Then One Of The
Principal Men Among Them Stepped Forwards, And Made Answer, That They
Had Already Too Many Enemies,
And had no need of more; but that they had
substantial reasons for speaking of us as they had done,
As not long
since one of their ships had been taken near Surat, and, as they
supposed, by an English ship. To which I answered, that this was more
like to have been done by the Hollanders. They then became more civil,
and finally wished that we might trade in all parts of India with them,
and they with us, like friends and neighbours, and that our kings might
enter into some agreement to that effect. They then kindly took leave of
us, and we departed.
We got back to our ship on the 6th, when it was agreed that Mr Salbank
should accompany the ambassador to Agra, as proposed. For which purpose
he got himself in readiness, meaning to have gone ashore next day. In
the mean time, the captain, the purser, and his man, went on shore to
buy fresh victuals and necessaries to take with us to sea; but, on
coming to the city, they were presently ordered away by the governor,
and an express order issued by proclamation, that none of the natives
should hereafter bring any of the English ashore, on pain of death. We
were much astonished at this sudden alteration of affairs, for which we
could not divine any cause: but, on the 9th, finding we could get
nothing done here, nor any farther intercourse, we set sail, directing
our course for Sumatra. All the time we were here in Sinde, we had not
the smallest intimation of trade having been settled at Surat, for if we
had, we might have taken a different course.
We came to anchor in the road of Priaman on the 20th November, going in
between the two northermost little islands, and anchored close by the
northermost of these, in five fathoms. We immediately began to bargain
for pepper, the price of which we beat down from twenty-two dollars, as
first asked, to seventeen dollars the bahar, at which price we got two
bahars, which were brought to us on board: but the governor would not
allow us, although we made him a present of a musket, to hire a house,
or to buy pepper ashore, unless we would consent to bestow presents on
some twenty of the officers and merchants of the place. On the 22d, we
received a letter from Captain Christen, of the Hosiander, then at
Tecoo, earnestly advising us to come there immediately, as we could not
fail to get as much pepper as we wished at that place, and in a short
time; and, as we were not acquainted with the place, Captain Chrisen
sent Richard Hall, one of his master's mates, to pilot us through among
the dangerous shoals that lay about the roads of Tecoo. Accordingly we
went to that place, and anchored in four fathoms, Richard Hall returning
on board the Hosiander, where he died that same night, being ill of the
flux.
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