He Also Brought Word That Those Ashore Were Resolved
Not To Buy Any Of Our Goods, Unless We Landed Them In The First Place.
* * * * *
Sec. 3.
Adventures along with Sir Henry Middleton in the Red Sea, and
other Observations in those Parts, with our Arrival at Bantam.[417]
The 13th May, 1612, understanding that Sir Henry Middleton was very
desirous to confer with me, I resolved to go to him at the Bab, for
which place I desired the master to sail with the first fair wind; and
wishing to keep still on friendly terms with the Turks at Mokha, I gave
information of this intention to the aga, from whom I took a letter for
Sir Henry. The 14th, in the morning, we arrived at the Bab, where we
found the Trades-increase riding, with four ships, or junks, of India,
which she had detained. I went that day on board Sir Henry's ship, and
remained with him till night, but no agreement could be formed between
us that day. The 15th Sir Henry spent with me aboard the Clove. Seeing
Sir Henry determined to proceed in a hostile manner with the Turks, I
called a meeting of our commercial council on the 16th, and informed
them, that owing to these disputes between Sir Henry and the Turks and
Cambayans, our hopes of trade at Surat was now as small as what we had
hitherto experienced at Mokha, for which reason our best plan would be
to join Sir Henry in his intentions of forcing trade with the India
ships. Wherefore I proposed that the Hector and Thomas should ply
between Aden and the Bab, while the Clove kept the Abyssinian channel to
take care that no vessels should pass that way in the night, by which
means we might intercept as many India ships as possible, to which we
might put off our broad-cloth, lead, tin, iron, and elephants teeth, the
commodities we had provided for those parts, receiving in barter such
articles as we knew would answer for those countries where we intended
afterwards to proceed; besides, if we should procure indigo, that would
answer towards our home investment. I informed the council that I had
intelligence of two great ships expected daily, called the Rhemi and
the Hassam; the smallest of which, by report, was able to load the
Hector with suitable commodities.
[Footnote 417: As the adventures with Sir Henry Middleton have been
already narrated with sufficient amplitude, these are here only slightly
mentioned, to avoid prolixity and unnecessary repetition. - E.]
My proposals being agreed to, I went aboard the Trades-increase, where I
agreed with Sir Henry that our two fleets should unite in trading with
as many of the India ships as we could intercept, making exchange of our
English commodities for such as they had suitable for us; Sir Henry to
dispose of two-thirds of all the goods that should be bartered from this
day forwards, and I to have the other third, paying, however, the
customs to the Grand Signior.
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