, five p. The 18th, four p. and lay in +the fields. And on the 19th, after three p. we came to +<i>Ispahan</i>.</p> + +<p>Richard Steel reached this city on the 15th, at noon, and +found Sir Robert Shirley already provided with his dispatches +from the king of Persia as ambassador to the king of Spain. Sir +Robert, attended by his lady, a bare-footed friar as his +chaplain, together with fifty-five Portuguese prisoners, and his +own followers, were preparing in all haste to go to Ormus, and to +embark thence for Lisbon. The purpose is, that seeing the +Portuguese not able to stand, the Spaniards may be brought +in.[157] Six friars remain as hostages for his safe return to +Ispahan, as otherwise the king has vowed to cut them all in +pieces, which he is likely enough to do, having put his own son +to death, and committed a thousand other severities.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 157: The meaning of this passage is quite +obscure in the Pilgrims, and the editor does not presume upon +clearing the obscurity.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>On his arrival at Ispahan, Richard Steel delivered his letters +to Sir Robert,[158] who durst hardly read them, except now and +then, as by stealth, fearing lest the Portuguese should know of +them. He afterwards said it was now too late to engage in the +business of our nation, and seemed much dissatisfied with the +company, and with the merchants and mariners who brought him out. +But at length he said he was a true-hearted Englishman, and +promised to effect our desires. On the 19th, the friars being +absent, he carried both of us to the master of the ceremonies, or +<i>Maimondare,</i> and took us along with him to the Grand +Vizier, <i>Sarek Hogea</i>, who immediately called his scribes or +secretaries, and made draughts of what we desired: namely, three +<i>firmauns</i>, one of which John Crowther has to carry to +Surat, one for Richard Steel to carry to England, and the third +to be sent to the governor of <i>Jasques</i>, all sealed with the +great seal of the king. The same day that these firmauns were +procured, being the last of September, Sir Robert Shirley set out +for Shiras in great pomp, and very honourably attended.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 158: Of the landing of Sir Robert Shirley, +see Peyton's first voyage before; and of the rest of his journey +see the second voyage of Peyton, in the +sequel.--<i>Purch.</i>]</blockquote> + +<p><i>Copy of the Firmaun granted by the King of Persia.</i></p> + +<p>"Firmaun or command given unto all our subjects, from the +highest to the lowest, and directed to the <i>Souf-basha</i>, or +constable of our country, kindly to receive and entertain the +<i>English Franks</i>[159] or nation, when any of their ships may +arrive at Jasques, or any other of the ports in our kingdom, to +conduct them and their merchandize to what place or places they +may desire, and to see them safely defended upon our coasts from +any other Franks whomsoever. This I will and command you to do, +as you shall answer in the contrary. Given at our royal city, +this 12th of <i>Ramassan</i>, in the year of our <i>Tareag</i>, +1024. [October, 1615.]"</p> + +<p>The chief commodities of Persia are raw silks, of which it +yields, according to the king's books, 7700 <i>batmans</i> +yearly. Rhubarb grows in Chorassan, where also worm-seed +grows.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 159: Frank is a name given in the East to +all western Christians, ever since the expedition to the Holy +Land, because the French were the chief nation on that occasion, +and because the French council at Clermont was the cause of that +event.--Purch.]</blockquote> + +<p>Carpets of all sorts, some of silk and gold, silk and silver, +half silk, half cotton, &c. The silver monies of Persia are +the <i>abacee, mahamoody, shakee</i>, and <i>biftee</i>, the rest +being of copper, like the <i>tangas</i> and <i>pisos</i> of +India. The <i>abacee</i> weighs two <i>meticals</i>, the +<i>mahmoody</i> is half an abacee, and the <i>shahee</i> is half +a <i>mahamoody</i>. In the dollar or rial of eight there are +thirteen shahees.[160] In a shahee there are two <i>biftees</i> +and a half, or ten cashbegs, one <i>biftee</i> being four +<i>cashbegs</i>, or two <i>tangs</i>. The weights differ in +different places; two <i>mahans</i> of Tauris being only one of +Ispahan, and so of the <i>batman</i>. The measure of length, for +silks and other stuffs, is the same with the pike of Aleppo, +which we judge to be twenty-seven English inches.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 160: Assuming the Spanish dollar at 4s. 6d. +sterling, the shahee ought therefore to be worth about 4d. 1-6, +the mahamoody,8d. 1-3, and the abecee, 1s. 4d. +2-3.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>John Crowther returned into India, and Richard Steel went to +England by way of Turkey, by the following route. Leaving Ispahan +on the 2d December, 1615, he went five p. to a serail. The 3d, +eight p. to another serail. The 4th, six p. to a village. The +5th, seven p. to <i>Dreag</i>. The 6th, seven p. to a serail. The +7th, eight p. to <i>Golpigan</i>, [Chulpaigan.] The 8th, seven p. +to <i>Curouan</i>. The 9th, seven p. to <i>Showgot</i>. The 10th, +six p. to <i>Saro</i>, [Sari.] The 11th, eight p. to +<i>Dissabad</i>. The 12th, twelve p. to a fair town called +<i>Tossarkhan</i>, where he rested some days, because the country +was covered deep with snow. The 15th, six p. to <i>Kindaner</i>. +The 16th, eight p. to <i>Sano</i>. The 17th to <i>Shar nuovo</i>, +where I was stopped by the <i>daiga</i>; but on shewing him +letters from the vizier, he bade me depart in the name of God and +of Ali. The 18th we passed a bridge where all travellers have to +give an account of themselves, and to pay a tax of two +<i>shakees</i> for each camel. The 19th we came to +<i>Kassam-Khan</i>, the last place under the Persian government, +and made a present to the governor, that he might give me a guard +to protect me from the Turkomans, which he not only did, but gave +me a licence to procure provisions free at his villages without +payment, which yet I did not avail myself of.</p> + +<p>The 21st of December I began to pass over a range of high +mountains which separate the two empires of Persia and Turkey, +which are very dangerous; and, on the 22d, at the end of eight p. +I arrived at a village. The 23d, after travelling seven p. I lay +under a rock. The 24th I came to <i>Mando</i>, eight p. a town +belonging to the Turks. The 25th, eight p. to <i>Emomester</i>. +The 26th, eight p. to <i>Boroh</i>, passed over a river in a +boat, and came that night to Bagdat. I was here strictly examined +and searched for letters, which I hid under my saddle; but +observing one trying there also, I gave him a sign, on which he +desisted, and followed me to my lodging for his expected reward. +I fared better than an old Spaniard, only a fortnight before, who +was imprisoned in chains in the castle, and his letters read by a +Maltese renegado. I found here a Portuguese, who had arrived from +Ormus only two days before me. The pacha made us wait here twenty +days for a sabandar of his.</p> + +<p>The 16th of January, 1616, we passed the river Tigris, and lay +on the skirt of the desert. The 17th we travelled five +<i>agatzas</i>, being leagues or parasangs. The 18th we came to +the Euphrates at <i>Tulquy</i>, where merchandize disembarked for +Bagdat, after paying a duty of five per cent. passes to the +Tigris, and thence to the Persian gulf. After a tedious journey, +partly by the river Euphrates, and partly through the desert, and +then by sea, we arrived at Marseilles, in France, on the 15th +April, and on the 10th May at Dover.</p> + +<p>SECTION IV.</p> + +<p><i>Voyage of Captain Walter Peyton to India, in +1615.</i>[161]</p> + +<p>This voyage seems to have been under the command of Captain +Newport, who sailed as general in the Lion; but is called, in the +Pilgrims, The <i>Second</i> Voyage of Captain Peyton to the East +Indies, because the former voyage of Newport was written by +Peyton, who, though he occasionally mentions the general, never +once names him. In this voyage Peyton sailed in the Expedition; +the fleet consisting of three other ships, the Dragon, Lion, and +Pepper-corn. The journal appears to have been abbreviated by +Purchas, as he tells us it was <i>gathered out of his larger +journal</i>. This voyage is chiefly remarkable as introductory to +the embassy of Sir Thomas Roe to India, contained in the +subsequent section, as Sir Thomas and his suite embarked in this +fleet. Instead of giving the remarks of Sir Thomas Roe in his own +journal, so far as they apply to the voyage between England and +Surat, these have been added in the text of the present voyage, +distinguishing those observations by T.R. the initials of his +name, and placing them all in separate paragraphs.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 161: Purch. Pilgr. I. 528.]</blockquote> + +<p>We learn by a subsequent article in the Pilgrims, I. 603, That +Captain William Keeling was general, or chief commander of this +fleet, and sailed in the Dragon, Robert Bonner master. The other +two ships were the Pepper-corn, Captain Christopher Harris, and +the Expedition, Captain William Peyton.--E.</p> + +<p>S.1. <i>Occurrences during the Voyage from England to +Surat</i>.</p> + +<p>We sailed from Gravesend on the 24th January, 1615, and on the +2d February Sir Thomas Roe, ambassador from his majesty to the +Great Mogul, repaired on board the Lion, with fifteen attendants. +At the same time, Mr Humphry Boughton embarked in the +Pepper-corn, being recommended by the king to the company for a +passage to India. We carried out in the fleet eleven Japanese, +who were brought to England in the Clove, divided proportionally +among the ships; likewise fourteen Guzerates, brought home in the +Dragon, together with nineteen condemned persons from Newgate, to +be left for the discovery of unknown places, the company having +obtained their pardons from the king for this purpose. On the +20th, some of the Dragon's men, among whom were the <i>Newgate +birds</i>, attempted to run away with the pinnace, but were +prevented: Yet next night one of these condemned men, and two of +the crew of the Pepper-corn, carried away her pinnace. Two of my +men conspired to carry away my boat that same night, but were +discovered.</p> + +<p>The 23d February we set sail from the Downs, and on the 6th +March we lost sight of the Lizard. The 26th we saw land, supposed +to be the western part of Fuerteventura, but it proved to be part +of Barbary. One of the points of land at the mouth of the river +<i>Marhequena</i>, we found to be laid down wrong, a whole degree +more northerly than it ought to be; as likewise cape Bajadore is +misplaced a whole degree, which we found by experience, escaping +great danger caused by that error in our charts. The 26th of +April we got into the trade wind; and on the 10th May, being by +estimation 620 leagues west of the Cape of Good Hope, we saw many +<i>pintadoes, mangareludas</i>, and other fowls.</p> + +<p>The 5th June we came to anchor in Saldanha bay, having only +buried three or four men since leaving England, out of our whole +fleet, and had now about thirty sick, for whom we erected five +tents ashore. <i>Corey</i>[162] came down and welcomed us after +his manner, by whose means the savages were not so fearful or +thievish as at other times. They brought us cattle in great +abundance, which we bought for shreds of copper. Corey shewed his +house and his wife and children to some of our people, his +dwelling being at a town or <i>craal</i> of about an hundred +houses, five English miles from the landing place. Most of these +savages can say <i>Sir Thomas Smith's English ships</i>, which +they often repeat with much pride. Their wives and children came +often down to see us, whom we gratified with bugles, or such +trifles; and two or three of them expressed a desire to go with +us to England, seeing that Corey had sped so well, and returned +so rich, with his copper suit, which he preserves at his house +with much care. Corey also proposed to return with us, +accompanied by one of his sons, when our ships are +homeward-bound. On the east side of the <i>Table</i> mountain +there is another village of ten small houses, built round like +bee-hives, and covered with mats woven of bent grass.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 162: Corey, or Coree, was a savage, or +Hottentot chief; who had been in +England.--<i>Purch.</i>]</blockquote> + +<p>"The land at the Cape of Good Hope, near Saldanha bay, [Table +bay] is fertile, but divided by high and inaccessible rocky +mountains, covered with snow, the river Dulce falling into the +bay on the east side. The natives are the most barbarous people +in the world, eating carrion, wearing the guts of sheep about +their necks, and rubbing their heads, the hair on which is curled +like the negroes, with the dung of beasts and other dirt. They +have no clothing, except skins wrapped about their shoulders, +wearing the fleshy side next them in summer, and the hairy side +in winter. Their houses are only made of mats, rounded at the top +like an oven, and open on one side, which they turn as the wind +changes, having no door to keep out the weather. They have left +off their former custom of stealing, but are quite ignorant of +God, and seem to have no religion. The air and water here are +both excellent, and the country is very healthy. The country +abounds in cattle, sheep, antilopes, baboons, pheasants, +partridges, larks, wild-geese, ducks, and many other kinds of +fowls. On the Penguin isle [Dassen or Robber's island,] there is +a bird called penguin, which walks upright, having no feathers on +its wings, which hang down like sleeves faced with white. These +birds cannot fly, but walk about in flocks, being a kind of +mixture, or intermediate link, between beast, bird, and fish, yet +mostly bird. The commodities here are cattle and <i>ningin</i> +roots; and I believe there is a rock yielding +quicksilver.[163]The Table mountain is 11,853 feet high.[164] The +bay is full of whales and seals, and is in lat. 33° 45' +S."--T.R.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 163: Ningin, or Ginseng, is mentioned +afterwards. The quicksilver rock has not been +found.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 164: This height is probably an +exaggeration, or was measured up its slope or talus, not +ascertained perpendicularly.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>On the 16th of June, after a consultation, we set ashore ten +of our condemned persons to remain at the Cape. These were John +Crosse, Henry Cocket, Clerke, Brand, Booth, Hunyard, Brigs, Pets, +Metcalf, and Skilligall. These men agreed that Crosse should be +their chief, and we gave them weapons for their defence against +men and wild beasts, together with provisions and clothes. The +natives at this place are especially desirous of brass, and care +not much for copper, chiefly wishing to have pieces of a foot +square. They care little for iron hoops. We caught seven or eight +hundred fishes in the river, at one haul of our seyne. The +country people brought us for sale a root called +<i>Ningin</i>,[165] of which we bought a handful for a small +piece of copper an inch and half long. Our men got some of this, +but not so good, this not being the season when it is ripe; for, +when in full perfection, it is as tender and sweet as +anise-seeds.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 165: A medicinal root, much prized at +Japan, somewhat like a <i>skerrit</i>.--<i>Purch.</i> Probably +that named Ginseng, in high repute in China and Japan for its +fancied restorative and provocative powers, like the mandrake of +holy writ, but deservedly despised in the Materia Medica of +Europe. Its whole virtues lay in some supposed resemblance to the +human figure, founded on the childish doctrine of signatures; +whence, at one time, every thing yellow was considered specific +against jaundice, with many other and similar absurd +notions.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>We sailed from Saldanha on the 20th June, and on the the 21st +we had sight of land in 34° 28' S. being the land to the west +of cape <i>de Arecife</i>, laid down 28' more northwardly than it +ought in the charts of <i>Daniel</i>. On the 6th July we ought to +have seen the coast of Madagascar, by most of our computations, +and according to Daniel's charts, upon Mercator's projection, +which proved false by seventy leagues in distance of longitude +between the coast of Ethiopia at cape Bona Speranza and the isle +of St Lawrence, as is evident from the charts projected <i>in +plano</i> by <i>Tottens</i>. The 22d all the four ships anchored +at <i>Mohelia</i>, where we had water from wells dug a little +above high-water mark, eight or nine feet deep, close by the +roots of trees. <i>Doman</i> is the chief town of this island, +where the sultan resides, to whom we gave a double-locked piece +and a sword. For very little money we were plentifully supplied +with provisions, as poultry, goats, bullocks, lemons, oranges, +limes, tamarinds, cocoa-nuts, pines, sugar-canes, and other +fruits. Among the inhabitants of this island there are Arabs, +Turks, and Moors, many of whom speak tolerable Portuguese. From +them I had a curious account of the current at this place, which +they said ran alternately fifteen days westerly, fifteen days +easterly, and fifteen days not at all; and which I partly +observed to be true: For, at our first coming, the current set +westerly, and on the 28th it set easterly, and so continued +during our stay, which was six days, but we went away before +trial could be perfectly made of this report.</p> + +<p>I learned here that the king of <i>Juanni</i> [Joanna or +Hinzuan] was sovereign of this island, but entrusted its +government to the sultan, who resides here. The 29th, a vessel +arrived at <i>Doman</i> from <i>Gangamora</i>, in the island of +Madagascar, and I was desired by the general to examine what were +its commodities, which I found to consist of rice, and a kind of +cloth manufactured of the barks of trees, which makes very cool +garments. I enquired from the pilot, who spoke good Portuguese, +respecting Captain Rowles and the other Englishmen who were +betrayed on that island. He knew nothing of all this, but said +that two or three years before, an English boy was at Gangamora +along with the Portuguese, whom he now thought dead, but knew not +how he came there. This town of <i>Doman</i> contains about an +hundred houses, strongly built of stone and lime, and its +inhabitants are orderly and civil. They carry on trade with the +coasts of Melinda, Magadoxa, Mombaza, Arabia, and Madagascar, +carrying slaves taken in their wars, which they sell for nine or +ten dollars each, and which are sold afterwards in Portugal for +100 dollars a-head. At Mombaza and Magadoxa, they have +considerable trade in elephants teeth and drugs; and it was +therefore agreed to advise the honourable company of this, that +they might consider of sending a pinnace yearly to make trial of +this trade. In Mohelia, we bought two or three bullocks for a bar +of iron of between twenty and twenty-five pounds weight. We +bought in all 200 head of cattle, and forty goats, besides +poultry, fruits, &c.</p> + +<p>"<i>Malalia</i> [Mohelia] is one of the Commora islands, the +other three being <i>Angazesia</i>, [Comoro] <i>Juanny</i>, +[Joanna or Hinzuan] and Mayotta, stretching almost east and west +from each other. <i>Angazesia</i> [Comoro] bears N. by W. from +Mohelia, and is the highest land I ever saw. It is inhabited by +Moors trading with the main and the other three eastern islands, +bartering their cattle and fruits for calicoes and other cloths +for garments. It is governed by ten petty kings, and has +abundance of cattle, goats, oranges, and lemons. The people are +reckoned false and treacherous. <i>Hinzuan</i> lies east from +Mohelia and Mayotta. All these three islands are well stored with +refreshments, but chiefly Mohelia, and next to it Hinzuan. Here +lived an old woman who was sultaness of all these islands, and +under her there were three deputies in Mohelia, who were all her +sons. The sultan in whose quarter we anchored is so absolute, +that none of his people dared to sell a single cocoa-nut without +his leave. Four boats were sent to his town to desire this +liberty, which was granted. Captain Newport went ashore with +forty men, and found the governor sitting on a mat, under the +side of a junk which was then building, and attended by fifty +men. He was dressed in a mantle of blue and red calico, wrapped +about him to his knees, his legs and feet bare, and his head +covered by a close cap of checquer work. Being presented with a +gun and sword, he returned four cows, and proclaimed liberty for +the people to trade with us. He gave the English cocoa-nuts to +eat, while he chewed betel and areka-nut, tempered with lime of +burnt oister shells. It has a hot biting taste, voids rheum, +cools the head, and is all their physic. It makes those giddy who +are not accustomed to its use, producing red spittles, and in +time colours the teeth black, which they esteem handsome, and +they use this continually. From the governor they were conducted +to the carpenter's house, who was a chief man in the town. His +house was built of stone and lime, low and little, plaistered +with white lime, roofed with rafters, which were covered with +leaves of the cocoa-nut tree, the outsides wattled with +canes.</p> + +<p>"Their houses are kept clean and neat, with good household +stuff, having gardens inclosed with canes, in which they grow +tobacco and plantains. For dinner, a board was set upon tressels, +on which was spread a fine new mat, and stone benches stood +around, on which the guests sat. First, water was brought to each +in a cocoa-shell, and poured into a wooden platter, and the rinds +of cocoa-nuts were used instead of towels. There was then set +before the company boiled rice, roasted plantains, quarters of +hens, and pieces of goat's flesh broiled. After grace said, they +fell to their meat, using bread made of cocoa-nut kernels, beaten +up with honey, and fried. The drink was palamito wine, and the +milk of the cocoa-nuts. Those who went to see the sultan, named +<i>Amir Adell</i>, found all things much in the same manner, only +that his behaviour was more light, and he made haste to get drunk +with some wine carried to him by the English. The people of these +islands are strict Mahomedans, and very jealous of letting their +women or mosques be seen. For, on some of the English coming near +a village, they shut them up, and threatened to kill them if they +came nearer. Many of them speak and write Arabic, and some few of +them Portuguese, as they trade with Mosambique in junks of forty +tons burden, built, caulked, and rigged all out of the cocoa-nut +tree. Here we bought oxen and cows, fat but small, Arabian sheep, +hens, oranges, lemons, and limes in abundance, paying for them in +calicoes, hollands, sword-blades, dollars, glasses, and other +trifles."--T.R.</p> + +<p>We sailed from Mohelia on the 2d August, and on the 17th got +sight of cape Guardafui, where the natives seemed afraid of us. +The 20th we anchored in the road of <i>Galencia</i> in Socotora, +where the fierceness of the wind raised the sea into a continual +surf all round about us, and by the spray, blown about us like +continual rain, our masts, yards, and tackle were made white all +over by the salt, like so much hoar-frost; The 23d we anchored at +<i>Tamara</i>, the town where the king resides, and on the 24th +at <i>Delisha</i>. They here demanded thirty dollars for the +quintal of aloes, which made us buy the less. The <i>Faiking</i> +told us that Captain Downton had bought 100 quintals, and it was +still so liquid, either from newness, or because of the heat, +that it was ready to run out of the skins. The quintal of this +place, as tried by our beam, weighed 103 1/2 pounds English. +Aloes is made from the leaves of a plant resembling our +sempervivum, or house-leek, the roots and stalk being cut away, +the rest strongly pressed, and the juice boiled up to a certain +height, after which it is put into earthen pots, closely stopped +for eight months, and is then put into skins for sale. The north +part of Socotora is in 12° 30', and the body in 120° +25'.[166] It is fourteen leagues from this island to <i>Abdul +Curia</i>, and as much more from thence to cape Guardafui. Such +as mean to sail for Socotora, should touch at that cape, and sail +from thence next morning a little before day-break, to lose no +part of the day-light, the nights here being dark and obscure, +with fogs and boisterous winds, during the months of August and +September. On getting into <i>Abdul Curia</i>, they may anchor on +the west side in seven or eight fathoms, under the low land; or, +if they cannot get to anchor, should keep close hauled in the +night to the southward, lest the wind and northerly current put +them too much to leeward before day. Notwithstanding the monsoon, +the winds do not blow steadily, being sometimes S. by W. and +S.S.W. but seldom to the east of south.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 166: These two numbers unquestionably +relate to the longitude and latitude respectively, though +strangely expressed. The true lat. is 13° 20'N. and long. +53° E. from Greenwich.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>"Socotora is an island not far from the mouth of the Red Sea, +being the <i>Dioscuria</i> or <i>Disoscordia</i> of the ancients, +in lat. 13° 20' N. It was governed when we were there by a +sultan, named Amir Ben-said, son of the king of Fartaque, in +Arabia Felix, which lies between the latitudes of 15° and +18° N. on the coast of Arabia. This king was in peace with +the Turks, on condition of assisting them with 5000 men when +required, and then these troops to be paid and maintained by the +Turks, to whom he paid no other acknowledgement. Near to the sea +about Dofar, there is another petty Arab sovereign, whom he of +Fartaque dare not meddle with, because he is under the protection +of the Grand Signior.</p> + +<p>"The sultan of Socotora came down to meet us at the shore, +accompanied by 300 men, and had a tent set up for his +accommodation. He was on horseback, as were two of his principal +attendants, and a third on a camel, the people running before and +behind him shouting. He had two companies of guards, one composed +of his own subjects, and the other consisting of twelve hired +Guzerates, some armed with Turkish bows, some with pistols, and +some with muskets, but all having good swords. He had also a few +kettle-drums, and one trumpet. He received the general in a +courteous manner, and was so absolute, that no person could sell +any thing except himself. His people sat about him very +respectfully; his clothes were of Surat cloths, made in the +Arabian fashion, with a cassock of red and white wrought velvet, +and a robe of which the ground was cloth of gold. He wore a +handsome turban, but his legs and feet were bare.</p> + +<p>"Every night these people all stand or kneel towards the +setting sun, the <i>zerife</i> throwing water on their heads, +being all Mahomedans. The king's town, named Tamara, is built of +stone and lime, all whited over, the houses built with +battlements and pinnacles, and all flat-roofed. At a distance it +looks well, but within is very poor. Mr Boughton had leave to see +the king's house, and found it such as might serve an ordinary +gentleman in England. The lower rooms were used as warehouses and +wardrobe, a few changes of robes hanging about the walls, and +along with them were some twenty-five books of their law, +religion, history, and saints lives. No person could be permitted +to go up stairs to see his three wives, or the other women; but +the ordinary sort might be seen in the town, their ears all full +of silver rings. In the mosque the priest was seen at service. Mr +Boughton had for his dinner three hens, with rice, his drink +being water, and a black liquor called <i>cahu</i>, [coffee] +drank as hot as could be endured.</p> + +<p>"On a hill, a mile from Tamara, there is a square castle, but +we could not get leave to see it. The inhabitants are of four +sorts. The first are Arabs, who have come in by means of +conquest, who dare not speak in presence of the sultan without +leave, and kissing his hand. The second sort are slaves, who kiss +his foot when they come into his presence, do all his work, and +make his aloes. The third sort are the old inhabitants of the +country, called Bedouins, though I think these are not the oldest +of all, whom I suppose to have been those commonly called +Jacobite Christians: For, on Mr Boughton going into a church of +theirs, which the Arabs had forced them to abandon, he found some +images and a crucifix, which he took away. The Mahomedans would +not say much about these people, lest other Christians might +relieve or support them. These Bedouins, having had wars with the +Arabs, live apart from them in the mountains. The fourth kind of +people, or original natives, are very savage, poor lean, naked, +and wear their hair long. They eat nothing but roots, ride about +on buffaloes, conversing only among themselves, being afraid of +all others, having no houses, and live more like wild beasts than +men, and these we conjecture to have been the original natives of +the place.</p> + +<p>"The island is very mountainous and barren, having some +beeves, goats, and sheep, a few dates and oranges, a little rice, +and nothing else for the food of man. All its commodities consist +of aloes, the inspisated juice of a plant having a leaf like our +house-leek. The only manufacture is a very poor kind of cloth, +used only by slaves. The king had some dragon's blood, and some +Lahore indigo, as also a few civet cats and civet. The dead are +all buried in tombs, and the monuments of their saints are held +in much veneration. The chief of these was one <i>Sidy +Hachun</i>,[167] buried at Tamara, who was slain about an hundred +years before we were there, and who, as they pretend, still +appears to them, and warns them of approaching dangers. They hold +him in wonderful veneration, and impute high winds to his +influence."--T.R.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 167: Sidy, or Seid, signifies a descendant +or relative of Mahomet, and Hachem, a prophet.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The 31st of August we sailed from Socotora. The 10th September +we had quails, herons, and other land-birds blown from the land, +and unable to return. The 14th we had sight of Diu, and the 16th +of Damaun, both inhabited by the Portuguese, and strongly +fortified. On the 18th we passed the bar of Surat, and came to +anchor in the road of Swally. Next day we sent a messenger on +shore, and our boat returned the same night, bringing off Mr +William Bidulph, who told us of all the affairs of the country, +and that <i>Zulphecar Khan</i>[168] was now governor of Surat. At +this place we bought sheep for half a dollar each, and got twenty +hens for a dollar. On the 22d Mr Barker and other merchants were +sent to Surat to provide furniture for a house to accommodate the +lord ambassador, Sir Thomas Roe. They were searched most +narrowly, even their pockets, and the most secret parts of their +dress, according to the base manner of this country, in which a +man has to pay custom for a single dollar in his purse, or a good +knife in his pocket; and if one has any thing rare, it is sure to +be taken away by the governor, under pretence of purchase.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 168: In the Pilgrims this person is named +Zuipher-Car-Chan, but we believe the orthography in the text is +more correct.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The lord ambassador landed on the 25th, accompanied by our +general, all the captains and merchants, and eighty men under +arms, part pikes, and part muskets. Forty-eight guns were fired +off from the ships, which were all dressed out with colours and +streamers, flags and pendants. On landing, he was received in a +splendid tent by the chief men of Surat, who welcomed him to +India. There was much to do about their barbarous search, which +they would have executed on all his attendants, which he +strenuously resisted, and at length he and three or four of his +principal followers were exempted, while the rest were only +slightly handled for fashion-sake. A great deal passed on this +occasion between the governor and the ambassador, about these +rude and barbarous exactions, Sir Thomas justly contending for +the honour and immunity of an ambassador from an independent +king; while they insisted to make no difference between him and +others of similar rank in those parts, and of our own likewise, +who had formerly assumed the name of ambassadors. Their barbarous +usage not only perplexed him there, and detained him long till an +order came from court, but gave him much plague all the time he +remained in the country, as will appear afterwards from his own +journal. They could not easily be persuaded to allow of any +difference between him and Mr Edwards, who had been considered by +them in the same light with Sir Thomas.</p> + +<p>Mr Barwick's man, who had been inveigled to run away by a +deserter from Captain Best who had turned Mahomedan, was brought +back from Surat on the 1st of October. Others afterwards ran away +to Damaun, and wrote to their comrades to induce them to do the +same. The 2d, two Hollanders came on board, who had travelled by +land from Petapulli, on the Coromandel coast. On the 10th, the +governor's brother came on board, making many fair speeches, and +had a present given him. The governor impudently urged us to give +him presents, though he had already received three, but found +fault with them, and even named what he would have given him, +being beggar and chooser both at once. We had this day news of Mr +Aldworth's death; and on the 5th November we received +intelligence of the lord ambassador having fallen sick at +Burhanpoor, and that Mr Boughton was dead.</p> + +<p>The most current coin at Surat is rials of eight, or Spanish +dollars, of which the old with the plain cross passes for five +mahmoodies each. The new dollars, having flower-de-luces at the +ends of the cross, if not light, are worth four 3/4 mahmoodies. +The <i>mahmoody</i> is a coarse silver coin, containing thirty +<i>pice</i>, and twelve <i>drams</i> make a <i>pice</i>. The +English shilling, if full weight, will yield thirty 1/2 pice. +Larines are worth much the same with mahmoodies.[169] There are +sundry kinds of rupees, some of which are worth half a dollar, +and others less, by which one may be easily deceived. The trade +at Surat is conducted by brokers, who are very subtle, and +deceive both buyer and seller, if not carefully looked after. In +weights, each city of India differs from another. The commodities +are infinite, indigos being the chief, those of Lahore the best, +and those from Sarkess inferior. Great quantities of cloths made +of cotton, as white and coloured calicoes, containing fourteen +yards the book or piece, from 100 to 200 mahmoodies each. +Pintadoes, chintzes, chadors, sashes, girdles, cannakens, +trekannies, serrabafs, aleias, patollas, sellas, quilts, carpets, +green ginger, suckets or confections, lignum aloes, opium, sal +amoniac, and abundance of other drugs. Vendible commodities are +knives, mirrors, pictures, and such like toys; English cloth, +China wares, silk, and porcelain, and all kinds of spices. The +Guzerates load their great ships, of nine, twelve, or fifteen +hundred tons, at Gogo, and steal out unknown to the +Portuguese.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 169: From this explanation, the +<i>mahmoody</i> and larine may be assumed as worth one shilling; +the <i>pice</i> as equal to a farthing and a half, and the dram +at about 1-10th of a farthing.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The chief places for trade on the river Sinde, or Indus, are +Tatta, <i>Diul-sinde</i>, Mooltan, and Lahore. The Expedition, on +her former voyage, had landed the Persian ambassador, Sir Robert +Shirley, at <i>Diul-sinde</i>; and of him I have thought it right +to give the following particulars, as an appendix to my former +voyage, having learnt them from some of his followers at Agra. +Being weary of <i>Diul-sinde</i>, through the evil conduct of the +governor, and the attempts of the Portuguese to molest him, who +even used their endeavours to cut him off, for which purpose +twelve of them had gone there from Ormus, he asked leave to +proceed to Tatta; but, being refused permission, he went without +leave, and having by the way to pass a river where none durst +ferry him over, because prohibited by the governor on pain of +death, he constructed a raft of timber and boards, on which he +and Nazerbeg embarked. They were no sooner shoved off than twenty +or thirty horse came from the governor in great haste to detain +them. And as Nazerbeg was unable to guide the raft against the +tide, some men swam to the raft and brought them back, on which +occasion they narrowly escaped being drowned. Some of his +followers being indignant at this rude dealing, one Mr John Ward +shot off his pistol in their faces, and was instantly slain by +another shot, and all the rest were carried back prisoners to +<i>Diul-sinde</i>, being pillaged by the soldiers on their way. +After some time in prison, they were permitted to proceed to +Tatta, where they were kindly entertained by the governor of that +place, who was a Persian. Before leaving Diul-sinde, Sir Thomas +Powell and Mr Francis Bub died. Sir Robert Shirley remained at +Tatta till a fit opportunity offered of proceeding to Agra, where +he went at last, finding the way long and tedious, and much +infested by thieves. He went there however in safety, going in +company with a great man who had a strong escort, and for whom he +had to wait two months.</p> + +<p>In this time Lady Powell was delivered of a son, but both she +and her child died soon after, together with Mr Michael Powell, +brother to Sir Thomas, losing their lives in this tedious waiting +in boats for the great man. On his arrival at Agra, Sir Robert +was favourably entertained by the Great Mogul, who sent for the +Banian governor of Diul-sinde to answer at court to the +complaint, and promised Sir Robert to have his own revenge if he +would stay; but he hasted away to Persia, after receiving many +presents from the Mogul, who gave him an escort, and all +necessaries for his journey, in which he had not a single English +attendant, as John Heriot died at Agra, and Mr Richard Barber, +his apothecary, returned to Surat. Of all his company, three only +remained with him, his lady and her female attendant, two +Persians, the old Arminian, and the Circassian. His Dutch +jeweller came to Surat along with Mr Edwards.</p> + +<p>S.2. <i>Occurrences at Calicut and Sumatra, Miscarriage of the +English Ships, Abuses of the Dutch, and Factories in +India</i>.</p> + +<p>We took a Portuguese prize on the 29th of February, 1616. The +3d March, while at anchor in the road of Calicut, the deputy of +the Zamorin came aboard, attended by many boats, signifying the +joy of his master at our arrival, and his earnest desire to +confer with our nation, and entreated therefore that we would +tarry a few days, that he might send to the Zamorin, who was then +at Cranganore besieging a castle belonging to the Portuguese. We +had here abundance of provisions brought to us on board, and at +reasonable rates. That same evening, there came a messenger from +the Zamorin, entreating us to anchor for two or three days off +Cranganore, which we accordingly did on the 5th, anchoring two +leagues off shore. About noon the Zamorin sent to request the +general would come ashore, to visit him, but this was not deemed +right without a pledge, and Mr George Barkley went ashore to wait +upon him; but the Zamorin refused to reveal his intentions to any +one except our general, and seemed much displeased at his not +coming ashore.</p> + +<p>The general accordingly landed on the 8th, and had an audience +of the Zamorin, who wished the English to establish a factory in +his dominions, for which purpose he offered a good house +rent-free, freedom from custom or other exactions, for all goods +brought there or carried thence, and made many protestations of +affection for our nation. This was for the present declined, +because most of our goods had been left at Surat, and because we +were now bound for Bantam. To this the Zamorin answered, that it +was no matter whether any goods were left for the present, as he +only desired we might leave two or three Englishmen there, who +should want for nothing, as he only wanted to be assured of our +return next year with a supply of men and goods. He assured us we +might be sure of loading one ship yearly with pepper, and might +make sale of our commodities to a considerable extent. Upon this +it was agreed to leave a factory at this place, with such goods +as we could spare, which went accordingly on shore on the 9th; +George Woolman being appointed chief of this new factory at +Cranganore, Peter Needham and Roger Hares under-factors, together +with Richard Stamford, and a boy named Edward Peake, who was +appointed to learn the language. The name of the king is +<i>Pendre Quone[170] Zamorin</i>, to whom was given, as a +present, a minion or small cannon, and a barrel of powder; on +which he promised, if he won the fort of Cranganore, to give it +up to the English.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 170: Named <i>Underecon Cheete</i> in a +subsequent article.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The 10th we received the Zamorin's letter of agreement for our +privileges, with many fair protestations of love. We sailed the +same day, passing before Cochin, which we could see distinctly. +Next day we had a view of the town and castle of Coulan, where +was a ship riding at anchor under the guns of the castle, which +we boarded and brought forth without any hurt from the guns, all +the crew having fled ashore. This was a Portuguese ship of four +or five hundred tons, lately arrived from Bengal and Pegu, laden +with rice, grain, Bengal cloths, butter, sugar, gum lack, hard +wax, drugs, and other things. The 12th we espied another ship, to +which we gave chase, and came up with about midnight, when she +surrendered at the first shot.[171] I sent for her chief men on +board my ship, the others being three or four miles a-stern, and +set some of my people on board the prize, with strict charges to +hurt no person. There were in this ship eighteen or twenty +Portuguese, and about eighty others, men, women, and children. +Her chief loading was rice, butter, sugar, lack, drugs, and +Bengal cloths. We offered these people our first prize, with +victuals to carry them ashore, which they refused, as fearing to +be ill-used by the Malabars, having lately escaped with +difficulty from a fleet of theirs of fourteen sail. Next day we +landed them where they desired, and allowed them to go away +unsearched for money or jewels. We had now three English +ships[172] and three prizes.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 171: These prizes were taken from the +Portuguese in part satisfaction for their unjust vexations and +hostilities at Surat and other +places.--<i>Purch.</i>]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 172: No notice is taken of the fourth ship, +the Lion, probably left at Surat; indeed, the whole of this +relation is exceedingly vague and unsatisfactory, the name even +of the general never being once mentioned.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The 14th we arrived at <i>Brinion</i>, in lat. 8° 30', +where we took out of the first prize what we thought useful, and +then set her adrift. At <i>Brinion</i> there is a small town in a +round bay, which may be known by a long white beach to the north, +and to the south is all high land, having a red cliff two leagues +to the south, close to the sea. From thence to cape Comorin is +sixteen leagues, the course being S.E. by S. along a bold free +coast. The inhabitants of Brinion[173] are no way subject to the +Portuguese. The 1st of April the island of Ceylon bore E. by S. +seven leagues off. On the 10th the Peak of Adam bore north. I +this day took my leave of the general, the Dragon and Pepper-corn +being bound for Acheen, while I, in the Expedition, went for +Priaman, Tecoo, and Bantam.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 173: In 8° 22' N. at the distance +indicated from cape Comorin, is a place called Billingham, which +may possibly be the Brinion of the text.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>It is good to remain in Brinion till the end of March, when +the easterly monsoon ends, and not to pass cape Comorin sooner, +on account of calms, and because the southerly current sets +towards the Maldives. All who come from the west for Priaman and +Tecoo, ought to continue so as to have sufficient day-light for +passing between <i>Nimptan</i>[174] and the other adjacent +islands, the best channel being to the north of that island. On +the 30th of April I met the Advice going for Tecoo; but, at my +request, she returned for Bantam, whence she was sent to Japan. I +arrived at Bantam on the 1st of May, where I found the Hosiander +newly arrived from Japan, and the Attendance from <i>Jambo</i>, +most of their men being sick or dead. I here learnt the death of +Captain Downton, and of the arrival of Captain Samuel Castleton +with the Clove and Defence, which, with the Thomas and Concord, +were gone to the Moluccas, the Thomas being appointed to proceed +from thence to Japan.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 174: Pulo Mintaon, off the S.W. coast of +Sumatra, nearly under the line, is probably here +meant.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The 19th of May I sailed from Bantam, and the 10th June I put +into Tecoo. The 3d July I hove my ship down on the careen to +sheath her. It is of great use to double sheath such ships as go +to Surat, as though the outer sheathing may be eaten like a +honey-comb by the worms, the inner is not at all injured. It were +also of great use to have the rudder sheathed with thin +copper,[175] to prevent the worms from eating off its edges, +which is very detrimental in steering, and cannot be easily +remedied, being so deep in the water. The natives of Sumatra +inhabiting Priaman are barbarous, deceitful, and continually +craving presents or bribes; and sometimes I have been in imminent +hazard of being murdered, a hundred of them drawing their crisses +upon us at once, because we refused to let them have our goods on +trust, or at prices of their own making. The 20th, Thomas Bonnar, +master of the Expedition, died, and was succeeded by John Row, +who was the third master in this voyage.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 175: We had formerly occasion to notice a +ship sheathed with iron at Japan, and this is the first +indication or proposal for using copper in that way. Iron +sheathing has never been adopted into British practice, while +copper sheathing is now universal. Captain Peyton does not appear +to have been aware that copper sheathing is incompatible with +iron fastenings, which indeed was only learnt long after, by +woeful experience, and the loss of many ships and men. In +consequence of a strong predisposing chemical afinity, exerted by +the contiguity of the copper and iron in the sea water, the +muriatic acid corrodes the iron bolts and other fastenings, all +of which are now made of copper in ships that are to be copper +sheathed.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The 26th, the Dragon and Pepper-corn arrived from Acheen, +where they had purchased pepper, carried there from Tecoo in +large junks and praws, which navigate between these places, but +never out of sight of land. The king of Acheen commands the +people of Tecoo to bring their pepper to his port, and allows +none to purchase it there, but those who barter their Surat goods +at such rates as he pleases to impose. Often likewise, he sends +to Priaman and Tecoo the Surat commodities procured by him in +that manner, obliging the merchants there to buy at rates by him +imposed, and no person is allowed to buy or sell till his goods +are sold. This makes our trade with them the better.[176] +<i>Jambo</i> is on the east side of Sumatra, and yields a similar +large-grained pepper with what is procured at Priaman, but is not +under the dominion of the king of Acheen, as are Baruse, +Passaman, Tecoo, Priaman, Cottatinga, and other places on the +western side of that island. <i>Baruse</i> is to the north of +Passaman, and yields considerable quantities of benzoin; +<i>Cottatinga</i> yields gold, and the other places pepper. Our +general brought the king of Acheen's letter to these places, +where the chief men received it with great submission, each of +them kissing it and laying it on his head, promising to obey its +injunctions, yet all failed in performance. It were proper, in +these letters from the king, to procure all the particulars of +the trade to be inserted. I set sail from Tecoo for Bantam on the +4th September.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 176: It is so expressed in the Pilgrims; +yet it would seem that such arbitrary proceeding in the +sovereign, assuming the character of merchant, would be +destructive of all trade.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The best gold, and the largest quantity, is to be had at the +high hill of Passaman, where likewise is the best, cheapest, and +most abundant produce of pepper. But the air is there so +pestiferous, that there is no going thither for our nation +without great mortality among the men. Fortunately this is not +necessary in procuring pepper, as the Surat commodities at Tecoo +are sufficiently attractive. I have even observed many of the +natives to labour under infectious diseases, the limbs of some +being ready to drop off with rottenness, while others had huge +wens or swellings under their throats, as large as a two-penny +loaf; which they impute to the bad water.[177] Though a barbarous +people, they are yet acquainted with the means of curing their +diseases. The people of Tecoo are base, thievish, subtle, seeking +gain by every kind of fraud, or even by force when they dare; +using false weights, false reckonings, and even attempting to +poison our meats and drinks while dressing, and crissing our men +when opportunity serves: But it is to be hoped they may be +inforced to keep better order, by the influence and authority of +the king of Acheen. At Acheen our Portuguese prizes were disposed +of, and shared according to the custom of the sea, a sixth part +being divided among the captors, and the rest carried to the +account of our employers. There were only five left in the +factory. Many of our men were sick, owing to their immoderate +indulgence in drinking arrack.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 177: The <i>goitre</i> was long ignorantly +imputed in Europe to drinking snow water; but is now well known +only to affect the inhabitants of peculiar districts, as +Derbyshire in England, and the Valais in Switzerland, and this +district in Sumatra, where certain mineral impregnations render +the water unwholesome.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>When at Bantam, in October 1616, there were four English +ships, and five Hollanders at Jacatra, which raised the price of +pepper; and that the more, because the Dutch boasted of having +brought this year in ready money 1,600,000 dollars, which is +probably a great exaggeration to brave our nation. Their last +fleet of six ships took two or three ships of the Portuguese, of +which they made great boasts. They endeavour to depress our +nation by every manner of abuse throughout the Indies, acting +towards us in a most unfriendly and unchristian manner. Even in +Bantam, where they acknowledge our equal right, they threaten to +pull our people out of our factory by the ears, sometimes picking +quarrels with them in the streets, and even imprisoning them; and +when they themselves have caused an uproar, complaining to the +king of Bantam of our unquietness, and bribing him to take their +parts. He receives their money, and tells us of their dealings, +taking advantage of this disagreement to fleece both sides. Even +at Pulo-way, an island freely surrendered to the king of England, +they abused our people, leading them through the streets with +halters round their necks, carrying an hour-glass before them, +and proclaiming that they were to be hanged when the sand was run +out. And though they did not actually proceed to that extremity, +they kept them three or four days in irons, and afterwards sent +them aboard the Concord and Thomasine, under a forced composition +never to return. Likewise, at the return of the Hosiander from +Japan, which brought thirty tons of wood for them, free of +freight and charges, they reported she would have returned empty, +but for their timber; which also they might have said of my ship, +which brought for them, from Surat to Bantam, thirty-one +<i>churles</i> of indigo and a chest of pistoles, +freight-free.</p> + +<p>Captain Castleton went to the Moluccas with four ships, the +Clove, Defence, Thomas, and Concord, that he might be better able +to defend himself against the Hollanders; yet, being threatened +by eleven of their ships, they returned without doing much +business, having only a few cloves in the Clove. The captain died +there of the flux; and the bad success of that expedition, +together with other faults, was laid to his charge. The +Trades-increase was twice set on fire by the Javans, and the fire +quenched by our people; but on a third attempt, she was fired in +so many places at once, that it was impossible to save her. The +Darling was laid up at Patane, in June 1615, by order of Mr +Larkine and the factory, as incapable of repair. Herrold, her +master, was reported of having a design to carry her off to the +Portuguese; and, being prevented, he went himself. The Thomasine +was cast away, in September 1615, upon a shoal in the night, +seventeen leagues W. from Macasser, while returning from the +Moluccas. On this occasion her goods were lost, which were not of +much value, but they saved the money, being 2000 dollars, and all +their provisions, remaining fourteen days on a desolate island, +where they fitted up their boat, which brought themselves and +their money to Bantam. All their goods and other things were left +behind, and seized by the king of Macasser, who refused to make +restitution. At Jacatra the Hector sunk in three fathoms water +while careening, her keel being exceedingly worm-eaten. The +Concord is there also laid up, so rotten and leaky that they had +to take out her provisions, and let her sink close to the shore. +The Hosiander, on the 15th October 1616, was appointed to sail +for the Coromandel coast.</p> + +<p>The factories which are at present established for our company +in the East Indies, so far as I could hear, are these: Bantam, +Jacatra, Ahmedabad, Agra, Agimere, Burhanpoor, Calicut, +Masulipatam, Patepulli, Patane, Siam, Banjermassen, Succodania, +Macasser, Acheen, Jambo, Tecoo, Banda, and Firando in Japan. At +Bantam, Mr George Barclay was chief, with John Jordan, George +Ball, Ralph Copendale, and several other factors and assistants. +The principal purpose of the factory at Acheen, is to solicit for +our better proceedings at Priaman and Tecoo. The place is +unwholesome, more especially for such as indulge in the use of +hot fiery drinks, as <i>arack</i> and <i>aracape</i>, which bring +many to untimely graves; and throw discredit on the voyage. It is +not to be imagined at home, how unruly are the common men abroad, +never being satisfied unless when their brains are reeling with +liquor. Even the king of Acheen is said to have a strange habit +of getting drunk when the English resort to him, as if thereby to +do them honour, and it seems dishonourable to them not to conform +with him, in sitting in the water, drinking hard, and many other +strange customs. He is very tyrannical and cruel to his subjects, +daily cutting off the hands, arms, and legs of many, on very +small and frivolous causes; or causing them to be thrown to the +elephants, he himself commanding a sagacious elephant to toss the +culprits so high and so often, as either to bruise or kill them, +according to his caprice at the time. No one that arrives at his +port may land without his <i>chop</i> or licence. On one +occasion, a Dutch general came on shore without his licence, by +desire of the principal factor, who presumed on his favour with +the king. When the general came to the palace-gate, where another +chop is necessary, the king found this irregularity to have +proceeded from the presumption of the resident, whom he sent for +and laid before the elephant, who tossed him three times, but so +gently as not to bruise him much, giving him thus a warning how +he should neglect the king's commands another time. The Dutch +general stood by the while, fearing to come in for his share of +this strange discipline; but the king forgave him, as ignorant of +the law. The poor factor, being called into the king's presence, +humbly acknowledged his punishment to have been merited, yet fled +with the rest of the factory at the departure of the ships; on +which the king placed us in their house.</p> + +<p>We sailed from Bantam, homeward bound, on the 1st November +1616. The 5th January 1617, I was unable to weigh our anchor, +owing to the violence of the wind, to follow the Dragon to +Penguin island. Ships that go round the Cape of Good Hope from +India, at this season of the year, ought not to anchor short of +Saldanha road, [Table Bay,] but ought to bear to leeward for +Penguin island, and anchor there with two anchors at once, till +the wind serve. In December, January, and February, the S.S.E. +wind blows there with great violence from new to full moon. Yet I +hold it dangerous to neglect this place, trusting to refreshments +at St Helena, a certainty for an uncertainty; as the obscurity of +the sun and moon, owing to thick mists at this season, may +disappoint the most experienced navigators, and occasion the loss +of ship, cargo, and men. While at the Cape, Corey came down with +three sheep, and promised more, but went away in great haste to +his wife and family, who dwelt now farther from the bay than +formerly. It appears that the Hollanders had frightened the +natives, by landing and going up the country with above an +hundred men at once. Owing to this, our chief refreshment here +was fresh fish.</p> + +<p>The 9th April 1617, we passed through great quantities of +sea-weeds, called <i>seragasso</i>, which float in long ridges or +rows along with the wind, and at considerable distances from each +other. This plant has a leaf like samphire, but not so thick, and +carries a very small yellow berry. It reaches from 22° 20' to +32° both of N. latitude. We anchored in the Downs on the 29th +of May 1617.</p> + +<p>3. <i>Brief Notice of the Ports, Cities, and Towns, inhabited +by, and traded with, by the Portuguese between the Cape of Good +Hope and Japan, in</i> 1616.</p> + +<p>The river of <i>Quame</i>, or <i>Cuamo</i>, on the eastern +coast of Africa, where they are said to trade yearly for gold, +elephants teeth, ambergris, and slaves. <i>Mozambique</i>, an +island on the same coast, where they trade for gold, ambergris, +and slaves, in barter for iron, lead, tin, and Cambay +commodities, <i>Magadoxo</i>, which has abundance of elephants +teeth, some ambergris, and various kinds of drugs. From these +ports they trade yearly to Cambay, the Red Sea, and other places, +observing the monsoons, which blow W. in April, May, June, July, +August, and part of September, and the E. monsoon prevails an the +other months. A few days between the cessation of one monsoon and +the commencement of the other, the winds are variable, attended +by calms, but become regular in a few days. To the east of +Sumatra, however, the two monsoons continue only five months each +way, the two intermediate months having variable winds.</p> + +<p><i>Ormus</i> in the gulf of Persia, whence the Portuguese +trade to Persia, Diul-sinde, Arabia, &c. They fetch much +pearl from Bassora;[178] and they load a ship or two with Persian +commodities for Diul-sinde, where they arrive between the end of +August and middle of September, taking likewise with them great +store of dollars. Ormus is their best place in the Indies except +Goa. At <i>Muskat</i> they have a fort and some small trade, +keeping the natives in such awe by land and sea, that they dare +not trade without their licence, and this practice they follow in +all parts of India where they are strong. <i>Diul-sinde</i> on +the Indus in the dominions of the Great Mogul. <i>Diu</i>, where +they have a strong castle. Damaun, where they have a castle, and +are said to have an hundred villages under their authority. +<i>Basseen</i>, or <i>Serra de Bazein</i>, a little south from +<i>Damaun</i>, and bordering on the Deccan; between which and +<i>Chaul</i> they have three ports, <i>Gazein, Banda</i>, and +<i>Maia</i>. <i>Chaul</i> is a great city with a castle. At +<i>Dabul</i> they have a factory, but no fort.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 178: This is a mistake for the isle of +Bahrein.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p><i>Goa</i> is their metropolitan city in India, which stands +in a small island, being the seat of their viceroy, and the +anchoring place of their caracks. <i>Onore</i> has a small fort. +<i>Barcellore</i>, a town and castle, yields pepper, ginger, and +many kinds of drugs. <i>Mangalore</i>, a town and castle. +<i>Cananore</i>, a city and castle, yielding similar commodities +with Barcellore. From <i>Calicut</i> they have been expelled by +the Zamorin, who endeavours to do the same at <i>Crangator</i>, +[Cranganore,] where they have a fort. <i>Cochin</i> is a strong +city and castle, pleasantly situated on the sea in a wholesome +air, with a fine river for the reception of ships. <i>Coulan</i>, +a town with a small castle; near which is a village named St +Lawrence, chiefly inhabited by friars and jesuits. +<i>Quiloan</i>, a small city with a castle. <i>Tuckatra</i>, a +town and castle, the inhabitants being mostly Christians.</p> + +<p><i>Manaar</i> is on the island of Ceylon, between Cape Comorin +and Point-de-Gale, where they have a town inhabited by +Portuguese. In this island also they have <i>Columbo</i>, and +many other small places, having conquered most of the island, +which yields cinnamon and various drugs. <i>Negopatnam</i> is a +city of great trade, on the coast of Coromandel, where they have +only a factory. St Thomas, or <i>Meliapoor</i>, is a walled town +inhabited by the Portuguese. In Bengal, up the river Ganges, they +have a town, besides some factories and many small habitations. +They have a factory in Pegu, another in Aracan, and one in the +river of Martaban. Also at <i>Junkceylon</i> they have a great +factory, whence they fetch considerable quantities of tin to the +Malabar coast.</p> + +<p><i>Malacca</i> is a strong city and castle belonging to the +Portuguese, and the centre of a great trade in those parts of +India. From this place the king of Acheen has long sought to root +them out, and has burnt and plundered some of their ships this +year, 1619. At <i>Macao</i>, an island on the coast of China, +they have a city with a castle, where they are said to carry on +much trade with the Chinese. They have a factory in Japan, but +neither town nor fort; and trade thence with the coast of China. +The Dutch are said to make much spoil of the vessels employed on +this trade, Portuguese, Chinese, and others, accounting all fish +that fall into their net.</p> + +<p>SECTION V.</p> + +<p><i>Notes, concerning the Proceedings of the Factory at +Cranganore, from the Journal of Roger Hawes.[179]</i></p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 179: Parch. Pilgr. I. 608.--Hawes sailed in +the fleet under Keeling, in 1615, which carried out Sir Thomas +Roe, already related in Sect. IV. of this chapter; and the +present short article almost exclusively relates to the new +factory at Cranganore on the Malabar coast, in which Hawes was +left as one of the factors. This is a very imperfect and +inconclusive article, yet gives some idea of the manners and +customs of the Malabars.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>On the 4th of March 1615, we chased a Portuguese frigate, +which ran into a creek and escaped. While on our way towards Cape +Comorin, a Tony came aboard of us, with messengers from the +Zamorin to our general, Captain William Keeling. Next day, the +governor sent a present, and entreated the general to proceed to +Cranganore, which we did next day, taking with us the messengers +sent from the Zamorin, who requested the general to come on shore +to speak with him. But, while he was doing so, some frigates came +and anchored near the shore, by which he was constrained to go on +board the Expedition, Captain Walter Peyton. On this occasion +some shots were exchanged, but little harm was done. The general +went ashore on the 8th, accompanied by Mr Barclay, the cape +merchant, and several others. They were well used, and agreed to +settle a factory in the dominions of the Zamorin, the following +being the articles agreed upon:--</p> + +<p><i>"UNDERECON CHEETE, Great Zamorin, &c. to JAMES, King of +Britain, &c.</i> Whereas your servant and subject, William +Keeling, arrived in my kingdom at the port of Cranganore, in +March 1615, with three ships, and at my earnest solicitation came +ashore to see me; there was concluded by me for my part, and by +him for the English nation, as followeth.</p> + +<p>"As I have ever been at enmity with the Portuguese, and +propose always so to continue, I do hereby faithfully promise to +be and to continue in friendship with the English, both for +myself and my successors: And, if I succeed in taking the fort of +Cranganore, I engage to give it to the English, to possess as +their own, together with the island belonging to it, which is in +length along the sea-coast nine miles, and three in breadth; and +I propose to build therein a house for my own people, to the +number of one hundred persons.</p> + +<p>"I shall hereafter endeavour, with the aid of the English, to +conquer the town and fort of Cochin, which formerly belonged, to +my crown and kingdom, and shall then deliver it to the English as +their own. Provided that the charges of its capture be equally +borne by both parties, one half by me, and the other half by the +English nation; and in that case, the benefit of the plunder +thereof, of whatsoever kind, shall belong half to me, and half to +the English. And thereafter, I shall claim no right, title, or +interest in the said town, precincts, or appurtenances +whatsoever."</p> + +<p>"I also covenant for myself, my heirs and successors, that the +whole trade of the English, in whatsoever commodities, brought in +or carried out, shall be entirely free from all custom, +imposition, tax, toll, or any other duty, of any quality or +description."</p> + +<p>"To these covenants, which the shortness of time did not +permit to extend in more ample form, I, the Zamorin, have sworn +to perform, by the great God whom I serve, and not only for +myself but for my successors; and in witness thereof have laid my +hand upon this writing.[180] And the said William Keeling +promises to acquaint the king his master with the premises, and +to endeavour to procure his majesty's consent thereto."</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 180: This probably alludes to a custom +mentioned in one of our earlier volumes, of imprinting the form +of the hand, smeared with ink, on the paper, instead of signature +or seal.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>This being agreed upon, a stock was made out for a factory, +such as the shortness of time would permit, and three factors +were appointed. These were, George Woolman, chief, Peter Needham, +second, who was one of the general's servants, and I, Roger +Hawes, third; together with a youth, named Edward Peake, as our +attendant, who was to learn the language. John Stamford, a +gunner, was likewise left to assist the Zamorin in his wars. On +the 10th the ships departed, leaving us and our goods in a +<i>shrambe</i> at the water side, together with a present for the +Zamorin. We continued there till the 13th, at which time the last +of our goods were carried to the Zamorin's castle; whose +integrity we much suspected, after having thus got possession of +our goods. On the 20th, he insisted to see Mr Woolman's trunk, +supposing we had plenty of money. Needham had told him we had 500 +rials; but finding little more than fifty, he demanded the loan +of that sum, which we could not refuse. He offered us a pawn not +worth half; which we refused to accept, hoping he would now allow +us to proceed to Calicut, but he put us off with delays. He +likewise urged us to give his brother a present.</p> + +<p>On the 28th, the Zamorin came into the apartment where we +were, and gave Mr Woolman two gold rings, and one to each of the +rest; and next day he invited us to come to his tumbling sports. +That same night, Stamford went out with his sword in his hand, +telling the boy that he would return presently. The next news we +had of him was, that he was in the hands of the Cochin nayres. He +had lost His way while drunk, and meeting with some of them, they +asked where he wished to go; he said to the Zamorin, to whom they +undertook to conduct him, and he knew not that he was a prisoner, +till he got to Cochin. This incident put us in great fear, but +the Zamorin gave us good words, saying he was better pleased to +find him a knave now, than after he had put trust in him.</p> + +<p>We had leave in April to depart with our goods to Calicut, +where we arrived on the 22d of that month, and were well +received; but had to remain in the custom-house, till we could +get a more convenient house, which was made ready for us on the +6th of May, with promise of a better after the rains. We were +very desirous, according to our orders from the general, to have +sent a messenger with his and our letters to Surat, to acquaint +our countrymen that we were here; but the governor would not +consent till we had sold all our goods. On the 18th of June, one +was sent. On the 26th, part of our goods were sold to the +merchants of Calicut, by the governor's procurement, with fair +promises of part payment shortly. But it is not the custom of the +best or the worst in this country to keep their words, being +certain only in dissembling. Mr Woolman was desirous of going to +Nassapore to make sales, but the governor put him off with divers +shifts from time to time. The 3d July, our messenger for Surat +returned, reporting that he had been set upon when well forwards +on his way, and had his money and letters taken from him, after +being well beaten. Among his letters was one from Captain Keeling +to the next general, the loss of which gave us much concern; yet +we strongly suspected that our messenger had been robbed by his +own consent, and had lost nothing but his honesty. A broker of +Nassapore told Mr Needham, that our dispatches had been sold to +the Portuguese, and when the governor heard of this, he hung down +his head, as guilty. We here sold some goods to merchants of +Nassapore.</p> + +<p>Mr Woolman died on the 17th of August. We could not procure +payment of our promised money, and were told by our broker, that +some one of our debtors would procure a respite from the +governor, by means of a bribe, on which the rest would refuse +till they all paid. On the 24th, the Zamorin's sister sent us +word, that she would both cause our debtors to pay us, and to +lend us any money we needed; but we found her as false as the +rest The queen mother also made us fair promises, and several +others made offers to get letters conveyed for us to Surat; but +all their words were equally false. Thus wronged, Mr Needham +farther wronged himself by his indiscretion, threatening, in +presence of a nayre who attended us, and who revealed his +threats, that he would go to the king of Cochin, making shew of +violent revenge to put the governor in fear. He behaved +outrageously likewise to a <i>scrivano</i>,[181] who is the same +as a justice with us, taking him by the throat, and making as if +he would have cut him down with his sword, for detaining some of +our money which he had received. Our broker also told Mr Needham, +that it was not becoming to go up and down the streets with a +sword and buckler; and indeed his whole conduct and behaviour +more resembled those we call <i>roaring-boys</i>,[182] than what +became the character of a merchant. For my admonitions, he +requited me with ill language, disgracing himself and injuring +the affairs of the company.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 181: This term is obviously Portuguese, and +cannot be the proper appellation for a judge on the Malabar +coast.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 182: This character is now only to be met +with in some of our old plays such as Captain Bobadil in Every +Man in his Humour.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>A Dutch ship, which had been trading in the Red Sea, arrived +here on the 23d of September, with the intention of settling a +factory, and they were referred by the governor to the Zamorin, +promising to carry a letter for us, but went without it; so that +our delays continued. Mr Needham went himself to the Zamorin on +the 4th November, and returned on the 25th, having got a present +of a gold chain, a jewel, and a gold armlet, with orders also +from the king to further our purposes; but the performance was as +slow as before. The 20th December, a Malabar captain brought in a +prize he had taken from the Portuguese, and would have traded +with us; but we could not get in any of our money, due long +before. We also heard that day of four English ships being at +Surat. The governor and people continued their wonted +perfidiousness; the former being more careful in taking, and the +latter in giving bribes, than in paying our debts. We used a +strange contrivance of policy to get in some of these; for, when +we went to their houses, demanding payment, and could get none, +we threatened not to leave their house till they paid us. We had +heard it reported, that, according to their customs, they could +neither eat nor wash while we were in their houses; and by this +device we sometimes got fifty <i>fanos</i> from one, and an +hundred from another. They would on no account permit us to sleep +in their houses, except one person, with whom we remained three +days and nights, with three or four nayres. They were paid for +watching him, but we got nothing. The nayre, who had been +appointed by the king to gather in our debts, came to demand a +gratuity from us, though he had not recovered any of our money. +He would go to the debtor's houses, taking three or four +<i>fanos</i>, and then depart without any of our money.</p> + +<p>On the 9th of January, 1616, Mr Needham went to demand payment +of a debt, and being refused permission to pass by a nayre who +struck him, as he says, he gave the nayre a dangerous wound in +the head with his sword, of which it is thought he cannot +recover, and others of the natives were hurt in the fray. Word +was presently brought to us to shut up our doors, lest the nayres +should assemble to do us some mischief, as feuds or +kindred-quarrels and murders are common among them, having no +other law or means of vengeance. Our nayre with his kindred, to +the number of thirty or more, with pikes, swords, and bucklers, +guarded Mr Needham home, on which occasion we had to give a +gratuity. Our house had to be guarded for three or four days and +nights, none of us daring to go out into the streets for money or +other business for a week, though before we used to go about in +safety. After that, our broker advised us never to go out, unless +attended by a nayre, as they had sworn to put one of us to death, +in revenge for him who was slain.</p> + +<p>The 20th, the Portuguese armado of thirty-four sail, passed by +from the south, of which fourteen were ships, and the rest +frigates or grabs. They put into the harbour, in which three +Malabar frigates lay at anchor, and a hot fight ensued, in which +the Portuguese were forced to retreat with disgrace, having only +cut the hawser of one of the frigates, which drove on shore and +was stove in pieces. This belonged to the governor, who was well +served, for he remained like a coward in the country, keeping +four or five great guns that were in the town locked up, except +one, and for it they had only powder and shot for two discharges. +Before the fight ended, some 4000 nayres were come in from the +country, and several were slain on both sides. Nine or ten +Portuguese were driven ashore, and two or three of the chiefs of +these were immediately hung up by the heels, and being taken down +after two days, were thrown to be devoured by wild beasts.</p> + +<p>On the 28th of January, we were told by a Pattemar, that the +governor was only our friend outwardly, wishing rather to have +the Portuguese in our room, as we did no good in the country, +bringing only goods to sell, whereas the Portuguese did good by +making purchases. The 8th of February we had letters from Surat; +and on the 4th of March, the Zamorin wrote to us, that if our +ships came, he wished them to come to Paniany, and that we need +not be anxious for our money, as he would pay us, even if he were +forced to sell his rings.</p> + +<p>SECTION VI.</p> + +<p><i>Journal of Sir Thomas Roe, Ambassador from King James I, to +Shah Jehanguiro, Mogul Emperor of Hindoostan</i>.[183]</p> + +<p>INTRODUCTION.</p> + +<p>There are two editions of this journal in our older +Collections of Voyages and Travels, but both exceeding defective +and imperfect. The <i>first</i> of these is in the Pilgrims of +Purchas, which is said to have been "<i>Collected out</i> of the +Journal of Sir Thomas Roe, Knight, Lord Ambassador from his +Majesty of Great Britain, to the Great Mogul." It is evidently to +be considered as an <i>abridgement</i> made by Purchas, which, +indeed, he fully acknowledges in a postscript, in the following +terms:--"Some readers may perhaps wish they had the whole +journal, and not thus contracted into <i>extracts</i> of those +things out of it which I conceived more fit for the public. And +for the whole, myself would have wished it; but neither with the +honourable Company, nor elsewhere, could I learn of it, the +worthy knight himself being now employed in like honourable +embassage from his majesty to the <i>Great Turk</i>." Besides +that it is a mere abridgement, often most confusedly, and almost +unintelligibly tacked together, this article in The Pilgrims +breaks off abruptly in a most interesting part of the narrative, +which we have now no means to supply. The full title of this +article in The Pilgrims is as follows:--"Observations collected +out of the Journal of Sir Thomas Roe, Knight, Lord Ambassador +from his Majesty the King of Great Britain, to the Great Mogul. +Consisting of Occurrences worthy of Memory, in the way, and at +the Court of the Mogul; together with an Account of his Customs, +Cities, Countries, Subjects, and other Circumstances relating to +India."</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 183: Purch. Pilgr. I. 535. Churchill's +Collect. I. 617.]</blockquote> + +<p>The <i>other</i> edition of this journal is in the collection +published by the Churchills, of which we quote from the third +edition of 1744, reprinted by Lintot and Osburn, booksellers in +London. Of this edition the editor of that collection gives the +following account:--"Sir Thomas Roe has before appeared in print, +in part at least, in the collection of Purchas, since translated +into French, and published in the first volume of the collection +by Thevenot. He now comes again abroad with considerable +additions, not foisted in, but taken from his own original +manuscript, of which it would appear that Purchas only had an +imperfect copy. These additions, it is true, are not great in +bulk, but they are valuable for the subject; and several matters, +which in the other collection are brought in abruptly, are here +continued in a more methodical manner."</p> + +<p>After an attentive comparison of these two former editions, it +obviously appears that the edition by Purchas, in 1625, is in +general more circumstantial and more satisfactory than that of +Churchill, in 1744, notwithstanding its superior pretensions, as +above stated. Yet, on several occasions, the edition in Churchill +gives a more intelligible account of particulars, and has enabled +us, on these occasions, to restore what Purchas, by careless +abbreviation, had left an obscure and almost unintelligible +jumble of words. The present edition, therefore, is formed upon a +careful collation of these two former, supplying from each what +was defective in the other. On the present occasion, the nautical +and other observations made by Sir Thomas Roe during the voyage +from England to Surat, are omitted, having been already inserted +into the account of that voyage by Captain Peyton.</p> + +<p>It were much to be desired that this first account of the +political intercourse between Britain and Hindoostan could have +been given at full length, more especially as that extensive, +rich, populous, and fertile country is now almost entirely +reduced under the dominion of the British crown; and as Sir +Thomas Roe, even in the garbled state in which we are forced to +present his observations, clearly shews the inherent vices of the +Mogul government, through which it so rapidly fell into anarchy, +and was torn in pieces by its own cumbrous and ill-managed +strength. Perhaps the archives of the East India Company are +still able to supply this deficiency in the history of its +original establishment; and it were surely worthy of the more +than princely grandeur of that great commercial company, to +patronise the publication of a collection of the voyages, +travels, negotiations, and events which have conduced to raise it +to a degree of splendour unexampled in the history of the world. +The importance of this first embassy from Great Britain to the +Great Mogul, and the vast consequences, both commercial and +political, which have since arisen from that early intercourse, +have induced us to give the following additional information +respecting the mission of Sir Thomas Roe, from the Annals of the +East India Company, vol. I. p. 174, <i>et sequ.</i>, which will +in some measure supply the defects in this journal, as published +by Purchas and Churchill.--E.</p> + +<hr align="center" width="25%"> +<p>"The information which the Court [of Committees or Directors +of the East India Company] had received, in the preceding season, +[1613-14] induced them to apply to the king to grant his royal +authority that an ambassador should proceed in his name to the +Great Mogul. King James, in compliance with the wishes of the +Company, on the 14th January, 1614-15, granted his commission to +the celebrated Sir Thomas Roe, "to be ambassador to the Great +Mogul, or king of India," the company agreeing to defray the +expence, in consideration, that, under their exclusive +privileges, they were to acquire such benefits as might result +from this mission.</p> + +<p>"Sir Thomas Roe sailed from England in March 1615, on board +the Lion, Captain Newport, and arrived at Surat, whence he +proceeded to the Mogul's court at Agimere, which he reached in +December, 1615; and on the 10th January, 1616, was presented to +the Mogul as ambassador from the king of England, when he +delivered the king's letter and presents. Of these, an English +coach was the chief article, and with it the Mogul was pleased to +express his satisfaction, and to give the ambassador a gracious +reception. From the company's agents having already been too +profuse in their presents to the ministers and favourites, Sir +Thomas found that the articles which he carried out as presents +were not so highly estimated as he expected; he therefore +informed the court that nothing less than valuable jewels would +be deemed worthy of acceptance; and at the same time he advised +that 'four or five cases of red wine' should be sent as presents +to the king and prince, as, in his own words, 'never were men +more enamoured of that drinke as these two, and which they would +more highly esteem than all the jewels in Chepeside.'</p> + +<p>"In describing his own situation, he stated that the natives +could not comprehend what was meant in Europe by the rank or +quality of an ambassador, and that in future it would be +preferable to employ an agent only, who could bear these affronts +without dishonour, which an ambassador, from, his rank, could not +encounter. He complains also, that, from want of an interpreter, +he had experienced much difficulty in explaining to the Mogul, +and to his ministers, the object of his mission; in particular, +the grievances which the English had suffered from the governor +of Ahmedabad, because the native brokers, whom he was obliged to +employ, were afraid to interpret literally, lest they should +either incur the king's displeasure, or be disgraced by his +ministers. In his application for redress from the governor of +Ahmedabad, he discovered that this officer was supported by +sultan Churrum, the Mogul's eldest-son,[184] and Asaph Khan, the +favourite. By perseverance and firmness, however, the ambassador +at length obtained the relief he solicited.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 184: Sultan Chesuro appears to have been +the eldest son of Jehanguire, but held in confinement for having +endeavoured to supplant his father in the succession, and Churrum +seems only to have been the third son.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>"On the 24th January, 1616, Sir Thomas had a second audience +of the Mogul, at which he complained of the injuries the English +had sustained from the arbitrary conduct of the governor of +Surat, and so effectual were his remonstrances, that this officer +was dismissed. The ambassador then proposed to renew the articles +of the <i>phirmaund</i>, or treaty between the Mogul and the +English nation, and solicited to have the treaty ratified by the +signatures[185] of the Mogul and Sultan Churrum, which being +procured, the treaty was concluded.[186]</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 185: This expression is rather ambiguous, +as the ratifications of such papers in India were by the seals of +the princes, and not what we understand by the term used in the +text--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 186: It has not been thought necessary to +insert the substance of this treaty as contained in the Annals, +as it is given in the Journal.--E.]</blockquote> + +"The dispatches of Sir Thomas, of this year, concluded with +recommending to the company, as a commercial speculation, to send +out annually a large assortment of all kinds of toys, which would +find a ready sale at the great festival of <i>Noroose</i>, [the +new year] in the month of March. + +<p>"In 1616 we discover a jealousy in the factory at Surat, of +Sir Thomas Roe, notwithstanding his efforts and success in +obtaining phirmaunds from the Mogul favourable to the factories +at Surat and Ahmedabad, and in general for the encouragement of +English trade in the Mogul dominions; for the factors represented +to the court that a merchant or agent would be better qualified +for a commercial negociator than a king's ambassador; and, in +support of this opinion, referred to the practice of the king of +Spain, who on no occasion would send an ambassador, but always a +commercial agent; and stated that Sir Thomas Roe, besides, +considered himself to be vested with the exercise of a +controlling power over the commercial speculations of the Surat +factory, and held himself to be better qualified to judge of the +English interests by combining the political relations which he +wished to introduce between the Mogul and the king of England, +than by forwarding any projects for trade which the factory might +devise as applicable to the Mogul dominions.</p> + +<p>"In this year he reported that he had returned thanks to +Sultan Churrum for the protection which he had afforded to the +English in relieving them from the extortions of Zulfeccar Khan, +the late governor of Surat, and had remonstrated against the +partiality which had been shown to the Portuguese; representing +to the Mogul that the king of Portugal had assumed the title of +king of India, and that the Portuguese trade could never be so +beneficial as that of England, as the English annually exported +from India calicoes and indigo to the amount of 50,000 rials. To +strengthen this remonstrance, Sir Thomas offered to pay to the +sultan 12,000 rupees yearly, on condition that the English should +be exempted from the payment of customs at the port of Surat; and +then gave it as his opinion, that the plan of the agency at +Surat, of keeping permanent factories at Surat, and other parts +of the Mogul dominions, ought to be abandoned, as it would be +preferable to make the purchases of goods inland, by the natives, +[particularly the indigo from Agra, and the Bengal goods] who +could obtain them at reasonable rates. But if the court were of +opinion that English factors ought to be stationed at Agra, he +recommended sending the goods in carts rather than on camels. He +concludes this part of his report by advising that agents should +reside at Cambay and Baroach, because the best cloths in India +could be procured at these towns.</p> + +<p>"Though Sir Thomas Roe appears to have procured a phirmaund +through the means of Noor-Mahal, the favourite sultana or +empress, for the general good treatment of the English at Surat, +and had desired that an assortment of English goods, perfumes, +&c. should be forwarded to him as presents to her and to her +brother, Asaph Khan, he yet describes, in 1618, the governor of +Surat as reluctant to shew that favour to the English which the +phirmaund had enjoined. It therefore became a question with him, +as the governor of Surat would not allow the English to +strengthen or fortify their factory for the protection of their +goods and servants, whether it might not be expedient to remove +to some other station, where the means of self-defence might be +more practicable. At one time he thought of Goga, and +subsequently of Scindy; but, after a review of the whole, decided +that it would be more expedient to remain at Surat, though, from +the character of the natives, and the instability of the Mogul +government, all grants of privileges must be considered as +temporary, and any agreement or capitulation which might be +procured, ought not to be depended on as permanent. He concludes, +that, though a general phirmaund for trade in the Mogul dominions +had been obtained, and of course a foundation laid for the +English intercourse with the rich provinces of Bengal, yet the +attempt to enter on that trade would be unwise, from being in the +exclusive possession of the Portuguese.</p> + +<p>"Sir Thomas Roe returned from the embassy to Surat in the +spring of 1618-19, when it appears that the opposition in opinion +between him and the factors at that place had subsided, as the +efforts of both were united to establish a distinct system for +the trade of the English at Surat. It has been already stated +that Sir Thomas Roe had procured a phirmaund to the English from +the Mogul, for the establishment of a general trade in his +extensive dominions, but that the relaxed situation of the +government, which always, under the administration of the Moguls, +preceded an expected succession to the throne, had rendered the +governor of Surat, at this juncture, less obsequious to the +orders of his sovereign than the absolute nature of the +constitution would otherwise have prescribed. Under these +circumstances, and to improve upon the general treaty already +mentioned, Sir Thomas Roe made proposals to Sultan Churrum to +enter into an alliance for resisting the pretensions of the +Portuguese. After long discussions with that prince, this treaty +was concluded, and the following are its leading articles.</p> + +<p>"That the governor of Surat should lend ships to the English, +to be employed in the defence of that port. The English, however, +to be only allowed to land ten armed men at one time; but the +resident merchants to be allowed to wear arms. That the English +should be allowed to build a house in the city, but distant from +the castle.[187] That the governor of Surat should receive the +ambassador and his suite with marks of honour. That the English +should enjoy the free exercise of their religion, and be governed +by their own laws. That in any dispute between the English and +the natives; reference was to be made to the governor and his +officers, who should decide speedily and justly; but disputes +among themselves were to be decided by their own factory. That +liberty of trade was to be allowed the English, in its fullest +extent, on payment of the usual duties on landing the goods, from +which pearls, jewels, &c. were to be exempted. That freedom +of speech was to be allowed to the English linguists and brokers, +in all matters regarding the trade of their employers. And, +lastly, That all presents intended for the court were to be +opened and examined at the customhouse of Surat, and then sealed +and given back to the English, and to pass duty-free; but, in +case these presents were not made, then these articles were to +become liable to pay duty.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 187: Though not so expressed in the Annals, +this appears to have been a <i>fortified</i> house; as, on an +occasion, when Surat was taken and plundered by an armed force +belonging to Sevagee, the first sovereign of the Mahrattas, the +English were able to defend their factory from +injury.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>"During his residence in India, Sir Thomas Roe had likewise +used his best endeavours to promote the trade of the English with +the ports of Persia, in which considerable opposition was +experienced from the Portuguese, who tried every expedient to +engross the Persian trade to themselves, and to exclude the +English from any participation. In this opposition Sir Robert +Shirley had been implicated, who had gone to Europe in 1615, on a +mission from the king of Persia, to form a contract with the king +of Spain, then sovereign of Portugal, not only to sell to his +subjects the whole of the Persian silk, but to grant them licence +to fortify the sea-ports of Persia for the protection of their +shipping and factories. Mr Connock, the English agent in Persia, +under these circumstances, recommended the necessity of applying +to king James, and submitting to his consideration the danger of +allowing the Portuguese to enjoy the exclusive possession of that +trade, which would render them the most powerful European nation +in the East Indies. In the mean time, he represented to the king +of Persia the necessity of seizing the island of Ormus from the +Portuguese, under the protection of which the Persian dominions +could be supplied by the English with all kinds of Indian +commodities.</p> + +<p>"In this critical situation of the company's agents at +Ispahan, an ambassador arrived from the king of Spain, in June +1617, authorised to adjust and settle the contract which Sir +Robert Shirley had projected. The English agent, in consequence, +urged the factory at Surat to dispatch the whole of the company's +ships to Jasques for the defence of that port, as the Portuguese +fleet had rendezvoused at Muscat, and had determined to blockade +the passage into the Persian gulf against the English trade. +These events induced Sir Thomas Roe to grant a commission, and to +give instructions to the company's agent at Ispahan, authorising +him to treat with the king of Persia, in the name of the king of +England.</p> + +<p>"In 1618, Captain Shillings, of the company's ship Ann, went +to Mokha, and obtained a phirmaund from the governor, by which +the English were allowed free trade, and protection to their +persons and property, on condition of paying three per cent. on +merchandize, and three per cent. on the prices of all goods +exported by them from Mokha. On receiving information of this +event, Sir Thomas Roe addressed a letter to the governor of +Mokha, requesting that these privileges might be confirmed by the +Grand Signior, and promising, on the part of the English, that +all kinds of European goods should be regularly brought to Mokha, +and that the English should defend that port against all enemies, +and particularly against the Portuguese.</p> + +<p>"This appears to have been the last transaction of Sir Thomas +Roe in the East Indies. In his voyage home he touched at Saldanha +bay [Table bay] in May, 1619, where he met, and held a conference +with the Dutch admiral Hoffman, who commanded the outward-bound +fleet from Holland of that season. From this officer he learned +that the respective governments in Europe, alarmed at the +commercial jealousies and animosities between their subjects in +the East Indies, had appointed commissioners to take that subject +into consideration. It was therefore, with a becoming sense of +duty, agreed between them that each should address a letter to +the chiefs of their respective factories in India, recommending +to them to abstain from any opposition or violence against each +other, till each had received specific instructions from their +superiors, or should be informed of the result of the conferences +between the commissioners of the two nations in Europe."</p> + +<p>S.1. <i>Journey from Surat to the Court of the Mogul, and +Entertainment there, with some Account of the Customs of the +Country</i>.</p> + +<p>I landed at Surat on the 26th September, 1615, and was +received in an open tent by the chief officers of the town, well +attended. On this occasion I was accompanied by the general, and +principal merchants, Captain Harris being sent to make me a court +of guard with an hundred shot, and the ships, all dressed out to +the best advantage, saluted me with their ordnance as I passed. +There was much controversy about searching my servants, but at +length they passed free to the city, where we had a house +provided for us. We continued there to the 30th October, +suffering much vexation from the governor, who forcibly caused +search many of our chests and trunks, taking away what he thought +fit.</p> + +<p>The 30th October I departed from Surat, and that day travelled +only four coss to <i>Sumaria</i>.[188] The 1st November I went +eleven miles to a village. The 2d, to <i>Biarat</i>, twenty-one +miles, where there is a castle, this town being on the borders of +the kingdom of Guzerat, subject to the Mogul, and belonging to +<i>Abraham Khan</i>. The 3d I entered the kingdom of <i>Pardaff +shah</i>,[189] a pagan lord of the hills, who is subject to +nobody; and at the end of fifteen miles we lodged in the fields, +beside a city of note, called <i>Mugher</i>. The 4th we travelled +nine miles by a rocky way, and lay in the fields, beside a +village called Narampore. The 5th, fifteen miles, and lay in the +fields. The 6th, twenty miles, to a city called <i>Nundabar</i>, +in the kingdom of <i>Brampore</i>, [Burhanpoor] which is subject +to the Mogul. At this place we first procured bread, after +leaving Surat, as the Banians, who inhabit all the country +through which we had travelled, make only cakes instead of bread. +The country peculiarly abounds in cattle, as the Banians never +kill any, neither do they sell any for being slaughtered. One day +I met at least 10,000 bullocks loaded with grain, in one drove, +and most other days I saw smaller parcels.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 188: In this journal the names of places +are exceedingly corrupted, and often unintelligible. Such as +admitted of being corrected, from the excellent map of +Hindoostan, by Arrowsmith, have their proper names placed within +brackets.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 189: In the miserable map of Hindoostan, +accompanying this journal in the Pilgrims, this prince is called +Partap-sha.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The 7th we went eighteen miles to <i>Ningull</i>. The 8th, +fifteen to <i>Sinchelly</i>, [Sindkera.] The 9th, other fifteen +to <i>Tolmere</i>, [Talnere.] And the 10th, eighteen to +<i>Chapre</i>, [Choprah] where we pitched our tents without the +town, and the king's officers guarded us all night with thirty +horse and twenty shot, for fear of out being attacked by robbers +from the mountains, as I refused to remove into the town. The +11th we travelled eighteen miles, eighteen on the 12th, and +fifteen on the 13th, which brought us to <i>Brampore</i>, +[Burhanpoor] which I guessed to be 223 miles east from +Surat.[190] The country is miserable and barren, the towns and +villages only built of mud. At <i>Bartharpore</i>,[191] a village +two miles short of Burhanpoor, I saw some of the Mogul ordnance, +most of which is too short, and too open in the bore. On coming +to Burhanpoor, the <i>cutwall</i> met me, well attended, having +sixteen stand of colours carried before him, and conducted me to +a <i>serai</i> appointed for my lodging. He took leave of me at +the gate, which had a handsome stone front; but, when in, I had +four chambers allotted for me, no bigger than ovens, with vaulted +roofs and bare brick walls, so that I chose to lodge in my tent. +I sent word to the cutwall, threatening to leave the town, as I +scorned such mean usage, but he desired me to be content till +morning, as this was the best lodging in the city, which I +afterwards found to be the case, as it consists entirely of mud +cottages, excepting the houses inhabited by <i>Sultan Parvis</i>, +the Mogul's second son, that of <i>Khan Khanan</i>, and a few +others. Sultan Parvis here represents the king his father, living +in great state and magnificence, but Khan Khanan, who is the +greatest subject of the empire, is at the head of a large army, +in which are 40,000 horse, and governs every thing, the prince +only having the name and pomp allowed him.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 190: The particulars of the journey in the +text amount to 214 miles.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 191: Perhaps Babaderpore, but it is twelve +or fifteen miles short of Burhanpoor.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>On the 18th, both to satisfy the prince who desired it, and +whom I was not willing to displease, and to see the fashions of +the court, and because it was proposed to establish a factory +here, where sword-blades were in great request for the army, and +sold well, I went to visit the prince, to whom, I carried a +present. I was conducted by the cutwall, and in the outer court +of the palace I found about an hundred horsemen under arms, who +formed a line on each side, being all gentlemen waiting to salute +the prince on his coming forth. In the inner court the prince sat +in a high gallery encircling the court, having a canopy over +head, and a carpet spread before him, appearing in much, yet +barbarous state. Going towards him through a lane of people, an +officer came and told me that I must touch the ground with my +head, and with my hat off. I answered, that I came to do the +prince honour by visiting him, and was not to be subjected to the +custom of slaves. So I walked on till I came to a place railed +in, just under where he sat, where there was an ascent of three +steps; and having there made him a reverence, to which he +answered by bending his body, I went within the rails, where +stood all the great men then in the town, holding their hands +before them like slaves. This place, as mentioned before, was +covered over head by a rich canopy, and all the floor was spread +with carpets. It resembled a large stage, and the prince sat on +high, like a mock king in a theatre.</p> + +<p>On entering, as I had no place assigned me, I went right +forwards, and stood before him at the bottom of the three steps, +on which stood his secretary, readily to convey to him any thing +that is said or given. I told him that I was ambassador from the +king of England to his father; and, while passing his residence, +I could not but in honour visit his highness. He answered that I +was welcome, and asked me many questions about the king my +master, to which I gave fit answers. While standing in that +manner at the foot of the steps, I asked leave to come up and +stand beside him; but he said, even if the king of Persia, or +Grand Turk, were there, such a thing could not be allowed. To +this I replied, that I must be excused for believing he would, in +such a case, come down and meet them at his gate; and that I +required no higher privilege than was allowed to the ambassadors +of these sovereigns, with whom I considered myself entirely +equal. He declared I should have that privilege in all things. I +then demanded to have a chair, to which it was answered, that no +person was ever allowed to sit in that place, but I was desired +to lean against a pillar covered over with silver, which +supported the canopy. I then requested his favour for an English +factory to be established at Burhanpoor, which readily granted, +and gave immediate orders to the <i>Buksh</i> to draw up a +<i>firmaun</i>, license, for their coming and residence. I also +requested an order for carriages for conveying the presents for +the king his father, which he gave in charge to the cutwall to +see provided. I then made him a present, which he took in good +part. After some other conference, he said, though I might not +come up to where he then sat, he would go to another place, where +I might come to him with less ceremony. But one part of the +present I made him happened to be a case of cordials, of which he +tasted so freely by the way, that, after waiting some time, I +heard he had made himself drunk, and one of his officers came to +me with an excuse, desiring me to go home then, and come some +other time to see him. But that very night I was taken ill of a +fever.</p> + +<p>The 27th of November, though, still sick, I was carried, from +Burhanpoor three coss to <i>Raypora</i>; the 28th, fifteen c. to +<i>Burgome</i>, [Burgaw]; the 30th, seven c. December the 1st, +ten c. to <i>Bicangome</i>; the 2d, seven c. the 3d, five c. the +4th, eleven c. to <i>Ekbarpoor</i>, which stands on a good river, +[the Nerbudda] which runs into the sea near <i>Buroach</i>. The +5th, I passed the river <i>Nerbuddah</i>. The 6th, I travelled +eight c. and lay in a wood, not far from the king's famous castle +of <i>Mandoa</i>, [Mundu] which stands on a steep hill, of great +extent, the walls being fourteen c. in circuit, this castle being +of wonderous extent and great beauty. The 7th, I proceeded ten c. +the 8th, eight c. the 9th, ten c. the 10th, twelve c. the 11th, +sixteen c. the 12th, fourteen c. the 13th, six c. the 14th we +halted to take rest. The 15th, six c. the 16th, six c. the 17th, +twelve c. the 18th, five c. when we arrived at <i>Cytor</i>, +where I was met by Mr Edwards accompanied by Thomas Coryat, who +had travelled to India on foot.