same
time a fleet on shore plying to windward. In this situation they were at
a considerable loss how to dispose of their prizes. To let them go would
lead to their discovery, and thus defeat the design of their voyage; and
it was a distressing matter to sink the men and the horses, though many
of them were for adopting that measure. They, however, brought them to
anchor, threw all the sails overboard, and cut one of the masts half
through.
While they lay at anchor, and were employed in taking in water, one of
the above-mentioned fleet moved towards them with English colors, and
was answered by the pirate with a red ensign; but they did not hail each
other. At night they left the Muscat ships, and sailed after the fleet.
About four next morning, the pirates were in the midst of the fleet, but
seeing their vast superiority, were greatly at a loss what method to
adopt. The Victory had become leaky, and their hands were so few in
number, that it only remained for them to deceive, if possible, the
English squadron. They were unsuccessful in gaining any thing out of
that fleet, and had only the wretched satisfaction of burning a single
galley. They however that day seized a galliot laden with cotton, and
made inquiry of the men concerning the fleet. They protested that they
had not seen a ship since they left Gogo, and earnestly implored their
mercy; but, instead of treating them with lenity, they put them to the
rack, in order to extort farther confession. The day following, a fresh
easterly wind blew hard, and rent the galliot's sails; upon this the
pirates put her company into a boat, with nothing but a try-sail, no
provisions, and only four gallons of water, and, though they were out of
sight of land, left them to shift for themselves.
It may be proper to inform our readers, that one Angria, an Indian
prince, of considerable territory and strength, had proved a troublesome
enemy to Europeans, and particularly to the English. Calaba was his
principal fort, situated not many leagues from Bombay, and he possessed
an island in sight of the port, from whence he molested the Company's
ships. His art in bribing the ministers of the Great Mogul, and the
shallowness of the water, that prevented large ships of war from
approaching, were the principal causes of his safety.
The Bombay fleet, consisting of four grabs, the London and the Candois,
and two other ships, with a galliot, having an additional thousand men
on board for
|