The 26th, Sir Henry And Captain Saris Convened A Meeting Of All The
Nakhadas Of The Indian Ships Aboard The
Mahmudi of Dabul, where Sir
Henry, as he had done often before, recapitulated to them all the wrongs
and damages
Sustained from the Turks, declaring his resolution on no
account to permit them to have any trade with Mokha till he had received
ample satisfaction; adding, that having already repaid himself for the
injuries sustained in India, he must now be forced to carry them all out
with him to sea, that the Turks might reap no benefit this year from the
Indian trade. The Indians seeing that, by the abuses and delays of the
Turks, it was likely to become an unprofitable monsoon for them, though
their departure would be injurious to the Turks by loss of customs, yet,
rather than carry back their commodities, they desired to make a
composition with our two generals, paying a sum of money among them for
leave to trade. Accordingly, having no means to enforce satisfaction
from the Turks, without farther prejudice to the Indians, Sir Henry
determined to accept their offer, still leaving the satisfaction due
from the Turks to a future opportunity. To begin therefore, a
composition was agreed upon with Mir Mohammed Takkey, nakhada of the
Rehemi, for 15,000 dollars, she being nearly equal in value to the
other four ships.
Sec. 4. Voyage from Mokha to Sumatra, and Proceedings there.
Composition being made with all the Indian ships, and their several sums
in part received, Captain Saris sent away his vice-admiral, Captain
Towerson, on the 6th August. The 13th Captain Saris departed, having
received all the money due to him by composition from the Indian ships.
Having completed all our business by the 16th, we set sail on that day
with the Trades-increase and Pepper-corn, and passed through the straits
of Bab-al-Mondub next day, endeavouring to steer a course for Cape
Comorin on our way to Sumatra; but owing to calms and contrary winds we
were long detained in the gulf between the bab and Cape Guard-da-fui.
The 12th September we saw several snakes swimming on the surface of the
sea, which seldom appear in boisterous weather, and are a strong sign of
approaching the coast of India. The 13th we saw more snakes, and this
day had soundings from 55 fathoms diminishing to 40. At sunrise of the
14th we descried high land, bearing E. by N. about 16 leagues distant,
when we stood E. by S. till four p.m. when the nearest coast between us
and the high land bore E. eight leagues off. We then directed our course
south along the coast of India or Malabar, and on the 22d at nine a.m.
descried Cape Comorin. The 24th we had sight of the island of Ceylon,
and next day about noon we descried Cape de Galle, the southernmost part
of that island. The 30th we found much injury done to the wheat in our
bread room by wet; also of our coarse dutties, or brown calicoes of
Pormean, we found twenty pieces quite rotten.
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