</p> + +<p><i>Cytor</i>, [Chitore] is an ancient town in ruins, situated +on a hill, but shews the remains of wonderful magnificence. There +are still standing above an hundred temples, all of carved stone, +with many fair towers and domes, supported by many enriched +pillars, and innumerable houses, but not a single inhabitant. The +hill, or rock rather, is precipitous on all sides, having but one +ascent cut out of the rock in a regular slope; in which ascent +there are four several gates before reaching the gate of the +city, which last is extremely magnificent. The top of the hill, +about eight coss in circuit, is inclosed all round with walls, +and at the S.W. end, is a goodly old castle. I lodged close by a +poor village at the foot of the hill.</p> + +<p>This city stands in the country of the <i>Rama</i>,[192] a +prince newly subdued by the Mogul, or rather brought to submit to +pay tribute and acknowledge subjection; and <i>Cytor</i> was +reduced by <i>Akbar Shah</i>, the father of <i>Shah +Jehan-Guire</i>, the present king of the Moguls. This Hindoo raja +is lineally descended from <i>Porus</i>, the valiant Indian +sovereign who was conquered by Alexander the Great; so that I +suppose this city to have been one of the ancient seats of Porus, +though Delly, much farther north, is reported to have been the +chiefest, a famous place, though now only in ruins. Near that +stands a pillar erected by Alexander the Conqueror, with a Greek +inscription. The present Mogul and his ancestors, descendants of +Tamerlane, have reduced all the ancient cities to ruin, +dispeopling them and forbidding their restoration; I know not +wherefore, unless that they would have no monuments of greatness +remain, beyond their own commencement, as if they and the world +were co-equals in antiquity.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 192: This is probably an error of the press +in the Pilgrims for the <i>Ranna</i>.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The 19th I proceeded twelve c. on my journey; the 20th ten c. +the 21st ten c. the 22d nine c. the 23d ten c. and arrived at +<i>Ajimere</i>. The first six days journeys from Burhanpoor +towards Ajimere were west, or northwest, to get round the hills; +but after that northwards, so that these two places bear nearly +N. by W. and S. by E. from each other: the whole distance being +209 cosses,[193] which I judge to be 418 English miles; the +cosses here being longer than near the sea.[194] On my arrival at +Ajimere I was so ill as to keep my bed; but on the 10th January, +1616, at four in the afternoon, I went to the <i>Durbar</i>, +which is the place where the Mogul sits in public daily to +entertain strangers, to receive petitions and presents, to issue +commands, and to see and be seen. Before proceeding to give an +account of my reception, it may be proper to digress a little, +that I may give some account of the customs of the court.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 193: The particulars in the text only +amount to 200 cosses; but the extent of one day's journey is +omitted, which may explain the difference.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 194: The coss at Surat is repeatedly +explained, in Purchas and Churchill, to be 1-1/2 English mile, +while that of Hindoostan Proper is rated at two +miles.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>No men, except eunuchs, are permitted to come within the +private lodgings or retiring rooms of the royal palace, within +which his women keep guard with warlike weapons, and there +likewise they execute justice upon each other for offences. Every +morning, the Mogul comes to a window, called the +<i>jarneo</i>,[195] which looks into the plain or open space +before the palace-gate, where he shews himself to the common +people. At noon he returns to the same place, where he sits some +hours, amusing himself with seeing fights of elephants and other +wild beasts, the men of rank then at court attending below within +a railed space. He then retires to sleep within the female +apartments. In the afternoon he comes to the before-mentioned +Durbar. At eight in the evening, after supper, he comes down to a +fair court, called the <i>guzalcan</i>, in the midst of which is +a throne of freestone, on which he sits, yet sometimes below in a +chair of state, at which time only men of high quality are +admitted into the presence, and even of these only a few have +that privilege, unless by special leave. He here discourses very +affably on all subjects with those around him. No business is +transacted with him, concerning affairs of state and government, +or respecting war and peace, but at one or other of these two +last-mentioned places, where, after being publicly propounded and +resolved upon, it is registered by attendant secretaries, and any +one, who has the curiosity, may see the register for two +shillings; insomuch that the common people know as much of the +affairs of state as the ministers and counsellors of the king, +and every day the king's acts and resolutions are circulated as +news, and are freely canvassed and censured by every rascal. This +course of proceeding is unchangeable, except when prevented by +the sickness of the king, or in consequence of his getting drunk, +which must always be known. Thus, though all his subjects are +slaves, he lives in a state of reciprocal bondage, being so tied +to the observance of these hours and customs, that if he were +unseen one day, and no sufficient excuse given, the people would +mutiny; and no excuse will sanction his absence for two days, +unless the gates are opened, and he be seen by some for the +satisfaction of the rest. Every Tuesday, he sits in judgement at +the <i>jarneo</i>,[196] where he attends to the complaints of his +meanest subjects, listening patiently to both parties; and where +likewise he sometimes sees, with too much delight in blood, +execution performed on offenders by his elephants. <i>Illi +meruere, sed quid tu ut adesses</i>?</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 195: in subsequent passages, this is called +the Jarruco.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>Before going to the durbar, I had required to be allowed the +customs of my own country, which were freely granted. At the +durbar, I was led directly before the king, at the entrance of an +outer rail, where two noble slaves came to conduct me nearer. On +entering the outer rail, I made a profound reverence, at my entry +within an interior rail I made a second reverence, and a third +when I came directly under where the king sat. The place in which +the durbar is held is a great court, to which all sorts of people +resort. The king sits in a small raised gallery; ambassadors, +great men belonging to the court, and strangers of quality, are +within the innermost rail directly under him, that space being +raised from the ground, covered overhead with canopies of silk +and velvet, and laid underfoot with good carpets. The meaner men, +representing what we would call gentry, are within the outer +rail; the common people being on the outside of all, in a base +court, so that all may see the king. The whole of this +disposition hath much resemblance to theatrical representation. +The king sitting as in a gallery, the great men raised as actors +on a stage, and the vulgar below in a pit gazing at the show. The +king, on my presentation, interrupted the dull formality of my +interpreter, bidding me welcome to the brother of the king my +master. I then delivered a translation of the king's letter, and +then my commission, on both of which he looked curiously; and +afterwards on my presents, which were well received. He asked +some questions; and, with a seeming regard for my health, offered +to send me his own physicians, advising me to keep the house till +I recovered strength, and that I should freely send to him in the +meantime for any thing I needed, with assurance that I should +have whatever I desired. He dismissed me with more signs of grace +and favour, if I were not flattered by the Christians, than ever +were shewn to any ambassador from the Turks or Persians or any +other nation.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 196: This place, formerly described as a +window looking to the esplanade in front of the palace, called +<i>jarneo</i> in Purchas, is called <i>jarruco</i> in +Churchill.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>On the 14th I sent to offer a visit to Sultan +<i>Churrum</i>,[197] the third son of the Great Mogul, but first +in favour. Hearing that he was an enemy to all Christians, I +therefore feared some affront; yet he sent me word that I should +be received with all due respect, and should have as much content +as I had already from his father. This prince is lord of Surat, +our chief residence in the empire, and his favour, therefore, was +important for our affairs. I went accordingly to visit him on the +22d at nine in the morning, at which time he sits in public, in +the same manner as his father, to dispatch his business, and to +be seen of his followers. His character was represented to me as +naturally proud, so that I was in some fear for my reception; +but, on hearing of my arrival, instead of coming out to his +public durbar, he sent one of his principal officers to conduct +me into a good inner room, never before done to any one. The +officer here entertained me with discourse concerning my mission +for half an hour, till the prince was ready; who now came forth +and used me better than his promise. I delivered him a present, +but not in the name of his majesty, as it was too mean for that +purpose; but excused the omission, by saying, That my sovereign +could not know of his being lord of Surat, which had been so +lately conferred upon him; but I had no doubt the king of England +would afterwards send him one more suited to his high rank, the +one now presented being only sent by the English merchants, who +humbly commended themselves to his favour and protection. He +received all in very good part. After stating some grievances and +injuries suffered by the English at Surat, from his governors, +and of which I had forborne to complain to the king from respect +to him, he promised me speedy and effectual justice, and to +confirm our security in any way I might propose. He professed to +be entirely ignorant of any past transactions there, as stated by +me, except as informed by Asaph Khan; and especially denied +having given any order for our dismissal, which the governor had +falsely alleged, and for which he should dearly pay. He then +dismissed me, full of hopes to have our decayed state and +reputation rectified, making me a promise of an effectual firmaun +for our trade and secure residence at Surat.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 197: In the Pilgrims, this prince is +uniformly named Corone; but the name in the text has been adopted +from the authority of Dow's History of Hindoostan. He succeeded +to his father in 1627, when he assumed the name of Shah Jehan; +and was, in 1659, dethroned and imprisoned, by his third son, the +celebrated Aurungzebe, who assumed the name of +Alumguire.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The 24th, I went again to the royal durbar to visit the king; +who, on seeing me far off, beckoned with his hand, that I should +not wait the ceremony of asking leave, but come up to him +directly, and assigned me a place near himself, above all other +men, which I afterwards thought fit to maintain. On this occasion +I gave a small present; as it is the custom for all who have any +business to give something, and those who cannot get near enough +to speak, send in or hold up their gift, which he always accepts, +be it only a rupee, and demands to know their business. He held +the same course with me; for having looked curiously at my +present, and asked many questions respecting it, he demanded to +know what I wanted of him. I answered that I wanted justice. For, +on the assurance of his firmaun, which had been sent to England, +the king my master had not only given leave to his subjects to +make a long and dangerous voyage to his dominions with their +goods, but had deputed me, as his ambassador and representative, +to congratulate and compliment his majesty on the amity so +happily commenced between two so mighty nations, and to confirm +the same. Yet I found that the English, who were settled at +Ahmedabad, were injured and oppressed by the governor in their +persons and goods, being fined, subjected to arbitrary exactions, +and kept as prisoners; while at every town new customs were +demanded for their goods on their passage to the port, contrary +to all justice, and in direct contravention of the formerly +conceded articles of trade, as contained in his majesty's +firmaun. To this he answered, that he was sorry to hear of such +things, which should be immediately rectified; and he gave orders +for two firmauns to be immediately extended according to my +desire. By one of these, the governor of Ahmedabad was commanded +to restore the money he had exacted from Mr Kerridge, and to use +the English in future with all favour. By the other, all customs +required on any pretence by the way were abolished, and all such +as had been taken was ordered to be restored. Finally, he desired +me, if these gave not speedy and effectual remedy, that I should +renew my complaint against the disobeyer, who should be sent for +to answer for his conduct; and so dismissed me.</p> + +<p>The 1st of March, I rode out to see a pleasure-house belonging +to the king, two miles from Agimere, which had been given him by +Asaph Khan. It was situated between two vast rocks, by which it +was so sheltered that scarcely could the sun be any where seen. +The foundations and some rooms were hewn out of the solid rock, +the rest being built of freestone. Close adjoining was a handsome +small garden, with fine fountains, with two great <i>tanks</i> or +ponds of water, one being thirty steps higher than the other. The +way to this retreat is so narrow that only two persons could go +abreast, and is almost inaccessible, being very steep and stony. +It is a place of much melancholy, yet of great security and +delight, abounding in peacocks, turtle-doves, wild fowl, and +monkies, which inhabit the rocks impending on every side +around.</p> + +<p>The 2d of March began the feast of <i>Norsose</i> in the +evening. This is the festival of the new year, the ceremonies of +which begin on the first new moon after, which this year fell +together. It is kept in imitation of the Persian feast of that +cause, signifying in that language <i>nine days</i>, as anciently +it continued only for that number; but these are now doubled. On +this occasion, a throne is erected about four feet high in the +<i>durbar court</i>; from the back of which, to the place where +the king comes out from the inner apartments, a space of +fifty-six paces long by forty-three broad is railed in, and +covered over by <i>semianes</i>, or canopies, of cloth of gold, +velvet, and rich silk, all joined over head, and held up by canes +covered with similar stuffs. At the upper or west end, were set +out the pictures of the king of England, the queen, the Princess +Elizabeth, the Countesses of Somerset and Salisbury, and of a +citizen's wife of London. Below, there was a picture of Sir +Thomas Smith, governor of the East India Company. The whole floor +was laid with rich Persian carpets of large size, and into this +place come all the great men to wait upon the king, except a few, +who were within a smaller railed space, right before the throne, +appointed to receive his commands. Within this square there were +set out many small houses, one of which was of silver, and other +curiosities of value. On the left side, Sultan Churrum had a +pavilion, the supporters of which were covered with silver, as +were also some others of those near the king's throne. This was +of wood and of a square form, inlaid with mother of pearl, +resting on four pillars covered with cloth of gold; and overhead +was a fringed drapery like a vallence of network, all of real +pearls, whence hung down pomegranates, apples, and pears, and +other fruits, all of gold, but hollow. Within that pavilion, the +king sat on cushions, very rich in pearls and other jewels. All +round the court before the throne, the principal men had tents or +pavilions, mostly lined with velvet, damask, and taffety, and +some few with cloth of gold, in which they were stationed, making +shew of their wealth. Anciently, the kings used to go to every +tent, taking away whatever pleased him best: But now the custom +is changed, as the king remains on his throne, and receives there +such new-year's-gifts as are brought to him. He makes his +appearance every day, and retires at the usual hours of the +durbar; and in the interval all sorts of great gifts are made to +him, which are very great and almost incredible, though not equal +to report. At the close of this feast, in recompence for these +gifts, the king advances some of his courtiers, making additions +to their charges of horse, according to his pleasure.</p> + +<p>On the 12th[198] I went to visit the king, and was brought +immediately before him to deliver my present, which gave him much +satisfaction. He then appointed me to come within the rail, that +I might stand beside him; but not being allowed to step up on the +raised platform on which the throne was placed, I could see +little, as the railing was high, and covered with carpets. But I +had permission to view the inner room at leisure, which, I must +confess, was very rich; but consisted of so many articles, all +unsuitable to each other, that it seemed patched work, rather +than magnificent, as if it aimed to shew all; as if a lady, among +her plate on a magnificent cupboard, should exhibit her +embroidered slippers. This evening, the son of the Raima, the new +tributary formerly mentioned, was brought before the king, with +much ceremony, being sent by his father with a present. After +kneeling three times, and knocking his forehead on the ground, he +was brought within the inner rail, when the king embraced his +head. His gift was an Indian tray or voider full of silver, upon +which was a carved silver dish full of gold. He was then +conducted to pay his respects to the prince. This evening, some +elephants were shewn, and some music girls sang and +danced.--<i>Sic transit gloria mundi</i>.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 198: It may be proper to observe, that +Churchill's edition gives the commencement of this festival on +the 11th, and says Sir Thomas went to the durbar next +day.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The 13th at night, I went again to wait upon the king at the +<i>Guzalcan</i>, at which is the best opportunity for transacting +business, and took with me my Italian interpreter, determined to +walk no longer in darkness, but to prove the king, as I had +hitherto been delayed and refused on all hands. I was sent for +in, along with my old broker, but my Italian was kept out, +because Asaph Khan mistrusted I might say more than he was +willing should come to the king's ears. On coming to the king, he +appointed me a place to stand just before him, and sent to ask me +many questions respecting the king of England, and about the +present I had made him the day before. To some of these I made +answers; but I at length said, that my interpreter was kept out, +and as I could not speak Portuguese, I wanted the means of +satisfying his majesty. On this, though much against the wish or +Asaph Khan, my Italian interpreter was called in. I then made him +tell the king that I requested leave to speak to him, to which he +answered, willingly. On this, the son-in-law of Asaph Khan pulled +away my interpreter by force, and that faction so hemmed in the +king, by gathering round him, that I could scarcely see his +majesty, nor could my Italian approach. Upon this, I ordered the +Italian to speak aloud, that I craved audience of the king; who +immediately called me before him, and the others made way. Asaph +Khan stood on one side of my interpreter, and I on the other: I +to inform him what to say, and the other to awe him by winks and +signs.</p> + +<p>I desired him to say, that I had now been two months at court, +one of which I had spent in sickness and the other in +compliments, and had effected nothing of all on which I had been +sent by the king my master; which was to conclude a firm and +lasting treaty of peace and amity between the two sovereigns, and +to establish a fair and secure trade and residence for my +countrymen in his majesty's dominions. He answered that this was +already granted. I replied, it was so; but that it still depended +upon so slender a thread, and such weak conditions, as to be very +uncertain in its continuance. That an affair of so high +importance required an agreement dear and explicit in all points, +and a more formal and authentic confirmation than it now had, by +ordinary firmauns, which were merely temporary commands, and +respected accordingly. He asked me what presents we would bring +him? To which I answered, the league was yet new and weak; that +many curiosities were to be found in our country, of rare value, +which the king of England would send; and that our merchants +would search for such things in all parts of the world, if they +were made sure of a quiet trade and secure protection on +honourable conditions, having been hitherto subjected to manifold +wrongs. He asked me what kind of curiosities I meant, and whether +these were jewels or precious stones? To this I answered, that we +did not deem such things fit to be sent back from Europe to +India, of which he was the principal sovereign, as they were +common here in India, and of much higher price with us in Europe: +But that we would endeavour to find such things for his majesty +as were rare and uncommon in his dominions; such as excellent +specimens of painting, carving, enamelling, figures in brass, +copper, and stone, rich embroideries, stuffs of gold and silver, +and the like.</p> + +<p>The king said that these things were all very well, but that +he wished to have an English horse. I answered, that this was +utterly impossible by sea, and that the Turks would not allow of +any being sent by land. In reply, he said he thought it not +impossible by sea; and, when I represented the dangers from +storms, he said if six were sent in one ship, one of them surely +might live, and though it came lean, it might be here made fat. I +then told him, I feared it could not be done by so long a voyage; +yet, for his majesty's satisfaction, I should give due notice of +his desire.</p> + +<p>He then asked to know what were my demands? I answered, That +his majesty would be pleased to sanction by his royal signature, +certain reasonable conditions which I should propound, in +confirmation of a league of peace and amity, and for the security +of our nation in their residence and trade in his dominions; as +they had hitherto been often wronged, and could not continue on +their present terms, of which I forbore to make any specific +complaint, because I hoped to procure amendment from his majesty. +At these words, Asaph Khan offered to pull away my interpreter, +but I held him fast, while Asaph Khan continued to make signs to +him not to interpret my words. On this the king became suddenly +very angry, pressing to know who had wronged us, and seemed in +such fury, that I was unwilling to follow it out, and spoke in +broken Spanish to my interpreter, desiring him to say, That I +would not trouble his majesty with what was past, but would seek +justice of the prince his son, whose favour I doubted not to +obtain. Not attending to what my interpreter said, but hearing +the name of his son, the king mistakingly conceived I accused +him; and hastily saying <i>mio filio! mio filio</i>! he called +for the prince, who came in great fear, humbling himself. Asaph +Khan trembled, and all those present were amazed.</p> + +<p>He chid the prince roundly, and he excused himself. But as I +perceived the king's error, I made both the king and prince +understand the mistake, by means of a Persian prince who offered +himself as interpreter, as my Italian understood Turkish better +than Persian. By this means I appeased the king, saying that I in +no respect accused the prince, but wished to inform his majesty +that I should appeal to the prince's justice, in regard to the +past wrongs our nation had suffered in those places which were +under his government. The king then commanded the prince, that he +should give as effective justice. In his justification, the +prince said that he had already offered me a firmaun, which I had +refused. The king asked me the reason of this. To which I +answered, that I humbly thanked the prince, but he knew that it +contained a condition I could not accept; and besides, that I +wished to propound our own demands, in which I would insert all +the desires of the king my master at once, that I might not daily +trouble his majesty and the prince with complaints. And, when the +conditions on both sides were mutually agreed upon, I would +reciprocally bind my sovereign, to mutual offices of friendship, +and to such reasonable conditions for the benefit of his +majesty's subjects as he might propose: All of which being drawn +up in tripartite, I hoped his majesty would graciously sign one, +his son the prince another, and I would confirm the third in the +name of my sovereign, in virtue of my commission.</p> + +<p>The king pressed to know what was the condition in the +prince's firmaun which I had refused, which I stated. So we fell +into earnest dispute before the king, with some heat. Mukrob Khan +interposed, saying he was advocate for the Portuguese, and spoke +slightingly of us, alleging that the king ought to grant no +articles to us that were unfavourable for them. I answered, that +I did not propose any against them, but only in our own just +defence, and that I had not conceived he was so great a friend to +the Portuguese. On this the jesuit and all the Portuguese faction +struck in, so that I explained myself fully concerning them; and +as I offered a conditional peace, so I valued the friendship of +the Portuguese at a very low rate, and their enmity at a still +lower. After some time, having explained my demands, the king +said my proposals were just and my resolution noble, and bade me +clearly propound the conditions I desired. Asaph Khan, who had +stood silent during all this debate, and who now wished to end +it, as we were warm, now interposed, saying, If we talked all +night, it could only come to this at last, that I should draw my +demands in writing and present them; which, if found reasonable, +would be granted by the king. The king said he certainly would do +so; and at my request the prince engaged to do so likewise. The +king then rose to go away, but on my request he turned round, and +I desired my interpreter to say, That I came the day before to +see his majesty and his greatness, and the ceremonies of the +feast, on which occasion I was placed behind him, in an +honourable place certainly, but where I could not see around; and +therefore humbly requested his majesty would be pleased to let me +stand on the platform beside his throne. In answer to this, he +commanded Asaph Khan to let me choose my own place in future.</p> + +<p>In the morning of the 14th, I sent a messenger to Asaph Khan, +lest he or the prince might have misunderstood me, by reason of +the king's mistake, and had supposed I had complained against +either of them, which I did not, neither did I so intend; yet I +was willing to let them see that I did not entirely depend upon +Asaph Khan, by whom I had hitherto done my business with the +king; but, if he should continue his manner of only delivering to +the king what he himself pleased, and not what I said, I would +find another way. My message was intended to clear up any such +doubts, if they remained, and to entreat he would move the prince +to favour my demands respecting our residence and trade at Surat. +His answer was, that neither the prince nor he had any reason to +suspect I intended to complain against them, the error being +sufficiently obvious; and that, for his part, he had ever been +disposed to favour the English, and would so continue.</p> + +<p>The 15th I went again in the evening to see the ceremonies of +the <i>Norose</i>; and according to the Mogul's order, I chose my +place of standing on his right hand, and on the raised platform, +the prince and the son of the Ranna standing on the other side. I +here had a full view of every thing that was to be seen; viz. the +presents, and the exhibition of the elephants, horses, and +dancing girls.</p> + +<p>The 23d, the Mogul condemned one of his own nation on +suspicion of felony; but as he was one of the handsomest men in +India, and the proof was not very clear against him, instead of +condemning him to death, he sent him in irons to me as a slave, +to be disposed of as I pleased. This was looked upon as a great +favour, and I accordingly returned thanks; yet added, that we had +no slaves in England, not thinking it lawful to make the image of +God like unto a beast, but that I should employ him as a servant, +and should restore him to liberty if he behaved well. The king +was well pleased with this message.</p> + +<p>I went to the <i>Guzalcan</i> on the 26th, and it delivered in +the articles which I had drawn up, which were referred to Asaph +Khan for his consideration and report. Some time after, Asaph +Khan sent a message, desiring me to remove from the place I +occupied near the king, because I stood alone, which was not the +custom. I refused at the first; but, as he still insisted I +should rank myself among the nobles, I removed to the other side, +where the prince and young Ranna were. This still more displeased +Asaph Khan, who persuaded the prince to complain of me to the +king, which he did. On hearing their complaint and my answer, +that I had changed my place by order of Asaph Khan, the Mogul +said I had done well, and they were wrong to pretend to displace +me. So I kept my place in quiet. The following is the substance +of the articles delivered to the Great Mogul, which were delayed +and opposed: But the conclusion respecting them will be seen +hereafter.</p> + +<p><i>Proposed Articles of Treaty, between the Great Mogul and +the King of Great Britain</i>.</p> + +<p>1. There shall be perpetual peace and amity between the king +of Great Britain and his majesty the emperor of India.--2. The +subjects of England shall have free trade in all the ports of +India.--3. The governors of all sea ports shall make public +proclamation of this agreement three several times, upon the +arrival of any English ships.--4. The English merchants and their +servants, shall not be liable to search, or to any ill usage.--5. +No presents sent to the Mogul shall be opened.--6. The goods +belonging to the English shall not be stopped more than +twenty-four-hours at the custom-houses; where they shall only be +sealed, and sent to the house or factory of the merchants, to be +there opened and rated within six days afterwards.--7. No +governor shall take any goods by force, nor unless upon payment +at the owner's price; neither shall any be taken away under +pretence of being for the king's service.--8. The English +merchants shall not be hindered from selling their goods to whom +they please, nor from sending them to other factories; neither +shall they pay any more in this case than has been already paid +at the port of entry.--9. Whatever goods the English may purchase +in any part of the dominions of the Mogul, shall be allowed to be +transmitted to the ports, without any hindrance or molestation, +and shall pay no other duty than may be agreed upon at the port +of shipping.--10. No goods already entered at a port shall be +again opened, the English shewing a certificate of their numbers, +qualities, and conditions, from the governor or other proper +officers of the place where they were purchased.--11. No +confiscation shall be made of the goods or money belonging to any +of the English who may die in India.--12. No duties shall be +demanded for provisions, purchased during the stay of English +ships at any of the ports.--13. The servants of the English +merchants, whether English or natives, shall not be punished or +beaten for doing their duty.--14. The Mogul shall cause any +governor or officer to be punished for the breach of any of these +articles.--15. The English ships shall permit all others to pass +and repass freely, to and from the ports in the dominions of the +Mogul, except those of their enemies with whom they are at war: +And the English, while ashore, shall conduct themselves quietly +and peaceably, as merchants.--16. The English shall yearly +furnish the Mogul with all such European rarities, and other +things, as he may desire, and at reasonable rates.--17. The +English shall pay duty on their commodities, reasonably rated, at +three and a half per cent. and two per cent. on rials of eight or +money, and shall not be liable to any other duty or exaction +whatsoever.--18. The English shall be ready to assist the Great +Mogul against all his enemies. And, lastly, The Portuguese shall +be admitted to come into this peace within six months; or, if +they refuse, the English shall be at liberty to exercise all +hostilities against them.</p> + +<p>On the 31st of March, the Great Mogul dined at the house of +Asaph Khan, all the way from the palace, which was an English +mile, being laid under foot with silks and velvet sewed together, +but rolled up as the king passed. It was reported that this +feast, and the present made on the occasion, cost six lacks of +rupees, which amount to £60,000 sterling.[199]</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 199: According to Thevenot, a <i>lack</i> +contains 100,000 rupees, and a rupee is a French crown and five +sols. At which rate, the <i>six lacks</i> must amount at least to +£150,000 sterling.--<i>Churchill</i>. + +<p>The editor of Churchill's Collection must here have been +mistaken the French crowns alluded to by Thevenot. The rupees in +India are various, and consequently differ in their value; but +two shillings may be assumed as a fair average, in which case the +computation in the text is quite correct.--E.]</p> +</blockquote> + +<p>I received intelligence on the 26th April, that the prince had +made one of his servants ask the king at the durbar wherefore he +gave so great countenance to the English as to banish the +Portuguese from Surat, who brought much more profit to the king +in rubies, pearls, and other jewels, while the English came there +only in search of profit, by the sale of cloths, swords, knives, +and other articles of small value? The king acknowledged that +this was true, yet could not be mended. By this the affections of +the prince were made sufficiently manifest, and I had fair +warning to be on my guard, that I might study to preserve +ourselves in the good graces of the king, in which only we could +be safe. I resolved, however, to take no notice of this, except +by endeavouring to give the prince a better opinion of our +nation.</p> + +<p>On the 22d of May I went to the king at the durbar, to solicit +his authority to get back a youth named Jones, who had run away +from me to an Italian, who protected him to the disgrace of our +nation, by using the king's name. The king gave me an order for +his delivery; but the prince, who waited every opportunity to +injure us, for the sake of his favourite, <i>Zulphecar Khan</i>, +moved the king in private to send for the youth first, to the +Guzalcan, which was done. I had newly broken off from conferring +with the prince, on account of his partiality to Zulphecar Khan, +and had sent him word that I would no longer refrain from stating +our grievances to the king in person, which was the cause of his +enmity towards me. When Jones was brought before the king, being +instigated by the protection and countenance of the prince, he +railed against me to my face, with the most virulent malice, +beseeching the king to save his life; on which the king resolved +not to deliver him up to me, but to send him as a prisoner to +Surat. But the prince, to brave me, begged to have him for a +servant, as the fellow had renounced his country, on which the +king did so, in spite of every thing I could allege. On this the +prince gave him 150 rupees, with the pay of two horsemen, and +commanded me not to meddle with him.</p> + +<p>On the night of the 23d, Jones came and threw himself at my +feet, asking pardon for his lies and mad behaviour. I told him I +would not now keep him prisoner, as he was the prince's servant; +but I would not give him any answer till he had made public +reparation for his misbehaviour, as far as he could. Accordingly, +on the next day, he contrived to get to the <i>Guzalcan</i>, and +there asked pardon of the king for the lies he had spoken against +me, denying every word he had then spoken, alleging he had done +so to protect himself against me, whom he had offended, and +prayed the king to send for me, that he might ask my pardon in +public. The king was well pleased, but the prince fell into a +rage. I went to the Guzalcan on the 25th, when the king protested +he never believed what Jones had said against me, and that he +considered him a villain, yet could not but protect him, as he +had cast himself on his mercy. Jones was sent for, and asked my +pardon on his knees, declaring on oath to the king that he had in +every thing belied me, and that he now made this declaration in a +voluntary manner, as he durst not return to his country. The king +chid him a little, saying to me that neither he nor any good man +could believe such a slanderer. The prince grew angry, and +endeavoured to make Jones stand to what he had said formerly +against me; and as Jones refused, the prince basely desired him +to restore the 150 rupees he had received for bearing witness +against me. Jones promised to return the money, for which purpose +an under-treasurer was sent along with him to the house in which +he lodged, as I would not suffer him to come to mine.</p> + +<p>I was forced to seem content, having no way to seek redress, +as I had no presents to give, and the king never listens to any +request unless well backed, and will even demand it in plain +terms, of which the prince takes advantage, urging that the +Portuguese bring rich jewels, rubies, and pearls, and treating +our English commodities with great scorn. On the 29th of May the +Portuguese were admitted to the king with a present, and to sell +a ballass ruby, which was said to weigh thirteen <i>toles</i>, +two and a half of these being equal to an ounce.[200] For this +they asked five lacks of rupees, but the king only offered one +lack. Asaph Khan also was an advocate for the Portuguese, who +made him a present of jewels. They had many rich rubies, +ballasses, emeralds, pearls, and other jewels, for sale, with +which they so much gratified the king and his great men, that we +were for a time eclipsed. The prince and the jesuit fell out +about presenting them, which the prince desired, but it had been +promised before to Asaph Khan. I had formerly judged concerning +the credit of the Portuguese at court by report, but I now +experienced the difference between them and us; for they were +sought after by all, while they only bought our commodities as it +were by way of giving us charity. Besides, the Portuguese had an +advantage over us in consequence of their establishments in the +neighbourhood, by which they could hinder trade into the Red Sea, +being always more at hand to do harm than we, who are only +entertained out of a little fear, while our trade and commodities +are little cared for.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 200: This must be an enormous exaggeration, +or error, as in this case the ruby would have weighed 5 1-5th +ounces.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>S.2. <i>Occurrences in June, July, and August 1616, from which +the Character and Dispositions of the Mogul and his Subjects may +be observed</i>.</p> + +<p>The 12th of June a resolution was taken that Sultan Churrum +should go to the wars in the Deccan, and a day was fixed for his +setting out on his journey, for which all the Bramins were +consulted. On this occasion it is reported that Sultan +<i>Parvis</i>, who is to be recalled, wrote to his father the +Mogul, that if his elder brother were sent to assume the command, +he would readily obey; but, if dishonoured by sending this his +younger brother, he, in the first place, would fall upon him, and +would afterwards finish the Deccan war. All the captains, such as +Khan-Khanan, Mahomed Khan, Khan Jeban, and others, refuse to +serve under the command of Sultan Churrum, who is reputed a +tyrant, of whom all men are in greater awe than of the king, more +especially now that he is to have the command of the army. Yet +the king cannot be persuaded to change his resolution, so that +the departure of the prince, with his favourite Zulphecar Khan is +determined to take place at the distance of twenty-two days; +wherefore I must make haste to finish my business, as after his +departure with his minion, Zulphecar Khan, I shall have no chance +to recover a single penny, nor to get any justice against +him.</p> + +<p>The 18th, the king commanded one of his brother's sons, who +had been made a Christian out of policy, to bring him into hatred +of the people, to touch a lion on the head which was brought in +before the king. But he refused it, being afraid, on which the +king desired his youngest son to touch the lion, which he did, +without receiving any harm. On this the king commanded his nephew +to be taken to prison, whence he is never likely again to be +released.</p> + +<p>On the 24th a son was born to Sultan Churrum, and being now +preparing to set out for the Deccan wars, all men's eyes are upon +him, either for flattery, gain, or envy, none for love. He has +received twenty lacks of rupees, equal to £200,000 +sterling, towards his expences, and begins to act with more than +his usual liberality. Notwithstanding this shew of his father's +affection, a khan at court endeavoured to persuade the king that +this expedition would be productive of danger, as prince Parvis, +whose honour would be thereby wounded, would certainly not submit +without revenge. To this the king answered, "Let them fight, and +he who proves the better captain, shall pursue the war."</p> + +<p>The 25th I had an audience of the king, being sent for by +Asaph Khan, and was received by his majesty with much courtesy. +This Asaph Khan was much in the prince's favour, wherefore I was +unwilling to disoblige him, though he had given me several +provocations. At this time Mukrob Khan, another of the great men, +made me offers of service, being of a contrary faction to Asaph +Khan, but I thought it best to endeavour to make friends of them +both. Among other subjects of discourse, Mukrob told me that the +English brought too much cloth and broad-sword blades for sale to +India, and hardly any thing else, wherefore he advised they +should forbear for two or three years, and rather bring the +curiosities of China and Japan, which would be more acceptable, +and to bring from England the best cloth of gold, and the richest +silks wrought with gold and silver, and above all things, large +quantities of Arras hangings.</p> + +<p>The 30th I visited Abdalla Hassan, having need of his +friendship; and, what is rare in this country, he refused to +accept of any present. Abdalla is captain over all the soldiers +maintained at court, and treasurer of all the armies. He +entertained me with great civility, and few compliments, and made +me sit beside him to see the soldiers shoot at marks with their +bows and firelocks. Most of them hit the mark with a single +bullet, being about the size of a hand, affixed to a butt. We had +some discourse together about the manner of using weapons in +Europe, after which I took my leave and departed.</p> + +<p>Most of July passed in soliciting the prince to sign the +articles I had presented to the king, as mentioned before. On the +13th I sent him three bottles of Alicant, and a letter concerning +the difference between us and the Portuguese about trade, +offering to take all the customs to farm, both inwards and +outwards, for the use of the company. The prince, according to +his usual barbarous custom of transacting all business in public, +caused my letter to be twice read over to him by his secretary, +often interrupting him with discourse, and sent word that he +would read it again at night and consider its contents, and that +I should have his answer through <i>Mirza Sorocalla</i>.</p> + +<p>That night I went to the durbar to visit the king, who, as +soon as I came in, sent Asaph Khan to say that he heard I had an +excellent painter in my house, and that he wished to see some of +his work. I replied, there was only a young man, a merchant, who +drew some figures for his amusement, in a very ordinary manner, +with a pen, but which were far from having any claim as +paintings. The king said I need not fear his taking any man from +me by force, as he would neither do me any injury himself, nor +suffer any to be done me by others, and desired he might see the +young man and his work. I answered, I had no fears of injury from +his majesty, and, for his satisfaction, should bring the young +man to the Guzalcan with such drawings as he might have, which +were probably figures of elephants, deer, or the like. On this +the king bowed his head, saying, if I desired to have an +elephant, or any other thing in his country, I had only to let +him know freely what I wished, and he would give it me, for he +was my friend. I made a low reverence, humbly thanking his +majesty, and said that elephants were of no use to me, neither +was it the custom of any person of our nation, especially of my +rank, to ask any thing: Yet, if his majesty were pleased to give +me even the value of a rupee, I should thankfully accept it as a +mark of his favour. He answered, that he knew not what I might +wish for, but there were many things in his country rare in mine, +and desired I might not be dainty, but speak to him freely, and +he would give me such things as were most acceptable. He then +desired me to be merry, for he was the friend of our nation and +of me, and should take care we had no injury done to us. He then +desired me to attend that night at the Guzalcan, and to bring +with me the young man who painted pictures. Then Asaph Khan +wished me to send for him to come to his house, where also he +invited me to go till the time when the king came out again, +assuring me I should be welcome, which I agreed to. I had never +before been so graciously treated by the king as now, which all +the great men took notice of, and accordingly altered their +deportment towards me. It so happened that the jesuit acted as my +interpreter on this occasion, by the king's appointment.</p> + +<p>I went from the durbar to the house of Asaph Khan, according +to invitation, and continued there till the king came out again, +when I was conducted back, accompanied by Mr Hughes, the supposed +painter, with whom the king had some discourse. After this, I +shewed the king a curious picture I had of a friend of mine, +which pleased him much, and he shewed it to all his company. The +king sent for his chief painter, who pretended he could make as +good, which I denied, on which a wager of a horse was made +between Asaph Khan and me in the king's presence, and to please +him, but Asaph afterwards retracted. After this, the Mogul fell +to drinking some Alicant wine which I had presented him, giving +some of it to those about him, and then sent for a full bottle, +and drinking a cup, sent it to me, saying it soured so fast it +would be spoiled before he could drink it, and I had none. This +done, he turned him to sleep, when all the candles were put out, +and I had to grope my way out in the dark.</p> + +<p>This day, a gentlewoman attendant upon <i>Noor-mahal</i> was +taken in the king's house in some improper act with an eunuch, +when another animal of the same kind, who loved her, slew her +paramour. The poor woman was set up to the arm-pits in the +ground, with the earth hard rammed around her, being condemned to +remain there three days and two nights in that situation, without +sustenance, her head and arms exposed to the violence of the sun. +If she survived, she was then to be pardoned. The eunuch was +condemned to the elephants. This damsel was found to be worth, in +pearls, jewels, and money, sixteen lack of rupees.[201]</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 201: In Purchas this sum is rated in words +at sixteen hundred thousand, while in Churchill it is only in +figures 160,000.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>On the 22d, I had letters from Burbanpoor in answer to those I +had written to Mohabet Khan, who granted my desire of a firmaun +in favour of our nation, granting them a house near the +governor's, strictly commanding that no person should molest them +by sea or land, neither to exact from them any customs, or to +give them trouble on any pretence, with entire liberty to buy, +sell, and transport any commodities at their pleasure, without +let or hindrance. I received this in a letter from himself, full +of civility and kindness, far exceeding any I had hitherto met +with in India, protesting the highest respect, and his earnest +wish to give me every content in whatever I might desire. I +caused this firmaun to be immediately sent to Surat, so that +Broach is now provided as a good retreat from the prince's +injuries, and the customs given up, by which £1500 a-year +will be saved, besides all manner of searches and extortions. No +person doubts the performance of this firmaun, as Mohabet Khan +careth not for the prince, and feareth no man, neither needeth he +any person's favour, being much beloved of the king, and reckoned +the second man in the empire. He has all his life been liberal of +his purse, and honourable in his word, so that he has the good +report of all men. In regard to the customs on trade, as the king +takes none, and the governors convert them to their own profit, +he professes to scorn abusing the liberties of the king's +ports.</p> + +<p>On the 6th of August I was sent for to the durbar, where I had +much talk with the king, who asked me many questions to satisfy +his curiosity, and desired me to come to the Guzalcan at night, +when I should see my picture so exactly copied, that I should not +know the copy from the original. He asked me what reward I would +give the painter who had made the copy so like, to which I +answered, I would give fifty rupees, a painter's reward. To which +the king replied, that his painter was a gentleman, and my +proffered reward was too small. I said, that I gave the picture +willingly, esteeming it rare, and had no inclination to make +comparisons or wagers; and that, if his majesty's servant had +performed well, and would not accept my gift, his majesty was +most fit to reward him. So, after many merry jests, and brags of +the arts in his dominions, his majesty asked me how often I drank +in the day, and how much, and what we drank in England. +Mentioning beer, he asked what beer was, how it was made, and +whether I could make it here in India. To all of which serious +state questions I answered to his satisfaction.</p> + +<p>He sent for me again at night, being impatient to triumph in +the skilful execution of his painter, and shewed me six pictures, +all pasted on one board, one being my own, and the other five +done by his artist, and all so like, that by candle-light I was +at some loss to determine which was which, being greatly beyond +my expectation. At length, by closer inspection, I pointed out my +own, and explained the differences between it and the copies, +which were not apparent to an inexperienced eye. The king was +much pleased that I had not seen the difference at first sight, +for which he was full of mirth, and exulted over me. I gave him +way, and satisfied him much by praising his painter, saying, that +I saw his majesty needed no pictures from our country. He then +asked me what reward I would give his painter? To which I +answered, I would double my former offer, and if he came to my +house, would give him an hundred rupees to buy a nag. The king +took this kindly, but said his painter would not accept money, +but some other gifts which I had before promised. I said this was +referable to my own discretion. To which he answered, that this +was true, yet he wished I would name it. To this I said, I would +give him a good sword, a pistol, and a picture. "Then," said the +king, "you confess he is a good workman, send for him to your +house, and shew him such rarities as you have, and let him choose +one, in return for which you shall have any one of these pictures +you please, that you may shew in England we are not so unskilful +as you supposed." He then pressed me to make a choice, which I +did, and which the king wrapped in paper, and placed in a little +book of mine, expressing much exultation at the supposed victory +of his painter. I then shewed him a picture I had of his majesty, +far inferior to the work I now saw, saying I had judged from it, +supposing it among the best. When told where I got it, he asked +why I bought any such thing? "Have not I the best, and have not I +told you that I would give you any thing you desired?" I thanked +his majesty, but said I held it impertinent for me to trouble him +in trifles, especially as a beggar. To this he replied, that it +was no shame to ask from him, and desired me to speak freely at +all times, and pressed me to ask for something. To this I +answered, that I would not make choice of any gift, as whatever +he was pleased to give, I would joyfully accept as a mark of +honour. He then said, if you desire my picture, I will either +give you one for yourself or for your king. To this I answered, +that if his majesty thought proper to send one to my king, I +would gladly carry it, and knew that my sovereign would esteem it +much, and take it as a mark of friendship; but, as his majesty +had emboldened me by his gracious condescension, I would humbly +ask one for myself, which I would keep and leave to my posterity, +as a memorial of his majesty's favour. He answered, as my king +did not desire one, but I did, I should have one, and so gave +immediate order for its making. He then turned himself to sleep, +and we had to go out as before, in the dark.</p> + +<p>The 9th of August a band of an hundred robbers were brought in +chains before the Great Mogul, together with their accusation. +Without any ceremony of trial, he ordered them to be carried away +for execution, their chief being ordered to be torn in pieces by +dogs, and all the rest to be put to death in the ordinary manner. +The prisoners were divided into portions, sent for execution to +several quarters of the city, and executed in the streets. Close +by my house, the chief was torn in pieces by twelve dogs, and +thirteen of his fellows, having their hands and feet tied +together, had their necks cut by a sword, yet not quite through, +and their naked and bloody bodies were left to corrupt in the +street, to the annoyance of the whole neighbourhood.</p> + +<p>On the 10th, 11th, and 12th, I was occupied at court in giving +notice to the king and prince that a Dutch ship lay before Surat, +and refused to give notice of its object till the arrival of a +fleet to which it belonged, which was expected with the first +fair wind. I took advantage of this circumstance to make them +apprehensive of the designs of the Hollanders, and the dangers +that might arise from them, all of which was well taken. And, +being consulted on the subject, I advised not to come to a +rupture with them, and yet to exclude them from trade.</p> + +<p>The last of these days I went to visit <i>Gemaldin +Ussen</i>,[202] the viceroy of <i>Patan</i>,[203] and lord of +four cities in Bengal, a man of seventy years of age, who had +often been employed as an ambassador by the Mogul, had more +understanding and courtesy than all his countrymen, was +universally esteemed for his hospitality and regard to strangers, +and was considered as entirely free from secret ambition. He had +often invited me to his house, to which I went this day, and was +received with extraordinary kindness and friendship. He even +offered me a lack of rupees, and such other demonstrations of +courtesy, as bespoke their own refusal. He offered me likewise +his credit and favour with the king, and his best advice in every +emergence; indeed, omitting nothing that could evince his desire +to serve me. All this seemed cordially to proceed from the heart, +especially from a person of his years and experience; and, in the +course of our conversation, he spoke so plainly of many of the +chief men about the court, which, from my own experience, I knew +for truth, that I was satisfied he was a true-hearted and +well-disposed old man. He gave me much information respecting the +customs of this empire, their want of laws, their servitude, the +increase of the empire, and many other things, having served in +grace and favour under three successive kings. He shewed me a +book containing the annals of all memorable actions in his time, +which he daily committed to record, and offered me a copy if I +would procure it to be translated. This also treated concerning +the king's revenue, and the manner in which it was raised, +besides confiscations, gifts, and deductions upon the great men. +He shewed me that the government of every province paid yearly a +certain rent to the king. Thus, for his government of Patna, he +gave yearly to the king eleven lacks of rupees;[204] all other +profits of the government being his own, he having entire power +and authority to take what he thought fit. His government was +estimated at 5000 horse, the pay of each being 200 rupees yearly, +of which he only kept 1500 on foot, being allowed the surplus as +dead pay. Besides which, he had a daily pension of 1000 rupees, +and enjoyed some smaller governments. Yet he assured me that +several of the great lords had double the emoluments he enjoyed, +and that there were above twenty equal to himself.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 202: This name does not appear rightly +reported, yet we have no means of correcting its orthography, +neither is it of much importance. Perhaps it may have been +Jemal-ul-dien Ussan Khan.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 203: This is probably a mistake for Patna +in Bengal, and he may have been Nabob, or Nawab, perhaps Soubah +of Bengal.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 204: Eleven lack, or 1,100,000 rupees, on +the computation formerly assigned, are equal to £110,000. +In the Pilgrims, at this place, the rupee is said to equal 2s. +2d, which would add £9166:12:4 to that +sum.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>In the course of our conversation, this lord praised the good +prophet Jesus, and his laws, and was full of much pleasant and +profitable discourse. Some days after this visit, when I thought +his kindness had been at an end, he borrowed the king's +banqueting-house and pleasure-garden, called <i>Havar Gemall</i>, +a mile from town, on purpose to treat me, and earnestly inviting +me, I promised to come. He went there himself at midnight, +carrying his tents and all requisite furniture and provisions, +and fitted up a place very handsomely, by the side of the tank, +for the entertainment. I went there in the morning, and on my +arrival he came to meet me with extraordinary civility, carrying +me into the pavilion he had prepared, where he had some company, +among whom were two of his sons, of whom he had thirty in all. He +had likewise an hundred servants attending. To amuse me, he +carried me to see the king's little closets and retiring rooms, +which were painted in the antique manner, having pictures of some +of the French kings, and other Christian princes, on several of +the pannels. He said he was only a poor servant of the king, yet +wished I might have some content, and had therefore invited me to +a slight banquet, that we might eat bread and salt together, to +seal a friendship which he entreated me to accept. There were +many great men, he alleged, who were better able to shew me +kindness, but were proud and false-hearted, and he wished me +therefore to trust none of them. For, if I had any business to +transact concerning the Portuguese or any other, they who acted +as my interpreters would never deliver the truth, but only what +pleased themselves, or would give satisfaction in the relation. +That, therefore, I should never be rightly understood, nor be +able to effect my business without being abused and cheated, nor +ever clearly know the situation in which I stood, until I had an +Englishman who could speak Persian, who was able rightly to +deliver what I wished to have said, without using any other +person. And, if I could find any such, the king would readily +grant me leave to employ him, having conceived a good opinion of +me; insomuch, that the preceding night, at the Guzalcan, when the +jewels of <i>Sheik Ferid</i>, governor of Lahore, who was lately +deceased, were presented to him, he remembered me of his own +accord, and seeing a picture of himself which pleased him, he +delivered it to Asaph Khan, commanding him to send it to me, that +I might wear it for his sake, with many words of favour +concerning me, which would make all the great men respect me.</p> + +<p>While thus conversing, dinner was served. So sitting down on a +carpet, a cloth was spread, divers kinds of banqueting dishes +were set before us. The like was done a little on one side for +the gentlemen of his company, with whom he went to eat, as they +hold it a kind of uncleanness to mingle with us. Upon this, I +told him that he had promised we should eat bread and salt +together, and without his company I felt little appetite, +whereupon he arose from the rest, and sat down beside me, and we +fell heartily to our repast. It consisted of various kinds of +dishes, together with raisins, almonds, pistachio nuts, and +various fruits. After dinner, he played at chess, and I walked +about, and after some time spent in discourse, I offered to take +my leave. But he said he had invited me to eat with him, and +hitherto we had only had a collation, wherefore he entreated I +might not depart till we had supped together, to which I readily +consented.</p> + +<p>About an hour after, the ambassador of one of the kings of the +Deccan came to visit him, whom he presented to me, using him with +civility, but much inferior to the respect he had shewn me. He +afterwards asked me, if the king my master would scorn the offer +of service from so poor a man as he was, and if he would +vouchsafe to accept a present from a stranger, as he proposed to +send a gentleman to England with me to kiss the hands of my +sovereign, and to see our country. I answered him as became me, +with all civility; so he sent for one presently, whom he +questioned if he would venture upon such a journey, and as this +person seemed willing, he presented him to me, saying he would +provide some of the curiosities of the country for the king my +master, and send them by this gentleman along with me. By the +manner all this seemed to be in earnest.</p> + +<p>While we thus spent our time in friendly converse, supper was +brought in; and, as in the morning, two cloths were spread, one +before me and my chaplain, with one merchant, on which were set +various dishes of roast, fried, and boiled meats, with rice and +sallads. On this occasion my honourable entertainer desired me to +excuse his company, as it was their custom to eat among +themselves, and his countrymen might take it ill if he did not +eat with them; so he and his guests, and I with my companions, +solaced ourselves with good cheer. The meats were not amiss, but +the attendance and order were excellent, as the servants were +very diligent and respectful. After the manner of this country of +giving presents to invited guests, he made me a present of five +cases of sugar-candy flavoured with musk, and a loaf of the +finest sugar, as white as snow, weighing fifty pounds, and +requested my acceptance of an hundred such against my departure. +He then addressed me in these terms:--"You refuse these from me, +thinking I am poor, but being made in my government, it costs me +nothing, as it comes to me <i>gratis</i>." To this I answered, +that he had already much too far obliged me, yet would I not +refuse his kindness when ready to go away. On which he replied, +that he might not be then provided, and therefore desired I would +accept now, that he might not lose both his offer and his labour. +Thus, calling himself my father, and me his son, we took leave of +each other, with many compliments.</p> + +<p>I went to visit the king on the 16th, who, as soon as I came +in, called to his women, and reached out his own picture set in +gold, and hanging to a chain of gold wire, with a pendant of foul +pearl, which he delivered to Asaph Khan, whom I warned not to +demand any reverence from me on the occasion which I would not +willingly perform; as it is the custom here, when he bestows any +gift, that the receiver kneels down and touches the ground with +his head; and which ceremony had been exacted from the ambassador +of Persia. Then Asaph Khan came to me with the picture, which I +offered to take in my hand, but he made a sign to me, to take off +my hat and put it about my neck, leading me right before the +king. Not understanding his purpose, and doubting he might +require my conformance with the custom of the country, called +<i>sizeda</i>, I resolved rather to forego the present than +comply. He made a sign to me to return thanks to the king, which +I did after the fashion of our country; on which some of the +officers called for me to make <i>sizeda</i>, but the king +immediately said, No, no, in Persian. So, with many gracious +words, I returned to my place. You may judge of the king's +liberality by this mighty gift, which was not in all worth thirty +pounds, yet was five times the value of such as he usually gives +of that kind, and which are yet held as a special favour, as all +the great men wear the king's picture, which yet none may do but +those to whom it is given. This ordinarily consists of only a +small gold medal, not bigger than a sixpence, impressed with the +king's image, having a short gold chain of six inches to fasten +it on their turbans; and to which, at their own charges, some add +precious stones or pearl pendents.</p> + +<p><i>Gemaldin Ussen</i>, who had invited me to the <i>Havaer +Gemal</i>, as before mentioned, being newly appointed governor of +<i>Sinde</i>, came to dine at my house on the 19th, accompanied +by two of his sons and two other gentlemen, and attended by about +an hundred servants. He partook of some part of the banquet, +which had been prepared at my house by a Mahomedan cook, but +declined eating of any of the dishes which were cooked after our +English fashion, though he seemed to have a good inclination, +being influenced by a superstitious notion; yet he desired that +four or five dishes, of his own choice, might be sent to his own +house, being all baked meats, dressed in a way he had not before +seen, saying he would afterwards eat of them in private, which +was accordingly done. At this entertainment, he offered us a free +trade and secure residence at the chief town, of Sinde, his new +government, and having filled himself with my banquet, he took +his leave, after receiving a small present from me, according to +the fashion of the country. This day, Mr Hall, my chaplain, died +suddenly, to my great grief. He was a man of mild and gentle +manners, and a most sincere Christian, of unspotted life and +conversation.</p> + +<p>On the 20th and the night before, there fell a vast storm of +rain, called in this country the <i>elephant</i>, owing to which +such prodigious streams of water flowed into the great tank, the +head of which is of stone and apparently of great strength, that +it gave way in one place, causing a sudden alarm that the whole +fabric would give way and drown all that part of the town in +which I dwelt. Insomuch that the prince and all his women forsook +their house, and my nearest neighbour carried off his goods and +his wife to the skirts of the hills on his elephants and camels. +All persons had their horses ready at their doors, that they +might save their lives by flight in case of necessity. We were in +the utmost consternation, and sat up till midnight, having no +alternative, as we thought, but to flee ourselves and abandon all +our goods, for it was reported that the water would rise three +feet higher than the top of our house, and carry all away, being +only a slight mud building. The foot of the tank was level with +our dwelling, and the water was of great extent and very deep, so +that the surface of the water stood considerably higher than the +top of my house, which stood in a hollow, in the very course of +the water, and where every ordinary heavy rain occasioned such a +current at my door as to be for some hours impassable by man or +horse. But the king caused a sluice to be cut during the night, +to conduct the water by another course, so that we were freed +from the extreme danger; yet the excessive rain had washed down a +considerable part of the walls of my house, and so weakened it by +breaches in different parts, that I now feared its falling down, +as much as I had dreaded its being swept away by the flood. It +was every where so bemired with dirt and water, that I could +hardly find a place in which to sit or lie dry, and was forced to +be at material charges in having it repaired. Thus were we every +way afflicted, by fires, smoke, floods, storms, heats, dust, and +flies, and had no season of temperate air and quietness.</p> + +<p>On the 27th, I received advice from Surat, that the Dutch had +obtained permission to land their goods, and to secure them in a +warehouse at that place, carrying on trade till the pleasure of +the prince were known, and under condition that they should +depart at the first warning.</p> + +<p>The king went to <i>Havar Gemal</i> on the 29th, whence he +employed himself in hunting. At that place, a resolution was +taken, to remove the court to Mundu, a castle near Burhanpoor, +where there is no town. At this time, Sultan Parvis came from the +Deccan wars in disgrace, and arrived with his train near Agimere; +and the king commanded him to retire to Bengal, refusing to admit +him into his presence. Having thus dispatched him, without the +inconvenience dreaded from a meeting between the brothers, he now +proposed to settle Sultan Churrum in the Deccan wars, although +all the chief men of the court were averse from this measure; on +which account, the king feared to send him down, as was formerly +proposed, and had therefore delayed this measure until Prince +Parvis was withdrawn, and now meant to establish Churrum by means +of his own presence at Mundu, in the neighbourhood of the Deccan. +If this resolution is executed, it will put us to much trouble +and expence, as we must build a new house both for ourselves and +goods, because that castle stands on a hill, and has no buildings +near it.</p> + +<p>The king returned from hunting on the night of the 30th, and +about eleven o'clock sent me a very large and fat wild boar, +desiring to have the tusks back, and accompanied by a message, +saying it was killed by his own hand, and therefore desiring me +to be merry, and to eat it with good cheer. On this occasion, I +desired Jaddow, who brought this message from the king, to tell +Asaph Khan, that I proposed to visit him next day, when I hoped +to receive from him a firmaun of the privileges granted by the +king. Asaph Khan sent me back word, that they would not be then +ready, but it should be sealed some days after, and that he did +not wish to see me till he had given me satisfaction.</p> + +<p>S.3. <i>Of the Celebration of the King's Birth Day, with other +Occurrences in September 1616</i>.</p> + +<p>The 2d of September was the birth-day of the Great Mogul, +which was solemnized with extraordinary festivities. He was then +weighed against a variety of articles, as jewels, gold, silver, +stuffs of gold and silver, silk, batter, rice, fruits, and many +other things, of each a little, all of which is given to the +Bramins. On this occasion, the king ordered Asaph Khan to send +for me; who did so, and appointed me to come to the place where +the king held his durbar. But the messenger mistook, so that I +went not in time, and missed the sight. Being there before the +king came out, he sent for me as soon as he noticed me, and +enquired why I had not come to see the ceremony of weighing, for +which he had given order. I explained the reason, as it actually +was, on which he chid Asaph Khan publicly for the omission. He +was at this time so richly ornamented with jewels, that I must +confess I never saw at any one time such unspeakable wealth. He +now amused himself in seeing his greatest elephants brought in +before him. Some of these were lord-elephants, having their +chains, bells, and furniture all of gold and silver, being +attended by many gilt flags and streamers, and each having eight +or ten inferior elephants to wait upon him, clothed in gold, +silk, and silver. In this way there passed about twelve troops, +all very splendidly furnished. The first lord-elephant had all +the plates on his head and breast set with rubies and emeralds, +being a beast of most wonderful stature and beauty. They all +bowed down before the king, making their reverences very orderly, +and formed as fine a shew of beasts as I had ever seen. The +keepers of each chief elephant made a present to the king. After +this was over, the king made me some gracious speeches, and went +into the interior apartments.</p> + +<p>About ten o'clock at night, after I was in bed, the king sent +me a message, saying he had heard I had a picture which I had not +shewn him, and desired I would come then to him, bringing the +picture with me; and if I would not part with it, that he might +see it, and have copies taken for his wives. I rose and carried +the picture with me, and when I came to the presence, I found him +sitting cross-legged on a little throne, his robes all covered +over with diamonds, pearls, and rubies. Before him stood a golden +table, on which were above fifty pieces of gold plate, all set +with precious stones, some of them being large and of great +value. His nobles were all around him in their best attire, whom +he commanded to drink cheerfully of several kinds of wine, which +stood there in large flaggons.</p> + +<p>On my approach he asked for the picture, on which I shewed him +two. He seemed astonished at one of these, and asked whose it +was; to which I replied, that it was the portrait of a friend who +was dead. He asked if I would give it him. I replied, that I +valued it more than any thing I had, as being the portrait of one +I had loved dearly; but if his majesty would pardon my attachment +to that picture, and accept the other, which was French and of +excellent work, I would most willingly give it. He thanked me, +saying it was that only picture which he desired, and which he +loved as much as I did; and, if I would give it him, he would +value it more than the richest jewel in his house. I answered +that I was not so much in love with any thing, but that I would +part with it to satisfy his majesty, being extremely glad to have +any opportunity to serve him, and was ready even to present him +with my heart, if I could thereby demonstrate my affection. He +bowed to me, saying he had never before seen so much art and +beauty, and conjured me to tell him truly if ever such a woman +had lived. I answered, that there certainly did once live a lady +whom this portrait resembled in every thing but perfection. He +then said, that he accepted my readiness to give him what I so +valued as a great kindness; but would only shew it to his ladies, +and cause his own painter make five copies, and if I knew my own +I should have it back. I answered, that I had freely given it, +and would be glad of his majesty accepting it: But he said he +would not keep it, and loved me better for putting so much value +on the image of my departed friend. He knew, he added, that it +would be doing me an injury to take it from me, and would only +have five copies taken, which his wives should wear, and would +then return me the original with his own hand. In this art of +limning or painting in water colours, his artists are wonderfully +expert. But he liked not the other picture, which was painted in +oil.</p> + +<p>He then told me that this was his birth-day, and all men made +merry, and asked me therefore if I would drink with them. I said +I would willingly do whatever he was pleased to command, as I +sincerely wished him many prosperous days, and that the ceremony +of this day might be repeated for an hundred years. He asked me +what wine I would have, whether that of the grape or made wine, +and whether strong or weak. I said whatever he was pleased to +order, hoping he would neither command me to have it too strong +or in too large quantity. So he called for a gold cupful of +mingled wine, half of the grape and half artificial, which he +sent me by one of his nobles, with this message, that I should +drink it off twice, thrice, four times, or five times, for his +sake, and accept the cup and appurtenances as a present. On +drinking a portion of it, I found it stronger than any I had ever +tasted, insomuch that it made me sneeze, at which he laughed, and +called for raisins, almonds, and sliced lemons, which he sent me +on a gold plate, and desired me to eat and drink what I liked, +and no more. I then made a reverence for my present, after my own +manner, though Asaph Khan wanted me to kneel and knock my head +upon the ground, but the king accepted it in my own way. The cup +was of gold, set all over with small rubies and turquoises; the +cover being likewise gold, and set with great rubies, emeralds, +and turquoises; and there was likewise a suitable dish or salver +on which to set the cup. I know not the value, because many of +the stones are small, and the greater, which also are numerous, +are not all clean; but there are above two thousand stones in +all, and the gold weighs about twenty ounces. On giving me this +splendid present, he sent me word that he esteemed me more than +ever he had done a Frank, and asked if I were merry in eating the +wild boar he had sent me, how I had it dressed, what I drank with +it, and many such compliments; which public shew of his grace and +favour did me much service in the eyes of all his nobles, who +strove to shew me respect.</p> + +<p>After this, he threw among those that stood below, two +chargers of rupees, and among us who were round the throne two +chargers of hollow almonds made of gold and silver mingled; but I +would not scramble as did his great men, for I saw his son did +not take any up. He then distributed sashes and girdles of gold +tissue to all the musicians and servants, and many others. So +drinking heartily himself, and commanding others to drink, he and +his nobles became as jovial as could be, and of a thousand +humours. But the prince, Asaph Khan, two old men, the former king +of Candahar, and I, refrained from drinking. When the king was +not able any longer to hold up his head, he lay down to sleep, +and we all departed. While going out, I moved Asaph Khan for the +dispatch of our privileges, assuring him his majesty could give +me no present so acceptable. I said farther, that I had no doubt +it lay in his power to dispatch me; but if he did not think +proper to do so, or if any other hinderance was in my way, I +should on the morrow again apply to the king. He desired me not +to do so, for the king loved me and had given orders for +dispatching my business, which had been hindered by the +preparations for this feast; but he would now send it to me with +all speed, and do me all manner of service.</p> + +<p>Seven months had now been vainly spent in soliciting the +signing and sealing of the articles of amity and commerce, +formerly detailed, and I had nothing but promises and delays, +from day to day, and from week to week. Therefore on the 3d +September, the English fleet being hourly expected to arrive at +Surat, I delivered to him a memorial, containing the articles I +desired to have an order for, that they might be observed in the +unloading of the ships. These were, 1. That the presents coming +for the king and prince, should not be opened at the port, but +sent up to court under the seals of the customhouse officers. 2. +That curiosities sent for presents to other persons, and for the +merchants to sell, should also be sent to the court sealed, for +the prince to make the first choice. 3. That the gross +merchandize should be landed, reasonably rated, and not detained +at the customhouse, but that the merchants, on paying the +customs, should have full liberty to sell or dispose of it as +they pleased; and that the ships should be fully supplied with +provisions, without paying any custom for the same.</p> + +<p>On the 4th, Asaph Khan sent me back my articles, after so long +attendance and so many false promises, some of them altered, and +others struck out, together with a letter, saying there was no +need of any articles, as an order from the prince to trade at +Surat was quite sufficient, he being lord there, and that no +grant of trade at Bengal or Sinde could ever be allowed. +Notwithstanding all this vexation, I durst not change my mode of +proceeding, or wholly quit the prince and Asaph Khan. I therefore +drew up other articles, leaving out what seemed displeasing in +the former, and desired Asaph Khan to put them into form and +procure them to be sealed, or else to allow me to apply to the +king, that if he denied me I might leave the country. The +substance of these new articles was as follows:--1. That all the +subjects of the Great Mogul should receive the English in a +friendly manner, suffering them to land their goods peaceably, +and to procure provisions for their money without paying customs +for them.--2. To have liberty, after paying customs for their +goods, to sell them to any one they pleased, and none to force +them to sell at an under rate.--3. To have liberty to pass with +their goods to any part of the empire, without any farther +exactions than those payable at the port.--4. To have the +presents for the Mogul and prince sealed without being opened, +and sent to the ambassador.--5. To have the goods of those that +might die freed from confiscation, and delivered to the surviving +English factors.--And finally, That no injury should be offered +to any of the English.</p> + +<p>On the 8th, Asaph Khan sent me word in plain terms, that +absolutely he would procure nothing for me sealed, that in any +respect concerned the government belonging to the prince, and +that I must rest satisfied with a firmaun or order, signed by the +prince, which was quite sufficient, and I needed not to apply any +more to him. This clearly revealed the purpose he had so long +intended, that we should be entirely dependent on the prince; and +I now had just cause to look out for new friends, Asaph Khan +having forsaken me. He that first took him for our solicitor +engaged us in all this misery, for he was the known protector of +our enemies, and a slave to their numerous bribes. I therefore +determined to try the prince, and to seem entirely dependent upon +him. So I went to the prince on the 10th, and desired he would +grant his firmaun for the four articles formerly sent to his +secretary, which he threw down to his secretary, so that I hoped +to be at rest. I received it on the 11th, but on reading it over, +I found two of the four clauses much altered, and one entirely +left out; so I returned it, declaring roundly I could not accept +it, neither would I suffer any goods to be sent ashore. Never was +any man so distressed with such pride, covetousness, and +falsehood.</p> + +<p>At night, I rode to visit the prince's secretary, <i>Mirza +Socrolla</i>, with whom I expostulated the business, declaring my +resolution to depart. But I now found the firmaun quite different +than I had been informed, and containing all the clauses I had +required, though in some phrases rather ambiguous in my judgment, +which the secretary interpreted favourably, declaring it was the +prince's intent to satisfy me entirely, and that every thing was +quite sufficient for our purpose. After urging the obscurity of +some points, and as he had declared the meaning of the prince to +me, I requested he would explain them in the same sense to the +governor of Surat, which he agreed to; and especially gave order +that the customer should pay for fifty pieces of cloth, which he +had bought many months before, and wished now to return upon the +factors, to their extreme loss. At the close of our conference, +he expressed the prince's desire that we would rely entirely on +him, and not cross him in matters belonging to his government, by +applying to the king, declaring that we should so find him a +better friend than we expected. Being thus satisfied, I was in +some hope of success, especially as this man is no taker of +bribes, and is reputed honest, and pledged his credit that we +should sustain no loss or injury, every thing being referred to +him by the prince. So I accepted the firmaun, which, on having it +translated, I found very effectual and satisfactory.</p> + +<p>The 16th, I went to visit the prince, intending to seem +entirely dependent upon him, till I heard what entertainment our +ships were likely to meet with. But I found him in much +perplexity, fearing the coming of Sultan Parvis to court, he +being only at the distance of eight coss, anxiously desiring +leave to kiss his father's hands. The king had even granted his +desire, but by the influence of Nourmahal, the favourite queen, +he had revoked the permission, and Sultan Parvis was ordered away +directly to Bengal.[205] The resolution of the king to remove the +court from Agimere still continued, but no one knew certainly +where he intended to go.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 205: At this place there is an expression +in the Pilgrims, coupled with this sentence, which is quite +inexplicable. "Yea, although the king had fallen down, and taken +his mother by the feet, to obtain her leave to see her son." We +are not sufficiently conversant in the secret history of the +Zenana of Shah Jehan-guire to explain this; yet strongly suspect +that this sentence ought to have run thus: Although the prince's +mother fell at the king's feet to obtain leave to see her +son.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>S.4. <i>Broils about Abdala Khan and Khan-Khannan: Ambitious +projects of Sultan Churrum to subvert his eldest Brother: Sea +Fight with a Portuguese Carrack; and various other +Occurrences</i>.</p> + +<p>Several days now passed in soliciting the king and great men, +and paying my court to them, without any remarkable occurrence; +till on the 9th October, I had letters from Surat, giving me an +account that four English ships had arrived there. On the 10th, +Abdala Khan, the great governor of Ahmedabad, being sent for to +court in disgrace, to answer for many insolent and contemptuous +neglects of the king's commands, thought to stand upon his +defence and to refuse compliance. But Sultan Churrum, whose +ambitious views sought to turn every thing to his advantage, +being desirous to oblige so great a man, who was reckoned one of +the chiefest captains in the empire, prevailed upon him to +submit, on his word to protect him. Abdala came therefore, in +pretended humility, habited as a pilgrim, attended by forty +servants on foot, until he arrived within a day's journey of the +court, having 2000 horse attending him at some distance behind. +He was this day brought to the <i>Jarruco</i>, the place where +the king sits in public to see sports and hear complaints, and +advanced towards the king, between two noblemen, having chains on +his legs, and holding his turban over his eyes, that he might see +no one till he had the happiness to behold the king. After making +his humble reverence, and answering a few questions, the king +forgave him, caused his irons to be taken off, and clothed him in +a new vest of cloth of gold, with a turban and sash, as is the +custom.</p> + +<p>The prince, Churrum, now intended to establish his honour and +power on the Deccan wars, which his elder brother Sultan Parvis +had been recalled from in disgrace, and which the great +commander, Khan-Khannan, had not conducted prosperously, being +strongly suspected of a secret understanding with the princes of +the Deccan, from whom he was believed to receive pensions. +Churrum, therefore, induced his father to recall Khan-Khannan, +who refused to obey; and wrote to the king, not to send Churrum +to the war, but one of his youngest sons, then only about +fifteen. This gave Churrum much uneasiness, as he was exceedingly +intent upon having the conduct of this war, for which reason he +promised to give the subordinate command of the army to Abdala +Khan, under himself, if he could contrive to get Khan-Khannan +displaced. Fearing troubles from the ambition and factious +practices of his son Churrum, the discontent of the two elder +sons, Cuserou and Parvis, and the power of Khan-Khannan, the king +was anxious to accommodate matters in the Deccan by accepting a +peace, and continuing Khan-Khannan in his government; to which +end he wrote him a letter of favour, and proposed to send him a +vestment, as a sign of reconciliation, according to custom. +Before dispatching these, he acquainted a kinswoman of +Khan-Khannan, who lived in the seraglio, with his purpose. +Whether she was false to her relation, through the secret +influence of Sultan Churrum, or was grieved to see the head of +her family so unworthily dealt with, who merited so highly, does +not certainly appear: But she plainly told the king, that she did +not believe Khan-Khannan would wear any thing the king sent, as +he knew his majesty hated him, and had once or twice already sent +him poison, which he had put into his bosom instead of his mouth, +and proved by trials. For this reason, she was confident +Khan-Khannan would not dare to put on any thing sent from his +majesty. The king offered to wear the dress himself in her +presence for an hour, which she might certify in a letter to her +relative. To this she answered, that Khan-Khannan would trust +neither of them with his life; but, if allowed to continue +quietly in his command, would do his majesty good service. Upon +this, the king altered his plans, and resolved to invest Sultan +Churrum in the supreme command of the Deccan wars, and to follow +after him with another army, to ensure his reception.</p> + +<p>Khan-Khannan, having due notice of the storm preparing against +him, practised with the Deccan sovereigns, who were at his +devotion, to offer favourable terms of peace for a season, as he +saw no other way of averting the cloud that hung over both him +and them, unless by temporizing till the king and the prince were +established farther off. For this purpose, there came two +ambassadors at this time to court, from the princes of the +Deccan, bringing horses richly caparisoned as presents. The king +refused to listen to them, or to accept their gifts, and turned +them over to his son, saying that peace or war rested entirely +with him. The prince was so puffed up by this favour, though +informed that the proposed conditions of peace were highly +honourable, that he declared proudly he would listen to no terms, +till he was in the field at the head of the army, being resolved +that Khan-Khannan should not deprive him of the honour of +finishing that war.</p> + +<p>The ambitious views of this young prince are quite obvious, +and form the common talk of the country, yet the king suffers him +to proceed, although he by no means intends him as his successor. +Sultan Cuserou, the eldest son, is highly beloved and honoured of +all men, and almost adored, for his excellent parts and noble +dispositions, with which the king is well acquainted, and even +loves him dearly. But he conceives that the liberty of this son +would diminish his own glory, and does not see that the ambition +of Churrum greatly more tarnishes his own fame than would the +virtuous character and noble actions of the other. Thus the king +fosters division and emulation among his sons, putting so much +power into the hands of the younger, which he believes he can +undo at his pleasure, that the wisest here foresee much fatal +division in this mighty empire when the present king shall pay +the debt of nature, expecting that it will then be rent in pieces +by civil wars.</p> + +<p>The history of this country, for the variety of its incidents, +and the many crooked practices of the present king during the +reign of his father, Akbar Shah, and these latter troubles, were +well worthy of being committed to writing. But, as the country is +so remote, many would despise such information, and as the people +are esteemed barbarous, few persons would give it credit. I +content myself, therefore, with privately contemplating the +singular history of this nation, although I could narrate so many +singular and amusing state intrigues, subtle evasions, policies, +answers, and adages, as could not be easily equalled in the +history of one age or country. One incident, however, that +occurred lately, I cannot omit relating, as it evinces the wisdom +and patience of the emperor, the incorruptible fidelity of a +servant, the detestable falsehood of a brother, and the impudent +boldness of a faction, ready to dare every infamous action, when +permitted by the supreme ruler to exercise an authority beyond +the limits of their condition, and contrary to the dictates of +reason and true policy.</p> + +<p>The favourite Prince Sultan Churrum, together with the +favourite Queen <i>Nourmahal</i>, aunt to his wife, Asaph Khan +father-in-law to Churrum, and brother of <i>Nourmahal</i>, and +<i>Etiman Dowlet</i>, father of <i>Asaph Khan</i> and +<i>Nourmahal</i>, being the faction that now governed the +emperor, and who believed their bad influence in danger of being +overthrown if the prince <i>Cuserou</i> were allowed to live, +determined to use every effort for his destruction, and to +endeavour to get him into their power, that they might end his +days by poison, for they knew that he was universally beloved +among the nobles, and that his remaining in life and restoration +to liberty must some day overthrow and punish their ambitious +projects. To attain their infamous purposes, Nourmahal was +instructed to practise upon the king's weakness, by false tears +and bewitching blandishments, to insinuate that Sultan Cuserou +was not in sufficiently safe custody, and that he still meditated +aspiring projects, contrary to the authority and safety of the +emperor, who listened to all her insinuations, yet refused to +understand her, as she did not plainly speak out her meaning.</p> + +<p>As this plan failed, the prince, with Etiman Dowlet and Asaph +Khan, took the opportunity of the emperor being drunk, to +persuade him, as if for the greater safety and honour of Sultan +Cuserou, that it were fitter he should be in the company of his +brother Churrum, who would be more regardful of his safety and +happiness than could be expected from an idolatrous rajput, to +whose custody he had been committed by the emperor. They +therefore humbly implored his majesty that Prince Cuserou might +be confided to the care of his dear brother Churrum. This was +granted by the intoxicated monarch, who immediately fell +asleep.</p> + +<p>They now deemed their project successful, as having the royal +authority; and, considering their own greatness, they believed no +one would dare to dispute the warrant, or to refuse delivering +the prince into their hands. Accordingly, Asaph Khan went that +same night with a guard to the house of <i>Anna-Rah</i>, a rajput +Rajah, or prince, to demand from, him, in the king's name and +authority, the person of Sultan Cuserou, who had been confided to +his custody by the king. Anna-Rah declared that he was the most +humble slave of Prince Churrum, whose name Asaph Khan used upon +this occasion; but having received charge of Prince Cuserou +directly from the hands of the emperor, he would deliver him up +to no other person. He therefore entreated that Prince Churrum +would have patience till next morning, when he would discharge +his duty to the king, whose pleasure, once known, he would +implicitly obey. This answer overturned the whole contrivance. In +the morning Anna-Rah went to the king, to whom he communicated +the demand made upon him in the name of Prince Churrum, saying. +That his majesty had given his son Cuserou to his charge, +together with the command of 4000 horse, with all of whom he was +ready to die at the imperial gate, rather than resign the prince +into the hands of his enemies: But, if his majesty required, he +was ready at all times to obey his commands. To this the king +replied, "You have done honestly and faithfully, and have +answered discretely. Continue your purpose, and take no notice of +any orders. I will not seem to know any thing of this, neither do +you speak of it any farther. Preserve your fidelity, and let us +see how far they will prosecute this affair."</p> + +<p>Next day, finding the king silent on the subject, the prince +and his faction took no notice of any thing, hoping the king +might forget what had passed in his cups over night. I have +communicated this incident, that you may beware of scattering +your goods in this country, or of engaging your servants and +stock too deeply; for the time will come when the whole of this +empire will be in commotion, and it is not a few years war that +will put a period to the inveterate enmity accumulated on all +hands against a day of vengeance. Should Sultan Cuserou prevail +in procuring his rightful inheritance, this empire will become a +sanctuary for Christians, whom he loves and honours, being a +patron of learning, and an encourager of true valour and just +government, abhorring all covetousness, and despising the base +custom of accepting bribes and presents, in use among his +ancestors and the nobility of this empire. Should Sultan Churrum +ascend the throne, it will be a great loss to us, as he is a +rigid adherent to the superstition of Mahomet, a hater of all +Christians, proud, subtle, false, and barbarously +tyrannical.[206]</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 206: From this paragraph it appears that +the journal of Sir Thomas Roe was addressed to the Governor and +Committees, or Directors of the East India +Company.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The king returned from hunting on the night of the 13th +October, and sent me a wild pig. An ambassador is daily expected +here from Shah Abbas, king of Persia. This day I received advice +of the arrival of four of our ships in safety at Swally roads, +and at the same time received letters from England. The fleet, +originally consisting of six ships, left England on the 9th +March, 1616, losing company of the Rose about the North Cape, in +foul weather. The other five arrived safely in Saldanha bay on +the 12th June, where the Lion was waiting for a wind, homewards +bound, her officers and people all in good health. After staying +some time at the Cape without news of the missing ship, they +dispatched the Swan for Bantam, and sailed on the 29th June with +the other four ships for Surat. On this passage, on the 6th +August, when in lat. 12° 50' S. near the Comora islands, they +got sight of a carrack of 1500 tons burden, and 600 men, being +the admiral of a fleet for Goa. The Globe fetched her to +windward, and after the usual salutations of the sea, the carrack +commanded her to leeward, and seconded this order with five shots +through her hull, to which the Globe replied with eighteen, and +then luffed off. The admiral of the English got now up with all +his ships, and demanded satisfaction for the injury, which was +replied to with scorn. On this an engagement ensued, in which the +commander, Benjamin Joseph, was soon slain, but his successor +continued the battle. Towards evening the carrack ran herself +ashore on the rocks of <i>Angazesia</i>. Our fleet came to anchor +in the offing to wait the event, and sent a boat to offer fair +terms of battle. But about midnight the carrack was set on fire, +and continued to burn all next morning. The English sent their +boats to give assistance, but could not approach, and they had +reason to believe that not one man was saved.[207] The new +viceroy of Goa was in this ship, by whose obstinacy the death of +all the rest was occasioned. Our fleet came to anchor off Swally +on the 24th September, 1616.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 207: It was afterwards known that some few +escaped with life and poverty. A more particular account of this +fight will be found in the subsequent journal of Alexander +Child.--<i>Purch.</i>]</blockquote> + +<p>The 14th October I waited on the emperor, to whom I imparted +his majesty's salutations, which were courteously received, but +he immediately began to enquire what presents had been sent to +him. I mentioned our late fight and victory, at which he seemed +to rejoice, and applauded the valour of our nation; but he +immediately shifted the discourse, asking what our king had sent +him. I answered, that he had sent many tokens of his love and +affection; but knowing that his majesty was lord of the best +portion of Asia, and the richest monarch of the East, my +sovereign was satisfied the sending of rich gifts to his majesty +were to cast pearls into the sea, their common mother and +storehouse; but that my master, together with the warmest +assurance of his love, had sent him many curiosities, which I +hoped would give him entire satisfaction. He urged me to mention +particulars, some of which I named. He asked me for French +<i>muffe</i> or velvet, to which I answered, that all my letters +were not arrived. He then enquired if there were any dogs. To +which I answered, that some had been slain in the battle at sea, +but that two were preserved for him, at which he seemed much +rejoiced. He then said, if I could procure him one of our great +horses, such as I had described, being a <i>roan</i> or Dutch +horse, he would value it more than an additional kingdom. I +answered, that I should use my best endeavours to satisfy his +majesty, but much feared it could not be effected, owing to the +length of the voyage. He said he would willingly give a lack of +rupees for such a horse. I then desired he would be pleased to +give an order for the transmission of the presents without being +searched, and for the good usage of our people. He answered, that +the port belonged to his son, but sent for him, and publicly gave +orders for what I required; that the presents should not be +searched, nor pay any custom, but should be sent up safe to me +with all expedition, that I might distribute them at my +discretion. He likewise commanded the prince to give orders for +the good usage of our people, and that I should be satisfied in +all my demands. This order did not extend to the grant of a fort, +as Asaph Khan had absolutely refused to deliver in that clause. +This charge was very round and hearty on the part of the king, +and a great grace to me. The prince called Asaph Khan forwards in +my presence, and promised, before his father and the whole court, +to give me all reasonable satisfaction. All this was on the +strength of the new presents.</p> + +<p>That same day I sent for the Portuguese jesuit who resided at +court, and gave him an account of the engagement between our +ships and the carrack, offering to make peace between our nation +and the Portuguese upon equal terms. He promised to acquaint the +viceroy of Goa with my offer, and so departed. The 15th I +received accounts from Masulipatan that Captain Keeling had taken +a Portuguese ship and two barks; one on the coast of Cochin, +laden with tin, and the other freighted from Bengal, both of +which were carried to Bantam. I was also informed that Sir Robert +Shirley had been dismissed with disgrace from Goa, and was on his +way overland to Masulipatan, to procure a passage; but am apt to +believe this intelligence is untrue.</p> + +<p>The 16th, being with the prince's secretary about the dispatch +of our affairs, he proposed to me, by his master's orders, to +procure him two gunners from our fleet to serve him in the Deccan +war, offering good pay and good usage. This I undertook to +perform, knowing that indifferent artists might serve there. +While at the prince's palace, Abdala Khan came to visit him, so +magnificently attended, that I have not before seen the like. He +was preceded by about twenty drums, and other martial music, on +horseback, who made abundant noise. After them followed fifty +persons bearing white flags, and two hundred well-mounted +soldiers, all richly clothed in cloth of gold, velvet, and rich +silks, who all entered the gate with him in regular array. Next +his person were forty targeteers, in the richest liveries. After +making his humble reverence, he presented a black Arabian horse, +splendidly caparisoned, all his furniture being studded with +flowers of enamelled gold, and set with small precious stones. +According to custom, the prince returned a turban, a vest, and a +girdle.</p> + +<p>Still persisting in his purpose of personally finishing the +war in the Deccan, he would give no answer to the ambassadors +from that country, but detained them till he should come to the +frontiers. Being now about to depart, he and his party thought +themselves not secure if Sultan Cuserou remained under the +safeguard of Anna-Rah, lest, during the absence of Churrum, the +king might be reconciled to Cuserou, by whose liberty all the +hopes and power of their faction would be overthrown, in which +case their ambition and the injuries they had done could hardly +escape punishment. In this view they continued to urge the king +to deliver Sultan Cuserou into the custody of Asaph Khan, as +deputy on that occasion to Churrum, under pretence that this +measure would intimidate Khan-Khannan and the Deccan princes, +when they shall learn that Sultan Churrum is so favoured that the +king has delivered his eldest son into his keeping, giving him as +it were present possession of the kingdom, and the certain +prospect of succession. Accordingly, on the 17th of October, +Sultan Cuserou was delivered up as they desired, the soldiers of +Anna-rah were discharged, and those of Asaph Khan placed over +him, assisted by 200 horse belonging to the prince. The sister of +Sultan Cuserou, and several other women in the seraglio, have put +themselves in mourning, refuse to take their food, and openly +exclaim against the dotage and cruelty of the king; declaring, if +Cuserou should die, that an hundred of his kindred would devote +themselves to the flames, in memory of the king's cruely to the +worthiest of his sons.