This commission had six questions, of which I only
insert what is fit for the public eye.
- Purch.]
[Footnote 136: It has been said on a former occasion, that he died of
poison, given, as was thought, by the jesuits. - Purch.]
After much opposition to our desire of trade, there came a firmaun
from the king on the 24th November, which, according to custom, the
nabob met in state two miles from the city, attended by 600 horse. Next
day we were kindly entertained, and the nabob gave Mr Edwards 850
mahmoudies, thirty pieces of topseels, ten of fine calicoes, and other
things. The money being to bear the charges of carrying up the present
to the king, who was not willing we should incur any expence on that
account, and the stuffs as a gratification to those who carried them up.
To the merchants also he gave fifteen pieces of topseels, five to
each, with his chop or licence for our departure, and promises of kind
usage, all this being done in presence of those who brought the
firmaun. The 30th, Mr Edwards and we set out for Amadavar
[Ahmedabad.]
The 2d of December we reached Broach, whence the governor sent a guard
of horse with us to Demylode, and there we had a new escort of horse
and foot to Charmondo;[137] whence we departed on the 7th with
twenty-five soldiers, all notorious thieves, as we afterwards found.
With these we went ten coss, when we pitched our tents in a plain,
barricading ourselves as usual with our carts. While at supper, we had
nearly been assaulted by fifty horse, who passed close by us, but they
found us well provided for our defence, and it appeared that the charge
we carried was well known in all the country through which we travelled.
The 8th we came to Brodera, [Brodrah] and made a present to the
governor, who received it very kindly, and particularly requested to see
our mastiff dog. Brodrah stands in a plain, which seemed fertile, and is
well watered, a thing rather uncommon in those parts. We departed thence
with an escort of 100 horse and foot, voluntarily offered from respect
for the king's present, yet were they a considerable charge to us. We
came next to Arras,[138] a town mostly inhabited by banians, and where
their superstition of not killing any thing occasioned us to have very
bad fare. On the 13th we came to Ahmedabad, whence we gave a commission
to Richard Steel and John Crowther to proceed on their journey to
Persia; and hence Mr Edwards departed from us for Agra.
[Footnote 137: On this part of the indicated route, between Broach and
Brodrab, no stations are to be found in our best maps resembling these
two names, unless Simlode may have been corrupted into Demylode by
typographical error. - E.]
[Footnote 138: No such name is now to be found in the road between
Brodrah and Ahmedabad, neither is it of much importance in any view, as
the route is so vaguely indicated in the text. - E.]
All this time, the merchants at Ahmedabad, being in hopes of peace with
the Portuguese, held up the price of their indigos, on which we resolved
to proceed for Sarques [Sarkess,] to make trial with the country
people who are the makers of that commodity. We did so on the 7th, and
found plenty of employment, packing in four days no less than 400 bales:
after which Mr Edwards returned to Ahmedabad, where he found the
merchants greatly more tractable. Sarkess is a town of no great size,
three coss from Ahmedabad, its territory being considered the best soil
in all these parts for the production of indigo. All of the dealers in
this commodity are apt to put tricks upon us, by mingling or otherwise.
At Sarkess there are two of the most ancient monuments that are to be
found in all that country; one being the tomb of a saint or prophet who
was buried there, to which many pilgrims resort from great distances;
and the other is the sepulchres of their ancient kings. To the north of
the town, is the place where Khan-Khana first put the Guzerates to
flight, who were the original inhabitants of the country, all the rest
of the kingdom being shortly after reduced under the subjection of
Akbar, father to the present Great Mogul. This field of victory is
strongly walled round with brick, about a mile and half in circuit, all
planted within with fruit-trees, and delightfully watered; having a
costly house called by a name signifying Victory; in which Khan-Khana
resided for some time, but he now resides at Burhanpoor.
The 24th of December we had leave from the governor of Ahmedabad to
depart; but hearing that several persons had been robbed and murdered
that night close by the city, order was given for us to wait till a
sufficient guard could be provided for us. The 26th we departed, having
with us forty carts, loaded with indigo and other goods, and came on the
27th to Mundeves,[139] where the gates were shut upon us by order of
Sarder Khan. This put us in much doubt, and we procured a person to
speak with the governor, who told him of letters he had received from
Mucrob Khan, nabob of Surat, informing of the gallant action of our
general at Swally and the safety of Surat from the Portuguese, through
the bravery of the English. It was therefore agreed that we should not
depart without a sufficient guard, which was to be ready for us next
day. We did not however depart till the 29th; and, at Brodrah, the men
belonging to Sarder Khan procured more soldiers to assist them, as there
were several companies of rajputs lying in the way to intercept us, and
many robberies and murders were committed daily in that part of the
country.
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