Hamilton’s account of the east indies* 359

Before Aurengzeb conquered Vifapore, this country produced the finefl: betteellasor muflins in India . The Englifh Company had a great cloth trade here, and em-ployed about 50,000 people in that manufactory ; but the Mogul’s licentious foldiersfell into this province, and ruined all manner of trade, plundering the induftriousinhabitants of all they could lay hands on, and cut the Company’s cloth from theloom, and ufed the weavers fo rudely, that they left their own country, to look forprotection in countries farther to the fouthward, where war had not fet up her bloodybanners.

When the Mogul’s general had taken poffeffion of that province in his mafter’sname, he invited the gentlemen of the Englifh faCtory to an entertainment in his tent,under pretence of fettling the Company’s commerce, and, while they were at dinner^he fent a party of men, who plundered and burned their houfe, which made the Com-pany build and fortify what they now have ; but he who built it where it is, had nogreat forefight in choofing his ground, for it ought to have been built in a place offree communication with the fea, but now it {lands a league from it. And in anno 1718,the Rajah {hewed them their error, and built batteries at the mouth of the river, fothat the faCtory is nothing at prefent but a genteel prifon, which by dear bought expe-rience, We found in a war we had with him, by the indifcretion of one Taylor who waschief, who pretended to be lord of the manor, in appropriating a wrack to his ownufe, that was call away above four miles from the faCtory . The Rajah could not bearto be fo bare-facedly affronted in his own dominions, by tenants that would hear noreafon. He. befieged the faCtory for two months before the feafon would admit offorces coming to affift them by fea; and when they arrived, the feas run fo high onthe fhore, that there was great difficulty of landing in the teeth of an enemy, whohad ten times our numbers, fo that the first attempt of landing was unfucefsful, by reafonof our men’s negleCt and difobedience to the orders they had received,and about fourfcoreof our braveft fellows were cut off, and fome taken prifoners: but, about fix weeksafter, we had fome revenge on the enemy in an engagement on the fide of an hillamong thick bulhes. The enemy being above our men began their fire at break of day,to beat our men from a fpring of frefh water clofe to the fea: but our fmall veffelslying near the lhore to cover about 400 men, that lay to guard the water, fired withfuch good fuccefs, that, in an hour’s time, they were obliged to run, and leave nearly200 dead in the woods ; and our men purfuing them in their flight, did fome executionon them.

We were in daily expectation of more forces, and did not offer the enemy battle,becaufe of their numbers and our want of experience; but we haraffed the enemy inthe nights, in burning villages, for there was little to plunder; and at fea we tookfome veffels laden with fait going to the enemy, and three {hips of the Rajah’s comingfrom Arabia with horfes, to the number of 140, which created us much trouble tofind provender and water for them :• however, when our reinforcement came, wecould mufter, in our fleet, of feamen and foldiers, 2250 men. The enemy raffed fomebatteries on the ftrand to hinder our landing; and we took two of the prizes, andmade them {hot-proof above water, and laid them afliore at high water to batter theirbatteries and keep the enemy at a diftance with their great {hot, till our men were land-ed and drawn up.. Each of our floating batteries was covered with a frigate of 20 or2 4 guns. When all was ready we landed 1250 men, without the leaf! hindrancefrom the enemy, for they were preparing to flee to the woods; but our frelh water 'l a nd officers were fo long drawing up their men in a confounded hollow fquare, thatthe enemy took courage, and, with horfe and foot came running towards our men,

a- firings