</p> + +<p>The king endeavoured to sooth them by fair words, protesting +that he had no evil intentions towards his son, whom he promised +speedily to deliver from captivity, and even sent his favourite +Nourmahal to endeavour to appease the enraged and disconsolate +ladies; but they refused to admit her visit, loading her with +curses and threatnings. The common people universally condemn the +king's conduct, saying, that he has not only delivered his son's +life, but his own into the keeping of an ambitious prince and +treacherous faction, and that Cuserou cannot perish without +extreme scandal to his father, unless he amply revenge his death, +for which cause the party will dispatch the king first, and his +eldest son afterwards, that through their deaths the ambitious +and unnatural Churrum may mount the throne. Every hour new +rumours are spread of the deliverance of Cuserou, which are +speedily contradicted; for he still remains in the tyger's den, +refuses food, and requires that his father may take away his +life, and not leave him to be a sport and prey to his inveterate +enemies. The whole court is filled with rumours and secret +whispers; the nobles are sad, and the people full of turmoil and +noise, without any head, having no one to direct their rage to +any specific object. The issue seems involved in dangers, +especially for us, as, in regard to themselves, it matters not +who wins. Although the elder prince have more right, and is of a +more honourable character, he is still a Mahomedan, and can +hardly be a better prince than his father, whose dispositions are +good, yet so facile that he allows all to govern at their will, +which is even worse than if he were a tyrant, for we had better +suffer injuries from one prince than from a host of ministers and +subordinate agents.</p> + +<p>The 19th of October <i>Mahomet Reza Beg</i>, the Persian +ambassador, made his entry into the city with a great cavalcade, +partly sent out by the king to meet him. There were at least an +hundred elephants, with many musicians; but no man of quality +went out on this occasion beyond the ordinary official receivers +of strangers. His own train consisted of about fifty horse in +splendid dresses of cloth of gold, their bows, quivers, and +targets being richly adorned. Together with these he had about +forty musqueteers, and about 200 ordinary <i>peons</i> and +attendants on his passage. He was conducted to a room within the +outer court of the palace, to rest himself till the evening, at +which time I sent my secretary to the durbar, to give me an +account of the ceremonial. On coming into the presence, and +reaching the first rail, he made three <i>tessalims</i> and one +<i>sizeda,</i> which is prostrating himself and knocking his head +three times against the ground. On entering within the rail he +did the same, and then presented the letter of his master, +<i>Shabas</i>, [Shah Abbas.] This the king took with a slight +inclination of the body, saying only, <i>How doth my brother</i>? +without using any title of majesty. After some few words, the +ambassador was placed in the seventh rank, close to the rail +beside the door, and below many of the king's servants, which, in +my opinion, was a very mean place for the ambassador of Persia; +but he richly merited this degradation for doing that mean +reverence to the dishonour of his master which all his +predecessors had refused, and by which he gave much offence to +many of his nation. It is reported that he had orders from Shah +Abbas to give content in all things, and hence it is conjectured +that he is sent to obtain some aid in money against the Turks, in +which kind the court of Persia often finds liberal succour from +the Mogul government. Others pretend that his object is to +mediate a peace for the princes of the Deccan, whose protection +Shah Abbas is said to have much at heart, being jealous of the +extension of this empire.</p> + +<p>According to custom, the king gave him a handsome turban, a +vest of cloth of gold, and a girdle, for which he again made +three <i>tessalims</i> and a <i>sizeda</i>, or ground courtesy. +The present he brought consisted of three times nine Persian and +Arabian horses, this being among them a ceremonious number; nine +very large and handsome mules; seven camels laden with velvet; +two suits of European <i>Arras</i>, or tapestry, which I suppose +was Venetian; two chests of Persian hangings; one rich cabinet; +four muskets; five clocks; a camel's load of cloth of gold; eight +silk carpets; two balasss rubies; twenty-one camel loads of wine +made of grapes; fourteen camel loads of distilled sweet waters; +seven of rose-water; seven daggers and five swords adorned with +precious stones; seven Venetian mirrors, all so fair and rich +that I was ashamed of the relation.</p> + +<p>These presents were not now delivered, but only a list of them +in writing. His own equipage was rich, having nine led horses, +their trappings all studded with gold and silver. His turban was +encircled by a chain of pearls, rubies, and turquoises, having +three pipes of gold, in which were three plumes of feathers. +Having thus caused accurate observation to be made of his +reception, and compared it with my own, I find it in nothing more +gracious than my own, and in many things inferior, except only in +being met without the town, which, owing to my sickness, was not +demanded; neither did the king receive the letter of Shah Abbas +with so much respect as that of the king, my master, whom he +called the king of England, his brother, naming the Persian +barely his brother, without addition. This observation was made +by the jesuit, who understood the language.</p> + +<p>S.5. <i>Continuation of Occurrences at Court, till leaving +Agimere, in November</i>, 1616.</p> + +<p>The 20th of October I received the prince's letter to send to +Sarat, with orders for the governor of that city to sit along +with the judge of the custom-house, to take care that no wrong +was done to the English. The clause about sending up the presents +sealed and unsearched to me, was so obscure and unintelligible, +that it was susceptible of various constructions, which I +believed was done designedly, that they might come into the hands +of the prince, so as to become his own. I sent it back therefore +to his secretary to be altered; and getting it returned still +more intricate than at first, I went to the prince on the 21st, +and desired to have that clause of his letter explained, at which +he stuck a little, and I perceived he was as hollow as I had +imagined. He plainly asked, How then he should have his presents, +or see such curiosities as came up? and proposed to accompany me +to where they were. I answered, that I could not do this till I +had delivered my master's message and presents to the king, after +which I should wait upon his highness with his presents, and that +every rarity that came to me should be sent after him. He pressed +me to pass my word for the performance of this, which I did, and +then I had the letter for Surat made out to my content.</p> + +<p>At this interview the prince observed a white feather in my +hat, and asked if I would give it to him. I answered, that I +could not presume to offer any thing I had worn; but if he were +pleased to command it, that or any thing else in my power was at +his service. He then asked if I had any more; to which I +answered, that I had three or four others of different colours. +He desired to have them all, as he was to shew his horses and +servants to the king within two days, and wanted some, being rare +in these parts. I therefore promised to bring all I had next day, +when his highness might take what pleased him.</p> + +<p>This day Abdalla Khan waited on the prince with a gallant +equipage, himself and servants being anticly apparelled, yet +soldier-like, according to their fashion. On this occasion he +made a present to the prince of a handsome white horse, full of +spirit and high mettled, the saddle and furniture all ornamented +with enamelled gold. The prince returned him a plain sword with a +leathern belt. Many other swords were brought before him, the +hilts and scabbards being of silver, set with small stones, +together with targets covered with gold velvets, some painted and +embossed with gold and silver, all of which he distributed among +his servants. Against this muster many saddles and other +horse-furniture were provided, richly ornamented with gold and +precious stones, intended for spare horses. His boots were +embroidered, and every thing was of the highest magnificence, so +that the expence is wonderful, and the wealth seen daily is +inestimable. There is a report going, that, on the past night, +six of the servants of Sultan Churrum went to murder Sultan +Cuserou, but were refused the key by the porter who has charge of +him. It is farther said that the queen mother is gone to the king +to lay before him an account of this matter. But the truth of +these things is hard to be found, and it is dangerous to ask +questions.</p> + +<p>In the evening I went to the durbar to wait upon the king, +where I met the Persian ambassador with the first muster of his +presents. He seemed a jester or juggler, rather than a person of +any gravity, continually skipping up and down, and acting all his +words like a mimic player, so that the <i>Atachikanne</i> was +converted as it were into a stage. He delivered all his presents +with his own hand, which the king received with smiles and a +chearful countenance, and many gracious words. His tongue was a +great advantage to the Persian in delivering his own business, +which he did with so much flattery and obsequiousness, that he +pleased as much that way as by his gifts, constantly calling his +majesty king and commander of the world, forgetting that his own +master had a share of it; and on every little occasion of +favourable acceptance, he made his <i>tessalims</i>. When all was +delivered for that day, he prostrated himself on the ground, +making <i>sizeda</i>, and knocking his head on the floor as if he +would have entered it.</p> + +<p>The gifts this day were a handsome quiver for a bow and arrow, +richly embroidered; all sorts of European fruits, artificially +made, and laid on dishes; many folding purses, and other knacks, +of leather, curiously wrought in coloured silks; shoes stitched +and embroidered: great mirrors in richly inlaid frames; one +square piece of velvet, highly embroidered with gold in panes, +between which were Italian pictures wrought in the stuff, which +he said were the king and queen of Venice, being, as I suppose, +the hanging called Venetian tapestry, of which six were given, +but only one shown. There were besides, many other curiosities of +small value; after which came the three times nine horses and +mules, the latter being very handsome, but the horses had lost +their beauty and condition, as, except one or two, they were very +unfit for being sent or accepted between princes. This done, the +Persian returned, with many antic tricks, to his place, which was +far inferior to mine, as I stood alone, and above all the +subjects, though Asaph Khan at first wanted to put me from it, +but I maintained it as my right, having been appointed me by the +king. This was only the first act of the play presented by the +Persian ambassador, which will not be finished in ten days.</p> + +<p>The 22d I went to the prince's secretary for the promised +Surat letter; but his highness had changed his mind, and, loth to +let the presents pass without ransacking them, refused to seal +the letter. The secretary pretended they could not be allowed to +pass without search, lest the merchants, under that pretence, +might defraud the customs. I was offended, and going away; but +the secretary prevailed on me to go with him to the prince, to +whom I delivered some feathers, being two <i>plurides</i> and two +birds of paradise, which he graciously accepted; and having made +known my determination not to have the presents opened, or to be +sent up by any others than my own servants, he at last yielded, +and commanded his secretary to make out the dispatch in my own +way.</p> + +<p>At night I went to the durbar to observe the Persian +ambassador, whom I found standing in his place, but often removed +and set lower, as the great men came in. The king once spoke to +him, on which he played off his monkey tricks, but gave no +present; only the king gave command that he should be feasted by +the nobles. Most of the time was spent in seeing saddles and +furniture, against the removal of the court, some of which the +king presented to his followers, as the court was daily expected +to move; the king's tents having been pitched four days. I sent +that night to the secretary for my firmaun, but was put off with +excuses.</p> + +<p>The 24th the king removed to Havar Gemal, and called for the +Persian ambassador, who at night eat and drank before the king +along with the nobles, as I had done on the birth-day. On this +occasion the king gave him 20,000 rupees for his expences, for +which he made innumerable <i>tessalims</i> and <i>sizedas</i>, +which greatly pleased the king, being base yet profitable +idolatry. As the prince was in attendance on the king, I could +not get my business dispatched.</p> + +<p>The king returned to the city in the evening of the 25th, +having been far gone in wine the night before. Some person, +either by chance or from malice, spoke of the last merry night, +when many of the nobles had drank wine, which none may do without +leave. Having forgot his own order, the king demanded to know who +gave? It was answered that it had been given by the <i>buxy</i>, +as no one dared to say it was the king, seeing he doubted it. The +custom is that the king drinks alone, though sometimes he will +give command that the nobles shall drink also, which to refuse is +likewise an offence, so every one who takes the cup of wine from +the officer has his name written down, and makes <i>tessalim</i>, +though perhaps the king's eyes are misty. The king called for the +<i>buxy</i>, and asked if he gave the order, which he falsely +denied; though he actually gave it as ordered, calling by name +such as were to drink with the ambassador. The king then called +for the list, and fined the delinquents, some 1000, some 2000, +and others 3000 rupees. Some that were near his person, he caused +to be whipped in his presence, receiving 130 stripes with a most +terrible instrument of torture, having at the ends of four cords +irons like spur-rowels, so that every stroke made four wounds. +When they lay for dead, he commanded the standers-by to spurn +them with their feet, and the door-keepers to break their staves +upon them. Thus cruelly mangled and bruised, they were carried +away, one of them dying on the spot. Some would have excused +themselves, by blaming the ambassador; but the king said he had +only ordered a cup or two to be given to him. Though drunkenness +be a common and frequent vice in the king, it is yet strictly +forbidden; and no one can enter the <i>guzelkhan</i> where the +king sits, till the porters have smelt his breath, and if he have +only tasted wine he is refused admittance; and if this reason of +his absence be known, he shall scarcely escape the whip. When the +king has taken offence at any one, even a father dares not speak +for his son. Thus the king made all the company pay for the +Persian ambassador's reward.</p> + +<p>The 26th, I went to <i>Sorocolla</i>, the prince's secretary, +to get the promised firmaun; when he sent me a copy as fraudulent +and ambiguous as the former, which I refused to accept. I drew up +the clause I so much disliked myself, which I sent back, and was +promised to have it sealed next day.</p> + +<p>The day of the king's removal being at hand, I sent on the +28th to Asaph Khan, to have a warrant for carriages, as our +merchants had sought all over the town for carriages to convey +their goods to Agra, and could not procure any. As I was enrolled +by the king, I received an order for twenty camels, four carts, +and two coaches, to be paid for at the king's price; of which I +appointed for the use of the factors as many as they needed.</p> + +<p>At this time the following incident took place, being either a +wonderful instance of baseness in this great monarch, or a trial +of my disposition. The king had condemned several thieves to +death, among whom were some boys, and there was no way to save +their lives, except by selling them as slaves. On this occasion, +the king commanded Asaph Khan to offer two of them to me for +money, which he directed to be done by the <i>cutwall</i>, or +marshal. He came accordingly and made the offer to my +interpreter, who answered without my knowledge, that the +Christians kept no slaves, and, as I had already set free those +the king had given me, it was in vain to propose the matter to +me. I afterwards suspected this were done to try me whether I +would give a little money to save the lives of two children, or, +if it even were in earnest, I thought there was no great loss in +doing a good deed. So, to try the scope of this affair, I +directed my interpreter to inform Asaph Khan, that being made +acquainted with the offer, and the answer my interpreter had +given, I had reprehended him for presuming in any case to answer +for me; and that, if any money were to be given to save the lives +of the children, either to those whom they had robbed, or to +redeem them from the law, I was ready to give it, both out of +respect for the king's command, and for charity; but I would not +buy them as slaves, only meaning to pay their ransom, and set +them free; and, if he would let me know the king's pleasure, that +I might give them their lives and liberties without offence, I +was very willing to do it.</p> + +<p>Asaph Khan agreed to accept the money, making many +commendations of my extraordinary goodness, and said I might +dispose of the boys as I thought fit, desiring me to send the +money to the <i>cutwall</i>, yet made no offer of informing the +king, which was one chief purpose of my liberality. I had no +inclination to be cheated, yet resolved to pay the money in such +a way that the king should learn I had more mercy than he, and +that a Christian valued the life of a Mahomedan beyond money. I +sent therefore a factor and my interpreter to the <i>cutwall</i>, +to acquaint him with my communication to Asaph Khan, and that, if +he informed the king of my offer to redeem the prisoners for +charity, and his majesty consented to give them their pardon and +liberty, I was ready to send the money; but that I would not buy +them as slaves, even for an hour. Thus I put them to the test as +to their base offer. This sum did not exceed ten pounds, a poor +affair for which to impose upon a stranger, or to be gained by so +great a king. The <i>cutwall</i> answered that he would enquire +the king's pleasure, and let me know the result. Some would have +me believe, that this was, a signal favour of the king, chusing +out any great man to do this good and honourable work of +redeeming prisoners, as the money is given in satisfaction to the +person robbed, and that those who are thus appointed to ransom +them, make <i>sizeda</i> to the king, as for a mighty benefit. +But I see no honour in a king thus to impose upon a stranger, to +whom he gives neither maintenance nor liberality. I went to the +durbar, to see if the king would himself speak to me, that I +might declare my own offer. The <i>cutwall</i> made many motions, +and brought in his executioner, who received some commands, but I +understood them not.</p> + +<p>I this day sent my secretary with a message to the Persian +ambassador, to say I would visit him, if he gave his word to +return my visit. He sent me for answer, with much respect, that +it was not the custom of the country for ambassadors to visit +each, other without leave of the king, which he would ask; and +which given, he would thankfully accept my visit, and repay it +with all manner of pleasure.</p> + +<p>On the 1st November, Sultan Churrum took his leave and went to +his tents. On this occasion the king sat in his durbar at noon, +when the prince passed his establishment in review before his +father, consisting of about 600 elephants richly caparisoned, and +about 10,000 horse, all splendidly arrayed, many of his followers +being clad in cloth of gold, and their turbans adorned with +herons plumes. The prince himself was in a dress of cloth of +silver, all over embroidered, and splendidly decorated with +pearls and diamonds, shining like the firmament in a clear night. +The king embraced and kissed him with much affection, presenting +him with a rich sword, the hilt and scabbard all of gold set with +precious stones, valued at 100,000 rupees, a dagger valued at +40,000, together with an elephant, and a horse, the furniture of +both magnificently adorned with gold and jewels. At his +departure, he gave him a coach, made in imitation of that sent by +the king my master to the emperor, and commanded the English +coachman to drive the prince to the tents. Churrum went +accordingly into the coach, sitting in the middle thereof, all +the sides being open; and was attended by all his chief nobles +a-foot, all the way to the camp, which was about four miles. +Being followed by a vast concourse of people, he scattered all +the way among them handfuls of quarter rupees. At one time he +reached his hand to the coachman, and put about 100 rupees into +his hat.</p> + +<p>On the 2d, the king removed, with his women and all the court, +to the tents, about three miles from town. I went that morning to +attend upon him at the <i>Jarruco</i> window of the palace, and +went up to the scaffold under the window, being desirous to see +this exhibition. Two eunuchs stood upon tressels, having long +poles headed with feathers, with which they fanned him. On this +occasion, he dispensed many favours, and received many presents. +What he gave was let down by a silk cord, rolled on a turning +instrument; and what he received was drawn up in the same manner, +by a venerable, fat, and deformed old matron, all hung round with +<i>gymbals</i> like an image. Two of his principal wives were at +a window on one side, whose curiosity led them to break holes in +a lattice of roods that hung before the window, to gaze on me. At +first I only saw their fingers; and afterwards, applying their +faces to the holes, I could at times see an eye, and at length +could discern their entire countenances. They were indifferently +fair, having their black hair smoothed up from their foreheads; +and they were so adorned with pearls and diamonds, that I might +have seen them without the help of any other light. On my looking +at them, they retired very merry, and, as I supposed, laughing at +me.</p> + +<p>After some time, the king departed from the window, and we all +went to the durbar, to wait his coming out of the inner +apartments. He came not long after, and remained in the durbar +for about half an hour, till his ladies had mounted their +elephants, which were in all about fifty, all richly caparisoned, +especially three, which had turrets or <i>howders</i> of gold, +with grates of gold wire for the ladies to see through, and rich +canopies over head of cloth of silver. The king then descended +the stairs, amid such acclamations of <i>health to the king</i>, +as would have drowned the noise of cannon. At the foot of the +stairs, where I contrived to be near him, a person brought to him +a large carp, and another presented a dish of some white stuff +like starch, into which the king dipped his finger, with which he +touched the fish, and then rubbed it on his forehead. This +ceremony was said to presage good fortune. Then came another +officer, who buckled on his sword and buckler, all set with large +diamonds and rubies. Another hung on his quiver with thirty +arrows, and his bow-case, being that which had been presented by +the Persian ambassador. On his head, the king wore a rich turban, +with a plume of heron's crests, not many but long: On one side +hung a rich unset ruby as large as a walnut; on the other side a +diamond of equal size; and in the middle an emerald much larger, +shaped like a heart. His sash was wreathed about with a chain of +great pearls, rubies, and diamonds, drilled. A triple chain of +excellent pearls, the largest I had ever seen, hung round his +neck. He had armlets above his elbows, richly set with diamonds; +and three rows of diamonds round each wrist. His hands were bare, +having a rich ring on almost every finger; and a pair of English +gloves were stuck into his girdle. His coat, without sleeves, was +of cloth of gold, over a fine robe as thin as lawn. On his feet +he wore buskins embroidered with pearls, the toes being sharp and +turned up.</p> + +<p>Thus richly accoutred, he went into the coach, which waited +for him under the care of his new English servant, who was +dressed as gaudily as any player, and more so, and had trained +four horses for the draught, which were trapped and harnessed all +in velvet and gold. This was the first coach he had ever been in, +made in imitation of that sent from England, and so like it that +I only knew the difference by the cover, which was of gold velvet +of Persia. Having seated himself at one end, two eunuchs attended +at each side, carrying small golden maces set all over with +rubies, to which horse-tails were fastened, for driving away +flies. Before him went drums, bad trumpets, and loud music; with +many canopies, parasols, and other strange ensigns of majesty, +all of cloth of gold, and adorned with rubies. Nine spare horses +were led before him, some having their furniture garnished with +rubies, some with pearls, and others with diamonds, while some +had only plain gold studs. Next behind the coach came three +palanquins, the carriages and feet of one being plated with gold, +set with pearls, and a fringe of great pearls in strings a foot +long, the border being set all round with rubies and emeralds. +Beside this, a man on foot carried a stool of gold, set with +precious stones. The other two palanquins were covered and lined +with cloth of gold.</p> + +<p>Next followed the English coach, newly covered and richly +trimmed, which he had given to his favourite queen, Nourmahal, +who sat in the inside. After this came a coach, made after the +fashion of the country, which I thought seemed out of +countenance, in which were his younger sons. This was followed by +about twenty spare royal elephants, all for the king's own use, +all so splendidly adorned with precious stones and rich +furniture, that they outshone the sun. Each elephant had several +flags and streamers of cloth of silver, gilded sattin, or rich +silk. His noblemen accompanied him on foot, which I did likewise +to the gate, and then left him. His women, who accompanied him on +elephants, as before mentioned, seemed like so many parroquitos +in cages, and followed about half a mile in the rear of his +coach. On coming to the door of the house in which his eldest son +was kept prisoner, he caused the coach to stop, and sent for +prince Cuserou; who immediately came and made reverence, having a +sword and buckler in his hands, and his beard grown to his +middle, in sign of disfavour. The king now commanded his son to +mount one of the spare elephants in the royal train, so that he +rode next his father, to the great joy and applause of the +multitude, who were now filled with new hopes; and on this +occasion, the king gave him 1000 rupees to throw among the +people; his gaoler, Asaph Khan, and all the ministers, being +still attendant on foot.</p> + +<p>To avoid the press and other inconveniences, I took horse and +crossed out of the <i>leskar</i>, getting before the king, and +then waited for him till he came near his tents, to which he +passed all the way from the town between a guard of turreted +elephants, having each on the four corners of their howdars a +banner of yellow taffety, and a <i>sling</i>[208] mounted in +front, carrying a bullet as big as a tennis-ball. There were +about three hundred elephants armed in this manner, each having a +gunner; besides about six hundred other elephants of honour, that +preceded or followed the king, all covered with velvet or cloth +of gold, and all carrying two or three gilded banners. Many men +afoot ran before the king, carrying skins of water with which to +sprinkle the road to prevent dust from annoying him; and no one +was allowed to approach the coach on horseback by two +furlongs.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 208: The sling in the text appears to have +been a <i>slung</i> musquetoon, or small cannon, mounted in that +manner to avoid recoil.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>Having gone before a-horseback, as before mentioned, I +hastened to the tents, to await the king's arrival. The royal +encampment was walled round, half a mile in circuit, in form of a +fortress, with high screens or curtains of coarse stuff; somewhat +like Arras hangings, red on the outside, the inside being divided +into panes or compartments, with a variety of figures. This +inclosure had a handsome gateway, and the circuit was formed into +various coins and bulwarks, as it were; the posts which supported +the curtains being all surmounted with brass tops. The throng was +very great, and I wished to have gone into the enclosure, but no +one was allowed, even the greatest of the land having to sit down +at the gate. At length I was admitted, but the Persian ambassador +and all the nobles were refused. At this gate, and for the first +time, I was saluted by the Persian ambassador as I passed, by a +silent <i>salam</i>.</p> + +<p>In the midst of this enclosure, there stood a throne of +mother-of-pearl, borne aloft on two pillars, under cover of a +high tent or pavilion, the pole of which was headed by a golden +knob, the roof being of cloth of gold, and the ground covered by +carpets. When the king came near, several noblemen were admitted, +together with the Persian ambassador; all of us making a kind of +lane, the ambassador being on one side, and I on the other. As +the king came in, he cast his eye on me, whereupon I made him a +reverence, to which he answered by bowing and laying his hand on +his breast. Turning to the other side, he nodded to the Persian. +I followed close at his heels till he ascended the throne, every +one calling out, <i>joy, health, and good fortune</i>. The king +then called for water, with which he washed his hands, and then +retired into an interior tent, to join his women, who had entered +by another gate to their own quarters; there being about thirty +divisions with tents within the royal inclosure. His son I saw +not. All the noblemen now retired to their quarters, which were +all very handsome, some having their tents green, others white, +and others again of mixed colours, all handsome in form and +arrangement, and all as orderly inclosed as their houses in the +city, so that the whole composed the most curious and magnificent +sight I had ever beheld. The whole vale seemed like a magnificent +city, no mean tents or baggage being allowed to mix among these +splendid pavilions. I was utterly unprovided with carriages or +tent, and ashamed of my situation, for indeed five years of my +allowances would not have enabled me to take the field any thing +like the others; every one having a double set of pavilions, one +of which goes before to the next station, where it is set up a +day before the king removes. On this account, I was obliged to +return to my poor house in the town.</p> + +<p>On the 5th November I rode about five miles, to the tents of +the prince, Sultan Churrum. I made him my compliments of leave +taking, wishing him all prosperity and success; but he ordered me +to return and take my leave two days afterwards, as I had moved +him on some business, respecting debts due to the English, which +he promised to examine and dispatch. He sat in state, in the same +greatness and magnificence I have mentioned of his father; his +throne being plated all over with silver, inlaid with gold +flowers, having a square canopy over head, borne up by four +pillars covered with silver; his arms, such as his sword, +buckler, bows, arrows, and lance, being on a table before his +throne. I observed him curiously, now that he was in absolute +authority, and took especial notice of his actions and behaviour. +He had just received two letters, which he read standing, before +he ascended his throne. I never saw any one having so settled a +countenance, or maintain a so constant gravity of deportment, +never once smiling, or shewing by his looks any respect or +distinction of persons, but evincing an extreme pride and +thorough contempt for all around him. Yet I could perceive that +he was every now and then assailed by some inward trouble, and a +kind of distraction and brokenness in his thoughts, as he often +answered suitors in a disjointed manner, as if surprised, or not +hearing what they had said. If I can judge, he has left his heart +among his father's women, with whom he is allowed to converse. +The day before, Noormahal went to visit him in the English coach; +and, on taking leave of him, she presented him with a robe, all +embroidered with diamonds, rubies, and pearls; and, if I do not +mistake, she carried away with her all his attentions from other +business.</p> + +<p>The 6th I had a letter from Mr Brown at Ahmedabad, giving an +account of a fray begun by the Portuguese. Five of them assailed +an English boy at Cambay, whose arms they took from him. On +notice of this, John Brown and James Bickeford went to rescue the +boy, and were set upon by seven Portuguese, one of whom fired a +pistol and wounded Brown in the hand. They defended themselves +bravely and honourably like Englishmen, killed one, wounded some +others, and chaced the rest up and down the town like cowards, to +the great shame of such villains, and the reputation of our +nation. To revenge this, the Portuguese came ashore in +considerable numbers from their frigates, no more English being +in the town except the three already mentioned. The governor, +being informed of this affair, sent the cutwall with a guard to +our house, and ordered the water port to be shut, expelling the +Portuguese from the town, and commanding them, on pain of +chastisement, not to meddle with the English, whom he dismissed +in safety from Cambay, and they are now returned to +Ahmedabad.</p> + +<p>The 9th, the prince being to remove, sent one of his guards +for me in haste. I was not prepared for going, but the messenger +pressed me, urging that his master waited for me, and he had +orders not to return without me. He added, that the whole court +talked of the prince's favour for me, and it was reported he had +asked leave from the king for me to accompany him to the war, and +had promised to use me so well that I should be forced to +acknowledge his favour to our nation. I accordingly took horse +after dinner; but on my arrival, I found the prince already under +march. I met a Dutchman, the prince's jeweller, who confirmed +every thing the soldier had said, and added so much more in the +same strain, that I disbelieved the whole. I sent word to the +prince of my arrival, when he returned for answer, That I should +go on before to the tents, and wait his arrival, when he would +speak with me. It was night when he came. He sat a short while, +only giving me a look, and arose to retire among his women. As he +passed, he sent a servant to desire me to wait a little, till he +came out to hold his guzalcan, when he should take leave of +me.</p> + +<p>He came out in half an hour, but I could not get any one to +remind him of me, and he was fallen to play, and either forgot +me, or proposed to play me a state trick. I then told the +waiters, that I had been sent for by the prince, and only waited +his orders, for which I had too long waited, as it was late, and +I must return to my house; and therefore, if the prince had any +business for me, I desired it might be sent after me, as I +scorned to be so used. Before I could mount, messengers came +running after me, and called me back to wait upon the prince. +Going in, I found him earnestly engaged at cards, but he excused +himself of forgetfulness, blaming the officers formally for not +reminding him, and shewed more than ordinary attention, calling +me to see his cards, and asking me many questions. I expected he +would have spoken of my going along with him; but, finding no +such discourse, I told him I had come only in obedience to his +commands, and to take my leave, and craved his pardon for being +in haste, as I had to return to Agimere, having no convenience +for staying all night in camp. He answered, that he had sent to +speak with me before his departure, and that I should be +presently dispatched. He then sent in an eunuch into the interior +apartments, and several of his officers came to me smiling, who +said that the prince meant to give me a magnificent present, and +if I feared to ride late, I should have a guard of ten horsemen +to see me safe home, making as much of the matter as if I had +been to get his best chain of pearls. By and by came a cloak of +cloth of gold, which the prince had once or twice worn, which he +caused to be put on me, and for which I made my reverence very +unwillingly; yet I urged some business, and having an answer, +took my leave. It is here reputed the highest favour, to give one +a garment that has been worn by a prince, or that has merely been +laid on their shoulders. The cloak now given me might have +answered well for an actor who had to represent the character of +his ancestor, Tamerlane, on the stage, but was to me of no +importance. On my way out, I was followed by his porters and +waiters, begging in a most shameless manner, so that I half paid +the value of the cloak before I could get out from among +them.</p> + +<p>On the 10th November, almost every body had removed from the +town of Agimere, so that I was left nearly alone, and could +neither get carts nor camels for my removal, notwithstanding my +warrant. The Persian ambassador was in a similar predicament, but +complained, and was soon redressed. I therefore sent to court, +and on the 11th I received two warrants, for being supplied with +carts and camels at the king's price: but it was not easy to +procure either, as the great men had soldiers in every direction, +to take up all for their use; and indeed it was wonderful, how +two leskars or camps, belonging to the king and prince, could +both remove at once.</p> + +<p>The 16th, an order was given by the king to set fire to the +whole leskar at Agimere, that the people might be compelled to +follow, which was duly executed. I was left almost destitute; and +the Persian ambassador, who had fought, chid, brawled, and +complained, without any remedy, was in the same state with me. We +sent messages of condolence to each other; and, by his example, I +resolved to buy, as many were disposed to sell, who would not +hire at the king's price, and I calculated that by purchasing I +should almost save hire, though carts were dear, as the hire of +three months would have exhausted the price of purchase. +Necessity enforced me to remove, as the town was burnt and +utterly desolate, and I was in great danger from thieves, as the +soldiers came from camp and robbed during the night. So desolate +was the town, that I could not even procure bread. Yet I sent +again to court, to make one trial more, before I purchased.</p> + +<p>The 17th I received accounts from Goa, which were said to be +true, that Don Emanuel de Meneses, with about 300 of those who +were saved ashore out of the Admiral, had arrived at Goa in a +very poor condition, having been robbed and plundered by the +inhabitants of Angazesia, who had also slain many. On the 24th +October, not one of the Lisbon fleet had reached Goa, to their +great wonder and disappointment. The Mosambique galleon was +fought with by the Hollanders that lately went from Surat, and +had cruised off Goa to meet the expected ships. This galleon was +very rich in gold and other commodities, but she escaped.</p> + +<p>I received an order for camels and carriages, but was +continually delayed and disappointed; and being afraid to remain, +I bought two carts, and was continually promised camels, yet none +appeared. Mr Bidulph remained in the prince's leskar to receive +money. The leskar of the king was still only twelve cosses from +Agimere. The 18th, the Portuguese Jesuit took leave of me, being +under the necessity of purchasing a carriage, although he had an +order for one out of the king's store; but every one was +distressed, owing to the scarcity. Having nothing material to +say, respecting my own affairs, during my solitude at Agimere, I +shall here digress, to mention the state of Sultan Cuserou, of +whose new delivery into the hands of his enemies, the hearts and +mouths of all men were now full.</p> + +<p>Though the king had so far condescended to satisfy his proud +son Churrum at his departure, as again to place Cuserou in +confinement, yet it seems that he did not mean to wink at any +injurious behaviour to his eldest son: And, partly to render his +situation the more secure, in the custody of Asaph Khan, and +partly to satisfy the murmurs of the people, who feared some +treachery against him, he took occasion to declare his mind +respecting him in the public durbar. Asaph Khan had been to visit +his new prisoner, and in his behaviour towards him, did not treat +him with the respect due to a prince, but rudely pressed into his +presence against his will, and in a disrespectful manner. Some +are of opinion he did this purposely to pick a quarrel, knowing +the bravery of the prince, who would not suffer an indignity, +meaning to tempt him to draw his sword, or to use some violence, +which the guard might suddenly revenge; or that he might have +opportunity to represent to the king, that the prince had +attempted to kill his keeper, on purpose to escape. But the +prince acted with patient prudence, and only procured a friend to +acquaint the king with the rude behaviour of Asaph Khan. +Accordingly, one day at the durbar, the king called Asaph Khan +before him, and asked when he had seen his charge? To which he +answered, he had seen him two days before. The king then asked, +What he had then done to him? He said he had only visited him. +But the king pressed to know what reverence and fashion he had +carried towards the prince. Asaph Khan then saw that the king +knew what had passed. He therefore said, That he had gone to wait +upon the prince, in all reverence and affection, to offer his +service, but that the prince refused him admittance into the +apartment; wherefore, as he was entrusted with his safety, he +thought it both necessary for him to see the prince, and +discourteous in him to deny, and had therefore pressed in. On +this, the king quickly asked, "And when you were in, what did you +say and do?" Asaph Khan stood confounded, and confessed that he +did not make any reverence. Whereupon, the king told him roundly, +"That he would make his proud heart know the prince as his eldest +and beloved heir, and his prince and lord; and, if he ever heard +again of the smallest disrespect or want of duty in his behaviour +towards the prince, he would command his son to trample him under +his feet." He added, that he loved his son Prince Churrum, yet +did not entrust his eldest son Cuserou among them for his ruin +and destruction.</p> + +<p>The 20th I received a new warrant for carriages, which +procured me eight camels, but such poor ones as were quite unable +to suffice for our baggage, and I was therefore under the +necessity of purchasing the rest. The 22d I removed to my tents. +The 23d and 24th I waited for the merchants; and on the latter of +these days I had a letter from Ispahan, saying that my letters +had been dispatched for Aleppo, and that we were expected in +Persia, but on condition that we seconded the wishes of Shah +Abbas, by diverting the sale of his silks from Turkey. My letters +added, that the general of the Turks lay with a mighty army at +<i>Argerone</i>, [Arzerom,] six days march short of Tauris, as if +uncertain whether to attack that city, or to enter Gurgestan and +Gilan, the provinces in which silk is produced, so as to win that +by conquest which was refused in the way of trade. To guard +against both attempts, Shah Abbas was encamped at <i>Salmas</i>, +whence he could march either way as might be required. But, it +was farther said, if the armies did not come to battle in two +months, the approach of winter, and the wants attendant on such +numerous bodies of men, would constrain both to quit the field. +It is thought the Persians will not adventure a battle, though +180,000 strong, as, being light, and unencumbered with cannon or +baggage, they are fitted for rapid marches, and can harass the +Turkish army with perpetual skirmishes and assaults on all sides, +hovering round about, and wasting them, without hazard to +themselves.</p> + +<p>S.6. <i>Sir Thomas Roe follows the Progress of the Court, and +describes the King's Leskar, and some Places through which he +passed; with instances of the King's Superstition and +Drunkenness, and some curious Incidents respecting a +Present</i>.</p> + +<p>The 25th of November I removed four cosses from Agimere, but +waited during the remainder of that month, for the arrival of a +caravan, going from Agra to Surat, by which I might transmit my +papers in safety. The caravan departed from Agimere at midnight +of the 30th November: and on the 1st December I went six cosses +to Ramsor, where the king had left the naked bodies of an hundred +men, put to death for robbery. The 2d I travelled seven c. I +rested the 3d, because of rain. The 4th I went five c. and this +day I overtook a camel, laden with 300 heads, sent from Candahar +to the king, the people to whom these heads had belonged having +been in rebellion. Travelling five c. on the 5th, and four c. on +the 6th, I that day overtook the king at a walled town called +<i>Todah</i>, in the best and most populous country I had seen in +India since I landed. The district was quite level, having a +fertile soil, abounding in corn, cotton, and cattle, and the +villages were so numerous and near together, as hardly to exceed +a coss from each other in any direction. This town was the best +built of any I had seen in India, many of the houses being two +stories high, and most of them good enough for decent +shop-keepers, all covered with tiles. It had been the residence +of a Rajput rajah, before the conquests of Akbar Shah, and stood +at the foot of a great and strong rock, about which were many +excellent works of hewn stone, well cut, with many tanks, arched +over with well-turned vaults, and large and deep descents to +them. Near it was a beautiful grove, two miles long and a quarter +of a mile broad, all planted with mangoes, tamarinds, and other +fruit-trees, divided by shady walks, and interspersed with little +temples, and idol altars, with many fountains, wells, and +summer-houses of carved stone curiously arched, so that I must +confess a poor banished Englishman might have been content to +dwell here. But this observation may serve universally for the +whole of this country, that ruin and devastation operates every +where; for, since the property of all has become vested in the +king, no person takes care of any thing, so that in every place +the spoil and devastations of war appear, and no where is any +thing repaired.</p> + +<p>On the 7th the king only removed from one side of Todah to the +other. The 8th I was at the guzalcan, but found the king so +nearly drunk, that he became entirely so in half an hour, so that +I could not have any business with him. The 9th I took a view of +the royal <i>leskar</i>, or camp, which is one of the greatest +wonders I had ever seen, and chiefly as I saw it finished and set +up in less than four hours, all except the tents of some of the +great men, who have double suits. It could not well be less in +circuit than twenty English miles, the extent in some directions +being three cosses, including the out-skirts. In the middle, +where the streets are orderly and the tents joined, there are all +sorts of shops, so regularly disposed, that all persons know +where to go for any thing they want. Every man of quality, and +every trade, is regularly appointed how far they are to be from +the king's tents, in what direction, and what ground they shall +occupy, which continues ever the same without alteration. All +this may equal almost any town in Europe for size. But no person +must approach on any side within a musket shot of the +<i>atoskanha</i>, or royal quarter, which is so strictly observed +that no one is ever admitted but by name. The evening durbar is +omitted, the time being spent by the king in hunting or hawking +rather, on tanks, by means of boats, in which he takes great +delight, his barges being moved along with the leskar on carts. +On these occasions he sits by the sides of the tanks, to view the +sport, these tanks being often a mile or two over. The king is +seen every morning at the <i>Jaruco</i>, formerly mentioned; but +business or speaking to him at this time is prohibited; all +business being conducted at night in the <i>guzalcan</i>, and +there the opportunity is often missed, his majesty being so +frequently overcome by drowsiness, proceeding from +drunkenness.</p> + +<p>There was now a whisper about the court of a new affinity +between Sultan Cuserou and Asaph Khan, and great hope was +entertained of the prince recovering his liberty. I will find an +opportunity to discourse of this hereafter, because the +particulars are worthy of being preserved, as the wisdom and +goodness of the king were manifest above the malice of others: +And, in this affair, Noormahal made good the observation, that +women have always great influence in court factions, and she +shewed that they are not incapable of managing business. This +history will discover a noble prince, an excellent wife, a +faithful counsellor, a crafty step-mother, an ambitious son, a +cunning favourite; all reconciled by a patient king, whose heart +was not understood by any of them all. But this will require a +separate place,[209] as not fit to be mingled with matters of +ordinary business. At this time the English complained of being +ill used at Surat; but their drunkenness, and riotous behaviour +proceeding from that cause, were so notorious, that it was rather +wonderful they were not all put to death.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 209: This story does not however appear, +the journal of Sir Thomas Roe being left imperfect, both in the +Pilgrims and in the Collection of Churchill.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The 16th of December I visited the king, who was just returned +from his sports, having all his game laid out before him, both +fish and fowl. He desired me to take my choice, and then +distributed all the rest among his nobles. I found him sitting on +his throne, having a beggar at his feet, a poor silly old man, +all in rags and ashes, attended on by a young one. The country +abounds in these professed poor and holy men, who are held in +great reverence, and who, in voluntary sufferings and mortified +chastisements of their bodies, exceed all the boasted +performances of heretics and idolaters in all ages and countries. +With this miserable wretch, who was cloathed in rags, crowned +with feathers, and covered, with filth, his majesty conversed for +about an hour, with such kindness, as shewed a humility not +common among kings. All this time the beggar sat before the king, +which is not even permitted to his son. The beggar gave the king +as a present, a cake made by himself of coarse grain, burnt on +the coals, and all foul with ashes; which yet the king accepted, +broke off a piece and eat it, which a dainty person would hardly +have done. He then wrapt up the rest in a clout, and put it into +the poor man's bosom, and sending for 100 rupees, he poured them +into the beggar's lap, gathering up with his own hands any that +fell past, and giving them to him. When his collation or banquet +was brought in, whatsoever he took to eat, he gave half of to the +beggar. Rising, after many humiliations and charities, and the +old wretch not being nimble, he took him up in his arms, though a +dainty person would have scrupled to touch him, and embraced him +three times, laying his hand on his heart and calling him father, +and so left him, all of us greatly admiring such virtue in a +heathen prince. This I mention with emulation and sorrow; +wishing, as we have the true vine, that we should not produce +bastard grapes, or that this zeal in an unbeliever were guided by +the true light of the gospel.</p> + +<p>The 23d, being about three cosses short of a city called +<i>Rantepoor</i>, [Rantampoor,] where it was supposed the king +would rest, and consult what way to take in his farther progress, +he suddenly turned off towards <i>Mundu</i>, but without +declaring his purpose. I am of opinion, he took this way for fear +of the plague at Agra, rather than from any purpose of being near +the army; for we only marched every other day no more than four +cosses, and with such a train of baggage as was almost impossible +to be kept in any degree of order.</p> + +<p>The 26th we passed through woods and over mountains, torn with +bushes and tired by the incommodiousness of an almost impassable +way, in which many camels perished, and many persons, wearied of +these difficulties, went away to Agra, and all complained. In +this laborious day's march, I lost my tents and carts, but by +midnight I again fell in with them. The king now rested two days, +as the leskar could not again recover its order in less time; +many of the king's women, and thousands of camels, carts, and +coaches, being left in the woody mountains, where they could +neither procure food nor water. The king himself got through upon +a small elephant, which beast can climb up rocks, and get through +such difficult passes, that no horse or other animal I have seen +can follow. The 29th we encamped beside the river <i>Chambet</i>, +[Chumbull.]</p> + +<p>The first of January, 1617, I complained to Asaph Khan of the +injuries offered to the English at Surat, though I was at the +same time much perplexed by various relations, giving me a bad +account of the disorderly and outrageous behaviour of my +countrymen. Asaph Khan advised me not to carry my complaint to +the king, which would incense the prince; but desired me to ask +leave of his majesty to go to visit Sultan Churrum, with a letter +from him recommending the dispatch of my business, and good usage +to our nation; so that, carrying a present to the prince, I +should please both, and succeed in my business. This was the same +plan I had already formed, and therefore pleased me the better; +more especially as the king now certainly designed to go forwards +to Mundu, which is only eight days journey from Burhanpoor, where +the prince was; and I thought I might as well ride over to him, +as remain idle in the fields. At noon this day I visited the +Persian ambassador, being the first time we had leisure for this +ceremony, and was received by him with much respectful civility. +After compliments on both sides were over, I proposed to him the +settlement of trade in his master's dominions, which he engaged +to promote as much as lay in his power. He gave me a banquet of +bad fruit, but being a good fellow, it went off well, and he +outdid in courtesy every thing I had met with in India. He railed +loudly against the court, and the king's officers and council, +using most unusual liberty. He offered to be my interpreter, +desiring that I might pitch my tents beside his, and he would +impart whatever I thought proper to the king. When about to part, +after long discourse, he pressed me to accept a horse with +handsome furniture, which was brought to the door, but I refused. +He then sent for nine pieces of Persian silks, and nine bottles +of wine, that I might not depart without some testimony of his +love, but these also I refused to accept, with many protestations +of affectionate regard. I observed him looking earnestly at my +sword, which I offered to give him; but, following my example, he +refused.</p> + +<p>At night I visited the king, who spent his time sadly with an +old man, after reading long letters, and few spoke with him. At +his rising, he presented to this person, who was a cripple from +age, 5000 rupees, and took his leave of him with many embraces. I +here again met the Persian ambassador, who, after some +compliments, repenting that he had refused my sword, and having a +liking to it, now asked it from me, saying, that such liberty +among friends was reckoned good manners in his country. We +continued to remove four or five c. every other day, and came on +the 7th to the goodly river <i>Shind</i>. The 18th, the king +passed through between two mountains, the road having been cut +through the woods, but with so much trouble and difficulty, and +so much encumbrance to the baggage, that it was left behind, +without provisions for man and beast. This day likewise I lost my +tents and baggage, but found them again at midnight, having been +obliged till then to take up my lodging under a tree. This part +of the country is much infested by thieves, and is hardly under +obedience to government, except so far as it is kept under by +force. It belongs to a rajah, who has no desire to see the king. +The exactor complained, and some few of the people that fled +being taken, were chained by the neck and brought before the +king, all the rest having fled into the mountains. At night the +king caused the town near which he was encamped to be set on +fire, appointing a new governor, with orders to re-build and +new-people the town, and to reduce the district under more +regular government and better civilization. He left a party of +horse with the new governor, to enable him to perform this +service.</p> + +<p>On the 20th, the people who had fled to the mountains, being +enraged at the burning of their town, set upon a number of +stragglers who had been left behind, killing many of them, and +plundering the rest. The 22d, having no accounts of the presents +I expected from Surat, I went at night to visit the king, to +observe how he might receive me. I found him seated in an unusual +manner, so that I knew not what place to occupy, and not willing +to mix among the great men, as was offered me, and doubting +whether I might go into the apartment where the king was, which +was cut down in the bank of a river, I went to the brink and +stood alone. There were none near the king, except <i>Etiman +Dowlet</i> his father-in-law, Asaph Khan, and three or four +others. The king observed me, and having allowed me to stay a +while, he called me in with a gracious smile, and pointed with +his hand for me to stand beside him, a favour so unusual, that it +pleased and honoured me, and of which I soon experienced the good +effects, in the behaviour of the great men of the court. He led +me to talk with him, and when I called for an interpreter, he +refused it, pressing me to use such Persian words as I had +learnt. Our discourse, in consequence, had not much sense or +coherence, yet he was pleased with it, and shewed his approbation +in a very courteous manner.</p> + +<p>On the 24th of January, news came to court, that the Deccaners +were not to be frightened out of their dominions, as had been +pretended by Asaph Khan and Noormahal, on purpose to persuade the +king into this expedition. For they had sent off all their +baggage and other impediments into the interior of their country, +and lay upon the frontiers with 50,000 horse, resolved to fight +in defence of their dominions; while Sultan Churrum had hitherto +advanced no farther than Mundu, afraid both of the enemy and Khan +Khana. The king's councellors now changed their advice, declaring +that they expected the Deccaners would have been so alarmed by +his majesty's passage over the last hills, as to have submitted +at the terror of his approach; and as they now found the +contrary, they advised the king to convert his journey into a +hunting excursion, and to turn his course towards Agra, as the +Deccaners were not worthy of exposing his sacred person. He +answered, that this consideration came now too late, as his +honour was engaged by having advanced so far, and he was resolved +to prosecute their former advice and his own purpose, whatever +might be the hazard. He now daily dispatched fresh troops to +reinforce the army of his son Churrum, partly from his own +followers, and the rest commanded from different governments. +These reinforcements were said to be 30,000 horse, but the actual +musters were not so numerous. Water was sometimes very scarce in +camp, and provisions grew daily scarcer and dearer, the part of +the country in which we now were not being well reduced to good +government. Not feeling these distresses, the king took no care +to have them alleviated; and as his khans, or great men, had +their provisions brought after them, they neglected to inform the +king. The whole burden fell upon strangers, the soldiers, and the +poor followers of the camp, who were worst able to endure the +hardships. Every alternate day, as formerly, the king removed his +camp, three, four, or five cosses; yet on the 29th of January, we +were still sixty cosses short of Mundu.</p> + +<p>On the 3d of February, having left the road of the leskar for +my own ease, and for the benefit of the shade, and while resting +me under a tree, Sultan Cuserou came upon me suddenly, seeking +the same conveniences. This is the king's eldest son, formerly +mentioned as in confinement by the practices of his brother +Churrum and his faction, and taken out of their hands by the king +at his leaving Agimere. He was now riding on an elephant, with no +great guard or attendance. His people called out to me to give +place to the prince, which I did, yet I staid to look at him, and +he called on me to approach; and, after asking some familiar and +civil questions, I departed. His person is comely, his +countenance chearful, and his beard hung down as low as his +middle. This I noticed, by his questions, that he seemed quite +ignorant of all that passed at court, insomuch that he had never +heard of any English, or of me their ambassador. The 4th and 5th +we continued our march without halting, and on the 6th at night, +we came to a little tower, newly repaired, where the king pitched +his tent in a pleasant place, on the banks of the river +<i>Sepra</i>, one coss short of the city of <i>Ugen</i>, +[Oojain,] the chief city of Malwa. This place, called +<i>Callenda</i>, was anciently a seat of the Gentoo kings of +Mundu, one of whom was there drowned while drunk. He had once +before fallen into the river, and was taken out by the hair of +his head, by a person who dived for him. When he came to himself, +it was told him how he had been saved from drowning, in hopes of +having the slave rewarded. He called his deliverer before him, +and asking how he dared to be so bold as to touch his sovereign's +head, caused his hands to be cut off. Not long afterwards, while +sitting drunk beside his wife, and no other person near, he had +the same misfortune to tumble into the water, at which time she +might easily have saved him, but did not. Being afterwards asked +why she had not, she said she knew not but she likewise might +have had her hands cut off for her reward.</p> + +<p>The 10th we removed one coss beyond Oojain; and on the 11th, +the king rode to that city, to speak with a dervise, or holy man, +who dwelt upon a hill, and was reported to be 300 years old, but +I did not think this miracle worth my examination. At noon this +day, I received news by a foot-post, that the prince, +notwithstanding all the firmauns and commands of his father, had +intercepted the presents and goods on their way up, to satisfy +his own base and greedy inclinations; and no entreaty, gifts, or +persuasions, that Mr Terry could offer, who had the charge of +them, could prevail on him to part with them, and he compelled +them by force to follow him towards Burhanpoor. Yet he forbore to +break open the packages, but pressed the English to consent, +which they refused by my orders, and he thought to win them to +his purpose by vexatious usage. For it is the custom in this +country, for the great men to see all merchant goods before even +the king, that they may chuse first; but I resolved, if possible, +to break that bad custom, in our behalf.</p> + +<p>That he might satisfy his own cupidity, the prince sent up a +courier to the king, before I could get intelligence, giving +notice of having detained the goods, but without mentioning that +they were presents, and requested his authority to have them +opened, that he might purchase what he fancied. This faithless +proceeding of the prince, contrary to his promise and his own +written orders, satisfied me that I was justifiable in the eyes +of all, if I carried my complaint directly to the king, having +used every possible means to procure favour from the prince, and +having already suffered beyond the patience of a free-born man; +so that I must now be blameless by using rougher means, having +already fruitlessly proved all smoother expedients. I therefore +resolved to appeal for justice, by complaint to the king in +person, yet as calmly and warily as possible. I feared to go to +Asaph Khan on this occasion, lest he might oppose my purpose, yet +thought my neglect of him might be displeasing; wherefore, if I +sent to acquaint him that I proposed to visit the king at the +guzalcan, I dreaded he might suspect my purpose, if he had learnt +the injury I meant to complain of. For all which reasons, I +considered how best to avoid being counteracted.</p> + +<p>The visit of the king to the dervise, just mentioned, gave me +a good opportunity, and my new linguist, who was a Greek I had +sent for from Agimere, being ready, I rode out to meet the king, +who was returning from the holy man on his elephant. On his +majesty's approach, I alighted, and made a sign that I wished to +speak to the king, who immediately turned his monster towards me, +and prevented me, by saying, "My son has taken your goods and my +presents; be not therefore sad, for he shall not touch nor open a +lock or a seal; for at night I shall send him an order to set +them free." He made other gracious speeches, intimating that he +knew I had come brim-full of complaints, and that he had spoken +first to ease me. At this time, seeing that the king was on the +road, I could do no more; but at night, without farther seeking +to Asaph Khan, I went to the guzalcan, determined to proceed with +my complaints, to get back my goods, and to seek redress for the +charges, troubles, and abuses at Surat, and all our other +grievances.</p> + +<p>As soon as I came in, the king called my interpreter before +him, and, by means of his own, intimated that he had already +dispatched his orders so effectually, that not even to the value +of a hair should be abstracted from our goods. In reply, I stated +that the injuries, charges, and abuses we suffered from the +prince's officers, were so numerous and intolerable as could not +be endured, and that I craved effectual redress. To this it was +answered, that I must apply to his son for all past matters; but +I could obtain nothing except fair words, through the +intermediation of Asaph Khan, so that I was forced to seem +satisfied, and to seek opportunities as might be for redress, +when this false friend and pretended advocate was out of the way. +The good king fell at length to dispute about the laws of Moses, +Jesus, and Mahomet; and, being in drink, turned lovingly to me, +saying, "As I am a king, you shall be all welcome, Christians and +Jews as well as Mahometans, for I meddle not with their faiths; +they all come in love, and I will protect them from wrong while +they are under my dominion, and no one shall be allowed to molest +or oppress them." This he frequently repeated, but being +extremely drunk, he fell a-weeping, and into various passions, +and so kept us till midnight.</p> + +<p>Any one may easily conceive how much I was now disconcerted by +the unjustifiable conduct of the factors, who had detained the +presents for four months at Surat, and now sent them to fall into +the hands of the prince, who was then within two days march of +Burhanpoor, by which my trouble was infinitely increased. But +having now began, and suspecting that the prince was already +sufficiently exasperated upon matters of small importance, I +thought I might as well lose his favour upon great as small +matters, so I resolved to try what I could do with the king; and, +while I waited the result, I sent back the messenger to Mr Terry, +who was with the presents, desiring him to remain firm, waiting +for the king's ultimate orders, which I should send him soon.</p> + +<p>During this interval, the king had caused the chests to be +privately brought to him, and had opened them, which came to my +knowledge, on which I determined to express my dissatisfaction at +this usage, and having obtained an audience, I made my complaint. +He received me with much mean flattery, more unworthy even of his +high rank than the action he had done, which I suppose he did to +appease me, as seeing by my countenance that I was highly +dissatisfied. He began by telling me that he had found some +things that pleased him much, particularly two embroidered +cushions, or sweet-bags, a folding glass cabinet, and the mastiff +dogs, and desired me not to be discontented, for whatever I was +not disposed to give him, he would return. I answered, that most +of these things were intended for his majesty, but that it was a +great indignity to the king my master thus to seize upon what was +meant to be presented, and not permitted to come through my +hands, to whom they were sent in the first place. I added, that +besides what were destined for his majesty, some of these things +were intended for Noormahal, some for the prince, and the rest to +remain in my hands, to serve as occasion might require, to +bespeak his majesty's favour to protect us from injuries daily +offered to us by strangers, and some for my friends, or my own +use, while the rest belonged to the English merchants, with which +I had no concern. He desired me not to be grieved that he had +thus got his own choice, as he had not patience to forbear from +seeing them, in which he did me no wrong, as he believed I wished +him to be served first, and that he would make satisfaction to +the king my master, to whom he would justify me. As for the +prince and Noormahal, they were all one with himself. As to +bringing any presents hereafter to procure his favour, I might be +easy on that score, as it was merely a needless ceremony, for I +should be always welcome to come to him empty-handed, and he +would hear me, as it was not my fault, and he would see me +righted at all times. That he would return me some things to +enable me to go to his son, and he would pay the merchants for +such things as belonged to them. He concluded by desiring me not +to be angry with the freedom he had taken, as he meant well. As I +made no reply, he pressed to know if I were pleased, to which I +answered, that his majesty's satisfaction must always please +me.</p> + +<p>He then began to enumerate all the things he had taken, +beginning with the mastiffs, embroidered sweet bags, the case of +combs and razors, and so forth; saying, with a smile, "You would +not have me to restore these things, and I am delighted with +them?" To which I answered in the negative. He then mentioned two +glass-cases, as mean and ordinary, asking me for whom they were +intended. I answered, that one was intended for his majesty, and +the other for Noormahal. "Why then," said he, "you will not ask +me for that I have, but will be satisfied with one?" To this I +was under the necessity of yielding. He next asked for whom +certain hats were intended, which his women liked? I answered, +that three were for his majesty, and one for myself. He then +said, I surely would not take back those meant for him, and that +he would return mine if I needed it; and would not bestow it upon +him. To this likewise I had to agree. He then asked, whose were +the pictures? I answered, that they were sent me to use as +occasion offered, and to dispose of as my business might require. +So he called for these, and caused them to be opened, examining +me about the women, and other little questions, asking my +judgment and opinions concerning them. The third was a picture of +Venus leading a satyr by the nose. Commanding my interpreter not +to tell me what he said on this subject, he shewed it about among +his nobles, asking them to expound its moral or interpretation, +pointing out the satyr's horns and black skin, and many other +particulars. Every one answered according to his fancy; but, +liking none of their expositions, he reserved his own opinion to +himself, and commanding that all these notions should be +concealed from me, he ordered the interpreter to ask me what it +meant. I answered, that it was an invention of the painter, to +shew his art, and that it represented some poetical fable, which +was all I could say, having never seen it before. He then called +upon Mr Terry to give his opinion, who could not; on which the +king asked him, why he brought up with him an invention in which +he was ignorant? On this I interposed, saying Mr Terry was a +preacher, and did not meddle with such matters, neither had he +any charge of them, having only come along with them.</p> + +<p>I have related this anecdote of the picture for the +instruction of the gentlemen of the East India Company, and for +him who may succeed me, to be very careful that what they send +into this country may not be susceptible of an evil +interpretation; for the king and people are pregnant with, and +full of, scrupulosity and jealousy. For, though the king +concealed his opinion, yet I had ground, from what he did say, to +believe he thought the picture was meant in derision of the +Asiatics, whom he conceived to be represented by the satyr, as +being of their complexion; and that Venus leading him by the nose +denoted the great influence exercised by the women of that +country over the men. He was satisfied that I had never seen the +picture, and therefore pressed me no farther about its +explanation; yet he shewed no discontent, but rolled up the +pictures, saying he would accept even the satyr as a present from +me. As for the saddle, and some other trifles, he said he would +have them sent to his son, for whom they were fit, as a present +from me, to whom he would write so effectually, pursuant to his +promise, that I should stand in no need of a solicitor near him +in any of my affairs. He added many compliments, excuses, +professions, and protestations, such as might proceed either from +a very noble or very base mind.</p> + +<p>He then enquired what was meant by the figures of the beasts, +and whether they had been sent for me to give him? I had +understood that they were very mean and ill-shaped images, from +which the varnish had come off, and were ill-formed lumps of +wood. I was really ashamed of them, and told him this was no +fault of mine, those who had seized them being guilty of the +affront, in conveying them to his majesty, for whom they were not +intended, having only been sent to shew the forms of certain +animals in our country. He quickly replied, "Did you think in +England that a horse or a bull were strange to me?" I answered, +that I thought not upon such mean matters, the sender being an +ordinary man, who had sent these things out of good-will to me, +and that I could not know what might have been his thoughts. The +king then said he would keep them all; but that he desired I +would procure for him a horse of the largest size, a male and +female mastiff, some tall Irish greyhounds, and such other +hunting-dogs as we had in England, adding, on the word of a king, +if I would procure him these, he would fully recompense me, and +grant every thing I desired. I answered, that I would engage to +have them sent by the next ships, but could not answer for their +lives in so long a voyage, but should direct their skins and +bones to be preserved if they died, to convince his majesty I had +obeyed his commands. Upon this he bowed to me repeatedly, laid +his hand on his heart, and shewed me so much kindness, favour, +and familiarity, that all present declared they had never seen +him use the like to any man before.</p> + +<p>This was all my recompence, except that he often desired me to +be merry, as he would royally requite the wrongs he had done me, +and send me home to my country with grace and rewards befitting a +gentleman. Thus, seeing nothing returned of all that was seized +but words, I requested his majesty would order the velvets and +silks to be delivered back, as these were merchant goods sent up +among mine by the command of his majesty, by which they had +escaped the rapacity of the prince's officers. He then desired Mr +Bidulph to be called for, that he might agree with and pay him +for their value. I then delivered in a memorial, which I had +ready written, containing my demands for privileges and justice, +as otherwise I should return home a mere useless person, and +under disgrace with my sovereign. I pressed likewise to have +justice in regard to a debt due by Zulphecar Khan, lately +deceased. He replied, that he would take such order with his son, +in regard to our affairs at Surat, that I should have no cause to +complain, and would give such orders for other places as should +in every respect shew his regard for me; and, that I might return +to my master with honour, he would send by me a rich and worthy +present, together with his letters certifying my good behaviour, +and giving me much praise. He likewise commanded me to name what +I thought would be most acceptable. To this I answered, that I +could not crave, as that was not our custom, neither was it +consistent with the honour of my sovereign; but I had no doubt +that whatever he was pleased to send would be acceptable from so +potent a monarch, who was already so much loved by my master. He +then said, that I thought he only asked in jest to please me, as +he saw I was still discontented; but he assured me he was my +friend, and would prove so in the end, and swore by his head that +he spoke sincerely in regard to the presents, and that therefore +I must not refuse to name some for his satisfaction.</p> + +<p>This earnestness forced me to say, that, if his majesty +pleased, I thought some large Persian carpets might be fittest, +as my master did not look for gifts of cost and value. To this he +answered, that he would provide them of all sorts and sizes, and +should add to them what else he thought fit, that my master might +know how great was his respect. Having venison of various kinds +before him, he gave me half a stag, which he said he had himself +killed, and that I should see the rest bestowed on his ladies. +This was presently cut up into four pound pieces, and was sent +into the interior apartments by his young son and two women in +their bare hands, just as if he had been doling out such small +fragments to the poor by way of charity. I had now as abundant +grace and fair words as might have flattered me into conceit, but +our injuries were not to be compensated by words, though I was +glad of these as a colour for dissembling my discontent. In +conclusion, he repeated his expressions of desire to satisfy me, +saying, he hoped I went away contented. To which I answered, that +his majesty's favour was sufficient to make me any amends. He +then said that he had only one farther question to ask: "How +comes it, now that I have seen your presents for two years, that +your master, before you came, sent by a mean man, a merchant, +five times as many and more curious toys, and having sent you his +ambassador, with a commission and his letters mentioning +presents, that you should have brought so little, so mean, and so +much inferior to the other? I acknowledge you as an ambassador, +and have found you a gentleman in your behaviour, but am amazed +you are so slightly provided."</p> + +<p>I was about to reply, when he cut me short, saying, "I know +that all this is not your king's fault nor yours, but I shall +shew you that I esteem you more than those who employed you. At +your return, I shall send you home with honour and reward, +according to your quality and merit, not regarding what you have +brought me, and shall send a present to your lord and master, +befitting a king to send. Only this will I require from you, and +do not expect it from the merchants, that you will take with you +patterns of the following articles: a quiver and bow-case, a coat +of mail, a cushion to rest my head upon in our fashion, and a +pair of boots, which you shall cause to be embroidered for me in +England in the richest manner, as I know they can do these things +in your country better than any I have seen. These things I shall +expect from you, and if you send them, I promise you, on the word +of a king, that you shall be no loser." This I most chearfully +undertook, and he commanded Asaph Khan to send me the patterns. +He then asked if I had any grape wine, which I said I had. He +desired to have some of it to taste next night, and if he liked +it, he would be obliged to me to let him have it, otherwise I +might make merry with it myself. Thus the whole of this night +being spent in discourse only with me, he rose up, and I +departed.</p> + +<p>On the 3d of March we arrived at Mundu, into which the king +was expected to make his entry; but the day for that was not yet +fixed, as he waited till the astrologers had determined upon an +auspicious hour for the ceremony, so that we had all to remain +without, waiting for the good hour. The 6th I entered Mundu, and +my servants, whom I had sent before to seek out for quarters, had +taken possession of a fair court, well walled round, in which was +a goodly temple and a tomb. Some of the king's servants had +already taken up their quarters there, but I got possession and +kept it, being the best within the whole circuit of Mundu, though +two miles from the king's house; yet it was so nearly sufficient, +that a very small charge was sufficient to make it defensible +against the rains, and save me 1000 rupees. The air was +wholesome, and the prospect pleasant, as it was on the very edge +of the hill.</p> + +<p>I went at night of the 11th to meet the king, but was told, +that, on the news of a lion[210] having killed some horses, the +king had gone out to hunt for that animal. I thus had leisure to +look out for water; for such was the unaccountable want of +foresight, that we were brought, with a multitude of people and +beasts, to a hill on which was no water, so that the men and +cattle were ready to perish. What little was to be found in +certain wells and tanks had been taken possession of by the great +men, and kept by force, so that I could not procure any. The poor +forsook the city; many more were commanded away by proclamation, +and all horses or other cattle were ordered to be removed. Thus, +those who were in hopes of rest, were enforced to seek out new +dwelling places, and had to go away some two, three, and even +four cosses, to the extreme trouble and inconvenience of all, and +occasioning provisions to rise greatly in price. For my own part, +I was greatly troubled how to determine. My house was very good, +and, though far from markets, it was still less inconvenient to +submit to that trouble than to remain in the fields without house +or shelter, where I must have gone to encamp, but then I was in +want of water. Riding about with this view, I came to a great +tank or pool, which was guarded for a khan, to whom the king had +granted its use. I sent to acquaint him of my needs, and asked +leave to draw water at his tank, when he was pleased to allow me +to have four loads daily. This satisfied me in some sort; and, by +selling off some of the goods that had been sent me from Surat, +and putting away some of my cattle, I had hope of being able to +live; for which purpose I sent two of my carriages, with their +servants and cattle, to remain out of town, and thus relieved +myself from this public calamity. There was not a misery or +inconvenience that I was not subjected to, in thus following the +court of the Mogul, owing to the want of good management in the +government, and the intemperature of the climate.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 210: It is almost certain that the lions of +these early voyages and travels, at least in India, were +tigers.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>S.7. <i>A New-Year's Gift.--Suspicions entertained of the +English.--Trade of Dabul.--Dissatisfaction of the Persian +Ambassador.--English Ships of War in the Indian Seas</i>.</p> + +<p>On the 12th March, 1617, I carried, as a new-year's gift to +the king, a pair of very handsome knives belonging to myself, and +six glasses belonging to the Company, making an apology for the +smallness of the present, which was well received, and the king +used me very graciously, saying, that whatever came from my hands +he looked on as a sufficient present, and as a proof of my love, +and that it was now his part to give me. He gave orders to an +officer to send for Mr Bidulph, to pay him his demands to his +satisfaction, and all others who were indebted to us were ordered +by name to pay what they owed to the Company. The king said +likewise, that he would write to the prince in our favour. But I +found him unwilling to part with any of our things, of which the +best sweet bag then lay before him. I replied, that I was very +unwilling to go empty-handed. The king then commanded that I +should come up and stand beside him on the steps of the throne, +where stood on one side the Persian ambassador, and the old king +of Candahar on the other, with whom I ranked. As soon as I had +taken my place, the king asked me for a knife, which I sent him +next day. The king then called the Persian to stand before him, +to whom he gave a jewel and a young elephant, for which he +kneeled and saluted the ground with his head.</p> + +<p>On this occasion the same throne and furniture were used as +last year, the upper end of the hall being adorned with the +pictures of the king my master, the queen, the princess +Elizabeth, Sir Thomas Smith, and some others, with two pieces of +beautiful Persian tapestry hung below them. The throne was of +gold, bespangled all over with rubies, emeralds, and turquoises. +On one side, on a little stage or scaffold, was a company of +women-singers. I this day sent a dispatch to Surat, giving my +advice respecting the trade of Persia, and of what had passed on +that subject with the ambassador, and sent some remembrance to +the governor, Ibrahim Khan. I had a letter from him in return, +stating that the English nation had been wronged without his +knowledge; but as his authority was now augmented by Prince +Churrum, we might rest confident in his protection, as while he +lived and held authority at that place, we should never more be +liable to abuses, but should be allowed to reside and trade in +perfect freedom and security.</p> + +<p>The 13th I sent as a present to Asaph Khan a richly +embroidered pair of gloves, and a fair wrought night-cap of my +own. He received the cap, but returned the gloves, as useless in +this country, and requested to have some Alicant wine, which I +sent him next night. Aganor, whose diligence now gave me great +hope of success in my desires, sent his Banian secretary to +inform me that he had orders for the dispatch, of the merchant +goods, and that his man should attend Mr Bidulph to finish that +business; that the patterns should be sent me, and that the Mogul +meant to give me a robe, and money to bear my charges in going to +wait upon the prince. I returned for answer, that I had no need +of a garment or of money, but begged his majesty would graciously +consider the injuries of which I had complained, and of which I +had already given an account in writing, and that he would please +to give me a letter to the prince, with some of our own presents +which were intended for him, or else state my excuse in writing, +that his majesty had intercepted and appropriated the whole. This +was all I wished, as instead of gifts from the king, I only +required justice.</p> + +<p>The 21st I discovered that the Mogul suspected that I meant to +steal out of the country. These doubts had been insinuated by the +prince, either as a cover for his own guilt, or out of fear, or +perhaps as a cunning pretence to cover his own designs. He had +informed the king that the English meant next year to surprise +Surat, and retain possession of that place. Indeed, their own +folly gave some colour to the idea; as lately, upon one of the +usual brawls at that place, our people had landed 200 +musqueteers, with whom they marched towards Surat; and, during +their march, some of the jovial tars gave out to all they met +that they meant to take the place. This was a most absurd +bravado, for a handful of men to march twelve miles against a +walled town that was able to oppose them with 1000 horse, and as +many foot armed with match-locks, and having besides to pass a +river which could be defended by a handful of men against an +army. It gave, however, just occasion both of scorn and offence; +and the prince, perhaps to serve some ends of his own, took +occasion from it to strengthen the fortifications of the town and +castle, and to send down ordnance for their defence; perhaps a +good precaution to have an open door to flee to in case his +brother should live, and have the means of checking his ambitious +views. But this information concurring with my discontents here, +and some free language on that occasion, and my pressing demands +to be allowed to go to Burhanpoor, together with flying reports +that we had taken Goa, and were preparing a great fleet in +England, raised suspicions in the mind of the king, though he +concealed them as well as he could from me. By my explanations, +however, I satisfied the king thoroughly, though I was by no +means so, having been fed only with words, and knew well that our +residence was only permitted out of fear. The complaints I was +enforced to make at this court against the misconduct of its +officers towards us, greatly offended all the great men, as being +in some sort their own case; for they all live by farming the +several governments, in which they all practise every kind of +tyranny against the natives under their jurisdiction, oppressing +them with continual exactions, and are exceedingly averse from +any way being opened by which the king may be informed of their +infamous proceedings. They grind the people under their +government, to extract money from them, often hanging men up by +the heels to make them confess that they are rich, or to ransom +themselves from faults merely imputed with a view to fleece them. +Thus my complaints against exaction and injustice made me hated +of all about the court, as an informer.</p> + +<p>The 25th I received a letter from Captain Pepwell, then in +Dabul roads, stating,--That, according to advice, he had stopped +the junk bound for Mokha; but having well weighed the caution I +had given him respecting the correspondence between that prince +and Masulipatam, where the Solomon then was, he had freed her +without spoil. By this courtesy he had procured such good +entertainment as is seldom had in the Indies, being allowed free +trade, with a promise of taking 300 pieces of broad-cloth yearly, +and had sold a good quantity of lead for ready money, besides +some ordnance. This part of his procedure I do not like much, as +tending to arm the Indians, and the Portuguese, their friends, +against the Moguls. If these courtesies proceeded not from the +junk being still under his command, they give good prospect of an +yearly sale at that port. However, the freeing of this junk gives +me good assurance that Captain Pepwell will do nothing +prejudicial to the Company, and will deliver himself honestly +from the jealousies entertained of him at Dabul. He signifies his +intention of proceeding to Calicut, and if that factory be not +likely to succeed, he proposes transferring it to Dabul.</p> + +<p>The 27th, by a foot-post from Masulipatam, I received advice +that the Solomon had put to sea, and that the Hosiander was +arrived from Bantam, with the bad news of the loss of the Hector +and Concord, while careening in the roads of Jacatra, in the +island of Java; but with the good news that the Dragon, Clove, +and Defence were laden homewards from Bantam. I took the +opportunity of this post to convey a letter to the governor of +Dabul respecting the overture made by him of trade to that port; +and, though I had no great opinion of the place, I would neither +have it entirely neglected, nor would I encourage the next fleet +to proceed there, unless on better assurance than a forced +friendship, and offers made when their junk was in our power. I +signified the causes of our having stopped their goods formerly +for refusing trade to Sir Henry Middleton; but finding him now +better disposed, and willing to establish a league of trade and +amity, and to take a good quantity of our cloth, I required to +know if he were hearty in these motions; and willing to act as a +man of honour; as a pledge of which, I requested him to procure +for us a firmaun from his sovereign, with such privileges as were +fit for merchants, with a royal engagement under his seal to +fulfil all the friendly offers made to us by this officer; +desiring this firmaun might be transmitted to me with all +expedition, to my present residence at the Mogul court. By this, +I said, I should be satisfied that they meant to treat us with +good faith, and on its reception, I would undertake, on the +behalf of the king of England, that a firm and lasting peace +should be established with his master, whose subjects should have +free passage on the seas without molestation from our ships; and +should send yearly a ship to trade at his port, or, if desired, +should establish a resident factory there. I have no doubt, +either through fear or favour, that some good sales may be made +there yearly, but I doubt of being able to procure any valuable +investments.</p> + +<p>In this I proceed cautiously, as all men ought on such +occasions, not with too eager apparent desire, nor swallowing +hungrily any offered conditions, without due assurances. Strict +care in the first settling is of the utmost importance, as you +can never mend your first establishment, and may often impair it. +Every man succeeds best at first, when new and a stranger; for, +by the natural levity of these barbarians, they are fond of +changes, and grow weary of things in their usual train. I have +committed this dispatch to the care of Mr Bangham, whom I have +directed to make diligent enquiry into the commodities, +advantages, and inconveniences attendant on our projected trade, +and to make himself acquainted with the humours and affections of +the Deccaners towards us.</p> + +<p>On the 30th of April the Persian ambassador sent to excuse +himself for going away without paying his respects to me, +alleging illness, but his messenger said he was not so sick as he +pretended; but, finding no success in his negociations with the +king, he had taken his leave, and made a present of thirty-five +horses at his departure. In return, the king gave him 3000 +rupees, which he took in great scorn. Upon which, to justify +himself, the king caused two lists to be drawn up, in one of +which all the presents made by the ambassador were enumerated, +with their values, meanly rated, much lower than their real +worth; and, in the other, all the gifts the king had presented to +him since his arrival,--as slaves, melons, pine-apples, +plantains, hawks, plumes of feathers, the elephant, and not even +forgetting the drink he had received, all charged at extremely +high prices, much above their value. These two lists were laid +before the ambassador, with their amounts summed up, offering him +the rest of the money to make up the balance. Owing to this bad +usage, the Persian feigned himself sick of a fever, as an excuse +for not waiting upon Asaph Khan and Etemon Dowlet, for which +reason he could not come through the town to visit me, without +discovering the counterfeit, but desired his messenger to +acquaint me with the truth, which Aganor as freely delivered, and +with no small bitterness against the king, and to which I seemed +unwilling to listen. The ambassador also desired him to assure me +that he was ready to serve my nation in his country, to the +utmost of his power. I presented him with some Alicant wine, and +a few knives, to be taken to his master, and so we parted. The +12th May I received news of a great blow given by the Turkish +army to the Persians, the former having taken and utterly +destroyed Tauris; and that Shah Abbas was unable to keep the +field.</p> + +<p>On the night of the 25th, a lion and a wolf[211] broke into my +quarters, and gave us great alarm, carrying off some sheep and +goats that were in my court-yard, and leaping with them over a +high wall. I sent to ask leave to kill them, as in that country +no person may meddle with lions except the king. Receiving +permission, and the animals returning next night, I ran out into +the court upon the alarm, and the beast missing his prey, seized +upon a little dog before me, and escaped; but my servants killed +the wolf, which I sent to the king.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 211: More likely to have been a tyger and +hyena.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The 14th of June, a cabinet belonging to the jesuits was sent +up from Cambay, containing medicines and other necessaries, and a +letter, which were betrayed by the bringer, and delivered to the +king. He opened the cabinet, and sent for the <i>padre</i> to +read the letter, and to see every thing contained in the boxes; +but, finding nothing to his liking, he returned all. I mention +this circumstance as a caution to all who deal in this country, +to be careful of what they write or send, as it is the humour of +this prince to seize and see every thing, lest any curiosity or +toy should escape his greed.</p> + +<p>The 18th, I had letters from Ahmedabad, advising that indigo +had greatly fallen in price, in consequence of the non-arrival of +the flotilla from Goa. The unicorn's horn had been returned, as +without virtue, concerning which I sent new advice.[212] Many +complaints were made concerning Surat and others, which I do not +insert. I received two letters from Burhanpoor, stating the +doubtfulness of recovering the debt due to Mr Ralph Fitch. +Spragge had returned from the leskar or camp of the Deccan army, +where Melick Amber, with much show of honour, had given instant +orders for searching the whole camp; but the Persian had fled to +Visiapour, so that the business was referred by letter to a +Dutchman who resided there. The general of the Deccan army +desired Spragge to be the means of sending English cloth and +swords to his camp, which is within six days march of Burhanpoor; +and, in my opinion, this might be a good employment for some idle +men, and an excellent opportunity to get vent for our dead +commodities.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 212: This of the unicorn's horn, or rather +the horn of a rhinoceros, may allude to some supposed inherent +virtue of detecting poison, anciently attributed to cups made of +that material.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The 30th of July I received news from Surat of two Dutch ships +being cast away on the coast near Damaun. They were from the +southwards, laden with spices and China silks, and bound for the +Red Sea; but losing the season, with much bad weather, they had +tried to take shelter in Socatora, or some other port on the +coast of Arabia, but failing after beating about many weeks, they +bore away for Surat, hoping to be able to ride out the adverse +monsoon in safety, as they had done in other years. But the years +differ, and being forced to come to anchor, they had to cut away +their masts by the violence of the gale; the smaller vessel of +sixty tons was beaten to pieces, and the cables of the other +breaking, she was driven ashore in oosy ground, within musket +shot of the land. The ship kept upright; but having lost their +long-boat, and the skiff being unable to live, four men got +ashore on a raft. The spring-tides heaved her up so near the +shore, that much of her goods and all her people were saved.</p> + +<p><i>Maree Rustam</i>, who had been king of Candahar, came to +visit me on the 21st of August, and brought a present of wine and +fruit, staying about half an hour, and concluded his visit by +begging a bottle of wine. This day Sultan Cusero had his first +prospect of long-hoped liberty, being allowed to leave his +prison, and to take the air and his pleasure in a banqueting +house near mine. Sultan Churrum had contracted a marriage at +Burhanpoor, without waiting for the king's consent, for which he +had fallen under displeasure; and some secret practices of his +against the life of his brother had been discovered, on which he +was ordered to court in order to clear himself. By the advice of +their father, Etimon Dowlet, Noormahal and Asaph Khan now made +proposals of friendship and alliance with Cusero. This news has +diffused universal joy among the people, who now begin to hope +that their good prince may recover his full liberty. The 22d the +king feasted Asaph Khan. The 25th Asaph Khan feasted Noormahal. +It is reported the Prince Cusero is to make a firm alliance, as +above stated, and is to take a wife of his father's choice. This +will produce his entire liberty, and the ruin of our proud +oppressor, Churrum.</p> + +<p>The 1st of September was the solemnity of the king's +birth-day, when he is publicly weighed, to which I went. I was +conducted into a beautiful garden, in the middle of which was a +great square pond or tank, set all round with trees and flowers, +and in the middle was a pavilion or pleasure-house, under which +hung the scales in which the king was to be weighed. The scales +were of beaten gold, set with many small stones, as rubies and +turquoises. They hung by chains of gold, large and massy, yet +strengthened by silken ropes for more security. The beam and +tressels from which it hung were covered with thin plates of +gold. In this place all the nobles of the court attended, sitting +round on rich carpets; and waiting the king's arrival. He +appeared at length, cloathed, or laden rather, with diamonds, +rubies, pearls, and other precious vanities, making a great and +glorious shew. His sword, target, and throne were corresponding +in riches and splendour. His head, neck, breast, and arms, above +the elbows, and at the wrist, were all decorated with chains of +precious stones, and every one of his fingers had two or three +rich rings. His legs were as it were fettered with chains of +diamonds, rubies as large as walnuts, and some larger, and such +pearls as amazed me. He got into one of the scales, crouching or +sitting on his legs like a woman; and there were put into the +other scale, to counterpoise his weight, many bags said to +contain silver, which were changed six times, and I understood +his weight was 9000 rupees, which are almost equal to a thousand +pounds sterling. After this, he was weighed against gold, jewels, +and precious stones, as I was told, for I saw none, as these were +all in bags, and might only have been pebbles. Then against cloth +of gold, silk stuffs, cotton goods, spices, and all sort of +commodities; but I had to believe all as reported, as these were +all in packages. Lastly, against meal, butter, and corn, all of +which is said to be distributed to the Banians, with all the rest +of the stuff, but I saw all carefully carried away, and nothing +distributed. The silver only is reserved for the poor, and serves +for the ensuing year, as it is the king's custom at night +frequently to call for some of these before him, to whom, with +great familiarity and humility, he distributes some of this money +with his own hands.</p> + +<p>While the king was sitting in the scale, he looked upon me and +smiled, but spoke not, as my interpreter could not be admitted. +After he was weighed, he ascended the throne, and had basins of +nuts, almonds, and spices of all sorts, artificially made of thin +silver, which he threw about, and for which his great men +scrambled prostrate on their bellies. I thought it not decent for +me to do so, which seeing, he reached one basin almost full, and +poured the contents into my cloak. The nobles were so bold as to +put in their hands to help themselves, and so thick, that they +had soon left me none, if I had not pocketed up a remainder. Till +I had myself been present, I was told that he scattered gold on +this occasion, but found it to be only silver, and so thin, that +all I had at first, being thousands of small pieces, had not +weighed sixty rupees, of which I saved to the amount of twenty +rupees, yet a good dishful, which I keep to shew the ostentation +of this display of liberality; for, by my proportion, I think all +he cast away could not exceed the value of an hundred pounds. At +night he drinks with his nobles from rich plate, to which I was +invited; but, being told that I must not refuse to drink, and +their liquors being excessively hot and strong, I durst not stay +to endanger my health, being already somewhat indisposed with a +slight dysentery.</p> + +<p>On the 9th September the king rode out to take the air on the +banks of the river <i>Darbadath</i>, [Nerbuddah] a distance of +five cosses. As he was to pass my house, I mounted my horse to +meet him; and, as it is the custom for all men whose gates he +passes, to make him some present, which is taken as a good sign, +and is called <i>mombareck</i>, or good news; and as I had +nothing to give, neither could go with nothing, nor stay without +offence, I ventured to take with me a fair book, well bound, +filleted, and gilt, being the last edition of Mercator's Maps of +the World, which I presented, saying, That I had nothing worthy +the acceptance of so great a king, but begged to offer him the +world, in which he had so great and rich a share. He accepted it +in good part, laying his hand repeatedly on his breast, saying, +that every thing which came from me was welcome. He asked about +the arrival of our ships, which I said we daily expected. He then +said, he had some fat wild-hogs lately sent him from Goa, and if +I would eat any he would send me some at his return, I made him +due reverence, answering, that any thing from his majesty was to +me a feast.</p> + +<p>He rode on upon his elephant, and when I offered to accompany +him to the gate, the way being stony, he desired me to return, +bidding God keep me. He asked which was my house, and being told, +praised it, as indeed it was one of the best in the place, though +only an old temple and a large tomb, enclosed by a wall. +Repeating his farewell, he said the way was bad, and desired me +to go home, with much shew of courtesy and kindness, on which I +took my leave.