This Day
Also The Supplies For The Viceroy Came In Sight, Being Two Ships Of
Burden, Two Junks, And Eight Or Ten Of The Country Boats.
The nabob sent
me a message by Lacandas, that these were not for the purpose of
fighting, but were full of combustibles, meant to be set on fire, and
allowed to drift with the tide upon our ships in the night.
I was glad
of this information, and took immediate measures to prevent the
consequences of such an attempt, as well as to defend ourselves from the
smaller vessels. The spring-tides were now near the highest, and were
consequently fittest for their attacks, so that I expected them every
tide; and to let them see I was ready for their reception, and how
little I cared for them, I directed the setting and clearing our watch,
mornings and evenings, to be announced by a volley of shot from every
ship, pointing the best piece in my ship at the prow of the viceroy's
ship, to try his temper, and to daunt the courage of his people. It
pleased God this morning, when I had least leisure for mourning, to call
my only son, George Downton, to his mercy, who was buried next morning
ashore, and the volleys intended to insult the viceroy, served also to
honour his obsequies.
This morning also, while expecting an assault from the Portuguese, I was
visited by one Mousa Attale, a Malabar captain, together with his
troop, from whom I got a description of the principal ports and harbours
of his country, expressing my anxious desire to become acquainted with
them, and to have league and intercourse between them and the English,
with mutual trade and friendship. He seemed willing to encourage this
proposal, and requested letters to that effect from me, which their
ships might shew to my countrymen when they happened to meet, which I
gave him, as also a letter for his king, requesting kind usage for my
countrymen if any of their ships should come into his harbours. After
some conference, he departed, and I presented him with a sword-blade,
and three or four knives.[128] This day the master of the Hope
represented that he had several men killed in the former engagement, and
many hurt, bruised, and disabled from service, on which I sent him three
men from my ship, four from the Hector, and four from the Salomon.
[Footnote 128: These knives, so often mentioned as presents in India,
were probably daggers. - E.]
The 5th I had letters from Mr Aldworth, informing of his arrival at
Baroach with his companions, and saying that he had been set upon by 200
Rajput thieves, nine coss from Baroach, the day before, the thieves
being armed with pikes, matchlocks, and bows and arrows; but, after some
skirmishing, they fled, three of them being slain, and more wounded. In
this affair Humphrey Elkington was shot through the thigh with an arrow,
one of the horsemen sent by Surder Khan to guard our people was killed,
and Mr Aldworth's horse sore wounded.
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