The Dutch General Got Timely Notice Of
His Motions, And Having Re-Embarked His Men And Artillery, Went Forth To
Meet The Viceroy.
After a long and bloody fight, the Dutch had to draw
off to stop the leaks of their admiral; on which the Portuguese let slip
the opportunity, and fell to rioting and merriment, with great boasts of
their victory, not looking any more for the Hollanders.
But they, having
stopped their leaks and refitted at Johor, came unexpectedly on the
Portuguese, most of whom were feasting ashore, and sunk and burnt all
their ships; insomuch, if the viceroy had not previously detached six
ships on some other service, the Portuguese naval power in India had
been all utterly destroyed. After this, the Portuguese in Malacca were
infected by a heavy sickness, in which most of them died, among whom was
the viceroy, and the governor of Manilla, who had brought a
reinforcement of 2000 Spanish troops, so that their power was laid in
the dust.
[Footnote 219: He seems to have been resident in Surat; but the
particulars are omitted by Purchas. - E.]
This year a new viceroy was expected from Portugal with a strong fleet,
to drive the Hollanders out of India. This fleet consisted of nine ships
of war, and six others for trade; which were all separated in the gulf
of Guinea, and never met again afterwards. Two of them came to
Mosambique, where they were fired by the Hollanders, who likewise much
distressed the castle, but could not take it; and the season, requiring
their departure, they set sail for Goa, being fifteen ships and a
pinnace, where they rode at the bar, defying the great Captain Hurtado,
who durst not meet them. Another of the Portuguese commercial ships,
having advice that the Dutch lay off Goa, went to the northwards, where
they landed their money and goods, and set their ship on fire, and the
soldiers fell together by the ears for sharing the money. The Dutch
fleet, leaving Goa, sailed all along the Malabar coast, plundering and
burning every thing, they could meet, and it was reported they had leave
from the Samorin to build a castle at Chaul.[220]
[Footnote 220: This must be an error, as the country of the Samorin, at
Calicut, is in the south of Malabar, and Chaul is far to the north in
the Concan. - E.]
The 1st of February, 1609, our captain, Mr Hawkins, departed from
Surat, with an escort of fifty peons and some horse. About this time
there was a great stir about the queen mother's ship, which was to be
laden for Mocha.[221] The Portuguese fleet of twenty-two frigates then
rode off the bar of Surat, and demanded 100,000 mamudies for her pass,
and at last agreed to take somewhat more than 1000 dollars, with sundry
presents, which the Moguls were forced to give them. At this time Mucrob
Khan gave me fair words, but the devil was in his heart, for he minded
nothing less than payment of his debts, striking off 17,000 from 41,000
to which our accounts extended. At last he gave me his cheet for a
part, though with great abatements, which I was glad to get, esteeming
it better to secure some than lose all. In the beginning of April I was
seized with a burning fever, of which I recovered by losing a great deal
of blood, and ten days fasting, and on the fever, leaving me I was
tormented with miserable stitches. Next month also I had another severe
fever.
[Footnote 221: Mecca is probably here meant; this ship being destined to
carry the Mogul pilgrims. The queen mother of the Moguls, mother to the
reigning emperor. - E.]
The 12th May, news came that Malek Amber, King of the Deccan, had
besieged Aurdanagur[222] with 22,000 horse; which place had been the
metropolis of the Deccan, formerly conquered by Akbar; and that, after
several assaults, the Moguls had offered to surrender the city, on
condition that he would withdraw his army four or five coss[223] from
the city, that they might remove with bag and baggage in security. This
being done, they issued out with all their forces, and making an
unexpected assault on the unprovided enemy, gave them a total defeat
with great slaughter. As it was feared that Malek Amber might revenge
this defeat upon the other parts of the country, the Khan-Khana raised
numerous forces, and demanded 300,000 mamudies[224] towards the charges,
sending also an experienced Deccan leader to govern the city.
[Footnote 222: Probably a corruption of Aurungabad. - E.]
[Footnote 223: In this and other early voyages, the coss is always
named course. It is rated by Purchas at a mile and a half English.
There are two cosses, the Hindoostanee, and the Rajeput, the former
being 44-4/9 to a degree, and the latter 32. The Hindoostanee is equal
to 1.56, and the Rajeput coss to 2.18 English miles. - E.]
[Footnote 224: This demand is inexplicable, as it is no where stated of
whom it was demanded: Besides, the sum, only L15,000, is quite
inadequate for the maintenance of numerous forces. - E.]
The 20th July, Shah Selim, the great Mogul, commanded his generals,
Khan-Khana and Rajah Mansing, two great commanders, to invade and
conquer all the kingdoms of the south to Cape Comorin, for which purpose
a prodigious army was assembled. In order to resist this invasion, the
three great kings of the south combined their troops, making head near
Bramport, (Burhampoor or Boorhanpoor,) on the Mogul frontiers, where
both armies were in camp, waiting the end of winter. These three kings,
Malek Amber, King of the Deccan, whose chief city is Genefro;[225] the
King of Visiapour; and the King of Golconda, whose chief city is
Braganadar.[226]
[Footnote 225: This name is so inexplicably corrupt as not even to admit
of conjectural amendment - E.]
[Footnote 226:
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