'History of the Indian Navy. (1613-1863).' [‎88] (129/590)

88
HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY.
when the Commodore, suspecting her to be a pirate, sent his
boats to ascertain the real state of the case. The Portuguese
commander, seeing the English approach, as if with hostile
intent, fired into the boats, when they boarded and captured
her, taking the prize into Bombay. Seeing that a mistake had
been made, the Commodore restored the vessel to the Portuguese
Governor, called the " General of-the North," who, however,
refused all apology, and threatened to attack the British settle
ment. An open breach now ensued, the importation of provisions
from Salsette was prohibited, and a fleet of fifty " manchuas" was
assembled at Mahim, with the view of invasion. The Governor
and Commodore were nothing daunted at this fresh peril at a
time of great weakness and depression, but made preparations
for the defence of Bombay. However, they were relieved from
all anxiety by the advent of an unexpected ally. An Arab
fleet suddenly appeared, burned all the shipping at Salsette,
and landed an armed force, which carried the fort of Versova by
assault, and put the garrison to the sword. The Portuguese
General now humbly craved assistance, and his people flocked
in thousands for protection to Bombay. The Arabs eventually
withdrew under apprehension of an attack by the English.^ No
sooner were these difficulties successfully overcome, and confi
dence was somewhat restored, than the plague broke out in the
island, carried off some hundreds of the natives, and reduced the
Europeans to the small number of seventy-six men; this calamity
was followed by a storm, which destroyed the produce of the
island, and wrecked the greater part of the shipping, by which
it was protected.f
In February, 1703, the Mahratta army advanced within two
miles of Surat, and, during the following month, burnt the
suburbs, and laid siege to the town ; thereupon, the Europeans,
alarmed for their factories, took up arms for their defence, and,
at length, the Mahrattas retired. In this affair the Company's
sailors again displayed their discipline and valour, for, we are
told, that the writers all refused to serve as sentinels, leaving
the whole duty of defence to the sailors. In the latter part of
this year, a fresh misunderstanding arose with the Mogul
Government, owing to one of the Mocha ships, which had
remained at that port after the fleet had sailed with convoy,
having been captured by a pirate off Swally Bar. The Nawab An honorific title; an official acting as a provincial deputy ruler in South Asia; or a significant Muslim landowner in nineteenth century India. ,
or Native governor, having confined the European agents to
their houses, and obliged the brokers of the Dutch and British
*= Anderson's " English in Western India.'' Hamilton says :—" In anno 1694,
the Muskat Arabs made a descent on Salset, and committed great depredations
in plundering and burning yillages and churches, killing the priests, and carried
about fourteen hundred captives into irredeemable slavery."
f Bruce's " Annals," vol. hi., pp. 502-3. The pestilence was the same alluded
to by Captain Hamilton, as following the departure of the army of Seedee Yakoob
in 1690.