They Said Likewise, That The King Had Given
Captain Sharpey Money To Build A Ship, Which Was Nearly Ready For
Launching At Surat.
This and many other things he told me seemed too
good news to be true.
[Footnote 338: This must be the pinnace which was set up at Mokha, so
named in memory of their release from that place. - E.]
As the monsoon was far spent, I requested the nokhada of Diu to aid me
with his boats and people in procuring water and ballast, which he and
the others willingly did, offering me all the water in their ship, and
employing their people to bring me more from the shore, so anxious were
they to get me away. It was long before I could bargain with the king
for his aloes, but at last I got it, paying higher than Captain Keeling
had done; for I think the Indians were in hand with him for it, which
made him enhance the price. I left letters with the king, which he
promised to deliver to the first English ship that came there. Having
finished all my business, I had much ado to get a simple fellow from the
ship of Diu to pilot me on the coast of India, who pretended to be a
good coaster. We set sail from Delisha on the 3d September, with a
favourable wind, which brought us by the 26th into the road of Surat,
where we came to anchor in seven fathoms near three India ships. A mile
from us rode at anchor seven sail of Portuguese frigates or men of war,
there being thirteen more of them within the river of Surat.[339]
[Footnote 339: These twenty Portuguese frigates, as then called, were
only barks, grabs, or praws of the country, armed with small guns. - E.]
Long before our arrival, the Portuguese had intelligence that we were in
the Red Sea, and bound for Surat, so that these frigates were sent
purposely to prevent us from trading at Surat, or any other place on
that coast. Don Francisco de Soto-major was captain-major of this
flotilla, being what is called captain-major of the north, and reaped
great profit from granting cartasses, or passports, to all ships and
barks trading on that coast, all being confiscated that presumed to
navigate without his licence. I discharged my pilots that night, paying
them well, and sent by them a letter to such Englishmen as might be in
Surat, as I could not learn how many or who were there resident.
The 29th, came a small Portuguese frigate from the admiral of the
armada, as they term it, in which was one Portuguese and his boy,
bringing me a letter from the captain-major, in answer to one I wrote
him the day before. He expressed his satisfaction to hear that I
belonged to a king in friendship with his sovereign, and that he and his
people would be ready to do me every service, provided I brought a
letter or order from the King of Spain, or the Viceroy of India,
allowing me to trade in these parts; if otherwise, he must guard the
port committed to his charge, in which the king his master had a
factory.
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