Hamilton’s account of the east indis*.

328

fome great guns planted at Bandara, but they have no trade, becaufe the river belongsto the Englilh ; and all cuftoms of goods, either imported or exported, are paid to thecuftom-houfe of Mahim. The mouth of the river is peftered with rocks, that forbidentrance to any veffels of burden.

In anno 1694, the Mulkat Arabs made a defcent on Salfet, and committed great de-predations in plundering and burning villages and churches, killing the priefts, andcarried about 1400 captives into irredeemable flavery. And about the year 1720, thepriefts of Salfet difturbed the Englilh at Mahim, animating the people to arms •, but abomb or two thrown into the church at Bandara, had no refpect to the priefthood,but facrilegioully killed one or two, befides fome lay brothers, which made them knowthat war was not their trade. They were alfo troublefome to the Englilh in anno 1722,but the Englilh furprifed a parcel that were about repairing an old fort, contrary toarticles of agreement, and killed a fcore or two, which made the reft take to their heels,and be quiet.

Chap. XVII. — Gives a Defcription of Bombay , with fome hiflorical Remarks on its Wars,

Government and Trade , till anno 1687, when the Foundation of a War was laid , which

proved the Ruin of the then Englijh Eaft India Company.

BOMBAY comes next in courfe, anilland belonging to the crown of England. Itwas a part of Katharine of Portugal’s portion, when Ihe was married to Charles II. ofGreat Britain, in anno 1662. Its ground is fterile, and not to be improved. It hasbut little good water on it, and the air is fomewhat unhealthful, which is chiefly im-puted to their dunging their cocoa-nut trees with Bucldhoe, a fort of fmall lilhes whichtheir fea abounds in. They being laid to the roots of the trees, putrify, and caufe amoft unfavoury fmell; and in the mornings there is generally feen a thick fog amongthofe trees, that affedts both the brains and lungs of Europeans, and breed confumptions,fevers, and fluxes.

After the marriage, King Charles fent my Lord Malberry, with four or five Ihips ofwar, to take pofieffion of it, and the King of Portugal fent a viceroy to deliver it, andall its royalties, to the faid Lord, and Sir Abraham Shipman was ordered to be gover-nor for King Charles . They arrived at Bombay in September 1663, but the churchwithftood the crown, and difobeyed the order : nor would they acknowledge the vice-roy, unlefs he would come into their meafures, which, rather than lofe his new dignity,he did. And the Englilh fleet was forced to go to Swally toiand their men, and getrefrelhments ; but the governor of Surat , in whofe diftrift Swally is, grew jealous ofthe numbers and bravery of the Englilh, and threatened the fadtory eftablilhed in Surat ,if they did not fpeedily re-embark, which, to avoid fufpicion, they did, and the gover-nor allowed them the free ufe of the markets, fo that they had no want of provifions andmerchandize whilft they ftayed there. In January 1664, my lord went back to England,carrying two Ihips with him, and left Sir Abraham with the reft, to pafs the wefterlymonfoons, in fome port on the coaft, but being unacquainted, chofe a defolate iiland,called Aujadiva, to winter at. It is fo far from an harbour, that it is even but a badroad for Ihipping in thofe boifterous fouth-weft winds and turbulent fea; however helanded all the land forces, and built huts to defend them from the weather. Theiiland is barren, but has fome fprings of good water. It is about a mile long, and 300paces broad. Here they ftayed from April to October, in which time they buriedabove 200 of their men.

When