</p> + +<p>On the 16th I went to repay the visit of Maree Rustam, prince +of Candahar, who sent word at my arrival that he dared not +receive any visit unless he asked leave of the king, or +acquainted Etimon Dowlet or Asaph Khan, which he would do at the +next durbar. I made answer, that he needed not, as I never meant +any more to trouble myself about so uncivil a person. That I knew +well this was a mere shift out of ill manners, as the king would +be no more angry for his receiving me at his house than for +coming to mine, and that I cared not for seeing him, and had only +come in pure civility to return his visit. His man desired me to +wait till he had reported what I said to his master, but I would +not. At night I waited upon the king at court, who spoke to me +about the book of maps; but I forbore to speak to him about our +debts. But on the 25th, though very weak, I went again to court +to make trial of the king about our debts. <i>Muckshud</i>, one +of our debtors, having pled in excuse for not paying that he had +missed receiving his <i>prigany</i>, and knew not how to pay +unless he sold his house. I delivered the merchants petition to +the king, which he caused to be read aloud by Asaph Khan; all the +names of the debtors, with the sums they owed, and their +respective sureties, being distinctly enumerated. The king then +sent for Arad Khan, the chief officer of his household, and the +cutwall, and gave them some orders which I did not understand. +Then reading over the names, and finding some of them dead, and +some strangers, he made enquiry as to their abilities and +qualities, and what goods they had received. Concerning +Rulph,[213] Asaph Khan undertook to speak to the prince on the +subject, and to get that affair concluded when he came.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 213: In the edition by Churchill, this +person is named Sulph, but no elucidation is +given.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>My interpreter was now called in, and the king, turning to me, +said that our merchants had trusted people according to their own +fancies, and to whom they pleased, not coming to him with an +inventory of their goods, and therefore, if their debtors were +insufficient, it was their own faults, and they had no reason to +expect payment of their money from him. This I supposed to allude +to his servant <i>Hergonen</i>, lately dead, whose goods had been +seized to the king's use. He added, however, as this was the +first time, he would now assist me, and cause our money to be +paid: but, if the English should hereafter deliver their goods to +his servants without money, they must stand to the hazard +themselves. But if when they brought their commodities to court, +they would bring the inventory of the whole to him, he would +first serve himself, and then distribute the rest among such as +were willing to buy them; and then, if any failed in payments, he +would pay the money himself.</p> + +<p>This indeed is the custom of the Persian merchants, who bring +all to the king, as I have often seen. He first takes his own +choice, and delivers the rest among his nobles, his scribes +writing down the names of all to whom they are delivered, and the +sums, another officer settling the prices. After which a copy is +given to the merchant, who goes to their houses for his money; +and if they do not pay, there is a particular officer who has +orders to enforce payment. It was then told to my interpreter +that Arad Khan was to call the debtors before him, and cause them +to pay. This did not satisfy our merchants, but it seemed to me a +just and gracious answer, and better than private persons usually +get from great princes.</p> + +<p>Hearing that I had been sick and was in want of wine, the king +ordered me to have five bottles, and when these were done that I +should send for five more, and so from time to time as I needed. +He sent me also the fattest wild-hog I ever saw, which had been +sent from Goa by Mucrob Khan. This was sent to me at midnight by +a <i>huddy</i>, with this message, that it had eaten nothing but +sugar and butter since it came to the king. I accepted this as a +sign of great favour, which, in this court, I know to be a great +one. He then sent for the book of maps, saying, that he had +shewed it to his <i>mulahs</i>, and not one of them could read a +word of it, wherefore I might have it again. To this I answered, +that his majesty in this would use his pleasure; and so it was +returned.</p> + +<p>The 26th, a rajah of the Rajpoots being in rebellion in the +hills, not above twenty cosses from the leskar, the king sent out +two Omrahs with a party of horse to fetch him in a prisoner. But +he stood on his defence, slew one of the omrahs and twelve +<i>maansipdares</i>, [munsubdars] and about 500 men, sending an +insulting message to the king to send his son against him, as he +was no prey to be subdued by ordinary forces.</p> + +<p>The 2d September, Sultan Churrum made his entry into Mundu, +accompanied by all the great men, in wonderous triumph. Contrary +to all our expectations, the king received him as if he had been +an only son. All the great men and the queen-mother[214] went to +meet him at the distance of five cosses from the town. I had sent +to Asaph Khan to excuse me not meeting him, for I was not able to +stir from sickness, and besides, had no presents to give. I also +sent some of my servants with my just excuse to the prince, to +which he, in his pride, only answered by a nod.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 214: Both in the Pilgrims and in +Churchill's Collection this personage is termed the king's +mother; but it is more probable she was the mother of Sultan +Churrum.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The 5th of September I received advice of our ships being +arrived at Surat, the admiral amissing, but all the rest well, +and that they had taken two English rovers or pirates, which were +found in chase of the queen-mother's ship returning from the Red +Sea, which they fortunately rescued and brought safe in. Had this +ship been taken, we had all been in trouble. With these letters, +I received the Company's letter, the invoice of the goods, and +instructions for Persia, with various other notes of advice. They +advised me also, that, owing to the admiral's absence, they knew +not what course to take with the pirates they had taken. I +immediately sent orders to Surat concerning all business, as will +appear in my letters.</p> + +<p>The 6th, I rode to visit the prince at his usual hour of +giving audience, intending to bid him welcome, and to acquaint +him with our business, meaning to shew him all proper respect; +and, that I might not come empty-handed, I bought a fine gold +chain, made in China, which I proposed to have presented to him. +On sending in to acquaint him that I was in waiting, he returned +a message, desiring me to come next morning at sun-rise, when he +sat to be worshipped, or to wait till he rode to court, which I +must have done at his door. I took this in high dudgeon, having +never been denied access by the king his father; but such is this +prince's pride, that he might even teach Lucifer. This made me +answer roundly, that I was not the prince's slave, but the free +ambassador of a great king; and that I would never more visit or +attend upon him who had denied me justice; but I should see him +at night with the king, to whom only I should now address myself, +and so I departed. I went at night to the king, who received me +graciously. I made my reverence to the prince, who stood beside +his father, but he would not even once stir his head. Then I +acquainted the king, that, according to his order, I had brought +an abstract to him of our merchandize, and waited his commands. +After his usual manner, he asked many questions as to what were +brought, and seemed mightily satisfied with what was in the +inventory, especially with the tapestry, promising me all the +favour and privileges I could desire. He enquired for dogs, but I +could say nothing on that subject. He then asked for jewels, but +I told him these were dearer in England than in India, at which +he rested satisfied. I durst not name the pearls for many +reasons, but chiefly as I knew our people in that case would be +way-laid by the prince, and it would have cost me infinite +trouble to get them back. I thought they might easily be brought +on shore, and so to court, by stealth, and I thought they would +be the more valued the less they were expected: but my main +reason of concealment was, that I expected to make friends by +their means; therefore; when Asaph Khan pressed me on that head, +I desired him to make the answer already mentioned of their +dearness, saying that I would speak to him farther when alone. He +readily understood me, and made my excuse accordingly.</p> + +<p>Seeing the king to be well pleased, I thought it a good time +to move him again about our debts; and having my petition ready, +I opened it and held it up, as offering it to the king. He +happened not to notice this, and it being discovered by some +others what was its contents, who knew the king would be enraged +that his order was neglected, one of them stept up to me, and +gently drew down my hand, requesting me not to present that +petition. I answered, that Arad Khan had absolutely refused me +justice, and I had no other resource. Arad heard this, being by, +and went in much fear to Asaph Khan, desiring him to hinder me +from making my complaint. I answered, that our ships were +arrived, and we could neither brook nor endure such delays and +loss of time. Thereupon they consulted together, and calling the +cutwall, gave directions for him to put the king's orders, into +execution. The cutwall, accordingly, beset the tents of our +debtors that very night, and catched some of them; so that we +shall now have justice. I had many thanks from all the omrahs for +the protection given to the queen's ship, and the civility shown +by our people to the passengers. This they said they had properly +represented to the king, who took it kindly, and they all +declared they were obliged in honour to love our nation, and +would do us every service in their power; yet they all wondered +we could not govern our own people, and that any should presume +to take ships out of the kingdom, and to rob upon the seas +without leave of our king.</p> + +<p>When the king arose, Asaph Khan carried me with hint to his +retiring-place, where we first translated the inventory of our +goods into Persian, to shew the king an hour after. In this +inventory I inserted the money with some addition, that the king +might see we brought profit into his dominions by our trade. I +next inserted the cloths of different kinds, with the fine wares; +and, lastly, the gross commodities, concluding by praying his +majesty to give orders for what he wished to purchase, and then +to give us liberty of selling the rest. When this was finished, +Asaph Khan asked why I wished to speak with him in private, +desiring me to speak my mind with freedom, bowing, and protesting +such friendship as I never could have expected. I told him, that +my reason for asking this private conference was to have his +advice. It was certainly true that I had some things which were +not enumerated, but had been so badly used last year that I durst +not trust any one; but, to shew my confidence in him, I was +willing to open myself to him, on his oath of secrecy, which he +readily gave. I then told him that I had a rich pearl, and some +other strings of fair pearls, and knew not whether it were fit to +tell the king, lest the prince might be displeased. I informed +him likewise, how I had gone in the morning to visit the prince, +and of his discourtesy, and my consequent determination; yet I +knew his favour was necessary for us, and I had hopes to recover +it by means of this pearl, which I had purposely concealed for +him. This was my purpose, and the reason of my concealment; and +as he was father-in-law to the prince, and the king's favourite, +I was desirous to please both, and therefore begged his +advice.</p> + +<p>After embracing me, he said I had done discreetly, and should +acquaint neither; for, if I did, I should never get out of +trouble. If the king were to know of it, he would indeed use me +courteously, but would make a great stir to get it into his +hands, and then, according to custom, I might sue in vain to +recover my own. The prince, I knew, was ravenously greedy and +tyrannical, and wearied all with his scandalous exactions. He +desired me to steal all ashore, trusting none, and explained to +me many means of conveyance, bidding me observe the usage of the +Portuguese on the like occasions; adding, that he wished to +purchase the pearl, and if I would grant his desire, would +deposite its value in my hands, whatever I chose to ask, and, in +recompence for this confidence I had reposed in him, he would +hereafter be my solicitor in all things, and assured me I could +do nothing without him. I answered, that I was most willing to +let him have the pearl, and hoped he would never betray my +confidence. Having received his oath, and a ceremony of mutual +covenant, by crossing thumbs according to the custom of the +country, we embraced. I promised to be guided entirely by him, +and he engaged to do every thing I required for the safe +conveyance of the other things, engaging to give me firmauns so +that no person should touch any thing, but all should come safely +to me, to dispose of at my pleasure.</p> + +<p>He engaged likewise to reconcile me to the prince, and would +take me with him the next time he went to visit him, and would +make the prince use me with all manner of grace and favour; +adding, that I should have a particular judge assigned me to take +care of our business, and to give us every satisfaction we could +desire. He also advised me to make a present to his sister, Queen +Noormahal, and she would prevail upon the king to give me money. +To this I replied, that I wished only for the good usage of my +countrymen. He then carried me to the king, to whom I presented +the inventory translated into Persian, and was graciously +received. He asked me if the arras were a present, to which I +answered in the affirmative, as the prince was by, lest it might +be seized. In conclusion, the king said he would take a +considerable quantity of our cloths and other commodities, +desiring me to cause them to be brought up speedily, and directed +Asaph Khan to make out an order for their free passage in the +prince's name. I was well pleased with the success of this day; +for though I knew that there was no faith to be placed in these +barbarians, yet I was sure Asaph Khan would deal truly in this, +as he was to help himself, and durst not betray me, lest he +should miss the pearl, neither could I suspect him afterwards, as +he could not betray my secret without discovering his own +falsehood to the prince.</p> + +<p>S.8. <i>Asaph Khan protects the English for hope of Gain, as +also Noormahal.--Arrival of Mr Steel.--Danger to the Public from +private Trade.--Stirs about a fort</i>.</p> + +<p>On the 12th October, according to his promise, Asaph Khan +carried me along with him to visit the prince, and introduced me +into his private apartment, when I presented ham with a small +Chinese gold chain in a china cup. He used me indifferently, but +Asaph Khan persuaded him to alter his course towards us, +representing that he gained yearly by us a lack of rupees, and +that as our trade increased every year, it would in time bring +him greater profit; but that if we were harshly used, we would be +enforced to quit both Surat and the country, from which great +inconveniences might arise. We were in some measure his subjects, +and if, from desire of procuring rarities, he used us ill, we +would necessarily strive to the utmost to conceal all we brought +from his knowledge; but if he gave us that liberty and +encouragement which was fitting, we would then use our endeavours +to bring every thing to him. He represented, that my only study +was to give content to his highness, and to procure his favour +and protection, and therefore that he ought to receive me +honourably when I came to visit him, and according to my quality, +which would give satisfaction to my nation, and encourage me to +serve him. Finally, be moved his highness to give me a firmaun +for our present use, which he easily obtained, with a promise of +all manner of satisfaction. The prince accordingly gave immediate +orders to his secretary to draw it up in every point to our +content, and to write a letter to the governor recommending it to +his attention; adding, that I should at all times have any other +letters I desired.</p> + +<p>It is thus easy to be seen what base and unworthy men I have +to deal with. For the sordid hope only of buying some toys, Asaph +Khan has become so reconciled to me as to betray his son-in-law, +and is obsequious even to flattery. The ground of all his +friendship is his desire to purchase the gold taken in the prize, +and some other knacks; for which purpose he desires to send down +one of his servants, which I could not deny without losing him, +after having so long laboured to gain his favour; neither was +this any disadvantage to us, as his payment is secure, and will +save us much trouble and charge in selling elsewhere, especially +the wine and other luggage that is apt to spoil in carriage. For +this purpose he obtained an order from the prince under false +pretences, and wrote himself in our favour to the governor of +Surat, doing us all manner of kindness. There is a necessity for +his friendship, as his word is a law in this empire, and +therefore I did not choose to seem to notice his unworthiness. I +hope by this procedure to win him to our advantage, or at least +to make our present good use of him. On this occasion I moved him +to procure us a firmaun for trade with Bengal, which he has +promised, though he would never before hearken to that request. +He likewise now prosecutes our debtors as if they were his own; +and in passing the residence of the cutwall on his elephant, he +called upon him to command dispatch, which was a most unusual +favour. Upon this <i>Groo</i> was immediately imprisoned, and +<i>Muckshud</i> had only two days allowed him to pay us. Thus I +doubt not that in ten days we shall recover to the amount of +44,000 rupees, though our debtors are the most shifting false +knaves in all India.</p> + +<p>On the 21st, a servant came to me from Asaph Khan, bearing a +message from Noormahal, intimating that she had moved the prince +for another firmaun, which she had obtained, and by which all our +goods were taken under her protection; and that she was ready to +send down her servant with authority to take order for our good +establishment, and to see that we were no way wronged. He said +farther, that Asaph Khan had done this, for fear of the prince's +violence, and to guard against his custom of delays; and that now +when the queen his sister had desired to be our protectress, he +was sure the prince would not meddle; and farther assured me, +upon his honour, that I should receive every thing consigned to +me, for which the queen had written the most positive orders, and +had directed her servant to assist our factors, that we might +never more have any cause of complaint at Surat. He desired, +therefore, that I might write a few lines to the captains and +factors, directing them to use the queen's servant kindly, and +allow him to buy for her some toys, such as I could spare. This I +durst not deny, though I clearly saw the greediness which was +covered under this request; and I gave him a note, as desired, +making a condition that I should see a copy of the firmaun, which +was already sealed, and could not be seen without leave.</p> + +<p>By all this you may see how easy it were to sell commodities +here, by a little good management. Last year we were not looked +at; but now, that I have translated the inventory of fine wares +for the king, yet concealing the pearls, every one is ready to +run down to Surat, to make purchases. Noormahal and Asaph Khan +now study how to do me good offices; and many of the great men +are soliciting me for letters, that they may send down their +servants, so that if you had trebled the present consignment, it +might all have been bought up aboard ship, and have saved you the +customs, expence of carriage, and much spoil. I have therefore +directed the factory to sell to the servants of Noormahal and +Asaph Khan, whatsoever can be spared, so as to leave me a decent +proportion for my uses at court. By this, much trouble and +charges will be saved, the prince prevented from plunder and +exactions, and our friends confirmed; and yet I hope to have +enough remaining to please the king and his son. At the delivery +of their presents, Asaph Khan has undertaken to procure the +phirmaunds for our trade at Bengal or any other port, and even to +procure us a general privilege for free trade and residence in +every part of the king's dominions.</p> + +<p>On the 24th of October the king departed to a considerable +distance from Mundu,[215] and went from place to place among the +mountains, leaving us quite at a loss what way we should take, as +no one knew his purpose. On the 25th I had a warrant for ten +camels at the king's rates of hire; and on the 29th I removed to +follow the king, being forced to quit Mundu, which was now +entirely deserted. The 31st I arrived at the king's tents, but +found he had gone with few company on a hunting party for ten +days, no person being allowed to follow without leave. The leskar +or camp was scattered about in many parts, suffering great +inconveniences from bad water, scarcity and consequent dearness +of provisions, sickness, and all sorts of calamities incident to +so great a multitude; yet nothing can prevent the king from +following his pleasures. I here learnt that it was quite +uncertain whether the king proposed going to Agra or Guzerat; +and, though the latter was reported, the former was held to be +more probable, as his counsellors wished to be at rest. Yet, +because the king was expected to linger here about a month, I was +advised and thought it best to send for the goods and presents, +and endeavour to conclude my business, rather as defer it upon +uncertainties. By this means, I hoped to obtain some rest, which +I much needed, as I was very weak, and not likely to recover by +daily travel, and the use of cold raw muddy water.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 215: In the edition of Churchill, the king +is said to have removed twenty-four cosses from Mundu, while in +the Pilgrims it is called only four cosses.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>Richard Steel and Jackson arrived on the 2d November, 1617, +with the pearls and other small matters, which they had brought +privately on shore according to my order, which I received and +gave them acquittance for. I had a conference with Mr Steel about +his projects of water-works, intended to advance the sale of +lead, which I did not approve of, because I knew the character of +this people, and that this affair must be begun at our expence, +while after trial we should not enjoy the profit, but the natives +be taught.[216] Besides, it did not promise any advantages for +the sale of our commodity, as the lead would be trebled in price +by land-carriage, and could not be delivered at Agra so cheap as +other lead could be purchased there. Yet I was willing that he +should make a trial, by carrying his workmen to Ahmedabad, and +meeting me there; where, by the aid of Mukrob Khan, who only +among these people is a friend to new inventions, I would make +offer to the king of their inventions, and try what conditions +might be procured; but, in my opinion, it is all money and labour +thrown away. The company must shut their ears against these +projectors, who have their own emoluments much more in view than +the profits of their masters. Many things look fair in discourse, +and in theory satisfy curious imaginations, which in practice are +found difficult and fanciful. It is no easy matter to alter the +established customs of this kingdom; where some drink only of +rain water, some only that of a holy river, and others only of +such as is brought at their own cost.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 216: This project is no where explained, +but might possibly be intended for conveying water, by means of +machinery and leaden pipes, for the supply of some palace or city +in India.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>As for his second project, of inducing the caravans and +merchants of Lahore and Agra, who are in use to travel by +Candahar into Persia, to come by the river Indus and to go by sea +in our ships to Jasques or the Persian gulf it is a mere dream. +Some men may approve of it in conversation, but it will never be +adopted in practice. The river Indus is but indifferently +navigable downwards, and its mouth is already occupied by the +Portuguese; while its navigation upwards, against the stream, is +very difficult. Finally, we must warrant their goods, which +cannot be done by a fleet; neither did even the Portuguese +transport any of these goods, excepting only those of Scindy and +Tatta, which traded by means of their own junks, having +<i>cartas</i> or passes from the Portuguese, for which the +natives paid a small matter, to secure them from being captured +by the Portuguese cruizers; and the emoluments of these passes +came into the pockets of the chiefs of Diu, Damaun, and Ormus. +Even if all other difficulties were removed, yet will the caravan +of Lahore be never induced to take this passage, as it mostly +consists of returning Persians and Armenians, who know the +journey from Jasques to be almost as bad as that through +Candahar; and the small trade from the environs of Scindy is not +worth mentioning. Yet, for his better satisfaction, I am content +that he may learn his errors by his own experience, so that it be +not done at the charges of the company: But I suppose he will let +it fall to the ground, not knowing at which end to begin.</p> + +<p>As to the third project, for uniting the trade of the Red Sea +with this of Surat, I recommended to him to use his endeavours; +for it is already begun. The peril of this trade in the Guzerat +ships is very obvious, owing to pirates in these seas; wherefore +I have no doubt that many merchants may be induced to load their +goods in our ships on freight; by which means we should make +ourselves many useful friends among these people, supply our own +wants, save the export of bullion, and for this year employ one +of the ships belonging to the old account, that should return in +September, receiving the remains of this joint stock, which will +be sufficient to re-load a great ship, and would otherwise be +transported at great loss. This I explained and urged, shewing +which way it might be accomplished, and recommended by him to the +commander, the Cape merchants and your factors, as will appear by +my letters. This measure, if followed, must evidently be to your +profit, even if nothing were procured towards it by freight from +the Guzerat merchants; as, having so many empty vessels for so +small a stock, and two pirate ships fallen into your hands, they +had better even go empty as not go. There are many good chances +in the Red Sea and in the way, and though they did nothing else +than bring back the goods you have at Mokha and other ports in +that sea, this would repay the charges of the voyage and be ready +in time.</p> + +<p>I find Mr Steel high in his conceits, insomuch that he seems +to have forgotten the respect due to me. He and Mr Kerridge are +at variance, which I use every endeavour to assuage. As for his +wife, I have told Steel that she cannot remain in this country +without much inconvenience to us, and injury to his masters, as +she could not be allowed her expences of travelling and living at +the charges of the Company; that he must live frugally and like a +merchant, as others do, and must therefore send home his wife. If +he did so, he was welcome to remain in the Company's service; but +otherwise, I should have to take measures with them both, much +against my inclination. Having thus persuaded him, I likewise +endeavoured to deal in the same manner about Captain Towerson's +wife. You know not the danger, the trouble, and the +inconvenience, of granting these liberties. For this purpose, I +persuaded Abraham, his father-in-law, to hold fast; stating the +gripings of this court, and the small hope of any relief by this +alliance, from which he expected great matters, and endeavoured +to persuade him to return quietly. To further this, I wrote to +your chief factor, that such things as he had brought and were +vendible, should be bought for your use by bill of exchange, and +at such profit to him as might answer both parties; but I utterly +prohibited the taking of his trash, to remain a dead stock on +your hands, on any conditions. Such inconveniences do you bring +upon your hands by these unreasonable liberties.</p> + +<p>By the strict commands in your letter respecting private +trade, as well respecting your own servants as others, I find you +do not mean him to have that liberty he expects; for he is +furnished to the value of above £1000, first cost here, and +Steel to at least £200. This, as he proposes sending home +his wife, and his merit is so good towards you, I shall send +home; as I presume you will admit of this to get rid of such +cattle. I will not buy these goods however, but order them to be +marked and consigned to you, by which you will have the measure +in your own hands. By these liberties, you discourage all your +old servants. Some may do all things for fair words, and some +will do nothing for good actions. I could instance some, gone +home two years since, who only employed themselves in managing +their own stock, and did no other business, who now live at home +in pleasure; and others that raised their fortunes on your +monies, trading therewith from port to port, and are now returned +rich and unquestioned. Last year a mariner had twenty-six +<i>churles</i> of indigo, others many fardles; another had to the +value of 7000 mahmudies in bastas, chosen at Baroach and +purchased with your monies, and he would not probably chuse the +worst for himself; a fourth did the same to the value of above +£150. I do not mention these things out of spite or ill +will, but to induce you to equality of proceeding with your +servants, that an impartial restraint be imposed upon all, and +that by such instances your profits may not be all swallowed +up.</p> + +<p>For effecting these purposes, the sending the woman home, and +the prosecution of trade to the Red Sea, I have sent back Richard +Steel to Surat with the necessary orders. As it is now declared +that the king intends going to Guzerat, I have altered my purpose +about the goods and presents; and have appointed Richard Steel, +after having dispatched other matters, to meet me there with the +goods and presents, and his engineers. I have also sent my advice +and directions to Captain Pring, to make out an inventory of all +the monies and goods in the two pirate ships, and to land the +whole, making it over to your stock; to give a passage home to +some of the chiefs, and to take the rest into your service, +referring to you at home to deal with the owners. My own fixed +opinion is, that their capture is legal and justifiable, and all +their goods forfeited. If you are pleased to restore any thing, +be it at your pleasure; but the more rigour you show to these, +the better example you will give to such scandalous piracies; +for, if this course be pursued, you may bid adieu to all trade at +Surat and in the Red Sea, and let the Turkey Company stand clear +of the revenge of the Grand Signior.</p> + +<p>I went to Asaph Khan on the 6th November, and shewed him the +pearls according to promise. As I had been previously informed, +he told me the sorts were not fit for that country; yet he was so +pleased that I had kept my word with him, that I believe I may +say to you in the words of Pharaoh, "The land is before you, +dwell where you will, you and your servants." We talked not about +the price, but he vowed the utmost secrecy, and that for my sake +he would give more for them than their value, not returning any, +and would pay ready money. Of this he professed to be in no want, +and even offered to lend me whatever I needed. I have promised to +visit his sister, whom he has made our protectress; and indeed, +every contentment that good words can give, I have received, +besides good deeds. When the presents arrive, I shall take care +not to be too liberal to your loss; a little shall serve in that +way. Indeed Asaph Khan himself has given me this advice, saying +that such things are as well taken in this country sold as given, +which I find by the experience of others to be true.</p> + +<p>Finishing these conferences in his bed-chamber, Asaph Khan +rose to go to dinner, having invited me and my people; but he and +his friends dined without, appointing us our mess apart, for they +scruple to eat with us. I had good cheer, and was well attended, +the residue being given to my servants. After dinner, I moved +about the debt due by Groo, and told him of the delays. He +desired me to say no more, as he had undertaken that business; +that Groo, at his orders, was finishing accounts with a jeweller, +and he had given orders, as the money was paid, that it should +remain in the hands of the cutwall for us. This I found +afterwards to be true, and the cutwall has promised to finish in +three days, desiring me to send no more to Asaph Khan on that +business.</p> + +<p>I must not omit to mention here, an anecdote of baseness or +favour, call it which you please. When the prisons are full of +condemned men, the king commands some to be executed, and sends +others to his omrahs, to be redeemed at a price. This he esteems +a courtesy, as giving the means of exercising charity: But he +takes the money, and so sells the virtue. About a month before +our remove, he sent to me to buy three Abyssinians, whom they +suppose to be all Christians, at the price of forty rupees each. +I answered, that I could not purchase men as slaves, as was done +by others, by which they had profit for their money; but that I +was willing to give twenty rupees each for them in charity, to +save their lives and restore them to liberty. The king was well +pleased with my answer, and ordered them to be sent me. They +expected the money, which I was in no haste to give, and even +hoped it had been forgotten. But the king's words are all written +down[217], and are as irrevocable decrees. Seeing that I sent not +for the malefactors, his officers delivered them into the hands +of my <i>procurator</i>, in my absence this day, taking his note +for the sixty rupees, which I paid at my return, and set free the +prisoners.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 217: Dixit, et edictum est; fatur, et est +factum.--<i>Purch</i>.]</blockquote> + +<p>Having notice of a new phirmaund sent down to Surat to disarm +all the English, and some other restrictions upon their liberty, +owing to a complaint sent up to the prince, that we intended to +build a fort at Swally, and that our ships were laden with bricks +and lime for that purpose, I visited Asaph Khan on the 10th +November, to enquire into this matter. This jealousy arose from +our people having landed a few bricks on shore, for building a +furnace to refound the ship's bell; yet the alarm was so hot at +court, that I was called to make answer, when I represented how +absurd was this imaginary fear, how dishonourable for the king, +and how unfit the place was for any such purpose to us, having +neither water nor harbourage. The jealousy was however so very +strongly imprinted in their minds, because I had formerly asked a +river at Gogo for that purpose, that I could hardly satisfy the +prince but that we intended some such sinister end. You may judge +from this how difficult it were to get a port for yourselves, if +you were so disposed. Notwithstanding all remonstrances, this +furnace must be demolished, and a <i>huddey</i> of horse sent +down to see it done. The disarming of our men was what chiefly +disobliged our people, though the weapons were only lodged in the +custom-house, and those only belonging to the ship's company. I +told Asaph Khan, that we could not endure this slavery, nor would +I stay longer in the country, as the prince gave us one day a +phirmaund for our good usage, with a grant of privileges, and +countermand all the next by contradictory orders, in which +proceedings there was neither honour nor good faith, and I could +not answer for my continuing to reside among them. Asaph Khan +said, he would speak to the king at night on the subject, in the +presence of the prince, and afterwards give me an answer.</p> + +<p>I went again to wait upon Asaph Khan on the 18th, when he made +many protestations of the Mogul's affection to my sovereign and +nation, and to me, and assured me he had risked the prince's +disfavour for our sakes, and had full assurance of a complete +redress of all our grievances: and that he proposed getting the +<i>prigany</i> of Surat transferred to himself, which the prince +would have to resign, as he had been made governor of Ahmedabad, +Cambay, and that territory. To satisfy me that he did not +dissemble, he desired me to come at night to court, bringing the +king my master's letter and the translation, as the time was +favourable for its delivery; desiring me at the same time to +persist in my complaint, and to offer taking leave, when I should +see what he would say for us. Accordingly, I went at night to +wait upon the king, whom I found surrounded by a very full court. +The king was sitting on the ground, and when I delivered the +letter, it was laid before him, of which he took no great notice, +being busy at the time. Asaph Khan whispered to his father, +Etimon Dowlet, desiring him to read the letter and assist us, +which he could better do than himself. Etimon Dowlet took up both +letters, giving that in English into the king's hands, and read +the translation to the king, who answered many of the complaints. +On coming to that point, of procuring our quiet trade, by his +authority with the Portuguese, he demanded if we wanted him to +make peace with them? I answered, that his majesty knew long +since I had offered to be governed entirely by him, and referred +that matter to his wisdom, and waited therefore to know his +pleasure. On this he said, that he would undertake to reconcile +us, and to cause agreement to be made in his seas, which he would +signify in his answer to my master's letter, in which he would +farther satisfy his majesty in all his other friendly +desires.</p> + +<p>Notwithstanding of this, I asked leave to go before to +Ahmedabad, to meet the king's presents, and to prepare for my +return home. Upon this, a question arose between the king and the +prince, who complained that he derived no profit from us, and was +very willing to be rid of us. Asaph Khan then took up the +discourse, and plainly told the king, that we brought both profit +and security to the port of Surat and to the kingdom, but were +very rudely treated by the prince's servants, and that we could +not continue our trade and residence, unless matters were +amended; for which reason it would be more honourable for his +majesty to licence and protect us, than to treat us +discourteously. The prince angrily replied, That he had never +wronged us, and had lately given us a phirmaund at the desire of +Asaph Khan. It is true, replied Asaph Khan, that you granted him +a phirmaund to his satisfaction; but in ten days you sent down +another, virtually to contradict and annul the former; and as he +stood as surety between both, and had undertaken our redress on +the prince's word, the shame and dishonour of this double +procedure fell upon him. He said he spoke for no ends, but for +the king's honour and justice, as he owed me nothing, nor I him, +and for the truth of his words he appealed to me, who complained +that our goods were taken away from us by force, and that +Rulph,[218] who began this two years ago, would never pay us, and +his officers continued the same procedure every season. If the +prince were weary of the English, he might turn us away; but then +he must expect that we would seek for redress at our own hands +upon the seas. He demanded whether the king or the prince gave me +the means of living, or, as they did not, at whose expence I was +maintained? saying, that I was an ambassador and a stranger, who +lived in this country and followed the progress of the king at +great charges; and if our goods continued to be taken from us by +force, so that we could neither get back our goods, nor yet their +value in money, it would be impossible for us to subsist.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 218: On a former occasion, where this +person is mentioned, it has been said that his name, in the +edition of this journal given by Churchill, is written Sulph. +From the circumstances in the context at this place, it is +possible that Sulpheckar Khan, or Zulfeccar Khan, governor of +Surat under Sultan Churrum, may be here meant.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>This was delivered with some heat, and the king, catching at +the word force, repeated it to his son, whom he sharply +reprehended. The prince promised to see me paid for all that had +been taken. He said likewise that he had taken nothing, having +only caused the presents to be sealed; and, as his officers had +received no customs on these, he desired to have them opened in +his presence. This I absolutely refused to consent to, telling +the king that I only did my duty to my master, in insisting to +deliver the presents free from duty, and that, when I had so +done, I should give the prince full satisfaction in all other +things. At this time, Etimon Dowlet, who had been made our friend +by his son Asaph Khan, whispered to the king, and read a clause +or two from my master's letter, on which the king made the prince +stand aside. Asaph Khan joined in this private conference, which +they told me was for our good; and in conclusion, the prince was +commanded to suffer all the goods to come quietly to me, and to +give me such privileges for our trade as were fit, and as should +be proposed by Asaph Khan.</p> + +<p>The prince would not yield the presents, unless Asaph Khan +became his surety that he should have a share, which he did, and +we were then all agreed on that point. The king paid me many +compliments in words, and even gave me two pieces of <i>pawne</i> +out of the dish then before him, desiring me to partake of what +he was eating. I then took my leave for Ahmedabad; and that same +night I began my journey, leaving my tents, as I expected to +reach that city the next day: But I had to ride two nights, with +the intermediate day and half of the next, with excessively +little accommodation or refreshment; and arrived at Ahmedabad on +the 15th at noon.</p> + +<p>The 8th January, 1618, there was some question about presents +by the prince, whom I told that his were ready whenever he was +ready to receive them. He asked me, why I had broken the seals? +On which I said, that it would have been dishonourable and +discourteous in me to have delivered the king's presents in +bonds, and having waited his highness' licence during twenty +days, but seeing no hope of its arrival, I had been under the +necessity of breaking open the seals. Some heat was likely to +have arisen on this subject, but a gentleman from the king, who +was sent to observe what passed between us, told us both that the +king commanded our presence before him immediately, at a garden +where he then was, on the river side, a coss from the town. The +prince went there immediately in his palanquin, and I followed in +a coach, well attended upon by the servants of the king and +prince. On my arrival, the women were going in, on which occasion +no man dare enter except the prince, who accordingly made bitter +complaints against me for having broke open the seals, taking out +from the packages whatever I pleased, without his knowledge. +Asaph Khan was called, who was my surety, and the prince laid the +blame of all this upon him, but he strenuously denied all +knowledge or participation; yet I had not accused him, but took +it all upon myself, knowing he would deny it, as is the custom, +to excuse himself, and I knew myself better able to bear it.</p> + +<p>I was then sent for to the water-side, where the king had been +sitting in private, and went in, having the presents along with +me, but the king was gone into the female apartments. Asaph Khan +blamed me for breaking his word, saying, that the prince had +shamed him. I answered, through Jaddow, that he well knew I had +his consent, of which this man was a witness. He denied this to +us both, and when I again said, that, although I would not lay +the blame on him, that it was still true, as this man could +witness; Jaddow refused to interpret my answer, saying, that he +durst not tell Asaph Khan to his face that he lied. This is a +quite usual thing among them; for if any command comes from the +king which he afterwards forgets or denies, he that brought the +message will deny it stoutly. I bore up as high as I could, on +which some of the great men said that it was a great affront, of +which no other man durst have been guilty, while others smiled. I +answered, it was by no means so great as the prince had often +done to me. We thus spent the day, during which the king never +appeared, having privately stole away, leaving us all in anxious +expectation.</p> + +<p>At night, word came that the king was gone, when I offered to +have gone home, but was so well attended, that I was in some +measure constrained to force my way. While on the road, new +messengers came to seek me, and I had to return to court, without +having either eaten or drank. The king was not however come back, +and I could not get free from my attendants, who yet used me very +respectfully. After waiting an hour, a sudden order was given to +put out all the lights. The king now came in an open waggon, +drawn by bullocks, having his favourite Noormahal along with him, +himself acting as waggoner, and no man near. When he and his +women were housed, the prince came in on horseback, and +immediately called for me into the place where the king was. It +was now midnight, and I found the king and prince only attended +upon by two or three eunuchs. Putting on an angry countenance, +the king, as he had been instructed by his son, told me I had +broken my word, and he would trust me no more. I answered +roundly, that I held it fit to give freely, not upon compulsion, +and had committed no offence, according to my judgment; and if +their customs were so very different from ours, I had erred only +from ignorance, and ought therefore to be pardoned. After many +disputes, the prince offered his friendship, with many fair +promises, and we were all reconciled.</p> + +<p>I then opened the chests, gave the king his presents, and the +prince his, and sent in those intended for Noormahal. We were +about two hours engaged in viewing them. The king was well +pleased with the tapestry, but said it was too coarse, and +desired to have a suit of the same quality with the sweet bags. +Three articles were detained besides the presents; and for these +the prince said he would pay, as his father had taken them. He +likewise desired me to come to see him in the morning, promising +to be my protector and procurator, which I willingly accepted in +all things except the goods.</p> + +<p>I waited upon the prince on the 10th, when I was well +received, and had orders for a phirmaund about the murdered +man[219]. He likewise made a public declaration of his +reconcilement, desiring all his officers to take notice of it, +and act accordingly. He likewise ordered his chief <i>Raia</i> to +be in future my procurator, and to draw out whatever phirmaunds I +required. I presented to him Captain Towerson, and some others of +the English, whom he received graciously; and, in confirmation of +our renewed friendship, he presented me with a robe of cloth of +silver, promising to be the protector of our nation in all things +we could desire. I then told him about Mr Steel and his workmen, +when he desired me to bring a small present at night to the king, +to whom he should present them, which I did. He kept his word, +and spoke in our favour to the king, who seemed disposed to +entertain them. On this occasion I presented Captain Towerson to +the king, who called him up, and after a few questions, rose. At +the <i>Gitshel Choes</i>[220] I presented Mr Steel and his +workmen. The king called for Mr Paynter, and gave him ten pounds, +promising to take him and all the rest into his service. On this +occasion the king sat all night in a hat which I had given +him.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 219: This circumstance is perhaps explained +in the sequel, as relating to the death of a person at +Burhanpoor.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 220: This is probably meant for the same +public audience called, in other parts of the journal, the Gazul +Khan.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The 13th, the Dutch came to court, bringing a great present of +China ware, saunders-wood, parrots, and cloves, but were not +allowed to approach the third degree, or raised platform. After +some time, the prince asked me, who they were? I answered, that +they were Hollanders who resided at Surat. He then enquired if +they were our friends? I answered, that they were of a nation +which was dependent upon the king of England, but not welcome in +all parts, and that I did not know their business. He then said, +since they were our friends, that I ought to call them up. So I +was obliged to call upon them, that they might deliver their +presents, on which occasion they were placed beside our +merchants, yet without any farther speech or conference. Finally, +every thing I asked was complied with, or at least promised, and +I now wait for performance and money. I am satisfied, that, +without this contestation, I had never succeeded in our just +demands; for I told the prince's messenger, in the presence of +all the English, that if he chose to use force against me or my +goods, he certainly might, but it should cost blood, for I would +set my <i>chop</i> upon his master's ship, and send her to +England.</p> + +<p>On the 18th I received notice from Surat of the imprisonment +of Spragge and Howard at Burhanpoor, where their house and goods +were seized, and their lives in question, on the following +account:--The cutwall had been drinking at their house, and one +of his men had died that night, on which they were accused of +having poisoned him, and the cutwall, in excuse for having been +at their house, pretended that he had gone to fetch away a man's +wife who was detained by Thomas Spragge. What may be the truth of +this affair I know not; but information has been sent to the king +against them. I went therefore to the prince, who had promised to +undertake all our causes, but could not get speech of him, though +I had likewise to complain of force having been used against a +caravan of ours on the way, notwithstanding a phirmaund from the +rajah of the country, on both of which subjects I shall present a +petition at night to the king. My trouble with this barbarous and +unjust people is beyond all endurance. When at the prince's, I +found the promised phirmaund drawn up indeed, but half of the +agreed conditions were omitted, upon which I refused to accept +it, and desired leave to depart, that I might treat with them in +the sea.[221]</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 221: This obscure expression seems to imply +a threat of taking vengeance, or making reprisals at sea, for the +oppressions of the Mogul government against the English +trade.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>On the 21st, a command was issued to set free the English at +Burhanpoor, and to restore their goods; on which occasion the +king observed, that, if they had killed the Mahometan who came to +drink at their house, he had only met with his just reward. +Another order was issued, commanding Partap-shah to repay us all +exactions whatsoever, and that he should hereafter take no duties +upon our goods in their way to the sea-port, threatening, in case +of failure, to deliver his son into my hands. On the 22d, I went +in person to receive these phirmaunds, and carried the merchants +along with me, together with some pearls the prince was eager to +see, and which were pretended to belong to Mr Towerson. The +prince had received some vague accounts of our having pearls to +the value of twenty or thirty thousand pounds, which he hoped to +have extracted from us. When his secretary saw our small pearls, +he observed that his master had <i>maunds</i> of such, and if we +had no better, we might take these away. You may judge how basely +covetous these people are of jewels. I told him that we had +procured these from a gentlewoman to satisfy the prince, and as +they could not be made better, it was uncivil to be angry with +merchants who had done their best to shew their good will.</p> + +<p>I then spoke to him about the phirmaunds, when he bluntly told +me I should have none; for as we had deceived the prince's hopes, +he would disappoint us. I had asked leave to depart, and I might +come to take leave whenever I pleased. To this I answered, that +nothing could please me more, but that I should requite their +injustice in another place, for I should now apply to the king, +and depend no more on them, as I saw their conduct was made up of +covetousness and unworthiness. So I arose to depart, but he +recalled me, desiring that I might come next day to the king and +prince together, when I should have complete satisfaction.</p> + +<hr align="center" width="25%"> +<p>"And now, reader, we are at a stand: some more idle, or more +busy spirits, willing either to take their rest, or to exchange +their labour; and some perhaps wishing they had the whole +journal, and not thus contracted into extracts of those things +out of it which I conceived more fit for the public. And, for the +whole, myself could have wished it, but neither with the +honourable Company, nor elsewhere, could I learn of it; the +worthy knight himself being now employed in like honourable +embassage from his majesty to the Great Turk. Yet, to supply the +defect of the journal, I have given thee the chorography of the +country, together with certain letters of his, written from India +to honourable lords, and his friends in England; out of all which +may be hewed and framed a delightful commentary of the Mogul and +his subjects. Take them therefore, reader, and use them as a +prospective glass, by which thou mayst take easy and near view of +these remote regions, people, rites, and +religions."--<i>Purchas</i>.</p> + +<hr align="center" width="25%"> +<p>In the Pilgrims, in supplement to the journal of Sir Thomas +Roe, Purchas has inserted a formal complimentary letter from king +James to the Great Mogul, or emperor of Hindoostan, together with +another from the Mogul to king James, containing nothing besides +hyperbolical expressions of regard; both of which are here +omitted, as entirely devoid of interest, amusement, or +information. Purchas has also added several letters said to have +been found among the papers of Sir Thomas Roe, with some others +which he says were transcribed from <i>Sir Thomas Roe's own +book</i>. As these letters merely repeat circumstances and +opinions already more fully and more methodically expressed in +the preceding journal, they could only have served unnecessarily +to swell our pages, without any adequate advantage, and are +therefore omitted.</p> + +<p>Purchas also informs us that Sir Thomas Roe, before he left +the court of the Great Mogul on his return for England, requested +to be favoured with a recommendatory letter from the Mogul to +king James. This request was granted with the utmost readiness, +and a letter written accordingly; but the Mogul, or his +ministers, shewed much scrupulousness about the placement of the +seal to this letter, lest, if placed under the writing, it might +disparage the dignity of the Mogul, or, if placed over the +letter, king James might feel disobliged. On this account, the +letter was delivered to Sir Thomas unsealed, and the seal was +sent separately, that it might be afterwards affixed, according +to the pleasure of the king of England.</p> + +<p>This seal was of silver, and Purchas has given an engraving, +or <i>fac simile</i> of it, consisting of an inner and larger +circle, bearing the style or title of the reigning king, or +<i>Padishah</i> Jehanguire; surrounded circularly by eight +smaller circles, containing the series of his direct ancestors, +from Timor, or Tamerlane, downwards. These are all of course in +the Persian language and characters; but Purchas gives likewise a +copy or translation of the same in English letters. It seemed +quite superfluous to insert here the Persian <i>fac simile</i>, +being merely writing without ornament, armorial bearing, or +cognizance. The following is the series, expressed in English +characters; the last being the central circle, which contains the +name and title of the reigning emperor:--</p> + +<p>1. Ebn Amir Temur Saheb Quran. 2. Ebn Miran Shah. 3. Ebn Mirza +Soltan Mohamed. 4. Ebn Soltan Abu Said. 5. Ebn Mirza Amar Shah. +6. Ebn Bahar Padishah. 7. Ebn Humaiun Padishah. 8. Ebn Akbar +Padishah. 9. Abu Amozaphar Nurdin Jebanguire Padishah.</p> + +<p>SECTION VII.</p> + +<p>RELATION OF A VOYAGE TO INDIA IN 1616, WITH OBSERVATIONS +RESPECTING THE DOMINIONS OF THE GREAT MOGUL, BY MR. EDWARD +TERRY.[222]</p> + +<p>INTRODUCTION.</p> + +<p>According to Purchas, Mr Edward Terry was master of arts, and +a student of Christ Church in Oxford, and went out to India as +chaplain to Sir Thomas Roe. In the first subdivision of this +narrative, we have combined the observations of Captain Alexander +Childe, who was commander of the ship James, during the same +voyage, under Captain Benjamin Joseph, of the ship Charles, who +was slain in a sea-fight with a Portuguese carack, off one of the +Komoro islands. The notes extracted by Purchas from the journal +of Captain Childe,[223] are so short and unsatisfactory, that we +have been induced to suppress them, except so far as they serve +to elucidate the narrative of Terry, in the first subdivision of +this section.--E.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 222: Purch. Pilgr. II 1464.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 223: Id. I. 606.]</blockquote> + +<p>S.1. <i>Occurrences during the Voyage from England to +Surat</i>.</p> + +<p>Apologies often call truth into question, and having nothing +but truth to offer in excuse for this narrative, I omit all +unnecessary preface, desiring only that the reader may believe +what I have faithfully related. Our fleet, consisting of six +goodly ships, the Charles, Unicorn, James, Globe, Swan, and Rose, +under the supreme command of Captain Benjamin Joseph, who sailed +as general in the Charles, our admiral ship, fell down from +Gravesend to Tilbury-hope on the 3d of February, 1616.</p> + +<p>After long and anxious expectation, it pleased God to send us +a fair wind at N.E. on the 9th March, when we departed from that +road, and set sail for the East Indies. The wind continued +favourable till the 16th, at night, when we were in the bay of +Biscay, at which time we were assailed by a most fearful storm, +during which we lost sight both of the Globe and the Rose. The +Globe rejoined us on the 26th following, but the Rose was no more +heard of till six months afterwards, when she arrived at Bantam. +The storm continued with violence from the 16th to the 21st. The +28th we got sight of the grand Canary, and of the Peak of +Teneriffe, which is so extremely high that it may be seen in a +clear day more than forty leagues out at sea, as the mariners +report. The 31st, being Easter-day, we passed under the tropic of +Cancer, and on the 7th of April had the sun in our zenith. The +16th, we met with these winds called <i>tornadoes</i>, which are +so variable and uncertain, as sometimes to blow from all the +thirty-two points of the compass within the space of a single +hour. These winds are accompanied by much thunder and lightning, +and excessive rains, of so noisome a nature, as immediately to +cause people's clothes to stink on their backs; and wherever this +rain-water stagnates, even for a short space of time, it brings +forth many offensive animalcules. The tornadoes began with us +when in about 12° of N. latitude, and continued till we were +two degrees to the south of the equinoctial line, which we passed +on the 28th of April. The 19th of May, being Whitsunday, we +passed the tropic of Capricorn, so that we were complete seven +weeks under the torrid zone.</p> + +<p>Almost every day, while between the tropics, we saw various +kinds of fish, in greater abundance than elsewhere. As the whale, +or mighty <i>Leviathan</i>, whom God hath created to take his +pastime in the seas; Dolphins also, and Albicores, with Bonitoes, +flying-fishes, and many others. Some whales were of an exceeding +greatness, which, in calm weather, would often rise and shew +themselves above the water, appearing like vast rocks; and, while +rising, they would spout up a great quantity of water into the +air, with much noise, which fell down again around them like +heavy rain. The dolphin is called, from the swiftness of its +motion, the arrow of the sea. This fish differs from many others, +in having teeth on the top of its tongue. It is pleasing to the +eye, the smell, and the taste, having a changeable colour, finned +like a roach, covered with very small scales, giving out a +delightful scent above all other fishes, and is in taste as good +as any. These dolphins are very apt to follow our ships, not, so +far as I think, from any love they bear for men, as some authors +write, but to feed upon what may be thrown overboard. Whence it +comes to pass that they often become food to us; for, when they +swim close by the ships, they are struck by a broad instrument +full of barbed points, called a harping-iron, to which a rope is +fastened, by which to pull the instrument and the fish on board. +This beautiful dolphin may be taken as an emblem of a race of +men, who, under sweet countenances, carry sharp tongues. The +bonitoes and albicores are much like our mackerels in colour, +shape, and taste, but grow to a very large size. The +flying-fishes live the most unhappy lives of all others, as they +are persecuted in the water by the dolphins, bonitoes, and +albicores, and when they endeavour to escape from their enemies +in the water, by rising up in flight, they are assailed by +ravenous fowls in the air, somewhat like our kites, which hover +over the water in waiting for their appearance in the other +element. These flying-fishes are like men who profess two trades +and thrive in neither.</p> + +<p>Early in the morning of the 12th June, we espied our +long-wished-for harbour, the bay of Saldanha, [Table-bay] about +twelve leagues short from the Cape of Good Hope, into which we +came happily to anchor that same forenoon. We here found one of +the Company's ships, the Lion, commanded by Captain Newport, come +from Surat, and homeward-bound for England. We made ourselves +merry with each other on this happy meeting; and having a fair +gale, the Lion sailed on the night of the 14th. We found here +water in abundance, but little refreshments for our sick men, +except fresh fish, as the natives brought us nothing. We remained +in this harbour till the 28th, on which day we departed, the Swan +steering her course for Bantam. The 29th we doubled the Cape of +Good Hope, in the lat. of 35° S. Off this cape there +continually sets a most violent current to the westwards, whence +it happens, when it is met by a strong contrary wind, their +impetuous opposition occasions so rough a sea that some ships +have been swallowed up, and many more endangered among these +mountainous waves. Few ships pass this way without encountering a +storm.</p> + +<p>The 22d of July we got sight of the great island of +Madagascar, commonly called of St Lawrence, being between that +island and the main, but touched not there. Proceeding on our +course, on the 1st of August we fell in with a part of the main +land of Africa, called Boobam,[224] in lat. 16° 35' S. the +variation being 13° 12'. The 5th we drew near the little +islands of Mohelia, Gazidia, and St Juan de Castro, [Moelia, +Hinzuan or Johanna, Mayotta or St Christopher, and Augasi,] +generally known by the name of the Komoro islands, in about the +lat. of 12° S.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 224: The head-land of Mosambique is +probably here meant.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>Early in the morning of the 6th of August, our men in the tops +looking out for land, espied a sail about three or four leagues +off directly in our course. About noon, the Globe, which was our +smallest ship, and sailed better than the rest of the fleet, came +up with her on the broadside to windward, and hailed her +according to the custom of the sea, asking whence she came? She +answered, indirectly, that she came from the sea, and her people +insulted ours most outrageously, calling them thieves, rogues, +heretics, and devils; and, in conclusion of their rude +compliments, spoke in the loud language of the cannon's roar, +discharging seven pieces of large artillery at our Globe, six of +the balls piercing her hull, and maiming some of her men, but +killing none. Our Globe replied in the same voice, and afterwards +fell astern and stood in for our general and the rest of our +fleet, now four sail in all, shewing us the discourtesy of the +Portuguese.</p> + +<p>About three in the afternoon, the Charles, our admiral, came +up with the Portuguese ship, which was the admiral of the caracks +that sailed this year from Lisbon, but had parted from all the +rest of their fleet. When within pistol-shot, Captain Benjamin +Joseph, our commander, proceeded deliberately to work, offering +treaty before he attempted revenge. So we saluted her with our +trumpets, to which she replied with her wind-instruments. Captain +Joseph then called out, that their commander might come on board, +to make satisfaction for the wrong they had done to our consort. +They made answer, that they had no boat; on which our general +said he would send them one, and immediately caused his barge to +be manned and sent to the carack, which brought back one of their +officers and two mean men, with this answer from their commander, +that he had resolved never to leave his ship, to which he might +be forced, but would not be commanded to leave her.</p> + +<p>On receiving this message, Captain Joseph used them civilly +who had brought it, and commanded them to be shewn our ship, and +how she was prepared to vindicate our honour. This made the poor +Portuguese much afraid, and they desired Captain Joseph to write +a few words to their commander, which, added to their +persuasions, might perchance induce him to come to terms. Willing +to preserve his honour, and to prevent the effusion of blood, +Captain Joseph caused a few words to be written to the Portuguese +commander, to the following effect:--"Whereas the commander of +the carack has offered violence to our ship the Globe, while +sailing peaceably beside him, he is desired to come aboard +immediately, and give satisfaction for that wrong, or else at his +peril," &c. He then sent back the Portuguese, accompanied by +one of our master's mates, carrying the writing, together with +this verbal message, "That if he refused to come, he would force +him, or sink by his side." The words of dying men are said to be +prophetic, so these his words came to pass, for he was slain not +long after by a great shot from the carack.</p> + +<p>Notwithstanding this message, the Portuguese commander +remained firmly to his resolute answer. Wherefore, on the return +of our men, Captain Joseph himself fired the three first shots, +which surely did them much mischief; as we conjectured, by the +loud outcry we heard among them after these shots were fired. The +shot now flew thick from both sides; and our captain, chearing +his men to behave gallantly, ascended the half-deck, where he had +not been above ten minutes when a great shot from the quarter of +the carack deprived him of life in the twinkling of an eye. It +hit him fair in the breast, beating his heart and other parts out +of his body, which lay round him among his blood. After he was +slain, our master continued the fight for about half an hour, +when, considering that another person was to succeed in the +supreme command, and the night approaching, he thought proper to +desist, and having fallen astern, he hung out a flag as a signal +of council, to call the captain of the vice-admiral on board, +Captain Henry Pepwell, who was to succeed, together with the +other masters, that they might consult about the prosecution of +this enterprize. As the night was now come, it was resolved not +to proceed any farther for the present. So the carack proceeded +on her course, putting up a light on her poop, as if in defiance +of us to follow, and about midnight came to anchor under the +island of Moelia; and when we perceived this island, we too let +fall our anchors.</p> + +<p>Early in the morning of the 7th, before day began to dawn, we +prepared for a new assault, first recommending ourselves to God +in prayer. When morning came, we found the carack so close to the +shore, and the nearest of our other ships at least a league from +us, that we held our hands for that day, waiting till the carack +might weigh and stand out to sea, as fitter there to deal with +her. In the afternoon, we chested our slain commander, and +committed him to the deep, over against the isle of Moelia, +omitting any ceremony of firing funeral-guns usual on such +occasions, that the enemy might not know our loss.</p> + +<p>A little before night the carack put to sea, when we also +weighed and made sail after her. The day now left us, and our +proud enemy, unwilling, as it seems, to have the appearance of +escaping by flight, put forth a light on his poop as before, as +if for us to follow him, which we did to some purpose. The night +being well spent, we again commended ourselves and our cause to +God in prayer. Soon afterwards, the day began to dawn, and +appeared as if covered by a red mantle, which proved a bloody one +to many who now beheld the light for the last time. It was now +resolved that our four ships were to take their turns in +succession, to endeavour to force this proud Portuguese either to +bend or break. Our ship, the Charles, played her part first;[225] +and ere she had been half an hour engaged with her adversary, a +shot from the carack hitting one of our iron guns on the +half-deck, flew all in pieces, dangerously wounding our new +general, and three other mariners who stood beside him. Captain +Pepwell's left eye was beaten out, and he received two other +wounds in his head, and a third in his leg, a ragged piece of the +broken shot sticking fast in the bone, which seemed, by his +complaining, to afflict him more than the rest. Thus was our new +commander welcomed to his authority, and we all considered his +wounds as mortal; but he lived till about fourteen months +afterwards, when he died peaceably in his bed, on his way back to +England.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 225: This account of the battle is chiefly +taken from Terry, who is more particular in his narrative; but +Childe says that Captain Pepwell, the new general, gave him leave +to begin this day's action, as his ship sailed better, and that, +after three or four broadsides, he gave place to the general. +According to modern naval tactics, all four at once would have +assailed the enemy, taking vantage stations on her quarters and +bows.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>By the same shot, Mr Richard Hounsell, the master of our ship, +had a great piece of the flesh of his arm carried off, which +rendered him unserviceable for a time. The captain and master +being thus disabled, deputed their authority to the chief +master's mate, who behaved with great prudence and resolution. +Thus we continued one after the other to fight all day, the +vice-admiral and the Globe and James taking their turns in +succession. Between three and four in the afternoon, the mainmast +of the carack fell overboard, and presently afterwards the +foremast and mizen followed, and she had received so many and +large wounds in her thick sides, that her case was quite +desperate, and she must soon either yield or perish. Her +commander, Don Emanuel de Meneses, a brave and resolute person, +stood in for the shore in this distressed condition, being not +far from the island of Gazidia.[226] We pursued as far as we +durst venture, without hazard of shipwreck, but gave over at five +o'clock, when about a league from the shore, which is extremely +steep, and no ground to be had within less than a cable's length +of the rocks, the shore being moreover to leeward.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 226: According to Childe, it was the most +northern of the islands, named Komoro, or Augasi, not far north +from Moelia, where the fight began,--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>We now sent off our barge with a flag of truce to speak the +carack, and as he waved us with a similar flag, Mr Connock, our +chief merchant, who was employed on this occasion, boldly went +aboard the carack, and delivered a message to Don Emanuel, +stating, that he brought an offer of life and peace if he would +accept it; and as he deserved well for his undaunted valour, so +he should be honourably and respectfully treated if he would put +himself into our hands, and sent to Goa in safety. He, however, +as an oak gathering strength from his wounds,[227] and contemning +the misery he could not prevent, resolutely answered Mr Connock +to the following purpose: "That no misfortune should make him +alter his former resolution; for he was determined again to stand +out to sea, if possible, and to encounter us again; and then, if +forced by fire and sword, he might by bad chance be taken, but he +would never yield; and, if taken alive, he hoped to find the +respect due to a gentleman, till when we had our answer."</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 227: Duris, ut ilex tonsa bipennibus-ducit +opes animumque ferro.--<i>Terry.</i>]</blockquote> + +<p>Our messenger was thus dismissed, and shortly afterwards this +sore distressed ship, being entirely unmanageable for want of +masts and sails, was forced by the winds and waves upon the +adjacent island of Gazidia or Komoro, where she stuck fast +between two rocks. Those who remained alive in the carack got +ashore by means of their boats; and when all were landed, +willing, as it would seem, to consume what they could not keep, +they set their carack on fire, that she might not become our +prize.[228] After leaving their ill-fated carack, the poor +Portuguese were most inhumanly used by the barbarous islanders, +who spoiled them of every thing they had brought on shore for +their succour, and slew some of them for opposing their cupidity. +Doubtless they had been all massacred, had they not been relieved +by two small Arab vessels who were there engaged in trade, and +which, I suppose in hope of a great reward, took them in, and +conveyed them in safety to their own city of Goa.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 228: Childe says, he could not say whether +she was fired accidentally or on purpose.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>In the morning of the 9th, Mr Alexander Childe, who commanded +one of the English ships, sent his mate, Anthony Fugars, ashore +in his long-boat, to see if any of the Portuguese were saved, to +fetch such away, and to learn how she was set on fire. But the +carack was still burning, and not a man belonging to her was to +be seen. There were many negro islanders on the coast, over +against the carack, who held up a flag of truce to invite the +English on shore, but it was impossible to land in that place, or +any where within three leagues to the east or west, as the rocks +were all extremely high and rugged.</p> + +<p>In this long conflict, only five men were lost out of our four +ships, three belonging to the admiral, and two out of the James. +Besides whom, there were about twenty wounded in our fleet, all +of whom afterwards recovered. But, of 700 who sailed in the +carack, there came not above 250 to Goa, as we were afterwards +credibly informed. In this fearful engagement, our ship, the +Charles, discharged 375 great shot against the adversary, as +reported by our gunners, besides 100 musqueteers who plied their +small arms all the time. Neither were the enemy idle, for our +ship received at least 100 great shot from them, many of which +dangerously took place in her hull. Our foremast was shot through +the middle, our mainmast wounded, the main stay, and many of the +main shrouds, cut asunder.</p> + +<p>After we had seen the carack set on fire, which was about +midnight of the 8th, we stood off and on till morning, to see if +we might find any thing in her ashes. Finding this ineffectual, +we sought about for some place where we might find succour and +refreshment for our sick and wounded on shore. The land was very +high, and the sea every where too deep for anchoring, so that it +was the 10th before we could find a good harbour, which was in +the S.W. part of the island, where we anchored. The James came to +anchor in twenty-two fathoms, with one of her anchors, while the +other was only in fourteen. This harbour was over against a town +called Mattoma.</p> + +<p>This island seemed very pleasant, full of goodly trees, +covered all over with green pasture, and abounding in beeves, +goats, poultry, sugar-canes, rice, plantains, lemons, oranges, +and cocoa-nuts, with many other wholesome things; of all which we +procured sufficient to relieve our whole company for a small +quantity of white paper, a few glass beads, and penny knives. For +instance, we bought as many oranges as would fill a hat for half +a quarter of a sheet of white paper, and all other kinds of +provision in the same proportion. The islanders brought much of +their fruits to us in their little canoes, which are long and +narrow boats, like troughs, hollowed out of single trees; but +their cattle we bought on shore. I observed the people to be +straight, well-limbed, and able-bodied men, of a very dark tawny +colour. Most of the men, and all the women, were entirely naked, +except merely enough to hide their parts of shame. Some few of +the men wore long garments, after the fashion of the Arabs, whose +language they spoke, and were likewise of the Mahometan religion, +and so rigid, that they would not suffer us to come near their +places of worship. They have good convenient dwellings, and fair +sepulchres for their dead.</p> + +<p>They scorned to live under strict obedience to a king, whose +residence was some miles up the country, as they required to have +his leave, which was sent for, before they would sell us any +provisions. When informed of our arrival, their king sent a +message of welcome to our commander, together with a present of +beeves, goats, and choice fruits; in return for which, he was +well recompensed and contented, by a present of paper, and other +English toys. We saw some Spanish money among them, of which they +made so small account, that some of our men got rials of eight, +in exchange for a little paper, or a few beads. What use they +made of the paper, we could not guess. The cocoa-nut tree, of +which this island has abundance, may have the pre-eminence of all +trees, in my opinion, by its universal usefulness. Without the +help of any other, one may build and furnish out a ship for sea, +with every thing requisite. Of the body of this tree may be made +timbers, planks, and masts; its gum may serve for paying the +bottom; the rind of the same tree will make sails and cordage; +and the large nut, being full of kernel and pleasant liquor, will +serve those who navigate the ship both for meat and drink, as +also for merchandize.</p> + +<p>Being well stored with these nuts, and other good provisions, +after six days abode here, the breaches in our ships received in +fight being all repaired, and our men well refreshed, we put +again to sea on the 16th of August, with a prosperous wind. On +the 24th, we passed under the line, without any heat to offend +us, bending our course for Socotora, near the mouth of the Red +Sea, an island whence comes our Socotorine aloes. But an adverse +wind from the coast of Arabia prevented us from being able to +fetch that island, which we passed on the 1st September.</p> + +<p>In the year before, our English fleet touched at this island, +on which occasion the petty king came to the water-side, and +hearing some of our wind-instruments, asked if they ever played +David's Psalms, which he had heard of, being a Mahometan. He was +answered by one who stood by, that they did. On which he +observed, that it was an evil invention of him who first mingled +music with religion; as God, before that, was worshipped in +heart, but by this only in sound. I mean not by this story to +condemn the use of music in churches; leaving it to him who bids +us praise the Lord with stringed instruments and organs, to plead +that cause.</p> + +<p>Missing our port of Socotora, we proceeded on our voyage; and, +on the 4th of September, we celebrated a solemn funeral in memory +of our slain commander; when, after sermon, the great guns and +small arms gave a loud peal to his honourable remembrance. At +night on the 6th September, to our great admiration and fear, the +water of the sea seemed as white as milk. Others of our nation +since, passing in the same course, have observed the same +phenomenon, of which I am yet to learn the cause, as it was far +from any shore, and we could find no ground.</p> + +<p>On the 21st of September we discovered the main land of India; +and on the 22d had sight of Diu and Damaun, cities inhabited by +the Portuguese. The 25th we came safely to anchor in Swally +roads, within the bay of Cambay, which is the harbour for our +fleet while in this part of India, when we were visited by the +merchants of the Surat factory, the principal of whom was Mr +Thomas Kerridge.</p> + +<p>S.2. <i>Description of the Mogul Empire</i></p> + +<p>Although this account of Hindoostan, or the Mogul empire in +India, be very incorrect, and in some places hardly intelligible, +it is here retained, as a curious record of the knowledge +possessed on that subject by the English about 200 years ago. We +have two editions of this account in Purchas, one appended to his +narrative of Sir Thomas Roe, and the other in this relation by +Terry, which he acknowledges to be the most correct, and which +therefore is alone retained. On the present occasion, instead of +encumbering the bottoms of our pages with the display of numerous +explanatory notes on this topographical list of places and +provinces, a running commentary has been introduced into the +text, so far as seemed necessary, yet distinguished sufficiently +from the original notices by Terry. The observations, by way of +commentary, are marked, as this paragraph.--E.</p> + +<hr align="center" width="25%"> +<p>The large empire of the Great Mogul is bounded on the east by +the kingdom of Maug;[229] on the west by Persia; on the north by +the mountains of Caucasus [Hindoo-Kho] and Tartary; and on the +south by the ocean, the Deccan, and the bay of Bengal. The Deccan +is divided among three Mahometan kings and some Indian rajahs. +This extensive monarchy of the Mogul is called, in the Persian +language, by the Mahometan inhabitants, Indostan or Hindoostan, +meaning the land of the Hindoos, and is divided into +<i>thirty-seven</i> distinct and large provinces, which were +anciently separate kingdoms. Their several names, with their +principal cities, their rivers, situations, and borders, together +with their length and breadth, I shall now enumerate, beginning +at the north-west.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 229: Meckely, now a province of the Birman +empire; perhaps called Maug in the text, from a barbarous tribe +called the Muggs, or Maugs, who inhabit, or did inhabit, the +mountains east of Bengal, and who are said to have laid waste and +depopulated the Sunderbunds, or Delta of the +Ganges.--E.]</blockquote> + +1. <i>Candahar,</i> the chief city of which is of the same name, +lies N.W. from the heart or centre of the Mogul territory, +bordering upon Persia, of which kingdom it was formerly a +province. + +<p>2. <i>Cabul,</i> with its chief city of the same name, lies in +the extremest north-west corner of this empire, bordering to the +north on Tartary for a great way. The river Nilab takes its rise +in this country, and runs to the southwards, till it discharges +its waters into the Indus.--This is a material error. The Nilab +is the main stream of the Indus, and rises far to the north in +Little Thibet, a great way N.E. of Cabul. The river of Cabul is +the Kameh, which runs S.E. and joins the Nilab, Sinde, or Indus, +a few miles above Attock. Another river, in the south of Cabul, +called the Cow, or Coumul, follows a similar direction, and falls +into the western side of the Indus, about forty miles below the +Kameh.--E.</p> + +<p>3. <i>Multan,</i> Moultan or Mooltan, having its chief city of +the same name, is south [south-east] from Cabul and Candahar, and +on the west joins with Persia.--This is an error, as Hajykan, to +be noticed next in order, is interposed.--E.</p> + +<p>4. <i>Hajacan,</i> or Hajykan, the kingdom of the Baloches, +who are a stout warlike people, has no renowned city. The famous +river Indus, called <i>Skind</i> [Sind or Sindeh] by the +inhabitants, borders it on the east, and Lar, or Laristan, meets +it on the west, a province belonging to Shah Abbas, the present +king of Persia.--In modern geography, the country of the +Ballogees, or Baloches, is placed considerably more to the +north-west, bordering on the south-east of Candahar; and the +Sewees are placed more immediately west of this province. The +seats, however, of barbarous hordes, in a waste and almost desert +country, are seldom stationary for any continuance; and the +Ballogees and Sewees are probably congeneric tribes, much +intermixed, and having no fixed boundaries. We have formerly seen +the Baloches, or a tribe of that nation, inhabiting the oceanic +coast of Persia about Guadel, and one of their tribes may have +been in possession of Hajykan, which perhaps derived its name +from their chief or khan having made the Haji, or pilgrimage of +Mecca. The assertion that Hajykan joins with Lar, or Laristan, is +grossly erroneous, as the eastern provinces of Persia which +confine with Hindoostan, are Segistan in the north, bordering +with Candahar, and Mekran in the south, bordering with the +provinces of Hindoostan which are to the west of the Indus. Lar +or Laristan is a Persian province within the gulf of Persia, at +least 850 English miles from the most westerly part of +Hindoostan.--E.</p> + +<p>5. <i>Buckor</i>, or Backar, its chief city being +Buckor-Suckor. The river Indus pervades this province, which it +greatly enriches.--In modern maps, the city of Backar is placed +in a small island in the middle of the Indus, at the junction of +the Dummoddy from the N.E. Suckar, whence probably our word sugar +is derived, is given as a distinct place, on the western side of +the Indus. Indeed, in the map of India given in the Pilgrims, +Backar and Suckar are made distinct places, but their situations +are reversed.--E.</p> + +<p>6. <i>Tatta</i>, with its chief city of the same name. This +province is exceedingly fertile and pleasant, being divided into +many islands by the Indus, the chief arm of which meets the sea +at Synde, a place very famous for curious handicrafts.--The most +western branch of the Indus, called the Pitty river, from a place +of that name on its western shore near the mouth, is probably +that here meant. That branch leads to Larry-bunder, the sea-port +of Tatta; and the Synde of Terry is probably the Diul-sinde of +other authors, a place situated somewhat in this neighbourhood, +but which is not to be found in modern maps.--E.</p> + +<p>7. <i>Soret</i>, the chief city of which is called Janagur, is +a small, but rich province, which lies west from Guzerat, having +the ocean to the south.--Soret is not now recognized as a +distinct province or district, but seems the modern Werrear, the +western district of Guzerat, Rhadunpoor appearing to be its chief +town. Janagur, in this district, is on the west side of the river +Butlass, or Banass, which runs into the head of the gulf of +Cutch.--E.</p> + +<p>8. <i>Jesselmere</i>, of which the chief city has the same +name, joins with Soret Backar and Tatta, being to the south of +Soret and Tatta, and having Backar on the west.</p> + +<p>9. <i>Attock</i>, the chief city being of the same name, lies +on the east side of the Indus, which parts it from Hajykan.--This +account is erroneous, as Attock-Benares is much farther up the +river Indus than Hajykan, having the eastern extremity of Cabul +on the opposite side of the Indus.--E.</p> + +<p>10. <i>Punjab</i>, which signifies the <i>five waters</i>, +because it is seated among five rivers, all tributaries to the +Indus, which, somewhat to the south of Lahore, form only one +river. This is a great kingdom, and extremely rich and fertile. +Lahore, the chief city, is well built, very large, populous, and +rich, being the chief mart of trade in all India.</p> + +<p>11. <i>Chishmeere</i>, Kyshmir, Cachmir, or Cashmere, its +chief city being Siranakar. The river Phat passes through this +country, and, after creeping about many islands, falls into the +Indus.--The rivers of Cashmere, here called the Phat, are the +Chota-sing, or Jellum, in the N. and the Jellium, or Colhumah, in +the S. which unite in the W. to form the Jhylum or Babut, the +Phat or Bhat of Terry and Purchas, and the Hydaspes of the +ancients, one of the <i>five rivers</i> of the Indus. The present +capital of Cashmere is likewise named Cashmere; but has in its +close neighbourhood a town or fortress called Sheergur, the +Siranakar of Terry.--E.</p> + +<p>12. <i>Banchish</i>, with its chief city named Bishur. It lies +east southerly from Cashmere, from which it is divided by the +river Indus.--No such province or city is to be found in the +modern geography of Hindoostan, neither any names in the +indicated direction that have any resemblance to these. In the +map of the Mogul empire in the Pilgrims, appended to the journal +of Sir Thomas Roe, Banchish and Bishar are placed on a river +named the Kaul, being the <i>fourth</i> of the Punjab or five +rivers, counting from the west, and therefore probably the Ravey, +or Hydraotes of the ancients. Near the head of that river, and to +the east of Cashmere, is a town, called Kishtewar, which may +possibly have been the Bishur of Terry: But there is a +little-known district near the head of the Jumna, S.S.E. from +Cashmere, named Besseer, that has considerable resemblance in +sound to Bishur, and is in the indicated direction.--E.</p> + +<p>13. <i>Jeugapor</i>, with its chief city likewise so named, +lies on the Kaul, one of the five rivers that water the +Punjab.--The only place upon the Ravey, which answers to the +Kaul, which has the smallest resemblance with Jengapor, or +Jenupur, as it is likewise called by Purchas, is Shawpoor, N.E. +from Agra. Yet Jaypoor, otherwise called Jyenagur, in Ajmeer, is +more probably the district and city here meant, though not in the +Punjab.--E.</p> + +<p>14. <i>Jenba</i>, its chief city so called, lies east of the +Punjab.--This may possibly be Jambae, north of Lahore.--E.</p> + +<p>15. <i>Delli</i>, or Delhi, its chief city being of the same +name, lies between Jenba and Agra, the river Jemni, which runs +through Agra and falls into the Ganges, begins in this province. +Delhi is a great and ancient city, the seat of the Mogul's +ancestors, and where most of them are interred.--The Jumnah, or +Jemni of Terry, rises far to the north of Delhi, in the +high-peaked mountain of Cantal to the east of Cashmere.--E.</p> + +<p>16. <i>Bando</i>, its chief city so called, borders with Agra +on the west.--No such name is to be found in modern maps.--E.</p> + +<p>17. <i>Malwa</i> is a very fertile province, of which +Rantipore is the chief city.--In the other edition of this list +in the Pilgrims, Ugen, Nar, and Sering, or Oojain, Indore, and +Serong, are said to have been the capitals of Malwa. The +Rantipore of Terry may have been that now called +Ramypoor.--E.</p> + +<p>18. <i>Chitor</i>, an ancient and great kingdom, its chief +city being of the same name.--Chitore is in the south of Ajmeer. +In the edition of this list given by Purchas at the end of the +journal of Sir Thomas Roe, he gives the following account of +Chitore: "Chitore stands upon a mighty hill, and is walled round +in a circuit of ten English miles. There still remain at this +place above an hundred temples, the palace of the ancient kings, +and many brave pillars of carved stone. There is but one ascent +to the place, cut out of the solid rock, and passing through four +magnificent gateways. Within the walls are the ruins of 100,000 +houses of stone, but it is now uninhabited. This was doubtless +one of the residences of Porus, and was won from the Ranna, his +descendant, by Akbar shah, the father of the reigning Mogul. The +Ranna fled into the fastnesses of his mountains, and took up his +residence at Odeypoor; but was at length induced, in 1614, to +acknowledge the Mogul as his superior lord, by Sultan Churrum, +third son of the present emperor Shah Jehanguire. This kingdom +lies N.W. from Candeish, N.E. from Guzerat, and in the way +between Agra and Surat; the Ranna keeping among the hills to the +west of Ahmedabad.--"<i>Purch.</i></p> + +<p>19. <i>Guzerat</i> is a goodly and mighty kingdom, and +exceedingly rich, which incloses the bay of Cambay. The river +Taptee waters the city of Surat, which trades to the Red Sea, to +Acheen, and to divers other places.</p> + +<p>20. <i>Khamdesh</i>, the chief city of which is Brampore, +[Boorhanpoor, or Burhampore,] which is large and populous. +Adjoining to this province is a petty prince called Partap-shah, +tributary to the Mogul; and this is the most southerly part of +the Mogul dominions.</p> + +<p>21. <i>Berar</i>, the chief city of which is called Shahpoor. +The southernmost part of this province likewise bounds the Mogul +empire.--The Shahpoor of Terry may possibly be Saipoor in the +north of Berar. In modern days, the chief cities of the great +province or kingdom of Berar, now belonging to a Mahratta chief; +are Nagpoor, Ruthunpoor, and Sonepoor.--E.</p> + +<p>22. <i>Narwar</i>, its chief city being Gohud, is watered by a +fair river that falls into the Ganges.--This province of Narwar, +now called Gohud, from its chief city, is to be carefully +distinguished from Marwar to the westwards.--E.</p> + +<p>22. <i>Gualior</i>, with its chief city of the same name, in +which the Mogul has a great treasury in bullion. In this city +likewise there is an exceedingly strong castle, in which state +prisoners are kept.--Gualior is, properly speaking, in the same +province or district with Gohud.--E.</p> + +<p>24. <i>Agra</i> is a principal and great province, its chief +city being of the same name. From Agra to Lahore, the two chief +cities of this empire, the distance is about 400 English miles, +the country in all that distance being without a hill, and the +road being planted the whole way with trees on both sides, +forming a beautiful avenue.</p> + +<p>25. <i>Sanbal</i>, with its chief city of the same name. The +river Jumna parts this province from that called Narwar.--This +province and city are not to be traced in modern maps.--E.</p> + +<p>26. <i>Bakar</i>, the chief city of which is Bikaneer, lies on +the west side of the Ganges.--Nothing resembling either name can +now be found in the indicated situation in modern maps. Bicaneer +is a district and town in the desert, far west of the +Ganges.--E.</p> + +<p>27. <i>Nagracutt</i>, or Nakarkut, with its chief city of the +same name, in which there is a temple most richly adorned, the +ceiling and pavement being of plates of pure gold. In this place +they have an idol called Matta, visited yearly by many thousands +of the Indians, who, from devotion, cut out part of their +tongues, which they sacrifice at his altar. In this province +likewise, there is another famous place of pilgrimage, Jallamaka, +where there are daily to be seen incessant eruptions of fire, out +of cold springs and hard rocks, before which the idolaters fall +down and worship.--In the edition of this list, appended by +Purchas to the journal of Sir Thomas Roe, this district and city +are said to be in the northeasternmost confines of the Mogul +dominions, N.E. from the head of the bay of Bengal. This +description is however entirely at variance with the accompanying +map in the Pilgrims, in which Nagracutt and its capital are +placed east from the Punjab; the capital being on the easternmost +of the five rivers of the Setlege, and towards its head. In the +edition of this list given by Churchill, as an appendix likewise +to Sir Thomas Roe, Nagracutt is said to lie to the north, between +the Punjab and Jamboe. In our best modern maps, no district or +place, having the smallest resemblance in name, is to be found in +any of these indicated situations. Terry gives no reference as to +situation; so that we may conjecture that Nagracutt may refer to +Nucker-gaut, the passage of the Ganges through the Sewalick +mountains, between Serinagur and Hindoostan.--E.</p> + +<p>28. <i>Siba</i>, the chief city of which is Hardwair, or +Hurdwar, where the famous river Ganges seems to begin, and issues +out of a rock, which the superstitious Gentiles imagine resembles +a cow's head, which animal they hold in the highest veneration; +and to this place they resort daily in great numbers to wash +themselves.</p> + +<p>29. <i>Kakares</i>, the principal cities being Dankalec and +Purhola. This country is very mountainous, and is divided from +Tartary by the mountains of Caucasus, being the farthest north of +any part of the Mogul dominions.--In the map of Purchas, this +province or kingdom is called Kares, and is placed directly to +the north of where the Ganges breaks through the Sewalick +mountains, above Hurdwar, at the <i>Cow's-mouth</i>. In that +direction are the little-known districts of Serinagur, +Badry-cazram, and others; but no names either of towns or +districts that in the least resemble those given by +Terry.--E.</p> + +<p>30. <i>Gor</i>, its chief city of the same name. This province +is full of mountains, and in it begins the river Persilis, which +discharges its waters into the Ganges.--In the other copy of this +list in Purchas, so often already referred to, Gor is said to lie +in the northern part of the Mogul dominions. From this, and the +mountainous nature of the country, as stated by Terry, it may +possibly be Gorcah, one of the little-known <i>twenty-four +rajahs</i>, to the west of Napaul; and the Persilis of Terry may +be the Sursutty or the Marshandy, both head streams of the +Gunduck.--E.</p> + +<p>31. <i>Pitan</i>, and its chief city so named. The river Kanda +waters this province, and falls into the Ganges on its +confines.--This is probably one of the <i>twenty-four</i> rajahs, +called Peytahn, in the mountainous country to the north of Oude, +which is watered by several of the head streams of the Gunduck +and Booree or Rapty rivers.--E.</p> + +<p>32. <i>Kanduana</i>, the chief city of which is called +Karhakatenka. The river Sersili parts it from Pitan; and this +province, with Pitan and Gor, are the north-east boundaries of +this great monarchy.--The indicated connection with Gor and +Pitan, or Gorcah and Peytahn, would lead to suppose that Napaul +is here meant. Karhakatenka may possibly be some name of +Catmandoo, or may have some reference to Kyraut, a district in +the east of Napaul, bordering on Bootan. The river Sersili of +this district is evidently the Persilis mentioned in Gor, and may +refer to the Sursutty.--E.</p> + +<p>33. <i>Patna</i>, the chief city of which has the same name. +The river Ganges bounds this province on the west, and the +Sersilis on the east. It is a very fertile province.--In the +former edition of this list by Purchas, this province is said to +be watered by four rivers, the Ganges, Jumna, Sersili, and Kanda, +all of which rivers here unite. Patna is seated on the south side +of the Ganges, which is joined a little way higher up by the +Jumna. Opposite to Patna the Gunduck falls into the Ganges, +probably the Kanda of Purchas, of which the Sursutty, formerly +supposed to be the same with the Sersili, or Persilis, is one of +the feeders. Patna is well known as a principal city of +Bahar.--E.</p> + +<p>34. <i>Jesual</i>, the chief city of which is called Rajapore, +lies east of Patna.--This may possibly refer to the district and +city of Hajipoor in Bahar, to the N.E. of Patna.--E.</p> + +<p>35. <i>Mevat</i>, the chief city of which province is Narnol, +is a very mountainous country.--In the map of the Pilgrims, Mevat +and Narnol are placed to the east of Jesual, but the geography of +this part of Hindoostan in that map is utterly unintelligible, +and no conjecture can be hazarded respecting either Mevat or +Narnol.--E.</p> + +<p>36. <i>Udessa</i>, the chief city of which is called Jokanat, +is the most easterly territory in the kingdom of the Mogul.--In +the other edition of this list given by Purchas, Udessa, or +Udeza, is said to border on the kingdom of Maug, a savage people +dwelling between this province and the kingdom of Pegu. Its +eastern situation would lead to the province of Chittagong or +Islambabad. The Maugs, or Mugs, are probably the barbarous +mountaineers of Meckley to the north of Aracan; but no names in +modern maps have any reference to Udessa, Udeza, or Jokanat, +unless Jokanat be some strange corruption of Chittagong.--E.</p> + +<p>37. <i>Bengal</i>, a mighty and fertile kingdom, bounded by +the gulf or bay of the same name, into which the river Ganges +discharges itself by four great branches, into which it +divides.--In the other edition of this list, by Purchas, so often +referred to, Ragamahall and Dakaka, or Rajemal and Dacca, are +mentioned as the chief cities of Bengal. It would require far too +long a commentary, to explain some farther ignorant indications +of the havens and provinces of Bengal, contained in that former +list, and in the map of the Pilgrims; both being so faulty in +positions, and so corrupted in the names, as to be useless and +unintelligible. By the labours of Rennel, as since extended and +improved by Arrowsmith, the geography of Bengal is now as +completely elucidated as that of Britain.--E.</p> + +<p>Here I must take notice of a material error in our +geographers, who, in their globes and maps, make Hindoostan and +China neighbours, though many large countries are interposed +between them. Their great distance may appear, from the long +travels of the Indian merchants, who are usually more than two +years in their journey and return, between Agra and the wall of +China. The length of these before-named provinces, from N.W. to +S.E. is at least 1000 cosses, every Indian coss being two English +miles. From N. to S. the extent is about 1400 miles. The greatest +breadth, from N.E. to S.W. is about 1500 miles. The northernmost +part is in 43° of north latitude.[230]</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 230: The northern mountains of Cashmere, +are only in lat. 35° 30' N. so that the 43° of the text +is probably a mistake for 34°.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>To give an exact account of all these provinces, were more +than I am able to undertake; yet, from what I have observed of a +few, I may venture to conjecture concerning the rest, and I am +convinced that the Great Mogul, considering the extent of his +territories, his wealth, and the rich commodities of his +dominions, is the greatest known monarch of the east, if not in +the whole world. This widely extended sovereignty is so rich and +fertile, and so abounding in all things for the use of man, that +it is able to subsist and flourish of itself, without the help of +any neighbour. To speak first of food, which nature requires +most. This land abounds in singularly good wheat, rice, barley, +and various other grains, from which to make bread, the staff of +life. Their wheat grows like ours, but the grain is somewhat +larger and whiter, of which the inhabitants make most pure and +well-relished bread. The common people make their bread in cakes, +which they bake or fire on portable iron hearths or plates, which +they carry with them on their journeys, using them in their +tents. This seems to be an ancient custom, as appears from the +instance of Sarah in our bible, when she entertained the +angels.</p> + +<p>To their bread, they have great abundance of other excellent +provisions, as butter and cheese in great plenty, made from the +milk of their numerous cows, sheep, and goats. They have likewise +a large animal, called a buffalo, having a thick smooth skin +without hair, the females of which give excellent milk. Their +flesh resembles beef, but is not so sweet or wholesome. They have +plenty of venison of several kinds, as red and fallow deer, elks, +and antelopes. These are not any where kept in parks, the whole +empire being as it were a forest, so that they are seen every +where in travelling through the country; and they are free game +for all men, except within a certain distance of where the king +happens to reside. They have also plenty of hares, with a variety +of land and water fowl, and abundance of fish, which it were too +tedious to enumerate. Of fowls, they have geese, ducks, pigeons, +partridges, quails, pheasants, and many other good sorts, all to +be had at low rates. I have seen a good sheep bought for about +the value of our shilling: four couple of hens for the same +price; a hare for a penny; three partridges for the same money; +and so in proportion for other things.</p> + +<p>The cattle of this country differ from ours, in having a great +bunch of grisly flesh on the meeting of their shoulders. Their +sheep have great bob-tails of considerable weight, and their +flesh is as good as our English mutton, but their wool is very +coarse. They have also abundance of salt, and sugar is so +plentiful, that it sells, when well refined, for two-pence a +pound, or less. Their fruits are numerous, excellent, abundant, +and cheap; as musk-melons, water-melons, pomegranates, +pomecitrons, lemons, oranges, dates, figs, grapes, plantains, +which are long round yellow fruits, which taste like our Norwich +pears; mangoes, in shape and colour like our apricots, but more +luscious, and ananas or pine-apples, to crown all, which taste +like a pleasing compound of strawberries, claret-wine, +rose-water, and sugar. In the northern parts of the empire, they +have plenty of apples and pears. They have every where abundance +of excellent roots, as carrots, potatoes, and others; also garlic +and onions, and choice herbs for sallads. In the southern parts, +ginger grows almost every where.</p> + +<p>I must here mention a pleasant clear liquor called +<i>taddy</i>, which issues from a spungy tree, growing straight +and tall without boughs to the top, and there spreads out in +branches resembling our English colewarts. They make their +incisions, under which they hang small earthenware pots; and the +liquor which flows out in the night is as pleasant to the taste +as any white wine, if drank in the morning early, but it alters +in the day by the sun's heat, becoming heady, ill-tasted and +unwholesome. It is a most penetrating medicinal drink, if taken +early and in moderation, as some have experienced to their great +happiness, by relieving them from the tortures of the stone, that +tyrant of maladies and opprobrium of the doctors.