This Likewise Was Represented To Be Contrary To The Peace
Between Our Kings.
On which he said, since we would do nothing for his
service, he would do nothing for us.
Several of the merchants of Surat
endeavoured to persuade our merchants, that I ought to give way to the
reasonable request of the nabob, and might still do what I thought
proper; as, notwithstanding of our ships riding at the bar, the
Portuguese frigates could go in and out on each side of me, owing to
their light draught of water. To this I answered, that the proposal was
utterly unfit for me to listen to; as whatever I promised I must
perform, though at the expence of my own life and of all under my
command, and that I could not possibly lend myself to fight against the
Portuguese on any account whatever, unless they first attacked me, as it
was absolutely contrary to my commission from my own sovereign. I added,
that, if the Portuguese provoked me by any aggression, I would not be
withheld from fighting them for all the wealth of the nabob: But he made
small account of this distinction, and, seeing that we refused to fulfil
his wishes, he opposed us in all our proceedings as far as he could, so
that we nearly lost all our former hopes of trading at this place. In
this dilemma, I made enquiry respecting Gengomar and Castellata, and
also of Gogo:[125] but could get poor encouragement to change for
better dealing, so that we remained long perplexed how to act, and
returned to our business at the ships.
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