Hamilton’s account of the east indies. 4,11

Moft gentlemen and ladies in Bengal live both fplendidly and pleafantly, the fore-noons being dedicated to bufmefs, and after dinner to reft, and in the evening to re-create themfelves in chaifes or palankins in the fields, or to gardens, or by water intheir budgeroes, which is a convenient boat, that goes fwiftly with the force of oars ;and, on the river, fometimes there is the diverfion of fifhing or fowling, or both jand before night, they make friendly vifits to one another, when pride or contentiondo not fpoil fociety, which too often they do among the ladies, as discord and fac-tion do among the men. And although the confcript fathers of the colony difagreein many points among themfelves, yet they all agree in oppreffing ftrangters, who areconfigned to them, not fuffering them to buy or fell their goods at the moft advan-tageous markets, but of the governor and his council, who fix their own prices,high or low, as feemeth beft to their wisdom and difcretion : and it is a crime hardlypardonable for a private merchant to go to Hughly, to inform himfelf of the currentprices of goods, although the liberty of buying and felling is intirely taken from himbefore.

The garrifon of Fort William generally confifts of two or three hundred foldiers,more for to convey their fleet from Patana, with the Company’s faltpetre, and piecegoods, raw' filk, and fome opium belonging to other merchants, than for the defenceof the fort, for, as the Company holds their colony in fee tail of the Mogul, they neednot be afraid of any enemies coming to difpoffefs them. And if they fliould, atany time, quarrel again with the Mogul, his prohibiting his ftibje&s to trade with theCompany, would foon end the quarrel.

There" are fome impertinent troublefome Rajahs, whofe territories lie on the banksof the Ganges , between Patana and Caflembuzaar, who, pretend a tax on all goodsand merchandize, that pafs by, or through their dominions on the river, and oftenraife forces to compel payment; but fome forces from Fort William in boats, generallyclear the paffage, though I have known fome of our men killed in the fkirmilhes.

In Calcutta all religions are freely tolerated, but the Presbyterian, and that theybrow-beat. The Pagans carry their idols in proceffion through the town. TheRoman Catholicks have their church to lodge their idols in, and the Mahometan isnot difcountenanced; but there are no polemicks, except what are between our high-church men and our low, or between the governor’s party and other private mer-chants on points of trade.

The colony has very little manufactory of its own, for the government being, prettyarbitrary, difcourages ingenuity and induftry in the populace; for, by the weight ofthe Company’s authority, if a native chances to difoblige one of the upper-houfe, heis liable to arbitrary punilhment, either by fine, imprifonment, or corporal fufferings.

I will give one inftance, out of many, that I knew of the injuftice of a governor ofthe double-headed government in anno 1706. .

There was one captain Perrin, mafter of a fhip, who took up about 500I. on refpon-dentia from Mr. Ralph Sheldon, one of the governors, on a voyage to Perfia, payableat his return to Bengal . Perrin having difpatched his affairs in Perfia fooner than heexpe&ed, called at Goa in his way home, and bought a Surat -built fhip very cheap,and carried her to Calecut, and took in a quantity of pepper for the Bengal market;and having brought in his other fhip good ftore of Perfia wines, called at Fort St. 'George.to difpofe of what he could there; but finding no encouragement from thatmarket, carried it to Bengal . On his arrival he complimented Mr. Sheldon with theoffer of his pepper and wine; but he declined meddling with that bargain, farther

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