</p> + +<p>At Surat, and thence to Agra and beyond, it only rains during +one season of the year, which begins when the sun comes to the +northern tropic, and continues till he returns again to the line. +These violent rains are ushered in, and take their leave, by most +fearful tempests of thunder and lightning, more terrible than I +can express, but which seldom do any harm. The reason of this may +be the subtile nature of the air, breeding fewer +<i>thunder-stones</i>, than where the air is grosser and more +cloudy. In these three months, it rains every day more or less, +and sometimes for a whole quarter of the moon without +intermission. Which abundance of rain, together with the heat of +the sun, so enriches the soil, which they never force by manure, +that it becomes fruitful for all the rest of the year, as that of +Egypt is by the inundations of the Nile. After this season of +rain is over, the sky becomes so clear, that scarcely is a single +cloud to be seen for the other nine months. The goodness of the +soil is evident from this circumstance, that though the ground, +after the nine months of dry weather, looks altogether like +barren sands, it puts on an universal coat of green within seven +days after the rains begin to fall. Farther to confirm this, +among the many hundreds of acres I have seen in corn in India, I +never saw any that did not grow up as thick as it could well +stand. Their ground is tilled by ploughs drawn by oxen; the +seed-time being in May or the beginning of June, and the harvest +in November and December, the most temperate months in all the +year. The ground is not inclosed, except near towns and villages, +which stand very thick. They do not mow their grass for hay as we +do; but cut it either green or withered, when wanted. They sow +abundance of tobacco, but know not the way to cure it and make it +strong, as is done in America.</p> + +<p>The country is beautified by many woods, in which are a great +variety of goodly trees; but I never saw any there of the kinds +we have in England. In general their trees are full of sap, which +I ascribe to the fatness of the soil. Some have leaves as broad +as bucklers; others are much divided into small portions, like +the leaves of ferns. Such are those of the tamarind tree, which +bears an acid fruit in a pod somewhat like our beans, and is most +wholesome to cool and purify the blood. One of their trees is +worthy of being particularly noticed: Out of its branches there +grow certain sprigs or fibres, which hang downwards, and extend +till they touch the ground, in which they strike roots, and +become afterwards new trunks and firm supporters to the boughs +and arms; whence these trees come in time to grow to a great +height, and extend to an incredible breadth.[231] All trees in +the southern parts of India are perpetually clothed in verdure +Their flowers rather delight the eye than please the sense of +smelling, having beautiful colours, but few of them, except roses +and one or two other kinds, are any way fragrant.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 231: The Banian tree, a species of Indian +fig.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>India is watered by many goodly rivers, the two chief of which +are the Indus and the Ganges. There is this remarkable in the +water of the Ganges, that a pint of it weighs less by an ounce +than that of any other river in the empire; and therefore, +wherever the Mogul happens to reside, it is brought to him for +his drinking. Besides rivers, there are abundance of well-fed +springs, on which they bestow great cost in many places, +constructing many stone-buildings in the form of ponds, which +they call <i>tanks</i>, some of which exceed a mile or two in +circuit, made round or square or polygonal, girt all round with +handsome stone-walls, within which are steps of well-dressed +stone encompassing the water, for people to go down on every aide +to procure supplies. These tanks are filled during the rainy +season, and contain water for the supply of those who dwell far +from springs or rivers, till the wet season again returns. Water, +the most ancient beverage in the world, is the common drink of +India, being more sweet and pleasant than ours, and agrees better +with the constitution in this hot country than any other liquor. +Some small quantity of wine is made among them, which they call +arrack, but is not common, being distilled from sugar, and the +spicy rind of a tree, which they call <i>jagra</i>. This is very +wholesome, if used in moderation. Many of the people, who are +strict in their religion, use no wine at all. They use a liquor +which is more wholesome than pleasant, called <i>cohha</i>; being +a black seed boiled in water, which does not much alter the taste +of the water, but is an excellent helper of digestion, serving to +quicken the spirits, and to purify the blood.[232] There is also +another help for digestion and to comfort the stomach, used by +those who refrain from wine. This is an herb called betel, or +<i>paune</i>, its leaf resembling that of our ivy. They chew this +leaf along with a hard nut, called <i>areka</i>, somewhat like a +nutmeg, mixing a little pure white lime among the leaves; and +when they have extracted the juice, they throw away the remains. +This has many rare qualities: It preserves the teeth, comforts +the brain, strengthens the stomach, and prevents a bad +breath.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 232: The author here describes coffee, now +so universally known in Europe.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>Their houses are generally very mean, except in the cities, +where I have seen many fair buildings. Many of the houses in +these are high, with flat roofs, where, in the cool of the +mornings and evenings, they enjoy the fresh air. Their houses +have no chimneys, as they use no fires, except for dressing their +victuals. In their upper rooms, they have many windows and doors, +for admitting light and air, but use no glass. The materials of +their best houses are bricks and stone, well squared and built, +as I have observed in Ahmedabad, which may serve as an instance +for all. This is an extensive and rich city, compassed about with +a strong stone-wall, and entered by twelve handsome gates. Both +in their towns and villages, they have usually many fair trees +among the houses, being a great defence against the violence of +the sun. These trees are commonly so numerous and thick, that a +city or town, when seen at a distance from some commanding +eminence, seems a wood or thicket.</p> + +<p>The staple commodities of this empire are indigo and cotton. +To produce cotton, they sow seeds, which grow up into bushes like +our rose-trees. These produce first a yellow blossom, which falls +off, and leaves a pod about the size of a man's thumb, in which +the substance at first is moist and yellow. As this ripens, it +swells larger, till at length it bursts the covering, the cotton +being then as white as snow. It is then gathered. These shrubs +continue to bear for three or four years, when they have to be +rooted out, and new ones substituted. Of this vegetable wool, or +cotton, they fabricate various kinds of pure white cloth, some of +which I have seen as fine as our best lawns, if not finer. Some +of the coarser sorts they dye in various colours, or stain with a +variety of curious figures.</p> + +<p>The ships that go usually from Surat to Mokha, are of +exceeding great burden, some of them, as I believe, exceeding +1400 or 1600 tons; but they are ill built, and though they have +good ordnance, they are unable for any defence. In these ships +there are yearly a vast number of passengers: As, for instance, +in that year in which we left India, there came 1700 persons, +most of whom went not for profit, but out of devotion, to visit +the sepulchre of Mahomet at Medina near Mecca, about 150 leagues +from Mokha. Those who have been upon this pilgrimage are ever +after called <i>hoggeis</i>, [<i>hajim</i>] or holy men. This +ship, from Surat for the Red Sea, begins her voyage about the +20th of March and returns to Surat about the end of September +following. The voyage is short, and might easily be made in two +months; but during the long season of the rains, and a little +before and after, the winds are mostly so violent that there is +no putting to sea without extreme hazard. The cargo of this ship, +on its return, is usually worth £200,000 sterling, mostly +in gold and silver. Besides this, and the quantities of money +which come yearly out of Europe, which I do not pretend to +calculate, many streams of silver flow continually thither, and +there abide. It is lawful for all to bring in silver, and to +carry away commodities, but it is a capital crime to carry away +any great sums.</p> + +<p>All the coin or bullion that comes to this country is +presently melted down and refined, and coined with the stamp of +the Mogul, being his name and title in Persian characters. This +coin is purer silver than any other that I know, being of virgin +silver without alloy, so that in the Spanish dollar, the purest +money in Europe, there is some loss. Their money is called +<i>rupees</i>, which are of divers values, the meanest being +worth two shillings, and the best about two shillings and +nine-pence. This is their general money of account. There is in +Guzerat a coin of inferior value, called <i>mamoodies</i>, worth +about twelve-pence each. Both these and the rupees are likewise +coined in halves and quarters; so that three-pence is the +smallest piece of current silver in the country. That which +passes current for small change is brass money, which they call +<i>pices</i>, of which three, or thereabout, are worth an English +penny. These are made so massy, that the brass in them, when put +to other uses, is well worth the quantity of silver at which they +are rated. Their silver money is made both square and round; but +so thick, that it never breaks or wears out.</p> + +<p>For farther commodities; India yields great store of silk, +which they weave very ingeniously, sometimes mixed with gold or +silver. They make velvets, sattins, and taffetas, but not so rich +as those of Italy. This country also produces many drugs and +gums, and particularly the gum-lac, from which hard sealing-wax +is made. The earth also yields abundant minerals, as lead, iron, +copper, and brass, and, as they say, silver; yet, though this be +true, they need not work their silver mines, being already so +abundantly supplied with that metal from other nations. They have +spices from other countries, and especially from Sumatra, Java, +and the Molucca islands. They have curious pleasure gardens, +planted with fruit-trees and delightful flowers, to which nature +lends daily such ample supply, that they seem never to fade. In +these places they have pleasant fountains, in which to bathe, and +other delights by various conveyances of water, whose silent +murmurs sooth their senses to sleep, in the hot season of the +day.</p> + +<p>Lest this remote country might seem an earthly paradise, +without any inconveniences, I must notice that it contains many +lions, tigers, wolves, and jackals, which are a kind of wild +dogs, besides many other noxious and hurtful animals. In their +rivers they have many crocodiles, and on the land many overgrown +snakes and serpents, with other venomous and pernicious +creatures. In the houses we often meet with scorpions, whose +stinging is most painful and even deadly, unless the part be +immediately anointed with an oil made of scorpions.[233] The +abundance of flies in those parts is likewise an extreme +annoyance; as, in the heat of the day, their numbers are so +prodigious, that we cannot have peace or rest for them in any +part. They cover our meat the moment it is set on the table, +wherefore we are obliged to have men standing ready to drive them +away with napkins, while we are eating. In the night, likewise, +we are much disquieted with musquetos, like our gnats, but +somewhat less; and, in the cities, there are such numbers of +large hungry rats, that they often bite people as they sleep in +their beds.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 233: This is a mere fancy, as any bland oil +is equally efficacious.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>In this country the winds, which are called monsoons, blow +constantly, or altering only a few points, for six months from +the south, and other six months from the north. The months of +April and May, and the beginning of June, till the rains come, +are extremely hot; and the wind, which then sometimes blows +gently over the parched ground, becomes so heated, as much +oppresses all who are exposed to it: Yet God so mercifully +provides for our relief, that most commonly he sends so strong a +gale as greatly tempers the sultry air. Sometimes the wind blows +very high during the hot and dry season, raising up vast +quantities of dust and sand, like dark clouds pregnant with rain, +and which often prodigiously annoy the people among whom they +fall. But there is no country without its inconveniences; for the +wise Disposer of all events hath attempered bitter things with +sweet, to teach mankind that there is no true or perfect +contentment to be found, but only in the kingdom of God.</p> + +<p>This country has many excellent horses, which the inhabitants +know well how to manage. Besides those bred in the country, they +have many of the Tartarian, Persian, and Arabian breeds, which +last is considered as the best in the world. They are about as +large as ours, and are valued among them at as dear a rate as we +usually esteem ours, perhaps higher. They are kept very daintily, +every good horse being allowed one man to dress and feed him. +Their provender is a species of grain called <i>donna</i>, +somewhat like our pease, which are boiled, and then given cold to +the horses, mixed with coarse sugar; and twice or thrice a week +they have butter given them to scour their bodies. There are +likewise in this country a great number of camels, dromedaries, +mules, asses, and some rhinoceroses. These are huge beasts, +bigger than the fattest oxen to be seen in England, and their +skins lie upon their bodies in plaits or wrinkles.</p> + +<p>They have many elephants, the Great Mogul having not fewer +than 1400 for his own use, and all the nobles of the country have +more or less, some having to the number of an hundred. Though the +largest of all terrestrial animals, the elephants are wonderfully +tractable, except that they are mad at times; but at all other +times, a little boy is able to rule the largest of them. I have +seen some thirteen feet high; but I have been often told that +some are fifteen feet in height at the least. Their colour is +universally black, their skins very thick and smooth, and without +hair. They take much delight to bathe themselves in water, and +they swim better than any beast I know. They lie down and rise +again at pleasure, as other beasts do. Their pace is not swift, +being only about three miles an hour; but they are the surest +footed beasts in the world, as they never endanger their riders +by stumbling. They are the most docile of all creatures, and of +those we account merely possessed of instinct, they come nearest +to reason. Lipsius, <i>Cent</i>. 1, <i>Epist</i>. 50, in his +observations, taken from others, writes more concerning them than +I can confirm, or than any can credit, as I conceive; yet I can +vouch for many things which seem to be acts of reason rather than +of mere brute sense, which we call instinct. For instance, an +elephant will do almost any thing which his keeper commands. If +he would have him terrify a man, he will make towards him as if +he meant to tread him in pieces, yet does him no hurt. If he +would have him to abuse a man, he will take up dirt, or kennel +water, in his trunk, and dash it in his face. Their trunks are +long grisly snouts, hanging down betwixt their tusks, by some +called their hand, which they use very dexterously on all +occasions.</p> + +<p>An English merchant, of good credit, told me the following +story of an elephant, as having happened to his own knowledge at +Ajimeer, the place where the Mogul then resided:--This elephant +used often to pass through the bazar, or market-place, where a +woman who there sold herbs used to give him a handful as he +passed her stall. This elephant afterwards went mad,[234] and, +having broken his fetters, took his way furiously through the +market-place, whence all the people fled as quickly as possible +to get out of his way. Among these was his old friend the +herb-woman, who, in her haste and terror, forgot to take away her +little child. On coming to the place where this woman was in use +to sit, the elephant stopped, and seeing the child among the +herbs, he took it up gently in his trunk, and laid it carefully +on a stall under the projecting roof of a house hard by, without +doing it the smallest injury, and then continued his furious +course. A travelling Jesuit, named Acosta, relates a similar +story of an elephant at Goa, as from his own experience.--The +king keeps certain elephants for the execution of malefactors. +When one of these is brought forth to dispatch a criminal, if his +keeper desires that the offender be destroyed speedily, this vast +creature will instantly crush him to atoms under his foot; but if +desired to torture him, will break his limbs successively, as men +are broken on the wheel.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 234: This temporary madness of the male +elephants is usual in the rutting season.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The Mogul takes great delight in these stately animals, and +often, when he sits in state, calls for some of the finest and +largest to be brought, which are taught to bend before him, as in +reverence, when they come into his presence. They often fight +before him, beginning their combats like rams, by running +furiously against each other, and butting with their foreheads. +They afterwards use their tusks and teeth, fighting with the +utmost fury, yet are they most careful to preserve their keepers, +so that few of them receive any hurt in these rencounters. They +are governed by a hooked instrument of steel, made like the iron +end of a boat-hook, with which their keepers, who sit on their +necks, put them back, or goad them on, at pleasure.</p> + +<p>The king has many of his elephants trained up for war; each of +which carries an iron gun about six feet long, which is fastened +to a strong square frame of wood on his back, made fast by strong +girths or ropes round his body. This gun carries a bullet about +the size of a small tennis-ball, and is let into the timber with +a loop of iron. The four corners of the wooden frame have each a +silken banner on a short pole, and a gunner sits within, to shoot +as occasion serves, managing the gun like a harquebuss, or large +wall-piece. When the king travels, he is attended by many +elephants armed in this manner, as part of his guard. He keeps +many of them likewise, merely for state, which go before him, and +are adorned with bosses of brass, and some have their bosses made +of silver, or even of gold; having likewise many bells jingling +about them, in the sound of which the animal delights. They have +handsome housings, of cloth, or velvet, or of cloth of silver, or +cloth of gold; and, for the greater state, have large royal +banners of silk carried before them, on which the king's ensign +is depicted, being a lion in the sun. These state-elephants are +each allowed three or four men at least to wait upon them. Other +elephants are appointed for carrying his women, who sit in pretty +convenient receptacles fastened on their backs, made of slight +turned pillars, richly covered, each holding four persons, who +sit within. These are represented by our painters as resembling +castles. Others again are employed to carry his baggage. He has +one very fine elephant that has submitted, like the rest, to wear +feathers, but could never be brought to endure a man, or any +other burden, on his back.</p> + +<p>Although the country be very fertile, and all kinds of +provisions cheap, yet these animals, because of their vast bulk, +are very chargeable in keeping; such as are well fed costing four +or five shillings each, daily. They are kept out of doors, being +fastened with a strong chain by one of their hind legs to a tree, +or a strong post. Thus standing out in the sun, the flies are +often extremely troublesome to them; on which occasions they +tread the dry ground into dust with their feet, and throw it over +their bodies with their trunks, to drive away the flies. The +males are usually mad once a year after the females, at which +time they are extremely mischievous, and will strike any one who +comes in their way, except their own keeper; and such is their +vast strength, that they will kill a horse or a camel with one +blow of their trunks. This fury lasts only a few days; when they +return to their usual docility. At these times they are kept +apart from all company, and fettered with strong chains to +prevent mischief. If by chance they get loose in their state of +phrenzy, they run at everything they see in motion; and, in this +case, the only possible means of stopping them is by lighting a +kind of artificial fire-works called wild-fire, the sparkling and +cracking of which make them stand still and tremble.</p> + +<p>The king allows four females to each of his great elephants, +which are called their wives. The testes of the males are said to +lie about his forehead, and the teats of the female are between +her fore-legs. She goes twelve months with young. The elephant is +thirty years old before he attains his full growth, and they live +to seventy or eighty years of age. Although very numerous, +elephants are yet so highly prized in India, that some of the +best are valued at a thousand pounds or more.</p> + +<p>S.3. <i>Of the People of Hindoostan, and their Manners and +Customs</i>.</p> + +<p>The whole inhabitants of Hindoostan were anciently Gentiles, +or notorious idolaters, generally denominated Hindoos, hot ever +since the time of Tamerlane they have been mixed with +Mahometans.[235] There are, besides, many Persians, Tartars, +Abyssinians, and Arminians, and some few of almost every nation +in Asia, if not in Europe, that reside here. Among these are some +Jews, but not esteemed, for their very name is proverbial, as a +term of reproach. In stature, the natives of Hindoostan are equal +to ourselves, being in general very straight and well-made, for I +never saw any deformed person in that country. They are of a dark +tawny or olive colour, having their hair as black as a raven, but +not curled. They love not to see either a man or a woman very +fair, as they say that is the colour of lepers, which are common +among them. Most of the Mahometans, except their molahs or +priests, or such as are old and retired, keep their chins shaved, +but allow the hair on their upper-lips to grow long. They usually +shave all the hair from their heads, leaving only one lock on +their crowns for Mahomet to pull them by up to heaven. Both among +the Gentiles and Mahometans they have excellent barbers. The +people often bathe and wash their bodies, and anoint themselves +with perfumed oils.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 235: The Mahomedans made extensive +conquests in India long before the era of +Timor.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The dresses of the men and women differ very little from each +other, and are mostly made of white cotton cloth. In fashion, +they sit close to the shape to the middle, and from thence hang +loose to below the knee. Under this they wear long close breeches +down to their ancles, crumpled about the small of their legs like +boots. Their feet are put bare into their shoes, which are made +like slippers, that they may be readily put off on entering their +houses, the floors of which are covered with excellent carpets of +the country manufacture, as good as any made in Turkey or Persia. +Instead of these carpets, some have other floor-cloths, according +to the quality of the owner. On these they sit when conversing or +eating, like tailors on the shop-board. The men's heads are +covered by turbans, being sashes, or long webs of thin cloth, +white or coloured, wreathed many times about. They do not uncover +their heads in making reverence, instead of which they bow their +bodies, placing the right hand on the top of the head, after +which they touch the earth with that hand, as if indicating that +the party saluted may tread upon them if he please. Those who are +equals take each other by the chin or beard, as Joab did Amasa; +but salute in love, not in treachery.</p> + +<p>The Mahometan women, except such as are poor or dishonest, +never appear abroad. Though not fair, they are all well favoured, +have their heads covered with veils, and their hair hanging down +behind, twisted with silk. Those of quality are decorated with +many jewels hung around their necks, and about their wrists and +arms; and they have several holes round their ears in which they +hang pendents, besides that every woman has a hole in her +nostrils, in which to wear a ring, which seems to have been an +ancient ornament, being mentioned in the Old Testament. Their +women are happy above all others I have ever heard of; in the +ease with which they bear their children, being one day able to +ride with their infants unborn, and to ride again the next with +their child in their arms.</p> + +<p>The language of the common people of this country, called +Hindoostanee, is smooth, and easily pronounced, and is written +from left to right, as we do. The learned tongues are the Persian +and Arabic, which are written backwards, from right to left, like +the Hebrew. There is but little learning among them, which may be +owing to the scarcity of books, which are all in manuscript, and +therefore few and dear; but they are a people of good capacity, +and were they to cultivate literature among them, would assuredly +produce many excellent works. They have heard of Aristotle, whom +they name <i>Aplis</i>, and have some of his writings translated +into Arabic. The noble physician, Avicenna, was a native of +Samarcandia, the country of Tamerlane, and in this science they +possess good skill. The most prevalent diseases of this country +are dysenteries, hot fevers, and calentures, in all which they +prescribe abstinence as a principal remedy. The filthy disease +produced by incontinence is likewise common among them. They +delight much in music, having many instruments, both stringed and +wind; but, to my ears, their music seemed all discordant. They +write many pretty poems, and compose histories and annals of +their own country. They profess great skill in astrology, and the +king places great confidence in men of that profession, so that +he will not undertake a journey, nor do any thing whatever of +importance, unless after his wizard has indicated a prosperous +hour for the undertaking.</p> + +<p>The idolaters begin their year on the 1st of March, and the +Mahometans at the instant when the sun enters Aries, as +calculated by their astrologers. From which time the king keeps a +festival, called the <i>norose</i>, or nine days, for which time +it continues, like that made by Ahasuerus in the third year of +his reign. On this occasion, all his nobles assemble, bringing +great gifts, which he repays with princely rewards. Being myself +present on this occasion, I beheld most incredible riches, to my +amazement, in gold, pearls, precious stones, and many brilliant +vanities. I saw this festival celebrated at Mandoa, where the +Mogul has a most spacious house or palace, larger than any I ever +beheld, in which the many beautiful vaults and arches evince the +exquisite skill of his artists in architecture. At Agra he has a +palace, in which are two large towers, at least ten feet square, +covered with plates of pure gold.</p> + +<p>The walls of his houses have no hangings, on account of the +heat, but are either painted or beautified with a white lime, +purer even than that we term Spanish. The floors are either paved +with stone or are made of lime and sand, like our Paris plaster, +and are spread with rich carpets. None lodge within the King's +house but his women and eunuchs, and some little boys, whom he +always keeps about him for a wicked use. He always eats in +private among his women, being served with a great variety of +exquisitely dressed meats, which being proved by his taster, are +put into golden vessels, as they say, covered and sealed up, and +brought in by the eunuchs. He has meats made ready at all hours, +and calls for them at pleasure. These people do not feed freely, +as we do, on full dishes of beef or mutton, but use much rice, +boiled up along with pieces of flesh, or dressed in a variety of +ways. They have not many roasted or baked meats, but stew most of +their meat. Among their many dishes, I shall only notice one, +called by them <i>deupario</i>. This is made of venison cut into +slices, to which are put onions and sweet herbs, with some roots, +and a little spice and butter, forming the most savoury dish I +ever tasted; and I almost think it is the same dish that Jacob +made ready for his father Isaac when he got his blessing.</p> + +<p>In this kingdom there are no inns or houses of entertainment +for travellers and strangers. But, in the cities and large towns, +there are handsome buildings for their reception, called +<i>serais</i>, which are not inhabited, in which any passengers +may have rooms freely, but must bring with them their bedding, +cooks, and all other necessaries for dressing their victuals. +These things are usually carried by travellers on camels, or in +carts drawn by oxen; taking likewise tents along with them, to +use when they do not find serais. The inferior people ride on +oxen, horses, mules, camels, or dromedaries, the women riding in +the same manner as the men; or else they use a kind of slight +coaches on two wheels, covered at top, and close behind, but open +before and at the sides, unless when they contain women, in which +case they are close all round. These coaches will conveniently +hold two persons, besides the driver, and are drawn by a pair of +oxen, matched in colour, many of them being white, and not large. +The oxen are guided by cords which go through the middle +cartilage of the nose, and so between the horns into the hand of +the driver. The oxen are dressed and harnessed like horses, and +being naturally nimble, use makes them so expert, that they will +go twenty miles a-day or more, at a good pace. The better sort +ride on elephants, or are carried singly on men's shoulders, in a +slight thing called a <i>palanquin</i>, like a couch, but covered +by a canopy. This would appear to have been an ancient effeminacy +used in Rome, as Juvenal describes a fat lawyer who filled one of +them:</p> + +<p><i>Causidici nova, cam venial lectica Mathonis; plena +ipso--</i></p> + +<p>They delight much in hawking, and in hunting hares, deer, and +other wild animals. Their dogs of chase somewhat resemble our +greyhounds, but are much less, and do not open when in pursuit of +their game. They use leopards also in hunting, which attain the +game they pursue by leaping. They have a very cunning device for +catching wild-fowl, in the following manner:--A fellow goes into +the water, having the skin of any kind of fowl he wishes to +catch, so artificially stuffed, that it seems alive. Keeping his +whole body under water except his face, which is covered by this +counterfeit, he goes among the wild-fowl which swim in the water, +and pulls them under by the legs. They shoot much for their +amusement with bows, which are curiously made of buffaloe's horn, +glewed together, their arrows being made of small canes, +excellently headed and feathered, and are so expert in archery, +that they will kill birds flying. Others take great delight in +managing their horses. Though they have not a quarter of a mile +to go, they will either ride on horseback or be carried, as men +of any quality hold it dishonourable to go on foot any where.</p> + +<p>In their houses, they play much at that most ingenious game +which we call chess, or else at draughts. They have likewise +cards, but quite different from ours. Sometimes they are amused +by cunning jugglers, or mountebanks, who allow themselves to be +bitten by snakes which they carry about in baskets, immediately +curing themselves by means of certain powders which they smell +to. They are likewise often amused by the tricks of apes and +monkeys. In the southern parts of Hindoostan, there are great +numbers of large white apes, some of which are as tall as our +largest greyhounds. Some of those birds which make their nests on +trees are much afraid of the apes, and nature has instructed them +in a subtle device to secure themselves, by building their nests +on the most extreme twigs, and hanging them there like +purse-nets, so that the apes cannot possibly come to them.</p> + +<p>Every city or great town in India has markets twice a-day, in +the cool of the morning just after sun-rise, and again in the +evening a little before it sets; and in these they sell almost +every thing by weight. In the heat of the day, every one keeps +within doors, where those of any rank lie on couches, or sit +cross-legged on carpets, having servants about them, who beat the +air with fans of stiffened leather, or the like, to cool them. +While thus taking their ease, they often call their barbers, who +tenderly grip and beat upon their arms and other parts of their +bodies, instead of exercise, to stir the blood. This is a most +gratifying thing, and is much used in this hot climate.</p> + +<p>The Mahometans and Hindoos are much to be commended for their +truthfulness as servants; for a stranger may safely travel alone +among them with a great charge of money or goods, all through the +country, having them for his guard, and will never be neglected +or injured by them. They follow their masters on foot, carrying +swords and bucklers, or bows and arrows, for their defence; and +so plentiful are provisions in this country, that one may hire +them on very easy terms, as they do not desire more than five +shillings each moon, paid the day after the change, to provide +themselves in all necessaries; and for this small pittance give +diligent and faithful service. Such is their filial piety, that +they will often give the half of these pitiful wages to their +parents, to relieve their necessities, preferring almost to +famish themselves rather than see them want.</p> + +<p>Both among the Mahometans and Hindoos there are many men of +most undaunted courage. The <i>Baloches</i> are of great note on +this account among the Mahometans, being the inhabitants of +<i>Hjykan</i>, adjoining to the kingdom of Persia; as also the +Patans, taking their denomination from a province in the kingdom +of Bengal.[236] These tribes dare look their enemies in the face, +and maintain the reputation of valour at the hazard of their +lives. Among the many sects of the Hindoos, there is but one race +of warriors, called <i>Rashbootes</i>, or Rajaputs, many of whom +subsist by plunder, laying in wait in great troops to surprise +poor passengers, and butchering all who have the misfortune to +fall into their hands. These excepted, all the rest of the +natives are in general pusillanimous, and had rather quarrel than +fight, being so poor in spirit, in comparison with Europeans, +that the Mogul often says, proverbially, That one Portuguese will +beat three of them, and one Englishman three Portuguese.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 236: This is a strange mistake, confounding +the city of Patna, in Bengal, in the east of Hindoostan, with the +Patans, a race of mountaineers between Cabul and Candahar, far to +the west of India, called likewise Afgans, and their country +Afghanistan.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>In regard to arms for war, they have good ordnance, which, so +far as I could learn, were very anciently used in this +country.[237] I have already described the iron pieces carried on +elephants. They have smaller guns for the use of their +foot-soldiers, who are somewhat long in taking aim, but come as +near the mark as any I ever saw. All their pieces are fired with +match, and they make excellent gun-powder. They use also lances, +swords, and targets, and bows and arrows. Their swords are made +crooked like faulchions, and very sharp; but, for want of skill +in tempering, will break rather than bend; wherefore our +sword-blades, which will bend and become straight again, are +often sold at high prices. I have seen horsemen in this country, +thus accoutered, carrying as it were a whole armory at once; a +good sword by their sides, under which a sheaf of arrows; on +their back a gun fastened with belts, a buckler on their +shoulders; a bow in a case hanging on their left side, and a good +lance in their hand, two yards and a half long, with an excellent +steel head. Yet, for all these weapons, dare he not resist a man +of true courage, armed only with the worst of all these. The +armies in these eastern wars often consist of incredible +multitudes, and they talk of some which have exceeded that we +read of in the Bible, which Zerah, king of Ethiopia, brought +against Asia. Their martial music consists of kettle-drums and +long wind-instruments. In their battles, both sides usually begin +with most furious onsets; but, in a short time, for want of good +discipline, they fall into disorder, and one side is routed with +much slaughter.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 237: Vertoman says the Portuguese who +deserted at the first discovery of India, and entered into the +service of the native princes, taught them this +art.--<i>Purch</i>. + +<p>I have somewhere read, many years ago, but cannot recollect +the authority, "That, when Alexander besieged a certain city in +India, the Brachmans, by the power of magic, raised a cloud of +smoke around the walls, whence broke frequent flashes of +lightning, with thunder, and the thunderbolts slew many of his +soldiers." This would infer the very ancient use of fire-arms of +some kind in India.--E.]</p> +</blockquote> + +<p>The Mahometans have fair places of worship, which they call +<i>mesquits</i>, well built of stone. That side which looks to +the westwards is a close-built wall, while that towards the east +is erected on pillars, the length being from north to south. At +the corners of their great mosques, in the cities, there are high +turrets or pinnacles, called <i>minarets</i>, to the tops of +which their molahs or priests resort at certain times of day, +proclaiming their prophet in Arabic, in these words,--<i>Alla +illa Alla, Mahomet resul Alla</i>; that is, There is no God but +God, and Mahomet is the ambassador of God. This is used instead +of bells, which they cannot endure in their temples, to put +religious persons in mind of their duty. On one occasion, while +Mr Coryat was residing in Agra, he got up into a turret over +against the priest, and on hearing these words, he contradicted +him, calling out, in a loud voice,--<i>La Alla illa Alla, Hazaret +Esa Ebn-Alla</i>; there is no God but God, and Christ, the Son of +God, is his prophet. He farther added, that Mahomet was an +impostor, in any other country of Asia, in which Mahomet is +zealously followed, this bold attempt had surely forfeited his +life, with all the tortures which cruelty could invent, or +tyranny inflict; but in this country every one is permitted to +follow his own religion, and may even dispute against theirs with +impunity.</p> + +<p>In regard to their burials, every Mahometan of quality +provides a fair sepulchre for himself and his family, in his +life-time, surrounding a considerable space of ground with a high +wall, and generally in the neighbourhood of some tank, or else +near springs of water, that they may make pleasant fountains. +Within the enclosure, he erects a round or square tomb, either on +pillars or of closed walls, with a door for entrance. The rest of +the enclosure is planted with trees and flowers, as if they would +make the elysian fields of the poets, in which their souls may +repose in delight. They have many such goodly monuments built in +memory of those they esteem as saints, of whom they have an ample +calendar, in these there are lamps continually burning, and +thither many resort in blind devotion, to contemplate the +happiness enjoyed by these <i>peires</i>, as they call the holy +men. Among many sumptuous piles dedicated to this use, the most +splendid of them all is to be seen at <i>Secuadra</i>, a village +three miles from Agra. This was begun by Akbar Shah, the father +of the present king, and finished by his son, the reigning Mogul. +Akbar lies here interred, and Jehanguire Shah means to be here +buried when he dies.</p> + +<p>The molahs, or priests of the Mahometans, employ much of their +time as scribes, doing business for other men, having liberty to +marry as well as the laity, from whom they are no way +distinguished by their dress. Some live retiredly, spending their +time in meditation, or in delivering precepts of morality to the +people. They are in roach esteem, as are another set called +<i>Seids</i>, who derive their pedigree from Mahomet. The priests +neither read nor preach in the mosques; yet there is a set form +of prayers in Arabic, not understood by most of the people, but +which they repeat as fluently as the molahs. They likewise repeat +the name of God, and that of Mahomet, a certain number of times +every day, telling over their beads, like the misled papists, who +seem to regard the number of prayers more than their sincerity. +Before going into their mosques they wash their feet, and, in +entering, put off their shoes. On beginning their devotions, they +stop their ears, and fix their eyes, that no extraneous +circumstances may divert their thoughts, and then utter their +prayers in a soft and still voice, using many words significantly +expressive of the omnipotence, goodness, eternity, and other +attributes of God. Likewise many words full of humility, +confessing their unworthiness with many submissive gestures. +While praying, they frequently prostrate themselves on their +faces, acknowledging that they are burdens upon the earth, +poisonous to the air, and the like, and therefore dare not look +up to heaven, but comfort themselves in the mercy of God, through +the intercession of their false prophet. Many among them, to the +shame of us Christians, pray five tunes a-day, whatever may +happen to be their interruptions of pleasure or profit. Their set +times are at the hours of six, nine, twelve, three, and six, +respectively.</p> + +<p>The manner in which they divide the day is quite different +from us; as they divide the day and the night each into four +equal parts, which they denominate <i>pores</i>, and these again +are each subdivided into eight smaller parts, called +<i>grees</i>. [Hence each <i>pore</i> contains three of our +hours, and each <i>gree</i> is equal to 22-1/2 of our minutes.] +These are measured, according to an ancient custom, by means of +water, dropping from one small vessel into another, beside which +there always stand servants appointed for the purpose, who strike +with a hammer upon a concave plate of metal, like the inner +portion of a plate, hung by a wire, thus denoting the +<i>pores</i> and <i>grees</i> successively as they pass.[238] +Like the mother and her seven sons, mentioned in the Maccabees, +such is the temperance of many, both among the Mahometans and +Gentiles, that they will rather die than eat or drink of any +thing forbidden by their law. Such meats and drinks as their law +allows, they use only in moderation, to satisfy nature, not to +please their appetites, hating gluttony, and esteeming +drunkenness a sin, as it really is, or a second madness; and +indeed their language has only one word, mest, for a drunkard and +a madman.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 238: This device for measuring time is the +same with the <i>clepsydra</i>, or water-clocks, of the +ancients.--<i>Purch.</i>]</blockquote> + +<p>They keep yearly a solemn feast, or Lent, which they call +<i>Ram jan</i>, [Ramadan] about the month of August, which +continues a whole moon; during which time, those who are strict +in their religious observances, avoid the embraces of their +women, and abstain from meat or drink so long as the sun is above +the horizon, but eat after it sets, at their pleasure. Towards +the close of this Lent, or ramadan, they consecrate one day of +mourning, in memory of their departed friends; on which +occasions, I have seen many of the meaner people making bitter +lamentations. Besides this ordinary and stated time of sadness, +many foolish women are in use, oft times in the year, so long as +they survive, to water the graves of their husbands or children +with the tears of affectionate regret. On the night succeeding +the day of general mourning, they light up innumerable lamps, and +other lights, which they set on the sides and tops of their +houses, and all other most conspicuous places, taking no food +till these are burnt out. When the ramadan is entirely ended, the +most devout Mahometans assemble at some noted mosque, where some +portion of the <i>Alcoran</i> is publicly read; this being their +holy book, like our Bible, which they never touch without some +mark of reverence. They keep a festival in November, which they +call <i>Buccaree</i>, signifying the <i>ram-feast</i>; on which +occasion they kill and roast a ram, in memory, as they say, of +the ram which redeemed Ishmael, when about to be sacrificed by +his father Abraham. They have many other feasts or holidays +consecrated to Mahomet, and their <i>pieres</i>, or pretended +saints.</p> + +<p>They have the books of Moses, whom they name <i>Moosa curym +Alla</i>, the righteous of God. Abraham they call <i>Ibrahim +calim Alla</i>, the faithful of God. Thus Ishmael is called the +true sacrifice of God; David is named <i>Dahoode</i>, the prophet +of God; Solomon is <i>Seliman</i>, the wisdom of God, and so +forth; all neatly expressed, as the former instances, in short +Arabic epithets. In honour of these our scripture worthies, they +frequently sing songs or ditties of praise; and, besides, all of +them, except those of the ruder sort, when at any time they +happen to mention our Saviour, always call him <i>Hazaret +Eesa</i>, the Lord Jesus; and ever speak of him with respect and +reverence, saying, that he was a good and just man, who lived +without sin, and did greater miracles than were ever performed +before or since. They even call him <i>Rhahew Alla</i>, which +signifies the breath of God, but cannot conceive how he could be +the Son of God, and therefore deny that. Yet the Mahometans look +upon us as unclean, and will neither eat with us, nor of any +thing that is cooked in our vessels.</p> + +<p>There are many men among the Mahometans called +<i>Dervises</i>, who relinquish the world, and spend their days +in solitude, expecting a recompence in a better life. The strict +and severe penances these men voluntarily endure, far exceed all +those so much boasted of by the Romanist monks. Some of these +live alone on the tops of hills, remote from all society, +spending their lives in contemplation, and will rather die of +famine than move from their cells, being relieved from devotion +by those who dwell nearest them. Some again impose long fasts +upon themselves, till nature be almost exhausted. Many of those +whom they call religious men, wear no garments beyond a mere +clout to cover their shame, and beg for all their provisions, +like the mendicant friars of Europe. These men usually dwell +about the outskirts of the cities and towns, like the man +mentioned by our blessed Saviour at the city of the +<i>Gadarens</i>, who had devils, and wore no clothes, neither +abode in any house, but dwelt among the tombs. They make little +fires during the day, sleeping at night among the warm ashes, +with which they besmear their bodies. These men never suffer a +razor to come upon their heads, and some of them let their nails +grow like to bird's claws, as it is written of Nebuchadnezzar, +when driven out from among the society of men. There is also a +sort of men among them called <i>mendee</i>, who often cut and +slash their flesh with knives, like the priests of Baal. I have +seen others, who, from supposed devotion, put such massy fetters +of iron on their legs, that they are hardly able to move, yet +walk in that manner many miles upon pilgrimages, barefooted, upon +the parching ground, to visit the sepulchres of their deluding +saints; thus, <i>tantum religio potuit suadere malorum</i>, +taking more pains to go to hell than any Christian that I know +does to attain heaven. These do not marry. Such Mahometans as +choose to marry, are allowed four wives by the law of Mahomet, +but they keep as many concubines as they can maintain. The +priests content themselves with one wife.</p> + +<p>Notwithstanding their polygamy, such is the violent jealousy +of these lustful Mahometans, that they will scarcely allow even +the fathers and brothers of their beloved wives or concubines to +converse with them, except in their own presence. Owing to this +restraint, it has become odious for such women as have the +reputation of virtue, to be seen at any time by strangers. If any +of them dishonour their husbands beds, or, being unmarried, are +found incontinent, even their own brothers will put them to death +rather than they should escape punishment; and for such unnatural +actions they shall be commended, rather than called in question. +Yet is there full toleration for harlots, who are as little +ashamed of receiving visits as the men are of frequenting their +houses. The women of any fashion are waited upon by eunuchs +instead of women-servants; and these eunuchs are deprived in +their youth of every thing that can provoke jealousy. Their +marriages are solemnised in great pomp. After the molah has +joined their hands, with certain ceremonies and words of +benediction, they begin their revels at the first watch of the +night. Whether the man be poor or rich, he mounts on horseback, +attended by his friends, having many <i>oressets</i>, or great +lights, carried before him, and accompanied by drums, and +wind-instruments of music, and various pageantry. The woman +follows with her friends, in covered coaches. And having thus +paraded through the principal places of the city or town, they +return home and partake of a banquet, the men and women being in +separate apartments. They are mostly married at the age of twelve +or thirteen, the matches being made by their mothers.</p> + +<p>S.4. <i>Of the Sects, Opinions, Rites, Priests, and other +Circumstances of the Hindoo Religion; with other +Observations</i>.</p> + +<p>The Hindoos[239] are distributed into eighty and four several +sects, all of which differ materially in opinions. This has often +filled me with wonder; but I know that they are all deluded by +Satan, who is the father of division. Their illiterate priests +are called <i>Bramins</i>, being the same with the +<i>Brachmanni</i> of the ancients; and, for aught I could learn, +are so sottishly ignorant and unsteady, that they know not what +they believe. They have little round-built temples, which they +call <i>pagodas</i>, in which are images in most monstrous +shapes, which they worship. Some of them dream, of Elysian +fields, to which their souls pass over a Styx or Acheron, and +there assume new bodies. Others hold that ere long, this world +shall have an end, after which they shall live here again, upon a +new earth. They talk of four books which were sent them about +6000 years ago by their prophet <i>Ram</i>, two of which were +sealed up and might not be opened, the other two being read by +the Bramins only. They say that there are seven orbs, above which +is the seat of God; and they hold that God knoweth not of petty +things, or, if he doth, regardeth them not. They circumscribe God +in place or dimensions, alleging that he may be seen, but far off +as in a mist, and not near or clearly. They believe in the +existence of devils or evil spirits; but that they are so bound +in chains, as to be incapable of doing hurt. They call man Adam, +from the first man of that name; whose wife, as they say, when +tempted with the forbidden fruit, swallowed it down; but, as her +husband was about to do the same, it was stopped in his throat by +the hand of God: Whence men have a protuberance in that part, +which we call the <i>pomum adami</i>, which women have not.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 239: By Terry, the Hindoos are uniformly +denominated the <i>Gentiles</i>, a word of vague and general +meaning, merely signifying idolaters, or unbelievers, literally +the nations, as contradistinguished from the Jews. By some +authors, the natives of Hindoostan are called Gentoos, a word of +uncertain origin. The term of Hindoo seems the more appropriate +name; at least it has now become universal.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>As anciently among the Jews, the priesthood is hereditary with +this people; every son of a Bramin being a priest, and marries +with the daughter of a Bramin. So also among all the Hindoos, the +men take their wives among the daughters of those who are of the +same tribe, sect, and occupation, with their own fathers. Thus +the son of a merchant marries a merchant's daughter, and every +man's son that lives by his labour, marries the daughter of one +of the same profession with himself, so that they never advance +themselves to higher situations. The Hindoos take but one wife, +of whom they are not so fearful as are the Mahometans of their +numerous women, for they are suffered to go abroad. They are +always married very young, at six or seven years of age, their +parents making the contracts, and they come together when twelve +years old. Their nuptials are celebrated with as much pomp and +jollity as those of the Mahometans. The habits of the Hindoos +differ little from those of the Mahometans, already described; +but many of their women wear rings on their toes, and therefore +go barefooted. They have likewise broad rings of brass, or of +more valuable metal, according to their rank and wealth, which +they wear about the small of their legs, being made to put off +and on. These seem to resemble the tinkling ornaments about the +feet, mentioned by the prophet Isaiah, or the ornaments of the +legs, anciently in use among the Jewish women. They have also +such on their arms. The laps of their ears are pierced when +young, and the hole is daily stretched and widened, by things put +in on purpose, so that it at length becomes large enough to hold +a ring as broad as a little saucer, made hollow in its edges to +contain the flesh. Both men and women wash their bodies every day +before they eat, and they sit entirely naked at their food, +excepting only the covering of modesty. This outward washing, as +they think, tends to cleanse them from sin, not unlike the +Pharisees in scripture, who would not eat with unwashed hands. +Hence, they ascribe a certain divine influence to rivers, but +above all to the Ganges, daily flocking thither in great +companies, and throwing in pieces of gold and silver, according +to their devotion or abilities, after which they wash themselves +in the sacred stream. Both men and women paint their foreheads, +or other parts of their faces, with red or yellow spots.</p> + +<p>In regard to their grosser opinions, they do not believe in +the resurrection of the flesh, and therefore burn the bodies of +their dead, near some river if they can, into which they strew +the ashes. Their widows never marry again; but, after the loss of +their husbands, cut their hair close off, and spend all their +remaining life in neglect; whence it happens, that many young +women are ambitious to die with honour, as they esteem it, +throwing themselves for lore of their departed husbands into the +flames, as they think, of martyrdom. Following their dead husband +to the pile, and there embracing his corpse, they are there +consumed in the same fire. This they do voluntarily, and without +compulsion, their parents, relations, and friends joyfully +accompanying them; and, when the pile of this hellish sacrifice +begins to burn, all the assembled multitude shout and make a +noise, that the screams of the tortured living victims may not be +heard. This abominable custom is not very much unlike the custom +of the Ammonites, who made their children pass through the fire +to Moloch, during which they caused certain tabrets or drums to +sound, whence the place was called <i>Tophet</i>, signifying a +tabret. There is one sect among the Hindoos, called +<i>Parsees</i>, who neither burn nor inter their dead. They +surround certain pieces of ground with high walls, remote from +houses or public roads, and there deposit their dead, wrapped in +sheets, which thus have no other tombs but the maws of ravenous +fowls.[240]</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 240: These Parsees, called <i>Parcees</i> +in the Pilgrims, and Guebres by other writers, are a remnant of +the ancient Persians, who are fire-worshippers, or followers of +Zerdust, the Zoroaster of the Greeks.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The Hindoos are, generally speaking, an industrious race; +being either cultivators of the ground, or otherwise diligently +employed in various occupations. Among them there are many +curious artificers, who are the best imitators in the world, as +they will make any thing new very exactly after a pattern. The +Mahometans, on the contrary, are generally idle, being <i>all for +to morrow</i>, a common saying among them, and live by the +labours of the Hindoos. Some of these poor deluded idolaters will +eat of nothing which has had life, feeding on grain, herbs, milk, +butter, cheese, and sweet-meats, of which last they have various +kinds, the best and most wholesome of which is green ginger +remarkably well preserved. Some tribes eat fish, and of no other +living thing. The Rajaput tribe eat swine's flesh, which is held +in abomination by the Mahometans. Some will eat of one kind of +flesh, and some of another; but all the Hindoos universally +abstain from beef owing to the reverence they entertain for cows; +and therefore give large sums yearly to the Mogul, besides his +other exactions, as a ransom for the lives of these sacred +animals. Whence, though they have other and good provisions in +abundance, we meet with very little meat in that country.</p> + +<p>The most tender-hearted among the idolaters are called +<i>Banians,</i> who hold the <i>metempsychosis</i> of Pythagoras +as a prime article of their faith, believing that the souls of +the best men and women, when freed from the prison of their human +bodies, transmigrate into the bodies of cows, which they consider +as the best of all creatures. They hold that the souls of the +wicked go into the bodies of viler beasts; as the souls of +gluttons into swine, those of the voluptuous and incontinent into +apes and monkies; the souls of the cruel, furious, and +revengeful, into lions, tigers, and wolves; the souls of the +envious into serpents; and so forth, according to their qualities +and dispositions; transmigrating successively from one to another +of the same kind, <i>ad infinitum;</i> and, by consequence, +believing in the eternal duration of the world. Thus, according +to them, there does not exist even a silly fly but is actuated by +a soul formerly human, considering these to have formerly +belonged to light women; and so incorrigible are their sottish +opinions, that they cannot be persuaded out of them by any +reasoning. Owing to these opinions, they will not put to death +the most offensive animals, not even the most venemous snakes, +saying, that it is their nature to do harm, and that man is +gifted with reason to shun these noxious creatures, but not at +liberty to destroy them.</p> + +<p>Many men devote their fortunes to works of charity, as in +building <i>serais,</i> or lodging-houses for travellers, digging +wells, or constructing tanks near highways, that the travellers +may have water; and where such cannot be had, they will hire poor +men to sit by the way-sides, and offer water to the passengers. +The day of rest among the Hindoos is Thursday, as Friday is among +the Mahometans, Saturday with the Jews, and Sunday with the +Christians.[241] They have many solemn festivals, and they make +pilgrimages, among which the most famous are <i>Nagracut</i> and +<i>Syba,</i> formerly mentioned; where, if Mr Coryat may be +believed, who says he carefully observed the same, people cut off +part of their tongues out of devotion. It were easy to enlarge on +this subject, but I will not any farther describe their stupid +idolatry. The sum of the whole is, that both the Hindoos and +Mahometans ground all their opinions on tradition, not on reason, +and are content to perish with their fore-fathers, out of +preposterous zeal and fond perverseness, never rightly +considering the grounds of their belief.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 241: Monday is the day of rest with the +people of Pegu. In Java, each individual keeps that day holy on +which he has begun some great work.--<i>Purch.</i>]</blockquote> + +<p>Both the Mahometans and Hindoos are under subjection to the +Great Mogul, the term <i>Mogul</i> signifying a circumcised man, +so that Great Mogul means the Chief of the Circumcision. The +present king is the ninth in lineal descent from that famous +eastern conqueror, whom we name Tamerlane, and who in their +histories is named Timor. Towards the close of his life, he had +the misfortune to fall from his horse, which made him halt during +the remainder of his days, whence he was called Timur-lang, or +Timur the lame. The emperor styles himself The King of Justice, +the Light of the Law of Mahomet, and the Conqueror of the World. +He himself judges and determines on all matters of importance +which occur near his residence, judging according to allegations +and proofs, by his own sense of right. The trials are conducted +quickly, and the sentences speedily executed, culprits being +hanged, beheaded, impaled, torn by dogs, destroyed by elephants, +bitten by serpents, or other devices, according to the nature of +the crimes; the executions being generally in the public +market-place. The governors of provinces and cities administer +justice in a similar manner. I could never hear of any written +law, the will of the king and his substitutes being the law. His +vicegerents are not allowed to continue long in one place, lest +they acquire popularity, and are therefore usually removed +yearly. They receive the letters of the king with every possible +indication of respect. They look to receive presents from all who +have occasion to apply to them; and, if not often gratified with +these, will ask for them, and will even send back such as they do +not approve, demanding better to be substituted. The cadi has +power to imprison debtors and sureties, who are bound by written +deeds; and men in power, for payment of debts due to them, will +often sell the persons, wives, and children of their debtors, +which is warranted by the customs of the land.</p> + +<p>The king appears in public three times every day. His first +appearance is at sun-rise, from a bow-window looking; towards the +east, where great multitudes assemble to salute him, or give him +the <i>salam,</i> calling out <i>padishah salamet,</i> which +signifies Live, O King! At noon he again sits in public seeing +his elephants fight, or some other pastimes. A little before +sun-set, he shews himself a third time, at a window looking to +the west, whence he retires amid the sound of drums and +wind-instruments of music, the acclamations of the people adding +to the noise. At any of these three appearances, all who have any +suit to him hold up their petitions to be seen, and are heard in +their own causes. Between seven and nine in the evening, he again +sits in private, attended by his nobles.</p> + +<p>No subject of this empire holds any lands by inheritance, +neither have they any titles but such as depend on the will of +the king. Owing to this, many of the grandees live up fully to +the extent of their means. Merchants also, and others, are very +careful to conceal their wealth, lest they be made spunges. Some +small means of living are allowed by the king to the sons of his +great men, which they can never make better, unless they succeed +to the favour enjoyed by their fathers. His pensions are reckoned +by the numbers of horsemen allotted to each; and of these he pays +a million in the whole extent of his empire, to the amount of +twenty-five pounds being yearly allowed for each horseman, which +are drawn from lands, specified in the particular grants or +commissions. There are about twenty of his courtiers who have +each the pay of 5000 horse; others of 4000, 3000, 2000, and so +downwards. He who has the pay of 5000, is bound to have 2000 +always on foot ready for service, and so in like proportion for +all others. This absolute dependence renders them dissolute +parasites. When the Mogul gives advancement to any one, he adds a +new name or title, as Pharaoh did to Joseph. These names or +titles are very significant; as <i>Mahobet Khan</i>, the beloved +lord; <i>Khan Jahaun,</i> the lord of my heart; <i>Khan +Allum,</i> the lord of the world, &c.</p> + +<p>The principal officers of state are, the treasurer, the master +of the eunuchs, who is steward and comptroller of the household, +the secretary, the master of the elephants, the tent-master, and +the keeper of the wardrobe. The subordinate titles of honour are +Khan, Mirza, Omrah or Captain, Haddee, which last is a soldier or +horseman. Gorgeous apparel is in a great measure prohibited, +owing to the great heat of the sun; even the Great Mogul himself +being usually clothed in a garment of pure white calico or fine +muslin. Blue, being the colour of mourning, may not be worn in +his presence, neither the name of death pronounced in his +hearing. This circumstance is usually expressed by some +circumlocution, as that such a person has sacrificed himself at +the feet of his majesty.</p> + +<p>Owing to the great heat of this country, there is but little +demand for English cloth, which is almost only employed for the +housings of elephants and horses, and the linings of coaches. +This sovereign assuredly exceeds all others in the splendour of +his thrones, and the variety and richness of his jewels. In his +palace at Agra, he has a throne upon a raised platform, to which +he ascends by several steps, on the top of which are four figures +of lions of massy silver, gilded and set with precious stones, +and supporting a dome or canopy of pure gold. I may mention, that +when I was at his court, he had a tame lion which went up and +down at liberty, as harmless as a dog. The jewels with which he +daily adorns his head, neck, and arms, and the hilts of his sword +and dagger, are rich and valuable beyond all computation. On his +birthday, which happens on the 1st of September, he being now +sixty years of age, he is weighed, and an account thereof +carefully noted down by his physicians, who thereby guess at his +bodily condition.[242]</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 242: See of these and other things, +formerly stated, in the Journal of Sir Thomas Roe, and therefore +here omitted. <i>Purch.</i>]</blockquote> + +<p>The following are parts of two letters from the Great Mogul to +his majesty King James I. translated out of Persian, and sent +through Sir Thomas Roe, one written a year before the other. What +followed in both letters, was merely complimentary assurances of +his love for the English. These letters were rolled up and +covered with cloth of gold, the covering being sealed up at both +ends, which is the fashion in that country. Copies were sent to +the lord ambassador, from which these specimens were translated +out of the Persian language.</p> + +<hr align="center" width="25%"> +<p>"When your majesty shall open this letter, let your royal +heart be fresh as a sweet garden. Let all people make lowly +reverence at your gate, and may your throne be exalted among the +kings of the prophet Jesus. May your majesty be the greatest of +all monarchs; and may others draw counsel and wisdom from you, as +from a fountain, that the law of the divine Jesus may revive and +flourish under your protection. Your letters of love and +friendship, and the tokens of your affection towards me, I have +received by the hands of your ambassador, Sir Thomas Roe, who +well deserves to be your trusted servant, and who delivered them +to me in a happy hour. Upon them mine eyes were so fixed, that I +could not easily remove them to any other object, and have +accepted them with much joy," &c.--The other began as +follows:</p> + +<hr align="center" width="25%"> +<p>"How gracious is your majesty, whose greatness God preserve +and prosper. As upon a rose in a garden of pleasure, so are mine +eyes fixed upon your majesty. May God maintain your greatness, so +that your monarchy may prosper and increase, that you may obtain +all your desires, worthy the greatness of your renown. As your +heart is noble and upright, so may God give you a prosperous +reign, because you powerfully defend the majesty of Jesus, which +may God render yet more flourishing, having been confirmed by +miracles," &c.</p> + +<hr align="center" width="25%"> +<p>We travelled two years with the Great Mogul, who was in +progress through his dominions, moving only during the temperate +months, between October and April. On this occasion, I am +confident that the <i>leskar</i>, or camp, contained not less +than 300,000 persons, including men, women, and children, besides +elephants, horses, and other beasts, that were fed upon grain; +yet we never experienced any scarcity of provisions, not even in +our nineteen days journey through a wilderness, between Mandoa +and <i>Amadavar</i>, [Ahmedabad.] On this occasion, a road was +cut for us through the forest. The tents of the leskar were of +various colours, being regularly arranged, and represented a +large and splendid city. The king's tents were red, and raised on +poles to a great height, being placed in the middle of the camp, +and covering a great extent of ground; the whole of the royal +quarter being encircled by <i>canats</i>, or walls, made of red +calico, held up by canes at every breadth, and standing upright +about nine feet high, which was guarded all round by soldiers +every night.</p> + +<p>The king removed ten or twelve miles every day, more or less +according to the convenience of procuring water. His wives and +women of all sorts, which are not less than a thousand, all +lodged and provided for in his tents, were carried along with the +leskar, some in palanquins, others upon elephants, or in cradles +or panniers slung upon dromedaries, all closely covered up that +they might not be seen, and attended upon by eunuchs. In the +choice of his wives, the Great Mogul respects fancy more than +honour, not seeking affinity with neighbouring princes, but to +please his eye at home. <i>Noormahal</i>, the best beloved among +his wives, whose name signifies the <i>Light of the Court</i>, +was of mean origin, but has since advanced her friends to high +rank and employments, and in a manner commands the commander of +the empire, by engrossing his whole affections. The king and his +great men continue to maintain their women, but little affect +them after thirty years old.</p> + +<p>Notwithstanding the multitude of his women, the Great Mogul +has only six children, five sons and a daughter. All his sons are +styled sultans, or princes. The eldest is Sultan <i>Cursero</i>, +the second, Sultan <i>Parrveis</i>, the third, Sultan +<i>Caroon</i>, the fourth, Sultan <i>Shahar</i>, and the +youngest, Sultan <i>Tauct</i>.[243] The name of this last +signifies a <i>Throne</i>; and he was so named by the king, +because he was informed of his birth at the time when he got +quiet possession of the throne. The eldest-born son of one of his +legitimate wives has right to inherit the throne, and has a title +signifying the <i>Great Brother</i>. Although the others are not +put to death as with the Turks, yet it is observed that they +seldom long survive their fathers, being commonly employed on +some dangerous expedition.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 243: These names seem to have been written +by Terry from the ear. By others, they are respectively named +Cusero, Parvis, Churrum, Shahar, and Taucht.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>Akbar Shah, the father of the reigning Mogul, had threatened +to disinherit him, for some abuse to <i>Anar-Kalee</i>, his most +beloved wife, whose name signifies pomegranate kernel; but on his +death-bed he restored him to the succession. Akbar was wont, upon +taking any displeasure at one of his grandees, to give them pills +to purge their souls from their bodies, and is said to have come +by his death in the following manner. Intending to give one of +these pills to a nobleman who had incurred his displeasure, and +meaning to take at the same time a cordial pill himself, while he +was cajoling the destined victim with flattering speeches, he, by +mistake, took the poisoned pill himself, and gave the cordial to +the nobleman. This carried him off in a few days, by a mortal +flux of blood.[244]</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 244: Neque enim lex justior ulla est, quam +necis artifices arte perire sua.--<i>Purch.</i>]</blockquote> + +<p>The character of Jehanguire, the reigning Mogul, seems +strangely compounded of opposite extremes. He is at times +excessively cruel, and at other times extremely mild. He is +himself much given to excess in wine, yet severely punishes that +fault in others. His subjects know not what it is to disobey his +commands, forgetting the natural bonds of private life, even +those between father and son, in the fulfilment of their public +duty. He daily relieves numbers of the poor; and often, as a mark +of his filial piety, is in use to carry the palanquin of his +mother on his own shoulders. He speaks with much reverence of our +Saviour, but is offended by his cross and poverty, deeming them +incompatible with his divine Majesty, though told that his +humility was on purpose to subdue the pride of the world.</p> + +<p>All religions are tolerated, and even their priests are held +in good esteem. I used often to receive from the Mogul the +appellation of <i>Father</i>, with many other gracious words, and +had a place assigned me among his nobles. The jesuits are not +only admitted into his presence, but encouraged by many gifts, +and are permitted to convert the subjects, who do not on that +event lose their favour at court. On one occasion, the Mogul put +the sincerity of a convert to a severe trial. Having used many +threatenings to induce him to abandon his new faith, and finding +him undaunted, he tried by flatteries and high promises to draw +him back; but these also being unavailing, he bade him continue a +Christian, and dismissed him with a reward; saying, if he had +been able to terrify or cajole him from his religion, he would +have made him a terrible example for all waverers.</p> + +<p>When I was in this country, the chief jesuit residing at the +court of the Mogul, was Francisco Corsi, a Florentine by birth, +who acted likewise as agent for the Portuguese. I wish I could +confirm the reports they have made of conversions; but the real +truth is, that they have merely spilt the water of baptism on the +faces of a few, working on the necessities of some poor men, who +from want of means to live, with which the jesuits supplied them, +have been persuaded to wear crucifixes, but who, for want of +instruction, are only Christians in name. Of these few +mendicants, or so called by Christians, I noticed that five of +them would beg in the name of Maria, for one who asked in the +name of Jesus. I also desired to have put my hands to the holy +work, but found extreme difficulty in the way, owing both to the +Mahometan laxity in regard to the use of women, and the debauched +lives of some unchristian Christians.--May he who hath the key of +David open their eyes, and in his good time send labourers into +this vineyard. <i>Amen</i>.</p> + +<p>SECTION VIII.</p> + +<p>JOURNEY OF THOMAS CORYAT BY LAND, FROM JERUSALEM TO THE COURT +OF THE GREAT MOGUL.[245]</p> + +<p>INTRODUCTION.</p> + +<p>Without proposing to follow this singularly bold English +traveller and whimsical writer, in all his <i>crudities</i>, as +he has quaintly termed his own writings, it has seemed proper to +give some abbreviated extracts of his observations, which may +serve in some measure to illustrate those of Sir Tomas Roe and +the Reverend Edward Terry.--E.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 245: Purch. Pilgr. I. 607. In regard to +this short article, see introduction to the immediately preceding +Section.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>S.1. <i>Letter from Ajimeer, the Court of the Great Mogul, to +Mr L. Whitaker, dated in the Year 1615</i>.</p> + +<p>My last letter to you was from <i>Zobah</i>, as it is called +by the prophet Samuel, B. II. ch. viii. v. 3. now named Aleppo, +the principal emporium of all Syria, or rather of the eastern +world; which was, I think, about fifteen months ago. I returned +from Jerusalem to Aleppo, where I remained three months +afterwards, and then departed in a caravan bound for Persia. +Passing the river Euphrates, the chiefest of the rivers which +irrigated the terrestrial paradise, when about four days journey +from Aleppo, I entered into Mesopotamia, or Chaldea. Hence, in +two days journey, I reached <i>Ur</i> of the Chaldees, where +Abraham was born, a very delicate and pleasant city.[246] I +remained here four days; and in other four days journey reached +the Tigris, which I also passed, at a place where it was so +shallow that it only reached to the calf of my leg, so that I +waded over a-foot. I then entered into the greater Armenia; and +thence into lower Media, and resided six days in its metropolis, +formerly called <i>Ecbatana</i>, the summer residence of Cyrus +the Great, now called Tauris. More woeful ruins of a city I never +beheld, excepting those of Troy and of Cyzicum in Natolia.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 246: Probably Orfa in Diarbekir is here +meant.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>From that place I went to <i>Cashbin</i>, called by Strabo, +<i>Arsacia</i>, in higher Media, once the residence of the Tartar +prince; four days journey from the Caspian Sea. From Cashbin, I +went in twenty-three days to <i>Ispahan</i> in Parthia, the +residence of the king of Persia; but while I was there, he was in +<i>Gurgistan</i>, [Georgia,] ransacking the poor Christians of +that country with fire and sword. I remained two months at +Ispahan, whence I travelled with a caravan to the eastern India, +passing four months and several days in travelling from that +city, through part of Persia proper, and a large extent of the +noble and renowned India, to the goodly city of <i>Lahore</i>. +This is one of the largest cities in the world, being, at the +least, sixteen miles in circuit, and larger even than +Constantinople. Twelve days before coming to Lahore, I passed +over the famous river Indus, which is as broad again as our +Thames at London, having its original from the mountain of +Caucassus, so ennobled by ancient poets and historians, both +Greek and Latin.</p> + +<p>When about midway between Ispahan and Lahore, just about the +frontiers between Persia and India, I met Sir Robert Shirley and +his lady, travelling from the court of the Mogul to that of +Persia. They were gallantly furnished for their journey, and +shewed me, to my great satisfaction, both my books, very neatly +kept, and promised to shew them, especially my itinerary, to the +king of Persia, and to interpret some of the principal contents +to him in Turkish, that I may have the more gracious access to +him at my return. Besides other rarities which they carried with +them, they had two elephants and eight antelopes, being the first +of either I had ever seen. But afterwards, when I came to the +Mogul's, court, I saw many. They intended to present these +animals to the king of Persia. Both Sir Robert and his lady used +me with much respect; especially his lady, who presented me with +forty shillings in Persian money; and they seemed joyful at +meeting me, promising to bring me into good grace with the king +of Persia, as I mean, with God's help, to return through Persia +to Aleppo.</p> + +<p>From Lahore, I travelled in twenty days to another goodly city +named Agra, through such a beautiful and level country as I had +never seen before. In this way, from the town's end of Lahore to +the skirts of Agra, we had a row of trees on both sides of the +road, the most incomparable avenue I ever beheld. Some ten days +journey from Lahore towards Agra, but about ten miles off the +road on the left hand, there is a mountain, the inhabitants of +which have a singular custom, all the brothers of one family +having but one wife among them, so that one women sometimes has +six or seven husbands. The same is related by Strabo concerning +the inhabitants of Arabia Felix. Agra is a very great city, but +in every respect much inferior to Lahore. Here the Mogul used +always to keep his court, till within these two years.</p> + +<p>From Agra I went in ten days to the Mogul's court, at a town +called Asmere, [Ajimeer,] where I found an English. Cape merchant +with nine more of our countrymen, residing there in the way of +trade for our East India Company. In. my journey from Jerusalem +to the court of the Great Mogul, I spent fifteen months and some +days, travelling all the way a-foot, having been so great a +<i>propatetic</i>, or walker forwards on foot, as I doubt if you +ever heard of the like; for the whole way, from Jerusalem to +Ajimeer, contains 2700 English miles. My whole perambulation of +the greater Asia is likely to extend almost to 6000 miles, by the +time I have returned back through Persia, by Babylon and Nineveh +to Cairo in Egypt, and thence down the Nile to Alexandria, when I +propose, with God's blessing, to embark for Christendom.</p> + +<p>The reigning Great Mogul is named Selim.[247] He is +fifty-three years of age, his birth-day having been celebrated +with wonderful magnificence since my arrival. He was that day +weighed in a pair of golden scales, which by great chance I saw +that same day, the opposite scale being filled with as much gold +as counterpoised his weight, and this is afterwards distributed +among the poor. This custom is observed every year. His +complexion is of an olive colour, something between white and +black; being of a seemly stature, but somewhat corpulent. His +dominions are very extensive, being about 4000 English miles in +circumference, nearly answerable to the compass of the Turkish +territories; or, if the Mogul kingdom be any way inferior in size +to that empire, it is more than equally endowed with a fertile +soil beyond that of any other country, and in having its +territory connected together in one goodly continent, within +which no other prince possesses one single foot of land. The +yearly revenue of the Mogul extends to forty millions of crowns, +of six shillings each, while that of the Turk does not exceed +fifteen millions, as I was credibly informed in Constantinople, +nor that of the Sophy five millions, as I learnt at Ispahan. It +is said that the present Great Mogul is not circumcised, in which +he differs from all other Mahometan sovereigns.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 247: He was Sultan Selim before his +accession to the throne, but was afterward known by the new name +of Jehunguire.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The Great Mogul speaks with much revrence of our Saviour, +naming him <i>Hazaret Eesa</i>, that is to say, the Great Prophet +Jesus.[248] He likewise uses all Christians, and especially the +English, with more benevolence than does any other Mahometan +prince. He keeps many wild beasts, such as lions, elephants, +leopards, bears, antelopes, and unicorns, [rhinoceroses,] of +which I saw two at his court, the strangest beasts in the world. +They were brought out of Bengal, a kingdom in his dominions of +most wonderful fertility, above four months journey from this +place, the mid-land parts of which are watered by various +channels and branches of the famous river Ganges. I have not yet +seen that country, but mean to visit it, God willing, before my +departure, the nearest part of it being only about twelve days +journey from hence.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 248: The Persian word <i>Hasaret</i>, here +erroneously rendered Great Prophet, seems to signify literally +<i>face</i> or <i>presence</i>, and is metaphorically used as a +term of highest dignity, of which an instance occurs in the +present section, used by Coryat himself in addressing the Great +Mogul--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>Twice every week elephants are made to fight before the Mogul, +forming the bravest spectacle that can be imagined, many of them +being thirteen feet and a half in height, and they jostle +together as though they were two little mountains; and were they +not separated in the midst of their fighting, by means of certain +fire-works, they would exceedingly hurt and gore each other, by +their murderous tusks. The Mogul is said to keep 30,000 +elephants, at a most enormous expence; and in feeding them, +together with his lions and other beasts, he expends an +incredible sum of money, being at the least 10,000 pounds +sterling daily. I have myself rode upon an elephant since I came +to this court, meaning in my next book to have my effigies +represented in that form. This king keeps a thousand women for +his own use, the chiefest of whom, called Normal, (Noormahal) is +his queen.</p> + +<p>In my ten months journey between Aleppo and this court, I +spent just three pounds sterling, yet fared reasonably every day; +victuals being so cheap in some of the countries through which I +travelled, that I often lived competently for one penny a-day. Of +that three pounds, I was actually cozened out of ten shillings, +by certain evil Christians of the Armenian nation; so that in +reality I only expended fifty shillings in all that time. I have +been in a city of this country called <i>Detee</i>,[249] where +Alexander the Great joined battle with Porus king of India, and +defeated him; and where, in memory of his victory, he caused +erect a brazen pillar, which remains there to this day. At this +time I have many irons in the fire, as I am learning the Persian, +Turkish, and Arabic languages, having already acquired the +Italian. I have been already three months at the court of the +Great Mogul, and propose, God willing, to remain here five months +longer, till I have got these three languages; after which I +propose to visit the river Ganges, and then to return to the +court of Persia.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 249: This is obviously a misprint for +Delee, meaning Delhi; but it is more probable that Alexander +never was beyond the Punjab.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>In the course of my journey, I was robbed of my money, but not +of all, having some concealed in certain secret corners. This was +done at the city of Diarbekir in Mesopotatamia, by a Turkish +horse soldier, whom they call a <i>spahee</i>. Since my arrival +here, there was sent to this king the richest present I ever +heard of. It consisted of various things, the whole amounting to +the value of ten of their lacks, a lack being £10,000 +sterling. Part of this present consisted of thirty-one elephants, +two of which were more gorgeously adorned than any thing I ever +saw, or shall see in the course of my life. They had each four +massy chains all of beaten gold, around their bodies, with two +chains of the same about their legs, furniture for their buttocks +of the same rich material, and two golden lions on their +heads.</p> + +<p>S.2. <i>Letter from Agra, the Capital of the Great Mogul, to +his Mother, dated 31st October, 1616</i>.</p> + +<p>Most dear and well-beloved Mother,</p> + +<p>This city is the metropolis of the whole dominions of the +Great Mogul, and is at the distance of ten days journey from +Ajimeer, whence I departed on the 12th September this year, after +having abode there twelve months and sixty days. This my long +stay in one place, was for two principal causes; one being to +learn the languages of these countries through which I am to pass +between this country and Christendom, namely, Persian, Turkish, +and Arabic, which I have competently attained to by labour and +industry, being as available to me as money, and the chiefest, or +rather the only means to get me money if I should happen to be in +want; and, secondly, that, by the help of the Persian, I might +get myself access to the Mogul, and be able to express my mind +unto him about what I proposed to lay before him. During all this +time, I abode in the house of the English merchants, my dear +countrymen, not expending any money at all for lodging, diet, +washing, or any other thing.</p> + +<p>I attained to a reasonable skill in the Persian tongue, by +earnest study in a few months, so that I made an oration to the +king in that language, before many of his nobles; and afterwards +discoursed with him very readily. The copy of this speech I have +sent you, as a novelty, though the language may seem strange and +uncouth to an Englishman; and I have sent you herewith a +translation, which you may shew along with the Persian original +to some of my learned friends of the clergy, and also of the +laity, who may take some pleasure in reading so rare and unusual +a tongue. The Persian is this that follows:</p> + +<p><i>Hazaret Aallum-pennah, Salamet: fooker Darceish, ce +jehaun-gesht hastam; ke mia emadam az wellageti door, yanne as +muik Ingliz-stan, ke kessanion pesheen mushacar cardand,</i> +<i>ke wellageti mazcoor der akeri magrub bood, ke mader hamma +jezzaereti dunia ast, &c.</i>[250]--The English of it is +this:</p> + +<p>"Lord protector of the world, all hail! I am a poor traveller +and world-seer, who am come here from a far country called +England, which ancient historians thought to have been situated +in the farthest bounds of the west, and which is the queen of all +the islands in the world. The causes of my coming hither are +four. First, that I might behold the blessed countenance of your +majesty, whose great fame has resounded over all Europe, and +through all the Mahometan countries. When I heard of the fame of +your majesty, I made all possible haste hither, and cheerfully +endured the labour of travelling, that I might see your glorious +court. Secondly, I was desirous of seeing your majesty's +elephants, which kind of beasts I have not seen in any other +country. Thirdly, that I might see your famous river the Ganges, +the captain of all the rivers in the world. Fourthly, to entreat +your majesty, that you would vouchsafe to grant me your most +gracious phirmaund, that I may travel into the country of +Tartaria to the city of Samarcand, to visit the blessed sepulchre +of the <i>Lord of the Corners</i>,[251] whose fame, by reason of +his wars and victories, is published over the whole world, so +that perhaps he is not altogether so famous in his own country of +Tartary as in England. I have a strong desire to see the +sepulchre of the Lord of the Corners for this cause, that, when +in Constantinople, I saw a notable old building in a pleasant +garden near the said city, where the Christian emperor, Emanuel, +made a sumptuous banquet to the Lord of the Corners, after he had +taken Sultan Bajazet in a great battle near the city of Brusa, +when the Lord of the Corners bound Sultan Bajazet in golden +fetters, and put him into an iron cage. These causes have induced +me to travel thus far from my native country, having come a-foot +through Turkey and Persia into this country, my pilgrimage having +extended so three thousand miles, with much labour and toil, such +as no mortal man hath ever yet performed, to see the blessed +countenance of your majesty, since the first day of your being +inaugurated in your imperial throne."</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 250: The whole discourse, of which the +following paragraph in the text is the translation, is contained +in the Pilgrims: But doubting its accuracy, as that book is most +incorrectly printed throughout, the editor requested the favour +of the late learned professor of oriental languages in the +University of Edinburgh, Dr Alexander Murray, to revise and +correct this first sentence, which he most readily did, adding +the following literal translation: "Presence, [or face.] of the +world--protector, salutation to thee: A poor dervish and +world-wanderer I am; that I have come from a kingdom far, to-wit, +from the kingdom of Ingliz-stan, which historians ancient, +relation have made, that kingdom said, in the end of the west +was, which the mother of every island of the world is," +&c.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 251: This is the title given to Tamerlane +in this country, in the Persian language, meaning that he was +lord over the four corners of the earth, that is, the highest and +supreme monarch of the world.--<i>Purch.</i>]</blockquote> + +<p>When I had ended my speech, I conversed with him for a short +space in Persian, when, among other things, he told me that he +could do me no service in regard to my proposed journey to +Samarcand, as there was no intimacy between him and the princes +of the Tartars, so that his commendatory letters would avail me +little. He also added, that the Tartars bore so deadly a hate +against all Christians, that they would certainly kill any who +might venture into their country, wherefore he earnestly +dissuaded me from this proposed journey, as I valued my life and +welfare. At last, he concluded his discourse by throwing down to +me, from a window in which he stood, that looked into the street, +an hundred pieces of silver, worth two shillings each or ten +pounds in all, which were thrown into a sheet hanging by the four +corners.</p> + +<p>I had conducted this affair so secretly, by the help of the +Persian which I had learnt, that neither our English ambassador, +nor any other of my countrymen, excepting one special and private +friend, knew any thing at all about the matter till I had +thoroughly accomplished my design. For I well knew, if the +ambassador had got the smallest notice of my purpose, that he +would have counteracted me, as indeed he signified to me after I +had effected my purpose, alledging that this might redound to the +discredit of our nation, for one of our country to present +himself in that poor and beggarly manner before the king, to +crave money from him by flattery. But I answered our ambassador +so resolutely, that he was glad to let me alone. Indeed, I never +had more need of money in all my life than at this time, having +only to the value of twenty shillings remaining, owing to my +having been stripped of almost all my money by a miscreant Turk, +in a city called <i>Imaret</i>, in Mesopotamia.</p> + +<p>After my interview with the Mogul, I went to visit a certain +noble and generous Christian of the Armenian nation, two days +journey from court, to observe certain remarkable matters at that +place; and, by means of my knowledge of the Persian language, he +made me very welcome, entertaining me with much civility and +kindness; and, at my departure, gave me very bountifully twenty +pieces of the same coin as the king had done, worth forty +shillings of our money. About ten days after this, I departed +from Ajimeer, the court of the Great Mogul, to resume my +pilgrimage, after my long rest of fourteen months, proposing to +go back into Persia. On this occasion, our ambassador gave me a +gold piece of this king's coin, worth twenty-four shillings, +which I shall save till my arrival in England, if it be possible. +I have thus received in benevolences, since I came into this +country, twenty marks sterling,[252] bating two shillings and +eight-pence, besides £1:13:4 sterling, in Persian money, +from Lady Shirley, upon the confines of Persia. At this present, +being in Agra, whence I write this letter, I have about twelve +pounds, which, according to my manner of living on the way, at +two-pence a-day, will very competently maintain me during three +years travel, considering the cheapness of all eatables in Asia. +Drink costs me nothing, as I hardly ever drink any thing beyond +pure water during my pilgrimage.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 252: Twenty marks are £15:6:8 +sterling.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>I mean to remain in Agra for six weeks longer, waiting an +excellent opportunity of going to the famous river Ganges, about +five days journey from hence, to see a memorable meeting of the +idolatrous people of this country, called Banians, of whom to the +number of 400,000 go thither, on purpose to bathe and shave +themselves in the river, and to sacrifice a world of gold to that +same river, partly in stamped coin, and partly in great massy +lumps and wedges, thrown into the river as a sacrifice, besides +many other strange ceremonies, worthy of being observed. So +notable a spectacle is no where to be seen, neither in this the +<i>greater</i> Asia, nor in the <i>lesser</i>, now called +Natolia. This shew is made once in every year, on which occasion +people flock thither from almost a thousand miles off, +worshipping the river as a god and saviour; a most abominable and +impious superstition of these brutish heathens, aliens from +Christ. As soon as I have seen this ceremony, I propose, by God's +help, to repair to Lahore, twenty days journey from hence, and so +into Persia, &c.</p> + +<p>Your dutiful, loving, and obedient son, Now a desolate pilgrim +in the world, THOMAS CORYAT.</p> + +<p>S.3. <i>Some Observations concerning India, by Thomas +Coryat</i>.[253]</p> + +<p>Whereas in this country the beggars beg from a Christian in +the name of <i>Bibbee Maria</i>, and not of <i>Hazaret Eesa</i>, +we may gather that the Jesuits have preached our <i>Lady Mary</i> +more than the <i>Lord Jesus</i>.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 253: Purchas informs us, that these were +taken from certain notes written by Coryat, given him by Sir +Thomas Roe; "whence, omitting such things as have been given +before from the observations of Sir Thomas Roe himself, I have +inserted a few."--<i>Purch.</i>]</blockquote> + +<p>A great rajah of the Hindoos, who was a notorious atheist, and +a contemner of all diety, and who boasted that he knew of no God +except the king, and neither believed nor feared any other, +happened one day to sit dallying among his women, when one of +them plucked a hair from his breast, which hair being +fast-rooted, plucked off along with it a small bit of skin, so +that a small spot of blood appeared. This small scar festered and +gangrened incurably, so that in a few days his life was despaired +of, and being surrounded by all his friends, and several of the +courtiers, he broke out into these excellent words:--"Which of +you would have thought that I, a warrior, should not have died by +the stroke of a sword, a spear, or an arrow? But now am I +enforced to confess the power of the great God I have so long +despised, who needs no other lance to slay so blasphemous a +wretch and contemner of his holy majesty, such as I have been, +than a small hair."</p> + +<p>Akbar Shah, the former king, had learnt all manner of +sorceries; and being once in a strange humour to shew a spectacle +to his nobles, he brought forth his favourite Sultana before +them, and cut off her head with a sword in their presence. Seeing +them struck with horror and amazement at this action, by virtue +of his exorcisms and sorceries, he caused her head to fix on +again, and no sign remained of any wound.</p> + +<p>The same prince, who was very fortunate during his reign, +shewed the utmost attention and respect to his mother, of which +he one day gave the following striking instance:--Being on a +journey between Lahore and Agra, on which occasion his mother +accompanied him, being carried in a palanquin, and having to pass +a river, he took one of the poles of the palanquin on his own +shoulder, commanding his greatest nobles to do the same, and in +this manner carried her across the river. He never denied her any +request that ever she made, except one, and this was, that our +Bible might be hung about the neck of an ass, and so beaten about +the town of Agra. The reason of this strange request was, that +the Portuguese had taken a ship of theirs, in which they found a +copy of the <i>Koran</i>, or bible of the Mahometans, which they +tied about the neck of a dog, and beat the dog about the streets +of Ormus. But he denied her this request, saying, That if it were +evil in the Portuguese to have so done with the Koran, it did not +become a king to requite evil with evil, as the contempt of any +religion was contempt of God, and he would not be revenged upon +an innocent book. The moral of this is, that God would not permit +the sacred book of his law and truth to be contemned among the +infidels.</p> + +<p>One day in every year, for the amusement of the king's women, +all the tradesmen's wives are admitted into the <i>Mahal</i>, +having each somewhat to sell, after the manner of a fair, and at +which the king acts as broker for his wives, no other man being +present, and by means of his gains on this occasion, provides his +own supper. By this means he attains to a sight of all the pretty +women of the city; and at a fair of this kind he got his beloved +<i>Noor Mahal</i>.</p> + +<p>After <i>Shaof Freed</i> had won the battle of Lahore by a +stratagem, all the captains of the rebel army, to the number of +two thousand, who had been taken by the king, were hung up upon +flesh-hooks, or set upon stakes, forming an avenue for the king's +entrance into Lahore. On this occasion, his son <i>Curseroo</i>, +[Cusero] who had been made prisoner, rode beside him, +bare-footed, on an elephant, and the king asked him how he liked +that spectacle? To this the prince answered, That he was sorry to +see so much cruelty and injustice in his father, in thus +executing those who had only done their duty, as they had lived +on his bread and salt: but that his father had done justly if he +had pardoned these brave men, and punished him, who was their +master, and the author of this rebellion.</p> + +<p>Sultan Cusero has only one wife, owing to the following +circumstance: During his confinement, the king proposed to make a +hunting progress of four months, and consulted how he might keep +his son in safe custody during his absence. He at length +determined to build a tower in which to immure him, having +neither door nor window, and only a few small holes to let in +air, and these so high as to be beyond reach. Into this tower +were to be put along with the prince all sorts of provisions and +necessaries, with a few servants to attend him. While this was +building, the wife of Cusero fell at the king's feet, and would +not leave him till she obtained his consent to be shut up along +with her husband. The king endeavoured to persuade her to enjoy +her liberty, but she utterly refused any other comfort than to be +the companion of her husband's miseries. Among these, this was +the greatest, that if any of those who were to be shut up along +with him, to the number of fifty in all, should happen to die +during the king's absence, there were no means either to remove +or bury the body, as no person was to be allowed to come near the +tower.</p> + +<p>It is a frequent custom of the present Mogul, when he happens +to be awake in the night time, he calls for certain poor old men, +making them sit beside him, and passes his time in familiar +discourse with them, giving them clothes and bountiful alms when +he dismisses them. At one time, when residing at Ajimeer, he went +a-foot on pilgrimage to the tomb of a saint or prophet called +Haji Mundin, and there kindled a fire with his own hands, under +an immense <i>Heidelbergian equipolent</i> brass pot, in which +victuals were cooked for five thousand poor persons. When the +victuals were ready, he took out the first platter with his own +hands, and served the mess to a poor person. Noor Mahal took out +and served the second, and the rest was served by the other +ladies of his court.--<i>Crack me this nut, all ye papal +charity-vaunters</i>.</p> + +<p>One day an Armenian procured a nobleman to present him to the +king, as one who desired to become an Mahometan; on which the +king asked him, if he had been converted from hope of preferment; +to which the Armenian answered, that be had no such motive. Some +months afterwards, the new convert craved some courtesy from the +king, which he denied, saying, "I have already done you the +greatest of all favours, in allowing you to save your soul; but +you must provide for your own body the best way you can." The +king likes not those who change their religion, being himself of +none but according to his own fancy, and freely allows therefore +of all religions in his dominions. Of which I may give the +following notable example:</p> + +<p>He had an Armenian in his service, named Scander, whom he one +day asked if he thought any of the <i>padres</i> had ever +converted a single Mahometan to be a true Christian, for +conscience sake, and not for money. Scander answered, with great +confidence, that he had one as his servant, who was a sincere +Christian, and would not be of any other for any worldly +consideration. The king immediately caused this man to be sent +for, and bidding Scander depart, he examined the convert as to +his reasons for having become a Christian. In reply, he quoted +certain feeble jesuitical reasons, declaring his determination to +be of no other religion, though the king made him many fair +speeches and large offers to return to Mahometism, offering him +pensions, and the command of horse. He said he had now only four +rupees a month, which was a poor recompense for becoming a +Christian, but if he would recant, he would give him high +dignities and large means. The fellow answered, that he had not +become a Christian for such small wages, as he was able to earn +as much in the service of a Mahometan; but was a Christian in his +heart, and was determined so to continue. Finding this method +ineffectual, the king turned his tune, and tried him with threats +of severe punishment, unless he returned to the faith of Mahomet. +But the proselyte manfully declared he would suffer any thing, +being ready to endure whatever the king was pleased to order. +Upon this declaration, when all the by-standers expected present +and severe castigation, the king suddenly changed his manner +towards him, highly commending his constancy and resolution, +bidding him return to his master, and to serve him faithfully, +and ordered him an allowance of one rupee a-day for his +integrity.