The Latitude Of Our Anchorage Was 21 Deg.
10' N. And The Variation 16 Deg.
20' or 16 deg.
27'.[79] On the 11th, Thomas
Kerridge came aboard, with a certificate or licence under the seals of
the justice and governor of Surat, for our quiet and peaceable trade and
intercourse, and with kind entreaties to come ashore, where we should be
heartily welcomed by the people. They also brought off a letter or
narrative, written by Sir, Henry Middleton, which had been left in
charge of the Moccadam of Swally. On the same day, I again sent Mr
Kerridge ashore, accompanied by Hugh Gettins.
[Footnote 79: Sorat bar is in lat. 21 deg. 2' N. and long. 72 deg. 50' E. from
Greenwich - E.]
Sec.2. Transactions with the Subjects of the Mogul, Fights with the
Portuguese, Settlement of a Factory, and Departure for Acheen.
On the 13th September, 1612, sixteen sail of Portuguese frigates, or
barks, put into the river of Surat. The 22d, we determined in council to
send a dispatch to the king at Agra, signifying our arrival, and to
require his explicit answer, whether he would permit us to trade and
settle a factory; and if refused, that we would quit his country. The
30th, I got notice that Mr Canning, our purser, and William Chambers,
had been arrested ashore; wherefore I caused a ship of Guzerat to anchor
close beside me, determining to detain her till I should see how matters
went ashore. We also stopped a bark laden with rice from Bassare,
belonging to the Portuguese, out of which we took twelve or fourteen
quintals of rice, for which we paid at the rate of thirteen-pence the
quintal. When I had taken possession of the Guzerat ship, I wrote to the
chiefs of Surat, requiring them to send me all my men, together with the
value of the goods I had landed; on which I should deliver up their ship
and people, allowing them till the 5th of October to give me an answer;
at which time, if I had not a satisfactory answer, I declared my
determination to dispose of the ship and her goods at my pleasure. There
were some 400 or 450 men aboard that ship, ten of the chiefest among
whom I brought into my ship, to serve as hostages.
On the 6th October, Medi Joffer came aboard my ship, accompanied by
four chiefs and many others, bringing me a great present, and came to
establish trade with us, and to solicit the release of the Guzerat ship.
On the 10th I left the bar of Surat, and came to Swally roads, where I
anchored in eight fathoms at high water. This road-stead is ten or
twelve miles north from the bar of Surat. The 17th, the governor of
Aamadavar [Ahmedabad] came to the water side. I landed on the 19th,
having four principal persons sent aboard my ship, as pledges for my
safety. On the 21st I concluded upon articles of agreement with the
governor and merchants, of which the tenor follows:
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