by means of
a fire-ship, which utterly failed, and cost the Portuguese a hundred
lives, the company's ships sailed away on December 1st, thinking to draw
the enemy after them. But not succeeding in this, Best anchored at Moha
to await their pleasure. It was not until December 22d that the enemy
bore up, having been strengthened by ships and men from Diu. The shores
were lined with spectators to see Best gallantly front them with his two
ships' colors flying.

This time it seemed as if Best and his men were doomed, yet to the
astonishment, not merely of the natives and Portuguese, but of the
company's servants themselves, they were victorious in this engagement.
On the following day, at the close of another battle, the enemy, dazed
and staggering from so much fighting and bloodshed, abruptly turned and
fled, trailing their wrecked flotilla behind them. Nothing can convey a
better idea of the overwhelming superiority of the company gunners and
ordnance, as well as of the matchless audacity of their onslaught, than
the fact of their having lost but three slain, while the Portuguese list
of killed was upward of three hundred. Not only this, but Best's two
ships were still in good condition.

On December 27th the Dragon and the Hoseander returned triumphantly to
Surat, where a number of the company's factors and supercargoes were, as
may be imagined, anxiously awaiting them. It was felt by most, on
hearing the good news, that the promised firman of the Great Mogul would
not be long delayed; but Best, worn out with fighting, was by no means
so sanguine, and ordered Aldworth and the other factors to repair on
board the fleet at once, with such merchandise as they had. But
Aldworth, even after most of the others had given in to the "General's"
views, insisted that Best's victory over the Portuguese had removed the
opposition of the Mogul, who would surely despatch his firman. This was
corroborated by Kerridge, who had gone to Agra to deliver a letter from
King James to the Mogul. But Best had no relish for Aldworth's
stubbornness, as he called it, and summoned a council "and so required
the said Thomas Aldworth to come on board, which he again refused to do,
for that he heard certainly the firman was coming."

Aldworth's confidence was rewarded, for just as Best was about to
depart, Jehangir's decree, granting the company a factory at Surat and
at three other places about the Gulf of Cambay, arrived bearing joy to
the bosoms