</p> + +<p>About two months afterwards, the king returned from hunting +wild-hogs, an animal which is held in abhorrence by all +Mahometans, and which kind of venison, therefore, the king was in +use to distribute among the Christians and Rajaputs. On this +occasion, the king sent for the converted catechumen above +mentioned, and commanded him to take up a hog for his master, +which no Mahometan will touch. He did so, but on going out of the +court gate, he was so hooted at by the Mahometans, that he threw +down his burden in a ditch, and went home; concealing what had +passed from his master. Some four days afterwards, the Armenian +being on duty in presence of the king, he asked him if the hog he +had sent him was good meat. The Armenian replied, that he had not +seen or heard of any. The king therefore immediately ordered the +convert to be sent for, who confessed that he had not carried +home the hog, as being mocked by the Mahometans for touching so +great an abomination, he had for shame thrown it away. On this +the king observed, "By your Christian law there is no difference +of meats. Are you ashamed of your law, or do you outwardly +forsake it to flatter the Mahometans? I now see that you are +neither a good Christian nor a good Mahometan, but a knave +dissembling with both. When I believed you sincere, I gave you a +pension, which I now take from you for your dissimulation, and I +farther condemn you to receive an hundred stripes." These were +presently paid him, instead of his money; and the king desired +all to take warning by this example, that, having given liberty +of conscience to all religions, he would have all to adhere to +what they professed.</p> + +<p>SECTION IX.</p> + +<p>ACCOUNT OF THE WRONGS DONE TO THE ENGLISH AT BANDA BY THE +DUTCH, IN 1617 AND 1618.[254]</p> + +<p>INTRODUCTION.</p> + +<p>This section contains a letter from Mr Thomas Spurway, +merchant or factor, addressed from Bantam, "To the Honourable and +Right Worshipful the East India Company of England, touching the +wrongs done at Banda to the English by the Hollanders; the former +unkind disgusts and brabling quarrels now breaking unexpectedly +out into a furious and injurious war." Such is the account given +of this section by Purchas, who farther informs his readers, +"That the beginning of this letter was torn, and therefore +imperfect in his edition; but, what is here defective, was to be +afterwards supplied from the journals of Nathaniel Courthop, and +other continuations of these insolences of the Dutch at Banda, by +Mr Hayes, and others." These journals of Courthop and Hayes are +so intolerably and confusedly written, and so interlarded with +numerous letters <i>about</i> the subject of these differences +with the Dutch, that we have been reluctantly under the necessity +of omitting them, being so monstrously inarticulate as to render +it impossible to make them at all palatable to our readers, +without using freedoms that were altogether inadmissible in a +work like the present.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 254: Purch. Pilgr. I. 608.]</blockquote> + +<p>From this letter, and other information of a similar nature, +it appears that the attempts to form establishments for trade at +Banda and the Molucca islands were found to be difficult or +impracticable, owing to the opposition of the Dutch, who were +much stronger in that part of India, and had not only conceived +the plan of monopolizing the spice trade, but even avowed their +determination to exclude the English and all other European +nations from participating in any share of it. We do not pretend, +in our Collection, to write the history of the English East India +Company, but merely to give a series of the voyages which +contributed to the establishment of that princely association of +merchant adventurers. Yet it seems proper, occasionally at least, +in the introductions to leading voyages, like the present, to +give some short historical notices of the subject, for the +materials of which we are chiefly, if not solely, indebted to the +Annals of the Company, a work of meritorious and laborious +research, already several times referred to.</p> + +<p>Under the difficulties which had long attended the exertions +of the English to acquire a share in this peculiarly called +<i>spice trade</i>, the agent and commercial council of the +English company at Bantam, gave authority to the commanders of +the Swan and Defence to endeavour to obtain from the native +chiefs of the islands of Puloroon and Puloway, a surrender of +these islands to the king of England, with the stipulation of +paying annually as a quit-rent, a fruit-bearing branch of the +nutmeg tree; yet stipulating that these islanders were to +continue entirely under the guidance of their own laws and +customs, providing only that they should engage to sell their +spices exclusively to the agents of the English company, who +were, in return, to supply them with provisions and Hindoostan +manufactures at a fair price, in exchange for their peculiar +productions, nutmegs and mace. They were likewise authorised, if +they procured the consent of the natives, to establish fortified +stations, or factories, at Puloroon, Puloway. Pulo-Lantore, and +Rosinging, or Rosengin.[255] The views of the Bantam factory on +this occasion seem to have been generally judicious, as to the +measure they now authorised, but exceedingly ill judged in +attempting to execute so very important a purpose with a force +entirely inadequate to that with which it had to contend.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 255: An. of E.I. Co. I. 187.]</blockquote> + +<p>The Dutch had expelled the Portuguese, at that time the +subjects of their tyrannical oppressors, the Spaniards, from a +great portion of the spice islands, in which warlike measure, and +its consequences, they had always to support a considerable +force, both naval and military, in these seas, and in various +forts upon these islands; and besides, that they felt their +preponderance from these circumstances, and used it very +naturally for their own exclusive benefit, they alleged, and with +no small appearance of equity, that the English had no right to +enjoy the advantages of a trade, which they, the Dutch, had +conquered from the Portuguese and Spaniards. This opposition of +interests proceeded in the sequel to great extremities, in which +the greatly superior power of the Hollanders in these seas, +enabled them effectually to oppress the English, in what are +peculiarly called the spice islands, and even to expel them from +all participation in that trade, as will appear in some of the +subsequent sections of this chapter.</p> + +<p>It would be not only premature in this place, but incompatible +with the nature of our work, which is intended as a Collection of +Voyages and Travels, to attempt giving a connected history of +these dissensions between the Dutch and English in Eastern India, +which will be found detailed in the Annals of the English +Company. It is hardly possible, however, to refrain from one +observation on the subject,--that the Dutch company, and the +government of Holland, appear to have mainly proceeded, in their +hostile opposition to the English East India trade, on their +knowledge of the pusillanimous character of King James, which he +vainly thought to veil under the pretensions of loving peace, but +which the Dutch, as will be seen in the present section, clearly +understood, and openly expressed, as <i>the childhood of St +George</i>, the tutelary martial saint of England. <i>Beati +pacifici</i>, his favourite adage, is an excellent Christian and +moral sentiment, but is incompatible with the unavoidable +exigencies of government, at least as they were then +situated.--E.</p> + +<hr align="center" width="25%"> +<p><i>May it please your Worships</i>,</p> + +<p>We arrived at Macassar on the 19th of November, 1616, from +Bantam, with the Swan and Defence, under the command of Captain +Nicholas Courthop, who sailed in the Swan, of which ship Mr Davis +was master, the other being commanded by Mr Hinchley. We remained +there for the purpose of taking in an hundred <i>quoines</i>[256] +of rice. On the 4th December, we saw a large Dutch ship in the +offing, which came to anchor about five leagues off, and on the +5th they sent their skiff ashore, which made directly for the +English house, having eight men on board. As soon as we perceived +this boat coming ashore, we ran to the sea side; but, before we +got there, two of her men were landed, whom we acquainted with +the danger they were in, as the king of Macassar, and all the +other kings thereabouts, were become their mortal enemies, +because of the many injuries done them by the Hollanders, who had +forcibly carried away a principal sabander, and other persons +belonging to Macassar, for which they were determined upon +revenge; and, therefore, that they might all expect to be put to +death, unless the king could be prevailed upon to spare them. The +Dutchmen were so much alarmed at this intelligence, that they +wished to have gone back to their boat, but the Macassers had +already gathered about us, and laid hands upon them.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 256: The amount or quantity of these +<i>quoines</i> are no where stated, or even hinted at; but, from +circumstances in the sequel, they appear to have been +considerable.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>I, and other English, immediately went in all haste to the +king, acquainting him with what had happened, lest, if the Dutch +had intended any treachery, he might have suspected us as being +accessary. The king gave us thanks, and desired us to take the +two Dutchmen who had landed to our house, that we might learn +from them their intentions in coming here. This we did, and they +informed us that they belonged to a fleet lately fitted out from +Holland, and had lost company of their consorts. One of these +called himself John Staunch, and reported himself to be an +under-factor. The other was an English sailor. Perceiving +themselves to be in great danger, they earnestly entreated us to +stand their friends and procure their liberty. We promised to do +every thing we could for them. Soon after this, the kings of +Macassar and Talow, together with about 2000 attendants, came to +the sands near the sea side, where they held a council upon these +men. The king of Talow was clear for putting them to death, but +we used our interest so successfully for them, that they were +commanded to be gone instantly in their boat; The king of +Macassar observing, that these were too few for satisfying his +revenge, and that he should wait for one more ample. So they +departed and went to their ship.</p> + +<p>Next day another boat was observed coming towards the shore +from the same ship; and, on the king being informed of this, he +gave immediate orders for twenty proas and corracorras to be +manned and launched. This was done immediately, and the whole +made towards the Dutch boat, which was rowing for the land +directly towards our house. On observing the native craft +endeavouring to intercept them, the Dutch turned their boat, and +rowed back to regain their ship; but the Macassars soon got up, +boarded them on both sides, and slew every man of the Hollanders, +being sixteen in number. There were at this time near 5000 people +at the sea side, and we were commanded to keep the house.</p> + +<p>The name of this Dutch ship was the Endraught, and imagining +that we were bound for Banda or the Moluccas, she remained at sea +waiting for us. We set sail from Macassar road on the 8th +December, 1616, and when the Dutchmen, saw us under sail, they +also weighed and kept company with us. We would gladly have gone +from them, but could not, owing to the bad sailing of the +Defence. They sent their boat to us, requesting we would spare +them two quoines of rice, four tons of water, and some poultry, +all of which we gave them, only taking payment for the rice, +being forty dollars, giving the water and poultry freely. We +asked why they had attempted to land the second time; when they +told us their first boat had not then returned to the ship, so +that they believed the Dutch factory had still remained at +Macassar. But I believe it proceeded from obstinacy, believing +their first boat had been denied access at our instigation, and +meaning to make a second trial, when they hoped to have flattered +the king to allow them to return, and reinstate their factory. +For both their boats passed within musket-shot of our ships on +their way to the land, yet did not go aboard to enquire what were +the situation of affairs on shore, which if they had done, we +should have forewarned them of their danger. They kept company +with us till we came near Amboina, for which place they stood in, +while we continued our course. We have since learnt that they +gave out we had been the cause of their men being slain at +Macassar, which is most false: For I solemnly protest that we +used our best endeavours to save them, and if it had not been for +us, the eight men in their first boat had also been slain.</p> + +<p>The Swan and Defence arrived in the road of Puloroon on the +13th December. Next day the people of that island came on board, +and conferred with us about surrendering the island to us. We +represented that our nation had come often to their island, at +great cost, and at their particular request, to settle a factory, +and trade with them in a friendly manner, bringing them rice and +other provisions, with cloth and sundry commodities, in exchange +for their spices; that we had no desire to usurp over them, or to +reduce them under bondage, as had been done formerly by the +Hollanders and other nations; and that, if they would surrender +their island of Puloroon to our sovereign the king of England, by +a formal writing, and by the delivery of some earth, with a tree +and fruits of the island, as true tokens of their fidelity, and +thereafter a nut-tree yearly as an acknowledgment, we should +settle a factory, and would furnish them with rice, cloth, and +other commodities, both now and yearly afterwards. We also +assured them, if we were once settled on the island, that +sufficient supplies would come to them yearly, much better than +now; and that we would use our utmost efforts, both by means of +our men and ships, to defend them and ourselves from all enemies. +We also demanded, whether they had come under any contract with +the Hollanders, or had made them any surrender of their island. +To this they unanimously replied, that they had made no such +engagement, and never would, but held the Hollanders as their +mortal enemies. This was earnestly declared to us, both by the +men of Puloroon and by divers chiefs from Puloway, who had fled +from that island on its forcible reduction by the Hollanders. And +they all declared that the island of Puloway had been lawfully +surrendered to Richard Hunt, for the king of England, before the +Hollanders came into the road, the English colours having been +hoisted in the castle, which the Hollanders shot down, using many +disgraceful words of his majesty. They farther declared, that +they defended their island for his majesty's use, as long as they +possibly could; and, being constrained by force, they had fled to +Puloroon, Lantor, and Serran.</p> + +<p>After this conference had continued the whole day, the +writings of surrender were drawn up, and confirmed by all the +chief men of Puloroon and Puloway, and so delivered by their own +hands to us, Nathaniel Cowthorp, Thomas Spurway, and Sophonie +Cozocke, for his majesty's use. They also that same instant +delivered to us a nutmeg-tree, with its fruit growing thereon, +having the earth about its root, together with oilier fruits, and +a live goat, in symbolical surrender of the sovereignty of the +island, desiring us to hoist the English colours, and to fire a +salute of ordnance. Accordingly, the colours were set up, and we +fired thirty pieces of ordnance, as a mark of taking possession; +and at night all the chiefs went ashore, parting from us on the +most friendly terms.</p> + +<p>On Christmas-day we descried two large Dutch ships edging +towards Puloroon. On seeing our ships in the road, they bore away +to leeward for Nero, and next day another of their ships hove in +sight, which went to the same place. The 28th, a Dutch pinnace +stood right over for Puloroon, and came bravadoing within +gun-shot of our fort, having the Dutch colours flying at her +poop; but presently tacked about, lowered her colours, and +hoisted a bloody ensign instead, as if in defiance, and then +stood over for Nero. By this bravado, we daily looked for their +coming against us, according to their old injurious custom. We +landed four pieces of ordnance on the 30th, besides two others +formerly landed on the 25th, and set to work to construct +fortifications for our defence. By the assistance of the +Bandanese, we erected two forts, which were named the Swan and +Defence, after our two ships, each mounted with three guns; the +fort called the Swan being within caliver shot of the ships, and +entirely commanding the road on the eastern side, where is the +principal anchorage for the westerly monsoon.</p> + +<p>The 3d of January, 1617, the three Dutch ships came from Nero +into the road of Puloroon, being the Horne, of 800 tons, the +Star, of 500 tons, and the Yaugar, of 160 tons. The Home anchored +close by our ship the Swan, the Star close beside the Defence, +and the Yaugar a-head of all, to cut off our intercourse with the +shore. Our commission directed us, on receiving the surrender of +Puloroon, and forming a settlement there, to give due notice +thereof in writing to the Hollanders, warning them not to come +there to molest us under the pretence of ignorance, as they had +been formerly accustomed to do. We had accordingly a letter +written to that effect, but knew not how to have it sent, not +daring to dispatch it either by Englishmen or natives, for tear +of being detained. On coming into the road, however, we sent +George Muschamp aboard their admiral, the Star, to deliver the +before-mentioned letter to Mynheer Dedall, the Dutch commander; +and with a message desiring them to depart from the road of +Puloroon before six glasses were run, as the islanders would not +allow them to remain in the roads, or to come near their island, +and would even have already fired upon them, if we had not +prevailed upon them to forbear.</p> + +<p>Soon afterwards, the Dutch commander, Dedall, came on board +the Swan, attended by their chaplain, to enquire the reason of +our message; when we told him that we suspected they came to +injure us, as they had formerly done at Paloway, Cambella, and +other places; and, as they had formerly turned the glass to Mr +Ball, when in their power, threatening to hang him if he did not +immediately cause the English to quit the land, we had now in +like manner appointed a time for them to quit the roads. We also +shewed him the instrument by which Puloroon was surrendered to +us, and our consequent right to keep possession for the king of +England, which we were determined upon doing to the utmost of our +power, wishing them to be well advised in their proceedings, as +they might expect to be shortly called to answer for their +abusive words and injurious conduct to the English. We also +demanded the restoration of Puloway, which had likewise been +lawfully surrendered to the king of England. After this, we +enquired if they had received any previous surrender at Puloroon, +but they could not say they had any; and, when we shewed the +formal surrender made to our king, which their chaplain perused, +he acknowledged that it was a true surrender.</p> + +<p>All this while the glass was running in the great cabin before +their eyes, putting them in mind to be gone. We also told them +plainly, that we believed their only purpose in coming here was +to betray us, and to drive us from the island by treachery or +force, of which scandalous conduct our nation had already had +divers experience from theirs; wherefore we neither could nor +would trust them any more, and we must insist upon their +departure; as, when the glass was six times run out, they must +expect to be shot at from the shore; and, if they fired in return +against the islanders, or shewed any discourtesy or wrong to +them, we should consider it as hostility to us, and would defend +them, being now the subjects of our king. They desired to remain +till next day, which we would not agree to, doubting that more of +their ships might come to join them. They then desired to stay +till midnight; which we agreed to, on condition that we saw them +preparing to weigh their anchors, in which case we said that +notice should be sent ashore to the Bandanese, not to fire upon +them.</p> + +<p>I also demanded to know from Dedall, what was their purpose in +thus coming into the road of Puloroon, unless to molest us. He +pretended that it was their usual custom in passing that island. +But I told them that was not true, as the islanders had declared +there never was any christian ship in their roads till we came. +So he remained silent. They came to anchor in the roads this day +about three in the afternoon, and departed about eleven at night. +We have been since certainly informed, that their purpose was to +have taken possession of our ships by treachery, or to have +driven us out of the roads, and only gave up their intentions on +seeing that we were fortified on shore. Had they then assailed +us, we had little doubt of being able to have defended ourselves +against them, as we had both forts in readiness, the cannon +charged, and the gunners prepared to give fire, on the first +signal from our ships.</p> + +<p>A Dutch ship and pinnace came from Nero on the 10th January; +the pinnace edging near the small island or high sand, called +<i>Nylacka</i>. This island is uninhabited, but full of trees and +bushes, being daily resorted to by the men of Puloroon for +fishing; and as belonging to Puloroon, belonged now to the +English. On coming near the island, the people in the pinnace +were observed continually sounding, wherefore we made four shots +towards her from Fort Defence; but, not intending to strike her, +shot wide. At every shot, the pinnace answered with a base, or +some such piece, firing into the small island among the trees and +bushes, where were some Englishmen and Bandanese of Puloroon, who +were in no small danger from the shot. Seeing they braved us in +this manner, the gunner was desired to do his best, and his next +shot fell close over the stern of the pinnace or frigate, which +made her presently go away. Their purpose of coming thus to sound +about the small island, seemed to be to look out for a +landing-place; meaning to come there with their forces, and there +to fortify themselves, on purpose to compel us to quit the large +island.</p> + +<p>On the 13th, Mr Davey complained that he was in want of water, +and proposed to go over for that purpose to Wayre upon Lantore; +but on the people of Puloroon being informed of this, they would +by no means consent to his going out of the roads, and indeed +neither would we, fearing the Hollanders might do us some injury +in his absence. The people of Puloroon, said they would rather +bring him water from Lantore, in their proas. I went on board Mr +Davey to acquaint him with this; but he and his people would not +consent, saying the Bandanese would bring them rain water, or +such other as was unwholesome, and that they would only be six +days absent, or eight at most.</p> + +<p>At this time, the principal people of Wayre, a free town on +the island of Lantore, and of the separate island of Rosinging, +came over to us, to enter into a parley respecting the surrender +of both to the sovereignty of his majesty; and the formal deed of +surrender being agreed upon and drawn up, they desired that some +Englishmen might go over to receive the same in a public manner +from all their hands, and to witness the ceremonial. As Mr Davey +still persisted to go over with his ship, it was resolved upon, +that Messrs Sophonie Cozocke, George Muschamp, Robert Fuller, and +Thomas Hodges, should go over in the Swan to Wayre and Rosinging, +to see that business accomplished, while the Swan was procuring +water; after which, it was appointed that Mr Cozocke was to +return in the Swan, while the other three were to remain upon the +island of Rosinging for possession, till farther orders. All +business being there concluded to our satisfaction, several +persons in Wayre and Rosinging desired to load nutmegs and mace +in the Swan, and to have a passage for Puloroon, there to sell us +their spices for rice and cloths. All this was agreed to, and +twelve of these persons came on board, with a great quantity of +nutmegs and mace.</p> + +<p>The Swan then set sail for Geulegola, which is only a little +way from Wayre, and there watered, after which she again set +sail. When about eight leagues from the land, a Holland ship or +two gave them chace. The people of the Swan now asked Mr Davey +what he proposed to do. He answered, "They see my colours and I +see theirs: I know them to be Dutch, and they know us to be +English: I know of no injury I have done them, and I will +continue my course for Puloroon." In short time, the Star, for +such was the Dutch ship, got up within shot of the Swan, and +without hailing, or giving the smallest intimation of her +intention, let fly both with great guns and small arms in the +most violent manner. The Swan received two or three great shot +through and through before she replied, and even had some of her +men slain. After this, as Mr Davey writes, the fight continued an +hour and a half, during which five men were killed in the Swan, +viz. Mr Sophonie Cozocke, merchant, who was driven to pieces by a +cannon-ball, Robert Morton, quartermaster and drummer, +Christopher Droope, Edward Murtkin, and a Bantianese passenger +from Wayre. Three others were maimed, having lost arms or legs, +with very little hopes of recovery; and eight others were +wounded, most of them mortally. During the engagement, a Dutchman +stood upon the poop of the Star with a drawn sword, calling out +in the Dutch language, English villains and rogues, we will kill +you all.</p> + +<p>The people of the Swan were much discouraged, on seeing so +many of their companions dead and wounded, insomuch that none of +them would stand by the sails to trim the ship to the best +advantage so that the Hollander lay upon her quarter pouring in +great and small shot, and at last look her by boarding, both with +soldiers and others. They immediately broke open and pillaged the +cabins, plundered the men basely of their clothes and every thing +else worth taking, and throwing overboard whatever did not please +their fancies. Even the Spaniards never used more stern cruelty +in their professed wars, than did now the Dutch to us, with whom +they were in peace and amity. The Star had on board 160 men, +mostly soldiers taken from the castles of Nero and Puloway, while +the Swan had not above thirty able to stand to quarters, the rest +being sick or lame, and all much worn out in toilsome labour at +Puloroon, in landing the ordnance and constructing the two forts. +Ten also of their complement had been left in Puloroon to defend +the two forts, two of whom, Herman Hammond and John Day, were +gunners. The Swan being thus taken and sore battered in the +action, was carried away under the guns of the castle at Nero. +The Dutch gloried much in their victory, boasting of their +exploit to the Bandanese, saying, That the king of England was +not to be compared with their great king of Holland: <i>That +Saint George was now turned a child</i>, and they cared not for +the king of England; for one Holland ship was able to take ten +English ships. They landed all our men at Nero, and kept them all +strict prisoners, many of them in irons.</p> + +<p>The Swan left us at Puloroon on the 16th of January, and we +expected her back in eight or ten days at farthest, but never +heard of her till the 25th of February, when Robert Fuller came +over to us from Rosinging and Wayre; to acquaint us that be had +heard of an English ship being under the guns of Nero castle. We +immediately sent away Robert Hayes, the purser of the Defence, +accompanied by some of the chief men of Puloroon, with directions +to land on that side of Lantore which was in friendship with us, +and to go as near as possible to the Dutch ships with a flag of +truce, to enquire into the matter. After staying almost two +hours, there came at last a boat to fetch him off, but made him +wade to the middle before they would take him in. Being taken on +board one of the Dutch ships, the president and assistants of +Nero met him, when he demanded to know why they had made prize of +the Swan, what was become of her men, and wherefore they detained +our ship and goods. They answered, that <i>time should bring all +to light</i>. Still urging for an answer, they used many +opprobrious words against the English, threatening to come over +to Puloroon with their forces, and to drive us from there and +other places. To this Hayes replied, that they had already done +much more than they could answer for, and was obliged to come +away without seeing any one belonging to the Swan. He could +however see our poor ship all rent and torn, in view of the +natives, as an ill-got and dishonourable trophy of Dutch +treachery and ingratitude. In a short time after, they sent over +a messenger to us with a letter, which we answered, as we did +others afterwards, their messengers frequently coming over with +flags of truce, all of which letters, together with the +surrenders, I brought over with me to Bantam, and delivered to +Captain Ball.</p> + +<p>The Dutch continually threatened us, by their letters and +messengers, that, as they had now taken tee Swan, they would soon +come and take possession of the Defence, and drive us from the +island of Puloroon. We always answered, that we expected them, +and would defend ourselves to the last. They made many bravados, +daily shooting off forty, fifty, or sixty pieces of ordnance at +Nero and Puloway, thinking to frighten us. Also the people of +Lantore brought us word that they were fitting out their ships, +and shipping planks and earth, which we imagined was for land +service. They had then seven ships, four gallies and frigates, +and a great number of men, with all which force they threatened +to come against us. We were told likewise, that they had +endeavoured to prevail on their black slaves, by promise of +freedom and great rewards, to come over secretly to Puloroon and +set fire to the Defence. The Hollanders also, threatened that we +should carry no spices from Puloroon or any other of the Banda +islands. Thereupon, considering our engagements with the people +of Puloroon, Wayre, and Rosinging, to all of whom we had trusted +our goods, and that we had ready at Puloroon a good quantity of +nutmegs and mace, and the threats of the Hollanders, we resolved +to maintain the honour of our king and country, and to defend the +interest of our employers, the honourable Company, to the utmost +of our power. For this purpose, we determined to land all the +guns, provisions, and stores, from the Defence, and to fortify +the small island of Nylacka adjoining to Puloroon; which the +Hollanders proposed to have fortified formerly; which, if they +had done, would have commanded the road, and done us much injury, +as the people of Puloroon would have been prevented from fishing, +and English ships could not have come into the roads.</p> + +<p>Having therefore landed all the ordnance of the Defence, +except four pieces of cannon, and being busied in erecting a +fortification with the assistance of the Bandanese, Mr Hinshley +also, the master of the Defence, being ashore, and every one hard +at work landing the things, except a few left on board to keep +the ship, a conspiracy was entered into by some of the men on the +20th March, 1617; and that same night they cut the cables and so +drove out to sea. Perceiving this from the small island, we +immediately sent a boat after them, advising them to return with +the ship: But the mutineers would neither listen to them, nor +suffer the boat to come near the ship, pointing their pieces at +them, and even fired one musket-shot to keep off the boat; which +was therefore compelled to return to the small island. There went +away in the Defence nine of our men, including John Christmas, +the boatswain's mate, and we could distinctly see them next day +going into Nero roads under sail, and come to anchor under the +guns of the castle. As we afterwards learnt, some of the runaways +went immediately on shore to inform the Dutch of their exploit, +contending among themselves which of them had piloted the ship. +They even brought a can of wine ashore with them, and drank to +the Hollanders on landing.</p> + +<p>The Dutch took immediate possession of the Defence, and +brought all our rascally deserters into their castle, where they +examined them as to our proceedings at Puloroon and Nylacka, in +regard to our fortifications and means of defence. By this +scandalous affair, we were in great danger of being all put to +death by the Bandanese of Puloroon, as they suspected the +desertion of our ships to have been a concerted matter between us +and the Hollanders, on purpose to betray them. By this likewise, +as our weakness was made known to the Hollanders, they might be +encouraged to attack us. Indeed they made many violent +threatenings of so doing, and we daily looked for their +appearance; which, if they had so done, must have cost many +lives, as we were greatly enraged against them for the capture of +the Swan, and the severe usage of her people.</p> + +<p>On the 23d of March, we sent a letter to the Hollanders at +Nero, by Robert Fuller, who landed upon Lantore; but, owing to +some difference between the people of that island and the Dutch, +he could not be allowed to pass, so that he had to return. The +25th there came a messenger to us from Lawrence Ryall, the +principal commander of the Hollanders, newly come to Nero from +the Moluccas, desiring Mr Courthop and I would come in a proa to +hold a conference with two of his principal merchants, half-way +between Puloroon and Puloway; but we refused this request, being +afraid of treachery. By this messenger we had a letter from Mr +Davies, then a prisoner at Nero, intimating his disapprobation of +our proceedings in keeping possession of Puloroon, alleging that +our commission did not warrant us in so doing, and recommending a +parley between us and the Dutch general, to prevent the loss of +any more lives. It appeared that he was instigated to give us +this advice by the Hollanders, who had made him believe that they +had authority in writing from our king, to make prize of any +English ships they found to the east of Celebes, as we afterwards +learnt to our great surprise, since, if they actually had such +authority we must have obeyed.</p> + +<p>We wrote to Lawrence Ryall, by his messenger, that, if he +would send over Henrick de Watterfoord and Peter de Yonge, two of +his principal merchants, to remain as pledges in Nylacka, Mr +Courthop and another should be sent to confer with him. We got +back for answer, that the merchants we demanded as pledges could +not be sent, as the one was gone to sea, and the other could not +be spared, being their chief book-keeper; but offering us two +other principal merchants, whom we agreed to accept. Accordingly, +on the 6th April, the Dutch galley brought over these two, whom +we lodged in a tent near the landing-place under a guard of +twelve Englishmen to protect them from the Bandanese, as we did +not think it right to bring them into our fort, that they might +not have an opportunity of viewing our fortifications.</p> + +<p>Mr Courthop went immediately over to Nero in their galley, and +had a long conference with the Dutch, in which they used many +threats, and complained of many injuries they pretended to have +suffered from the English, but of which I shall only briefly +treat, as the letter from Mr Courthop, which I brought over from +Banda and delivered to Captain Ball, will certify your worships +at large on this matter. They complained, that Sir Henry +Middleton had used the Dutch colours, when in the Red Sea, +pretending to be Holland ships, to their injury and discredit. To +this Mr Courthop replied, that it was false, as he had sailed +with Sir Henry, and never knew him to wear Dutch colours; which, +moreover, Sir Henry was too much a gentleman to have done. They +pretended to have our king's letter, authorizing them to capture +any English ship seen to the eastwards of the Celebes. Mr +Courthop urged them to produce this letter, on seeing which he +declared his readiness to obey the authority of his sovereign, +and to evacuate Puloroon; but they had none such to produce. They +alleged many other things, equally false, and used many arguments +to induce us to quit Puleroon. All this time, neither Mr Davies +nor any other of the English in their hands were permitted to +come near Mr Courthop.</p> + +<p>Finding he could not prevail, Lawrence Ryall, the Dutch +general, grew much discontented, throwing his hat on the ground +and pulling his beard for sheer anger. At length Mr Courthop told +him, that he could conclude nothing of his own authority, being +joined with a council, but should relate every thing that had +passed at Puloroon, which should be taken into consideration and +an answer sent. I had advised him to say this, to get the easier +away. Mr Courthop also urged them to restore our ship the +Defence, with her men and goods; but they would not, unless we +agreed to surrender Puloroon: offering, if we would deliver up +Nylacka and our fort, in which we had twelve pieces of ordnance, +that they would then restore both the Swan and Defence, with all +our men and goods. Ryall then desired Mr Courthop to sign a note +which he had drawn, acknowledging the proffers he had made, but +this Mr Courthop refused.</p> + +<p>They had so wrought upon Mr Davies, that they expected he +might be able to prevail upon Mr Courthop to come into their +terms, and now therefore brought him to Mr Courthop, with whom he +had much discourse, and particularly urged the truth of the +letter they pretended to have from the king of England, as before +mentioned. When Mr Courthop told him what he had offered, in case +that letter were produced, Mr Davies distinctly saw he had been +imposed upon, and broke out into a rage against them, for having +told so many falsehoods;[257] adding, that they had promised him +and his men good treatment, but that his men complained of being +in great want of food and clothing, and of general hard usage. +They had sat in judgment upon him and his men, condemning them to +remain as prisoners till they had orders from Holland as to their +ultimate destination. He even said, that he was willing to +continue in durance, provided we could keep them out of Puloroon. +The conference being ended, Mr Courthop came back to Nylacka in +the galley, and the pledges were restored.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 257: Purchas, in a side note at this place, +quaintly converts the name of the Dutch general into Lawrence +<i>Ly-all</i>.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The eastern monsoon being now come, we fitted out a proa to +send with dispatches to Bantam, giving an account of what had +passed; and it was agreed that Mr Hinchley and I were to go, +accompanied by four Englishmen and fourteen natives of Puloroon, +of whom five were chiefs, or <i>orancays</i>, one of them being +son to the sabander, who is the principal man of the island. We +set sail from Puloroon on the 17th April, 1617, and when in sight +of Bottone on our way for Macassar, we descried a large ship and +a pinnace, which gave us chase under a press of sail, so that we +had no means of escape, except by standing in for Bottone. After +being chased half a day, we got near the town of Bottone by +night, thinking the ships could not have got so far up the river; +but seeing the ship and pinnace almost within musket-shot of us +next morning, we presently landed most of what we had in the +proa, taking refuge in the woods. Having so done, we went +immediately to the king, to whom we gave a present of such things +as we had, to the value of about thirty dollars, desiring his +protection, which he promised in the kindest manner, and +faithfully performed. He sent his servants along with us, to put +all our things into a house, giving us also two houses for our +lodging, desiring us to remain within, that we might not be +discovered by our enemies.</p> + +<p>Almost immediately afterwards, the Hollanders went to the +king, giving him a present three times the value of ours, and +enquired who we were that had landed. To which the king answered +that he knew not who we were. On being asked by the king how long +they meant to stay, the Dutch said they proposed remaining six +days; of which the king sent us notice, advising us to keep close +for that time, that we might proceed in greater security after +they were gone. But at the end of these six days the Dutch said +they would stay six days longer, pretending they had to repair +one of their masts. Seeing their intention, and because our proa +lay in view of the Dutch, we bought another proa, into which the +king made all our things be carried by his slaves, causing them +to navigate that proa past the Hollanders, and to carry her to +the back of the island, whither he sent us over land under the +protection of fifty men. We went immediately aboard, but remained +under the island till near night, when we stood our course for +Macassar, and saw no more of the Hollanders.</p> + +<p>We arrived at Macassar on the 7th May, where we found the +Attendance intending for Banda, but was unable to beat up, owing +to the change of the monsoon. Having shipped in the Attendance +180 <i>suckles</i> of mace, purchased at Macassar, we sent the +proa to Banjarmassen and Succadanea in Borneo, with advice that a +supply of goods could not be sent there as expected, owing to the +non-arrival of the Solomon, which had been long expected at +Bantam. The 3d June we arrived at Bantam. As Captain George +Barkley was dead, to whom Mr Ball succeeded as chief of the +factory, I have delivered all the papers to him, and doubt not +that your worships may receive them by the first conveyance. +Those are, two surrenders, the letters from the Hollanders with +our answers, and every thing relative to our proceedings in +Banda.</p> + +<p>When I left Puloroon, it was agreed that another proa was to +be dispatched for Bantam in twenty days after our departure, lest +we might have been pursued and taken by the Hollanders. +Accordingly a proa[258] was sent, in which was laden 170 suckles +of mace, containing 3366 cattees, each cattee being six English +pounds and nearly two ounces, costing at the rate of one dollar +the cattee;[259] which, had it gone safe, might have sold in +England for £5000. In this proa there were eight Englishmen +and thirty Bandanese, under the charge of Walter Stacie, who had +been mate under Mr Hinchley in the Defence. His knowledge and +care, however, did not answer expectation, for he ran the proa on +the rocky shoals near the island of Bottone, where she bilged and +lost all the mace, the men getting ashore. Stacie is much blamed +by the rest, some of whom told him they saw land on the lee-bow, +but he was peevish and headstrong, calling them all fools, and +would not listen to them.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 258: In a marginal note, this is called a +junk.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 259: From the statement in the text, the +suckle appears to have been about 122 English pounds, and the +quantity of mace accordingly, shipped on this occasion, about 185 +cwt. or 9 1/4 tons.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>May it please your worships to understand, that the Hollanders +replied, when told that their vile abuses to us would lie heavy +on them when known in Europe, "That they can make as good friends +in the court of England as your worships; that this which they +have done will oblige your worships and them to join, so that a +gold chain will recompence all, and they have dollars enough in +Holland to pay for a ship or two, providing they can hinder us +from trading at Banda."</p> + +<p>In regard to the trade of the Banda islands, Puloroon is +reported to be the worst island. It is about eight English miles +in circuit, and the small adjoining island of Nylacka is about a +mile round. There is a tolerable quantity of nutmegs and mace +grown on Puloroon, and considerably more might be got there if +the island were well cultivated. Rosengin is a fine island, +producing the largest nutmegs and best mace of all the Banda +islands; and, if we hold possession of Puloroon, abundance of +nutmegs and mace could be had from Rosengin, Lantore, and other +places; as the natives would come over to us with their spices, +provided we supply them with rice, cloth, salt, pepper, molasses, +and other necessaries, and some Macassar gold, which passes as +current in Banda as Spanish rials of eight, and at the same rate, +though only worth at Bantam two shillings and fourpence or two +and sixpence, for the piece called mass. Our cargo was small, +having only 100 <i>quoines</i> of rice, and our cloth was much +decayed, having lain two or three years at Macassar. If we had +had three times as much, we could have sold it all at Puloroon +for mace and nutmegs, being entreated for cloth and rice by +people from Lantore, Rosengin and other places, but had it not, +so that some returned home again with part of their spices. They +came over to Puloroon in the night with proas and corracorras. +The mace and nuts were very good, but must be injured by lying so +long, owing to the molestations of the Hollanders, while we had +no lime for preserving the nuts. The trade will turn out very +profitable, if we may quietly possess the island of Puloroon; but +we must buy rice at a lower rate than in Macassar, and I +understand it can be had in Japan for about half the price.</p> + +<p>In regard to our right to the Banda islands, especially +Puloway, Captain Castleton might have made that secure, as I have +often been told; and at all events, we have a much better right +than the Hollanders, who by force of arms have dispossessed us. +Except Puloroon be supplied this year, and the possession +maintained, the English name will be utterly disgraced, with +little chance of our ever being received there again. If we are +able to hold it until your worships have determined what to do in +the matter, we shall soon be able to procure there as much mace +and nutmegs as the Hollanders; and it may also serve as an +entrance into the Moluccas for cloves. The Hollanders pretend an +exclusive right to the Bandas and Moluccas, in consequence of +having the son of the king of Ternate in their hands as a +prisoner. But the Bandanese deny that the king of Ternate has any +right of dominion in their islands, every one of their islands +being free, and governed by sabanders and orancays of their own +appointment.</p> + +<p>It is indispensible, that supplies of rice and other victuals, +and cloth, should be sent for the English and Bandanese, and to +bring away the nutmegs and mace we have there in godowns or +warehouses. The Hollanders give out that they will take all your +ships that go to those parts, so as to famish both the English +and Bandanese; wherefore it requires earnest and speedy +attention, that we may quietly enjoy our trade to these islands, +which have been surrendered to us, and desire our trade. These +are Puloway, Puloroon, Rosengin, and Wayre, which last is a town +in Lantore. Puloway is reported to be a paradise, and the +Hollanders allege that it is as much worth to them as Scotland is +to his majesty. Even should your worships not be able to get +Puloway restored, yet, if you enjoy the other three, we shall be +able to procure enough of nutmegs and mace for the supply of +England, and also for the trade of Surat and other places in +India. Now is the time or never, considering the vile abuses and +murders committed upon us by the Hollanders. At this time, the +Charles and the Hope are bound home from Bantam, and I pray God +to send them safe to London. I have sent your worships a brief +abstract of our cargo for Banda, and of the sales made there. If +I seem tedious, I humbly crave pardon; and, with my humble duty, +beseeching the Almighty to prosper and give good success to all +your designs, I humbly take leave,</p> + +<p>being your worships most humble servant in all duty,</p> + +<p><i>Thomas Spurway</i>.</p> + +<p>SECTION X.</p> + +<p>FIFTH VOYAGE THE JOINT STOCK BY THE ENGLISH EAST INDIA +COMPANY, IN 1617, UNDER THE COMMAND OF CAPTAIN MARTIN +PRING.[260]</p> + +<p>INTRODUCTION.</p> + +<p>The fleet appointed for this voyage consisted of five ships; +the James Royal of 1000 tons, Rowland Coytmore master; the Ann +Royal of 900 tons, Andrew Shilling master; the Gift of 800 tons, +Nathaniel Salmon master; the Bull of 400 tons, Robert Adams +master; and the Bee of 150 tons, John Hatch master; the whole +under the supreme command of Martin Pring, general, who sailed in +the James Royal.--<i>Purch.</i></p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 260: Purch. Pilgr. I. 63.]</blockquote> + +<p>S.1. <i>Occurrences on the Voyage out, and at Surat, Bantam, +and Jacatra</i>.</p> + +<p>On Tuesday the 4th February, 1617, our fleet dropt down from +Gravesend. Thursday the 6th, Mr deputy Maurice Abbot, with +several of the commissioners, came aboard and mustered all our +men, paying their harbour wages. These gentlemen left us next +day, when all our men were entered upon whole pay. After much +foul weather, we departed from the Downs on the 5th March. The +22d of June we Lad sight of Saldanha point, and anchored that +same afternoon in the bay, whence we departed on the 13th July. +The moon was totally eclipsed at night of the 6th August; it +began at eight o'clock and continued till past eleven, being +totally eclipsed for an hour and half. On the 25th August at +night, between seven and eight o'clock, being in latitude 4° +20' S. the water of the sea seemed almost as white as milk, and +so continued till morning, when it began to alter. Next night we +found the water similar, but not altogether so white. Before day +on the 30th, the water was again white, and likewise the next +night; but on all these occasions we could find no ground.</p> + +<p>On the night of the 8th September at twelve o'clock, our ship +sprung a leak, which, when discovered, had raised the water in +our hold six feet and a half. In four hours, with both pumps, the +ship was freed, but we afterwards found that the water increased +at the rate of a foot in the half hour. In the morning of the +9th, I summoned the chief commanders of the fleet on board, +desiring them to send their carpenters to assist in searching for +the leak, and some of each of their companies to aid our men in +pumping. Some were set to rummage the hold in search of the leak, +and others to stick our sprit-sail full of oakum, with which we +made several trials under the ship's bilge, but could not find +the leak. We at length found, by divers trials within board, that +the leak was before the main-mast; and we, next morning, fitted +the sprit-sail again, letting it down at the stern, and brought +it forwards by degrees, and at length, by God's blessing, our +leak was partly stopped, as the water only rose about six inches +in a glass, which had before risen twelve inches. Bat within +three glasses, the oakum being washed out, the leak increased as +before. This night we got an additional pump from the Bull, to +free the water from the fore part of our ship, where it stood +eighteen inches deeper than in our well. The 11th, we again +fitted our sprit-sail with oakum and let it down again, when it +pleased God so to favour us, that in an hour after our ship was +tighter than ever.</p> + +<p>On the morning of the 12th we espied a sail, which the Gift +came up with in the afternoon, being a Portuguese ship belonging +to Don Pedro de Almeyda, from Mozambique bound for Diu, laden +principally with about fifty quintals of elephants teeth. In the +morning of the 20th the Bee rejoined us from Swally roads, +informing us that the rest of our fleet was safe in that +anchorage. They had brought in with them a junk and two other +ships, which they had chased on the 16th. The junk was a great +ship of Surat, belonging to the mother of the Great Mogul, burden +about 1200 or 1400 tons, having in her above 1000 persons, and +twenty-nine tons of silver, though some said a great deal more. +The other two were English interlopers, called the Francis and +the Lion: the former of 160 tons, belonging to-----, and +commanded by Captain Neuce; and the latter of 120 tons, fitted +out by Philip Bernardy, an Italian merchant in London, commanded +by Thomas Jones, who had formerly been boatswain of the +Hector.</p> + +<p>This evening we anchored in the road of Swally, where we found +the rest of our fleet, with the foresaid junk and the two English +privateers. On oar arrival, we heard of two Dutch ships having +been cast away at <i>Gowdever</i>;[261] the Rotterdam of 1000 +tons, and a small pinnace. The 9th October, I sent up twenty-one +chests of coral to Surat, which were landed two days before from +the Ann; and at night I sent up eight tons and four hundredweight +of elephants teeth, taken out of our Portuguese prize. This +afternoon twenty sail of frigates from Goa arrived at the bar of +Surat, commanded by the Captain-major Don Pedro de Asadedo, +[<i>Asovedo</i>?] From one of these, five of the country people +came ashore among our men, two of whom were taken by our guard, +and confessed they came from Goa a month before, having orders +from the viceroy to range the coast, to discover the English, +when they were to return; but if the English were not on the +coast, they were to proceed for Cambay, to capture the caffila, +or convoy of country vessels.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 261: This name is inexplicably +corrupt.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>In the morning of the 14th October, seventeen of the frigates +departed for Cambay, passing fairly by us. This day likewise I +sent fourteen tons of elephants teeth to Surat, under a guard of +thirty-six men, who likewise conveyed our treasure to Ahmedabad; +and, on the 17th, I sent other twelve tons four hundredweight of +elephants teeth. This day the Portuguese frigates returned again, +and passed in our sight to the southwards. Next day we sent off +all the rest for our ivory; and on the 22d we landed sixteen +chests of coral, and two of sea-horse teeth, out of the Bull.</p> + +<p>The 14th November, a month's pay was distributed to all the +ships companies, except the chief commanders and merchants, +amounting to 3302 Spanish dollars. After this, the Bee was sent +off for Jasques; and we landed from the other ships cloth, tin, +cases of wine and strong waters, and all the rest of the presents +that were in the cabin.</p> + +<p>The 17th January, 1618, the Bee returned from Persia. This day +seven Malabar junks were seen in the offing, two of which were +brought in by the Francis, and two by the Bee. We departed from +Swally roads on the 12th March, and anchored that same evening +near the bar of Surat. The 17th, in the morning, the wind coming +about northerly, the Ann departed for the Red Sea, and on the +18th I dispatched the Bull. At noon of this day, standing to the +southward, we were in lat. 11° 25' N. the wind, as for four +or five days before, being, at night, a slight breath from the +land, and, by day, in the afternoon, a fresh breeze from the sea. +In the forenoon of this day, we saw eight sail to the southward +of us, and three between us and the land, besides two sallies and +ten frigates. In the afternoon of the 28th, the Francis and the +Bee being near the shore abreast of Calicut, the Zamorin sent off +a boat desiring to speak with me, but I was too far shot to the +southwards before the message reached me.</p> + +<p>The 2d April we got in the morning into the bay of +<i>Brinjan</i>, where we anchored in fourteen fathoms, within +half a league of the town, a high peaked hill, like a sugar-loaf; +bearing N.E. by E. by the compass, which is the best mark to know +this place by, when the weather is clear. This is a good place +for refreshments, having hens, cocoa-nuts, and goats in +abundance, and plenty offish, together with excellent water +springing from the rock; but we had to pay seventy dollars, a +cloth vest, a fowling-piece, a mirror, and a sword, for leave to +provide ourselves with water, and all too little to satisfy the +governor, who, after receiving our money and giving us leave, +came down with seven or eight hundred men, demanding more money, +and if we had not kept a strong guard at the spring, would have +put us from it after our money was paid. The 5th, the wind being +fair off shore, we weighed anchor and departed, and in the +evening were abreast of a headland eight leagues S.E. by E. from +Brinjan, from which to Cape Comorin it is seven leagues E. +two-thirds S. At six in the evening of the 7th, we had Cape +Comorin N.N.E. one-third N. five leagues off, and had soundings +in thirty fathoms. And on the 19th June we were in Bantam roads, +when Captain Ball and Mr Pickham came on board.</p> + +<p>On the 24th I visited the pangran, to accommodate matters for +Captain Ball, who had arrested a Chinese junk for certain debts +they owed our factory, making offer to restore the junk, if the +pangran would give us justice, which he gave me his word to do. I +went to him again on 6th July, accompanied by Mr Ball, Mr Rich, +Mr Pickham, and several other merchants, when he was so +inveterate against Mr Ball, that he refused to see him. On which +I sent him word, that Mr Ball had brought the bills of our debt +due by the Chinese, and was the only person among us who could +explain the transactions between our factory and the Chinese, of +which I was entirely ignorant. The messenger returned, saying +that Mr Ball could not be received, on which we all left the +court.</p> + +<p>The 1st September, having the wind off the land, we weighed in +the morning, and stood for point Ayre, keeping in seven fathoms +till within three miles of the point, where one cast we had a +quarter less seven, and the next cast only three fathoms. Some +supposed we here touched, but it was not perceived by me. Off +this point there is a shoal almost even with the surface of the +water, but having seven fathoms within two cables length of its +edge. This afternoon, while standing towards three Dutch ships +that rode right in the fair-way, and when within a mile of them, +our ship grounded; but, God be praised, we got her off again +without any hurt, and so into the bay, where we again fell in +with a shoal, of which we came within two cables length, which +lies one and a half league from the Flemish islands. We got +safely into the road of Jacatra, [now Batavia road] in the +afternoon of the 2d September, having been providentially +delivered from three several dangers the day before, of which may +we be ever thankful.</p> + +<p>The 19th, the Angel, a Dutch ship of 500 tons, came in from +Amboina, laden with nutmegs and cloves, and departed again on the +25th. Early in the morning of the 26th, I went to visit the king, +and found him in a good humour, and conferring with him upon some +former business, we came to a conclusion before I left him, to +the following purpose: That he was to give us a convenient piece +of ground for building upon, for which we were to pay 1500 +dollars, and were to be free from all customs on exports and +imports on payment of 800 dollars yearly.</p> + +<p>S.2. <i>Dutch Injustice, and Sea-fight between them and Sir +Thomas Dale</i>.</p> + +<p>The 27th of September, Mr Bishop arrived from Jappara in the +roads in a proa, in which was a <i>Cogee</i>, bringing a letter +from the Matron to Captain Ball, wherefore I sent him away to +Bantam that night. He left two English behind him at Jappara, one +of whom had fled from the Dutch. He likewise brought letters from +several of our people who were prisoners in the Moluccas, and one +of these was directed to me, from Mr Richard Tatten, in which he +complained much of the gross usage of the Dutch, who would hardly +allow them a sufficiency of rice to subsist upon, and who +constantly clapped them in irons, on every idle rumour of the +coming of our ships.</p> + +<p>On the evening of the 30th October, Cornelius Marthen, who +commanded the French ship taken by the Dutch, came into the +roads, and came aboard my ship that same night. After some +discourse, he told me we had six ships coming from England for +these seas, commanded by Sir Thomas Dale, for some special +business at the Moluccas, whither he was bound with the +Stathouder, the Neptune, and this French prize, to wait the +coming of good friends. The 27th, in the evening, we had four +feet and a half water in our hold, which we freed in two hours +with both our pumps, and kept under afterwards with one pump, +till next morning about ten o'clock, when we let down a sail +wadded with oakum, which fortunately stopped our leak. The 31st, +I found an excellent place for putting our ship on the careen, on +a small island within Taniam point, in the bay of Bantam, on +which we made all preparations to remove to that place.</p> + +<p>The Rose arrived from Tecoo on the 15th of November, bringing +news that the Hollanders had established a Factory there soon +after ours was dissolved. The 19th, the Moon, Clove, Samson, and +Peppercorn arrived from England, and anchored between Vium point +and Pulo Paniang. Perceiving the Clove to be admiral, I went +first on board her, taking such fresh victuals as we could spare. +I here found Sir Thomas Dale admiral, and Mr Jordain president, +and learnt that they had lost company of the Globe to the +westward of the Cape, and, what was far worse, they had left the +Sun, the flag ship, in great danger of being cast away on the +isle of Engano, the whole fleet having much difficulty to double +that island. They had afterwards waited two days for the Sun, but +she had been bilged on the rocks, as we afterwards learnt, to our +great regret. In the morning of the 22d, these ships sailed into +Bantam roads, and on passing the island where our ship lay, we +saluted them with fifteen guns we had planted on the shore, and +struck my flag in compliment to Sir Thomas Dale, who was admiral +of that fleet.</p> + +<p>Two boats arrived on the 28th from Engano, with sixty-eight +men belonging to the Sun, bringing the lamentable news of the +loss of that ship, with many of her company, on, that island. The +29th, the Globe arrived in the morning, and this day our leak +broke out afresh, but was quickly stopped by removing the +bonnet.[262] The 30th, our ship being entirely cleared from stem +to stem, the carpenters went below to search for the leak; and as +they passed forwards, removing the lining as they went, they +found an auger hole left open in the middle of the keel, in the +foremost room save one, which hole was four inches and three +quarters about, and, had it sprung upon us while at sea and +alone, would have tired out our whole company in twenty-four +hours. In this the great mercy of God was manifest, that it never +broke out upon us but when we had a fleet along with us for our +aid.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 262: Perhaps this means by shifting the +wadded sail.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>A fast being proclaimed to be held on board the fleet, and the +exercise to be in the James on Sunday the 3d December, Mr Wren, +the chaplain of the Sun, preached in the morning, and our own +minister, Mr Copland, in the afternoon. This day the Bee sailed +for Engano, in hopes to recover some money and goods belonging to +the Swan, from the inhabitants of that island. The 4th, a Dutch +ship, called the Black Lion, arrived from Patania, and rode to +the westward of Pulo Paniang. As Mr Denton was well acquainted +among the Dutch, he was sent aboard in the barge to enquire +whence she came. On coming aboard, he met an old acquaintance, +Hendrick Janson, who had been a long time chief factor for the +Dutch in Patania. He, and another inferior factor, came aboard +the Moon along with Mr Denton, where they were well entertained +till Sir Thomas Dale came on board, and were soon after set +ashore at Bantam. That same night we held a council, when it was +determined to proceed before day with four ships, the Moon, +Clove, Globe, and Samson, against the Black Lion, the better to +prevent her escape. At break of day on the 6th, we were close +around her, and after a short parley, they yielded their ship, on +condition of being allowed to land with all their private +property; and we brought her that same day near the island, among +the rest of our fleet.</p> + +<p>The Bee returned on the 14th, having been forced back by +contrary wind, and unable to get through the straits. On the +16th, twenty Portuguese came on board the James Royal, who had +fled from the Dutch at Jacatra, and whom we received kindly. This +evening we were ready to sail, having eleven ships, great and +small, and being in hopes to drive the Dutch from Jacatra. Our +fleet consisted of the following ships:--The Moon, in which Sir +Thomas Dale sailed as admiral; the Gift, in which I sailed as +vice-admiral; the Unicorn, Clove, Globe, Samson, Pepper-corn, +Thomas, Bee, Rose, and Black Lion. We left behind us the James +Royal, the Advice, and our prize, because the James was not +ready, and the other two had most of her provisions and stores on +board.</p> + +<p>We sailed in the morning of the 19th, and anchored that +evening between Pulo Paniang and Pulo Tunda. In the evening of +the 20th, we anchored with our whole fleet about a league to the +northward of Hector island. This night we sent a barge to the +Flemish islands, where they found no persons on the southern +island: but there lay there a Dutch galley, which they set on +fire, and so returned on board. That same evening we saw seven +Dutch vessels in the bay of Jacatra. Early in the morning of the +21st, they all stood out towards us till near the islands, when +they anchored all together, and we stood towards them in the +afternoon, coming to anchor about a mile to windward of their +fleet. In the evening, we held a consultation on board the Moon, +when it was resolved to assault the Butch fleet in the following +manner:--The Globe and Samson were appointed to assail the Sun, +and the Thomas was to pass in between them, filled with +combustible matter as a fire-ship, to set the Sun on fire. The +Moon and Clove were to attempt the Golden Lion; the Gift and Bee +were to assail the Angel; the Unicorn and Rose were to attack the +Devil of Delft; and the Pepper-corn was ordered to surprise the +burger-boat come from Jambee, which rode about three leagues from +the rest, and whose boat, with thirteen men, had been intercepted +by our barge, while making for the Dutch fleet, about seven this +evening. This arrangement being written down, we departed, every +man to his own particular charge.</p> + +<p>After we were gone, the admiral, Sir Thomas Dale, sent his +boat to the Thomas for three <i>sackers</i>, which kept them at +work till next morning at eight o'clock, so that the Hollanders +were all away before these guns were got on board the Moon. We +were then all in a Burly-burly to weigh and get out to sea, that +we might have sea-room, and the advantage of the turn of the +tide, which we at length attained, getting without the isles of +Point Aire. In the mean time, the Dutch fleet passing between +these isles and the main of Java, anchored that night on the +coast of Java, and our fleet in the offing, without the islands. +On the 23d, in the morning, the Dutch fleet stood off to the +westwards, close under <i>Anti-Lackie</i>, in which course the +Devil of Delft borrowed so near, that she got aground, and +remained fast for a quarter of an hour. On seeing this, we made +towards them, but she was got off before we could get any thing +near, when she and all the rest of their fleet stood to the +northwards. As our fleet had the weather-gage, we <i>paid room +upon them</i>[263] till we came within shot, and then the Moon, +commanded by our admiral, Sir Thomas Dale, began the fight with +the headmost ship of the enemy, called the San. The battle +continued for the space of three hours, during which time we +spent upon them some 1200 cannon-shot, when we left them for the +night, they standing so for to the northwards, that they got the +<i>burger-boat</i> again into their company, and then anchored +about half a league from us to the westwards, where they remained +all night.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 263: This antiquated expression evidently +means bearing down upon them to leewards.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>Both fleets weighed anchor on the 24th, ours plying to the +westwards to gain the wind, and the Hollanders ran in shore +towards Point Aire. In the mean time, we descried three sail +coming before the wind from the westwards, which at length we +perceived to be the Little James, the Hound, and the Francis. By +and bye we joined altogether, and chased the Dutch fleet through +the bay of Jacatra, to its eastern point, where we all came to +anchor for the night. During the night, the Dutch from Jacatra +sent a junk filled with combustible matter, and on fire, which +came so near our fleet that we were fain to weigh our anchors and +get out of her way. The 25th, being Christmas-day, we again saw +the Dutch fleet standing to the eastwards, and we sent our barge +to follow them all night, to see what course they took, because +we had left the James Royal in the bay of Bantam, with the Advice +and our prize, which they might have surprised, if they got to +Bantam before us, as there was no ship of force but the James, +and she was unprepared, being busied in taking in her goods and +stores, after being emptied to find her leak.</p> + +<p>The 27th of December, after midnight, the Black Lion, our +Dutch prize, was set on fire by the carelessness of three wicked +fellows, and burnt to the water's edge. The president went ashore +on the morning of the 30th, to wait upon the king of Jacatra, +accompanied by Mr Henry Jackson, when an unfortunate shot carried +away his leg, of which wound he died.[264]</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 264: It appears in the sequel that it was +Jackson who lost his leg and life though the text leaves it +dubious whether he or the president.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The 1st of January, 1619, the James Royal, the Advice, and the +prize, joined us from Bantam. The 2d, Sir Thomas Dale went ashore +to Jacatra to visit the king, and to learn what were his +intentions respecting the Dutch fort. The king gave to both him +and the president much satisfaction, in words at least, promising +to grant the English any reasonable conditions, if they would +assist him to surprise the Dutch castle. This morning, before +day, the Francis departed for Puloroon, with provisions for the +relief of Mr Nathaniel Courthop and his companions. The 6th we +held a council of war aboard the Moon, when it was determined +that we should land from our greater ships six pieces of large +cannon, three culverines, and three demi-culverines, with a +proportional store of powder and shot, to assist the king of +Jacatra against the Dutch; that Sir Thomas Dale was to remain in +that road with eight sail, to cover this business, while five +ships, under my command, were to ply up for the straits of Sunda, +to lie in wait for the Dutch ships.</p> + +<p>The 25th, we got into the road of Becee, and anchored in +fifteen fathoms, about two miles from the shore; the S. point of +Becee bearing S.W. 1/4 W. and the N. point <i>Sabaicas</i>, which +shut in the western isle of Pirio Tigs, bearing N. by W. three +leagues off. We watered our ships on the 27th and 28th, and cut +wood. I and Mr Coytmore, with several other masters, went twice +ashore to view the harbour, which we found to be an excellent +place of refuge for a small fleet against a superior enemy. The +31st, by order of the president, we repaired with our fleet into +Bantam roads.</p> + +<p>The 1st February, Captain John Jourdan the president came on +board, who acquainted me with all that had taken place between +them and the Dutch, in regard to the castle of Jacatra, during my +absence, the Dutch having agreed to deliver up that fort to the +English, on condition of being allowed to depart with bag and +baggage, and a ship, <i>for two thousand rials of eight</i>, to +carry them to the coast of Coromandel.[265] Sir Thomas Dale +arrived in Bantam roads on the 4th, with the Moon, Clove, James, +Pepper-corn, Hound, and Advice. As the pangran of Bantam had +practised underhandedly with the Dutch to have the castle of +Jacatra delivered into his hands, by which we had been unjustly +deprived of that acquisition, we agreed, in a general +consultation, that the president, and all the rest of the +principal persons of our factory at Bantam, should repair on +board, and get all our goods and provisions put aboard the ships. +Accordingly, we were occupied from the 10th to 16th, both +inclusive, in getting all the money and goods belonging to the +honourable Company on board. During this time, the pangran sent +several obscure persons to the president, as of their own accord, +to enquire the reason of his departure, pretending that the +pangran had given no just cause for leaving the country. Upon +this the president drew up a memorial, enumerating the several +grievances and wrongs which the English had suffered from him, +meaning to have it translated into the Javan language, and then +to be transmitted to the pangran.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 265: This agreement was crossed by the +Pangran of Bantam, who gave us leave to beat the bush, and +thought to have caught the birds himself, but was deceived in the +end.--<i>Purch.</i>]</blockquote> + +<p>The 17th, advice was received from Mr Ufflet, at Jacatra, that +the Dutch were daily occupied in repairing and strengthening +their fortifications; and that, when the messengers of the +pangran demanded the surrender of their fort, with part of their +money, goods, and ordnance, they gave for answer, That all these +things were the property of their masters, which therefore they +could not give away. We this day received news of two Dutch ships +in the road of Jacatra, and that same night Sir Thomas Dale set +sail with eight ships in quest of them, while I remained with +four to attend upon the president. The 26th, having certain +intelligence that four Holland ships were at anchor in the mouth +of the Straits of Sunda, I went out that same evening to look for +them, with the James, Gift, Unicorn, and the Little James. Next +morning we anchored near Pulo Paniang, to take in water, and to +put our ships into order, by taking aboard some planks that were +alongside.</p> + +<p>We weighed again in the morning of the 1st March, making sail +towards the mouth of the Straits, where we observed the two Dutch +ships at anchor near the island of Tamporan, about three leagues +to the westwards of Viun, or Palambangan point. We immediately +made all sail towards them, while they, as in a careless manner, +plied to and fro, having their topsails half mast down. At +length, as we drew nigh, the Dutch admiral and all the rest of +his ships bore up with my ship, which was most to windward, and +gave us two shots, one of which went through the ship's side +under the half-deck, and the other through the steerage. They had +no sooner begun than they were as quickly answered from my ship, +and in such measure, that, in the space of two hours, they became +as quiet as lambs; their admiral, who gave the onset with so much +arrogance, being the first to run away, followed by all the rest. +We chased them till night, and then finding them too swift of +foot, we gave over the chase, standing over towards Pulo Tunda. +We came to anchor again on the 2d of March in the road of Bantam, +on which day we had intelligence that one of the two ships lately +come to Jacatra had got aground near the castle, and had been set +on fire by themselves on seeing Sir Thomas Dale. The other ship, +which had taken in a valuable loading from the castle, was also +cast away on some rocks, ten leagues east of Jacatra.</p> + +<p>On the 4th, we had a letter from John Powell, residing at +Jacatra, stating that Sir Thomas Dale had sailed on the 1st, with +the Moon, Hound, Rose, and Bee, in search of the stranded Dutch +ship. The 14th we heard from Sir Thomas that he had got almost +within shot of the four Dutch ships we met with, but had been +taken by a dead calm for twelve hours, succeeded in the night by +a tempest, which scattered them so far asunder by next morning, +that they lost all hopes of the chase, and had therefore returned +to Point Ayre, whence he proposed bringing the Moon immediately +to Bantam, leaving the rest of his ships to take in provisions at +Jacatra. In a consultation as to the best course to be taken with +the fleet, it was resolved to go to the coast of Coromandel, +which we were informed was a good country for recovering the +health of our men, and abounding in rice, wheat, butter, and +other, provisions, which could not be procured here for any +money.</p> + +<p>S.3. <i>Departure for Coromandel, with Occurrences there, and +the Death of Sir Thomas Dale,--Capture of English Ships by the +Dutch; and Occurrences at Tecoo</i>.</p> + +<p>On Monday the 19th of April, 1619, all our ships being +together in Bantam roads, with three Chinese junks riding among +us, it was resolved in council to execute the commission given us +by the Honourable Company, by appropriating to them the goods in +these junks, in payment of former debts due by the Chinese. Next +day <i>Kewee</i> came aboard to the president, accompanied by the +three <i>nockhadas</i>, or captains of the junks, to know his +intentions. He gave him the following answer:--If the young king +of Bantam would displace the pangran, who had treated us with so +much injustice, he would then return on shore and +<i>bichar</i>[266] with him, and restore the junks. The 28th, +being ready to sail, intending to go for Morrogh to take in water +and unload the junks, we descried a sail coming from the +westwards round Palinbangan point, which turned out to be a +Portuguese frigate, captured at Jasques, manned by twenty +Englishmen, and sent by Captain Bonnar with advice to the +president at Bantam. We learnt from these men that Sir Thomas +Roe, the lord ambassador to the Mogul, was gone for England in +the Ann Royal, having left the country with great honour and +reputation to himself, and much advantage of the Honourable +Company. Bodman, who was the cause of setting the Black Lion on +fire, was hanged on the 22d of May, and that same night we set +sail.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 266: This unexplained term probably means +to make peace.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The 30th May, Sir Thomas Roe stood in with his fleet under the +island, while we held on our course for Masulipatam, having the +Unicorn, Gift, and Bee in our company. The 30th June we anchored +in nine fathoms, about two leagues from the coast of Coromandel, +where we rode four days, being hardly able to visit each other in +all that time, owing to W.S.W. winds, and a continual current +setting to E.N.E. The surf also broke so lofty on the beach, that +we durst not attempt landing with any of our boats. We were at +length able to communicate together, when Mr Roberts, the master +of the Unicorn, gave us notice of a bay on this coast in the +latitude of 17° N. about five leagues to the eastwards of +Nassapore, [Narsipore] where there was good riding during the +westerly monsoon. This was exactly what I wanted, having no hope +to recover Masulipatam against wind and current. We accordingly +set sail on the 4th, in the morning, and stood to the eastwards, +the coast trending W.S.W. and E.N.E. And having run about nine +leagues by estimation, with the wind and current, we found the +land to turn away N. and N. by W.[267] giving me hopes of a good +road. At this point of land there cometh put a great river,[268] +by the stream of which there has been raised a reef or shoal, +extending half a mile into the sea from the point, and +occasioning a smoother road. Bringing that sand to bear S.S.W. +there is good and safe anchorage in six and a half fathoms, two +miles from the land. Two leagues north from this point, which, +for distinction, I name Cape Comfort, there issues forth another +branch of the same river, by which the headland is made an +island, and off the mouth of this river there is likewise a long +spit of sand, which is dry at low water.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 267: Obviously rounding Cape Godawery, in +lat. 16° 83' N.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 268: One of the two main branches forming +the Delta of the Godawery.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The 4th of July I sent the boat belonging to the Unicorn into +the second branch of the river, which we called Mullet Sound, to +see if they could discover any town where a guide might be +procured, to conduct Robert Pickering and William Clarke to +Masulipatam, by whom we proposed sending a letter to Mr +Methwould. Our boat returned on the morning of the 6th, reporting +that a guide had been procured at a little village three leagues +up the river. They likewise brought aboard twenty hens, which +they had bought for two shillings. The 8th, the barge returned +from Captain Ball with seventy-one sheep and goats, and +thirty-nine hens, having left Captain Ball and others at a town +called <i>Narsapela</i>, six leagues up in the country. The 12th, +Mr Methwould came from Masulipatam in one of the country boats, +and brought with him twenty hogs, two large jars of arrack, six +goats, and two baskets of bread. He also brought us news of a +Dutch ship richly laden, then in the port of Masulipatam, and +ready to depart for Holland.</p> + +<p>In the evening of the 26th, I went in the barge to seek out +some bar or creek by which we might reach Coringa, the principal +town in these parts near the sea side. That same night, I got +over the bar of Coringa, which place I came to about two miles up +the river, and was well received by the principal persons of the +place, who were very ready to trade with us, and sent notice that +same night of my arrival to the governor of Vingeron. Next +morning, having rowed about three miles up the main river, and +two miles up a little creek, we had sight of Vingeron, about +twelve miles off.[269] I now landed, and walked towards Vingeron; +but, before I reached it, the governor sent his horse for me, +with all the music the place afforded; and among these +instruments there were two great brass horns instead of trumpets. +The governor received me very kindly, but more kindly my present, +which consisted of two pieces of China velvet, and six pieces of +China taffeta. Our compliments ended. I took leave of him, when +he caused me to be conveyed in his own palanquin to a house near +at hand, which he had appointed for my lodging.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 269: The town of Rajahmundry exactly +answers to these circumstances, in reference to Coringa, and is +in fact the head town of the province in which Coringa is +situated.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>I returned on board the James on the 1st of August, when I +learnt, to my sorrow, that the shallop belonging to the Unicorn +had been cast away three days before, near Ponara, on which +occasion Mr Harris was drowned, together with two of the +coxwain's crew, and a black; Captain Spaulding, Mr Yard, and +others, escaping with much difficulty. In the morning of the 2d, +the governor of Vingeron came aboard to see our ship, expecting +some great present; on which occasion I gave him a piece of China +damask, and four pieces of taffeta, which gave him more delight +than the sight of a thousand ships, and he departed when he found +he got nothing more by begging. The 23d I caused all the men to +come on board, intending to proceed for Masulipatam, and this +evening we got on board 150 goats, to serve us for fresh +provisions at sea. The 24th there arrived a ballegat from +Narsepore, bringing twenty-six candees of garavances, a candee of +butter, and an hundred gallons of arrack.[270] I also, had +letters from Masulipatam, announcing the melancholy news that Sir +Thomas Dale had died at that place on the 9th of August.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 270: Though not so expressed, these seem to +have been intended for the use of the English +ships.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>In the morning of the 6th September, having rode most part of +the preceding night in nineteen fathoms, about three leagues +S.S.E. from the bar of Narispore, and having the wind at N.W. we +again set sail toward Masulipatam,[271] and anchored at night +four leagues to the eastward of that place. Off the river of +Narsipore we found the current to set by day to the S.S.E. and +N.N.E. in the night, at the rate of half a league an hour. In the +morning of the 7th we could see the English ships in the road of +Masulipatam, in which road we came to anchor in the evening, +finding here the Moon, Clove, Globe, and Advice, which last being +found unserviceable, was here cast off, and her stores and +provisions put on board the Moon and Clove. Next day, Mr +Spaulding, Mr Ball, and Mr Methwould came aboard the James, +giving me a report of all matters that had passed in my absence, +as also a state of the Company's business. I accompanied them +ashore in the afternoon, that we might the better consult +together how to proceed in the important concerns committed to +our charge. The first thing proposed was the union of both +fleets, which was thought adviseable, and I was made choice of as +admiral and chief commander of the whole ships and men thus +united, according to the direction of the Honourable Company.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 271: The true name of this place is +Mutchelipatnam; in Purchas it is called Messulapitan and +Masulpatam.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The 18th of October, a ship belonging to Masulipatam arrived +from Mokha, by which we had news of the Lion being at Mokha, +having a small frigate or bark in her company. The same day the +Bee arrived from Narsipore-pete, with provisions for the fleet. +The 19th, the Dragon's Claw came from Narsipore-pete[272] almost +laden with rice and paddy.[273] On Thursday the 9th December, Mr +Ball, Mr Methwould, and the other merchants who were to remain in +the country, went ashore in the afternoon. In the morning of +Friday the 10th, we left the road of Masulipatam, and anchored in +the afternoon off the headland, to wait for the Pepper-corn, +which came to us in the evening. By my estimation, the difference +of longitude between the island of Engano and Masulipatam is +19° 30' of a great circle; and, although this does not give +the true longitude in these parts near the equator, as custom has +so called it, I do, that I may not savour of innovation.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 272: This may designate the road of +Narsipore; but petah usually signifies in India the suburb or +town connected with a fortress.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 273: Paddy is rice in its natural state as +it comes from the plant on which it grows; rice is paddy deprived +by art of its coarse husk.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>Next morning, very early, we descried the land of Sumatra, the +hill of Passaman bearing E.N.E 1/2 N. twelve leagues +distant,[274] and the high land of Priaman E. 1/2 S. fourteen +leagues off. We here met with two shoals, within a mile of each +other, E. and W. The Gift came over the eastermost, and had not +less than four and a half fathoms. I sent the Claw over the +other, on which were four fathoms where she first crossed, but +only two fathoms in returning, a little more to the northward. +About nine this morning the wind came to the S.E. and so +continued till three in the afternoon, by which time we had got +to the southward of all the shoals; and so, with little wind, we +spent the night between these shoals and the island of Battoo, +[Batoa.] In this situation, a sagging current bore us to the +northwards near the shoals, which, if it had set S.E. as formerly +experienced, it ought to have carried us near to Tecoo.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 274: Purchas must here have omitted a part +of the text, particularly the series of dates between Masulipatam +and Passaman in Sumatra. As the text now stands, it would seem as +if they had gone from Masulipatam to the coast of Sumatra, a run +of about 1600 miles, in one night, an utter impossibility. But +from the context, instead of the 11th December, 1619, the day +after leaving Masulipatam, it would appear they reached the coast +of Sumatra on the 23d January, 1620, giving forty-four days for +the run across the bay of Bengal.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The 24th, in the evening, we had sight of the isles of Tecoo, +and came to anchor about eight o'clock, in forty-four fathoms, +these isles bearing E. by N. seven leagues off. The 25th, with +the first of the tide, we again weighed and steered for Tecoo; +and, as we drew near, we espied three sail standing to the +northwards, which came to anchor near the coast that night, while +we anchored with our whole fleet about a league without them. +Next morning they weighed anchor and joined us, when we found +them to be the Palsgrave, Elizabeth, and Hope. From them we had +the doleful news of the Dragon, Bear, Expedition, and Rose, +having been taken by six Dutch ships, while at anchor, within the +isles of Tecoo; as also that the Star had been taken by the Dutch +in the straits of Sunda. They also said that the Hollanders had +sent four great ships, doubly manned, in quest of the Samson and +Hound, and that they were exceedingly doubtful as to the safety +of these ships. Thus the English ships now taken by the +Hollanders were almost equal in number to our three fleets now +joined in one under my command.</p> + +<p>On Monday the 31st January, 1620, we held a consultation +aboard the James Royal as to our future proceedings, when it was +unanimously agreed to go to Acheen, in hopes to meet our ships +from Surat, that we might keep our force together, according to +the instructions of the Honourable Company. Our chief reasons for +this proceeding were the want of rice and other provisions, which +could not at this time be had at Bantam; secondly, the strong +naval force of the Hollanders, as we did not think it prudent to +risk the entire property now belonging to the Company in India +upon such desperate terms, as the Dutch had four ships for every +one of ours; and, lastly, which was an imperious necessity, that +we might careen three of our ships, the James, the Gift, and the +Unicorn, which could not be much longer deferred without imminent +hazard. For all these reasons, we resolved to proceed for Japan, +where, as we were given to understand, all things necessary for +careening our ships, and abundance of provisions for our relief, +were to be had.</p> + +<p>The 11th, Mr Mills arrived in the Bee from Priaman, with 300 +sacks of very good rice, and eleven hogsheads of oil, giving us +great encouragement to send there again. The 12th, the Claw was +sent off for Pedang and Cuttatinga, to procure rice and other +provisions; and, on the 15th, the Bee was sent back to Priaman +for more rice and oil. The 19th the Claw returned with +thirty-four bags of rice, 16,000 cocoa-nuts, and ten goats; and +the same night the Bee came back with 980 sacks of rice, procured +with much difficulty by Mr Mills, merchant of the Elizabeth.</p> + +<p>The 3d March we departed from the road of Tecoo, intending +first to touch at <i>Mintaon</i>, on purpose to dispatch the Bee +for England, and thence to go for Acheen, in hopes of meeting the +Charles and the Ruby from Surat. The 30th March we all anchored +in the bay of Samanca, about a mile from shore, where we took in +wood, water, and other necessaries. Next day we sent to recall +the Bee from Balembeen. The 1st April we sent the shallop +belonging to the Unicorn for Anniar, to enquire concerning the +Dutch force, and how the pangran stood affected towards us.[275] +At eleven this night, twenty-two of our men ran away with our +barge. Next morning the shallop returned from Anniar, and brought +news that there were fifteen sail of Dutch ships at Bantam and +Jacatra, upon which we resolved to proceed to Bantam, to treat +with the pangram, hoping that the Dutch <i>might not venture to +attack us</i>. The Bee arrived in the afternoon from Ballambeen, +[Palimbangan.] The 6th we set sail for Bantam, and on the 7th, +between Crackastaw and Becee, we met a proa with some of our +people coming from Anniar.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 275: The intended voyage to Acheen seems to +hate been laid aside; perhaps the monsoon had become adverse, and +forced them to the S.E. towards Bantam.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>S.4. <i>News of Peace between the English and Dutch</i>.</p> + +<p>At four in the morning of Saturday the 8th April, 1620, we met +the Bull, newly come from England, bringing the joyful news of +peace having been concluded between us and the Dutch. She was +accompanied by a small ship, called the Flying Hart, with letters +of advice for us, or any other of the English ships, giving +notice of the agreement and union that had taken place between +the two Honourable East India Companies of England and Holland. +We came to anchor with all our fleet in the afternoon, near the +point of Palimbangan. In the morning of the 11th, we descried the +Dutch fleet coming from Jacatra to meet us, and to congratulate +with us on the joyful intelligence of peace. General Coen was +there in person, and as soon as he came to anchor, the Holland +fleet and ours began to salute each other with peals of ordnance, +to communicate the intelligence to the natives, and to express +our own joy of the happy news of peace.</p> + +<p>The 12th, we came altogether into Bantam roads, the Dutch +fleet consisting of fifteen sail, besides two others of their +nation which we found already in the roads, and ours of twelve +sail. This day, Mr Janson, commander of the Dutch fleet, +accompanied by their fiscal, and divers others, came to visit me, +and invited Mr Brockendon, Mr Spalding, and myself on board the +Dutch admiral's ship, where we conferred with General Coen +concerning our future conjunct arrangements. After we had +compared the articles and letters, the Dutch general agreed that +we should jointly proceed in conformity with the instructions we +had received from our Honourable Company; but he declined +publishing the articles till the arrival of some ship from +Holland, with the articles and instructions from their Company. +On the 14th, in the morning, by mutual concert between us and the +Hollanders, we sent Mr Beaumont and Philip Baduge on, shore, with +one Dutch merchant, to communicate the news of our peace and +agreement to the pangran, and to inform him, as we were now +united, we only desired to have a reasonable composition with +him, through which we might remain quietly in his country, +enjoying a free trade on just and equitable conditions, as in +other parts of India. But the pangran was so much dissatisfied +with the news, that he would give no answer to their message, +often times asking them why we had become friends with the +Hollanders, so that they had to return without any answer. We +sent the same message to him next day, but our messengers were +not allowed to land.</p> + +<hr align="center" width="25%"> +<p>"The differences and maritime warfare which took place between +the Dutch and English East India Companies, of which some notice +has been taken; and the peace and union which are announced, as +having been communicated to their respective commanders at this +time, would lead to historical discussions and deductions, which +do not properly belong to the object of a Collection of Voyages +and Travels; but which, if altogether passed over, would leave +much of the foregoing circumstances, and some that have to be +noticed in the sequel, abrupt, isolated, and almost +unintelligible. It has therefore been deemed proper to give a +brief account of these differences, and of the singular so called +<i>union</i>, which took place in consequence, extracted from the +Annals of the East India Company, vol. I. p. 201, <i>et +seq.</i>[276]</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 276: This addition to S.4. of the present +voyage, is made by the Editor; but almost entirely derived from +the historiographer of the East India Company.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>"When the differences and aggressions which had occurred in +the spice islands were reported in Europe, the English and Dutch +Companies presented memorials and remonstrances to their +respective governments, each complaining against the servants of +the other, as guilty of unwarrantable aggressions. In Holland, +calculating on the pacific character of King James, it was +expected that the opposition to the projects of the English for +participating in the trade of the spice islands, although of at +least a tendency towards warlike aggression, would not lead to +national hostilities, but might be discussed by means of +remonstrances and negociation.</p> + +<p>"After long conferences between English and Dutch +commissioners, for settling the disputes between the two +Companies, a treaty was concluded at London on the 17th July, +1619; by which, after specifying an amnesty for all past +excesses, and a mutual restitution of ships and property, the +trade of the two nations in the East was declared to be +free;--That the pepper trade at Java should be equally +divided;--That the English should have a free trade at Pullicat, +on paying half the expences of the garrison;--That the English +were to enjoy one third of the export and import trade, at the +Molucca and Banda islands, commonly called the spice islands; +commissioners to be appointed for regulating the trade, and the +charges of the garrisons, under their inspection, to be defrayed +in that proportion by the two Companies;--That each Company +should furnish ten ships of war for the common defence; which +ships were not to be employed to bring cargoes to Europe, but +only in the carrying trade, between one port and another in the +East Indies.--The whole proceedings arising out of this treaty, +were to be under the regulation of a <i>Council of Defence</i>, +composed of four members appointed by each Company, who were to +reside in India; and this treaty was to subsist in force for +twenty years.</p> + +<p>"It would lead far beyond any due bounds that could be +afforded in this work, to follow out this compact, singularly +weak on the part of King James, and assuredly either contrived by +his boasted <i>king craft</i>, or devised by some wily Dutch +politician, who was acquainted with his majesty's wonderful +sagacity. This union and the council of defence, turned out a +most fruitful source of advantage to the Dutch, who had +completely duped the king and government of England, and totally +expelled the English Company from any share whatever in the trade +of the spice islands; after contriving to make them pay more than +two thirds of the expence of fortifications and garrisons, +instead of one third, all of which were effectually converted to +their injury and exclusion. In the sequel of these voyages, +several instances will be found, completely illustrative of these +positions; and from the year 1625, or thereabout, the Dutch +enjoyed the entire profits of the spice trade, including the +whole island of Java, till within these very few years; when, as +subjects of Buonaparte, they have been driven from every foreign +possession, and entirely excluded from all participation in the +trade of the East."--E.</p> + +<p>S.5. <i>Voyage of Captain Pring from Bantam, to Patania and +Japan, and return to Jacatra</i>.[277]</p> + +<p>The 26th of April, 1620, we sailed from Bantam roads, with the +James Royal and Unicorn in company, intending, by the grace of +God, to go for Japan, there to careen and trim our ships. Mr +Brockendon departed at the same time for Jacatra with six ships; +proposing, about a month after our departure, to send five good +English ships after us to Japan, that we might have the fittest +season of the year to go from thence to the Manillas. The 27th, +we took leave of this fleet, and steered towards the north, +borrowing within half a league of the eastern point of +Pulo-Tunda; and came to anchor in the evening about a league off +the N.E. point of that island, in twenty-three fathoms upon ooze, +waiting till the western stream of the tide began to return to +the eastwards which was about ten at night, when we proceeded on +our course.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 277: Purchas gives two relations of this +voyage, one brief, "lest the longer one might interrupt the more +delicate muses of some readers with sea-sickness, the other for +those that are more studious of nautical knowledge." On the +present occasion, we have preferred the more extended narrative, +and have therefore united both accounts as given by Purchas, +being the remainder of S.4. joined to the whole of S.5. giving +one instance of minute nautical remarks of our earlier +navigators.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The 28th at night, we anchored in 18 f. on ooze, Pulo Antekero +bearing N.E. three leagues off. Pulo Antekero bears N.N.E. 1/2 E. +from Pulo Tunda, about eight leagues distant. The depth of water +between the two islands, runs-from 16 f. to 26, and so to 22, 20, +18, 16, 14, and 12 f. all ooze. Pulo Antekero is westernmost of +the islands which extend in a row from the bay of Jacatra, [or +Batavia,] to the westward. Continuing our course, we anchored, in +the evening of the 29th, in 15 f, Pulo Kero bearing N. by E. 1/2 +E. 2-1/2 leagues off. Pulo Kero bears N.N.E. nearly from +Antekero, six leagues off. After passing halfway between these +islands we had 20, 18, 16, 14, 12 f. on ooze. At noon on the 30th +we had Pulo Kero six leagues off, S. 1/2 E. our depth continuing +13,12,11 f. all ooze.</p> + +<p>At noon on the 1st May, Pulo Kero bore S. 1/2 W nine leagues, +and the depth 12 f. being just able to see that island from our +top-mast head. By observation of the sun, we were then in lat. +4° 45' S. From noon till five p.m. our course was N.N.E. four +leagues. We then anchored in 11 f. on ooze, having Pulo Kero by +estimation thirteen league S by W. This night at nine, being +still at anchor in the same place, I made the ship, by +observation of the Crozies, in lat. 4° 40' S. allowing +29° for the complement of declination. We set sail at four +a.m. of the 2d, and by noon had run about six leagues N.N.E. the +depths continuing as before, 13, 12, 11 f. By noon of the 3d our +course was S. by E. five leagues, the soundings as before, all +the ground from Bantam roads hitherto being ooze. From Bantam for +the first two days, we had land and sea breezes; afterwards, till +the afternoon of the 2d, the wind was constant between E. and +S.E. when the wind came northerly, and so continued till the 3d +at noon. From Pulo Paniang to Pulo Antekero, the current set to +the westwards, somewhat strong; but from thence we found the +currents more gentle, and changing into every direction in the +course of the twenty-four hours.</p> + +<p>Our course from noon of the 3d till noon of the 4th was N.N.E. +eleven leagues, the depths from 12 to 10-1/2 f. From noon this +day till seven at night, we made 5-1/2 leagues N. and then +anchored in 9-1/2 f. We weighed in the morning of the 5th. having +but little wind and that variable, till half an hour after six, +when it sprung up fresh at S.W. From four to nine a.m. we made +three leagues N.E. 1/2 E. and from nine till noon only half a +league N.W. by N. This day at noon we were in lat. 3° 30' S. +when we descried a small island N.N.E. 1/2 E. four leagues off, +which appeared at first like a great tree rising out of the see. +From noon till six p.m. our course was five leagues N.W. We here +saw two or three hummocks like islands, N. by W. seven leagues +off. From thence till three a.m. of the 6th, we sailed W. six +leagues. At six in the evening of the 5th we had 9 f. which +increased as we stood westwards in the night, to 10, 11, and l2 +f. and afterwards decreased to 8 f. where we came to anchor. The +stream by night set S.E. and by day N.W. We weighed again at six +a.m. of the 6th, and steered W.N.W. 1-1/2 league, when we had +sight of many hummocks rising like so many islands, but which at +length we perceived to be all one land. Coming now into 6-1/2 f. +we altered our course to the N.E. making our course N.N.E. till +noon, about 2-1/2 leagues; at which time, by an observation of +the sun, we were in lat. 3° 20' S. We were now in 8 f. and +found the current to set N.W. by W. About noon of this day, a +junk belonging to Johor came up with us, which had been at +Cheribon in Java, and was returning to Johor. The afternoon, we +steered in with the eastern part of the hummocky land of Banka, +making our course N.N.E. 1/2 N. in which we came again to 8 f. +afterwards increasing regularly to 24 f. and then decreasing +again to a quarter less 7 f. when we came to anchor against the +E. point of that land, which bore from us N.N.E. 1/3 N. four +leagues off.</p> + +<p>We weighed in the morning of the 7th, and stood in nearer the +point, in hopes of being able to pass through between that island +and one which lay three leagues to the E. But in our way, we +found the soundings, after increasing from 7 to 17 f. to decrease +again to 6 and to one-half less 4 f. and about two miles off the +point in the fair way we had only six feet water in the fair way, +or mid-channel. To the eastwards, there appeared many islands, +and by the report of the people in the junk, the sea is full of +islands between the S.E. end of Banka and the island of Borneo. +The S.E. end of Banka now bore N.N.E. 1/2 N. about two leagues +off; and the land from this point to the entrance of the straits +of Banka, lay W. by S. the straits being thirteen leagues from +us. Where we lay at anchor, the before-mentioned point bearing N. +by E. 1/2 E. 2-1/2 leagues off, we had an observation of the sun, +giving the latitude of the ship 3° 8' S. Having little hope +of finding a passage between Banka and Borneo among these +islands, by reason of the fearful shoalings we had already met +with, we resolved on the 8th to go through the straits between +the island of Banka and Sumatra, called the Straits of Banka; +wherefore we set sail, retracing as nearly as we could the course +by which we came into the present shoal water; in which course we +found still more dangerous shoalings than in our in-coming. After +we had got about eight leagues off, S.S.W. from the +before-mentioned point of Banka, we steered S.W. by W. the +current setting N.W. which made our course nearest W. by S. In +this course we proceeded five leagues, and anchored in 8 f. on +ooze, about nine at night.