Hamilton’s account of the east indies.

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factory to Bencolon, being called to the government of the colony, but not very fit forthat charge, becaufe of his intemperate drinking, it fortuned in his fhort reign, that fourprinces differed, and rather than run into a£ts of hoflility, referred their differences tothe arbitrament of the Englifh governor, and came to the fort with their plea. Mr.Sowdon foon determined their differences in favour of the two that complained ; andbecaufe the others feerned diffatisfied with his determination, ordered both their headsto be llruck off, which ended their difputes effectually, and made them afterwards tomake up differences among themfelves, without troubling the Englifh with their conten-tions and impertinent quarrels, but Governor Sowdon was fent for to Fort St. George,and another fent in his place lefs fanguine.

And ever fince that time there has been a fucceffion of moderate governors, and fomehave been guilty of as much temerity the other way. For in anno 1719, the thengovernor, having fome difputes with fome of the natives, was fomewhat fearful of them.On a feftival day, in firing guns, a wad from one of them fet fire to an houfe thatchedwith reeds, and feveral others contiguous to it took fire from it, fo that it fpread throughthe market place. The governor believing it to be done malicioufly by the natives, leftthe fort precipitantly, and got on board of a fhip in the road, leaving fome cherts ofmoney, and all the artillery, arms, ammunition, and other effects of his matters, behindhim ; and his garrifon, following their leader, left their ports, and got aboard alfo.

The natives being furprifed with the fudden departure of the Englifh, went into thefort, and took what they had molt occafion for ; but fome Chinefe merchants, who hadfettled at Bencolon, being alfo frightened, embarked on their veftels, and difperfedthemfelves in places where they thought they might be moft fecure.

The chief merchant of the Chinefe, w r ho is generally called the China Captain, in theplaces where the Chinefe have trade, went to Batavia to fome relations he had there,but the Dutch, according to their wonted hofpitality in India , punifhed him as a crimi-nal, and taught him to make lime and carry ftones the remnant of his days, for daringto fettle among the Englifh. Some of the Chinefe I faw the fame year at Trangano inJohore , who gave me this account. Wherever thefe poor Chinefe came, in placeswhere the Dutch had power, they were as heartily perfecuted as a poor Proteftant iSthat takes fanctuary in a country where the holy, charitable, zealous Romifh clergyhave power.

The natives were almoft ruined by the Englifh defertion. For as their trade lay allon their pepper, none came to buy it, and their regret being known at Fort St. George,there was a new governor fent back with a new garrifon, to take pofleflion again oftheir own fort. What the Company loft by that unaccountable piece of temerity, Iknow not, but they gained very little credit by it.

The country above Bencolon is mountainous and woody, and I have heard that thereare many volcanoes in this ifland; but whatever may be the caufe, the air is full of malig-nant vapours, and the mountains are continually clothed with thick heavy clouds, thatbreak out in lightning, thunder, rain, and fhort-lived ftorms. Their food is not fit f° revery ftomach. Tame buffalo may be had, but no cow-beef. Poultry are fcarce anddear, and fo is fifh, but fome forts of fruits are pretty plentiful$ however, the gentle-men there live as merrily, though not fo long, as in other places, blefl'ed with plentyand fo fociable, that they leave their eftates to the longeft liver.

Sillebar lies but four leagues to the fouth-eaftward of Bencolon, and has a fine con-venient harbour to fhelter flapping from all dangers caufed by ftorms, but the frefh.water is bad, and if drunk any confiderable time, caufes gripings and fluxes, but it

wants