On This Occasion I Gave A Small Present; As It Is The
Custom For All Who Have Any Business To
Give something, and those who
cannot get near enough to speak, send in or hold up their gift, which he
Always accepts, be it only a rupee, and demands to know their business.
He held the same course with me; for having looked curiously at my
present, and asked many questions respecting it, he demanded to know
what I wanted of him. I answered that I wanted justice. For, on the
assurance of his firmaun, which had been sent to England, the king my
master had not only given leave to his subjects to make a long and
dangerous voyage to his dominions with their goods, but had deputed me,
as his ambassador and representative, to congratulate and compliment his
majesty on the amity so happily commenced between two so mighty nations,
and to confirm the same. Yet I found that the English, who were settled
at Ahmedabad, were injured and oppressed by the governor in their
persons and goods, being fined, subjected to arbitrary exactions, and
kept as prisoners; while at every town new customs were demanded for
their goods on their passage to the port, contrary to all justice, and
in direct contravention of the formerly conceded articles of trade, as
contained in his majesty's firmaun. To this he answered, that he was
sorry to hear of such things, which should be immediately rectified; and
he gave orders for two firmauns to be immediately extended according to
my desire. By one of these, the governor of Ahmedabad was commanded to
restore the money he had exacted from Mr Kerridge, and to use the
English in future with all favour. By the other, all customs required on
any pretence by the way were abolished, and all such as had been taken
was ordered to be restored. Finally, he desired me, if these gave not
speedy and effectual remedy, that I should renew my complaint against
the disobeyer, who should be sent for to answer for his conduct; and so
dismissed me.
The 1st of March, I rode out to see a pleasure-house belonging to the
king, two miles from Agimere, which had been given him by Asaph Khan. It
was situated between two vast rocks, by which it was so sheltered that
scarcely could the sun be any where seen. The foundations and some rooms
were hewn out of the solid rock, the rest being built of freestone.
Close adjoining was a handsome small garden, with fine fountains, with
two great tanks or ponds of water, one being thirty steps higher than
the other. The way to this retreat is so narrow that only two persons
could go abreast, and is almost inaccessible, being very steep and
stony. It is a place of much melancholy, yet of great security and
delight, abounding in peacocks, turtle-doves, wild fowl, and monkies,
which inhabit the rocks impending on every side around.
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