</p> + +<p>In the morning of the 9th, we descried Lucepara, N.N.W. seven +leagues off, and steered towards it, till we had it N. two +leagues. In this course we passed over a spit, where we had only +4-1/2 f. and 4-3/4. But on nearing Lucepara, we had 5-1/4 f. all +ooze. We then steered N.W. by N. till Lucepara was N.E. of us, +having 5 f. and the same ground. We then, went W.N.W. having +always ooze, till we were within two leagues of the Sumatra shore +in 6 f. The isle of Lucepara bore then E.S.E. 3-1/2 leagues off; +and a hill on Banka with a deep swamp, N. by W. being about a +sail's breadth open of the point of Sumatra, which bore N. by W. +1/2 W. from us, about three leagues off. We steered thence away +with the said point N. by W. Having 6-1/2 and 7 f. soft ground, +till we came within a league of the point, where edging too near +we had but 5-1/2, and only 4-1/2 in the boat hard by us: But, if +we had kept a little farther from the point, we might have gone +in 7, 8, 9, and 10 f. all through the strait, borrowing carefully +with the lead upon the Sumatra shore; whereas by keeping nearer +to Banka than Sumatra, the soundings are very variable, sometimes +deep, and sometimes shallow, and mostly foul ground. On the +Sumatra shore, even if coming into shoal water, the ground is +mostly soft ooze, and the soundings far more regular and +certain.</p> + +<p>In the evening of the 12th May, having brought the N.W. point +of Banka to bear N.E. we opened two smooth hills with a little +hummock between them; one of these hills being the northermost +land of Banka, and bearing N.E. nine leagues, from the N.W. point +of that island. This night we steered N.N.E. to get through the +channel between Lingan and the N. end of Banka, having 23, 22, +20, 18, and 16 f. all ooze, till we came near the entrance, and +afterwards 15, 14, 13 f. in going through the passage. Lingan +rises at first in three islands, the northermost being larger +than both the other two, being near two leagues long and full of +hummocks. Among these three islands there are certain fragments +of isles intermixed, like so many hay-cocks, which is a good mark +whereby to know these islands. From the smooth hill which is the +north end of Banka, to the south-westermost isle of Lingan, it is +N. by W. ten leagues. From the middle of the largest isle of +Lingan, which is the north-eastermost, there is another smooth +island nine leagues off, E.N.E. 1/2 N. From that there is another +flat island, and off the north point of the round smooth island, +there is a little fragment like a rock. In the fair way between +this island and Lingan, there are 14 and 13 f. the course being +midway between, and to the N. to pass along by the E. side of +Bintang. This day at noon, being the 12th May, our latitude was +1° S.[278] the greatest isle of the Lingan group being S.W. +from us five leagues, whence we estimated its latitude to be +1° 10' nearly.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 278: This is an evident error, as the +northern side of the largest island of the Lingan group is +exactly on the equator, and Bintam, or Bintang, is in lat. 1° +N.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>At noon of the 14th, having made way twenty-four leagues to +the northward, by aid of the wind and a current setting to the +north, we had sight of the high land of Bintang, rising with two +hills and a deep swamp or hollow between, and, as we judged, +twelve leagues from us. At this time, likewise, we had sight of +three or four hummocks, S.W. by W. eight leagues off, which +seemed separate islands. We had here 20 f. our soundings from +Lingan being 14, 15, 17, 18, 19, and 20 f. From noon of the 14th +till noon of the 15th, we made twenty-seven leagues N. 1/3 W. our +soundings in these twenty-four hours being 21, 22, 23, and 24 f. +From noon till three p.m. of the 15th we made 3 1/2 leagues, and +then had sight of Pulo Laor, N.W. 1/2 N. about twelve leagues +off, having then 27 f. the ground resembling fuller's earth. At +night, Pulo Laor being N.W. by W. eight leagues off, we had 39 f. +on ooze. From noon of the 15th till eight a.m. of the 16th, we +made our course N.N.W. 1/2 W. fifteen leagues. At night of the +16th, Pulo Laor bore S.W. by S. five leagues; the body of the +island of Hermano de Layo W.S.W. 1/2 W. seven leagues; and the S. +end of Pulo Timon W. 1/2 N. ten leagues, its N.E. end being +W.N.W. 1/2 W. ten leagues. We anchored this evening within four +leagues of the N. point of Pulo Timon, in 24 f. <i>streamy</i> +ground, that point bearing W. by S. 1/2 S. In the evening I sent +my boat round the point, where they observed a town, with a junk +riding close by the shore, and several proas fishing. One of +these came to enquire what nation our people were of, and told +them there was good fresh water at the town, with plenty of +buffaloes, goats, and poultry.</p> + +<p>In the morning of the 17th, we sent the Unicorn's longboat +along with ours to the town, whence they came back in the evening +with four butts of water each, not willing to fill more, as it +was brackish. They found at the watering-place a junk belonging +to Johor, fitted out for war, having twenty men armed with +fire-arms, besides lances and javelins. They reported that they +had taken a Chinese junk, which they had sold on the coast of +Johor; the nokhada sending me word, that he would assist me +against the Portuguese at the hazard of his life. In the bay next +to the southwards of Pulo Timon, we found excellent fresh water, +but could not conveniently take it in by means of our long-boat, +which drew five feet water when loaded. Having thus spent the day +to little purpose, we set sail at the beginning of the night, +directing our course for Patane, and steering N. all night with +little wind.</p> + +<p>At noon of the 18th, we were in the latitude of 3° 40' N. +At four p.m. we had sight of Pulo Tingoran, N.N.W. fifteen +leagues off. At night we passed by Tingoran, about six leagues to +the eastwards, having 28, 30, and 32 f. on soft ground. At six +a.m. of the 19th, Tigoran bore W.S.W. seven leagues from us, when +we had thirty-six f. soft ground. At noon of this day we were in +lat. 5° 30' N. Tingoran bearing S. 1/3 E. fourteen leagues +off, by which we estimated the latitude of that island to be +4° 50 N. We had likewise, at noon, the south isle of Pulo +Rowdon, [Ridang,] N.W. by W. seven leagues off. The same night at +eight, I observed the croziers, making the latitude of the ship +5° 48' N. At this time, the largest of the Ridang isles, +which is the eastermost, bore from us due W. four leagues +distant. From eight this night, till noon of the 20th, our course +was nearly N.W. by W. nine leagues, our sounding being from 28 to +17 f. The northermost of the Pulo Ridang isles was then S. 1/3 E. +four leagues off, being a round hummock, much like Pomo in the +gulf of Venice, but somewhat higher and more complete. These +isles consist of good high land, having fair depth all along +their eastern side to seawards, and I am told have a free and +safe channel between them and the main land. There are thirteen +or fourteen islands in this group, great and small.</p> + +<p>From noon of the 20th till eight in the morning of the 21st, +our course was W.N.W. nine leagues. We saw two hills by the +water-side, bearing W. and five leagues off, resembling two great +tortoises. From Pulo Tingoran all the way to Patani, the land up +the country is very high, while that just within the coast is +low, with a sandy beach. This is the case for at least twenty +leagues south of Patani, but how much farther I know not. In the +afternoon of the 20th, while standing towards the two hills just +mentioned as resembling tortoises, we came from 17 into 14 and 13 +f. with hard ground; and as we drew nearer these hills, the depth +again increased to 19 f. on ooze, and then shoaled again to 18 +and 17 f. on ooze.</p> + +<p>The 21st of May, being Sunday, from eight a.m. to seven p.m. +our course was N.W. 3/4 W. thirteen leagues, keeping mostly +within four leagues of the low sandy shore, the depth all the way +being 15, 14, and 13 f. We then anchored in 13-3/4 f. streamy +ground, the northermost point in sight, falling down from a +reasonably high land at the far end of the low land, bore from us +W.N.W. 1/2 N. near 3-1/2 leagues off. S.E. by S. from this point, +six leagues off, there is a rock, as high above water as the hull +of a small ship, which we passed about 1-1/2 league on its E. +side, finding no alteration in the soundings. This point I named +the Gurnet's Head. From this point, the land trends W.N.W. and W. +by N. all the way to the entrance into Patani roads, being all +low land from the Gurnet's Head to the point of the road, this +point being the lowest of all. The distance from the Gurnet's +Head to that low point is six leagues, all the way of fair depth +till coming near the low point of the road, to which a good birth +must be given, as there lies a shoal from it half-way over to the +western shore, wherefore it must not be approached too near, till +you find in the first place the shoaling of the western shore, +which is the softest ground. From the low point, in going across +the bay to the western shore there are only from 5 f. to 4 1/2 +when in the road; and then the low point bears from the +anchorage, E.N.E. 1/3 E. the highest mountains in the western +side of the bay bearing S.S.W. 1/3 W.</p> + +<p>We anchored in the road of Patani on Thursday the 25th of May, +when we found the Sampson and a Dutch pinnace there at anchor. I +went ashore the day before to the English factory, where I found +Mr Adam Denton and Mr Richard Welding, lately come from Jambee in +Sumatra in a proa, with several of the Sampson's people, who were +all rejoiced to see our ships coming into the port. On getting to +the English house, I told Mr Denton that my chief purpose for +coming here was for arrack and fresh victuals, of which we were +in great need, upon which he gave immediate orders to procure +every thing we needed, so that in six days we were supplied with +sixteen butts of arrack and arrack-apee; three butts of which +last we had from the Dutch, for which courtesy we were chiefly +obliged by their anxiety to have us away. We had also beeves, +goats, and poultry, in abundance. We also bought here +<i>dammar</i> and oil, for the purpose of repairing our ships, as +I understood these things were dear at Japan. I here found a +small frigate or country bark, which had been bought by the +English; and as she was of no great use there, it was agreed that +she, with most of the English sailors, should attend upon us to +Japan.</p> + +<p>We departed from Patani on the 31st May; and at seven a.m. of +the 1st June, we saw a small rock, just above water, being very +dangerous for ships bound from Patani for the point of Camboja. +When this rock bore N.N.E. 1/2 E. at the distance of a league, +the high land over Gurnet Head was S.S.W. 1/4 W. eighteen leagues +off; and by computation, the low point of Patani road was then +eighteen leagues off, W.S.W. 1/2 S. After getting out of Patani +road into 7 f. the depth increased regularly to 9, 10, 12, 14, +16, 18, 20, 22, and 24 f. till we got sight of the rock; and two +leagues from it we had 25 f. on ooze, as was the ground all the +way over from Patani. This day at noon, we found the latitude of +the ship to be 7° 20' N. the rock bearing W. about four +leagues off.</p> + +<p>From that time till the 3d, at noon, our course was E. 1/2 N. +forty-five leagues, when we had sight of Pulo Hube, bearing +E.N.E. 1/2 N. eight leagues off, having 14 f. on ooze, as we +constantly had for the last forty-eight hours, the sounding being +from 27 to 36 f. and thence decreasing again to 14 f. Pulo Hube +rises at first as one round hill, and on coming nearer some high +land is seen rising in hummocks, but not above two-thirds so high +as the round hill, being all one land with it. Then another and +smaller island is seen to rise, nearly of the same height with +the hummocks, and close to the larger island. At the east end of +this lesser round island, there are two little isles very near, +and a mile east of them there is a long rock like the hull of a +galley. This night we anchored in 13 1/2 f. on ooze, about three +leagues from the largest and highest isle. In the morning of the +4th we weighed, and stood E. by S. with little wind. At six p.m. +we had the body of Pulo Hube W. by N. four leagues off. From +thence we steered E. by S. and E. till six next morning, but were +so opposed by the current, that we made our course to the +northward of east. From six a.m. of the 5th till six p.m. we ran +fifteen leagues in the before-mentioned course, when we saw a +very small round isle about four leagues to the southward, having +a long flat rock S. from it about a mile, a good height above +water. From Pulo Hube till three leagues from this island, our +soundings were 13, 14, 15 f. and then 15, 14, 13 f. again, all +ooze. When within two leagues of this small island, we had 13 f. +on sand.</p> + +<p>Here we descried Pulo Condor, its N. end bearing E. by N. from +this small island about seven leagues off. This day at noon, we +made our latitude 8° 42' N. the highest land on Pulo Condor +bearing from us E. six leagues off. From Patani till we were in +sight of Pulo Condor, the wind was mostly S.S.W. This day at +noon, we steered away N.E. then N.E. by N. and in the night +N.N.E. so that we made our course on the whole, till next day at +noon, N.E. by N. about twenty-four leagues, the depths being 13 +and 14 f. on ooze. At noon of the 6th, we had sight of two +hummocks on the coast of Camboja, bearing N. by E. nine leagues +off, with low land to the westwards. From Pulo Condor till we had +sight of this coast, the current set E. by N. At this time we had +12 f. on streamy ground. The 7th at noon, we were in lat. 10° +42' N. having run from the former noon twenty-five leagues N.E. +1/2 N. and found that the current had carried us ten leagues to +the N. of our computation. Our depths were in these twenty-four +hours, from 12, to 16, 20, and 24 f. and then back to 20, 18, 16, +14, on sandy ground.</p> + +<p>From the before-mentioned two hummocks, as we coasted along, +about eight leagues from the land, sometimes more, and sometimes +less, we saw high land all the way in the inland country, and a +smooth land in most places by the sea side, about the height of +the Lizard, with many plots upon it resembling white sand, as +well as the sea side. The first of these white spots was on a +point ten leagues W. of Cape Cessier, which we at first thought +had been a town with fair white houses and white walls. This day, +at noon, being the 7th, when in the lat. of 10° 48' N. that +Cape bore from us about six leagues W.N.W. 1/2 W. At noon of the +8th, we were in lat. 11° 30' N. having gone twenty leagues +N.E. 1/2 N. from noon of the 7th. From the 8th, till noon of the +9th, we steered along shore N.N.E. sixteen leagues, N. by E. six +leagues, N. six leagues, and N. by W. nine leagues, making our +course in all N. by E. 1/3 E. thirty-six leagues. We now had Cape +Varella[279] W.S.W. eight leagues off, and were in the lat. of +13° 13' N. This cape is called Jentam by the Chinese, +signifying a chimney in their language, because it has a sharp +hummock on the top of the hill, much like a chimney on the top of +a house. From noon of the 9th, till noon of the 10th, our course +was N. two-thirds W. twenty-six leagues; our latitude on the 10th +being 14° 30' N. when we were about ten leagues from the +land.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 279: Cape Verelly is in lat. 12° 40' N. +on the coast of Cochin China--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The 11th, at noon, we were in lat. 16° 10' N. having run, +from the foregoing noon, thirty-three one-third leagues due N. +Next noon, the 12th, we had made other twenty-six leagues, N.N.E. +1/2 N. and were in latitude 17° 40' N. the current having set +us six leagues to the N. of our computation. This evening, at +six, we descried the island of Aynam, [Hainan] its high land +bearing N.W. by N. twelve leagues, and we had run from noon seven +leagues N.E. From hence, till noon of the 13th, our course was +N.E. by E. twenty-two leagues, and we were then in lat. 18° +30' N. We this morning chased a Portuguese frigate, but she was +so light that we could not get near her. The 14th, at noon, we +were in 19° 35' N. our course having been these twenty-four +hours N.E. twenty-six leagues, the current having carried us four +leagues to the N. of our reckoning; and yet this day at noon, in +seventy-three f. on ooze, our boats found no current at all. We +here saw many ripplings, like the overfalls of some rapid tide, +yet found none. At six this evening, we again anchored our boat +in sixty-eight f. on oozy sand, and found a slight current to the +southwards. By the 15th, at noon, we had ran seventeen leagues +N.E. by N. and our latitude was 28° 30' N. the current having +carried us seven leagues to the north of our reckoning. We had +here forty-five f. sandy ooze. The 16th, at noon, in 21° 20' +N. we had sight of three islands, the eastermost N.N.W. the +westermost N.W. and the nearest land nine leagues off. We had +here twenty-two f. on oosy sand, the wind being E.S.E. and very +fresh; but, from Cape Verelly till now, the wind had always blown +from S.S.E. to S.W. Next morning, at eight, we had twenty-eight +f. on ooze, having run, from noon of the 16th, eleven leagues +S.W. Finding the wind to increase, we thought it better to come +here to anchor than to run back again.</p> + +<p>In the morning of the 18th June, the weather being somewhat +fair, we endeavoured to weigh our anchor; but when it was right +apeak, the cable gave way, though a new one, never before wetted, +by which we lost our anchor. Just at this time the Unicorn fired +a gun, on which I sent immediately to know what was amiss, and +was informed she had sprung a great leak, by which all her men +were tired out with bailing. I then sent thirty men to her aid, +to ease her crew, till it might please God they should find the +leak. This day we had the wind at S.E. and stood E. making our +course N.E. till six p.m. when we again saw the former high +island ten leagues from us, bearing N.N.E. one-third E. This +evening our men returned from the Unicorn with the joyful news +that the great leak was firmly stopped. From six p.m. till +midnight, we made fourteen leagues N.E. when we had twenty f. in +ooze. From that time, till five next morning, we stood to the +southwards, making a S.W. course three and a half leagues.</p> + +<p>From five in the morning of the 19th, we cast about towards +the land, with the wind at S.E. making a course N.E. and at six +o'clock were within eight leagues of the before-mentioned high +island, bearing from as N. by E. At eight this morning, Mr +Roberts, the master of the Unicorn, came on board the James, to +inform me that another great leak had broke out in that ship, and +that it was necessary to seek out for some smooth place to ride +in at anchor, to enable them to search out the leak, and fit +their foremast better into the step. Upon this intelligence, I +resolved to bear up under the lee of the great island, which bore +now from us N. by E. in hope to find there a smooth anchorage for +the purposes of the Unicorn. There were many more islands in +sight, both to the eastwards and westwards of us, but that being +the nearest, and the likeliest for our purpose, and only three +leagues from us, we steered for it. The night approaching, and +the wind becoming dull, we plied off and on till morning of the +20th, when the wind had come round so much to the northwards, +that we could not fetch our intended place of anchorage. I went +aboard the Unicorn this day to enquire into their intentions and +situation, when I found them all willing to stand on our original +course, as the wind was fair, and they were hopeful of being able +to overcome their leak. I therefore sent all my Lascars on board +the Unicorn, in aid of her crew, after which we stood on our +course all that day till midnight, with a fair wind and +favourable weather.</p> + +<p>Towards midnight of the 20th June, the wind increased so much, +that we had to lay our ship a-try all night under her +main-course. In the morning of the 21st, we saw the Unicorn a +league and a half astern of us, having a foresail and spritsail +out, which I afterwards perceived was for the purpose of floating +her about towards the shore. I immediately caused our +fore-courses to be made ready to float our ship about after the +Unicorn, though we had little hope of being able to assist her in +any thing, as the sea was become very rough. While our men were +throwing loose the forecourse, there came so violent a gust, that +they were obliged to furl it again, otherwise it had been blown +away. After the gust was over, we set our foresail, and, to make +her wear better round, we brailed up our main-course, part of it +being blown out of the bolt rope before the men could furl it. +After that was up, we put our helm hard a-weather, thinking the +ship would come round, but all in vain, for our ship would not +wear beyond two or three points, and then came to again. The sea +was now so much grown that we durst not let fall our spritsail, +and the wind so violent that we could not loosen our +fore-topsail; and by this time the Unicorn had gone out of +sight.[280] Finding we could not wear ship, we steered away as +near as we could lie S. by E. till noon, having by that time made +a course S. by E. thirteen leagues from the southermost island we +had seen over night, which I called the Morocco Saddle, or Saddle +island, because of a high hill having a deep swamp or hollow +between two peaked tops. This Saddle island is in lat. 21° +45' N.[281] There are four or five small islands close to its +western side, and three on its eastern side. Besides which, there +are many other islands in different directions, some N.W. others +W.N.W. and W. by N. the southermost of all the islands in sight +bearing from Saddle island to the W. about fifteen leagues +off.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 280: It will be seen in the sequel that she +was lost on the coast of China, probably run on shore to save the +men's lives from the effects of the increasing +leak.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 281: The indicated latitude leads to one of +the numerous islands on the coast of China, at the month of the +bay of Canton, about the longitude of 113° E. from +Greenwich.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>This afternoon our ship became very leaky, having suddenly +four and a half feet water in the hold, which kept both pumps +going a long while before we could free her. Towards evening, it +pleased God that we discovered three or four great leaks between +wind and water; and after our carpenters had stopped them, we had +great comfort, as we could then let the pumps stop half an hour, +and afterwards free the ship in a quarter of an hour. From this +day, the 21st, at noon, till noon of the 22d, we made five +leagues S.S.W. with a pair of courses, and nine leagues S.W. by +W. a-hull, having twenty-seven and a half f. in ooze. In the +afternoon of the 22d, the violence of the wind and waves began to +abate, and our ship became tighter, which plainly shewed that +most of our leaks were between wind and water, wherefore, on the +first fair weather, I caused our carpenters to search the ship's +sides, where they found and stopped many bad places, some a yard +long, where the oakum was all rotten in the seams.</p> + +<p>The 24th, we had sight of a great island to the N. about seven +leagues off; having a high hill on its southern end, being the +island formerly mentioned as about fifteen leagues W. from Saddle +island. From thence, till the evening of the 26th, our course was +S. by W. twenty-four leagues, the depths increasing from nineteen +to thirty-six f. on ooze. We had here a small round island S.W. +by N. two leagues off, nearly in latitude 20° 20' N.[282] +This island has four small islands on its S.W. side, but all of +them considerably lower, for we saw this from the distance of at +least ten leagues, rising in the shape of a Chinese hat. From +hence, till noon of the 27th, our course was E. by N. two-thirds +N. twelve leagues. This morning at two o'clock the wind veered +round to S.S.E. and at noon was due S. From noon of the 27th, to +noon of the 28th, we stood E.N.E. eighteen leagues, and had then +almost forty-one f. on ooze. Till noon of the 29th, we made other +eighteen leagues E.N.E. when we were in 21° 10' N. To the +30th, at noon, other eighteen leagues E.N.E. To noon of 1st July, +our course was E.N.E. 1/2 N. twenty-two leagues, our latitude +being then 22° 10' N. Here, from the topmast-head we saw land +N.N.W. 1/2 N. From noon this day, till seven p.m. we sailed N.E. +by N. six leagues. At six this evening we saw three Chinese +fishing-boats.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 282: There must be a material error here, +as the latitude in the text would carry us back to the peninsula +to the north of Hainan, more than two degrees of longitude +backwards. Indeed, the text seems corrupted in many respects, +even the bearings being extremely suspicious.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>This evening the wind came up at E.S.E. with which we stood to +the southwards; and having sprung our main topmast only a little +before, we could only bear a course and bonnet, and therefore +made our way no better than S.W. From noon of the 2d, till eight +p.m. our way was S. four leagues. Till noon of the 3d, we sailed +N.N.W. 1/4 W. seven leagues. We here saw land twelve leagues off, +from N. to N.E. rising in certain hummocks, which land I +estimated to be nearly in 22° 45' N. On the 8th, I had an +observation of the Scorpion's Heart, by which I made our latitude +22° 35' N. Next day, at noon, on observation of the sun gave +the latitude 23° 6' N. At this time we had sight of the high +land of Logosse, eleven leagues off, N.W. by N.[283] This morning +we saw eight or more fishing boats, and came within hail of one, +but could not persuade the people to come on board.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 283: The latitude of the text points to the +coast of China in about the longitude of 117°E. but no such +name as Logosse occurs in these parts.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>On the 10th we had sight of some small islands, one of which, +rising in form of a sugar-loaf, bore from us W.N.N. about eight +leagues off.[284] We this day hoisted out a small boat, built by +our carpenters upon the forecastle, by which we made trial of the +current, and found it to set E.N.E. At eight this evening, we +anchored in 28 f. having made no way at all this afternoon but +with the current, which went at the rate of about a mile an hour +N.E. The 11th we weighed, and drove away with the current to the +N.E. having no wind. This day at noon we had sight of the high +land of Formosa above the clouds, the highest part bearing S.E. +by E. about eighteen leagues off, the nearest island on the coast +of China bearing seven leagues from us N.W. We here saw great +numbers of fishing boats all round about us, which sent little +boats to us with fish, for which we gave them double the value to +encourage them to come back. At six this evening, the wind sprung +up at N.N.E. by which, and some help of the current setting N.E. +by E. we made our way nine leagues E. to the 12th at noon. Our +latitude was then 25° 20' N. The high land of Formosa being +S.E. and the nearest port eight leagues off; the northern point +ten leagues E. by N. and the depth 46 fathoms on ooze. The 13th +the northern point of Formosa bore E.S.E. ten leagues off, being +then in lat. 25° 40' N.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 284: These appear to have been the Poughoy, +or Pescadores islands, off the western coast of Tai-ouan, or +Formosa.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The 22d of July at noon, we were in lat. 32° 40' N. the +great sound of Langasaque, [Nangasaki,] being E. nine leagues +off, and the S.E. of the Gotto isles W. by N. ten leagues off. +The 23d, we arrived in a port of the island of Firando named +Cochee, [Coetch,] which is about 4 1/2 English miles to the +southwards of Firando haven.[285] On the 25th, Captain Cox sent a +great number of funnies, or <i>toe</i> boats, to our assistance, +by the help of which we got safe in the afternoon into the +harbour of Firando, where we found the Swan and Expedition, sent +hither, as I suppose, by the Dutch, for the disgrace of our +nation in this remote part of the world. This day, before we got +in, the Elizabeth brought in with her into Coetch, a frigate, +containing silks and hides, and some sugar, her mariners being +Japanese with some Portuguese, a part of whom were friars. +Captain Adams, the admiral of the united fleet, arrived in the +same place about three hours after me in the Moon, as likewise +William Johnson in the Trow.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 285: Coetch, about 17 miles W. by N. from +Firando, the former on the western, and the latter on the eastern +side of the island.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The 26th, a general council was held of all the English and +Dutch, in the English house at Firando, when it was resolved to +call in the ships that lay nearest the coast of <i>Sashma</i>, +because we were certainly informed that the Portuguese frigates +were just arrived from Macao at Nangasaki. The 30th, the king of +<i>Crats</i> came aboard the James, appearing much delighted to +see such a ship, demanding of the jurabassa if this were one of +the English frigates; whence we concluded the Dutch had reported +we had only small ships like frigates. The 1st of August we held +another council at the English factory, to make choice of two +men, an Englishman and a Hollander, to carry a present to the +emperor. As I could not be spared so long from the James, nor +Captain Adams from his fleet, we made choice of Mr Charles +Cleavengar, commander of the Palsgrave, and Mr Joseph Cockram, +Cape merchant of the fleet, to go on the part of the English, and +Jasques le Febre of the Harlaem, and Mathias de Brooke, were +chosen on the part of the Dutch.</p> + +<p>On the 6th the Palsgrave arrived in Coetch roads. The Bull +arrived there on the 7th, having cut away all her masts by the +board, as they said to save the ship and goods. This day Captain +Adams and I paid a visit to the king of Firando, carrying a small +present, which was well received, and we were courteously +entertained. On the 9th the king invited the English and Dutch to +dine with him, shewing respect to our nation by placing us on his +right hand, while the Dutch sat on his left, and the first dish +of every course was offered to us.</p> + +<p>The 4th September we had a great tuffoon from the north, which +forced the Moon on shore, and overset the Expedition, which +instantly went down. The Trow had likewise been overset, had not +her master veered out the cable, and allowed her to go on shore, +stern foremost. The 5th I sent all my men aboard the Moon to help +her off when we all strove a long time to no purpose; but she was +again got off on the 13th, having fortunately received no damage +by lying so long ashore. Having every thing taken out of the +James Royal, except some bars of lead to help in trimming her +over, she was hove down on the 19th almost halfway to the keel. +The 21st we brought her down so low as to see part of her keel, +and then began to sheath her with all expedition, and in four +days the carpenters sheathed the whole of one side, from the keel +up to her lower bends. The 27th I sent a cooper, two +quarter-masters, and a butcher, to Nangasaki, to kill and salt +such meat as was provided for us.</p> + +<p>On the 12th October, we got the James hove down on the other +side to the keel, and on this side we found four very dangerous +places, where the main plank was eaten quite through by the +worms. Into each of these we graved a piece of plank, and in one +of them we drove a trunnel where none had been before. We also +nailed a piece of lead on the end of the bolt, which had been +formerly driven through the keel to stop our great leak. Our ship +was then righted, both sides being finished up to the lower +bends. The Moon was likewise finished on the 21st on both sides. +The 24th we had news that Nangasaki was greatly injured by a fire +which began in the Portuguese street, and consumed four or five +of the richest streets in the city.</p> + +<p>The 7th of December we departed from Firando, and anchored the +same evening in the bay of Coetch. The 16th, Captain Cleavengar +and Captain Le Febre returned to Firando from the court of the +emperor, bringing the joyful news of having succeeded in their +business. I took my leave of them on the 17th; and the wind being +fair, with favourable weather, I set sail from the road of +Coetch.</p> + +<p>S.6. <i>Voyage from Japan to Bantam, and thence Home to +England</i>.[286]</p> + +<p>The 18th December at noon, the islands of Mexuma bore from us +N.W. four leagues off, our course from Pomo being S.S.W. +twenty-five leagues. At noon on the 19th, our latitude was +31° 32'N. the isles of Mexuma bearing N.E. by N. nine leagues +off. The 12th January, 1621, we stood in for the coast of +Sumatra, and anchored at midnight in the river of Palembangan in +twelve fathoms. We weighed again in the morning of the 13th, +steering along the Sumatra shore through the straits of Banka; +and past midnight of the 14th we got to anchor near Pulo Paniang. +The 16th, seeing four ships in Bantam roads, we weighed and stood +a little way within Pulo Paniang, when the Pepper-corn's boat +came to us with the master, Mr Morton, who told me there were two +Dutch ships in the road and one French ship, the pangran having +consented to grant trade, and that it had been agreed to share +the pepper in thirds among them. I also learnt from him, that +most part of our loading was already prepared for us at Jacatra. +I set sail, therefore, in the morning of the 17th, and arrived +that evening near Antilaky; and in the evening of the 18th we +arrived in the bay of Jacatra, [now Batavia bay,] where we found +the Charles, the Gift, and the Clove, as also two Dutch ships, +the Leyden and the Sun. The Globe and the Bee were at Hector +island.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 286: In the former subdivision of this +voyage a sufficient sample has been given of dry nautical detail +of courses, bearings, winds, and soundings, and it does not seem +necessary to insert the minute uninteresting detail of the return +voyage to Bantam, which was along the coast of China, Cochinchina +and Camboja, nearly retracing the former +course.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>I here found the master of the Unicorn with several of his +ship's company, having come over in a junk, after losing his ship +on the coast of China.[287] The James here discharged her lading, +and was ready to reload for England, there being here at this +time, in the Charles, Clove, and Gift, about 600 tons of pepper +and other goods, and the Bear daily expected from Jambee with 200 +more, so that we had good hope of soon making up our loading with +pepper, benzoin, cloves, and silk. Having taken in our whole +loading of pepper, except fifty-five pekuls, and a few sapetas of +silk and some cloves, I departed in the morning of the 26th +February from the road of Jacatra, and set sail for England.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 287: Purchas, II. 1700, informs us, that +the Unicorn being wrecked on the coast of China, the company +saved themselves and part of their goods on shore. At first the +rude Chinese would have assaulted and rifled them; but they stood +on their defence, till a magistrate came and rescued them from +the hands of the vulgar, after which they had kind usage and just +dealing. They were allowed to purchase two vessels, with all +necessary provisions, for their departure, and in these, part of +the company went to Japan, and the other to +Malacca.--<i>Purch.</i>]</blockquote> + +<p>In the afternoon of the 20th May, we arrived in the road of +Saldanha, [Table-bay,] at the Cape of Good Hope. We here found +the Ann Royal and the Fortune, two ships belonging to the +honourable Company, and three Dutch ships, the Gowda, Black Bear, +and the Herring, all bound for Bantam and Jacatra. We trimmed our +ship on the 21st, and on the 22d we sent some water-casks on +shore, and set up a tent for our sick men and coopers, landing +twenty-five men as a guard for their protection. This night I +sent out sixty men, along with sixty Dutchmen, in quest of +cattle, but they returned without procuring any.</p> + +<p>We left Saldanha bay in the morning of the 6th June, with the +wind at S.S.E. The 21st, at six in the morning, we got sight of +St Helena, and about ten in the forenoon of the 22d, we anchored +in Chappel Bay, half a mile from the shore, in twenty-six +fathoms. The 25th, we changed to the valley leading to the +lemon-trees, being the best in all the island for refreshments. +Having remained seven days at this island, where we filled our +water-casks, and got at least fifty goats and hogs, and above +4000 lemons, we weighed anchor on the 29th, at nine a.m. The 16th +of August we saw the high land of Pico, E.N.E. about 15 leagues +off. The 15th September we got sight of the land's end of +England; and on Tuesday the 18th of that month we arrived in the +Downs, having been absent on this voyage, four years, seven +months, and fourteen days.</p> + +<p>SECTION XI.</p> + +<p>VOYAGE OF THE ANN ROYAL, FROM SURAT TO MOKHA, IN +1618.[288]</p> + +<p>The Ann Royal belonged to the fleet commanded by Martin Pring, +of which an ample relation has been given in the foregoing +section. The present section gives an account of a subordinate +voyage, arising out of the former, and intended for settling a +trade in the Red Sea. The Ann Royal was commanded by Captain +Andrew Shilling, and this narrative is said by Purchas, to have +been extracted from the journal of Edward Heynes, who appears to +have been second merchant in the Ann.--E.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 288: Purch. Pilgr. I. 622.]</blockquote> + +<hr align="center" width="25%"> +<p>Sir Thomas Roe, lord ambassador from his majesty to the Great +Mogul, having given certain articles of instruction to Captain +Andrew Shilling, commander of the Ann Royal, and Joseph Salbank, +Edward Heynes, and Richard Barber, merchants in that ship, for +establishing and conducting trade at Dabul or other places in the +Red Sea, as they might see convenient, it was thought meet by +Captain Martin Pring the general, Thomas Kerridge, and Thomas +Rastell, on the 12th March, in a consultation on board the James +Royal, that we should sail direct for the Red Sea, as the season +was already too far gone for going to Dabul.</p> + +<p>Sailing therefore from the road of Swally, we got sight of +Aden on the 10th of April. The 13th, about seven in the morning, +we passed the Bab, or straits of Bab-al-Mandub, so named from an +island at the entrance, or mouth, of the Red Sea, and forming one +side of the straits. About five in the evening we came in sight +of Mokha; and as night was coming on, we cast anchor. Shortly +after, a canoe came on board, sent by the governor to enquire who +we were, and what were our intentions; and having given them an +answer, they departed, having first begged a few biscuits. Next +morning we weighed, and came again to anchor a league and half +from the shore, when we saluted the town with nine guns. The +water-bailey, or shahbander, brought off, as a present from the +governor, a young bullock, two goats, with mangoes, limes, +cucumbers, and water-melons. He welcomed us in the name of the +governor, and desired us to send some persons on shore to inform +the governor of the purpose of our arrival. About three in the +afternoon, there came aboard a Jew born in Lisbon, together with +an old renegado Venetian, who was in great favour with the +governor, and in his name assured us of meeting with good usage +to our content.</p> + +<p>The 15th, Ali Asgee, the chief scrivano, sent a present of +goats and fruits, with a message of welcome, by two old men of +good condition, who were sent by the governor to remain aboard in +pledge for such of us as were to go on shore, with many +protestations of good usage. Accordingly, Mr Salbank and I went +ashore, accompanied by two linguists and an attendant, carrying +as a present for the governor, six yards of stammel broad cloth, +six yards of green, a fowling-piece and a looking-glass. Above a +thousand people were on the shore expecting our arrival, and +several officers were in waiting to conduct us to the governor. +His house was large and handsome, built of brick and stone, +having a fair gate of entrance with a porter's lodge, and several +servants in waiting. From the gate, we went into a great court, +whence a winding stair of thirty steps led to a square terrace, +from which we were conducted into a large room, at one end of +which was a great bow-window looking towards the sea. The +governor sat in this window, and there were others on the sides +of the room, which looked to the wharf or landing-place. The +floor of this room was all covered with fine mats, and towards +where the governor sat, with fine Turkey carpets and Persian +felts. Where he sat, there lay a party-coloured sattin quilt, +with several rich cushions of damask and others of velvet. He was +dressed in a violet-coloured vest of sattin, under which were +garments of fine India muslin or calico, having on his head a +sattin cap, wreathed round by a white sash. He was attended by +the chief scrivano, the principal officers of the customs, some +Turks of importance, many Indian merchants, and about an hundred +servants. He seemed about fifty years of age, and his name was +Mahomet Aga.</p> + +<p>On our approach, and doing reverence, he bowed to us, and +desired us to sit down, demanding who we were, and what was our +business. We answered that we were Englishmen and merchants from +London, who, by command of the ambassador of the king of England +to the Great Mogul, with whom we had a league of peace and amity, +had come to this place to treat for liberty of trade. That we +were in friendship with the Grand Signior, and had free trade at +Constantinople, Aleppo, and other places in the Turkish +dominions, and hoped to enjoy the same here; for which purpose we +were come to desire his and the pacha's phirmauns, giving us such +privileges as we already had in other parts of the dominions of +the Grand Signior, both for the present time and in future, as we +meant to visit his port yearly with plenty of English and Indian +commodities. We said likewise that we were commanded to say by +the lord ambassador, that hearing there were sundry pirates, +English, Dutch, French, Portuguese, Malabars and others, who +infested the trade of this port, and principally that carried on +by the Guzerats, who were our friends, we had his orders to free +the seas of all such incumbrances, protecting all honest merchant +ships and junks from injury. These, we said, were the true causes +of our coming here.</p> + +<p>The governor then rose up and bid us welcome, applauding our +declared purposes, but asked why we were so fearful as not to +come on shore without pledges. We answered, that about six years +before, some of our countrymen being here, were enticed on shore +by fair promises of good usage, who were betrayed and imprisoned +by the then governor, and several of them murdered. For these +reasons, we were under the necessity of being careful of our +safety. We said moreover, that he would shortly be certified we +were exactly what we professed, by means of two junks of Guzerat, +one of which had not come this year, but for the pass and promise +of the ambassador that they were to be protected in the voyage +home by our ship, against the enterprizes of any pirates who +might be in these seas, as one had been last year by some of our +ships, which came opportunely to their rescue, and conducted her +safely to their port, and had sent the chief commanders to +England, to be tried and punished for their wrongs against the +friends of our sovereign.</p> + +<p>The governor acknowledged the friendly conduct of our nation +in that affair, promising that we should live as safely on shore, +and conduct our business with as much freedom and security, as in +our own country, for which we should have his phirmauns, which he +would procure to be confirmed by the pacha to our entire +contentment. He said likewise that the former governor was a bad +man, long since deposed, and now living at Constantinople in +disgrace; and swore by his beard, and by Mahomet, that not a hair +of our heads should be diminished, nor any wrong offered to us, +as he should make proclamation of our liberties, that no one +might pretend ignorance and do us harm or discourtesy. He desired +us, therefore, to look out for a house for ourselves and our +goods, commanding two of his chiauses to attend upon us, and +recommended us to lodge with the Jew merchant till we could fit +ourselves better, desiring him to assist us in all things.</p> + +<p>After giving many thanks for his kindness, and delivering the +present as from our captain, we went, by the advice of the Jew, +to visit the scrivano, who is likewise chief customer or +shahbander; and as he was not at home, his servant received and +entertained us with much civility. They conducted us into an +handsome room, not much inferior in building and furniture to +that of the governor, where we had left their master, who soon +came home and welcomed us with much politeness, assuring us that +all the governor had promised should be faithfully performed, as +he himself should see all executed, and had also power to see us +righted. We were informed that this man's power was as great in +Mokha as that of the governor, who was directed by him in all +matters of importance. This officer seemed a hearty old man. +After making us drink coffee and sherbet, we took our leaves, and +remained all night with the Jew.</p> + +<p>Next morning we spent an hour in viewing the town, and +observing the countenances of the people towards us, whom we +found gentle and courteous, especially the Banians and Guzerats, +many of whom reside here as merchants, shopkeepers, and +mechanics, having neatly-built shops and warehouses. Their market +or bazar seemed well furnished with all manner of necessaries, +among which were plenty of fruits, which are brought daily from +the country. Most of the town is built of brick and stone, neatly +plastered over with Paris plaster, some of the houses being two +stories high, and all flat-roofed, with terraces on the top, on +which in summer they construct lodges of canes and mats, in which +they sleep and spend the first quarter of the day, having at that +time a fresh breeze from the sea. All the rest of the day at that +season is so hot that they can hardly endure even a shirt. Mokha +lies quite level along the sea-shore, being about two miles from +north to south, and contains many good-looking houses, with three +principal mosques. The streets are kept clean, every person +having to sweep and water before his door every morning and +evening, so that they resemble sandy alleys for bowling, more +than streets. No filth is allowed to be thrown into the streets, +but must all be carried to an appointed place, where it is +scoured out by the sea. In fine, I have never seen a sweeter, +cleaner, or better ordered town any where.</p> + +<p>The wharf is situated between the governor's house and that of +the scrivano, and is about twelve score square.[289] Near this, +and adjoining the governor's house, there is a platform or fort, +built of hewn stones, having battlements towards the sea, being +about forty paces square, in which there are thirteen or fourteen +pieces of ordnance of little value. Over against the +landing-place two fair brass cannons are planted, above five feet +long. At the other end, is the Alfandica, where there is a brass +gun six feet long, carrying a large ball. Besides these defences, +there is a stone house at the north end of the town, built like a +sconce or redoubt, with a few pieces of ordnance; but they trust +little in their ordnance, relying mostly on their soldiers, of +whom they have always 200 in the town, and about 300 more in the +country, within a day or two days march, who are all constantly +in readiness for service.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 289: This is obscure, as it is not said +whether it be 240 feet, yards, or paces.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The son of Cojah Nassan, the principal India merchant of the +town, whom we waited upon at his house, promised us all kindness, +and regaled us with tobacco and coffee, as is usual among these +people. We went afterwards to wait upon the governor before we +returned on board. He rose up at our entry to meet us, causing us +to sit down by him, and repeated all the fair promises of free +trade he had given the day before, declaring that he would deny +us nothing that was reasonable. He then told us there was another +governor shortly to succeed him, who was as his brother, and +honester even than himself, who would faithfully perform every +thing he had promised. At our request, the governor ordered the +water-bailiff to furnish us at all times with boats, either for +our conveyance, or to carry water to the ship. From the governor, +we again went to visit the scrivano, who received us with much +civility, promising to come aboard to visit our ship, and +compliment our captain. After treating us with coffee, we took +leave, and returned to the ship, when the pledges were dismissed, +acknowledging the good treatment they had received, and were +saluted on going ashore with five guns.</p> + +<p>On the 17th, the scrivano, with our two pledges, our Jew +friend, and twenty other persons, came aboard, bringing a +bullock, with bread, quinces, and other fruits, a great round +cake or pasty, like puff-paste, in which were several fowls and +chickens, well seasoned and baked, and most excellent eating. We +also, with a large quince pye, and many crabs, together with sack +and cordials, added our best welcome. The scrivano was so well +pleased with his reception, that he insisted upon becoming the +sworn brother of our captain, which was accordingly celebrated +with a cup of sack; and, after much mirth, and having taken a +view of our ship, he departed highly gratified.</p> + +<p>We were well supplied with water by several poor people of +Mokha, who brought it off to the ship at a reasonable rate. Also, +with the concurrence of the governor and scrivano, we made every +junk that arrived anchor under our guns, and to ride in that +situation till they discharged their cargo; which indeed the +governor wished us to do, because some junks passed by that port +to trade at others, to the injury of Mokha At six in the evening +of the 21st of April, we had a violent storm of wind off the +land, accompanied by much thunder and lightning, but no rain, +which continued for half an hour, all the rest of the night being +extremely hot. Although we rode above a league from the shore, +this tempest brought great quantities of dust, and even sand on +board. The 25th, we had a message from the scrivano, saying that +the governor and he had received letters from the pacha at Sinan, +commanding them to entertain us with all manner of kindness, and +to give us free trade, with liberty to reside among them in all +quietness and security.</p> + +<p>On the 27th the new governor arrived, when the ordnance of the +town, and of our ship and the several junks in the road, all +fired to welcome his arrival. He sent the former pledges on board +to return thanks for our salute, accompanied by a present of +plantains, limes, mangoes, melons, and bread, with one bullock, +promising, in the name of the pacha, as free trade as our nation +had in Constantinople. The pledges remained all night aboard, and +went ashore with us next day, when we found the new and the old +governors sitting together at the end of a large room, much in +the same way as we had found the old one at our first arrival. +The new governor was named Regib Aga, and was accompanied by +several principal Turks, and by all the principal merchants from +Surat, Diu, Dabul, Scindy, Calicut, and Cananore. On our +approach, he and the other Turks only moved their bodies, but all +the merchants rose up to salute us. He made us sit down beside +him, and told us that the pacha had commanded him to give us +satisfaction in all things; and that he knew besides, we were of +a nation in friendship with the Grand Signior, and had free trade +in Constantinople, Aleppo, and other parts of the Turkish empire, +being a nation of a friendly and honest disposition, and we +should therefore always find him disposed to give us free trade, +and every other courtesy In reply, we told him we proposed, at +our next coming to Mokha, if our reasonable requests of a free +trade were granted, to settle a permanent factory at this place, +and to come yearly to the port, with plenty of English and India +goods, and should defend the trade against pirates. We even +distantly hinted, that it was needless to deny us a free trade, +being in a condition to force it if refused, and to hinder all +others from coming hither, the fear of which had already caused +some junks to pass by Mokha to Jidda, the port of Mecca, a town +of great trade, 150 leagues farther up the Red Sea, and to other +places.</p> + +<p>The new governor replied, that we should be made as welcome as +in any place of our own country; and swore by God, and Mahomet, +and by his own beard, that we should live as free from all injury +as in our own land. We asked what security he would give us +besides his word, when he said we should have his phirmaun under +his <i>chop</i>, or seal, and would procure us the same from the +pacha. With this we seemed satisfied, and gave him many thanks; +and indeed they all seemed perfectly willing to give us every +satisfaction, yet, in my opinion, not from good-will or justice, +but from fear, as they knew we were able to intercept their whole +trade. After some conversation about our ambassador, who now +resided at Constantinople, and about the Portuguese and +Spaniards, whom Rajib said were proud and faithless nations, we +spoke of Sir Henry Middleton, asking the cause of their +treacherous conduct to him and his people. He answered, that the +then Vizier was a bloody, cruel, and ill-minded man, and made +worse by the instigation of the Turks and Arabs of Mokha, who +were enraged by the uncivil behaviour of our people, who made +water at the gates of their mosques, forced their way into the +houses after the citizens wives, and being daily drunk in the +streets, would fight and quarrel with the people,[290] things +hateful in their eyes. These were only in part the cause, for the +covetousness of the governor, hoping to have got their ship and +goods, was the main cause of that scandalous conduct, for which +he was soon afterwards sent to Constantinople to answer for his +crimes.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 290: Let English Christians read, blush, +and amend--<i>Purch.</i>]</blockquote> + +<p>We dined that day with the scrivano, and hired a house of +Hassan Aga, one of our pledges, at seventy dollars the monsoon, +or yearly rent, it being all the same. The scrivano insisted to +swear himself our friend on his Koran, yet denied the present +governor to be the person who captured Sir Henry Middleton, which +we afterwards found to be Turkish faith, or absolute falsehood. +We now agreed to pay at the rate of three in the hundred, <i>ad +valorem</i>, both inwards and outwards, though the scrivano swore +that all others paid five; all money, with silver and gold in +bullion, to pass free of duty. We remained this night with the +scrivano to supper, and gave him a present.</p> + +<p>On the 29th of April we expected to have had our phirmaun +publicly read before all the merchants, and proclaimed to the +people; but most part of the day was spent in ceremony by the +governor and other chiefs at the mosque, on account of the death +of Sultan Achmet, the Grand signior, and the accession of his +brother to the throne. They came riding past our house while we +were sitting at a window which opened to the street, whence we +made our obeisance to them, and they bowed in return. They were +all in grand gala, having their horses richly caparisoned. At +four in the afternoon we were sent for, but our linguist had got +to a Jew house and was drunk with arrack, so we sent an apology, +under pretence that Mr Salbank was indisposed, and promised +attendance next day. On the 31st, the governor sent for us, and +made our welcome known to all the merchants, causing his scrivano +draw up a phirmaun as full as we could have wished, which he +signed with his chop or seal in the afternoon at the house of the +principal scrivano, entirely according to what was before agreed +upon, by which we were to pay three per cent. for all we landed, +excepting money, and the same for all we took on board, except +victuals. We got afterwards a similar phirmaun from Mahomet, the +pacha of Sinan: and Rejib Aga gave us a particular safe conduct +for Mr Salbank and the rest.[291]</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 291: Copies, or translations rather, from +the Arabic, are given in the Pilgrims of all these three +phirmauns, which it was not thought necessary to +insert.--E]</blockquote> + +<p>It was now agreed among ourselves that Mr Salbank and I were +to remain ashore to conduct the business of sales and purchases, +while Mr Barber staid on board to prepare and send such goods as +we required. The 5th of May we went to the scrivano to get leave +to make arrack for the use of our sick men; because, since our +linguist and several of our people had got drunk in the house of +a Jew, we had complained, and procured an order prohibiting the +Jews from selling them any, and the governor had even strictly +enjoined the Jews and Turks not to sell any more arrack or wine +in the town. At our request through the scrivano, the governor +granted leave for a Jew, nominated for the purpose to brew arrack +at our house, but forbid any to be made elsewhere.</p> + +<p>In the afternoon of the 8th, learning that the governor and +principal men were sitting in form at the Alfandica, to receive +the Surat captain who was then coming on shore, we went also to +see the ceremonial of his reception. We found the governor at the +upper end of a long room, sitting on a stone bench spread with +carpets, having on the same bench with him various merchants and +Turks of quality, to the number of about twenty. Opposite to him +sat about as many in chairs, forming a lane down the room to a +square platform raised three steps from the floor, railed in and +matted, in which the scrivano and other officers of the customs +sat on carpets. The governor bid us welcome, saying he had given +orders to the chief broker to examine our goods and promote their +sale. He then desired us to sit down, two merchants offering us +their places, and called for coffee and tobacco to regale us.</p> + +<p>About half an hour after, the nokhada, or captain of the Surat +ship, came ashore. His boat was curiously painted, having a tilt +of red silk, with many streamers, and sails of fine white calico. +He was rowed by twenty of his servants, all dressed in fine white +calico, and he was accompanied by a wretched band of music, +consisting of drums, waits, and bad trumpets, the noise from +which was augmented by the discharge of guns from his own great +junk and those belonging to the town. Attended by a few slaves, +decked out in silks and coarse sattins, he entered the lone room +where we were, when the governor rose and saluted him, and placed +him next himself on the stone bench. Many compliments of welcome +passed between the nokhada and the other merchants; but in the +height of his pride he overlooked us, and we him accordingly. Yet +we thought he might have shewn us more respect, considering that +Captain Shilling had sent his long-boat and men to free his junk +of 400 or 500 tons, when aground, and had entertained him with +much civility aboard our ship.</p> + +<p>After some time spent in compliments, coffee was again brought +in for all the company; after which six vests were produced, two +of which were given to the Surat captain, and one each to his +four principal merchants. When these were put on, and mutual +<i>salams</i> or reverences given, they again sat down, like so +many painted images, dressed up in coats of coarse gold and +silver velvet. We here observed one usual custom of this town, at +the arrival of any junk, and the landing of her nokhada or +captain, that free liberty is given to all the mariners and +passengers to bring ashore as much goods as each man can carry on +his back, without payment of any duty; accordingly, at this time, +about 300 persons belonging to this junk passed with their +luggage to the captain's residence, unmolested.</p> + +<p>On the 9th, our landlord and the scrivano told us that three +junks from Diu, and four Malabar vessels, were at Aden, whence +they were afraid to proceed without our pass or licence. +Accordingly we sent them a free pass, signed by our captain and +three merchants. In this, after reciting that we had found good +usage from the governor and merchants at Mokha, we engaged to +give them all freedom to pass quietly, assuring them of kind +usage, provided they were not enemies to our sovereign or his +subjects. A more general pass was afterwards granted by us for +the quiet and free departure of all junks and other vessels, with +their cargoes, mariners, and passengers.</p> + +<p>On the 10th, the captain of the Dabul junk invited us to a +banquet at his house, where we found the governor with about +fifty principal persons, besides attendants, all of whom rose up +to bid us welcome. Coffee, sherbet, and tobacco, were served +round, with various fruits, as plums, apricots, and mangoes, and +thinking these had been the feast, we were about to depart; but +the governor and the Dabul captain desired us to remain, that we +might <i>eat bread and salt with them</i>, which we did. The +feast at last made its appearance, though late, being about sixty +dishes of meats, baked, roasted, broiled, stewed, and boiled, but +all mingled with rice and various kinds of sallads, in the +fashion of India.</p> + +<p>Our cargo consisted mostly of bad wares, which had lain in +India till they were nearly spoiled, and so hung long upon our +hands; wherefore we importuned the governor to dispeed our sales, +which he charged the broker to do with all expedition. We also +had leave granted to come and go between the ship and the shore +at our pleasure, without demanding leave, contrary to the usual +custom of the port, the water bailiff being ordered to give us no +molestation. On the 20th, it was noticed that the monsoon had +changed. The 24th, the scrivano observed to us that our sailors, +on coming ashore, were in the custom of selling <i>baftas</i> and +sword-blades in the bazar. He said the governor had promised +liberty for the goods of these poor fellows to pass free of +custom, and therefore they might freely bring them ashore for +sale, but must sell them at our house, and not in the public +bazar, which was a disgrace to us and our nation.</p> + +<p>On the 31st, our ship was in great danger of being burnt. Some +one happened to be smoking on the spritsail yardarm, when the +burning tobacco fell out unobserved into a fold of the sail, +where it burnt through two or three breadths, and was long smelt +before it could be found. After this, smoking was strictly +prohibited, except in the cook-room or the captain's cabin. At +this time, for the recovery of our sick men, the exploration of +the coast, and procuring ballast instead of lead taken out of the +ship for sale, it was concluded to send the ship over to Assab; +on the African coast, on which occasion Mr Baffen, the master's +mate, was sent before to sound and discover the passage.</p> + +<p>On the 10th of June we had a conference with the governor, +and, among other discourse, he told us that he was governor of +Aden when the Ascension was there, when he imprisoned the captain +and Mr Joseph Salbank for two days, suspecting them to be +freebooters, and not merchants, as he alleged. He said also that +he was governor here at Mokha when Sir Henry Middleton was +apprehended, but laid the whole blame of that transaction on the +then pacha, whose servant he was, and who had given orders for +that and much more, which he called God to witness was much +contrary to his inclination, and declared that these things were +past, and we had now nothing to fear. By this avowal, we had a +clear evidence how far he and the scrivano were to be trusted. +The governor sent for us again on the 13th, saying that he had +acquainted the pacha with our purpose of sending to him for his +phirmaun, and that he had promised a hearty welcome and full +contentment, whether we went personally or sent a messenger; but +the governor advised that one of us should go up to Sinan, for +which purpose he would provide us with horses, camels, and +attendants, and should write in our behalf to the pacha.</p> + +<p>The 19th a junk arrived from Jiddah, with many passengers from +Mecca, bringing camblets, bad coral, amber beads, and much +silver, to invest in spices and India cotton goods. She brought +news of a ship, laden last year from Mokha for Grand Cairo, which +had lost her monsoon, and was forced to wait till next year, at a +place only a little way beyond Jiddah. By this ship, the governor +had letters informing him that the Grand Signior had sent various +state ornaments to the pacha of Sinan, whom he had confirmed in +his government for seven years longer, and appointing himself to +continue governor of Mokha for the like time, of which he seemed +not a little proud.</p> + +<p>As I was constantly indisposed, it was thought fit that Mr +Salbank should go up to Sinan to wait upon the pacha with a +present, and to carry up some goods also with him for sale at +that place. On this occasion, the scrivano offered him his own +mule to ride upon, which he thankfully accepted. He was furnished +with two camels, a cook, a horsekeeper, and three servants +belonging to the governor, all of whose wages he agreed to pay at +certain fixed rates, and was also accompanied by a linguist named +Alberto. Taking leave of the governor, who gave him letters for +the pacha, he departed from Mokha about six in the evening of the +23d June, the nights being the accustomed time of travelling.</p> + +<p>In the morning of the 23d, we had a letter from our captain; +then at Assab, informing of his safe arrival there, and the good +health of the people, and that he had procured ballast and +provisions to his satisfaction. On the 26th, the governor sent me +a horse by one of his servants, inviting me to accompany him to +his banqueting house, about half a mile out of town, there to +spend the day in mirth along with other merchants. About half an +hour after, the chief scrivano came to accompany me, with whom I +went, joining the governor by the way, and rode with him to the +place. It was a fair house, in the middle of a grove of date +trees, beside a large tank or pond, having several rooms +handsomely fitted; up for sitting. After a little while, the +governor and several others went into the tank to bathe, where +they sported themselves for half an hour. Coffee was then handed +round to the company, after which grapes, peaches, and both musk +and water; melons, were brought in, together with blanched +almonds and great quantities of raisins, as there were between +fifty and sixty guests, besides, attendants; and always between +whiles coffee, sherbet, and tobacco were handed round. Thus, and +with indifferent music, we spent the forenoon. After prayers, the +governor, went again into the tank, where he spent an hour +sporting with his company. In the sequel, the time was spent in +cards and chess, and in looking at various; jiggling tricks, till +four in the evening. At this time above an hundred dishes were +served up, all of good meat, but; cold, and ill dressed, each +dish being sufficient to have satisfied four hungry men. He +treated me with much kindness, and was earnest to have me go with +him into the tank, but I excused myself; on account of my late +indisposition. He then said, if at any time I was inclined to +bathe, I might come to this place when I pleased, and he would +give orders to the keeper to admit me and use me well.</p> + +<p>The 12th July, the Surat captain made a fine display of many +artificial fire-works before the governor, it being then new +moon. The governor sent for me to see them, and placed me in a +chair beside himself, telling me he had letters that day from +Sinan, informing him that the Pacha had granted a phirmaun for us +before the arrival of Mr Salbank, but hearing of his coming, had +delayed sending it, and had since granted another, according to +his instructions, and had delivered it to Mr Salbank with his own +hand.</p> + +<p>On the 13th there passed by the roads a junk of four or five +hundred tons from Jiddah, bound for <i>Kitchine</i>, a day's sail +within the entrance of the Red Sea, which I suppose is not far +from Cape Guardafui, on the coast of Africa.[292] She is said to +contain great sums in gold and silver, with much valuable +merchandize. This ship comes yearly to Mokha at the beginning of +the western monsoon, bringing myrrh, and boxes for <i>coho</i> +seeds, [coffee] and goes from hence to Jiddah or <i>Aliambo</i>, +[Al Yambo] where she sells her coffee and the India goods +procured at Kitchine; which last are brought thither by +Portuguese barks from Diu and other places. Her outward lading +consists of indigo, all manner of India cotton goods, gum-lac; +and myrrh.[293] She is freighted by the Portuguese, and the +governor of Mokha wished much we had met with her, which we had +probably done, had not our ship been absent, which returned into +the road of Mokha on the 21st. I went aboard, and was told that +the king of Assab and his brother had been aboard, and were +kindly entertained, in return for which he promised to supply +them with abundance of beeves and goats; but that same evening, +in consequence of a signal of fire, he and all his people fled +into the mountains, pretending they were threatened by an attack +from their enemies, and never even gave thanks for their +entertainment.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 292: The only place resembling this name is +Kissem, on the oceanic coast of Yemen, or Arabia Felix, nearly +due N. from Cape Guardafui.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 293: This must refer to her homeward +lading, called outward in the text in respect to +India.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>Before day of the 27th July, Mr Salbank returned from Sinan in +perfect health, and much satisfied with his phirmauns. He gave me +an account of his whole journey, having been respectfully treated +every where; always before entering any town, being met both by +horse and foot to conduct him to the different governors, by whom +he was kindly received. All his provisions were provided by their +officers, but at his own expence; and the servant of the governor +of Mokha caused him every where to be well used. He was met a +mile from Sinan by forty or fifty Turks, well mounted, sent by +the Pacha to escort him to a well-furnished house prepared for +his reception. He was there kindly received and entertained by +the xeriffe and the pacha's chief treasurer, who were both +deputed to give him welcome in the name of the pacha. Two days +afterwards, he had audience of the pacha, from whom he received +courteous entertainment, receiving two phirmauns of the same +tenor, one of which was much more ornamentally written than the +other, and intended for being shown to the Grand Signior, if +necessary.</p> + +<p>According to his report, the city of Sinan and its +neighbourhood will give vent yearly for a good quantity of +English cloth, as the weather there is cold for three quarters of +the year; and even while he was there, though the height of +summer, a person might well endure a furred gown. Besides, there +is a court at that place to which belongs <i>forty</i> or +<i>fifty</i> thousand gallant Turks,[294] most of whom wore +garments of high-priced Venetian cloth. Not far from thence there +is a leskar, or camp, of 30,000 soldiers,[295] continually in the +field against an Arab king in the adjoining mountains, not yet +conquered; all of which soldiers are said to wear coats of +quilted India chintzes, which are dear, and of little service to +defend them from the cold of that region, which is there +excessive. To this I may add the city or Teyes, near which there +is a <i>leskar</i> of thirty or forty thousand soldiers, +commanded by a German renegado under the pacha of Sinan. That +place, though only about five days journey from Mokha, is very +cold, and much cloth is worn by the people about that place.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 294: This is probably a vast exaggeration, +though in words at length in the Pilgrims; and we ought more +likely to read <i>four</i> or <i>five</i> thousand +Turks.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 295: A similar reduction to 3000 is +probably needful for this army.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>On the 2d of August the governor sent a rich vest to our +captain by the chief shabander, attended by drums and trumpets, +his boat being decked out with flags and streamers. This was +delivered with great ceremony, and reverently received. The Dabul +nokhada, Melic Marvet, and Roswan, the nokhada of the Chaul ship, +sent us letters of recommendation to their kings, on the 11th +August, according to our desire, certifying the friendly usage +they had experienced from us at Mokha, and our kind offer to +protect them on the homeward voyage, from pirates, and entreating +therefore for us freedom of trade and friendly usage in their +dominions. The 14th, as we had formerly done to others, we gave +our passes to two Malabar captains, Amet ben Mahomet of Cananore, +under Sultan Ala Rajah, and Aba Beker of Calicut, under the +Zamorin.</p> + +<p>This day there came a galley into the road from Cairo, having +many Turks and Jews as passengers, bringing great store of +dollars, chekins, coral, damask, sattin, camblet, opium, velvets, +and taffetas. She had come down the whole length of the Red Sea +in thirty days. I had a conference with the Jews, one of whom I +had formerly known in Barbary. They reported that the brother of +the former Grand Signior, on being made emperor, had imprisoned +his two nephews, and put to death several of the grandees, and +had otherwise given great offence to the great men at +Constantinople, whereupon he was deposed and imprisoned, and his +eldest nephew made emperor in his stead. They said likewise that +an army of 200,000 men was sent against the Persians, for the +conquest of Gurgistan, adding various other particulars, some of +which turned out true, and others false, like merchants news in +general. Some Turks and Jews desired to have passage for +themselves and goods in our ship to Surat; and it is likely, when +they know us better, much profit may be made in this way, as +their junks are usually pestered with rude people.</p> + +<p>Having sold and bartered our goods as well as we could have +expected, considering our cargo, and dispatched all our business, +we visited the governor, and desired to have his testimonials to +the lord ambassador, which he gave us. We took leave of him on +the 19th of August, and of the scrivano and other chief men of +the town, from whom we received protestations of continued +kindness on all future occasions. We went aboard that same day, +proposing to sail the next day for India, taking the Surat junk +under our convoy, according to our instructions.</p> + +<p>SECTION XII.</p> + +<p>JOURNAL OF A VOYAGE TO SURAT AND JASQUES, IN 1620.[296]</p> + +<p>"According to the title of this journal in the Pilgrims, the +fleet which sailed on this voyage consisted of the London, of 800 +tons, William Baffin master, on board of which was Captain Andrew +Shilling, chief in command, or general; the Hart, of 500 tons, +Richard Blithe master; the Roebuck, of 300 tons, Richard Swan +master; and the Eagle, of 280 tons, Christopher Brown master. The +account of the voyage in Purchas is said to consist of extracts +from the journal written by Richard Swan, the master or captain +of the Roebuck."--E.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 296: Purch. Pilgr. 1. 723.]</blockquote> + +<p>S.1. <i>Voyage from England to Surat.</i></p> + +<p>We sailed from Tilbury-hope on the 26th of February, 1620, and +anchored in Saldanha road [Table Bay, at the Cape of Good Hope] +on 24th of June, where we found the Lion homewards-bound, and +nine Dutch ships bound for Bantam, commanded by a gentleman named +Nicolas van Baccum, who Was said to have studied seven years at +Oxford. Next morning the Lion and the Dutch fleet departed, each +their several way; and in the evening arrived the Schidam +belonging to Deft, outward-bound, which being suspected by both +admirals, the master was sent for, and producing Us commission, +gave satisfaction. On the 3d of July we made a solemn +proclamation of the right and title of his majesty King James to +Saldania, and on the 7th King James's mount was erected.[297]</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 297: It thus appears that the first +fortified station at the Cape of Good Hope was erected by the +English, to whom that colony now belongs. It would surely be a +better appellation for this important colony, which may be called +the key of India, to restore its old name-of <i>Saldania</i>, +than to continue its present awkward denomination, The Colony of +the Cape of Good Hope.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>We sailed from the Cape of Good Hope on the 25th of July, and +26th of October we put into Dabul roads, where we remained till +the 2d of November to refresh our men, and to provide the two +ships bound for Persia. The 6th November, the Hart and Eagle took +leave of us and the 9th we anchored in Swally roads, where we +found the Wappen van Zeland, of 1000 tons, which at our arrival +took in her colours, and saluted the London with three guns, and +the Roebuck with two. I was sent on shore, and brought off Mr +Thomas Kerridge, the president of the factory at Surat, with Mr +James, and Mr Hopkinson. Next day, in a consultation, it was +determined to dispatch us speedily after the Hart and Eagle, as +we had intelligence that four Portuguese galleons were waiting at +Ormus, or in Jasques roads, to intercept them.</p> + +<p>S.2. <i>Voyage from Surat towards Jasques</i>.</p> + +<p>The 19th November, having dispatched our business at Swally +with all expedition, we set sail towards Jasques. The 21st we +chased a ship, which surrendered without resistance, being the +Nostra Sennora de Merces, of 200 tons, bound from Muscat for +Chaul, having on board forty-two Arabian horses, her principal +loading, and for which trade she was built. The residue of her +cargo consisted of dates and raisins. The name of her captain was +Francisco de Mirando.</p> + +<p>The 5th December, when in latitude 24° 55' N. we met the +Hart and Eagle coming from Jasques for Surat, because not of +sufficient strength to encounter the Portuguese force which was +waiting for them with the intention of ruining our Persian trade. +Thus happily rejoined to our former consorts, we shaped our +course for Jasques to accomplish our purpose. The 8th, at the +earnest desire of the Portuguese and Moors taken in the prize, we +set them on shore, except some Moor seamen whom we detained in +our service, and the Portuguese pilot, who entreated to stay, as +he feared some hard usage from his own people. On the 12th, +certain volunteers who had engaged to set fire to our prize, and +run her aboard the Portuguese admiral, were put on board of her, +and she was fitted as a fire-ship. The 15th we had sight of the +east point of Jasques roads, having upon it a tomb or old square +flat-roofed house, which bore W.N.W. by compass, twelve miles +off. From Diu head to this point, I make the longitude, by the +ordinary plain chart, 9° 55' 36" W. but by Mercator's +projection, 10° 51'. From where we were, we could see the +Portuguese men of war sent from Lisbon to oppose our trade with +Persia, consisting of two Portuguese galleons, one of which was +larger than the London, and two Dutch ships, one as large as the +Hart, while the other was less than the Eagle. Their general was +Don Ruy Frere de Andrado; the vice-admiral, Joam Boralio; and the +two Dutch ships were commanded by Antonio Musquet and Baltazar de +Chaves.[298]</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 298: According to a special account of this +and the succeeding sea-fight, appended to the present relation in +Purchas, the Portuguese fleet on the present occasion, besides +the four galleons, consisted of two gallions and ten frigates or +armed barks, none of which are here mentioned except the four +galleons.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>S.3. <i>Account of the first Fight with the +Portuguese</i>.</p> + +<p>In the morning of the 16th December, our admiral and all the +masters of our squadron went on board the prize, carrying two +barrels of powder, some tar, and other combustible materials, to +fit her up as a fire-ship, intending to lay her on board the +Portuguese admiral athwart his hawse, that both might burn +together. After she was fitted, we bore up for the Portuguese +squadron, but it fell calm, and the current set us so near them, +that they reached us with their shot. We kept under sail all +night, and in the morning of the 17th, being to leeward of them +in consequence of the land breeze, they weighed and made toward +us, when we waited their approach, although they preserved the +advantage of the weather-gage. The fight began about nine in the +morning, and continued without intermission for nine hours. In +the afternoon, a fine gentle sea-breeze sprung up from the +westwards, which gave us the weather-gage; and the Portuguese +admiral anchored, either of necessity to repair some defect about +his rudder, or of policy to gain some expected advantage. His +vice-admiral and the large Dutch ship anchored to the eastwards, +and the lesser Dutch ship to leeward of them all, stopping his +leaks. We were now in great hopes of putting our fire-ship to a +good purpose; but being too soon fired and forsaken by those who +had her in charge, she drove clear of them all, to their joy and +our disgrace. Seeing them remain at anchor, and keeping to +windward of them, we turned to and again close a-head of them as +they rode at anchor, raking them as we passed, through and +through, fore and aft, especially the admiral, receiving only in +return their prow and bow-chases. By these, as I passed to the +north, two unfortunate shots cut asunder the weather leech ropes +of the Roebuck's foresail and fore-topsail, in the middle depth +of both sails; owing to which we could not bring her into stays, +and were forced, for repairing these sails, to bear down to +leeward, between the enemy and the shore; in which course, the +three great ships plied their whole broadsides against us, but +with less hurt than I could have imagined, God be praised. Having +compassed the three large ships, I luffed up to rejoin our +squadron, which still held the advantage of the wind, and plied +their great guns on the Portuguese like so many muskets. When I +had got to windward of the smaller Dutch ship, which stood off as +I did till he had our fire-ship directly between him and me, he +turned tail, and steered right before the wind along shore to the +eastwards, with all the sail he could carry. The other three now +set sail to his rescue, and were now so tame, that as the Hart +passed along their broadsides, she received only a few shots +great and small from any of them, and from some none at all. The +night now coming on, and our people being all wearied by the long +continuance of the fight, we all desisted from any farther chase, +and came to anchor in our usual road.</p> + +<p>In this fight, the London and Hart had very little harm in +their hulls and tackling, and less, or rather none, in their men. +The main-mast of the Eagle was hurt in five places, four of which +were quite through, and one of her men lost his right arm. In the +Roebuck, I had one man slain by a cannon ball striking his head. +A piece of his skull and some splinters of the ball wounded one +of my mates in the forehead, and destroyed his left eye; and two +others of my men lost the use of their right hands. God be +praised for our good fortune; for I never heard of so small loss +in so long a fight as we now sustained. I cannot truly state the +loss of the enemy: but, by the report of our merchants, their +vice-admiral and another captain were slain, and thirty or forty +men in the admiral's ship alone, the rest as yet unknown. As to +their Moors, they do not count them among the num her of their +men.</p> + +<p>In the morning of the 18th, the day after the action, we could +see the Portuguese at anchor ten miles to the east of us, having +the wind fair to have come down, but they did not. We then held a +consultation, whether it were better for us to take the first of +the sea breeze, which usually begins about noon, to stand towards +them and try it out for the mastery, before they could receive +supplies from Ormus, Muskat, or Goa, or else to make sail for +Jasques roads, on purpose to land our goods and money, in case of +the worst, these being the prize they sought to obtain and we to +defend. Accordingly, the London got that night into Jasques road, +but the rest could not get in before the 20th, by reason of +contrary winds. On the 21st and 22d most of our goods were +landed.</p> + +<p>S.4. <i>Second Sea Fight with the Portuguese</i>.</p> + +<p>On the 22d, seeing the Portuguese galleons open the road of +Jasques, and supposing they might intend to come in with the sea +breeze, we set sail and stood off for them. At first, they made a +shew of giving us battle, but soon afterwards made off upon a +tack; and till the 28th, they were either to windward, or so +favourably placed at anchor, that we could not attempt to attack +them without manifest disadvantage. During this time, they were +joined by two or three frigates, or barks, from Ormus, bringing +them a supply of men and ammunition. We made one attempt on +Christmas day, but were forced back by a sudden flaw of wind; on +which occasion, some blacks aboard of us, said the Portuguese had +brought a witch from Ormus, to supply them with favourable +winds.</p> + +<p>On Innocents day, 28th December, perceiving the drift of our +Portuguese <i>Fabius cunclator</i>, to protract and avoid +fighting, that by delays and the advantage of his frigates, he +might hinder us from prosecuting your business in Persia, we +determined to attempt closing with him. About one o'clock there +sprung up a favourable east wind for our purpose, on which we +immediately weighed and put every thing in order for battle. The +London and Hart came to anchor within a cable's length and half +of their broadsides, and so endured the main brunt of this second +fight; for, no sooner were they at anchor, but it fell calm and +so continued all day, insomuch that the Roebuck and Eagle, which +had steered nearer to the shore, with the intention of coming to +anchor, one on the bow of their admiral, and the other on the bow +of their vice-admiral, got astern, and could not with all our +diligence be of any service for a full half hour after the action +began. At length we got within point-blank shot of them, and then +were forced either to anchor or drive farther off with the +current, as there was not a breath of wind.</p> + +<p>We now brought our broadsides to bear, and our whole squadron +plied their ordnance upon them so fast, that had the knowledge of +our men equalled their resolution, not one of them had escaped +from us. Not willing to endure such hot entertainment, they cut +their cables about three o'clock, and drove from us with the tide +to the westwards, till out of our reach. Then came their +frigates, which the day before had made a bravado along shore +with drums, trumpets, flags, and streamers, and, now employed in +a fitter task, towed them away all mangled and torn. Their +admiral, in the very hottest of the fight, was under the necesity +of giving his ship a heel to stop his leaks, his main-top-mast +and the head of his main-mast having fallen overboard. The great +Dutch ship had both his top-masts and part of his boltsprit shot +away, and the smaller lost all his shrouds and top-masts. Their +vice-admiral escaped best this day, having commonly one or other +of their own ships between him and us.</p> + +<p>We kept them company all night, in hope of being able next +morning to give them their passports; but having taken a survey +of our shot, which we found scanty, and considering the +importance of the voyage we still had to perform, we thought it +best to give over the chase and return to Jasques; leaving them +glad of our absence, their two great ships towing the two +smaller. We have had no account of their loss in this action. All +your worships ships remain serviceable, God be praised, and only +five men slain outright in these two long and severe engagements. +Our worthy admiral and kind commander, Captain Andrew Shilling, +received a great and grievous wound by a cannon ball through his +left shoulder, which he bore with such wonderful courage and +patience, that we were in great hopes of his much-wished-for +recovery: But he had likewise two of his uppermost ribs broken on +the left side, and died on the 6th January, 1621, shewing himself +a resolute commander in the action, and an assured Christian in +his death. We intended to have carried his body to Surat, to have +there performed his funeral rites according to his great merit, +and oar surgeons undertook to preserve his body by means of +embalming and cere-cloth, but it became so noisome that we were +forced to bury him at Jasques, which was done on the 7th, with +all the solemnity and respect in our power.</p> + +<p>In this engagement, the London expended 1382 great shot of +several sorts, the Hart 1024, the Roebuck 815, and the Eagle 800, +in all 4021. In consequence of the death of our worthy admiral, +the white box, No. I. was opened; and according to your worships +appointment, Captain Richard Blithe succeeded to the supreme +command of the London, I was removed into the Hart, Christopher +Brown into the Roebuck, and Thomas Taylor was made master of the +Eagle.[299]</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 299: This account does not agree with an +accompanying official letter, dated 13th January, 1621, giving a +similar account of the two engagements, often in the very +identical words used by Swan, in which the name of Thomas Taylor +is omitted, instead of whom William Baffin is the last in the +list of signatures; and the Christian name of Swan is made Robert +instead of Richard.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>S.5. <i>Sequel of the Voyage</i>.</p> + +<p>The 14th January, 1621, having had forty-eight hours continual +and excessive rain, which, or much wind, is usual at Jasques for +three or four days at the full and change of the moon, and having +finished our business at Jasques, we set sail on our return to +Surat, where we arrived on the 1st February. Nothing material +occurred on the passage, except that, on the 27th January, +between Diu and the <i>sand-heads</i>, we surprised a small ship +of war, called Nostra Senaora de Remedio, of 100 tons, commanded +by Francisco de Sylva, manned by thirty-five Portuguese and +twenty-five Moors, sent out by the governor of Diu to protect +their small merchant ships against the Malabar rovers. We +dismissed the men and kept the ship for our use, calling her the +Andrew, after our late excellent general. She had in her neither +meat, money, nor commodities, and scarcely as many poor suits of +clothes as there were backs.</p> + +<p>The 27th of February we began to take in our loading. The 5th +of March, the, Eagle was sent down to keep guard over the junk +belonging to the prince, and to hinder her from any farther +loading, till they granted free passage for our carts with goods +and provisions, which had been restrained for six or seven days +by the vexatious procedure of the governor of Olpar, a town near +Surat. By this means, no cotton wool was allowed to come down +till our ships were fully laden. On the 16th of March, having +notice that the Camla, from Agra, had been robbed by the Deccan +army, we resolved to seek restitution upon the ships of the +Deccan prince and his confederates in this transaction, as we +intended wintering in the Red Sea. The 19th, the governor of +Surat having given us satisfaction in regard to the carts, and a +supply of powder and shot for our money, and promise under his +hand for redress of other injuries, we dismissed the junk +belonging to the prince from duress.</p> + +<p>From the 25th of March to the 6th of April, 1621, the winds +have been S. and S.S.W. or W. and blowing so hard from noon till +midnight, raising so great a surf on the shore, that no business +could be done except on the last quarter of the ebb and first of +the flood tide. We sailed on the 7th April. The 9th, the Eagle +and a Dutch pinnace, called the Fortune, parted company, being +consigned to Acheen and Bantam. The London, Hart, Roebuck, and +Andrew, were intended for the Red Sea, if not too late.</p> + +<p>The 1st May, the Andrew and our boats surprised a Portuguese +ship of 200 tons called the St Antonio, which we named the +May-flower. Her principal lading consisted of rice taken in at +Barcelor, whence she had gone to Goa, and sailed from thence for +Ormus and Muskat on the 8th of April. We learnt from this prize, +that Ruy Frere de Andrada was busy in repairing his ships at +Ormus, and that Don Emanuel de Azeredo had departed from Gor +fifty days before for Ormus, to reinforce Andrada with two +galleons, one of these being the same in which the viceroy was +personally, when he engaged our fleet under Captain Downton. +During a calm on the 7th, we captured a small frigate-built ship +called the Jacinth, which we named the Primrose, which had come +from Mozambique and was bound for Goa. Thence to the 13th, we had +variable winds, with calms and much rain. Finding the May-flower +delayed us much, and that our pilots were either ignorant or +malicious, we resolved to trust to our own endeavours for finding +an anchoring place, for our safe riding till the strength of the +adverse monsoon was over, for which purpose we determined upon +going to Macera.[300]</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 300: From the latitude of this place, +mentioned afterwards in the text, this seems to refer to Mazica, +an island about sixty miles long and fifteen or twenty in +breadth, a few miles from the oceanic coast of Arabia, in lat. +20° 48' N. and long. 57° 3O' E. from +Greenwich.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>We descried land on the 2d June, and anchored in seventeen +fathoms three miles offshore, in lat. 20° 20' N. variation +17° W. We found plenty of water in four or five pits, three +quarters of a mile from the shore. I had forty tons from one +well, which we rolled in hogsheads to the beach. The people were +tractable, but we got little else besides water. A tuft of date +trees by the watering place bore N.W. by W. from our anchorage, +and the other end of the island N.E. 1/2 E. five leagues off. The +12th we sailed for the N.E. end of the island, and in the +afternoon came to anchor in a fair bay, having seven fathoms on +clean ground, a black oozy sand, the N.E. point bearing S. 1/2 a +league off, the landing place W.S.W. two miles off, and the north +part of the bay N. by W. four miles off. The latitude of this bay +is 20° 30' N. and the variation 17° W.[301] In this bay +you may ride safely in any depth between five and twelve fathoms. +It is an excellently healthy place, cold and hungry, affording no +refreshments except water, enough of which is to be had by +digging pits; but it is ill to boat except at the usual landing +place. This place afforded us no better supplies than the former, +except that we got a few goats and lambs in exchange for +canikens. Though good anchorage, this bay was much troubled by a +tumbling rolling sea, yet we resolved to remain here with the +Hart and Roebuck till the fury of the monsoon were past.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 301: The north end of Mazica is in lat. +21° 12", and its south end in 20° 15', both +N.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>Having separated some time before from the London, our +admiral, we sent on the 19th of June, one Abdelavie, an +inhabitant of this island, as far as Zoar with letters in quest +of the London. He returned on the 6th July with letters in +answer, informing us that the London was at Zoar, seven leagues +within Cape Rasalgat, having watered with difficulty at Teve, +where their surgeon, Mr Simons, and the chaplain's servant, were +surprised on shore by the Portuguese and Arabs. The Hart and +Roebuck sailed from Macera, [Mazica,] on the 6th of August, and +anchored in the evening of the 8th beside the admiral in the port +of Zoar. This road differs from that in which we were in, being +cairn, but the air was so hot as to take away our appetites.</p> + +<p>We sailed from Zoar on the 15th of August and returned to +Swally roads. The 21st September, our whole fleet sailed from +Swally, and on the 27th we took leave of the fleet bound for +Jasques, consisting of the London, Jonas, Whale, Dolphin, Lion, +Rose, Shilling, Richard, and Robert. The 1st January, 1622, we +were between Johanna and Mayotta, two of the Comoro islands. The +29th we anchored in Saldanha roads, [Table Bay,] having come +thither from Surat in nine weeks and three days, blessed be God +for our safe and speedy passage. We here watered, bathed in the +river, caught fish, and buried our letters; purchasing three +cows, one calf, and four sheep, all unsavoury meat.</p> + +<p>We sailed again on the 3d February, and anchored on the 19th +at St Helena, where we found the Wappen and the Hollandia, two +Dutch ships, the latter of which caught fire on the 22d, owing to +her cloves, which had been taken in too green at Amboina. There +was likewise a third small Dutch ship. They arrived eleven days +before us, and it will take them at least ten days more to +discharge and reload their damaged cloves. We sailed from St +Helena on the 28th February, and anchored in the Downs on the 7th +June, 1622.</p> + +<p>SECTION XIII.</p> + +<p>RELATION OF THE WAR OF ORMUS, AND THE TAKING OF THAT PLACE BY +THE ENGLISH AND PERSIANS, IN 1622.[302]</p> + +<p>"In the Pilgrims of Purchas, vol. II. pp. 1785-1805, there is +a long confused account of this business, contained in four +several sections; to which many letters and certificates on the +subject are subjoined. The <i>first</i> is a brief historical +memoir of the foundation of Ormus, from a chronicle in the +Arabic, said to have been composed by <i>Pacha Turunxa</i>, +perhaps Pacha Turun Shah, one of the kings of that petty +sovereignty. The <i>second</i> is a relation of the Ormus war, by +Mr W. Pinder, who appears to have served under Andrew Shilling, +during the preceding voyage, and sailed as master of the Andrew +on this occasion. The <i>third</i> is an account of the earlier +part of this war of Ormus, written by T. Wilson, a surgeon +serving in the expedition. The fourth is a more particular +relation of the whole events of this expedition, extracted by +Purchas from the journal of Mr Edward Monoxe, agent for the East +Indian merchants trading in Persia. This last has been chosen, as +best adapted to give a distinct view of the expedition, but some +freedoms have been assumed with it, by assisting the narrative +from the other documents in Purchas, already specified."--E.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 302: Purch. Pilgr. II. 179s.]</blockquote> + +<hr align="center" width="25%"> +<p>At a consultation held in Swally roads on the 14th November, +1621, a commission was given by Mr Thomas Rastell, president, and +the rest of the council, of our factory at Surat, to Captains +Richard Blithe and John Weddell, who were bound for Jasques, with +five good ships and four pinnaces. The ships were the London, +Jonas, Whale, Dolphin, and Lion, and the pinnaces the Shilling, +Rose, Robert, and Richard. They were directed to sail with the +earliest opportunity for Jasques, keeping together for their +mutual defence against the enemy; and, as the Portuguese had +disturbed the trade, and made sundry assaults on our ships, +killing, maiming, and imprisoning our men, they were authorized +to chase and capture any vessels belonging to the ports or +subjects under the viceroy of Goa; as likewise, if they met any +ships belonging to Dabul, Chaul, or other ports of the Deccan, or +to the subjects of the Zamorin of Calicut, to arrest them, in +replacement of goods robbed and spoiled by these powers, without +embezzling any part of their cargoes, that restitution might be +made, after due satisfaction rendered on their parts. A sixth +part of the goods taken from the Portuguese were to be +distributed as prize, the ship and the rest of the goods to +remain to the company; and all the prisoners to be retained, that +they might be exchanged for our countrymen, held by them in +miserable bondage. They were directed to hasten their business +and dispatch at Jasques, if possible within thirty days. And as +our enemy under Ruy Frere de Andrada, was reinforced to six +galleons, with other small vessels, waiting on the coast of +Persia in all likelihood to attack our fleet, they were +authorized, both defensively and offensively also, to use all +opportunities or advantages against the Portuguese fleet, even in +their own ports, if approved by a general council of war.</p> + +<p>We arrived in Costack roads on the 23d December, about +twenty-seven leagues from Jasques, Ormus being in sight about ten +leagues W.N.W. by a meridional compass. Our factors here informed +us, that after our sea-fight in the former year, the Portuguese +governor of Ormus had erected a fort on Kismis, an island within +sight of Ormus, to which the Persians had laid siege for seven or +eight months ineffectually, and had lost eight or nine thousand +men in the siege; wherefore the Khan or prince of Shiras had, by +his ministers, demanded the aid of our ships against the common +enemy, the Portuguese, otherwise threatening to detain all the +goods and money belonging to the company in Persia. In a +consultation held on the 26th December on board the Jonas, in +which were present, Captain Richard Blithe, John Weddell, Edward +Monoxe, William Baffin, and many others, articles of agreement +for giving our aid to the Persians against the Portuguese were +drawn up, and being translated into the Persian language, were +forwarded by the governor of the province of Mogustan to the Khan +of Shiras, then on his way towards Mina, near the mouth of the +Persian gulf.</p> + +<p>In this consultation, it was considered, as it was required of +us by the Persians, that we should give them aid with our ships +and people in this war, not only for the purpose of vanquishing +the Portuguese navy, but for conquering the island and castle of +Ormus; and as we were confident they would endeavour to force us +into this service, by embargoing our goods, the governors having +already refused to give us camels for their carriage from Mina to +the ports: Wherefore, the foresaid proposition being maturely +considered, together with the commission from the factors at +Surat, warranting us to right ourselves for the great losses and +hindrances suffered from the Portuguese, by interrupting our +trade both in India and Persia, and their attack last year +against the fleet under Captain Shilling; we therefore agreed to +proffer the following articles to the Khan, for the public +benefit and the securing a peaceable and profitable trade.</p> + +<p><i>First</i>.--In case of conquering the island and castle of +Ormus by the Persians with our aid, one half of the spoil and +purchase of both to belong to the English, and the other half to +the Persians. <i>Secondly</i>--The castle of Ormus shall be +delivered up to the English, with all the ordnance, arms, and +ammunition thereunto belonging; and the Persians to build another +fortress there for themselves, at their own charges. +<i>Thirdly</i>.--The customs of Ormus shall be equally divided +between the English and the Persians, and the English shall be +for ever free from customs. <i>Fourthly</i>.--All Christians made +prisoners in this war shall be given up to the disposal of the +English, and all Mahomedan prisoners to the Persians. +<i>Fifthly</i>.--The Persians shall be at half the charges of the +ships employed in this enterprize, in victuals, wages, +wear-and-tear, and shall furnish all necessary powder and shot at +their sole expence.</p> + +<p>These were the chief articles, besides which several others +were agreed upon, to be proposed to the Khan. After his arrival +at Mina, Mr Bell and Mr Monaxe were sent to wait upon him, on the +8th January, 1622, and were entertained at a sumptuous banquet. A +great feast and triumph was also made, in consequence of +intelligence that the Shah had conquered a great country in +Arabia, with its capital Aweiza.[303] Next day, the Khan sent his +vizier and two other principal officers to give an answer to our +proposed articles. The <i>first</i> was granted. For the +<i>second</i>, it was substituted that the castle of Ormuz was to +be occupied by both nations till the King's pleasure was known. +The <i>third</i> was granted, provided also, that the goods from +India belonging to the king and the Khan were to pass free of +duty. In regard to the <i>fourth</i>, reservation was made as to +the two principal Portuguese captains, Ruy Frere, captain of +Kismis Castle, and Simon de Mela, governor of Ormus, till the +king's pleasure were known. Other articles were agreed upon; such +as that no change was to be made in regard to religion, and the +expence of military stores was to be divided. The Khan and Mr +Bell signed these articles; and presently our goods were laden +upon the Khan's own camels at free cost, which could not be +procured before for any money.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 303: This assuredly alludes to Ahwas in +Khosistan, to the N.W. of the lower Euphrates, opposite to +Bussrah, which, though not in Arabia, is in its immediate +neighbourhood, and principally inhabited by people of Arabian +origin.