37 2

HAMILTON'S ACCOUNT or THE EAST INDIES.

oblige the tranfgreffors of his laws to obedience than he was: however he wouldmaintain his claim and right the be/h way. he could, and whoever loft their ftiips orveffels fox contempt of his authority, might blame their own obftinacy or folly, andnot him.

, He flayed about three hours on board, and, at his going away, I prefented him withfive yards of fcarlet cloth, a fmall carpet, a fowling-piece and a pair of piftols finelygilt, which prefent he feemed highly pleafed with; and he took a manila, or wrift-jewel6ff from his left arm, on which was engraven fomething of their language, intheir own characters, and putting it on my left arm, declared me a free denizen in allhis territories; and all his attendants paid their compliments to me with profound re-fpe&. At his going over the fide, he gave the boatfwain ten zequeens for waiting onhim while he viewed the (hip, and ten more for the feamen to make a feaft, and whenmy barge landed him, he gave the cockfwain five zequeens, and loaded her back withpoultry and fruit. He was a very well fhaped man, about 40 years of age, of a verydark colour, but not quite black, his eyes very lively and fparkling, and fomething ofa majeftick air in his deportment.

Next day I waited on him aft ore, and he carried me to his palace, which was verymeanly built of reeds, and covered with cocoa-nut leaves, but very neat and clean.He had two rows of bettle trees, which are very tall and ftraight, fet in order aboufrfifty yards from the door of his palace, for it was not large enough to be called a gate,and there he treated me with rice, fowl and frefh fift dreft after their way; and, afterdinner, he ftewed me feveral warehoufes like barns, full of black pepper and carda-mums; and he told me, he wondered why the Englifh did not fettle a factory in hisdominions rather than at Calecut or Tellicherry , for he fupplied both thefe coun-tries with his commodities, and, confidering the cuftoms paid to him were but five percent, and what was carried into their countries muft pay other cuftoms to the princes,the company would find pepper and cardamums much cheaper in his dominions, thanthey could poffibly have them at their factories where they were fettled. I told him,that fending his veffels to cruize on merchant fhips had blafted the reputation of hiscountry. He anfwered, that if the Company would make a trial of a few years intrading with him, they would be convinced of his fair dealings; or, if I would comeand ftay in his country, he would build a good ftone houfe at his own charge, !lnd make afortification round if, in any place that I ftould choofe in his dominions, and that IIhould be fuperintcndant of all the commerce and trade in his country. I told him,that I could not accept of his favours without the approbation of our Company, andthat would require time to be got. This happened in January 1703.

In 1707, he built a new fhip, which 1 had a mind to buy. I was then at Couchin,and fent him word, that I deligned him a vifit. He returned an anfwer, that I wasa freeman in his country, and might be allured of an hearty welcome. About tendays after I came in a fmall boat, to a place belonging to him, called. Mealie. Whennews of my arrival were carried to him, he fent a perfon of diftinction, with twentyarmed men, to receive me, and ordered me to be lodged in a ftone houfe, the com-mon place for ambaffadors to lodge in, when any had bufinefs to come to him.The bedding was only fome mats fpread on a couch ; but it is the common beddingof the country, and his highnefs has no better. Before I was conduced to my lodg-ings, there was a prefent of rice, butter, hens, fruits and roots put into a pantry forme, and my retinue and guard, for fupper. Next morning he fent a compliment, thathe defired to fee me at his palace. I went accordingly, and he received me veryoracioufiy, with many proteftations of his friendlhip, and told me, he would make