444

Hamilton’s account of the east indies.

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were as capable to reduce them to ftraits as the Dutch were, when the Englilh relievedthem. He anfwered me, that they were not afraid of what the Eaglifn could do, fortheir power being divided, they could do nothing but threaten.

I took my leave of him abruptly, and told him that we knew how to fight in defenceof our rights and privileges better than how to threaten. There were three Englilhveffels lying in the river, which had paid their cultoms and fold their cargoes at underrates, and two merchants that refided at Atcheen. We all dined together, and, afterdinner, held a confultation how to behave in this affair, that affecled our merchants ingeneral, who traded thither. At laft it was agreed, that I fhould affift the merchantsin getting their effects off on board of my fhip, and to get their veffels out of the river,by the affiftance of my boats and men, and then to Ihut up the port, all which was donein one day and a night. I then fent a linguift to tell the Shawbundaar, that fince theEnglilh were denied trade at their port, we forbade trade to any other nation, anddefired that no boats might pafs out of their rivers, either to trade or filh, on their peril.They continued quiet two days, and on the third they fent fome boats off, from a fandybay about three miles from our fhip. I fent two boats well manned to feize their nets, butas foon as they perceived my boats, they ran theirs alhore, and took out what was inthem ; and as my boats were rowing near the Ihore within a mile of my fhip, about40 or 50 mulkets were fired on them out of fome bulhes that grow thick, a little wayfrom the ftrand. My boats fired in their turn at the place where they faw the fmoke,and I made a fignal to bring them aboard again, and found only two of my menflightly wounded.

The fame evening we had advice, that they were about mounting three culverinsthat lay in a little fort on the river’s fide, as we go to town. I immediately orderedmy armourer to get about 100 fhort fpikes of feveral fizes, and harden them well, andcarried them in my boat, which I double manned, and coming into the river, we efpieda great number of men in the fort. I rowed direCtly towards it, and they within ex-pecting to have a meffage to carry to the King, ftood gazing till we came clofe to thewall, and then we faluted them with a Ihower of twenty or thirty granadoes, that fofrightened them, that happy was he who got firft away. We then entered the fort, andfound fome wounded men in it. We prefently fpiked up the vents of the guns, andleft them, and came at our Ieifure aboard again.

A day or two after, as my boat was rowing along the Ihore, towards a praw that wascoming in towards the fmall river, they again fired out of their bullies. I had forty-twoguns mounted on my fhip, and bringing my broadfide to bear, I got five-and-twenty onthat fide, and pointing them well among the trees and bullies where we obferved thefmoke to arife, we gave them a volley of great Ihot in return of their volley of fmall*By report our great lhot did fome execution, but particularly on the poor filhers, whohad a village a little within the woods, that we did not fee.

This ftoppage of trade and filhing, and killing and wounding the people, made agreat noife among the poorer fort, having in nine days time found more of the effectsof hoftility, than ever they did in their lives before, and fo gathering together in greatnumbers, went in a body to the palace, threatening vengeance on the caufers of theircalamity, and if the Englilh were not reftored to their ancient privileges, they would havea woman to reign again.

A nephew of the deceafed Queen lived then privately at Pedfer, a town about fevenleagues off. Some Orankayas who were difcontented with the new King’s government,firft becaufe he was a foreigner, and that the affairs of Hate were ill managed, and thata war with the JEnglillr was impending, wrote to that gentleman, that if he would come

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