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The 10th of January we returned to Costack, and going on +board, acquainted our commanders with the success of our mission. +When the news of this agreement became known among the several +ships companies, they consulted among themselves, and with one +voice refused to take any share in the business. This broke out +first in the London, in which ship fifty or sixty of her crew +took part in refusing to have any thing to do with this warlike +measure; but, after taking much pains to reconcile them to the +propriety and necessity of joining with the Persians, Captain +Blithe at last prevailed with them, and they promised to go with +him wherever he chose to lead them. In a day or two, the flame of +discontent and opposition spread among the other ships, alleging +that it was no mercantile business, and that it might lead to a +breach of the peace between our nation and Spain; but formal +protests being taken against the crews, what with the fear of +forfeiting their wages, and a promised gratification of a month's +pay, they all at last yielded.</p> + +<p>We set sail for Ormus on the 19th of January, and anchored on +the night of the 22d before the town, about two leagues from the +castle, expecting that the enemy's armada would come out to fight +us, consisting of five galleons, and some fifteen or twenty +frigates, or armed barks; but they hauled in so near the castle, +that we could not get nigh them. For which reason, and because +our avowed enemy, Ruy Frere de Andrada, was in his newly-erected +castle of Kismis, we sailed to that place, where we arrived the +next day, and were just in time to save the lives of the +Portuguese, who were no longer able to hold out against the +Persians, and were willing rather to yield to us than them. After +many meetings and treaties, they yielded up both themselves and +their castle into our hands on the 1st February, it being +concluded that the whole garrison was to depart with their +private property to any place except Ormus, their commander only +remaining in our hands as a pledge for the fulfilment of the +capitulation. In this service two of our people were slain, one +of whom was Mr Baffin.[304]</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 304: Mr Baffin was a mathematician and +mariner, to whom our northern and north-western voyages are much +indebted.--<i>Purch</i>. + +<p>Hence almost certainly the person to whom Baffin's bay, in the +north-east of America, owes its name.--E.]</p> +</blockquote> + +<p>There were about a thousand persons of all sorts in this +castle, of whom the Portuguese and some Mahometans were sent +away: But the Khan required certain Mahometans to be given up, +who he pretended had revolted from him. They were accordingly +delivered up, and, though he had formerly promised them mercy, he +put them all to death. This castle had seventeen pieces of +ordnance, one of which was a brass pedro, two iron demiculverins, +four brass sackers, two iron minions, and six iron +falcons.[305]</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 305: On a former occasion, we have given an +account of the various kinds of ordnance used about the 17th +century. The <i>pedro</i> was probably a gun of large calibre for +throwing <i>stone</i> bullets. In modern times, cannon are +designated by the weights of their respective balls, in +combination with their being long or short, land or sea, field or +garrison, single or double fortified, iron or +brass.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>Leaving some Englishmen to assist in keeping possession of +this fortress along with the Persians, according to agreement, we +set sail on the 4th February for Gambroon, on the mainland of +Persia, within three leagues of Ormus, and directly opposite. Ruy +Frere de Andrada, the late commander of Kismis, was sent off for +Surat, in the Lion, accompanied by the Rose and Richard. The +London, Jonas, Whale, and Dolphin, with the two prizes of 250 +tons each, remained to transport the Persians in safety to Ormus. +We were royally feasted at Gambroon by the Khan, who was much +dissatisfied that Andrada and some of the Moors had not been +delivered up to him, yet dissembled his discontent, in regard of +his farther need for our ships in the enterprise against Ormus. +After the feast, all the English gentlemen present were presented +with vests, each according to his rank.</p> + +<p>On the 9th of February we set sail for Ormus, having about two +hundred Persian boats of all sizes, besides two frigates or +barks, and our ships, having in them about 2500 or 3000 Persian +soldiers, of various sorts. We anchored that night about two +leagues from the castle; and next forenoon all the Persians were +landed on the island of Ormus, a little way from the town, to +which they marched in a confused manner, penetrating as far as +the Meidan, or market-place, without resistance. The market-place +was barricadoed and defended for some time by the Portuguese with +shot and pikes; but the Persians soon made way, with small loss, +and drove the Portuguese before them into the castle, like so +many sheep. One Persian only, who first entered, was slain by a +pike, and he who slew him soon lost his head, his heels being too +heavy to carry it away.</p> + +<p>On first entering the city, the Persian general, named Einam +Culi Beg, placed captains with detachments of soldiers in various +quarters, proclaiming that each officer was to be answerable for +the safety of the quarter assigned to him, and threatening death +to all who were found pillaging. Some infringing these orders +were severely punished, some being hanged, others having their +ears or noses cut off, and others bastinadoed even for trifles. +Yet, in two or three days after, the shops and houses were forced +open, and every man so wearied with carrying away plunder all day +long, and sleeping so securely at night without any proper +military precautions, that the Portuguese might easily have slain +many, if they had ventured upon making a sally.</p> + +<p>On the night of our landing, I took possession of a very +commodious house for a factory, which, for convenience and +goodness of its rooms, exceeded, as I think, any factory +belonging to the Honourable Company. But it proved too hot for me +on the 13th, in the night, as one of the master's mates of the +Whale, with others of his companions, after I was in bed, by +carelessness of candles, while searching for plunder, set a room +on fire in which were some goods given me in charge by the +general. Fortunately the wind favoured us, so that the house was +not consumed. Considering the strength of this city, and that +every house was as it were a little castle, I was astonished the +Portuguese should have abandoned it so soon. But it seems they +were afraid of being intercepted by the Persians in their retreat +to the castle, and dreaded that the Mahometan inhabitants might +have betrayed them.</p> + +<p>The Persians began presently to throw up trenches, and daily +approached nearer the castle, and, with our help, erected +batteries for ordnance, and sconces or redoubts for securing +their men, and protecting the trenches. With the cannon from our +ships, we sore galled the Portuguese ships, forcing them to haul +in as close as possible to the castle. On the 24th of February, +four of our boats set fire to the San Pedro, formerly admiral of +Andrada's fleet, which put all the rest in great danger, but the +tide carried her out to sea, and her relics were towed on shore +at Gambroon by the Arab and other country boats, some iron +ordnance and shot being got out of her burnt carkass. The Khan +was much rejoiced at this exploit.</p> + +<p>The Persians having succeeded in constructing a mine under one +of the bastions, which was charged with upwards of forty barrels +of powder, it was exploded on the 17th of March, by which a +practicable breach was made in the salient angle of the bastion. +The Persians made immediately a fierce assault, and Shah Culi Beg +got possession of the bastion with 200 of his bravest men, and +maintained himself there for at least three hours; but the +Portuguese made a brave defence, and with powder-pots, scalding +lead, and other devices of fire, did much hurt to the assailants, +burning, scalding, and slaying many of them, so that the Persians +were at last driven out with considerable loss, most of them +being wounded, scalded, or scorched. On the same day, the city +was set on fire in several places, by the command of the Persian +general, as was reported, because his Arab soldiers lurked among +the houses, and could not be got forth to do any service in the +siege.</p> + +<p>To the number of four or five thousand men, we were now cooped +up in a barren island without shelter, producing nothing in +itself except salt; and I know not by what mistaken policy the +general had been induced to send away all the rice and other +victuals, by which means we were reduced to depend upon the +continent for a daily supply of provisions, and even water; so +that, if a fleet of Portuguese frigates had come, as was +expected, we must have been famished, as the country boats durst +not have ventured to us from the main. The rain water in the open +cisterns was daily wasted, and became brackish, no care being +taken to fill the jars and private cisterns in almost every +house, while it remained good. The Persians are quite ignorant in +the art of war, for they entered the breach without fear, +precaution, or means of establishing themselves; and they lost +with shame what they might have defended with honour. I observed +other defects in their management, even of the very sinews of +war; and I am astonished that Shah Abbas, the wonder of our age, +should have sent his army on this expedition so weakly provided +with money, arms, ammunition, ships, and all other necessaries. I +am even satisfied that all the money belonging to the khan was +consumed in one month's pay to our ships, and I fear we shall +have to wait for the rest till the plunder is converted into +money. In regard to arms and ammunition, they have only small +pieces, with bows and arrows, and swords, some of their chiefs +having coats of mail. They were so scarce of powder, that after +blowing their mine, they had hardly enough to supply the small +arms for entering the breach, though furnished with twenty or +twenty-five barrels from our ships. They had not a single +scaling-ladder to assist their entry. Were we to forsake them, +they would soon be completely at a stand, yet they have already +broken conditions with us in several things, and I much fear, +when all is done, we shall be paid with reversions, and what else +they themselves please.</p> + +<p>Our ordnance so galled the Portuguese ships from the shore, +that a galleon was sunk on the 19th of March, and two more on the +20th and 23d. The last come ship from Goa, which was their +admiral, and one of the others, were, I think, sacrificed by the +policy of the governor, that the garrison might have no means of +escape, and might therefore defend themselves manfully to the +last, in hopes of relief from Goa, though some thought they went +down in consequence of injuries from sunken rocks, in hauling +them so near the castle to get them out of the range of our +battery.</p> + +<p>On the 27th, news was brought me that some of the Portuguese +were come from the castle to treat of peace, upon which I +repaired to the general's tent, where I could well perceive, by +the countenances of our two English commanders, that I was by no +means welcome: But, to requite them in their own coin, both they +and I soon saw that none of us were acceptable to the Persians, +for they long delayed bringing in the Portuguese messenger, in +hopes we would have gone away, but at length, seeing we remained, +he was brought in. The drift of his speech was to the following +effect:--"His captain had sent him to kiss the hands of the +general, and to ask the reason of making war upon the Portuguese, +who were friends to the Persians, and thought it strange, +considering their ancient league and friendship, that so great a +war should be made only for one or two wells of water. Besides, +that the governor and people of Ormus were not to blame for what +had been done at Kismis by Ruy Frere de Andrada; yet were they +willing, so far as might consist with the honour of their +sovereign, to purchase peace, which they needed not to do either +from fear or weakness, having above a thousand able-bodied men in +the castle, with provisions and water for many months; besides +which, they were in daily expectation of succours from Goa. He +concluded by saying, that the Persians would find it a hard +matter to win the castle, as they were resolved to defend +themselves to the last man."</p> + +<p>The latter part of this speech, consisting of bravado, was by +no means pleasing to the Persian general, who desired the +messenger to declare the purpose of his coming. On which he said, +the governor wished to know what the Persian general would have? +To this the general answered, that he would have the castle; and +with that answer the messenger was dismissed, without even the +offer of a cup of wine, if I had not caused one to be given him. +I suspect he brought a more substantial message, which was +omitted on account of our presence, having been so instructed by +Shah Culi Beg, in whose house he was at least for an hour before +he was brought before the general. I fear therefore some sinister +designs of the Persians, which a few days will discover.</p> + +<p>Our captains, by means of their interpreters, now moved their +own affairs with the general, to which he gave no great heed, but +desired that business might be deferred for some time; yet had he +that very day earnestly entreated them to send him a quantity of +powder from the ships, meaning that night to attempt blowing up +the castle, for which the mines were all ready, and he wanted +nothing but powder. They had accordingly sent him thirty-four +barrels, for which forwardness I fear the Company at home will +give them little thanks.</p> + +<p>The 28th March, understanding that two chief men of the +Portuguese garrison were in Shah Culi Beg's house, where they had +been four or five hours in conference with the Persian general, +without sending to us, which increased our suspicions that the +Persians meant to deal fraudulently with us; the two English +commanders and I went together to the tent of the Persian +general, and expressed our dislike of this underhand manner of +proceeding. We stated, that we were partakers with them in this +war, in which we had hazarded ourselves, our ships, and our +goods, besides the hindrance we sustained by losing the monsoon, +and that we ought to be equal participators in all treaties and +proceedings, as well as in the war, and desired therefore to know +what they had concluded, or meant to conclude, with the +Portuguese. To this he answered, that nothing had been done, +neither should any thing be concluded without acquainting us. +This was a mere empty compliment, which all his actions belied. +We must, however, be content to suffer all with patience: Yet, +were it not for our merchants and woods in Persia, we could +easily have remedied this affair, and have brought the Portuguese +to such terms as we pleased. As matters stand, however, we are so +tied down, we must be patient, and I fear things will turn out +very ill, though they pretend all things shall be done to our +contentment.</p> + +<p>About noon this day, seeing many Arabs in the Meidan armed +with pikes and guns, whom I did not usually see so armed, I at +length observed them ranged upon both sides of the market-place, +and presently afterwards two Portuguese gentlemen passed, +attended by six or eight pages and servants, one of whom carried +an umbrella over their heads. They were accompanied by Shah Culi +Beg, and other chief Persians, who conducted them to the house of +Agariza of Dabul. Though uninvited, I went there also, and +intruded into their company, where I found the Persian general +and other chiefs, his assistants and counsellors. The general +gave me a kind welcome, and made me sit down next himself, which +I did not refuse, that the Portuguese might see we were in grace +and favour. Having made my obeisance to the Persians, I then +saluted the Portuguese officers, who returned the compliment, +after which I had some general conversation with them, not +pertaining to the great purpose in hand, of which I did not +presume to speak, till the general gave me occasion, which was +not until after a collation of <i>pilaw</i>, and other dishes, +after the fashion of Persia.</p> + +<p>The collation being ended, the general asked them what was now +their desire. They answered, that the captain of the castle had +given them written instructions, but had desired them to make +their proposals to the Khan himself, who now resided at Gombroon, +if they might be permitted to wait upon him. To this the general +answered, that he durst not allow them, unless the Khan were +first made acquainted with their desire. I could plainly perceive +that this proceeded only from affected delays on both sides, to +give time for attaining their several purposes. The Portuguese +then proceeded to complain, as formerly, against Ruy Frere, as if +he durst have presumed to seize and fortify Kismis without orders +from the king his master. They alleged also that the affair was +in itself of no moment, being only a barren island with a well or +two. To this the Persian general replied, it was of no matter +what might be its value, but they had gone to war against the +king of Persia and his subjects, for which their castle of Ormus +must make satisfaction; wherefore, if they would surrender the +castle without any more bloodshed, they should have good quarter +and kind usage. The Portuguese said they had no commission to +treat of any such matter, and so the conference ended, and they +were dismissed.</p> + +<p>Notwithstanding of the Portuguese being refused leave to go to +the Khan, they had licence that same night, and were sent over to +treat with him at Gambroon. I could never know the certainty of +the proposed treaty, but shall here insert what I heard reported +on the subject. They proposed, in the first place, to the Khan, +to raise the siege, and permit them to enjoy their city and +castle of Ormus as formerly, in consideration of which, they +offered to pay 200,000 tomans in hand, and the yearly rent they +had formerly paid to the king of Ormus, from the revenue of the +custom-house, which, as I have heard, was 140,000 rials of eight +or Spanish dollars yearly. But some said, besides the 200,000 +tomans in hand, they offered as much yearly. [306] It was +reported that the Khan demanded 500,000 tomans in hand, equal to +£172,418:10:7 sterling,[307] and an yearly rent of 200,000 +tomans.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 306: A toman, by the data in the text +immediately following, is about seven shillings; hence 200,000 +tomans are equal to £70,000 sterling.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 307: At the former computation, this sum is +equal to £175,000; and the conversion in the text gives 6s. +11-3/4d, and a small fraction more for each toman, being very +near 7s. which is more convenient.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The 2d April, with the aid of the English, the Persians blew +up two other mines, by which a fair and practicable breach was +opened, through which the besiegers might have entered without +much difficulty, yet was there no assault made. Having noticed +this carefully, Captain Weddell went to the Persian general to +learn his purposes; when, to excuse the backwardness of his +people, he pretended that the breach was too difficult to be +assaulted with any hope of success. Yet we knew the contrary, as +an English youth, who was servant to the master of the Jonas, +bolder than any of the Persians, had gone up the breach to the +very top of the castle wall, and told us it was as easily +ascendible as a pair of stairs, and broad enough for many men to +go abreast. In representing this to the general, and asking what +were his future plans of proceeding, he told us he would be ready +with another mine in three days. This I believed to be true, for +his mining is to procure gold, not to make breaches, unless +breach of promise to us, which he can easily do; for of late they +have not performed any of their engagements, yet will not this +teach us to look to ourselves.</p> + +<p>The greatest hurt done by the Portuguese to the Persians in +the assault on the castle, was by means of powder-pots, by which +many of the assailants were scorched and severely burned. To +guard against this, the Khan has now sent over many coats and +jackets of leather, as not so liable to catch fire as their +calico coats, quilted or stuffed with cotton wool. Yet, according +to the English proverb, <i>The burnt child dreads the fire;</i> +notwithstanding their leathern coats, none of them are hardy +enough to attempt this new breach, though much easier to enter +than the former, any farther than to pillage certain bales of +<i>bastas</i> and other stuffs which have fallen down from a +barricade or breast-work, thrown up by the Portuguese for +defending the top of the breach from the fire of the +Persians.</p> + +<p>On the 5th of April the Persian general had news that 100,000 +maunds of powder were arrived from Bahrein. On the 12th, a +Portuguese came to the Persian general, having escaped from the +castle, and gave accounts of the great wants and weaknesses of +the garrison, insomuch, that six or eight died daily of the flux, +chiefly owing to their having nothing to drink, but corrupted +brackish water, of which even they have so little as to be put on +short allowance, so that several have died of thirst. Their only +food consists of rice and salt fish, both of which would require +a good allowance of drink. Notwithstanding all this, the Persian +general wastes his time in constructing new mines, of which he +has no less than three in hand at this time, as if he proposed to +blow up the wall all round about, before making any fresh +assault. On the night of the 12th, one of our frigates or barks, +which belonged to the London, being on guard alone, to prevent +the escape of the Portuguese frigates, was clapped on board by +two of these at once, but beat them both off. I know not what +might be the loss of the Portuguese on this occasion, but two of +our men were slain, and seven wounded; yet, had not our black +rowers forsaken them, our people might easily have taken the +assailants.</p> + +<p>The 14th, the Persians sprung another mine, by which a very +assailable breach was made, yet no assault was attempted. On this +occasion, the mine had to be sprung before it was quite ready, +because the Portuguese had already come so near it with a counter +mine, that the Persians were afraid of their mine being rendered +useless before they could place their powder. Another deserter +came from the castle on the 15th, who confirmed the report given +by the former, and told us that the two frigates which had +assailed ours had come from Muskat, with the son of the deceased +Don Francisco de Sousa, late governor of the castle of Ormus, who +had come on purpose to carry away his mother and other women from +the castle.</p> + +<p>At this time, the Moors who had surrendered to us from the +castle of Kismis, were delivered up to the Persian general, at +his earnest request, and partly with their own consent, on +promise of being pardoned for having served under the Portuguese +against their own king and country, and of being provided for and +employed in the siege of Ormus. He seemed to ratify this promise, +both to them and us, by entertaining some of their chiefs in our +presence, with much apparent courtesy, even giving fine new vests +to five or six of the principal officers. Yet next morning he +caused eighty of their heads to be cut off, and sent the five or +six newly-vested chiefs to the Khan at Gambroon, to receive their +final doom, which was soon settled, as they were sentenced to the +same fate with their fellows. Mir Senadine, their chief captain, +was executed by the hands of Shere Alli, governor of Mogustan, +who had married his daughter, and yet put his father-in-law to +death with as much willingness as if he had been his mortal +enemy.</p> + +<p>The 17th of April, the Persians sprung another mine, closely +adjoining their first. This did not produce the effect expected, +as it burst out at the side, carrying part of the wall along with +it, yet did little or no harm upwards, which was the point aimed +at, on purpose to widen the former breach. Yet it encouraged the +Persian general to try another assault, with at least 2000 +soldiers. They ran up the breach with great resolution, into part +of a bulwark or bastion, which they might easily have gained, had +not their haste run their resolution out of breath; insomuch, +that eight or ten Portuguese, assisted by a few blacks, armed +only with rapiers, made them give ground and retire to the outer +skirt of the bulwark, where there was not room for forty men to +face the enemy. They here endeavoured, however, to entrench +themselves; but, before they could establish a lodgement, the +Portuguese plied two or three pieces of ordnance upon them from a +flanking battery, which sent some scores of the Persians with +news to their prophet <i>Mortus Alli</i> that more of his +disciples would shortly be with them. This accordingly was the +case, chiefly owing to their own ignorance and cowardice; for, +had they not made a stand in that place, but rushed pell-mell +along with the Portuguese into the castle, they might have +carried it with less than half the loss they sustained that day +to little purpose. Had I not been an eye-witness, I could hardly +have believed the stupid ignorance of the Persian general on this +occasion. He had two breaches, almost equally good, yet applied +all his men to the assault of one only, instead of attempting +both at one time. Besides, he had at least eighty or an hundred +scaling-ladders, yet not one of them was brought near the castle +walls. His soldiers hung clustering on the breach, like a swarm +of bees, or a flock of sheep at a gap, none having the heart to +enter, while the Portuguese gleaned away five or six at a shot, +sometimes more, driving forwards their black soldiers to throw +powder-pots among the Persians.</p> + +<p>The assault was renewed on the 18th, but with more harm to the +Persians than the Portuguese. During the intervening night, two +blacks made signs to the Persians on the top of the breach, that +they wished to come over to them, and were drawn up with ropes. +By these it was learned that the captain of the castle had been +wounded in the head by a stone; that there were not above an +hundred men in the garrison able to handle their arms: and that +their water grew daily more scanty and worse in quality, by which +the mortality continually increased. They reported also that +great difference in opinion prevailed among the Portuguese, some +wishing to endeavour to escape by sea, while others held it more +honourable to sell their lives at a dear rate, by defending the +castle to the last extremity, and proposed, when they could no +longer hold out, to put all their women and treasure into a house +and blow them up, that the Persians might neither enjoy their +wealth nor abuse their wives; and, when this was done, to rush +upon the Persians, and so end their days.</p> + +<p>In the evening of the 19th, the Persians made another effort +to press forwards, and got possession of the entire bulwark, +forcing the Portuguese to retire farther within the castle. In +this conflict many of the Portuguese were wounded, and sore +scalded with fire-pots, in the management of which the Persians +had now become expert, though many of them had paid dearly for +their instruction. In this conflict four Portuguese were slain, +and their heads brought to the Persian general. In this art of +cutting off heads, the Persians are particularly cunning, +insomuch, that I do not think there is an executioner in all +Germany that can excel them. No sooner does a Persian lay hold of +an enemy, than off goes his head at one blow of his +scymitar.[308] He then makes a hole in the ear or cheek with his +dagger, by which he will sometimes bring three or four heads at +once to his general. When it is proposed to send these heads +taken in war to be seen by the king or the khan, they very +adroitly flea off the skin of the head and face, which they stuff +up with straw like a foot-ball, and so send them by whole +sackfulls.[309]</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 308: This, however, is to the praise of the +Persians, as good swordsmen, on which account the Turks fear +coming to hand blows with them.--<i>Purch</i>.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 309: In Turkey they manage this barbarous +trophy of success more conveniently, as the Grand Signior is +satisfied with a display of the ears of his enemies preserved in +salt.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>This night, one of the frigates that came from Muskat for +Douna de Sousa, made her escape, no doubt very richly freighted. +Her consort, which likewise attempted to get away, was chased in +again. That which escaped, being hailed by the Arab boats that +lay in wait to intercept the passage, got off by using the +watch-word usual between the English and Arabs, <i>Ingres +ingresses,</i> which had not been once changed since the +commencement of this enterprize, in which oversight both the +Persians and English were highly blameable, as, by the continual +use of this watch-word, it had come to the knowledge of the +Portuguese, who thus used it to their great benefit.</p> + +<p>During the night of the 20th April, the other frigate made an +effort to escape, but was intercepted and taken by the frigate +and pinnace belonging to the London. This frigate was employed to +carry away the Portuguese <i>almirante,</i> named Luis de Brito, +a kinsman to the viceroy of Goa, but the captain of the castle +would not permit him to go away; and the men belonging to this +frigate, being seven persons, fearing the capture of the castle +and desirous to secure their own lives, stole away without +leave.</p> + +<p>The 21st, the Persians made a display of making themselves +masters of the castle by storm; but, while we expected to see +them put this bold measure in execution, I discovered that they +and the Portuguese were engaged in a parley. While I was +preparing to wait on the Persian general, to enquire the cause of +this sudden change of measures, I met a messenger from our +English commanders, informing me that a boat had come off to our +ships from the castle, bearing a flag of truce, and desiring my +presence on board to see what was the purpose of this +communication. On my getting on board the London, I found two +Portuguese there, with the following letters from the captain of +the castle, and the almirante:</p> + +<p>"There hath been such ancient friendship between the +Portuguese and English nations, that, considering the present war +at this place, we ought to come to a mutual good understanding. +From what I see of the mines made by the Persians, by which one +of my bulwarks is already won, I am of opinion these could not +have been constructed without your aid. Wherefore, I request you +would be the means of procuring peace for me with the Persians, +if the same may be done with your and their good pleasure, yet so +that I may not lose my credit, nor you fail to gain honour. Thus, +not else, our Lord keep you," &c.</p> + +<p><i>Simon de Mela Pereira</i>.</p> + +<p>"This castle is so hard pressed, that the Persians demand us +to surrender by capitulation, but which we will not consent to: +For, when reduced to that necessity, we will call upon your +worships for that purpose, as it were not reasonable for us to +capitulate with the infidels when you are present. We hold it +more humane to deliver our innocent women, and other unnecessary +people, to the rigour of our own weapons, than to the clemency of +the Persians; and that you might know this our purpose, I have +written these lines to accompany the letter from our captain. +What else you may wish to know, you may learn from the bearer of +these letters, to whom you may give the same credit as to myself. +And so God keep your worships," &c.</p> + +<p><i>Luis de Brito Dar</i>.</p> + +<p>Dated 1st May, 1622.[310]</p> + +<p>Taking these letters into consideration, and commiserating +their situation as Christians, it was resolved to give them a +favourable answer, which was done accordingly in a letter to the +Captain Simon de Mela, offering to become an intermedium for +procuring them such conditions from the Persians as might save +the lives of the Christians who still remained in the castle, +which we had in our power to warrant, and were willing to shew +them such farther courtesy as might tend to their relief, as far +as we could see. We desired him therefore to put his demands in +writing, and send them to us as soon as possible. A similar +answer was written to the almirante, and with these the two +messengers were sent back to the castle in one of our own boats. +They soon returned with other letters from the captain and +almirante, saying, "That they left themselves entirely in our +hands, the necessity of their situation not allowing time for +farther writing, lest the Persians might in the mean while break +in and put them all to the sword."</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 310: The 1st of May, <i>new style</i>, was +the 21st April, <i>old style</i>; the difference being then ten +days.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>Upon this we addressed ourselves to the Persian general, +requesting him to grant a truce of two days to the distressed +Portuguese, in which time we might treat with them for such +conditions as might be at the same time beneficial for the +Persians and ourselves. At length, a Persian officer and I were +deputed to go into the castle to treat with the Portuguese, and +they also desired our vice-admiral, Mr Woodcock, might accompany +us. We all three went to the castle gate, but could not be +allowed to enter; yet were met by Luis de Brito, the Portuguese +almirante, and five or six other <i>cavalieros</i>, but did not +see the captain, as the inferior officers and soldiers had +mutinied against him, and detained him as a prisoner. Our whole +conference, therefore, was with the almirante, who chiefly +addressed himself to Captain Woodcock, our almirante, or +vice-admiral.</p> + +<p>Mir Adul Hassan, and Pulot Beg, had been sent for to the ship, +where some persons had embezzled a portion of treasure, as we now +wished them to be present at the conference on the part of the +Khan. They came accordingly to the English house, when one of +them made a long speech, saying how kindly the Khan esteemed the +services and assistance given by the English in this war, which +he should never forget, nor allow to pass unrewarded. They next +declared that the Khan intended to proceed, after the surrender +of Ormus, to besiege both Muskat and Sware, and therefore that +the Portuguese ought on no account to be allowed to go to either +of these places. Lastly, they insinuated basely and +dishonourably, that we should betray the Portuguese captain, and +five or six more of his principal officers, into their hands, as +this would tend greatly to the honour and satisfaction of the +Khan, by enabling him to present them to Shah Abas. On hearing +this vile and dishonourable proposal, I left the room, that my +ears might not be contaminated by such abominable conditions; +saying, at my departure, to these Persians, that I would not be +guilty of consenting to so infamous a business for a whole +houseful of gold.</p> + +<p>The Portuguese being reduced to such extremity as to be under +the necessity of surrendering on any terms that might save their +lives from the cruelty of the Persians, sent on the morning of +the 23d, offering to put themselves into our hands, on condition +that we furnished them with the means of being conveyed either to +Muskat or India. We agreed to this proposal, on which Captain +Blithe and I went as hostages into the castle, to see them safely +set out; the Persian general promising that not one of his +soldiers or men should enter the castle till all the Portuguese +were gone out, and that only three of his people and three of +ours should sit at the gate, to see that they did not carry away +any thing of value. This the Persians watched so narrowly, that +they most basely searched and abused the women. But the king of +Ormus with his rich vizier, together with their women, treasure, +and servants, were all conveyed over the breach in the wall, and +not a single Englishman called or allowed to see what they +carried out with them. Not only they, but all other Mahometans +and Banyans, with their treasure and best things, were conveyed +out of the castle in the same manner; whole bales of goods, with +boxes and caskets full of treasure, to an unknown amount, were +carried at the same time over the breaches. No sooner were the +gates opened for letting out the Portuguese, but at least forty +Persians got in and spread themselves about the castle, besides +whom, some of the ruder sort among the English got in likewise, +whose coming in I fear was the cause of the Persians doing the +same, judging themselves as worthy of this liberty as our +people.</p> + +<p>Before mid-day of the 24th, both the Persians and English +began to pillage in a most shameful manner, so that I was both +grieved and ashamed, yet could see no means of remedy. The +Persians drove out the poor sick, wounded, and scorched +Christians, who were not able to help themselves, so that my +heart yearned with compassion to see their woeful plight. In the +evening, the Khan of Shiras came over, as if in triumph, to view +the castle and its great ordnance, of which there were near three +hundred pieces,[311] part of which belonged to the galleons, and +the rest to the castle. This evening, the commanders and I, +wishing to retain possession of the church in which we had placed +a quantity of plate and treasure, for its better security against +being embezzled, our design was utterly denied by Pulot Beg, who +told our commanders, in plain terms, that they might lie out of +doors. Being justly incensed at this, we all three left the +castle, the two captains going on board their ships, while I went +to the city; but, as the tide was up, and I could not get a boat, +I had to remain at the castle wall till near midnight. At this +time there came about sixty Persians, by their own report, sent +by the Khan to prevent the Arabs from conveying away any of the +ordnance which lay by the shore, but I suspect their real object +was to cut the throats of the poor Christians who lay at the +shore, for want of boats to carry them on board; but fortunately +they were protected by an English guard. Our chief business the +whole of this day was to see the poor Portuguese sent safely out +of the castle, most of them so weakened by divers maladies, but +chiefly by famine, and many of them so noisome by their putrified +wounds, and scorchings with gunpowder, that their pitiful cries +and complaints might have moved pity in a heart of stone; yet +such was the cruel disposition of the Persians, that they drove +them out of the castle like so many dogs, stripping many of them +even of their shirts.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 311: In a shorter relation of this siege, +by Mr W. Pinder, the ordnance in the castle of Ormus are thus +enumerated:--Fifty-three pieces mounted, of the following +descriptions,--four brass cannons, six brass demi-cannons, +sixteen brass cannons-pedro, nine brass culverins, two brass +demi-culverins, three iron demi-culverins, ten brass basses, one +iron minion, one iron culverin, one iron cannon-pedro. Besides +ninety-two brass pieces not mounted, and seven brass bastels +which they had landed from the ships that were sunk. In all, 152 +pieces.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>On the evening of the 27th, we allowed the Portuguese to +depart for Goa, to the number of 2500 persons, including men, +women, and children, to whom we gave our two prizes, the Robert +and Shilling, for their transport, with victuals and water +necessary for the voyage, and a pass to free them from any +molestation, in case they met with any of our ships at sea. +Besides these, there were upwards of an hundred persons, so +maimed or sick as to be incapable of being sent off at this time, +for want of room in these two ships.</p> + +<p>The king of Ormus was very poor, and lived chiefly on a +pension or allowance of 140,000 rees, allowed him by the king of +Spain, with some small reserved petty customs. In rummaging among +his papers, we found the copy of a letter from him to the king of +Spain, complaining loudly of the injustice of the Portuguese, and +charging them with the entire overthrow of the kingdom of +Ormus.[312]</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 312: Besides this letter, too long and +uninteresting for insertion, there are several other letters and +documents in the Pilgrims at this place, so much in the same +predicament as to be here omitted.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>When we expected to have received 1200 tomans[313] from Pulot +Beg, who was chief commissioner under the Khan of Shiras, as our +pay for the time occupied in this enterprize, he contrived to +make us a larger sum in their debt, under pretence of embezzling +the plunder in the castle; while we, on the other hand, made +counter demands of a much larger sum due to us from the Persians, +in the same manner. At length, three months pay were allowed, and +our other demands were shifted off, as he pretended to have no +power to liquidate them without an order from the Khan. After +business was ended, our misery began, occasioned by the +insufferable heat of Ormus, and the disorders of our own people +in drinking arrack, and other excesses no less injurious; through +which such diseases arose among our people, that three-fourths of +them were dangerously sick, and many died so suddenly, that the +plague was feared to have got among them, although no symptoms of +that dreadful malady as yet appeared. This extremity lasted for +fourteen days, during which time, six or seven of our men died +every day; but after this, it pleased God to stay the mortality, +and the rest recovered. Ten pieces of ordnance belonging to the +Portuguese, were taken into our ships, to replace that number of +our own which had been broken or otherwise spoiled during the +siege. Our fleet was detained till the 1st September, owing to +the shifting of the monsoon, and waiting its return. Leaving +Ormus on that day, we arrived in Swally roads on the 24th of that +month, where the London, Jonas, and Lion, loaded for England, and +sailed homewards bound on the 30th December. Before setting sail, +news was brought of sinking three Portuguese carracks off the +port of Masulipatam, by the English and Dutch in conjunction.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 313: This must be a gross error, as by the +value of the toman formerly given, the sum in the text very +little exceeds £400. Purchas mentions, in a side-note, that +he had heard the English received £20,000 for this service +from the Persians.--E.]</blockquote> + +<hr align="center" width="25%"> +<p>In the Annals of the East India Company,[314] the English are +said on this occasion to have received a proportion of the +plunder acquired at Ormus, and a grant of the moiety of the +customs at Gambroon, which place, in the sequel, became the +principal station of their trade with Persia and other places in +the Persian gulf. The treaty made in 1615 by Mr Connock was also +renewed, and an additional phirmaund granted by the Sophi, +allowing them to purchase whatever quantity of Persian silks they +might think proper, in any part of his dominions, with the +privilege of bringing their goods from Gambroon to Ispahan free +of duties.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 314: Vol. I. p. 236. The historiographer +makes, however, a small mistake, naming Ruy Frere de Andrada as +chief commander of the Portuguese at Ormus, who only commanded in +a subordinate fortress at Kismis.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>In consequence of the war of Ormus, a claim was set up in 1624 +by the crown and the Duke of Buckingham, as lord high admiral of +England, by which the Company was demanded to pay a proportion of +the prize-money, which their ships were supposed to have obtained +in the seas bordering on the countries within the limits of their +exclusive charter. In order to substantiate these claims, +Captains Weddell, Blithe, Clevenger, Beversham, and other +officers of the Company's ships were examined, and particularly +those who had been employed against Ormus. According to their +statements, it appeared that the amount of this prize-money was +calculated at £100,000 and 240,000 rials of eight, but +without taking into view the charges and losses incurred by the +Company on this occasion, and by their ships being called off +from commercial engagements, to act as ships of war for the +protection of their trade against the Portuguese, and in the +assistance of the government of Persia, by which they had been +compelled, either to engage in this war, or to relinquish a trade +in which they had expended large sums, together with the loss of +all their goods then in Persia. At last the Company was obliged +to compound, by payment of £10,000 to the Duke of +Buckingham in discharge of his claim, and received an order from +the secretary of state, Sir Edward Conway, to pay a similar sum +also to the crown.--E.</p> + +<p>SECTION XIV.</p> + +<p>ACCOUNT OF THE MASSACRE OF AMBOINA, IN 1623.[315]</p> + +<p>In the preceding sections of this chapter, the early +commercial voyages of the English East India Company have been +detailed; and it is now proposed to conclude this part of our +arrangement, by a brief narrative of the unjustifiable conduct of +the Dutch at Amboina, in cruelly torturing and executing several +Englishmen and others on false pretences of a conspiracy, but the +real purpose of which was to appropriate to themselves the entire +trade of the spice islands, Amboina, Banda, and the Moluccas. +They effectually succeeded in this nefarious attempt, and +preserved that rich, but ill-got source of wealth, for almost two +hundred years; till recently expelled from thence, and from every +other commercial or colonial possession in Asia, Africa, and +America. A just retribution for submitting to, or seconding +rather, the revolutionary phrenzy of French democracy; for which +they now deservedly suffer, under the iron sceptre of the modern +Atilla.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 315: Purch. Pilgr. II. 1853. Harris, I. +877.]</blockquote> + +<p>In giving a short narrative of this infamous transaction, +besides the original account of Purchas, abridged from a more +extended relation published at the time by the East India +Company, advantage has been taken of the account given by Harris +of the same event, which is fuller and better connected than that +of Purchas, who most negligently garbled this story, under +pretence of abbreviation. Harris appears evidently to have used +the authorised narrative published by the Company, in drawing up +his account of the event. There are other documents, relative to +this tragical event, both in the Pilgrims of Purchas and the +Collection by Harris, particularly the Dutch justificatory +memorial, in which they endeavour to vindicate their conduct, and +to shew that the English merited the lingering tortures and +capital punishments to which they were condemned; to which is +added a reply or refutation, published by order of the English +Company. But the abridged narrative contained in this section +seems quite sufficient on so disgusting a subject, especially so +long after the events which it records.--E.</p> + +<hr align="center" width="25%"> +<p>After the fruitless issue of two several treaties, for +arranging the differences that had taken place in eastern India, +between the English and Hollanders respecting the trade of the +spice islands, the first at London in 1613, and the second at the +Hague in 1616, a third negociation was entered into at London in +1619, by which a solemn compact was concluded upon for settling +these disputes, and full and fair arrangement made for the future +proceedings of the servants of both Companies in the Indies, as +well in regard to their trade and commerce, as to other matters. +Among other points, it was agreed, in consideration of the great +losses the Dutch pretended to have sustained, both in men and +expence, in conquering the trade of the isles, namely, the +Moluccas, Banda, and Amboina, from the Spaniards and Portuguese, +and in the erection of forts for securing the same, that the +Hollanders were to enjoy two-third parts of that trade, and the +English one-third; the expences of the forts and garrisons to be +maintained by taxes and impositions, to be levied ratably on the +merchandize. In consequence of this agreement, the English East +India Company established certain factories, for managing their +share of this trade, some at the Moluccas, some at Banda, and +others at Amboina.</p> + +<p>The island of Amboina, near Ceram, is about forty leagues in +circuit, and gives its name also to some other small adjacent +isles. This island produces cloves, for the purpose of procuring +which valuable spice, the English had five several factories, the +head and rendezvous of all being at the town of Amboina, in which +at the first, Mr George Muschamp was chief factor, who was +succeeded by Mr Gabriel Towerson; having authority over the +subordinate factories of Hitto and Larica on the same island, and +at Loho and Cambello on a point of the neighbouring island of +Ceram. On the island of Amboina and the point of Ceram, the +Hollanders have four forts, the chief of all being at the town of +Amboina, which is very strong, having four bastions or bulwarks, +on each of which there are six great cannons, most of them brass. +One side of this castle is washed by the sea, and the other is +protected on the land side by a very deep ditch, four or five +fathoms broad, always filled by the sea. The garrison of this +castle consists of about 200 Dutch soldiers, and one company of +free burghers; besides which there are three or four hundred +<i>mardykers</i>, by which name the free natives are known, who +reside in the town, and are always ready to serve in the castle +at an hour's warning. There are likewise, for the most part, +several good Dutch ships in the roads, both for the protection of +this place by sea, and for the purposes of trade, as this is the +central rendezvous of trade for the Banda islands, as well as for +Amboina. At this place, the English factory was established in +the town, under the protection of the castle, in a house of their +own, where they lived as they thought in security, both in +consideration of the ancient league of amity between the two +nations, and in virtue of the firm compact of union, made by the +late treaty of 1619, already mentioned.</p> + +<p>The English factory continued here for about two years, +trading conjunctly with the Hollanders under the treaty. During +this period there occurred several differences and debates +between the servants of the two companies. The English complained +that the Hollanders not only lavished much unnecessary charges, +in buildings and other needless expences upon the forts and +otherwise, but also paid the garrisons in victuals and Coromandel +cloths, which they issued to the soldiers at three or four times +the value which they cost, yet would not allow the English +proportion of the charges to be advanced in like manner, but +insisted always on their paying in ready money: Thus drawing from +the English, who only were bound to contribute one-third part, +more than two-thirds of the just and true charges. Upon this head +there arose frequent disputes, and the complaints of the English +were conveyed to Jacatra, now called Batavia, in Java, to the +<i>council of defence</i> of both nations, there residing. The +members of that council not being able to agree upon these points +of difference, the complaints were transmitted to Europe, to be +settled between the two companies; or, in default of their +agreement, by the king and the states general, pursuant to one of +the articles of the before-mentioned treaty, providing against +such contingencies. In the meantime, these, and other differences +and discontents between the English and Dutch, daily continued +and increased, till at length this knot, which all the tedious +controversies at Amboina and Jacatra were unable to untie, was +cut asunder by the sword, in the following manner.</p> + +<p>About the 11th February, 1622, <i>old style</i>, or 21st of +that month, 1623, <i>new style</i>, a Japanese soldier belonging +to the Dutch garrison of Amboina castle, walking one night upon +the wall, fell into conversation with a centinel, in the course +of which he asked several questions respecting the strength of +the fortifications and the number of its garrison. It is to be +observed, that most of the Japanese in Amboina were actually +soldiers in the Dutch service, yet not in these trusty bands +which always lodged within the castle, but only occasionally +called in from the town to assist in its defence. This Japanese, +in consequence of his conference with the centinel, was soon +after apprehended on suspicion of treason, and put to the torture +by the Dutch, to extort confession. While suffering under the +torture, he was induced to confess, that he and some others of +his countrymen had plotted to take possession of the castle. +Several other Japanese were consequently apprehended, and +examined by torture; as also a Portuguese, who was guardian or +superintendent of the slaves belonging to the Dutch. While these +examinations were going on, which continued during three or four +days, some of the English, then resident at Amboina, were several +times in the castle on business, saw the prisoners, and heard of +the tortures they had undergone, and of the crime laid to their +charge; yet during all this time, never once suspected that this +affair had any connection with themselves, being unconscious of +any evil intentions, and having held no conversation with the +prisoners.</p> + +<p>At this time, one Abel Price, surgeon to the English factory +at Amboina, was a prisoner in the castle, for having offered or +attempted, in a fit of drunkenness, to set a Dutchman's house on +fire. The Dutch shewed this man some of the Japanese whom they +had tortured, telling him they had confessed that the English +were in confederacy with them, in the plot for seizing the +castle, and threatened him with similar or worse tortures, if he +did not confess the same; and accordingly, on the 15th February, +O.S. they gave him the torture, and soon made him confess +whatever they were pleased to direct. That same morning, about +nine o'clock, they sent for Captain Gabriel Towerson, and the +other Englishmen belonging to the factory at Amboina, to come to +speak with the governor of the castle; on which they all went, +except one, who was left to take care of the house. On their +arrival, the governor told Captain Towerson, that he and others +of his nation were accused of a conspiracy to surprise the +castle, and must therefore remain prisoners, until tried for the +same. The Dutch, immediately after this, took into custody the +person who had been left in charge of the English factory, +sequestrated all the merchandize belonging to the English +Company, under an inventory, and seized all the chests, boxes, +books, writings, and other things in the English house.</p> + +<p>Captain Towerson was committed prisoner to his own chamber in +the English house, under a guard of Dutch soldiers. Emanuel +Thomson was imprisoned in the castle. All the rest, namely, John +Beaumont, Edward Collins, William Webber, Ephraim Ramsay, Timothy +Johnson, John Fardo, and Robert Brown, were distributed among the +Dutch ships then in the harbour, and secured in irons. The same +day, the governor sent to the two other factories in the same +island, Hitto and Larica, to apprehend the rest of the English +residents, who were all brought prisoners to Amboina on the 16th; +Samuel Colson, John Clark, and George Sharrock, from the former, +and Edward Collins,[2] William Webber,[2] and John Sadler, from +the latter. On the same day, John Pocol, John Wetheral, Thomas +Ladbrook, were apprehended at Cambello, and John Beaumont,[2] +William Griggs, and Ephraim Ramsay,[316] at Loho; and were all +brought in irons to Amboina on the 20th of February.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 316: These four persons are already named, +as apprehended at Amboina.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>On the 15th of February, the governor and fiscal began to +examine the prisoners. John Beaumont and Timothy Johnson were +first brought to the castle, John Beaumont being left in a hall +under a guard, while Johnson was conducted into another room. +Beaumont soon after heard him cry out very pitifully, then become +quiet for a while, and afterwards cried out aloud. Abel Price, +the surgeon, who was first questioned and put to the torture, was +brought in to confront and accuse him; but as Johnson refused to +confess any thing laid to his charge, Price was soon taken away, +and Johnson again put to the question, when Beaumont heard him +repeatedly roar under the torture. At the end of an hour, Johnson +was brought out into the hall, weeping and lamenting, all cut and +cruelly burnt in many parts of his body, and so laid aside in a +corner of the hall, having a soldier to watch him, with strict +injunctions not to allow him to speak to any one.</p> + +<p>Emanuel Thomson was next brought in for examination, not in +the same room where Johnson had been, but in one farther from the +hall; yet Beaumont, who still remained in the hall, heard him +often roar out most lamentably. After half an hour spent in +torturing him, he was led to another place, but not through the +hall where Beaumont was. Beaumont was then called in for +examination, and asked many questions concerning the alleged +conspiracy, all knowledge of which he denied with the most solemn +oaths. He was then made fast on purpose to be tortured, having a +cloth fastened about his neck, while two men stood ready with +jars of water to pour on his head: But the governor ordered him +to be set loose again, saying he would spare him for a day or +two, being an old man.</p> + +<p>Next day, being the 16th, William Webber, Edward Collins, +Ephraim Ramsay, and Robert Brown, were brought on shore for +examination; and at the same time Samuel Colson, William Griggs, +John Clark, George Sharrock, and John Sadler, from Hitto and +Larica, were brought into the hall. Robert Brown, a tailor, was +first called in, and being subjected to torture by water, +confessed all in order, as interrogated by the fiscal. Edward +Collins was next called in, and told that those who were formerly +examined had accused him as accessory to the conspiracy for +taking the castle. Denying all knowledge of or participation in +any such plot, with great oaths, his hands and feet were made +fast to the rack, and a cloth bound about his throat, ready to +administer the water torture, upon which he entreated to be let +down, saying that he would confess all. On being loosed, he again +protested his entire innocence and ignorance of every thing laid +to his charge; yet, as he knew they would make him confess any +thing they pleased by means of torture, however false, he said +they would do him a great favour by informing him what they +wished he should say, which he would speak as they desired, to +avoid the torture. The fiscal said he mocked them, ordered him to +be fastened up again, and to receive the water torture. After +suffering this for some time, he desired to be let down again to +make his confession, devising as well as he could what he should +say. Accordingly, he said that he, with Thomson, Johnson, Brown, +and Fardo, had plotted about ten weeks before, to surprise the +castle with the aid of the Japanese.</p> + +<p>While making this contrived confession, he was interrupted by +the fiscal, who asked whether Captain Towerson were privy to this +conspiracy. He protested that Towerson knew nothing of the +matter. "You lie," said the fiscal, "did not he call you all +before him, telling you that the daily abuses of the Dutch had +instigated him to devise a plot, and that he wanted nothing but +your consent and secrecy?" Then a Dutch merchant who was present, +named Jan Igost, asked him, if they had not all been sworn to +secrecy on the Bible? Collins declared with great oaths, that he +knew nothing of any such matter. He was again ordered to be +seized up again to the torture, on which he said that all was +true they had said. Then the fiscal asked, if the English in the +other factories were consenting to this plot? To which he +answered, no. The fiscal then next asked, if the English +president at Jacatra, or Mr Weldon the agent at Banda, were +engaged in this plot, or privy to its contrivance? He again +answered, no. The fiscal next enquired by what means the Japanese +were to have executed their purpose? And, when Collins stood +amazed, and devising some probable fictions to satisfy them, the +fiscal helped him out, saying, "Were not two Japanese to have +gone to each bulwark, and two to the door of the governor's +chamber, to have killed him on coming out to enquire into the +disturbance you were to have raised without?" Upon this, a person +who stood by, desired the fiscal not to put words into the mouth +of the witness, but to allow him to speak for himself. After this +reproof, without waiting any answer to his former question, the +fiscal asked what reward was to have been given the Japanese for +their services? Collins answered 1000 dollars each. He was then +asked, when this plot was to have been carried into execution? +But, although he made no answer to this question, not knowing on +the sudden what to say, he was dismissed, glad to get away from +the torture, yet certainly believing they would put him to death +for his confession.</p> + +<p>Samuel Colson was next brought in; and, for fear of the +tortures that Collins had endured, whom he saw brought out in a +pitiable condition, with his eyes almost starting out of their +sockets, he chose rather to confess all they asked, and so was +quickly dismissed, yet came out weeping and lamenting, and +protesting his innocence. John Clark was then taken in, and +tortured with fire and water for two hours, in the same manner as +had been done with Johnson and Thomson.[317]</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 317: The minute description of these +tortures, in Purchas, and copied in Harris, are disgusting; +insomuch, that Purchas exclaims at one place, <i>I have no heart +to proceed</i>. They are here therefore +omitted,--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>Finding that all their cruelties could not force him to any +consistent confession of himself, they helped him along to +particular circumstances of their own contrivance, by leading +questions. Thus wearied out and overpowered, by terror of the +tortures being renewed, he answered, <i>yes</i>, to whatever they +asked, by which means they trumped up a body of evidence to this +effect:--"That Captain Towerson, on new-year's-day last, had +sworn all the English at Amboina to be secret and aiding in a +plot he had devised for surprising the castle, by the aid of the +Japanese, putting the governor and all the Dutch to death."</p> + +<p>On the 17th, William Griggs and John Fardo, with some +Japanese, were brought to examination. The Japanese were first +cruelly tortured to accuse Griggs, which at last they did; and +Griggs, to avoid torture, confessed whatever the fiscal was +pleased to demand. The same was next done with Fardo and other +Japanese. Fardo endured the torture for some time, but at length +confessed all they pleased to ask. That same day, John Beaumont +was brought a second time to the fiscal's chamber, when one +Captain Newport, the son of a Dutchman, but born and educated in +England, acted as interpreter. Griggs was also brought in to +accuse Beaumont of being present at the consultation for +surprising the castle. Beaumont denied all, with great +earnestness, and many oaths; but, on enduring the torture, was +constrained to confess every thing laid to his charge.</p> + +<p>George Sharrock was then brought in and examined. He fell on +his knees, protesting his innocence, telling them he was at Hitto +on new-year's-day, when the pretended consultation was held, and +had not been at Amboina since the preceding November, as was well +known to several Dutchmen who resided at Hitto along with him. +Being ordered to the rack, he told them he had often heard John +Clark say that the Dutch had done insufferable wrongs to the +English, and was resolved to be revenged on them; for which +purpose he had proposed to Captain Towerson to allow him to go to +Macassar, to consult with the Spaniards about sending some +gallies to plunder the small factories of Amboina and Ceram in +the absence of the ships. Being asked what Captain Towerson had +said to all this? he answered, that Towerson was very much +offended with Clark for the proposal, and could never abide him +since. The fiscal then called him a rogue and liar, saying, that +he wandered idly from the matter, and must go to the torture. He +craved favour again, and began another tale, saying, that John +Clark had told him at Hitto of a plot to surprise the castle of +Amboina, with the participation of Towerson. He was then asked, +when this consultation was held? which he said was in November +preceding. The fiscal said that could not be, for it was on +new-year's-day. The prisoner urged, as before, that he had not +been in Amboina since last November, till now that he was brought +thither in custody. "Why, then," said the fiscal, "have you +belied yourself?" To this he resolutely answered, that all he had +confessed respecting a conspiracy was false, and merely feigned +to avoid torment.</p> + +<p>Sharrock was then remanded to prison, but was brought up again +next day, when a formal confession, in writing, of his +last-mentioned conference with Clark, respecting the plot for +surprising the castle of Amboina, was read over to him, after +which, the fiscal asked, if it were all true. To this he +answered, that every word of it was false, and that he had +confessed it solely to avoid torture. The fiscal and the rest +then said, in rage, that he was a false liar, for it was all +true, and had been spoken from his own mouth, and therefore he +must sign it, which he did accordingly. Having done this, he +broke out into a great passion, charging them as guilty of the +innocent blood of himself and the rest, which they should have to +answer for at the judgment-seat of God. He even grappled with the +fiscal, and would have hindered him from carrying in the +confession to the governor, but was instantly laid hold of, and +carried away to prison.</p> + +<p>William Webber was next examined; being told by the fiscal +that Clarke accused him of having sworn to Towerson's plot on +new-year's-day, with all the other circumstances already +mentioned; Webber strenuously denied all this, declaring, that he +was then at Larika, and could not possibly be present in Amboina +on that day. But, being put to the torture, he was forced to +confess having been present at the consultation, with all the +other circumstances in regular order, as asked. He also told of +having a letter from Clark, in which was a postscript excusing +his brief writing at this time, as there was then a great +business in hand. But a Dutch merchant, named Kinder, who was +present, told the governor that Webber and he were together +making merry at Larika, on new-year's-day, the time of this +pretended consultation. The governor then went away, but the +fiscal held on with him respecting the letter and postscript, +promising to save his life if he would produce these.</p> + +<p>Captain Towerson was next brought in for examination, and was +shewn what the others had confessed concerning him. He deeply +professed his innocence, on which Colson was brought in to +confront him, being assured he should be again tortured unless he +made good his former confession against Towerson. On this he +repeated what he had said before, and was then sent away. Griggs +and Fardo were next brought in, and desired to justify to his +face what they had before confessed. Captain Towerson seriously +admonished them, as they should answer at the day of judgment, to +speak nothing but the truth. They then fell upon their knees, +beseeching him to forgive them for God's sake, and declared +openly that all they had formerly said was utterly false, and +spoken only to avoid the torture. The fiscal then commanded them +to be led to the torture, which they were unable to endure, and +again affirmed their former extorted confessions to be true. When +Colson was required to subscribe this confession, he asked the +fiscal, upon whose head he thought the sin would rest, whether on +his who was constrained to confess falsely, or upon the +constrainer? After a pause on this home-question, the fiscal went +out to speak with the governor, and returned again shortly, +commanding him to subscribe. Colson did so, yet with this +remark,--"You force me to accuse myself and others of that which +is as false as God is true; for I call God to witness that I and +they are as innocent as the child unborn."</p> + +<p>Having thus examined all the servants of the English company +in the several factories of the island of Amboina, they began on +the 21st of February to examine John Wetheral, factor at +Cambello, in Ceram. He acknowledged being at Amboina on +new-year's-day, but declared he knew of no other consultation but +about certain cloth belonging to the company, which lay spoiling +in the factory, which they considered how best to get sold. The +governor said he was not questioned about cloth, but treason; and +protesting his innocence, he was dismissed for that day. Next day +he was again brought in, and Captain Towerson was produced to +confront and accuse him, as he had formerly emitted something in +his confessions against him. But Towerson only desired him to +speak the truth, and nothing but the truth, as God should put +into his heart. Mr Towerson was then removed, and Mr Wetheral +tortured by water, with threats of fire being applied if he did +not confess. At length, they read over to him the confessions of +the others, asking him leading questions from point to point, to +all of which he answered affirmatively, to free himself from +torture.</p> + +<p>John Powel, assistant to Mr Wetheral, was next called; but he +proved that he had not been at Amboina since November; and being +likewise spoken for by Jan Joost, his old acquaintance, was +dismissed without torture. Thomas Ladbrook, servant to Wetheral +and Powel at Cambello, was then brought in; but he, too, was +speedily dismissed. Ephraim Ramsay, proving that he was not in +Amboina on new-year's-day, and being likewise spoken for by +Joost, was also dismissed, after hanging up some time ready for +being tortured. Lastly, John Sadler, servant to William Griggs at +Larika, was brought in for examination; and as he was not in +Amboina on new-year's-day, he too was dismissed.</p> + +<p>On the 25th of February, all the prisoners, English, +Portuguese, and Japanese, were brought into the great hall of the +castle, and there solemnly condemned to die, except John Powel, +Ephraim Ramsay, John Sadler, and Thomas Ladbrook. Next day, they +were again brought into the hall, except Captain Towerson and +Emanuel Thomson, to be prepared for death by the Dutch ministers. +That same night, Colson and Collins were taken into the room +where Emanuel Thomson lay, when they were told the governor was +pleased to grant mercy to one of the three, and desired they +might draw lots, when the free lot fell to Edward Collins, who +was then carried to the chamber of the acquitted persons +before-named. John Beaumont was soon after brought to the same +place, and told that he owed his life to Peter Johnson, the Dutch +merchant of Loho, and the secretary, who had begged his life. The +condemned, who still remained in the hall, were afterwards joined +by the Dutch ministers, and received the sacrament, protesting +their innocence. Samuel Colson, on this occasion, said, in a loud +voice, "O Lord, as I am innocent of this treason, do thou pardon +all my other sins; and, if in the smallest degree guilty thereof +may I never be a partaker in the joys of thy heavenly kingdom." +To these words all the rest exclaimed, <i>Amen! for me, Amen! for +me, good Lord!</i></p> + +<p>After this, each, knowing whom he had accused, went one to +another, craving forgiveness for their false accusations, as +wrung from them by the pains or dread of torture. They all freely +forgave their comrades; for none had been so falsely accused, but +that he also had accused others with equal falseness. In +particular, George Sharrock, who survived to relate the scene +exhibited at this time, knelt down to John Clark, whom he had +accused, as before related, earnestly begging forgiveness. Clark +freely forgave him, saying, "How shall I look to be forgiven of +God, if I do not forgive you? as I have myself falsely accused +Captain Towerson and others!" After this, they spent the rest of +this doleful night in prayer and psalm-singing, comforting each +other the best they could. The Dutch who guarded them offered +them wine, of which they desired them to drink heartily, to drive +away sorrow, as is the custom of their country in like +situations, but this the English refused.</p> + +<p>Next morning, the 27th February, William Webber was again +called before the fiscal, and offered his life if he would +produce the letter and postscript he confessed to have received +from John Clark, which he could not do, as it never had existed: +Yet, at last, they pardoned him, and sent him to the rest of +those who were freed, and Sharrock with him, whom they also +pardoned. That morning, Emanuel Thomson, learning that John +Beaumont was pardoned, contrived to have him allowed to visit +him, which was allowed with much difficulty. Beaumont found him +in a most miserable condition, the wounds or sores occasioned by +the torture bound up, but the blood and matter issuing through +the bandages. Taking Mr Beaumont by the hand, he conjured him, +when he came to England, to offer his duty to the Honourable +Company, and others of his friends whom he named, and to assure +them he died innocent, as was well known to Beaumont.</p> + +<p>It is needless to dwell upon the minute circumstances of the +catastrophe of this bloody tragedy: Suffice it to say, that ten +Englishmen, one Portuguese, and eleven Japanese, were publicly +executed; of whom the following is a list:</p> + +<p><i>English.</i></p> + +<p>Capt. Gabriel Towerson, agent for the English at Amboina. +Samuel Colson, factor at Hitto. Emanuel Thomson, assistant at +Amboina. Timothy Johnson, assistant at the same place. John +Wetheral, assistant at Cambello. John Clark, assistant at +Hitto.</p> + +<p>William Griggs, factor at Larika. John Fardo, steward of the +factory at Amboina. Abel Price, surgeon to that factory. Robert +Brown, tailor.</p> + +<p>The only Portuguese was Augustine Perez, born in Bengal, who +was superintendant of the slaves in the employment of the English +at Amboina.</p> + +<p><i>Japanese</i>. Hititso, Tsiosa, and Sinsa, natives of +Firando. Sidney Migial, Pedro Congie, Thomas Corea, from +Nangasaki. Quinandaya, a native of Coaets. Tsabinda, a native of +Tsoncketgo. Zanchae, a native of Fisien.</p> + +<p>Besides these, there were two other Japanese tortured, who +both confessed a participation in the pretended plot, but were +not executed, or even condemned, for reasons which the surviving +English did not learn. The executions were all by cutting off the +heads of the condemned with a scymitar; and the Dutch prepared a +black velvet pall for Captain Towerson's body to fall upon, which +they afterwards had the effrontery to charge in account against +the English East India Company.</p> + +<p>SECTION XV.</p> + +<p>OBSERVATIONS DURING A RESIDENCE IN TISLAND OF CHUSAN, IN 1701, +BY DOCTOR JAMES CUNNINGHAM; WITH SOME EARLY NOTICES RESPECTING +CHINA.[318]</p> + +<p>Among the early voyages of the English to the East Indies, +none have been preserved that were made to China, nor have we +been able to discover any satisfactory account of the +commencement of the trade of our East India Company with that +distant country, now said to be by far the most profitable branch +of the exclusive commerce. In the <i>Annals of the +Company</i>,[319] several references are made to the China trade, +but more in the nature of notices or memoranda for the purpose of +after investigation, than as conveying any actual information on +the subject. In this singular paucity of materials, we are +reduced to the following short "Observations and Remarks, by +Doctor James Cunningham, made during his Residence as Physician +to the English Factory at the Island of Chusan, on the Coast of +China." Doctor Cunningham is stated by Harris to have been a +fellow of the Royal Society, distinguished by his natural talents +and acquired accomplishments, well versed in ancient and modern +learning, and to have diligently used these advantages in making +judicious remarks on the places where he resided in the service +of the Company. Yet all that has been recorded by Harris of these +remarks, give only a very imperfect account of Chusan and of +China. This short article consists of extracts from two letters +written by Cunningham from Chusan, and a brief supplement by +Harris respecting two unfortunate factories at Pulo Condore and +Pulo Laut.--E.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 318: Harris. I. 852.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 319: Annals of the E.I. Co. vol. II. and +III. <i>passim</i>.]</blockquote> + +<p>S.1. <i>Voyage to Chusan, and short Notices of that +Island</i>.[320]</p> + +<p>In my last letter, from the island of Borneo, I gave you an +account of our arrival at that island on the 17th July. We only +remained there two days, as the season of the year was already +far advanced, and made the best of our way from thence through +the Straits of Banda,[321] with favourable winds and weather. We +got upon the coast of China on the 13th August, when we had +variable winds, which carried us abreast of <i>Emoy</i>[322] by +the 19th following. The wind then set in fresh at N.E. so that we +were in great fear of losing our passage, and were now obliged to +beat up all the way against both wind and current; yet the +weather remained so favourable that we were never obliged to hand +our top-sails, otherwise we must have lost more way in a single +day than we could have recovered in eight. On the 31st August we +came to anchor under the <i>Crocodile islands</i>,[323] both for +shelter from the bad weather, usual on this coast at new and +full-moon, which has been fatal to many ships, and also to +procure fresh water, now scarce with us, as we had not recruited +our store since leaving the Cape of Good Hope. These are three +small islands in lat. 26° N. about six leagues from the river +of <i>Hokien</i>, [Fo-kien] on two of which we found very good +water, with a convenient landing-place on the S.W. side of the +innermost island. By the assistance of some Chinese fishers, we +procured also some fresh provisions from the main land, not +thinking it safe to venture there ourselves, lest we may have +been brought into trouble by the governor of that part of the +country. While here, on the 5th September, we had a sudden short +shift of the monsoon from the S.W. blowing with great fury; which +was also experienced by other vessels then coming on the coast of +China. We again put to sea on the 18th September, turning to +windward night and day on the outside of all the islands, which +are very numerous all along this coast, but with which we were +unacquainted after passing beyond <i>Emoy</i>. Besides, the +hydrography of this coast is hitherto so very imperfect, that we +could not trust in any degree to our draughts, owing to which our +navigation was both difficult and dangerous.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 320: From a letter to a member of the Royal +Society, dated in September, 1701.--Harris.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 321: This must have been the straits of +Macasser, as Banda is far out of the way between Borneo and +China.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 322: Emoy or Amoy, was on the coast of +China, opposite to the island of Formosa, and appears, from the +Annals, to have been the first port frequented by the ships of +the India Company for the Chinese trade.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 323: The islands of Pe-la-yang are, in the +indicated latitude, off the estuary of the principal river of the +province of Fo-kien.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>On the 1st October, we got into the latitude of 30° N. +where we came to anchor near the land, and found our way by boat +to <i>Chusan</i>,[324] about twelve leagues within the islands, +whence we got a pilot, who brought our ship safely to that place +on the 11th of the month. The Chinese government have granted us +a settlement on that island, with the liberty of trade; but do +not allow us to go up to Ning-po,[325] which is six or eight +hours sail to the westwards, all the way among islands, of which +this of Chusan is the largest, being eight or nine leagues from +E. to W. and four or five from N. to S.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 324: Tcheou-chan, an island about twenty +English miles in length from E. to W. in lat. 30° 23' N. +long. 121° 43' E. off the estuary of Ning-po river, in the +province of Che-kiang, is obviously the Chusan of the +text--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 325: The city of Ning-po stands at the head +of a bay, stretching from the S. side of the estuary of the river +of the same name, in lat. 30° 10' N. long. 121° E. It +appears, from the Annals, that the English had been excluded from +trading at Canton, by the influence of the Portuguese in +Macao.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>About three leagues from the point of land named <i>Liampo</i> +by the Portuguese, and <i>Khi-tu</i> by the Chinese, there is a +very safe and convenient harbour at the west end of this island, +where the ships ride within call of the factory, which stands +close to the shore in a low flat valley, having near two hundred +houses built around for the benefit of trade. The town of Chusan, +of which the houses are very mean, is about three quarters of a +mile farther from the shore, and is surrounded by a fine stone +wall, flanked at irregular distances by twenty-two square +bastions or towers; and has four great gates, on which a few old +iron guns are planted, seldom or never used. The <i>chumpeen</i>, +or governor of the island, resides here, and the town contains +about three or four thousand beggarly inhabitants, mostly +soldiers and fishers; for, as the trade of this island has only +been granted of late, it has not hitherto attracted any +considerable merchants.</p> + +<p>This island abounds in all sorts of provisions, as cows, +buffaloes, deer, hogs, both wild and tame, geese, ducks, poultry, +rice, wheat, calavanccs, cole-worts, turnips, carrots, potatoes, +beets, spinach, and so forth. It has, however, no merchandise, +except what comes from Ning-po, Stan-chew,[326] Nankin, and other +inland towns and cities. Some of these I hope to see, when I have +acquired a little of the Chinese language. Tea grows here in +great plenty on the tops of the hills, but is not so much +esteemed as that which grows on more mountainous islands. +Although tolerably populous, this island is far from being what +it was in the time of Father Martini, who describes it under the +name of <i>Cheu-xan</i>. The superstitious pilgrimages mentioned +by him, must refer to the island of Pou-to,[327] which is nine +leagues from this place, and to another island three miles to the +eastwards, to which the emperor proposes coming to worship at a +pagoda greatly renowned for its sanctity, in the ensuing month of +May, being his birth-day, and the fortieth year of his age. One +of his bonzes is already come there, to get all things in +order.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 326: Probably Hang-tcheon, a city about +forty miles W. from Ning-po.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 327: Pou-teou, is directly E. from the +eastern end of Tcheou-chan.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>S.2. <i>Ancient and modern State of the Country, and of the +coming of the English to reside there.[328]</i></p> + +<p>In my former letter, I informed you that the emperor designed +to have come to worship at Pou-to in May last, being the fortieth +year of his age, but I ought to have said of his reign. After +every thing was prepared for his reception, he was dissuaded from +his purpose by some of his mandarins, who made him believe that +the thunder at that place was very dangerous. This Pou-to is a +small island, only about five leagues round, and at the east end +of Chusan. It has been famous for the space of eleven hundred +years, for the superstitious pilgrimages made to it, and is only +inhabited by bonzes to the number of three thousand, all of the +sect of <i>Heshang,</i> or unmarried bonzes, who live a +Pythagorean life. They have built four hundred pagodas, two of +which are considerable for their size and splendour, and were +lately covered with green and yellow tiles, brought from the +emperor's palace at Nankin. They are adorned within by stately +idols, finely carved and gilded, the chief of these being an idol +named <i>Quonem.</i> To-these two pagodas there are two chief +priests, who govern all the rest. They have many walks and +avenues cut in different directions through the island, some of +which are paved with flag-stones, and overshaded by trees planted +on both sides. The dwellings of the bonzes are the best I have +seen in these parts, all of which are maintained by charitable +donations. All the Chinese junks which sail from Ning-po and +Chusan touch at Pou-to, both outwards and homewards-bound, making +offerings for the safety of their voyages. There is another +island named <i>Kim-Tong,</i>[329] five leagues from hence, on +the way towards Ning-po, where a great many mandarins are said to +live in retirement, after having given up their employments. On +that island there are said to be silver mines, but prohibited +from being opened. The rest of the circumjacent islands are +either desert, or very meanly inhabited, but all of them abound +in deer.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 328: The sequel of these observations is +said by Harris to have been taken from another letter to the same +correspondent with the former, and dated in November, 1701; but, +from circumstances in the text, it would appear to have been +written in 1702.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 329: Probably that named Silver-island in +modern maps.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>It is not long since this island of Chusan began to be +inhabited. Yet in the days of Father Martini, about fifty years +ago, it was very populous for three or four years; at which time, +in the fury of the Tartar conquest, it was laid entirely +desolate, not even sparing the mulberry trees, which were then +numerous, as they made a great deal of raw silk here. It +continued in this desolate condition till about eighteen years +ago, when the walls of the present town were built by the +governor of <i>Ting-hai</i>, as a strong-hold for a garrison, in +order to expel some pirates who had taken shelter on the island. +As the island began to grow populous, a <i>chumpeen</i> was sent +to govern it for three years, to whom the late chumpeen +succeeded, who continued till last April, and procured licence to +open this port to strangers. On the last chumpeen being promoted +to the government of <i>Tien-ching-wei</i>[330] near Pekin, he +was succeeded by the present governor, who is son to the old +chumpeen of Emoy. They have no arts or manufactures in this +island, except lacquered ware; the particulars of which I cannot +as yet send you. They have begun to plant mulberry-trees, in +order to breed up silk-worms for the production of raw silk; and +they gather and cure some tea, but chiefly for their own use.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 330: Probably that called Tien-sing in +modern maps, on the river Pay, between Pekin and the +sea.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>S.3. <i>Of the Manner of cultivating Tea in Chusan</i>.</p> + +<p>The three sorts of tea usually carried to England are all from +the same plant, their difference being occasioned by the soils in +which they grow, and the season of the year at which they are +gathered. The <i>bohea</i>, or <i>vo-u-i</i>, so called from +certain mountains in the province of <i>Token</i>,[331] where it +is chiefly made, is the very bud, gathered in the beginning of +March, and dried in the shade. The tea named <i>bing</i> is the +second growth, gathered in April, and <i>siriglo</i> is the last +growth, gathered in May and June; both of these being gently +dried over the fire in <i>taches</i> or pans. The tea shrub is an +evergreen, being in flower from October to January, and the seed +ripens in the September or October following, so that both flower +and seed may be gathered at the same time; but for one fully +ripened seed, an hundred are abortive. There are the two sorts of +seeds mentioned by Father Le Compte, in his description of tea; +and what be describes as a third sort, under the name of +<i>slymie</i> pease, consists merely of the young flower-buds, +not yet open. The seed vessels of the tea tree are +three-capsular, each capsule containing one nut or seed; and +though often two or one of these only come to perfection, yet the +vestiges of the rest may easily be discerned. It grows naturally +in a dry gravelly soil on the sides of hills, without any +cultivation, in several places of this island.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 331: Fo-kien is almost certainly here +meant--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>Le Compte is mistaken in saying that the Chinese are ignorant +of the art of grafting; for I nave seen many of his paradoxical +tallow-trees ingrafted here, besides trees of other sorts. When +they ingraft, they do not slit the stock as we do, but slice off +the outside of the stock, to which they apply the graft, which is +cut sloping on one side, to correspond with the slice on the +stock, bringing the bark of the slice up on the outside of the +graft, after which the whole is covered up with mud and straw, +exactly as we do. The commentator on Magalhen seems doubtful as +to the length of the Chinese <i>che</i> or cubit. At this island +they have two sorts, one measuring thirteen inches and +seven-tenths English, which, is commonly used by merchants; the +other is only eleven inches, being used by carpenters, and also +in geographical measures. Though Father Martini is censured by +Magalhen for spelling a great many Chinese words with <i>ng</i>, +which the Portuguese and others express with <i>in</i>, yet his +way is more agreeable to our English pronunciation and +orthography; only the g may be left out in Pekin, Nankin, and +some others.</p> + +<p>Having made enquiry about what is mentioned by Father Martini +of sowing their <i>fields</i> at <i>Van-cheu</i> with +oyster-shells, to make new ones grow, I was told, that after they +have taken out the oysters, they sprinkle the empty shells with +urine, and throw them into the water, by which means there grow +new oysters on the old shells.[332] Martini says he could never +find a Latin name for the <i>Tula Mogorin</i> of the Portuguese; +but I am sure it is the same with the <i>Syringa arabica, flore +pleno albo</i>, of Parkinson. Martini also says that the +<i>kieu-yeu</i>, or tallow-tree, bears a white flower, like that +of the cherry-tree: But all that I have seen here bear spikes of +small yellow flowers, like the <i>julus</i> of the <i>Salix</i>. +The bean-broth, or mandarin-broth, so frequently mentioned in the +Dutch embassy, and by other authors, is only an emulsion made of +the seeds of <i>sesamum</i> with hot water.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 332: This strange story may possibly be +thus explained. At certain seasons, numerous minute oysters may +be seen sticking to the shells of the old ones; and the Chinese +may have thrown the emptied shells into the sea, in the highly +probable expectation of these minute oysters continuing to live +and grow. The circumstances in the text are absurd additions, +either from ignorance or imposition.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The chief employments of the people here are fishing and +agriculture. In fishing, they use several sorts of nets and lines +as we do; but, as there are great banks of mud in some places, +the fishermen have contrived a small frame, three or four feet +long, not much larger than a hen-trough, and a little elevated at +each end, to enable them to go more easily on these mud banks. +Resting with one knee on the middle of one of these frames, and +leaning his arms on a cross stick raised breast high, he uses the +other foot on the mud to push the frame and himself forwards.</p> + +<p>In their agricultural operations, all their fields on which +any thing is to be cultivated, whether high or low, are formed +into such plots or beds as may admit of retaining water over them +when the cultivator thinks proper. The lands are tilled by +ploughs drawn by one cow or buffalo; and when it is intended to +sow rice, the soil is remarkably well prepared and cleared from +all weeds, after which it is moistened into the state of a pulp, +and smoothed by a frame drawn across, when the rice is sown very +thick, and covered over with water, only to the height of two or +three inches. When the seedling plants are six or eight inches +long, they are all pulled up, and transplanted in straight lines +into other fields, which are overflowed with water; and, when +weeds grow up, they destroy them by covering them up in the +interstices between the rows of rice, turning the mud over them +with their hands. When they are to sow wheat, barley, pulse, or +other grain, they grub up the surface of the ground +superficially, earth, grass, and rook, and mixing this with some +straw, burn all together. This earth, being sifted fine, they mix +with the seed, which they sow in holes made in straight lines, so +that it grows in tufts or rows like the rice. The field is +divided into regular beds, well harrowed both before and after +the seed is sown, which makes them resemble gardens. The rice +grounds are meliorated merely by letting water into them; but for +the other grains, where the soil requires it, they use dung, +night-soil, ashes, and the like. For watering their fields, they +use the machine mentioned by Martini in the preface to his Atlas, +being entirely constructed of wood, and the same in principle +with the chain-pump.</p> + +<p>In order to procure salt, as all the shores are of mud instead +of sand, they pare off in summer the superficial part of this +mud, which has been overflowed by the sea-water, and lay it up in +heaps, to be used in the following manner: Having first dried it +in the sun, and rubbed it into a fine powder, they dig a pit, the +bottom of which is covered with straw, and from the bottom a +hollow cane leads through the side of the pit to a jar standing +below the level of the bottom. They then fill the pit almost full +of the dried salt mud, and pour on sea-water till it stands two +or three inches above the top of the mud. This sea-water drains +through the mud, carrying the salt along with it from the mud as +well as its own, and runs out into the jar much-saturated with +salt; which is afterwards procured by boiling.</p> + +<p>S.4. <i>Of the famous Medicinal Root, called +Hu-tchu-u</i>.</p> + +<p>Having last year seen, in a newspaper, some account of a +singular root, brought from China by Father Fontaney, I shall +inform you that I have seen this root since my arrival at Chuaan. +It is called <i>Hu-tchu-n</i>[333] by the Chinese, and they +ascribe to it most wonderful virtues, such as prolonging life, +and changing grey hair to black, by using its infusion by way of +tea. It is held in such high estimation as to be sold at a great +price, as I have been told, from ten tael up to a thousand, or +even two thousand tael-for a single root; for the larger it is, +so much the greater is its fancied value and efficacy: But the +price is too high to allow me to try the experiment. You will +find it mentioned in the <i>Medecina Sinica</i> of Cleyer, No. +84; under the name of <i>He-xeu-ti</i>, according to the +Portuguese orthography. It is also figured in the 27th table of +the plants which Mr <i>Pettier</i> had from me. The following is +the story of its discovery, which I will not warrant for +gospel.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 333: This is probably the ginseng, so famed +for its fancied virtues.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>Once upon a time, a certain person went to gather simples +among the mountains, and fell by some accident into a vale of +which the sides were so steep that he was unable to get out +again. In this situation, he had to look about for some means to +support life, and discovered this root, of which he made trial, +and found that it served him both as food and cloathing; for it +preserved his body in such a temperature, that the injuries of +the weather had no evil influence upon him during a residence of +several hundred years. At length, by means of an earthquake, the +mountains were rent, and he found a passage from the vale to his +house, whence he had been so long absent. But so many alterations +had taken place during his long absence, that nobody would +believe his story; till, on consulting the annals of his family, +they found that one of them had been lost at the time he +mentioned, which confirmed the truth of his relation.--This is a +fable, not even credited among the Chinese, invented merely to +blazon forth the virtues of this wonderful root.</p> + +<p>S.5. <i>Removal of Dr Cunningham to Pulo Condore, with an +Account of the Rise, Progress, and Ruin of that +Factory</i>.[334]</p> + +<p>The English factory at Chusan was broken up in the year 1702, +so that Dr Cunningham had very little time allowed him for making +his proposed observations respecting China. From this place he +removed to another new settlement at <i>Pulo Condore,</i> in a +small cluster of four or five islands, about fifteen leagues +south of the west channel of the river of Camboja, usually called +the Japanese river.[335] I am unable to say what were the +advantages proposed from this factory; but, from the memoirs I +have seen on the subject, this place seems to have been very ill +chosen, and much worse managed. The person who had at this time +the management and direction of the affairs belonging to the East +India Company in this distant part of the world, was one Mr +Katchpole, who, according to the usual custom of the Europeans in +eastern India at this period, took into the service a certain +number of Macassers or native soldiers, by whose assistance he +soon constructed a small fort for the protection of the factory. +So far as I can learn, the most indispensable necessaries of +life, water, wood, and fish, were all that these islands ever +afforded.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 334: This and the subsequent subdivision of +the section are related historically by Harris.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 335: Pulo Condore is in lat. 8° 45' N. +long. 106° 5' E. and the object of a factory at this place +was evidently to endeavour to secure a portion of the trade of +China, from which the English at this time were excluded by the +arts of the Portuguese at Macao, as we learn from the Annals; as +also to combine some trade with Siam, Camboja, Tsiompa, +Cochin-China, and Tonquin.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The Macassers are a brave, industrious, and faithful people, +to such as deal fairly with them; and on this account are highly +esteemed in the Eastern Indies, more especially by the Dutch. +They are, however, daring, cruel, and revengeful, if once +provoked. Mr Katchpole had contracted with these men to serve for +three years, at the end of which period, if they pleased, they +were to receive their wages and to depart: But he, though they +strictly performed their part of the agreement, broke faith with +them, keeping them beyond their time against their will. In +addition to this great breach in morality, he added as notorious +an error in politics; for, after provoking these men so +egregiously by refusing to fulfil his engagement, he still +confided to them the guard of his own person and the custody of +the factory. This gave them ample opportunity of revenging the +ill usage they had met with, and with that ferocity which is so +natural to untutored barbarians. They rose in mutiny one night, +and murdered Mr Katchpole, and all who were at the time along +with him in the factory. A few, who happened to lodge on the +outside of the fort, hearing the cries of their friends within +during the massacre, fled from their beds to the sea-shore; +where, by a singular interposition of Providence, they found a +bark completely ready for sea, in which they embarked half naked, +and put immediately to sea, just in time to escape the rage of +the Macassers, who came in search of them to the shore, precisely +when they had weighed anchor and pushed off to sea.</p> + +<p>Dr Cunningham was one of the number who escaped on this +occasion. Their navigation was attended with excessive +difficulty, being exposed at the same time to incredible fatigue, +and to the utmost extremity of hunger and thirst: But at length, +after a tedious and difficult course of an hundred leagues, in +the most wretched condition, they reached a small creek in the +dominions of the king of Johor, where they were received with +kindness.</p> + +<p>S.6. <i>Some Account of the Factory at Pulo Laut, with the +Overthrow of that Factory, and of the English Trade to +Borneo</i>.</p> + +<p>A year or two after this ruin of the factory at Pulo Condore, +the Company thought fit to order the establishment of a new +factory on the coast of the great island of Borneo. On the south +of that vast island, there is a small isle called Pulo Laut, +having an excellent harbour. The country here is but thinly +peopled, and yields nothing except rice; but, as it lies near the +mouth of the great rivers which come from the pepper countries in +the interior; it is extremely well situated for trade. Between +this island and the great island of Borneo, there is a channel +about two miles wide in most places, narrower in some and broader +in others, and having from seven to five fathoms water the whole +way through. On the coast of this channel there are several +rising grounds fit for building on, and which were therefore +extremely proper for the situation of a factory, which, it may be +presumed, induced those who had the direction of the Company's +affairs, to make choice of this place.</p> + +<p>One Captain Barry, who is said to have been a very ingenious +gentleman, had the charge of establishing this new factory, in +which he is reported to have acted with much skill and prudence. +But he died before the works were completed; and the direction of +the factory devolved upon Doctor Cunningham, who came to this +place after the ruin of the factory at Pulo Condore. He is said +to have given himself so entirely up to his studies, that he left +the care of the Company's concerns too much to the people who +were under him, who were unequal to the trust, and proved the +ruin of the factory. Before the fort was half finished, these +people began to insult the natives of the country; and, among +other wanton acts of folly, they very imprudently chose to search +one of the boats belonging to the king, which was carrying a +female of rank down the river. This so provoked the Bornean +sovereign that he determined upon the utter destruction of the +English; for which purpose he collected his forces together, +amounting to about three thousand resolute men, which he embarked +in above an hundred proas, and sent them down to attack the +factory and unfinished fort.</p> + +<p>There happened at this time to be two ships belonging to the +Company in the river, besides two merchant vessels of +inconsiderable force; and as Cunningham and his people had +received advice of the preparations making against them, they +left their factory, taking refuge aboard the ships, thinking +themselves in greater security there than ashore. When all things +were in readiness for the intended assault, the native armament +came down the river in the night; and, while some landed and +destroyed the factory and fortifications, others attacked the +ships, which were fortunately prepared for their reception, the +English having made fast nettings along both sides of their +ships, about two fathoms high above the gunnels, to prevent the +enemy from boarding, and were in readiness to use their +blunderbusses and pikes, to prevent them from forcing their way +to the decks.</p> + +<p>On seeing the approach of the proas towards the ships, the +English plied their great guns, loaded with double, round, and +partridge shot, and made great carnage among the Borneans, yet +this did not deter them from pushing forwards and using their +utmost endeavours to board. But, having got up to the gunnels, +they were unable to get over the netting, and so were slaughtered +with great ease by the English from the decks. Some of the +assailants got in at the <i>head doors</i> of one of the ships +and killed a few of the English on the forecastle, but were soon +overpowered and slain. Thus, after a long and sanguinary contest, +the two large ships beat off the enemy with small loss; but the +two little vessels were both burnt with most of their men, among +whom was one Mynheer Hoogh Camber, a Dutch gentleman who had been +ambassador of the king of Persia, and had fled from Batavia in +one of these small vessels. Some say that the English killed +above fifteen hundred of the assailants in two hours, for the +heat of the assault continued during that space, besides many +others wounded and maimed. But the English were under the +necessity of abandoning the settlement at Pulo Laut.</p> + +<p>The Bornean king or rajah thought his revenge had gone far +enough in driving the English from their factory: And, finding +his revenue considerably diminished by the loss of trade with the +English, he sent notice to such of them as traded to Johor, and +other places in the neighbourhood of Borneo, that he would still +admit them to trade in his dominions on the old footing, but +would never allow them or any other nation to erect forts in his +territories. Several English vessels have been there since to +load pepper, and were civilly treated. The Dutch also sent a ship +there from Batavia in the year 1712; but the natives refused to +have any dealings with them.</p> + +<h2>END OF THE NINTH VOLUME.</h2> + +<div>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 13055 ***</div> +</body> +</html> + |