Hamilton’s account of the e-ast indies. 467

they buy up for the Japon market. The Siam market takes off but little Europeangoods ; however the Dutch chief makes a pretty good figure there.

The Englifh, for many years, had alfo a fadtory there, till about the year 1686, theEaft India Company feeking occafions to pick a quarrel with the Siamers, in order towithdraw, they took hold of fuch as they could firft find, though never fo frivolous.The firft was about anno 1684. The Carolina, bound from England to China , hadthe misfortune to lofe her paffage, and coming to Siam to pafs away the north-eaftmonfoons, and the King of Siam having occafion for fome {lores for {hipping out of theCarolina’s cargo, to equip fome {hips that he had built in order to humble the Cam-bodians and the Couchin-Chinefe, who difturbed the navigation of his country, hecivilly requefted the Englilh chief to fupply him at the prices the fame commoditiesufed to be fold at to merchants, but he could not find that favour, which he relented,and threatened to difturb their commerce. At length, they fupplied him with fomepart of what he demanded, to avert the ill confequences that might happen by a totalrefufal. This was reprefented to the Company in the darkeft colours, and they thoughtthat fufiicient to ground a war on ; but they had at that time a fleet of large {hips,which they had equipped to regain their trade of Bantam , and other places, which theDutch had infolently robbed them of ; but they were difappointed by the deep politicsof King Charles II . as is before obferved.

However, the King of Siam continued his indulgence to the Company and their fer-vants, in much affluence and luxury, continually caroufmg in debaucheries with wineand women, till their common falaries and gains by trade were in no proportion totheir extravagant expences ; however, that being a free country, they had liberty tofpend their own and their mafters eftates as they pleafed.

The King of Siam having formed the defign of a war, as above mentioned, withCambodia and Couchin-China , employed a good number of Englilh who had refortedto Siam , to partake of the King’s indulgence and bounty, and to help the Company’sfervants to fpend their money. All the Englifh who had a mind to enlift themfelves onboard of his fleet, had great encouragement of honourable polls and good falaries wellpaid, and they did perform actions in the war worthy of the bravery and courage of theEnglifh nation, by which the King’s favour to the Englilh increafed more than beforethe war.

One Mr. Pots happened to be chief of the Englilh factory at that time, who' byhis extravagant luxury had rioted away a great part of his mafters goods and money,and had run his own credit out of doors. He then began to form projects how toclear accounts with his mafters and creditors, without putting any thing in theirpockets. Idle firft was on 500 chefts of Japon copper, which his mafters had in fpecieat Siam , and they were brought into account of profit and lofs, for fo much eaten upby the white ants, which are really infects, that by a cold corroding liquid quality, cando much mifchief to cloth, timber, or on any other foft body that their fluids can pene-trate, but copper is thought too hard a morfel for them ; however I faw that article inthe Company’s accounts, as they were remitted from Siam to Bombay, and were inMr. Vaux’s cuftody at Surat afterwards.

But that fmall article of 2500 pounds, went but a finall Way towards clearing ofhis accounts. So after fupper one night as they were merrily caroufing, the factorywas fet on fire, and that balanced all other accounts. Mr. Pots alledged to the King,that his fubjects the Siamers, had done that mifchief, and expected the King to beaccountable for Ioffes and damages fuftained by the Company and their fervants.

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