292 Hamilton's account ov the east indies.

ment, added cruelties to opprefiion, and murdered many who would not, or could notpay what they were fefifed at, which unheard of barbarities made above 50,000 of thecity and country betake themfelves to arms, and march out, with the mufti or highprieft at their head ; and he had a green flag, which is Mahomet’s banner, before him,carried by a prieft; and he and his army encamped near the bafhaw of the gallies hishoufe, which ftands about two miles below the city, by the river fide; and the bafhawof the gallies joined them with 1000 janiffaries. The mufti, according to cuftom,plied his fpiritual artillery, and excommunicated the bafhaw of the city, and all thatadhered to him. This mutiny continued fome days ; but I heard of no bloodlhed, andonly opprobrious language paft. But the town began to feel want, for the peafantswould bring no eatables to the city; but the Mufti’s hoft were plentifully fupplied.All fhops being fhut up, and all the markets unprovided, made the bafhaw of the citybegin to think what the end would be, if the mutiny continued any longer ; fo he gotfome country gentlemen, who were of neither faction, to go to the mufti and the ba-fhaw of the gallies, as mediators; and accordingly they went, and were handfomelyreceived, and, in ther oration on the prefent pofture of affairs, made the mufti and hisparty incline to peace, providing that about a dozen of incendiaries might be deliveredto them, to receive condign punifhment for their faults. All the profcribed, but one,by the interceflion of friends, were pardoned ; but they would hear of no peace till theother was made a facrifice to their juft refentment; for this villain would accoft a mer-chant in the ftreet, and, after common compliments were ended, he would afk them,what became of the diamonds, or other jewels, that they had fliewn him fuch a time.The innocent merchant, who perhaps never had any jewels, being furprifed at his quef-tion, would deny that ever they had any fuch as he fpake of. Then the impudentfellow would tell them plain, that without they would bribe him with a round fum, hewould inform the bafhaw, that he had feen fuch quantities of rough diamonds, or othervaluable ftones in their poffeflion, and if they could not be found entered in his cuftom-houfe books, they muft expeCl to fuffer what punifhment the bafhaw would pleafe toinfiift for defrauding the King of his cuftoms. Some out of fear would comply, andgive a fum, others, again, flood on their innocence and would not give him money; andthey were fure to be informed againft, and brought before the bafhaw, and, upon that vil-lain’s evidence, were generally fined about double of what he afked of them ; fo thatbefides the great fums that came into the bafhaw’s coffers by that rafcal’s ingenuity,he had accumulated twenty-five bags to himfelf, each bag containing 500 crowns,and all this in the fpace of three years that he had been in Baffora; for he camefrom Conftantinople one of the bafhaw’s retinue, hardly worth an afper, and at hisdeath fo much ready cafh was found in his houfe, which fell into his mailer the bafhaw’shands: for after this villain was culled out to be facrificed to the juft refentment of thepeople, and found that they would not be appealed without having his life, he fell at hismailer’s feet for protection. The cunning, covetous bafhaw bid him convey what moneyhe had to his houfe, and he would take care of it for the ufe of his wife and children,,and would fend him fecretly out of the town, and get him fafely conducted to Comera.He fwallowed that bait, and delivered his ill-gotten money to his mafter, who proteCl-ed him but one fingle day, and then told him, that the people’s clamours were fogreat, that he could protect him no longer; and accordingly he was delivered to theenraged mob, who forthwith ftrangled him, and threw his body on a dung-hill by thefide of an high-way, where I faw it two days after. And the mufti and bafhaw madematters up for the eafe and fatisfaClion of the people, who grew quite tired of theirdivifions.

5

Baffora.