We Purchased From Them Nine
And A Half Pounds Of Opium As A Trial, And Dismissed Them.
The 30th I
stopt two vessels, both belonging to a place on the Abyssinian or
African coast, called Bandar Zeada; one laden only with mats, and the
other having sixty-eight fat-rumped sheep, which we bought from them,
and dismissed them.
The 8th May we plied towards the bab under easy sail, with a pleasant
wind at N.E. by E. At ten a.m. we descried land on the African coast,
looking at first like an island, but soon perceived it to be the main.
From thence we steered N.W. towards the bab, which, by estimation, was
then about ten leagues distant; and near four p.m. we descried the
straits, when we lingered off and on to spend the night. At day-light
next morning we made sail towards the bab. On entering the strait we
descried a sail astern, coming direct for the strait, on which I struck
my top-sails to wait for her, and sent off my pinnace to take
possession. The pinnace returned with the Nakhada and Malim, whom I
examined, and found them to be subjects of the Great Mogul, belonging to
a place called Larree,[365] situated at the mouth of the great river
of Sindi. I luft up along with this ship into a bay, on the east side of
the straits, where we came to anchor in seven fathoms. I then sent my
merchants aboard to examine her loading, which consisted of divers packs
and fardels of cloth, seeds of various kinds, leather, jars of butter,
and a great quantity of oil, some for eating and some for lamps. As this
vessel had many passengers, and I could not keep her for want of water,
I took out of her the likeliest packs of Indian cloth to serve our
purposes, with some butter and oil for our own use, and then allowed
her to proceed for Mokha.
[Footnote 365: Bander Larry, or Larry Bunder, on the Pity river, the
most north-western branch of the Delta of the Indus, or Scinde
river. - E.]
About three p.m. I descried a ship of 200 tons opening the east land of
the straits, and immediately following her a vessel of huge size, her
main-yard being forty-three yards long. On coming near the great ship,
we knew her, by her masts and tops, to be the Mahmudi of Dabul; and
knowing the pride of her captain, I was anxious to gain the command over
him, as he would never formerly, either at Mokha or Dabul, come to visit
our general. Seeing him stand from us, I gave him one shot, and stood
with the other ship, which, seeing us stand with the great ship, struck
to leeward, thinking to escape in the darkness of the night, now
approaching. I took her for a ship of Diu; but, on getting up to her,
she proved to be from Kuts Nagone, laden with cotton-wool, some packs of
Indian cloth, with some butter and oil. Having got some of her principal
men aboard my ship, I made her edge with me into shoal water, on the
Arab coast, where I endeavoured, by means of lights, to discover five of
my men, whom I had left in the Larree ship. We anchored at midnight in
twelve fathoms, four leagues within the bab, where the next two days
we took out of the Larree ship sixty-six bundles of Indian cloth, but
which we returned again, as not needing it, and took only eight corges
of bastas, for which we paid to their content, and some butter and
oil. I now learned by a jelba, that Sir Henry Middleton had gone to
Assab roads, with eight or nine India ships, on which I made sail to
join him there, but the wind being unfavourable, had to come to anchor.
Next day, Giles Thornton, the master of the Trades-increase, came from
Sir Henry Middleton, to let me know that he had got possession of all
the Indian ships he desired. These were the Rekemi, of 1500 tons; the
Hassany, of 600; the Mahmudi of Surat, of 150; the Salamitae, of
450; the Cadree, of 200; the Azum Khani, belonging to the
Shah-bandar of Mokha, all belonging to Diu; besides three Malabar ships,
the Cadree of Dabul, of 400 tons, and a great ship of Cananore. Mr
Thornton told me, that before I could get into the road of Assab, Sir
Henry and Captain Saris, with all their people, would be gone ashore to
receive the King of Rahayta, who was come with his nobles and guards
to visit the two generals. The day being near spent, Sir Henry and
Captain Saris left the king in his tent, and went aboard the
Trades-increase to supper. I understood also of a contract entered into
with the Indian ships at the bab, by which it was agreed to exchange,
all our English goods for such Indian commodities as should be settled
by certain merchants on both sides. About this time likewise I was
informed, that the Mammi, or captain of the gallies, and others, had
come from the governor of Mokha to our general, to treat of peace, and
to enquire what sum he demanded in satisfaction of our damages. Sir
Henry, near the proportion of last year's demand, required the payment
of 100,000 dollars; on which they craved a respite of sufficient time
for sending to Zenan, to know the pleasure of Jaffar Pacha, after which
they promised to wait upon him again. In the meantime the Darling had
been preparing a small cargo of Indian cloths, with which to sail for
Tekoa, for which place she departed on the 19th of May. Captain Saris
also prepared the Thomas to follow the Darling to the same place, and
sent her away on the 23d. This day likewise, Sir Henry dismissed a ship
called the Azum Khani, belonging to the sabandar of Mokha.
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