He
Desired Likewise To Know The Price Of Several Of Our Commodities, With
Pretensions That They Could Supply Indigo, Olibanum, Myrrh, And Various
Other Things.
Before this answer came back, our ships had been driven by
the current so far beyond the point to the west of Aden, that we could
not get again eastwards in sight of the town, and had to anchor abreast
of a bay to the south-west.
[Footnote 355: Mir is a contraction of Amir or Emir, much used by the
Persians. From Amir comes our Admiral, first used by the Europeans
during the crusades. - Astl. I. 396. c.
The origin of Admiral is probably from Amir-al-bahr, lord of the sea,
or sea-commander; corrupted in Spanish into Almirante, and changed in
French and English into Admiral. - E.]
We saw several people fishing in the bay, and many people of
fashion[356] on the hill. On this the general went ashore to enquire
when the current would change, so that we might get back. The
deputy-governor seemed very angry, pretending that our coming was not
with any good intent, but merely to discover their strength, insomuch
that John Williams was in doubt they would have detained him: but the
governor, who was now present, seemed not so rigorous, dissembling with
fair words, and promised to give a pilot for Mokha, yet desired that one
of our ships might stay for their supply; saying, that by the misconduct
of former governors, the town had lost its trade, which he now wished to
restore, and hoped we would make a beginning. He added, that if our
ships all departed without trade, he would be blamed by the pacha, his
superior officer, who would impute our departure to his ill usage. The
12th the general sent John Williams again ashore for the promised pilot;
when the governor said the pilot's wife would not allow him to go,
unless we left four of our principal persons behind as pledges for his
safe return, which bred in us a general suspicion of their evil
intentions: yet the general, in performance of his promise, determined
to leave me behind in the Pepper-corn, but directed me not to carry any
goods on shore, as they would not trust us with one of their rascal
people except on such disgraceful terms, he thought fit not to trust
them with any of our goods. Wherefore, if they wanted any, as they
pretended, they were to purchase and pay for them on board; and in case
of suspecting any unfair dealings, we were to exchange pledges. If they
refused to deal on these principles, I was to follow the general to
Mokha. That same afternoon, the general departed with his own ship and
the Darling towards Mokha.
[Footnote 356: Probably Turks, distinguished from the half-naked Arabs
by their dress. - E.]
We laboured hard on the 13th November, by means of long warps, to get up
to Aden against wind and current, and actually got abreast the
fishing-cove. This day the mir or governor of Aden sent a message on
board, desiring to speak with our merchants, to know if we meant to
trade. Accordingly Mr Fowler and John Williams, together with the
purser, who had other business, went ashore; and having informed the
mir in what manner they were directed to trade, he detained all
three, pretending he did so that he might procure payment for anchorage
and other duties, for which he demanded 1500 gold Venetianoes, each
worth a dollar and half, or 6s. 9d. I continued unprofitably before
Aden till the 16th December, in continual danger of shipwreck if any
storm had happened, and always fed with promises of trade, but no
performance, and our three officers continuing in confinement.
Being informed by my boatswain that he was much in want of small cordage
for many purposes, and that he wished he and others might go ashore to
lay some on the strand by the town wall, I sent to ask permission from
the governor, with assurance of their safely. This was immediately
granted with the utmost readiness and complacency, desiring that they
might use the most convenient place for their purpose, and offering the
use of a house in which to secure their things during the night Yet
after all these fair promises, every man who went ashore was seized,
stript of their money and every thing they had, and put in irons. My
pinnace was lost, all the ropes taken away, together with the implements
for laying it over again. Thus there were now prisoners, two merchants,
the purser, a man to wait upon them, a prating apothecary, my surgeon,
master-caulker, boatswain, one of his mates, two quarter-masters, the
cooper, carpenter, gunner's mate, cockswain, and five of his crew, in
all twenty persons.
Monday, 16th December, I weighed anchor from the southermost road of
Aden, and directed my course through the straits for Mokha. The 20th I
came to the road of Mokha, where I saw the Trades-increase riding alone,
but no appearance of the Darling. The Trades-increase was about four
miles from shore, riding with two anchors ahead, on account of the
vehemence of the weather. On coming near, the people of the
Trades-increase lowered their flag, as a signal of bad news, by which I
suspected some misfortune had befallen our general. When I had anchored,
Mr Thornton, the master of the Trades-increase, came aboard, when he
began with a heavy heart to unfold by degrees all that had happened
since we parted at Aden.[357]
[Footnote 357: The incidents that happened at Mokha having been already
related in the preceding section, we here omit a long account of them by
Downton. - E.]
The 21st I sent ashore a letter to the general, informing him of the
misfortunes that had befallen me at Aden. In answer, he gave me a brief
account of the treachery that had been practised upon himself, and
requested me, if I could get to sea, to go to Aden and remain there till
I heard what became of him and the others on shore.
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